I HATE THE MEDIA ™

Another victory for socialism: Oil-rich Venezuela can’t keep the lights on

Considering the fact that Venezuela sits on an ocean of oil, one would think they could generate enough electricity to keep the lights on. But no.

Considering the fact that Venezuela sits on an ocean of oil, one would think they could generate enough electricity to keep the lights on. But no, the South American nation is suffering an energy shortage for the second straight year. Hugo Chavez was unavailable for comment.

obama-chavez — Barack Obama stands to the left of Hugo Chavez, figuratively at least

Bloomberg has the story:

Venezuela will ration power again this year, planning steps similar to those taken in 2010 amid an energy crisis, Electricity Minister Ali Rodriguez said.

“We’re going to reapply the measures we applied in Caracas last year nationwide, which punishes the wasting of electricity and encourages energy savings,” Rodriguez said in an interview on state television today. Any rationing measures require President Hugo Chavez’s approval, Rodriguez said.

Venezuela has struggled to boost energy-generating capacity to keep pace with an estimated 6 percent increase in demand this year. The consumption jump, if it persists, would require an additional 2,000 megawatts of new capacity a year, which is “unsustainable,” Rodriguez said.

All hail the glories of socialism! The lights are off, but nobody’s home.

Source: Bloomberg.com

Your tax dollars at work: Robots that fold laundry, shrimp on treadmills, Antarctic jello wrestling

Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn is at it again. He’s issued his annual report that details massive government waste on stupid projects.

Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn is at it again. He’s issued his annual report that details massive government waste on stupid projects. We’re talking billions of dollars wasted on hairbrained projects.

Our favorite is the $1.5 million they spent to develop a robot that can fold shirts. Only problem is, it takes the robot 25 minutes per shirt.

OK, OK, you know us too well. That’s not really our favorite. We were just trying to sound mature. Our real favorite is the Antarctic jello wrestling.

The New York Post reports:

The report found that at the Antarctic McMurdo research station, which part of a $451 million a year polar research project, NSF employees organized a Jell-o-wrestling event and nude “polar bear plunge” party.

Ahhh, but that’s just the beginning. Scientists at the NSF came up with lots of other wacky ways to waste your money. Such as:

Having shrimp walk on tiny treadmills to measure the impact of sickness on crustaceans;

$80,000 study on why the same teams always dominate March Madness;

$315,000 study suggesting playing FarmVille on Facebook helps adults develop and maintain relationships;

$1 million for an analysis of how quickly parents respond to trendy baby names;

$50,000 to produce and publicize amateur songs about science, including a rap called “Money 4 Drugz,” and a misleading song titled “Biogas is a Gas, Gas, Gas”;

$2 million to figure out that people who often post pictures on the internet from the same location at the same time are usually friends; and

$581,000 on whether online dating site users are racist.

Remember this next time you hear Democrats say there’s no way to cut the budget. Here’s Coburn outlining just a few of them.

Source: New York Post

Bombing in Britain: British press rips Obama’s speech

The greatest speechifier in history bombed in Great Britain on Wednesday. Barack Obama may have quoted Winston Churchill, but his stolid speech in Westminster Hall didn’t inspire.

The greatest speechifier in history bombed in Great Britain on Wednesday. Barack Obama may have quoted Winston Churchill, but his stolid speech in Westminster Hall didn’t inspire any comparisons to the great British Prime Minister.

The Telegraph UK tells the tale of Obama without his Teleprompter:

The pictures were better than the words…

…Perhaps Mr Obama was smothered also by his audience, which remained stubbornly unresponsive. For most of the time the President had nothing to bounce off: no applause and certainly no shouts of praise or blame as might be heard in an American church or at an American political rally.

The presidential text sounded as if it had been worked on so hard and conscientiously by a vast team of helpers that it had lost all savour, and been reduced to a series of orotund banalities, of the sort which can be heard at every tedious Anglo-American conference: “Profound challenges stretch out before us…the time for our leadership is now…Our alliance will remain indispensable.”

