As usual Hugh Hewitt is being a blog bully. He’s on a tireless assault (no doubt due to jealousy) of Minnesota’s premiere (snicker) bloggers at Fraters Libertas. They face slander daily from the abusive Hewitt. And today, while Chad is out of the country (sound familiar Hugh? He’s out of the country!) he has launched another childish (almost Kos Kidish) photoshop attack.

Unlike the many MOBsters who are piling-on to the defenseless Elder, I took a different tactic.

Attack the attacker!

Hugh has some explaining to do.

So let’s have a caption contest. Make up your own caption for this picture of Mrs. Hugh Hewitt.
(Use Comments to compete)

Update:

Hugh responds, “All your bases is mine. HH”

Tough words from a guy in a dress.

Kudos for the Strib in posting a letter that refutes what non-monkey has been saying about our troops.

Letter of the day: It’s strike three for antiwar Coleman 

Nick Coleman is at it again. His third column attacking Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans and Gold Star parents just reinforces the fact that he and his radical friends feel that “free speech” is only allowable if it attacks the war, the troops or the administration. Perhaps that is why in a Military Times Iraq Poll of service members (released January 2006), four of every five respondents said they believe media reports often are “inaccurate.”
Too bad that our veterans and Gold Star parents have to purchase ad space to get their side of the argument out. However, veterans owe Coleman a debt of gratitude for one thing: He, along with the recent statements of Minnesota DFL Party Chair Brian Melendez, exposed the real “Big Lie” the radical left and some like Coleman in the media have been saying about the war in Iraq. That “lie” started at the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom: “We support the troops but not their mission.”

By calling the Midwest Heroes ad “un-American, untruthful and a lie,” they have proven they support neither the troops nor their mission. I suspect they never have.

LT. COL. JOE REPYA, EAGAN; CURRENTLY ON CONVALESCENT LEAVE FROM DUTY IN IRAQ

Mitch points out some pretty important info on the CBiaS Bush approval ratings.

In its classic “fair and balanced” tradition, CBS slanted in favor of Democrats its poll that found Bush has a 34 percent approval rating and a 59 percent disapproval rating, an all-time high for a CBS poll.
On the bottom of the PDF version of the poll (page 18) it says how many Democrats versus Republicans were contacted.

“Total Republicans” contacted: 272 unweighted and 289 weighted.

“Total Democrats” contacted: 409 unweighted and 381 weighted.

“Total Independents” contacted: 337 unweighted and 348 weighted.

Did you really expect anything less from Rather’s network?

Grounds for impeachment these poll numbers are not.

An old friend just sent me a link to one of them bizzare webgame/fun things.

Cool Illusion

Have fun with the headache after.

Michele Bachmann had to suspend her Congressional campaign this week due to medical issues.

STILLWATER, Minn. (Feb. 27, 2006) — State Senator Michele Bachmann suspended her 6th district congressional campaign activities today for medical reasons.

“I look forward to getting back onto the campaign trail in a few days, to continue promoting my positive message of progressive conservatism,” said Bachmann, as she entered the hospital. “Minnesotans can count on me to continue providing leadership with courage. I just need my body to heal first.”

Michele Bachmann is a state senator from Stillwater (SD -52). She is running for U.S. Congress in the 6th District. For more information, please visit www.michelebachmann.com.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

FYI: Another Statewide Candidate has a radio show too!

If Bob Collins, a senior editor at Minnesota Public Radio, puts this on his blog, what does he put in the news?

He’s got a PAC, he says he wants to run, he’s moved to Minnesota. So how come Al Franken still is doing his radio show? (It’s a joke, don’t send answers).

This is of course a backhanded slap at Pawlenty’s radio show. I’m curious if Collins and the DFL are as concerned over Mike Erlanson’s Saturday show he’s doing on the local Air America affiliate? You know given the fact that he is running for Secretary of State, I would expect the same level of cynicism and outrage from the DFL and Collins as they have displayed towards Pawlenty.

But then again, MPR has long been in the pocket of the DFL, so there’s no need to joke about the absolute bias that is on display. I know some bloggers like Polinaut, and admittedly, it is a great clearinghouse of political stories. BUT! The commentary in this blog should be what people pay attention to.

This is a news organization’s blog operated by a member of their news paid team on company time. (No weekend or evening updates makes me jump to that conclusion) So it is a publicly funded partisan blog. (Collins pay and hosting costs) This was not some off the street hire of an established blogger. This is one of their own. Basically, they are approving of what he is writing. I have to wonder how much of the personal commentary that is on Polinaut is also in the news content from MPR.

Collins is a great blogger. You never have a doubt where he’s coming from or what he’s pushing. He writes great for a blogger. But keep in mind he is a media guy. One of those people we expect to give to give it to us straight. I’d love to know if MPR would welcome regular bloggers into the realm of journalism or the airwaves? If Collins can play dual roles of a journalist and blogger, why can’t others in the Twin Cities?

