Al Qaeda And Benghazi - The Times Sets Us Straight

As part of their ongoing effort to pump up their candidate, David Kirkpatrick of the Times informs us that Al Qaeda is now a story used to scare the gullible. And the partisans, of course:

Election-Year Stakes Overshadow Nuances of Libya Investigation

By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK

CAIRO — After a month of conflicting statements and partisan criticism, the circumstances surrounding the attack that killed Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens in Benghazi, Libya, on Sept. 11, 2012, have become clouded in ambiguities and questions: Did the attack grow out of anger against an American-made video mocking the Prophet Muhammad, or was it waged by an affiliate of Al Qaeda out to mark the 11th anniversary of its attack on United States soil?

To Libyans who witnessed the assault and know the attackers, there is little doubt what occurred: a well-known group of local Islamist militants struck without any warning or protest, and they did it in retaliation for the video. That is what the fighters said at the time, speaking emotionally of their anger at the video without mentioning Al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden or the terrorist strikes of 11 years earlier. And it is an explanation that tracks with their history as a local militant group determined to protect Libya from Western influence.

So (contra UN Ambassador Susan Rice) it was not a protest against the video hijacked by violent extremists; it was a violent assault by local milita angered by the video.

And that talk of Al Qaeda?

Whether the attackers are labeled “Al Qaeda cells” or “aligned with Al Qaeda,” as Republicans have suggested, depends on whether that label can be used as a generic term for a broad spectrum of Islamist militants, encompassing groups like Ansar al-Shariah whose goals were primarily local, as well as those who aspire to join a broader jihad against the West.

Those scurillious Republicans!

Mr. Kirkpatrick has a Cairo byline; since he may not reading the Times on a daily basis, he can be excused for missing this Sept. 26 headline:

Clinton Suggests Link to Qaeda Offshoot in Deadly Libya Attack

By STEVEN LEE MYERS

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday suggested there was a link between the Qaeda franchise in North Africa and the attack at the American diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, that killed the American ambassador and three others. She was the highest-ranking Obama administration official to publicly make the connection, and her comments intensified what is becoming a fiercely partisan fight over whether the attack could have been prevented.

Mrs. Clinton did not offer any new evidence of a Qaeda link, and officials later said the question would be officially settled only after the F.B.I. completed a criminal inquiry, which could take months. But they said they had not ruled out the involvement of Al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb — an affiliate of the international terrorist group with origins in Algeria — in an attack the administration initially described as a spontaneous protest turned violent.

The Times has also reported that another noted Romney surrogate has made the Al Qaeda connection:

In the week since the attack, the president of Libya’s newly elected national Congress blamed foreign fighters from Algeria or Mali with links to Al Qaeda who he said entered the country months earlier to plan the assault.

Hmm. A Libyan politician would have obvious reasons to blame meddling outsiders for his problems, but not everyone with an awkward message for Obama is a Republican.

As to the idea that Hillary is a Republican - well, she has been forced to walk the plank on Benghazi, so any day now!

A LIGHTBULB FLICKERS:

In explaining why Team Obama would be crazy to make Hillary the fall gal for Benghazi AllahPundit made this very good point:

Three: How are Obama and Biden going to scapegoat the most famous woman politician in America for a security breakdown at a moment when they’re counting on a decisive gender gap to deliver them a second term? After nine months of the “war on women” and Sandra Fluke and the three-day salute to abortion that you and I know as the Democratic convention, they’re going to freeze out … Hillary Clinton? C’mon.

Yes, but... Obama can praise her years of hard work, ruminate that mistakes were made, note that she is "likeable enough", and move on. It will be left to those Evil Republicans to criticize her decision making process, thereby demonstrating that they don't respect women's intellect or the difficulty of balancing work and home. Obama can play the kindly forgiving father figure that would infuriate libs if it were coming from a Republican, and Republicans can play the heavy. Tricky. I don't think hiding behind Hillary's skirts is Obama's best way of presenting himself as a steely Commander-in-Chief, but I am not a Democratic genius.

BOOTH REVIEW: Now that Hillary has taken the rap, Obama can pick up kudos by pretending to take responsibility himself. His surrogates can then explain that he is just showing he is a great leader and a great guy for covering up what we all know was Hillary's blunder.