It did not help to hear Mr Obama assert, after only a minute or two, that “fortunately it’s been smooth sailing” between Britain and the United States “ever since” 1812, when we burned down the White House. Everyone present will have been able to think of occasions when this was not so. Suez did not seem like plain sailing.

We would like to take this opportunity to apologize to our British cousins. We Americans have learned first hand that tales of Barack Obama’s oration skills were greatly exaggerated. We should have warned you.

Our bad.

Perhaps President Obama could pick up a few tips listening to one of history’s greatest speakers.

Source: Telegraph UK

The story that won’t die: Obama’s birth certificate

In this clip, Alex Jones discusses his conversation with author Jerome Corsi, who claims he has incontrovertible evidence that Obama knowingly unveiled a forged birth certificate.

Just in case you’ve never heard of him, Alex Jones is a talk show host. It’s probably safe to say he’s a third tier talk show host. He’s a conspiracy theorist who’s often nuttier than Aunt Dodie’s fruitcake, but occasionally fascinating.

In this clip, Jones discusses his conversation with author Jerome Corsi, who claims he has incontrovertible evidence that Obama knowingly unveiled a forged birth certificate.

We’re not buying it but, damn, wouldn’t it be fun if it were true?

(Note: Mr. Administrator wants me to say he does think there could be something to it.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZQShH3Etss

Michael Moore: Obama should force GM to kill internal combustion engine

Michael Moore and Lawrence O’Donnell. Put ‘em together in front of a camera and the socialism just begins to spontaneously ooze. Or spurt. Or gush. Yeah, gush is a better word.

Here’s Michael Moore explaining how President Obama should use government control of General Motors to bring about a socialist workers green paradise:

The auto thing is a good example, too, where I wish Obama would just … if he would just ratchet it up another notch. Yes, you saved the jobs of all my friends back in Michigan but now that we sort of control the car companies let’s get them doing mass transit. Let’s get them doing things that are going to save this planet. Because the internal combustion engine is not going to get us to the twenty-second century. That’s just not gonna, we’re not gonna have a planet. That has to stop. And I just thought, jeez, when you have this power you can do things. And he’s just kinda like, “Nah, we’ll just get the money back from the auto companies and it’s all gonna be ok.”

Putting the questionable constitutionality of Moore’s dream aside, we have one question:

Do you really expect anyone to believe you have friends, Michael?

Fat chance.

Ed Schultz suspended for calling Laura Ingraham a right wing slut. Here’s his pathetic apology.

If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to be considered “over the top” by the management as MSNBC, Ed Schultz has kindly provided the answer.

Schultz started his program Wednesday night by apologizing for calling Laura Ingraham a “right-wing slut” on his radio show. MSNBC cut to a commercial after the apology, Thomas Roberts was sitting in Schultz’ chair when they returned from commercial, and Schultz went off to do whatever lunatics do while they’re on suspension.

“On my radio show yesterday, I used vile and inappropriate language when talking about talk show host Laura Ingraham. I am deeply sorry, and I apologize. It was wrong, uncalled for and I recognize the severity of what I said. I apologize to you, Laura and ask for your forgiveness. It doesn’t matter what the circumstances were. It doesn’t matter that it was on radio and I was ad libbing. None of that matters. None of that matters. What matters is what I said was terribly vile and not of the standards that I or any other person should adhere to. I want all of you to know tonight that I did call Laura Ingraham today and did not make contact with her and I will apologize to her as I did in the message that I left her today. I also met with management here at MSNBC, and understanding the severity of the situation and what I said on the radio and how it reflected terribly on this company, I have offered to take myself off the air for an indefinite period of time with no pay. I want to apologize to Laura Ingraham. I want to apologize to my family, my wife. I have embarrassed my family. I have embarrassed this company. And I have been in this business since 1978, and I have made a lot of mistakes. This is the lowest of low for me. I stand before you tonight in front of this camera in this studio in an environment that I absolutely love. I love working here. I love communicating with all of you on the radio and the communication that I have with you when I go out and do town hall meetings and meet the people that actually watch. I stand before you tonight to take full responsibility for what I said and how I said it, and I am deeply sorry.

