Category: Politics

Rahm Emanuel Spoke Directly With Blagojevich

blagojevich

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? Continue reading Rahm Emanuel Spoke Directly With Blagojevich

Iraqi Shoe Thrower: Sorry for “Big and Ugly Act”

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.iraqi journalist shoe thrower

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.

Bobby Jindal Says ‘No’ to Presidential Run

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…

Bank of America Gives in to Squatters

In an incredibly stupid move the Bank of America has given in to protesters who were demanding money from them despite the fact they have no legitimate reason to do so.

The absurd decision to surrender to the Republic windows and doors employees comes shortly after the workers decided to occupy their old factory. The workers decried that they would not leave the factory until Bank of America, which has zero obligation to these workers, extended more loans to a company which had already gone bankrupt.

So, what does this idiotic cave in by Bank of America mean for the country? Well, it seems to me that it points to a disturbing future. One in which laid off employees illegally occupy their old places of employment until their demands for money are met.

This is a terrible precident that can only lead to more bad news.

Not So Shocking News: 53% of Rescued Borrowers Default Anyway

Proving that incompetent and irresponsible people will be incompetent and irresponsible no matter how many breaks you give them or how much taxpayer money you throw at them, U.S. Comptroller John Dugan revealed yesterday that 53% of borrowers with loans modified in the first three months of 2008 and 51% of those with loans modified in the second quarter could not keep up with payments within six months.

Seems like pure common sense to me… a financial free pass from the government is no cure all. In fact, its little more than snake oil.

But will this make a bit of difference to those caught up in the Massive Bailout Madness? You can bet it wont.

UPDATE: Malkin’s Duh of the day

AP Cites Workers ‘Occupying’ Factory as a ‘Rallying Point’

In an article heroically chronicling the efforts of 200 union workers “occupying” their old window and door factory the Associated Press made sure to emphasize how the squatters have given the nation’s grim economy a “rallying point.”

Here is how they introduced the story (emphasis added):

The nation’s grim economy now has a rallying point: Employees at a window-and-door factory that went out of business have taken over the building in a siege that has come to symbolize the woes of the ordinary worker.

Yes, that’s right; the AP sees a group of people who are illegally squatting on private property as symbolic of ordinary workers. They even describe the actions of these workers as a “siege” in an apparent sign that the AP thinks people unhappy with the bad economy should rally and lay siege to their work places.

But the AP wasn’t finished glamorizing and militarizing these workers actions:

The Republic Windows and Doors factory closed abruptly last week after Bank of America canceled the company’s financing. Since then, about 200 of the 240 laid-off workers have taken turns occupying the factory, declaring that they will not leave until getting assurances they will receive severance and accrued vacation pay.

Now, not only are the glorious workers laying ‘siege’ to the factory but they are occupying it and declaring their demands for money be met before they leave. As shocking and unlawful as this may seem to others it seems the AP can’t get enough of this behavior.

But the standoff has also come to embody mounting anger over the government’s willingness to bail out deep-pocketed corporations but not average people.

However, even as the AP is cheering on this act which they seem to view as something  glorious and militaristic they cast doubts on the legitimacy of the workers claim that the law says they are owed vacation pay because they were not given 60 days notice before they were laid off:

The law allows businesses to close without giving the required notice under certain circumstances, such as if another company that is the sole source of income suddenly goes out of business, said Mark Johnson, president of Erisa Benefits Consulting in Grapevine, Texas, who said he was not familiar with the Republic case.

Sad News: Palin Didn’t snub Oprah According to Aid

Despite the whiny insinuations of Oprah an aid of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has denied that she is purposely snubbing the crybaby day time host.

From CNN:

Sarah Palin’s camp is denying claims she’s is snubbing talk show host Oprah Winfrey, telling CNN Monday the decision was “nothing personal” — the Alaska governor has just been flooded with so many media requests she simply hasn’t had the time to sit down with the daytime talk show icon.

“The governor was invited to appear. She was also invited to appear on Letterman, Leno, Stephanopoulos, The Daily Show. She passed on a vast majority of these requests,” Bill McAllister, Palin’s communications director and press secretary.

“We’re up to about 250 requests for interviews and appearances and so on. It’s worldwide, there’s still a tremendous amount of interest. It’s nothing personal about Oprah, it’s just that she turned down the vast majority of these requests.”

A Palin appearance at a later date is still possible, said McAllister: “I’m not aware that it’s been ruled out.”

How much does that suck? I can understand Palin wanting to keep all media outlets open for her use but I still would’ve loved to have seen Palin lay a verbal smack down on Oprah for her disrespectful banning of Palin during the campaign because she didn’t want to make her show political (what a joke of an excuse on Oprah’s part by the way). Oh well… you can’t always get what you want I suppose.

Oprah: Palin Snubbed Me

In an interview with “Extra” Oprah stated the following:

“I said I would be happy to talk to Sarah Palin when the election was over… I went and tried to talk to Sarah Palin and instead she talked to Greta [Van Susteren]. She talked to Matt [Lauer]. She talked to Larry [King]. But she didn’t talk to me.”

Gosh I hope Oprah’s little whinny insinuation is true. I really really hope that Sarah Palin did purposely snub her.

I guess the golden rule still rings true huh Oprah? Do unto others as you would have done unto you.