Month: November 2010

Stunning Discovery: Shadowy Corporate Donors Contribute to Political Campaigns

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DAYTONA BEACH SHORES, Fla. — I was not shocked to learn that MSNBC’s Keith Olbermann had contributed to Democrats. What truly shocked me? Finding out that NBC has an “ethics policy”!

MSNBC host Keith Olbermann made campaign contributions to two Arizona members of Congress and failed Kentucky Senate candidate Jack Conway ahead of Tuesday’s election — a potential violation of NBC ethics policies.
Olbermann, who acknowledged the contributions in a statement to POLITICO, made the maximum legal donations of $2,400 apiece to Conway and to Arizona Reps. Raul Grijalva and Gabrielle Giffords. He donated to the Arizona pair on Oct. 28 — the same day that Grijalva appeared as a guest on Olbermann’s “Countdown” show.

Keith Olbermann is obviously no rocket scientist. His boss, General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt apparently prefers giving to Republicans (including John McCain and Rob Portman) even though Obama named Immelt to his economic advisory board. And Obama’s had a very GE-friendly energy policy.

Being strictly a neutral, objective journalist myself — “Ethics, shmethics!” — I don’t think Olbermann should be fired from NBC, which is as about as neutral and objective as Pravda or the Daily Worker. There is already a serious unemployment crisis looming among Democrats:

The Great Shellacking of 2010 will throw more than 2,000 Democratic congressional staffers out of their jobs.

Yeah. Sucks to be you, huh?

Well, they’ve already extended my checkout time here by two hours, and it’s time to hit the road again, so I can get back home to Mrs. Other McCain. She continues to worry about the finances of this trip. Thanks to everybody who’s already hit the tip jar. And if you haven’t hit the tip jar yet,l what the heck are you waiting for?

While I’m on the road, you should read Sissy Willis: “The inherent condescension at the heart of the anti-Palin campaign.”

Doug Hoffman’s Legacy in 2010 Victories

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DAYTONA BEACH SHORES, Fla. — During the Allen West victory party Tuesday night, I stepped outside for a few moments and made a phone call to upstate New York to interview the man whose 2009 special-election campaign did so much to inspire grassroots conservatives nationwide. (See “Battle Cry in the North Country.”)

It was just after 8 p.m. when I called, and polls didn’t close in New York until 9 p.m. I had been angry in September when Matt Doheny won the NY-23 Republican primary (by just 700 votes) after airing dishonest attack ads accusing Hoffman of “lining his pockets.” And I was surprised when Hoffman subsequently endorsed Doheny.

On Election Night, I felt an urge to talk to Hoffman. I recorded the brief interview, but didn’t have time to transcribe it until last night:

RSM: After the primary a few weeks ago – totally broke my heart. How are you feeling about it now?

DOUG HOFFMAN: Well, I’m still disappointed, but life goes on, Stacy.

RSM: Your campaign last year was really the first total Tea Party campaign. It sent a message. We’ve just seen Marco Rubio declared the victor here in Florida. As Erick Erickson said, New York 23 last year, it was a trial run for Florida, we’re going to shake up the establishment. Do you think your campaign last year helped send a message?

HOFFMAN: Absolutely. I think my campaign, and the people who were supporting me, woke up America and said, “We’re fed up. We have to do something about it. We’re not going to take more spending, more taxes, and more government regulations.”

RSM: What are your plans going forward? I thought that was very big of you to endorse [GOP nominee Matt] Doheny after the kind of terrible crap he did to you.

HOFFMAN: Well, I had to look past Mr. Doheny and look at what was good for America, and that’s the conclusion that I came to. It’s better to get Pelosi and Reid and the Obama agenda off the table, and get more Republicans into the House. It was a very difficult decision, but that’s why I made the decision, [because] I think it’s good for America.

RSM: And that was what it was all about for you, from the get-go.

HOFFMAN: Absolutely. We have to get people down in Washington that are going to fight the Pelosi agenda, and that’s what it’s all about.

RSM: Somebody said that you lit the fuse up there in New York 23. It looks like it’s going to be a huge explosion tonight.

HOFFMAN: That’s the exciting part. I’m disappointed that I’m not going to be part of the excitement and going to Washington, but if the legacy of my race last year is the people who are going to Washington this year, then I’m very proud to watch what’s happening tonight, and anticipate the Republicans taking over the House.

He’s a class act. And establishment Republican Matt Doheny lost Tuesday by 3,800 votes. Even though Hoffman endorsed Doheny — who spent $1.7 million of his own money on the campaign — more than 9,500 people still voted for Hoffman on the Conservative Party line. Maybe next time.

