Full Disclosure

Jim Geraghty knows who has been keeping secrets.

Comments

[Topsecretk9]

Please see LUN

One of her first acts was pushing ethics bills that advocated greater access to politicians’ financial disclosure reports and restricted gifts from lobbyists to public officials . . .

and comment #2

Looking at Sarah Palin's financial disclosures as both a voter and as a Certified Financial Planner, I was impressed. The first thing that impressed me was the openness of the disclosure - it put actual amounts and not just value ranges like those in Congress. Furthermore, she got as detailed as putting in a girl's basketball carpooling arrangement with someone registered as a lobbyist. Try getting someone within the beltway to be as open or as specific.

With regard to her and her husband's investments, I was impressed that Todd participated in both the 401(k) with BP and had a SAR-SEP IRA for his fishing work. Todd is showing great responsibility in planning and saving for his retirement. Given that Todd has a SAR-SEP it indicates he has been saving for his retirement for a long time. Why? The reason is that no new SAR-SEP's could be opened after 1996 and this account had to have been established in 1996 or before. In terms of his investments, he uses a mix of mutual funds, exchange traded funds, and very little stock and holds a diversified portfolio. He'd doing things right and has shown more financial responsibility than the majority of Americans.

[bgates]

Say for a moment Obama wanted to lose. What would he be doing differently?

[kim]

Obama's secrecy about his past will be an effective campaign maneuver given that the public is aware of bias in media and aware of the extreme examination of Palin. This will have two salutory effects; one will be the emphasizing that much of Obama's past is hidden behind the curtain, and the second is that it might provoke revelations from people in the know. I'd like to hear what the woman who Obama 'pushed away' in his Columbia years has to say about those times. Nobody needs salacious personal details, but given that he is so secretive about the time, there are things she could say which might be mind boggling.
=============================================

[sbw]

On my seldom updated blog - "Welcome to the Matrix":

I regularly visit the JustOneMinute blog. It is not now an easy entry into current events, because that community of people who seek to understand issues has become a battleground invaded by trolls and sock-puppets who use today's technological and rhetorical weapons in what I hope will be a vain attempt to steal power.

Welcome to "The Matrix".

"The Matrix" really asked "What is real?" In the film, the bad guys manufactured an imaginary world that appeared real to real people. And real people had to fight back disadvantaged because they were obliged to fight within that imaginary world.

Now why should you buy into such malarky? Because David Axelrod, who calls many Obama campaign shots, put you in the Matrix. ...

To play matrix-like games is to misunderstand what is at stake.

[DrJ]

CACklers,

I'll post this here too, since it is the current thread.

Steve Diamond and I have exchanged a few email messages about his globallabor site being inaccessible. He has closed the blog for the moment because of the Human Events story, which "is completely ridiculous and makes up things I did not say."

He has also closed his law school email address, and requests any university-related business sent to him by mail to the School of Law.

As was mentioned before, he is looking for a retraction. Though his words were few, he sounded very angry. It is not at all clear whether he will reopen the blog or not.

This is a terrible shame.

[hrtshpdbox]

"I'd like to hear what the woman who Obama 'pushed away' in his Columbia years has to say about those times."

Has she been identified yet? Considering how paranoid Obama seems to be about his Columbia years, yet how brazen he is about oppo research in Alaska, wouldn't it be fitting for someone to be researching everyone in the '82/'83 yearbooks for leads? I mean, someone must be doing that...right?

[J Verner]

The per diem stuff is sheer desperation. They sent all those lawyers and Ivy League Journalists up to Wasilla, and this is all they got? And I'd like to see THEIR per diems and expense accounts!

Meanwhile, the McCain campaign will be able to show how she reduced the gov's yearly expenses from half a mil down to 100,000.

And look at the money that Obama's campaign has wasted. 17,000 doesn't pay for Michelle's hair and make-up. It's chump change to them.

And then we'll have an excuse to compare Sarah to Biden...and I don't think Obama wants to go there.

If you think about it, they have painted themselves into a corner. What are they going to attack her over now? The press have totally discredited themselves--as the Ras poll shows. If they go after her unfairly--as they most certainly have--it only hurts him.