A couple quick translations:

“I did call Laura Ingraham today and did not make contact with her.” Translation: She wouldn’t take the buffoon’s call.
“I have embarrassed my family.” Translation: Even more than I do every other day.
“I have offered to take myself off the air for an indefinite period of time with no pay.” Translation: They threatened to can me and I begged them not to.
“This is the lowest of low for me.” Translation: “Do you have any idea how difficult that is to measure?”
“I love working here.” Translation: They pay me far more than I could get anywhere else.

Thought police update: Michael Savage banned from UK for extreme opinions reaffirmed

The United Kingdom has reaffirmed that freedom of speech is a strictly American concept. How? By reaffirming its baffling ban on American talk show host Michael Savage.

The ban was instituted, of course, because Savage had been convicted of building pipe bombs used to kill British soldiers. What’s that? He didn’t?

Well, it’s well known that Savage is a convicted felon who molested dozens of innocent children. What’s that? He didn’t?

michael-savage — Vile criminal Michael Savage found guilty of expressing opinions

Yeah, well, everyone knows that Savage called for the assassination of Queen Elizabeth. What’s that? He didn’t?

OK, but he had strong opinions that not everyone agreed with. And in today’s politically correct world no crime is worse.

The Daily Mail UK has the depressing details:

The Conservative-led British government announced in July it would only lift the ban initiated by the previous Labour leadership if Savage took back statements he had made on his broadcasts that were deemed a ‘threat to national security’.

And while the U.K has never specified which comments it found so dangerous, an attorney for the British government has stayed true to its threat, reaffirming the ban.

The Right-wing radio presenter, whose hardline views on Islam, rape and autism have caused outrage in the US, was identified in May 2009 by then U.K. Home Secretary Jacqui Smith as one of 16 people barred due to their political views.

The list also included hate preachers, Hamas terrorist leader Yunis Al-Astal, former Ku Klux Klan grand wizard Stephen Donald Black and neo-Nazi Erich Gliebe.

Now Michael Atkins, writing on behalf of the U.K.’s treasury solicitor, has told Savage’s London-based attorney the ban had to stick because Savage had not gone back on his ‘extreme’ comments.

Hell in a hand basket. ‘Nuff said.

See the actual legal letter sent to Savage on Tuesday: PDF

Former New York Mayor Ed Koch may flip parties because he’s flippin’ pissed about Obama’s Israel policy

Former New York City Mayor Ed Koch has had it with Barack Obama. He’s had it right up to here. You know the lifelong Democrat must be seriously pissed of when he starts talking about becoming a Republican.

NewsMax has the flippin’ details:

… the former New York City mayor said, “Mitt Romney correctly summed it up when he said that President Obama has once again thrown Israel under the bus.”

“I believe this is the most dangerous and critical period that Israel has ever faced and regrettably it does not have the support of the President of the United States, which in past difficult situations it could count on.”

“I’m a Democrat. I support the Democratic domestic philosophy and policies and will always be supportive of them,” said Koch, mayor of America’s largest city from 1978-89. “But I have no hesitation in crossing party lines when I think America’s interests demand that I cross party lines.

“I supported President Obama, believing he would be good on foreign policy, particularly with respect to the support of Israel. It turned out badly.”

Welcome to reality, Ed. Feel free to bring about 3 million other Jewish voters with you.

Source: NewsMax.com

Harry Reid goes as ballistic and denounces Obama’s 1967 border plan

It certainly doesn’t sound as if he the President passed his “Israel must return to its 1967 borders” concept past Harry Reid for prior approval.

