Why the FUCK Didn't You, Madame Speaker?

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By Carl

(ed. note: Please pardon the colorful language, but in context, it's appropriate and really about the only way to truly express my outrage)

"I could have arrested Karl Rove on any given day," Nancy Pelosi said to laughter, during a sit-down with reporters. "I'm not kidding. There's a prison here in the Capitol ... If we had spotted him in the Capitol, we could have arrested him."

You mean like so many on the left asked? Begged? Pleaded? Why not?

"It doesn't serve our country, and it undermines the true purpose of contempt of Congress."

Get the fuck out of here. No, seriously, GTFO! When are the Democrats going to get it through their thick skulls that the only way they're ever going to right the ship of state and get to a place where Republicans are willing to be flexible and negotiate is to smack the fucks on the snout with a 2x4?

If the Teabagger movement tells us anything, it's that Republicans are not only perfectly willing and capable, but seem to enjoy sinking into the gutter in order to stop this nation from doing, well, anything except a war that Republicans themselves declare (else why the argument over Libya?)

The Democrats are the human in the middle of a pack of rampaging junkyard dogs and you know how you beat down a pack of junkyard dogs? You don't try to soothe them or bribe them: you take the lead dog, and crack him across the nose to show him who is boss.

Arresting, even just arresting, Karl Rove would have gone a long way to making the GOP realize you're serious and to be taken seriously.

My God, woman, these are the thieves and crooks who stole elections, raped our nation, destroyed her good name and credit both domestically and internationally, Murdered thousands of our young men and women for wars that had no point and no end, and plundered the values of our homes! Fuck "contempt of Congress," they are traitorous, murderous slimy bastards who if we had a Bastille and guillotine would be lined up at La Barrière!!

Arresting Karl Rove would have been, as they say, a nice first step.

How much different would the first four years of the Obama administration have been if, say, you had on January 1, 2007, slammed your gavel down and said "I will entertain a bill from Congressman Kucinich authorizing an investigation into a bill of war crime charges against officials of this Administration"? Or criminal negligence for ignoring the urgent warnings surrounding 9-11? Or hell, any number of things including charges of voter caging in 2004 or rigged elections in 2000?

I can tell you this much: Karl Rove would have spent the last six years running and hiding and spending money on lawyers and not building a superPAC war chest (after persuading five SCOTUS justices to pervert the First Amendment) to try to get the HNIC out of the White House. The Republicans would have thought twice before raising the birther issue, or banning abortions, or passing "Stand Your Ground" laws.

They would have respected you. Yes, they would have worked overtime to get rid of you, to take Congress over anyway, but guess what? It happened, despite your gestures of conciliation. You know who else reconciled with a tyrant hell-bent on destroying nations?

"Peace in our time," my lily-white ass!

(crossposted to Simply Left Behind)

Bristol Palin proves that self-righteous, self-indulgent idiocy is hereditary

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By Michael J.W. Stickings

Sex? Er... what's that?

Take this for what it's worth:

Bristol Palin says being a young mother is "hard", and now she has vowed no more sex until she and her pipeline worker boyfriend are married.

Palin, 21, tells In Touch that she is determined to walk down the aisle with Giacinto "Gino" Paoletti before they think about having another child. "Gino and I are going to wait until marriage," she tells the magazine.

"I’m doing what's best for me. It's between me and God, and I know it's right."

Bristol, the oldest daughter of Sarah Palin and now the star of a new Lifetime reality show "Life's a Tripp", became a single mother at 18, giving birth to son Tripp in 2009.

Reached for comment, God -- or, if you prefer, "God" -- said, "Whoa, keep me out of it. I can't stand the hypocrisy of these moronic right-wing theocrats either," adding: "Now excuse me, I have to get going. Karl R--... uh... Beelzebub's got some nasty business planned in Park City, Utah this weekend, and I need to prepare."

"Husky and Starch": The best GOP ticket and Obama's worst nightmare

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By Richard K. Barry

Husky & Starch

My co-blogger Michael Stickings and I were recently having a chat about who Mitt Romney's running mate should be. We went through the usual names, wondering if he would need a "game changer" or play it safe. After going 'round and 'round for a while, we came to the same conclusion: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie would be Romney's best option for VP.
In a sense, it would be both a game changer and a safe call.

We reasoned that Romney should make the announcement the usual time, about a week before the convention. By then the polls will have been so close for so long that conservatives everywhere will be salivating at the thought of beating Obama, so they won't make trouble about the fact that Christie is another Northeastern governor who isn't perfect from a radical right-wing perspective. The base will stay in line and swing voters, particularly white middle-aged guys, will love the choice.

In many ways, Christie is everything Romney is not. He comes across as genuine, a natural performer. He's combative as hell and would be able to do what Romney will never be able to do: act tough. Conservatives want that more than anything.

I'm no great fan of Christie myself, but I do think he would be a formidable running mate and would make things close. Would he overshadow Romney? Uh, yes. But that's a chance Mitt would have to take.

Christie would give the convention a boost and liven things up considerably. He may also loosen Romney up a bit. I can almost see them play-boxing on stage (Oooh, almost made myself sick there).

I don't have a great argument for thinking this ticket would work, but I do feel it somehow.

It's not my idea of a good time, though in the interests of objective political analysis, there it is -- "Husky and Starch." (I wonder if I can copyright that.)

(Cross-posted at Lippmann's Ghost.)

The He-Man Woman Haters Club

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By Mustang Bobby
The Romney campaign is apparently making its VP search estrogen-free:

But in leaking few details about their search, the Romney campaign also loses out on an opportunity to show they've at least made an effort to seek out various candidates whose mere consideration might be needed to placate certain corners of the party.

In particular, few women except for New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte – a freshman lawmaker from New England with only scant federal experience – are thought to be under consideration by Romney.

"I think unfortunately, Palin poisoned the well on that," said one informal Romney adviser, fretting that any woman selected as VP would draw inevitable comparisons to the former Alaska governor. "I would guess if I were inside the Romney mind that they're worried that any woman chosen will be subjected to a higher level of scrutiny."

