Pretty Big Talk

Trash talk from Al Qaeda:

The second-in-command of Islamic militant network al-Qaeda has called on Muslims to harm "criminal" America.

In a message purportedly from Ayman al-Zawahiri, the al-Qaeda deputy accused US President-elect Barack Obama of betraying his Muslim roots.

He likened him to a "house slave" - who had chosen to align himself with the "enemies" of Islam.

That "house slaves" translation may be a bit of the old Brit politesse:

In al-Qaida's first response to Obama's victory, al-Zawahri also called the president-elect—along with secretaries of state Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice—"house negroes."

Speaking in Arabic, al-Zawahri uses the term "abeed al-beit," which literally translates as "house slaves." But al-Qaida supplied English subtitles of his speech that included the translation as "house negroes."

The message also includes old footage of speeches by Malcolm X in which he explains the term, saying black slaves who worked in their white masters' house were more servile than those who worked in the fields. Malcolm X used the term to criticize black leaders he accused of not standing up to whites.

Hmm.  Considering Zawahiri's likely hiding places I wonder if there is an Arab phrase for "cave slave".  And considering how dangerous a neighborhood he inhabits (Major Al-Qaeda operative killed in US missile strike) perhaps Zawahiri ought to forget about Malcom X and take some paraphrased advice from the civil rights movement - Keep your eyes on the skies.

Comments

[fdcol63]

Interesting that, yet again, it's Zawahiri speaking while bin Laden remains silent.

Personally, I think it's because OBL is dead .... and has been for a while.

[Patrick R. Sullivan]

The honeymoon is over for the Messiah.

[Max Power]

Bellhop: "We want to see you, Mr. Hammer."
Groucho: "What's the matter boys, somebody pay their bill?"
B: "We want our money."
G: "You want your money?"
B: "We wanna get paid."
G: "Oh, you want MY money. Is that fair? Do I want your money? Suppose George Washington's soldiers had asked for money, where would this country be today?"
B: "But they did ask!"
G: "And where's Washington? No my friends, no. Money will never make you happy. And happy will never make you money. That might be a wise crack, but I doubt it."
B: "We want our money."
G: "I'll make you all a promise. If you'll all stick with me and work hard, we'll forget about money. We'll make a regular hotel out of this place.
B: "That's all very well, Mr. Hammer, but we haven't been paid in two weeks, and we want our wages."
G: "Wages? You wanna be wage slaves? Answer me that!"
B: "No..."
G: "Of course not. But what makes wage slaves? Wages. I want you to be free. Remember, there's nothing like Liberty, except Collier's and the Saturday Evening Post. Be free my friends. One for all, and all for me, and me for you, and 3 for 5 and six for a quarter." "Above all, forget about money, don't think of it, just forget about it because you won't get it anyway."
Bellhops: "Hooray!"

[clarice]

Me, too, fdcol.

"Eyes on the skies"? Are you sure, TM?

[Soylent Red]

The left has got to be flipping out...

"Can't hate the enemies of Bushitler...but they're racialists...but they hate America...but they're taunting my Messiah...but..."

[centralcal]

I think you may be right fdcol63, just wish we could get some proof of it.

Well, gosh, I thought the Messiah was gonna bring everyone together. Maybe we shoulda nicknamed him the Mullah?

[clarice]

Any day now they'll realize that Zawahiri is just a puppet constructed and operated by Cheney and Scooter.

[PeterUK]

Ayman al-Zawahiri sounds a lot like Slick Willie.

[Jane]

WE seem to be headed toward 4 more years of slick willie talk, don't we. Perhaps that is what causes O's ears to perk up.

[Appalled]

Max Power:

Why a duck? Why not a chicken?

[centralcal]

O/T: eHarmony appears to have lost their battle. Who will be next?

Gay Matchmaker

[Thomas Collins]

Although I am not holding my breath for it to happen, I still hope that many more of the folks of the left might figure out that Zawahiri and Company view them as The Great Satan, which is just the way they view the rest of us who don't submit to the view of Zawahiri and Company of the Divine Law.

When Patty Murray of Washington talked about Osama and his day care centers a while back, it provided a useful glimpse on how out of touch much of the left really is about Jihadistan.

Ironic, isn't it, that the left lifestyle can be practiced under Bush, but could never be practiced under Zawahiri.

