The Other McCain

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

999 Ninth Street NW

Posted on | November 4, 2011 | 2 Comments

“You’re very attractive,” says Erik Telford

WASHINGTON, D.C.
Here at the Renaissance Hotel — the address of which is the title of the post — I was working hard, trying to get an important story written, but my friends insisted on buying me beers and talking about Herman Cain.

The Americans for Prosperity “Defending the Dream Summit” began Thursday evening at the Washington Convention Center, but the real action is at the lobby bar of the Renaissance. Trust me, I’m professional journalist. I get paid to know these things.

So I found myself talking to Mike Rogers and Chris Heneghan, stone-cold crazy fanatics aboard the Cain Train, who are a story unto themselves. But there’s no time to tell that story now, because at this writing — 12:46 a.m. Friday — they’ve already closed the bar. This is a social injustice, and my friends Mike and Chris have offered me sofa space in their suite at the Renaissance.

The running joke of the night was, “You’re very attractive” — for reasons that should be obvious.

As I say, Messrs. Rogers and Heneghan are a story unto themselves, but there’s no time for that now, as I must pack it in and prepare for Friday’s big events. This post will go live at the blog in the morning, but I bid you good-night with The Five Most Important Words in the English Language: Hit the freaking tip jar!

Mike Rogers stands behind the National Affairs Desk
in the lobby of the Renaissance Hotel, 12:04 a.m., Nov. 4, 2011


Category: Election 2012, Fear and Loathing at Defending the American Dream, Herman Cain

LIVE AT FIVE – 11.04.11

Posted on | November 4, 2011 | 3 Comments

— compiled by Wombat-socho


TOP NEWS
Senate GOP Shoots Down $60 Billion Infrastructure Bill

Because the rabbit with the pancake on its head lacks gravitas.

Dems can’t muster more than 51 votes in procedural move to bring bill forward.

Eighty Arrested In Oakland After General Strike Turns Violent
Vandalism and violence blamed on anarchists; Port of Oakland reopens this morning

Cain Faces Public Airing Of Harassment Claims
Restaurant association mulling release of statement from anonymous accuser



POLITICS
Romney Says Reducing Spending A “Moral Responsibility”

Mitt Romney brandishes notes for his fiscal policy speech last night in Exeter

Offers preview of tomorrow’s speech to AFP gathering, calls for $500 billion in cuts

Perry Asks Iowans: “Are You Better Off Than You Were $4 Trillion Ago?”
Probably not getting a whole lot of folks saying yes



House Committee Subpoenas White House Solyndra E-Mails

Pennsylvania Unveils Plan For Bankrupt Harrisburg

Mayor Bing: Detroit In “Extremely Serious” Financial Shape

Senate GOP Tells “Supercommittee” Tax Increases Are DOA

Congressional Democrats Go On Record As Favoring Vote Fraud – Or At Least Opposing Tougher Voting Laws



THE ECONOMY, STUPID
Asia Stocks Rise After ECB Rate Cut
Groupon Raises $700 Million In Biggest IPO Since Google
Lefty Advocacy Groups Claim Most Companies Don’t Pay Taxes At 35% Rate
Chesapeake Energy Nears $3.4 Billion In Deals
US Banks To Push Prepaid, Credit Cards
Starbucks Profit Up Despite Economic Jitters
Amazon Starts Lending Library For Kindle Owners With Prime Memberships
Google Updates Search Algorithm, Ups Ante Vs. Bing
PRC Singled Out For Cyberspying, Russia Also Named In Economic Espionage Report



SPORTS
Stalled NBA Negotiations Lead To Talk Of Union Decertification

Derek Fisher and Billy Hunter of the NBA players union

Disgruntled faction among players may seek decertification if no deal or wrong deal is made by the weekend

