Sen. Obama and Sen. Biden issued the following statement on Sarah Palin:

“We send our congratulations to Governor Sarah Palin and her family on her designation as the Republican nominee for Vice President. It is yet another encouraging sign that old barriers are falling in our politics. While we obviously have differences over how best to lead this country forward Governor Palin is an admirable person and will add a compelling new voice to this campaign.”

That’s quite a turnaround since this statement by Obama spokesman Bill Burton:

“Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency. Governor Palin shares John McCain’s commitment to overturning Roe v. Wade, the agenda of Big Oil and continuing George Bush’s failed economic policies; that’s not the change we need, it’s just more of the same,” said Bill Burton, Obama Campaign Spokesman.

This shows the difficult position Gov. Palin puts Democrats in. If they attack her, they’ll alienate more women than they’ve already alienated. If they don’t attack Gov. Palin, Hillary’s supporters will ask why Gov. Palin gets the kid glove treatment but Hillary got attacked. (continue reading post »)

Did everyone watch Sen. McCain’s introduction of Gov. Sarah Palin like I did? That’s an electrifying pick. That’s why the Obama campaign is already criticizing her:

“Today, John McCain put the former mayor of a town of 9,000 with zero foreign policy experience a heartbeat away from the presidency. Governor Palin shares John McCain’s commitment to overturning Roe v. Wade, the agenda of Big Oil and continuing George Bush’s failed economic policies, that’s not the change we need, it’s just more of the same,” said Bill Burton, Obama Campaign Spokesman.

Mr. Burton’s omission that Sarah Palin’s current occupation is that of governor is intentional. Their entire tack is to characterize Gov. Palin as either incompetent or a small town hick or a pro life fanatic or a tool of Big Oil or a George Bush lackey. Based on her initial performance, I can’t picture any of those labels will stick.

Here’s what’s impressive about Gov. Palin:

1) Gov. Palin gotten an extensive list of real reforms enacted.
2) Gov. Palin got a firsthand understanding of energy policy, having dealt with that as governor.
3) Gov. Palin a tax cutter. Gov. Palin said that, as mayor of Wasilla, she worked hard to cut property taxes. As governor, she significantly increased the check Alaskans get when the state got more money from the oil companies.
4) Gov. Palin fought against and defeated politics as usual Gov. Frank Murkowski.

She’s also an articulate speaker and advocate, she’s a fighter with an extensive record of accomplishments, unlike a certain messianic candidate. Most importantly, she scares Democrats. (continue reading post »)

This video shows that, while Juan Williams likes Sen. Obama, he isn’t taken in by Sen. Obama’s postpartisan rhetoric, finding it empty. He did find Sen. McCain’s history replete with examples of his bipartisan leanings.

Here’s the transcript of Williams’ statement:

“You think of everything from campaign finance to immigration and on, there’s John McCain working across party lines. Sen. Obama doesn’t have a record. Certainly he can make the claim and he can hold himself up as pure and trying to reach for a new generation of postpartisan politics but he has to do so based largely on rhetoric and wishful thinking because he doesn’t have the record.

There isn’t any animosity in Juan Williams’ voice. Instead, he’s just stating matter-of-factly (and accurately, I might add) that Sen. Obama’s bipartisan record is thin to nonexistent.

This morning, Charles Krauthammer said something insightful in this column:

Obama’s vice presidential selection, Joe Biden, naturally advertised his patron’s virtues, such as the fact that he had “reached across party lines to … keep nuclear weapons out of the hands of terrorists.” But securing loose nukes is as bipartisan as motherhood and as uncontroversial as apple pie. The measure was so minimal that it passed by voice vote and received near zero media coverage.

That’s really bucking the party, huh? Sen. Obama’s record isn’t exactly filled with profiles in courage.

If he were to have a spine, why would he have voted present on so many bills during his time in the Illinois state senate? That isn’t the mark of a leader. That’s the mark of a follower, albeit a well-spoken follower.

That’s what we should take away from Sen. Obama: He speaks well but he hasn’t shown us proof that he’s a postpartisan politician.