You can see it in BO's eyes. If the polls we see look bad, imagine what his internals look like.

[clarice]

Does that mean that links to Global Labor's old blog pages are inoperable?

[kim]

Speaking of his eyes, I saw a revelatory picture of Obama and Clinton yesterday. Obama had a dominated dog look about his eyes. And all he got from Clinton was words about future help, when the important stuff Bill is doing now with his global initiative is over later this month. I'm sure they schmoozed, but I think Obama got stonewalled yesterday.
==================================

[DrJ]

Clarice, yes the site pages are inaccessible, as far as I can tell. You can still get them from an RSS link Gabriel provided in a previous thread.

My guess is that he shut down the site so that no links would lead back to him. He did not say that, but that's my guess.

[J Verner]

DrJ I can understand why Steve Diamond is upset. They had no right to quote him without his permission. And I do, despite the jokes I crack about commies,know the difference between authoritarians like Ayers et al., who are nothing more than power hungry sadists who have never met a totalitarian they didn't love, and the left that Dr. Diamond represents. I can have respectful disagreements with any honest person. And some of the most important thinkers and writers in my own intellectual development have been men and women of the left.

I think that it is only fair that H E (a publication that I rarely read myself) should give Steve Diamond a retraction, and an opprotunity to explain his own position, and reasons in pursuing the truth about CAC, Obama and Ayers.

[DrJ]

JV, I agree fully. I had never heard about H E before today; this was not a good introduction. We'll see what they do.

I have found it interesting that the two parties most involved with the CAC are from the right (Kurtz) and left (Diamond). And that the motivation is largely similar, and the inquiry honest.

[clarice]

Well, it's problemmatic for those who cited to those pages I suppose. Though much of the most important stuff he wrote can be found on JOM or elsewhere. Dr J's and JMH's work now becomes particularly important and needs to be published.

[bgates]

[email protected] should really get a word from every person who reads this blog.

[baked alaska]

Palin earmarks for one year:

http://stevens.senate.gov/earmarks/Approps-StateofAlaska.pdf

[kim]

hrtshpdbox, yes, I'll bet it's being looked at, and given Obama's desire to hide this, it will be a rewarding search. Actually, I think Ayers, Wright, and Rezko are the tip of the iceberg and that the Republicans will be able to roll out one unsavoury acquaintance after another in the last weeks of the campaign. Talk about unvetted. It will really hammer in the point that the media is in the tank, and will swing a lot of undecided voters in the Congressional campaigns. Americans root for the underdog, particularly when the fight is perceived as unfair.

This is a big whammy right on course to demolish Obama and the Dems.
=================================

[kim]

That unvetted business is what has the Clintons so volcanic. No doubt they know some of this stuff, but hesitated to use it until it was too late. Scary only came on strong near the end, remember.
====================================

[kim]

Maybe that's what Rangel is all about. He'd know some of the Big Apple's secrets, that no one else might know.
=================================

[DebinNC]

Obama had a dominated dog look about his eyes. And all he got from Clinton was words about future help,

I agree, and McCain gave him a much needed lesson in Ground Zero etiquette

[kim]

It's a little like 'take your best shot at Palin' and then watch the countershot. The Repubs are going to have free license to get dirty after this Palin witch hunt. Isotoner Man indeed.
=======================================

[J Verner]

Exactly Dr J. We are talking about a man who is seeking the Presidency, whose most important professional and political mentors and allies come from the branch of the left that is the equivilant of the KKK or Neo-Nazis on the right. The trouble is, the Repubs treat those types like the scum they are, and as soon as they are found out, cut and shun them.

I have no idea why people like Ayers, Wright et. al. are allowed a seat at the democrat's table--but they are. And they pose a clear danger to anyone with an honest progressive agenda.

Obama is blatantly strong arming people like Kurtz to bury his connections to people like Ayers. And the media is helping him.

Considering how populist, messiah-like figures with a hidden agenda have impacted the history of the last one hundred years--we all better be making sure he comes clean about it. Though at this point, he has told so many lies, I don't think I'd ever be able to believe anything he said.

[Juan Carlos]

Latest Gibson excerpts...