So Sarah Palin was a disaster as a vice presidential candidate and she was a woman. Therefore, the logic goes, women make lousy candidates.
Oy. This is the kind of thinking that got us Sarah Palin in the first place; choosing a candidate for the office based on trying to win the election, not govern the country. This is why they're looking at Marco Rubio; the Republicans need to win a demographic base and they don't really care if the candidate has the experience and a clean enough background -- both are problematic in his case -- to actually take on the duties of the presidency should the need arise.

The problem with Sarah Palin was that she was woefully unqualified for the job. That had nothing to do with her gender. On the other hand, the people who chose her were all men. That would seem to indicate that they're the ones who should be subjected to a higher level of scrutiny, not the just the candidate.

(h/t to Melissa) 
(Cross-posted at Bark Bark Woof Woof.)

Behind the Ad: Obama highlights Romney's integrity issues

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By Richard K. Barry
(Another installment in our "Behind the Ad" series.)
Who: The Obama/Biden Campaign.
Where: Nine key states (Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia).

What's going on: The Obama Campaign is running two spots in key states. The first one criticizes Romney for his failure to cut taxes or create jobs. The strategy is to highlight promises Romney made and failed to keep.

As RealClearPolitics describes it:

"Mitt Romney did cut taxes -- on millionaires like himself," says the narrator in one ad, titled "Mosaic." "But he raised taxes and fees on everyone else." The spot cites fee hikes on health care, school bus rides, nursing homes and other services.

The Obama camp had been hitting Romney's private-equity career, but that approach came under fire, even from some prominent Democrats. Last month, the re-election team shifted its focus to Romney's record as governor. The strategy now is to highlight promises they say Romney didn't keep, suggesting that he won't deliver on presidential campaign pledges either.

The second ad, called "Come and Go," touches on Romney's time at Bain Capital and as governor of Massachusetts.

"As a corporate raider, he shipped jobs to China and Mexico. As governor, he did the same thing -- outsourcing state jobs to India," the narrator says. "Now he is making the same pitch." Both spots end with the tagline: "Romney economics: didn't work then; won't work now."

Part of the difficulty with following politics closely is that after hearing the same thing over and over you get numb. It's important to remember that over the next several months a lot of people are going to start paying attention to Mitt Romney for the first time. If the general theme of the Obama campaign is that Romney has said a lot of things over his career, made a lot of promises, but changes positions whenever he feels the need, they may get that from these ads.

If that's the point, I guess they do the job. As for myself, I'm already getting bored.


(Cross-posted at Lippmann's Ghost.)

The Commander In Beef Strikes Again

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The 'Dinner with Barack IV' lunch menu revealed: President Obama dines on a cheeseburger and fries...
When President Obama had lunch last week at DC's Lincoln Restaurant with the winners of the 'Dinner with Barack IV' contest, the press was ushered out after a quick photo op, before the food was served. And as usual, the White House declined to release menu details. But newly released photos from Obama for America show the President being served an impressive cheeseburger. The Lincoln Burger is made with Meyer Farms Beef, watercress, Firefly goat cheese, and roasted tomatoes ($16), though it looks like the President swapped cheddar as his cheese. (Above: Winner Wyndi Austin, right, seems pretty surprised at the President's burger)

"I'm a medium-well guy," the President announced in 2009. He also enjoyed a side of French Fries at the luncheon. Or Fundraising Fries, as it were. Iced Tea was the President's beverage of choice. (Above: The President enjoys his fries)

In this post, ObFo predicted the President would select the cheeseburger for lunch. Sure, predicting a cheeseburger for someone who considers cheeseburgers one of the four food groups isn't that much of a stretch, especially when he's the most beef loving President in modern times.

But though Mr. Obama enjoyed a cheeseburger at his first 'Dinner with Barack' event at DC's Scion restaurant, for the second contest dinner he ate "Harpoon Caught Swordfish" at The Liberty Tavern in Arlington, VA. It was served "Portuguese style," accompanied by white beans, sweet peppers, lamb sausage escarole, and Littleneck clam sauce ($22). (Above: POTUS, cheeseburger in hand, at the first contest dinner)

At the third dinner, at DC's Boundary Road restaurant, the President returned to beef, though he chose the Grilled Hanger Steak, made with chestnut puree, and served over spicy kale, with a "sauce charon," similar to a Bearnaise ($22). The President started with the Quark and Black Pepper Pierogi ($10).

While the President has shown plenty of love for America's hardworking cattle ranchers, the first beef recipe from one of the White House chefs was just issued this month. It was created by Assistant Chef Sam Kass, who is charged with cooking dinner for the First Family each night they are at home. Thus Kass is well acquainted with beef. Check out his Grilled Skirt Steak with Poblano Sauce. It's a Presidential fave, according to Kass, and is served over sauteed spinach.

The President's luncheon guests at Lincoln were Janet Jones, 64, a grandmother from Accokeek, Maryland;; Paula Matyas, a retired GM auto worker from Milford, Michigan; Jim Heath, a firefighter from Aurora, Ohio; and Wyndi Austin, a realtor from Gilbert, Arizona. (Above: Obama for America posted this photo of the President's lunch plate)

The President had a second beefy luncheon last week, too. He enjoyed beef ribs, collard greens, black eyed peas, rice and a corn muffin, washed down with bottled water, during an early Father's Day lunch at Kenny's BBQ Smokehouse, also located in the District.

The 'Dinner with Barack V' contest is now open for entries.

Info: Lincoln Restaurant is at 1110 Vermont Avenue, Washington, DC, 2005. Phone: 202-386-9200. Kenny's BBQ Smokehouse is located at 732 Maryland Avenue Northeast, Washington, DC, 2002. Phone: 202-547-4553.

