Month: October 2004

Well, only an idiot or a typical mass media podperson could score tonight’s debate as anything but a clear win for President Bush. But I repeat myself…

The President was masterful. Warm, strong, genuine, authoritative, credible, consistent, on message, connected with the audience, humorous at times (effectively so!). He “owned” the room. He even handled the loaded question about “name three mistakes” well (although were I doing prep with him, I’d have been ready for that one–he got snookered on it earlier in the year, after all). Turned it back and “outed” it for what it was and strongly rebutted its unspoken agenda.

(Tinfoil hat time? Not quite–I’ll support the following characterization of the MMPA another time… ) While I am absolutely positive the Mass Media Podpeoples Army, in their socialist agenda to destroy Western Civilization, will spin this sKerry’s way (especially ABC –see Drudge on the ABC Halperin memo), it’ll just be more CBS/Ra^thergate-quality “news”–completely partisan.

While President Bush missed a few good licks (calling Kerry on the General Shinseki lie, hammering the fact that the draft bill defeated this week was proposed by the Democrats and that the only persons to vote for it were Democrats, couple other minor things), but nailed Kerry with A+, A and B answers to answers ranging from A to F-, according to Hugh Hewitt’s scorecard—a scorecard I am largely in agreement with.

All-in-all, not a knockout, perhaps, but a clear win for Bush. And the best part? The Bush team came away with plenty of ammo for the coming week! Thank you, Senator sKerry!

heh.

Well, only an idiot or a typical mass media podperson could score tonight’s debate as anything but a clear win for President Bush. But I repeat myself…

The President was masterful. Warm, strong, genuine, authoritative, credible, consistent, on message, connected with the audience, humorous at times (effectively so!). He “owned” the room. He even handled the loaded question about “name three mistakes” well (although were I doing prep with him, I’d have been ready for that one–he got snookered on it earlier in the year, after all). Turned it back and “outed” it for what it was and strongly rebutted its unspoken agenda.

(Tinfoil hat time? Not quite–I’ll support the following characterization of the MMPA another time… ) While I am absolutely positive the Mass Media Podpeoples Army, in their socialist agenda to destroy Western Civilization, will spin this sKerry’s way (especially ABC –see Drudge on the ABC Halperin memo), it’ll just be more CBS/Ra^thergate-quality “news”–completely partisan.

While President Bush missed a few good licks (calling Kerry on the General Shinseki lie, hammering the fact that the draft bill defeated this week was proposed by the Democrats and that the only persons to vote for it were Democrats, couple other minor things), but nailed Kerry with A+, A and B answers to answers ranging from A to F-, according to Hugh Hewitt’s scorecard—a scorecard I am largely in agreement with.

All-in-all, not a knockout, perhaps, but a clear win for Bush. And the best part? The Bush team came away with plenty of ammo for the coming week! Thank you, Senator sKerry!

heh.

Again, from “The Cave of Adullum“:

Whodda Thunk?

An American historian named Robert Davis has done some figgering with his calculator. Turns out that, between 1530 and 1780, more than a million Europeans were captured by corsairs, enslaved, and taken off to North Africa, where their Muslim masters offered employment opportunities.

(We do not think it too early to begin discussions about reparations.)

Another charge to lay at the feet of the Islamofascists/Jihadists.

Again, from “The Cave of Adullum“:

Whodda Thunk?

An American historian named Robert Davis has done some figgering with his calculator. Turns out that, between 1530 and 1780, more than a million Europeans were captured by corsairs, enslaved, and taken off to North Africa, where their Muslim masters offered employment opportunities.

(We do not think it too early to begin discussions about reparations.)

Another charge to lay at the feet of the Islamofascists/Jihadists.

There is hope. Even among mass media podpeople. A few even have brains they haven’t sent out to the cleaners… and left unclaimed. Maggie Callagher seems to have hers handy and to actually be using it. About last week’s joint Bush/sKerry press conference (AKA, “debate”):

“Bush broke the cardinal rule of television: Never let them see you sweat. I had more sympathy for the smirks, the tics, the facial gestures than most swing voters apparently did because I shared the underlying emotion that caused them: not anger. Not defensiveness. Exasperation. And disgust.

