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Saturday, June 07, 2008

New Additions

Time to update the links section again with some great new blogs and sites (well, new to the Liberty Sphere).

These are all quality blogs and sites and well worth the time to take a look:

Politics

Human Events
Maverick News Network
Political Correctness Watch
Suppressed News
The Cato Institute
Townhall


Blogs

Ahab
Clayton Cramer
Counterterrorism Blog
Girl on the Right
The Stiletto


Pundits

Mark Steyn


Websites

Threatswatch

No, She Didn't

At least not yet.

Hillary did not announce that she would be Barack's running mate today. If fact, there was no mention of the issue from either one.

This, of course, does not mean that she won't be. Barack may be waiting a bit to see how the Hillary and Bill factor plays out.

But as for now, she's not on the ticket.

Is She or Isn't She?

Today Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will put on a display in Washington that is supposed to symbolize 'party unity' and the burying of the hatchets. Some speculate that she will be Barack's choice for running mate. I say no.

What do you think? Is she or isn't she?

I maintain that the so-called 'dream ticket' has far too much inherent baggage to work. Who in their right mind would want a former President hanging around, making a nuisance of himself, and more than likely embarrassing your administration with his penchant for popping off at the mouth?

And make no mistake about it, if Hillary is on the ticket, Bill will dominate the campaign, and if they are elected, he will dominate Barack's administration.

But the main reason I believe Barack will not make this decision is his wife. Michelle hates Hillary with a passion. And, at the end of the day, Michelle is the one Barack has to live with.

Friday, June 06, 2008

Second Amendment News Roundup for 6/6/08

Focusing on guns, politics, and news of interest, here is today's Second Amendment News Roundup:

A Canadian blogger has loads of information on the explosive story of Canadian totalitarianism as the British Columbia government, along with radical Muslims, attempt to silence the free speech of Mark Steyn. Be sure to read ALL of the posts....it is an eye-opener:
http://pelalusa.blogspot.com/

With all of our untapped oil reserves, the U.S. should be the world's No. 1 oil producer, but we're not. Gateway Pundit tells us why:
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2008/06/us-has-enough-reserves-to-be-1-oil.html

Michelle Malkin has the news on the environmentalist wacko bill that made its way through Congress...but even McCain turned against it for obvious reasons:
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/06/06/drive-a-stake-through-the-heart-of-the-green-boondoggle-bill/

John Lott has Clint Eastwood's comment on politics, and you're going to like it. I knew there was a good reason why I always liked this guy!:
http://johnrlott.blogspot.com/2008/06/clint-eastwood-on-politics.html

Mike McCarville speculates on the big meeting between Hillary and Obama last night:
http://wwwtmrcom.blogspot.com/2008/06/clinton-sets-exit-puts-pressure-on.html

JR has a most interesting pic called 'Guns and Moses':
http://akeyboardanda45.blogspot.com/2008/06/foavorite-t-shirt-of-day.html

Armed and Safe takes apart some numbskulls on the Second Amendment:
http://armedandsafe.blogspot.com/2008/06/distorted-view-from-canada.html

On this day, June 6, 1944, American and Allied forces stormed the beaches of Normandy in what has become known as D-Day. Born Again Redneck has a link to the complete memorial:
http://bornagainredneck.blogspot.com/2008/06/d-day.html

A man running for office in California has been endorsed by both the NRA and the GOA, but barely gets mentioned out there as a serious candidate. David Codrea takes a look at this travesty:
http://waronguns.blogspot.com/2008/06/can-mcclintock-count-on-ca-grassroots.html

Sebastian links to a story on 'an afternoon with the ATF':
http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/06/06/an-afternoon-with-atf/

Robb Allen says that the Brady Bunch rolls around in the blood of the dead, celebrating and doing cartwheels every time someone is killed with a firearm:
http://blog.robballen.com/archive/2008/06/06/Blood-dancers.aspx

Uncle wants to know why anti-gun activists are so violent, and he uses Barack 'Hit 'em with a Stick' Obama as an example:
http://www.saysuncle.com/archives/2008/06/06/why-are-anti-gun-activists-so-violent-3/

Gun Pundit blogs on the shotgun as the best weapon of defense in one's home:
http://www.gunpundit.com/616.php

Canadian Totalitarianism

Canada marches toward totalitarianism as it attempts to squelch free speech. The country has already essentially robbed the citizens of their gun rights, and now it appears the speech-and-thought gestapo are alive and well, and with the power of the government behind them.