*Photos by Christopher Dilts/Obama for America

First Lady's Book 'American Grown' Lands On US Bestseller Lists

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A memoir, a gardening guide, and a compendium of White House recipes...
Exactly three weeks after it was released by Crown Publishing Group on May 29, First Lady Michelle Obama's book American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America is on the top of bestseller lists for gardening titles. In her personal memoir about becoming the nation's most high-profile child health advocate and foremost gardening promoter, Mrs. Obama also celebrates community food access efforts across America. (Above: A photo from the book, with First Dog Bo)

Documented with lavish photographs, the book is divided by the seasons as Mrs. Obama tells the story of her 1,500 square-foot Kitchen Garden, and includes tips for starting gardens of all sizes and recipes from the White House chefs. The book is an elegant wake-up call for the paradigm shift that is needed to change the nation's food culture to one that is far better for the next generation. CLICK HERE for a book excerpt.

As of today, American Grown is #1 on Amazon.com's list of Bestsellers in Gardening & Horticulture, where it sells for $17.85. In the company's Health, Fitness & Dieting category, it is #35. The book sits at #80 on Amazon's overall Top 100 Best Sellers List, where it has been on the list for 22 days. (Above: The book jacket)

American Grown is also #1 among gardening titles at the online outlet ABEbooks.com,where it sells for $18.37. Both Amazon and ABE update their rankings hourly.

American Grown this week is #106 on USA Today's Best-Selling Books list, which ranks up to 150. It is down from #68 last week. The book entered the Top 150 on June 7th.

Mrs. Obama held an autograph session for the book at DC's downtown Barnes & Nobles store last week, when the book was #62 on the B&N Top 100: Book Bestsellers list, another list that gets updated hourly. This week it is not on the list. American Grown was #29 on the list on Monday, June 4, a week after it was released.

American Grown has also been released as a very good E-Book, but it has yet to land on any of the bestseller lists that are in the current issue (dated June 24) of The New York Times Book Review for any categories: Hardcover Nonfiction, Combined Print & E Book Nonfiction, and E-Books.

Publisher's Weekly is not currently releasing weekly bestseller lists.

The First Lady has promoted American Grown with visits to TV shows, interviews on radio shows, and in interviews with wire service news outlets as well as with outreach to Mommybloggers. The book has not been the subject of many reviews, but The New York Times, in a round-up review of gardening titles, hailed American Grown as "a warm and personable record" with "an impassioned message."

Mrs. Obama accepted no advance for the book, and author proceeds will be donated to the National Park Foundation for programs that promote gardening and healthy eating, and to fund the ongoing maintenance of the White House Kitchen Garden. The cover price is $30.

CLICK HERE for recipes from the book.

*Photos by Quentin Bacon, reprinted from American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America by Michelle Obama. Copyright © 2012 by the National Park Foundation. Published by Crown, a division of Random House, Inc.

First Lady On 'Jeopardy!' Today

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First Lady Michelle Obama will present a clue on the TV show Jeopardy! today, the game show announced via video. There was no indication of what category Mrs. Obama will challenge contestants with, but the show is teasing on Twitter that it will be about the Let's Move! campaign. Mrs. Obama's latest TV appearances have all been in support of her new book American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America. Host Alex Trebek visited the White House on April 19, where he met Press Secretary Jay Carney and toured the West Wing. Trebek was in town to shoot a Jeopardy! "Power Players" episode, which featured former Press Secretary Robert Gibbs. (Above: Trebek in the WH briefing room)

*Photo by Donovan Slack/Politico

Sam Kass Visits Los Angeles For Launch Of Statewide Initiative, Let's Move California!

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"This is what we dreamed of when the First Lady launched Let's Move!," says Kass...
While his bosses were in Chicago over the weekend, Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass was hard at work in the Golden State, spreading the good word about First lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! campaign. On Saturday in Los Angeles, Kass joined thousands of citizens for a day-long healthy eating and fitness event celebrating the launch of Let's Move California!, a statewide initiative to reduce child obesity. He was accompanied by state Attorney General Kamala Harris, members of the LA City Council, and Pastor John Hunter and his wife Denise Hunter of First African Methodist Episcopal (FAME) church, the leaders of the LA-based Let's Move! initiative that led to the state-wide project. (Above, from l: Harris, Pastor Hunter, Kass, Mrs. Hunter)

Governor Jerry Brown issued a proclamation, dubbing June 16-17 Let's Move California! weekend.

"Communities are taking ownership of this initiative and transcending Washington, and making it their own," Kass told Obama Foodorama during a break in the action at the Let’s Move California!: Fitness Feria event, held on the campus of the Robert F. Kennedy Schools in the Koreatown neighborhood.

"This is what we dreamed of when the First Lady launched Let's Move!," Kass said.

With a population of more than 39.6 million, California is lionized as the cradle of healthy culinary innovation. It has millions of acres of outdoor recreation space, a fitness culture enshrined by Hollywood, and some of America's top pro sports teams as role models--the champion LA Galaxy soccer team and the newly crowned Stanley Cup champs the Kings. But the state is still in need of Let's Move!. About 61% of California adults were overweight or obese in 2011, with 25% actually obese. 38% of children statewide were obese or overweight in 2010, with the statistic higher--42%--for kids living in the largely urban and very diverse Los Angeles county (15% actually obese).

"This is a big moment," Kass said, noting that a statewide initiative will offer more resources and information for parents and communities.

Surrounded by skyscrapers, the campus was filled with information tents and fitness activity stations. The Army, an event sponsor, had a rock tower where delighted kids in rope harnesses scrambled to the top. Acclaimed chefs, including Wolfgang Puck (with his son Alexander) Ingrid Hoffman, and Cathlyn Choi gave cooking demos. Instructors--speaking in English, Spanish and Korean--led kids and parents through health screenings (BMI, blood pressure), tastings, and mini nutrition education classes, which featured USDA's MyPlate materials. (Above: Puck addresses the crowd)

Players from the Los Angles Angels and the LA Sparks led workouts for kids. Free pedometers, sports balls and even fruit tree saplings were handed out. Cosponsors for the event included Let's Move! partners Goya, Walmart and The California Endowment, as well as Dole and First 5 LA, which all had booths.

