Barack Obama's Brother Arrested On Marijuana Charges!

ABCNews.com:

The White House had no comment Saturday on the arrest in Kenya of President Barack Obama's half-brother George for possession of marijuana and resisting arrest.

President Obama barely knows George, 26, who lives in a home somewhat more modest than the White House in Huruma, a suburb of Nairobi, Kenya.

George is thought to be the youngest of at least eight half-siblings the President has.

Some of President Obama's paternal relatives -- though not George -- came to Washington, D.C., for the inaugural, most notably "Grandma Sarah" Obama, the stepmother of Obama's Kenyan-born father Barack Obama Sr., who on the Sunday before the inauguration feasted with the soon-to-be first family, their friends, several top Obama aides and Oprah Winfrey.

Kenyan Police Chief Joshua Omokulongolo told the Associated Press that George had one joint on him.

"He is not a drug peddler," Omokulongolo said. "But it's illegal, it's a banned substance."

George Obama, 26, is scheduled to appear in court Monday.

Think if George W. Bush was still President and one of his siblings got arrested for possession of dope, the press and liberal pundits wouldn't be having more fun with that news while exploiting it for all it's worth? You can bet the farm they would.

Tom Daschle: Another Democrat Tax Cheater

ABC.com:

After being defeated in his 2004 re-election campaign to the Senate, Daschle in 2005 became a consultant and chairman of the executive advisory board at InterMedia Advisors.

Based in New York City, InterMedia Advisors is a private equity firm founded in part by longtime Daschle friend and Democratic fundraiser Leo Hindery, the former president of the YES network (the New York Yankees' and New Jersey Devils' cable television channel).

That same year he began his professional relationship with InterMedia, Daschle began using the services of Hindery's car and driver.

The Cadillac and driver were never part of Daschle's official compensation package at InterMedia, but Mr. Daschle -- who as Senate majority leader enjoyed the use of a car and driver at taxpayer expense -- didn't declare their services on his income taxes, as tax laws require.

During the vetting process to become HHS secretary, Daschle corrected the tax violation, voluntarily paying $101,943 in back taxes plus interest, working with his accountant to amend his tax returns for 2005 through 2007.

(Daschle reimbursed the IRS $31,462 in taxes and interest for tax year 2005; $35,546 for 2006; and $34,935 for 2007, a Daschle spokesperson said, adding that Daschle had asked his accountant to look into the tax implications of the car and driver five months before Obama won the presidency.)

The Daschle spokesperson told ABC News that the senator, facing questions from the committee, has said "he deeply regretted his mistake. When he realized it was a mistake he corrected it rapidly."

Hey, I actually sympathized with confirmed Treasury Secretary Tim Geitner's $40,000 "tax problems" because he used TurboTax, which is pretty well-known for being unreliable. But Daschle takes the cake on this one, while going down as yet another Obama pick invloved in scandal.....funny in light of all the criticism Michael Steele is receiving from the Left for daring to be elected new GOP Chairman, as if scandal-ridden pols are beholden to just one party.

Michael Steele Named New GOP Chairman, Needs To Court Hispanics

CNN.com:

Michael Steele, a former Maryland lieutenant governor, was elected chairman of the Republican National Committee on Friday.

Steele, the first African-American to hold the post, defeated South Carolina GOP Chairman Katon Dawson, 91-77, in the final round of voting among the RNC's 168 members. Only 86 votes were needed.

"This is our opportunity. I cannot do this by myself," he told the crowd at the annual RNC meeting Friday. "God bless you, and God bless our party. ... It's going to be a new day."

Steele also told his fellow party members that it will be a "great honor to spar" with President Obama.

For the duration of his campaign, Steele fought perceptions that he was too moderate to lead the party because of his blue-state roots and his former membership in the Republican Leadership Council, a group that sought to curb the influence of social conservatives in the party.

"For so long, we've allowed the Democrats to define us, we've allowed the media to define us, and so it's important for us to begin to establish with clarity who we are, what we believe as we begin to go out and take, I think, a brand new message to the American people," he said.

Michael Steele certainly has the credentials to be GOP chairman: he's experienced, is a great orator and he was a lieutenant governor, but for the GOP and Steele the newly elected GOP chairman needs to prove that he's more than just a "quota" hire if they really want to attract more minority voters. For starters Steele and his brethren need to listen to President Bush and tone down their harsh rhetoric on illegal immigrants--as Bush suggested right before he left office, it just makes his party look xenophobic and does nothing to solve a longstanding, complex problem in America. Unlike any other GOP President George W. Bush drew Hispanics to his party, but thanks to all the divisive talk for illegal immigrants thrown by some Far-Right pols and pundits (in particular Michelle Malkin), John McCain lost many Christian Hispanic voters in the '08 election. By stressing core, conservative values, Steele has to reach out, in particular, to the largest minority population in this country, a group that is as diverse politically as they are ethnically.