My stomach is turning but Chris Matthews and Rachel Maddow are the target audience and they will love this BS.

I HAVE BEEN CHANNELING MY INNER ALLAH... From the AllahP:

Fearless prediction: With Hillary having now formally accepted blame, President Above The Fray will magnanimously volunteer at tomorrow night’s debate that, no no, it is with him that the buck ultimately stops. The White House has been holding off on doing that because they’re desperate to frame this as an internal problem at State. Now that Clinton’s gone and done that, Obama can pose as a stand-up guy and loyal boss by symbolically accepting responsibility on behalf of the people who are really at fault.

More leading from behind.

I strongly, emphatically, vehemently disagree with this bit:

A friend e-mailed me after I wrote this post on Friday scolding me for thinking that Obama might throw Hillary under the bus rather than vice versa. After all, she’d have an easier time running in 2016 against President Romney than she would trying to succeed a two-term Democratic president.

It's the economy, people! The Dem game plan for both 2010 and 2012 was that a good recovery would happen regardless of their own anti-business predilections. Obviously that didn't work so well in 2010, but Obama may yet catch a break with the "recovery" of 2012.

But a President Romney has an excellent chance of inheriting an economy on the verge of recovery. With any luck at all, he should be able to ride that recovery to re-election in 2016; his timing will look a lot like Bill Clinton's in 1992.

Which means Hillary can either run against a successful Republican incumbent in 2016 or attempt (as Gore did) to succeed an economically successful Democrat. I think Barack can do a better job of keeping his pants on and Hillary can do a better job than Big Al.

Comments

[narciso]

Kirkpatrick's report isn't even 'mostly harmless, it is contrary to proper underst
un
http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2012/10/13/august-2012-us-report-shows-libya-on-the-road-to-becoming-a-failed-islamist-state/

[Sue]

With a willing media, you can have sex in the oval office and come out the most beloved president in our time. You can't, however, go to bed with your wife at 10:00 PM. That is just so old school.

Obama and his willing minions in the press have so clouded the truth that even if the media starts asking questions now they couldn't untangle all the lies before election day.

[NK]

THE NYT spin is BS, and whatever song and dance Bam comes up with tonight will be BS-- and Romney can and will use Benghazi effectively tonight to show the weak ABO voters and few remaining undecideds what BAD leadership looks like-- and how he is different. Big opportunity for Romney-- he'll have to fight Bam and the corpulent 'moderator' to get that message out, but he will.

[Captain Hate]

Here's another sooper jeenyus article by Kirkpatrick: U.S. May Have Put Mistaken Faith in Libya Site’s Security

Can Pinch pick 'em or what?

[narciso]

Sorry about the typos, but that report in itself demands it's own thread, it does suggest a 'target riche environment'

[narciso]

The problem much like like what Ness and Malone, faced when putting together his team. 'who do you trust' that's why Stevens
was down to Woods and Donnelly

[Jim Eagle]

Gotta be simpatico to one of their own (Rice) but did they know Hillary already fell on the sword of incompetency and denial?

Its been a while since I have been in DC and listening to the radio especially WTOP but its amazing the inbreeding that has emerged big time between the Government Business and Contracting sector and the Government itself. Where else in America would you hear a radio commercial for satellite communication services geared to agency requirements, or a commercial for specialized web design and critical communications and effective public relations and projection geared to agency and political requirements.

It is like stepping into an Orwellian universe totally shielded from the outside world and incestously participatory by all members of the universe. We are breeding a separate classification of citizen that are taking over our lives one breath and step at a time.

[Dublindave]

This issue doesn't meet the traditional definition of a 'cover up', it's more along the lines of an attempt to 'protect a narrative that shows the administration in a positive light'. The former'll play well in the hermetically sealed paranoia fuelled chambers of right wing blogs, but so too does the President's conspiracy to hide his true place of birth and state sponsored attempts to rape a woman with an implement.

Elsewhere it's a non-issue.

