"Six months at a time..."

Sorry I have not been posting much. I will return to more consistent news coverage soon.

Check out this new video by MoveOn.org...

LINK: Endless war on the installment plan

RELATED READING...

LINK: Straight Talk McCain

LINK: The Real McCain

-Mr. Joseph

Wednesday Funnies

The latest "This Modern World" by Tom Tomorrow is quite funny...LINK: This Modern World

-Mr. Joseph

Ann Coulter endorses Hillary over McCain!

Wow, I'm sure Sen. Clinton really does not want this endorsement, but she's got it.

These two videos say all that needs to be said...

LINK: Coulter: I'll campaign for Hillary if McCain is the nominee

I love Alan Colmes's reaction near the end of that clip. I also like how it is impossible for Hannity to even acknowledge her point.


LINK: Coulter: No, I'm not kidding about backing Hillary

Just another reason for me to dislike Romney.

-Mr. Joseph

RELATED READING...

LINK: Ann Coulter endorses Hillary Clinton

UPDATE (2/7/08):
Apparently, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and James Dobson are also vehemently opposed to McCain.

However, Coulter has stated that "If McCain weren’t a dunce, what he would do is take Mitt Romney as his vice president... That’s the only way, I think, you could get me to vote for him and that’s my final offer."

Giuliani drops out, endorses McCain

Wow, this guy was at the top of the list this Summer, and McCain was all but out. What a turn of events. So his "Florida or bust" strategy went bust, and even Ron Paul lasted longer than "America's Mayor".

MSNBC...

At a very well attended press conference here just a few hours before he was scheduled to participate in yet another GOP debate, Rudy Giuliani announced his departure from the presidential race and his endorsement of John McCain.

"I'm fully aboard, 100%," Giuliani said, announcing that if McCain would have him, he plans on campaigning on the senator's behalf in Feb 5th states. "I don't do things half way. I do them 100%, and when I believe in a man ­– like I do John McCain – this will become, to me, as important as my own election was."

With Cindy McCain looking on adoringly, Giuliani added more evidence to the 'anti-Mitt Romney' story line, as GOP establishment becomes more content lining up behind McCain's candidacy.

"There will be a clear choice this November and I believe that my life has prepared me for a life of service and a life of dedication," McCain said. "My strong right arm and my partner and my friend in this effort will be the former mayor of New York City, all-American hero, Rudy Giuliani."

McCain explained that he and Giuliani were uniquely aware of the threat of 'radical Islamic extremism,' and when he talked about a "clear choice" in November he implied that the Democratic candidates were not up to what he often calls "the transcendent challenge of the twenty first century."

Less than an hour after McCain and Giuliani left the spin room virtually arm-in-arm, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger held his own press conference and openly hinted that his own endorsement of McCain could come as early as tomorrow. When asked specifically if he is planning an endorsement, Schwarzenegger said he had "no news today" on the topic.

But he said that Giuliani's departure from the race certainly indicates that "the dynamics have changed," and he went on to announce that he will be attending an event with McCain tomorrow that will focus on conservation and the environment.

Schwarzenegger's endorsement – if it does come – could have the same effect that Gov. Charlie Crist's endorsement had on McCain's campaign in Florida, providing an influential last-minute bump in a delegate-rich state.

LINK: RUDY DROPS OUT, THROWS SUPPORT TO MCCAIN

And then there were four...

-Mr. Joseph

Clinton, McCain win Florida...

In a repeat of New Hampshire, Sen. McCain and Sen. Clinton won each party's primary in the state of Florida...

Epoch Times...

With all but a few precincts reporting, the results of Florida's primary election are clear: Sen. John McCain and Sen. Hillary Clinton are the big winners in Florida.

Arizona Sen. McCain defeated former Massachusetts Governor Romney 36% to 31%, a healthy margin of victory in a state full of transplanted Northeasterners.

Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who had counted on scoring big in Florida to prove his campaign's viability before Super Tuesday, garnered less than 15% of the vote.

Some media are reporting that Giuliani will withdraw form the race and endorse McCain.

As for the Democrats, Hillary Clinton decisively defeated Barack Obama by 17 percentage points, 50% to 33%. John Edwards finished with 14.5%.

Some exit polls showed Obama as a clear favorite over Clinton. It remains to be seen exactly where Sen. Clinton drew her support, and where Sen. Obama will have to work harder if he is to remain an par with Sen. Clinton.

Florida used to hold its primary election in March, but switched to late January to give the state a greater voice in determining the fate of the Presidential candidates.

This switch angered both national parties. The Democratic national party actually has a rule which states that no Democratic primaries can take place before February 5 (Super Tuesday.) Because of this, democratic candidates were not allowed to campaign in Florida. Many feel that this gave the GOP a chance to convert some Floridians in this important swing state.

Because official campaign efforts were prohibited, the results of the democratic vote likely reflect the strength of the different candidates' grassroots campaign machines. With no official support form the candidates, the ability of the citizens' organizations probably made the difference.

Florida voters are also deciding to adopt or reject property tax reform measure Amendment One, which would raise the Florida Homestead Exemption, cap property tax increases for Florida residents buying new homes, and change the appraising methods for determining the value of some properties.

Many voters found the amendment confusing, while others resented the scare tactics used by its opponents, who claimed that if Amendment One passed, essential services such as police and fire protection would be cut.

Ultimately, the prospect of lower property taxes and transferable resident benefits won the day.

Because of an amendment passed in 2006, future amendments to the Florida State Constitution would require a sixty percent majority to pass into law. Amendment One earned nearly 65%.

LINK: McCain Beats Romney, Hillary Beats Obama in Florida Primary

I am absolutely stunned that McCain is doing as well as he is right now.

-Mr. Joseph

Sylvester Stallone endorses McCain!

Mike Huckabee has Chuck Norris, but McCain now has Stallone. I hope this being stuck in the back of my mind won't ruin the new Rambo movie for me. I'm seeing it tomorrow.

Crooks and Liars...

GOP presidential hopeful John McCain joined the Fox & Friends gang Thursday morning and they had a little surprise for him. Apparently, actor Sylvester Stallone is a big fan of the Senator and thinks he’s the right man for the job. McCain gets all fired up and does his best Rocky impression and Steve Doocy tells him to go pound a side of beef. Watch out, Governor Huckabee — your celebrity endorsement just got some competition. Oy…

LINK: Chuck Norris Hearts Huckabee, But McCain has RAMBO!

Priceless...

I wonder if this means that Stallone has to fight Chuck Norris...

-Mr. Joseph

McCain narrowly beats Huckabee in SC

Damn! More bad news -- I want Huckabee to get the nomination because I think he will be the easiest for the Democrats to beat the in the general election. Well, at least Romney came in fourth -- even Fred Thompson beat him!

What cracks me up is that it is only Guiliani who has not come close in any of the early primaries. What a mess the Republican party is in. And I love every minute of it...

NY Times...

Senator John McCain staved off a spirited challenge by Mike Huckabee to win the South Carolina primary on Saturday, exorcising the ghosts of the attack-filled primary here that derailed his presidential hopes eight years ago.

Mr. McCain’s victory here, on top of his win earlier this month in New Hampshire, capped a remarkable comeback for a campaign that was all but written off six months ago. In an unusually fluid Republican field, his aides said they hoped the victory would give Mr. McCain a head of steam going into the Jan. 29 Florida primary and the nationwide series of nominating contests on Feb. 5.

“It took us a while, but what’s eight years among friends?” Mr. McCain said at a boisterous victory celebration that broke out into shouts of “Mac is back! Mac is back!”

Mr. McCain did best among voters who said experience was the most important quality in a candidate, among those who said the Iraq war and terrorism were their top concerns and among the state’s veterans, who made up a quarter of the vote. He ran about even with Mr. Huckabee, who pressed a populist message here, among the many voters who said their top concern in the election was the economy. He also continued to draw strong support from independents.

Mr. Huckabee’s loss in a Southern state with a strong turnout of religious voters was a setback to his campaign as it heads toward potentially less hospitable states.

Nearly 60 percent of the voters in South Carolina identified themselves in exit polls as evangelical Christians, a group that was heavily courted by Mr. Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor and Baptist preacher. While Mr. Huckabee captured 4 in 10 of their votes, Mr. McCain also made inroads with the group, capturing more than a quarter of their vote.

The South Carolina primary has accurately predicted the Republican presidential nominee since 1980, and since 1988 it has often played a decisive role. The McCain campaign sought to highlight that history here this week, but he is still left facing a scrambled field of opponents, including Mitt Romney, whose lopsided victory in the lightly contested Nevada caucuses Saturday gave him his second win in a week. He defeated Mr. McCain in the Michigan primary on Tuesday.

In his concession speech, Mr. Huckabee praised Mr. McCain for running “a civil and a good and a decent campaign” and vowed to battle on.

“The reason that I want to encourage you tonight is to remind you that politics — and particularly this year, more than perhaps any other — this is not an event,” he said. “It is a process. And the process is far, far from over.”

With 94 percent of the electoral precincts reporting, Mr. McCain had 33 percent of the vote, Mr. Huckabee 30 percent, Fred D. Thompson 16 percent, and Mr. Romney 15 percent.

