The Final Presidential Debate

OPINION: Exactly as we expected, neither major-party candidate finished off the other. John McCain got credit in conservative circles by coming out swinging, but Obama did some quick side-stepping and foot-shuffling (perfectly acceptable in certain styles of fighting). I do not accept the claim that the Democrat has a double-digit lead, but am inclined to believe that every vote counts, and the undecided voters at this late stage could make a big difference.

Where Will You Be When They Come for You?

Original poem by Martin Niemöller (1892–1984)

Als die Nazis die Kommunisten holten,
habe ich geschwiegen;
ich war ja kein Kommunist.
Als sie die Sozialdemokraten einsperrten,
habe ich geschwiegen;
ich war ja kein Sozialdemokrat.

Als sie die Gewerkschafter holten,
habe ich nicht protestiert;
ich war ja kein Gewerkschafter.

Als sie die Juden holten,
habe ich geschwiegen;
ich war ja kein Jude.

Als sie mich holten,
gab es keinen mehr, der protestieren konnte.

Translation:
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I was not a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.

Do you think those days are over? Talk show host Roger Hedgecock in "They Came for Jessica, and I Will Not Be Silent" doesn't think so as he describes what an Obama volunteer did to Jessica Hughes of Lufkin, TX.

Snopes.com says that the status of this news report is undetermined, but the Lufkin Daily News accepts the veracity of her story, and has a lively collection of reader comments, including this one:

By RayJay
Oct 15, 2008 1:37 PM

...Having been a federal agent and participating in numerous Secret Service details (as well as working with numerous Secret Service Agents), its apparent to me that the credibility rests with Mrs. Hughes. IF there were any credibility to the complaint, Mrs. Hughes would NOT have been interviewed at her home, the agents would have completely identified themselves, there would have been a search warrant executed for her premises and subpoenas issued for her communications records (emails, phone records, etc.). It's obvious to me that the agents were there under pressure to keep the "lid on" escalating allegations by the Obama campaign. The Secret Service already has their hands full with REAL threats. Unfortunately for them, even the most spurious allegations MUST be investigated. This means, at a minimum, a contact. The agents obviously let their personal frustration with the situation show through when Mrs. Hughes was told to "go along with it" and not be "rude". Guess what? If I get a call from the Obama campaign, I'll be just as "rude", meaning I'll speak my mind. If folks can't deal with that, it sucks to be them!

Political Mud-Slinging, an Old American Tradition

This may come as a shock to you, but hurling insults at political opponents is as old as our Republic itself. Libby Copeland of the Washington Post gives some choice examples in "Stuck in the Muck."

Thomas Jefferson was attacked by ministers who accused him of being an "infidel" and an "unbeliever." A Federalist cartoon depicted him as a drunken anarchist, and the president of Yale warned that if Jefferson came to power, "we may see our wives and daughters the victims of legal prostitution." A Connecticut newspaper warned that his election would mean "murder, robbery, rape, adultery and incest will openly be taught and practiced" -- though the paper, which is now the Hartford Courant, did apologize some years later. In 1993. "You turned out to be a good influence on America," the editors wrote. Whoops! Never mind.

"Everybody always assumes there was a golden age of presidential campaigning that occurred 20 years ago," says Gil Troy, an American history scholar at McGill University. "Almost from the start, American politics had its two sides -- it had its Sunday morning high church sermon side, and it had its Saturday night rough-and-tumble ugly side."

Abe Lincoln: According to an 1864 edition of Harper's Weekly, Lincoln was disparaged as a "Filthy Story-Teller," a "Buffoon," a "Usurper," a "Monster" and a "Land-Pirate," whatever that is. His enemies also described him as "A Long, Lean, Lank, Lantern-Jawed, High Cheeked-Boned Spavined Rail-Splitting Stallion," which actually makes Lincoln sound kind of hot, except for the "spavined" part. (We looked it up. It invokes horses with diseased joints, or more generally, decrepitude and decay.)

The article quotes even more examples, including a tract ghost-written for Davy Crockett with some choice words for Andrew Jackson's hand-picked successor, Martin Van Buren.

FactCheck.org documents some of the smears and counter-smears of the two leading presidential candidates.

State of the Economy, Summarized

This Clay Bennett cartoon sums up the world economy in October 2008. The Bob Gorrell cartoon below reminds us of how eagerly the Democrats have exploited the situation.

Voter Fraud Alert, Part 1

Just as surely as I know the sun will rise in the east tomorrow, there will be voter fraud in this election. What amazes me this year is that not all the complaints are about Democrats. One of the earliest "I see dead people voting" reports comes from Houston, Texas.

Covenant Nazi Strikes Again!!!

Here's a recent atrocity story from the Seattle Times:

Kennewick reservist faces threats over landscaping
Lt. Burke Jensen was called five months ago to serve his country in Kuwait. Now he is being told to get an irrigation system and landscaping on his property as soon as possible or face legal action from the Oak Hill Country Estates Homeowners' Association.

By John Trumbo

Tri-City Herald

KENNEWICK — Burke Jensen moved to Kennewick about a year ago, bought a nice house in the country south of the city and began to settle into a new job at Energy Northwest.

Then came the call five months ago to serve his country in Kuwait.

So Jensen, who says he is an involuntarily mobilized reservist, headed off, leaving behind a pregnant wife, a young son and a 2.5-acre lot with not a spot of landscaping.

Now, Lt. Jensen is being told to get an irrigation system and landscaping on his property as soon as possible or face legal action from the Oak Hill Country Estates Homeowners' Association.

"I really don't give a [expletive] where he is or what his problem is," said Chick Edwards, owner and developer of the 47-lot subdivision at the south end of Oak Street in Kennewick.

"It doesn't matter to me," said Edwards, who insists Jensen has violated terms of the homeowners-association covenants requiring that landscaping be completed within one year after an occupancy permit is issued for a home.

"[Jensen] doesn't have the right to walk away from his obligation," said Edwards, who as the developer is the only member of the homeowners association. "I have most of the property still, so I am the homeowners association," he said.

Jensen's situation is complicated by the fact his wife chose to return with her son to stay with family on the East Coast for the duration of her pregnancy, leaving the home unoccupied.

Jensen's attorney, Tony DeAlicante of Redmond, Ore., said Jensen had paid a landscaper thousands of dollars to design and install an irrigation system and hydroseed the large lot this summer.

But DeAlicante said it appears the landscaper may have abandoned the job with the irrigation system only partially completed and no seeding done.

DeAlicante said Jensen also would like to find a renter for his home, but Edwards said that would be a commercial use not allowed by the homeowners association.

"He's not going to rent it," said Edwards. He said an attorney who has reviewed the covenants agrees.

An e-mail on Friday from Jensen to DeAlicante, which was provided to the Herald, says several of Jensen's fellow employees at Energy Northwest are helping to clear the property of weeds and blow out sprinkler lines, if necessary, to make sure they will not freeze during the winter. It also says a neighbor used a tractor to mow weeds.

Rick Miller, whose home is in sight of Jensen's, said he's sympathetic to Jensen's situation. "Given the circumstances, it doesn't bother me," he said. "He can't control the circumstances."

DeAlicante said he has written Edwards to tell him the federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act prevents any civil legal action from being taken against someone on active military duty overseas. He also maintains Edwards cannot legally prevent Jensen from renting his property.

But Edwards said he isn't backing down.

"This is a contract. I don't like the way his property looks. This clown gets to do what he wants, and I'm as mad as hell," he said.

Chick Edwards Ph. (509) 582-5679 32220 S Oak St, Kennewick, WA 99337

Meanwhile, true friends of Burke Jensen come out of the woodwork to make his yard presentable, while he's thousands of miles away, unable to deal with the jerk Chick Edwards. I don't recommend that you punch him in the face or do any physical harm, but YOU HAVE BEEN FOREWARNED that purchasing a home in Oak Hill Country Estates in Kennewick, WA puts you in his power.

Obama in Denial

This is all the Obama-bashing I'll do for today. :-)

UPDATE: I waited a day to post this link to James Lewis' article, "Sowing ACORNs to reap the biggest oak tree in Washington, DC."

AIG Execs Spend $440,00 of Taxpayers' Money to Destress!

From ABC News: "Less than a week after the federal government committed $85 billion to bail out AIG, executives of the giant AIG insurance company headed for a week-long retreat at a luxury resort and spa, the St. Regis Resort in Monarch Beach, California, Congressional investigators revealed today...."

Blindingly Obvious: New York Times in Decline!

New York Magazine/NewsBusters have just discovered what we have suspected for years:

NY Magazine: Sulzberger Stupidity Could Cause NY Times Collapse
NewsBusters | October 8, 2008 | P.J. Gladnick

Posted on Wednesday, October 08, 2008 6:56:47 AM by PJ-Comix

Although the New York Times circulation has been plummeting like a lot of other newspapers due to readers switching to the Internet for their news as well as being turned off by the extreme liberal bias at that newspaper, the ultimate failure of that periodical might be due to another reason according to an article in New York Magazine. Sulzberger stupidity. And based on what New York has to say, we aren't talking about the ordinary garden style variety stupidity here. Sulberger stupidity comes on a massive scale of unerringly poor judgement in almost every major business decision. The prime culprit of Sulzberger stupidity is the New York Times heir, Arthur Ochs ("Pinch") Sulzberger Jr. although it seems that lack of judgement is also a trademark with the other branches of the extended family, which includes the Goldens and the Cohens, to the extent that there is a good chance that the 27 members of the fifth generation of the Ochs-Sulzberger family (founded by Adoph Simon Ochs) could well be the last generation of that clan to profit from the New York Times....

One thing that would cause the fifth generation to take a sudden interest in the family business is a decrease in trust income. “Once that dividend is cut, then all hell will break loose,” says a former Times executive. “Because that’s what the family lives on. Then it’s over. It’s going to unravel. They’re going to be forced to look for external professional management to run that company....”

Nobody Wants a Replay of the 2000 Election, but...

One month before the presidential election, charges of voter fraud are already beginning to stream in.

Here's one from Newsmax: "Vote Fraud 2008: The Coming Disaster?"

Investor's Business Daily weighed in today with "Who Is Buying the White House?"

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette had an article, "Funny money: Who's funding the Obama campaign? And why isn't the media finding out?"

Michelle Malkin writes about juicy scandals in the making in ""The ACORN/Obama Voter Registration 'Thug Thizzle'."

Acting Like a Man with Something to Hide

Left: Rare photo of Sen. Obama posing with some of the skeletons in his closet.

The Straight Talk Express arrived in Colorado Springs this morning for a short visit to the party faithful. Sen. McCain (presumably preparing for his next debate tomorrow) wasn't there, but three leaders of his campaign came by to tell us things about the candidate that you will not hear in the liberal media. The longest and most vivid reminiscences came from a retired Navy captain (O-6) who used to be McCain's roommate at the Naval Academy. He described how BBC was doing a special on presidential candidates and came to him. They said that McCain's organization was open and cooperative, and that it was quite frustrating to get any information out of Obama.

Norman "Buddy" Bishop has a few choice words to say on the same subject in Political Truth and Fact, "What little is actually known about Obama’s background is not reassuring for normal America."

Discover the Networks provides background information about the company Barack Obama keeps.

It is not just the BBC, but the Telegraph, that is willing to cross the Atlantic Ocean and learn more about Barack Obama than his enablers are willing to tell them, as evidenced by this article, "The Real Obama - Something His Media Coalition Tries to Hide."

In Albuquerque, NM, "...Republican John McCain on Monday called Democratic rival Barack Obama a liar as he leveled his harshest criticism yet, and said the campaign boils down to one basic question: Who is Obama really?"

Sean Hannity generated a lot of buzz with his special report about Obama's radical friends. Check out these YouTube videos.

Dr. Thomas Sowell emphasizes that it's not just guilt by association, but a consistent pattern of alliances, that raises questions about Obama's loyalty and integrity.

Persecution Then and Now

Someone must be awfully anxious to make his fortune at the expense of Frito-Lay. The illustration on the left [Auschwitz concentration camp] is presented an an example of real persecution. Now we have the ersatz variety:

A West Valley City truck driver is suing Frito-Lay Inc. because he says the company retaliated against him after he requested not to deliver Christmas trees, saying it made him feel uncomfortable because of his Jewish faith.

Richard Cleaveland is seeking damages of at least $100,000.

Cleaveland says he complained in December 2004 and was denied his religious accommodation request.

The complaint contends that since making his request, Cleaveland has been subject to insults, jokes and been forced to observe other Christian traditions. It also says he's been given worse shifts, been denied jobs he'd gotten in the past and had difficulty securing wages.

A spokeswoman for Frito-Lay could not immediately be reached for comment.

Open Mouth, Insert Foot: Collected Sayings of Sen. Biden, Part 3

For purposes of partisan politics, Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware is the gift that keeps on giving. Consider this article from National Review, which has gems such as, “The more people learn about them (Obama and Hillary) and how they handle the pressure, the more their support will evaporate.”

Sarah Palin Unleashed on Obama-Ayers

The following report is from Neal Boortz:

And it is the Republican vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin. On Saturday, Palin said that Barack Obama is "palling around with terrorists who would target their own country." She was referencing Obama's association with Weatherman Bill Ayers. Here's the quote, "Our opponent ... is someone who sees America, it seems, as being so imperfect, imperfect enough, that he's palling around with terrorists who would target their own country ... This is not a man who sees America as you see America and as I see America." View the video.

