CNN Loves Plants, Defends Them Strongly

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With steaming heaps of all-natural, bovine end-product, piled high and deep. The folks at CNN are lashing out at bloggers and others who dare to question them on their packing the CNN/YouTube debate with questions from Democratic party operatives, sympathizers or activists.

After spending the day facing accusations it stacked the deck against the Republican presidential contenders by having Democratic backers ask video questions during its debate, CNN on Thursday responded that it doesn't know what the fuss is all about.

The cable news network, in collaboration with video Web site YouTube, hosted the Wednesday night debate that had more than 30 voters pose questions to the Republican candidates. It later turned out that several of those questioners are actively supporting Democratic candidates.

"The whole point of these ground-breaking CNN/YouTube debates is to focus on substantive questions of concern to real people and to throw open the process to a wider range of Americans all around the country. CNN cared about what you asked, not who you were. This was the case for both the Democratic and the Republican CNN/YouTube debates," CNN said in a statement issued late in the day.

"The issues raised during last night's debate were legitimate and relevant no matter who was asking the questions. The vested interests who are challenging the credibility of the questioners are trying to distract voters from the substantive issues they care most about. Americans are tired of that discredited low-road approach, and throughout this election campaign CNN will stay focused on what the candidates are saying about the pressing issues facing this country at a critical time in our history.

Now, I really could use a new vest. The old one is much too large since I lost all that weight feasting on the largess from the oil companies - the last group I supposedly got payoffs from for asking questions. The leftist blame game of accusing others of accepting payments or being "in the pockets" of those who oppose the left's views is getting old. And CNN has just displayed exactly why their behavior is being criticized. I am on the record as saying I did not care - at all - about the content of the questions. What I object to is the skewing of the playing field while CNN touts their objectivity. The Republican candidates handled the stacked questions pretty well, I thought. (I didn't see all of them.)

The rather obvious display of the "Clinton News Network's" bias is that they did not do even rudimentary fact-checking on the questions submitted by opposition activists. That is the issue. General Kerr, who asked the question that got the whole 'plant' thing raging appeared on CNN twice in 2003. They knew who this guy was and they had a responsibility to check who he was affiliated with.

Just to shovel all the bovine end product back off the real issue, CNN, here's the short version. You, as a custodian of a public debate, had a responsibility to ensure that political operatives and activists did not try to stack the deck. Were the questions wildly out of line? No. That does not change a thing. You had a responsibility to either ensure fairness or disclose things that might impact fairness.

You did neither. You are wrong. That is what the fuss is about.

But do send the new vest, won't you? 

Now, I really could use a new vest. The old one is much too large since I lost all that weight feasting on the largess from the oil companies - the last group I supposedly got payoffs from for asking questions. The leftist blame game of accusing others of accepting payments or being "in the pockets" of those who oppose the left's views is getting old. And CNN has just displayed exactly why their behavior is being criticized. I am on the record as saying I did not care - at all - about the content of the questions. What I object to is the skewing of the playing field while CNN touts their objectivity. The Republican candidates handled the stacked questions pretty well, I thought. (I didn't see all of them.)

The rather obvious display of the "Clinton News Network's" bias is that they did not do even rudimentary fact-checking on the questions submitted by opposition activists. That is the issue. General Kerr, who asked the question that got the whole 'plant' thing raging appeared on CNN twice in 2003. They knew who this guy was and they had a responsibility to check who he was affiliated with.

Just to shovel all the bovine end product back off the real issue, CNN, here's the short version. You, as a custodian of a public debate, had a responsibility to ensure that political operatives and activists did not try to stack the deck. Were the questions wildly out of line? No. That does not change a thing. You had a responsibility to either ensure fairness or disclose things that might impact fairness.

You did neither. You are wrong. That is what the fuss is about.

But do send the new vest, won't you? 

Murtha: Surge Is Working

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I have never even pretended to have any respect for John Murtha, the utterly corrupt, unindicted ABSCAM co-conspirator who has served as a Congressman from Pennsylvania for far too long. I think he is a hack and exemplifies everything that is wrong in Washington. I also believe his posturing pandering to the anti-war left has been dangerous to our troops and has been nothing more than political opportunism.

Today, he proves me right.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. John Murtha today said he saw signs of military progress during a brief trip to Iraq last week, but he warned that Iraqis need to play a larger role in providing their own security and the Bush administration still must develop an exit strategy.

"I think the 'surge' is working," the Democrat said in a videoconference from his Johnstown office, describing the president's decision to commit more than 20,000 additional combat troops this year. But the Iraqis "have got to take care of themselves."

Violence has dropped significantly in recent months, but Mr. Murtha said he was most encouraged by changes in the once-volatile Anbar province, where locals have started working closely with U.S. forces to isolate insurgents linked to Al Qaeda.