As the Chair of a Republican BPOU, I get to take the venom from people on the local level from time to time. I just got following letter in the mail.  Let’s call it, “A Better Way?”

As a resident of Spring Lake Park, I would like to say what I think! First your president has destroyed this country. We’ve become a country of the rich, by the rich and for the rich! He started a war that has cost way too much money! He wants to rebuild Iraq when our own Americans need help. Look at the Katrina mess! He needs(underlined) to be impeached(underlined)! He’s an idiot and so are all his rich (underlined 2 times) friends!

(over)

FWIW: Here’s the paper it came on.

And Blaine with it’s ugly over-sprawl can build their own schools with the money from all those new comers. This country should be stopping city city counsels from wasting tax-payers money. Greed has taken over!

I did vote for Pawlenty but if he allows sports stadiums paid for by the tax payers, then he’ll never get another vote from me. I’ll vote for a Democrat even if he’s an axe killer!!

No kidding, that is what it says, axe killer. On to page 3.

I voted for Jesse Ventura because he was one of the working class. There are a lot of us fed-up as the oil companies and drug companies keep getting richer! Find someone alot (underlined 3 times) better than Bush if you want the republicans to stay in office. Right now your future looks dim!!

Such love! So many ideas on how to make things better. Just look at the detailed analysis of what the Bush admin has done. Why do I feel inclined after reading this to call Karl Rove personally and tell him to shove the Party you know where? What have I been thinking all these years? The Democrats do have better ideas than Republicans!

I am so glad that the opposition in Minnesota and America is so full of great alternative ideas. With practical and useful ideas like this, voters will have a very tough choice in November.

So a whole lot of people are against the port deal in the news. DP World bought a British company that had operations at seven or so US Sea Ports. First off, the incredible amount of conflicting facts people are using should be proof enough that no one has a clue what they are talking about, and that most of them are reacting emotionally or politically. And as you may know, emotions are terrible for basing decisions on. Especially ones of this magnitude.

So it seems that a lot, and I mean a lot, of people in powerful positions of government, or public influence are 110% against the deal. But why?
Ownership: Many of them demand that ports be run by American companies, which I’m afraid to say, stopping this deal won’t maintain US control of port terminal operations. Much like airports, portions of US ports are leased out to companies from a slew of diverse nations, and it is happening all across the US. So it is too late for this argument.

Arabic: Another reason for opposing the deal is the nation in question, the United Arab Emirates was at one time a friend to terrorists, true. But I’d have to consider their past relation more akin to the Swiss and their no questions asked policy when it comes to money and banking over the years. Many corrupt, illegal, and ‘evil-doers’ over the years have funneled money through the Swiss banks accounts for suspicious/illegal activities. So should we ban all future business with a nation because of the people who abused their trust? The fact is that since September 11th, 2001 the UAE has been a tremendous ally to the US. As Powerline has pointed out, they have turned over more information and leads than almost any other nation. The UAE of today is a completely different country than the one on September 10, 2001.

Union: This has been the most laughable. Of course what would a public debate be that includes the possibility of increasing/maintaining union membership be with out the proponents of Unions trying to portray everything as an anti-union ‘Big Company’ motive. Somehow the message from the Union point of view is that we need, for the good of American workers, to block this deal so that we don’t outsource good paying jobs. You know, the whole we have to protect (overly) high paying jobs. Take the last time you heard a Union argument, insert the name of DP World, this one is the same as every other one.

Here’s why I am for the deal. The UAE has changed its operations when it comes to dealing with terrorists. They are now on our side. When we asked them if they were ‘with us or against us, they chose with us. We have got to nurture relationships with the nations in the mid-east and South Asia that are siding with us. If we slap every one of them in the face and ban them from legitimate business deals with us,like we are in this deal, they will soon have no option but to take up their shady pasts. Just like if we just run from Iraq, if we turn our back on one of our new allies, they will resent us even more than before September 11th and be a country ripe for fundamentalists to infiltrate.
The other problem is retaliation. Not militarily or through terror attacks, but exactly the same way we are proposing doing to them. What if the hundreds of foreign owned ports World-wide ban US companies from operating on their docks and piers? Yes, what if American companies are banned in retaliation? Can you imagine what our economy would go through if the goods we bought were forced to be handled by Nations who wished us harm?
Right now, much of the security and inspections is done at the time of loading cargo (ahem, by foreign companies). We have to count on nations to inspect containers so that ports in the US are not bogged down by repeatedly unloading and reloading every cargo container that passes through them. Through the spot inspections (granted only 5% which I’d love to see increased) we have in the last 4 years not had one incident. What we have been doing with our port security, has been working. (If increasing port security is the objective, let’s have a debate on that, not try to capitalize on the deal at hand, just because the country in question is Arabic.
Basically this whole thing has turned into another power grab. Congress is now trying to take total control of everything. They are attempting to create themselves into an Emperor by committee. Never before have they demanded so much power, granted they do make laws, but if they do get their wish, and get the power to make every decision, our Republic is lost. If Congress gets the power to approve or disapprove who we can and cannot deal with, the freedoms that America is supposed to stand for, will officially be lost.

