The Debates go on

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Our # 1 through #4 stories are about the Republican debate last night.  #4 is my own take on what Governor Rick Perry could have said when he drew a blank on the third agency he would shut down.  Stories 5 and 6 are about the sexual harassment charges against Herman Cain.  Ann Coulter writes a wicked piece which points the finger at David Axelrod.  #7 relates what Chris Rock tells us about an Obama second term.  And our final story #8 tells us that those condemning salt are wrong. 

1.   Romney and Gingrich Shine

NO ONE TOUCHED ROMNEY. He was unflappable and knowledgeable. He again showed the right political instinct to want to address the struggles of the middle class, although his tax plan doesn’t do it. His China-bashing will probably play well in the Midwest, although it’s foolhardy on the merits. He consistently got applause. I remember one of the early debates when Romney was flying above the other candidates and Pawlenty–I think–attacked him and he declined to reply, saying “that’s fine.” He said the same thing tonight when Santorum went after him. After all the churning in the race, Romney is in the same basically comfortable place he was in several months ago.

GINGRICH WAS ON HIS GAME FROM THE BEGINNING WHEN HE LET LOOSE A RINGING ANTI-BERNAKE, ANTI-FOOD STAMPS, ANTI-ALINSKY ANSWER. This was the Newt everyone thought we’d see before he got in the race. I thought he was much too irritable with the moderators, but a GOP audience probably doesn’t mind and Maria Bartiromo matched him unpleasantness for unpleasantness. The narrative about his rise will continue….

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/282829/romney-and-gingrich-shine-perry-doesnt-rich-lowry

I found Maria Bartiromo to be very unpleasant.  In fact there was nastiness by the entire NBC panel that showed.  At one point they tried to get Romney to take the bait regarding a Perry comment.  Mitt refused.  

2.   Republican candidates are getting stronger and better

THE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES ARE IMPROVING; they are answering questions (hostile questions!) crisply and smoothly. And, IN THE FACE OF CNBC’S SOMETIMES LOADED QUESTIONS, THEY SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER AND ATTACK THE PRESIDENT’S ACTIONS more than they posture or attack one another. Interesting trend. For example, when Michele Bachmann was asked, “WHY IS GOVERNOR ROMNEY WRONG?” SHE RETORTED, “PRESIDENT OBAMA IS WRONG.”

The big winners in the debate tonight were probably Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney. Romney was poised and methodical on health care, Social Security, and the China trade. Always he focused on the failed economic ideas of President Obama, and Romney was thus was a rallying point for the audience and the other candidates.

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/282828/are-republican-candidates-getting-stronger-burton-folsom

Right now the left is deluding itself thinking that none of the Republican candidates can match Obama.  This is complete and utter nonsense.  By the time the debates with Obama happen, Obama will look like the amateur he is.  

3.   'Weak field' spanks CNBC liberals

Putting aside Rick Perry's awful 53 seconds, the real story of the CNBC debate last night was HOW THOROUGHLY THE SO-CALLED WEAK FIELD OF REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES COLLECTIVELY EMBARRASSED THE PANEL AGGREGATED BY THE FINANCIAL NETWORK.

This was not lost on QUESTIONERS MARIA BARTIROMO AND JIM CRAMER, WHOSE DEMEANOR CHANGE WAS OBVIOUS AS THE DEBATE WORE ON. Meanwhile, in the post debate questioning, manchild Carl Quintenilla asked perhaps the worst question in the history of American journalism by trying to couch Herman Cain's "Queen Nancy" reference in light of his "problems with women." Puh-leeze.

On the whole, it was a stunning display of free market and pro-liberty principles versus the nanny state mindset that government must be at the center of all problem solving. Every one of the eight candidates had strong moments against CNBC's self-anointed experts. Especially promising was HOW THE FIELD ALMOST UNANIMOUSLY FINGERED FEDERAL REGULATIONS AS THE MAIN PROBLEM WITH OUR ECONOMY AND SOCIETY -- and they did so as the faces of the questioners went into shock. Moreover there was near unanimity on the idea that the only answer to housing is, well, the economy stupid.

And in spite of repeated attempts to get the candidates to go after each other, only Rick Santorum fell for that bait. Meanwhile the attempt to bring up Cain's sexual harassment issues was met with loud boo's. Very loud boo's….

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2011/11/weak_field_spanks_cnbc_liberals.html#ixzz1dKNrilq8

CNBC was the clear loser in this debate.  I found the questioners to be so obviously looking to have gotcha questions and the ability of the candidates to resist this must have left them as frustrated as they looked. 

