Month: January 2006

He’s baaaack, and he’s playing a tune loved by liberals.

In an audio tape broadcast on Aljazeera, Osama bin Laden has warned that al-Qaida was preparing an attack very soon, but also offered Americans a “long-term truce”.

“The new operations of al-Qaida has not happened not because we could not penetrate the security measures. It is being prepared and you’ll see it in your homeland very soon,” the voice attributed to bin Laden said, apparently addressing Americans.

But the voice on the tape, which appeared to be aimed at the American public, also offered a truce: “We do not mind establishing a long-term truce between us and you.”

The tape, broadcast on Thursday but dated to December last year, comes after a year of silence from the al-Qaida leader.

“This message is about the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and how to end those wars,” it began.

“It was not my intention to talk to you about this, because those wars are definitely going our way.

“But what triggered my desire to talk to you is the continuous deliberate misinformation given by your President [George] Bush, when it comes to polls made in your home country which reveal that the majority of your people are willing to withdraw US forces from Iraq.

Americans want peace

“We know that the majority of your people want this war to end and opinion polls show the Americans don’t want to fight the Muslims on Muslim land, nor do they want Muslims to fight them on their (US) land.

“But Bush does not want this and claims that it’s better to fight his enemies on their land rather than on American land.

“Bush tried to ignore the polls that demanded that he end the war in Iraq.

“We are getting increasingly stronger while your situation is getting from bad to worse,” he told the US, referring to poor US troop morale and the huge economic losses inflicted by the war.

“The war in Iraq is raging and the operations in Afghanistan are increasing.”

Truce offer

“In response to the substance of the polls in the US, which indicate that Americans do not want to fight Muslims on Muslim land, nor do they want Muslims to fight them on their land, we do not mind offering a long-term truce based on just conditions that we will stick to.

“We are a nation that Allah banned from lying and stabbing others in the back, hence both parties of the truce will enjoy stability and security to rebuild Iraq and Afghanistan, which were destroyed by war.

“There is no problem in this solution, but it will prevent hundreds of billions from going to influential people and warlords in America – those who supported Bush’s electoral campaign – and from this, we can understand Bush and his gang’s insistence on continuing the war.”

Addressing Americans again, he said: “If your desire for peace, stability and reconciliation was true, here we have given you the answer to your call.”

Bin Laden, who had not been heard of since a 27 December 2004 audiotape in which he anointed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Iraq’s most wanted man, as al-Qaida’s leader in Iraq, also said his network was winning the war against the US.

“I would like to tell you that everything is going to our advantage and the number of your dead is increasing, according to Pentagon figures.”

Ayman al-Zawahiri, bin Laden’s deputy, said in a September videotape that his leader was still alive and leading the jihad against the West.

Osama is a very smart man. What he’s saying here is that Americans should listen to the anti-war leftists who believe negotiation is the best way to deal with terrorists. He’s in fact offering to end the attacks if the US withdraws from fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. In other words – you play nice and we’ll play nice.

Don’t believe it for a second.

While Al-Qaida has been weakened significantly, and even more so recently as a result of the bomb attack which killed key members, they are still a formidable opponent. They haven’t softened their views on Americans. They are still radical murderers. But they’re shrewd politicians as well, and this latest message is clearly a clarion call to the left in this country.

I hope and pray that the Democratic party isn’t stupid enough to fall into Osama’s trap.

Take a look at this picture and tell me it’s not the worst example of a bad PhotoShop job on a major news site.

I was wondering why no prominent Democrats have come out to repudiate Hillary Clinton’s ‘Plantation’ remark made on MLK day. It became clear to me that there’s one simple reason.

Fear.

What else could explain this?

Sen. Barack Obama and other black Democrats are defending Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s description of the House of Representatives as a “plantation.” First lady Laura Bush says Clinton’s remark was “ridiculous.”

Clinton, D-N.Y., a potential presidential candidate for 2008, did not retreat from the “plantation” remark, telling reporters the term accurately describes the “top-down” way the GOP runs Congress.

