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The laziest player among the Pittsburgh Pirates, overrated outfielder Jason Bay, has been traded to the Boston Red Sox! Could it be any better? The Buccos got rid of a guy who, while talented, just doesn’t try, and they gave him to the evil Red Sox! Perfect!
We could definitely see the Bucs break .500 this season!
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Jay Cost has an excellent brief today on why John McCain should pick Mitt Romney now as his running mate. His bottom line is right on target:
. . . if McCain waits or chooses somebody else, he must do a better job in his critique of Obama. Right now, it is not nearly as good as it needs to be. I think picking Romney now would be a way to improve it immediately. If the McCain campaign wants to save a Romney announcement until St. Paul, or if it thinks it is better served by another pick, it must look for a way to improve its attacks.
Like DB, I too am sick of this incessant campaign and am trying not to waste any time on all the spin, punditry, and flood of emails from Team McCain. Like many others here, I’m not enthusiastic at all about the GOP’s presumptive nominee (and downright disturbed by the Democrat’s presumptuous nominee).
Over my long absence from these pages, I enjoyed finally getting to Doris Kearns Goodwin’s tale of Lincoln’s leadership strategy of relying on past adversaries for the greater good of the Republic. It’s seemed to me for some time that the selection of Romney as VP could be a first step toward following this grand Republican tradition.
Convincing other past rivals to join his administration might be the only way of getting folks like the ‘Cooler’s contributors actively engaged in Senator McCain’s campaign. Rolling the rivals out, one at a time, before St. Paul would certainly get a lot more attention than he’s likely to get on his own. Then, dedicating the first three nights in St. Paul to each of these past rivals might just make the convention somewhat interesting to the public and partisans alike.
But which rivals need convincing and how would they be effective in a 15-person cabinet plus a half-dozen or more other cabinet level posts? Well, last fall Governor Romney presented a novel idea that might just serve a McCain administration well. In a Wall Street Journal interview with the “Consultant in Chief,” Romney suggested the concept of “super-cabinet secretaries” by explaining: “There’s no corporation in America that would have a CEO, no COO, just a CEO, with 30 direct reports.”
Now its probably way too late in the game for the many advisors, consultants, and strap-hangers on the “Straight-Talk Express” to put together a coherent plan along the lines of the following concept (but, then again, I haven’t heard any better ideas, or ads out of them yet):
If Senator McCain is serious about winning the presidency, he must also be seriously thinking about how he would govern over the next four years and who will help him do so. Convincing past rivals to serve with him would be a much-needed sign of the senator’s political skills. Convincing his countrymen that he’s chosen these rivals because they are the best qualified Americans to help lead our nation would be a sign of the future president’s political genius.
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DB, let’s not forget the Great Seal of the Office of the Obamanation.
It’s amusing how many in the mainstream media are still working themselves into a lather trying to diffuse the claims of Obama’s arrogance, though. Me thinks they dost protest too much.
I predict that those in the television media will be the last to admit to Obama’s arrogance, if they cop to it at all. After all, Obama is THEIR candidate: The vapid empty suit selling nothing but charisma. This goes way deeper than love; they identify with him and he gives their lives and livlihoods meaning.
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Reg Henry, yet another useless leftist political hack in the employ of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, presented the people of Southwestern PA with a very interesting editorial this week. It involves the technique of “Dowdification”, a term coined by Ann Coulter. “Dowdification”, which is used often by columnist Maureen Dowd, means writing an entire column around a single fact which just happens to be completely and demonstrably false.
Here is Henry’s “fact” which begins his column:
Michael Savage, whose last name incorporates the concept of truth in advertising, recently went on a rant against autistic children, apparently because other innocents were not readily available to vilify that day. He called autism a “fraud, a racket.”
It’s true that Savage said, “In 99% of the cases, it’s a brat who hasn’t been told to cut the act out. That’s what autism is.”
However, it’s also true that Savage said, “The real cases of autism deserve our sympathy and our financial support. It is the phonies and the misdiagnosed and the falsely diagnosed that we are addressing on The Savage Nation.”