[PeterUK]

Anybody picked up that in effect Ayman al-Zawahiri has declared Obama apostate? Once a Muslim always a Muslim.
This would seen to kick Hopey Changey Oneness in the ghoulies.

[Antimedia]

OK, after some scratching of noodle and furrowing of brow, I have figured it out. Obama is rehiring the Clinton administration for one reason and one reason only. Their scandals will overshadow his. Thus he escapes scrutiny even further while the media digs into the Clintonistas. :-)

[Sue]

c-cal,

Won't be long before preachers are forced to marry homosexuals or no one at all.

[matt]

a bit off topic, but a reader in the Times of London had one of the best responses yet to the pirate crisis in Somalia, that bears directly on today's topic.

He said

"what the world needs now is an end to this violence and a series of strongly worded resolutions from the U.N.. If that doesn't work, then even more strongly worded resolutions are called for. The strongest words the U.N. has at its command may even be required. That should do it"

[matt]

anti;

unfortunately, the Dems have very little depth or credibility on many of these issues. I think it's more of a warm blanket thing....find the retreads and hire them. At least so far we haven't seen Gorelick or Richardson taken seriously...(knock on wood)

[clarice]

Speaking of big talk, Bernanke opened his mouth again and the market swooned again. Oh, and Waxman seems to have beat out Dingell for the chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Pass the vodka.

[Rick Ballard]

"Anybody picked up that in effect Ayman al-Zawahiri has declared Obama apostate?"

Peter,

It might be a little more complicated than that. Obama is tied to Farrakhan's den of thugs. The NOI was responsible for Malcolm Little's assassination after his return from making hajj in 1964. It's a little curious that Zawahiri uses "white devil" language which Little abandoned upon his return and prior to his being cut down by the racist NOI thugs, possibly on the orders of Calypso Louie himself. I'm pretty sure that Zawahiri would brand Farrakhan and his crew as heretics.

Could Zawahiri be threatening to expose Barry Dunham-Soetero's invention of Barrack Hussein Obama? After all, Malcolm Little became Malcolm X through self-proclamation. Does Zawahiri have the copies of the adoption documents showing Barry Dunham becoming Barry Soetero (or Barack Soetero or whatever the hell he was called on that day)? Maybe it's just a claim to another string on the puppet.

[Jim Ryan]

O [arms open wide]: Come here. It's all over now.

AL QAEDA [lip quivering]: You make me so mad.... At least Bush is gone.

O: It's all over. Come on.

AL QAEDA [bursts into tears, running into O's arms for big hug] I'm sorry about what I said about you!

O: There, there. It's okay now. It's all over.

AL QAEDA [loud sobbing]: I'm sorry! I'm sorry!

[The two have a good cry, a long hug, maybe even a little laugh. O wipes AL QAEDA's tears away. AL QAEDA lives in peace with America, the end.]

[PeterUK]

"The strongest words the U.N. has at its command may even be required. That should do it"

Which are "How much"?

[PeterUK]

Mr Ballard,
Could be Zawahiri is having buyer's remorse.

[fdcol63]

LOL - yeah:

Tyrants tremble at the thought of the UN's harshest words.

[hrtshpdbox]

"AL QAEDA [bursts into tears, running into O's arms for big hug] I'm sorry about what I said about you!"

LOL, Jim Ryan.

[clarice]

I saw Malcolm X shortly before he was killed, and I believe he was killed because he was moving away from the mother ship--his words that night were no longer about the White Devil and more toward a recognition that Muhammed's NOI was a fraud.
He was heading toward a more traditional less political version of Islam.

[peter]

Could Zawahiri be threatening to expose Barry Dunham-Soetero's invention of Barrack Hussein Obama? After all, Malcolm Little became Malcolm X through self-proclamation. Does Zawahiri have the copies of the adoption documents showing Barry Dunham becoming Barry Soetero (or Barack Soetero or whatever the hell he was called on that day)? Maybe it's just a claim to another string on the puppet.

The real beauty of having a president who was given a total pass on all issues by the press during the election is that this administration will have more screwball conspiracy theories circling around it than any other in history.

[JM Hanes]

peter:

I'd say the real real beauty of it all is that no one will be able to tell the genuine conspiracies from the fantasies.

[JM Hanes]

Osama's bones have been moldering in a cave somewhere for years. Al Qaeda presents: Zawahiri in Weekend at Bernie's.

