Afternoon News Dump

Obama to brave lawmakers' ire on Afghanistan

US President Barack Obama will confront a building political storm over Afghanistan on Tuesday, as he talks through his dilemma over future war strategy with leading figures in Congress.

Obama is under intense pressure to offer lawmakers of both parties more detail on his evolving internal review of Afghanistan policy, as debate heats up on the unpopular war following a spike in US troop deaths.

Jokes, apologies from David Letterman on his show

Letterman arrived on stage Monday to applause and cheers from his studio audience. After drinking it in, he grinned sheepishly and inquired, with a mock stammer, "Did your, did your weekend just fly by?"

After pausing for the audience's sympathetic laughter, he went on: "I mean, I'll be honest with you folks—right now, I would give anything to be hiking on the Appalachian Trail."

Michelle Malkin: Protests against military recruiters at schools nationwide

The anti-military zealots have never relented. Tomorrow, a recruiter-bashing organization called “We Are Not Your Soldiers” is holding a national protest on the anniversary of the invasion of Afghanistan. Schoolchildren are being encouraged to distribute letters “to all high school teachers you know.” When protesting, they are also being instructed “to assure the media are present.” They’ve set up a Facebook page. And, unsurprisingly, the driving force behind “We Are Not Your Soldiers” is the anti-American Communist-founded World Can’t Wait.

The Hill: Pelosi says new tax is 'on the table'

A new value-added tax (VAT) is "on the table" to help the U.S. address its fiscal liabilities, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Monday night.

Pelosi, appearing on PBS's "The Charlie Rose Show" asserted that "it's fair to look at" the VAT as part of an overhaul of the nation's tax code.

The Daily Broadside - Monday Morning Edition

Guess who:

“I’m convinced that today the majority of Americans want what those first Americans wanted: A better life for themselves and their children; a minimum of government authority. Very simply, they want to be left alone in peace and safety to take care of the family by earning an honest dollar and putting away some savings. This may not sound too exciting, but there is something magnificent about it.”

(Washington Examiner article found via AllahPundit at HotAir, to whom we proudly link on our blogroll.)

China and Japan begin talks on building alliance

Not all priests heart Michael Moore's movie. From Fox News Channel:

P.S. Running Bear here. I thought you all would like to know that the Erin Andrews Peephole Bandit has been caught. Disgusting.

Breaking News Update.

Bomb at U.N. Food Office in Pakistan Kills at Least 5

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — A suicide bomber dressed in a military uniform struck the lobby of the United Nations World Food Program office in Islamabad on Monday, killing at least five staff members of the organization, according to police and United Nations officials.

Police: At least 6 dead in Iraq suicide blast

An Iraqi police official says at least six people are dead after a suicide bomber struck a funeral in western Iraq.


The official says the bomber detonated an explosive belt Monday inside a tent for mourners in the mostly Sunni area of Haditha, about 140 miles (220 kilometers) northwest of Baghdad. At least 15 people are injured.

Posted JCM

P.P.S. - If you see someone posting with "6p00e55005f9c78834" as the username? That's Realwest.

Daily Broadside - TGIF Edition

Well, good morning everyone. It's Friday, the sun is shining, the birds are sin... oh who am I kidding. It's gray, overcast, and raining here in the Pacific Northwet. Things are finally back to normal. Which is good because frankly I've had it up to here with that whole "sunny" thing.

So, I'm sure Sarah Palin is chuckling to herself this morning, if she were the kind of person who enjoyed the misfortunes of others, but I don't think she is so nevermind. But, I'm sure she is, however, feeling vindicated for the decision to keep her daughters away from David Letterman. Remember when his show used to be funny? No? Me neither.

However, in honor of Mr. Letterman's latest confessional, I present to you the C2 Top Ten List, The Top Ten List Letterman should have done:

10: "It wasn't my fault, they all had that slutty flight attendant look!"
9: "You'd screw around, too, if your wife looked like Bill Paxton!"
8: "If you work for me, you go up and down more times than a whores nightgown."
7: "Hey, I'm not Bill O'Reilly - I never used a Falafal on them!"
6: "I just wanted to make sure that Viagra Prescription was working, and it wasn't a placebo."
5: "I've committed adultery in my heart many times."
4: "The fundamentals of my love life are strong."
3: "Give a woman an inch, and she wants the other two."
2: "This was a huge sacrifice for me! As much of a sacrifice as a trip to Europe on the taxpayer's dime!"
1. "I was thinking about Obama the whole time!"

But no, instead he wimps out: Letterman addresses extortion attempt - although, the "check for two million dollars" that the guy from 48 Hours agreed to accept thing was kind of funny.

