Uh oh... Obama took cash from BP

This one's going to hurt him with his lefty friends... Obama received over $77,000 from BP during his Senate and Presidential campaigns.

You know, THAT BP... the guys with the leaky oil rig.

In the interest of FULL DISCLOSURE, I should point out that Sen. John McCain has also received money from BP... but likely over a greater number of campaigns, and only about half of what Obama got, to the tune of $44,899.

CNN aired a thrashing of Obama and the Dems?

Now this is a surprise... a former Bush hater, Jack Cafferty of CNN's "Situation Room", lambasted the Obama Administration and the Democrats for their manouvers in trying to get their Health Care bill passed behind closed doors, thereby shutting out the GOP, and regular Americans, from the process.

See it for yourself, from his rant back in early January... especially where he calls Obama a bold faced "LIAR". (check the 0:33-0:42 marks)

QUOTE: "President Obama hasn't even made a token effort to keep his campaign promises of more openness and transparency in Government. It was all just another LIE that was told in order to get elected."

Obama/Gibbs lose bet to Harper/Soudas

Looks like there were a couple of bets on today's game... Obama will be sending a case of Molson beer to Prime Minister Harper, as the loser of their bet on the Men's Gold medal game.

But wait, it gets even better... White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs also had a bet with PMO spokesperson Dimitri Soudas. As the loser, he will wear a Team Canada jersey at one of his upcoming White House Press Briefings.

Can't WAIT to post the YouTube of that one... SWEET!!!

February 28, 2010 | 6:52 PM ET
Breaking: President Obama Loses Hockey Bet

Looks like President Obama will have to make good on a bet and send a case of Molson beer to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Team USA lost to Canada 3-2 in a rivalry match up that ended with Canada boasting the gold medal. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs says the President watched the overtime match in an office off the Oval.

Gibbs also lost a bed as a result of the hockey game. He will be wearing a Team Canada hockey jersey during one of his upcoming briefings in the next two weeks. Gibbs bet double-or-nothing with his Canadian counterpart, Dimitri Soudas, after the USA women's hockey team lost to Canada last week.

CTV: "Anger is replacing Hope"

You don't say.

Barack Obama's challenge: Anger is replacing hope
The Associated Press
Date: Monday Feb. 15, 2010 11:45 AM ET

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama won the White House with a campaign message focused on hope. Now he is trying to get himself on the right side of a remarkably different national sentiment these days: anger.

Obama's expansive domestic goals are largely the same, but his message is changing, now constructed around a concession that the public is disillusioned and wanting results. If he cannot show people that he understands their frustration and is working to fix it, the risks are real.

All that angst that Obama wants to harness as a force for change -- as he did in his campaign -- will turn against him. That means eroding public support for his agenda and potentially big losses for his party in congressional elections in November.

So it was telling when Obama offered this take on Republican Scott Brown's Senate win in Massachusetts last month, one that weakened the Democratic president's hand: "The same thing that swept Scott Brown into office swept me into office. People are angry, and they're frustrated."

A new White House talking point was born, and it was hardly hope and change.

Oh wait a sec... I believe I did say...

But I have several serious concerns today [Jan. 20, 2009], on what ought to be a great day.

Firstly, I think Mr. Obama essentially used the hype of "Hope" and "Change" to swoon the voters, and millions of people bought into it. Not that that's necessarily wrong, but I honestly think that he's raised expectations so high, that when people realize that he is indeed just a man, and not the "Omabassiah" some people think he is, there could end up being a whole lot of anger, and dashed dreams. While "Hope" is a tremendously positive thing, I think the inevitable letdown could be a whole lot worse than the euphoric feelings people have right now.

Secondly, I think a significant amount of the "positive" vibes he's getting out of people are not really "real". In fact, it's not genuine love and admiration for him that we're seeing today. I believe a large part of what we're seeing today is in fact a response, the flip-side if you will, of the virulent hatred that some people had for his predecessor, the 43rd President of the United States of America, George W. Bush. And "love" for one man, born out of the sheer hatred of another one, is a very dangerous thing indeed.

Now of course, I'm not saying that about the "common man" on the street. I've been watching the coverage, and watching the interviews of regular folks in the US, and I think their feelings are indeed genuine. The people I'm talking about are the partisans, the dyed-in-the-wool liberals. Their love for Obama, I suspect, is built largely on their hatred of Bush, and as such, is a truly dangerous house of cards for Obama to build his support upon. I actually fear somewhat for the guy, because they're liable to snap if he doesn't do things their way. Think of a jilted lover, running from the arms of one man into the arms of the first available passerby. That's what I think a lot of his "support" is predicated on.

