Like Ann Coulter needs more help promoting her latest book. NBC’s “Today” show cancelled her interview on Tuesday to devote more coverage to the Middle East crisis. That allowed Blonde Bomber to go and complain on Fox & Friends and the CBS Morning News, where this happened with Harry Smith:
If you were wondering why Smith seemed to take it personally with Coulter, he’s upset that the right winger criticized him for asking Sen. Ted Kennedy if Barack Obama is a target for assassination. You can read more here.
Anyway, as an extra bonus for Coulter, “Today” asked her back tomorrow (Wednesday). So she gets lots of pre-publicity heading into a show with higher ratings, where she can say more provocative stuff to stay in the spotlight.
His expertise is in the areas of budget and finance and administation – not spooks. So Barack Obama has surprised everyone by reportedly naming Leon Panetta to head the CIA.
But maybe it’s no surprise. In Panetta, Obama gets a guy who agrees with him on coerced interrogation of our enemies — they’re against it.
Said Panetta last year in Washington Monthly, “Those who support torture may believe that we can abuse captives in certain select circumstances and still be true to our values. But that is a false compromise. We either believe in the dignity of the individual, the rule of law, and the prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment, or we don’t. There is no middle ground. We cannot and we must not use torture under any circumstances. We are better than that.”
Now to my knowledge, we haven’t “tortured” anybody, unless you count waterboarding. The CIA says we did that three times with top al Qaida dirtbags, and in doing so, foiled plots and saved innocent American lives.
Panetta, the former California congressman and Clinton bureaucrat, has zero experience in intelligence. Supporters say his “outsider” status is a plus. But I doubt they checked with anyone inside our spy “community.”
Panetta did serve on the Iraq Study Group, a bipartisan panel that opposed a troop surge — like Obama – and instead issued recommendations that were mostly political. President Bush surged anyway, and turned the war around in Iraq, dealing heavy losses to al Qaida.
There’s not been an attack on U.S. soil since 9-11. Will the Obama team keep that streak alive?
Well, these anchors anyway. This duo from Chicago should go on Dancing With The Stars. That’s Robert Jordan and Jackie Bange (I think). Apparantly they’ve been an anchor team on the weekends at WGN for about ten years, and they’ve perfected these moves over that time. Shouldn’t they be practicing how to say Blagojevich or something?
If we’re not chatting or joking amongst each other out there on the set, I’m usually pre-reading scripts for the next block, typing some revisions on the computer, writing promos for the next newscast, or checking my blog here.
But maybe I need to lighten up during breaks. Since the dancing’s been done, Sherri probably wouldn’t want to copy any of those moves. Maybe we could play some paper football on the desk or something.
As we football fans feast on all the New Years bowl games, this article in The New York Times is like moldy leftover turkey — a stomach-turning reminder of the win-at-any-cost tactics of some programs.
Sex, drugs, booze, and stretch hummers. All part of the process of recruiting top players, according to the piece.
Problem #1 — the reporter quoted — without checking its truthfulness – from a prize high school prospect’s English class assignment that he wrote about his recruitment by top college teams.
Problem #2 — the player says he “spiced up” some parts of his paper.
Still, the player, Jamarkus McFarland, a defensive lineman from Lufkin, Texas, stands by most of his story. But Texas coach Mack Brown says the reporter seems to have an ax to grind. Brown also says the reporter never contacted him for comment about the supposed wild party, or anything else.
So you have some lazy — possibly slanted – journalism by a freelancer. And you have a kid wanting to tell a big story.
Whether you’re in the news media like me, or you like college football, the tale makes you want to hit the showers.
I hope this young man pulls through. I hope he gets help for the despair he feels. But mostly, I hope Mychal Bell learns that he needs to obey our laws. That was somehow lost on him following the Jena 6 spectacle.
Family members told police that Bell shot himself because he was so upset about all the publicity over his Christmas Eve arrest for shoplifting in Monroe. Perhaps his inner guilt drove him to attempt suicide. In an interview last April for a story you can see here, the 18-year-old said, “I feel like if I were to do something now (to break the law) I let the whole country down.”