[NK]

Benghazi and HILLARY 'responsibility'? everything Hill/Bill do is geared towards her being viable in 2016. EVERYTHING. So why does she say "I take responsibility" and responsibility for WHAT? well she only took responsibility for the the events of 9/11 and securing the Consulate. SHE DID NOT SAY she's responsible for the false video narative. This sounds to me like Bill being too clever by a half again-- Americans are forgiving people, and they'll forgive security mistakes. What is political death is lying to voters-- and HILL is making clear she had nothing to do with that (the Dover AFB nonsense and Paki advert say otherwise BTW). So this sounds to me like HILL is setting herself up to say I should have given Stevens more security, but I'm shocked to learrn BAM lied about the video. Classic BillyJeff tactic.

[narciso]

I've bewn wondering why this scenario, the real story, sounded so familiar' and the 'Untouchables' comes to mind, of course
there is the OK Corral and the Alamo, that suggest themselves.

[Neo]

Ross Perot, the businessman who mounted the last major challenge to the two-party political system, said Tuesday he is backing Mitt Romney for president this year.

[GMAX]

Mark Halperin @ Time Mag begins to let the faithful in on the secret:

Here’s why some Democrats are worried tonight. If Romney wins the three Southern battlegrounds (FL, NC, and VA) and OH, he is at 266 electoral votes. Leaving the other five battlegrounds unallocated, that means Obama would be at 237 and Romney would only need to win one of the remaining five states to get to 270+. See the map above.

One senior Democratic official expressed real concern tonight unlike I have heard before about Ohio potentially slipping away from Obama (the state has been trending Republican in statewide races, Rob Portman has become a force, religious and gun groups are flooding the state with voter contacts, two of Romney’s top strategists have recently won a statewide race there, etc).

This doesn’t mean Romney has the upper hand right now. But it is no longer at all implausible that he could take the three Southern battlegrounds and Ohio. If he does that, he sure as heck would have the upper hand. And that leaves at least some Democrats with the shakes.

[Clarice]

Remember half the people in the country have an IQ of less than 100.

[NK]

Not so fast DD-- lying to put out a 'false narrative' is a big issue with a majority of voters. They don't distinguish it from a 'cover-up'. Granted many liberals will know he lied and vote for him anyway as a fellow leftwinger-- like yourself for instance-- but enough voters, say about 52% will use this lie as another reason to throw Bam out-- and throw him out they will.

[GMAX]

Doesn't meet the definition of a cover up eh? Thats funny. How about the definition of looking the American people in the eye and lyin' your @ss off. Yup, that is the definition right there in Websters...

[Danube of Thought]

As part and parcel of that phenomenon, JiB, I read recently that 7 of the 10 most affluent counties in the country are in the area surrounding D.C.--Prince George's, Montgomery, Fairfax etc. it's disgraceful.

[Janet]

Obama and his willing minions in the press have so clouded the truth that even if the media starts asking questions now they couldn't untangle all the lies before election day.

This seems SO true. Regular busy Americans that aren't news junkies will just think it was that video...the usual nuts in the ME freaked out....& that's it. Hell, George Allen saying macaca merited more headlines, more stories, & for a longer time than our Ambassador getting murdered & this administration lying about it. I hate the MFM.

[Captain Hate]

Give it up, NK; the Glacier in Pantsuits is so fat and drunk I don't think even dumbassdave would give her a second look. If she waddled on to a stairmaster now and worked it hard for four years she'd still look and smell like a leaky septic tank.

[matt]

The problem with the narrative as the FP article pointed out is that Rice is a dual report. She has to clear through the President and Hillary, or not. Her relationship is with Obama according to FP.

So when the spin came out, whose spin was it and why? And why were the intelligence agencies right and State wrong? And why did State and Obama and Rice continue to lie? And why did it take 2 weeks to get the story straight?

A lie is still a lie is still a lie.

[NK]

DoT/JiB-- agree completely-- I loathe DC, it's become an imperial city in a national sea of StagFlation. Incestuous cronyism with a political economy that would make the old Soviet Commissars and today's ChiComs blush. BTW-- a friend of 33 years is as of yesterday Acting IRS Commissioner-- he is the tax collector for the welfare state.

[Melinda Romanoff]

Dana Loesch tweet- "Pool: "Reporter: 'Is Hillary to blame for Beghazi?' Obama: Silence. Kept walking."