[DrJ]

JMH,

Maybe "Weekend at Ahmed's"? I think there was alcohol in the original you cited.

[Rick Ballard]

"that this administration will have more screwball conspiracy theories circling around it than any other in history."

It will if I have any say in the matter.

Clarice,

Little was killed by the NOI for precisely that reason. I won't be at all surprised to see NOI enforcers at the center of the Obajugenkorps.

[Sue]

It will if I have any say in the matter.

::grin:: Me likey!

[centralcal]

I love Taranto at Best of the Web!

"Today Ayman al-Zawahiri, al Queda's Joe Biden, released a recording . . ."

Too funny.

[Pofarmer]

Obama is rehiring the Clinton administration for one reason and one reason only.

Like I said, it's become apparent that Obama hasn't been in Washington long enough to make any connections. These are Rahm Emmanuels picks.

[JM Hanes]

You can say that again, Pofarmer! :-)

[Porchlight]

Where else would he find Democrats with experience? He has no executive experience so he can't bring anyone with him from his previous office (in the way a governor could), and there's no one left from the Carter years except Warren Christopher.

Rahm Emanuel may have his druthers on which dishes to choose, but the fact is that Clinton people comprise the entire buffet.

[Elliott]

and there's no one left from the Carter years except Warren Christopher

And Zbigle Bowski, or whatever his name is.

[Captain Hate]

NOI == Scientology - lawyers + thugs

I wonder if Malcolm X would've eventually come to the realization that traditional Islam had more to do with slavery than any of the other more convenient scapegoats.

[Rick Ballard]

Porchlight,

He could bring in some relatively unknown Wall Street players and Ivy League economists for Treasury and Commerce.

What could go wrong?

[Porchlight]

Zbigle Bowski

LOL Elliott. That is awesome.

True, ole Zbig is still around. I guess we will probably hear from him soon.

Rick,

Touche. It may yet happen.

[Pofarmer]

Barry's picks will probably be working in that 501c behind the scenes. Probably won't pass his questionaire.

[Porchlight]

Just for you Rick, a treat from Iowahawk:

The Summer Camp Letters of U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson

[glasater]

There shouldn't be ANY problems with the Muslim world after this snowball starts rolling down the hill.

The Prophet Muhammad probably never existed

Spengler goes into some detail.

[Captain Hate]

The Prophet Muhammad probably never existed

This may provide an answer to that vexing theological question: How many fatwas can be issued simultaneously. What next, the stupid rock they worship will be found to be fossilized pig excrement (I'm trying hard Rick)?

[clarice]

Porchlight--THANKS..I heart Iowahawk so much.

[DrJ]

OT, but the CA Supreme Court agreed to decide the legality of a ballot measure that repealed the right of gay and lesbian couples to wed in California (a/k/a Proposition 8).

[PeterUK]

"fossilized pig excrement (I'm trying hard Rick)?"

Or in JOMese "Porcine coprolite"

[MayBee]

Chris Matthews is such an embarrassing fanboy. Talking about this communication today, he first couldn't pronounce al-Zawahiri's name and indeed acted as if he'd never heard of him.
He then went on to assume the fight he was upset about was Iraq. Did not even consider al-Zawahiri may have also been referencing Afghanistan.
Then he took issue with the idea that Obama is a house negro, because he is so independent and the world loves him so much, and besides he wasn't appointed by some white guy (I guess like the other two mentioned "house negroes" Rice and Powell).

Finally, he said he was glad al-Z recognized Obama as a Christian.

[PeterUK]

"Finally, he said he was glad al-Z recognized Obama as a Christian."

So Matthews has also said Obama is apostate?

[clarice]

Just heard a Dept of State spokesman who was asked why we aren't doing more to stop the Somali pirates say--well, in part, because we don't know what to do with the pirates it we catch them and suggest those whose ships were being pirated might*gasp*think about defending THEMSELVES.
The next few years will be amusing in a very odd way.
Defend yourself world--we did it and our only reward was the back of your hands--now you go take care of yourself..HEH

[Rick Ballard]

"I wonder if Malcolm X would've eventually come to the realization that traditional Islam had more to do with slavery than any of the other more convenient scapegoats."