Obama said Wednesday he felt her choice of words referred to a “consolidation of power” in Washington that squeezes out the voters.

The Illinois senator told CNN’s “American Morning” he believed that Clinton was merely expressing concern that special interests play such a large role in writing legislation that “the ordinary voter and even members of Congress who aren’t in the majority party don’t have much input.”

“There’s been a consolidation of power by the Republican Congress and this White House in which, if you are the ordinary voter, you don’t have access,” Obama said. “That should be a source of concern for all of us.”

New York Rep. Gregory Meeks also defended Clinton.

“There was no race card played here. If any card was played here it was a joker, because that’s who seems to be running the House right now if you look at the leadership,” said Meeks, a black Democrat.

How can two black congressmen agree with what Hillary said and not consider the remark blatantly racist?

It’s all about politics, naturally, and many will sell their souls for the promise of a successful political career.

It is for this reason that these two Democrats are cuddling up to Hillary. Obama is clearly a future candidate for president, and he wants access to Hillary and her money machine. Meeks probably believes that Hillary will be president someday and he’s hoping for a cabinet position, or some other role in her administration. As such, they turn the other cheek and brush aside the racism in the hopes that they’ll benefit in some way.

If I could ask Obama a single question about his defense of Hillary, it would be this:

Would Martin Luther King have done the same thing?

Leif Garrett before heroin.

Leif Garrett after heroin.

Gettin’ busted will do that to you, among other things.

Laura calls ‘em as she sees ‘em – and it’s about time too.

Laura Bush criticized Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday for suggesting that the Republican-controlled House is run like a plantation where dissenting voices are ignored.

“I think it’s ridiculous – it’s a ridiculous comment,” Mrs. Bush told reporters when asked about the remark during a return flight to Washington following her four-day swing through West Africa.

Clinton made the comment in Harlem at an event honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. She said the GOP was running the House “like a plantation” because ideas from the minority Democrats were not respected. The White House on Tuesday called the senator’s comments “way out of line.”

Mrs. Bush, who said her next trip likely will be to New Orleans to visit schools damaged in the hurricane, also reacted to a comment by New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin that stirred controversy. Nagin had said: “This city will be chocolate at the end of the day.” He later apologized.

Nagin also said the hurricane that devastated New Orleans was God’s way of showing displeasure about U.S. involvement in Iraq. “Surely God is mad at America,” Nagin said in a speech Monday. “Surely He’s not approving of us being in Iraq under false pretense. But surely He’s upset at black America also. We’re not taking care of ourselves.”

Asked about the comment, Mrs. Bush joked that she didn’t really think she could speak for God. 

Amen.

Perhaps Laura’s been learning a thing or two from her mother-in-law Barbara? She’s never had a difficult time telling it like it is.

There’s nothing wrong with calling people on the carpet, and it should be done more often. Laura Bush gives credibility too, which is why it’s important for her to be more outspoken. 

Unhinged.

Ohio US Senate candidate Paul Hackett (D) made the following statement in a Sunday column and he’s not a bit sorry about it.

“The Republican Party has been hijacked by the religious fanatics that, in my opinion, aren’t a whole lot different than Osama bin Laden and a lot of the other religious nuts around the world.”

“I said it. I meant it. I stand behind it,” he said.

And have any other Democrats come out to condemn Hackett?

Nope. Nadda. Nein.

It’s shameful.

h/t Blogs for Bush

OK, so they’re not all shrill moonbats.

Ben Nelson of Nebraska, a moderate voice in the U.S. Congress, on Tuesday became the first Senate Democrat to announce his support for conservative Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, who is expected to be confirmed later this month by the full Republican-led Senate.

“I have decided to vote in favor of Judge Samuel Alito,” Nelson said in a statement issued by his office.

“I came to this decision after careful consideration of his impeccable judicial credentials, the American Bar Association’s strong recommendation and his pledge that he would not bring a political agenda to the court,” Nelson said.