LUN

[ben]

"MANCHESTER, NH — The McCain-Palin campaign today announced that New Hampshire State Representative Doreen Howard, a Democratic legislator from Newmarket, has endorsed John McCain for president. Representative Howard previously supported Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s candidacy.

“As a lifelong Democrat who enthusiastically backed Hillary Clinton in the primaries, I am now supporting John McCain. Like Senator Clinton, McCain values the importance of public service. Both Clinton and McCain put country first and that’s critically important,” said Howard. “John McCain and Sarah Palin are mavericks who have proven they can deliver real reform. As our nation faces challenges at home and abroad, Americans will benefit from their experience, judgment and strong leadership.”

Elected in 2006, Representative Howard is a member of the State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs Committee. She represents Newmarket and Newfields.

Representative Howard supported John Kerry in 2004 and Al Gore in 2000"

[DrJ]

Clarice,

Dr J's and JMH's work now becomes particularly important and needs to be published.

That would be JMH, bad and Rick. I am mainly doing IT sorts of support (web site hosting, document conversions and the like). Simply, I am not a competent accountant.

[Topsecretk9]

LUN

Biden's tax returns - a giving man of the people.

[DrJ]

JV,

Again, I agree fully. To what you have mentioned, add doses of Chicago machine politics, a cone of silence around any pertinent information and lying that rivals Clinton, and you have someone who potentially is very dangerous.

[Enlightened]

Yep, AP is going full steam ahead with the lies and half truths and innuendos - and along comes baked alaska - This is article is hilarious.http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/09/12/politics/p114938D08.DTL&tsp=1

I think some people are getting pretty frikkin scared that Palin in going on Fox News - the most watched channel - and Hannity is going to destroy the lies and bullcarp.

Sit back, relax, have brew and wear a raincoat - the shite storm of lies has been launched and is in full tilt boogie.

[Enlightened]

Ace is posting that there is a big rumor going around that Biden is getting Eagletoned. Hillary to the rescue. I so want that to happen.

[sbw]

An Obama-Hillary ticket might be less a loser than Obama-Biden, but a loser nonetheless.

[sbw]

Hillary is smarter than to take second fiddle to the Big O.

[ben]

Would Hillary board a sinking ship?

[clarice]

If Biden gets deep sixed, Seblius is more likely to take his place..But I don't think any of that's going to happen.

[Enlightened]

Well, my guess is Palin totally check mated the Dems. They are paralyzed with fear and insane rage. So to recapture some of the "cool presidential mojo" - they need to something totally unexpected - ie: bring back Hillary.

I want them to. I want them to sink so low with desperation that they perform a really futile act. So Animal House-y. But yet so liberal.

[matt]

maybe someone should re-write Al Franken's book to expose the real liars.

As to a new running mate for the one, I think he should recruit Michael Jackson.....

[matt]

besides, dumping Biden would only reinforce the image that Obama's judgement is seriously deficient. A real career killer that one...

[Enlightened]

Intrade odds that Biden is out - way up (Insty)

AoS hearing PUMA rumors

Some gal on RCP promoting Hill.

Biden foot-in-mouth disease

Either they are playing around and want us to believe it, or they are gonna do something. If they DON"T pick Hillary - the Dems are finished - two back-to-back snubs of Hill will end it for The One.

[clarice]

Gallup explains that factoring in for likely voters, McCain leads Obama 54-44%.

Based on assumptions about actual turnout, we use the scores to select the pool of voters that we think best represents a realistic pool of likely voters come Election Day. In the Sept. 5-7 poll, this group of likely voters went 54% for McCain, 44% for Obama.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/110287/What-difference-between-registered-voters-likely-voters.aspx>No wonder they're going nuts

[Uncle BigBad]

DrJ

I just accessed Global Labor. Diamond must have changed his mind. He posted a letter he sent to John Bachelor about misquoting him.

I'm surprised at Bachelor. He is one of my favorite commentators.

[Barney Frank]

Steve Diamond has a new response sent to Jed Babbin at Human Events.