Savage was on a “rant” against misdiagnosis, not sick children. But then, “99%” of the people complaining about Savage, including the dishonest Henry, aren’t really offended. They’re just liberals who want to use this situation as an excuse to get him fired or otherwise drag him through the mud.
Henry used the incomplete comments from Savage to make the following declarations:
With the Fairness Doctrine abolished, the garden of free expression bloomed. Unfortunately several undesirable plants — the Rush dandelion, the Savage thistle, the O’Reilly ragweed — thrived in ground fertilized with manure. They spread pollen on the airwaves that to this day troubles autistic kids, gays, blacks, liberals, Mexicans, feminists — heck, anybody who dares and cares enough to think.
But as much as the unfairness doctrine sometimes irritates, the Fairness Doctrine is not coming back, and nor should it. The whole idea of expecting conservatives to be fair at this late date is preposterous. The Republican elephant will do delicate ballet steps before fairness rules on the right-wing airwaves and in the mindless rank and file that tunes in to get its orders.
So Henry tells us that Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage, and Bill O’Reilly exist just to spew hatred against innocent people whose only crime is being compassionate and thoughtful. Also, he tells us that everyone who listens to Limbaugh, Savage, and O’Reilly is a mindless drone who can’t think for himself and needs to be told what to do. Gee, why don’t you tell us what you really think, Henry?
Eventually the editorial reaches a crescendo with this paragraph:
“By their fruits ye shall know them,” it was said by a wise man long ago. If talk radio had been around in first-century Palestine, you just know that more than a few talk-show hosts would have applauded His crucifixion.
I have to wonder what exactly some incomplete comments from Michael Savage about the misdiagnosis of children have to do with Rush Limbaugh and Bill O’Reilly, and what any of that has to do with the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
I also have to wonder why the Post-Gazette and Henry feel that he is qualified to write a weekly column. Where do they find these people?
Oh wait a sec, Henry’s bio on the Post-Gazette’s website explains how he got the job. It’s clear to me now:
Born in 1948 in Singapore, where his father managed the Reuters news agency
Can you say, “Fortunate Son”?
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I am so sick of this interminable election campaign that I refuse to pay attention to the day to day spin game that so obsesses the punditry, but I will note that the arrogance of the Obamination has reached a point where it has begun to annoy even left wing journalists like Dana Milbank. He writes:
Barack Obama has long been his party’s presumptive nominee. Now he’s becoming its presumptuous nominee.
Fresh from his presidential-style world tour, during which foreign leaders and American generals lined up to show him affection, Obama settled down to some presidential-style business in Washington yesterday. He ordered up a teleconference with the (current president’s) Treasury secretary, granted an audience to the Pakistani prime minister and had his staff arrange for the chairman of the Federal Reserve to give him a briefing. Then, he went up to Capitol Hill to be adored by House Democrats in a presidential-style pep rally.
Along the way, he traveled in a bubble more insulating than the actual president’s. Traffic was shut down for him as he zoomed about town in a long, presidential-style motorcade, while the public and most of the press were kept in the dark about his activities, which included a fundraiser at the Mayflower where donors paid $10,000 or more to have photos taken with him. His schedule for the day, announced Monday night, would have made Dick Cheney envious:
Read the whole thing here.
If even lefties like Milbank are beginning to worry about this guy he’s got troubles. As they say, “pride goeth before a fall,” and when the press turns it does so quickly and savagely. It will be interesting to see how “the One!” handles press criticism when it comes…, and it will come.
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Friend of the blogosphere Hugh Hewitt is coming to Philadelphia in two weeks.
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from Steve Kantrowitz, running for Pa-Senate 19
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The good guys win one against the “Stop Snitchin’” culture (from the Inky):
Adero Mahia Miwo fell for a drug dealer, and now she’s headed to prison for 30 months for conspiring to put the word out – with information from the controversial Web site whosarat.com – that a prosecution witness against him was a “rat” and a “snitch.”
The Web site, which touts itself as the largest online database of informants and agents with more than 4,000, has caused consternation in the criminal-justice system, where informants play a critical role.