Arlen Specter looks to obtain the confirmation vote from the Senate sometime next week. Practically no one predicts that Alito won’t be confirmed.

Oh, this is rich.

Former South Dakota Sen. Tom Daschle is weighing the possibility of running for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008.

“I have received a lot of encouragement,” Daschle said in an email today to the Argus Leader.

Daschle didn’t rule out the possibility of an official announcement in the near future. But for now, he said, he has no plans to run for national office.

In his email, Daschle said the primary factors in his decision “would be my family and our mutual decision to consider the rigors of a campaign and reentry into public life.”

Daschle made similar comments over the weekend to another publication. In a Saturday story in the National Journal, Daschle said he was “taking a look at” entering the race.

Analysts see the 2008 race beginning to take shape, with candidates and possible candidates from both parties hinting more openly about their plans.

Larry Sabato, a political expert at the University of Virginia, said Daschle was not in his latest rankings of likely Democratic candidates because he wasn’t convinced Daschle would run.

“I wouldn’t call him the favorite, or even second or third. But it’s early,” Sabato said.

Can you imagine how much video footage there is of Daschle that can be used against him by the Republicans? Why in the world would he want to run for the highest office in the land when he knows that every other quote made by him on ‘Meet the Press’ can be used to help the GOP remind Americans that Daschle is the KING of obstruction? How could he convince a majority of Americans that he’s the right guy for the job in 2008? Talk about a non-starter. I hope this is a one and only attempt at floating this trial balloon.

Next thing you know we’ll be hearing from Terry McAuliffe. Oooh…scary.

The Democratic Party needs new blood, as does the GOP. Trotting out the same ‘ol has beens, like Gore, Kerry, Clinton, and McCain is a mistake.

He boldly goes where no man has gone before.

An online casino has a piece of Capt. Kirk. Actor William Shatner has sold his kidney stone for $25,000, with the money going to a housing charity, it was announced Tuesday. Shatner reached agreement Monday to sell the stone to GoldenPalace.com.

“This takes organ donors to a new height, to a new low, maybe. How much is a piece of me worth?” he said in a telephone interview.

The money will go to Habitat for Humanity, which builds houses for the needy.

GoldenPalace.com low-balled Shatner, so he held out. They eventually came back and accepted his offer of $25,000.00. Way to stick it to ‘em Bill.

I can’t even imagine where this will lead, but I put out at least one prediction. In 2006, Danny Bonaduce will find some body part to auction. It’s only natural.

Mayor Ray Nagin’s comments made yesterday about  New Orleans becoming a “chocolate” city again have been met with raised eyebrows. And like any typical liberal, Nagin came out today to apologize for his statements, saying he never intended to offend anyone (video). Here’s what he said on MLK day:

“It’s time for us to rebuild New Orleans, the one that should be a chocolate New Orleans, and I don’t care what people are saying uptown wherever they are, this city will be chocolate at the end of the day.  This city will be a majority African-American city — it’s the way God wants it to be.”

Later when he was asked to explain just what he meant by the term ‘chocolate’, Nagin back-pedaled.

“Do you know anything about chocolate?  How do you make chocolate?  You take dark chocolate, you mix it with white milk and it becomes a delicious drink.”

Nagin insisted his remarks were not divisive.

“New Orleans was a chocolate city before Katrina.  It’s going to be a chocolate city after.  How is that divisive?  It’s white and black working together, coming together to make something special.”

This excuse is laughable. I for one don’t believe Ray Nagin in the least. What he said on MLK day was what he believed. Just watch him as he’s making his statement. Is this a man making an off the cuff remark? Did he immediately correct himself and explain what he meant? No, of course not. It wasn’t until the uproar became apparent that Nagin decided he needed to clarify his message. And how does he do that? By explaining how chocolate milk is made. Unbelievable.

Let’s hope and pray that the people of New Orleans (those who are left) do the right thing in April and send Ray Nagin packing. The Big Easy can do without the man.