Reuters.com

DUBAI (Reuters) - An al Qaeda leader has called for President George W. Bush and the Republicans to be “humiliated,” without endorsing any party in the upcoming U.S. presidential election, according to a video posted on the Internet.

“O God, humiliate Bush and his party, O Lord of the Worlds, degrade and defy him,” Abu Yahya al-Libi said at the end of sermon marking the Muslim feast of Eid al-Fitr, in a video posted on the Internet.

Libi, one of the top al Qaeda commanders believed to be living in Afghanistan or Pakistan, called for God’s wrath to be brought against Bush equating him with past tyrants in history.

The remarks were the first comments from a leading al Qaeda figure referring, albeit indirectly, to the U.S. elections. Muslim clerics often end sermons by calling on God to guide and support Muslims and help defeat their enemies.

In 2004 al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden issued his first video in more than a year just days before the elections to deride President Bush and warn of possible new September 11-style attacks.

Bin Laden made little mention of Bush’s Democratic challenger John Kerry, telling Americans: “Your security is not in the hands of Kerry or Bush or al Qaeda. Your security is in your own hands and each state which does not harm our security will remain safe.”

Whatever.

This is a direct endorsement by Al Qaeda for Barack Obama and the Democratic Party.

Al Qaeda knows that it is the Republican Party and Republican and Conservative leaders, along with our brave U.S. military, that have the balls to fight Al Qaeda anywhere in the world.

I hope this video tape is leaked.

breitbart.tv

Wow! I did not know Jerry Bruckheimer and Gary Sinise were conservatives.

I do not think conservative Hollywood actors will have a hard time finding work. However, the people that work on movie sets, such as cameramen, editors, set designers - the “little” people - if they advertise they are conservatives, they may not get work. Does anyone think that a “go-for” for Sean Penn will have a job the next day if Penn brings up politics and that person says they are conservative?

Anyways, I hardly go to the movies anymore. I just order whatever movie I want on DirecTV.

Reuters.com

Vatican officials seldom single out political leaders who differ with the Church on issues like abortion rights or embryonic stem cell research. But now that the Vatican’s highest court is led by an American, the former St. Louis Archbishop Raymond Burke, we can expect things to get more explicit in Vatican City — at least when when it comes to U.S. politics.

Burke, who was named prefect of the Vatican’s Supreme Court of the Apostolic Signature in June, told the Italian Catholic newspaper Avvenire that the U.S. Democratic Party risked “transforming itself definitively into a party of death for its decisions on bioethical issues.” He then attacked two of the party’s most high profile Catholics — vice presidential candidate Joe Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — for misrepresenting Church teaching on abortion.

He said Biden and Pelosi, “while presenting themselves as good Catholics, have presented Church doctrine on abortion in a false and tendentious way.”

I believe Archbishop Raymond Burke is almost spot on, however, not all Democrats are pro-abortion / pro-death. There are Democrats, both in the political arena and American voters, that are pro-life. Also, not all Republicans are wholly pro-life because they support abortion in cases of rape and incest, such as Vice President Dick Cheney. Some Republicans, unfortunately, are pro-abortion / pro-death, such as former Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Personally, I find it disgusting that any Catholic Christian politician, regardless of political party, has the gall to receive the Eucharist, and then support pro-abortion / pro-death legislation. This same personal sentiment applies to Catholic Christians that are pro-abortion / pro-death advocates. Abortion is murder, and murder is a sin. Any Catholic Christian that does not understand that needs to read the Book of Exodus, chapter 21, versus 22 and 23.

Hat Tip: Hot Air

This is Alfonso, and he is a young Republican Conservative. Alfonso explains in the video why he is vote for McCain and Palin. Honestly, Alfonso says what many Blacks are too afraid to say or admit. Alfonso says that the Democratic party is still funding a plantation of Black voters who wait on welfare checks on the 1st and the 15th of every month. Also, Alfonso says that Black voters are “cattle” for the Democratic party.

I really like Alfonso stating how liberal Hollywood are hypocrites, especially when it comes to real wars and war movies. Alfonso also targets the liberal media, the liberal entertainment district, and Planned Parenthood. Alfonso states that young people submit to the liberal mass media and conform to whatever the elite liberals need or want. Alfonso is trying to let Black people know that Barack Obama is the face of the system that Black people actually hate!

Alfonso’s words ring true for all conservatives that have been carrying this same message since Reagan’s administration. Alfonso’s commitment to his values and beliefs represent a growing number of young, minority voters, such as myself, who have a voice in the conservative movement. Favoring lower taxes, the second amendment, and pro-life issues is not about race - it is about what is right and correct.

Please make sure to check out Alfonso’s page.

John McCain will debate Barack Obama!

Per Drudge Report and Politico.com

Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) announces: “The McCain campaign is resuming all activities and the senator will travel to the debate this afternoon. Following the debate, he will return to Washington to ensure that all voices and interests are represented in the final agreement, especially those of taxpayers and homeowners.

The text of a statement from his camapign at about 11:20 a.m. Eastern:

John McCain’s decision to suspend his campaign was made in the hopes that politics could be set aside to address our economic crisis.

Well, John McCain is heading to Mississippi for tonight’s debate. Nothing really got done in Washington, D.C. The bailout talks ended in chaos yesterday. No one could agree on anything. Senator Chris Dodd implied that Senator John McCain sandbagged the negotiations with alternative proposals, though four independent sources said that John McCain did not bring up any of those proposals. Marc Ambinder reports:

Though Sen. Chris Dodd implied that Sen. McCain sandbagged the rest of the negotiators by bringing up alternative proposals, McCain himself did not bring up those proposals, according to four independent sources briefed by four different principals inside the meeting, including two Republicans and two Democrats.

“McCain has not attacked the Paulson deal,” said a third Republican who was briefed by McCain direclty. “Unlike the [Democrats] in the [White House] meeting, he didn’t raise his voice or cause a ruckus. He is urging all sides to come together.”

I can just imagine Nancy Pelosi shrieking at the top of her lungs for attention. President Bush could barely keep control of the meeting. Is it too much to ask for Democrats to act like adults? Also, I know some Republicans are holding their ground and remaining true to their fiscal conservative promises, but can you guys at least come back to the negotiating table? Be true Fiscal Conservative Republicans and show President Bush, Nancy Pelosi, and everyone else not willing to listen that this path of Socialism is not the right idea! There must be another way to come to an agreement on the $700 billion bailout package and protect American taxpayers.

I really do not want to pay $2,333 for something I did not cause.

UPDATE 1: Rush Limbaugh is saying that Democrats passed the chairmanship of the meeting to Barack Obama so they, Democrats, could prove Obama’s “leadership” skills! It was a disaster! Obama ripped apart Paulson’s plan without ever reading the plan! Obama later said that he did not receive a copy of Paulson’s plan, though the plan was sent to him! The room turned chaotic!

This is huge, folks. I am trying to find a link to the story Rush Limbaugh is citing. Rush said that he is citing The American Spectator blog.

Developing…

UPDATE 2: Rush Limbaugh stated that the Democrats wanted to create a myth about Barack Obama coming into the White House and taking over the meeting, so Obama could look “Presidential”.

CBN.com

Gov. Tim Kaine (VA-D) and Col. W. Steven Flaherty

Six of the 17 chaplains for the Virginia State Police force have resigned because of new restrictions on prayer.

Earlier this month Col. W. Steven Flaherty, the state police superintendent, asked chaplains to offer only non-denominational prayers for public events and ceremonies.

One trooper was left with the impression that mentioning the name of Jesus was not allowed - a claim police spokeswoman Corinne Geller denies.

“There was no written directive nor were chaplains specifically told in their meetings with the executive staff and colonel that they could not use ‘Jesus Christ’ in their prayer,” Geller said.

Flaherty said that the new rule does not apply to private ceremonies or individual counseling.

Still, many found that complying with the new directive would violate their conscience.

“There were several of us who felt that because of our convictions. about what the Bible says, we couldn’t agree to go along with a generic prayer policy,” said 13-year trooper Rex Carter, who works in Southwest Virginia.

Republican lawmakers in the state concurred, arguing that the new restrictions are a violation of the First Amendment and an attack on Christianity.

“For those of us who understand the importance of religion in American life and value the free expression of religion as one of our essential rights, the Kaine administration’s directive is disappointing and disheartening,” House Majority Leader H. Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, said.

“Censoring what these chaplains can say is a violation of their First Amendment right to freedom of expression,” Del. Charles W. Carrico Sr., said.

The former state trooper is currently putting together an online petition to get the police department to rescind the new rule.

The state chaplain program, created in 1979, was designed to minister to department employees and grieving loved ones.

Virginia’s governor, Democrat Tim Kaine, supports this new rule. So, a program started nearly 30 years ago, with all the intent and purpose to be a peaceful, loving, kind, and nurturing program for the Virginia state police, is now vilified by Democrats? Liberal Democrats, what is wrong with all of you? Why must liberals always chastise Christianity? Liberals act as if these chaplains are trying to convert the masses!

How about banning Allah from public prayer? Do you liberals in Virginia have the balls to do that? What is the purpose of a non-denominational prayer, anyways? Political correctness Inclusiveness? Is there even such a prayer? Please quit the hippie crap, please.

The next thing to be banned from non-denominational prayer will be any reference to G-d.

Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin

Jake Tapper of ABC News reports:

CAPITOL HILL — The bipartisan group of nine members of the House and Senate who met Thursday for more than two hours came to an agreement on four basic principles to include in the Wall Street bailout bill — but a big sticking point remains on the 4th of these principles, what to do about homeowners facing foreclosure.

