The Other McCain

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

Republican Debate Reaction Round-Up: Romney vs. Perry; Huntsman WTF?

Posted on | September 8, 2011 | 37 Comments

From my point of view, the two biggest questions about last night’s Republican debate were, (a) why was Jon Huntsman on the stage and (b) why did he get so much time? It is absurd to include the man I’ve dubbed “Governor Asterisk” — denoting his status as an irrelevant footnote to the 2012 campaign — while excluding, inter alia, Thad McCotter and Buddy Roemer.

Huntsman represents the “re-elect Obama” wing of the Republican Party, so the MSM types consider him legitimate, and therefore his inclusion is not questioned while all the media focus on the “fireworks” between Mitt Romney and Rick Perry:

Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) began sparring over their respective jobs records less than 10 minutes into Wednesday’s Republican presidential debate.
The highly-anticipated fight between Romney and Perry, the two front-runners for the GOP nomination, largely lived up to expectations, with extended spats between the pair throughout the debate. . . .

(“Highly-anticipated” by whom? The media, of course.)

[Romney] saw his opportunity to pounce later, when Perry doubled down on remarks in his book calling Social Security a “monstrosity,” and likening it to a Ponzi scheme.
“The issue in the book ‘Fed Up,’ governor, is you say that by any measure, Social Security is a failure,” Romney said. “Our nominee has to be someone who isn’t committed to abolishing Social Security, but who is committed to saving Social Security … I will make sure that we keep the program and we make it financially secure, and under no circumstances would I ever say by any measure it’s a failure.”

Here’s video of that exchange:

Here’s the lead of the New York Times front-page story:

The fight for the Republican presidential nomination began narrowing into an intense and ideological battle at a debate here Wednesday night, with Gov. Rick Perry of Texas and Mitt Romney sharply clashing over Social Security, health care and each other’s long-term prospect against President Obama.
A series of spirited exchanges between the two men, which revealed differences in substance and style, offered the first extensive look into the months-long contest ahead. They traded attacks on each other’s job creation records and qualifications to be president, overshadowing their opponents in the crowded Republican field.

Never mind, of course, that the fight between Perry and Romney was incited by Brian Williams of NBC ahd John Harris of Politico like a made-for-TV spat on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Let’s just pretend the televised drama was spontaneous and cover it as a preview of a “months-long contest,” because the media have decided it’s now all about Perry and Romney, just like they’ve decided that Governor Asterisk is a legit Republican candidate.

Stanley Kurtz at NRO proclaims Perry the winner. But a Romney adviser sees it otherwise: “[Perry] has lost. No federal candidate has ever won on the Perry program to kill Social Security. Never has. never will.” So Rick Perry has either (a) indisputably triumphed or (b) failed disastrously.

Governor Asterisk, meanwhile, played the role of liberal stalking horse:

Reviving a minor debate with his Republican presidential primary opponent, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman warned Wednesday night that the GOP shouldn’t “run from science.”
“Listen, when you make comments that fly in the face of what 98 out of 100 climate scientists have said, when you call into question the science of evolution, all I’m saying is that, in order for the Republican Party to win, we can’t run from science,” Huntsman said at a Republican debate.

Might as well invite Al Gore to the GOP debates.

A press release from the Herman Cain campaign notes: “During the 1 hour and 45 minute debate, Cain received a total of five questions for less than six minutes of speaking time.” But Cain is an actual Republican, whereas Governor Asterisk worked for the Obama administration and favors gay civil unions, so we know who gets the media love, right?


Category: Debates, Election 2012, Mitt Romney, Rick Perry

LIVE AT FIVE – 09.08.11

Posted on | September 8, 2011 | 4 Comments

— compiled by Wombat-socho


TOP NEWS
Delhi Blast: Kashmiri Cyber Cafe Owner Detained

Madras High Court increasing security after Delhi attack

E-mail by Harkat ul-Jihad claiming responsibility traced to cyber cafe
Russian Hockey Team’s Plane Crashes
Among dead: former NHL players Brad McCrimmon, Aleksandr Karpovtsev

Obama’s Futile Jobs Plan
Salient features leaked so far suggest plan presents nothing new and isn’t big enough



POLITICS
Progress Made On Texas’ Most Destructive Wildfire

Smoke visible for miles as acres still smolder

Cooler weather expected to help firefighters contain Bastrop County blaze; thousands still homeless

Obama’s Goal: Create Jobs, Put GOP On Spot

Former VP Cheney Appears At Nixon Library

Time To Rethink Counterterrorism Spending?

