Monday, November 2, 2009

RINOs and DIABLOs - UPDATED!!

UPDATE!! I missed Mark Steyn's earlier piece laying out the DIABLO acronym. See, "Enough," at NRO.

A special thanks to Smitty at The Other McCain for the correction and citation. (Reminds me of graduate school!)

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Pamela Geller's the first to come up with that pithy (and withering) acronym, "DIABLOs."

That stands for "Democrats In All But Label Only." I actually saw it last night at Atlas Shrugs,"
The Death of the RINO: Dede Republican Rat Droppings -- Backs Democrat Owens." But Pamela's got a new piece up today at American Thinker, "Bye-Bye, RINO" (via Memeorandum):

New York's 23rd Congressional District has become the site of a showdown between RINOs (Republicans In Name Only) and conservatives. The conservatives are winning -- but the RINOs are not being gracious in defeat. Now the RINOs are showing how much party unity means to them. They have no loyalty to conservatives, so why should conservatives have any loyalty to them?

The latest showdown came when ultra-liberal State Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava became the Republican candidate in NY-23. ACORN's racketeering arm, also known as the Working Families Party, backed her. Yet the Republican old guard also backed this useful idiot. Newt Gingrich backed this tool. The name "Republican" was all that mattered to them. Not principle.

But Sarah Palin, a true conservative, instead endorsed Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman. And so did other conservatives. Governor of Texas Rick Perry said, "Electing Doug Hoffman will send a clear message that cannot be denied: conservatives must stand on principle." Oklahoma gubernatorial candidate Mary Fallin said that Hoffman had "reminded Americans everywhere that principles come before party affiliation." Kansas senatorial candidate Todd Tiahrt explained the choice: "The Republican Party is either going to return to the party of fiscal responsibility and consistent conservative principles as it was under Ronald Reagan, or it will continue down the path of 'sporadic moderation.'"

And Saturday, the Arctic Fox had the last laugh: Scozzafava dropped out of the race, saying, "In recent days, polls have indicated that my chances of winning this election are not as strong as we would like them to be." Palin responded generously, writing, "I want to personally thank Republican Dede Scozzafava for acting so selflessly today in the NY District 23 race. Now it's time to cross the finish line with Doug Hoffman so that he can get to work for District 23 and the rest of America."

Palin explained what was at stake: "With Congress poised to overhaul one-sixth of our economy with so-called health care 'reform' (which is really a government takeover of health care) and with plans to enact a cap-and-tax bill just as our economy struggles to recover, Doug Hoffman will be a voice for fiscal responsibility and common sense in Washington.

We need candidates like Doug now more than ever."

Scozzafava was not as generous. On Sunday, she showed her true colors: this enemy in our ranks announced that she was backing Democratic candidate Bill Owens, not the conservative Hoffman.

This shows just how bad things have become. The Republican Party has been hijacked. Conservatives have been driven underground by the RINOs and the DIABLOs (Democrats In All But Label Only). This leftish creep was insidious until we got clubbed over the head when the ultra-liberal media picked our presidential candidate -- the Gang of 14 tool John McCain.

We all sucked it up. We went along. We embraced the ticket in the spirit of AROO (Any Republican Over Obama), and we held our noses until Sarah Palin came along. Ah, just a spoonful of Sarah helped the medicine go down.

But now it's time to clean house. Newt and his ilk will be relegated to the dustbin of history, and deservedly so. Enough with the old, in with the true!
More at the link.

Joe Biden, Struggling to Stay Relevant, Heads to NY-23 to Mix it Up... -- UPDATED! Biden Slams Limbaugh ... 'Teach Activists a Lesson!'

From Ed Henry's report, "Biden a Key Part of Obama's Inner Circle" (via):

While Biden was largely added to the ticket because of his national security experience as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he has influence on the domestic side as a key ambassador to Capitol Hill on health care and is the president's point person on implementing the stimulus package.

But his largest influence arguably can be seen in the major internal debate going on now over Afghanistan. Biden was pretty much standing alone back in March when he privately expressed deep skepticism about the president's decision to send 21,000 more U.S. troops to the war, but he did not undermine the administration publicly, instead keeping his powder dry until the current debate over whether to accept Gen. Stanley McChrystal's request for 40,000 more U.S. troops.

Officials familiar with the deliberations said Biden has been suggesting a smaller increase, which seems to be the direction Obama is leaning toward though a final decision has not been made.

Still, Biden admitted that his transition from the Senate has not always been easy "The one adjustment that I needed to make -- I've been my own man for 36 years as a United States senator," said the former Delaware lawmaker. "I've never had a boss."
It turns out the "boss" has sent the VP to NY-23. Robert Stacy McCain has a report, "NY23: Biden Brings Joe-Mentum to Watertown; Media Flock to See Him":

Just left the Bidenmania rally eight blocks from my hotel. The star of the show, really, was N.Y. Democratic Party State Chairwoman June O’Neill, a diminuitive fireball of liberal demagoguery.

O'Neill warned of "right-wing extremists who have brought their hate-mongering tactics to this district." (Unless I was mistaken, this must have been a reference to
John McCormack of the Weekly Standard, who was at the event and being closely watched by local police, lest he start asking Biden questions.)

"We have to stop the madness," O'Neill told a crowd of about 200 Democrats who turned out for an event covered by about 30 reporters, including seven TV crews. "We cannot afford to let the right-wing extremists make a point in this district. . . . The right wing is not right."
See, I told you Biden was struggling ... the guy's totally upstaged by a local Democratic Party hack!

More at
the link, and Memeorandum.

See also, "Democrats Facing Terrible Tuesday, Polls Say. So Biden Heads to NY23 in Last-Minute Rescue Mission."

