Monthly Archives: October 2007

October 27, 2007 — Paul Mirengoff

Is FISA worth preserving?

Gary Schmitt examines the latest House and Senate proposals to “fix” FISA. He finds the Senate bill superior, but that both versions are problematic. Please read the whole thing, and take particular note of Schmitt’s conclusion: In a perfect (or just more reasonable) world, the House and Senate Intelligence committees would start over. Constantly trying to amend FISA presumes that FISA’s underlying structure (with its secret court of review) and »
October 27, 2007 — Scott Johnson

Lt. Murphy’s mettle, part 3

This past Monday Dan and Maureen Murphy — the parents of Lt. Michael Murphy — received the Medal of Honor that has been posthumously awarded to their son. Lt. Murphy is the Navy SEAL who died in Afghanistan in the course of his incredibly valorous service. The photo above shows President Bush with the Murphys at the ceremony on Monday. Lt. Murphy’s Medal of Honor citation is included with President »
October 27, 2007 — John Hinderaker

Osama’s Call For Unity Goes Unheeded

Osama bin Laden’s recent audio tape calling on Sunni factions in Iraq to unite with his al Qaeda in Iraq organization seems to have fallen on deaf ears. Earlier today, an insurgent group called the Islamic Army fought it out with al Qaeda forces, driving them from an area near Samarra that al Qaeda has controlled for some time. At least sixteen terrorists, including an Iranian, were reported killed. American »
October 27, 2007 — Scott Johnson

Warren Christopher, call your office

The Jerusalem Post reports that Secretary Rice has sought the advice of Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton ahead of her planned Middle East peace conference scheduled to take place soon in Annapolis. The White House called the meeting with Carter positive and “to the point.” The Post also reports that Rice has recently conferred with Dennis Ross, James Baker, Henry Kissinger, and Madeleine Albright. Having died in 2002, Cyrus Vance »
October 27, 2007 — Scott Johnson

The dark night of Keith Ellison’s soul

Earlier this week Minnesota Fifth District Rep. Keith Ellison took to the floor of the House of Representatives to speak in anticipation of the anniversary of the death of the late Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone. Ellison recalled: It was a long night, Mr. Speaker, when we heard back the reports as the news reports said that a plane has gone down in Ely, Minnesota, and it was thought to be »
October 27, 2007 — Scott Johnson

Indoctrinate U comes to town

As John notes below, I attended the premiere of Evan Coyne Maloney’s Indoctrinate U in Minneapolis last night. (In the video clip Evan discusses the film with Sean Hannity.) The Minneapolis debut was only the film’s second public showing; it premiered in Washington a few weeks ago before a raucous crowd at the Kennedy Center. In Minneapolis the film continues with showings at the Oak Street Cinema (the old Campus »
October 26, 2007 — John Hinderaker

Indoctrinate U

Evan Coyne Maloney is a skilled filmmaker who has produced lots of conservative-oriented videos. Among other things, he likes to attend far-left demonstrations and interview protesters to find out how much they understand about the issues on which they are demonstrating. The results are often illuminating. Evan’s first full-length movie, I believe, is Indoctrinate U, a documentary about liberal bias in American higher education. No serious observer doubts that such »
October 26, 2007 — Paul Mirengoff

Ah yes, I remember it well

Yesterday, the Bush administration announced a broad package of sanctions against Iran in an attempt to boost its campaign to stop Tehran’s nuclear program by non-military means. The reactions were revealing, though not unpredictable. Many Democrats expressed concern that the sanctions signal the run-up to war. Thus, Sen. Robert Byrd said that Bush’s actions “echo the chest-pounding rhetoric which preceded the invasion of Iraq.” Argument by reminiscence is never very »
October 26, 2007 — John Hinderaker

When You’ve Lost Al Jazeera…

Al Jazeera has broadcast excerpts from Osama bin Laden’s latest tape, and the jihadists are up in arms. The problem is that, as presented by al Jazeera, al Qaeda in Iraq is in disarray, probably even losing, and bin Laden is desperately trying to encourage radical Muslims to confess their errors and stick together: Al-Qaida sympathizers have unleashed a torrent of anger against Al- Jazeera television, accusing it of misrepresenting »
October 26, 2007 — John Hinderaker

Smash the Nanny State!

My radical days are far behind me, but it still feels good to say “smash the state” now and then, especially when we’re talking about the nanny state. As we did a couple of Saturdays ago with David Harsanyi, author of Nanny State: How Food Fascists, Teetotaling Do-Gooders, Priggish Moralists, and other Boneheaded Bureaucrats are Turning America into a Nation of Children. Harsanyi was a terrific guest, and it was »
October 26, 2007 — Scott Johnson

It’s the coverup that kills you, part 6

At the New Republic, the “investigation” of Scott Thomas Beauchamp’s column continues. As described in its Scott Beauchamp update today, the “investigation” now appears to amount to little more than waiting for the Army’s response to the magazine’s FOIA request for the record of the Army investigation into the matter. After clearing their throat, “the editors” pronounce their satisfaction with themselves and their disappointment with the Army: The New Republic »
October 26, 2007 — Paul Mirengoff

East Berlin by the James

It’s sad to see what’s happening at the College of William & Mary. When my daugther was admitted there in the spring of 2002, I asked a government professor about the politics of his department. He responded that, as with nearly all government departments, the professors are liberal but that they do not teach from a liberal perspective and have no use for political correctness. That was good enough for »
October 26, 2007 — Paul Mirengoff

Now that was a frivolous party

The Woodstock generation never quite made it “back to the garden,” but its “cultural event” has made it into John McCain’s latest campaign ad. UPDATE by JOHN: This thing is starting to get legs. Check out the Google Ad on the right sidebar, which includes this image: To comment on this post, go here. »
October 26, 2007 — Scott Johnson

Hillary Clinton: More qualified than Jimmy Carter!

When Bill Clinton came to town to raise money for Ms. Hillary this past Tuesday, he spoke to a crowd of 2,000 at the State Theater in downtown Minneapolis. We were across the street at the Pantages Theater enjoying Bill Kristol’s brilliant presentatation on “The New World” at the Center of the American Experiment’s Fall Briefing. I can’t compare the events other than to say that the audience for Bill »
October 26, 2007 — Scott Johnson

Gabriel Schoenfeld connects the dots

Gabriel Schoenfeld is the senior editor of Commentary, the author of The Return of Anti-Semitism, and my favorite of Commentary’s regular writers. I have frequently turned to Gabe’s classic May 1999 Commentary review/essay “Was Kissinger right?” Commentary has now revamped its Web site and rolled out Gabe’s blog connecting…the dots. It is already full of good stuff. To Gabe’s new blog, and to its blog contentions, Commentary has also added »
October 26, 2007 — Scott Johnson

Inside the walls of South Dakota

Jon Lauck is the author of the new book on the historic 2004 Senate race in which the indomitable John Thune unseated then-incumbent Senate majority leader Tom Daschle. In the book Lauck brings his professional training to bear. He is a lawyer and historian who currently serves as senior adviser to Senator Thune. The book is Daschle vs. Thune: Anatomy of a High Plains Senate Race. Tomorrow Lauck will appear »
October 25, 2007 — Paul Mirengoff

A frivolous party has a frivolous debate

“Iran becomes an issue in Democratic contest,” today’s Washington Post informs us. But it turns out that the issue, from a Democratic perspective, is not whether we should do anything serious to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power. All of the Democratic presidential contenders agree that we shouldn’t use force against Iran, but should instead try to talk Iran out of taking the course of action that will guarantee »