"All kinds of stakeholders have come together here," Kass said. "It's been amazing to see people uniting around the health of kids."

Kass addressed the crowd from the main stage on the athletic field, describing the First Lady's mission and encouraging everyone to keep up the good work. There were plenty of cheers as he detailed Mrs. Obama's project.

Praise for the First Lady, Kass, and Angelenos...
During a second appearance later in the afternoon on the stage, Kass, surrounded by members of the City Council, accepted commendation certificates for the First Lady and himself from the LA City Council and state lawmakers. Councilman Eric Garcetti, whose 13th District includes Koreatown, spoke at length about the city's challenges with food access and obesity. (Above: Garcetti hands Kass a commendation)

"Mr. Kass has been the person who is the genius behind the First Lady's efforts at pushing this initiative forward," Denise Hunter told the crowd as Kass was presented with the scrolls.

Hunter got plenty of shout outs of her own. Kass rained praise on all the Angelenos, but he noted that Denise Hunter and Pastor John Hunter have spearheaded Los Angeles' Let's Move! efforts, which led to the statewide initiative. FAME Assistance Corporation, the Church's non-profit, is Let's Move! California's lead organization, and organized the Saturday event. Located in an impoverished neighborhood at the corner of Western Avenue and Adams Boulevard--long ago one of the richest sections of Los Angeles--FAME has a congregation of more than 19,000 people, primarily African Americans. Among other health initiatives, FAME hosts a market in the parking lot each weekend, to boost local access to healthy food.

The Hunters "have been great," said Kass.  "They have been incredible partners."

Garcetti, 41, told Obama Foodorama that his District, which sweeps from Echo Park through Hollywood and into the Valley, has the most farmers markets in Los Angeles--14--but still has a high rate of obesity. He credited it to both poverty---he said the average family income is about $23,000 annually--and a lack of recreational opportunities for kids. (Above: A long line of kids waited to take on the Army's rock tower)

"We used to run around and play all day outside," Garcetti said, echoing something the First Lady often points out. "That's not possible now in a lot of places here."

Garcetti noted that California's high child obesity rate has persisted despite the state revamping its school fitness requirements beginning in 1999, and despite a city-wide ban on junkfood and soda in school vending machines. And for all the efforts of a certain celeb chef to deride the school lunch program as unhealthy, LA Unified School District has one of the better programs in the US.

"We've got plenty to do," Garcetti said, adding that he admires the First Lady for taking on the issue.

Kass is confident that more states will follow the California's lead and launch statewide Let's Move! projects.

"There's amazing work going on all over the country," Kass said.

When he wasn't on stage, Kass was surrounded by delighted locals seeking autographs and photos. He posed with a Taekwondo do youth team while their proud coach snapped photos, and leaned down to speak with the smallest member, a boy of nine. (Above)

"You're already a brown belt?!" Kass said. "Wow. Nice."

"He could take me out," Kass said, laughing, to the adults looking on.

 Kass arrived in Los Angeles on Friday and met with stakeholders to discuss local initiatives, he said. He headed back to Washington on Sunday.

The Sneior Policy Advisor's next jumbo outing for Let's Move! will be in July, when he speaks to thousands of cafeteria professionals at the School Nutrition Association's annual meeting, which will be held this year in Denver, Colorado. In between, there will be plenty of smaller events, too; Kass travels virtually non-stop for Let's Move!.

Above: Registered Dieticians in the MyPlate booth, which featured a copy of the family cooking magazine 'ChopChop' with Kass on the cover.

*Photos by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama

Sam Kass, Chef José Andrés Judge Recipes For First Lady's 'Healthy Lunchtime Challenge'

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56 child contest winners will visit the White House for a Kids' State Dinner with Mrs. Obama...
Junior chefs ages 8-12 from around the nation submitted more than 1,100 recipes for First Lady Michelle Obama's contest The Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, according to the White House. The entry deadline for the contest was June 17, and judging of dishes prepped from the recipes was conducted on Wednesday morning. Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass was chief judge, joined by acclaimed DC chef José Andrés and representatives from the Department of Education and the Department of Agriculture, contest co-sponsors along with Epicurious.com. Winners will be announced on July 16th, according to the official rules. (Above: Kass in action as Andrés looks on)

The action--with the judges sampling two dishes from each state today--was live-Tweeted on the Let's Move! account, @LetsMove (Kass does not have his own account).

"Sam Kass here, WH chef and advisor for healthy food initiatives, tweeting from our tasting. Follow along -Sam," Kass wrote, later adding "So many delicious, creative recipes here today, it's hard to pick the best ones -Sam."

The Kids' State Dinner...
The 56 child winners and their parent/guardian companions--one pair from each state and the US territories--will visit the White House for a Kids' State Dinner hosted by Mrs. Obama. It will actually be a luncheon, currently scheduled for August. The top picks from the contest will be served at the event. (Above: Kass and Andrés score the dishes)

"With parents and kids all across the country getting creative in the kitchen, I know we'll find healthy meals that every family will enjoy," Mrs. Obama said when announcing the contest on May 21.

"And I can’t wait to try the kids’ creations myself,” Mrs. Obama said.

The recipes were judged on "healthiness, creativity, affordability and tastiness," tweeted @LetsMove.

"Encouraging kids to create their own recipes empowers them to make healthy choices about food -Sam," Kass tweeted.

"Kids of America! Great job for Healthy Lunchtime Challenge & #KidsStateDinner" Andrés tweeted.

The recipes had to follow USDA's MyPlate guidelines: "Entries should represent each of the food groups, either in one dish or as parts of a lunch meal, including fruit, veggies, whole grains, protein and low-fat dairy foods," noted the contest announcement. (Above: Chefs prepping the contest recipes)

Andrés last cooked at the White House on May 19th, when Mrs. Obama hosted a luncheon for the partners of G8 leaders, while their spouses were at Camp David with President Obama.

*Photos by @LetsMove.