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AMAZING UPDATE: The administration's going after the conservative base, not Doug Hoffman, the right's actual candidate in NY-23! See David Weigel, "NY-23: Biden Backs Owens, Slams Limbaugh."
Rallying support for Democratic congressional candidate Bill Owens before Tuesday’s special election in NY-23, Vice President Joe Biden today told a mostly full room at the North Side Improvement League to “teach a lesson” to right-wing activists. Ideological activists, said Biden, forced Republican candidate Dede Scozzafava out of the race because they couldn’t brook “dissent with their neoconservative views.”

“Take Bill’s opponent,” said Biden, referring to Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman. “I’m sure he’s a nice guy, but imagine him being able, if he won this election, to take issue with any position that Rush Limbaugh has.” Biden said that the idea of letting “Rush Limbaugh hand-pick” the successor to John McHugh, the Republican congressman who became the Obama administration’s secretary of the army, was unbelievable.
God that is pathetic. And that excoriation of "neoconservative views" is just too much. I told you Biden was out of the loop! Man, the dude's unhinged!

Obama Disses Hamid Karzai!

The White House is basically trying to piss everyone off on Afghanistan. Here's Karzai joining McChrystal under the bus:


With the White House’s reluctant embrace on Sunday of Hamid Karzai as the winner of Afghanistan’s suddenly moot presidential runoff, President Obama now faces a new complication: enabling a badly tarnished partner to regain enough legitimacy to help the United States find the way out of an eight-year-old war.
See also, the New York Times, "With Karzai, U.S. Faces Weak Partner in Time of War."

Hat Tip:
Villainous Company. And Memeorandum.

Remember the Maine! Voters to Decide Gay Marriage in Pine Tree State

It's been overshadowed by the big conservative surge in Upstate New York, but don't forget the national significance of Maine's vote tomorrow on marriage traditionalism. See, "Maine to Vote on Gay Marriage":

Maine residents will decide Tuesday whether to repeal a law allowing same-sex marriage, an effort that has succeeded in every state where it has been put before voters.

Public opinion surveys in Maine show a dead heat on Question 1, which would cancel the marriage statute that passed the legislature in May and was signed by Gov. John E. Baldacci (D).

In the five other states where gay men and lesbians are allowed to marry their partners, permission was granted by courts or legislatures. Baldacci expressed guarded optimism Sunday about the effort to defeat the Maine proposition.

"I believe it's something in the water or the air in this state that recognizes individual rights and anti-discrimination attitudes," the governor said by phone from Augusta, the capital. "It's more of a libertarian-type state than it is Republican or Democrat. We have two Republican senators, two Democratic representatives, and there have been two independent governors."

The campaign against same-sex marriage in Maine draws heavily from the effort that a year ago overturned a California Supreme Court ruling allowing same-sex marriage. TV commercials produced by Schubert Flint Public Affairs, a Sacramento consulting firm, feature parents lamenting that their young children are being taught in school that marriage between two women or two men is normal. Nearly identical ads were highly effective in California.

"I refer to it as sustainable advertising, where you have the same themes," said Scott Fish, communications director for Stand for Marriage Maine. "It's the same issue, and many of the concerns were the same."
The race is a tossup. From Nate Silver, "2009 Elections Preview: Maine Question 1 (Gay Marriage)." So, voter mobilization is in high gear. From the Bangor Daily News, "Get-Out-The-Vote Effort in High Gear: Gay Marriage, TABOR, Excise Taxes Likely to Draw Crowds to Polls."

Also, for nationwide ballot contests, see "
State Ballots Tackle Controversial Issues Tuesday."

Conservative Base is Riled Up! GOP Party Bosses Got Nothin'

The video's from Bob McCarty, "ObamaCare Supporter Punches Man, 67, Over Sign He Carried at Anti-Socialism Rally Near St. Louis."

But the bigger story's from the Politico, "
Conservatives Take Aim at Leaders, Charlie Crist, Other Races":

The conservative coup in upstate New York did much more than lay bare the power of conservative activists: It exposed how little control GOP officials hold over this surging and formidable political movement.

In the wake of conservatives’ role in forcing liberal Republican Dede Scozzafava out of Tuesday’s special election in New York’s 23rd District, GOP officials are trying to make it seem as if they are helping to stoke the passion — and can harness it to upend President Barack Obama and Democrats. They didn’t — and they can’t.

Many of the activists who helped knock out Scozzafava told POLITICO that the passion is building despite — and sometimes to spite — Republican leaders in Washington.

“I don’t give a crap about party,” said Jennifer Bernstone, a tea party organizer for Central New York 912, which helped to lead the anti-Scozzafava charge. “Grass-roots activists don’t care about party.”

Says Everett Wilkinson, a tea party organizer in Florida: “We are not going to allow our [movement] to be stolen by the GOP or by any political party.”
More at the link.

Also, see Robert Stacy McCain, "How Hoffmania Beat Dede-Ism." Check Memeorandum as well.

Sunday, November 1, 2009

Halloween 2009

Okay, this post is a special treat and thank you for American Power readers.

I periodically get requests to see family photos; but considering how much hate mail I get (or hate e-mails and comments at the blog), including occasional death threats, I've been careful with how much family information I post online. But yesterday my wife and I took our boys over to the local pumpkin patch, AND, my wife said it'd be okay to share some family pictures, so enjoy this: It might be a one time shot, or at least a once-in-blue-moon Douglas family photo-album.