The Rod Blagojevich Witchhunt Ends With His Ouster

Even before he went on his idiot TV blitz proclaiming his innocence to anyone who's listen, Rod Blagojevich didn't have a chance to stay governor, not with this kind of blatant vindictiveness:

The Illinois Senate removed Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich from office Thursday, convicting him on an article of impeachment that alleged a pattern of abuse of power.

The vote, 59 to 0, ended nearly two months of political spectacle in which Mr. Blagojevich, a second-term Democrat who rose from the ranks of Chicago ward politics on the strength of his charisma and the connections of his wife’s family, sought to salvage his career and reputation.

The conviction followed a four-day trial, Mr. Blagojevich’s dramatic address of some 45 minutes to the senators Thursday in which he declared his innocence, and then about two hours of deliberation.

After the first vote, the Senate held a second, deciding again by 59 to 0 to bar Mr. Blagojevich from ever holding public office again in Illinois.

Under state law, Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn, a 60-year-old Democrat, assumed the power of chief executive immediately upon Mr. Blagojevich’s conviction. To a boisterous ovation, Mr. Quinn took the oath of office about an hour afterward in the House chamber across the hall, where he gave a short speech.

"Abuse of power"?!? For Illinois Democrats "abuse of power" has long been par the course (even Blago's replacement, Pat Quinn, has a history of scandal). Indeed, the Rod Blagojevich Witchhunt was nothing more than wiping away a stain from Barack Obama's home state--even Chris Matthews had the guts to say the other day that what Blago's been accused of doing, per the tapes heard by the Illinois Senate, has been going on every day by other pols. Here's hoping that Blago continues to fight to clear his name and of he does go down, takes some other Illinois pols down with him.

Dennis Miller Quote of the Day!

"On this [Al Gore's] a bit of a doofus...He talks about it being our home. Why is he hogging the thermostat? And you know, he's got his own personal challenge come up here. What happens if he is wrong? Has he never ever considered that? It would seem not."

- comedian Dennis Miller on global warming and its leading advocate Al Gore

Stimulus Plan Passes And Al Gore Fattens Up His Pockets

Newsmax.com:

Former Vice President Al Gore pressed lawmakers Wednesday to back President Barack Obama's economic stimulus plan and quickly restrict U.S. output of greenhouse gases blamed for global warming.

"In order to repower our economy, restore American economic and moral leadership in the world and regain control of our destiny, we must take bold action now," he said in testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The Nobel laureate, who won an Oscar for his global-warming book turned documentary "An Inconvenient Truth," said Washington had to lead the world heading into global climate talks in Copenhagen in December.

If Congress "acts right away" to pass Obama's stimulus plan and "takes decisive action this year" to cap carbon emissions, the US delegation to the Danish capital will enjoy "renewed authority to lead the world in shaping a fair and effective treaty," said the former vice president.

"And this treaty must be negotiated this year. Not next year. This year," he warned in the written remarks.

"A fair, effective and balanced treaty will put in place the global architecture that will place the world — at long last and in the nick of time — on a path toward solving the climate crisis and securing the future of human civilization," he said.

Gore praised Obama's stimulus plan for including environment-friendly items such as investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy, energy grid improvements and a shift to "clean cars."

Of course, the Goracle failed to mention what else is at stake here: the size of his wallet. After all, Gore has invested quite a bit of money in the “makers of environmentally friendly products". Then too there's his own carbon footprint of a company, Global Investment Management, to think about as our tax dollars are spent on the farce that is global warming, Gore's profit margin increases and increases. Now isn't that just special.

So Far Barack Obama = Jimmy Carter Redux

In stating his case Michael Medved doesn't hold back:

How worthless is Jimmy Carter?

Haley Barbour, Governor of Mississippi, makes the point that when an opposition party seizes control of the White House from its rival, that party almost always holds the Presidency for two terms at least. This means that the odds heavily favor Barack Obama’s reelection in 2012.

In the last 112 years, an opposition party took over the presidency eleven times (McKinley in 1896, Wilson in 1912, Harding in 1920, FDR in 1932, Eisenhower in 1952, Kennedy in 1960, Nixon in 1968, Carter in 1976, Reagan in 1980, Clinton in 1992, George W. Bush in 2000). In ten out of those eleven instances the new White House party maintained control of the executive branch for at least two terms.

Only once in 112 years – since the distant days of William McKinley – did a new president turn out to be so feckless, so incompetent, so sanctimonious, so repellant, so self-destructive, so….well, worthless….that his party lost the White House (big time!) after only one term.

Now, can we guess who this appalling loser might be?

In the sweep of recent history, James Earl Carter, Jr., stands utterly alone in leading his party to capture the White House with overwhelming Congressional majorities (61 Senators, 292 members of the House – far bigger margins than Obama!) and then, after a brief four year demonstration of almost unimaginable ineptitude, handing the reins of government back to the opposition.

In looking ahead to the Obama administration, no one wants an economic or foreign policy repetition of the nightmarish Carter years – the Republic can hardly afford that sort of long-term damage.

But GOP loyalists should legitimately hope that the new president does manage to follow Little Jimmy’s political example – repeating the Carteresque feat of losing the presidency for his party after a single term of office.

In this regard, President Obama’s first week has already provided a promising start—displaying some of the nastiness, small-mindedness, insecurity, and self-righteousness that notably characterized the Georgia Peanut. The Inaugural Address included graceless digs at President Bush that undermined the promised theme of “unity,” while touchy, grumpy comments to the White House press corps stunned reporters who had previously displayed their infatuation with the new president. The odd remarks scolding Republicans with a reminder that “I won” and warning them not to listen to Rush Limbaugh, hardly characterize a self-confident, optimistic, coalition-building leader in the style of FDR, JFK or Ronald Reagan.

Obama A Hypocrite For Going After Rush Limbaugh

NYPost.com:

WASHINGTON -- President Obama warned Republicans on Capitol Hill today that they need to quit listening to radio king Rush Limbaugh if they want to get along with Democrats and the new administration.

"You can't just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done," he told top GOP leaders, whom he had invited to the White House to discuss his nearly $1 trillion stimulus package.

Limbaugh Responds, Slams Obama

One White House official confirmed the comment but said he was simply trying to make a larger point about bipartisan efforts.

"There are big things that unify Republicans and Democrats," the official said. "We shouldn't let partisan politics derail what are very important things that need to get done."

I agree. The time for below-the-belt, partisan attacks from both sides of the political aisle has long needed to cease. But Obama knows damn well that if he had the 60 votes in the Senate to avoid a GOP filibuster, he would care less what Rush Limbaugh thinks, much less says. Limbaugh is the most popular pundit on the Far-Right, he gets paid really well to stir up the GOP base and his consistent No.1 ratings in radio proves that he does a good job at it. I don't like Limbaugh because too often he engages in the same kind of derogatory baiting, name-calling and smear attacks that his peers on the Left are noted for, making it personal when there's so much to attack Obama on policy alone. It's called being a hypocrite, but so is Obama for attacking Limbaugh when some of same fools he runs with, the latest example being John Conyers, seem to get their cojones from assholes like Keith Olbermann.

Nancy Pelosi: "Babies Cost Money!"

God, this chick is stupid, not to mention she's a grandmother.

More HERE.

Rod Blagojevich Actually Said He Considered Oprah Winfrey For Senate Seat

CNN.com:

As Gov. Rod Blagojevich's impeachment trial proceedings got under way Monday, the embattled Illinois governor hit the media circuit, answering questions about Oprah, foul language and why he isn't resigning.

Blagojevich appeared Monday on ABC's "Good Morning America" and "The View," and gave his first live prime-time interview on CNN's "Larry King Live."

"I'm not guilty of any criminal wrongdoing," Blagojevich, who is accused of trying to sell President Obama's former Senate seat, told King. "I'm entitled to a presumption of innocence."

Blagojevich also further explained comments that he channeled major political figures who overcame adversity as he was being arrested.

"I've been criticized for this, but I'm not comparing myself to Dr. King or Nelson Mandela or Mahatma Gandhi, but I tried to reach in to history and imagine some inspiring figures that would have gone through something like I was going through for sustenance and inspiration."

Blagojevich also said that he looks forward to the day when he can tell his story in full, rather than people judging him by snippets of conversation released to the media. ...............................................................................

Blagojevich did say he looked forward to calling witnesses -- including White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel; Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois; and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid -- who had conversations with him about who should replace Barack Obama as the junior senator from Illinois. Blagojevich maintained the goal of the conversations was to get the best senator for the people of Illinois.

"There was a lot of exchanging of ideas, asking questions, exploring options -- including Oprah Winfrey -- but never, not ever did I have any intention of violating any criminal law," Blagojevich said. "Never was this about selling any Senate seat for any kind of personal gain."

On both of his ABC appearances and on CNN, Blagojevich explained why talk-show host Oprah Winfrey was a contender to fill Barack Obama's former Senate seat.

