Clinton Wins Florida Primary; No Delegates Awarded
 

By Julianna Goldman   
Jan. 29 (Bloomberg)

Senator Hillary Clinton won Florida's Democratic presidential primary, according to network and Associated Press projections, in a contest that was largely a popularity poll because no convention delegates were at stake.

Clinton had 48 percent of the vote to 30 percent for Illinois Senator Barack Obama, with 19 percent of precincts reporting. Former North Carolina Senator John Edwards had 14 percent.

Florida violated party rules when it moved its voting contest ahead of Feb. 5, the date sanctioned by the Democratic National Committee. The DNC allowed four early contests: Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina.

While Obama, Edwards and Clinton agreed last September that they wouldn't compete for Florida because of the party- imposed penalty, Clinton, a New York senator, last week announced she would press to have Florida's delegates seated at the Democratic convention in August. Florida is a crucial swing state in the general election.

complete article

Has McCain and Giuliani come to an agreement? Will Giuliani back out of the presidential race to back McCain?

It would appear as though Jim Moran has become another islamofacist apologist.

Israeli Warmongers?

By Mike Soraghan

September 19, 2007

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) lashed out at fellow Democratic Rep. Jim Moran at a press conference Tuesday, criticizing the Virginian’s recent comments about a Jewish political organization. “His remarks were factually inaccurate and recall an old canard that is not true, that the Jewish community controls the media and the Congress,” Hoyer said, even though no one had asked him about Moran’s remarks. In an interview published in the September-October issue of Tikkun magazine, Moran said the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) “has pushed this war [in Iraq] from the beginning … They are so well organized, and their members are extraordinarily powerful — most of them are quite wealthy — they have been able to exert power.” A statement issued by Moran’s office said that the tone of his remarks was “unnecessarily harsh,” but it did not apologize for or retract his comments.  “He stands by his message — namely that for the last few years, AIPAC has not represented mainstream American Jewish opinion and that the organization’s Middle East policies, while in direct alignment with the Bush administration, have been counterproductive to Israel’s long-term security,” the statement said, adding that people should read the whole article. It added: “Anyone attempting to mischaracterize his words as targeting the broader Jewish community rather than AIPAC’s leadership is being purposely misleading.” Asked if he considered Moran’s remarks anti-Semitic and whether Moran should apologize, Hoyer reiterated that he found them “factually inaccurate” and said Moran should “retract” them. Hoyer is not the only one criticizing Moran. House Deputy Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-Va.) agreed with Hoyer that the comments reflect stereotypes of the Jewish community. “For Mr. Moran to again suggest that Jews are responsible for the war in Iraq and that they somehow strangle American foreign policy is as senseless as it is bigoted,” said Cantor, who is Jewish. The National Jewish Democratic Council, which calls itself the “online voice for Jewish Democrats,” also called on Moran to retract his comments. “While there is nothing wrong with criticizing AIPAC — or for that matter any organization with which you disagree — spreading false statements is clearly irresponsible,” the organization said in a statement. The organization said Moran’s remarks are “particularly troubling” because of a new book by two Harvard political scientists that places substantial blame for the Iraq quagmire on the so-called “Israel Lobby.” It’s not the first time that Moran has gotten in trouble for comments about the Jewish community and the Iraq war. A 2003 comment shortly before the invasion sparked the most serious challenge to his nine-term congressional career. At a March 3, 2003, forum, Moran said: “If it were not for the strong support of the Jewish community for this war with Iraq, we would not be doing this. The leaders of the Jewish community are influential enough that they could change the direction of where this is going, and I think they should.” House leaders stripped him of a leadership post following the comments. Moran later apologized, although he said his words had been taken out of context. The comments prompted a number of Northern Virginia Democrats to consider running against him in the heavily Democratic district. Former Capitol Hill staffer and lobbyist Andrew Rosenberg challenged him in 2004, but lost. During that campaign, Moran’s longtime pollster, Alan Secrest, said he quit the campaign in response to anti-Semitic comments that Moran made at a private campaign meeting. Secrest did not specify the remarks, and Moran said he did not make any such comments. Moran said that Secrest was in fact upset that Moran did not want to pay for expensive polling. Moran and Hoyer were also on opposite sides of last year’s race for majority leader, in which Moran supported Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.).

Isn't this long over due?

MoveOn.org Hearings?

By Klaus Marre
September 18, 2007

The ranking Republican on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform wants to convene a hearing on whether The New York Times violated campaign-finance laws when it granted a discounted rate for MoveOn.org’s “General Betray Us” ad.

Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.) asked committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) Tuesday to convene a hearing on the issue, saying that any rate change “for political advertising could constitute an unlawful campaign contribution.”
According to media accounts, the “open rate” for the ad should have been $181,000. The liberal group said it paid $65,000.