Okay, that's yours truly below. We visit the
Johnson Brothers Pumpkin Patch, which is an area tradition. After Halloween, the location goes up as a Christmas tree lot in mid-November. Lots of good stuff, including farm animals and pony rides:

I'm 5'10", so their "How Tall This Fall" sign is accurate. No measurement on the waist, but I'm a 36" in work khakis, although I'm totally saggin' in my Urban Pipeline shorts here [UPDATE: 8:00pm and doing a bit of laundry ... turns out I'm a 38" in the waist, as per my Nordstrom slacks for work tomorrow!]:

This is my youngest boy, 8, in one of the bounce houses. Ain't he a darlin'?

Here's the big turkey. The farm animals are out next to the pony rides:

She came out of their little barn for a drink of water. It's been hot in Orange County - Santa Ana wind-weather, in the mid-80s:


It felt good to be out and about:

Okay, here's the moment you've all been waiting for: The full family portrait! My oldest boy is 13. He's shy and didn't really want to take pictures. And that's my wife of 15 years. You've already met my youngest son at the bounce-house above:

Here's a couple of the headstones lining the side of the Haunted House area:

My oldest again, checking out some additional "grave markers." He's never without the iTunes headset:

Okay, back at home a bit later, my youngest is getting ready for Trick-or-Treating. He's "Optimus Prime," from Transformers 2:

My boys made these artsy-pumpkins a couple of weeks ago. We placed them on the front porch. Lots of parents took their very small children Trick-or-Treating. I love that (we had some big kids too, but the babies are so fun - they'll walk right in your front door and grab a whole bunch of candy from the bowl):

Remember when you were little?

No comment needed here - only a reminder to keep both your faith and your children close:

Holiday season's almost here, notwithstanding the hot temperatures. Here's wishing folks the best this season, with love from my home to yours.

Charles Johnson Attacks Doug Hoffman as 'Glenn Beck Candidate'

It's long been established by now that Charles Johnson at Little Green Footballs has completed his Andrew Sullivan transmogrification, but this tidbit today is too much to resist. Johnson's been attacking Michelle Malkin all week - taking issue with Malkin's (accurate) description of Dede Scozzfava as "radical" - but now he's going after candidate Hoffman directly. Here's the screencap to his post, "Doug Hoffman: The Glenn Beck Candidate."

For Johnson, Hoffman's endorsement of the 9/12 Project's "9 Principles, 12 Values" apparently makes him and extremist (yep, it's pretty extreme to say, "I have a right to life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, but there is no guarantee of equal results").

In any case, although he's modest about it, John Hawkins has the best post on Charles Johnson's self-immolation. See, "
The Descent of Little Green Footballs."

Also worth a look is Rick Moran's contrarian take on conservative influence in NY-23. See, "
‘UNRULY’ CONSERVATIVES SHOCK THE GOP IN NY23."

And, of course, the big news today is Dede Scozzafava's endorsement of Democrat Bill Owens in Tuesday's special election, "
NY-23: Scozzafava Endorses Owens" (via Memeorandum).

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UPDATE: See also, Jawa Report, "Does Charles Johnson Hate America?", and Stop the ACLU, "Excitable Chucky Now Has a Problem With 'America is Good'."

Saturday, October 31, 2009

Fright Night Political Post-Mortems From NY-23

It's been a big day, so I'm leaving the paranoid Frank Rich until tomorrow.

Check this cool post from GOP12, "Halloween Post-Mortems on NY-23":

Here are some quickie reactions around the web.

From
Matt Lewis.

Winners: Sarah Palin, Club for Growth, Erick Erickson & Red State, Concerned Women for America, David Keene, John McCormack, conservative bloggers, conservative talk show hosts, T-Paw, Armey and others who endorsed Hoffman.

Losers: The Establishment, Newt, Boehner, NRCC, Romney and Huckabee.
Check the whole thing.

And don't miss this one, via Allahpundit, "In Key New York Race, Barracuda Chews Up Mitt":

Sarah Palin, using her unique sense of timing, one week ago became the biggest name of in-prime party leaders to endorse Hoffman. Had she stayed on the sidelines, this contest could have played out in predictable fashion: Republicans stayed split and Democrat Bill Owens would have cruised to victory. Instead, by all appearances, the conservative revolt has succeeded. Even the national GOP -- which had endorsed Scozzafava and was slamming outsider Hoffman as much as Democrat Owens -- is now recognizing that district voters seem to flocking to Hoffman.

Outside observers who want to dismiss Palin do so at their peril. But, there appears to be a reason that her basketball-playing nickname was "Barracuda." Recall she was the one who coined (or at least made viral) the phrase "death panel" during the health care fight during the summer -- forcing Democrats and the White House onto the defensive. Whether Palin is doing all this for PR purposes (her book comes out in three weeks) or being reckless in her political rhetoric, the fact is she is having an impact on the broader debate -- and continuing to resonate with her party's base.

And in a similar fashion, see my earlier post as well, "Coming Up Aces: Palin on 'Hoffman in NY-23 - 'A Time to Unite'
."

Final GOTV Push in NY-23: Doug Hoffman Needs Volunteer Canvassers!

Just got this in my in-box from folks working with the Doug Hoffman campaign:

Hoffman's biggest need now is volunteers. (1) Nothing is written in stone yet, (2) the margin of victory will determine how hard the losing side fights next year, and (3) in a special election, turnout is everything. They just need people to show up at their campaign offices. It would be terrific if you'd help spread the word.
The link to the campaign locations page is here:

And as always, every contribution helps, so check Hoffman's campaign page if you're out of state.

And for the most up-to-date coverage on the race, check
Robert Stacy McCain.

Halloween Hotties!

This young sweetie is at Webshots:

What a hottie - Rach - i lova you

But check out Maxim's, "Halloween Hotties, Vol. 1 Photos," and "Halloween Hotties, Vol. 2."