Prof Diamond is of course correct in asking that any misleading or out of context quotes be removed from Batchelor's article. Some of what Diamond says seems a little contradictory. His post to Babbin only mentions made up quotes whereas his first post does admit to saying some of what Batchelor quoted, but noting it was a joke. Batchelor only seems to have quoted him twice so it is unclear what the facts are.

However reading his earlier post about the "troglodytes" of the right wing and denigrating Bob Novak's intellectual capacity as he battles brain cancer are over the top. Nor does anything Batchelor said justify, IMO, him taking down his site. He is free to of course but it seems a little like picking up his jacks and going home.

[Danube of Thought]

Canada Free Press is reporting about a Biden withdrawal on the basis of some imminent medical emergency. They cite a "source" who has insider Dem "sources," and they also advert to Biden's "Hillary would be better than me" and Obama's meeting with Bubba.

I imagine The One said something along the lines of, "Bubba, if I put her on the ticket do you promise to stay away and be quiet?" (Feel free to provide imaginary responses from Bubba.)

Of course, if you follow the New York Times logic, such a move would instantly "raise questions" about the "vetting process." And then, of course, we'd want to get a good look at that list of donors to the Clinton Libary, and...and...

[J Verner]

If Biden gets deep sixed, Seblius is more likely to take his place..But I don't think any of that's going to happen.

I think Biden stays for better or worse--even though it doesn't even look like he's helping out in Pa.! If he kicks Biden out, or if Biden leaves for some sketchy "health" reason, the public will see it as an absolute example of pathetic wishy-washy judgement, deep hypocricy and cynicism.

And hillary comes to the rescue! Making not only an empty suit--but a ghost presidency. The Clintons would call ALL the shots. He's a loser either way.

Sebelius (sp?) is no more "experienced" than Palin, and as far as I know has less than Palin to point to in way of accomplishment. So we end up with two relative "light-weights" on the ticket. Losers again.

His best bet is to lose gracefully, without the American people having a bad taste in their mouths over a negative campaign, go to the senate, write another memoire, work with John McCain to establish a record of "Change" and try again in four years. He's still young, and has decades to run again.

[Rick Ballard]

The game would still be Patriots v Copperheads (or PTA Moms, Booster Dads v Communisty Organizers)

The target dem remains blue collars and 35+ F, RW would help a little with the women but I'm pretty sure that ship has sailed - and it's flying Palin's flag.

[DrJ]

UBB,

Thanks for the update. globallabor worked for me too; his letter is very good in my opinion. Diamond seems to be a man who values accuracy and truth. We sure can use more of that in this campaign season.

Steve, if you are reading this, welcome back!

[Barney Frank]

Canada Free Press is reporting about a Biden withdrawal on the basis of some imminent medical emergency.

Barry seems absolutely determined to relive every moment of George McGovern's excellent adventure right down the same rathole.

[clarice]

Thanks, Barney, I think when Steve wrote that intemperate and silly post about neo cons and Novak he was wrong, but I do think that Batchelor went further than Steve ever did in characterizing the acts of Rollings et al. and I hope Human Event sstraightens this out.

I do not want Steve's credibility in question.

[Enlightened]

I pray for Sebelius to replace Biden. Oh please, please, please.

Game, set, match - McCain/Palin.

The Hillary supports would desert The One's ticket post haste.

Now that's some good politickin'.

Rumors Palin does not do well in third Gibson installment. Or rather - ABC in a hissy fit over Gibson snubs edited the third installment even more egregiously than the previously. Sounds about right.

[Rick Ballard]

Barney,

Do you think that Captain Zero will explain that he had no idea how stupid Slojo is until he spent some time with him? It's a fun rumor but Obama has a few too many holes in the judgement department already. I'm betting that Slojo stays glued to the back of that unicorn right to the finish line.

[Ranger]

The problem with dropping Biden is that there is no way to do it that I think sells. If Barry fires Biden, then he is admitting he blew it the first time around. If Biden drops out on his own, then it looks like rats deserting a sinking ship. And, if they pull the bad health gambit, then it just looks like a "typical political" smoke screen.

It is kind of like when the Torch dropped out after the deadline to keep the Senate seat in NJ. Pyrric victory, because yes, they kept the seat in NJ, but they just showed everyone else in the country that rules didn't matter to Democrats and they lost every other competitive Senate race that year. Changing VPs at this point might bring the PUMAs back, but it will turn off every independant voter still undecided.