“The difference between the ‘open rate’ and the actual rate paid by MoveOn.org raises the possibility that The New York Times, as a media company not subject to campaign-finance restrictions for its own messages, unlawfully subsidized the message of MoveOn.org by giving it a discounted rate for its advertisement,” Davis said.

The lawmaker wants the panel to investigate the newspaper’s advertising rate structure, whether others had been offered the same rate as MoveOn.org, why the group had to play significantly less than the “open rate” and whether this constituted a violation of campaign-finance laws.

Ok so I took a little bit of a vacation and there are a few things within the cage that needs a little bit of attention nothing too difficult to take care of. Things are very different now and have changed a lot. We'll get this party started shortly mean while make yourself at home and I'll be catching things up again sooner than later.

Is there any reason to shop at Target after this situation occurred?

I spoke w/Jack Dorsey this morning at 9:30 a.m. who related to me that he had not only spoken to both Marines whom he had no reason to disbelieve, he as well spoke with parents of these Marines whom were just as unhappy.

Target doesn't need a pass on this situation and this time unlike the last time it's time to drop the hammer right on Target, perhaps it's time to pressure them financially to the point they never disrespect another service member.

Two Marines say Target Store Booted them for Recruiting 

By JACK DORSEY, The Virginian-Pilot
© April 7, 2007 | Last updated 10:00 PM Apr. 6

CHESAPEAKE - Two Marines in their dress uniforms - the ones with white hats, khaki shirts and blue trousers with red stripe - say they were accused of recruiting at a Target department store here and told to leave.

"We weren't recruiting," according to Cpl. Carlos Rodriguez, 22, who said he returned in October from his second combat tour in Iraq. "I just popped in to say hi to a guy I went to high school with. He works there."

But an assistant manager who saw Rodriguez and the other Marine apparently thought otherwise and showed them the door, according to both servicemen.

Manager Brian Sherman, who was not in the Chesapeake South store Monday when the alleged incident happened, denied Friday that the Marines were ordered out. But he said he was told they were talking to employees.

"They were not asked to leave, in fact they walked around the store and continued to shop," Sherman said.

Target has a strict no-solicitation policy, he said.

Rodriguez said he and the other Marine were in the Target about 10 a.m. Monday, when they had some slack time from their duties. The second Marine, a private, asked not to be identified because he's new to the Corps, but he affirmed Rodriguez's account.

Rodriguez, who is getting out of the Marines in June, and the private, who just completed boot camp training at Parris Island, S.C., are both on temporary duty back in their hometown of Chesapeake.

While they are assigned to a local recruiting office, they are not recruiters and work only as assistants, Rodriguez said.

He said he was talking to his high school friend in Target "briefly and then we were walking toward the CDs when this guy comes out of nowhere. He was the shift manager, or something, and the first thing he started saying was, 'You guys are recruiters, right?' "

Sherman declined to identify the assistant manager because he had not talked to him yet.

The assistant manager said he couldn't have the Marines in the store soliciting workers for the military while they were on the company's clock, Rodriguez said.

"I didn't want to make a scene," Rodriguez said. "We were representing Marines anyway just by wearing the uniform, so I kept my mouth shut."

Then, Rodriguez said, "this retired Navy SEAL came up behind us and he said, 'You forget what... country this is,' and he goes off on (the assistant manager) saying, 'You have no right to throw them out of Target just because they are talking to one of your employees.' "

"He got everything out in the open that I was thinking, so I kind of left with a grin," Rodriguez said.

George Rodriguez, the corporal's father and a former Navy officer, said in an interview that he told his son, " Now you know how I felt the first time I came back from Vietnam because it was like that all over the country."

A Marine Corps official based in Norfolk, Col. Jenny Holbert, said Friday that while the uniform the Marines were wearing is typical of those worn by recruiters, Rodriquez and the private were not recruiters.

"Were they recruiting? That's inconsequential really," Holbert said.

Sherman said no one had filed a formal complaint.

He said he believed the incident has been blown out of proportion.

"We have a no-solicitation policy," Sherman said. "It has been in the news before. It's the same thing we went through with the Salvation Army and we give a lot of money to them. But we don't necessarily allow them to solicit on our property."

Target banned the Salvation Army's Christmas-time kettles from all its stores in 2004.

Sherman provided Target corporate statements that say since 2002, it has been "the victim of a misleading e-mail campaign, which grossly misrepresents our support of veterans and our soldiers."

"Target supports many charitable causes, including veterans' organizations," according to a statement. "For years we have donated funds and volunteer hours to local and national veteran and military organizations around the country."

You voted Democrat we can tell by the election returns, so now are you ready to hear how the draftees managed to help kill the volunteers who wanted to defend our country since the draftees didn't have the guts to go in the military to start with?
 