The polls changed and so did the weather vane that is John Murtha. AllahPundit has video of Murtha denouncing other Democrats who came back from Iraq saying there was real progress. (The weather hadn't changed then, apparently.) No matter how he tries to qualify this, Murtha just did a complete 180. My guess is that he is seeing polling that he is very worried about. This corrupt piece of work would not reverse course so completely unless he was actually worried - to the point of being frantic - about something.

I said all along that it was a very bad bet the Democrats were making against America and American forces.

It’s The End Of The World As We Know It

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No. not the R.E.M. song. This is serious. The global warming true believers are now coming for Canadian beer drinkers:

The government-commissioned study says the old, inefficient "beer fridges" that one in three Canadian households use to store their Molson and Labatt's contribute significantly to global warming by guzzling gas- and coal-fired electricity.

"People need to understand the impact of their lifestyles," British environmental consultant Joanna Yarrow tells New Scientist magazine. "Clearly the environmental implications of having a frivolous luxury like a beer fridge are not hitting home. This research helps inform people — let's hope it has an effect."

The solution? Buy back programs:

University of Alberta researcher Denise Young, who led the study, suggests that provincial authorities hold beer-fridge buy-backs or round-ups to eliminate the threat — methods that Americans use to get guns off the streets.

I have a better idea. Offer to trade the beer fridge for a gun. Messing with a Canadian's beer is not a good idea. I lived near the Canadian border for many, many years and know a pretty fair number of Canadians. And they take their beer very, very seriously. These "studies" get more hysterical all the time. Gingerbread house collapse: global warming. Obese moose: global warming. Those are amusing. Messing with the beer - you'll get some attention alright. It just won't be the kind you expected.

Bin Laden Admits He Was Behind 9/11

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In what would be a blow to 9/11 "truthers" if they were not suffering from an advanced case of rectal-cranial impaction, Osama bin Laden released a tape today in which he announced he was responsible for the 9/11 attacks.

UPDATE by Rusty: What will the Truthers say now?Al Jazeera:

"It would be better for you if you [restrained] your politicians who flock to the White House and worked actively to end the wrong done to the oppressed," he said in an audio tape aired on Thursday.

"You [Europeans] become followers to America and that is why no US soldier has been put on trial before European courts," he said.

He continued: "I remind you that the American tide is receding … and that US troops will go home beyond the Atlantic to leave neighbours to settle their problems.

"Involved in this war, you did not abide by ethics of war as most of the war victims were women, children and civilians."

"I am responsible" for the attacks on New York and Washington on September 11, 2001," bin Laden continued.

"Bin Laden" uses the logic that he was behind 9/11, and not the Taliban, ergo the U.S. attack against Afghanistan was unjustified.

Again, it won't begin to penetrate to the easily led or confused - and the deliberately mendacious won't care, of course.

MORE Plants At CNN

As the level of absurdity mounts still higher in the aftermath of the CNN/YouTube debate, information is coming out that still more people asking questions were active supporters of Democrats.

Jim Vicevich alerts us to a few more Democratic plants at the CNN YouTube Republican candidates forum last night. Adam Florzak asked a question on Social Security. It turns out that Florzak quit his job with Caterpillar to work with Dick Durbin on Social Security reform. Then there was Mark Strauss, who pleaded with Ron Paul to run as an Independent. It turns out he's a Richardson supporter (more here). CNN must have known who Strauss is because he participated in the CNN/Youtube Democratic presidential debate this past July. It's all over now, baby blue.

There is still more over at Michelle Malkin's. We here at Blue Crab Boulevard asked our pals from Magic 8-Ball Photography and Fish Walking, Inc. to use their patented VeggieVision® filter system to find out who in the audience last night were actually Democratic plants. The results are shocking.

Worse yet: They were ALL Rick Ellensburg.

Teddy Bear Teacher Convicted

A court in Sudan has convicted a British teacher of "insulting religion" for naming her classroom teddy bear Mohammed. She has been sentenced to 15 days in prison and to be deported from the country.

A British teacher accused of insulting Muslims after her class called a teddy bear Mohammed was found guilty and jailed for 15 days, a defence lawyer said tonight.

Gillian Gibbons, 54, was ordered to be deported after she had completed her sentence.

"She was found guilty of insulting religion and the sentence is 15 days (in jail) and deportation," defence lawyer Ali Ajib said after the trial in a Khartoum courtroom, which lasted less than a day.

Robert Boulos, head of Unity high school where Gibbons worked, said: "We are happy with the verdict. It is fair. There were a lot of political pressures and attention."

The teddy bear had been named Mohammed in a vote by the class, apparently. The school secretary was the informer who lodged the complaint against Gibbons. The only thing fair about the entire situation is that she gets out of Sudan and doesn't get 40 lashes.

No word on whether the New York Times will be running a new pull out section on the wonders of tourism in Sudan.