Do you think Barack Obama consults with the other leaders of his party before making one of his grand pronouncements? Or does he just assume they’ll blindly follow his lead? (And just to be clear, when we say “his party” we mean the Democrats, not Hamas.)

It certainly doesn’t sound as if he the President passed his “Israel must return to its 1967 borders” concept past Harry Reid for prior approval.

Reid spoke to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and actually sounded angry about Obama’s plan. Well, if not angry, at least alive, which is a major improvement for ol’ Harry.

“The place where negotiating will happen must be at the negotiating table – and nowhere else,” Reid declared. “Those negotiations … will not happen – and their terms will not be set – through speeches, or in the streets, or in the media.”

And he wasn’t finished. Not nearly. “No one should set premature parameters about borders, about building, or about anything else.”

The crowd burst into applause, something so unknown to Harry that he was nearly startled into a moment of senior incontinence.

Birthers are out. Collegers are in.

Now that the President has produced his “authentic” birth certificate, let’s move on to his college diploma, which is shrouded in at least as much mystery.

We can’t vouch for the accuracy of this commentary and the actual writer is unknown, but it was supposedly written by one of Obama’s Columbia classmates.

Hmmmmmm.

On another front. Columbia college has a unique system. EVERY student takes approximately the same 81 credits. This is the “core curriculum”.  Unlike other schools this is not ‘one from column A, and one from column B’ but the same courses for all undergrads.

You need 161 credits to graduate.

The college handbook clearly discusses the fact that it is effectively impossible to transfer in as a junior because there is no substituting these credits for classes taken anywhere else.

Hence, you will not be able to graduate, with the required major credits. (there is a way to appeal this – it has just never happened. Or, apparently did in his case).

So, how did a self admittedly poor student from a third rate college (Occidental) get into one of the worlds great liberal arts colleges at a time when they do not accept any transfers?

This is a question I have continued to ask.

Barack Obama has replaced Austin Powers as the international man of mystery. But with fewer laughs.

H/T: Ace of Spades

Do not stand between Michelle and a tamale: Obama’s limo bottoms out and gets stuck in Ireland

We are too classy here at IHateTheMedia.com make any connection between Obama’s comment and Monday’s car problems just to get a cheap laugh. Far too classy.

We stand 100% behind Michelle Obama, which doesn’t exactly give us the best point of view.

A couple weeks ago the President said, “You do not want to be between Michelle and tamales.” Monday we learned what he meant.

The President’s limo, known as “The Beast”, bottomed out and got stuck in an Irish driveway. Some observers said it looked like the suspension collapsed.

We are too classy here at IHateTheMedia.com make any connection between Obama’s comment and Monday’s car problems just to get a cheap laugh. Far too classy.

Is Peter Fonda really training his grandchildren to assassinate President Obama?

Peter Fonda, the star of Easy Rider, told reporters that he’s encouraging his grandchildren to assassinate President Obama. Bizarre, but true.

Jane Fonda just received some excellent news from Cannes Film Festival. No, the washed up actress didn’t win any awards, but she did learn that she’s not the craziest member of her family.

Her brother Peter, the star of Easy Rider, told reporters that he’s encouraging his grandchildren to assassinate President Obama. Bizarre, but true.

peter-fonda — Lee Harvey Fonda at the Cannes Film Festival

The Telegraph UK has Fonda’s dangerous words:

“I’m training my grandchildren to use long-range rifles,” said the actor, 71. “For what purpose? Well, I’m not going to say the words ‘Barack Obama’, but …”

He added, enigmatically: “It’s more of a thought process than an actuality, but we are heading for a major conflict between the haves and the have nots. I came here many years ago with a biker movie and we stopped a war. Now, it’s about starting the world.

“I prefer to not to use the words, ‘let’s stop something’. I prefer to say, ‘let’s start something, let’s start the world’.

“There’s no room any more for a sissy and, like I said, don’t forget that I’ve got grandsons who I’ve trained with long-distance rifles. We have to run like mofos to change this world.”