Miwo, now 26 and from Jenkintown, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to suborn perjury and witness tampering, acknowledged that she took part in a scheme to try to get the prosecution witness to change his testimony against boyfriend Joseph Miles Davis, who is now serving a 17-year sentence as a result of a drug indictment in New Mexico.
Acting U.S. Attorney Laurie Magid said she hoped that yesterday’s sentencing of Miwo would “strike a blow” against the “don’t-snitch culture” that has pervaded Philadelphia, where witnesses have often been too fearful to come forward.
Anyone who threatens or intimidates a witness, she said, should know that “we will find you and you will – like Adero Miwo – go to jail.”
Perhaps, the most interesting aspect of this story is the background of Miwo herself:
She attended the prestigious Germantown Friends School, ran with the Mount Airy Track Club, and made it to the Junior Olympics at the age of 12. She aspired to a career in law and just recently graduated with a degree in Spanish from St. John’s University.
Hmmm…not the downtrodden child of poverty and victim of the streets that we’ve been conditioned to believe has a right and a reason to work against the cops. Miwo’s education and background certainly paint a picture of a woman that had opportunities; she certainly should have known better than to get hooked up with a drug dealer.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark S. Miller said a prison sentence was necessary.
“Enough is enough,” Miller told U.S. District Judge Berle M. Schiller. “Whosarat and all this stop-snitching crap has to end right now.”
Amen, Mr. Miller. Amen.
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This remark from two weeks ago may well be responsible for the political failure of Obama’s European and Middle Eastern tour:
The Obamessiah should visit Geno’s over in Philly and ask him why he doesn’t speak Spanish. That would be a fun photo op, wouldn’t it?
Here’s some español for you, Barry: ¡Usted es un tonto!
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Jeff, this is one of those rare instances in which I completely agree with what someone else is saying and have nothing substantial to add, but feel the need to comment just to say that I agree.
Senator Ted Stevens should immediately announce his resignation and retirement. Innocent or guilty, that is the most appropriate course of action. He has served in the Senate for many years, and there is absolutely no shame in resigning for the good of the nation. It would in fact be virtuous for him to resign.
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Lowman Henry wrote a great piece on the need for reform of Pennsylvania government. I encourage you to read the entire article. Henry eloquently states the partial list of “grievances” against the legislature, our modern day version of the British crown. No, no one is being tortured, thank God. But the people are being robbed of many things – money is being spent by the legislature on political endeavours, waste, corruption, etc. The legislature repeatedly ignores the law of the land – the Constitution.
The spirit of reform first looked like a group of angry citizens at the capitol, who proceeded to change 1/4th of the legislature. Since the crown, I mean the big-wig legislators, still aren’t paying attention, the spirit of reform is turning into something else – more of a revolution and a revolt. Those of us who are demanding reform of the government are no longer willing to settle for mediocrity and legislators talking about reform. It’s time to put up or get the hell out of Harrisburg.
Maybe I’m over reading the situation – but I don’t think so. There is real anger amongst voters – they are disgusted with the arrogance and the big egos that make up the majority of the legislature. They are also sick of the spineless wimps who won’t speak up for reform from within the chamber.
I think people are pushing for a constitutional convention because they see no other option – the legislature won’t listen. Which brings us to the quote that Henry used from our founding fathers in the Declaration of Independence – “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government.”
I think Thomas Jefferson and the founding fathers would be proud of the reform movement of Pennsylvania. In fact, if he were around today, he’d be joining in – he was a trouble maker just like the modern day reformers. Jefferson once said “The tree of of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.” I would bet he’d be advocating for the modern day equivalent of pitchforks and tar and feathers. If the legislature doesn’t change its way soon we may end up seeing some modern-day form of this.
I’ll close with one more quote – that from a different author with a last name of Henry, Patrick Henry. Patrick Henry once eloquently stated “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!”
The question becomes for every Pennsylvanian to ask – are we in chains to our legislative masters? Are we mere slaves who trudge away to finance every whim and pleasure they desire? Or are we freemen and women who have control over those whom we elect to govern over us? Who works for whom – do we do the bidding of the crown or does the government “public servants” take their orders from the people they represent?