Devils Outlast Flyers In Shootout; Jets Shut Out Rangers

Mackanin First Up In Cubs’ Search

Former Giant Matty Alou Dies, 72

Colts’ Manning Waiting For Neck To Heal, Hoping To Play This Season

Panthers’ Markstrom Makes Case In Loss To Blackhawks

Nationals Get More Wang: One Year, $4 Million



FAMOUS FOR BEING FAMOUS
“Breaking Dawn” Sex Scene Almost Earns Film R Rating

Kristen Stewart

So steamy, they had to re-cut it for the PG

Courtney Stodden Steps Out Barefaced and Barely Clothed

Lindsay Lohan Has To Re-shoot For Playboy



Walden Media, J-Lo Team Up On “Carmen Sandiego”

Why Lady Gaga And Katie Couric Will Spend Thanksgiving Together

Marilyn Manson Goes Nuts In Vegas

Nicki Minaj: Maid Is Money-Grubbing Liar

Snooki: I Wish “Jersey Shore” Didn’t Show As Much Drinking And Partying



FOREIGNERS
Greek PM Faces Knife-Edge Survival Vote
His own party may throw him out
Israel Faces Iran Attack Questions
Syria Crackdown Continues, Opposition Says
Setback For Palestinians: UK, France, Colombia Say They’ll Abstain From UNSC Vote
What If They Had A Gaza Flotilla And Nobody Noticed?
Egyptian Generals Giving Signs They’re Not Relinquishing Power
Kenyan Military Spokesman Uses Twitter To Shut Down Border Donkey Sales To Shabaab Jihadis



BLOGS & STUFF
Dave Weigel: Cainaquiddick, Where Source-Based Journalism Goes To Die
Big Hollywood: Michael Moore Attacks First Responders
OWS Exposed: Occupy DC Led By Lifelong Activists
Lonely Conservative: Officials From Organization Formerly Known As ACORN Destroying Documents Tying Them To OWS
Don Surber: People Of Walmart May Elect Next President
Weasel Zippers: Chronic Flip-Flopper Mitt Romney – “I’ve Been As Consistent As A Human Being Can Be”
Michele Malkin: More Ugly Occupy Oakland Pictures That Won’t Make The Front Pages
NRO Corner: Kristof Is Wrong To Hail The Birth Control Solution
Atlas Shrugs: Love Among The Ruins – Obama Hugs Turkish PM Erdogan


SOTD: Innuendo

Category: Live at Five

Still Full Of Crow, No Palin Rumor Room

Posted on | November 3, 2011 | 45 Comments

by Smitty

Hot Air goes for the cheap hits on something I saw earlier, hinting that Sarah Palin may be considering alleging Herman Cain sexually harassed her un-declining to run for President, but I had refused to nibble. However, if Something Really Big Happens on 13 November, don’t forget this post. I’ll admit to hoping things change in that direction, in the context of all that hopium and change-eeba have bought us the last three years.

The good thing about all the GOP fumbling about is that we may, eventually, get so flipping sick of the whole popularity contest aspect, that we, of sheer boredom, get down to the brass tacks of What We Need To Do To Recover Liberty.

If that happens, BHO is toast.

Category: Politics

‘Zo Takes Aim At Russell Simmons, Makes Fish Soup In Barrel

Posted on | November 3, 2011 | 7 Comments

by Smitty

On the one hand, the substance isn’t terribly challenging. On the other, Alfonzo Rachel still delivers the well-played style. Click the image to view:


Update: And it looks like Steven Crowder has some #OccupyShenanigans coming on Monday:

Category: #Occupy, PJTV

Complete Burn-Out Looms: Random Notes on the Road to the American Dream

Posted on | November 3, 2011 | 33 Comments

“A top Iowa supporter of Herman Cain’s presidential campaign is blaming top Cain aide Mark Block for the campaign’s poor response to allegations that Cain sexually harassed at least two women in the 1990s.
“Jeff Jorgenson, the chairman of the Pottawatamie County Republican Party, said Cain’s campaign has been caught off-guard and that Cain should consider changes, starting at the top.
“ ‘I’m not very happy with the response to these allegations from the campaign itself,’ Jorgenson said. ‘I think Herman Cain needs to take maybe another look at his association with his chief of staff.’ ”
— Aaron Blake, Washington Post, “Top Iowa supporter for Herman Cain blames Mark Block for fumbled response”

Frustration eventually overwhelms even my otherwise inexhaustible energy, and being unable to get a return phone call from the Cain campaign has pushed me into the Burn-Out Zone. Two points:

  1. It’s not their fault.
  2. It’s not about me.

Pursuing the Presidency of the United States is a serious enough business that I understand the utter insignificance of my own complaints. For when the Great Scorer comes to write beside their names, he will mark — not that they didn’t return my phone calls when the Big Story was breaking — but whether they won the game.