Cap'n,

He was on the way when the NOI thugs killed him. Dunno if a Wright/Farrakhan disciple qualifies as a Christian anywhere outside of Matthew's feeble mind and the confines of that House of Racism in Chicago. Somebody should interview Sheets Byrd and find out if Baracky and Wright can claim the Klan exemption.

[jeanedcrusader]

Sounds like a great excuse to invade America. That Hussein Obama needs to be punished, along with his liberal illuminati country.

[glenda waggoner]

Well, my brother (army intelligence-Iran sector) thinks OBL is dead, but has died in the last few months and has been in Iran since about 2006--believes the egyptian pediatrician travels between there and Pakistan. His Blackwater buddies agree. Whatever, Obama is not prepared nor are the former Clintonistas to prevent or protect us, I fear, since hurricane Ike.

OT, Ann I hope your pup has improved. Our 15, yes 15 year old peki-mutt is fading, but when she hears us bemoan it, she perks up and barks for an hour.

And, please, everyone, tomorrow the beautiful daughters find our their fate at UTMB in Galveston, they have laid off @ 1700 with about 1200 to go. Prayers are appreciated. Galveston is becoming a ghosttown, I fear.

[Jane]

Prayers are appreciated.

Glenda,

Well you've got mine, altho admittedly I'm not terribly good at it.

[glenda waggoner]

*since Ike should have been in last paragraph not first* sorry ^5!?? stressed!my girls just got back into their own place since Ike, and now they may lose their needed jobs! I wonder why the government is not worried about the top rated level 1 trauma center on the Gulf Coast being shut down? I mean, this is life and death, not whether GM can fly their private jets, or AIG can "retreat" to the Welsh countryside to hunt, or Merrill Lynch gets bonuses while their clients accounts are cut in half!

[Porchlight]

Praying for your girls, Glenda, and the city of Galveston.

[matt]

glenda;

make the case to anyone in Congress you know. The Texas delegation should be able to do something to help. Shutting down trauma centers has terrible consequences.

[Porchlight]

Clarice,

Iowahawk will soon have some merch for sale! Check out his new logo. He wants readers' feedback on how much interest there is in T-shirts and mugs. I emailed him asking for women's t-shirts, not just boxy men's. But at minimum I'm buying my dad a T and a mug for Christmas, and a mug for myself.

[not_bubarooni]

zawahiri is a fool and obviously doesn't realize a TRANSFORMATIONAL geopolitical event has occurred during the last election.

he had better HOPE that he gets with the program quick and before matthews and olberman get a hold of because they'll CHANGE his tune in hurry.

[Captain Hate]

Rick, I'd not read that quote before but I was aware that he was in the process of making a break away from Calypso Louie and his band of bowtied nutjob thugs when he got iced, one of the dirty little secrets that authorities showed a disturbing lack of will to punish the guilty. What I was referring to was Islam's other skeletons in the closet such as complicity in the slave trade, on which AAs overwhelmingly either look the other way or are in a strangely forgiving mood.

[SWB]

There's terror;

US dems forcing countries to give a percentage of their GDP and go into deficit to save the world and Obama and Blair's GDP/GNP tax that the IMF is charging.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601082&sid=a67XqAz3_iQg&refer=canada

Yes, they charge whether it's dems or republicans. It is Martin's G.G. genius that won't leave and wants more classified budget trips to Africa. Flaherty won't sell CBC............

[glenda waggoner]

Great thanks-Porch& Jane..and Jane-you got Steyn's attention and admiration-we know you're good at everything!
And, Matt, great advice-you should have read my kiss-off from Pelosi. what a world--what a world..........

[MayBee]

Glenda- my thoughts are with you and your girls.

[MayBee]

Oh Gad.
I'm re-listening to that Hardball from earlier.
Clarence Page is complaining that al-Zawahiri should wait until Obama is in office before he complains about him. He should give Obama a chance, Page says, and not doing so is risking al-Qaeda's credibility.

People have gone mad.

[centralcal]

Glenda: you and your daughters are in my thoughts and prayers.

[Elliott]

Fingers crossed, Glenda.

MayBee, that is funny. Disturbing, but funny.

[centralcal]

Okay - only 1 ballot so far (8 out of 24 precencts counted) that Al Frankenstein is questioning. See LUN.

What gives with the party I.D.s?

Independent
Republican
Democrat-Farmer-Labor-Blessed & Beloved by God

Is that fair?

[centralcal]

Clarence Page is a nincompoop.

[Sue]

and not doing so is risking al-Qaeda's credibility.

He said that??????

[George S]

That's not the al-Zawahri I once knew...

Heads up, Mr. Future Ex-President Obama, those Al-Q boys are pretty good at that community organizing thing, too.

[Sue]

Welcome to Bush's world, Mr. President Elect.

[MayBee]

Yes. I can't wait until the transcript is up. Maybe Newsbusters saw it.

[Sue]

MayBee,

Credibility? He is a nincompoop!

[JM Hanes]

Jeez MayBee. Un-frakkin-believable. Mad -- and perverse. As for Zawahiri & Co., it's really rather remarkable that they always seem to base their screeds on lefty talking points, isn't it? They seem to have made quite a study of it, and it seems clear where they think the weak spots are.

Back on the Obama front, I'm figuring John Podesta for Press Secretary -- fully onboard, media savvy, with a pre-installed propaganda arm up and running at CAP and Media Matters. I'm guessing a Chicago maven for Education, and expect him to keep Gates at Defense. Chuck Hagel's name has surfaced here and there, but surely even Obama knows that he is dumb as post by now -- and not much of a money magnet to make up for his shortcomings either, I should think. Maybe Thomas Collins or Jane can tell us where he's going to plug in Deval Patrick.

[Porchlight]

Send it to them, MayBee. Sheesh - what a dope.

[narciso]

Et tu Michael; the former alumn of Deep Springs College; an all male school by the way, former Miami Herald reporter, and local interviewing eminence; does a Parkeresque turn, slapping down Sarah's presumptousness at considering a run in 2012; talks up Christ and Pawlenty, hint if you can't hold down your own state, don't make promises about the future. He throws in the observation, that he would have asked whether Miami is the 'real America' (you betcha)which tells how useless reporters questions generally are.
By the way, upon advice of an 'independent
photographic consultant' I conclude it was her at the InterContinental. That's why the
picture of her reading the Herald, than turning to the laptop for real news; saids it more profoundly. Jane, were you in part 6 of Dave's cruise tour with Jay Nordlinger.

[Terry Gain]

The translation is very poor. What Zawahari actually said was:

That black dude is no less incompetent than that infidel chick from Alaska.

[Porchlight]

Sorry if already posted - here's Rahm on "big, serious, thing":

WSJ: Emanuel Sets A Challenge

Mr. Emanuel said that when Mr. Obama and his former White House rival, Republican John McCain, met in Chicago Monday, they discussed making a market-based system to control global warning "a top priority" of the new administration.

Mr. Emanuel promised that a major economic stimulus would be "the first order of business" for Mr. Obama when he takes office Jan. 20. The focus of spending will be on infrastructure, specifically "green infrastructure," which he said would include mass transit, upgraded electricity transmission lines, "smart" electrical meters that allow consumers to save money by using electricity at off-peak hours, and universal broadband Internet access, which he said would encourage telecommuting.

Emanuel Speaks of 'Era of Reform' He stressed that the new administration would "throw long and deep," taking advantage of the economic crisis to push wholesale changes in health care, taxes, financial re-regulation and energy. "The American people in two successive elections have voted for change, and change cannot be allowed to die on the doorsteps of Washington," Mr. Emanuel said.

There's more at the link, including a non-denial of moving forward on card-check.

Encouraging telecommuting - wow. Nothing escapes the benevolent notice of The One!

[clarice]

Glenda:
Your daughters are in my thoughts.
As for Obama and Osama--that's the stupid thing about caring about whether Osama is alive or not. He did what he did only with state assistance. I am sure of that. And with Saddam long gone, he's not been able to pull off anything significant alive or dead.

[Terry Gain]

Whenever I think of Chuck Hagel I'm reminded that he owns the stupidest statement in the history of the universe, to wit:

The Surge is the greatest strategic mistake in the history of the United States.

Please Obama, please appoint Chuckie (to something).

[Pofarmer]

Waxman for Energy and Commerce???

Ay carumba. The inmates really have taken over the asylum. Never have so many with such low IQ's aspired to do so much for their own self interest.

[bad]

Steve Diamond says keep your eye on Linda Darling-Hammond, co-head of the Presidential transition policy team on Education. She is WAY into white people paying "educational debt" to black people.

Prof. Diamond also believes Bill Ayers was instrumental in Darling-Hammond's appointment to Obama's team.

LUN

[bad]

Glanda, your daughters continue in my prayers.

[bgates]

talks up Christ
I should hope so.

[narciso]

See the peril of Hagel; when he was first elected; businessman, enlisted man in Vietnam, there was high praise for him; he spear headed the opposition against Kyoto. Then he started coming down with they call 'strange new respect' or growth, which is always a warning sign; as it indicates you've lost touch with those who put you there.

Oh, the Huck via HotAir from the Obamico/
Politico same difference; says Sarah's over rated since she didn't go through the primaries; but the base likes her, he also says Sarah needn't have been bloodied like him. What do they bother with editors for; they apparently don't do any editing.Someone
cue him in on the fact that this
is "Highlander" and he is not Duncan McLeod; yep the same as the sheriff on the snowmobile.

[bad]

Then he started coming down with they call 'strange new respect' or growth, which is always a warning sign; as it indicates you've lost touch with those who put you there.

I hate when that happens.

[Pofarmer]

She is WAY into white people paying "educational debt" to black people.

Huh?

[bad]

Po, reparations by a different name...

[centralcal]

What the heck is "educational debt?"

Make Ayers pay it. He is an educator. Make all liberal professors/teachers pay it.

[Pofarmer]

they discussed making a market-based system to control global warning "a top priority" of the new administration.

Just a nit, but I Don't think you can have a market based system that is designed to CONSTRAIN business. You have businesses that want to stay in business paying money to the govt. That's all that it amounts to. Between tax increases, increases in energy costs, increases in automobile costs, and on and on from this administration, the Bush years are CLEARLY going to look like the good old days.

[centralcal]

Narciso: I couldn't stand Huck when he was running. Between his interviews and his book, he is probably losing whatever little support he had. Good thing, he has a talk show on FNC - because that is his karma, not higher office.

[Pofarmer]

The focus of spending will be on infrastructure, specifically "green infrastructure," which he said would include mass transit, upgraded electricity transmission lines, "smart" electrical meters that allow consumers to save money by using electricity at off-peak hours, and universal broadband Internet access, which he said would encourage telecommuting.

O.K.

If "green" infrastructure was all that, we wouldn't need the govt building it. You don't need to spend billions on "smart" meters to know to run appliances on off peak hours. You only need a brain. You can't telecommute to your job as a dishwasher at Denny's.

[bad]

CC, I like Huck very much as a talk show host. I hope he stays there.

[JM Hanes]

Wow. Speak of the devil bad! I just finished scoping out Linda Darling-Hammond after reading this, per Byron York:

Today, the Obama-Biden Transition Team announced leaders for a series of Policy Working Groups for the Presidential Transition. 

The focus of the Policy Working Groups will be to develop the priority policy proposals and plans from the Obama Campaign for action during the Obama-Biden Administration. The Policy Working Groups will focus on the following areas: Economy, Education, Energy and Environment, Health Care, Immigration, National Security, and Technology, Innovation and Government Reform.

The list of Policy Working Group Leaders and their biographies are below:



Economic: Daniel K. Tarullo

Education: Linda Darling-Hammond

Energy and Environment: Carol M. Browner

Health Care: Senator Tom Daschle

Immigration: T. Alexander Aleinikoff, Mariano-Florentino (Tino) Cuéllar

National Security: James B. Steinberg, Dr. Susan E. Rice

Technology, Innovation and Government Reform: Sonal Shah, Julius
Genachowski, Blair Levin

According to Wiki "Her work focuses on school restructuring, teacher education, and educational equity." Has a familiar ring, doesn't it? As does "Opportunity Policy in Education." Oddly enough, she also did a nine year stint (1989-1998) at Columbia's Teachers College.

I see Susan Rice is still with us.

[rhymin' simon]

No comment on the Somali Pirates. Was it the Russians or KSA trying to get oil to rise. Where is the American navy or marines from the shores of Tripoli. It was heartening to see them offer aid during the tsunamis in Indonesia and Burma and doing the job on Katrina. Are we until breakpoint to avenge Black Hawk Down before end of this administration or does this administrationwant to show the fecklessness of incoming administration to getting UN approval for action.
On Buffett's problem, he abetted Greenberg in AIG but was not part of Spitzer investigation. Now he gets liquidity by selling CDS ten years in future to be able to dump in GS and GE which are also being swept under in current economy. That is why BH with over half its income from insurance business is tanking.
So lets see besides auto, we have banks and insurance industry especially if we go to universal healthcare also losing vast sums of jobs permanently. Its great that we have the hot air AGW creating 5 million new jobs. Oh wait, EU just cancelled there 10 to 12 clean coal plants partially admitting that it is a croc.