[NK]

CaptH-- as you may remember, when HILL took SOS and let herself go, I said she's never running for POTUS again. Instead, i thought she'd take a college pres or foundation pres job, and be attended to by sweet young things in her old age. But in the last 6 months,Bill's certainly changed his behavior, he's clearly gearing up for her run in 2016. I can only go by what I see -- and right now I see HILL 2016! What alternatives do the Dems have right now? SloJoe? Cory Booker? Jerry Brown? Deval P? She may have a clear field.

[NK]

PS-- DD would jump HILL given half a chance-- it's his thing.

[Thomas Collins]

NK, did Steve Miller engage in private law practice before joining the Feds? The bio I read said he had been with IRS for 25 years.

[Captain Hate]

NK, Muffer hasn't enhanced her prospects by her last 4 years and you give Slick way too much credit for stumping for anybody other than himself. The entire party has to be burned to the ground for a new bunch to emerge; kind of like what happened to the Repubs with the Tea Party. The donks could even see that four years ago in how torn they were between Stalin-Rodham and a fresh new face.

[Dublindave]

"PS-- DD would jump HILL given half a chance-- it's his thing."

If it was a matter of national security then of course I'd do my part.

It would be an honor.

[J Fitzgerald]

"Remember half the people in the country have an IQ of less than 100."

98.

http://www.rlynn.co.uk/pages/article_intelligence/t4.asp

[narciso]

Does one expect Liz Alvarez to tell us the truth about Zimmerman, Shane about AQ, no, as a socratic and/or fisking it might have some use, as to who suggested the coverup,
Samantha Power, it was her R2P doctrine, that 'blew back' on Stevens

[NK]

TC-- briefly, but not tax work. Tax work was with the Congressional Joint Tax Committee and the Service.

Atta boy DD!! "It would be an honor"-- fantastic victorian snark. You are a well read troll.

[Jane - Mock the media]

She has to clear through the President and Hillary, or not. Her relationship is with Obama according to FP.

Mu understanding is that as a Cabinet position she reports directly to the president and Hillary doesn't enter into the mix.

[Enlightened]

"Elsewhere it's a non-issue"

Shut up asshole. Unlike dumbf-cks like you - a murdered Ambassador matters.

I know, a woman's overactive vagina is more important, so make sure you vote with your d-ck head so you can feel all snuggly about all the women voting with their vagina's this time.

[NK]

CaptH-- I don't think HILL would be a shoe in for the nomination or even a good candidate for the Dems, and I definitely agree that the Dems need to decide what they are-- a straight up socialist party or a BS Clinton/Blair 'Third way' sham. I just don't think the Dems will do that self-assessment by 2016. I think BILL/HILL's ego and voracious thirst for power drive them to HILLARY'16, IMO.

[Danube of Thought]

On October 25, 2010 the Rasmussen Generic Congressional Ballot was R 51, D 39. The 2010 vote split (as far as I can determine) was 35/35/30 (D/R/I).

Today's Generic Congressional Ballot is D 43, R 42.

[Tim]

By taking the blame for Benghazi, Hillary effectively castrated Obama and is wearing his balls. Only way Obama can get his balls back is to come clean and tell folks why he was AWOL on US security and falsely blamed a video for two weeks.

[DebinNC]

Panetta met with BOzo at 5:00 in the afternoon of 9-11, according to WH daily schedule log. Hmm...

[fdcol63]

I get so sick when liberals use the word "nuance", as if we hayseeds on the Right aren't smart enough to understand the "complexity" of a situation.

Utter BS.

[pagar]

"And why did State and Obama and Rice continue to lie?"

That is what leftists do all the time.

[Captain Hate]

NK, I don't question Slick's quest for power and the same probably goes for Muffer although she seems really tired these days. Clenis isn't aging well and impulse control has never been a long suit of his; I think he's closer to spanking it in public than he is to putting together an electoral master plan.

[Rob Crawford]

I get so sick when liberals use the word "nuance", as if we hayseeds on the Right aren't smart enough to understand the "complexity" of a situation.

Except that's not at all what they mean. What they mean is that we've reached the wrong conclusion. If you press them, they cannot actually explain how the "nuance" changes the facts.

Claims that conservatives don't understand the "nuance" really amount to "you value different things, like the existence of objective reality".

[Jim Ryan]

Jane, any idea how Sean Bielat is doing?