Watergate at 40: Obama is the Democrats’ Nixon

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It's been 40 years since the Watergate scandal ended the Presidency of Richard Nixon. When the story broke and the trials and Nixon's resignation were going on I was In the Marines. Since this was my Commander in Chief, I was interested in knowing how it would all come out. Nixon resigned and Gerald Ford became my new boss. Hopefully, unlike the Who song, unlike the old boss.

Some guys broke into a hotel room and brought down a president. Now we have people breaking US and International law and the press responds with a resounding yawn. John Ransom at Townhall Finance wrote a great article comparing Presidents Obama and Nixon. From the article;

While we were all shocked and angered at the revelation of Nixon’s abuses, today the same abuses are not only ignored but tolerated- even encouraged- by the Left.

I never thought I would see a time when the U.S. government would deliberately sell guns to Mexican drug cartels just to advance a petty policy argument about gun control, while the press stood by with not a word or reproach. Or allow the Black Panthers to practice the worst type of racism abetted by the highest law enforcement officer in the land, while the press applauded.

Have we become so tolerant that we will just overlook anything politicians do? Where is the outrage over the deaths of BP agent Brian Terry and ICE agent Jamie Zapata? What about 200 plus Mexican citizens murdered with the guns our DOJ allowed to be smuggled. What about the New Black Panthers putting a bounty on the head of a man that had not been, at the time, charged with a crime? Why do they get a free pass? Why, if people say anything do Jesse Jaskass and Al fraud scream "racist" at the top of their lungs.

There could be hope on the horizon. There has been a new development in the gunwalker case and it has the potential of being a deal breaker for Holder and friends. from that we learn about rats leaving a sinking ship.

Multiple, previously highly credible, sources close to the Gunwalker investigation report that there are at least one and perhaps two sources within the Department of Justice headquarters who have approached the Issa Committee seeking whistleblower status. One source, who reported that there were at least two of Eric Holder's subordinates who "came in from the cold," characterized them as "high-level" DOJ employees "with knowledge of Eric Holder's actions before and after" the 4 February 2011 DOJ letter denying that the DOJ and its subordinate agencies knew about "gunwalking." That letter has since been admitted by DOJ to have been a lie. If true, one or both of these whistleblowers may be the so-called "mole" -- a source within DOJ said to have been leaking documents, including the wiretap affidavits, to the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.

John ransom summed it up pretty well;

This time, key parts of the country have sold their soul to a man who is, like Nixon, soul-sick.

But today, whether that man stays or goes doesn’t matter.

It only matters that we reclaim our own soul.

Salvation for our country can only come one soul at a time, because that is how we sold it: one soul at a time.

What honor looks like: The flash mob at Gate 38 of Reagan National Airport

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While checking out other blogs I read this morning this caught my eye. Be sure to read the whole story and watch the video. Pay attention at 3:16 and the young man with the newspaper. After reading this and watching, I had to go clear my eyes.

Honor is a hard term to describe. It doesn’t have a color or weight or shape. If someone were to ask me what honor looked like, I’d probably struggle with what to say.

But something happened on May 23, 2012 at 9:31 a.m. at Gate 38 of Reagan National Airport that might change that. A flash mob of sorts broke out. But not like you’ve seen on YouTube with highly choreographed dance numbers or people singing a song in unison. In fact, virtually all of the participants of this “flash mob” didn’t know they would be participating until moments before it happened.



I think this pretty much answers the question of what honor is.

Before he was murdered with them, ICE Agent Jaime Zapata intercepted weapons from one of the Texas-based “Fast and Furious” gun-walking plots

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Mike Vanderboegh does it again, breaking another exclusive in the Fast and Furious investigation that shows deception inside Janet Napolitano’s Department of Homeland Security in regards to the various Obama Administration gun-walking plots:

More proof that this administration is covering up to protect "The One". He also gives the credit where it belongs, with David Codrea and Mike Vanderboegh. The CBS award winning journalist didn't get on the F&F bandwagon until months after the story broke.

Sheriff: Man Writing Book On Kindness Shot In Montana

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On June 11th, there was news about a West Virginia artist and author that was shot in a drive by in Montana. Montana of all places.

Ray Dolin, 39, of West Virginia, was shot in the arm as he approached a pickup Saturday evening, thinking the driver was offering him a ride, said Valley County Sheriff Glen Meier.

The "shooter" was tracked down and arrested based on the description of the truck he was driving.

Yesterday we get this headline; Authorities say hitchhiker shot himself

Well isn't that interesting.

A West Virginia man who claimed to be the victim of a drive-by shooting along a rural Montana highway while working on a memoir called “Kindness in America” has confessed to shooting himself, authorities said Friday.


Dolin had claimed he was hitchhiking along U.S. Highway 2 west of Glasgow on Saturday when the driver of a maroon pickup pulled to a stop and shot him in the upper arm with no provocation.

Authorities later arrested Lloyd Christopher Danielson III, 52, and charged him with felony assault. That charge was dropped Thursday,

Falsely accused, Mr Danielson should be consulting a lawyer. He probably has a pretty good case for suing the idiot that shot himself and maybe even the Sheriff's office.

All because some asshat wanted to promote a book. Hopefully he will get plenty of time in a cell to think about what he did.

Fishing with the boys

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Two of our grandsons love to fish. I took them out to the lake yesterday. It was nice and calm when we left the house at 8:00 AM. by the time we stopped to get worms and ice the wind was starting to pick up. By the time we finally got to the lake it was blowing like nobody's business.



getting ready.



Brock the fisherman.


Bryce.

I decided I wasn't even going to try in that wind. The boys weren't being deterred. The killed a couple worms and then decided maybe lures would be better. After about a hour they decided maybe it was too windy. We packed up and went over to the range to do a little shooting. I had a customers 1911 to test fire.

I have a old Glenfield model 60 that I built from spare parts. It's a nice little rife and it's just the right size to start the boys on. I have been drilling the 4 rules into them and they can recite them back pretty good. I give them a lot of lectures on safety and marksmanship.