Coming Up Aces: Palin on 'Hoffman in NY-23 - 'A Time to Unite'

Back in July, shortly after Sarah Palin left the Alaska Governorship, I published my thoughts on her political future, "Can Palin Win the 2012 GOP Nomination?"

Since, then Palin's been Coming up Aces.


From death panels to energy policy, Palin is hot! And just last week she again got out in front of the conservative movement to endorse Doug Hoffman in NY-23. Killer acumen, you think?

Here's Palin's statement upon Dede Scozzafava's withdrawal, "A Time to Unite":
I want to personally thank Republican Dede Scozzafava for acting so selflessly today in the NY District 23 race. Now it's time to cross the finish line with Doug Hoffman so that he can get to work for District 23 and the rest of America.

With Congress poised to overhaul one-sixth of our economy with so-called health care “reform” (which is really a government takeover of health care) and with plans to enact a cap-and-tax bill just as our economy struggles to recover, Doug Hoffman will be a voice for fiscal responsibility and common sense in Washington.

We need candidates like Doug now more than ever. In these final days of the campaign, it's vital that Doug continue to receive the enthusiastic support of those who want to bring common sense to Washington. Let’s help make it happen! You can help Doug by visiting his official website today and offering your support:
https://www.doughoffmanforcongress.com/donate3.html.
Hat Tip: Conservatives for Sarah Palin.

More at
Memeorandum. (Especially, "REPUBLICANS CATCH A BIG BREAK IN NEW YORK 23.")

Shake, Rattle and Roll: 'Gingrich Endorses Hoffman', Plus, 'Conservatives Send Message to GOP'

The GOP establishment's definitely getting a shake-up! This calls for some be-bopping:

Okay, from CNN, "Gingrich Endorses Hoffman":

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, who came under fire from some conservatives for endorsing Dede Scozzafava in next week's special Congressional election in New York, is now backing Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman.

Gingrich made the announcement via Twitter shortly after the Republican Party nominee Scozzafava announced she was releasing supporters from their commitment to back her.

"Scozzafava dropping out leaves hoffman as only anti-tax anti-pelosi vote in ny 23 Every voter opposed to tax increases support doug hoffman," Gingrich wrote on Twitter.
Also, Dana Loesch has a major essay, "Scozzafava Quits Race; Conservatives Send Message to GOP":

This race was the bellwether race, a civil war between conservatives and the Democrat-lite within the Republican party. I've been following the announcement and fallout all morning over at Dump Dede, the website I created as a catalog of news on the race - and also as a way to encourage the GOP to serve country over self. I think it was a gracious move for Scozzafava, though it is telling that she didn't endorse Hoffman on her way out.

A couple of weeks ago
Neil Cavuto asked me about the contention between tea partiers and the GOP due to some of my earlier sentiments. My response was that the GOP had developed a habit of not offering a clear choice in many elections, and that's what elections are all about, right? Choice? I pointed to the contentious race in New York's 23rd district where the GOP were actually campaigning against conservative candidate Doug Hoffman, who had been rejected by the GOP elite in New York. Days later I held a press conference with Bill Hennessy on behalf of various tea parties across the country to tell the GOP to "put up or shut up" and endorse conservatism. We took some serious heat from the GOP for it, too. Several Missouri candidates did so and as conservatives across the country revolted, more and more conservatives within the GOP stood to be counted.
More at the link.

Plus, check all the commentary at
Memeorandum; see, especially, Jimmy at The Other McCain, "NY-23: Gingrich Endorses Hoffman," and Allahpundit, "Gingrich Endorses Hoffman."

Added: William Jacobson, "Doug Hoffman Is Scaaary!":

Expect a full-out media blitz by the Democrats in the last three days of the campaign to portray Hoffman as the reincarnation of Timothy McVeigh.
Ha!

'Dede as a Democrat' Hammers Scozzafava in NY-23!

Did you see the "Dede as a Democrat" campaign, "Progressives for Dede Scozzafava"?

It turns out that the advertisment below had a significant effect on the race. See, "
New Poll Shows a Dead Heat in N.Y.'s 23rd District Between Democrat, Conservative" (via):

The percentage of voters with an unfavorable impression of Scozzafava, a member of the state assembly, spiked from 29 percent two weeks ago to 51 percent this week.

There were indications that Scozzafava suffered from TV spots that appeared to have been placed by her supporters but were financed by a conservative group slyly calling attention to her support for gay marriage and unions. Of those who reported seeing Scozzafava commercials, 45 percent said they were less likely to support her and only 9 percent more likely to support her. No other candidate saw a lopsided effect.

Man that's hardball!

Politico ran a piece on this last week, but all's fair in love and war. See Jonn Lilyea, "Dirty Trick? Hardly.

Michele Bachmann's Statement on Dede Scozzafava in NY-23: GOP House Leaders Endorse Doug Hoffman!

From Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, "It's All Up to Hoffman Now":

"First I want to thank Dede Scozzafava for her hard-fought campaign in this special election. And, I'd especially like to thank her for dropping out of this race for the good of the Party. I'm certain that it was not an easy decision for her to make, but it was the right one.

"I'd also like to urge anyone who can help Doug Hoffman, the Conservative Party candidate in that race, to mobilize all their energy and resources to ensure Hoffman's victory next Tuesday.