Any correlation between the two phenomena is probably accidental.

Also utterly random: A friend called my attention to a story about Shorter College, a Baptist school in Rome, Ga., that is being excoriated for expecting faculty to uphold Baptist standards.

More than 30 years ago, I dated a Shorter coed and we, uh, failed rather drastically at upholding Baptist standards. IYKWIMAITYD.

Anyway . . . just called up my editor at the American Spectator and said I probably won’t be filing anything for them tonight. The Americans for Prosperity “Defending the American Dream Summit” kicks off tonight in downtown DC, and early registration ends at 8 p.m., so I wouldn’t want to miss that. Because there might be refreshing beverages for sale, and friends who want to buy them for me.

Did I mention that Phil Kerpen, vice president of policy at Americans for Prosperity, is the author of the blockbuster new book, Democracy Denied: How Obama is Ignoring You and Bypassing Congress to Radically Transform America – and How to Stop Him? I’m sure my readers have seen my good buddy Phil on Fox News, and want to buy lots of copies of Democracy Denied — now just $15.95 at Amazon! — which will make Phil very, very happy. And when Phil’s happy, I’m happy. IYKWIMAITYD.

So I’m pulling the ripcord, hitting the silk and bailing out on the blog for a few hours, while I go down to hit the D.C. scene, schmooze my sources and try to get over the frustration of going five hours without a call-back from my friends with the Cain campaign. If it wasn’t urgent enough to deserve a call-back by now, it can probably wait another day, I suppose.

Meanwhile, there is more news and still more news but . . . Well, maybe this is God’s way of telling me I need to turn it loose and let Phil Kerpen buy me a refreshing beverage. And if you guys will hit the freaking tip jar, I might even violate my code of ethics and pick up the tab myself.




When burn-out looms, one of the most important symptoms is an overpowering thirst. And I must maintain my health. IYKWIMAITYD.


Category: Fear and Loathing at Defending the American Dream, Herman Cain

Economic Freedom: That Upon Which Our GOP Candidates Should Be Focusing

Posted on | November 3, 2011 | 4 Comments

by Smitty

Consider the following video a crowbar for use in prying the conservative head out of a lightless location:

The silliness of wasting days and days going after flimsy allegations is helping no one but BHO. Kabogus theater (to coin a phrase) is no way to set about recovering the country.

Watch that YouTube clip again. Keep in mind that Ron Paul, is the only GOP contender of whom I’m aware who is explicitly talking about removing any federal agencies. Are the rest of the candidates just playing the business-as-usual, with enough cuts like ObamaCare to win the election? (Aside: Robert Birch would like the Ron Paul fans to consider bidding on a piece of art that will shoe in South Korea at Jeju at the Gandeurak Theatre, November 12th. )

For a personal example, we’re looking to retain a nanny for The World’s Youngest Blogger in a couple of months, when I quit the #OccupyCouch movement and go back to work. IRS publication 926 looms large here. What a train wreck. There is simply no good explanation for why the federal government has to be involved in a transaction for services between two Virginia residents. There are some historical explanations, yes. But the entire system of taxation, like the U.S. Code mentioned in the video, is so beyond fixing that [Geithner joke goes here]. Who is the candidate that can restore liberty to America? Eternal paperwork is not the price of freedom. Paperwork is the death of freedom.