Senate Dems Seek $6 Billion In Disaster Funds, GOP Insists On Offsetting Cuts

Gates: More Defense Cuts Would Threaten Security

Christie Says He Offered NJ Speaker Help; She Denies It

Wisconsin DMV Employees Told Not To Volunteer Information On Free Voter IDs

Security Levels Increase At Military Bases As 9/11 Nears; DHS Drops Color-Coded Alert system



THE ECONOMY, STUPID
Moynihan Tries To Keep BoA Intact As Mortgage Business Disintegrates
Yahoo’s Firing Of Bartz Draws Fire
Stocks Snap Three-Day Skid
Best Buy Launches Online Marketplace
Why “Green Jobs”: Don’t Belong In Obama’s Jobs Program
Tokyo Shares Eke Out Gain
Amazon Cuts Deal On CA State Taxes; Will Brown Sign?
Gold Rebounds Ahead Of Obama Speech
Google Hands HTC Patents For Use Against Apple Lawsuits
SFPD Investigating Its Role In Missing iPhone Case
Apple Sues Samsung In Japan Over Patent Violations
Pr0n Domain .XXX Blocks Use Of Celebrity Names
HP Debuts All-In-One Desktops For Consumers & Small Businesses



SPORTS
Russia Mourns Loss Of Hockey Team In Plane Crash

Russians search for flight recorders from fatal crash

President Medvedev calls for aviation reform after deadly crash; fans pay tribute to dead players

Legal Wrangling Delays Aggies’ Move To SEC

Izturis Keys Late Rally For Angels


Talks Resume But NBA Stays Quiet

Payton Manning’s Streak Is Over

Yankees Lose Sleep And Game To Orioles, 5-4

Phillies Complete Sweep Of Braves, 3-2



FAMOUS FOR BEING FAMOUS
Reese Witherspoon Hit By Car

Reese Witherspoon

Treated for minor injuries at hospital; 84-year-old driver cited

Madonna: “I Have No Comment On [Lady Gaga’s] Obsessions Related To Me

Joe Jonas Wants Taylor Swift Back

Kate Middleton Not Expecting Twins


Sandra Bullock Expecting?

Kelsey Grammer Victimized By Online Ponzi Scheme?

Chace Crawford & Elizabeth Hurley Get It On For “Gossip Girl”

Evelyn Lozada Quits “Basketball Wives” Again



FOREIGNERS
Gaddafi Denies Fleeing Libya
Three Arrested As Death Toll Rises In Delhi Court Bombing
Syrians Report Killings As Regime Searches For Defectors
Barak: Turkey Is Not Our Enemy; Crisis Will Pass
Afghanistan Rejects UN Allegations Of Torture In Jails
Iraqi Tourists Flock To Kurdistan For Fun, Safety
Pacific Forum Stands Firm On Fiji



BLOGS & STUFF
Sense Of Events: The Pinocchio President
Via Meadia: Under The Bus – A Pack Of Pouting Greens
Gateway Pundit: White House Says They Won’t Serve As Speech Police For Democrats
Lonely Conservative: NBC Affiliates In Green Bay, Milwaukee Pick Packers Over Obama
Ed Morrissey: Boehner Waives Response To Obama Speech; Pelosi Insulted
Jonah Goldberg: Hoffa’s Offense, Real And Imagined
Weasel Zippers: Gallup Reports Obama Falling To New Lows Among Hispanics, Whites
WILLisms: Texas Slashed Its Firefighting Budget? Uh, No
Jim Geraghty: Liberals Finally See The Obama We’ve Been Seeing All Along