Totalitarian governments do these sorts of things, not free ones. Whether they are Communist or Nazi, totalitarianism first robs citizens of their gun rights and then goes after their freedom of speech.

The record of history is our guide.

Mark Steyn is a reporter/commentator for the U.S. political magazine, National Review, which was founded by conservative icon William F. Buckley, Jr. in the 1950s. Steyn is on trial before a so-called 'human rights tribunal' in British Columbia over a piece he wrote on the oppressive influence of Islam in Europe. The article first appeared in National Review, but the story was picked up by a Canadian publication, 'McLean's,' and now both Steyn and the magazine are in deep trouble.

The Canadian government seems to believe that Steyn is 'guilty' of the 'crime' of 'Islamophobia.'

Radical Muslim groups in Canada are responsible for the prosecution of Steyn, given that they were 'offended' by the article he wrote.

Canada has been on the downhill slide for a number of years with regard to basic human rights. Its citizens no longer have the basic right to self-defense, and its 'human rights tribunals' are going after those who exercise their free speech in being critical of things deemed to be 'politically incorrect.'

If Steyn is convicted of his heinous crime against humanity (said with tongue firmly planted in cheek), it will be literally the end of freedom of speech in Canada, thanks to the speech-and-thought police of the politically correct movement...and their supporters in radical Islam.

Read the entire report on Mark Steyn at National Review here:
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YTUyMDU3ZmE0N2E4YjJlNmQxNGRlMWRiYTI3NjA0NjI=

Thursday, June 05, 2008

Second Amendment News Roundup for 6/5/08

Focusing on guns, politics, and news of interest, here is today's Second Amendment News Roundup:

Mike McCarville reports that Democratic Party bosses are unhappy with Hillary in spite of the fact that she plans to concede the nomination Saturday:
http://wwwtmrcom.blogspot.com/2008/06/democrats-unhappy-with-hillary-clinton.html

Alphecca has the results of a new poll on private gun ownership:
http://www.alphecca.com/?p=805

Blogonomicon has this gem on skunks and pistol skills:
http://blogonomicon.blogspot.com/2008/06/skunks.html

Increasingly I am hearing people comment that Obama scares them. Blogstitution encapsulates this feeling perfectly in this post--a MUST-read:
http://www.blogstitution.com/2008/06/dangerous-ideas/

On this day in 2004 President Ronald Wilson Reagan died at the age of 93. Cap'n Bob and the Damsel have this moving tribute to the Gipper, who was by all accounts the greatest American President in modern times:
http://capnbob.us/blog/2008/06/05/remembering-the-gipper/

Now that the U.S. has nearly destroyed Al Qaeda and our fatalities in Iraq are the lowest since the start of the War, the Democrats in Congress are attempting a new tactic to attack Bush and our troops. Gateway Pundit has the story:
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2008/06/crap-weasels-continue-to-attack-bush.html

Uncle has the story of a machine gun scam that involves the ATF:
http://www.saysuncle.com/archives/2008/06/05/machine-gun-scam/

Robb Allen provides excellent reading today on the role of government:
http://blog.robballen.com/archive/2008/06/05/Misunderstanding-a-simple-concept.aspx

Sebastian show us why it's important to fight gun control INTERNATIONALLY:
http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/06/05/inbev-eyeing-up-anheuser-busch/

Squeaky fears for her country in this post, entitled, 'Sieg Heil!':
http://www.squeakywheelseeksgrease.com/blog/2008/06/05/sieg-heil/

Happy Birthday wishes go to BREDA!:
http://thebredafallacy.blogspot.com/2008/06/thirtyfour_05.html

Tam has a dire prediction for us if we get 8 years of a Democrat Congress and 8 years of a Democrat President:
http://booksbikesboomsticks.blogspot.com/2008/06/tools-in-shed.html

David Codrea has the story of an open carry arrest in Wisconsin:
http://waronguns.blogspot.com/2008/06/open-carry-arrest-in-wi.html