4.   A disaster for Perry

Governor Rick Perry suffered what might end up being a fatal incident when he couldn’t remember the third government department he would shut down.  As a speaker, I’ve had that happen to me and your best bet is to make fun of it or yourself.  What Rich Perry should have said when he couldn’t remember the third agency he wants to shut down was:

·         I’m sorry but they forgot to set up my teleprompter.

·         See, it’s so insignificant that even I can’t remember what it is. 

·         I guess I should have kept it to only two things, like hope and change.

·         Since this is CNBC, I’m figuring you folks don’t want to shut anything down, so I’m going to only name two of my three to keep you from having a heart attack.

·         I think the third one was the Corpseman corp.

5.  David Axelrod's Pattern of Sexual Misbehavior

Herman Cain has spent his life living and working all over the country -- Indiana, Georgia, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kansas, Washington, D.C. -- but NEVER IN CHICAGO.

So IT'S CURIOUS THAT ALL THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT ALLEGATIONS AGAINST CAIN EMANATE FROM CHICAGO: home of the Daley machine and Obama consigliere David Axelrod

SUSPICIONS HAD ALREADY FALLEN ON SHEILA O'GRADY, who is close with David Axelrod and went straight from being former Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley's chief of staff to PRESIDENT OF THE ILLINOIS RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION (IRA), as being the person who dug up Herman Cain's personnel records from the National Restaurant Association (NRA).

The Daley-controlled IRA works hand-in-glove with the NRA. And strangely enough, CAIN'S SHORT, THREE-YEAR TENURE AT THE NRA IS EVIDENTLY THE ONLY PERIOD IN HIS DECADES-LONG CAREER DURING WHICH HE'S ALLEGED TO HAVE BEEN A SEXUAL PREDATOR.

After O'Grady's name surfaced in connection with the miraculous appearance of Cain's personnel files from the NRA, SHE ISSUED A CLINTONESQUE DENIAL OF ANY INVOLVEMENT IN PRODUCING THEM -- BY VIGOROUSLY DENYING THAT SHE KNEW CAIN WHEN HE WAS AT THE NRA. (DUH.)…

And now, after a week of conservative eye-rolling over unspecified, anonymous accusations against Cain, we've suddenly GOT VERY SPECIFIC SEXUAL ASSAULT ALLEGATIONS FROM AN ALL-NEW ACCUSER OUT OF ... CHICAGO.

Herman Cain has never lived in Chicago. But you know who has? David Axelrod! AND GUESS WHO LIVED IN AXELROD'S VERY BUILDING? RIGHT AGAIN: CAIN'S LATEST ACCUSER, SHARON BIALEK….

http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=47438

Now who would believe that Obama or his people would do something like this?  Only anyone who actually knew his history in Chicago.

6.  Anti-Cain hoax exposed

Yesterday I saw a lengthy thread at Memeorandum about a “HermanCainPAC” website which had a large cover story calling Karen Kraushaar an “ugly bitch.” Here’s the screenshot:…

…THE WEBSITE LOOKED REAL, WITH A DONATE PAGE AND SO ON. BUT I DIDN’T POST ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT LOOKED REAL BUT WAS NOT BELIEVABLE.

But IT DID INVOKE FURY ON THE LEFT, which went all in on calling Cain names about it. Here was the reaction from Dave Neiwart (who invented the anti-conservative “eliminationist”narrative) at Crooks & Liars….

http://legalinsurrection.com/2011/11/anti-cain-hoax-exposed/

I find Liberals are very gullible whenever someone posts things they want to believe.  Hence someone posts that the College Boards show that Blue States are smarter than Red States and it’s all over the liberal blogs (the college boards doesn’t keep track of anything like that).  Or that Mussolini said “Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power," except he never said it.  Most recently, the left has blamed the Robert’s Court for making corporations people.  They are legally considered that, but that comes from an 1819 ruling which was made 136 years before John Roberts was born. 

7.  Chris Rock on Obama’s Second Term

Some celebrities may have soured a bit on President Barack Obama, but not Chris Rock. The comedian and actor told fellow comedian Marc Maron on the “WTF with Marc Maron” podcast that HE’S “FINE WITH THE PRESIDENT,” IF ONLY BECAUSE HE UNDERSTANDS THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS TO KEEP HIS MOST AGGRESSIVE POLICIES ON THE BACK BURNER UNTIL HE EARNS A SECOND TERM.

“There’s a f——— art to the first term because you’re always running for a second term the whole time. It’s like Clinton’s first term. YOU CAN’T REALLY DO YOUR GANGSTA SH— UNTIL YOUR SECOND TERM.

But Rock understands a lot of the disappointment that Obama’s supporters have had thus far in his presidency.

