Karl's Weekend Reading

Oliver North explains, at Townhall.com, the Russian-Iranian cooperation against the US in Lions, Bears and Birds.

James Taranto at WSJ's Best of the Web must have upgraded to Venti Mocha Frapuccinos, because he is firing on all cylinders this week. Here is a taste:

Tuesday - Regarding a NYT story on Hillary:

Does Mrs. Clinton sincerely think that voting for the war was the right thing to do? Whether or not apologizing makes political sense, is she sincerely sorry for her vote?

The Times story gives us no clue. It treats Mrs. Clinton's deliberations over whether to apologize with complete cynicism: She decided not to apologize not because she thought no apology was due, but because she, "backed by another faction," thought apologizing "would be a gimmick." When she defied antiwar sentiment in Dover, it wasn't, according to the Times, because she was sticking to an unpopular position on principle; it was just "a new response" that she was "rolling out."

The Times seems to view Mrs. Clinton as a soulless calculatrix, her public persona as pure artifice. And this is a paper that is generally friendly to the Democrats and their front-runner.

Wednesday - Regarding a LA Times Outing of Real CIA Agents:

Remember all the outrage when Robert Novak "outed" Valerie Plame, who apparently worked a desk job at CIA headquarters in Langley, Va.? Here the L.A. Times is publishing extensive personal details on three men who have actually done dangerous work defending the country. Where's the outrage?

Thursday - Regarding a new phone plan:

A Wireless Plan for Your Family
Working Assets, "a progressive phone company," offers "The Right Choice That Supports Choice":

"Planned Parenthood Wireless is a new choice for your cell phone service. By signing up for this service, you will help preserve reproductive rights, and ensure access to comprehensive family planning and medically accurate sex education for women and families around the world. You'll do something you do every day--talk on your cell phone--and you'll be helping Planned Parenthood as 10% of all monthly charges goes to Planned Parenthood Federation of America, at no extra cost to you."

Just make sure you're prepared to stick with it for the duration of the contract. We hear those early-termination fees can be murder.

You just can't make this stuff up! But James can.

Hillary Video (w/ modifications)

u/t to Michelle Malkin and Hot Air:

No Ushanka for McCain

Rats. We have allowed ourselves to be pulled into the silly pre- pre- 2008 election season - just 623 days before the official poll. How did we allow this? Why must we post a comment rather than watch a re-run of Fox's first 1/2 Hour News Hours episode from last night?

McCain.

This guy discarded his moral compass long ago to pursue two goals: 1) be everything to everybody, and 2) get into the White House in January 2009. He is as much a conservative as the sexy and fashionable ushanka is the choice headgear for the coming global warming temperature spike.

This weekend he suggests he is against Roe v. Wade, and willing to do his part in reversing that decision. This is news to us - he is on the record as supporting the decision in the past. Looks like pandering to the right. Smells like pandering to the right. Feels like pandering to the right.

Second, today, the Senator suggests Rumsfeld was the worst Secretary of Defense in history. This is pandering to the left, and we know how the left defines history. Ann Coulter explained it best: [paraphrasing] liberals define history as what happened since they climbed out of bed today. No need to remind Ushanka.us fans of how Rumsfeld took the fight to the enemy (and also fought a second front against an enemy here at home). But, the senator may want to look back to Les Aspin, the secretary who denied the request for three tanks and an AC-130 gunship to the troops in Somalia in 1993.

Both these statements contradict previous McCain positions and we are confident they will contradict future positions. Anyone want to bet a mocha frapuccino on it?

As far as we are concerned, McCain, and his fellow liberal candidates, are in the race to serve one purpose: as punchlines for future humor here at Ushanka.us. Now, back to our day off.

2.20.07 Update: Whoops. Forgot about McNamarra - Operational Analysis in place of a strategy for victory. Or Harold Brown - SALT II and Detente. Or William Cohen - 2 US Embassies, USS Cole & Khobar Towers. All liberals, just like Senator McCain.

Karl's Weekend Reading

The WSJ Editorial Board writes up a good opinion piece on where the non-binding resolution could lead us if some sanity and pro-American backbone fails to appear in "Awaiting the Dishonor Roll".

We aren't prone to quoting the young John Kerry, but this week's vote reminds us of the comment the antiwar veteran told another cut-and-run Congress in the early 1970s: "How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?" The difference this time is that Speaker Nancy Pelosi and John Murtha expect men and women to keep dying for something they say is a mistake but also don't have the political courage to help end.

Instead, they'll pass this "non-binding resolution," to be followed soon by attempts at micromanagement that would make the war all but impossible to prosecute--and once again without taking responsibility. Mr. Murtha is already broadcasting his strategy, which the new Politico Web site described yesterday as "a slow-bleed strategy designed to gradually limit the administration's options."

Debbie Schlussel gets a Ushanka Tip for an informative write-up of the Utah mall shooter and investigation, here and here.

We'll be watching the 1/2 Hour News Hour on Fox tonight:

Suggested Headlines for the MSM

Non-Binding Resolution Demonstrates "Power of Majority"
Poll: 0% Want More Non-Binding Resolutions from Congress
Pelosi: "Proud" of Non-Binding Resolution
Osama Likely Unclear on Meaning of "Non-Binding" - Experts
Hillary: "My Vote for the War was Non-Binding"
Bill: "My Love for my Wife is Non-Binding"
White House: Three Carrier Groups off Iran are "Non-Binding"

Sunday Night Cigar

Karl's Weekend Reading

Karl will be enjoying some great commentary from this this week.

The WSJ hit back-to-back home runs today with pieces on Hillary. With days like today, the $500+ I spend on a two-year subscription seems too little.

Hillary on Iraq: From stalwart hawk to get out fast

The reckless caution of John Edwards and Hillary Clinton, by James Taranto

Speaking of newspaper subscriptions, Karl canceled his LA Times subscription back when the paper endorsed Bill Clinton because, and I remember this quote as if it had been today, "he speaks the language of diversity". Hugh Hewitt gives the LA Times some advice in his column at Townhall: Refusing To Bleed Out: How The Los Angeles Times Could Save Itself (But Probably Won’t)

Larry Kudlow is still a broken record on how Bush's economy is "the best story never told". That, and the 50 million liberated in the Middle East, but don't get Karl started! At NRO: Bull-Market Cheers for Bush: Floor brokers get it.

Some parting thoughts for the weekend:

1) I should have married Anna last month. We had something special. Something I don't expect you to understand...
2) Sean Hannity is welcome to steal any Ushanka.us content he wishes. May I suggest using the Winner's Circle tool to find the most biased headlines?
3) The guy with the thing on his lip and the pretty hair showed backbone this week by sticking with his controversial blogger gals. Mr. Backbone proposes instant retreat if elected in '08.

Taranto Finds Some Bias

Found at WSJ's Best of the Web Today

No Bias Here
"The House passed a $463.5 billion spending bill Wednesday that covers about one-sixth of the federal budget as Democrats cleared away the financial mess they inherited from Republicans."
-Associated Press, Jan. 31