John Lott is reporting that John McCain has balked at the new global warming legislation because neither India nor China are doing a thing about THEIR contribution to the problem. Even the U.N. granted the two countries a pass.
http://johnrlott.blogspot.com/2008/06/some-hope-that-global-warming.html

Many of us believe that John Bolton was the best U.N. ambassador we ever had. Just wait till you see what Bolton said about Barack Obama:
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/06/05/john-bolton-lights-into-obama/

Monica Crowley reports on the latest of Barack Obama's close friends to be convicted in a court of law:
http://monicamemo.typepad.com/weblog/2008/06/ch-ch-changes.html

The Volokh Conspiracy has an interesting read on the eminent domain issue in California:
http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2008_06_01-2008_06_07.shtml#1212687564

The Obama-Trinity Church Federal Grant Scandal

As it turns out, Mr. Clean Hands himself--the Obamessiah--is up to his eyeballs in scandal so sordid that everything we have heard about him up until now pales in comparison.

Obama has orchestrated the granting of 15 million dollars in federal earmarks to his congregation of 20 years, the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.

And what, pray tell, is the federal government doing giving grants totaling 15 million dollars to a church? It has been assumed all these years that so thoroughly do liberals believe in 'separation of church and state' that even the mention of giving tax dollars to a church has been considered anathema.

These are the very people, by the way, who believe that churches should not have tax exempt status.

So, what gives here?

As usual, this is a case of liberal hypocrisy. Separation of church and state is a concept that applies only to conservative churches. Didn't everyone know that already? And if the church is not only a very liberal one, but a Black one to boot, then all the rules that are used to beat down conservatives go flying out the window.

For example, did Fred Phelps' independent Baptist congregation in Kansas City receive federal grants? Why not? No matter that Phelps is one of the most ruthless, hate-spewing, and downright crude homosexual-bashers in the nation. Obama's church is also home to some of the most venomous, hate-spewing, crude, and anti-American rhetoric on the planet. Yet they got 15 million bucks in taxpayers' money. If a church like Trinity could get the loot, then why not Phelps?

While still in the Illinois legislature and continuing as he moved to the U.S. Senate, Obama has for 15 years seen to it that the Trinity Church receives one million bucks in federal grants PER YEAR.

When George W. Bush proposed the faith-based initiatives early in his administration, liberals cried holy terror. They were not supposed to be using tax money to support 'religious causes.'

As it turns out, liberals had already found ways to do their own faith-based thing while flying under the radar screen. As long as the church in question was primarily a minority congregation, and as long as that congregation was engaged in programs that liberals deem to be 'acceptable,' then giving tax money to churches was just fine and dandy.

What hypocritical sleazebags!

Obama, of course, denies that he had anything to do with the grants. Right. It just so happens that the church Obama attended for 20 years made out like bandits with taxpayers' money, more so than any other federally-supported initiative with a connection to religion, but the high-profile politician who was one of its main members had nothing to do with it. Sure.

Some professors of religion in academia claim that the whole thing is the result of Bush's faith-based initiatives.

That would be....wrong. Bush has been in office a little over 7 years. The Obama-Trinity Church Federal Grant Scandal has been going on for 15 years, long before Bush took office.

Thus, once again, the man who claims he did not know that Reverend Jeremiah 'God Damn America' Wright was an extremist, the man who claims he did not know that the views of the Reverend Snuffy Pfleger were so outside the mainstream that it would lead to his Bishop giving him the axe, the man who could be a faithful member of a church for over 20 years and claim he was oblivious to much of what went on there, is now claiming he had nothing to do with the 15 million dollars' worth of federal earmarks for his congregation.

I will believe it when pigs fly.