Bryce is the oldest and is becoming a pretty good shot. At 50 yards he managed to get 10 out of 11 on the target.



A little more practice and he might be ready to go squirrel hunting. Brock needs to grow a little, he still can't get his shoulder where it needs to be and still reach the trigger. Starting them young is a good way to instill the message of safety. The first lesson they learned was "Do Not Touch". From there we moved up to learning the rules and from there the basics of marksmanship.

We went back out last night for a little cat-fishing. It was ungodly hot and not even a breeze. We stayed out until Bradley decided he wanted to go. He usually doesn't show much interest in fishing. Last night was a treat to have all three of them out at the lake. We still didn't catch anything, but we had fun. In the end, that's all that counts.

President Obama And First Family Attend Jarrett Wedding In Chicago

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First Family makes rare visit to Windy City for Father's Day weekend...
President Obama and his wife and daughters are in Chicago this weekend for their first visit as a family to their home in the Kenwood neighborhood in more than two years. After a quiet day spent at home on Saturday, the First Family walked to the nearby home of the President's Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, to attend the wedding of her daughter Laura Jarrett, held under a big white tent in the backyard. (Above: The President and First Grandmother Marian Robinson during their stroll)

The First Family made the trip at a little after 6:00 Central time, walking down South Greenwood Avenue on a balmy night with a major security presence monitoring the action.

"Tonight the First Family is attending the wedding of Laura Jarrett," a White House official said, but gave no further details because it was a private event.

Laura Jarrett exchanged vows with fellow Harvard graduate Tony Balkissoon; both bride and bridegroom are lawyers (their gift registry happens to be online). The President wore a tan suit and a light-colored tie, while First Lady Michelle Obama wore a dress with a sparkling silver tank top and a cream colored pleated skirt. She held hands with daughter Malia, who wore a yellow sundress. Daughter Sasha was in a green sundress, while First Grandma Marian Robinson wore a black and white patterned short-sleeved dress. Media was held well back. (Above: Mrs. Obama with Malia and the President)

Notable wedding guests spotted arriving included Attorney General Eric Holder, Clinton Administration adviser and civil right activist Vernon Jordan--who has joined the Obamas for dinner during their summer vacations on Martha's Vineyard--and John Rogers, Jr. He is an Obama campaign bundler and CEO of Ariel Investments. Rogers' ex-wife is the President and Mrs. Obama's former White House Social Secretary, Desiree Rogers. She was left off the guest list, according to a Chicago Sun-Times report. John Rogers played on the Princeton basketball team with the First Lady's brother, Craig Robinson.

Valerie Jarrett, 55, was formerly a Chicago lawyer and deputy chief of staff for former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, and is a longtime personal friend of the Obamas. The neighborhood was under tight security for the event, with law enforcement officials setting up a perimeter. Guests arriving at the Jarrett home were screened by Secret Service, and there were security sweeps of automobiles.

President Obama and Mrs. Obama returned to Chicago for the NATO summit in May, but did not visit their Kenwood home. Earlier in June, the President was in Chicago for a fundraising trip, during which he spent a rare night in his own house.

The First Family flew to Chicago on Friday evening, immediately after President Obama hosted a reception for LGBT Pride Month at the White House. (Above: Guests are screened outside the wedding)

Shortly after arriving in the Windy City, the President and Mrs. Obama walked a few blocks to the home of businessman and longtime friend Martin Nesbitt, who served as treasurer of Mr. Obama's 2008 campaign. After a five-hour visit, the President and Mrs. Obama returned to their Kenwood home after midnight.

On Sunday, the President will depart Chicago for Los Cabos, Mexico, heading to the the G20 Summit. Mrs. Obama heads west for fundraising events.

UPDATE: The President and First Lady returned from the wedding after midnight, according to the White House.

*Pool photos

Father's Day Campaign Video: First Lady Discusses Importance Of First Family Dinners

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"We have dinner together almost every night," Mrs. Obama says...
Obama 2012 posted a 3+-minute video on Sunday on BarackObama.com titled "Happy Father's Day from First Lady Michelle Obama." Onscreen, Mrs. Obama hails President Obama as an excellent "hands-on" father, and discusses the importance of family dinners for keeping him both "grounded" and connected to regular Americans. The video includes loads of family photos with daughters Malia and Sasha.

"We have dinner together almost every night," Mrs. Obama says onscreen. "That means his work stops, he comes home, and we sit down together as a family and when we're sitting around the dinner table, he's not Barack Obama, President of the United States, he's Malia and Sasha's dad, and I think that helps to ground him."

The President travels widely for official events and campaign events. In June alone, he was in New York on two separate occasions for a series of evening fundraising events. He also traveled to California, Nevada, and Colorado during a three-day western campaign swing. On Sunday, the President departs for Los Cabos, Mexico, where he will remain through Tuesday night. On Friday, he travels to Orlando, Florida.

"I know that it [family dinner] keeps him focused on where we need to go as a country, that we need to make sure that we're giving families all families in this country the kind of economic support and opportunities so that they can be the best parents that they can be," Mrs. Obama says in the video.

Mrs. Obama has frequently spoken about the importance of eating together as a family during speeches for the Let's Move! campaign, and she reiterates the family dinner theme in her recently published book, American Grown: The Story of the White House Kitchen Garden and Gardens Across America. The book includes family-sized recipes that are designed to be healthy, delicious and affordable.

A note on the BarackObama.com with the video reads "Every solution the President puts forward is inspired by a desire every parent shares: the need to build a better world for their kids," and encourages supporters to share the video with friends.

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President Obama's 2012 Father's Day

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Golf at a Chicago country club; a Twitter greeting and video from the First Lady...
In Chicago on Sunday at the end of a busy weekend spent at his family home in the Kenwood neighborhood, President Obama celebrated Father's Day with almost five hours of golf at the Beverly Country Club, before departing in the evening for Los Cabos, Mexico. First Lady Michelle Obama wished her husband a happy Father's Day on Twitter. She was in Oregon, delivering the commencement address to the Class of 2012 at Oregon State University, where her brother, Craig Robinson, is the mens' basketball coach. (Above: The President heads for Air Force One at O'Hare Airport)

"Thinking of two fathers I love dearly—the one who raised me and the one I married. Incredibly grateful for both. –mo," Mrs. Obama Tweeted on her @MichelleObama account.