That’s why I keep asking this question:

Where’s the beef?

Technorati Tags: Obama, Juan Williams, Charles Krauthammer, YouTube, Postpartisanship, John McCain, Bipartisanship, Election 2008

Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog

Foxnews.com has just posted the transcript of Sen. Obama’s acceptance speech. Now’s the time to dissect it and find out how often his rhetoric didn’t match reality. Here’s the first instance where rhetoric didn’t match reality:

Tonight, more Americans are out of work and more are working harder for less. More of you have lost your homes and even more are watching your home values plummet. More of you have cars you can’t afford to drive, credit cards, bills you can’t afford to pay, and tuition that’s beyond your reach.

I can’t argue that many have lost their homes. I can’t argue that home prices are dropping. But saying that “more Americans are out of work” doesn’t match the fact that we’ve had very low unemployment. It’s also worth noting that the reason why people “have cars [they] can’t afford to drive” is because the Democrat majorities in the House and Senate have obstructed legislation that would’ve increased domestic energy production.

If we want change, I’d suggest that we change the party that’s in charge of Capitol Hill.

Here’s one of the most intellectually dishonest statements I’ve ever heard in a political speech:

Now, I don’t believe that Senator McCain doesn’t care what’s going on in the lives of Americans; I just think he doesn’t know.

Sen. Obama doesn’t think that. It’s one of most despicable cheapshots I’ve ever heard, much less in an acceptance speech. While we’re on the subject of who gets it and who doesn’t, let’s explore that a bit.

When Russia invaded Georgia, Sen. Obama called for the Russians, who invaded a sovereign nation, and the Georgians, who were killed en masse, to both act with restraint. Sen. McCain called it a Russian invasion right from the start. Most serious foreign policy experts said it’s Sen. Obama that didn’t have a clue.

Sen. Obama said again tonight that he’d negotiate directly with Iran: (continue reading post »)

It’s difficult listening to Sen. Obama. He started off talking about more people out of work, more people making less. The typical liberal ‘America, the Soupline Country’ speech. It isn’t flattering.

It isn’t that John McCain doesn’t care, it’s that he just doesn’t get it. (That’s odd coming from a guy whose friends includes a racist pastor and a terrorist neighbor and colleague.)

This administration wants an ownership society. When you get laid off, you’re on your own. Can’t get unemployment? You’re on your own. Please.

9:33: We will end our dependence on Middle Eastern oil. (Yeah right.) John McCain has been there for 26 years. (Michael Steele chimes in “Your VP pick has been there 36 years.)

9:35– We will tap into America’s natural gas. (How do you do that if you keep the OCS & ANWR offlimits?) This guy’s an idiot. Either that or he thinks we’re idiots. I don’t know which is worse.

9:36– Michael Steele asks how he’s gonna invest in small businesses when he’s planning on increasing their taxes. (I’m watching FNC’s Strategy Room.)

9:38– Now he’s talking about making government leaner, ending programs that don’t make sense.

9:40– If John McCain wants to debate, that’s a debate I’m willing to have. (Yeah right. You’re a chicken shit. You’ve avoided the townhall meetings.)

9:42– “John McCain says that he’ll follow UBL to the gates of hell but he won’t follow him to his cave.” It’s cheap talk.

9:44– “I will finish this war in Iraq responsibly.” “I will use aggressive diplomacy” to bring Iran to its knees. He wanted to finish the Iraq war by cutting off funding. Why should we believe him?

9:47– Michael Steele is rightfully asking how he’d get these things done.

9:48– One straw man argument after another. This guy can’t paint an accurate picture of America because it’d end the reason for his campaign. (two pages left in speech. Thank God.)

9:50– Now he’s talking about how we all have cynicism about government. When did Democrats have cynicism about government? (Other than about the military, that is.)

9:51– The biggest risk we can take is to take the same old approach with the same old players and expect a different result.

9:55– Finally, the ‘I Have a Dream’ section of the speech. (Final page.)

9:56– We cannot turn back with an economy to fix. We must pledge to march into the future.

