First Door on the Left

Neal Boortz:

Can any of you esteemed listeners and readers remember any leading Democrat … Kennedy, Pelosi or the like … urging Iraqis to go out there and vote in the national election on Sunday? I’m not saying it hasn’t happened. I am saying that I certainly don’t remember it happening. Simply put, most partisan Democrats don’t want Iraqis to vote on Sunday. They want Sunday’s vote to be a failure. They put any concern they have for freedom and for a democratically elected government in Iraq below their desires for Bush to fail. Aren’t you proud to be a Democrat?

Come to think of it, I don’t recall any leading Republicans urging Iraqis to get out there and vote either. I’m not saying it hasn’t happened. I am saying that I certainly don’t remember it happening. (What kind of illogical, mixed-up, partisan bull crap is that?) Could it be that everybody is secretly hoping for Doofus to fail?

In answer to your last question, Mr. Boortz… Yes. Yes, I am.

Just to clarify, I have no desire for the elections in Iraq to fail. I want them to succeed if that is what the Iraqis want. It is their country after all, which is something I think we sometimes forget. Whether the elections succeed or fail will have no bearing on my opinion of George W. Bush. I will continue to believe that he has been and is a miserable failure as president of this country.

The weather outside is dark and gloomy, which kind of matches how I feel today so I stepped out the back door a bit ago and snapped a picture of the weather…

See what I mean? Dark and gloomy.

Truth is, I’m in a lot of pain. My right arm is killing me. It has been for several weeks now. My regular doctor has me taking pain pills which are hardly making a dent. He says I have a pinched nerve in my neck. He made an appointment for me to see an orthopedic surgeon, but this guy is so popular and busy that you have to wait three weeks to get in to see him. My appointment is for a week from today. Until then, I suffer… and sleep sitting up in the recliner in the living room.

Enough of my complaining! I’ve nothing else to talk about today but I wanted to get the post about BlogAzoo off the top because I’m sure that you have signed up by now since it’s all the buzz and everybody is talking about it.

To our friends in Iraq… good luck with your election! I hope you all get the chance to get out and vote and that it turns out well.

A new traffic exchange program for weblogs has been added. This one is so new in fact that you cannot even begin surfing yet. But you can sign up and begin building your referrals!

Click the image above to sign up now!

Did the thirteen Senators who voted against the confirmation of Condoleezza Rice as Secretary of State have the Constitutional right to do so?

No, they did not.

At least not according to some Republicans. They are bitter, pouty windbags and sore losers.

Since the confirmation of Ms. Rice was a foregone conclusion anyway, these Senators should have abandanoned their principles and their beliefs and fallen in line. They had no right to dissent.

One of the definitions of dissent in my dictionary is “to reject the doctrines of an established church.”

How dare they?!

Is this any way to promote unity and honor our democracy?

I can’t stop laughing.

Ogre has some ideas about how to “fix” the Democratic Party. First on his list:

Fix #1: Be honest. Stop the damn continuous lying. You can fool some of the people some of the time, and you can even fool all of the people some of the time. But you really can’t fool all of the people all of the time. The all of the people fooling part got used up by Clinton #1. Tell the people you are all eco-terrorists who want the entire world to be communist with you people in charge.

Oh, the irony!

Update: OMG Moment #2: Antiprotestor dares to compare Bush’s inaugural address to that of John F. Kennedy. Incredible.

37 Troops Die on Deadliest Day in Iraq

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) – A U.S. helicopter crashed in a desert sandstorm in the early morning darkness Wednesday, killing the 30 Marines and one Navy sailor aboard. Six other troops died in insurgent ambushes in the deadliest day for Americans since the Iraq war began nearly two years ago.

Only days before Iraq’s crucial elections Sunday, militants set off at least eight car bombings that killed 13 people and injured 40 others, including 11 Americans. The guerrillas also carried out a string of attacks nationwide against schools that will serve as polling centers.

In four days, elections will be held in Iraq. I don’t see how you can really call them elections when the candidates are afraid to appear in public and most voters won’t even know who the candidates are before seeing their names on the ballot. Regardless, the elections will be held.