What the American people seem to misunderstand was the by voting Democrat it was a message to our military men & women that they don't have the support of the majority of our country.

cnn.com

Wednesday, January 8, 2003

Rangel introduces bill to reinstate draft

Rumsfeld says he sees no need for military draft

WASHINGTON (CNN) --Rep. Charles Rangel introduced a bill in Congress Tuesday to reinstate the military draft, saying fighting forces should more closely reflect the economic makeup of the nation.

The New York Democrat told reporters his goal is two-fold: to jolt Americans into realizing the import of a possible unilateral strike against Iraq, which he opposes, and "to make it clear that if there were a war, there would be more equitable representation of people making sacrifices."

"I truly believe that those who make the decision and those who support the United States going into war would feel more readily the pain that's involved, the sacrifice that's involved, if they thought that the fighting force would include the affluent and those who historically have avoided this great responsibility," Rangel said.

"Those who love this country have a patriotic obligation to defend this country," Rangel said. "For those who say the poor fight better, I say give the rich a chance."

According to Rangel's office, minorities comprise more than 30 percent of the nation's military.

Under his bill, the draft would apply to men and women ages 18 to 26; exemptions would be granted to allow people to graduate from high school, but college students would have to serve.

Anyone who didn't qualify for military service because of impairments would be asked to perform community service.

The lawmaker has said his measure could make members of Congress more reluctant to authorize military action. The Korean War veteran has accused President Bush and some fellow lawmakers of being too eager to go to war.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told reporters Tuesday he sees no need for a draft. He said the military is managing to attract enough skilled recruits without one.

"We're not going to re-implement a draft. There is no need for it at all," Rumsfeld said. "The disadvantages of using compulsion to bring into the armed forces the men and women needed are notable." Draft controversy

The nation had a draft in place between 1948 and 1973. It grew to become the center of controversy during the Vietnam War, 1964-1975, an undeclared war that was the most unpopular conflict America has fought.

Anger over the war led many young men to flee to Canada and elsewhere to avoid the draft, and violent protests were rampant. When the draft ended, the United States set up an all-volunteer military.

Since 1980, the Selective Service has required men 18 to 26 to register to give the government a pool of men it could draw from in case troops were needed in an emergency.

As of October 31, 14.1 million men would be eligible for a draft, said Selective Service spokesman Pat Schuback. Twenty-year-olds would be called up first, followed by others -- year by year. In the age group 20 to 26, 11 million would be eligible.

The average number of men registered per year during the Vietnam War era was 18.4 million. That covers the period from July 1, 1964, through June 1973.

Vote Democrat Vote for the Draft???

You may be asking yourself what we would be looking towards with a Democrat controlled House or Senate? According to my sources within the Defense Supply Construction Center are being told to prepare for the comeback of "The Draft" to increase the numbers of troops in Iraq as the long overdue resolution to the problem.

After the remarks of Sen. John Kerry showing his consistency of post Vietnam remarks of an "I am convinced a volunteer army would be an army of the poor and the black and the brown." now with his new remarks of "You know, education, if you make the most of it, and you study hard, and you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don’t, you get stuck in Iraq." his remarks only shows his how far out of touch the Democrats are with real world reality of what's at stake in Iraq.

It's amazing that during the Clinton administration when Saddam was hanging on to power by a mere thread there was no effort on the part of this adminstration to help bring his rule to end. Much as we have happening in Iran now untold numbers of individuals are being executed in regions all over the country for rebelling against the current government that will certainly bring more certain punishment against it's own people while those at the top will live in the lap of literal luxury.

Congressman Wrangle's wish may soon become reality should the Republican's losses be as staggering as has been considered written in stone by the mainstream media.

 I understand this comes from CBS and let's hope that Ed Bradley can keep this straight. There are still many unanswered questions in this situation.

Bradley Also Speaks To Defendants In Rape Case

Duke Dancers Give Different Accounts

Oct. 12, 2006
(CBS)

The dancing partner of the woman who accuses three Duke Lacrosse players of raping her refutes a key part of her partner’s account of the alleged crime.

Kim Roberts, who danced at the same party where the alleged rape took place, makes the revelation in an interview with 60 Minutes correspondent Ed Bradley this Sunday, Oct. 15, at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

Roberts' answer to Bradley’s question directly contradicts a crucial statement the accuser gave to police. Bradley asks whether she, Roberts, who goes by the stage name "Nikki" when she performs, was holding onto the accuser at the beginning of the alleged crime.

Says Bradley, "In the police statement, [accuser] describes the rape in this way: 'Three guys grabbed Nikki,' 'That's you,'" says Bradley, "'Brett, Adam and Matt grabbed me. They separated us at the master bedroom door while we tried to hold on to each other. Bret, Adam and Matt took me into the bathroom.' Were you holding on to each other? Were you pulled apart?"

"Nope," replies Roberts, who says she was hearing this account for the first time.