[Steve Diamond]

Thank you for the continued interest and support of my work in this area. I did close down the site for a short period to reconsider whether it was reasonable to continue the discussion in light of the Batchelor episode and concluded that it would be best to explain my view of what happened.

As I explained on the site today, Batchelor approached me recently about a story he was planning for Human Events, a conservative magazine.

I declined the interview in writing.

While I have made tongue in cheek comments about "plumbers" I have no evidence of the existence of such an entity in the Obama campaign and explained that to Human Events editor Jed Babbin today. He wanted to know if the ACLU had pressured me into changing my mind. LOL.

They invited me to respond and I have posted the response I sent them on Global Labor.

Since this is one site where I have been able to be part of civil and straightforward debate about these issues, I would be happy to answer any questions anyone here might have about the substantive issues.

[bgates]

He's still young, and has decades to run again.
Man, you are harshing my buzz.

Oh well, McCain looks set to win running away, and it's not like there are going to be tens of millions of new Democratic voters by the next election.

[Extraneus]

Why would Hillary join the ticket now? I don't see any upside for her.

[Barney Frank]

clarice,

Diamond's calling somebody a stupid troglodyte inappropriately doesn't cloud his credibility on a topic of facts. At least it shouldn't.

And there is no doubt Batchelor was out of bounds with his attributions, but the whole tired, condescending 'right wingers are stupid cave dwellers' schtick is one I no longer have any tolerance for.

[Enlightened]

Hey guys - something is wrong. Where are Josh Marshalls sock puppets? Whats with the peanut brain gallery being so quiet?

[clarice]

Good, Steve. We are supportive of your work and I have written HE in support of your position. BTW I AM a neocon and do think that slam was uncalled for. Neocons have no position on education--we are what used to be considered Dems who believe in potent foreign policy and defense positions..Period.
And though I am no big fan of Novak, he has nothing to do with the issue..in fact he has brain cancer as you may have forgotten.

[M. Simon]

Steve,

Love your posts at No Quarter as well.

[Rick Ballard]

Prof. Diamond,

I'm very glad you're back.

You have mentioned the "Chicago School Wars" several times in your writings. Is it your opinion that Ayers' final objective was the replacement of Daley?

Secondly, do you have any insights as to the origin of the invitation to Obama to serve on the CAC board and/or knowledge as to who promoted his candidacy for the position of President of the Board of Directors?

[Barney Frank]

Rick,

I'm betting that Slojo stays glued to the back of that unicorn right to the finish line.

I can't see RW clamoring to climb aboard a sinking ship, especially when it's in her interest to toss Barry an anchor not a life preserver.

[Jim]

Whats with the peanut brain gallery being so quiet?

They're morosely depressed, hitting the bottle at the moment. When you publicly express hatred for someone who is obviously decent and good, you are quickly overcome by waves of self-loathing.

[M. Simon]

MP 277 OB 261.

WA is in striking distance.

It looks like Spengler was right. A landslide.

[Punt a Can a yacht Club]

Palin is going to cut foreign aid down to zero and that is what Obama does and why he picked Biden. The 'loans' are not loans but entitlement grants and add up to 80 billion since 1996. They are forgiven every year. All the loans would be enough to write off everyone's mortgages and pay the foreigners who bought the loans.

Biden's Treasury Accounts:

JUBILEE ACT FOR RESPONSIBLE LENDING AND EXPANDED DEBT CANCELLATION OF 2008

TO AUTHORIZE UNITED STATES PARTICIPATION IN, AND APPROPRIATIONS FOR THE UNITED STATES CONTRIBUTION TO, THE ELEVENTH REPLENISHMENT OF THE RESOURCES OF THE AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT FUND

SOCIAL INVESTMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FOR THE AMERICAS ACT OF 2007

Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and for other purposes

This isn't the 100s of billions in foreign aid we pay out in new five year 'emergency sustainable budgets.'

[Danube of Thought]

I don't see the upside for Hillary either. I should think she'd be content to watch the train wreck, and then be nominated by acclimation four years from now.