DOUG HOFFMAN for U.S. CONGRESS

Teavangelical Party?

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by Smitty (via HotAir)

The Brody File:

Here’s the bottom line: conservative Evangelicals see fiscal issues as moral issues.

  • Fiscal responsibility is an ethical issue. There are plenty of retarded things one can do with money sans prevarication, which would make the idiocy immoral in addition to stupid.
  • Plenty of Jews, Atheists, and Roman Catholics &c are at Tea Parties: how ill-liberal of you to toss them under the Evangelical bus.
  • As a humble Evangelical, the need for the pejorative tone in the The Brody File escapes me. Possibly you’ll come to my church of a Sunday and afford me the benefit of your innate superiority, from which my knuckle-dragging, nose-breathing, uni-brow Baptist self could clearly benefit.
  • At what point does out-of-context denigration of religious faith become bigotry?  Or is bigotry one of those asymmetric notions that only Christians themselves are capable of producing?

Less cheekily, the only event I’ve attended featuring significant spiritual content was Beck’s Restoring Honor, but that was mostly ecumenical in character. So phooey on your Teavangelical notion, Brody.

Yeah, I Thought The 34 Ship Story A Trifle Inflated

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by Smitty

Having enjoyed a few deployments a couple decades ago, you don’t just go taking large amounts of warships and throwing them at places, unless they have names like San Diego or Norfolk. Singapore. Hong Kong. Then, you’re stuck anchoring out and taking barges in. Dealing with the sewage, fuel, trash, and fresh water is a nightmare. These are just the actual operational aspects.
The politics of squids being squids, and the ridiculous carbon footprint of warships (which may not affect the air quality in some places) would completely outweigh the ‘vulgar display of power’ value. And wouldn’t that be rather Bush-y, anyway? (Actually not; W and the military enjoy mutual affection.)
BHO should go hang out with the Navy. Take in some carrier flight ops. Some DIVTACS. Then he can return and explain to “Gentleman” Jim Moran that the military indeed offers a service to the public.

LIVE AT FIVE – 11.05.10

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TOP NEWS

Deep Impact Probe Captures Amazing Comet Images


Comet Hartley 2


Probe results could reveal more about early days of the solar  system

13 More Dead As Indonesian Volcano Erupts Again
57 injured as well

68 Dead In Cuban Air Crash
Plane belonged to subsidiary of Cuban national airline



POLITICS

Murray Rides King County To Victory Over Rossi In Washington Senate Race

Senator Murray at her victory party

Added 31,000 votes to lead by the time Rossi conceded last night

Quinn Talks Like a Winner In Illinois, But Brady Not Conceding

Rep. Solomon Ortiz (D-Tex) Still Trails, Mulls Recount

GOP Majority In Texas House May Revive Immigration, Voter ID Bills

Outgoing Governor Doyle Halts Work On Wisconsin High-Speed Rail

SecState Continues To Deny Interest In Presidency



THE ECONOMY, STUPID

Microsoft Has A Hit With Kinect

Dow Closes Up 2% After Fed Buys Treasuries

Qantas A380s Grounded For Another Day

Facebook Deals Threatens Google Places, Foursquare, Gowalla



SPORTS

Hall of Fame Manager Sparky Anderson Dies, 76


Sparky Anderson, 1934-2010, RIP


Led “Big Red Machine” to two world championships, Tigers to another

Cam Newton Allegations Could Be Blow To BCS, Auburn

Georgia Tech Loses Game, Joshua Nesbitt, And Shot At ACC Title


Ortiz Gets Extension From BoSox

NFL Fines Steelers’ Harrison $20K For Late Hit On Brees

Caterer Turns Tables On Moss



FAMOUS FOR BEING FAMOUS

Former “Bachelorette” Contender Julien Hug Found Dead In SoCal


Julien Hug

Foul play ruled out

“Storm Chasers” Star Matt Hughes Dead, 30

Jessica Alba Poised To Remake Image As Lucille Ball
🙁


Johnny Depp To Start Work On “Dark Shadows” In April, Tim Burton Directing



FOREIGNERS

Haiti Could Avoid Direct Hit From Tomas, But Heavy Rains, Flooding Likely

U.S. Support For Pakistan Irks Indians On Eve Of Obama’s Visit

Croatia: Apologies At Site of 1991 Massacres

Serbian President Calls For Reconciliation With Croatia

OAS Head To Mediate Costa Rica/Nicaragua Border Spat



BLOGS & STUFF

Gateway Pundit: Top Blue Dog Matheson Calls For Pelosi To Step Down

Sundries Shack: Pelosi Has “No Regrets”