[NK]

CaptH-- you're probably right, and I agreed with that for 3 years. But right now the impulse I see driving BillyJeff is HILLARY2016. The visual of the other impulse you describe is to horrible to contemplate.

[Danube of Thought]

"Nuance" always reminds me of John Effing Kerry, the haughty, French-looking Senator from Massachusetts who by the way fought in Vietnam. And it makes me sick.

[NK]

MelR-- from the Sun-Times-- Jackson Wins-- he wins! http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/15721717-505/despite-federal-probe-mental-illness-rep-jesse-jackson-jr-expected-to-be-re-elected.html

PS: WaPo reports today about Jackson prancing about in the Turkish Bath and greek chariot driver reincarnation.

[Porchlight]

On October 25, 2010 the Rasmussen Generic Congressional Ballot was R 51, D 39. The 2010 vote split (as far as I can determine) was 35/35/30 (D/R/I).

Today's Generic Congressional Ballot is D 43, R 42.

On October 18, 2010 the Ras generic ballot was R 48, D 39. (link now goes to the current page but here are the October 2010 headlines from Ras): http://www.rasmussenreports.com/older_content/home/most_recent_articles/most_recent_articles_october_2010

So there was 3 points' worth of movement toward the Rs in the week between 10/18/12 and 10/25/12.

We have 3 weeks to go.

[Clarice]

Nuance is conversational for emanations of penumbras. Silly boys.

[in_awe]

@NK

"What alternatives do the Dems have right now? SloJoe? Cory Booker? Jerry Brown? Deval P? She may have a clear field."

Antonio Villaragosa. As the hugely failed mayor of Los Angeles, he is the perfect Democrat candidate - corrupt, a polished liar, Hispanic, with years spent pandering to the illegal alien/La Raza crowd, unions, and the global warming nutcases, etc.

That is why Obama selected him as Chairman of the Democrat National Convention. You'll remember him as the guy that imperiously declared that the resounding "No" vote on the platform changes was really a 2/3 "Yea" vote and announced the changes were adopted to a chorus of boos.

[Jack is Back (In the Belly of the Beast)]

Ready to board but another anecdote with regard to the DC universe separate from ours. There was a report on radio that there is a housing shortage of listings and a lot of sales have multiple buyers bidding and prices are climbing. Also flipping is back big time buying short sales and fixing up for average $50K profit.

God bless their little souls.

[Enlightened]

Oh gawd - Ryan gaffe of the day - he visited a soup kitchen for a photo op! Holy soup nazi, that must have cost gazillions of dollars.

As opposed to Bambi visiting Solydra for a photo op, which cost nothing. /sarc.

22 more days cannot come fast enough.

[Extraneus]

Dana Loesch tweet- "Pool: "Reporter: 'Is Hillary to blame for Beghazi?' Obama: Silence. Kept walking."

He's saving that for tonight.

"Look, I appreciate Secretary Clinton's willingness to step up, but let's face it: I'm ultimately responsible."

He could then segue into a "Look, when I took this job I knew the weight of the Presidency was going to rest on my shoulders, and that's as it should be..." Blah, blah, etc.

This is a win-win. Everyone gets to heroically take "responsibility" while they all wink at each other and no one actually gets the blame.

[Porchlight]

So there was 3 points' worth of movement toward the Rs in the week between 10/18/12 and 10/25/12.

Oops, that should be "between 10/18/10 and 10/25/10."

[maryrose]

Nuance is quite simply a dem weasel word , like investment{taxes} or responsible{not me}or unexpected{ we knew it but hoped no one would notice}

[NK]

TonyV is not viable for the Dems as a national candidate. he's got baggage like Jess jackson Jr -- only w/o the greek chariot driver reincarnation.

[maryrose]

Last word I promise on polls. Throughout this race-unemployment numbers and truly honest polls have been suspect. I expect everyone to clean up their act 10 days before the election
DOT: Watch Gallup now that the WH is in full revenge mode after recent {probably accurate for the first time} polls.

[Danube of Thought]

Thanks Porch. On the Ipad I couldn't find the whole October history. I do not understand the current generic ballot; it is quite surprising.

[Old Lurker]

Oh JiB you pick so on us in DC.