[PeterUK]

"Nobody needs salacious personal details, but given that he is so secretive about the time, there are things she could say which might be mind boggling."

Yes we do!

[J Verner]

Neocons have no position on education--we are what used to be considered Dems who believe in potent foreign policy and defense positions..Period.

Right on sister! I don't apoligise for believing that the people of Iraq are much better off without Saddam. Turning totalitarian shitholes into constitutional democracies is a good thing. And know who agrees with me? The secular left in Iraq!

Solidarity!

[PeterUK]

"You can see it in BO's eyes. If the polls we see look bad, imagine what his internals look like."

Please,I have got right off my pork pie.

[J Verner]

PUK, you are such a naughty, cheeky little monkey...

[Steve Diamond]

Regarding Novak, I am very sorry for what he is going through. I have had a close family member die from the same medical problem. However, Novak has a lifelong record that will remain and it is appropriate to assess that record. I doubt, frankly, that Novak would be bothered that someone who is a lifelong labor activist and leftist would be so critical of him.

On Ayers and Daley, certainly Ayers was not going to run for mayor but there are many indications, including self-referential ones, that Obama was thinking about the position. He was inspired by the first black mayor of Chicago, Harold Washington, and I think the Daley family viewed Obama as a threat.

Ayers quite likely was part of encouraging Obama in this direction and that may have what led to Ayers pushing Obama for the CAC board chair position. We do not have a smoking gun when it comes to that question but it is almost without doubt that Ayers had at least veto power over the chairmanship position given his lead role in securing the grant.

There are some records at UIC on the 1995 period so presumably whatever is in there will be discussed by Stanley Kurtz when his article is published.

[clarice]

Well, Steve, as an admirer of your work, I am simply suggesting that there's no percentage in attacking people who have nothing to do with the issue at hand. Of course that advice is free and you know what they say about the value of free advice...

[PeterUK]

"Canada Free Press is reporting about a Biden withdrawal on the basis of some imminent medical emergency."

He fell off his high heel red shoes.

[Porchlight]

I don't see how dumping Biden for Hillary helps Obama. Any claim to judgment goes right out the window. Clinton brings back some PUMAs but only further energizes the GOP base. And we get to watch Obama and Michelle squirm uncomfortably as she hogs their limelight. Not to mention endless revisitation of Clinton scandals.

I will laugh myself silly if it happens, though, after all the emails I got from lefty friends insisting that Palin was going to get "Eagletoned."

[clarice]

PUK, you are incorrigible.

[Barney Frank]

It's a fun rumor but Obama has a few too many holes in the judgement department already.

Rick (or anyone else),

Any opinion on Intrade and similar venues generating increased rumors along this 'Biden out/Hillary in' vein?
We know how shorts (and longs) are constantly conducting whisper campaigns on Wall St. Do betting lines have a similarly significant impact in political rumors yet?

[Lesley]

FWIW: Convention tidbits

I have been catching up with friends who attended the convention in St. Paul as delegates. One big story circulating among the delegates was that John McCain was insistent upon Lieberman as VP candidate practically until the bitter end. Delegations, especially from large states like Texas, told the McCain campaign that that choice would be totally unacceptable and promised an ugly floor fight.

MCain could not risk large numbers of delegates in open and vocal rebellion at the convention and the Republican Party in meltdown on national television, ergo, Palin.

I'm not all that excited about McCain...

[Enlightened]

Well Instapundit has an Intrade graf for Biden Withdraw - I can barely read it but it has spiked WAY up.

[Biff Dicman]

"I have been catching up with friends who attended the convention in St. Paul as delegates."

Friends? Were they those Code Pink freaks?

[Lesley]

Nope, not Code Pink. Republicans delegates.

[bgates]

Barney - Intrade started that contract on the 4th, which points out the big important difference with the financial markets - the prediction guys can literally create a market around some rumor, which is then news.

[Jerry L]

"Well Instapundit has an Intrade graf for Biden Withdraw - I can barely read it but it has spiked WAY up."

Yes, a "spike" from 4 to 7 is a large percent increase, but the odds of a withdrawl at 7 are still basically 0. Biden ain't going nowhere.