"I was trying to think outside of the box. The idea came to me from a friend who suggested Oprah -- it wasn't my idea," Blagojevich told CNN. "I threw it around in conversation with senior staff and political advisers, who were all involved in this whole adventure we're on.

"And among the things we talked about was the, you know, the unlikelihood she would be interested in it, because she has a bully pulpit that's worldwide and more influence that U.S. senators combined -- all 100 of them."

Winfrey said that she had no idea she was under consideration. She said she found out from best friend Gayle King, who called to tell her on Monday morning.

Ok, comparing your arrest to the attack on Pearl Harbor was one thing, but considering Oprah Winfrey for the Senate seat goes beyond stupid. I mean, a left-wing, holier-than-thou, celebrity loon like Oprah for a seat on the Senate--Blago must've been kidding, right?. I've supported Rod Blagojevich from the get-go because it's my feeling that he's being railroaded by a gang of arrogant, Illinois Democrat pols with a long, sordid history of corruption and protecting their own--in this case Barack Obama. And while Blagojevich did a magnificent job recently outwitting Harry Reid to get Roland Burris a deserved spot on the Senate, it's starting to become clear that the pressure of possibly losing his job is getting to Blago and maybe even his spitfire wife (who was recently fired from her job). Granted, he's innocent till proven guilty and I hope he somehow gets to stay governor despite the current impeachment trial, but Blagojevich isn't doing himself any favors by opening his idiot mouth and talking to the press. Instead, he should just shut up, hire (and keep) some good, competent lawyers and a couple of prayers probably wouldn't hurt either.

Canadian Polygamist To Use 'Gay Marriage' Defense

FOXNews.com:

The lawyer for a British Columbia man charged with having 20 wives says he'll use the same-sex marriage law as a defense.

The lawyer, Blair Suffredine, says gays can marry in Canada, so why can't a man have more than one wife. The lawyer says standards have changed.

He's representing 52-year-old Winson Blackmore, leader of a polygamous group in Bountiful, in southeastern British Columbia.

He appeared in court briefly yesterday in Creston and the case was continued to Feb. 18.

Another man from a rival polygamous group in Bountiful, James Oler, also appeared in court, charged with marrying two women. Oler is a follower of Warren Jeffs and a bishop in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

This is what conservatives have been warning about for years: the mockery of marriage via "same-sex" marriage will open the door to polygamy. And why not? If anyone has a "right" to be married there's nothing holding back polygamists from being married as well. Thus, pretty soon marriage will be rendered meaningless. Congratulations to the fascist Left.

Politiks As Usual: In The News 1/26/09

John McCain: I Won't Be 'Rubber Stamp' For Obama

Obama Rescinds Pro-Life Funding Policy

Disgraced Pastor Ted Haggard Faces More Gay Sex Accusations

The Collapse Of The Left-Wing Media

White House Outlines Obama's Pro-Homosexual Agenda

Al Gore Losing The War: 59% Don't Believe Man Is Warming The Planet

Joe Biden: I'm A Confidant, Not 'Deputy President'

Pope Warns Against Too Much Facebook

9/11 Victim's Brother Slams President For Closing Guantanamo

CNN's Howard Kurtz Renames MSNBC 'The Obama Network'

Nancy Pelosi Doesn't Want Gitmo Detainees In Her Backward

FOXNews.com:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday shrugged off Republican suggestions that the federal government reopen Alcatraz prison in her San Francisco district to house detainees from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

President Obama this week signed an executive order calling for the closure of the prison at Guantanamo within the year. Republican Rep. Bill Young then suggested to White House counsel Greg Craig that the prisoners who could not be released back to their home countries or sent to a third country be put up in "the Rock," the famous military installation and prison that closed down in 1963 and is now part of the National Park Service.

Asked whether that was a serious proposal, Pelosi said, "It is -- no."

"Perhaps he's not visited Alcatraz," Pelosi said of Young while displaying little sense of humor. "Alcatraz is a tourist attraction. It's a prison that is now sort of like a -- it's a national park."

That explanation didn't stop House Minority Leader John Boehner from repeating the suggestion on Sunday, making that point that closing down Guantanamo by year's end may not be the best plan considering the recidivism rate of terrorist detainees is about 12 percent.

"If liberals believe they ought to go, maybe we ought to open Alcatraz," Boehner, R-Ohio, told NBC "Meet the Press." Being reminded that Alcatraz is a national park, Boehner responded, "It's very secure."

Great suggestion by Young & Boehner, but they ought to know that while liberals love criminals, it's usually from afar.

Greg Gutfeld Points The Middle Finger At Keith Olbermann's BDS

Hat Tip: Olbermann Watch