We’re picturing Henry Fonda looking down from heaven, giving Jimmy Stewart a little poke in the ribs with his elbow and saying, “I did a great job with my kids, didn’t I? They really turned out to be terrific people. Other than that traitor thing with Jane and the assassination thing with Peter.”

Source: Telegraph UK

Restaurant owner says business has tripled since he posted an “English Only” sign

Greg Simons, owner of the Reedy Creek restaurant in North Carolina, grew increasingly frustrated with customers who couldn’t speak English.

His solution? Simons put up a sign that said, “English only.” The result? Business is booming and so is media attention.

Socialists say “buenas noches” in Spain

The Spanish socialist party just got their asses handed to them in local and regional elections and might as well just say buenas noches.

In case you’re not fluent in Spanish, please allow us to translate. Good night. The Spanish socialist party just got their asses handed to them in local and regional elections and might as well just say buenas noches.

The BBC explains the good old fashioned culo kicking:

Spain's socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero is looking a little punch drunk after the Spanish elections

With 91% of municipal votes counted, the centre-right Popular Party (PP) had almost a 10-percentage point lead, the interior ministry said.Voting took place amid mass protests against high unemployment and the government’s handling of the economy…

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero conceded his party had been resoundingly defeated but said he had no intention of calling early general elections.

He may be a socialist, but he’s not stupid. Call those elections now and he can take an early retirement.

He said three years of economic crisis had taken their toll.

“It destroyed thousands of jobs. It is a crisis that had profound effects on citizens’ morale. I know that many Spaniards suffer great hardship and fear for their futures,” he said.

“Today, without doubt, they expressed their discontent,” he added.

However, he vowed to pursue reforms to try to improve the economy until the end of his mandate. At this point, a general election must be held by March of next year.

Don’t make the mistake of viewing this as an isolated event. The Canadian Conservatives just won a landslide election. Australia’s ruling Labor party appears primed to be unceremoniously booted from office.

Let’s hope it’s an omen.

Source: BBC

Desperate Housewives of Abbottobad

The three widows of Osama bin Laden are turning on each other in custody, with two older Saudi women blaming a much younger Yemeni wife for leading American intelligence to their hideout.

Putting morality aside, there are some very compelling practical reasons for our culture’s disdain of polygamy. For one, inter-spousal rivalries can be deadly.

The Australian has the spousal specifics:

THE three widows of Osama bin Laden are turning on each other in custody, with two older Saudi women blaming a much younger Yemeni wife for leading American intelligence to their hideout.

What was Bin Laden thinking? It's tough enough trying to keep one wife happy.

“It’s vicious,” said a Pakistani official briefed on the interrogation of the widows. “The older wives think the younger one tipped off the Americans or was tracked when she came to join him.”

Our sense of sportswomanship is distressed by the idea of two against one. We surmise envy is the root cause. To paraphrase the old ad’s plea, “Don’t hate me because my burqa is beautiful.”

Although the compound where bin Laden hid for five years was large, the three wives were all cooped up in the same house. The older two lived on the second floor and the youngest one on the top. Their husband alternated between them. Pakistani officials who have been debriefing the women portray life in the compound as an Islamic version of Desperate Housewives.

Discriminatory housing practices are certainly problematic. Still, we marvel at Osama’s energy level, climbing 3 stories to service 3 desperate housewives at his age. Considering his porn addiction, where did he even find the time?

Having Navy Seals gunnin’ for him was bad, but intramural warfare in his own hideout must have cinched matters.

Might be enough to make a guy rethink that whole 72 virgins thing.

– Written by Bonfire of the Absurdities

Source: The Australian

The Republic is saved: Obama says he’ll only serve for eight years

There’s good news for those of you who fear that we’ll never get rid of Barack Obama. He has graciously consented to serve just two terms as President of the United States.

hillary-obama — "I think I can screw things up so badly in eight years that they'll never get it fixed."