With the overwhelming attitude that oil is evil, and that Arab nations need to find other forms of livelihoods, deals like this should be encouraged. Part of the global war on terror is trying to transform the nations at risk or under terroristic control into countries that we can do business with. If we can show them that there is so much more opportunity to being trade partners with, than enemies of the US, we can win this war with out firing another shot.

The cold war was won with ideas not bombs. This new battle to transform a region has got to be handled the same way. The region needs to modernize and accept that the world is not content with IEDs, kidnapping, car bombs, and terror attacks like 9-11 as a forms of political speech.
They are at the fork in the road over there. Down one road is entering into the world as economic powers, and down the other is a world of terror and fundamentalism. We cannot afford them to take the later. And we have got to keep from acting like they cannot be trusted if they take road we want them to. The road that leads to an end of terror.

If those of you who oppose this deal get your way, will you as readily accept the blame if the UAE turns back on the US and goes back to the way they were?

I am tired of pointless calls for peace. Everytime you see someone with that sign that says ‘give peace a chance’, don’t you just want to go up and ask them to define what peace is? More importantly, how they would create peace out of war if they could? (enter crickets) Then there is the ‘anti-Americanism’ that is rampant. You’ve heard it. America’s perception around the World is that we’re bad and evil and nothing we do is worth a darn.

You want America to give peace a chance? Fine, have it your way, let’s follow the plan below.

This was a chain-mail that was sent to me. It kinda hit home with me so I posted it here.

The Plan!

Clarification:
A Commenter noted that Williams never did say this. I accept that, but I still like what is being said, regardless of who said it. I am leaving the email as is (stating Williams said it) but please keep in mind that it is not a celebrity’s statement.)

Robin Williams, wearing a shirt that says “I love New York” in Arabic.

You gotta love Robin Williams……Even if he’s nuts! Leave it to Robin Williams to come up with the perfect plan. What we need now is for our UN Ambassador to stand up and repeat this message.

Robin Williams’ plan…(Hard to argue with this logic!)

“I see a lot of people yelling for peace but I have not heard of a plan for peace. So, here’s one plan.”

1. “The US will apologize to the world for our “interference” in their affairs, past &present. You know, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Tojo, Noriega, Milosevic, Hussein, and the rest of those “good ole boys”, we will never “interfere” again.
2. We will withdraw our troops from all over the world, starting with Germany, South Korea, the Middle East, and the Philippines. They don’t want us there. We would station troops at our borders. No one allowed sneaking through holes in the fence.
3. All illegal aliens have 90 days to g et their affairs together and leave.We’ll give them a free trip home. After 90 days the remainder will be gathered up and deported immediately, regardless of whom or where they are. They’re illegal!!! France will welcome them.
4. All future visitors will be thoroughly checked and limited to 90 days unless given a special permit!!!! No one from a terrorist nation will be allowed in. If you don’t like it there, change it yourself and don’t hide here. Asylum would never be available to anyone. We don’t need any more cab drivers or 7-11 cashiers.
5. No foreign “students” over age 21. The older ones are the bombers. If they don’t attend classes, they get a “D” and it’s back home baby.
6. The US will make a strong effort to become self-sufficien t energy wise. This will include developing nonpolluting sources of energy but will require a temporary drilling of oil in the Alaskan wilderness. The caribou will have to cope for a while.
7. Offer Saudi Arabia a nd other oil producing countries $10 a barrel for their oil. If they don’t like it, we go someplace else. They can go somewhere else to sell their production. (About a week of the wells filling up the storage sites would be enough.)
8. If there is a famine or other natural catastrophe in the world, we will not “interfere.” They can pray to Allah or whomever, for seeds, rain, cement or whatever they need. Besides most of what we give them is stolen or given to the army. The people who need it most get very little, if anything.
9. Ship the UN Headquarters to an isolated island someplace. We don’t need the spies and fair weather friends here. Besides, the building would make a good homeless shelter or lockup for illegal aliens.
10. All Americans must go to charm and beauty school. That way, no one can call us “Ugly Americans” any longer. The Language we speak is ENGLISH…learn it…or LEAVE…Now, isn’t that a winner of a plan?

“The Statue of Liberty is no longer saying “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses.” She’s got a baseball bat and she’s yelling, ‘you want a piece of me?’ “

Consider yourself part of chain now. If you agree with the above pass it along to friends…If not, and I would be amazed, go hold a sign and burn a flag or something.

I claim credit for that word - “theorhetorically” - using theatrics and symbolism to sway your base of political supporters when you have no real intentions of following through with anything you have just implied you will.

Let’s hope that this is not the new way of Republicans to control spending.

I hope that there is more than symbolism and theatrics on the agenda, nation-wide, to stop the spending sprees at all levels of Government.

Starve the Beast!