And as such, I'm genuinely afraid for the American people today. That's why I'm not feeling very celebratory right now. I think he's used people's hopes and dreams to get elected, but built them up in such a manner that they're going to get let down really hard. And I think that the "love" of the man isn't so much love for him, but a result of the hatred of another man.

Either way, I think Obama has to walk very carefully.

Rush on CNN's bias: Coverage of Bush vs. Obama's approval numbers

Only one thing to say... BWAAA HA HA HA!!!

Sing it with me, fellow Conservatives!

"Happy Anniversary to you,

Happy Anniversary to you!

Happy Anniversary, President Obama...

Happy Anniversary to YOOOOOOOOOOU!!!"

Just in case you missed it, today was the 1st Anniversary of President Obama's Presidency.

Obama mirroring Jimmy Carter's numbers?

Now this is an interesting trend line, especially since I predicted he'd end up being "Jimmy Carter the Second"... guess who's Presidential Approval Rating Obama's most closely resembles, from Harry Truman to today? That's right... it looks a whole lot like Jimmy Carter's... except without the upticks.

But don't take my word for it... take a look for yourself. Also interesting is the fact that he's actually polling 8% LOWER than Carter did at the same time in his Presidency, with almost 20% HIGHER disapproval numbers. All the more interesting with the Special Election taking place for Teddy Kennedy's seat tomorrow.

Here's an interesting piece of trivia for all you electoral buffs out there... anyone care to guess what happened during the first Senate Special Election during Carter's Presidency? That's right... the incumbent Democrats lost a Senate seat they'd held for almost 20 years.

Scott Brown draws bigger crowd than OBAMA?!?!

You know the Democrats are at SERIOUS risk of losing Ted Kennedy's former Senate seat when Obama only drew 1,500 people to a rally in Boston... while Republican candidate Scott Brown DREW MORE THAN DOUBLE THAT NUMBER, somewhere over 3,000 supporters.

It's interesting to see how the media headlines the articles...
Reuters: "Obama scrambles to save Democratic Senate seat"
Boston Herald: "Thousands turn out for Brown in Worcester"

Fox News just went up in my books

You know you must be doing something right when the furthest left-leaning occupant of the White House in 29 years is snubbing you.

Rock on Fox... rock on.

h/t Dr. Roy

Now THIS would be a huge win for Harper

You folks wanna talk policy? Let's talk policy then... if Harper can pull this one off, it would pretty much make him UNTOUCHABLE until well into 2010.

Now this is what I call, "Getting things DONE for Canadians".

Buy American exemption deal in the works
Last Updated: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 | 9:01 PM ET
CBC News

A deal may be imminent that will exempt Canada from the controversial Buy American provision included in the U.S. stimulus package, CBC News has learned.

According to Canadian government sources, Ottawa expects that the White House will use its discretionary power to exempt Canada from the clause very soon. In return, Canada would simultaneously announce that its provincial and municipal doors are now wide open to U.S. companies.

Sources say the announcement could be made when the two trade negotiators, Ottawa's Don Stephenson and Washington's Everett Eissenstat hold their first formal meeting.

The provision gives priority to U.S. iron, steel and other manufactured goods for use in state-level and municipal public works and building projects funded with taxpayer stimulus money. Canadian governments and businesses have railed against the policy.

During Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s visit with U.S. President Barack Obama last week, Harper again made a pitch for an exclusion for Canada from "Buy American" provisions.

Harper and Obama said the two sides were looking into ways of addressing the issue, including the possibility of including the provinces in a multilateral deal.

Obama has said the clause conforms with all World Trade Organization and NAFTA regulations because it deals with what's called sub-national governments — such as states and municipalities — which aren't included in trade treaties.

Last week, Obama suggested that Canada's provinces must open their local markets to American companies. Canadian officials say the White House first stated its terms last spring, after Obama's visit to Ottawa.

In August, it was revealed that Canada and the provinces were offering U.S. firms guaranteed access to procurement contracts, as long as Canada gets a waiver of the "Buy American" provision.

American business have also been calling for the exemption, saying the clause has been killing American jobs, particularly at U.S. companies with Canadian suppliers.

"You need to understand our supply chain and how we make money and not limit us in the way that Buy American does," said Maryscott Greenwood, of the Canadian American Business Council. "It doesn’t make any sense. Particularliy when you’re talking about Canada."

