Monthly Archives: September 2014
September 29, 2014 — Scott Johnson
We have heard from many readers who have been unable to access the comments on our posts. We share your pain, but we are dependent on Facebook software that is not under our control. Power Line publisher Joe Malchow advises that “there is definitely a webkit browser issue related to updates that Facebook recently made to the comments app.” I don’t know what that means either, but there is an
»
September 29, 2014 — Steven Hayward
A lively discussion thread has broken out in response to Paul’s post immediately below about Donna Brazile’s call for scrapping the Constitution to save the country from conservatives. I’ll let that discussion play out there, but introduce here a new angle by way of following on my post invoking G.K. Chesterton several weeks ago that met with approval and calls for regular sequels. As it happens, one of our faithful
»
September 29, 2014 — Paul Mirengoff
Harry Reid is a determined radical, intent on limiting freedom, overturning American traditions, and remaking our institutions in the name of crushing the opposition and empowering the left. His attempt to amend the First Amendment to curb free speech is a natural extension of his obliteration of longstanding Senate rules that promote deliberation and minority input. But Reid seems almost moderate by left-wing Democrat standards. Take Donna Brazile, vice-chair of
»
September 29, 2014 — Scott Johnson
President Obama famously disparaged the Islamic State terrorist group as the terrorist JV to his apostle David Remnick in an interview for the New Yorker late last year (Remnick’s article is here). It sounded good at the time, but reality has intruded and the words have come back to haunt Obama. They mark him indelibly as the jv president. Asked about it last night by Steve Kroft on 60 Minutes,
»
September 29, 2014 — Scott Johnson
Raising money from Texas trial lawyers for his current campaign, Rep. Bruce Braley (D, IA) disparaged Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley as a benighted farmer who had not received the enlightenment afforded by a law school education. Braley conjured the nightmare scenario that would attend a GOP Senate majority: that boob Grassley would chair the Senate Judiciary Committee. Horrors! The disparagement took place behind closed doors. It wasn’t intended for public
»
September 28, 2014 — Paul Mirengoff
Kay Hagan has managed to maintain a lead in the North Carolina Senate race even as her fellow Obama-supporting Southerners Mark Pryor and Mary Landrieu have fallen slightly behind. The latest poll, by CNN/Opinion Research, has her leading Republican Thom Tillis 46-43. This is consistent with the Real Clear Politics average in which she leads by 3.5 points. Why is Hagan ahead in a state President Obama failed to carry
»
September 28, 2014 — John Hinderaker
I will be on Bill Bennett’s radio show at 8:30 ET, 7:30 CT, tomorrow morning, talking about workplace violence in Oklahoma and related topics. If you don’t know where to get Bill’s show on your radio, you can listen online.
»
September 28, 2014 — Paul Mirengoff
New York Mayor Bill de Blasio has groundhog blood on his hands. Specifically, the blood of “Staten Island Chuck,” New York City’s equivalent of Punxsutawney Phil. The New York Post reports that a week after the left-wing mayor dropped Staten Island Chuck in front of a crowd of spectators on Ground Hog Day, the winter-weather prognosticator died. The groundhog was found dead at the Staten Island Zoo on Feb. 9.
»
September 28, 2014 — John Hinderaker
The Minnesota Republican Party has gone through some hard times in recent years, but it has rebounded under chairman Keith Downey. Today, Downey had an op-ed in the Minneapolis Star Tribune that succinctly states the party’s case. While there are a couple of items I might treat a bit differently, it is an excellent example of the message Republicans should be delivering consistently around the country: On July 4, 1854,
»
September 28, 2014 — John Hinderaker
On 60 Minutes, President Obama explained why his administration let ISIL get so out of hand: our intelligence agencies underestimated them! The exchange is at the beginning of this clip, followed by the usual Obama filibuster, with another interesting question and answer at the end: IowaHawk comments pungently: Obama, June: I think ISIS is a JV team.
Obama, now: They thought ISIS was a JV team.
#CaptainPronoun — David Burge (@iowahawkblog) September
»
September 28, 2014 — Steven Hayward
What, did Thomas Friedman run out of taxi drivers or pink-haired hipsters to help him with today’s column? Today’s Friedman thumb-sucker, “Who Had It Easier—Reagan or Obama?”, he offers up one of the most ironic and tired out tropes of liberalism—that the Cold War era was so much less complicated than today because it was a binary conflict between two otherwise rational superpowers. Hate to break this to Friedman, but other
»
September 28, 2014 — Scott Johnson
This past week FOX News aired Conor Powell’s report on Israel’s West Bank operation to apprehend Hamas operatives suspected of participation in the the kidnapping of the three Israeli teens. (I saw Powell’s report on Special Report with Bret Baier. It may have aired on other shows that day.) IDF forces were unable to apprehend the operatives; they were killed in a shootout. The Washington Post reported on the incident
»
September 28, 2014 — Scott Johnson
Reliable information about Oklahoma beheader Alton Nolen seems to be in short supply. His likeness is subject to the full Trayvon Martin treatment although the local authorities have called in the FBI. Seen on Twitter, the photo Nolen took of himself earlier this month (below) adds a certain context to the news of his horrifying crimes. Why is Breitbart News the only media outlet I can find publishing the photo?
»
September 27, 2014 — Paul Mirengoff
On September 27, 1964, the Milwaukee Braves completed a four-game sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies, extending the Phils’ losing streak to seven games. Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Reds took a double-header from the New York Mets to extend their winning steak to nine. As a result, the Reds leap-frogged the Phillies, moving into first place by one game. The St. Louis Cardinals lurked just a game and a half behind Cincinnati.
»
September 27, 2014 — Joe Malchow
The brilliant attorney, widely acclaimed good chap, and Socratic radio host Hugh Hewitt. We found ourselves at the same retreat this weekend. And look what he had to say: Hugh would probably also advise that you become a Power Line VIP. Previous installments in “Who reads Power Line.”
»
September 27, 2014 — Steven Hayward
Okay, you knew this was coming. And I know what you’re thinking: isn’t this device more than a little tired out? Well, yes, and that’s why this one is different than any you’ve ever seen before. For one thing, it is only half as long as the Standard Hitler Parody Video. Second, it has a plot twist in the middle. You’ll just have to watch to see what I mean.
»
September 27, 2014 — John Hinderaker
Last night Brian Ward and I recorded Episode 74 of the Hinderaker-Ward Experience. No guests this week, just Brian and I riffing on the most controversial news stories of the day. If you haven’t listened to our podcasts until now, you may want to give it a try. We cover some of the same ground as on this web site, but sometimes in more depth, sometimes in a more freewheeling,
»
