Wisconsin Recall Projection Updated 5/3/2012

—CAC

A drop for Walker, a rise for Barrett, with Walker still leading the race. Barrett will beat Falk, barring enough Republican voters causing mischief, next Tuesday.

Barrett benefits from re-framing the election, unfairly in my opinion, to "jobs" when the whole point of the recall was payback from the unions for Walker daring to actually balance the budget at their expense, rather than (as it always has been) the expense of the taxpayers. If I were Kathleen Falk, I would be privately seething right now that a guy who used Walker's reforms and oversaw job losses himself is going to be...the guy to unseat Governor Evil. But that's just me using, you know, logic.

How the projected share is calculated:
First, I calculate available two-name polling in same screens (LV), averaging the two. I then weigh the polls based on "freshness", and see if a particular trend pops up, and whom that trend benefits. That trend in favor of one candidate is applied to much of the remaining undecideds/leftover vote and voila.

How the map is generated:
Maps are based on available county data from previous cycles. Walker's 2010 win over Barrett serves a nice data point, with him carrying the state by roughly 6. Prosser's 2011 election serves as another good source, wherein he carried the state by under half a point. Bush's 2004 race is the most recent close loss for a Republican, that data is also considered. I simply watch the counties as their share for R/D move relative to R support statewide, and there you go.

I hope we start to see a lot more polling data out of this state, being that all political eyes are going to be on Wisconsin for the next five weeks. Rasmussen, Mason-Dixon, Survey USA, Opinion-Dynamics, hell even the major news networks have all been absent through the process. Rasmussen did a generic recall/don't recall number in March, Marist the same. But much of my data is based on two existing polls: Marquette U and the PPP poll commissioned by Daily Kos. Here's to seeing a wider sample in the coming weeks.

The Fox Panel on That "Heroes Don't Spike the Football" Ad

—Ace

Is the ad "devastating" as Krauthammer says? I think two parts of it are powerful -- the I, I, I and smirk from Obama, and Clinton's claim that if the SEALs were killed it would have been "horrible for [Obama]."

But isn't the rest of it too over the top to be persuasive? I think when you go too over the top people's defenses come up and it winds up being ineffective.

Thanks to @rdbrewer4.

New Amazing Spider-Man Trailer

—Gabriel Malor

Rumor is that this movie is bad, bad, bad. But the trailer looks pretty good. Spider-Man is the quintessential teen superhero, with all of the angst and disrespect and arrogance that comes with. Definitely some interesting camera work in this one. And the Lizard doesn't look nearly as bad as I expected.

I do wish they'd stop calling it "the untold story." Because, um, we've heard this one before. Like . . . several times.

I'll probably see it when it comes out on DVD.

Third NBC Producer Fired After Discover of Yet Another Faked Zimmerman Audio

—Ace

This one's even worse, as it knits together three (or four) different soundbites to present a single -- false -- conversation.

This isn't related, but plonked did this for us.

Close it up

All Five Cleveland Would-Be Bridge Bombers Are Occupiers;
ABCNews Fails To Identify Them As Such

—Ace

All five.

Treacher notes that Brandon "Skabby" Baxter (Oh? Skabby? Of the Skabbys of Boston?) was at organizing an Occupy rally... last weekend.

And ABC knows this, but chooses to conceal information from its viewers.

I'm Beginning to Suspect The Left Just Might Be Playing Fast and Loose With Race For Political Reasons

—Ace

Dear Lord, this is compelling and rich.

Via Instapundit, American Thinker, and, I guess, I Own The World, originally.

More: John Fund on Check-Box Liberalism.

Why It Matters That Obama Dated a Composite and Ate a Dog

—Ace

The vetting that never was.

As you probably know, an author named David Maraniss has contacted one of Obama's old girlfriends. Turns out he claimed events and conversations occurred with her that she says never happened; but then, his book claims that some characters may be composites. (Wiggle room for anytime Bill Ayers made something up, or talked about his own experiences.)

Is this important? Tim Stanley thinks so.

What stands out from the composite story isn’t that Obama amalgamated characters, it’s that the press hadn’t noticed until now. As with the dog story, this confirms the suspicion that the mainstream media gave Obama a free pass in 2008 and declined to check too deeply into his background.

...

Why didn’t we know all these details four years ago – even though some of them were published in a best-selling autobiography that was sold to us as if it was a fifth gospel? And yet we knew everything there was to know about Sarah Palin, despite the fact that she was in the race for a much shorter space of time than Obama – and only running for veep.

That’s the significance of the canine and composite revelations – both of them, aside from their delightful “dish” factors, not really revelations at all. That we are only discussing them this late into Obama’s career suggests that the vetting that should have happened four years ago was unforgivably neglected. But, hey, it’s never too late to start.

Gallup: Unemployment Rate Up
ADP: Unemployment Rate Up
Weekly Jobless Claims: Unemployment Rate Up
Obama's Announcement of Unemployment Rate Tomorrow: Down, I'm Thinking
Update: CNN Mentions The "Invisible" Jobless

—Ace

Gallup: Up to 8.6%.

ADP: Hiring slowed significantly in April (and wasn't very good in March).

The four-week moving average of initial jobless claims rises to its highest level since December.

And the Obama-controlled Bureau of Labor Statistics releases its April employment figures tomorrow.

Anyone suspect another large number of Americans may be non-personed off the labor rolls entirely, so that Obama can claim that the unemployment rate remained steady or even fell?

CNN Notes the "Invisible" Jobless: With the headline--

The 86 million invisible unemployed

There are far more jobless people in the United States than you might think.

While it's true that the unemployment rate is falling, that doesn't include the millions of nonworking adults who aren't even looking for a job anymore. And hiring isn't strong enough to keep up with population growth.

As a result, the labor force is now at its smallest size since the 1980s when compared to the broader working age population.

This is CNNMoney. We'll see if it percolates over to CNN's broadcast division. I doubt it.

Via @gaypatriot

Mostly Peaceful Occupier/Terrorist Throws Brick From Roof; Hits Another Occupier In the Face

—Ace

This is no prank. A brick thrown from a roof has a lethal amount of kinetic energy. I'm surprised the victim is able to get back to his feet at all.

Meanwhile, thanks to publicity by some in the new media, the Occupy "drum scum" who bashed a female police woman over the head has been id'd and arrested.

And via Morgen Richmond and Gateway Pundit, Juan Williams claims that "interrupting members of Congress, being rude to them" is morally equivalent to the Occupiers' violence and chaos.

In what f'ing country does Juan Williams believe we live in, in which "being rude" to members of Congress is a crime equivalent to riot?

"Mostly Peaceful:" AllenG/Dedicated Tenther informs me it's a style guide violation to not call a rioter "Mostly Peaceful" per Jammie Wearing Fool's most excellent joke.

