• Joe Biden,  Samuel Alito

    Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito Strikes Back at Vice President Elect Joe Biden Over Plagiarism

    Joe Biden in Princeton hat

    Senate Judiciary Committee member Sen. Joseph Biden, D-Del.., jokingly puts on a Princeton Tigers cap during Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito’s confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006

    Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito strikes back by joking about Vice President-Elect Joe Biden’s proclivity for PLAGIARISM.

    At a gala dinner hosted by the American Spectator Wednesday, Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. cracked wise at Vice President-elect Joe Biden’s expense, raising the Delaware senator’s past brushes with academic dishonesty to the delight of his conservative audience.

    Recalling an incident in which an article he submitted to the Spectator was rejected for publication, Alito began by joking that his unpublished piece had detailed how he would vote on the most controversial issues facing the Supreme Court.

    Then — in the process of suggesting things had turned out well for him despite this rejection — Alito trained his sights on Barack Obama’s running mate.

    “To coin a phrase, in the spirit of the vice president-elect,” Alito began, “you don’t always get what you want, but you get what you need.”

    Alito paused before continuing: “Did somebody say that before?”

    This IS funny.

    And, to pay back an ass clown like Biden is well fitting retribution.

    Alito, who as a Supreme Court justice holds a nonpolitical office, prefaced his joke by recounting the story of his 2005 faceoff with Biden, when the future vice president grilled Alito for his association with a conservative group of Princeton University alumni — and later returned to the hearing room sporting a Princeton baseball cap in order to calm the mood.

    Now, watch  the LEFT’s comments – what a hate monger Alito is.

    But, what a LIAR and PLAGIARIST Biden is.


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  • Kay Bailey Hutchison,  Rick Perry

    Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison Jumps Into Texas Governor’s Race

    HutchisonandMcCainweb

    Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, Senator John McCain and Texas Governor Rick Perry from March 2008

    Kay Bailey Hutchison has established an exploratory committee to “begin the process of organizing a campaign for Governor of Texas.”

    Her statement:

    Today, I am filing an exploratory committee so I can begin the process of organizing a campaign for Governor of Texas. I am not yet a candidate, but Texas law requires this first, important step before an announcement can be made.

    I am transferring $1 million from my Federal account to this new state exploratory committee and will take further steps as they become appropriate.

    Right now, there are a lot of Texans – friends, community and business leaders, Republicans, Democrats, Independents and people who’ve never been in politics – that I want to talk to before becoming a formal candidate.

    While Texas is faring somewhat better economically than many other states, a positive future is not guaranteed. It will take leaders who look ahead to meet the economic and budgetary challenges that are coming.

    Texans deserve a Governor who, in the context of sound budgetary policies and low taxes, works for quality schools and universities, access to health care for our families, communities safe from crime and drugs, and a government that listens and responds to them.

    There’s too much bitterness, too much anger, too little trust, too little consensus and too much infighting. And the tone comes from the top. Texans are looking for leadership and results.

    I am humbled by the number of hard working Texans, including my friend Dick Armey, who have asked me to run for Governor in our state that I love so dearly. And I am honored to serve Texas in the United State Senate, protecting our state’s interests and standing for our values and vision. Texans understand I put Texas first and I will continue to do so while I explore and prepare for a race for Governor of Texas.

    Hutchison is IN.

    The only question is whether incumbent GOP Governor Rick Perry is OUT?


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  • Arlen Specter,  Chris Matthews

    Rasmussen: Arlen Specter 46% Vs. Chris Matthews 43% – Does Retirement Loom for Specter?

    Arlen Specter November 20 2008

    Senator Specter speaks at a press conference announcing a bipartisan proposal to support the automotive industry, November 20, 2008

    Good grief, Chris Matthews?

    It would be a difficult race for Arlen Specter to win because of his age (Specter will be 80 in 2010) and illness – cancer but with these poll numbers will he now retire?

    Republican Senator Arlen Specter is potentially vulnerable in his 2010 bid for re-election. A Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Pennsylvania voters finds Specter leading MSNBC pundit Chris Matthews by just three percentage points, 46% to 43%, in a match-up that may foreshadow one of the nation’s most closely-watched Senate races.

    Matthews, whose handling of the presidential campaign drew loud complaints of bias from Republicans, has expressed interest in the race. His contract with MSNBC expires next year.

    Mark this Senate seat as a likely Democrat pick-up unless Matthews GAFFES his way against a REAL Democrat contender in the  primary election.

    Stay tuned…..

    Previous:

    The Spectre of Chris Matthews as Pennsylvania’s Next United States Senator

    Chris Matthews of MSNBC – In The Tank


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  • Iran,  Iran Nuclear Watch,  Israel,  Missile Defense

    The American Airborne Laser to Protect Israel from Iranian Missiles?

    Boeings Airborne Laser (ABL) will locate and track missiles in the boost phase of their flight, then accurately point and fire the high-energy laser, destroying enemy missiles near their launch areas.

    Flap was thinking this morning about Israel’s pronouncement about the possibility of attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities and wondering what would protect Israel or other American allies in the Middle East from Iran’s missile retaliation?

    The controversy regarding Poland and land-based missile defense has been discussed previously. But, this program is to protect the United States and will be limited in scope.

    Then, Captain Ed pointed Flap to the Airborne Laser Program which recently accomplished another successful test.

    Unlike its fixed-site cousins, the ground-based interceptors deployed in California and Alaska and (hopefully) Europe, ABL aircraft can be deployed where needed and are reusable.

    Not only can they patrol off unfriendly nations, they would be quite useful patrolling our shores.

    We have pointed out the dangers of an Iranian freighter launching a Shahab that would detonate its warhead high over the United States, unleashing an electromagnetic pulse that would send our high-tech economy back to the days of the covered wagons.

    Lt. Gen. Henry Obering III, director of the Missile Defense Agency, in announcing the flight testing of the ABL system in late 2005, said he welcomed critics’ comparison to the “Star Wars” movies.

    He said at the rollout ceremony, in words that will make the Democratic opponents of missile defense cringe: “I believe we are building the forces of good to beat the forces of evil. . . . We are taking a major step in giving the American people their first light saber.”

    Now, does the reader see the urgency to slow down the Iranian nuclear program while accelerating the testing and early deployment of such an airborne anti-missile system?

    This system would deter Iran or any other nation, like North Korea from launching a surprise or retaliatory missile attack against the United States or any friend. It buys the attacked nation time to marshall resources for an effective counter-attack and creates uncertainty as to the effectiveness of the initial attack.

    How many of these ABL systems do you think Israel will purchase from the United States?


  • Gay Marriage

    PPIC Poll: Proposition 8 Results Expose Deep Rifts Over Gay Marriage

    Yes on prop 8 400

    The post-mortems continue on California Proposition 8 that restored the traditional definition of marriage (one man and one woman) in the November election.

    A post-election survey by the Public Policy Institute of California was released today.

    In summary:

    The survey, which polled 2,003 voters from November 5–16, finds these differences between Proposition 8 supporters and opponents:

    • Evangelical or born-again Christians (85%) were far more likely than others (42%) to vote yes.
    • Three in four Republicans (77%) voted yes, two in three Democrats (65%) voted no, and independents were more closely divided (52% yes, 48% no).
    • Supporters of Republican presidential candidate John McCain were far more likely than those who backed President-elect Barack Obama to vote yes (85% vs. 30%).
    • Latinos (61%) were more likely than whites (50%) to vote yes; and 57 percent of Latinos, Asians, and blacks combined voted yes. (Samples sizes for Asians and blacks are too small to report separately.)
    • Voters without a college degree (62%) were far more likely than college graduates (43%) to vote yes.
    • While most voters (65%) consider the outcome of Proposition 8 to be very important, the measure’s supporters (74%) are far more likely than those who voted no (59%) to view the outcome as very important.

    Why are these poll numbers important?

    It is likely that a measure legalizing gay marriage will return to the California ballot in June 2010.

    Flap doubts that in a massive Democrat turn-out year that gay marriage proponents will be any more successful and, in fact, will be beaten at the polls by a greater margin.

    Stay tuned…..


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  • Barbara Boxer,  Chuck DeVore

    California Assemblyman Chuck DeVore Releases Web-Ad Attacking Senator Barbara Boxer

    Barbara Boxer and her tax and spend colleagues in Washington just spent $620 million dollars on a brand new Capitol Hill Visitors center that was $360 million over budget and three years late.

    As an opening salvo against the 69 year old incumbent Democrat Senator Barbara Boxer this ad is NOT bad – at least somebody from the California GOP is questioning the far left leaning Boxer.

    Assemblyman Chuck DeVore said, “Barbara Boxer and Harry Reid may think it’s worth $621 million to protect their delicate noses from the American public, but I think this over budget and late building project is symbolic of the greater waste we’ll be seeing with more than a trillion dollars in bailouts.California can’t afford Barbara Boxer.”DeVore has opposed all the federal bailouts, suggesting that the free market needs both failure and success to operate properly.

    Of course, Chuck DeVore, a California Republican Assemblyman, who is in his third term wants her job in the United States Senate and has announced his candidacy.

    DeVore for California announced additional endorsements today, picking up the support of three veteran lawmakers, Senators George Runner and Mark Wyland, as well as Assemblyman Martin Garrick.Newly elected Republican Assemblymembers Diane Harkey and Dan Logue also joined the effort.Last week, DeVore’s U.S. Senate campaign announced the support of newly elected Congressman Tom McClintock and ten other lawmakers.

    Devore will have an uphill battle against the long time incumbent Democrat Senator Barbara Boxer, particularly if the rumors about California Governor Arnold Swarzenegger and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney bear some fruit. Both Arnold and Mitt could self-fund a GOP primary race in the expensive California media market.

    But, undeterred by the rumors, DeVore is utilizing a new social media strategy to spread the early word about his candidacy. The website is here.

    Stay tuned…….


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  • Iran,  Iran Nuclear Watch,  Israel

    Israel Preparing to Attack Iran Without American Help

    iran nuclear facility map

    Map of Iran’s nuclear facilities

    The Israeli Defense Force (IDF) is drawing up options to strike at Iran’s nuclear facilities without the complicit help of the United States.

    While its preference is to coordinate with the US, defense officials have said Israel is preparing a wide range of options for such an operation.

    “It is always better to coordinate,” one top Defense Ministry official explained last week. “But we are also preparing options that do not include coordination.”

    Israeli officials have said it would be difficult, but not impossible, to launch a strike against Iran without receiving codes from the US Air Force, which controls Iraqi airspace. Israel also asked for the codes in 1991 during the First Gulf War, but the US refused.

    So, they say, but, Flap does NOT believe it in the least.

    This is a story to send a message to Barack Obama that it would not be wise to negotiate with the Mullahs before consulting Israel first.

    Or?

    Israel may go ROGUE.

    A military strike against Iran would be tough for Israel since Iranian proxy clients Hamas and Hezbollah would then attack Israel from the north and west. Also, Israel will be attacked with Iranian chemically tipped missiles, putting American military defense systems to the test and Israeli cities at grave risk.

    However, Israel will ONLY act if there is NO other option to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear WMD weapon that could wipe them off the map as Iran President Ahmadinejad has stated.

    Previous:

    Obama MUST Talk to Iran to Avert Nuclear Crisis

    Iran Nuclear Watch: What is Iran Planning for Obama?

    Shocker: Iran Has Nuclear Fuel to Make an Atomic Bomb


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  • Tom McClintock

    Charlie Brown Concedes – Tom McClintock New Member of Congress from California

    Tom  McClintock Election Night 2008

    Former California State Senator Tom McClintock, R- Thousand Oaks and wife, Lori on election night, November 4, 2008

    Flap knows it is anticlimatic because the votes that put McClintock over the top came in last week and McClintock declared victory on Monday but this race is FINALLY over.

    Democrat Charlie Brown conceded defeat Wednesday in Northern California’s 4th Congressional District race, 29 days after Election Day and two days after opponent Tom McClintock declared victory.

    In a letter e-mailed to supporters Wednesday afternoon, Brown wrote: “A short time ago, I called Senator Tom McClintock to congratulate him on a hard fought victory, and to wish him well in Congress.”

    There will be no recount and McClintock can move on to Washington.

    Hold onto your hats, folks. A lifelong conservative is about to hit DC.


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  • Del.icio.us Links

    links for 2008-12-04

    • Who will Sarah Palin endorse for RNC chair? Who's the Palin candidate? Saxby Chambliss's victory has certified the Palin wing of the party as the center of its gravity — at least, that's how the GOP seems to be treating things. If Chambliss's words are indicative of GOP thinking, Republican activists and conservatives, then Palin must have a pretty tight grip.

      The answer to the question is that Palin hasn't endorsed an RNC candidate, and her political advisers aren't saying whether she will.
      +++++++
      Who is the high-profile candidate that will enter this week?

      (tags: GOP)
    • In a highly unusual move, 37 self-identified conservatives on the 168-member Republican National Committee have formed a group to vet candidates for the $200,300-a-year, elected post of Republican national chairman, The Washington Times has learned.

      An e-mail in which the group dubbed itself the RNC Conservative Steering Committee defines its goal as to ensure the election of a reliably conservative national leader. The group of vetters, however, itself includes several of the candidates for national chairman.

      The group was the brainchild of Solomon Yue, an RNC member from Oregon and himself a supporter of one of the candidates for national chairman, sitting RNC Chairman Robert M. "Mike" Duncan.
      +++++++
      Conflirct of interest for this group.

      (tags: GOP)
    • Judicial Watch, the public interest group that investigates and prosecutes government corruption, announced today that Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is constitutionally ineligible to serve as Secretary of State in the Obama administration.

      According to the Ineligibility Clause of the United States Constitution, no member of Congress can be appointed to an office that has benefited from a salary increase during the time that Senator or Representative served in Congress. A January 2008 Executive Order signed by President Bush during Hillary Clinton's current Senate term increased the salary for Secretary of State, thereby rendering Senator Clinton ineligible for the position.

    • The initiative’s proponents submitted 1,120,801 signatures for “The California Marriage Protection Act”; they needed only 694,354. The measure qualified on June 2, becoming Proposition 8.
      (tags: gaymarriage)
    • Yada Yada Yada Why the Gay Marriage California Campaign failed – post mortem.
      (tags: gaymarriage)
    • Election postmortems have been quick to scapegoat minorities for the loss. The right pointed out that African-Americans voted overwhelmingly against gay marriage; the left blasted Mormons who obeyed an unprecedented dictate from the church's leadership in Salt Lake City and donated 45 percent of the funds for a campaign to pass Prop 8.

      But evidence of entrenched homophobia and religious intolerance obscure a more difficult truth. Prop 8 should have been defeated — two months before the election, it was down 17 points in the polls — but the gay-rights groups that tried to stop it ran a lousy campaign. According to veteran political observers, the No on Prop 8 effort was slow to raise money, ran weak and confusing ads, and failed to put together a grass-roots operation to get out the vote.

      (tags: gaymarriage)
    • As an early step toward addressing the effects of Proposition 8, the anti-gay ballot initiative that amended the California state constitution and stripped the existing right to marry from gay and lesbian families earlier this month, the No on 8 campaign hosted a Virtual Town Hall meeting to discuss strategy and examine the ways in which the battle to preserve marriage equality failed.

      In the wake of voter approval of the marriage ban, the No on 8 campaign has seen its advertising and its leadership criticized. A blog covering the meeting posted at Queerty providing a "play-by-play" account that started with a critique of the way the meeting was set up for computer users, with "Windows users who download proprietary software" able to join in while others were instructed to use phones.
      ++++++
      They question the messenger but not the message.

      (tags: gaymarriage)
    • My LA Times email box exploded. (I was told by a bunch of folks that there were zillions of comments to the column, but when I checked this moring, the comments string seemed to be gone). For every "thank you" from a Mormon or a conservative (or a conservative Mormon), there was a "you filthy bigot" or "or you're a pinhead moron" email from the Left. For every "thank you" from a liberal or gay (or gay liberal), there was a "you're a pinhead moron" from the right because I'm not up in arms enough about the possibility of gay marriage. Amongst the hundreds and hundreds of missives there were thoughtful criticisms from all sides and generous praise, but also an enormous amount of vicious, ugly nastiness.
      ++++++++
      An emotional issue for sure.
      (tags: gaymarriage)