Finally, someone from the McCain campaign comes out and says what has been on the mind of many. On the same day that Palin made this comment, The New York Times published a piece, which tries to explain the ties between Obama and Ayers: "Obama and '60s Bomber: A Look Into Crossed Paths." Seems that the Times hasn't been keeping up with the research of Stanley Kurtz, who has been endlessly shuffling through files at the library of the University of Illinois at Chicago to find the truth.

The Obama campaign has chalked Palin comment to a "smear campaign." Obama says that the Republicans are using "smears" in order to distract the voters from real problems. A presidential candidate who befriends or is befriended by an unrepentant terrorist is a real problem in my eye ... perhaps not in the eyes of those who hate America.

But Sarah Palin is standing behind her comments. She says that this issue is fair to talk about. She said, "The comments are about an association that has been known but hasn't been talked about, and I think it's fair to talk about where Barack Obama kicked off his political career, in the guy's living room." Man, I'm sure glad the McCain campaign finally let her out of her cage.

EDITORIAL NOTE: We conservative bloggers have known about this for some time, but only lately has McCain opened the floodgates, at the risk of being accused of "negative advertising," starting a smear campaign, and the old standby, racism. How curious, that Barack Obama should be running scared, instead of projecting the confidence of a man who appears to have an advantage in the polls at this time.

Big Media Identified as the Enemy

A sweeping statement such as this may sound like a truism:

"Conservatives have to realize one simple truth: the Big Media is not the enemy's ally who can be won over; it is the enemy itself. The U.S. Big Media is every bit the propaganda arm of the Democratic Party's left wing as Dr. Goebbels' organization was the propaganda arm of the Nazi regime. "

Victor Volsky in "Enough Already!" has their number, and we have quite a lot of alternative media infrastructure in place. Some segments, such as talk radio and FOX News, are actually in better shape financially than their liberal counterparts. Our achievements to date include: exposing the forged documents Dan Rather tried to push on us in under 24 hours, fighting off mass amnesty for illegal immigrants, and the Swiftboaters' successful campaign against John Kerry.

This Guy Thinks He's Cool, But We Know Better

Here's a picture worth keeping before it's suppressed by the leftist media: Obama's crony William Ayers stepping on an American flag. It may be just a piece of cloth to him, but to us it's the symbol of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, land of the free, the country that millions of people around the world would like to move to. He may rant all the livelong day about how much better life is in workers' paradises such as Cuba or North Korea, but you don't see anyone standing in line to get into those countries! Here's a quick exercise for you: try and calculate Ayers' life expectancy if he went to North Korea and stepped on a North Korean flag or a picture of their Dear Leader, Kim Jong-il.

Paul Wellstone Mental Health Parity Law Signed by President!

After 12 years of waiting, our prayers have been answered, and the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, designed to end many years of discrimination against the mentally ill, was attached to the $700 billion bailout package, passed both houses of Congress, and was signed by President Bush yesterday.

While [David] Wellstone worked to carry out his father's legacy, Republican Rep. Jim Ramstad, Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and his son, Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., helped get the bill through Congress.

"This legislation is one more step in the long civil rights struggle to ensure that all Americans have the opportunity to reach their potential," said Patrick Kennedy, who has battled depression, alcoholism and drug abuse. "For far too long, health insurance companies have used the stigma of mental illness and substance abuse as an excuse to deny coverage for those biological disorders."

Quickie Prep for Tonight's Biden-Palin Debate

OBVIOUS STATEMENT OF THE DAY: Expect the legacy media to be more lenient with Sen. Biden than with Gov. Palin.

UPDATE: I may be partial, but after reading the transcript of last night's debate, I came to the conclusion that Gov. Sarah Palin blew away Sen. Joe Biden.

Blindingly Obvious: IAEA Head Says He Is Powerless to Do Anything to Countries That Lie to Him

Here's what Little Green Footballs has to say about something we noticed long ago:

Today’s jaw-dropping example of United Nations idiocy comes from the head of the IAEA, Mohamed ElBaradei, who declared that his agency is powerless to do anything about nuclear proliferators who don’t tell the truth.

He actually seems surprised to discover that nations like Iran and Saddam-era Iraq would try to hide their nuclear programs. Say it ain’t so, Mohamed!

Origin of AIDS Virus Pushed Back to 1908

An ABC News/AP article says that the AIDS virus is older than previously suspected. Since it is known to mutate rapidly, scientists have extrapolated the rate of mutation from a common ancestor to arrive at his new figure: it could have originated between 1884 and 1924, with a "more focused estimate" at 1908. A combination of hunting chimpanzees for their meat, the rise of cities in Africa, and the emergence of prostitution contributed to its spread, but it remained under the radar for many years.