Liberal Senate spending scandal?

Oops... I guess the Liberal Party forgot to tell their Senators that they're not allowed to use their taxpayer funded Senate Budgets to pay for partisan software.

It turns out that Liberal Senate Caucus has been consipring to buy some American political software, software which is designed strictly for partisan purposes, with funds allocated to them from the Canadian taxpayer... with our money. From what I understand this software package is basicly the "Obama Suite" they used during last years election down in the States.

Of course, it's also one of those hypocrisy things... when we consult with American political types, they accuse us of treason. When they do it, it's all peachy-keen.

h/t to Fildebrant.ca

The Press Gallery can just shove it

The Parliamentary Press Gallery is complaining, no, whining, that for the Obama visit press conference last month, they were informed that only 40 passes would be issued to the PPG. In the end, they got 43 issued to them.

But now they're raising a total stink because they discovered, horror of horrors, that the PMO issued 28 press passes to journalists of their own choosing.

A couple of questions that the PPG didn't address in their letter to the Hill Times...

1) How many passes were issued by the PMO to journalists the PPG would have given them to anyway?

2) Did the PPG ever have any intention of issuing them to bloggers? (Since I already know what your answer to that one would be, you can skip answering that one)

3) Do you think, just maybe, because of the way the PPG has consistantly soured relations with the PMO, that they decided to hang on to a few passes to ensure that more supportive journalists weren't automaticly denied access by the PPG's little cabal?

4) From the PPG's letter: "it is not in any way up to the Prime Minister's Office to select the journalists who will attend a press conference" SAYS WHO??? If the PPG is not helping, or rather, if they're deliberately blocking the Government's efforts to get their message out, the PPG has obviously left them with no alternative. Therefore, as a direct result of previous actions, the PPG is not going to be given full control of access to press conferences. Full stop, end of story, -30-.

You've got to love their little demand and the end of the letter: "We request that, from now on, when access to a popular media event is limited for legitimate reasons, all press passes be given to the Parliamentary Press Gallery. It will determine who will receive a pass, based on criteria accepted by its members."

How's this for criteria? Report what the Government is actually saying for once, and quit spinning all your stories so one-sidedly.

Otherwise, this sort of thing will keep on happening. Deal with it.

Obama vs. Harper pics

A couple Liberals (read: Warren) are trying to make big deals about how Obama and Harper AREN'T anything alike. Well, looks like we're the ones setting the agenda on this issue, eh Warren? (got that from some book I read... always keep the other guys talking about what YOU want to talk about) Of course, they're doing this to try and distract people from the incredible ideological similarites these two men have.

Anyway, here's the photo they've been posting of Obama...


And here's my preferred one of Harper... with that expression, I think he's either aiming at the media, or a Liberal... heads up Warren!

Harper winning, Iggy whining

With today's visit to Ottawa from Saint Obama, the media is doing a fine job of exposing the Liberals for what they are... a bunch of whining babies.

I'm not saying that Iggy shouldn't be able to have his meeting, even a longer one with St. Obama. But their strategy of dealing with this issue, from a non-partisan perspective, really sucks.

But from my partisan perspective, I must say, keep up the good work Iggy & Co.!

If it had been Bush?

You know this would have been played over, and over, and OVER again in the media. But Obama? Well, at least they mentioned it...

Obama's "New Politics" look remarkably "Old School"

Looks like putting the word "New" in Obama's "New Politics" is pretty much like the "New" in "New Democrats"... sounds pretty good, but is completely meaningless.

First, the money quotes from The Washington Post:

"The Age of Obama begins with perhaps the greatest frenzy of old-politics influence peddling ever seen in Washington."

"After Obama's miraculous 2008 presidential campaign, it was clear that at some point the magical mystery tour would have to end. The nation would rub its eyes and begin to emerge from its reverie. The hallucinatory Obama would give way to the mere mortal. The great ethical transformations promised would be seen as a fairy tale that all presidents tell -- and that this president told better than anyone.

I thought the awakening would take six months. It took two and a half weeks."

Here's the article in full:

The Fierce Urgency of Pork
By Charles Krauthammer
Friday, February 6, 2009; A17

"A failure to act, and act now, will turn crisis into a catastrophe."
-- President Obama, Feb. 4.

Catastrophe, mind you. So much for the president who in his inaugural address two weeks earlier declared "we have chosen hope over fear." Until, that is, you need fear to pass a bill.