The distant third-place finish was a severe blow to the candidacy of Mr. Thompson, an actor and former Tennessee Senator. He had been counting on a strong showing in a Southern state to revive his fortunes, and gave a rambling speech in which he urged his followers to “stand strong.”

More...

LINK: McCain Has Big Win in South Carolina; Huckabee Falls Short

We will see how the Democrats fair next week.

-Mr. Joseph

McCain, Clinton win in NH

From The Observer...

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton powered to victory in New Hampshire's Democratic primary Tuesday night in a startling upset, defeating Sen. Barack Obama and resurrecting her bid for the White House. Sen. John McCain defeated his Republican rivals to move back into contention for the GOP nomination.

"I felt like we all spoke from our hearts and I am so gratified that you responded," Clinton said in victory remarks before cheering supporters. "Now together, let's give America the kind of comeback that New Hampshire has just given me."

Her victory, after Obama won last week's Iowa caucuses, raised the possibility of a prolonged battle for the party nomination between the most viable black candidate in history and the former first lady, seeking to become the first woman to occupy the Oval Office.

"I am still fired up and ready to go," a defeated Obama told his own backers, repeating the line that forms a part of virtually every campaign appearance he makes.

McCain's triumph scrambled the Republican race as well.

"We showed this country what a real comeback looks like," the Arizona senator told The Associated Press in an interview as he savored his triumph. "We're going to move on to Michigan and South Carolina and win the nomination."

Later, he told cheering supporters that together, "we have taken a step, but only a first step toward repairing the broken politics of the past and restoring the trust of the American people in their government."

McCain rode a wave of support from independent voters to defeat former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, a showing that reprised the senator's victory in the traditional first-in-the-nation primary in 2000.

It was a bitter blow for Romney, who spent millions of dollars of his own money in hopes of winning the kickoff Iowa caucuses and the first primary - and finished second in both. Even so, the businessman-turned politician said he would meet McCain next week in Michigan primary, and he cast himself as just what the country needed to fix Washington. "I don't care who gets the credit, Republican or Democrat. I've got no scores to settle," he told supporters.

After Iowa, Clinton and her aides seemed resigned to a second straight setback. But polling place interviews showed that female voters - who deserted her last week - returned to her column in New Hampshire column.

She also was winning handily among registered Democrats. Obama led her by an even larger margin among independents, but he suffered from a falloff in turnout among young voters compared with Iowa.

Word of Clinton's triumph set off a raucous celebration among her supporters at a hotel in Manchester - gathered there to celebrate a New Hampshire primary every bit as surprising as the one 16 years ago that allowed a young Bill Clinton to proclaim himself "the comeback kid."

She was winning 39 percent to 36 percent for Obama. Former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina trailed with 17 percent. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson was fourth, polling less than 5 percent.

Despite running a distant third to his better-funded rivals, Edwards had no plans to step aside. He pointed toward the South Carolina primary on Jan. 26, hoping to prevail in the state where he was born - and where he claimed his only victory in the presidential primaries four years ago.

It was hard to tell who needed a Republican victory more - McCain or Romney. McCain was the long-ago front-runner who survived a near-death political experience when his fundraising dried up and his support collapsed. He shed much of his staff and regrouped. An unflinching supporter of the Iraq war, he benefited when U.S. casualties declined in the wake of a controversial building in U.S. troops. By the final days of the New Hampshire race, he held a celebration of sorts to mark his 100th town hall meeting in the state he won eight years ago.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who won the leadoff Iowa GOP caucuses last week, was running third in New Hampshire.

McCain was winning 37 percent of the Republican vote, Romney had 32 and Huckabee 11. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani had 9 percent, Texas Rep. Ron Paul 8.

Clinton's triumph was unexpected - and unpredicted.

Obama drew huge crowds as he swept into the state after winning Iowa. Confident of victory, he stuck to his pledge to deliver "change we can believe in," while the former first lady was forced to retool her appeal to voters on the run. She lessened her emphasis on experience, and sought instead to raise questions about Obama's ability to bring about the change he promised.

The grind took a toll on both of them.

Obama suffered from a sore throat, while Clinton's voice quavered at one point when asked how she coped with the rigors of the campaign. That unexpected moment of emotion became the talk of the final 24 hours of the campaign.

Clinton's performance came as a surprise even to her own inner circle.

Officials said her aides were considering whether to effectively concede the next two contests - caucuses in Nevada on Jan. 19 and the South Carolina primary a week later - and instead try to regroup in time for a 22-state round of Democratic contests on Feb. 5.