Many concservatives seem to be of the opinion that many liberals want the elections to fail because of their dislike for George W. Bush. I don’t believe that’s the case. I know there is nothing I would like more than to see a legitimate, democratic government installed in Iraq and our troops brought home.

I know our guys and gals over there are working hard to make this election happen and I applaud them for their efforts. For their sake, I’d like to see this election succeed. They’ve been thrown into an awful situation, though, and I think the odds are against them.

We’ll see come Sunday. I hope things go well, and this can be one more step toward a peaceful and honorable resolution to our mission in Iraq.

Senate Confirms Rice As Secretary of State

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate overrode Democratic critics of the Iraq war Wednesday and handily confirmed Condoleezza Rice, a chief architect of U.S. policy, to be secretary of state. The vote was 85-13.

Rice will move quickly to take charge as the first black woman to hold the job of top U.S. diplomat. A swearing-in was planned for Wednesday night, and she intends to take over Colin Powell’s office on Thursday.

Though I still do not believe she is qualified for the position, I wish her all the luck in the world. The task ahead of her is not an easy one. I hope she will be able to cut the umbilical cord tying her to George W. Bush and do what needs to be done.

Anti-Kerry author eyes Bay State Senate run

WASHINGTON – The co-author of the Swift Boat veterans’ book that attacked Sen. John F. Kerry plans to move to the Bay State this year so he can challenge Kerry for his Senate seat in 2008.

“I’m going to do it,” said Jerome Corsi, 58. “I’ve got serious political aspirations now.”

Corsi, who has had to apologize for inflammatory comments he made about Islam, the pope and Judaism, lives in New Jersey but plans to establish residency in Boston this spring.

Though not a veteran himself, Corsi co-authored “Unfit for Command: Swift Boat Veterans Speak Out Against John Kerry.”

(via Outside The Beltway)

I hope he does it, and I hope the Republicans are crazy enough to nominate him. I really do. Mr. Corsi and his book were thoroughly discredited by every major news outlet in the country during the 2004 presidential campaign. It’s a wonder this man can even show his face in public anymore.

As James says, it would definitely be an interesting (if not downright comical) race.

In the event that you have not seen Judy Bachrach’s hijacking of Fox News, click here:

Fair and Balanced Inauguration.

A Fox News anchor flips out when a guest dares to question the nature of Bush’s elaborate 2nd inauguration.

As Faustus notes, “it’s safe for work, unless of course you happen to work in, you know, America.”

Update: If you are unable to view the video, Simply Appalling has provided the transcript.

Think about the implications of this statement: The religious right is threatening to blackmail the President of the United States of America.

Backers of Gay Marriage Ban Use Social Security as Cudgel

WASHINGTON, Jan. 24 – A coalition of major conservative Christian groups is threatening to withhold support for President Bush’s plans to remake Social Security unless Mr. Bush vigorously champions a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

The move came as Senate Republicans vowed on Monday to reintroduce the proposed amendment, which failed in the Senate last year by a substantial margin. Party leaders, who left it off their list of priorities for the legislative year, said they had no immediate plans to bring it to the floor because they still lacked the votes for passage.

But the coalition that wrote the letter, known as the Arlington Group, is increasingly impatient.

In a confidential letter to Karl Rove, Mr. Bush’s top political adviser, the group said it was disappointed with the White House’s decision to put Social Security and other economic issues ahead of its paramount interest: opposition to same-sex marriage.

The letter, dated Jan. 18, pointed out that many social conservatives who voted for Mr. Bush because of his stance on social issues lack equivalent enthusiasm for changing the retirement system or other tax issues. And to pass any sweeping changes, members of the group argue, Mr. Bush will need the support of every element of his coalition…

The members of the coalition that wrote the letter are some of Mr. Bush’s most influential conservative Christian supporters, and include Dr. James C. Dobson of Focus on the Family, the Family Research Council, the Southern Baptist Convention, the American Family Association, Jerry Falwell and Paul Weyrich.