Anyway, here is some other news with which to start your day:

Reid: Final health bill will have a 'public option'

Democrats Quietly Craft 'Public Option' Compromise Behind Closed Doors

Obama appointee lauded NAMBLA figure

And with that, dear friends, let the Friday Morning Festivities commence!

UPDATE: After sacrificing so greatly, Michelle Obama will return home today, deeply saddened as Chicago was eliminated from contention in the first round of voting. Obama, meanwhile, was spotted wandering around aimlessly, seeking just a smidgen of success in his presidency.

UPDATE MKII: For the first time, the Olympic Games will be held in South America. Rio wins. Brazilians for everyone! On the house!

Daily Broadside - Thursday Morning Edition

Garrison Kiellor, in the Chicago Tribune, writes:

When an entire major party has excused itself from meaningful debate and a thoughtful U.S. senator like Orrin Hatch no longer finds it important to make sense and an up-and-comer like Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty attacks the president for giving a speech telling schoolchildren to work hard in school and get good grades, one starts to wonder if the country wouldn't be better off without them and if Republicans should be cut out of the health-care system entirely and simply provided with aspirin and hand sanitizer. Thirty-two percent of the population identifies with the GOP, and if we cut off health care to them, we could probably pay off the deficit in short order.

Absolutely, Garrison. But you'd better figure out how to pay for all those expensive government programs once you've killed us all off.

The Daily Broadside and Open Thread

The Old Secular Cross? High Court to Consider Issue of Church-State Separation

MOJAVE NATIONAL PRESERVE, Calif. -- It would be easy to miss among the yucca and Joshua trees of this vast place -- a small plywood box, set back from a gentle curve in a lonesome desert road. It looks like nothing so much as a miniature billboard without a message.

But inside the box is a 6 1/2 -foot white cross, built to honor the war dead of World War I. And because its perch on a prominent outcropping of rock is on federal land, it has been judged to be an unconstitutional display of government favoritism of one religion over another.

But wait... what's this?

That looks like on of our esteemed congressman from North Carolina (Walter Jones) visiting a FEDERAL cemetary, where many of our military heroes of the past and present are buried. This isn't an attack on Jones, for the record. I just noticed the image on his federal government website. Which raises another question:

WHAT THE HELL IS THAT CROSS DOING THERE? QUICK! SOMEONE GET THE ACLU ON THE PHONE!!!!! MY RIGHTS ARE BEING TRAMPLED!!!!!!!!

We gotta stop the scourge of religious oppression that is occuring at Arlington National Cemetary, for if we don't, we will all be subject to a restrictive THEOCRACY! OH NOOOOOOOOOEEESSSS!!!!!!

Ahem. Anyway. Good morning, everyone. I hate hippies. That is all.

The Daily Broadside

It's Tuesday. It's morning. It's open. It's a thread. You know what that means? It's a Tuesday Morning Open Thread.

If you guessed correctly, tell yourself how awesome you are. Kind of like Obama does:

Newsweek: The Limits of Charisma - Mr. President, please stay off TV.

The president's problem isn't that he is too visible; it's the lack of content in what he says when he keeps showing up on the tube. Obama can seem a mite too impressed with his own aura, as if his presence on the stage is the Answer. There is, at times, a self-referential (even self-reverential) tone in his big speeches. They are heavily salted with the words "I" and "my." (He used the former 11 times in the first few paragraphs of his address to the U.N. last week.) Obama is a historic figure, but that is the beginning, not the end, of the story.

The Official Heavily Caffeinated Monday Morning Open Thread

Good morning, C2ers! It's a brand new week, I've boiled some coffee on a spoon with my lighter and injected it straight into my vein, so let's hit the ground running.

FOX-TV CHICAGO ORDERED NOT TO RUN ANTI-OLYMPICS STORY

A local TV station that reported on Chicagoans NOT wanting the Olympics has been told NOT to run the report again, insiders tell the DRUDGE REPORT! The Chicago Olympic Committee told FOX Chicago that its broadcast "would harm Chicago's chances" to be awarded the games. The station's news director ordered staff to hold fire after the report aired once last Thursday morning, claims a source.

More on the media from Newsbusters:

NYT Tries to Deflect Charges of Bias, Announces 'Opinion Media' Editor

The self-proclaimed 'paper of record' was extremely slow in picking up on two recent stories. The first, the 'trutherism' of former White House Green Jobs Czar Van Jones, was initially reported by Pajamas Media, and later by Glenn Beck on his Fox News talk show. The Times did not cover the story until after Jones had resigned.