Click here to view the original Fox News story:
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/06/02/obamas-ex-church-has-won-15m-in-federal-grant-money/

Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Second Amendment News Roundup for 6/4/08

Focusing on guns, politics, and news of interest, here is today's Second Amendment News Roundup:

Gateway Pundit has essential reading today, including information on Clinton supporters calling McCain to offer help, and Jimmy Carter telling Obama NOT to ask Hillary to be on the ticket:
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2008/06/bubba-blues.html

Born Again Redneck has the explosive news (reported on FOX) that Barack Obama has orchestrated 15 million dollars in earmarks for his CHURCH through the years. FIFTEEN MILLION DOLLARS--TAXPAYERS' MONEY--GOING TO THE TRINITY CHURCH!:
http://bornagainredneck.blogspot.com/2008/06/obama-earmarked-15-million-for-church.html

John Lott reports that the NRA has succeeded in getting the Philadelphia anti-gun law struck down:
http://johnrlott.blogspot.com/2008/06/nra-gets-philly-gun-laws-struck-down.html

Dr. Lott also drops a name in the hat for McCain's running mate--Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Click on the link he provides for info. She would be an excellent choice:
http://johnrlott.blogspot.com/2008/06/someone-who-i-hope-mccain-chooses-as.html

The War on Guns provides informational commentary on Snuffy Pfleger's ouster by his Bishop and what he had to say about it:
http://waronguns.blogspot.com/2008/06/snuffy-you-know-vs-one-you-dont.html

As always, Nicki provides riveting commentary, this time on the Bastard and his claim of victory over a Georgia gun store owner:
http://libertyzone.blogspot.com/2008/06/this-is-what-he-calls-victory.html

Barack Obama represents Jimmy Carter's 2nd term of office. Gunservatively has more:
http://gunservatively.blogspot.com/2008/06/mcgovern-dukakis-kerry-carter-candidate.html

Freedom Sight says there is a rumor going about that Rebecca Peters has called for drug testing of all gun owners:
http://freedomsight.net/?p=2547

Dustin has a video of an RNC ad that lists some of Obama's votes against gun owners:
http://dustinsgunblog.blogspot.com/2008/06/rnc-add-listing-obamas-votes-against.html

JR has some vital facts about Senator Cornyn of Texas and how important it is that he be re-elected:
http://akeyboardanda45.blogspot.com/2008/06/senator-cornyn-at-double-d-ranch.html

Roberta X has a link to info on the squid-brain (Michelle Obama) delivering a scathing 'blame whitey' attack at the Trinity church:
http://twowheeledmadwoman.blogspot.com/2008/06/and-under-this-rock.html

Parker vs. Davenport: Riveting Race in S.C.

If you like politics, they don't get any better than the race that is underway in South Carolina between the incumbent, state Representative Ralph Davenport (R-House District 37) and challenger Steve Parker.

Parker, a Republican, lost to Davenport by only 9 votes in the last election. He believes that this time there will be a much different outcome.

Davenport has riled much of his conservative GOP base in Spartanburg County by proposing a massive school district consolidation plan that would reduce the number of districts in the county from 7 to 4. Voters were incensed.

Sensing the rage of the electorate within the House District, Steve Parker embarked upon a campaign to stop the consolidation plan. Under Parker's leadership a series of townhall meetings were held all over Spartanburg County which drew hundreds of angry citizens demanding that there be no change in the current number of school districts.

The group did research that not only shows that consolidated school districts do nothing to save taxpayers' money, despite the claims of consolidation supporters, but that the larger consolidated mammoths spend much more money on administrative costs than smaller districts.

According to Davenport, consolidation saves millions of dollars, a notion supported by Governor Mark Sanford.

But supporters of consolidation have failed to produce the research and the figures that support such claims. The voters know all too well that large organizations tend to become money-sucking vacuum cleaners where wasteful spending is the order of the day. And they point to nearby Greenville County to prove it.

Greenville County consolidated its various districts into one some years ago, resulting in higher costs to the taxpayers. In fact, not a single instance of school district consolidation in South Carolina has resulted in lower costs. Instead, administrative costs have soared.

Thus, concerned taxpayers turned to Steve Parker in an all-out effort to beat Davenport, who is viewed as out of touch with his district. Parker agreed to run against Davenport for the GOP nomination.

Davenport has defended himself by claiming that one way or another school district consolidation is going to happen in Spartanburg County no matter what the voters want, and that his proposal to reduce the number of districts in the county from 7 to 4 was intended to thwart the plan of the state legislature to consolidate all of Spartanburg County into one mammoth school district.

Yet Davenport withdrew his proposal only a few weeks after rolling it out. If his concern was to protect Spartanburg County from a large monolithic district, then why withdraw the very proposal he claims was intended to thwart it?

