Via Katie Favazza at Right Wing News and her own site.

Early morning thought: will those on the Port side accuse Obama of going to Iraq for a photo op? IHT - Media stars will accompany Obama overseas

Senator John McCain’s trip to Iraq last spring was a low-key affair: With his ordinary retinue of reporters following him abroad, the NBC News anchor Brian Williams reported on his arrival in Baghdad from New York, with just two sentences tacked onto the “in other political news” portion of his newscast.

But when Obama heads for Iraq and other locations overseas this summer, Williams is planning to catch up with him in person, as are the other two evening news anchors, Charles Gibson of ABC and Katie Couric of CBS, who, like Williams, are far along in discussions to interview Obama on successive nights.

And while the anchors are jockeying for interviews with Obama at stops along his route, the regulars on the Obama campaign plane will have new seat mates: star political reporters from the major newspapers and magazines who are flocking to catch Obama’s first overseas trip since becoming the presumptive nominee of his party.

I wonder if Obama will have any time to meet with the commanders and troops on the ground? WIll he have some preconditions to meet with General Patreaus? How many photos will they have that make it look like he is wearing a halo? Will Katie Couric ask Obama what’s on his iPod? Will Barry find time to talk to the “insurgents?”

The extraordinary coverage of Obama’s trip reflects how the candidate remains an object of fascination in the news media, a built-in feature of being the first African-American presidential nominee for a major political party and a relative newcomer to the national stage.

Well, not completely. If it was Hillary, or Biden, or Dodd, or any of the other myriad Democrats who were the presumptive nominee, the media would be fawning virtually the same way.

Interestingly, the International Herald Tribune discusses something most media outlets won’t: the appearance of massive bias in the media towards Barry.

All in all, how pompous will this trip make Obama look?

To follow up with my earlier post, you just know it is getting bad when the Left Wing Queen Of Snark, Mo “woo woo woo woo woo” Dowd, takes of bit of Barack Obama. NYT - May We Mock, Barack?

At first blush, it would seem to be a positive for Obama that he is hard to mock. But on second thought, is it another sign that he’s trying so hard to be perfect that it’s stultifying? Or that eight years of W. and Cheney have robbed Democratic voters of their sense of humor?

John McCain’s Don Rickles routines — “Thanks for the question, you little jerk” — can fall flat. But he seems like a guy who can be teased harmlessly. If Obama offers only eat-your-arugula chiding and chilly earnestness, he becomes an otherworldly type, not the regular guy he needs to be.

Bring it on, Ozone Democrats! Because if Obama gets elected and there is nothing funny about him, it won’t be the economy that’s depressed. It will be the rest of us.

Ouch.

Now, would that be the moderate ones, who we rarely hear from, but supposedly are against extremist Islamists, or the Islamists themselves? You know, the ones that say that Islam is a religion of peace, and will kill you if you disagree

Democrat Barack Obama said Tuesday that the New Yorker magazine’s satirical cover depicting him and his wife as flag-burning, fist-bumping radicals doesn’t bother him but that it was an insult to Muslim Americans.

“You know, there are wonderful Muslim Americans all across the country who are doing wonderful things,” the presidential candidate told CNN’s Larry King. “And for this to be used as sort of an insult, or to raise suspicions about me, I think is unfortunate. And it’s not what America’s all about.”

Everything is an insult in Liberal World, every jab a personal offense, every joke now causing victimhood. I’ve been saying for years that these folks on the left have no humor, and this does not change my mind, as Obama plays the victim card. It’s no wonder those in the humor business are having trouble finding a joke, much less a punch line.

Say, I wonder if Barry is willing to discuss the disgusting cartoons, paintings, sayings, and caricatures of Bush and Condi?

Like all the nasty posts at mybarackobama.com, looks like Barry is scrubbing his policy “positions,” such as they are. Nuanced!

Barack Obama’s campaign scrubbed his presidential Web site over the weekend to remove criticism of the U.S. troop “surge” in Iraq, the Daily News has learned.

The presumed Democratic nominee replaced his Iraq issue Web page, which had described the surge as a “problem” that had barely reduced violence.