Arriving on a sunny morning at the country club, the President was joined by local pals Eric Whitaker and Marty Nesbitt, and White House aide Marvin Nicholson for his 18 holes. CBS White House correspondent Mark Knoller, the unofficial White House record-keeper, noted on Twitter that the President's golf outing was his 100th round since taking office. The President was relaxing before heading to Los Cabos for the G20 Summit, his sixth summit since taking office. He remains there through Tuesday night.

The First Family arrived in Chicago on Friday evening, and the President and Mrs. Obama immediately paid a visit to the home of golf pal Nesbitt. On Saturday night, the First Family attended the backyard wedding of the daughter of Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to the President. The First Family walked the one block to Jarrett's nearby residence, and the President and Mrs. Obama returned home well after midnight.

In addition to her Twitter message, Mrs. Obama also made a 3+-minute campaign video singing her husband's praises as First Father, which was posted at BarackObama.com. She discussed the importance of eating together as a family, among other topics.

The President departed Chicago en route Mexico aboard Air Force One at 6:36 PM local time, wearing a navy jacket, brown pants and no tie, after traveling by motorcade through streets lined with well-wishers. Mrs. Obama heads to Colorado and Nevada later this week for campaign events.

The Obama 2012 Father's Day video:

Video: At President Obama's LGBT Pride Reception, Transgender Man Proposes To Partner

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The bride-to-be said she doesn't believe in marriage--but accepted the ring...
A landmark event in White House history: At President Obama's LGBT Pride Month reception last Friday, a transgender man dropped down on one knee in the middle of the Cross Hall and proposed marriage to his female partner as dozens of revelers watched. A man whose full legal name is Scout popped the question to Liz Margolies "just minutes after President Barack Obama addressed the guests," reported The Huffington Post. (Above: Margolies, standing, as Scout proposes)

The proposal--complete with the hopeful groom holding a ring aloft, and the bride-to-be backing away in shock, because she doesn't "believe" in marriage--is now the subject of a video made by Scout. A New Yorker, Margolies is executive director of the National LGBT Cancer Network. Scout is director of Network for LGBT Health Equity at The Fenway Institute, and lives in Rhode Island.

Guests sipping champagne and listening to the stylings of the US Marine Band rapidly whipped out phonecams as Scout went down on one knee.

The video captures Margolies' mixed emotions as Scout makes his very public case. He said he had been planning to propose at the White House for a year, but told HP he hadn't chosen a place, and decided on the Cross Hall at the last minute.

Margolies said she doesn't remember hearing much of the proposal, which included Scout telling her "because while I'm a little scared to spend the rest of my life with you, because you're so damn fierce, I'm also amazingly excited about the possibility." (Above: Scout, mid-proposal)

"All I remember hearing is, 'You'll be a better person,'" Margolies said.

Scout proposed with a pink gold ring he said was "from like 150 years ago."

Asked if she'll go through with the wedding, Margolies held up her hand.

"I'm engaged!" she said.

The President got cheers at the reception when reiterating his support for same-sex marriage.

"Americans may be still evolving when it comes to marriage equality but as I've indicated, personally Michelle and I have made up our minds on this issue," the President said.

But because Scout is legally a man, the union would legally be a heterosexual marriage.

"Gay marriage laws don't stop us, they just impact all the people we love and obviously leave us a little chary about the institution in general," Scout said.

This year's reception was the largest the President has hosted, and included uniformed out members of the military and their partners.

The proposal comes at 1:55:

*Second photo by Sara Sciamacco

Pride Cookies At President's LGBT Reception

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...And a visiting reporter is surprised to see White House staff toting bags of McDonald's food on campus...
A reporter visiting the White House last Friday for President Obama's annual LGBT Pride Month reception was thrilled when he was gifted with a treat from the Pastry Shop as he waited in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room to enter the event. Decorated with bright stripes of fondant, the cookie was in the shape of an iconic gay symbol, the rainbow flag, noted Steven Thrasher, a staff reporter for the Village Voice. It was his "first ever trip inside of the White House," Thrasher wrote on his "Big Gay Food Blog." (Above: Thrasher's photo of his cookie in the briefing room)

"The White House served us a cookie!" Thrasher wrote, apparently using the royal "we."

"We were there to cover the White House LGBT Pride month celebration, and while as press we couldn't eat any of the delicious looking food or drink...they were kind enough to send out rainbow cookies to the briefing room."

Thrasher gave a thumbs-up to the very busy White House Pastry Shop; "we" had been assuming the treat would be "bland and stale," he wrote, but instead it was "really delicious."

"This was as light and delicious a butter cookie as we've ever tasted--buttery, neither overly moist nor too flaky--with a rich, thick, rainbow colored frosting," Thrasher wrote. With the photo at left, Thrasher wrote "Equality=Yummy" in the caption.

Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses' recipe for White House Sweet Dough Butter Cookies, a staple for receptions as well as Christmas and Halloween, IS HERE. Other treats served at the President's reception, the largest Pride event he's ever hosted with about 500 guests, included cheese puffs, chocolate and vanilla mini cupcakes, and canapes.  Champagne was flowing, and there was at least one marriage proposal in the middle of the party.

Let's Move!...to McDonald's...
Thrasher also reported that he was surprised to see "a lot" of White House staff returning to campus carrying bags of take-out food from McDonald's. Again, he uses the royal "we":

"First, as we waited to go through security, we saw a lot (and we mean a lot) of staffers coming back from a Mickey D's run. Would Michelle approve of all that McDonald's?" he wrote.

"Michelle" being First Lady Michelle Obama, of course, who is running a national campaign to end childhood obesity. There's a very busy McDonald's located within spitting distance of the White House at 17th Street Northwest.