“I’m like everybody, I want more action. But I understand that he’s trying not to piss off a lot of people. But I believe wholeheartedly if he’s back in, he’s going to do some gangsta sh—.”…

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1111/67980.html#ixzz1dK3ZJh7n

This could be a good commercial for the Republicans.  At the end, it could say, “President Obama wants you to know it could be worse.  It appears a second term would show you just how much worse it could be.”

8.   Study Shows Cutting Back on Salt can be Bad for Your Health

Cutting back on salt may not be as beneficial for your heart as once thought, a new study suggests.

WHILE A DIET LOW IN SALT REDUCES BLOOD PRESSURE, IT INCREASES THE LEVELS OF CHOLESTEROL, FAT AND HORMONES IN THE BLOOD THAT ARE KNOWN TO INCREASE THE RISK OF HEART DISEASE, THE STUDY FOUND.

Overall, the good and bad consequences of a low-salt diet may cancel each other out, so the diet has relatively little effect on the development of disease, said study researcher Dr. Niels Graudal, of Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark.

http://www.livescience.com/16959-salt-diet-heart-health.html

Mom was right, “everything in moderation.”

Boeing 787 Dreamliner is certified

The Dream is Here

The flight testing is done, the FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION HAS ISSUED ITS APPROVAL AND AS OF TODAY BOEING CAN SAY THE 787 DREAMLINER IS CERTIFIED TO CARRY PASSENGERS.

The FAA presented Boeing with a type certificate and production certificate for the innovative composite airliner during a ceremony at Boeing’s factory north of Seattle. The pieces of paper mean the Dreamliner can begin commercial service, and they represent the culmination of several billion dollars of investment for the aerospace giant and almost as many headaches.

Boeing attempted a grand experiment with the Dreamliner, one that proved far more difficult to execute than anyone imagined. THE 787 PROJECT TOOK MORE THAN THREE YEARS LONGER THAN EXPECTED, AND THE DELAYS COST BOEING UNTOLD AMOUNTS OF MONEY IN LOST SALES. STILL, THE COMPANY HAS ORDERS FOR MORE THAN 800 DREAMLINERS and hopes customers will find the airplane was worth waiting for.

“This is going to be an airplane that changes the game,” Boeing Commercial Airplanes CEO Jim Albaugh told the crowd gathered around the first 787, airplane ZA001. “Once our customers get this airplane, I think they’ll forgive us for the fact that it was a little bit late.”

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/08/feds-sign-off-on-boeings-787-dreamliner/

I’m anxious for this to come out. It looks awesome. 


Full Disclosure?

There is a breezy article in The New Republic by Walter Shapiro about WHY RICK PERRY TERRIFIES LIBERALS SUCH AS HIMSELF. THE TITLE IS “RICK PERRY: THE GOD-FEARING, KNOW-NOTHING, PISTOL-PACKING EMBODIMENT OF LIBERALS’ WORST NIGHTMARES.” It is written (rather well) in a sort of self-parodying liberal style. But at one point even the caricature breaks down:

Anti-Intellectualism. Liberals revere high SAT scores. That is why it is no accident that, over the past century, the Democrats have nominated for president five former college or law school professors (Woodrow Wilson, John W. Davis, George McGovern, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama) plus Hubert Humphrey, who was a graduate teaching fellow while working on a Ph.D.

DEMOCRATS SNOOTILY RIDICULED GEORGE W. BUSH’S SCHOLARLY PERFORMANCE, BUT COMPARED TO PERRY, THE 43RD PRESIDENT—WHO EARNED A B.A. FROM YALE AND A HARVARD M.B.A.—SEEMS AS WELL EDUCATED AS JOHN STUART MILL. And Perry revels in this kind of comparison. Asked last week about how he differs from Bush, he tellingly replied, “He’s a Yale graduate. I’m a Texas A&M graduate.”

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/275653/full-disclosure-victor-davis-hanson


Liberals have this distorted view of themselves as intellectuals. But actually they are ruled much more by their emotions and far less by the intellect. But they have this delusion and one thing you will never see is a comparison of Perry’s grade to Obama’s grades. It goes along with the old saying, “If you can’t stand the answer, you don’t ask the question.”


UCLA Professor: Without Media Bias the Average US State Would Vote Like Texas or Tennessee

Dr. Tim Groseclose is the Marvin Hoffenberg Professor of American Politics at UCLA. He has joint appointments in the political science and economics departments and has held previous faculty appointments at Caltech, Stanford University, Ohio State University, Harvard University, and Carnegie Mellon University.

Tim released the book Left Turn recently and was on Hannity with Senator Fred Thompson on Friday night to discuss the book.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=1ca_1314455872

Interesting. As opposed to “What’s the Matter with Kansas?” we see that the country is voting far more liberally than it would without the media bias. So perhaps the question should be “What’s the Matter with California?” Nah, that would be too long a list.