[Thomas Collins]

JM Hanes wondered:

Maybe Thomas Collins or Jane can tell us where he's going to plug in Deval Patrick.

Whether or not DP gets a Cabinet gig, I think he will get a Court of Appeals or SCOTUS appointment from Zero. Patrick is perfect for a federal judgeship in that he has a soothing manner but views that will most likely result in his being a judge who will leverage the US Constitution into a vehicle for judges to be super-legislators (as folks such as Blackmun and Stevens et al have done). It will be impossible to classify Patrick as a potential judicial extremist. It is likely, however, that he will be a tremendous asset in leaving Zero's mark on the federal courts.

[clarice]

Educational Debt:
[quote]The Obama Campaign’s primary education adviser is Linda Darling-Hammond, a Professor of Education at Stanford University, and well-known expert in school design and teacher training. Hammond has been mentioned as a possible Secretary of Education in an Obama administration, has been a vocal supporter of traditional teacher certification programs, current union control of public education and opposes charter school programs. She also has been a vocal critic of the implementation of the current No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. More importantly, she is an advocate of a race-based paradigm for education that fully embraces the concept of “education debt” – a form of reparations for generations of racial bias perpetrated by White America. Hammond argued forcefully last year in the liberal magazine The Nation, for example, the importance of “pay(ing) off the educational debt to disadvantaged students that has accrued over centuries of unequal access to quality education.” The concept of education debt is an idea laid out in 2006 by Professor Gloria Ladson-Billings of the University of Wisconsin, the then-president of the American Education Research Association and actively supported by Ayers. Ayers wrote himself in January of 2008 on his website the following:

The dominant narrative in contemporary school reform is once again focused on exclusion and disadvantage, race and class, black and white…the monster in the room: white supremacy. Gloria Ladson-Billings upends all of this with an elegant reversal: there is no achievement gap, she argues, but actually a glancing reflection of something deeper and more profound—America has a profound education debt. The educational inequities that began with the annihilation of native peoples and the enslavement of Africans…transformed into apartheid education, something anemic, inferior, inadequate, and oppressive. Over decades and centuries the debt has accumulated and is passed from generation to generation, and it continues to grow and pile up.[/quote]

http://www.kennethgdavenport.com/2008/10/real-ayers-danger-education-radicalism.html>Grab the pikes

[Jim Ryan]

Some old Reagan audio.

Now back in 1927 an American socialist, Norman Thomas, six times candidate for president on the Socialist Party ticket, said the American people would never vote for socialism. But he said under the name of liberalism the American people would adopt every fragment of the socialist program.

[Porchlight]

bad, JMH,

Darling-Hammond also has an essay in a book edited by Ayers. Like Prof. Diamond, I am certain that Ayers introduced her to Obama.

[RichatUF]

Porchlight-

I didn't see anything about the gas saving tire gauge. I wanted to be first in line to get one with all the bells-and-whistles.

On the "cap and trade" deal, I've linked to it before, but it has been tried and failed*. And since this is government we are talking about, they went ahead and tried Phase 2 anyway, and Italy and Germany are not going to deal, meaning it has failed again. So, of course, that means we have to give it a try here too, becuase it was just a matter of getting "The Masters of Universe" touch on it.

* for non link followers, the bottom line:

In May 2006, when several countries revealed registries indicating that their industries had been allocated more allowances than they could use, trading prices crashed from about €30/ton to €10/ton, and (after an initial slight recovery) declined further to €4 in January 2007[27] and below €1 in February 2007, reaching an all time low of €0.03 at the beginning of December 2007[28]

[yea, its the wiki link]

[JM Hanes]

I'm expecting Obama to positively roar out of the starting gate and absolutely snow the new Dem Congress under with full-blown legislative proposals on every conceivable front -- while Pelosi/Reid are still in fawning mode and haven't had time to catch an independent breath or do the political calculus. By the end of the first hundred days when they finally have time to say the honeymoon is over, the real power will already be in the hands of the post-legislation regulator writers.