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*Photos by Steven Thrasher

I think when you spread the GPA points around, it's good for everybody

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That post title is of course a nod (fist bump?) to the (in)famous statement made by our Dear Leader to Joe the Plumber during Obama's 2008 presidential campaign.

For the last several years, the Young America's Foundation has taken Obama's belief and run with it by asking members to go on college campuses and ask students to sign petitions calling for GPA points from the top 10% of grade getters to be redistributed to those students whose grades are not so good.  Many students who would be all for redistributing your income sing a far different tune when faced with the prospect of having their high grades redistributed.

Watch the hilarity ensue:



 I have seen past videos on this topic, and it never ceases to amaze me as I watch someone who is presumably all in favor of taking one person's hard earned money and handing it to someone who didn't earn it, turn right around and balk at giving up some of their hard-earned grades to a fellow student who didn't earn it.What a great and simple way to illustrate the insanity of such a bankrupt ideology that, unfortunately, holds millions of Americans in thrall. 

"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free... it expects what never was, and never will be." -Thomas Jefferson

Time to scratch Hoppy Brewing Company off your list

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It kills me to write this post, as I have enjoyed some good meals and PLENTY of good drink at local hangout Hoppy Brewing Company, but a business is not just based on the quality of the product - there is also the manner in which a business treats its customers.  In this area, Hoppy might as well be urinating in the beer.

The following is an account of a less-than-pleasant encounter with the Hoppy Brewing Company owner/CEO that was posted on Facebook by some friends of my wife and mine.  We attend the same church; see each other often at our local athletic club; and we meet for dinner when we are able to secure a babysitter.  I have received permission from these friends to post their Facebook narrative, and I have deleted the names for privacy purposes.

First, here is the Facebook post our friends sent out, and then I will post the Hoppy response:

Unfortunately, we've had a bad customer service experience with Hoppy Brewing Company. [Our son] left his DSi case at Hoppy on a Sunday, and we didn't realize it until Monday. When I phoned, there was some "hinkiness" on the phone regarding whether it was found or not, so [my husband] pursued it. He discovered that the manager picked up the case (with games and powercord) and put it in their "lost and found." Then it went missing AFTER they found it. We pursued, because obviously, ONE OF THE EMPLOYEES is a THIEF. If they had not revealed that it had been found and then lost again, this would simply be a hard lesson for [our son] (as it still is) since we aren't replacing it, but we felt there should be some recompense (at least, a formal apology, at most some comps to ensure our business) and instead we received the following note. They have lost our business permanently (the sad part being that we enjoy going there.) They willingly employ and protect a thief. They are willing to alienate us as customers and risk those connected to us. A formal apology and some evidence of discipline was what we were after. Instead we were insulted for making the mistake of trusting the employees of the establishment. Please remember that the case was FOUND and put in the lost and Found and we called 24 hours later to claim it. It was not taken by a patron from the restaurant area. If that were the case, this would not be an issue. Please consider taking them off your list of places to go. Thank you!

Just to add a couple details to this story, my friends were not just another family sitting at one table in the restaurant; they were part of a large dinner party that had essentially rented out the entire restaurant.  The owner had noticed that the DS was left behind immediately after my friends had gone out to the parking lot.  The owner himself (or his hostess) ran out to the parking lot to try to catch my friends before they left.  This means there was no question as to whom the DS belonged.  The entire dinner party had been paid for with my friends' brother's American Express card, so a contact number could have easily been ascertained by the Hoppy staff.  After inquiring with Hoppy Brewing Company about what they were going to do about this situation, here is the email my friends received from the Hoppy Brewing Company owner/CEO,whose name is Troy Paski:

Hi [W.R. Chandler's friend]! :)

Sorry I haven't gotten back to you sooner, but I've been tied up with somepersonal matters these last few days.

1) I felt like we had a good conversation the last time we talked.

2) As a retail establishment, we are not responsible for lost and/orstolen property from guests.

3) I didn't like the tone of your first message, which is partly why Icalled you to nip something in the bud, and from the tone of this messageI like it even less.

4) I apologize for it being missing, and I apologize for being too honestwith you.

5) We do tend to over-care for our guests from time-to-time, which makesthem feel a bit like family, so if that line was blurred for a moment Iagain apologize.

6) You were a guest in our establishment, and you lost a childs toy.Shame on us for not picking up after you and catching you before you leftwithout your toys that were left behind.

7) Hopefully this taught you a lesson on better parenting skills.

8) I wish a had something more positive say.

Have a nice day. :-)

Actually, once that lost item was put into Hoppy's Lost-and-Found, they can't come back and say too bad, so sad.  I direct you to California Penal Code, Section 485:
 
One who finds lost property under circumstances which give him
knowledge of or means of inquiry as to the true owner, and who
appropriates such property to his own use, or to the use of another
person not entitled thereto, without first making reasonable and just
efforts to find the owner and to restore the property to him, is
guilty of theft.

You know what is funny is that just three-or-so days ago, I was telling my wife that I needed to meet up with a friend of mine who I haven't had the chance to visit in a while, and since he and I have met at Hoppy Brewing Company in the past, I was going to suggest that location when we met up again. Uh, cancel that idea!

I urge all of you readers out there to do likewise. Companies who not only hire, but protect employees who steal and have the owner of said company insult loyal customers don't deserve our hard earned $$$. There are plenty of other brewing companies/restaurants in the Sacramento area who would be glad to step up and fill the void.  This would include:

Rubicon Brewing Company
River City Brewing Company
Pyramid Alehouse
Hogshead Brew Pub
B.J.'s Restaurant and Brewery
Pete's Restaurant and Brewhouse 
Sacramento Brewing Company Oasis
Sudwerk (Davis, CA)
Yager's Tap House and Grill (Folsom, CA)

Google or Bing any one of these fine establishments to find their location and amenities, and when you sidle up to the bar or take your seat at a table, tell them Hoppy sent you!
 

 "If a nation expects to be ignorant and free... it expects what never was, and never will be." -Thomas Jefferson