The Associate Press has the details:

Eight years as president is enough, thank you. At least that’s what Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says President Barack Obama told her the other day.

Clinton said Tuesday that she and Obama often marvel over foreign despots who want to stay in power for decades.

She told a State Department forum that neither she nor Obama can understand leaders who refuse to transfer power and cling to office for 10, 20, 30 or 40 years.

She says she and the president joke: “Oh, my gosh. Can you imagine?”

Clinton says Obama told her, “I’m going to win re-election, and then I’m done,” a remark that drew laughter from the audience.

One can only hope his powers of prognostication are as limited as his understanding of the Constitution.

Source: Associated Press

Thursday: Obama says Israel must return to 1967 borders.
Friday: Press Secretary says Obama never said it

Veteran White House reporter Keith Koffler had an interesting exchange on Friday. And by “interesting” we mean, of course, that Carney lied through his teeth and nothing short of waterboarding could force him to admit that’s what he was doing.

Koffler tells the story in his White House Dossier blog:

In discussing President Obama’s decision to say Thursday that Mideast peace negotiations should begin with the assumption that Israel will return to the 1967 borders – give or take some land swaps – Carney yesterday sought to portray Obama’s statement as consistent with existing U.S. policy as outlined in a 2004 letter from George W. Bush to then Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Now, this letter wasn’t a “hey, my grandkids are great, how are yours?” type of note. It was official U.S. policy, stating that a return to the 1967 lines was not realistic and that the Palestinian’s “right of return” to Israel proper was null and void. In addition to apparently new policy on the borders, Obama said the right of return issue should be negotiated.

Here’s what Carney said early in the briefing:

I think, again, there is nothing that the President said yesterday that contradicts the 2004 letters that were exchanged between President Bush and Prime Minister Sharon, or what Prime Minister Netanyahu said today in the Oval Office. We — the President said in his speech that a starting point for resolving the territorial issue is the 1967 lines, with mutually agreed swaps and security for both nations.

Carney was using careful language – “nothing that . . contradicts the 2004 letters.” What I wanted to figure out was whether, in fact, the United States is now breaking with existing policy. So in the video below, I asked Carney if he would affirm previous U.S. policy. As you will see, he would not.

Koffler is lucky he even got Carney to admit that Obama made the speech.

“Speech? What speech? I haven’t heard anything about a speech. I’m pretty sure the President was out playing golf on Thursday.”

Source: White House Dossier

Strange racist bedfellows: Australia assembles a black-only football team to play South Africa

So apartheid is evil unless you’re segregating the races to play football against South Africa in Africa and the race being excluded is caucasian in which case it’s all dandy.

This one is beyond us. Our feeble intellects are simply not capable of comprehending the thinking behind this.

All these years we thought South African apartheid was evil, that the intentional exclusion of one race by another was unacceptable. But then how do you explain the fact that a race-based football team from Australia has been selected specifically to play South Africa? And how do you explain the fact that it’s being applauded?

The Age reports the odd turn of events as if they don’t see any irony in it:

An AFL match will be staged as an exhibition event at the Africa Games in Mozambique in September. It will be between a team from South Africa and an Australian Aboriginal team.

So apartheid is evil unless you’re segregating the races to play football against South Africa in Africa and the race being excluded is caucasian in which case it’s all dandy.

Surely, there’s some logic in there somewhere. We’re just having trouble finding it.

http://youtu.be/X_hqosNvv5E

By the way, if you’ve never seen Aussie rules football, you don’t know what you’re missing. It’s like the NFL without pads or the NBA without rules. Don’t know how the players survive each week’s games.

Source: The Age

Sherlock Napolitano has lost track of 6 million illegal aliens

Seriously, does Janet Napolitano give you any sense of confidence that the border is being protected and that America is being kept safe? If so, you’re reading the situation completely wrong.

“Well, damn it, where’d they go?” the Director of Homeland Security said. “They were here just a minute ago.”