SOTD – Rush

Category: Live at Five

Former Playmate Sentenced to Prison for Shooting Her Husband and Starring in ‘When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth’

Posted on | September 7, 2011 | 21 Comments

Mainly it was shooting her husband:

Former Playboy Playmate Victoria Rathgeb has been sentenced to nine years in prison after pleading no contest to the involuntary manslaughter of her husband, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The 66-year-old ex-glamour model admitted that she shot her husband of 25 years, Bruce Rathgeb, in the back at their West Hollywood apartment in October 2010 and caused him great bodily harm.
In exchange for her guilty plea, Judge Barbara R. Johnson of the Los Angeles Superior Court dropped the charge of attempted murder against Rathgeb, and sentenced her on Wednesday to nine years and ordered her to pay $70,000 to the state victim restitution fund.

That’s from Radar Online, which has a court photo of the Playmate-turned-perp, in case you’re curious what a “66-year-old ex-glamour model” looks like, 44 years after she was “Miss September.”

UPDATE: Clarifying some confusion amongst commenters. The charge was attempted involuntary manslaughter, as the rest of the article makes clear:

The couple were both high on methamphetamine and had been drinking at the time of the incident. Bruce Rathgeb, who has since recovered from his injuries, was present in court but he did not comment on the verdict.

Also, was “Invasion of the Bee Girls” a worse movie than “When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth”? It’s probably a coin toss. The fact that Victoria Rathgeb (a/k/a Victoria Ventri, a/k/a Angela Dorian) appeared in both of those wretched movies ought to have earned her at least 20 years in prison.

PREVIOUSLY:

Category: Celebrities, Crime

GOP Debate at Simi Valley, California

Posted on | September 7, 2011 | 27 Comments

9:49 p.m. ET: And it’s over! Let the spin begin. If you’re watching this on MSNBC, you’ll get to see Rachel Maddow hosting the post-debate show with Chris Matthews, Ed Schultz, Al Sharpton and Lawrence O’Donnell. I think I’ll skip it myself.

9:47 p.m. ET: Brian Williams references LBJ in asking a question of Ron Paul about school lunches.

9:46 p.m. ET: Hey, a question for Herman Cain at last! Cain once again promotes his “9-9-9” tax plan.

9:45 p.m. ET: Another question for Perry. Death penalty.

BTW, it’s been 30 minutes since we’ve heard from Herman Cain. We’ve heard from Governor Asterisk twice during the past half-hour. Because NBC is racist.

9:42 p.m. ET: Mitt Romney gets a tax question and turns it into an attack on Obamanomics. Agrees with Gingrich that Bernanke should be fired.

9:40 p.m. ET: Newt would fire Ben Bernanke tomorrow. Wants to audit the Fed.

9:38 p.m. ET: Bachmann wants to drill in the Everglades. Why doesn’t everybody else want to drill in the Everglades?

9:37 p.m. ET: Rick Perry hates him some science! Why doesn’t everybody else hate science?

9:35 p.m. ET: Governor Asterisk loves him some science! Why doesn’t everybody else love science?

9:33 p.m. ET: Santorum gets a question on Libya. Criticizes what he calls the “isolationist” stance of Huntsman and Paul.

9:31 p.m. ET: Bachmann’s turn at foreign policy. Praises our troops. Criticizes Iran, supports Israel. Gets a follow-up and bashes Obama on Libya.

9:29 p.m. ET: Perry is offered a chance to criticize George Bush. Declines, and instead praises Obama on foreign policy, then denounces Obama’s Keynesian economic policy. Even when offered a follow-up chance to criticize Bush directly, he declines.

9:27 p.m. ET: Governor Romney says the economy sucks. Figures the guy in the White House is the problem.

9:26 p.m. ET: Governor Asterisk is against signing pledges and gets a follow-up question. Another minute of my life I’ll never get back.

9:25 p.m. ET: The Smilin’ Minnesotan. Bachmann likes Ronald Reagan. Controversy ensues?

9:24 p.m. ET: Smilin’ Texan time again. He’s for the Balanced Budget Amendment.

9:23 p.m. ET: Romney’s pro-Tea Party.

9:22 p.m. ET: We’re back after a commercial break. Now the “Lightning Round” that’s not a lightning round.

9:18 p.m. ET: Ron Paul wastes another minute of my life I’ll never get back.

9:16 p.m. ET: Governor Asterisk wastes another minute of my life I’ll never get back.

9:15 p.m. ET: Herman Cain: “Empower the states to do what the federal government hasn’t done and won’t do.”

9:14 p.m. ET: Bachmann loves her some Cubans!

9:12 p.m. ET: Rick Santorum brags about being the son of Italian immigrants.

9:11 p.m. ET: Newt Gingrich brags about his own record of support for amnesty.

9:10 p.m. ET: Mitt Romney talks tough on immigration.

9:09 p.m. ET: Perry advocates using Predator drones on the Mexican border.

9:08 p.m. ET: Brian Williams introduces a token Hispanic to ask a token question about immigration.

9:07 p.m. ET: Newt Gingrich talks about supporting Obama’s education policy. No cheers.

9:05 p.m. ET: Brian Williams lectures Perry about how stupid Texans are.

9:04 p.m. ET: Governor Asterisk again.

9:03 p.m. ET: Herman Cain agrees with Ron Paul!

9:02 p.m. ET: Ron Paul points out that we didn’t have FEMA until 1979. Good point — it’s a Carter-era agency.

9 p.m. ET: Ron Paul calls TSA a “monstrosity,” wants to privatize airline security. Blames government for 9/11 — not in a “Truther” way.

8:59 p.m. ET: Newt Gingrich talks about the Department of Homeland Security.

8:57 p.m. ET: Santorum also uses parental rights to attack Perry.

8:56 p.m. ET: Perry talks about the “opt-out” on the HPV mandate. “I will always err on the side of saving lives.”

8:55 p.m. ET: It seems to be open season on Perry now. Bachmann bashes the HPV vaccination mandate as an infringement of parental rights.

8:54 p.m. ET: Ron Paul goes after Perry on the HPV vaccination mandate. “He did it with an executive o0rder!”

8:52 p.m. ET: Herman Cain jumps in without waiting to be asked, endorses the Chilean model to “eliminate the current system.”

8:51 p.m. ET: Perry: “Maybe it’s time to have some provocative language in this country.”

8:50 p.m. ET: Mitt Romney defends Social Security, attacks Perry.

8:49 p.m. ET: Now Rick Perry is asked about his book’s slam on Social Security. Still the smilin’ Texan. “It is a Ponzi scheme . . . a monstrous lie to our children.” He doesn’t back down or apologize.

8:44 p.m. ET: Obligatory video tribute to Nancy Reagan.

8:43 p.m. ET: In non-debate news, Mila Kunis is beautiful. And stupid.

8:38 p.m. ET: I’m back. Did I miss anything important? Now Rick Perry and Ron Paul are going at it. Rick Perry’s got that smilin’ Texan thing down cold, doesn’t he? And now — a commercial.

8:35 p.m. ET: Governor Asterisk again. This looks like a good time to take a break.

8:35 p.m. ET: Mitt Romey talks energy. Then Michele Bachmann talks energy. Speaking of energy, when’s the commercial? I’m about ready for a cigarette and a cup of coffee.

8:33 p.m. ET: Rick Perry is asked stupid question about income disparities between blacks and whites, doesn’t even pretend to answer it. Nobody seems to mind.

8:31 p.m. ET: Rick Santorum brags about his role in passing Welfare Reform, and says we should apply the same principle to food stamps and other programs.

8:29 p.m. ET: Herman Cain adds a denunciation of RomneyCare to his denunciation of ObamaCare.

8:27 p.m. ET: Newt Gingrich just won the “Let’s Denounce ObamaCare” Derby.

8:26 p.m. ET: Michele Bachmann says she wants to repeal ObamaCare. And will take in all the uninsured as foster children.

8:25 p.m. ET: Governor Asterisk again. He looks like a game-show host, doesn’t he?