These officials also said a campaign shake-up was in the works, with longtime Clinton confidante Maggie Williams poised to come aboard to help sharpen the former first lady's message. Other personnel additions are expected, according to these officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity while discussing strategy.

The close Democratic race resulted in Clinton and Obama each winning nine national convention delegates, with Edwards getting four, according to an AP analysis.

In the overall race for the nomination, Clinton leads with 187 delegates, including separately chosen party and elected officials known as superdelegates. She is followed by Obama with 89 delegates and Edwards with 50.

McCain won seven Republican delegates to four for Romney and one for Huckabee. New Hampshire originally had 24 Republican delegates, but the national party stripped half as punishment because the state broke party rules by scheduling its primary so early.

In the overall race for the GOP nomination, Huckabee leads with 31 delegates, followed by Romney with 19 and McCain with seven.

Obama's defeat came as he won an endorsement from the Nevada chapter of the Service Employees International Union, which represents 17,000 workers in the state that votes next. He is still strong in South Carolina, where the Democratic electorate is heavily black and likely to go for the most viable black presidential candidate in history.

The Republican race turns next to Michigan, where McCain and Romney already are advertising on television, and where both men planned appearances on Wednesday. Huckabee also was expected to campaign in the state.

According to preliminary results of a survey of voters as they left their polling places, more independents cast ballots in the Democratic race than in the Republican contest. They accounted for four of every 10 Democratic votes and about a third of Republican ballots. The survey was conducted for The Associated Press and the television networks.

Republicans were split roughly evenly in naming the nation's top issues: the economy, Iraq, illegal immigration and terrorism. Romney had a big lead among those naming immigration, while McCain led on the other issues.

Half of Republicans said illegal immigrants should be deported, and this group leaned toward Romney. Those saying illegal immigrants should be allowed to apply for citizenship leaned toward McCain, while the two candidates split those saying those here illegally should be allowed to stay as temporary workers.

Among Democrats, about one-third each named the economy and Iraq as the top issues facing the country, followed by health care. Voters naming the economy were split about evenly between Obama and Clinton, while Obama had an advantage among those naming the other two issues. Clinton has made health care a signature issue for years.

About one-third said if Bill Clinton were running, they would have voted for him on Tuesday.

LINK: Clinton and McCain Pull Off Upsets in NH

I was happy to see Romney lose again, and given the GOP candidates, I find I dislike McCain the least (besides Huckabee). I was very disappointed to learn that Hillary won, but we can't have everything. Edwards is right: 48 states to go.

RELATED READING...

LINK: Edwards Fights to Stay Relevant

LINK: Richardson: 'On to the West'

LINK: Kucinich said N.H. shows race wide open

LINK: Giuliani Focuses on Florida After Loss

LINK: Huckabee OK With Third

On to Michigan now...

-Mr. Joseph

UPDATE (1/09/08):
Once again, Think Progress presents...
LINK: Live New Hampshire Primary Updates

Imus Returns!

Breitbart.com brings the story of Imus's return...

Don Imus returned to the airwaves Monday eight months after he was fired for a racially charged remark about the Rutgers women's basketball team, and introduced a new cast that included two black comedians.

As he did several times in the days after his comments, Imus condemned his remarks and said he had learned his lesson.

"I didn't see any point in going on some sort of `Larry King' tour to offer a bunch of lame excuses for making an essentially reprehensible remark about innocent people who did not deserve to be made fun of," he said Monday during his debut on WABC-AM.

Again, Imus apologized to the basketball players and called the ensuing furor a "life-changing experience."

"I will never say anything in my lifetime that will make any of these young women at Rutgers regret or feel foolish that they accepted my apology and forgave me," he said. "And no one else will say anything else on my program that will make anyone think that I didn't deserve a second chance."

His debut Monday completed a comeback that seemed improbable at the height of the uproar last spring over his calling the players "nappy- headed hos." CBS Radio fired him on April 12, pulling the plug on his "Imus In the Morning" program that had aired on more than 70 stations and the MSNBC cable network.

Imus' lineup of guests Monday featured two presidential hopefuls, Democrat Chris Dodd and Republican John McCain.

McCain, who called into the show, answered questions about gays in the military (he said he would continue the "don't ask, don't tell" policy unless military leaders said it wasn't working), the recent surge in Iraq (he said it was doing the job), and the 2008 presidential election.

"Thanks for having me on," McCain said upon signing off. "Welcome back, old friend."

An hour before the 6 a.m. show began, more than a dozen fans—all of them white—waited outside the Town Hall theater for the sold-out show. The $100 tickets benefited the Imus Ranch for Kids With Cancer.