What got to Bush? Here’s what I think: It was not the brilliance of Kerry’s debating tactics but the absurdity of the essence of the new Kerry position: The war on Iraq is an easy thing. The reason bad things are happening is Bush is bungling.

Give that man a wand and slap a pair of wings on his back: John Kerry (news – web sites) is running for fairy godmother! Our allies are opposed to the war? A swoosh of the Kerry wand and President Kerry will have the French and Germans rushing to our rescue in no time. Iraq needs a new army to defend itself? Zap bing — the Kerry touch will make training an Iraqi army faster and easier. Al-Qaida and other terrorists are pouring over the border to join the fight? When Kerry is elected, the guerrilla insurgency will magically disappear. A summit? How brilliant! Why didn’t President Bush think of that?”

Dontcha just love well-written sarcasm? Especially when it fits so well with sKerry’s auto-mythology? (The guy’s a legend in his own mind.)

Go on. Click the link. You’ll be glad you did.

There is hope. Even among mass media podpeople. A few even have brains they haven’t sent out to the cleaners… and left unclaimed. Maggie Callagher seems to have hers handy and to actually be using it. About last week’s joint Bush/sKerry press conference (AKA, “debate”):

“Bush broke the cardinal rule of television: Never let them see you sweat. I had more sympathy for the smirks, the tics, the facial gestures than most swing voters apparently did because I shared the underlying emotion that caused them: not anger. Not defensiveness. Exasperation. And disgust.

What got to Bush? Here’s what I think: It was not the brilliance of Kerry’s debating tactics but the absurdity of the essence of the new Kerry position: The war on Iraq is an easy thing. The reason bad things are happening is Bush is bungling.

Give that man a wand and slap a pair of wings on his back: John Kerry (news – web sites) is running for fairy godmother! Our allies are opposed to the war? A swoosh of the Kerry wand and President Kerry will have the French and Germans rushing to our rescue in no time. Iraq needs a new army to defend itself? Zap bing — the Kerry touch will make training an Iraqi army faster and easier. Al-Qaida and other terrorists are pouring over the border to join the fight? When Kerry is elected, the guerrilla insurgency will magically disappear. A summit? How brilliant! Why didn’t President Bush think of that?”

Dontcha just love well-written sarcasm? Especially when it fits so well with sKerry’s auto-mythology? (The guy’s a legend in his own mind.)

Go on. Click the link. You’ll be glad you did.

Well, I could have resisted, but I decided it was just too delicious… “The Cave of Adullum” again… (Well, if you had gone there, read and commented, I’d not feel so strongly that I needed to give another taste!)

“Allow Us to Quote
The American Spectator reported on the doings of a certain imam in Spain, an imam who goes by the moniker of Mohamed Kamal Mustafa. The good rev. was sentenced to 15 months in the hoosegow for “encouraging violence against women.” Apparently, his progressive 120-page tome entitled Women in Islam was teaching his attentive (very male) readers to avoid striking their wives on their more sensitive parts. Rather, he argued, beatings should use a light rod in order not to leave scars or bruises, and that said beatings should be administered only “on hands and feet.” If, against all precautions, bruises or scars inexplicably appear anyways, the faithful disciplinarian should buy the little lady some shoes and mittens.

What these Muslim women really need is a New Testament, some hockey gloves, a helmet, and a Louisville slugger.”

Now you’re cookin’ with gas! Hmmm… maybe there’s something in there for the part of the War to Save Civilization as fought against the Islamofascists: teach the women that they are humans and that they, too, have genuine human rights, then teach them how to shoot an appropriate handgun… and give ’em the handgun they are trained on and 1,000 rounds.

“AMIRIYAH, Iraq — The first time the women at the paramilitary training camp here went for shooting practice most were nervous, some started crying and others did not want to pick up the guns.

Nearly four weeks later, Shemaa Jasem, 22, held up her paper target showing three small holes near the bull’s-eye, and was disgusted. “Bad shooting today,” she said… ”

It’s a good start.