Seriously, does Janet Napolitano give you any sense of confidence that the border is being protected and that America is being kept safe? If so, you’re reading the situation completely wrong.

illegal-alien — Illegal alien playing peek-a-boo with Janet Napolitano

Judicial Watch has the details:

…nearly half of the nation’s estimated 12 million illegal immigrants actually entered the U.S. legally but overstayed their visa, according to a new federal report. That’s because the agency responsible for keeping the nation safe—the Department of Homeland Security—can’t keep track of immigrants who remain in the U.S. after their visas expire.

This clearly creates a huge national security issue because terrorists can plot more attacks from within. In fact, dozens of foreigners convicted of terrorism since the 2001 attacks had overstayed their visas, according to the report, which was published by the investigative arm of Congress known as the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

Pssst. Hey, Janet. Check outside any Home Depot. We pretty sure you’ll be able to find about 5 million of them.

Source: Judicial Watch

Al Gore, Keith Olbermann and Rupert Murdoch walk into a bar

What are the odds of finding one story that includes Al Gore, Keith Olbermann and Rupert Murdoch? Well, this is your lucky day.

In short, Rupert Murdoch hates Keith Olbermann. Al Gore hired Olbermann to work at Current TV. Murdoch-owned Sky Italia TV dropped Current TV from its programming roster. In Gore’s mind, A equals B and B equals C, therefore A equals C.

gore-olbermann — Does anyone know how to say "pompous asses" in Italian?

The Guardian UK reports on the Vice President’s paranoia:

He [Gore] added that the decision reflected how News Corporation operated worldwide. “News Corporation is an international conglomerate with an ideological agenda. It seeks political power in every nation they operate. They wield that power to shut down voices that disagree with the agenda of Rupert Murdoch,” Gore said.

The decision, he added, was “a complete shock” but Current TV executives were told “off the record that the decision was taken on News Corp instructions from New York”. The primary reason, he said, was “because Current is launching Keith Olbermann next month”.

Olbermann – who styles himself as a leftwing alternative to the rightwing shock jock journalism of Fox News – worked at rival cable news network MSNBC until he left abruptly in January. This came after he was briefly suspended by MSNBC in November for making donations to three Democratic candidates in the midterm elections without seeking prior approval, in breach of company rules. “Olbermann has often been critical of News Corporation,” Gore added.

It’s always someone else’s fault with liberals. Why can’t Gore just accept that no one in Italy wants to watch an American network that even Americans don’t want to watch?

Source: Guardian UK

Shocker: Democrat accuses three other Democrats of being corrupt

We can’t even remember the last time a member of one party singled out other members of his own party the way former Senator Russ Feingold is doing.

This is one of those “man bites dog” kind of stories. That is, it’s not news when a Democrat calls a Republican corrupt, but it is news when a Democrat calls other Democrats corrupt.

We can’t even remember the last time a member of one party singled out other members of his own party the way former Senator Russ Feingold is doing.

The Hill offers up the surprising story:

Former Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) has tabbed two Democrats and Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman (Conn.) as fit for “shame” for being too beholden to corporate interests.

Feingold, the former liberal senator who leads a new PAC called Progressives United, singled out House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Lieberman (Conn.), an independent who caucuses with Democrats, for a close relationship with corporations.

“This culture of corporate influence and corruption is precisely what we at Progressives United want to change. So we’ve decided to take on those legislators who are unwilling to stand up to corporate power, and we’re naming names,” Feingold wrote in an email, asking for $5 donations to “shame” those lawmakers with online ads.

Call out the Republicans, too, Russ. Clean out the swamp. It’s about time someone actually does the job Nancy Pelosi said she was going to do.

Source: The Hill

Does this sound like Obama just said he’s abandoning Israel

This is one that seems to have slipped by the media and the pundits. They were so busy analyzing the “1967 borders” comment Obama’s latest Middle East speech that no one caught this brief sentence.