9:57– Bishop (Panelist) seemed presidential visually. He didn’t address the how-to’s. He was too specific about where people are at. Very good on the visual, short on substance.

9:59– Michael Steele is saying that this is the same speech I’ve heard for the last six months. “At some point, he’s got to tell us how he plans” to get this done.

10:01– Steele- Obama ostracizes the people he needs for a healthy economy.

Frankly, this was another all-style, no substance performance. Sen. Obama is the quintessential empty suit. Michael Steele is right- He’s all platitude and no attitude.

Word before the speech was that this would be a workmanlike speech. It wasn’t. It was just about platitudes.

Mark Levin says that this wasn’t a great speech, especially from a delivery standpoint.

Technorati Tags: Obama, Acceptance Speech, Economy, Foreign Policy, Iraq, Blogging, Election 2008

Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog

Fred Thompson has written a compelling post for the good conservatives at RedState on rebuilding the conservative movement. First Fred outlines the principles of conservatism:

• The role of the federal government is limited to the powers given to it in our Constitution, and the bigger the government gets, the less competent it is to run our lives, and we must have leaders who understand that the market works best when it regulated and legislated least.
• A dollar belongs in the pocket of the person who earns it unless the government has a compelling reason why it can use it better.
• We don’t spend money we don’t have or borrow money that our children and grandchildren will have to pay back, and we must have leaders who understand this and will listen to the will of the people.
• The best way to avoid war is to be stronger than our enemies. But if we are in a fight, we win it because not doing so makes us more likely to be attacked in the future, and we must have leaders who understand this.
• The federal judiciary is supposed to decide cases, not legislate from the bench or dictate social policy and we must have leaders and judges who understand this.

Here’s why it’s important to support FRED PAC:

All of these endeavors are going to continue, and I want you to be a part of it. That’s why I’m pleased to announce the formation of FRED PAC. FRED PAC will help identify and support candidates on every level who support a platform of conservative, principles-based leadership and policies.

It’s time we showed America that conservatism is the most logical, common sense political philosophy in existance. We need to remind people that we’re the freedom-loving, prosperity-loving political party. It’s important that we tell Americans everywhere that conservatism was the force that forced the Soviet Union into the dustbin of history.

The cornerstones of Reagan’s governance were prosperity and liberty. That’s because Reagan had a strong libertarian streak in him.

It’s time that we started funding strong, steadfast conservatives who don’t wander from their conservative principles. That’s what FRED PAC is about. I was one of the first Fredheads because I passionately believe in federalism and in conservatism.

Conservatives have a history of getting things done. I’m betting that we’ll rise to the occasion this time, too.

Technorati Tags: FRED PAC, Fred Thompson, Ronald Reagan, Conservatism, Federalism, Libertarianism, Prosperity, Liberty, Election 2008

Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog

This isn’t easy for me to say but it’s something that must be said. The Republicans who’ve signed onto the Senate’s Gang of 16 have undercut the valiant efforts of House Republicans. What’s worse is that the meager concessions they got in return won’t bring meaningful price relief at the pump. Let’s review the situation as of August 1:

Democrats in the House and Senate shut down until after the conventions, refusing to even debate drilling. In fact, Speaker Pelosi refused to allow Republican amendments to the Democrats’ non-energy energy bills.

When Pelosi the Dictator realized that Republicans weren’t going to obey her dictatorial rulings, she shut off C-SPAN’s cameras, then turned off the lights and the power to the Chamber’s microphones.

House Republicans stayed to fight the good fight. Thanks to the leadership of Mike Pence, Tom Price, Jeb Hensarling, Leader Boehner and others, Speaker Pelosi started feeling the heat. The more people heard about the Democratic majority’s tactics, the more enraged they got.

That heat got hot enough to cause Barack Obama to change his position 3 times in 4 days. Nancy Pelosi, who previously characterized the Republicans’ drilling plan as a “hoax”, suddenly became amenable to drilling, albeit in a gimmicky way.