AmSpecBlog: Shuler Says He’ll Challenge Pelosi If Nobody Else Does

Allahpundit: Grayson Claims Dems Lost Due To “Appeasement” Of GOP

Classical Values: 31% Of Gays Voted Republican This Year

Hit & Run: The Day In Stupid – Election Reaction Edition

Cubachi: Christie To Cut 1200 NJ State Workers, Saving Millions



— compiled by Wombat-socho

Ellmers to NRCC: Thanks for Nothing

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That the GOP won the House is some kind of miracle, considering the total ineptitude of Pete Sessions and his crew of bumbling dingbats at the NRCC. Renee Ellmers beat Bob Etheridge in North Carolina. Now the Democrat is asking for a recount and Ellmers has gone public with the fact that the NRCC is MIA:

Months ago, I went to Washington and asked the National Republican Congressional Committee and many conservative leaders to help my campaign. Many conservative groups – like the Susan B. Anthony List, Concerned Women of America, Freedom Works, and Sarah Palin’s Sarah PAC all helped, but the NRCC declined. Later, they did support other campaigns in North Carolina – which, unfortunately, lost – but we never received their support. In fact, their spokesman told the press “that the campaign wasn’t ready for prime time” – which actually made it even harder for us to raise money. So, I am doubtful we will get support from the NRCC to help with the expense of the recount.

I’m still remembering that August phone conversation with the NRCC staffer who was all, “Van Tran! Van Tran!” Forty-two freaking percent.

Notice that the bumbling dingbats at GOP-HQ are now telling the New York Times that everything happened because of them and their genius strategy. Excuse me while I quote myself:

Pete Sessions should have been stripped of his chairmanship the day after Dede Scozzafava endorsed Bill Owens. If there were still any old-fashioned justice in the world, Pete Sessions would have been horsewhipped and stomped to death by the House Republican Caucus, his head carried through the streets atop a pike, and his mutilated headless corpse fed to dogs.

Ellmers is seeking contributions to help fight Etheridge’s attempt to steal back the seat he lost.

Hat tips to Noisy Room and Beregond, more at Politico, Weasel Zippers, Gateway Pundit and Memeorandum.

UPDATE: Welcome, Instapundit readers! And thanks to Joan in Georgia, Stephen in Texas, Charlie in Oregon, Joel in Nebraska, Mike in St. Cloud, and Guy in New York who responded to my earlier appeal for the Shoe Leather Fund.

UPDATE II: Dan Riehl cuts to the bone:

I’ve just gotten word from the RNC, they are supporting her recount effort with $10,000. How many balls does the NRCC have to drop before we realize they aren’t bad jugglers, they’re a bunch of clowns! They didn’t spend a dime to get her elected, blowing it on losing causes in NC. Maybe she didn’t hire the right consultants?

Bingo. Maybe if Ellmers had hired Tandy Harrison . . .

Now We Must Govern

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by Smitty

This afternoon I sat in on a conference call hosted by Kibbe & Co. that answered the all-important question: What Then Follows (WTF)? Looming large in the discussion was their Benchmark Study, authored by Dr. Frank Luntz.

Substantial American majorities support an agenda that:

  • Balances the budget through meaningful spending reductions (70% support)
  • Eliminates earmarks and wasteful spending (69% support)
  • Prevents looming tax increases on all Americans (61% support)
  • Instills constitutionally accountable government (60% support)
  • Rolls back and replaces the government takeover of healthcare (54% support)

Guess what? These and additional broadly supported policies are the exact terms of the
“Contract FROM America,” drafted from the bottom up and voted on by Tea Partiers across the
country. It’s a Contract that grassroots activists have used to hold candidates accountable throughout
2010… and will continue to use to hold Washington accountable far beyond.
Point by point, issue by issue, Americans across the political spectrum support the Tea Party
movement. The overwhelming results of our benchmark study could not be clearer:
The Tea Party is NOT an “extremist segment of American politics.”
The Tea Party IS America.

It sounds as though, in contrast to 1992, when the Perot grass-roots energy sort of dissipated, that genuine thought is being given to transitioning political neophytes into seasoned political participants.
So, I’ll be poring over the report. No, I won’t. Towers of Midnight arrived on my doorstep this afternoon. Blogging will be light-ish for a couple of days, until the book is done with me. It’s not even like an earned privilege; this is rather a sad addiction that will only afflict me one more time after this, when the series is ended. Then, the only other fiction threat is George R. R. Martin, who, hopefully, will not succumb to Robert Jordan-ism. That is, dying with an unfinished fantasy epic. No one escapes this world alive, but leaving dangling readers is less than cool.
Get me past this tome, and then small things like the future of the country may regain significance.

Kibbe, you rock.