When the people of Pennsylvania are no longer willing to be servants of the government, then we will see real change. That attitude is not an easy attitude though – it requires the willingness to be uncomfortable, to be open to change, to upset the applecart, to challenge the status quo. Will the people of Pennsylvania, which are not known for change or challenging the status quo, rise up and decide that the status quo is too painful, or will they pay the price of chains and slavery?
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Senator, it’s not that we don’t like you(I’m inclined not to), but when a certain party is trying to convince swing voters in NC, MS, CO and NH to not give the Democrats a 60-seat majority, stories like the following are distinctly unhelpful:
Sen. Ted Stevens, the longest-serving Republican in the U.S. Senate and one of the chamber’s most powerful members, was indicted Tuesday in Washington for failing to disclose more than $250,000 worth of gifts that he received from businessmen who were seeking his help on federal issues and projects.
The seven-count indictment charges Stevens with making false statements by failing to disclose things of value he received from the VECO Corp., an Alaska-based oil services compmany, and from its CEO, Bill Allen, over an eight-year period
Please Senator Stevens, resign. You are 84, and you have reached the pinnacle of your power. Even if you should win this battle, you will never shake this off of your record. If you care about Alaska, you will not drag your voters through a what should be a personal battle.
To all Alaska voters: On August 26, you can tell Senator Stevens that it is time. Opponents such as Vic Vicker or Dave Cuddy would serve that purpose.
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The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette feeds the liberal fire by reprinting the far-left’s zany conspiracy theory that Comcast had political reasons for moving MSNBC from basic cable to digital premium cable. Certainly it has nothing to do with the low ratings of MSNBC; no, it has to be because of evil conservatives.
I guess they’re evil Protestant conservatives, since the Catholic channel EWTN was also moved from basic cable to digital premium. Except that most of the people who watch EWTN are also conservatives. It would make no sense at all from a political point of view for a conservative to move EWTN like that. The only explanation that makes sense is that EWTN is not a very highly rated channel, which just happens to also be the case with MSNBC. Hmm!
As usual, the simplest answer which takes into consideration all of the facts at hand is the correct one. But then, conspiracy theorists rarely base their arguments on facts.
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Barry-O has “gaffed” once again, by cutting out a visit to our injured American heroes while in Germany:
Obama’s campaign called the accusation “wildly inappropriate.” His spokesman has claimed that the visit to a military hospital in Germany was scrapped after the Pentagon raised concerns about political activity on a military base. Earlier, though, the campaign had said Obama decided the visit might be seen as inappropriate politicking. However, the Pentagon said the senator was never told not to visit.
McCain himself joined in the rebuke, saying in an interview to be aired Sunday by ABC’s “This Week” that “if I had been told by the Pentagon that I couldn’t visit those troops, and I was there and wanted to be there, I guarantee you, there would have been a seismic event.”
Also,
“Several explanations were offered, none was convincing and each was at odds with the statements of American military leaders in Germany and Washington,” Repya said. “For a young man so apt at playing president, Barack Obama badly misjudged the important demands of the office he seeks. Visits with world leaders and speeches to cheering Europeans shouldn’t be a substitute for comforting injured American heroes.”
It’s comforting to know that the presumed next commander-in-chief thinks so highly of those who would lay down their lives for love of our great nation
B.
Read the entire Times Herald article here
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Chicago Sun-Times columnist Robert Novak said today he has been diagnosed with a brain tumor but says that, “God willing,” he plans to be back at work soon.
Novak said he was diagnosed Sunday with a tumor and will soon begin treatment at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
I wish the “Prince of Darkness” all the best as he goes for what will be very major surgery. We’ll hold the fort, Bob!
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From today’s Daily News:
Several communities are abandoning next month’s National Night Out program amid criticism of the executive director’s $300,000 compensation package, while the federal government has cut off its grant support.
Matt Peskin runs the two-employee nonprofit, the National Association of Town Watch, in Wynnewood. His pay package accounted for about one-third of the anti-crime group’s annual budget in 2005, according to the Inquirer.
Eh, so what? Another non-profit head gets caught with his hand in the cookie jar. This is nothing new. Here’s the reason the story got my attention:
Sen. Arlen Specter had sponsored the grant that supplied Peskin with $3 million in subsidies over a decade. The Pennsylvania Republican – whose Senate pay is $165,200 – dropped his support last year.