In addition, back when Davenport first mentioned the proposal he said absolutely nothing concerning a legislative plan to reduce Spartanburg's school districts from 7 to 1. Why mention it now if not then?

Were the Governor and the legislature holding back a secret plan to unleash on the citizens of Spartanburg County when they least expect it?

As you can imagine this political race is intense and one of the more riveting ones in South Carolina during this election cycle. As far as we can tell, Parker has a very good chance at beating Davenport this time around.

As a former public school teacher in S.C. House District 37, Parker knows from experience that smaller school districts are more accountable, streamlined, and accessible to parents. He has a passion about this issue that arises out of his own personal experience.

And since the voters within the District are also very passionate about the issue, Parker may well be the man whose time has come.

Tuesday, June 03, 2008

Second Amendment News Roundup for 6/3/08

Focusing on guns, politics, and news of interest, here is today's Second Amendment News Roundup:

Michelle Malkin comments on the AP story claiming Hillary Clinton's defeat today:
http://michellemalkin.com/2008/06/03/its-curtains-for-hillary/

Gateway Pundit is reporting today that Hillary has stated she will consider being Obama's running mate:
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2008/06/hillary-says-shes-open-to-being-obamas.html

The MUST read of the day is by Monica Crowley, which is entitled, 'Obama's First Fatal Mistake':
http://monicamemo.typepad.com/weblog/2008/06/obamas-first-fa.html

David Codrea reports that the Bastard has won round one in his lawsuit against a Georgia gun store owner who wishes to appeal to a higher court:
http://waronguns.blogspot.com/2008/06/wallace-no-surrender.html

Armed and Safe has more on this story here:
http://armedandsafe.blogspot.com/2008/06/adventure-outdoors-denied-jury-trial.html

Roberta X opines on the fact that rising fuel costs are raising the costs of (GASP!!) public transit:
http://twowheeledmadwoman.blogspot.com/2008/06/youre-doing-it-wrong.html

Mike McCarville reports that the Oklahoma City police chief has opened a firestorm of controversy over his remarks that the city needs more gun control:
http://wwwtmrcom.blogspot.com/2008/06/citty-under-fire-for-gun-control.html

Uh oh. JR has the story of a man who shot himself while demonstrating how to handle a gun:
http://akeyboardanda45.blogspot.com/2008/06/rule-1.html

Alphecca has some quick news links today:
http://www.alphecca.com/?p=800

Blogstitution posts excerpts from A Concise History of the American Neo-Conservative movement:
http://www.blogstitution.com/2008/05/a-concise-history-of-american-neo-conservatism/

Born Again Redneck has the quote of the day: Mark Steyn's comment on Barack Obama:
http://bornagainredneck.blogspot.com/2008/06/mark-steyn-on-obama.html

Cap'n Bob has a neat video of the Damsel getting in some target practice:
http://capnbob.us/blog/2008/06/02/yesterdays-shoot/

Dustin reports on the upcoming Second Amendment Foundation Gun Rights Policy Conference and posts a report from the group on that haven of gun-grabbers, San Francisco:
http://dustinsgunblog.blogspot.com/2008/06/saf-san-francisco-red-ink-pushing-gun.html

In case you haven't heard yet, Dustin also says that Cavalry Arms is back up and running:
http://dustinsgunblog.blogspot.com/2008/06/cavalry-arms-update.html

Freedom Sight blogs on some extremely light-weight means of transportation:
http://freedomsight.net/?p=2537

Can you imagine this squid-brain as First Lady? Sebastian has a quote from Michelle Obama:
http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/06/03/quote-of-the-day-57/

Robb Allen has some gun humor you need to see:
http://blog.robballen.com/archive/2008/06/03/AREngraving.aspx

Wow. Uncle reports that the Commies in Massachusetts are laying the squeeze on citizens who fail to buy health insurance:
http://www.saysuncle.com/archives/2008/06/03/live-free-or-there/

Traction Control has a good read entitled, 'Where Functional Firearms May No Longer Protect':
http://tractioncontrol.well-regulatedmilitia.org/?p=1107

Tam blogs on the ATF's definition of a gun:
http://booksbikesboomsticks.blogspot.com/2008/06/gun-by-any-other-name.html