Shortly after the program began, Imus introduced his new cast, including two black comedians, Karith Foster and Tony Powell. Returning was Bernard McGuirk, the producer who instigated the Rutgers comment and was fired as well.

On the air, Imus said that every time he would get upset about getting fired, "I would remind myself that if I hadn't said what I said, then we wouldn't be having this discussion."

He talked about when he and his wife, Deirdre, met with the team, their coach and some of the players' parents and grandparents, for four hours the night he was fired from CBS Radio. The team members accepted Imus' apology that evening.

"I was there to save my life. I had already lost my job," he said. "They said they would never forget and I said I would never forget."

He talked about his experience over the past 20 years as a recovering alcoholic and drug addict and said that participating in recovery programs had given him the opportunity to be "a better person ... to have a better life."

While saying he had learned his lesson, he added—to applause from the live audience—"The program is not going to change."

His guests also included historian Doris Kearns Goodwin and political analysts James Carville and Mary Matalin.

While Imus pledged to use his new show to talk about race relations, he added: Other than that, not much has changed. Dick Cheney is still a war criminal, Hillary Clinton is still Satan and I'm back on the radio."

Imus' resurrection is just the latest in his four-decade career. The veteran shock jock has emerged intact in the past after assorted firings, bad publicity and a disastrous appearance at a Washington dinner before President Clinton.

Just three months after he was fired, the Rev. Al Sharpton, one of the strongest voices calling for his firing, said Imus had a right to make a living and could return to radio. Sharpton planned a news conference later Monday.

The prospect of Imus' return had outraged critics including the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Organization for Women.

Just before his dismissal, Imus signed a five-year, $40 million contract with CBS. He threatened a $120 million lawsuit after he was fired, but he settled in August for an undisclosed amount of money.

LINK: Don Imus Back on the Air

RELATED READING...

LINK: Imus Is Back! : Highlights...

LINK: Sharpton Encouraged By Changes To Imus Show (with video)

Video...

LINK: Don Imus Returns To TV/Radio

He's back!
-Mr. Joseph

Here Comes Huckabee! (and Edwards)

My apologies for the lack of postings around here. I know there is plenty of news out there, but I have been terribly distracted. Anyway, I had to note this because my favorite Republican candidate is doing very well in the polls. This is good news for me, because like I have stated before, I believe that (aside from Ron Paul) Huckabee is the only honorable Republican of the bunch. However, more importantly, the candidate I officially endorse, John Edwards, in neck and neck (and neck) with Hillary and Obama. In fact, according to a CBS / NYT poll...

Democrats and Republicans are both headed toward heated showdowns in Iowa, where, according to a new CBS News/New York Times poll, Hillary Clinton holds a statistically insignificant lead over John Edwards and Barack Obama, and GOP hopeful Mitt Romney finds his long-held position as the state's front-runner challenged by a surging Mike Huckabee.

The situation in Iowa, where nominating caucuses are scheduled for Jan. 3, is in stark contrast to New Hampshire, where Clinton and Romney continue to hold large leads among those likely to vote in the state's first-in-the-nation primary, which could come only days after Iowa's contests.

But in both states, large chunks of voters have yet to make up their minds, meaning the results of the contests that will kick off the 2008 nominating season are still difficult to predict.

In Iowa, the Democratic contest is knotted up. Among likely caucus-goers, Clinton came out on top with 25 percent support, but she was trailed closely by Edwards at 23 percent, and Obama at 22 percent. With a margin of error of 4 percentage points, there is no clear leader. Trailing behind was Bill Richardson, at 12 percent, with all other candidates in single digits.

...

While the Democratic contest in Iowa has been a three-way battle for some time, most polls have shown Romney, a former Massachusetts governor, with a strong lead in the Hawkeye State, dominating the GOP field. Recent surveys, however, have shown Huckabee picking up steam, and he is well within striking distance in the CBS News/New York Times poll, where he trails Romney, 27 percent to 21 percent, with a 5 percent margin of error.

Rudy Giuliani was in third at 15 percent. All other candidates were in single digits, including Fred Thompson, who had 9 percent support among likely caucus-goers.

While Romney still leads in Iowa, his support base is far softer than that of Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor whose campaign has gained momentum in recent weeks. Half of Huckabee supporters said they had made up their mind, compared to two-thirds of Romney supporters who said they could change their mind before caucus night. Overall, 57 percent of GOP caucus-goers said they haven't settled on one candidate.