Later, the Times neglected to report on the undercover sting operation that exposed ACORN for offering assistance in a bogus child prostitution ring. The Times reported on Congress's votes to de-fund ACORN, but neglected to mention the sting operation that inspired the votes.

And from the New York Post:

The dead end kids: Young, unemployed and facing tough future

The unemployment rate for young Americans has exploded to 52.2 percent -- a post-World War II high, according to the Labor Dept. -- meaning millions of Americans are staring at the likelihood that their lifetime earning potential will be diminished and, combined with the predicted slow economic recovery, their transition into productive members of society could be put on hold for an extended period of time.

Of course, even if they find gainful employment, I don't think that will make much difference - they still won't be productive members of society. HEY YOU KIDS! GET OFFA MY LAWN!!!!!

But anyway... I hope you all are having a pleasant Monday morning. As always, this is an open thread, so enjoy!

The Daily Broadside - Saturday Edition

Good morning! We have been burning the candle at both ends trying to get things in place in the new digs, so please help yourselves to the news this morning and remember, please, to respect our posting policy.

When he finally wakes from his code-induced slumber, Bare may be updating to share his own special take on the news. Until then, enjoy the company of our fine staff, and hang with us while you sip your morning coffee. (Welcome new C2ers!)

----------------------------------------

While you wait for the doors to open I've brought a thermal pot of coffee and some cups.

And some reading material, material that will impact you life.

The "Bacus Bill" as it stands, amends are being voted on.

• Chairman’s Mark America’s Healthy Future Act of 2009
• September 22, 2009 CBO Analysis of Baucus proposal.
• September 22, 2009 Letter to Senator Grassley (R-IA)
• September 24, 2009 Scoring Implications of Modifications to the Chairman’s Mark.
• Flow Chart on how to keep your current plan.
• All the President’s Mandates Compulsory Health Insurance Is a Government Takeover

JCM's Top Ten Reason to Oppose Health Care Reform.

And why we don't need no stinkin' plan when we say no.

And a shameless blog pimp.

Posted by JCM

UPDATE:

Doubling Down on a Flawed Insurance Model

Obama's plan takes the problems of the current system—mandates, runaway spending and more—and makes them worse.

Open morning news thread, part two.

Fill 'er up.

The Daily Broadside - Open News Thread

Good morning, C2ers! This morning, we're very happy to announce an addition to our team of contributors, the very sharp, very well-informed JCM. He'll be helping us keep you up to speed on the day's news, and offering his own take on it as he's so inspired. Please give him a round of applause.

Running Bare may be along to give you his perspective on this morning's headlines if he's not up to his lips in code - we'll see. In any case, please feel free to hash it all out on this thread. How about that suddenly sue-happy ACORN? How about those eleven nations whose representatives walked out on Ahmadinejad's speech at the U.N.? Talk it all out and offer your scoops over a piping hot cup of joe.

Tuesday... afternoon... or morning...

Whatever. Good whatever-time-it-is-where-you-are!


Guess what is in the news this morning? Obama, Obama II, The Obama Strikes Back, Return of Obama, Son of Obama, Revenge of Obama, Return of the Son of the Revenge of Obama. Oh, and Obama.


So, apparently the liberals in the administration have this belief that Americans are children. Gee, project much? And hey, what morning would be complete without pointing out something stupid said by our good friend Rabbit Bait, huh?


Anyway, I'm sure you all have better things to do with your time, than to sit there and read my pathetic ramblings, so as always, this is an open thread.


Now, if you'll excuse me. I have to shave my dog's butt and teach it to walk backwards. Or work on the new website. One of the two.



UPDATE (C2): Please, help me with this. We've all heard about this interview by now, but if you haven't seen it, please watch. Obama (at :45) calls current healthcare premiums "effectively, a tax increase" (is it me?), but famously now goes on to challenge the dictionary definition of "tax", as presented by Stephanopoulos and accuses him of "stretching". This is unbelievable.

Mr. President, I hear the Ford dealer down the street is hiring.

Update (RB)... "uh... uh... it uh... uh... uh..." - Obama

The Daily Broadside: Open Thread

We're a little busy with the new site at the moment, so please feel free to link up the latest news in the thread below and take it to any news stories you want to kick around.

To get you started though, here are a couple of things to mull over:

Media Matters: Hot Air “smeared” Van Jones by calling him a Truther

ACORN story fells the big oaks of mainstream media

You would be forgiven for having missed it, however, because it’s got almost no play in the mainstream media. It wasn’t the “New York Times”, CNN or NBC who broke the story. Rather, it was two twenty-something independents with a few thousand dollars, a bit of time and a lot of guts.