“It makes no sense that I make so much less than he,” Specter said at the time.
No, what really makes no sense is that Peskin’s “compensation is comparable to executives who lead organizations with about 50 times more revenue” and that the federal subsidy for National Night Out, procured by Specter in the annual amount of $296,000, basically did nothing more than pay Peskin’s salary.
But it’s all about Arlen. The only reason he cut off the funding is because Peskin’s paycheck is bigger than his.
Specter’s self absorption is rivaled only by his audacity.
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Rather, the first for the general election.
Strangely, he doesn’t identify as a Democrat. 2008, In the Year of the Democrat.
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Ethics Policy
Opening The Door
Matthews for Senate
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Alex, I will have to disagree with Novak here. Is Paulie very vulnerable? Yes. The most vulnerable House Democratic incumbent? I don’t think so. I can name about 4 House districts which will fall to us before PA-11 would. (and they are TX-22, FL-16, LA-6, MS-1). As for PA, I think we have as good a chance in PA-10(and we may be in for a shock from PA-12).
Rest assured, for the Democrats to repeat their 2006 feat of 30 seat gain-no loss would be nothing short of a miracle, even considering the bad taste the GOP leaves in most voters mouths. Even Harry Reid and Chuck Schumer’s dream of a filibuster-proof Senate majority is rapidly fading, even though they still are using it to raise money.
Want proof? In the House, the farthest you need to look is in our state. PA-3(English), PA-8(Gerlach) and PA-15(Dent) have all failed to attract A-List challengers, and the DCCC has not made major ad buys in any of these districts yet. If the Democrats were on the verge of a 30-50 seat gain, you would have seen at least two of these three races garner a A-List challenger, and the DCCC would be pouring money into all of them.
As for the Senate, a quick breakdown of the races is in order. LA remains a top-tier pick-up opportunity for the GOP, with a adequately strong nominee in NJ also ready to take advantage of any weaknesses on Lautenburg’s part. VA and NM are almost certain losses. CO and AK are extremely competitive, and barring an indictment on Steven’s part, both will remain so. NH, MN, and OR are all races with extremely vulnerable incumbents who have not committed “firing offenses” but are weak due to R unpopularity. NH has recently moved from the “Leans Democrat” to “Swing” due to improving poll numbers on Sununu’s part. MN is moving from “Swing” to “Leans Republican”, as Coleman is above 50% in most polls and leads by double digits in many. OR remains a difficult race, and Smith remains unpopular, but not behind in any poll. In ME, despite the presence of an A-List challenger and large amounts of DSCC money, Collins remains an obvious favorite. Of the above races where GOP is playing defense, Democrats have consistent poll leads in 3 of them, 2 are toss-ups, and in 3 Republicans lead. The only other race that continues to be a thorn in Republicans’ sides is the special election for Lott’s seat in MS. Musgrove has kept the race even, but this election will be held on the same day as that of Thad Chochran’s re-election, which he will likely win by about 30 points. Races in NC, KY, KS, NE, TX, ID and other states, after showing temporary closer poll numbers, have since dropped off the radar for Democrats.
It would still require a ground-breaking event for the Democrats to do much better than about 15 seats in the House and 4-5 in the Senate.
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It would appear that there is an indoor football team in Philadelphia.
… and they are the champions.
With 39 seconds remaining in today’s ArenaBowl, the Soul appeared headed to their first Arena Football League championship with plenty of points to spare.
But in a game in which touchdowns come one after another and the points usually keep piling up, it was not that easy for the Soul. Before they could finally claim a 59-56 victory over the San Jose SaberCats, the Soul had to sweat it out after the defending champions erased all but three points of a 17-point deficit.
“All I could think about was the Philadelphia curse,” Soul coach Bret Munsey said afterward with a laugh. “I hope this clears the way for Mo Cheeks and Andy Reid, and those guys. Now we can win championships in Philadelphia. I hope that takes care of everything.”
Didn’t the Philadelphia Wings (lacrosse) win some championships in the 90s?
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