Remember, that was after the nationally televised demonstration by 20,000 mostly black marchers, including Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson. They all came to Jena, many giving money to a defense fund, and protesting what they said was the harsh prosecution of The Jena 6. There are some experts who say all that attention set Bell up for a big fall; that he couldn’t handle his elevation to hero status. I don’t know about that. I do know that his family or some other role model influence needed to stress to him the need to be a good citizen.
Once Bell recovers, he may be doing more jail time. Then, someday, there’ll be a third chance.
Mychal, don’t worry about “the whole country.” Don’t let yourself down again.
Updated 1.06.08 2:21 p.m. — The real circus began as Burris showed up at the U.S. Capitol to be sworn in, only to be kicked to the curb in the rain. I understand he’s a friend of Blago’s. But I’m amazed that Burris would set himself up for this embarrassment?
********************
Why would a man with — from everything I’ve heard and read — an honorable history of serving the people of Illinois, allow himself to be used by Blago? Blago is trying to show he can still be governor — despite the rolling of eyes of most people — by picking a replacement for Obama in the U.S. Senate. They’ve even worked race into the deal.
If this Roland Burris really wanted to succeed Obama, he can forget it now. He’s tainted now that he’s a tool of Blago. He should’ve waited to run in a special election, which is probably how Obama will be replaced.
Blago’s own state says it won’t go along with this or any appointment he tries to make. Senate Dem leader Reid says no one picked by Blago will be seated. Yet Blago continues this charade, as the Illinois legislature wades through the impeachment process, and the U.S. attorney presses his case.
No wonder much of America thinks the GOP is for ol’ hateful white guys. You have this idiotic parody of “Barack the Magic Negro” put out on a cd by a guy who wants to become chairman of the RNC. Are you kidding me?
Now there are some who might find the song amusing and a little funny. Fine. Whatever. That’s your right. But a guy who wants to head the RNC putting this out is doing big time damage to his party. This is not exactly minority outreach. It’s also a turnoff to anyone who wants the nation to unify, and leave racism behind. Which is most of the people of this country — many of whom are in the middle. You know, those people who decide elections.
Here’s a nice track from my Boney James Funky Christmas cd that I tortured my teenager with on the drive over to my parents’ house for the holiday. Boney’s one of my favorite artists, but my son’s not into the whole jazz saxaphone thing. But check it out. I hope you like it.
My mom’s cat will always scamper away from me in fear. That’s because I did a whole lot of yelling and jumping and high-fiving at my parents’ house as we rooted for our TCU Frogs’ comeback win over those tricky Boise State Broncos on my folks’ ol’ tv.
I wish I could’ve been in San Diego for the game. But (a) paying for a trip to the west coast while the wife and I are still paying off a kitchen remodel, after (b) urging spending restraint at Christmas because of said kitchen remodel, and (c) flying back on Christmas eve and hitting the door well past dark on the day my wife’s family celebrates the holiday– ooh, I don’t even want to think about how long I’d be eating Kibbles ‘n’ Bits over that.
I hope your team wins their bowl game. Go Tigers, Bulldogs, ‘Horns, Red Raiders, and yeah, even your Sooners, Claude. Oh, and isn’t it Chad who likes those USC Trojans? Did I leave anyone out?
That Barack Obama. He’s been workin’ out. A paparazzo just got some shirtless pics of him while on the beach back home in Hawaii. Click here for the story, plus a slideshow with other prezzes who probably should’ve covered up.
Wonder if Obama can keep up the 7-day-a-week exercise routine when he’s in the White House? I can’t even do it at my house. My big problem? My big screen tv. I used to work out more on my home gym in the room where we have a little tv. I watched games and stuff there on the weekends while I worked out. But now on the weekends, if there’s a good game on tv, my abs is on the recliner watching it in hd.
I also worked out more before I had this blog. Keeping up with Obama in the blogosphere wears me out. At least my fingers look ripped.
Still jump onto my home gym a few times a week on weekdays. Every weekday before work is my goal, but I usually fall short. So I don’t have those Barack-hard abs.
Like Ann Coulter needs more help promoting her latest book. NBC’s “Today” show cancelled her interview on Tuesday to devote more coverage to the Middle East crisis. That allowed Blonde Bomber to go and complain on Fox & Friends and the CBS Morning News, where this happened with Harry Smith:
