The Associated Press is reporting that the lobbyist the New York Times insinuated had an affair with John McCain (here is some background information on the NYT piece) has filed suit against the paper to the tune of $27 million:

A Washington lobbyist sued The New York Times for $27 million Tuesday over an article that she says gave the false impression she had an affair with Sen. John McCain in 1999.

Vicki L. Iseman filed the defamation suit in U.S. District Court in Richmond. It also names as defendants the Times’ executive editor, its Washington bureau chief and four reporters. Read more…

December 31st, 2008 by The College Politico | No Comments »

That’s what Blago’s lawyer is hoping anyway…

But I think Obama’s interal investigation will do about as much to exonerate Blagojevich as it did to exonerate Obama’s staff. After all, how credible can any investigation into one’s (or the one’s) own guilt be?

P.S. Hello to everybody from the Conservative Grapevine!

In a first ever public display, Baghdad residents are celebrating Christmas:

From a distance, it looks like an apparition: a huge multi-colored hot-air balloon floating in the Baghdad sky, bearing a large poster of Jesus Christ. Below it, an Iraqi flag.

Welcome to the first-ever public Christmas celebration in Baghdad, held Saturday and sponsored by the Iraqi Interior Ministry. Once thought to be infiltrated by death squads, the Ministry now is trying to root out sectarian violence

The story of an Iraqi priest crystallizes the importance of this celebration: Read more…

You know, because they absolutely deserve it…

So, first we hear Obama deny that anyone in his staff had any contact with anyone from Blagojevich’s staff over his replacement for the Senate.

Then we hear that Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s chief of staff, had direct contact with contact with Blagojevich’s chief of staff about who should replace Obama in the Senate.

And now we hear this:

Rahm Emanuel, President-elect Obama’s chief of staff, had direct discussions with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich about Obama’s vacant Senate seat, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Sources with knowledge of the conversations told the Sun- Times Emanuel spoke with the governor and pushed for the appointment of Valerie Jarrett in the days after the presidential election and asked that it be done by a certain date.

The sources said Blagojevich told aides about conversations with Emanuel and sometimes gave them directions afterward. Some conversations between Blagojevich and Emanuel were likely caught on tape, the sources said.

Yup, that’s right, not only did Obama’s office have contact with Blagojevich’s over his replacement but it was Obama’s chief of staff and he talked directly to Blagojevich.

So what’s the next truth to be revealed about the Obama team’s involvement with Blagojevich? Read more…

Thank God. Literally.

He carried me through this insatiably difficult and stressful time.

My 25 page senior paper is finished and turned in.

I am done.

Time for Thursday quarter wings!

God bless, and feel free to share your finals stories, if you have any.

Just as the MSM and the left are glorifying the courageous act an Iraqi “journalist” committed when he threw his shoes at President Bush, the “journalist” himself has sent an apology letter to Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

Yes, that’s right, at the same time Newsweek reporters are describing his acts as “a small measure of justice“, Muntadhar al-Zeidi called expressed his “regret and sorrow” for “the big and ugly act” he perpetrated. But, of course, don’t expect to see any of the MSM to take back their absurd assertions or, for that matter, even note the thrower’s apology.

The apology letter came with a request for a pardon from al-Maliki which appealed to some previous meetings between the two. However, al-Maliki’s spokesperson told Fox News that he rarely makes decisions based on emotion and has not decided on the pardon yet.

But even as the shoe thrower expresses his regret, expect to see his act of idiocy cemented by the media as evidence of the attitudes of everyone in the entire world. And, if the Iraqi journalist is punished by the Iraqi justice system look for the media to play up the outrage around the world and imply that the democratically elected government of Iraq is really a puppet regime controlled by Bush.

UPDATE: Allah at Hot Air has linked to this post. He has an interesting take on the political consequences for al-Maliki in the upcoming Iraqi elections. Though, it seems if Iraqis don’t already see Maliki as a Bush puppet and they view him as working for Iraq then whatever he chooses to do with this guy shouldn’t hurt him too much, especially considering the religious and ethnic dynamics Allah outlined.

Its from CATO (h/t Malkin):

Well… its that time of year again.

Finals week.

The most annoying and stressful week that comes but twice a year.

Unfortunately, this means my blogging time has, and will continue, to take a hit until this horrible experience ends.

Sorry… but don’t worry, I’ll be back to full capacity (and beyond) shortly (and be looking for a BIG surprise announcement soon).

In a bit of sad news Lousiana Governor Bobby Jindal bluntly told reporters “No” when asked if he was interested in being President.

The question came while Jindal was in Virgina endorsing Bob McDonnell who is a Republican running for governor of Virginia. And it came after Jindal stirred up speculation by visiting the all important primary state of Iowa last month.

Unfortunately, this rules out my favorite candidate for ‘12. A man who has earned praise and respect for his successful application of conservative principles at a time when the popular thing to do is turn left. He has the credintials and ability to revive the party and the conservative movement, if he’s up to the task.

Fortunately, nothing any of the candidates say about running for president in ‘12 means much of anything. Although it seems a little cynical to hope that someone I view as respectable is lying about his intentions…