[PeterUK]

"Whats with the peanut brain gallery being so quiet?"

It's Friday they are out scoring some Class A for the weekend.

[Topsecretk9]

LUN to what Yacht person said"

Sponsor Sen. Joseph Biden [D, DE]

June 19, 2008

Mr. BIDEN (for himself and Mr. LUGAR) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

To authorize United States participation in, and appropriations for the United States contribution to, the eleventh replenishment of the resources of the African Development Fund.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT FUND.
The African Development Fund Act (22 U.S.C. 290g et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

‘SEC. 219. ELEVENTH REPLENISHMENT.
‘(a) The United States Governor of the Fund is authorized to contribute on behalf of the United States $468,165,000 to the eleventh replenishment of the resources of the Fund, subject to obtaining the necessary appropriations.
‘(b) In order to pay for the United States contribution provided for in subsection (a), there are authorized to be appropriated, without fiscal year limitation, $468,165,000 for payment by the Secretary of the Treasury.’.

[Extraneus]

Dick Morris (and Eileen McGann) had a piece today on the existential threat that Palin poses to the Democrat coalition. You can imagine true blue Democrat women who would be willing to sacrifice themselves to stop her, but it's hard to imagine Hillary being one of them.

WHY SHE REALLY SCARES THEM

[clarice]

What did I tell you about Rangel--That there was someone on the inside blabbing about his finances..It probably was his wife:
"Beleaguered Harlem Congressman Charles Rangel withdrew his divorce against his wife of 42 years on the same day he came clean on his Dominican Republic tax dodge, The Post has learned.Rangel, whom the House ethics committee is probing for misusing Congressional stationery and a sweetheart rent control deal, had originally blamed his wife, Alma, 77, a retired social worker, for the Caribbean casita tax accounting snafu. "

http://www.nypost.com/seven/09122008/news/regionalnews/charlie_rangel_stops_divorce_procedings__128811.htm>Heh, I told you so

Expect no more disclosures unless he strays again.

[Enlightened]

If McCain really wanted Lieberman than he should have picked him.

[boris]

McCain was insistent upon Lieberman as VP

Wouldn't want Lieberman as president but would favor the ticket if (1) it would win in a landslide and (2) work to put an end to the BDS PMS irresponsible uncivil hateful left wing carp once an for all.

Not much chance on either of those so I'm glad he had the good sense to pick Sarah and drive those barking moonbats completely over the falls.

[Rick Ballard]

Barney,

I've no clue as to the betting lines. I do know that they are susceptible to manipulation because of low volume and I don't know of any reason that Axelrod would not spend a few thousand to get a reaction to a rumor.

I believe that Obama was probably pleading for Clinton to release mid echelon operatives. The Axelrod/Obama campaign is actually very thin, aside from the ACORN/SEIU thug contingent which was extraordinarily helpful in caucuses but of low utility in areas where voters are dispersed. The communisty organizers require prog fief population density to make their thin carrot/thick stick bit effective. It simply does not scale to the burbs.

Obama is just cooked in the burbs and he's very weak under actual pressure. His performance in the race against Bobby Rush is ample demonstration of what happens when he is in a real contest. 31% is a pretty pathetic performance for anyone with some name recognition and Obama had that from is State Senate run.

[PeterUK]

The problem with Hillary taking over the VP slot is that voters will want to know she wasn't on offer from the beginning.If she wasn't good enough then,why is she good enough now.Why was such a duffer like Biden foisted on them?
The whole episode will seem like Second Hand Rose.

[Danube of Thought]

I'm not that excited about McCain either. But I'm positively delerious about keeping the Dems out of the White House for another four years. As Spike Lee would say, "by any means necessary."

[J Verner]

Prof. Diamond,

We all understand that feelings run high in such a highly charged political atmosphere. I've written some harsh things about Ted Kennedy, but I certainly am sorry that he is suffering, and wish him the best of health. I'm sure that Novak would understand.

I think you've demonstrated the quality of your character by the honesty of your work.

But there's something that I hope you understand. The simple terms "right" and "left" are not adequately descriptive of the range of thought that you will find in either camp--especially here at JOM.

