The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

No, Rick, Teleprompters Should Not Be Against The Law

Posted on | March 13, 2012 | 16 Comments

by Smitty

The whole ‘there oughta be a law’ notion is predicated upon the idea of the nanny state enforcing everything. All candidates do it, when they talk about swinging by the store and picking up a case of jobs to fix the economy.

Let the court of public opinion do that. Let us understand that if, unlike a military officer or a hospital intern, if the candidate can’t internalize their message, they are unworthy. Let people recognize that, while occasional teleprompter usage happens for any number of reasons, chronic usage is a sign of weakness. Or, in the extreme case of #OccupyResoluteDesk, total vacuousness.

via Breitbart, whose video streaming gadget doesn’t grasp scalability.

Category: Rick Santorum

The Expert Agrees: Polls Are Crap! BONUS: @ESantorum2012 in Hawaii

Posted on | March 13, 2012 | 13 Comments

Nate Silver of the New York Times shows a surprising humility in explaining the limitations of polling, particularly with the situation we’re facing in Alabama and Mississippi: We don’t have what you might call “data depth.” Unlike the early states (e.g., Iowa or South Carolina), we don’t have a long string of polls, several every week by different agencies, to develop a clear trendline. We also had enough polls in Michigan and Ohio and various other Super Tuesday states so that the trendline was pretty clear there, too. In Mississippi and Alabama, however — as I’ve previously pointed out — there’s not  enough data to say anything beyond “too close to call.”

Also, something else I’ve pointed out before, polls are a lagging indicator. It usually takes several days after a shift of opinion for it to start showing up in polls, which is why the Santorum surge in Iowa caught everybody — well, nearly everybody — by surprise. If Santorum’s win in Kansas gave him a late boost, we won’t know it until they count the votes tonight. Meanwhile, remember that Elizabeth Santorum is in Hawaii campaigning for her father. A news report from Honolulu:

When it comes to Presidential politics, Santorum’s daughter, Elizabeth, thinks Father knows best. “I hear from a lot of people, you know, this is Obama’s home state. What are you doing here?” says the 20 year old daughter. “Hawaii’s important to us, and every state along the way brings something to our country.”

Here’s the video:

It will be the wee hours in the morning before we know how the 17 delegates at stake in the Hawaii caucuses will be apportioned. The important thing is, when the TV talking heads try to spin any unexpected results as a “surprise” or an “upset,” ask yourself this question: Why was the result so unexpected? Why are these supposed experts on TV always trying to tell us that the actual vote numbers are some kind of shocking surprise, just because they don’t match the numbers in a poll taken last week? Welcome to the Information Age, where you can read the same polls that they’re reading and make up your own mind, without experts telling you what to think.

Category: Alabama, Election 2012, Hawaii, Mississippi, Polls, Rick Santorum

We Need To Nail This Down Before Somebody Wants To Name Her After #OccupyResoluteDesk

Posted on | March 13, 2012 | 10 Comments

by Smitty

Via Insty and NRO, a petition to keep the name USS Enterprise in commission, rather than have various other news- or sympathy-worthy figures move in.
The Ruling Class would prefer you to lose all sense of history, and live in a ‘managed’ present tense.
Resist we much.

Category: Instapundit

Hillary Clinton ‘… Reject Efforts To Marginalize Any One Of Us*’

Posted on | March 13, 2012 | 7 Comments

by Smitty

*You have to understand that ‘us’ does not include Sarah Palin, Michelle Malkin, Laura Ingraham, any other conservative women, and especially not females that have not completed gestation.

May God Almighty give you a soul and then shed mercy on it, Hillary Clinton.

Related: the failed “War on Women”.

via Breitbart

Category: Democrats, Hillary Clinton

Mr. Inevitability, Mitt Romney

Posted on | March 13, 2012 | 18 Comments

Quin Hillyer of The American Spectator lives in Alabama and reports on the ideological emptiness of the front-runner’s campaign:

At about 7:15, Ann Romney came out to say her husband would be out soon. They knew it was important to do it soon, she said, because they were looking at weather forecasts and were afraid everyone would get drenched.
Then she made her mini-pitch for her husband. It amounted to this: “He’s gonna win anyway, so you should help him win.”
Actually, what she said was this: “It is more and more clear that Mitt is going to be the nominee of the party.” And it’s important, because “I know women, and women are talking about the economy. They are mad. I am mad.” They are all mad about the debt that Barack Obama is leaving as a “burden on our children.” Her husband understands this. That’s why he’ll be out in a minute to tell you about why he should win the race we all know he is going to win. . . .

Read the whole thing. Meanwhile, Politico ‘s Jonathan Martin has details of the latest “inevitability” argument — call it Inevitability 2.0.

Category: Alabama, American Spectator, Election 2012

Two Worthy Bloggers

Posted on | March 13, 2012 | 13 Comments

by Smitty

While we’ve supported Zilla of the Resistance, we’ve not yet blogged her painful situation:

I have been doing research and have learned that many doctors who specialize in treatment of Late Stage Lyme operate on a cash only business to avoid some of the nasty red tape and big nanny state f–kery which becomes a barrier to the doctors ability to do right by his or her patients. And they don’t come cheap — one doctor I called requires a $1500 payment JUST for the initial consult, and requires a five hundred dollar security deposit just to be able to make the appointment! It is obvious that he is not a doctor I can afford to see but I am hoping I can find one who can see me and is willing to treat me without costing a ton of money. I am learning that people with this late stage Lyme have to pay a LOT of money for testing and treatment. Any money I can scrape together towards my health issues is going to be money that would otherwise be used to pay for food and our utility bills here, so I could really use some help. You will be helping to save my life and give back to my family the mom & wife that they deserve.

As someone who’s enjoyed robust health, I can only imagine what this sort of chronic illness must be like.

Just getting down to a valid diagnosis is worthwhile. Also worthwhile: seeing Americans help themselves without the government slipping on the velvet handcuffs.
Also worthy of your consideration: Da Tech Guy, the founder of the Axis of Fedora and, if I may embarrass him, one of the most beautiful Christian men I’ve had the privilege of calling friend. Pete’s situation is less life-threatening health-wise than Zilla’s. Yet Pete has surmounted different, also daunting challenges.
In a day and age where too many people are punting on traditional American values and, instead, looking for a taxpayer bailout, it is a blessing to know and support people like Zilla and Pete.
Please remember them in your prayers and do what else is within your means to help them.
Category: Blogging, Da Tech Guy, Zilla of the Resistance

Sources Close to Christina Hendricks Could Not Be Reached for Comment

Posted on | March 13, 2012 | 19 Comments

When you’re seeking a metaphor for “no chance in hell,” certain impossible scenarios immediately come to mind, which was what I was aiming for in my American Spectator column today:

Monday, Carl Cameron of Fox News was the vehicle by which “sources close to the Gingrich campaign” floated a trial balloon, suggesting that former House Speaker Newt Gingrich might announce Texas Gov. Rick Perry as his running mate “prior to the Republican National Convention at the end of August.”
While I haven’t bothered to check with my own “sources close to the Gingrich campaign,” this suggestion had the distinct aroma of a substance one might find on the plains of Texas in the vicinity of a herd of longhorn cattle. Carl Cameron is too smart of a reporter to believe such a steaming pile of nonsense, and so my guess is that Carl was just sharing it with Fox News viewers in order to give them a glimpse of how truly desperate “sources close to the Gingrich campaign” have become. Republican voters go to the polls in Alabama and Mississippi today, and if Newt loses these two primaries, he’s got as much chance of winning the GOP nomination as he has of making Christina Hendricks his next wife. . . .

Read the whole purposefully cruel thing. My apologies to Newt fans, but I finally got tired of being forced to listen to such ridiculousness.

Category: Alabama, American Spectator, Election 2012, Mississippi, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry

LIVE AT FIVE – 03.13.12

Posted on | March 13, 2012 | 2 Comments

— compiled by Wombat-socho



TOP NEWS
Soldier Accused Of Afghanistan Massacre Suffered Head Injury In Iraq

SecDef Panetta fields reporters' questions en route to Kirghizstan

Brain injury the reason why?
Related: Massacre Makes Obama More Determined To Pull Out

Syrian Opposition Calls For International Military Intervention
Good luck with that, guys.