The meeting was run by Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., chair of the Senate Banking Committee.

House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank, D-Mass., said after the meeting that the group added “a couple of things that will make people legitimately feel better about voting for the bill.”

The group broadly agreed there was a need for:

1) a panel to conduct oversight of how the vast sums of taxpayer cash are spent;
2) taxpayer protections — a way for taxpayers to receive some equity, through warrants, in the companies receiving government aid;
3) limits on executive compensation for officers of the companies receiving government aid — regarding golden parachutes, bonuses based on erroneous earnings (or “clawback”), and tax deductions for bonuses;
4) but a source tells ABC News that there was a problem resolving the issue of how to help homeowners facing foreclosure. Democrats want to re-write bankruptcy laws to enable judges to re-negotiate mortgages; Republicans do not.

A Democratic source says that Sen. Judd Gregg, R-NH, ranking Republican on the Senate Budget Committee, and Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, the No. 2 Republican on the Senate Banking Committee, advocated for the Bush administration’s argument that the bill needs to passed as quickly and as cleanly as possible.

“I now expect we will indeed have a plan that can pass the House, pass the Senate, be signed by the president and bring a sense of certainty…that is still roiling the markets,” said Bennett after the meeting.

Kelsey is the resident Scoop This economist, but since this is breaking news, I will give it a try. The proposal looks good. However, re-writing the bankruptcy laws, which the Democrats propose, is a waste of time. Both parties should try to pass this bill as quickly as possible so President Bush can sign it into law. However, the deal is in principle, as Rush Limbaugh is currently reporting. Republicans still have not signed on to pass this bill, Limbaugh reports as well.

Also, Michelle Malkin reported earlier that Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid, tried to sneak in the oil shale ban! Bastard! Why are Democrats playing tricks with the bailout bill? Americans for Prosperity and Redstate quickly responded to Harry Reid’s shenanigans.

President Bush and Senators John McCain and Barack Obama will meet later on today at 4:00pm to discuss the bailout bill.

Hat Tip: Hot Air

UPDATE 1: As Rush Limbaugh reported, House Minority Leader John Boehner, Republican from Ohio, says that the GOP are not on board yet, but Boehner says he is encouraged by the bi-partisan progress.

blogs.nielsen.com

Voters not yet committed to either candidate were 12% more engaged by TV coverage of the GOP convention than the Democratic convention, according to an analysis released Monday by Nielsen IAG.

“Engagement” refers to the amount of attention paid to a television program by the average viewer. Nielsen measures TV engagement by questioning a representative panel of viewers about their recall of specific telecasts’ content.

John McCain’s acceptance speech on September 4 drew the most attentive audience of uncommitted viewers, Nielsen reported. Telecasts of Barack Obama’s and Sarah Palin’s acceptance speeches on August 28 and September 3, respectively, tied in second place as the second most engaging telecasts among uncommitted viewers.

Overall, viewers were more engaged by the telecasts of the RNC vs. the DNC. Registered voters were 10% more engaged by the RNC than the DNC, while likely voters were 12% more engaged in RNC viewing.

Male viewers were among the most attentive RNC viewers (15% higher engagement with RNC than DNC), as were older viewers, ages 35 and older, who were 13% more engaged by the RNC than the DNC.

In contrast, younger viewers, ages 18 to 34, were 13% more engaged by the DNC, as compared with the RNC.

I watched all four days of each convention. I believe that my demographic - 26-year-old, Catholic Christian, Hispanic male - is important to the victory of either candidate. As a political geek, both conventions excited me. The Democratic convention excited me because of the chaos that raged outside of the convention center, such as the showdown between Christians For Chaos versus Gay Anarchists. Also, there were riots in downtown Denver, Michelle Malkin was attacked by a fat-ass loon conspiracy theorist, Alex Jones, and Riot 4 Peace held a march to “protect Denver”. Also, Scoop This was one of the first websites to break the news of the Obama assassination plot.

I was also excited to see the spectacle of Barack Obama’s speech. I was amazed by the scene at Invesco Field. Thousands of people awaiting Obama’s speech waved American flags, flags that were later discarded by Democrats and rescued by Republicans. There were a couple of parts that excited me during Obama’s speech, such as Obama saying that “he has always put his country first”, but again, it was more of the same liberal crap. I was incensed by Obama’s lack of understanding for tough and effective National Security, as well as his proposed sophomoric economic plans. As a fiscal conservative, Obama and I are light years apart.

For me, the Republican convention began on August 29th when John McCain picked Sarah Palin as his Vice Presidential running mate. I stayed up the whole night after Obama’s speech and reported all the rumors on three separate Scoop This blogs (here, here, and here) regarding John McCain’s VP pick. Scoop This was one of the first websites to break the news that John McCain picked Sarah Palin as the Republican Vice Presidential nominee. Also, after McCain picked Palin, Obama’s post-convention bounce was immediately erased.