Put Out An AGB* Right Away!

* A(lot) of Guinness Bulletin. Set up roadblocks! Call in the troops. This is serious. Someone stole the Guinness!

180 kegs of Guinness! Plus more.

The incident took place on Wednesday at the Guinness brewery on the banks of Dublin's River Liffey where Ireland's trademark tipple has been brewed for almost 250 years.

The lone raider's haul also contained 180 kegs of Budweiser and 90 barrels of Carlsberg lager, police said.

"A man drove into the yard in a truck and took a trailer containing the drink which has an estimated value of 64,000 euros (46.000 pounds)," a police spokesman said.

I wonder if this will make it into the record book? Most brew stolen from the brewery at once?

Senior Crimefighter

I just love stories like this. A 72-year old Long Island man fought off a 21-year old attacker who barged into the house demanding money. Sadly, the younger man was sent to rob the place by the nephew of the homeowner according to police. Both the would-be robber and the mastermind are in jail awaiting trial.

"I don't know how I got the power," said the victim, Reinaldo Herrera.

Herrera was working on his outdoor Christmas light display Tuesday afternoon when Santos Zelaya, 21, followed him into his suburban home on Long Island and confronted him with what turned out to be a pellet gun, police said. Herrera believed it was a real firearm.

Demanding cash and jewelry, Zelaya tore down Herrera's living room Christmas tree and Nativity scene, Detective Lt. Raymond Cote said.

"Jesus, Mary and the wise men all fell to the ground," Cote said.

Herrera was pushed to the ground, but he managed to fight back.

"I punched him many, many times, (and) he punched me," the 5-foot-6-inch-tall supermarket worker said. "He got afraid."

It is a good thing when these older people teach young thugs that age does not necessarily mean that one is helpless. Fortunately, we still have a right to defend ourselves in this country, unlike Britain. Over there, Herrera would probably be sitting in the jail cell.

Enriched Uranium Seized

481.4 grams of enriched uranium has been seized in a joint effort by Slovak and Hungarian police. Three men have been arrested so far. The material was in a powdered form and could have been used in a dirty bomb.

The traffickers wanted 1.6 million dollars for the 481.4 grammes of material, Kopcik said. It contained uranium-235, the type used in nuclear reactors and nuclear warheads, and the naturally occuring uranium-238.

"The radioactive uranium was even more dangerous because it was in powder form," Kopcik explained.

The arrests followed an international operation lasting several months.

Two suspects were detained on Wednesday on the Slovakian side of the border and one in Hungary, the police chief said. One was a 40-year old Ukrainian, another a 49-year-old Hungarian living in Ukraine and the third a 51-year-old Hungarian.

Police said the uranium had come from the former Soviet Union but did not give further details.

"Police were watching the sellers as well as the buyers," Kopcik said. He refused to give more information on the buyers however. The radioactive material was due to be sold for 3,500 dollars a gramme, he added, giving a total price of about 1.6 million dollars (one million euros).

The article does not reveal exactly how enriched the uranium was, but one can probably bet safely that it was not weapons grade. Still, it is bad news. There have been a flurry of these kinds of arrests in the past few months, which is not really a good sign. Obviously, someone is trying very hard to get their hands on some pretty nasty material. You can bet they are not planning to make paperweights with this stuff. One hopes the police have good information on the people who were trying to purchase this and are planning arrests.

Gardening With Hillary!

At the next CNN debate.

Midnight In The Garden Of Good And CNN

It would appear that CNN had more than just one partisan shill at the CNN/YouTube debate. They had a thriving colony of plants there.

Digging out more CNN/YouTube plants: Abortion questioner is declared Edwards supporter (and a slobbering Anderson Cooper fan); Log Cabin Republican questioner is declared Obama supporter; lead toy questioner is a prominent union activist for the Edwards-endorsing United Steelworkers.

***
The best thing about Republicans agreeing to do the CNN/YouTube debate is that it created yet another invaluable opportunity to expose CNN’s abject incompetence.

And you know what? The candidates, by and large, handled the planted questions quite well. So if the planted questions did any damage at all, politically, it was to the Democrats themselves. It shows a large degree of weakness at their core that they felt they had to try to hijack the debate. It is also safe to speculate that if the Republicans had done the same thing to the Democrats the howling, frothing rage would have set off seismic monitors.

I actually heard Mike Huckabee's answer of the Log Cabin Republican question posed by the plant life and I thought he nailed that one down hard.

DAVID CERCONE (POMPANO BEACH, FLORIDA): Hi. My name is David Cercone. I would like to ask all the candidates if they accept the support of the Log Cabin Republicans. And why should the Log Cabin Republicans support their candidacy? Thank you.

MR. COOPER: Governor Huckabee, would you support — would you get — would you allow support from the Log Cabin Republicans, a group of gay Republicans?