Gingrich Defiant
Working hard for a badly-needed win in Dixie tomorrow



POLITICS
Justice Department Rejects Texas Voter ID Law

AG Eric Holder holding up a podium

Governor Perry vows a fight; DOJ cites large number of Texas Latinos without ID

Millennium Bomber’s Sentence Rejected As Too Light


Fonda, Steinem Insist Limbaugh Must Be Silenced By FCC

Illinois Politicians Fume Over FEMA’s Refusal Of Tornado Aid

Obama’s Approval Rating Sinks To New Low

San Francisco Sheriff Pleads Guilty To Charge Of False Imprisonment



THE ECONOMY, STUPID
Gold Drops Below $1700, Breaking Three-Day Advance
Oil Falls On Large PRC Trade Deficit
$25 Billion Mortgage Settlement With Banks Is Official
Dow, S&P 500 Extend Gains For Fourth Day
Voters Blame President For Gas Prices, Democratic Experts Say Not So Fast
Rules Give Shape To Health Insurance Exchanges
Hidden Unemployment Numbers Stymie Obama’s Job Growth Claims
Yahoo Sues Facebook For Infringing 10 Patents
Twitter Buys Posterous
The New Cable-TV Guy: Intel
iPhone Fails To Gain PRC Share As Samsung Lead Triples
DARPA Director Bolts Pentagon For Google
Many Aghast At Facebook Friends’ Politics, Study Finds



SPORTS
Randy Moss Agrees To One-Year Deal With 49ers

Former Raider WR Randy Moss crosses the bay

Signing sparks speculation about Peyton Manning

Knicks Play Better, But Losing Skid Continues

NHL GMs Discussing Rule Changes To Cut Down On Concussions

NCAA Penalizes Tarheels; No Postseason Next Year, Scholarships Cut


Baylor’s Undefeated Bears Top Seed In NCAA Women’s Hoops Tourney

Bobcats Win Sixth Victory Of The Season, Beat Hornets 73-71

Zimmerman, Flores Lead Nats Past Cards 8-4



FAMOUS FOR BEING FAMOUS
Jennifer Lawrence Can Feel Fans’ Thirst For “The Hunger Games”

Jennifer Lawrence

Visits fans camped outside Nokia Theater on Sunday before Monday’s premiere

Oprah’s Bobbi Kristina Interview Gives OWN Ratings Record With 3.5 Million Viewers

Gosling & Mendes Not Splitsville After All



See Kristen Stewart As A Vampire In “Breaking Dawn”

Brad & Angelina Dance To Rihanna At “Make It Right” Event

Nude Pictures Of Heather Morris Leaked To Internet

Michael Eisner’s Company Behind Film Adaptation Of “Garbage Pail Kids”



FOREIGNERS
Gaza Cease-Fire Agreed On After 160 Rockets Fired, 24 Palestinians Dead
Poll: Sarkozy Takes Lead In First Round
Australia An “Enemy Of The Internet”?
Bangladesh Opposition Holds Massive Rally In Dhaka
Malaysian Minister In “Cowgate” Scandal To Step Down
Kony 2012 The Bastard Offspring Of The Liberal Elite
Sri Lanka Army To Produce Final Battle Documentary
Imam Dead In Belgium Mosque Arson



BLOGS & STUFF
John McCormack: Obama Fares Worse Among Women After Month-Long Contraception Mandate Battle
Powerline: Another Poll Shows Obama Slipping
Weasel Zippers: Harry Reid Says GOP Trying To Embarrass Obama
Legal Insurrection: Gawker More Acceptable Than Conservative Talk Radio To Advertisers?
Washington Free Beacon: Immoral P.C. Hipster Crackdown On Homeless Entrepreneurs
Wired: The Damning Story Behind “Homeless Hotspots” At SXSW
Gateway Pundit: It’s Official – Obamacare Funds Abortions After All
Breitbart.com: Jeremiah Wright On Derrick Bell, Jesus, And The Jews – A Sermon Obama Could Not Have Missed


SOTD: Rise

Category: Live at Five
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