"The polls all show that Hoffman's message of fiscal responsibility and conservatism are resonating strongly with the voters in that district. I am very hopeful that they will send him across the finish line in first place Tuesday night."
Plus, "Joint Statement from House Republican Leadership Regarding NY-23 Special Election":

The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) today released the following joint statement from House Republican Leader John Boehner, House Republican Whip Eric Cantor, and NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions regarding the the special election in New York’s 23rd Congressional District:

“As the House stands on the cusp of the forthcoming vote on a trillion-dollar healthcare reform measure, it is vital that we unify behind a candidate that will support reining in massive government spending and work with Republicans in Congress to restore fiscal sanity and propose thoughtful measures to get our nation’s economy on the right track.

“With Assemblywoman Scozzafava suspending her campaign, we urge voters to support Doug Hoffman’s candidacy in New York’s 23rd Congressional District.

“He is the only active candidate in the race who supports lower taxes, fiscal responsibility and opposes Nancy Pelosi’s agenda of government-run healthcare, more government and less jobs.

“We look forward to welcoming Doug Hoffman into the House Republican Conference as we work together for the good of our nation.”
NRCC Hat Tip: Dump Dede.

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UPDATE: Getting lots of linkage today! Thanks to
Ace of Spades, Atlas Shrugs, and Astute Bloggers - the Triple AAA threat!. Plus, Fausta as well. Gateway Pundit too, who is sending me a tertiary Instalanche! Oh, and don't forget Dana Loesch!

Scozzafava's Exit Speech (VIDEO)

From the Minority Report, "Dede's Farewell Speech":

Dear Friends and Supporters:

Throughout the course of my campaign for Congress, I have made the people of the 23rd District and the issues that affect them the focal point of my campaign. As a life long resident of this District, I care deeply and passionately about its people and our way of life. Whether as a candidate for Congress, a State Assemblywoman or a small town Mayor, I have always sought to act with the best interest of our District and its residents in mind—and today I again seek to act for the good of our community.

The opportunity to run as the Republican and Independence Party candidate to represent the 23rd District has been and remains one of the greatest honors of my life. During the past several months, as I’ve traveled the district, meeting and talking with voters about the issues that matter most to them, I’ve been overwhelmed by the amount of support I’ve received as I sought to serve as their voice in Washington. However, as Winston Churchill once said, Democracy can be a fickle employer, and the road to public office is not always a smooth one.

In recent days, polls have indicated that my chances of winning this election are not as strong as we would like them to be. The reality that I’ve come to accept is that in today’s political arena, you must be able to back up your message with money—and as I’ve been outspent on both sides, I’ve been unable to effectively address many of the charges that have been made about my record. But as I’ve said from the start of this campaign, this election is not about me, it’s about the people of this District. And, as always, today I will do what I believe serves their interests best.

It is increasingly clear that pressure is mounting on many of my supporters to shift their support. Consequently, I hereby release those individuals who have endorsed and supported my campaign to transfer their support as they see fit to do so. I am and have always been a proud Republican. It is my hope that with my actions today, my Party will emerge stronger and our District and our nation can take an important step towards restoring the enduring strength and economic prosperity that has defined us for generations.

On Election Day my name will appear on the ballot, but victory is unlikely. To those who support me – and to those who choose not to – I offer my sincerest thanks.

Dede
Also at Pat Dollard, "Communist-Posing-as-Republican Drops Out of New York Congressional Race."

Video Hat Tip: Gateway Pundit, "
RINO Season Officially Opens – SCOZZAFAVA SUSPENDS CAMPAIGN! (Video)."

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UPDATE: Getting lots of linkage today! Thanks to Ace of Spades, Atlas Shrugs, and Astute Bloggers - the Triple AAA threat!. Plus, Fausta as well. Gateway Pundit too, who is sending me a tertiary Instalanche! Oh, and don't forget Dana Loesch!

RINO Scozzafava Suspends Campaign in NY-23!

From Fox News, "Republican Scozzafava Suspends New York Congressional Campaign":

Republican state Assemblywoman Dierdre Scozzafava has suspended her campaign for upstate New York's 23rd Congressional seat, leaving Democratic nominee Bill Owens and Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman in the race that will conclude Tuesday, Fox News has confirmed.

The move comes on the heels of a new poll that showed Scozzafava had fallen behind her two competitors in a race too close.

The Siena College poll has Owens picking up 36 percent of the vote, while Hoffman has 35 percent. Scozzafava has 20 percent, with nine percent of voters undecided.

It's a turnaround from the first Siena poll on the race in September, which had Scozzafava leading, followed by Owens and Hoffman.

The special election is Tuesday.
Hoffman will pick up most of Scozzava's 20 percent in the Siena poll. This race is pretty much a done deal.

See Robert Stacy McCain for the details (he's been working this story like a mofo), "
NY23: SCOZZAFAVA QUITS! UPDATE: New poll shows Hoffman in dead heat with Democrat Owens."

Plus, from the Watertown Daily Times, "SCOZZAFAVA SUSPENDS 23RD CAMPAIGN," and Ed Morrissey, "Breaking: Scozzafava Quits After Siena Poll; Update: Hoffman Campaign Asking for Endorsement?" And, from Dana Loesch, "BREAKING: Dede Dumps Herself." Ha!

Added: The best headline so far, "Radical Leftist GOP Candidate Dede Scozzafava Quits."

This is What They Do: Chester County Democrats Smear Conservative School Board Candidate - UPDATE! Sean Carpenter is Upbeat!

UPDATE! I've just heard from Skye at Midnight Blue. Her report:
I've just spoken with Sean Carpenter and he is upbeat about his chances of winning a seat on the school board. He said he's receiving nothing but positive feedback from everyone he talks to and that Karen Porter's smear campaign is pissing people off.

Thanks for posting on this subject.

***********

My good friend Skye at Midnight Blue reports on the vicious smear campaign Chester County Democrats are waging against Republican school board candidate Sean Carpenter. See, "The Definitive Post on Hypocrisy."

Below is the Democratic video that libels
Carpenter, a conservative and pro-victory activist, as an extremist::

This is the blurb at the YouTube page:

The definitive video about Sean Carpenter and the Sheepdogs, a pro-war, pro-torture, far right wing group. In their own words, their own actions, and their own vile behavior they expose their real values and true nature to the West Chester, Pa community and the entire world.
Skye responds:

Despite a recent exposure of a vicious backdoor smear campaign, in which Democrat committeemen and a representative of the Democrat WCASB candidates conspired to subvert campaign finance rules for a negative literature drop on the Republican candidates; they still press on with a negative campaign. You can view their latest attempt HERE. The video was crafted by John Grant, an avowed socialist and chavez groupie. The candidate highlighted in the video is Sean Carpenter, a well respected member of the West Chester community and devoted dad.
Plus, Skye's got video, "Peaceful hypocrites on display in West Chester":

Obama Salutes the Troops

From Chris Muir:

And in the news, from the Washington Post, "Obama Seeking Options on Troops Levels in Afghanistan."

Commentary from Jules Crittenden, "
Advanced Baby Splittage," and Prairie Weather, "Pullout Not an Option" (via Memeorandum).

Cartoon Hat Tip: Midnight Blue.

What's to Disavow? J Street is Extremist

From Jamie Kirchick, "The Fork in J Street: Will the New Israel Lobby Disavow Its Extreme Left Flank?" After the introduction, Kirchick writes:
In the weeks leading up to its conference, J Street was wracked by a series of controversies. The group had to cancel a poetry session after it was exposed that one of the participants had compared the Guantanamo Bay prison camp to Auschwitz and another likened Israel to a "whore." The organization's credibility was further challenged when Israeli ambassador Michael Oren refused an invitation to speak at the conference, and an embassy spokesman said that J Street could "impair Israel's interests." Due to these incidents and pressure from the group's skeptics in the Jewish community, 13 senators and congressmen removed their names from the event's host committee. ("Had we known more about J Street back in the summer, it would've been a different story," says a spokesman for one of these members, who affirmed that the congressman would refuse to appear on the host committee next year if invited.)

In the wake of these public defections, Ben-Ami granted an
interview to the Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg in which he repositioned himself much closer to the center. He criticized Walt and Mearsheimer's views and backed away from his initial calls for Israel to negotiate with Hamas. He said that the prospect of threatening to cut off military aid to Israel "should not be on the table." And, he added, "I hope that we have a very strong left flank that attacks us."

But Ben-Ami's stated goal of having J Street represent "the center" of American Jewish sentiment on Israel was undermined by a variety of events at this week's conference, most notably
a bloggers panel featuring the likes of avowed anti-Zionists Philip Weiss and Max Blumenthal, as well as Helena Cobban, the newly-appointed executive director of the Council for the National Interest, one of whose founders has spoken at a conference of a Holocaust denial group. At the panel, Blumenthal attacked Ben-Ami for "capitulating" to Goldberg ("What happened really disappointed me, at least on the point of Walt and Mearsheimer," he said) and mocked Elie Wiesel for investing money with Bernie Madoff. Though information about the event did not appear on the conference agenda and Ben-Ami told Goldberg that J Street was not giving "sanction to their beliefs," the organization provided space--adorned with a giant J Street banner--for the panel, and Ben-Ami himself dropped in on the event.

While Ben-Ami has distanced himself from the Walt-Mearsheimer thesis, their theories about the Israel lobby were widely touted at the J Street conference. At a full Monday afternoon panel entitled, "The View from the Hill: Congress and the US-Israel Relationship," Democratic congressman Bob Filner cited the defeats of his erstwhile colleagues Earl Hilliard and Cynthia McKinney as examples of how the Israel lobby "intimidates" politicians. In response, freshman Democrat Jared Polis repeatedly implored the audience to avoid talking about the pro-Israel lobby in such dark tones. "I encourage everyone to resist talking about this in ways that demonize the Jewish people," he said.

And while Ben Ami is trying to assert his group's Zionist bona fides, a number of speakers at the conference questioned the very idea of a Jewish state--and actually received loud applause. Cheers greeted Bassim Khoury, the former Palestinian Authority's Minister of National Economy, when he said that "if the majority of the Israeli people want to define Israel as a state with a religion like the Islamic Republic of Iran, let them." And Hussein Ibish of the Arab-American Anti-Discrimination Committee similarly received applause after delivering a lengthy denunciation of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's call for the Palestinians to recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
More at the link.

See also, "
Pro-Israel, Pro-Peace; or, Pro-Palestinian Destruction of the Jewish State..."

Ayn Rand and the Tea Parties

From Adam Kirsch's book review at the New York Times, "Ayn Rand’s Revenge" (via Memeorandum):

A specter is haunting the Republican Party — the specter of John Galt. In Ayn Rand’s libertarian epic “Atlas Shrugged,” Galt, an inventor disgusted by creeping American collectivism, leads the country’s capitalists on a retributive strike. “We have granted you everything you demanded of us, we who had always been the givers, but have only now understood it,” Galt lectures the “looters” and “moochers” who make up the populace. “We have no demands to present you, no terms to bargain about, no compromise to reach. You have nothing to offer us. We do not need you.”

“Atlas Shrugged” was published 52 years ago, but in the Obama era, Rand’s angry message is more resonant than ever before. Sales of the book have reportedly spiked. At “tea parties” and other conservative protests, alongside the Obama-as-Joker signs, you will find placards reading “Atlas Shrugs” and “Ayn Rand Was Right.” Not long after the inauguration, as right-wing pundits like Glenn Beck were invoking Rand and issuing warnings of incipient socialism, Representative John Campbell, Republican of California, told a reporter that the prospect of rising taxes and government regulation meant “people are starting to feel like we’re living through the scenario that happened in ‘Atlas Shrugged.’ ”
Actually, Ayn Rand's influence on the tea parties wasn't all that strong over the summer, outward influence at least. (As measued by the popularity of Ayn Rand paraphernalia at the tea parties and town halls.) Of course, Rand's philosophy has been prophetic this year, and current interest in objectivism is record-breaking (which explains why some neo-communists are strangely trying to expropiate her work). And some argue we're living the state-socialist wrecking ball. See, "We Are Living in an Ayn Rand Novel." Leftists can spin all they want. Atlas Shrugged is not a slip cover for what's happening today, but its accuracy in so many other ways in mind-boggling.

Image Credit: From the
Orange County Tax Day Tea Party, April 15, 2009.

Passport of 9/11 Plotter Found in Pakistan Al Qaeda Stronghold

"The cold fact is that there were no Iraqis or Afghans on the planes that were hijacked on Sept. 11, yet hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and Afghans are dead because of the U.S. invasion" ... Brian Becker, International ANSWER

Perhaps, and yet, from the New York Times:

A suspect in the 9/11 plot whose German passport was found in a mud hut in western Pakistan this week has not been in touch with his family for two years, his mother said in a telephone interview on Friday.

The suspect, Said Bahaji, a German citizen whose father is Moroccan, was the main logistics supporter of the 9/11 attackers, paying their rent and telephone bills, according to the authorities. The Pakistani military said it found his German passport five days ago in the village of Sherwangai in South Waziristan, during a search operation.

Mr. Bahaji was part of the Hamburg cell of Al Qaeda, a tightly knit group of young Arab men who met in Germany in the mid- to late 1990s under the leadership of Mohamed Atta, who eventually became the central planner of the 9/11 attacks.

A Pakistani military spokesman, Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas, said that Mr. Bahaji was not in custody, and that the military did not know whether he was dead or alive. He said the passport stamp for Mr. Bahaji’s entry into Pakistan — Sept. 4, 2001 — was too old to shed any light on his current whereabouts.

The Pakistani military is in the second week of a major military operation against militants in their South Waziristan stronghold, and General Abbas said one aim was to flush out foreigners.

German intelligence officials have said they believe that Mr. Bahaji, who is still on the German authorities’ wanted list, has been in Pakistan’s tribal areas since Sept. 11, 2001. The discovery of the passport this week was the first concrete evidence.

Many top Qaeda members are believed to have taken refuge in the area. A Pakistani intelligence official interviewed on Friday said the discovery “proves that our militants have had close associations with Al Qaeda.”
Image Credit: Islamization Watch, "9/11 Suspect's Passport Found in a Mud Hut in Pakistan."

Friday, October 30, 2009

Obama's Halloween Horrors!

Happy Halloween!

It's "The Children of ACORN" (from America is an Obamanation)!


Check the blog for the whole "horror show, "The Halloween 2009 Cavalcade of Horror!"

Click Obama's ACORN for more information.

RELATED: At Big Government, from Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, "
These Are the Times That Try Men’s Blogging Souls."

Plus, the obligatory disclaimer: THIS POST IS HUMOR!

Administration Denies William Ayers and Jeremiah Wright on White House Visitors' List -- UPDATED!!

UPDATE: To be clear on this, who knows who actually visited the White House? I previously posted pictures of Chicago Boss Richard Daley with the president on the White House lawn (but not a word about it in the press at the time). Anyone from the old community organizing gang's got entrée as far as I'm concerned; and folks should put nothing past this regime, the most corrupt administration in recent American history. The press is totally in the tank, so the truth is relative to power and access. Never believe what these people say. Thanks to Dan Collins for the heads up on where this story's going.

And it's likely more involved than just some fake names filled in by prankish tourists. See, "A Tip On Using the White House Visitor Logs, Just Posted":

As far as I can tell, THE Andrew Stern was the top outside visitor to the White House with approximately 20 visits, or about three visits per month, including four relatively small meetings with the president and a dozen with other White House staffers. Stern has openly bragged about the SEIU's $61 million investment in Barack Obama. It certainly bought him a lot of access.
*********

This is one of the most cluster**ked things I've heard all year.

In a move it is hailing as "transparency like you've never seen before," the White House on Friday released nearly 500 visitor records of individuals visiting the executive mansion between Inauguration Day and the end of July.

Many of the names appear, on first glance, to be boldface ones -- such as Michael Jordan, William Ayers, Michael Moore, Jeremiah Wright, Robert Kelly ("R. Kelly") and Malik Shabazz -- but the White House warned on its blog that these names in particular were "false positives."

"The well-known individuals with those names never actually came to the White House," wrote Norm Eisen, special counsel to the president for ethics and government reform.
And Think Progress is ejaculating at "catching" conservatives "falsely" claiming these "boogeymen" visited 1600 Pennsylvania.

Yeah. Right. "False positives"? That's a good one.

We just happen to have a "William Ayers" and a "Jeremiah Wright" on the administration's visitors' list along with Thomas Daschle, Howard Dean, Kim Gandy, Edward Kennedy, John Podesta, and Andrew Stern - all Democratic-Socialist power hitters [
source].

Yep, those crazy conservatives sure are wacked out. I mean, William Ayers was "
just a guy who lived in Obama's neighborhood," remember? Besides, it's not like Obama actually heard Reverend Wright preach hatred of America in nearly 20 years of attending those sermons.