Gun Pundit has a vintage photo from 1922--guns and girls:
http://www.gunpundit.com/612.php

Gunservatively points to a quote by Stephen Halbrooks on the language of the 2nd Amendment: http://gunservatively.blogspot.com/2008/06/language-of-second-amendment.html

Glenn Reynolds makes available a piece he wrote prior to the OKC bombing on the Second Amendment, revolution, and democracy:
http://pajamasmedia.com/instapundit/archives2/020026.php

More anti-free speech in academia. Eugene Volokh reports on the highly disturbing story of a Canadian college where the student government association has banned any student club that discusses pro-life issues:
http://volokh.com/archives/archive_2008_06_01-2008_06_07.shtml#1212515822

AP Reports Obama Wins Democratic Nomination

According to their tally sheets, the Associated Press is reporting this afternoon that Barack Obama has won enough delegates to become the Democratic nominee for President. However, Hillary Clinton is claiming a 25-point landslide against Obama in the South Dakota primary today, which places the AP's story into question.

Pressure is mounting on Hillary to show up in St. Paul tonight and concede the nomination to Obama.

Hillary, on the other hand, is saying she will concede only if Obama reaches a total of 2118 delegates, which includes regular delegates and super-delegates.

There is some question as to whether or not Obama can reach that figure with today's primaries.

Monday, June 02, 2008

Second Amendment News Roundup for 6/2/08

Focusing on guns, politics, and news of interest, here is today's Second Amendment News Roundup:

David Hardy reports that the Supreme Court will issue a ruling on Heller sometime this month, and he lists the most likely dates for the decision to come down:
http://armsandthelaw.com/archives/2008/06/heller_wait_con.php

For those who have asked the question of late, what's wrong with Bill Clinton, there is a lengthy but thorough analysis of the former President at Vanity Fair, written by the husband of former Clinton operative Dee Dee Myers:
http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2008/07/clinton200807

Front Page Magazine has the riveting news about David Horowitz's woes with the 'Muslim Students Association,' a campus group that supports Jihadists:
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/Read.aspx?GUID=697F1115-3B06-4C79-A907-2914D7599431

JR blogs about some upcoming firearms auctions:
http://akeyboardanda45.blogspot.com/2008/06/upcoming-firearms-auction.html

Roberta X writes about the Indy 1500 gun show over the weekend:
http://twowheeledmadwoman.blogspot.com/2008/06/sundae.html

Alphecca comments on the proposal by Congress, Hillary, and Obama that American taxpayers bail out hurricane victims:
http://www.alphecca.com/?p=796

Gateway Pundit has more on Snuffy Pfleger and Barack Obama, and by the way, Snuffy said that America is the greatest sin against God!:
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2008/06/pfleger-america-is-greatest-sin-against.html

Finally, someone in the EU is making some sense about biofuels and food. Glenn Reynolds at Instapundit has the story:
http://pajamasmedia.com/instapundit/archives2/019958.php

Well well well, Hollywood elitists and U.N. activists Angelina Jolie and her husband Brad Pitt-Jolie keep guns for protection! This is in spite of the U.N.'s disarmament policies. David Codrea has the story:
http://waronguns.blogspot.com/2008/06/angie-get-your-gun.html

Breda points to one Democrat who really gets it, which is rare:
http://thebredafallacy.blogspot.com/2008/06/thank-you-governor-strickland.html

Sebastian reports on the police break-up of an open-carry dinner in Pennsylvania:
http://www.snowflakesinhell.com/2008/06/02/thoughts-on-dickson-city/

Uncle has more on ATF corruption:
http://www.saysuncle.com/archives/2008/06/02/more-from-atf/

Robb Allen blows off some steam over oppressive government, in the form of building permits, even on your own private property!:
http://blog.robballen.com/archive/2008/06/02/Incoherent-Rant-Included-At-No-Extra-Charge.aspx

Hillary's Pipe Dream

What was once a foregone conclusion for Hillary Clinton a year ago has now become but a pipe dream. For all intents and purposes, the race for the Democratic Presidential nomination is over, and Barack Obama has won.