Just when the majority Democrats started feeling the heat dialed up, in steps a group of 5 Senate Republicans to provide them with political cover. Had these Republicans increased the pressure on Democrats, it would’ve put the Democrats in a horrible position. Instead, they worried about being credited with acting in a bipartisan manner. (continue reading post »)

I noted more than once that Mike Huckabee wasn’t a true Republican. I’m totally convinced now that he’s a liar and a dirtbag. Putting it succinctly, he should be run out of the Republican Party. Wednesday afternoon, Mike Huckabee called into Rush’s show. Follow this link to the transcript of the conversation. Here’s what stood out for me from the interview:

RUSH: Well, but wait a minute, that’s true for both parties. And McCain’s running ads right now featuring Hillary endorsing him. There is a gold mine of Hillary audio and video that McCain can make an ad of. Those things happen in primaries. I mean you guys were ganging up on Romney, too. That’s what politics is. I mean you and McCain joined together in West Virginia on the second or third ballot to take the state for McCain. That’s hardball.

HUCKABEE: No, it really wasn’t us. The truth is it was the Ron Paul people who got with our delegates, and there really wasn’t a deal cut with the McCain people in West Virginia.

RUSH: Really?

HUCKABEE: It was the Ron Paul people who said, “We just want a little bit of respect, and if our guy doesn’t win on the first ballot, we’ll vote for you.”

RUSH: Really. That is not the way it was explained to me. (continue reading post »)

(via Mashable)

Conservative blogger Michelle Malkin was beset by a horde of self-described leftist anarchists not far from the site of the Democratic National Convention earlier today. The mob was lead by well known left-wing conspiracy theory radio show host Alex Jones, who was at the protest designed to (and I’m not exaggerating at all) levitate the Denver Mint so as to shake out all the money. The mob was organized under the banner “Re-Create ‘68″, with the goal of re-igniting the riots of 1968 around the Chicago Democratic Convention.

Alex Jones is indeed a left wing blogger (with an army of left wing bloggers under his New Media umbrella). He’s the curator of a number of New Media websites often cited by the left, including InfoWars, PrisonPlanet, The Jones Report, and Truth News.

Jones, accompanied by little more than a handful of protesters that showed up for the event were documented chanting “Kill Michelle Malkin,” only moments after chanting their previous refrain of “Love! Peace! Justice!”

Despicable, but nothing surprising there…

Read the full story. Youtube video here.

Hat’s off to respected tech blogger Mark ‘Rizzn’ Hopkins for recognizing that this story transcends politics. It’s about freedom and liberty, the spirit of innovation that drives Silicon Valley. Sadly, in the marketplace of political ideas, unbridled liberalism has an inferior product and simply hopes to kill the competition. Literally.

RELATED: McCain 2.0?
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Team Obama has sent Speaker Pelosi a stern warning. According to this American Spectator article, Team Barry has told Speaker Pelosi to shut up:

The Obama campaign has asked Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi to shut her mouth, but in as nice a way as they possibly can. That isn’t to say they aren’t mad about her recent activities.

“It’s like ‘Thanks, madam speaker, you’ve done quite enough. Please move along,’” says one Obama adviser. “She got us stuck on three different issues that we wanted no part of. She’s no master strategist, no matter what she may believe. You may see more of her, but if her mouth is open, what comes out won’t be anything that our campaign wants anything to do with.”

According to several House Democrat leadership staffers, Pelosi grew increasingly angry several months ago that she was not being given a strategic role in directing the Democrat convention or being actively sought out by the Obama campaign for advice. “She made a point that she was queen of the far left, which was the group that really helped Obama get to where he was,” says Democrat leadership staffer, adding, “She didn’t call herself a queen, but you get the point, and so did the Obama people.”

In other words, Team Barry is pissed that Queen Pelosi dares defy them. They’re also worried that Pelosi’s statements will cost them with Catholics, which is an important part of Pennsylvania’s blue collar vote. If Pelosi costs Obama Pennsylvania, this election is over. It isn’t clear that Pelosi’s statements will cost Sen. Obama any battleground states but they can’t ignore the situation.

Technorati Tags: Catholics, Nancy Pelosi, Obama, Battleground States, Election 2008

Cross-posted at LetFreedomRingBlog