Day: March 28, 2006

Looney alert: Hugo Chavez is toughening up his military to prepare for a war against U.S. troops.

He said Venezuela’s military has begun instilling in soldiers the concept of “asymmetric war” – in which guerrilla tactics like hit–and–run attacks are used to counter a stronger military force.

“It’s our responsibility to prepare ourselves for a war of resistance,” Chavez said during his weekly broadcast.

The U.S. government has repeatedly denied Chavez’s claims that it is considering a military attack to oust him. But Chavez warned U.S. President George W. Bush not to try it.

Chavez said Bush would “totally bite the dust” if he tried to attack Venezuela.

Heh – bite the dust. That’s funny little moron talk.

Thanks for making my day Hugo.

This is a great story about U.S. troops gifting a new wheelchair to a young Iraqi girl.

(h/t Dan Riehl)

Fed chief Ben Bernanke lifted a key U.S. interest rate today, the highest in 5 years.

This story is so outrageous, I don’t even know where to begin.

The next mass demonstration has been announced.

(I love blogger corroboration.)

According to the attorney for Mary Winkler, the woman who confessed to the murder of her minister husband, is “very confused and overwhelmed” by what’s happening to her. (Video)

She is “very detached, very detached from the gravity of the overall situation, very reserved, very quiet, very confused and overwhelmed,” Steve Forese said on the “Today” show.

Meanwhile, Winkler’s attorney seems to be pushing the idea, in a round about way, that the shooting was some sort of accident. He mentioned that the family was in a “dangerous situation” and in that atmosphere, Winkler shot her husband.

One of Winkler’s defense attorneys, Leslie Ballin, said he hadn’t seen Winkler’s statement to Alabama police, but said he’s not convinced it will amount to a legitimate confession.

“We will be looking at what condition she was held in, if she was without sleep or food, or any pressures that may have been lent (sic) upon her,” Ballin said.

The funeral for Matthew Winkler was held today.

Mourners filed into the Fourth Street Church of Christ Tuesday in Selmer, Tenn., for the funeral of their pastor, who was shot to death.

Police cordoned off streets surrounding the church to keep out the news media.

Matthew Winkler’s family, including his three young daughters, are expected to attend, according to police.

The homicide victim’s father, Dan Winkler — a minister from Huntingdon — is scheduled to officiate at the service.

Related: PDF copy of the arrest warrant and affidavit in the case.

The Latest: Winkler Released from Jail | Winkler Remains Locked Up | Winkler’s Caught Up in Email Scam | Shot Dead Over Family Finances | Winkler: Opening Up | Winkler Attorneys Waive Fees | The Innocent Victims | Winkler Family Fund | Possible Winkler Defense? | Mary Winkler: “Overwhelmed and Confused” | Winkler Vs. the State of Tennessee | She Did It |

Chief of Staff Andrew H. Card Jr. turned in his resignation over the weekend which President Bush accepted. This morning, the announcement was made that Joshua B. Bolten, Director of the Office of Management and Budget would replace Card on April 14th.

Turning to Bolten, Bush described his new chief of staff as a creative thinker and a strong advocate for accountability and effective management in the federal government.

“He is a man of candor and humor and directness, who is comfortable with responsibility and knows how to lead,” Bush said.

Bush said Card had approached him earlier this month about the possibility of stepping down, and Bush accepted his offer this weekend, when the two were at Camp David.

“He’s been here 5 1/2 years. The average tenure of chief of staff is two years,” said a senior administration official, who spoke before the announcement, but refused to be named so as not to upstage the president. “Change can be good and necessary and that’s what they had discussed.”

The official said the decision was Card’s, not Bush’s: “Andy initiated it with the president.”

I know that lots of Democrats will call this the beginning of some big “Bush Shakeup”. It’s not. Card is tired, pure and simple.

Via Reuters: Former Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, who played key roles in the shaping of the so-called Star Wars missile defense program and the Iran-Contra affair during the Reagan administration, has died. He was 88 years old.

Caspar Weinberger Jr. said his father had been suffering from pneumonia and high fever for about a week and died at 5 a.m. EST in the intensive-care unit of Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, about 40 miles from his home in Mount Desert.

Weingberger’s wife of 63 years, Jane, his son and daughter, Arlin, were at his bedside when he died.

“He was just a worn-out guy,” his son, Caspar Weinberger Jr., told Reuters.

RIP.