Why do you think we drink?

[maryrose]

If Chicago votes JJJr. back in ,they deserve what they get. My prediction: Blago starts singing after Bammy's defeat and Jackson becomes fully exposed like his hustler father. Remember Jackson Sr's affair came to light after he was counseling Clenis post Lewinsky..

[Ranger]

Ready to board but another anecdote with regard to the DC universe separate from ours. There was a report on radio that there is a housing shortage of listings and a lot of sales have multiple buyers bidding and prices are climbing.

You know, there is no reason that most of the work of the federal government can't be done from remote locations around the country. There a lots of under-utilized former military bases that could house huge numbers of federal paper pushers in places like central Illinois or rural Kansas.

[NK]

Poll dancing -- by the last 2 weeks of 2004 and 2008, most Polls were quite accurate. Don't ignore the Poll movements starting during the 4th week of Oct. Explaining away unhappy results may be trying to explain away reality.

[NK]

Blago-- no matter what the result Nov 6th, I believe Blago gets a POTUS pardon.

[Porchlight]

I do not understand the current generic ballot; it is quite surprising.

I think it's mostly a factor of Dem turnout being historically higher in presidential election years and Dem engagement higher now than pre-convention. It seems more volatile than I'd expect, though.

[Extraneus]

Maybe we should rotate the Capitol.

Every four years, to coincide with presidential terms, make them all move to another state. New Mexico for one term, Maine for another, Alaska, Utah. The military base idea is a good one.

[Old Lurker]

Oh come on, Ext....how would we move all those Limo's? Not to mention whether there are enough hookers in all those fly over capitols.

[NK]

OldLurker-- you're right, not enough trendy restaurants and eastern european embassy talent to go around in flyover country. God I detest DC.

[Old Lurker]

I live here but do not blame you at all.

[jimmyk]

As it happens, in synagogues around the world last week, the annual cycle of Torah readings began with the opening chapters of Genesis, and the climactic moment when Adam said, in effect, "It was the woman's fault." How'd that work out?

Nice job, Barry.

[NK]

In all seriousness-- DC is getting to be as detached from America as Brussels is from Coventry, UK.

[Captain Hate]

Speaking of "nuance" and Reporting for Doody, this never gets old: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZimVuv1KzBQ&feature=related

[matt]

There is yet one more layer of bullshit to the Benghazi scam. The enemy is penetrating our security apparatus and using that information to plan their attacks. LUN

[PD]

I see the avatars on this thread but no others. Odd. (I have the narcisolator installed, which normally suppresses 'em.)

[pagar]

"In all seriousness-- DC is getting to be as detached from America as Brussels is from Coventry, UK."

http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/news/127651/Europes_Islamization_Brussels_local_election_candidates_all_Muslims

There have been reports posted here of Islam takeover of areas in Spain and France now Brussels.

Meanwhile the Obama regime is firing Americans that the CAIR people don't like.

LUN

Americans seem very unaware of the dangers they face.

[NK]

MelR-- after yesterday's disgrace, today's ZH is much more worthwhile with the Pandit resignation and THIS LINK-- I believe this takes your side of the QE/Dollar/Oil argument-- http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2012-10-16/guest-post-future-gold-oil-and-dollar

[Extraneus]

Is the market starting to bet that Romney will win?

[Jose G]

Gallup Daily Tracking (likely voters):

O 46%
R 50%

http://www.gallup.com/home.aspx?ref=logo

[Annoying Old Guy]

Maybe we should rotate the Capitol.

Excellent idea! Not every 4 years but say every census. After the census the capitol is moved to the metropolitan area (> 100K population) with the highest poverty rate so our ruling class can directly interact with the "beneficiaries" of their policies, and the locals get an economic boost.

- Obama Ex Oficio

[Porchlight]

First time Romney has hit 50 in the general per RCP - and first time ever in Gallup tracking.

[Extraneus]

That would solve the hooker shortage issue, too, OG.

[NK]

... but not the lack of eastern european embassy talent.

[Captain Hate]

Tammy Bruce has dropped one eff bomb while listening to donk ads and there's still plenty of time for more.

[NK]

No spiking the Gallup/RCP football please. No way do we have enough data for that.