8:23 p.m. ET: Now healthcare. Perry bashes RomneyCare. Romney bashes ObamaCare. Now it’s back to Perry again. Politico editor John Harris messes with Texas. Perry bashes Washington, D.C.

8:19 p.m. ET: Newt Gingrich reminds us of his claim to being a Reaganite.

8:17 p.m. ET: Ron Paul, who placed second in the Ames Straw Poll, is the seventh candidate who gets a question in the debate. Paul gets a follow-up question, rambles about bureaucracy and lobbyists.

8:15 p.m. ET: Took them a quarter-hour to get to Michele Bachmann who — it’s important to remember — actually won the Ames Straw Poll three weeks ago. Bachmann plays the “I’m a mom” card. Nobody else on stage can challenge her on those terms, after all.

8:13 p.m. ET: Now the question for Jon Hunstman, a/k/a “Governor Asterisk.” Question is about China, answer is about something else.

8:11 p.m. ET: Rick Santorum says “I’ve done things” and recites his record in Congress. Herman Cain talks about his “9-9-9” economic plan. Interrupted by spontaneous applause.

8:09 p.m. ET: Brian Williams follows up with a question to Romney about “career politicians,” then goes to Perry for a “rebuttal.” Now back to Romney. Now back to Perry. Now back to Romney. So we’re nine minutes into the debate and have heard from only two of the candidates.

8:05 p.m. ET: Now Mitt Romney’s turn to talk jobs. His message: “Elect the smilin’ Mormon.”

8:03 p.m. ET: First question to Perry. Brian Williams messes with Texas. Perry smiles and deflects the attacks. His message: “Elect the smilin’ Texan.”

8 p.m. ET — We’re live! With Brian Williams and a snappy special-effects intro!

PREVIOUSLY: Yes, I’m live-blogging tonight’s Reagan Library debate — 8 p.m. ET on MSNBC — from here in my basement, which offers a significant savings in terms of travel expenses.  The New York Times offers its “Five Things to Watch” debate preview, with such questions as “How Does Perry Perform?” Because you needed the New York Times to tell you to keep an eye on that, right?

Dave Weigel offers suggested anti-Perry attacks for the other GOP candidates.

Ace of Spades HQ is doing their usual debate thing.

I’m sure Vodkapundit will be drunk-blogging the debate.

Allahpundit has an open thread at Hot Air.

I’m watching the MSNBC pre-debate coverage hosted by Chris Matthews. Lotta talk about Jon Huntsman. Liberals  just love that guy, don’t they?

Category: Debates, Election 2012, Michele Bachmann, Republicans, Rick Perry

Al Gore: A Bigger Idiot Than Obama

Posted on | September 7, 2011 | 11 Comments

Read this sentence:

On Friday afternoon, as brave and committed activists continued their non-violent civil disobedience outside the White House in protest of the tar sands pipeline that would lead to a massive increase in global warming pollution, President Obama ordered the EPA to abandon its pursuit of new curbs on emissions that worsens disease-causing smog in US cities.

Fifty-six words, 32 of them belonging to a dependent clause. People who write so poorly do not usually think very well. Are the pipeline protesters “brave and committed”? Or are they naïve and confused?

Sam Novey is 23 years old, had never been in trouble with the law before, and last week he went down to Washington and got arrested on purpose, to make a point.
There is something called the Keystone XL pipeline that will bring oil down from the tar sands of Canada to the Gulf Coast. For those who believe we are already too reliant on fossil fuels, that we need to be reducing the carbons released into the atmosphere, not adding to them, this is a line in the tar sands.
Novey listened as Bill McKibben, the great environmentalist, explained why people had to engage in civil disobedience.
“He said we’re up against the richest special interest in the world. We can only win if we fight with a different kind of currency. Our spirits and our bodies,’’ Novey said. “That’s why I did it.’’

By that specious logic, “civil disobedience” is a tactic which automatically imparts righteousness to any cause. If Big Oil really wanted to win the P.R. battle here, they’d pay lobbyists to stage sit-in protests in front of the White House, holding signs with slogans like, “Drill ANWR Now!” and “Green Energy Is an Expensive Myth.”

