The Other McCain

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

Charlie Sheen Fails To Retain Stacy McCain As A Creative Consultant, With Predictable Results

Posted on | April 4, 2011 | 4 Comments

by Smitty

Lots of other blogs are reporting the disaster, but the title hit me when I saw Another Black Conservative. Emphasis mine:

One of the big underpinnings behind Sheen being entertaining is the fact that the man was having a meltdown. For whatever reason, we all love to watch those who reached the top have a spectacular crash to the bottom. Putting on a show and taking it on the road, isn’t exactly crashing to the bottom. To make matters worse, it appears Sheen just did not have enough material for a show.

Hopefully this bomb will speed the end of the Sheen fad.

Or will it? Will the failure to retain Stacy McCain, coupled with abject disaster onstage, compel the GOP to start running Sheen for the 2012 nomination? Let’s face it, kids: the incumbent is setting the bar somewhere around “dive” for November 2012. About the only strategy the GOP can pursue with any hope of scoring a suitable anti-victory is to tunnel under the bar and score a direct hit on the septic tank in the basement.
Sheen is a man who can do that.

Charlie Sheen 2012!

(says the GOP)
Category: Celebrities, GOP, R.S. McCain School of Journalism, Uncategorized

Cleanup Crew To Lindsay Graham’s Office. Or: With Senators Like That, Who Needs The Constitution?

Posted on | April 4, 2011 | 18 Comments

by Smitty (via IowaHawk on Twitter)

Blogprof has the clip:
Mark Steyn is truly the human chainsaw of sarcasm, but his wrecking of Lindsay Graham is a wonder:

I have no expectations of Harry Reid or the New York Times, but I have nothing but total contempt for the wretched buffoon Graham.

A mob of deranged ululating blood-lusting head-hackers slaughter Norwegian female aid-workers and Nepalese guards — and we’re the ones with the problem?

I agree with the Instaprof: Lindsey Graham is unfit for office. The good news is there’s no need for the excitable lads of Mazar e-Sharif to chop his head off because he’s already walking around with nothing up there. And, as for his halfwitted analogy with World War II, he’s too ignorant to realize it but he’s singing the dhimmi remake of an ancient Noel Coward satire.

Yeah, Lindsey earned it.
I mean, really, Lindsey. You served in the Air Force, defending the First Amendment against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Possibly you could refresh your recollection, sir.
This blog is on record as being against Qur’an burning on grounds that it’s tasteless and not something Jesus of Nazareth is likely to have done, temporal issues notwithstanding. However, when it comes to idiocy like flag burning, or even Stolen Valor, giving more power to the beltway goober squad ain’t the answer.

Category: Iowahawk, South Carolina

Your Daily Libyan Rebels Update

Posted on | April 4, 2011 | 6 Comments

Let me just start by noting that “Libyan Rebels” would be a great name for a punk-rock band. When last we checked in on the half-assed insurgency, the ill-armed and undisciplined rebels had made a 200-mile retreat to the vicinity of Brega. Now the BCC reports:

Rebels pushed towards Brega on Monday in an attempt to win back territory lost to forces loyal to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
A BBC correspondent near Brega says they appear to be more buoyant and organised than recently. . . .
The BBC’s Wyre Davies, who is on the road close to Brega, says the sounds of gunfire and weaponry can be heard from the front line a few kilometres away.
Rebel fighters are charging towards the front line, our correspondent says, clearly bolstered by the presence in their ranks of more and more soldiers who have defected from Col Gaddafi’s army.
But the rebels remain poorly trained and equipped, he adds, and even if they manage to take Brega there still seems no realistic prospect of an advance on Tripoli, the Libyan capital.

OK, so the likelihood of rebels overthrowing Qaddafi appears as remote as ever. But there’s good news:

Italy on Monday formally recognized the rebel government of eastern Libya, dealing yet another blow to the embattled regime of Col. Moammar Kadafi.
Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said Rome would open an office in rebel-held territory and formally recognize the Benghazi-based Libyan National Council as the only representative of the country. . . . Italy joins France as the second Western country to formally recognize the rebel government.

Diplomatic recognition by Italy and France — hey, that’s got to be worth something, right? Right? In other Libya news, Geraldo Rivera nearly got shot yesterday:

Geraldo isn’t really confident in the rebels. He said he was “as worried about getting shot in the back by the good guys as I was getting shot in the front by the Gaddafi forces,” and warned: “I swear to god, if you give these people weapons more powerful than they have right now, they will be a grave danger to themselves and others.”

In addition to scaring the crap out of Geraldo, the blundering insurgency is also ruining Obama’s message:

President Barack Obama’s decision to intervene in Libya has presented him with a whole new set of political problems with members of both parties. But its most worrisome effect for the White House is the way it’s undermining his efforts to address what has been his administration’s longest-running issue — the economy. . . .
Libya is drowning out his attempts to portray himself as an economic commander-in-chief fighting a series of new threats to the fragile U.S. recovery, especially the devastating and politically poisonous rise in gas prices.