Category: Economics

This Blog Has Been Critical Of Senator Webb In The Past

Posted on | November 3, 2011 | 4 Comments

by Smitty

Via Instapundit, there are indications of Fightin’ Jim Webb coming out swinging against the Obama administration in Politico (our Bible).  Now, as a Virginia resident, the 2006 ‘macaca’ scandal was a major indicator to me of just how decayed American politics had become. After reading Liberal Fascism, it was highly unclear how anybody with even a vaguely patriotic bone could run on the Democrat ticket.

So it’s encouraging to see the gander about Democrat tax proposals and jobs *yawn* legislation in the. . .mmmm. . .where was I? Oh, the Politico article. However, if you really want to go out in style,

with some dignity intact, here are some suggestions:

  • Co-sponsor the Honest Budget Act
  • Call for BHO’s impeachment.
  • Endorse a candidate for the Senate seat you’re about to vacate.
  • Tell it like it is about the Super Committee silliness.
  • Caucus with the GOP.

I’m sure our able commenters can think of some other ideas that would help, you know, restore some notion of limited government in the country.

Category: Democrats, Virginia

PJM’s Pollock Publishes First Specific Account of Cain Harassment Charge UPDATE: PJM Makes Corrections

Posted on | November 3, 2011 | 115 Comments

Hat-tip to Ace of Spades and congratulations to Richard Pollock at PJM for finally getting the specifics on the record:

Both sources, one male and one female, worked at the time — mid-1990s — for the governmental affairs department of the National Restaurant Association, as did the woman.
According to both sources, Mr. Cain and the woman had been with a large group for a long evening of food and drink at the Ciao Baby Cucina, a restaurant near NRA headquarters in downtown Washington, D.C. This was a normal routine, as the trade association worked with the food and beverage industry. Afterwards, Mr. Cain allegedly took the woman by taxi to his apartment, where she spent the night and woke up in his bed.
The female source told PJ Media that she witnessed the woman entering a taxi with Herman Cain.
Neither source has direct knowledge of what occurred at Mr. Cain’s residence, but several days after the alleged incident, the male source witnessed the woman returning to her workplace “distraught.” “She was very upset.”

Why did this take so long? What were people afraid of? Now the Cain campaign has something specific that they can deal with.

UPDATE: I have sent text messages and e-mail to the Cain campaign seeking their official response. Meanwhile, I agree with Glenn Reynolds: “I’d still like to see names named, even from people I trust.”

Anonymous accusations, in regard to such a serious matter, are unacceptable. It’s one thing to grant anonymity to sources when what you’re reporting is routine campaign strategy stuff. It’s something else when grievous accusations of sexual misbehavior are being made against the leading candidate for a major party’s nomination for president.

UPDATE II: The commenters are, of  course, free to speculate on the factuality or meaning of the account reported by Pollock. Given that I am expected to report on the Cain campaign, however, I am obligated to resist the speculation temptation.

Nevertheless, it is possible to say — as a neutral objective fact — that this changes the nature of the story.

Whereas we were previously led to believe that this was a matter of mere words, which may have crossed the line into the range of “unwanted advances,” now it seems to be something else entirely. And shame on any reporters, at Politico or anywhere else, who were aware of such specific accusations and failed to report the details.

However this story turns out for the Cain campaign, there will need to be some accountability for journalistic incompetence.

UPDATE III: PJM corrects the Pollock article:

(CORRECTIONS: A previous version of this story mentioned that a source witnessed Cain and the woman entering a taxi together. This was incorrect.
The previous version also mentioned that the woman awoke in Cain’s bed — the source only claimed that the woman awoke in Cain’s apartment.
The previous version incorrectly attributed comments from one source to the other source.)

Can you see me biting my tongue?

UPDATE IV: I put this post online at 1:28 p.m. and had contacted Mark Block and J.D. Gordon via e-mail and text before 2 p.m., seeking a response. When that didn’t work, I called at 2:40 p.m. It’s now 4:15 p.m.

My phone isn’t ringing and there’s no answer in my inbox. If they’re not responding to me — on a day like today — to whom are they responding? Why should I even bother trying to get a response?


Category: Election 2012, Herman Cain, Scandal, Sex
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