I respect your efforts at labor organizing. Both of my husband's grandfathers, two of my uncles, and a brother-in-law were union members. For that matter, Sarah Palin's husband is a member of the steel workers.

The problem I have with many unions now, is that the leadership has in many cases become deeply radicalized, corrupt, out of touch with membership and a pawn of democrat party interests. If you want to work on that, I'm all for it. (My uncle, who at his retirement was in a high national position in a very large union would agree with me on those points.) I assure you, just because I can no longer in good conscience vote with the democrat party, doesn't mean that I want American workers to be abused and under paid. I remember where I come from.

But my solutions would likely be different from yours.

The key to any serious debate over how to solve the nation's problems is honesty, clarity and good faith. I hope you know that the left doesn't corner the market in those areas.

[Captain Hate]

I will laugh myself silly if it happens, though, after all the emails I got from lefty friends insisting that Palin was going to get "Eagletoned."

Yeah there are a few people (including some to whom I'm closely related) that would get a verbal high-colonic in that event.

[Try Hang Gliding]

Well, I see that in tonight's interview Palin says that Obama made a mistake by not picking Hillary.

I wonder how they're going to respond to that?

[Captain Hate]

"Beleaguered Harlem Congressman Charles Rangel withdrew his divorce against his wife of 42 years..., Alma, 77, a retired social worker, for the Caribbean casita tax accounting snafu."

42 years of that ungodly annoying voice?!? Unless she graduated from Gallaudet, the woman deserves a statue.

[boris]

From the Dick Morris, Eileen McGann post linked above:

She's not popular because she's a radical feminist or pro-choice advocate. It's because she understands what it's like to be a woman in 21st century America ... she rises above the slogans of both the left and the right and proposes to bring to Washington a dose of reality - a taste of real life.

She may become the first woman in national office - yet the Democrats, feminists and liberals can't control her, and that burns them up.

I'd add this ... The main problem with her (and African-Republicans too) is going against Republican = E N E M Y

That is an essential component for converting the whole social justice thing into political power. If basic fairness can be achieved with either party they have to compete on national defense and economic growth.

[Danube of Thought]

Ace's war room vid had me laughing out loud. Sent it to everyone I know.

[Extraneus]

Yeah, you called it, Clarice. Somebody close.

[PeterUK]

Could Biden's little problem be that he gets over refreshed?

[clarice]

Me, too, DoT.

[Simple Simon]

Watching Obama again with the lipstick he was mopping his brow before making the comment and seemingly giving the bird.

but as he said on letterman we also have a Miwestern expression "Payback is aBitch named the Pitbull Sarah Palin."

[Sue]

I'll let you guys on the west coast in on a little secret. Palin is rockin' in tonight's interview. No nervousness. Weaving her views into her boss's views nicely.

[Enlightened]

Hey guys - I can't open this at work - Did we miss this? What is Brian Ross lying about?

http://www.queerty.com/sarah-palin-book-banning-the-video-20080911/

[Topsecretk9]

Obama is going to need some major damage control---

Umm. I think the over zealous Obama-adbots stepped on their own dong in a big, big way

"Our economy wouldn't survive without the Internet, and cyber-security continues to represent one our most serious national security threats," [Obama spokesman Dan] Pfeiffer said. "It's extraordinary that someone who wants to be our president and our commander in chief doesn't know how to send an e-mail."

Click on the link to learn why McCain doesn't use computers

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=OTliMTNiZjg5ZDEwZWNiZDYwZWFjN2JlNjNjNjkxZmM=

LUN too

[Topsecretk9]

Obama is going to need some major damage control---

Umm. I think the over zealous Obama-adbots stepped on their own dong in a big, big way

"Our economy wouldn't survive without the Internet, and cyber-security continues to represent one our most serious national security threats," [Obama spokesman Dan] Pfeiffer said. "It's extraordinary that someone who wants to be our president and our commander in chief doesn't know how to send an e-mail."

Click on the link to learn why McCain doesn't use computers

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=OTliMTNiZjg5ZDEwZWNiZDYwZWFjN2JlNjNjNjkxZmM=

LUN too