Is it too early to say, “Quagmire”?

UPDATE: The New York Times reports that today “rebel fighters were engaging the main body of Colonel Muammar el-Qaddafi’s forces in an intense battle for the oil town of Brega, trading fire at close quarters and sending volleys of rockets into the town.”

It’s worth pointing out that we have very little knowledge of the size or disposition of Qaddafi’s forces — and neither do the rebels. So for all we know, the Qaddafi troops could be trying to draw the rebels into Brega while preparing a surprise encirclement. Given some estimates that the rebels number barely a thousand fighters, and that they have very little in the way of training or leadership, one suspects their tactical dispositions are not entirely sound (pardon the modest understatement). Allied air power is the only thing that’s keeping Qaddafi’s forces from mopping up the rebels.


Category: Libya

Funny Video: Meatloaf Goes Psycho vs. Gary Busey on ‘Celebrity Apprentice’

Posted on | April 4, 2011 | 12 Comments

OK, this is funny for a couple of reasons: First, because between Meatloaf and Busey, you’d think Busey would be most likely to have a psycho-meltdown. And second, it’s an argument over — wait for it — art supplies.

(Hat-tip: Common Patriot on Twitter.)

Category: Celebrities, Video

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Large Pair)

Posted on | April 4, 2011 | 15 Comments

The gentleman from Wisconsin steps up:

The Republican chairman of the House Budget Committee said his party’s budget proposal for 2012 would cut deficits by more than $4 trillion over the next decade, vowing to tackle costly entitlements like Medicare and Medicaid.
The proposal, set to be unveiled Tuesday, would serve as the Republicans’ official response to President Obama’s proposed $3.7 trillion budget for 2012. The White House claims its plan would cut deficits by $1.1 trillion over a decade.
But Ryan, R-Wis., in an interview with “Fox News Sunday,” accused Obama of “punting” and said Republicans’ plan would exceed the fiscal goals set by the president’s fiscal commission — which issued a report calling for $4 trillion in cuts. That report never made it out of committee.
“We can’t keep kicking this can down the road,” Ryan said. “The president has punted. We’re not going to follow suit.”

The Beltway spin on this: By proposing large cuts for the fiscal 2012 budget, Ryan’s plan gives House Republicans political “cover” if negotiations over the remainder of the fiscal 2011 budget require them to accept smaller levels of cuts for the current year.

Ryan admits that proposing big cuts — including a proposal to block-grant Medicaid funding to the state — will expose the GOP to Democrat demagoguery. Via Cubachi, here’s video of Ryan explaining his plan on “Fox News Sunday”:

Kudos to Ryan for having sufficient testicular fortitude to get serious about cutting the deficit.

UPDATE: Jazz Shaw on Twitter: “Nobody can hear Paul Ryan’s budget message. Why? Drowned out by the clanging of his enormous brass balls.”

Category: Budget, Paul Ryan

It Was Not Until I Went Looking for a Photo to Illustrate This Post …

Posted on | April 4, 2011 | 15 Comments

. . . that I stumbled onto this photo of Baldilocks, Darleen Click and Little Miss Attila:

You see, it was a little past 1 a.m. this morning, and I’d just gotten the URL for my column at The American Spectator, which was written Sunday afternoon. What I was looking for was a photo to illustrate an event that took place in October 2008. And when I did a Google image search on a couple of names, I was surprised to find myself directed to Darleen’s blog account of that event — an event which just so happened to be the lead of my Spectator column:

We could probably blame it all on Shelly Mandell. It was at a Sarah Palin campaign rally on October 4, 2008, that Mandell — president of the Los Angeles chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) — endorsed the Republican and proclaimed to a cheering crowd: “America, this is what a feminist looks like!”
Mandell’s speech at the rally in Carson, California, produced an immediate and decisive backlash. The president of the California state NOW organization disavowed Mandell’s endorsement, saying that it was “apparently intended to mislead the public” because NOW had in fact endorsed the Democratic ticket. “John McCain and Sarah Palin oppose many of the rights and freedoms we have fought for throughout NOW’s 42 years,” California NOW president Patty Bellasalma said in an official statement, “and we will not be pushed back to the days of back-alley abortions, forced pregnancies, and pay discrimination without remedy.” Bellasalma’s rebuke to Mandell encapsulated what most conservatives would consider a workable definition of “feminist” — a liberal woman who habitually votes for Democrats. . . .

You can go read the whole thing. That Darleen Click had posted the only photo I could find online showing Mandell and Palin together — well, I suppose you could call that a “coincidence,” although “one hell of a kick in the head” would be an acceptable synonym.

Category: Feminism, Sarah Palin

LIVE AT FIVE – 04.04.11

Posted on | April 4, 2011 | 1 Comment

TOP NEWS
BP Seeks To Resume Drilling In The Gulf

A year later, the cleanup continues in the Gulf of Mexico

Looking to expand, maintain production at existing well sites

Widespread Cracks Found On Southwest Airlines Jet
Hundreds of flights canceled



Senators Express Optimism On Avoiding Government Shutdown
Senate seems to agree on cuts but not where they’ll be made



POLITICS
Obama Begins 2012 Campaign

Obama Goes For Two

The president may have an edge in funding and a lack of challengers among the Democrats, but the GOP is ready to rumble

House GOP Budget To Include Medicaid Block Grants

Michele Bachmann Puts Up Presidential Fundraising Numbers

Romney Campaign Shuns The Limelight

Governor Christie Loses NJ Redistricting Fight

CHP Launches Statewide Crackdown: Hang Up And Drive



THE ECONOMY, STUPID
Nikkei Index Opens Higher On US Jobs News
BOJ Tankan Survey: Big Manufacturers Pessimistic Post-Quake
Small Lenders Banked On Fed
NASDAQ’s Greifeld May Inherit NYSE Floor He Sought To Bury
It’s Giant Retailers Vs. Big Banks In Battle Over Debit Card Interchange Fees
Verizon’s IPhone 4 Can’t Stop Android’s Advance
Will E-Waste Recycling Law Compute?



SPORTS
Split Weekend For UConn: Fighting Irish Upset Women, But Men Play On

UConn coach Greg Auriemma greets Notre Dame's Muffett McGraw before his ladies' final game

Irish’s Skylar Diggins more than a match for UConn’s Maya Moore; Men beat Kentucky on Saturday night, move on to finals

Dodgers Huff Their Way To 7-5 Win Over Giants

Ducks Miss Chance To Clinch Playoff Berth In 4-3 Loss To Stars



LeBron Scores 31 As Heat Trounces Nyets, Take Eighth Division Title

Dickey’s Flutterball Flummoxes Fish, Mets Win 9-2

Knicks Rip Cavs, Make Playoffs

Treanor Hits Walk-Off Homer As Royals Rally Again



FAMOUS FOR BEING FAMOUS
Lily Collins “So Excited” To Play Snow White Opposite Julia Roberts

Ladies and gentlemen, your new Snow White.

Roberts, of course, to play the Evil Queen.

SNL Host Elton John Mocks Bono’s “Spiderman” Musical

WonderCon: Ryan Reynolds On “Green Lantern”

Hef To Fiancee: We Don’t Need No Damn Prenup

Liz Hurley Files For Divorce

Miranda Lambert Triumphs At ACMs

“Alias” Star Michael Vartan Gets Married


Candice Swanepoel: I’m Healthy And Happy

Snooki Gets $2k More Than Toni Morrison To Appear At Rutgers

Chloe Moretz Joins “Dark Shadows” Cast



FOREIGNERS
UN Calls For Investigation Into Ivory Coast Deaths
Deputy PM: Israel Expects UN To Fully Rescind Goldstone Report
Pakistan Sufi Shrine Suicide Attack Kills 41
Libyan Envoy Takes Gaddafi Message To Greece
Kazakh Leader Wins Re-Election In Landslide
Grits Pose Choice For Canadians Between More Government Spending Or More Tax Cuts



BLOGS & STUFF
Matt Welch: It Doesn’t Get Any Clearer Than That
Pat Dollard: Reid Says Senate May Take Action Against Americans Burning Korans
Atlas Shrugs: Uberleft America-Hater Samantha Power To Be Obama’s Next SecState?
Maggie’s Notebook: Paul Ryan’s New Budget – $4 TRILLION In Cuts
Newsbusters: Politico’s Roger Simon Claims Obama Greatest Orator Of Modern Times
Palm Beach Post: Florida Judges Crack Down, Increasingly Reject Foreclosures With Faulty Paperwork


— compiled by Wombat-socho

Category: Live at Five

Is This the Hope or the Change?

Posted on | April 3, 2011 | 8 Comments

Since Obama was inaugurated in January 2009, the number of Americans on food stamps has increased from 32 million to 44 million. Restaurants are contemplating price increases due to the sharp rise in grocery prices. And crude oil prices are near $108 per barrel, the highest since September 2008. Cue Peggy Joseph:

UPDATE: “The Scary-Ass Charts of the Day,” says Ed Driscoll, who quotes The Lonely Conservative:

“Frances Fox Piven must look at graphs like this one and jump for joy. Just look at how many Americans are now dependent on the government for subsistence. Boy, it’s like it was by design or something.”

Or something, indeed.

Category: Barack Obama, Economics
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