Huckabee could run into trouble if immigration is as important an issue as the poll indicates. When asked what issue candidates should discuss, illegal immigration topped the list at 20 percent, and 44 percent of caucus-goers said illegal immigrants should lose their jobs and leave the country. Huckabee has been criticized for supporting pre-natal care for immigrants and educational opportunities for the children of immigrants, and only 13 percent said Huckabee agreed with them on this issue, compared to 26 percent for Romney.

More on page 1, page 2...

LINK: Poll: Top Democrats Deadlocked In Iowa

So, there is some good news out of Iowa for this blog. Now, I will be gone this weekend: off to Ft. Benning, GA for the annual School of the Americas Protest, something that was almost successfully closed this past Summer. I will blog about my experience when I return.

-Mr. Joseph

Interesting Trivia about the '08 Candidates...

Via RadarOnline...

Meet the Candidates
How well do you know your presidential hopefuls? Radar helpful voter's guide compiles a few fun facts they left off their resumes

LINK: Meet the 2008 Presidential Candidates

The profile include info on the candidates' religious background, youth, "relevant experience", "family values", and other odd trivia.

-Mr. Joseph

PS Also, check this out.

O'Reilly: Immigration bill supporters want to "change the complexion" of America

Bill O'Reilly racist? Nawwwww...

From Media Matters...

On the May 29 edition of his nationally syndicated radio program, host Bill O'Reilly asserted that the proposed immigration reform bill is supported by "people who hate America, and they hate it because it's run primarily by white, Christian men. Let me repeat that. America is run primarily by white, Christian men, and there is a segment of our population who hates that, despises that power structure." He continued: "So they, under the guise of being compassionate, want to flood the country with foreign nationals, unlimited, unlimited, to change the complexion -- pardon the pun -- of America. Now, that's hatred, too." O'Reilly later asserted that The New York Times "want[s] to change the white, Christian male power structure" and later concluded: "So you've got racism on the anti-Latino front, and you have racism on the anti-Christian, white male front. Aha! Isn't that interesting?"

As Media Matters for America documented, O'Reilly has previously warned that pro-immigration activists want to alter the racial demographics of the United States. During the April 11, 2006, edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor, O'Reilly said of New York City Councilman Charles Barron: "[T]he bottom line is Charles Barron said last night is there is a movement in this country to wipe out 'white privilege' and to have the browning of America." In the April 11 interview with O'Reilly on Westwood One's The Radio Factor, Barron at no point claimed that he and other advocates for immigrant rights are motivated by a desire to force white Americans into the minority -- despite O'Reilly's repeated efforts to provoke such an acknowledgment.

From the May 29 edition of Westwood One's The Radio Factor with Bill O'Reilly:

O'REILLY: OK, I think it's a small part, but I think it's there. On the other side, you have people who hate America, and they hate it because it's run primarily by white, Christian men. Let me repeat that. America is run primarily by white, Christian men, and there is a segment of our population who hates that, despises that power structure. So they, under the guise of being compassionate, want to flood the country with foreign nationals, unlimited, unlimited, to change the complexion -- pardon the pun -- of America. Now, that's hatred, too. It's a different kind of hatred, but it's hatred and best exemplified by The New York Times, which today says in its editorial, quote: "Those who want [the immigration] bill to be better are horribly conflicted by it. Their emotions still seem vastly overmatched by the ferocity of the opposition from the restrictionist right, with talk radio lighting up over 'amnesty,' callers spitting out the words with all the hate they can pour into it," unquote.

Now, this is a theme of The New York Times, that if you oppose the immigration bill that you hate Latinos. Now, there's a segment that does, but most oppose it on policy. They just think it's bad policy, rewarding bad behavior. Bad policy. But The New York Times, which is an open border, OK, let-everybody-in concern -- that's what they want, because they want a totally different power structure in America.

Number one, they realize that 40 million new citizens -- and that's, you know, probably the estimate that if you let all the illegal immigrants and all their extended families come here, which is what The New York Times want, would wipe out the two-party system. You'd only have a Democratic party, because new immigrants are probably gonna break 3-to-1 Democrat, and that's what The New York Times wants. But more than that, they want to change the white, Christian male power structure. That's what they want.

Now, these are hidden agendas. The New York Times would never cop to that, ever, but if you read consistently their editorials, they have no solution to border security. They don't want any sanctions on illegal aliens who come here and even commit crimes. They want criminal aliens to stay, and they don't want any sanctions on businesses who continue to hire illegal aliens even after the Z visa is issued. It's an open border, "Let them all in, anybody who wants to come here."

That's insane. We don't have America then. America disappears. That's where Pat Buchanan is right. You let that happen, there's no more United States of America. It's gone. You have United States of the World, because everybody comes here with no restrictions. So you've got racism on the anti-Latino front, and you have racism on the anti-Christian, white male front. Aha! Isn't that interesting?