Is Philip Klein Right? By Fighting Against Obama's Distractions of the Day, Is Romney Losing the Big Picture and Thus the Election?

—Ace

I was just talking about this yesterday with someone (not anyone in some kind of campaign).

I don't know.

Since [Romney wrapped up the nomination for all practical purposes], three stories have dominated the political news cycle. The first came when Hilary Rosen, a Democratic operative, said Ann Romney "never worked a day in her life." The next came when the Romney campaign promoted a Daily Caller story recounting that Obama had eaten dog as a child in Indonesia. The most recent came as Obama decided to spike the football before the anniversary of Osama bin Laden's killing, releasing an ad suggesting Romney wouldn't have made the same call.

In all of these cases, the Romney campaign has taken the bait, reacting to whatever Team Obama has decided to make an issue.

I honestly don't know about this. A few weeks ago I declared that we mustn't get drawn into Obama's distractions -- I was speaking of the Hilary Rosen kerfuffle -- even when we can "win" them, because even fighting on those grounds is a loss.

Our path to victory, I said, is keeping it on the economy and Obama's failures and incompetence. Period.

And then, having proclaimed that, I spent the entire day on the Hilary Rosen affair.

I don't know. I get what Klein is saying, but the media sets the national conversation at Obama's direction. Yes, I agree with him that the Optimal Option is to focus on precisely what we wish to focus on -- but is that option actually on the table?

I'm also reminded of football. Or boxing. Or any sport. Yes, we might have a plan. We would prefer to execute that, and only that. But the opponent has a plan too, and we also have to react to the opponent's moves.

I really have no idea.

I guess the right thing to do is defend/rebut and then, always, pivot to our preferred narrative -- the narrative about America being in a Depression (per New York Times Pulitzer Prize winning Princeton economist Paul Krugman) and how Obama's lack of boldness and vision keeps us in such (also per New York Times Pulitzer Prize winning Princeton economist Paul Krugman).

Quotes: Formerly Known as Skeptic offers these--

There are two military axioms which I think sum this up nicely: 1) "No plan survives first contact" (sometimes stated as "the enemy gets a vote") and 2) "You have to have a plan to deviate from" (one of my favorite sayings BTW).

And now it's one of mine.

It's Spring: On Twitter, @baseballcrank argues you can't win elections in the Spring; you can only lose them, and Romney's current goal is to refuse to permit Obama to define him. He says he agrees on the ultimate strategy -- economy, economy, economy -- but not right now.

That's true. Right now most of the politically-uninterested types are still forming opinions.

A Tale of Two Wardobes: Media Very Interested In Cost of Ann Romney's Clothing; Fails To Mention Cost of Michele Obama's

—Ace

The Right Sphere collects up some headlines:

Ann Romney’s Pricetag Problems – MSNBC

Ann Romney’s $990 Shirt – Worth It? – Politico

Ann Romney Wears $990 Silk T-Shirt on CBS – Ed Schultz

Designer of Ann Romney’s $1K Shirt Says It’s Off The Rack – ABC

Those are just a few headlines. Notice they all make a reference to price? Of course they do. That’s the point. Making you think Ann Romney and her husband are greedy pigs is going to be something you see a lot of over the next 6 months. It’s all they have.

Now, let’s look at a few headlines surrounding Michelle Obama’s fashion choices:

Michelle Obama’s State Of The Union Dress – Politico

Congressional Spouses Join First Lady At Food Bank – NY Times

Michelle Obama Volunteers At Food Bank – MSNBC

First Lady Dons Colorful Dress At Correspondents Dinner – ABC

Click the link to find out how much Michelle Obama's clothes cost.

$2700 Sweaters?!!? That darned Ann Romney and her super-luxe wardrobe.

via @bucksright

Elizabeth Warren: My Grandpapa Had High Cheekbones, Like Indians Do
And: I Only Mentioned My "Minority Heritage" In Directories So That I Could Make Friends With Other People With Tribal Roots

—Ace

High cheekbones! Ayiyiyi, the discrimination suffered by those with high cheekbones!

Pictured: Elizabeth Warren's beloved grandfather.

Plus, she said she only listed herself in minority directories to make friends with other minorities (like herself).

Really? You said you were part Indian to find other people who were part Indian?

“I listed myself in the directory in the hopes that it might mean that I would be invited to a luncheon, a group something that might happen with people who are like I am. Nothing like that ever happened, that was clearly not the use for it and so I stopped checking it off,” said Warren.

...

“The only one as I understand it who’s raising any question about whether or not I was qualified for my job is Scott Brown and I think I am qualified and frankly I’m a little shocked to hear anybody raise a question about whether or not I’m qualified to hold a job teaching,” she said, pushing to put Brown on defense. “What does he think it takes for a woman to be qualified?”

You wanted them to call you?

Did you ever take any active measures to seek them out yourself?

Allah absolutely nails this.

Riddle me this. If it was all about making Native American friends in order to get in touch with her roots, why’d she keep up the “minority” listing in that professional directory for fully nine years (1986-1995)? She says she stopped checking it off because the hoped-for socializing never happened, but that’s not a conclusion that should take nine years to arrive at. Also, if she was serious enough about discovering her Cherokee ancestry that she’d describe herself as minority in a faculty listing, she must have been reaching out to the Cherokee community in her spare time too. Makes no sense that the professional listing would be her only attempt to befriend this group of people. So what else did she do in that vein? If the answer’s “nothing,” then it becomes awfully hard to believe this was anything more than her way of adding a diversity credential to her CV.

Precisely. There are lots of American Indian social groups. While Elizabeth Warren was listing herself as an American Indian, in hopes someone would notice this and ring her up, dozens of American Indian groups in Oklahoma, and then Massachusetts, were listing themselves, with all their contact information readily available.

Did she ever reach out to her, ahem, fellow Tribespeople?

Is she pretending that she's unaware that there are all sorts of Indian social and professional groups around, all just a phone call away?

Actually, her claim doesn't make sense even on its face.

Suppose you're black. You say so in the back of your Law School Factory directory.

Do you really imagine many black people are going to call you out of the blue and say "Let's discuss our shared heritage over tea?"

Does this happen? Do minority groups cold call?

Or is it their SOP to list themselves, arrange meet-ups and conferences, etc., and then expect that people who are interested in the club will show up voluntarily at some point?

I suppose they might try calling prominent minorities, to get them to join and give speeches, but that's in service of further publicizing the group.

Do they cold-call obscure professors from the Oklahoma University Law School's directory?

I rather think they don't, and I rather think that Elizabeth Warren is lying.

And that makes me sad.

How come you never call me, Elizabeth?

Update: Okay, DrewM did this yesterday.

It's not a repost-- it's a recontextualization.