“The surge is not working,” Obama’s old plan stated, citing a lack of Iraqi political cooperation but crediting Sunni sheiks - not U.S. military muscle - for quelling violence in Anbar Province.

The News reported Sunday that insurgent attacks have fallen to the fewest since March 2004.

Obama’s campaign posted a new Iraq plan Sunday night, which cites an “improved security situation” paid for with the blood of U.S. troops since the surge began in February 2007.

Change you can bury.

Short on time, check Memeorandum for tons of links, and Gateway Pundit has the screenshots.

Let’s check the tale of the tape

Americans divide evenly between Barack Obama and John McCain’s approaches to the war in Iraq, and rate McCain much more highly on his abilities as commander-in-chief — key reasons the unpopular war isn’t working more to Obama’s advantage.

Despite broad, longstanding dissatisfaction with the war, just 50 percent of Americans prefer Obama’s plan to withdraw most U.S. forces within 16 months of taking office. Essentially as many, 49 percent, side with McCain’s position — setting no timetable and letting events dictate when troops are withdrawn.

Personally, I want a timeline, too. BUT, I want it in a manner that the Iraq people and politicians know we are not going to unilaterly say “see ya!” regardless of what is happening on the ground, but lets them know that “yes, we will be leaving the country in your hands soon.”

One reason McCain can push back on Iraq is his advantage as commander-in-chief — a striking one, albeit perhaps not surprising given his military background. Seventy-two percent of Americans — even most Democrats — say he’d be a good commander-in-chief of the military.

By contrast, fewer than half, 48 percent, say Obama would be a good commander-in-chief, a significant weakness on this measure. (McCain’s rating is much improved from his unsuccessful campaign for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000, when 56 percent said he’d be a good commander-in-chief — no more than said so, at the time, about George W. Bush.)

72-48. You have to know that virtually none on the Right stated that Obama would be a good CiC. A good kindergarten assisstant, yes. The perfect guy to take over Joe Wilson’s role as ambassador to Gabon, or, perhaps, dealing with the French. But not the guy to protect the United States of America.

But, no, it couldn’t have anything to do with the psychopathy of the “Religion of Peace,” of course. Via Stop The ACLU, the New Yorker article that accompanied the wild cover, we get

We must also engage, however, in the more difficult task of understanding the sources of such madness. The essence of this tragedy, it seems to me, derives from a fundamental absence of empathy on the part of the attackers: an inability to imagine, or connect with, the humanity and suffering of others. Such a failure of empathy, such numbness to the pain of a child or the desperation of a parent, is not innate; nor, history tells us, is it unique to a particular culture, religion, or ethnicity. It may find expression in a particular brand of violence, and may be channeled by particular demagogues or fanatics. Most often, though, it grows out of a climate of poverty and ignorance, helplessness and despair.

We will have to make sure, despite our rage, that any U.S. military action takes into account the lives of innocent civilians abroad. We will have to be unwavering in opposing bigotry or discrimination directed against neighbors and friends of Middle Eastern descent. Finally, we will have to devote far more attention to the monumental task of raising the hopes and prospects of embittered children across the globe—children not just in the Middle East, but also in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe and within our own shores.

See, they are just misunderstood, and a few well place social workers could have shifted the paradigm of their pathetic lives. Of course, Obama doesn’t quite explain how so many of the hijackers came from middle and upper middle class families, and had good educations. That speech was given on 9/19/01.

He seems to be more worried about the USA offending murderous Islamist scumbags then kicking the shit out of the group that attack the USA and killed 3,000 of our friends and neighbors.

Ace of Spades

I guess my thought that the attacks were carried by evil thugs in furtherance of a murderous ideology would be viewed as insufficiently nuanced by Obama.

Of course, Obama’s tune has changed very little to this day.

Van Helsing at Moonbattery and Right Wing News

Some will remember how humiliating it was to have the useless liberal rag Jimmy Carter in the White House when Iran invaded our embassy. The sniveling socialist post turtle Obama impersonating a President when the next 9/11 is inflicted will be a thousand times worse.