“As for security, every state has the right to self-defense, and Israel must be able to defend itself – by itself – against any threat.”

First he says Israel has to return to indefensible borders. Then he says it has to defend itself by itself. As in solo. Without its staunch America allies.

Hmmmmm.

Paul Ryan: “I don’t consult polls to tell me what my principles are or policies should be. Leaders change polls.”

David Gregory had a bad day on Sunday’s Meet the Press. He ran into a smart, articulate buzz saw named Congressman Paul Ryan.

The following exchange took place:

Gregory: According to our polling, nearly eight in ten Americans do not want to cut spending for Medicare, even in the name of cutting the debt. You, I assume, are not doing all this as an intellectual exercise. You would actually like to get reform accomplished…

Gregory: But wait a second, but that really is a dodge. You are the chairman of the committee, yes, you’re serious about entitlement reform, yes. You’re also a politician. You say you want to do it on your terms. Law does not become law without building political consensus, and you don’t have that, and now you had a major figure in the Republican Party say this was right-wing social engineering. So, I’m wondering how much you do feel undercut in actually getting this passed, which I assume is your goal?

Ryan: First of all, if people are describing this accurately in polls, it’s far more popular than the poll you referenced. Second of all, leaders are elected to lead. I don’t consult polls to tell me what my principles are or what our policies should be. Leaders change the polls, and we are leading in the House. We are not seeing this kind of leadership from the President of the United States. The Senate Democrats haven’t even proposed or passed a budget for 753 days and we have a budget crisis. So, yes, we are going to lead and we are going to try and move these polls and change these polls, because that’s what the country wants.

Yes, Paul, that’s what the country wants. A leader. A real leader. Someone like Paul Ryan. But why settle for someone like Paul Ryan when we can have Paul Ryan himself?

C’mon, Paul, how ’bout you reconsider that “I’m not running for President” thing.

H/T: NewsBusters.org

Real world education: Recent college grads abandoning Obama

Now that the classes of 2009 and 2010 are out in the real world and have seen that Hope and Change is really smoke and mirrors and can’t get jobs.

Oh, how they worshipped Obama in 2008. How they believed in his message of Hope and Change. How they swooned at his speeches. How they knelt before the Chicago Jesus.

obama-college-vote — President Obama waves a fond farewell to the college vote

Yeah, well those days are over. Now that the classes of 2009 and 2010 are out in the real world and have seen that Hope and Change is really smoke and mirrors and can’t get jobs, they’ve made a u-turn back to reality.

HotAir.com has the story of their conversion:

A recent informal survey of 500 post-grads primarily between the ages of 22 and 28 — 83 percent of whom voted for President Barack Obama in 2008 — found just 27 percent of Obama’s previous youth supporters plan to vote for him again, The Daily Caller reports. That’s a drop of almost 60 points.

In contrast, of those who voted for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in 2008, a vast majority — 80 percent — said they would vote GOP again. An 80 percent majority of those newly disillusioned by Obama said they would consider voting for a Republican in 2012, too.

George Bernard Shaw said, “Youth is wasted on the young.”

So are political campaigns.

Source: HotAir

Ukrainian politician applies Vulcan Death Grip to his opponent

Perhaps the gridlock in Washington could be broken if our elected representatives settled their disputes the old-fashioned Ukrainian way – with their fists.

BoingBoing.com has the details:

Vice speaker of the Ukrainian parliament, Adam Martynyuk, on the right, throttles deputy Oleg Lyashko during a session in the chamber of the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev on Wednesday, May 18, 2011. According to reports, Lyashko had just asked Martynyuk to let him make a speech, which Martinyuk refused to do on procedural grounds. Lyashko then apparently called his interlocutor a Pharisee, at which point it was on.

Wouldn’t you love to see this same technique put to work in our Congress? Could it be any less effective than the system we have now?

Bring it on. Allen West versus any Democrat.

Source: BoingBoing

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