What Do You Call A Secret Held By 40 People? "Not a Secret"

—Ace

Buzzfeed and the Huffington Post are reporting an off-the-record meeting of Mitt and Ann Romney with various and sundry representatives of the online right yesterday.

This is a weird thing, because even the fact that it occurred is off-the-record, and yet a big website, and also Buzzfeed, are reporting it. I don't want to say anything about it, but I also think it's absurd to embargo things that most people know now.

That said, I won't comment on it. Unlike some, I don't feel the need to help liberal reporters and websites get hits, and I don't want to promote myself by putting out stories.

I have to note, defensively, that BuzzFeedBen is greasing me a little, calling me a "virtuoso," which is the sort of nice thing you say about a source.

But BuzzfeedBen knows I didn't talk to him, and I hereby authorize him to reveal any and all communications I've had with him about this (of which there are none).

Alternately... I suppose it could be highligting me, because I curse a lot and that might be a problem for some voters or something.

Obama Administration Really Pitching Itself to Incompetent Women Needing Almost Constant State Assistance

—Ace

The Life of Julia -- how Obama promises to fix things for the subset of women requiring a Strong Man in their life but who don't have one.

Is it just me or is there something fundamentally inconsistent with the concept of Strong, Independent Women and paternalism?

Here's Julia at age 23:

Under President Obama: Because of steps like the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, Julia is one of millions of women across the country who knows she'll always be able to stand up for her right to equal pay. She starts her career as a web designer.

Under Mitt Romney: He has refused to say whether he would have vetoed or signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.

At age 27 (Obama seems to be president throughout Julia's life)...

Under President Obama: For the past four years, Julia has worked full-time as a web designer. Thanks to Obamacare, her health insurance is required to cover birth control and preventive care, letting Julia focus on her work rather than worry about her health.

Under Mitt Romney: Romney supports the Blunt Amendment—which would place Julia's health care decisions in the hands of her employer—and repealing health care reform so insurance companies could go back to charging women 50% more than men.

We used to use presentations like the one Obama offers to women for purposes of illustrating the activities and amenities at Care centers for the mentally retarded, insane, or elderly.

Tell us about the tapioca, Papa.

Who The Hell Is "Julia," And Why Am I Paying For Her For Her Whole Life? Because Obama has decided we're now each responsible for 300 million new family members-- congratulations! You're having 145 million boys and 155 million girls!

Admin Releases Some Documents Seized in UBL Raid

—Gabriel Malor

The Combating Terrorism Center at Westpoint has released some of the documents seized during the UBL raid this morning along with English translations and expert commentary. An ODNI spokesman told the Washington Times that the documents chosen for release were vetted to make sure they betrayed no operationally sensitive information. The spokesman also said that the timing is not part of Obama's victory lap, but merely necessitated by the length of time it took to choose which documents to release and translate them.

The CTC's report, "Letters from Abbottabad", is available here (PDF). The letters themselves, with English translations, were up on the CTC website briefly, but appear to have been taken down as I write this. Kinda thinking I should have DLed them when I saw them. Maybe check back later for those, if you're interested.

Top Headline Comments 5-3-2012

—CAC

Good morning to the horde! Filling in for Gabe this morning, who is getting something called sleep, I can offer you all a new poll out of Quinnipiac that has shown Mitt Romney bouncing back hard (from their previous round) in Florida, leading the President 44-43. He has also cut his deficit in Ohio to just two points, 42-44, making this the closest match-up there in months. Per the university Obama does manage to pull ahead further in Pennsylvania, nearly reversing last month's results. Always an odd man out in their releases. Overall, however, looks like Mitt Romney has improved his standing in several critical states, mostly thanks to now clinching the nominee and reducing the not-Mitt Republican vote, but Quinnipiac suggests another factor has come into play:

Romney's ability to cut into the president's leads in Ohio and Florida reflects ...changes in the political environment: ...voter optimism about the economy has leveled off, reflecting economic statistics over the past month and the public reaction to them.

Overnight Open Thread (4-2-2012)

—Maetenloch

US Military Strategery

Okay this is supposed to be a snarky criticism of the American military but perhaps unintentionally it also captures a key feature behind the success of the US military and the country at large: We're quite comfortable with a certain level of chaos.

Now that may not seem like much of an advantage until you realize just how poorly most other nations and cultures do handle it. Many places in the world are far better organized than we are - both government-wise and business-wise and even culturally. So in times of stability they will tend to do quite well since they're able to focus lots of national resources with far less inefficiency than the US does e.g. pretty much all the things which give Thomas Friedman a mental erection.

Which is great. Until times aren't so stable.

Then their organization and efficiency turns out to be quite brittle - when there's no official  in charge and hence no 'official' way to keep the system running people will tend to just stop and wait for someone(else) to come handle it. You get paralysis instead of initiative.

But one of the hidden strengths in America is that while we tend to chafe at authority - especially the more centralized and organized it is - we are also very good at self-organizing. Throw a bunch of Americans together along with a challenging task and pretty quickly they'll come up with plan(s) and someone (or someones) will step up to take charge. It won't be pretty and it won't be very organized and it may not be the 'best' solution and it'll sure *look* like chaos, but it is likely to get done and work.

And because this kind of organization is organic it's also more robust - if the task changes or people come and go, the group can adapt and improvise on the fly. After all this isn't all that different from how most Americans operate in their daily lives at work.

So we'll never win awards for our national organization or have the trophy projects to show off like some countries, but when chaos does come we're able to deal with it, adapt, and even thrive on it. For us chaos = opportunity.

Which is good because I suspect there's going to be a good deal of chaos coming down the road.

Evening Open Thread

—Ace

I have a good excuse. I went squatching.

Liberal Silence: We Don't Need To Talk About That Despicable Idiot Who Almost Became Vice President Anymore

—DrewM.

No, not Sarah Palin. They still love talking about her from time to time.

One time liberal icon and Democratic nominee for President John "She's Dying And I Need To Get Laid" Edwards? Never heard of him.

Today at his federal trial, Mr. Two Americas gave us this touching father-daughter moment.

John Edwards' daughter left the courtroom crying during testimony on Wednesday about a confrontation between her father and deceased mother over the onetime presidential candidate's extramarital affair.

Former Edwards aide Christina Reynolds was testifying about an argument Elizabeth Edwards had with her husband on the day in October 2007 that a tabloid published a story about his affair. As Reynolds was beginning the account about what happened at the Raleigh airport, Edwards turned to his daughter Cate, who was seated in the front row.

"I don't know what's coming; do you want to leave?" Edwards was heard asking.

She responded inaudibly to him, then walked away wiping tears. Edwards was heard saying, "Cate, Cate" as she walked out. Cate Edwards later returned to court after a recess.

This is the quality of human beings liberals swoon for.

Not mentioned in that story? The words "Democrat" or "Vice Presidential Candidate".