Can’t argue with that.

Things continue to progress in Iraq, and you would think a story like this would be important news, but, sadly, none in the Credentialed Media bother to cover it

DIYALA, Iraq – Iraqi women graduated from a security training course at the Alabarrah

Police Station in the Diyala Province of Iraq to become members of the Daughters of Iraq July 13.

One-hundred-and-thirty women attended the course and 70 represented them at the graduation.

Several Iraqi children celebrated the occasion by joyfully belting out the Iraqi National Anthem to a crowd of women ready to assist with the protection of their nation.

“We have seen some courageous, strong women stand up and volunteer for this training to help defend their country,” said Lt. Col. Robert McAleer, commander, Fires Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment, as he addressed the crowd of graduates.

The Daughters of Iraq is a sister organization to the Sons of Iraq that seeks to employ more Iraqi women in roles that help provide and improve security for their nation.

Imagine this happening anywhere else in the Muslim world. Imagine this happening just a few short years ago. Imagine it happening under Saddam. No, wait, the women would instead have been targets for rape by Saddam’s goons.

Good thing Obama has always been for The Surge and winning in Iraq

While the Grey Lady keeps up with their “just wondering” line of attacks on John McCain, as well as outright attacks barely disguised as journalism, they give us balanced pieces like this

In the breathless weeks before the Oregon presidential primary in May, Martha Shade did what thousands of other people here did: she registered as a Democrat so she could vote for Senator Barack Obama.

Now, however, after critics have accused Mr. Obama of shifting positions on issues like the war in Iraq, the Bush administration’s program of wiretapping without warrants, gun control and the death penalty — all in what some view as a shameless play to a general election audience — Ms. Shade said she planned to switch back to the Green Party.

“I’m disgusted with him,” said Ms. Shade, an artist. “I can’t even listen to him anymore. He had such an opportunity, but all this ‘audacity of hope’ stuff, it’s blah, blah, blah. For all the independents he’s going to gain, he’s going to lose a lot of progressives.”

Now we get to the point of the story

As Ms. Shade herself noted, while alarm may be spreading among some Obama supporters, whether left-wing bloggers or purists holding Mr. Obama’s feet to the fire on one issue or another, the reaction among others has been less than outrage.

For all the idealism and talk of transformation that Mr. Obama has brought to the Democratic Party — he managed to draw a crowd of more than 70,000 here in May — there is also a wide streak of pragmatism, even among many grass-roots activists, in a party long vexed by factionalism.

“We’re frustrated by it, but we understand,” said Mollie Ruskin, 22, who grew up in Baltimore and is spending the summer here as a fellow with Politicorps, a program run by the Bus Project, a local nonprofit that trains young people to campaign for progressive candidates. “He’s doing it so he can get into office and do the things he believes in.”

Moral of the story: it is OK that Barry has lied and will continue to lie in order to get power. Democrats in a nutshell.

Nate Gulley, 23, who grew up in Cleveland and is also here as a Politicorps fellow, said too much was being made of Mr. Obama’s every move.

“It’s important not to get swept up in ‘Is Obama posturing?’ ” Mr. Gulley said. “It’s self-evident that he’s a different kind of candidate.”

How? What makes him different? The fact that not only is he the most liberal/progressive person to ever run for President? Or that he is simply the most inexperienced? Or, he is the candidate who will lie the most?

Sidenote: the Times repeats the truthiness about those 75K people coming to see Barry speak, rather then for the concert.

Heh heh: My Barack Obama.com - Thanks for Destroying my Hope.

Hope.

Change.

It was all you talked about.    

Then the FISA bill you gave the telecom companies retroactive immunity - something you said you were against - and voted FOR it on the senate floor.

Third party candidates, here I come.  You’re no different than McCain. 

Meanwhile

• American Eskimo Dogs For Obama
• FISA Vote Breaks My Heart.
• FISA…..A failure of Judgement
• One of the Obamaites wants his money back from AT&T. Good luck with that!
• How dare you?
• Fundraising a “bit slow?”
• No longer a believer in the promise of change

They are not happy with Obama and his FISA votes.