With the bosses of the Democratic Party making the decision on Saturday to essentially ignore the votes of the hundreds of thousands of Democrats who voted in Florida and Michigan, Hillary's chances for wresting the nomination away from Obama are next to nil.

Instead of honoring the wishes of the voters in the two states in question, the Democratic Party bosses decided to divide up the delegates, giving Hillary less than what the voters indicated and Obama more than he deserved.

This 'compromise plan' has practically insured Hillary's defeat for the nomination. And her supporters know it. One supporter in particular had to hauled out of the room due to her vehement protests.

Hillary has vowed to take the matter to the Convention floor. There is nothing wrong with that, except for the fact that it scares the Party elites into a state of panic.

However, the numbers are not on Hillary's side. Although she racked up a major win in Puerto Rico on Sunday, it will not matter come Tuesday as the Democratic primaries come to a close. Obama stands to win what's left, and that will give him enough delegates to put him over the top.

Don't count on Hillary to bow out gracefully, however. Her supporters are deeply convinced they got the shaft by the Democratic Party big wigs on Saturday, and they are boiling mad. Look for a fight on the Convention floor unless Hillary finds a way to swallow up her loss and drop out of the race prior to the Convention.

But this will not do a thing to help soothe the hurt feelings on the part of Clinton supporters. So convinced are they about their candidate's abilities and credentials that a significant number will support McCain if Hillary isn't the nominee.

Although some believe that Obama's charming public manner will be enough to be an opiate for the masses, it would be a huge mistake to discount the candidate's glaring weaknesses and liabilities, as well as the fact that he is losing the white vote, the Jewish vote, and the Hispanic vote.

Thus, Obama's chances of winning key states such as Florida, Pennsylvania, and Ohio are shaky at best. His best chance is Pennsylvania, but he has already insulted millions in the state by portraying them essentially as cousin-humpin' rednecks who cling to their guns and religion out of fear.

Florida's large senior population, which includes a large number of Jews, will be a big problem for Obama. And this is not even taking into consideration Florida's massive Cuban-American population that already views the Senator with deep suspicion.

Ohio is a toss-up. But McCain has as good a chance as any to beat Obama in a state that has historically gone Republican in key elections.

And as for Hillary, perhaps the only vindication she can get out of the whole thing is knowing that in attempting to appease the Obama people, the elites within her Party have probably handed McCain a gift on a golden platter. She tried to tell them Obama can't win the general election.

It truly makes one wonder if the Party bosses are as concerned about winning the election as they are about avoiding causing an uproar in their African-American base by denying Obama the nomination.

Sunday, June 01, 2008

Obama's Sleight of Hand

Like a magician waving his wand, Barack Obama hopes his sleight of hand maneuver in resigning from his church will result in a bad case of amnesia on the part of the electorate.

The presumptive Democratic nominee for President resigned from his church in Chicago on Saturday after an embarrassing display by guest preacher Michael 'Snuffy' Pfleger, the Catholic priest in Illinois who stated that gun shop owners should be 'snuffed out.'

Obama hopes that his resignation will cause people to forget his lifelong personal associations with characters of ill repute, such as Pfleger, who orchestrated multi-thousands of dollars going into Obama's campaign coffers, to which Obama responded by orchestrating a $200,000 grant for Pfleger's church, compliments of the Illinois taxpayers.

The issue is not Obama's membership in the church but the people with whom he did business as a politician--people who were connected with the church in some way.

It wasn't that Louis Farrakhan spoke at Obama's church, but that Obama publicly supported Farrakhan. It wasn't that Pfleger preached a fiery sermon at Obama's church during which he mocked Hillary Clinton, but that Obama has had a long-term cozy relationship with the priest which resulted in monetary gain on the part of both.

And let's not forget that Obama has repeatedly referred to the church's Pastor Emeritus, Jeremiah Wright, as his 'mentor and spiritual guide.' This relationship goes back 20 years at least, and all the while the Reverend Wright was engaging in questionable, extremist behavior and public pronouncements which Obama heartily endorsed.

Obama cannot, with one swoop of the magician's wand, cause all of this to go away by merely resigning from his church.

Whether he is a member of that church or not, he has much explaining to do concerning his financial dealings with Pfleger, as well as all of the other examples of corruption that characterize his personal associations through the years.