On to Riyadh?

Well, I could have resisted, but I decided it was just too delicious… “The Cave of Adullum” again… (Well, if you had gone there, read and commented, I’d not feel so strongly that I needed to give another taste!)

“Allow Us to Quote
The American Spectator reported on the doings of a certain imam in Spain, an imam who goes by the moniker of Mohamed Kamal Mustafa. The good rev. was sentenced to 15 months in the hoosegow for “encouraging violence against women.” Apparently, his progressive 120-page tome entitled Women in Islam was teaching his attentive (very male) readers to avoid striking their wives on their more sensitive parts. Rather, he argued, beatings should use a light rod in order not to leave scars or bruises, and that said beatings should be administered only “on hands and feet.” If, against all precautions, bruises or scars inexplicably appear anyways, the faithful disciplinarian should buy the little lady some shoes and mittens.

What these Muslim women really need is a New Testament, some hockey gloves, a helmet, and a Louisville slugger.”

Now you’re cookin’ with gas! Hmmm… maybe there’s something in there for the part of the War to Save Civilization as fought against the Islamofascists: teach the women that they are humans and that they, too, have genuine human rights, then teach them how to shoot an appropriate handgun… and give ’em the handgun they are trained on and 1,000 rounds.

“AMIRIYAH, Iraq — The first time the women at the paramilitary training camp here went for shooting practice most were nervous, some started crying and others did not want to pick up the guns.

Nearly four weeks later, Shemaa Jasem, 22, held up her paper target showing three small holes near the bull’s-eye, and was disgusted. “Bad shooting today,” she said… ”

It’s a good start.

On to Riyadh?

For a clear-headed, non-fire-breathing, genuine old-time Reaganesque Conservative take on things, Jerry Pournelle is just about as balanced, fair, insightful and clear as any reasonable human being could ask for. Example:

“As we all surmised, everyone including Saddam’s generals believed he had chemical and biological weapons; and close reading of the report indicates that he thought his threat to use them DETERRED BUSH I from taking Baghdad. Thus he wanted to maintain the illusion of having those weapons, both in laboratory and in deployable stockpiles. Each general thought some other general had them.

Given his success in deceiving his own people, is it any wonder that he was able to deceive Bush II, Blair, the French, the Germans, and probably even Mossad although some say the Israelis knew he didn’t have any — but if that is the case they didn’t tell us that. Just about everyone thought he had chemical and biological weapons…”

(And “…just about everyone” includes a universal set of members of the Senate intelligence committee… Let’s see, can anyone recall sKerry and Kid Edwards saying that they believed Saddam had WMD? I thought so. The set of those who can recall the Senator from Taxachussetts and Senator Gone saying exactly that is virtually universal, excepting only those who are too stupid to be allowed to vote under any reasonable system.)

Visit what is arguably the oldest “blog” on the web.

For a clear-headed, non-fire-breathing, genuine old-time Reaganesque Conseervative take on things, Jerry Pournelle is just about as balanced, fair, insightful and clear as any reasonable human being could ask for. Example:

“As we all surmised, everyone including Saddam’s generals believed he had chemical and biological weapons; and close reading of the report indicates that he thought his threat to use them DETERRED BUSH I from taking Baghdad. Thus he wanted to maintain the illusion of having those weapons, both in laboratory and in deployable stockpiles. Each general thought some other general had them.

Given his success in deceiving his own people, is it any wonder that he was able to deceive Bush II, Blair, the French, the Germans, and probably even Mossad although some say the Israelis knew he didn’t have any — but if that is the case they didn’t tell us that. Just about everyone thought he had chemical and biological weapons…”

(And “…just about everyone” includes a universal set of members of the Senate intelligence committee… Let’s see, can anyone recall sKerry and Kid Edwards saying that they believed Saddam had WMD? I thought so. The set of those who can recall the Senator from Taxachussetts and Senator Gone saying exactly that is virtually universal, excepting only those who are too stupid to be allowed to vote under any reasonable system.)

Visit what is arguably the oldest “blog” on the web.