Elizabeth "Dances With Socialism" Warren: I Only Said I Was A Native American To Make Friends

—DrewM.

But no one wanted to be Liz's Injun Friend :(

“I listed myself in the directory in the hopes that it might mean that I would be invited to a luncheon, a group something that might happen with people who are like I am. Nothing like that ever happened, that was clearly not the use for it and so I stopped checking it off,” said Warren.

People like her? You mean, "People pretending to be Native American in order to get a cushy gig at an Ivy League law school"?

I'm shocked! Shocked! to find out that no one took her up on that.

Via @slublog and co-blogger Andy

Added: The media wants you to know this subject is closed. Nothing to see here, move along.

[Update - Andy]: Liz "Taxagawea" Warren began airing a new campaign ad here in Boston today to confront this issue head-on. It appears below the fold.

Open Thread

—DrewM.

It turns out "Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers", isn't a valid legal argument.

Former NFL star Junior Seau is dead. Seems like a suicide.

Pat Condell: Hello Saudi Arabia

—rdbrewer

"It's no secret boys. So you can step out of that closet any time you like. All over the world, Saudi Arabia has long had a reputation as a gay country--a country with one king and millions of queens."

Pat Condell's latest video essay.

New Marquette Law Poll Wisconsin Recall: WALKER BESTS BARRETT BY 1 IN LV, TRAILS 1 IN RV SUBSTANTIAL SHARE OF D PRIMARY VOTE ACTUALLY R (17%)

—CAC

LINK NOW AVAILABLE WITH CROSSTABS
WALKER TRAILS BARRETT 46-47 AMONGST REGISTERED VOTERS.
WALKER BEATS FALK 49-42 IN SAME POLL OF REGISTERED.

*UPDATE* LITTLE CHANGE IN WALKER FAVORABLES. PER POLL DIRECTOR FRANKIN: "VOTERS HAVE SUBSTANTIALLY MADE UP THEIR MINDS"

MORE UPDATES:
BARRETT CRUSHING FALK IN PRIMARY RACE BUT PLENTY OF UNDECIDEDS LEFT (HINT HINT GOP VOTERS CONSIDERING VOTING IN D PRIMARY FOR FALK): 38% TO 21%.

BARRETT DISAPPROVAL NUMBERS NOW VIRTUALLY MATCH APPROVAL, TAKING HIT FROM FALK AND WALKER. FALK NUMBERS DOWN TOO, SAME DEAL. WALKER NUMBERS VIRTUALLY UNCHANGED

17% OF "DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY VOTERS" ACTUALLY REPUBLICANS.

More updates in bold:
Crosstabs: Walker wins substantial share of non-white vote against both Falk and Barrett (low 30s) these voters not as likely to show up
Crosstabs: Walker wins with Indies against both Falk and Barrett
Crosstabs: Little partisan gap between Rs and Ds, slightly more Ds in poll

I have an inkling that last statistic about Republican meddling will explode on polling like this, but I still hope that Rs vote in their own as a sign of solidarity.

Before anyone says don't follow the polls, they matter this close to an election. The Democratic primary leader from this poll will likely get a further boost, especially if they are really leading Walker in head-to-head polling.
THAT said, there has been an astonishing drought of polling data for so critical a race, but that will change after next week's Democratic primary.

One bright glimmer of hope- the election is five weeks away, and we saw what the polling deficit for Prosser did to his chances in getting re-elected last year: nothing.

Catholic Bishops Ask For Civil Disobedience

—LauraW.

We missed this one two weeks ago, during Dogtroversy. But it's kind of a big deal.

CHICAGO, April 17, 2012— In an audacious rebuke to President Obama, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops threw down the gauntlet.

USCCB issued a “Statement on Religious Liberty”. The statement calls for the repeal of the contraception mandate put on employers by the Department of Health and Human Services.

..............................................

The bishops state emphatically this is an unjust law and unjust laws “must not be obeyed”. They are including lay employers in their statement. Employers, who for reasons of faith or conscience, may not want to provide or pay for contraceptive, sterilization, or abortifacient services.

According to the bishops, there can be no accommodation made for an unjust law. An unjust law “must not be obeyed”, not merely objected to.

The link to the Bishops' statement is in the article. In addition to rejecting any notion of obeisance to this law, the statement lists a number of infringements of religious liberty the Church has had to suffer in recent years.

So not only is this a KABOOM across the bow of this administration about the mandate, but it also reads as a "We've had ENOUGH," statement; a refusal to accommodate the anti-religious bigots anymore.

A taste:

What is at stake is whether America will continue to have a free, creative, and robust civil society—or whether the state alone will determine who gets to contribute to the common good, and how they get to do it. Religious believers are part of American civil society, which includes neighbors helping each other, community associations, fraternal service clubs, sports leagues, and youth groups. All these Americans make their contribution to our common life, and they do not need the permission of the government to do so. Restrictions on religious liberty are an attack on civil society and the American genius for voluntary associations.

Emphasis mine.

It's surprising how little press this got, considering how much the make-believe-media loves to bash Christians. Explicitly calling for Americans to ignore or disobey a law beloved to the Left is certainly otherwise newsworthy, no?

Perhaps the media wants to ignore this because polls show most Americans agree with the Church that the mandate is a violation of our liberty. A call for open rebellion like this could start an embarrassing preference cascade.

Liberals: Eat It, Wingnuts. Obama's The Biggest Badass Since John Shaft.

—Ace

Michael Tomasky, a professional annoyance, essentially writes "Suck It" 300 times and calls it a column. I don't want to link him, but you can find a link at Hot Air. Here's what he says:

How the GOP Became a Party of Whiners Over Osama

by Michael Tomasky May 1, 2012 4:45 AM EDT

Republicans love to act like tough guys. Yet it’s the Democrat in the White House who got bin Laden—and the GOP that’s throwing a temper tantrum about a modest Obama ad.

See, it works like this. The rule is: Only Republicans are allowed to even mention September 11. Because it happened on their watch, you see. In a rational world, that would count as a demerit—and indeed might have led to George W. Bush’s removal from office, or at least to far more strenuous demands that he offer proof that he took that August 6 PDB seriously. But in the ‘Americaland’ parallel-universe amusement-park ride the GOP took us all on over the past decade, it actually registers a plus, because it gives them the right to speak about how it felt to be in charge on that awful day, how hideously unknowable the burden was, etc. They own, so they believe, the stories, the images, the pain. So they’re allowed to speak for America on the subject in a way they believe Democrats are not.

“Given this context, it really grates their cheese that Obama, of all people, is the one who has earned the right to boast about killing bin Laden. Bush had seven years. In the immediate aftermath of the attacks, no stone would be unturned in the search, he vowed. A mere few months later, Bush was ‘truly not that concerned about him.’ This was one of the most jaw-dropping things I’ve ever heard a president say. Imagine if Roosevelt had said that in the spring of 1942 about Admiral Yamamoto. Or indeed, imagine if Obama had come into office saying that. He’d have been … I guess I’m not allowed to say crucified, but something close to that. Instead, Obama did the opposite. He actually was concerned about where bin Laden was, and he did the brave thing that Bush notably and demonstrably failed to do.”

Here's my big problem: Regarding the "whining" accusation, he's right, and we have to stop.

There are three ways to handle Obama's victory lap. One is to rebut it and say, as Romney did, "even Jimmy Carter" would have made this call, and to ridicule Obama for believing this was a tough call.

That directly contradicts the claim/message being made. I support that.

Another is to ridicule Obama's absurd vanity, his smirk, his personal pride about bravery and skill that aren't his. All those "I's" in his bin Ladin announcement? Unearned vanity and misplaced swagger.

But the third approach is to simply insist that "Good manners require Obama to say nothing."

Look, no one's going to buy that. No one. Even I don't buy that. If Bush had killed Osama, I do not believe for one red hot second his campaign would have remained scrupulously silent on the issue.

There is no point peddling a line that everyone recognizes straight out of the box is perfect bullshit. I've said before I can get behind a crafty lie, but a silly lie which persuades no one at all? That doesn't even rise to the level of "lie."

That ad I posted yesterday by the veterans' group had several good lines of attack -- knocking King Barack I and his addiction to the Royal I. Getting justifiably outraged that Obama's ad stated that if SEALs had been captured or killed, it would have been "horrible... for him [Obama]."

Outstanding.

But all the stuff about "Heroes not spiking the ball?" That may be true of soldiers but Obama's not a soldier and neither is Romney. (And I'm not sure it's entirely true of soldiers, either.) It just sounds like people saying "You're not allowed to mention this, because it helps you and hurts us!"

Which is not a useful method of shaping opinion. It contains and implicit confession that What's being discussed here is good for Obama and bad for his opponents. I think people process that automatically.

There's always something that rubs me the wrong way by suggesting You shouldn't say this for any reason other than ...because it's not true. To me, "because it's not true" is usually the only good reason to not say something. (I'm sure in particular situations, like troop movements, there are other reasons, but generally, "because it's not true" is the only reason.)

This reminds me of something Sean Hannity used to do on his TV show almost every night. Sometimes he would get lazy, and he would just read the litany of things that Democrats were saying about Bush. That he lied us into war, and so forth. But he just presented the litany of claims without rebutting them, and expected that the audience would just accept that the claims were inherently uncouth or terrible.

It really just sounded butthurt.

I think people are cynical and tend to not want to believe the best in people. I think they tend to look for a way to knock people down. I think this is even more true among true independents. They don't really love either party, so are even less inclined to think well of their politicians.

So I just think that appeals that rely, ultimately, on making a claim about our own Perfect Couthe are going to be rejected. I don't think they're going to buy that we are so Against Taking Political Advantage of Major Military Victories we wouldn't say anything.

Because I don't buy that. So I don't see why someone Not on the Team would.

The people we're hoping to influence don't want to think anything good of us. They want to think we're just self-serving hypocrites. That's the battlefield we're on -- we need to notice that.

But it's also true they don't want to think much good of Captain Kickass over there. I don't think they believe it was super-heroic to give a no-brainer order, and I do not believe they think Obama did that because He's Just a Super Guy. I think they're inclined to think he gave the order because 1, it's his job, and 2, because if he hadn't, there would have been Holy Hell to pay.

At the end of the day I just don't think you can convince people who aren't already on the team that you're Heroically Ethical and Selfless and Just Super Nice Guys. And any tact along those lines is going to fail.

And sound like bullshit. And sound like whining.

But the public should be reminded that capturing or killing bin Ladin had been a national imperative for ten years, and we have had SEAL teams in the area with the specific task of going after High Value Targets with a half hour's notice, and we have thousands of men and women monitoring phone calls and email exchanges to pin down bin Ladin's location.

With that ten-year national effort and billion dollar infrastructure in place -- what did Obama think all that was for?

I think it was there so that if we got a head's up on Osama's whereabouts, we could kill him. And I think there was a national commitment to that end.

Does he disagree? Does he think that capturing or killing Osama wasn't a national imperative, but rather more like something that would be nice but not necessary?

I think we are losing this issue by overreacting to it, and furthermore, by overreacting in the wrong way ("You mustn't say that!!! Horrors!") that seems to imply guilt on our part.

I think the right way to address it is to state the facts: This was, yes, a relatively easy call, given a ten year, tens of billions of dollars investments into doing exactly what the SEALs did a year ago. Those assets were not there for show. There was the expectation -- and the national imperative -- that they be used to kill bin Ladin, should we find him.

But just yelling "You can't say that!" makes it sound like we have something to hide, and must suppress the truth.

The Leg Thrill is Back: Matthews Thinks Obama's Crass Campaign Speech Is "Shakespearean," Just Like Henry V

—Ace

"It was not political," offered Congressman Jim Moran.

"It was right out of Henry V actually, a touch of Barry, in this case, in the night for those soldiers risking their lives over there," Matthews said.

"Well that's great stuff. I was so proud of the President there, I must say. This has nothing to do with partisanship; this is the Commander-in-Chief meeting with the troops," Chris Matthews gushed on his program today.

RNC Debuts "Social Victory Center" on Facebook

—Gabriel Malor

Last week I had the opportunity to get a sneak-peek at the RNC's new Facebook application. Designed, in the words of one RNC staffer to "take our message where the people are," the Social Victory Center app will, among other things, hook users up with campaign news targeted based on their location and preferences (which Facebook already knows, of course), let users join volunteer efforts, distribute voter registration forms, and provide an online phone bank, all without leaving the Facebook website. It will also, if users wish, put those activities on the user's Facebook wall, letting their friends see what they're up to and, hopefully, encouraging them to join in.

It's an attempt to leverage Facebook's popularity in a new way and, at the moment, the Democrats have nothing like it. The Social Victory Center was unveiled to the public yesterday, so if you're on Facebook, check it out. As the general election ramps up, check back for volunteer activities as they're added. Also, like I did in 2008, I'll be pushing online phone banking in the final weeks of the election, only this time the RNC will have done the heavy-lifting that the McCain team wasn't too keen on.

Top Headline Comments 5-2-12

—Gabriel Malor

GFM.

There was a bit of drama yesterday in the Texas battle to deny funding to Planned Parenthood affiliates. To sum up: Texas is trying to deny state funding to Planned Parenthood affiliates, including those that don't "directly" provide abortions. In retaliation, the Obama Administration cancelled federal funding for all of Texas' women's health programs. Texas is going to continue funding those programs on its own, but not Planned Parenthood affiliates. The Texas rule was supposed to go into effect yesterday. Planned Parenthood sued, arguing that it has a constitutional right to that funding.