MR. HUCKABEE: You know, in my position in this entire election, I need the support of anybody and everybody I can get. (Laughter, applause.) So I'm happy –

MR. COOPER: Should they support you?

MR. HUCKABEE: Sure they should. I disagree with them — strongly disagree with them — on the idea of same-sex marriage. But in a democracy, we can have disagreements over some policies and still agree on the greater things that make us Republicans.

So would I accept their support? Of course. Would I change my position on same-sex marriage? No, I wouldn't. But if they're willing to support me — (applause) — I'll be their president. I'll be anybody's president, but I'll be true to my convictions. And I think that's what Americans look for — not someone they're going to agree with on everything, but somebody who at least has some convictions — (applause) — sticks with them, can explain them, and can at least have respect for people who have different ones. (Applause.)

Which is quite a lot better show of respect for divergent opinions than planting questions from operatives and activists in a debate, don't you think?

UPDATE: Goin' to the candidate's debate: Gardening with Hillary!

A Dictator Is A Dictator

Roger Cohen, writing at the New York Times, points out the similarity of Hugo Chavez to Spanish fascists. But in the end, a totalitarian dictator is a totalitarian dictator, regardless of what ideology he professes to be guided by.

It was a fascist general in 1930s Spain who coined the phrase “Viva la muerte!” or “Long live death!” Essentially meaningless, the words captured the cult of soil, blood and savagery that coursed through European Fascism, in its Francoist and other forms.

President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela hates fascists; they are central to his repertoire of insults. But he has not hesitated to deploy the imagery of death to bolster his leftist brand of petro-authoritarianism, now operating under the ludicrous banner of “Fatherland, Socialism or Death!”

The slogan looks almost quaint in its anachronism. Chávez would no doubt claim Cuban revolutionary, rather than Spanish fascist, roots for it (Fidel Castro also invoked fatherland and finality). The bottom line is this: Latin America’s oil-gilded caudillo is getting serious about ruling for life, just like Franco and Castro.

I might add Vladimir Putin to that list. Like the Russian leader, Chávez has already used gushing oil revenue, a pliant judiciary, subservient institutions and the galvanizing appeal of vitriolic anti-Americanism to concoct a 21st-century, gulag-free authoritarianism. But even Putin has not contemplated going as far as Chávez now intends to take his “Bolivarian revolution.”

Cohen also points out that - as is usual in the case of dictatorships - so-called progress is illusion, at best.

But more than spreading socialist ideals, Chávez has spread a form of crony capitalism, dedicated to his greater glory, that has imbued the economy with all the resilience of a house of cards.

Foreign investment has plunged, scared off by nationalizations. A huge disparity between the official and black-market exchange rates has encouraged get-rich-quick schemes for favored “Chávistas” while erecting endless barriers to trade. Price controls on staples have made eggs unavailable. This week, you can’t find chickens. Chávez’s socialism delivers subsidized gasoline and glittering malls but no milk.

Latin America has been here before, with the disastrous import-substitution and highly regulated models of the 1960s and ’70s. Most of the region has moved on, but not Chávez, who trumpets “growth from within,” whatever that is. The World Bank’s recently released “Doing Business 2008,” a ranking of the ease of conducting commerce, places Venezuela 172nd out of 178 countries.

If the referendum to change the constitution of Venezuela passes on Sunday, the people there will have voted in the end of their freedom and long-term economic failure.

Did Bill Clinton Hurt Hillary’s Campaign?

USA Today appears to believe that Bill Clinton's rewriting of history may have damaged Hillary Clinton's campaign. He informed an audience in Iowa that he had opposed the war in Iraq "from the beginning." The media and people on both the left and the right side of the political spectrum immediately called him on it.

WASHINGTON — It was a partial clause in a sentence uttered in Muscatine, Iowa. But Bill Clinton's assertion Monday that he'd opposed the Iraq war "from the beginning" triggered outbursts across the political spectrum.

From the left, the right and the media establishment, the judgment was the former president had committed a gaffe that could hurt his wife's presidential bid.

"Bill Clinton Rewrites History on Iraq?" wondered ABC News' Political Radar blog. "A political blunder of monumental proportions," Dan Spencer wrote at the conservative Redstate.com. At liberal DailyKos.com, the headline was "Bill Clinton's 'truthiness' problem."

Clinton's comment, reported by the Associated Press, came in a discussion of tax cuts for wealthy Americans during wartime. "Even though I approved of Afghanistan and opposed Iraq from the beginning, I still resent that I was not asked or given the opportunity to support those soldiers," he said.

The Clintons have a rather long history of twisting the truth to fit whatever agenda they have at the moment. Unfortunately, the internet makes that a little harder to pull off these days. Does it do some damage? I would bet it does, especially in Iowa where the loss of even a few votes could spell the difference between victory or defeat.