LINK: O'Reilly: Immigration bill supporters want to "change the complexion" of America

RELATED READING:
LINK: C&L: Bill O’Reilly: The White, Christian, male power structure is in jeopardy…

"That's insane"
-Mr. Joseph

McCain-Space: McCain for "marriage between two passionate females"

This is brilliant. A shout out to Mike Davidson of Newsvine -- a website that I am part of...

From Crooks and Liars...

Someone on Presidential hopeful John McCain's staff is going to be in trouble today. They used a well known template to create his Myspace page. The template was designed by Newsvine Founder and CEO Mike Davidson (original template is here). Davidson gave the template code away to anyone who wanted to use it, but asked that he be given credit when it was used, and told users to host their own image files.

McCain's staff used his template, but didn't give Davidson credit. Worse, he says, they use images that are on his server, meaning he has to pay for the bandwidth used from page views on McCain's site.

Davidson decided to play a small prank on the campaign this morning as retribution. Since he's in control of some of the images on the site, he replaced one that shows contact information with a statement:

Today I announce that I have reversed my position and come out in full support of gay mariage…particularly marriage between two passionate females.

LINK: John McCain’s MySpace Site Gets An Interesting “Straight Talk” Twist

More from Countdown's The Newshole...

The site was hacked over a breach of netiquette by McCain's web people, who were using a free page template without giving credit (that's almost stealing!), and "hotlinking" images from the designer's site, using his bandwidth (that sorta is stealing!).

The 'hacker' tells his tale here.

You see, John McCain's people commandeered my world-renowned MySpace design template and did a few things wrong:

1. They did not credit me for the template, even though the template explicitly requested credit.
2. They used my own unmodified imagery, specifically for the "Contacting John McCain" table.
3. As if #2 wasn't bad enough, the McCain crew is actually pulling their image directly from my server on each page load. So every time someone visits the McCain MySpace page, my bandwidth is being used to deliver part of the page! Bad McCain!

So...

Numerous people have written me over the last few weeks to tell me that McCain has been using my code, but up until I realized he was pulling images from my server, I didn't really care. A lot of celebrities including Ryan "Van Wilder" Reynolds and the beautiful Nelly Furtado use my code and I'm totally cool with it.

But then I read the article in today's Newsweek about how politicians are all setting up MySpace pages in order to "connect" with younger audiences. McCain's MySpace page is listed, as are the pages from several other candidates. I think the idea of politicians setting up MySpace pages and pretending to actually use them is a bit disingenuous, so I figured it was time to play a little prank on Johnny Mac.

LINK: MCCAIN FOR 'MARRIAGE BETWEEN PASSIONATE FEMALES'

Too funny...
-Mr. Joseph

Bush's State of the Union 2007

"Congress has changed," President Bush said, acknowledging the new Democratic majority, "but our responsibilities have not." (NY Times)

There was a lot of chatter on the internet after Bush's State of the Union address...

Here are some stories that stuck out to me...

Think Progress conducted a real-time fact-check of this year’s State of the Union address...

VIDEO / LINK: VIDEO: The Annotated State Of The Union

Think Progress also noted Sen. Jim Webb's response...

Transcript:

The President took us into this war recklessly. He disregarded warnings from the national security adviser during the first Gulf War, the chief of staff of the army, two former commanding generals of the Central Command, whose jurisdiction includes Iraq, the director of operations on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and many, many others with great integrity and long experience in national security affairs. We are now, as a nation, held hostage to the predictable — and predicted — disarray that has followed.

The war’s costs to our nation have been staggering. Financially. The damage to our reputation around the world. The lost opportunities to defeat the forces of international terrorism. And especially the precious blood of our citizens who have stepped forward to serve.

The majority of the nation no longer supports the way this war is being fought; nor does the majority of our military. We need a new direction. Not one step back from the war against international terrorism. Not a precipitous withdrawal that ignores the possibility of further chaos. But an immediate shift toward strong regionally-based diplomacy, a policy that takes our soldiers off the streets of Iraq’s cities, and a formula that will in short order allow our combat forces to leave Iraq.

On both of these vital issues, our economy and our national security, it falls upon those of us in elected office to take action.

Regarding the economic imbalance in our country, I am reminded of the situation President Theodore Roosevelt faced in the early days of the 20th century. America was then, as now, drifting apart along class lines. The so-called robber barons were unapologetically raking in a huge percentage of the national wealth. The dispossessed workers at the bottom were threatening revolt.

Roosevelt spoke strongly against these divisions. He told his fellow Republicans that they must set themselves “as resolutely against improper corporate influence on the one hand as against demagogy and mob rule on the other.” And he did something about it.

As I look at Iraq, I recall the words of former general and soon-to-be President Dwight Eisenhower during the dark days of the Korean War, which had fallen into a bloody stalemate. “When comes the end?” asked the General who had commanded our forces in Europe during World War Two. And as soon as he became President, he brought the Korean War to an end.

These Presidents took the right kind of action, for the benefit of the American people and for the health of our relations around the world. Tonight we are calling on this President to take similar action, in both areas. If he does, we will join him. If he does not, we will be showing him the way.

Thank you for listening. And God bless America.

VIDEO / LINK: Webb: If Bush Doesn’t Take The ‘Right Kind Of Action…We Will Be Showing Him The Way’

On a lighter note...

Think Progress and MSNBC's Tucker Carlson (on Hardblogger) note that John McCain had fell asleep...

VIDEO / LINK: TP: McCain falls asleep during the State of the Union?

Tucker Carlson:

"If you’re McCain, who will be over 70 by 2008, you’ll want to make doubly sure to demonstrate your alertness and vigor. You definitely won’t want to slump in your seat, out cold, when Bush starts talking about Iraq. And yet that’s exactly what McCain did tonight, napping on camera for ten agonizing seconds. Lack of self-control? An expression of contempt? Embarrassing in any case."

LINK: Carlson: Lack of self-control? An expression of contempt? Embarrassing in any case.

While McCain slept, Speaker Nancy Pelosi blinked...

"What was worth commenting on, however, was the contrast in blinks per minute between Pelosi and Cheney. While Pelosi clocked a good 25-30 blinks per minute, Cheney barely mustered 3 or 4."

LINK: Watching the SOTU Speech on ABC

And, of course About Political Humor got some great videoes regarding the speech...

"Check out a funny State of the Union spoof video by Bush impersonator James Adomian (a worthy sequel to last year's version), plus watch President Bush talk tough and threaten the world in this remixed version of one of Bush's previous State of the Union addresses.

See also: The Daily Show's preview of the State of the Union address, featuring a matchup between two bitter rivals: Bush and words.

Late-Night Jokes
"President Bush addressed the nation tonight. He talked about how we can save energy, how we can still win the war in Iraq and then gave a beautiful rendition of 'Wind Beneath My Wings.' Randy and Paula were in tears." --Jimmy Kimmel

"Down in Washington, DC, there was the annual State of the Union address. ... The speech was so dull. Behind President Bush, Nancy Pelosi and Dick Cheney were making out." --David Letterman

Read more late-night jokes..."

LINK: State of the Union Parody Videos

And then this...

"From the official State of the Union Drinking Game...
Every time Bush says:
“nukular” – 1 drink
"Bring it on" = Arm-wrestle the person next to you; loser drinks
Detainees = 1 drink, with your hands behind your back
"illegal immigration" = 1 shot of cerveza/tequila
"sectarian violence" = 1 Car Bomb
“Mark Foley” = one shot of Scotch, aged 16 years
"macaca" = Invite George Allen for a drink - he doesn't have anything better to do
Every time Bush...
praises a Democrat by name = 1 drink
....if that Democrat is not Joe Lieberman = 3 drinks
Every time the camera shows...
a close-up on Nancy Pelosi = 1 shot, taken without moving any facial muscles

Read more at Drinking Game.us, plus check out alternate State of the Union drinking games from political comedian Will Durst and Wonkette. Or if you prefer to cry in your beer in the company of like-minded lefties, you can partake in a Drinking Liberally State of the Union Party, featuring bingo cards.

State of the Union: The Bushism Version
With the help of our Bushisms collection, the San Francisco Chronicle presents an amusing State of the Union address parody, constructed entirely from classic Bush verbal gaffes and other inane presidential utterances:

Mr. Speaker, Vice President Cheney, members of Congress, distinguished citizens and fellow citizens:

This is historic times.

The past is over. There may be some tough times here in America. But this country has gone through tough times before, and we're going to do it again...

I think the American people -- I hope the American — I don't think, let me — I hope the American people trust me. Read more...

The State of the Union and Groundhog Day
This one originally circulated a couple of years ago, but is making the rounds again:

This year, both Groundhog Day and the State of the Union address occur on the same day. As Air America Radio pointed out, "It is an ironic juxtaposition of events: one involves a meaningless ritual in which we look to a creature of little intelligence for prognostication, while the other involves a groundhog."

Read more funny forwards..."

LINK: State of the Union Drinking Game

Just think, he only has one more after this...

-Mr. Joseph