On Monday, a district court judge agreed with Planned Parenthood in a terribly reasoned opinion that avoids the major Supreme Court precedent on the issue, which is squarely in Texas' favor. Yesterday, Judge Smith of the Fifth Circuit, whom you may recall was recently in the news, put the kibosh on the district court judge's decision and allowed Texas to withhold the Planned Parenthood funds. It was a rather fast turnaround, but it's only temporary. In the meantime, Planned Parenthood is funding the affected affiliates itself. Imagine that, funding your own damned activities! (I use the term "damned" advisedly.)

In other news:

Newspaper report: USAToday remains the most widely-read print daily in the United States. NYTimes circulation is up an insane 73% year over year, due to digital subscriptions. WaPo circulation fell 7.84% over the same period.

Taliban suicide bombers killed 7, injured dozens in Kabul after Obama's visit.

Elderly sisters, aged 94 and 93, fought off armed carjacker in New Jersey. Nice work, ladies.

Last one, just for the headline, which I am quoting exactly: "Dinosaurs were DRAINED of blood by GIGANTIC HORROR FLEAS." I'm going to make it my new go-to for shock value. That's how the pros do it. Examples: "U.S. debt ACCELERATES due to GIGANTIC HORROR OBAMA." "Shoppers were RUN DOWN by GIGANTIC HORROR CART (that I may or may not have pushed from across the store)." "GIGANTIC HORROR BOYFRIEND keeps STEALING the covers."

Overnight Open Thread (5-1-2012) - May Day Edition

—Maetenloch

A Life in Full: Benzion Netanyahu Dies at Age 102

He was the father of current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. I had never heard of him before but his obituary is a fascinating read:

Born Benzion Mileikowsky in Warsaw, Poland, in 1910 and moving to Mandatory Palestine in 1920, Netanyahu was a devout follower of revisionist Zionist leader Zeev Jabotinsky, who advocated Jewish military strength and the establishment of a Jewish state on both sides of the Jordan River. Netanyahu served as his personal aide until Jabotinsky's death in 1940.

He then edited right-wing Jewish publications and earned a Ph.D in history from Dropsie College in Philadelphia. Later, he was a professor of Jewish history and Hebrew literature at the University of Denver and Cornell University, where he served as chairman of the department of Semitic languages and literature.

He and his wife Tzila had three sons, Benjamin, Yoni, who was killed in an operation to free Israeli hostages from an Entebbe, Uganda airport in 1976, and Iddo, a doctor and playwright.

When you've seen your life's dream come to fruition and the least well-known of your children is merely a doctor and an acclaimed playwright, you've done quite well in life.

And at the other end of the human spectrum...

Do These Guys Seem Like The Type To Blow Up a Bridge?

Well yeah if you're willing to give partial credit for trying and failing. I for one am glad to see that the #Occupiers are willing to hire the mentally challenged.

May Day - Live from Seattle

genghis has been sending updates all day of what the Seattle anarchists are up to including links if you want to follow it live:

Ahh, spring, when a young man's fancy turns to smashing windows and the heady smell of tear gas is in the air.

Listen along while the police scanner narrates:

http://www.komonews.com/news/content/scanner

And helicopters capture the pastoral scenes from above:

http://www.king5.com/live-stream/pop-up-ads/Watch-live-now-116248999.html

There's a bit of a lull in the action now. The anarchists did a hit n' run and are apparently regrouping around the Old Spaghetti House. Two other large groups of protesters are still on the march where they'll join up at Westlake, so I think the Black Bloc is waiting for the crowd to swell so they can use them for cover. Also they're waiting 'till the sun goes down.

Jimmy Carter: Traitorous

Hey don't blame me - that's what the other former US Presidents and their staff think of him:

WASHINGTON - Former presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush have united - in their hatred of Jimmy Carter.

The former commanders-in-chief share a disdain for their fellow ex-president because he conducted foreign policy after leaving office without any authority from the White House, according to a new book.

In "The Presidents Club: Inside the World's Most Exclusive Fraternity," former staffers even use the word "treason" to describe Carter's actions.

"Carter gives the club a great gift, something for all the others to complain about," the book by Time magazine's Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy says.

So Who's Your Favorite Under-Rated Blogger?

As I scour the internet, looking for links to keep you entertained, I'm kinda surprised how difficult it is to find decent text-based right-wing blog humor. It's all reposts of YouTube videos now.

Even Scrappleface, whose coined the term "Axis of Weasels" back in his writing days, has climbed aboard the video train.

Surely there are still writers out there who seek to amuse, aren't there?

My question is, who do YOU read when you want to be entertained? Not the gigantor mega-bloggers that everyone's heard of. I mean talented, low-traffic sites still struggling for attention.

Who's your favorite under-rated blogger?

If you've been holding out on us, well now's the time to spill your faves.

How The Dalai Lama Became Instantly Uncool

Can You Learn the Identity of a Car Owner with Their License Plate Number and Google?

Well kind of but it takes some extra work:

You would be surprised that even license plate information can be found online. An old trick I use to use back in the day was searching Government Smog check sites for the plate. Not only would they say if the car passed or not, often the website would list the smog shop that serviced the car or VIN # of the car. Then I would search on the VIN # for more details and/or ask the smog shop for the vehicle owner's information.

If that doesn't work, Brandon also notes that there are a few other options available to you. While it's unlikely you'll be able to get the information covertly, you can use a Request for Record Information (INF 70) form to identify a car owner. Additionally, some states (like my home state of Minnesota allow you to go to a simple database site and pay a small fee.

Tales of Good Fortune With Horribly Cruel Plot Twists

Could be worse I guess.

In 2011, 22,000 applicants from around the world were informed that their names were drawn and they won the most Power of all Ball lotteries. They were coming to America! Break out the wine! Buy some tiny Old Glories! U-S-A!

Once again, the cold reality of "computer glitch" broke the hearts of thousands. Only this time it wasn't hopeful kids wanting a higher education or lecherous gamblers, but earnest, hard-working people who wanted nothing more than to come to America and to get the hell out of the country they were currently in.

...The State Department was forced to make an apology after the system malfunctioned. But by that time, it was too late. Twenty-two thousand people were already told they were eligible for the visa. That's when the State Department was forced to hold another drawing where it took data correctly. No one was disciplined for the mistake, and the ones who lost out had to hope that somehow they would actually win the next time around. The odds of winning are only about, oh, 1 in 250.

Single, Like Travel, And Looking For a Generous Older Gentleman?

A new website, MissTravel.com, is offering beautiful, broke ladies access to "wealthy" dudes who are willing to pay for travel to exciting destinations. Upon signing up for the site, "beautiful" members (users decided between a "generous" or "beautiful" membership type) must provide photos for approval, which ultimately decide whether the ladies can or cannot have a profile. With an approved membership, women have access to thousands of eligible bankers, athletes, lawyers, executives and other uncategorized rich dudes who are willing to fork over travel cash in exchange for a wonderful and of course, most importantly, attractive female travel companion.

Well I'm pretty sure that traveling Secret Service agents would enjoy some American company since foreign nationals are now off-limits.

The Yahoo AoSHQ group. You know the way.

Braaak.

Tonight's post brought to you by May:

Notice: Posted by permission of AceCorp LLC. Please e-mail overnight open thread tips to maetenloch at gmail. Otherwise send tips to Ace.

Close it up

Obama Speaking Live From Afghanistan

—DrewM.

Operation Spike The Ball is underway.

The reason he's there (aside from the ball spiking) is to sign an agreement on the long term relationship with Afghanistan.

This is the post I wrote after Obama's big December 2009 Afghanistan speech at West Point. Sadly, I think it's held up pretty well.

Obama just announced we've been negotiating directly with the Talleybohn.

This is going to be a fine line for Romney. He's been all over the "commanders in the field" line but getting out ASAP will be popular, even with a lot of Republicans. The interventionist wing will freak out but they are pretty marginal these days.

Big Picture: The Left Is Freaking Out That ObamaCare Might Be Invalidated Because Their Dreams Require Massively Empowered Government

—Ace

Interesting piece. Read the whole thing, but here's the nut of it.

Observing an author (Jack Balkin) discuss his book (Living Originalism) at Yale Law School, the faculty went Full Squatch.

It is impossible to convey the constitutional establishment’s near-clinical obsession with, and hysteria over, the possible invalidation of the ACA’s individual mandate. It would, they say, amount to an unconscionable act of aggression on the democratic process. A reversal of the New Deal and a resurrection of the ancien régime of the Second Republic. A judicial coup d’état. The Constitution in Exile... Much handwringing arose over the elite media’s commitment to be fair to both sides even when, as here, there is no reasonable other side. The plaintiffs’ briefs are beneath contempt. Randy Barnett is a creature of The New York Times and its addiction to a false neutrality...

Me, I can explain it only this way: the resistance is to the very notion of any limit, qua limit. This is why progressivism always exceeds its own reach. You can’t just defend abortion as a constitutional right; you have to defend partial birth abortions. You can’t just defend equal rights for women; you have to insist that spousal abuse is a federal hate crime. You can’t just advocate campaign finance regulation and disclosure; you have to insist that the Federal Election Commission can ban books and movies.

I don’t think that my friends at Yale actually believe any of these positions. (They hold many false beliefs, but they are not insane.) Nor can they seriously believe that, but for their extravagant positions, we would hand over the country to Opus Dei, bind our wives’ and daughters’ feet, allow George Soros or David Koch to buy their very own Congressmen, or for that matter toss ailing widows and orphans into the streets. The real fear is that the Constitution might pose some limit to progressivism’s anything-goes imagination.

One could argue that the Constitution was enacted for precisely that purpose.

Which is why they must recreate it to serve their true purposes.

Obama Ad: Remember, If Any SEALs Had Been Captured Or Killed, It Would Have Been Just Horrible... For Obama

—Ace

Yes. Just horrible for Obama.

Via Geraghty.

Is This Something?

—Ace

S.E. Cupp shows off her... novelty t-shirt slogan.

I'm just such a fan of novelty t-shirts. The quote comes from the TV show/elaborate hoax Finding Bigfoot, when a guy named Bobo hears a noise and declares "Dude, that sounds squatchy."

But really, I wasn't aware of this "squatchy" term and thought it sounded fun.

According to Urban Dictionary, it means what you'd guess it does:

Squatchy

of, pertaining to, or a likeness of the Sasquatch and/or its habitat
Can you believe how deep that woman's voice was? She was so squatchy.

That's such a squatchy house. It's all run-down and falling apart.

2. Squatchy
1. describing hearing a sound that could be of possible Sasquatch origin.

2. Making a noise that sounds as if could have been made by a Sasquatch.
A nervous but cool camper in the woods exclaims "Wow did you hear that? That was Squatchy."

So there you go. "Squatchy." I don't know if the opportunity to use this term will ever actually come up, but if it does, I'll be ready.

Paul Krugman: We're In A Depression

—Ace

This is what I was getting at, last week, when I argued that 2.5% growth for Obama would not cut it-- 2.5% is fine (if tepid) growth in a recovered, growing economy.

But our economy hasn't recovered. It's just growing along the bottom, not back up at the top.

Krugman terms this situation a "depression," definitionally, and notes that the 30s had periods of "recovery" and "recession" as well, but all marked from the bottom, as the country was in depression even during its "recoveries."

I don't agree with him about his prognosis -- Spend, spend, spend! -- but yeah, I'll agree we're in a depression.

Apparently You Can't Be Gay And Have a Job In A Conservative Organization: Richard Grennell Resigns, Under Pressure By Conservatives
Update: Is There Any Evidence of "Uproar"?

—Ace

Wonderful.

It's one thing to hold the position that gays can't have marriages.

But how about jobs?

Pieces in two conservative publications, the National Review and Daily Caller, reflected the uproar by some social conservatives over the appointment.

In the National Review, Matthew J. Franck wrote late last week: “Suppose Barack Obama comes out — as Grenell wishes he would — in favor of same-sex marriage in his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention. How fast and how publicly will Richard Grenell decamp from Romney to Obama?”

Of course Mitt Romney accepted the resignation and we have no evidence he protested.

On the plus side: He's amenable to pressure from the right.

On the negative side: Not exactly a profile in courage.

Buying Into The Narrative: Commenters point out, correctly, that we actually have no evidence of an "uproar" over Grenell.

We don't know why he chose to resign; not exactly. Romney wasn't using him, putting him out there, and perhaps that was over concerns about how he'd be received.

Apart from the two pieces Rubin links to, we don't know of any "social conservative uproar."

Honestly, I never heard of such an uproar. Can an uproar occur in quiet?

Afghanistan Must Be A Swing State, Because Obama Just Landed There To Give A Speech
Update: Will Address the Nation "Tonight" (I'm Thinking Primetime, Baby!)

—Ace

Even Nebbishy Nincompoop Dana Milbank notices that the President's job duties seem limited to "campaigning."

In a political culture that long ago surrendered to the permanent campaign, Obama has managed to take things to a whole new level. According to statistics compiled for a book to be published this summer, the president has already set a record for total first-term fundraisers — 191 — and that’s only through March 6. Measured in terms of events that benefit his reelection bid, Obama’s total (inflated in part by relaxed fundraising rules) exceeds the combined total of George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter.