And so much for the promise to banish the money changers and influence peddlers from the temple. An ostentatious executive order banning lobbyists was immediately followed by the nomination of at least a dozen current or former lobbyists to high position. Followed by a Treasury secretary who allegedly couldn't understand the payroll tax provisions in his 1040. Followed by Tom Daschle, who had to fall on his sword according to the new Washington rule that no Cabinet can have more than one tax delinquent.

The Daschle affair was more serious because his offense involved more than taxes. As Michael Kinsley once observed, in Washington the real scandal isn't what's illegal, but what's legal. Not paying taxes is one thing. But what made this case intolerable was the perfectly legal dealings that amassed Daschle $5.2 million in just two years.

He'd been getting $1 million per year from a law firm. But he's not a lawyer, nor a registered lobbyist. You don't get paid this kind of money to instruct partners on the Senate markup process. You get it for picking up the phone and peddling influence.

At least Tim Geithner, the tax-challenged Treasury secretary, had been working for years as a humble international civil servant earning non-stratospheric wages. Daschle, who had made another cool million a year (plus chauffeur and Caddy) for unspecified services to a pal's private equity firm, represented everything Obama said he'd come to Washington to upend.

And yet more damaging to Obama's image than all the hypocrisies in the appointment process is his signature bill: the stimulus package. He inexplicably delegated the writing to Nancy Pelosi and the barons of the House. The product, which inevitably carries Obama's name, was not just bad, not just flawed, but a legislative abomination.

It's not just pages and pages of special-interest tax breaks, giveaways and protections, one of which would set off a ruinous Smoot-Hawley trade war. It's not just the waste, such as the $88.6 million for new construction for Milwaukee Public Schools, which, reports the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, have shrinking enrollment, 15 vacant schools and, quite logically, no plans for new construction.

It's the essential fraud of rushing through a bill in which the normal rules (committee hearings, finding revenue to pay for the programs) are suspended on the grounds that a national emergency requires an immediate job-creating stimulus -- and then throwing into it hundreds of billions that have nothing to do with stimulus, that Congress's own budget office says won't be spent until 2011 and beyond, and that are little more than the back-scratching, special-interest, lobby-driven parochialism that Obama came to Washington to abolish. He said.

Not just to abolish but to create something new -- a new politics where the moneyed pork-barreling and corrupt logrolling of the past would give way to a bottom-up, grass-roots participatory democracy. That is what made Obama so dazzling and new. Turns out the "fierce urgency of now" includes $150 million for livestock (and honeybee and farm-raised fish) insurance.

The Age of Obama begins with perhaps the greatest frenzy of old-politics influence peddling ever seen in Washington. By the time the stimulus bill reached the Senate, reports the Wall Street Journal, pharmaceutical and high-tech companies were lobbying furiously for a new plan to repatriate overseas profits that would yield major tax savings. California wine growers and Florida citrus producers were fighting to change a single phrase in one provision. Substituting "planted" for "ready to market" would mean a windfall garnered from a new "bonus depreciation" incentive.

After Obama's miraculous 2008 presidential campaign, it was clear that at some point the magical mystery tour would have to end. The nation would rub its eyes and begin to emerge from its reverie. The hallucinatory Obama would give way to the mere mortal. The great ethical transformations promised would be seen as a fairy tale that all presidents tell -- and that this president told better than anyone.

I thought the awakening would take six months. It took two and a half weeks.

letters@charleskrauthammer.com

h/t to Dr. Roy

Hatred of Bush fueling love for Obama

Looks like I'm not the only one who's had that thought... my lovely wife pointed me to this article on the American Thinker website this morning, which echoes many of the things I said yesterday.

It is no accident that the three most hated recent presidents are all Republican. These campaigns are yet another symptom of the American left's collapse into an ideological stupor characterized by pseudo-religious impulses, division of the world into black and white entities, and the unleashing of emotions beyond any means of rational control. The demonization of Bush -- and Reagan, and Nixon -- is the flip-side of the messianic response to Barack Obama.

Turns out there's an actual political term for the irrational hatred of this single man, George W. Bush... the "Bush Derangement Syndrome", defined as; "the acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal people in reaction to the policies, the presidency — nay — the very existence of George W. Bush".

Could they perhaps add yet another set of "symptoms" for this condition?
"Sufferers may display euphoric feelings at the mention of the name Obama. Such individuals may in a Tourette like fashion utter random words like, "Hope", "Change", or "Renewal", yet are unable to further articulate their feelings related to these words. Tears often accompany these Tourette like outbursts."