[Danube of Thought]

Gallup RV horserace is tied at 47 (first time, I think).

[Jack is Back (at 35,000 feet)]

Above 10K feet - back online.

OL,

Having lived there on and for many years and been part of the Duke Zeibert bar crowd, I can tell you it has changed expotentially since I left in 1992. Its the blatant, naked marriage of begging, toe kissing capitalism and venally corrupt, protective poltical system.

But good restaurants, great museums and a fun place to visit.

Flying over Shenadoah Valley and Blue Ridge Pkwy now. Clear, suuny day. Good to be alive

[jimmyk]

OT, but daddy will enjoy this:

A-Rod flirts with female fans during playoff loss.

Wonder what his line was: "Would you like to feel a cool breeze from my strikeout swing?"

[NK]

I'm sure Yankee fans love the idea of 5 more years of A-Roid. Best comment in that A-Roid thread was-- "the balls he tossed back to the blondes said-- do you have a brother?'

[fdcol63]

Hey ... another advantage to "distributing" the Federal bureaucracy beyond DC:

Survivability, in case of major attack.

Though this might be a bug rather than a feature. LOL

[Clarice]

Byrd moved a lot of the fed bureaucracy t West Virginia and that changed little here. No. You're just gonna have to make it smaller and leave it where it is.

[Porchlight]

The magic 50 is important, NK. Especially in Gallup.

[NK]

"Ottomon" hegemony in Syria and beyond. here's Daniel Pipe's take: http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/330499/erdogan-and-assad-war-daniel-pipes#comments

[jimmyk]

Lots of good, though obvious, lines, NK.

"At least he tried to hit something."

"A-Rod in scoring position, not something you see every day."

[NK]

Porch-- a challenger at 50% and incumbent stuck at 46-47% is indeed very important. but these polls are not enough yet to be proof that is the state of the electorate. More data showing that please.

[NK]

Obvious can be funny...

[Jack is Back (at 35,000 feet)]

"A-Rod in scoring position, not something you see every day."

Except when he is chatting up the ladies in seats along the left field line.

[Porchlight]

No proof until Election Day, NK. However I see no reason not to mention that the 50 is a first for Romney.

[centralcal]

Had a computer tech in to work on my computer (at work) today. Did a scan and cleaned some things up. Now Greasemonkey Narcisolator no longer works. Still installed. Is "enabled" and the narcisolator script is till intact.

Were the frequent updates some of us complained about last week hosting a bug of some kind?

[DebinNC]

I hope Romney's foreign policy answers tonight don't resemble this LA Times description of his views.

[NK]

Hey- don't get me wrong, this Gallup Tracking 50-46 is important data. It's vital data to many JOMer expectations that the final LV polling will show that the electorate is solidly ABO-- and moving further ABO towards election day (like mine). It's just not proof yet of where the electorate is actually, at.

[centralcal]

Anybody near a TV and watching Megyn Kelly?

Megyn Kelly ‏@megynkelly

We’re learning changes have been made to tonight’s debate format. What are they and why? Next - plus reaction from @TuckerCarlson

[Porchlight]

Saw this on HotAir, not sure if it's true:

Obama and Romney agree to no follow up questions by Crowley. That’s got to hurt!

Blake on October 16, 2012 at 1:38 PM

[GMAX]

50 46 in Gallup LV poll. I think that is a 7 day average poll, but I admit Gallup has a couple different tracking going on and the number of days differs between them for some reason.

Still 50% for a challenger knowing that third parties will get a non zero total, is a victory.

[NK]

No follow up? Crowley won't like that, it shows that RR considers her hostile and Bam thinks she's too stupid to help him.

[Kurt]

Ace of Spades has a great post with a fascinating take on Hillary's statement which declares: "Hillary isn't taking the blame, she's taking the credit." Although Hillary's statement gives an opening for an Obama mea-culpa at tonight's debate, as Extraneous speculates above, I doubt Obama will take that, as then he'd have to explain more and make more excuses for his failed leadership. The Ace post argues that Hillary's statement gives Romney a great angle for hitting Obama's leadership. Iowahawk had a great tweet about the situation the other day: If Obama doesn't fire Hillary, he'll look like a foreign policy disaster. If he does, he'll look like a foreign policy disaster."