It’s not just the gatherings officially categorized as campaign events. To a greater extent than his predecessors, Obama has used the trappings of his office to promote his reelection prospects even while handling taxpayer-funded business.

According to the same book, “The Rise of the President’s Permanent Campaign,” by Naval Academy political scientist Brendan Doherty, Obama was the first commander in chief in at least 32 years to visit all of the presidential battleground states during his first year in office. He has kept that pace, devoting nearly half of his travel to 15 swing states that account for just over a third of the population.

The election is still six months away, but it’s increasingly difficult to distinguish Obama’s political events and speeches from the official ones.

So now he's in Afghanistan. Supposedly this is an official visit -- and not, say, a campaign event, which will supply video and photographs to be used in commericials and donor solicitations.

He'll be speaking shortly. I'll bump the thread when he's on. Update: I saw that he'll address the nation "tonight," which I take to mean -- of course -- prime time.

The Royal "I:" The Osama bin Ladin Raid and Obama's Stolen Valor

—Ace

The buck stops with Admiral McRaven.

A recently disclosed memorandum from then-CIA Director Leon Panetta shows that the president's celebrated derring-do in authorizing the operation included a responsibility-escape clause: "The timing, operational decision making and control are in Admiral McRaven's hands. The approval is provided on the risk profile presented to the President. Any additional risks are to be brought back to the President for his consideration. The direction is to go in and get bin Laden and if he is not there, to get out."

Which is to say, if the mission went wrong, the fault would be Adm. McRaven's, not the president's.

The writer, Michael B. Mukasey, notes how previous presidents have announced military victories -- the "I" was strongly disfavored, with presidents preferring to give credit and honor to the men who'd actually risked something more than political fallout.

But not for King Obama I.

"I directed Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority . . . even as I continued our broader effort. . . . Then, after years of painstaking work by my intelligence community I was briefed . . . I met repeatedly with my national security team . . . And finally last week I determined that I had enough intelligence to take action. . . . Today, at my direction . . ."

While Obama claims sole credit for the Osama raid, apparently everyone and everything is to blame for the economy-- Bush, obstructionism, automation, tsunamis, cold weather, warm weather, sweater weather-- except Obama.

Chris Christie: Do I Really Look Like the Vice President Type?

—Ace

He does allow that Governor Romney "may be able to convince me, he's a convincing guy," but doesn't think he would look good clapping behind the President at the State of the Union.

I don't know-- everyone says the non-NJ parts of the country would find him "abrasive." And yet I'm also told it's imperative we be just that -- abrasive, in your face, demanding.

He's funny in that video. Likable, I think. Few have his credibility on reducing spending and holding the line on taxes.

Five Anarchist Terrorists Arrested For Plot to Blow Up Cleveland Bridge
Confirmed: At Least Two of the Bombers Are Occupy Organizers

—Ace

Enemies, both foreign and domestic.

A mohawk-wearing anarchist nicknamed "Cyco" was among five men arrested after allegedly conspiring to blow up a bridge about 15 miles south of Cleveland[:] the Brecksville-Northfield High Level Bridge, which spans the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and carries a four-lane highway.

The men were arrested Monday evening in an FBI sting, but posed no real danger to the public because the explosives were inert and were controlled by an undercover FBI agent, the bureau said in a statement.

CNN refuses to mention the Occupy movement that Obama and Nancy Pelosi embraced -- but surely these men were involved in that movement...?

Morgan Richmond notes the an anarchist website (not associated with the terrorist would-be bridge bombers) has made its ambitions clear enough.

If we don’t fight back, the crisis may drive a permanent decline in our standard of living, deepen the domination over the oppressed, and widen the gaps in American society.

And how to "fight back"? Through community organizing, of course.

Until people take to the streets and assert their power, we have to help lay the groundwork. We need to be immersed in working class communities, helping to build struggles against exploitation and oppression in workplaces, housing, education, neighborhoods, and our homes. We are not in a permanent state of agitation though; fights will pick up and cool down. We need to build intermediate organizations that live through the ups and downs of these struggles. Intermediate level organizations can group together organizers who become conscious and committed to a more equal and just vision of society in organizing, and stay committed to helping others fight back around concrete issues in their daily lives.

For some reason they run a picture of an anarchist poised to club "Friday" singer Rebecca Black over the head.

30 years later, and Obama is still pallin' around with terrorists.

by @slublog

Two Bombers Are Occupy Organizers: Via ace researchers Dan Riehl and Liberty Chick.

One of the leaders of the Occupy Cleveland movement, Brandon Baxter, is one of those arrested for today's terrorist plot to bomb a bridge in Cleveland. Occupier Brandon Baxter appears to have gotten the guidance he sought.

OCCUPIED — Occupy Cleveland organizer Brandon Baxter gets some shade in the Occupy Cleveland tent in downtown Cleveland on March 21, 2012. Baxter, one of the few remaining members of Occupy Cleveland’s physical presence downtown, said the group has seen a sharp decline in numbers since last October because of increasing disorganization. “We need guidance,” he said.

Another of today's suspects is Anthony Hayne, named previously in a report on Occupy Cleveland.

“I just want to be very clear: we are not occupying Lakewood,” said Anthony Hayne, who is organizing the information session. Hayne, a Lakewood resident since 2001, said there will be about six or seven members of Occupy Cleveland, which stems from the Occupy Wall Street movement, at the table Saturday.

They had more planned targets, too.

The Federal Reserve Bank in Cleveland The Justice Center in Cleveland A Cuyahoga County Homeland Security operation called the Northeast Ohio Regional Fusion Center. An unidentified Ku Klux Klan location in Ohio An Interstate 480 bridge known as the Valley View bridge.

Another Dark Knight Rises Trailer

—Ace

Batman will have his say later, but right now no one cares. It's all about The Avengers.

- "The Avengers" flexed its muscles overseas, opening at No. 1 in all 39 markets and rolling up $178 million a week ahead of its U.S. debut.

Interesting new strategy in Hollywood -- they're releasing big blockbuster pictures overseas first. They released The Avengers in 32 markets last week, and they have Battleship out there too. The theory is that they can generate some cash-money momentum for the important American release. In the case of a movie like Battleship, that can help offset what in all likelihood will be poor reviews.

Disney (which owns Marvel studios) isn't going to let another John Carter flop happen -- that's central to their thinking.

But The Avengers has glowing reviews-- currently 94% on Rotten Tomatoes. So this tactic seems unnecessary.

I'm seeing the film on Friday morning. I'll be gone until 1 pm, then I'll post a review. (See, I have to do this -- it's "news" and I must "cover" it. I certainly don't want to play hooky until midafternoon or anything...)

Anyway, on to Batman. Batman's awesome and everything but we've seen Batman. We've never seen an All-Star Superhero Mash-Up.