Roberts also denies the accuser's statement to the police that after the alleged rape, Roberts came into the bathroom and helped one of the rapists dress her.

When pressed by Bradley about whether she saw signs of rape from the accuser, such as complaining about pain or a mention of an assault, Roberts says, "She obviously wasn't hurt...because she was fine."

Bradley's report also contains interviews with the three defendants, Collin Finnerty, Reade Selligmann and David Evans, all of whom proclaim their innocence, and others involved in the case.

 Everyone repeat after me Russia and China are our friends who want to help stop this crisis, this is how the democrats do it they keep repeating the above line until they've said what is typically a lie long enough they believe it to be the truth.

Russia, China cast doubts on quick N.Korea vote

By Evelyn Leopold and Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - China and Russia on Thursday cast doubt on the chances for a quick vote on a U.S.-drafted resolution imposing economic and weapons sanctions on North Korea for its reported nuclear weapons test.

"I think that of course people are talking about a possible vote tomorrow, but I'm not sure," China's U.N. Ambassador Wang Guangya said. "There are many common grounds that members agree. But there are some disagreements."

U.S. Ambassador John Bolton formally introduced the new draft resolution to U.N. Security Council in hopes of securing a vote on Friday but said he was open to further discussion and changes.

But the measure still retained some elements that China has objected to.

Asked about a Friday vote, Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said, "I don't think so" and indicated one should wait for results of the latest flurry of diplomatic activity.

"We think there should be a strong reaction but a cool- headed reaction," Churkin said.

He pointed to diplomatic meetings in Asia and in the United States and Russia. Tang Jiaxuan, a Chinese state councillor and former foreign minister met President George W. Bush and U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice at the White House on Thursday and then was travelling on to Moscow.

China has used forceful language to condemn North Korea since it announced it had conducted a nuclear weapons test on Monday, a change of tack towards Pyongyang. Wang again on Thursday said Pyongyang's action was "irresponsible." Continued...

I saw this on the crawler for MSN when this first happened and funny how it's dropped out of site. I have a few questions as to why the mainstream media didn't find it attractive enough to run as a high profile item.

Was it because these young men weren't known as "affluent"? Could it be that they weren't white? Could it really be that there is unseen pressure not to give a story like this any time because it would show that rape has no color barrier?

California football players arrested in rape of young girl

Once again, some college athletes are being accused of a gang rape, this time in Fresno, California. Their accuser is an eleven-year-old girl.

 

 

Alot of fluff for the media yet no day in court for the accused.

Defense in Duke Rape Case Seek Notes

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) -- Defense attorneys in the Duke University lacrosse rape case said the prosecutor's office has failed to hand over details of any statements from the accuser or handwritten notes from investigators.

Attorneys for player David Evans said the information was not included in 615 pages of evidence District Attorney Mike Nifong turned over to them last month, according to a letter sent to the prosecutor on Wednesday.

This spring, Evans, 23, and fellow players Reade Seligmann, 20, and Collin Finnerty, 20, were indicted on charges of rape, kidnapping and sexual offense.

A student at nearby North Carolina Central University told police she was raped in a bathroom by three men at a March 13 off-campus lacrosse team party. Defense attorneys have strongly proclaimed the players' innocence.

Defense attorneys Joseph Cheshire and Brad Bannon said they believe Nifong talked with the accuser based on a court motion in which the prosecutor states the woman told him she had not taken Ecstasy on the night of the party.

Nifong's assistant said the prosecutor was out of town and had not read the letter.

© 2006 The Associated Press.

 

Here I thought the culture of corruption existed only in the GOP........

Blagojevich Adviser Indicted on Charges

By MIKE ROBINSON
Associated Press Writer

CHICAGO (AP) -- A top adviser and fundraiser for Gov. Rod Blagojevich was charged in a federal indictment, unsealed Wednesday, with scheming to collect millions of dollars in kickbacks from companies seeking to do business with the state.

Businessman Antoin "Tony" Rezko was charged with operating a fraud scheme in which he, millionaire political contributor Stuart Levine and other insiders used Levine's position as a member of two state boards to pressure companies to pay kickbacks in exchange for state business.

Levine is among those previously charged in the case.

Rezko, 51, is also accused of trying to squeeze a company seeking to do business with the state for a $1.5 million contribution "to a certain public official." Prosecutors declined to name the official or to say whether anyone in the Blagojevich administration, including the governor, might be a target in the corruption investigation.

"This basically involved a pay-to-play scheme on steroids," U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald said. Rezko and Levin engaged in "a frenzied effort to collect kickbacks," he said continue

I'm sure this will shock everyone that when one of Hollywood's film makers pooks some serious fun at the Clintons You Tube tried to block access to his work.

 Too bad more people won't take the lead of the NYPD when Alec Baldwin attempted to cross the policeline near the fatal small plane crash of NY Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle.