LorieByrd.com

Live Every Moment

For more than a year, I've been following the fight my friend Becky's daughter, Kristen, and her family have waged against ovarian cancer.  Ovarian cancer is a tough diagnosis for anyone to receive, but Kristen was diagnosed with a particularly rare and aggressive form of the disease as a student at Appalachian State University. 

Kristen received a devastating diagnosis, but she didn't let it destroy her. In fact, she said "this fight with cancer didn't bring me down, but only lifted me up." She has spent the past two years fighting with everything she has -- through 47 rounds of chemo, 3 surgeries and experimental trials at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. But Kristen also used that time to get busy living - intensely, wide open at full throttle -- recently going skydiving!  And through it all she has maintained a positive attitude not only keeping herself and her family up for the fight, but also inspiring and uplifting  friends and even people she has never met who are following her story.

On June 10th, Kristen's doctor told her she had put up "one hell of a fight," but there was nothing more that could be done. The same day she received this news, Kristen wrote:

This is it. I did put up one hell of a fight. I don't want to feel like I lost though. Cancer did not win. If I had lost, I would've came away empty handed. I am not empty handed. I'm more of a person now than I ever was. It was quite the journey, these past two years. I learned so much. So much about myself and about others. So much about life and how it's suppose to be lived. I met so many amazing people along the way and made lifetime friends. I grew closer to my family and made some of the best memories that I hope will never be forgotten. Some of my best days were spent fighting cancer. Doing things that I probably would have never done if I hadn't been diagnosed.

This is a lesson all of us should learn because none of us are guaranteed a tomorrow. And even those who are blessed with many decades of tomorrows too often let them pass by without truly living.

Over the past two years, Kristen’s mother, Becky, has exhibited faith almost beyond my comprehension. She wrote this week,"Its more than I can bare sometimes to not only watch Kristen feeling so sick and in pain, but to watch her Dad and brothers hurting and their hearts breaking," she also wrote about God's love.  "I trust and believe in God's great healing power. And I too, like Kristen, never give up and I never stop having faith in what my God can do. I love Him and I know He loves Kristen and He is going to take care of my baby girl in whatever she may be facing."

In Kristen's battle I found an incredible story of faith, strength and determination. Kristen touched my heart and has taught me lessons I hope I will never forget.  Please read what this amazing young woman has written about how cancer taught her to live life to its fullest every day.

Cherishing Every Moment

The fear of dying shouldn't be the only thing that makes a person cherish every moment in life. I guess this journey has taught me a lot in the last year. I've learned to cherish every little thing, whether it seems important at the time or not. Truth is, you're never going to get that exact moment back, so enjoy it while you can.

The fear of dying also shouldn't be the only thing that makes a person really live. I'm not talking about the everyday life, same thing day after day. I'm talking about really living. Going out and doing things you never thought you would do. Conquering fears and having the time of your life while doing it. Doing things that you'll never forget as long as you live, whether it be a meticulously planned backpacking trip or a spontaneous trip to the beach. Do the things you really want to do while you still have the ability to do them.

When I was a senior in high school, one of my teachers had my class make a bucket list of things we wanted to accomplish in life. At the time, I didn't take this assignment as seriously as I should have. Now, I see how important a bucket list can be and I really appreciate the importance of that assignment. I've added more things to my bucket list in the past few months then I could have ever imagined. Surprisingly, I'm checking things off one by one, as I accomplish the things I never thought I could or would have even attempted.

I don't take anything for granted these days. I cherish every moment, whether it be alone time when I get to take in the beauty around me or time I spend with family and friends. Cancer is perceived as such a horrible thing, but I guess for me it hasn't been all negative. It's taught me so much and I've met some pretty amazing people along the way. Life is always a journey and I'm growing each and every day.

Kristen recently wrote that she doesn't want anyone to ever say she lost her fight with cancer::

I never want to hear anyone say that I lost my battle with cancer. I did not. I won. I won because I received so much more out of this fight than cancer did. You may have taken my health, my organs, and my body, but you didn’t take my spirit, my attitude, or my love. And because of that, I won this fight. Not cancer.

Kristen turned 21 years old a few days ago and received an outpouring of cards and well wishes from both friends and strangers she has moved and inspired.

Lisa Boykin Batts at The Wilson Times has written about Kristen's fight, and most recently about her message to embrace life.

Please help Kristen and her family with their medical and other expenses (if you are able), keep them in your prayers and above all, follow Kristen's example and appreciate every moment you have, cherish life and live it to the fullest.

Poldark Season 2 Tonight

As has been the case throughout time, but particularly in our current climate, we yearn for a hero.  We see heroes in real life — soldiers, first responders, and everyday people thrust into difficult situations, who step up and put themselves into harm’s way to protect and defend their fellow man.

We also love heroes in our entertainment. The Prince Charming characters in the fairy tales many of us grew up reading were of the Disney Princess variety. They were pretty boys with wavy locks. They wore epaulets and rode white horses.

Some of the most popular “streamable” male heroes today have wavy hair as well, and some of them even ride horses, but these aren’t your “happily ever after” cartoon characters showing up in the nick of time to sweep the princess off her feet. They are real, often reckless, sometimes even gritty, men with flaws. But underneath their imperfect exteriors, there lies a sense of honor, and justice and kindness. These are not the deeply flawed, tortured protagonists you find on shows like Sons of Anarchy, Breaking Bad, and Mad Men.

No. These are men of unquestionable character. And there is a wide variety of them to choose from in today’s most popular television series — just pick your preferred genre. If fantasy is your favorite, Game of Thrones has the immensely popular hero Jon Snow, as well as the more unconventional hero, Tyrion Lannister. Sure Tyrion likes to booze it up, and there was that nasty business about killing his father, but his father was really super mean, and for the most part, Tyrion is compassionate and kind and always aspires to do the right thing.  He gets extra points for being really funny, too.

Horror fans can find a conventional hero in southern lawman Rick Grimes or a more unlikely hero in badass, redneck Daryl Dixon, on The Walking Dead.  Daryl, who eats squirrel and apparently isn’t a fan of shampoo, isn’t the stereotypical hero, but he has the essential attributes — especially bravery and loyalty.

My favorite hero of television today, though, by far, is Ross Poldark. Poldark is a historical fiction series based on 12 novels written by author Winston Graham over 70 years ago. The books were the basis of a very successful British television series in the 1970s. They have been recently reborn in a BBC One version featuring actor Aidan Turner.

Debbie Horsfeld, who adapted the books for the most recent television incarnation of Poldark, said that she didn’t usually think about the casting process while she was writing — preferring to see the characters in her head first as she is writing them. This was not the case when it came to Ross Poldark. She had Aidan Turner in mind for the role.  It is easy to understand why.  In the early scenes of the first episode, my 16-year-old daughter described him as the “most attractive person on the planet.” I think she might have even added, “in the history of the world.” He is also an incredible actor.  And I was surprised to learn, in real life, an accomplished ballroom dancer.

Season 1 opens with Captain Ross Poldark fighting for the British in America during the Revolutionary War. Although fighting for the Redcoats, he has a soft spot for the colonists. He returns after the war to his beloved Cornwall — a beautiful, sweeping, landscape with craggy rocks and a turbulent sea. He is one of the gentry, but identifies more closely with the common workers that live on his land, feeling a responsibility to them. He is unconventional, especially for his time, and doesn’t care what anyone thinks of him. He is his own man. And above all, an honorable man, trying to stay true to his convictions.

For lovers of period drama, Poldark has it all — wonderful writing, rich characters, gorgeous scenery, romance, class conflict, villainous greedy bankers, and That Hair.  And all that is delivered in a family-friendly format! Not Disney Princess family friendly, but the kind in which the worst language used is “Judas!” and you don’t have to worry about a naked medieval orgy scene popping up without warning.

If you are looking for a series with a great hero to binge watch, those listed above are a just a few of the many from which to choose.  If you want to check out Aidan Turner’s world class portrayal of Ross Poldark, catch up on the eight episode first season (streaming on Amazon and Acorn), before watching the two-hour Season 2 premiere on PBS’ Masterpiece Theater this Sunday.

 

 

The column above was published at The American Spectator on September 22, 2016.

Stranger Things

I watched Netflix's Stranger Things over the weekend and LOVED it. This E Online article lists some of the reasons without any big spoilers, but basically if you liked ET, the Goonies and Stand By Me, you will love it, too. Those references are all ones that will surely come to mind since the show is set in 1983 and follows a group of kids trying to solve a mystery. Another story that immediately came to my mind due to the subject matter was Dean Koontz' book, Watchers. Even though two movies were made from the book, neither did Koontz' story justice, so I would like to put in my request now for the Duffer Brothers to tackle that one. 

 

The Duffer Brothers created, wrote, produced and directed Stranger Things. I didn't know anything about them so I looked them up and learned that they are twins, Matt and Ross Duffer, and that I've already seen some of their work since they have written some episodes of Wayward Pines. I was really excited to find out that they are from Durham, NC!

 

I really can't think of anything I didn't like about Stranger Things. Winona Ryder and David Harbour are perfection as the adult leads and the child actors are incredibly talented, as well. (I fell in love with Gaten Matarazzo's portrayal of Dustin.) From the sets and wardrobe to the cinematography, the 80's "look" of the series is authentic enough that it could easily pass for having been made during that time. (Since Matt and Ross Duffer weren't even born until 1984, this is even more impressive). The series is only 8 episodes long, which is the perfect length in which to tell the story, and it is broken into true chapters that make sense. Add this one to your Watch List! And if you like it as much as I did, let Netflix know they need to greenlight a second series stat -- before these incredible child actors grow up!

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NC Wins American Idol, Again

Two North Carolinians, Majesty Rose from Goldsboro and Caleb Johnson from Asheville, landed in American Idol's top ten this season and Johnson took the top prize tonight. That makes three winners from the Tarheel State. If you were wondering, YES, that is more winners than any other state on the show. Alabama claims two American Idols.

Quick, how many contestants from North Carolina can you name that landed in American Idol's top ten?  There are the winners -- Fantasia Barrino from High Point, Scotty McCreery from Garner, and now Caleb Johnson from Asheville. There's the runner up -- Clay from Raleigh.  Others that placed and went on to music careers  (and in one case, dance stardom) -- Chris Daughtry from Greensboro (I think), Kellie Pickler from Albemarle, and Bucky Covington from Rockingham. (I own CDs by all three of them). There was one other finalist from NC, Anoop Desai from Chapel Hill. 

I look forward to hearing what Caleb Johnson does over the coming years. He has a killer voice and I love the kind of rock 'n roll he sings. It is real, old school rock.

The only other thing I have to say about it is that I really wish Sarah K was still American Idol blogging at Snark Raving Mad.  She quit when "Pauler" did and it's just not been the same without her.

Jack Is Back

And it was worth the wait! In "I Will Miss Jack Bauer" I wrote about the series when it ended four years ago. I think it still holds up today. 24 isn't as groundbreaking as it was in 2001 when it began. Back then you didn't have many, if any, television series killing off main characters, or letting their hero engage in acts some viewers would surely find reprehensible (torture). But it is still enjoyable and unique in its fast minute by minute pacing.

I realized one thing tonight that I don't know how I missed until now -- Showtime's excellent Homeland series owes a lot to 24. I'd go so far as to say there would never have been a Homeland without 24.

For a super fun rundown, visit Dave Barry's blog.

 

The Great Pam Tillis

I've not watched The Voice this season, but tuned in tonight in time to hear finalist Danielle Bradbury sing the Pam Tillis song, "Maybe It Was Memphis." She did an amazing job, and I have no doubt she will be a big star, but more than anything her song reminded me how incredible Pam Tillis is.  For all the country fans of the Taylor Swift, Hunter Hayes generation, if you aren't familiar with the great Pam Tillis, please treat yourself to some of her music.  I listened to her CD Sweetheart's Dance until I wore it out -- especially the song, "Calico Plains," which I don't think was ever released as a single. I promise if you love country music, you'll thank me.

Thoughts on Benghazi

I was not able to watch the Benghazi hearings due to work, so I only caught a few minutes of the highlights on the network evening news.  The following thoughts are my quick take on the subject based on the little bit I have read and seen about the hearings and from following the story since September 11, 2012:

As bad as the initial reaction to the attack itself was (stand down order, failure to act?), much of that could be attributed to mistake, miscalculation, and other forms of incompetence.  Maybe they didn't really know exactly what was happening, they didn't think there was time to get help there, or they thought the risk was too great to the rescuers. I am not saying I agree with those excuses, but it could at least be argued that they made bad decisions that cost lives, not that they intentionally wanted people to die. 

The coverup, however, was so calculated and deliberate, that it troubles me the most. Those engaging in the coverup (including the "blame the video" assertion) disrespected the memory of those killed, assumed (correctly) the complicity of the American media and said with each preposterous lie, that the American people are dupes.  While much of what was done before the deaths could be attributed to negligence or poor judgment, that done afterward -- the coverup -- appears to have been done with political calculation above all.

Lies and Apologies

There are dozens of important issues to be covered in tonight's presidential debate on foreign policy.  In addition to questions about Iran and Afghanistan and China, we will almost certainly hear more about the 9/11 attack in Benghazi.  Here are a few points I hope are made about the president's handling of the attack:

1. The President was obviously determined to blame the attack in Benghazi on a spontaneous demonstration against a video.  The most likely reason is that to admit it was a terrorist attack would disrupt the narrative that bin Laden is dead and the terrorists are "on the run" or "on their heels." It is very telling that the president recently removed those phrases from his stump speech.

2.  In addition to how wrong it was to intentionally mislead the public about the nature of the attack, there is a big problem with all the apologies, even if the attack had been a spontaneous reaction to a video.  The President of the United States apologized to the world -- in a speech to the UN -- for a video created by a private citizen.  By apologizing over and over again for a video the government had no role in, he is, in effect, apologizing for the freedom our country provides all its citizens to the  free speech that allowed such a video to me made. 

3. One thing most in the media have not covered is that the President of the United States reported the video to YouTube and that the creator of the video was picked up by law enforcement in the middle of the night.  I'd like to know what other videos the White House has reported to YouTube.   What kind of message does that send to the world?

4. I hope we see the President asked about his "bump in the road" and "not optimal" references to the four Americans killed in the Benghazi attack.

For me, the President's handling of the Benghazi attack comes down to lies and apologies -- neither of which should be the basis for America's foreign policy.  This is just one small issue in the big foreign policy scheme of things, but in many ways it is a fitting example.

Update (October 23): On the CBS News tonight they did a segment on the Benghazi emails that were just released.  The emails they showed made it very clear that the White House Situation Room and several others in the administration received emails in real time alerting them of the situation on the ground in Benghazi as it unfolded and in the first couple hours they had a very good idea about what was happening.

They also showed a clip from 60 Minutes that was from an interview shortly after the attack in which Obama said it did look like it was probably more than a mob action, different than the situation in Egypt, and that it looked likely that Americans were targeted from the start.  You can see the text of the CBS report and video of the 60 Minutes clip here.  They didn't say much about all the apologizing he did for weeks over the video, though. 

The Thrill is Gone - the Denver Smackdown

I've been exchanging emails all night with friends, sharing our thoughts on tonight's presidential debate in Denver or -- as I've come to refer to it -- the Denver Smackdown. There were tons of observations, jokes, and predictions flying around, but my overall, quickie takeaway is that Romney ruled.

My favorite thing about tonight was that Governor Romney not only took the fight to President Obama, but he seemed to genuinely enjoy doing so. He had that fire in his eyes that it takes to win.  But as assertive, even aggressive, as he was, he was still likeable.  My husband watched and noted how polite the two were to each other.  I had not really noticed because I was so caught up in, and somewhat surprised by, the fact that Romney came out swinging and never let up.  But he was right about the politeness. Romney struck the perfect balance.  He came across as a gentleman.  He was forceful without being a bully.  He was assertive of his territory (the time clock), without being rude. Romney was pitch perfect tonight.  Just perfect.

And as perfect as Romney was, Obama was that bad.  I already had a feeling this election would be a lot like Reagan - Carter.  Obama has been behaving like a man in deep trouble.  His surrogates have called Romney a felon, accused him of killing a woman with cancer, and even of dissing his garbageman.  This isn't a "Morning in America" campaign.  This is the smell of desperation in the morning.

This debate served to expose the cracks that were already there.  Obama cannot defend his record and Romney did not allow him to change the subject.  Obama supporters on Twitter ,and even on MSNBC, expressed their deep disappointment in their guy.  One look at Chris Matthews told us the thrill is gone. The tingles and thrills have turned to terror and chills. 

There is a long way to go. There may be several October surprises to come -- gaffes, more "secret" tapes, maybe even world events that intervene?  Romney will go into the final two debates with sky high expectations and it will be hard to top tonight's performance, but I don't think he will need to top it.  He has set the narrative.  He has identified the failures of the past four years. He has shown the country who Mitt Romney is and what he is made of. And judging from the early reactions, America is really liking Mitt Romney tonight.

Update:  Thanks to @thomgough for finding this great version of the B.B.King classic: My friend Adam had my favorite video for the night though saying the following was POTUS' theme song for the election and tonight's debate:

9/11 -- 11 Years Later

On this 11th anniversary of the September 11 attacks, I will be remembering those lost in the attacks on that day, as well as those lost since then in other areas of the world to keep us safe.  Here is a link to my previous 9/11 posts and below are two of my favorite quotes from September 2001.

 

"The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing, have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness, and a quiet, unyielding anger. These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed; our country is strong. A great people has been moved to defend a great nation. Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve."

        - President George W. Bush, September 11, 2001 Address to the Nation

"The people who did this to us are monsters; the people who cheered them have hate-sickened minds. One reason they can cheer is that they know we would never do to them what their heroes did to us, even though we could, a thousand times worse. They know that when we hunt down the monsters, we will try hard not to harm the innocent. Those are the handcuffs we willingly wear, because for all our flaws, we are a decent people." -- Dave Barry

 

What I loved about the GOP 2012 Convention

Here is a quick list of some of the things I loved about the convention overall:

#1 Reminded America success is good, criticizing success is bad (crazy even)

#2 Pointed out that Democrats don't "get" the way business works

#3 Showcased smart conservative women

#4 Lots of talk about school choice, the American Dream, striving for excellence

#5 Great examples of Romney's faith in action

#6 Ann Romney

#7 Did I mention Ann Romney?

I love that the convention didn't just pay paid lip service to conservative issues and policies (school choice, genius of free enterprise system, American exceptionalism, etc.) throughout the week, but put forward so many concrete examples. I loved that it was pointed out so many times how ridiculous it is that 4 years later, Obama is still blaming Bush.

Romney hit the ball out of the park tonight.  I especially loved that he embraced what he did at Bain, telling the other side of the story  -- how jobs were created  His speech and the speeches of those telling us all the stories we'd never heard before painted a portrait of a man we are only now really getting to know.  I liked what I saw and I think most of those watching tonight probably did, too.

Harnessing the Power of the Right Blogosphere: "Everybody Blog About Brett Kimberlin" Day

I have read quite a few stories about Brett Kimberlin over the past couple days, and still don't quite understand why he is not in prison. The stories of the bombings he is responsible for a generation ago are horrific, but the accounts of the brand of political terrorism he is engaging in today are just as chilling. 

I won't retell the stories here that Patterico, Liberty Chick, Aaron Walker, Stacy McCain and others have already told in vivid detail about the harassment they have received and are continuing to receive at the hands of Brett Kimberlin and some of his friends.  You should read their first hand accounts. (I'd never before heard anything about the type of harassment/terrorism called "swatting" until I read Patterico's post). As you will find, the abuse they have received has been going on for some time. Andrew Breitbart warned about Kimberlin. 

Lee Stranahan proposed that today be "Everybody Blog about Brett Kimberlin" Day and Michelle Malkin has done an amazing job rallying the blogosphere in a "free speech blogburst" to call attention to the activity of Kimberlin and others and to help raise money to help those who have been targeted by Kimberlin & Co.  Michelle has the mother of all blog roundups here, along with lots of background information and updates.  Here is some background reading and some ways you can help from her post:

Aaron Walker: Summary/Preview of my Post “How Brett Kimberlin Tried to Frame Me for a Crime (And How You Can Help!)”

Immediate action items to help Aaron are here.

Stacy McCain: Brett Kimberlin Saga Takes a Bizarre Turn, Forcing Me to Leave Maryland

Patterico: Brett Kimberlin’s Latest “Peace Order” Against Aaron Walker Is Retaliation for Truthful Speech

...

Ali Akbar of the National Bloggers Club has stepped up to the plate and set up a donation page to help support the bloggers targeted by Kimberlin. Please help here if you can. If you prefer PayPal, click here.

As is often the case, the right blogosphere has managed to make (to borrow a phrase from a Sara Evans song that I'll bet no one else knows but me) "something magic out of something frightening."  The  situation remains frightening, but the power we can muster when we all stand together, as one, against something that can only be described as evil is magical.  If you don't blog, you can take a stand as well by posting the links above (and from Michelle's site) on your Facebook page, tweeting and retweeting them and contributing money.  When I last checked, Michelle had over 100 blog posts listed in her roundup.   I don't know if the mainstream media has picked this story up yet, but if they haven't they've certainly had to go out of their way to ignore it. 

Please keep the bloggers Kimberlin & Co. are  terrorizing in your prayers and do what you can to help spread the word.

Update:  Jeff Dunetz and Duane Lester have more links in their round ups.

MUST SEE for All Bloggers

Between the job I started 17 months ago and family time, it is difficult to do much blogging.  But when I saw this amazing work by Duane Lester I had to link it up and make sure as many bloggers as possible saw it.  Duane had his work at All American Blogger taken and published in a local paper without permission and with no attribution.  Unfortunately, this happens too often with blog posts being used by other blogs, newspapers and even on radio and television, without permission or attribution. 

What makes Duane's story different is that he did something about it.  Read his blog post about the experience from start to finish, including the legal advice he got and what he did from there, ending in a tense in person showdown that was captured on video.  You don't want to miss this and every blogger should bookmark this one for future reference.  Read Duane's blog post, then watch the video:

Ten Years Later

“The pictures of airplanes flying into buildings, fires burning, huge structures collapsing, have filled us with disbelief, terrible sadness, and a quiet, unyielding anger. These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed; our country is strong. A great people has been moved to defend a great nation. Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve.” – President George W. Bush, September 11, 2001 Address to the Nation

Here is a link my post from the five year anniversary of 9/11. 

In Memory of Joshua Goldberg

Last night I was shocked to learn that Joshua Goldberg passed away.  For those not fortunate enough to know him, Thomas Lifson wrote the following at American Thinker:

Joshua Goldberg, son of Lucianne, brother of Jonah, and husband of Chantal, died long before his time, following injuries resulting from a fall. Although he was less well-known than his mother and brother, Josh quietly edited the sites Lucianne.com, BlogsLucianneLoves, and The Connection, working mostly behind the scenes. That was his way. Following 911, Josh was one of those New Yorkers who put on his work boots and walked miles to the WTC site to help go through the rubble looking for survivors and victims' bodies. That was the kind of man he was, quietly doing the right thing, and never seeking public credit for it.

Unfortunately I never met Joshua in person, but rather knew him through emails we exchanged.  Even through email, his kindness and warmth was evident.  I came to know Joshua first years ago through his mother, Lucianne. When I commented on a brilliant piece Jonah wrote saying to her "you must be so proud," she responded that she was very proud of both of her sons.  She has many reasons to be.  Joshua's family and friends know all those reasons (some of which Thomas Lifson wrote), but millions of people who read Lucianne.com, Blogs Lucianne Loves and The Connection have been touched by Joshua as well without even knowing it.

My thoughts and prayers are with Lucianne and the rest of Joshua's family today.

Update:  More from Anchoress, Bookworm Room, Brutally Honest, Yid With Lid, Noisy Room, Damn, Dirty Rino and Charlie Martin.

BaBa WaWa Honors Petraeus

Thanks for indulging me the BaBa WaWa reference.  I don't know why, but for some reason that is the first thing that came to my mind when trying to come up with a post title.  SNL flashbacks.

Tonight Barbara Walters' Most Fascinating Person of the Year for 2010 was General David Petraeus.  Good for Walters for choosing such a deserving honoree.  She had really nice things to say about Petraeus, but the segment itself was  bit bizarre because of what was omitted.  First, and foremost, unless I just completely missed it, I don't think the name George W. Bush was uttered. 

She pointed out that President Obama turned to him to lead the effort in Afghanistan.  But no mention of Bush's decision to go with the Petraeus doctrine and the flack he took for it.  No mention of the Left's despicable "Betray Us" campaign.  I am glad she acknowledged his accomplishments.  It is just a shame that could only take place when he was serving a Democrat President.

What's Up With Me

I owe Kevin Aylward a couple hundred or so posts at Wizbang.  It has been so long since I've done any political blogging.  I've been doing some sneak peek posts about Sarah Palin's Alaska reality show at Big Hollywood, but other than that have been pretty quiet online.  I've not even found much time for Twitter lately.  And since I have yet to even put my Christmas tree up, I don't see me finding much time anytime soon.

My next update will be more about what I am doing, rather than what I am not doing (as this one is). 

Happy Thanksgiving

I've had no time to blog lately, but decided to belatedly post a link to my sweet potato post from last year.  This year I have it pretty easy.  I am only fixing a ham, a salad and sweet potato casserole because my mom and sister are doing the rest.  Happy Thanksgiving!

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Who do you want to hear concede tonight?

Who do you most want to hear concede tonight?  My top votes are:

1)  Bob "Who're You?" Etheridge (I work for his opponent Renee Ellmers who could use your vote today!)

2)  Alan Grayson

3)  Harry Reid

There are so many more though -- Mike McIntyre, Charlie Crist, Barney Frank, Patty Murray, etc.  Who is on your list?

Will GOP Wave Be Good for Obama?

From Jennifer Rubin:

If he intends to base his last two years on vilifying Republicans, he may succeed — in solidifying the not-Obama, center-right coalition.

Bill Clinton ran circles around the GOP Congress following the 1994 midterm debacle because he was more amiable, flexible, and adroit than his opponents. Whatever his faults, Clinton didn’t hate our guts. He loved being president, and he loved being praised by his fellow citizens. Obama suffers us — first in silence and now in public. And flexibility has really not been his strong suit. In short, Democrats long for a repeat of post-1994, but they lack the Bill Clinton part of the equation. (Frankly, they also lack the Newt Gingrich villain figure. Whatever their shortcomings, the current GOP leadership generally avoids personal displays of grandiosity and lacks a compulsion to say whatever ludicrously daft thought pops into their heads.)

So for those Democrats licking their chops at the prospect of an Obama-GOP face-off, they might want to reconsider. Isn’t it just as likely Obama will make the Republicans look better than the other way around? He’s sure done that during the midterm campaign.

Read it all.

 

Juan Williams

Even though I often disagree with him, I am a huge fan of Juan Williams.  I like him so much that I went to see him at a Civitas function in Raleigh a few years ago and invited my good friend, blogger Betsy Newmark to come since I knew she was a fan of Williams' work as well.  After listening to him speak at length about his book, Enough, and after talking to him after the event, I went away with enormous affection for him and, as hokey as it sounds, hope for the future.  Williams was open to considering different ideas and to changing his opinions when presented with new facts.  My hope was that his influence, through his book and television appearances, would reach millions and cause many to question the politically correct narratives they have been fed over the years, just as Williams had.

I have been so consumed by the election that I have not written anything about NPR's firing of Juan Williams and regrettably don't really have time to do the topic justice, but I did not want to go without at least jotting down some words of support for a man I deeply respect, and some words of outrage for NPR.  Firing him was bad enough, the ridiculous explanation for it was outrageous (NPR should be embarrassed. The psychitrist comment in the video was completely out of line.) 

Betsy Newmark took the  necessary time to do the issue justice, so please go read her blog post at Betsy's Page.  She looked at the entire transcript.  It is difficult to imagine that NPR could have done the same and come to the conclusion they did.  Read Juan Williams' piece at Fox News to get his side of the story. 

Listen Up!

I had a great time talking to Gay Patriot Bruce Carroll on his Blog Talk Radio show tonight.  Adam Baldwin was up first and he was really interesting and super smart so even if you don't want to listen to me, listen to Bruce and Adam.

What I've Been Up To

I've been really busy working on Renee's campaign lately.  So busy, that I did not even take time to post a link to some columns I had posted this week.  One was a piece at Townhall on conservative women that I've been writing for weeks and finally finished up over the weekend.  The next was a review of the film Fire from the Heartland which ran at Big Hollywood. Then yesterday my review (and celebration of) the return of the series Dexter for its fifth season was posted at Big Hollywood.  Please go take a look at them. 

Chuck Season 4 Premiere Tonight

After listening to my ten-year-old daughter talk about how she was going to die having to wait all summer for the premiere of season 4 of Chuck, I almost forgot all about the date until seeing an ad a couple of days ago.  I told my daughter that the premiere was this Monday and she squealed at the top of her lungs and jumped up and down over and over again.  I did too, but just on the inside.  Chuck is great fun, not only because it includes one of the hottest conservative men on earth, Adam Baldwin, but because the show has it all – action, comedy, drama – and a great ensemble cast.   For all the reasons to be sure to catch the new season tonight on NBC, see my Ode to Chuck.  I have not watched any of the previews of the season opener, but you can see them here.  I did notice on a tv promo that Chuck cut his hair over the summer.  That may be a big deal.  I haven’t decided yet.  I’ll definitely be watching my daughter’s reaction to Chuck’s new “do.”  And I’ll enjoy watching her face light up.  The squeals, however, I could do without.

Find Your Inner Norris

Hilarious new NRA ad:

 

On Obama's Iraq Speech

Jim Hoft's headline says it best: Pathetic Cut-&-Runner Takes Credit For Victory. 

There are times I think Obama has to "get it" by now.  He has to realize that the ony way he is going to save his miserable political future is to find some humility and admit that his policies have failed.  He has to realize that it would go a long way to restoring some confidence in him and would help his approval ratings if he would just admit that the economy is in the crapper and it is largely due to the failure of the policies he has enacted.  Maybe he will admit it is at least partially due to those policies?  Or maybe that at the very least, his policies have not improved things as he promised? 

Anyone waiting to see that side of Obama -- the side that would make him appear honest and human and in touch with reality -- might just be waiting forever.  More proof was there last night that, as John McCain put it, such behavior is just not in his DNA.  By failing to credit George Bush with success in Iraq, or to acknowledge his own vote against the surge which achieved such success, he just showed me he is still just about as arrogant, dishonest and insecure as a politician could be.  (And yes, a person can be arrogant and insecure at the same time.)  

It was not a huge surprise that he would not admit he was wrong about Iraq.  Jim Hanson described what the consequences of Obama's preferred course of action in Iraq would have been:

He should man up and admit that he was wrong about every single thing he said about the Iraq War while he was in the Senate and he should thank President Bush for being resolute enough to ignore him, Hillary, Reid, Pelosi and the rest of the cut and run chorus. If we had followed the advice of then Sen. Obama, we would have lost the war and al Qaeda and the Iranians would be carving it up between them.

Will Obama's arrogance and unwillingness to admit the reality everyone else (except evidently MSNBC talk show hosts) can see with their own two eyes, be his undoing? I think maybe it already has been.

End the Stranglehold on Congress (NC-2)

Full disclosure: I have been working for Renee Ellmers for Congress since May. I have gotten to know Renee really well and the more I know about her, the more I like her. She is the real deal. Renee is running against Bob Etheridge in congressional district NC-2. Etheridge is famous most recently for his hit YouTube video, but he has been on my radar for years because NC-2 is my home district. He has voted for higher taxes and bigger government for years, but over the past two years has really gone all out for the Obama agenda voting for the spendulus, cap and tax, Obamacare and just about anything else Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama have proposed. He has voted with Pelosi 97% of the time.

This year is the best opportunity we have had to defeat Bob Etheridge and get a common sense conservative elected to this seat. But Etheridge has faced little opposition during his 14 years in the Congress and has built up a million dollar war chest which he will be spending soon on television ads. This seat is winnable, but Renee needs money to be competitive. Today the campaign is doing an "End the Stranglehold" moneybomb. Please contribute what you can. This is a great way to make a difference and turn a blue seat red. Please pass this along to your friends. Tweet it. Share on Facebook. And if you are a blogger, grab a graphic to support the campaign. Thank you.

Crossposted at Wizbangblog.com.

On All Those Rich Crooked Bloggers Who Live in the Daily Caller's World

Dan Riehl, Melissa Clouthier and others already ripped that ridiculous Daily Caller story to shreds yesterday, but I had a few comments of my own to add.

If you missed the story, it is titled, “True Stories of Bloggers that Feed on Partisan Cash,” and here is the part that is most at issue:

“It’s standard operating procedure” to pay bloggers for favorable coverage, says one Republican campaign operative. A GOP blogger-for-hire estimates that “at least half the bloggers that are out there” on the Republican side “are getting remuneration in some way beyond ad sales.”

On those two statements, I call bullshit.  I don’t know who the anonymous “Republican campaign operative” and “GOP blogger-for-hire” are but I’ve been blogging since 2004 and I know many, many bloggers.  I know some of them fairly well and I can confidently say there is no way that 50 percent of bloggers are getting paid (especially beyond ad sales) to blog.  Maybe I move in different circles, but in the world of conservative political blogging that I live in, that is not the case.

Here is what I can tell you about what I’ve seen of bloggers since I started blogging in April of 2004.  I can tell you about bloggers who work all day at a job to pay their bills and then come home and stay up to the wee hours to blog and get paid nothing for it.  I can tell you about bloggers who pay out of their own funds for servers and blog design and to go to events they want to cover.  They often go without other things, and sometimes anger their spouses by spending that money, to be able to blog.  I can tell you about bloggers who would love to make enough money blogging to quit their day jobs and devote all their time to their blogs, but have not found a way to make it happen.

I think bloggers should be getting paid.  Not by a candidate to say what they want them to say without disclosing a relationship, but I do think they should be getting paid for their work and I have been involved in discussions with other bloggers about some ways that might come about.   

I have at times made money blogging by getting a percentage of ad revenue, but since I was part of a group blog most of the time I rarely paid any attention to what ads were even running and it never influenced my blogging.  I have been paid by several publications over the years to write columns.  I have been paid by a couple of candidates to work on their campaigns over the past few years, but I rarely blog during the same time I am working on a campaign (mainly because I don’t have enough time) and when I do I go out of my way to disclose my association with the candidate and campaign, like I did this week.

Read Melissa Clothier’s post on the Daily Caller piece at Liberty Pundits.  She says much of what I would have said if I had not already read her saying it better.  I worked on the same RNC project that Melissa cites (we actually became good friends while working together on it) and am on the same tech listserv she mentions.  We did not get paid for it, but were happy to do it to give the RNC better insight into the blogging community.

I am not going to defend Dan Riehl point by point since he has already defended himself better than I ever could, but will say that anyone who knows Dan has to know he says what he wants to say.  And does so forcefully (and sometimes quite crudely).

I’ve never taken money, in the form of blog ads or otherwise, to blog about a campaign or issue.  I have been asked by people working for campaigns to blog about certain stories and have done it free of charge because they are things I would have blogged about anyway.  As a consultant to campaigns I have asked bloggers to write about the candidates I’ve worked for.    I have asked frequently, in fact.  And I will continue to ask and to attempt to persuade them with my arguments for the candidate, rather than cash.  

When the news about Tucker Carlson’s blog project came out I was surprised because I’d never heard his name associated with blogging.   Maybe he thinks over half of us are getting paid to say what others want us to say.  Maybe if he knew a few more bloggers he, or Jonathan Strong who wrote the piece, could have asked a few of them and found out whether or not 50 percent were getting paid to blog.   I read at Dan Riehl’s blog that Strong graduated from college in 2006 and has worked as a congressional staffer and lives in Arlington.  Maybe he doesn’t know that most bloggers don’t live in the DC area. Or even in California. I’d be glad to introduce him to a few dozen who won’t make a dime.   

I don’t doubt that there are bloggers who have sold their credibility for money from rich candidates who are too stupid to realize that if they are worth electing there are people who will write about them for free.  I don’t doubt that there are consultants who are evil and crooked as well.  But the majority of bloggers are not getting rich, and are not selling their reputations to the highest bidder.  The fact that Daily Caller would publish such accusations with what appears to be little investigation or corroboration, tells me more about their credibility than that of the vast majority of conservative bloggers.

There was another story in the same news cycle yesterday about Philly requiring bloggers to purchase a $300 business permit.  For most bloggers, including most conservative bloggers, that would not only wipe out any money they made blogging, but would put them in negative territory.   Bottom line is if you want to get rich blogging, you’d do better to follow the Tucker Carlson model than the Dan Riehl one.

Update:  When I wrote about hearing about Tucker Carlson's blog project, I was referring to back before the Daily Caller was launched, when I first heard anything about the project.  Before that when I heard Tucker Carlson's name I thought of MSNBC, not blogging. And the Daily Caller isn't a blog --  it is an online magazine -- although Jim Treacher is there and he is a great blogger.  Some other good bloggers write for DC, too.  It's just too bad they weren't assigned to this story.

Crossposted at Wizbangblog.com.

Vote for Renee Ellmers in Ten Buck Fridays

I have been so busy working for Renee Ellmers' campaign that I have not blogged much lately, but had to come back to let you all know that Renee has been nominated for the Ten Buck Fridays moneybomb.  Please go vote for Renee!  Ask all your Facebook friends and Twitter followers to do the same. 

If you don't already know what an incredible candidate Renee is, go read more about her at ReneeforCongress.com.

Protest of Arizona Illegal Immigration Law in Raleigh

My friend, blogger Katy Benningfield, is fearless. She was the only conservative in attendance at a march opposing the Arizona immigation law in Raleigh this week. She even wore a pro Arizona t-shirt she got at the Right Online conference over the weekend.

Read her blog post and watch the excellent video she got.

Best of Right Online 2010

There were many great moments from the Right Online conference.  Unfortunately the video of all the speeches has not yet been uploaded and posted online, but I will post links here when it is. 

Michele Bachmann's speech was one of the best.  It is long, but it is good.  I especially liked her "solution" to the financial crisis we are in today.  It starts around the 31 min. mark.

Update:  My favorite speech from the conference was from Ann McElhinney.  It actually is one of my favorite speeches of all time.  Listen to it all.  You'll thank me.

Other speeches worth a listen were from Mike Pence and Judge Andrew Napolitano.

Must Read -- the JournoListas

Don't miss the excellent post on the JournoListas by Trevor Loudon at Noisy Room. Here's an excerpt.  Be sure to read it all.  Bookmark this one.

This post looks at 106 reported “Journolistas” to look for connections or common threads.

Of the known “Jounolistas” and organizations listed below, many can be linked back to two interrelated groups Democratic Socialists of America, the U.S.’s largest Marxist-based organization and the D.S.A.’s “brain,” the Washington DC-based, far left “think tank,” the Institute for Policy Studies.

Between them, D.S.A. and the I.P.S. dominate or influence several organizations affiliated to JournoList, including:

*The American Prospect – Founded in 1990 by D.S.A. affiliate Robert Kuttner. Current editor-at-large, is leading D.S.A. member Harold Meyerson.

*Mother Jones – Includes D.S.A. member Adam Hochschild on its Board of Directors, plus some D.S.A. affiliated staff and contributors. Hochschild was a supporter of Progressives for Obama.

*Economic Policy Institute - Led by D.S.A. member Larry Mishel and I.P.S. affiliate Jeff Faux and several D.S.A. affiliated board members. This organization has contributed at least three officials to the Obama Administration, including Obama economic adviser and ‘Journolista’ Jared Bernstein.

*Center for American Progress – Several staff and officials are affiliated with D.S.A. and the I.P.S. Writing of the Center’s relationship to the Obama Administration, former Weather Underground terrorist leader and Progressives for Obama supporter Mark Rudd said “There’s a whole govt. in waiting that Podesta has at the Center for American Progress. They’re mostly progressives, I’m told…”

Alvin Greene's Christmas Gift Idea in July

This is one of the funniest things I've read in a long time.  From Alexa Shrugged:

Via Ace of Spades and UK Guardian - Alvin Greene, the crazy jobless guy running for Senate in South Carolina has ideas on how to create jobs:

"Another thing we can do for jobs is make toys of me, especially for the holidays. Little dolls. Me. Like maybe little action dolls. Me in an army uniform, air force uniform, and me in my suit. They can make toys of me and my vehicle, especially for the holidays and Christmas for the kids. That's something that would create jobs. So you see I think out of the box like that. It's not something a typical person would bring up. That's something that could happen, that makes sense. It's not a joke."

Now, before you laugh (and I'm assuming the reporter was laughing and that's why Greene said, "It's not a joke.") is that any crazier than current Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi saying that sending checks to the unemployed is one of the fastest ways to create jobs?

She's right.  One is just about as crazy as the other, but the visual you get in your head with Alvin Greene's idea is much more amusing.  If crazy ideas that will just keep us in the same crummy current job situation can be amusing, that is.

God Bless General Petraeus

Much of my early blogging was about the war in Iraq -- the war itself, the media coverage of the war and the treatment of our troops.  Listening to the words of Senator Barack Obama talking at General Petraeus in flashbacks today was almost unbearable.  It is hard to reconcile that the man who ignored, downplayed and outright denied the successes our troops were achieving is now their commander-in-chief. Senator Obama spoke about what a failure the surge was when there was evidence it was succeeding.  He continued to deny that success until the point that to do so would have made him a laughing stock.

I read that the people at MoveOn,org who had created the General Betray Us ads have now quietly scrubbed them from the site.  Wow.  What courage.  I can't say anything else about that right now because I might have to get really ugly about.  Instead go read something I wrote a few years ago about the Petraeus Effect.  I feel pretty much the same way today as I did when I wrote that

God bless General Petraeus. I can't imagine any reason to want to walk into the situation he is now in, but it is no doubt his love for country and for his brothers in arms.  Please say a prayer for him.  He is going to need all of them he can get.

Update:  More from Greyhawk.

Things have been a bit crazy lately

Did I say crazy?  I meant beyond crazy, whatever that is.  I have been super busy, working for Renee Ellmers campaign, and tending to all the end of the school year activities with the girls. Then on Monday morning the Bob Etheridge video showed up online. I don't think I need to explain how much crazier things got after that.  It looks like the next few weeks will be super busy as well. I'll check in as soon as we are back to just normal crazy.

Rest in Peace Hugh Slatery

I  was shocked and saddened, as I am sure all Hugh Slatery's readers were, to hear the news of his passing. My prayers are with his family and friends, especially his wife and three children.

It is strange knowing people only through contact online, through emails and comments and blog posts. When I saw Hugh's picture in Kevin's post it took my breath away. He looks exactly like I would have imagined, only much more handsome. I found myself crying off and on yesterday -- first for Hugh's family and their loss, then over regret that I didn't know more about Hugh while he was with us and that I didn't take more time to let him know how much I admired his work.

Looking at that picture, it really saddened me to think that last night was the first time I ever saw his face. In some ways it was the first time I really saw his work, too. I had known him first as a frequent commenter beginning when I blogged at Polipundit and then later as a blogger here at Wizbang. I had enjoyed his comments which were not only intelligent, but also witty and supportive, and later his blogging. Seeing all his blog posts in one collection put everything into new perspective. As I read back through his archive I had a new appreciation for the incredible insight he had. I was already a fan, but I didn't fully realize how much quality work he had produced. I am not quite up to reading back through his comments since those back and forth discussions between the "regulars" are much more personal and I am just not quite ready to go there yet.

I apologize for using so many "I's" here, but knowing Hugh primarily through his writing I knew less about him and more about what his writing meant to me. His observations always made me think. Sometimes they made me smile or laugh out loud. Sometimes the things he pointed out ticked me off and made me want to pick up a sign and go to a tea party. He was a kind and brilliant man and he is already missed.

If you did not read Hugh regularly, take a look at his archive of work. Here are a couple of excerpts from Hugh's posts:

Re the upcoming midterms:

In the 2006 midterm Democrats picked up control of the Senate and the House. One of the lesser known facts about that change of control, from a national viewpoint, is that the change in control of the Senate came down to a difference of 2,847 votes out of a total of 61.2 million cast nationally. And of the fourteen closest races that "settled control of the House of Representatives" (according to Karl Rove) 27,022 votes out of a total of 81 million in all House races made the difference for Democrats. Fund worries that we are forgetting the lessons of the 2000 election recount debacle. That take is a little too kind in my view. I'm concerned that the other side is resolutely determined to steal it right this time.

Re Chris Christie on the teachers' unions:

The Tea Party movement has been all over this issue from its beginning but Governor Christie may be the first big league politician to actually wrestle the problem to the ground. Think about that data for a moment. Government employees in New Jersey enjoy health benefit plans that are 41% more expensive than Fortune 500 private sector plans. Why do public sector employees that create no wealth whatsoever enjoy such riches in excess of a private sector that pays all of the taxes from their own wealth creation? What the Tea Party movement advanced in general last Spring is being brought home by Christie in a manner that makes it personal. And therein is the substance of a winning campaign strategy if only some conservative/libertarian will show the courage to push a policy on a national level that surprisingly is being birthed in New Jersey. Conservatives would be wise to heed Christie's most prescient comment that "subtlety is not going to win this fight,"

I  was shocked and saddened, as I am sure all Hugh Slatery's readers were, to hear the news of his passing. My prayers are with his family and friends, especially his wife and three children.

It is strange knowing people only through contact online, through emails and comments and blog posts. When I saw Hugh's picture in Kevin's post it took my breath away. He looks exactly like I would have imagined, only much more handsome. I found myself crying off and on yesterday -- first for Hugh's family and their loss, then over regret that I didn't know more about Hugh while he was with us and that I didn't take more time to let him know how much I admired his work.

Looking at that picture, it really saddened me to think that last night was the first time I ever saw his face. In some ways it was the first time I really saw his work, too. I had known him first as a frequent commenter beginning when I blogged at Polipundit and then later as a blogger here at Wizbang. I had enjoyed his comments which were not only intelligent, but also witty and supportive, and later his blogging. Seeing all his blog posts in one collection put everything into new perspective. As I read back through his archive I had a new appreciation for the incredible insight he had. I was already a fan, but I didn't fully realize how much quality work he had produced. I am not quite up to reading back through his comments since those back and forth discussions between the "regulars" are much more personal and I am just not quite ready to go there yet.

I apologize for using so many "I's" here, but knowing Hugh primarily through his writing I knew less about him and more about what his writing meant to me. His observations always made me think. Sometimes they made me smile or laugh out loud. Sometimes the things he pointed out ticked me off and made me want to pick up a sign and go to a tea party. He was a kind and brilliant man and he is already missed.

If you did not read Hugh regularly, take a look at his archive of work. Here are a couple of excerpts from Hugh's posts:

Re the upcoming midterms:

In the 2006 midterm Democrats picked up control of the Senate and the House. One of the lesser known facts about that change of control, from a national viewpoint, is that the change in control of the Senate came down to a difference of 2,847 votes out of a total of 61.2 million cast nationally. And of the fourteen closest races that "settled control of the House of Representatives" (according to Karl Rove) 27,022 votes out of a total of 81 million in all House races made the difference for Democrats. Fund worries that we are forgetting the lessons of the 2000 election recount debacle. That take is a little too kind in my view. I'm concerned that the other side is resolutely determined to steal it right this time.

Re Chris Christie on the teachers' unions:

The Tea Party movement has been all over this issue from its beginning but Governor Christie may be the first big league politician to actually wrestle the problem to the ground. Think about that data for a moment. Government employees in New Jersey enjoy health benefit plans that are 41% more expensive than Fortune 500 private sector plans. Why do public sector employees that create no wealth whatsoever enjoy such riches in excess of a private sector that pays all of the taxes from their own wealth creation? What the Tea Party movement advanced in general last Spring is being brought home by Christie in a manner that makes it personal. And therein is the substance of a winning campaign strategy if only some conservative/libertarian will show the courage to push a policy on a national level that surprisingly is being birthed in New Jersey. Conservatives would be wise to heed Christie's most prescient comment that "subtlety is not going to win this fight,"

Sestak Says It's Not His Responsibility

Today on Meet the Press, the Democrat candidate for Senate, Joe Sestak, admitted he was offered a job by the White House (via Politico):

Sestak acknowledged in an interview in February that he was offered a position by an unnamed White House official - a potential violation of federal law - but has not offered any specifics on conversation. Republicans are trying to use the issue against Sestak in the November Senate race.

"It's interesting. I was asked a question about something that happened months earlier, and I felt that I should answer it honestly, and that's all I had to say about it." Sestak said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press." "Anybody else has to decide on what they will say upon their role. That's their responsibility."

Yet Sestak confirmed to NBC's David Gregory that the incident did take place.

"I was offered a job, and I answered that," Sestak said. "Anything that goes beyond that is for others to talk about."

Considering the job offer might have possibly been a violation of federal law, or at the very least, the type of political maneuvering that many voters deplore, Sestak's refusal to provide more information about the offer is troubling.  He says, "Anybody else has to decide on what they will say upon their role.  That's their responsibility....I was offered a job.  Anything that goes beyond that is for others to talk about."  Is this the same position he will take as a Senator? 

If someone were to offer Senator Sestak a bribe, would he just turn them down and leave it up to them to turn themselves in? Or would he let the proper authorities, and the voters, know what was going on, to serve as a strong deterrent for such behavior?  Even if Sestak did not want to raise the issue of the White House job offer, now that it is out in the open doesn't he have some responsibility to provide additional details?  It appears he doesn't think so.  After all, he said, "That's their responsibility."  Well, at least with that statement he is clear with the voters about where he stands on the issue of responsibility.

Crossposted at Wizbang and Riehl World View.

Pantano for Congress

In my early days of blogging and column writing one of my most frequent topics was the war in Iraq.  I was appalled by much of the media coverage and the fact that many Democrats were willing to not only ignore the good work being done in the field by our troops, but to go so far as to smear them in an attempt to gain political advantage.   It should not be surprising that the story surrounding the primary in NC District 7 struck a nerve with me.  The latest news from the losers in that primary race is disappointing to say the least.

The Politico headline says, “GOP Split Clouds McIntyre Race:”

Two unsuccessful Republican candidates in North Carolina have turned their guns on the primary election winner, endangering the party’s hopes of defeating longtime Rep. Mike McIntyre (D-N.C.) in November.

GOP voters in the 7th District on May 4 nominated Ilario Pantano, a charismatic Iraq warveteran with a personal story many find compelling and a past encounter with military justice that gives others concern.

Among the latter is Will Breazeale, the second-place finisher and 2008 nominee against McIntyre, who told POLITICO on Wednesday he would do what he can to keep Pantano from winning the seat. He said the third-place finsher, Randy Crow, would join him at a news conference Tuesday in Wilmington, N.C., to discuss their plans.

“We’re going to work against him,” Breazeale — also an Iraq veteran — said. “If the Republicans don’t like it, they can kick me out.”

Breazeale says he has a moral obligation to oppose the nominee because of his actions in Iraq.  “It takes a military man like me to explain to civilians how bad that is.”  Here is how Breazeale “explained” it following his primary defeat:

Buyers remorse is a tough pill to swallow. I cannot help but think that perhaps many who voted for Ilario Pantano are now realizing their nominee's claim to fame is the execution of two unarmed Iraqis? In turn, they are already attempting to set up a scapegoat (me) in order to justify his inevitable, massive failure in November.

Breazeale argues that Democrat incumbent McIntyre will use the issue against Pantano in the general election.  If McIntyre is stupid enough to go that route I predict the tactic will be every bit as effective as it has been for Breazeale, and might even ensure the first Republican in 140 years takes the seat.

When Ace of Spades wrote about Pantano’s primary win last week the first comment to his blog post was, “What are the odds his Dem challenger outright calls him a murderer anyway, even though he was cleared?”  The response from another commenter was, “If it happens, I think the campaign will effectively end, since the D will have just ended his chances of victory and indeed his political career.”  They accurately predicted the tactic, but got the party wrong, although the accusations do sound a lot like those of one Democrat – Rep. John Murtha, who declared the Marines in Haditha guilty before all the evidence was in.  Several years ago Pantano commented on Murtha’s charges in the Washington Post.

Breazeale has announced he will be calling a press conference next week to continue this attack on Pantano.  He is currently reaching out to various media outlets (most recently The Daily Beast), but I can’t help but wonder if he might regret doing so if some of his own past is dredged up in the process. That would not only embarrass Breazeale, but it would continue to take attention away from the choice voters have to make in November.

Now that Will Breazeale and Randy Crow have lost, the focus of the race should be on the differences between Pantano and McIntyre rather than grandstanding by those no longer in the running.  Pantano has pointed out that in spite of voting with Republicans on some issues, McIntyre’s vote is for Nancy Pelosi for Speaker of the House.  I expect to hear Pantano cite that and many other differences frequently over the next six months.

For those concerned about the charges against Pantano, as Jammie Wearing Fool points out, “Pantano's history is out there for all to see and he isn't hiding anything. A simple Google search will tell you everything you need to know.”

Beginning in 2005, Blackfive’s Matt Burden followed Pantano’s case in a seven part series of blog posts ending with news that the murder charges were dropped.  Burden wrote, “I know Marines who commanded Pantano…every single one of them support Pantano.  Every. Single. One. The ones that I know would follow Pantano to hell and back.”  Burden enthusiastically endorsed Pantano in February.

The Politico headline cited in the beginning of this post is incorrect.  The Republican party is not split.  Pantano’s two opponents lost and instead of honoring the wishes of the voters of NC’s 7^th congressional district, and the overwhelming victory they handed Pantano with 69 percent of the vote, the men are desperately trying to stay in the game.  To do so they may attempt to split the party, but that is not going to happen. 

Iliano Pantano is a strong candidate.  He is young and energetic, as well as media savvy and a wonderful speaker.  Most important, he appears ready to do the work necessary to win the race.  His “100 Days of Work” videos remind me of Charles Kuralt’s On the Road reports – in both production and entertainment value. (In the first video his barber talks with Pantano in a down home southern drawl about Mr. Smith going to Washington and “filly-bustering.”) 

 Read Matt Burden’s Blackfive posts regarding the charges against Pantano – all of which have been dropped.  Read Pantano’s book, Warlord.  Go to Pantano’s website and watch some of his 100 days videos and read his blog posts.  While there watch his interview with Jon Stewart about the book.  Then decide whether or not he is a candidate you might want to support.

Pantano recently posted the following note to supporters about his strategy going forward,

“We have much to do, but let’s do it softly, and with honor and dignity. We are not looking for fights nor do we need to be disrespectful. Imagine a U-boat, that has just fired torpedoes and now moves quietly underwater to a new attack position. Don't ever confuse kindness, and civility with a lack of steely resolve. So get out there and smile. Kill them with kindness. These times are too critical and this race too important to succumb to emotion or foolish rancor. We will win by our rigorous faith and our discipline.”

If you would like to help Pantano prevail in November and be the first Republican to win the NC 7^th district seat in 140 years you can visit his website and contribute to his campaign.  If you are short on cash or live far from his district, his campaign has suggested ten ways you can help him from the comfort of your own home.

Update:  In the middle of the night when I wrote this post I misspelled Ilario Pantano's name in the post title.  I have corrected the mistake and apologize for that and any other mistakes I might find.

Crossposted at Wizbang.

What the Democrats in Congress should fear most

Plain and simple, what is driving many Democrats in Congress into early retirement is the fear (strike that, realization) that the voters back home are beginning to pay attention to what they do in DC.  There are many politicians that talk a good game at home.  They have convinced voters that they are representing their concerns.  They have convinced voters that all those other politicians in Congress are the problem, not them.  Trouble is, thanks to alternative media, the voters at home no longer have to depend on those in the mainstream media, or even those in the conservative media, for their information.  If they have a computer and an internet connection all they need to know about what their representatives are doing in Washington (chiefly how they are voting) is available with a few keystrokes.  The American people are feeling empowered like never before.  They showed up at town hall meetings and made their opinions known. Their representatives then returned to Congress and voted -- some in accordance to what they heard and some in spite of it.  Those who talked one way at home and voted another way in DC should be afraid.  The truth is finally catching up to them.

Help For Tennessee Flood Victims

Maybe it is because liberals have not yet figured out a way to blame Dick Cheney for it -- I don't know why, but for whatever reason the flooding in Tennessee has not gotten as much media attention as it deserves. If you have seen the heartbreaking pictures from Nashville you know the people there need help. Noel Sheppard and Michelle Malkin have posted links to organizations providing relief to the flood victims in Tennessee, including a telethon airing tonight on WSMV-TV featuring Vince Gill, Keith Urban and others. Follow the links to help if you can and please keep the people of Tennessee in your prayers.

Crossposted at Wizbang.