And then Al Gore could praise these “brave and committed activists” engaged in “non-violent civil disobedience.

Oh, by the way: Sam Novey is a Harvard graduate.

Category: Environmentalism

Stimulus; Ground Zero; ObamaCare

Posted on | September 7, 2011 | Comments Off on Stimulus; Ground Zero; ObamaCare

by Smitty

Stimulus; Ground Zero; ObamaCare: resist we much.

I love the sound of plaintive Progressive attempts at dialogue shaping in the morning. It sounds either like . . . victory, or that crunchy note struck by a fat bug impacting a windshield on a vehicle at speed.

Via Insty, this Forbes article on our societal Wrecking Ball in Chief is worth your time.

Also, the mighty Daniel Hannan links Mark Steyn on the topic of funky Chinamen, for whom karaoke ain’t no jokie.

Category: Barack Obama

Not Enough

Posted on | September 7, 2011 | 24 Comments

by Smitty

Another day, another tantrum from somebody who may be lacking in the nerve department. Sarah Palin must do X, or I’m going to post Y.  I’m supporting candidate Z, and I’m really tired of questioning Sarah Palin’s actions, because her supporters are really mean, and they roughed me up in the comments and stuff.

Do this: put yourself past caring who wins the nomination. All of the GOP candidates are working according to the script. Except one, who is writing her own. Might work, might blow up fabulously.

Personally, I think it is not enough to win within the system. Case in point is Mitt Romney, of whose economic plan the WSJ said:

Where the Governor is less persuasive is on the larger issues of taxes, spending, entitlements and trade. Here he ducks and covers more than he needs to.

Of course Romney’s ducking and covering: he’s playing the moderate, compromised, no-sacred-cow-butchery game that he thinks will win. Can’t fault him, but I don’t support him. This is precisely the non-approach to tackling our problems that is almost guaranteed to perpetuate them.

On the other hand, you have an undeclared possible candidate who is setting about gathering the required mandate to, you know, do something, and being met with sputtering imagination from the audience.

I simply cannot fault her if she reaches her go/no go moment, and her willingness to carry through falters, and she says: “. . .let this cup pass from me. . .”

More at The Lonely Conservative.

Color Professor Jacobson unimpressed:

The nonsense coming from Coulter and Erickson and others is why I am not overly optimistic about 2012, regardless of what the polls now show. We are our own worst enemies.

Dan Riehl is stranegly sympathetic to Erickson’s argument: “For All The Brave Whiners On Palin”. Whoops, I meant critical.

Teach sounds like he’s at the end of his rope.

Category: Red State, Sarah Palin

New From Ladd Ehlinger: Hitchhiker’s Guide To Freedom

Posted on | September 7, 2011 | 5 Comments

by Smitty


Narrator: Once Caesar crossed the Rubicon, the Roman Republic was finished. What little Liberty mankind had secured vanished.
Children: Aww!
Narrator: Not until the United States of America, nearly two millennia later, did humanity recover with a golden age of freedom.
Children: Yay!
Narrator: Sadly, as far as we can determine from surviving records, this was eroded during the rein of President Obama.
Children: Aww!
Narrator: Draconian laws and regulations chained mankind to a tyrannical government. Many opportunities were squandered to elect leaders to repeal these laws.
Kate Marshall: My name’s Kate Marshall… I’m in control of your money.
Narrator: As with the fall of the Roman Republic, it would take nearly 2000 years for mankind to recover its freedom.
Sound effect: Toilet flushing.
Children: Aww!
Title Card: Save the future. Every election in the nation matters now. Help keep liberal Kate Marshall out of Congress.

Disclaimer: Paid for by the Conservative Action Fund. Not Authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee. This title card was forcibly placed here against the will of the filmmaker via the McCain-Feingold law, which is advocated by such useful idiots as Stephen Colbert, who through his satire advocates even more regulation of political speech.

Category: Ladd Ehlinger
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