Sheesh!

For shame you scurrilous right wingers!


**********

UPDATE!! Linked by Doug Ross and Theo Spark. Thank you!

Michele Bachmann on Hannity: House PelosiCare is 'Crown Jewel of Socialism'

I tweeted this at 6:00pm:
'Crown jewel of socialism' - Michele Bachmann on Hannity now describing the Obam'ntion of PelosiCare in Congress. 'Only one week to stop it'
Now Gateway Pundit's got the video, "Michelle Bachman on Pelosi Health Care Bill: 'This Is the Crown Jewel of Socialism'":

PELOSICARE– “THE CROWN JEWEL OF SOCIALISM”

Rep. Michelle Bachman is calling all Americans to join her on the steps of the Capital Building in Washington DC on Thursday November 5th to stop “the Crown Jewel of Socialism” – the democrat’s bill to take over the US health care industry.
See also, Power Line, "Do They Need the Public Option?" (via Memeorandum).

The Real Significance of Hoffman in NY-23

From Marc Ambinder, "What the NY-23 Special Election Is Really About":

In the span of a few short weeks, the special election in New York's 23rd congressional District has become the one result that the savviest church members are polishing off our sharpest metaphors for.

But what would a victory by the Democrat, Bill Owens, or the Conservative, Doug Hoffmann, actually mean? And is it possible that the political community will over-interpret the consequences? Most certainly. We're all lit-crits now; on Wednesday morning, the real lesson will be decided by whose explanation triumphs in a contested arena: Republicans versus Conservatives, Governing Conservatives versus Theoretical Conservatives, Palin-Beck Crazies versus Sane Modernists.

Actually, at the post, Ambinder gets sidetracked with local political minutia. Not to say that stuff's unimportant, but frankly Doug Hoffman in NY-23 is symbolic of the monumental success of grassroots conservativism this year. See, Dan Riehl, "NY - 23: Conservatives Should Declare Victory." (More at Memeorandum.)

Image Credit:
Right Klik (and see, "Hoffmania: What Does it Mean?").

Markos Moulitsas Weasels Out of Scozzafava Endorsement

Remember my earlier report on Kos the radical and Newt the RINO, "Newt Gingrich Joins Daily Kos in Dede Scozzafava Endorsement!"

Well it turns out that Kos has had a major change of thinking. At Dump Dede, "
Kos Un-Endorses Scozzafava."

And quoting from Kos' un-endorsement (the link's at Newsbusters):

I have no love for the Democrat, Owens, and I clearly have no love for Scozzafava in that post, so only an idiot would construe that as an "endorsement". An endorsement implies love for the candidate being endorsed. I wish nothing but ill will for all candidates in this race. But the GOP is full of idiots, and they've run strong with it, making my "endorsement" part of their anti-Scozzafava narrative. And now we're in a situation in which the conservative candidate Doug Hoffman has a real chance of performing better than the Republican.
Yeah. Right.

What a bloody freaking liar.

I've got the wretch quoted at
my earlier post:

... Dede Scozzafava, the Republican, is actually the most liberal candidate in the race ....

Sure, she is a Republican, and opposes the public option. But she's been willing to raise taxes when budgets require it, and is to the left of most Democrats on social issues (including supporting gay marriage) ....

So it's official, I'm rooting for the Republican to win. As a congresswoman, she could either move even more to the left to properly represent her progressive-trending district and be a pain in the side of the GOP caucus (they have nothing like our Blue Dogs), or Democrats can field a real Democrat to challenge her in 2010.

Obama's Economic Stimulus Sham

This is a jobless recovery, so the White House/Media Industrial Complex obviously has incentive to invent good news. (CNN's on the case, "Stimulus Creates 640,000 Jobs", via.) Obama/Biden economic advisor Jared Bernstein has a report, "New Report Shows Recovery Act Creating Jobs Throughout the Nation."

But recall yesterday's piece at Breitbart, "
Stimulus Jobs Overstated by Thousands."

The government has overstated by thousands the number of jobs it has created or saved with federal contracts under the president's $787 billion recovery program, according to an Associated Press review of data released in the program's first progress report.

The discrepancy raises questions about the reliability of a key benchmark the administration uses to gauge the success of the stimulus. The errors could be magnified Friday when a much larger round of reports is released. It is expected to show hundreds of thousands of jobs repairing public housing, building schools, repaving highways and keeping teachers on local payrolls.
See also, Michelle Malkin, "The Stimulus Jobs Inflation Index."

MSNBC Airs Full-Frontal Breast Exam Clip: Added Bonus, Dr. Nancy Snyderman is Top ObamaCare Shill

Via Hot Air, "The 'Courageous' Breast Self-Examination News Spot Debate." Of course, it's with Dr. Nancy Sniderman, one of MSNBC's biggest ObamaCare shills:

In September, Dr. Snyderman predicted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's public option name change this week (Dems are calling for a "competitive option"):

From
Newsbusters:

Snyderman was chatting with White House advisor Melody Barnes, who didn't seem to take the possible defeat as hard as did her host . . .
NANCY SNYDERMAN: Melody, it was all going so well. It was all on track. The president went to Europe and--honest to God--I could feel sitting in this chair, that the energy sucked, just sort of went out of the whole thing. And then, frankly, the rumors, the innuendoes, the half-truths, the mistruths, the frank lies, have they all hijacked the conversation? So if it's stability and reassuring the American public, how do you address those sort of hot-button issues that frankly I think need to be reframed? How do you take something like the public option and give it a new name?
More Democratic values for you.

Also, from Town Hall, "
MSNBC Airs Uncensored Breast Self-Exam." (Via Memeorandum.)