I already knew what Sarah Palin was going to say during her acceptance speech, thanks to Drudge Report leaking parts of Palin’s speech. Sarah’s “Palin Power!” speech, which was interrupted by Code Pink Obama supporters, initially drew 37 million people, though that number was revised to account for the audiences of C-Span and PBS. By this revision, more than 40 million people heard Sarah Palin’s speech, indicating that more Independent voters watched Palin’s speech and stuck around to listen to John McCain’s acceptance speech, which drew over 40 million people as well.

Hat Tip: Hot Air

blogs.denverpost.com

Republican Recycling
by David Harsanyi on September 6, 2008

This morning, Republicans tell me that a worker at Invesco Field in Denver saved thousands of unused flags from the Democratic National Convention that were headed for the garbage. Guerrilla campaigning. They will use these flags at their own event today in Colorado Springs with John McCain and Sarah Palin.

Before McCain speaks today, veterans will haul these garbage bags filled with flags out onto the stage — with dramatic effect, no doubt — and tell the story.

“What you see in the picture I sent you is less than half of total flags,” a Republican official emailed. “We estimate the total number to be around 12,000 small flags and one full size 3×5 flag.”

I’m not sure what the DNC was supposed to do with unused hand-flags, frankly. But the Republicans are obviously questioning someone’s patriotism here.

Yes, the Democrats patriotism is being questioned. Also, the Democrats sense of decency is being questioned. How many American heroes have been buried underneath our American flag? How many more people have bled for this flag? We are talking about TWELVE-THOUSAND flags that were discarded, placed in trashed heaps, and forgotten. There is no excuse for that.

So much for the DNC’s “environmentally-conscious” convention.

Hat Tip: Hot Air

UPDATE 1: Drew M. at ACE OF SPADES HQ posted the Democrats response:

elections.foxnews.com

Damon Jones, spokesman for the Democratic National Convention Committee, released a statement saying McCain should applaud the fact that thousands of American flags were “proudly waved” at their convention.

“But instead his supporters wrongfully took leftover bundles of our flags from the stadium to play out a cheap political stunt calling into question our patriotism,” he said.

These flags were found in trash bags inside of trash bins in Denver!

Also, sidewalks are public property, so if you leave your “trash” on the side of the curb, anyone can go through it.

UPDATE 2: RedState has more pictures of the discarded flags.

Fox News reports:

Hat Tip: Gateway Pundit

Several months ago, The House Republicans put fourth an “All of the Above” energy plan titled “The American Energy Act.” The bill sought to lower prices at the pump by vastly decreasing our dependence on foreign supplies of energy. Even though the bill included provisions for wind, solar, clean coal, nuclear, and alternative energy solutions in addition to drilling and polls show that an overwhelming majority of Americans support such measures, the Democratic leadership of the House has refused to allow debate or a vote on the bill. Instead, they chose on Friday to go on a five week recess while their constituents continue to suffer at the pump.

In response to Nancy Pelosi’s decision to adjourn congress without considering the act, House Republicans immediately and spontaneously ceased the floor and began demanding that congress not be adjourned until they voted on the American Energy Act. Pelosi responded with an order to shut off the lights, the microphones, and turned off the CSPAN cameras in the House Chambers.

Following the congressional adjournment, several Republican Congressmen continued, without microphones, to demand that the people’s voice be heard and a vote on the act occur. Bystanders began recording video on cell phones and posting them to which is still the only way to see footage of the revolt. The minutes became hours and as word spread, more Republican Congressmen began filtering back into the chambers to participate, having canceled their flights home. After ordering Pizza, they remained for another five hours before retiring to their Washington DC residences and not before vowing to return on Monday.

As I anxiously awaited the evening news, I was certain the revolt would be one of the top stories. But from my local news to the national network news, there was not a single mention of what house republicans were continuing to do even as the news networks went live! I then awaited the next morning’s paper and I was certain that the story would be on the front page. Alas, the story was not in the paper at all! Sunday morning - more of the same. Across the Internet, I’ve found token mention of the story most often in Newspaper blogs but I have yet to see the story mentioned during prime time or in an actual printed newspaper where the vast majority of American voters will notice it.

Then came Monday when the morning paper yielded no new surprises in their lack of willingness to cover the story.  Despite their lack of media attention, the GOP Congressmen not only returned to the floor, they held a press conference and they vowed to stay through the week, if not the entire recess! Despite this, there was little if any mention of it in the national newspapers, the 24/7 television news networks, or the major network evening news. Below is today’s press conference, split into 3 parts:

When and if the media finally does decide to start giving this story the attention it deserves, I wonder what the headline will look like. Maybe It’ll begin with something like “Two weeks ago…”