Howard Dean thinks it would be a good idea. Well, as long as it is the Democrat party in the White House and with a veto-proof Congress. Dean said, ‘Republicans had a chance to rule. They failed miserably. I think it’s time to give the other party a chance.’

This is the second time I’ve agreed with Howard Dean. I can’t remember when the first time was, it was so long ago. Republicans blew their chance in ’96 when they failed to convince voters that they should be in the White House. But at that time, I remember the media and the Left all up in arms at the thought. They were all on-board with the ‘checks and balances’ act. Saying that the sky would fall if the R’s had both congress and the White House. That a ‘balance’ was needed. For all practical purposes, balance became a synonym for stalling and gridlock, leaving more time for sex scandals. Back then, Dean and his party had no thoughts of giving the other party a chance.

I’ve always been of the opinion that for the country to see what either party is all about, let them govern as they may. In four years, they will be judged again. Democrats might get their wish this time. With Barack Obama, we  must rely on hope. So, one can only hope that whatever they do will be good for America and not do something that will take generations to repair. Have you heard his plan to fix Social Security? I haven’t.

Republicans, and more importantly, conservatives have their work cut out for them. They need to learn what Bill Clinton taught us in ’92. That the campaign does not stop after the election. It keeps on going.

link: Dean: One-Party Rule Would Rule

The times sure have changed from years gone by. No where is the contrast greater than in a presidential election season. Hearken back to 2004 when democratic political activists ransacked offices, stole computers, and slashed the tires of vans that were to be used on election day to carry people to the polls. That was then, however, the danger is not over. And now, if you can believe this, the RNC is going to spend $2 million of campaign cash for added security of their facilities and offices to protect their workers and property from similar thuggish behavior.

From an RNC press release dated 10/11/08 . . .

“There is no place for violence, vandalism, or intimidation in politics. As a result of violence against Republican volunteers and supporters, and acts of vandalism against Republican Victory centers, the RNC has redirected funds previously allocated for get-out-the-vote (GOTV) efforts — totaling at least two millions dollars — for 24-hour security at volunteer centers across the country. We are making this investment in protective security because our staff and volunteers deserve to know they are safe as they work to elect the next President of the United States. “I am appalled that the RNC must take this action. The fraudulent activities of ACORN combined with thuggish behavior of intimidation, violence, and vandalism on the part of others are clear signs that our opponents don’t believe in free and fair elections.

No doubt, in my mind anyways, this will be the next best guarded secret on the part of the mainstream media. Keep your eyes and ears peeled for the media to bring this up.

link:RNC Announces New Security Measures Following Violence & Vandalism

From the start of this presidential campaign, about the only thing the American people knew about Barack Obama were the few who watched the Democratic National Convention four years ago, where he delivered a great speech. Also from the start of this campaign, the mainstream media has been supporting Barack Obama not only in their coverage but in their ‘non-coverage.’

Outside of conservative talk radio and one cable network, the American people still do not know who Barack Obama is and where he came from, or anything about his character. The reason that is important in this election is because everyone knows who John McCain is, his character, and where he came from. Now, with less than 30 days before the election, the McCain campaign has finally come to the realization that if anyone is going to talk about Obama’s past as relates to his character, they are going to have to do it themselves. If this were not the case, then we wouldn’t be seeing headlines like this one ‘Character attacks emerge in McCain-Obama race.’

The reason it is only now emerging is because the media has circled their wagons around Barack from day one. And now that indications of his character are coming out, Obama is calling it a ‘smear.’ Today, on a nationally syndicated black talk radio show Barack said . . .

‘We don’t throw the first punch, but we’ll throw the last.’

Obama’s counter to his association with William Ayers is bringing up the ‘Keating 5’ scam. Something that McCain was absolved of that happened nearly 20 years ago. Meanwhile, Barack will have to explain his associations with people like Rev. Wright, ACORN, Tony Rezko and William Ayers, some of whom he has had ongoing relationships during the last 20 years. It is associations like these that speak to his character. All of which are, for lack of another adjective, far left extremists and America haters.

So rather than characterize Obama’s past as ‘character attacks,’ an honest characterization would be more like character revelations.

Since he has not been challenged on them before, outside of talk radio and Sean Hannity, both of which are summarily dismissed by the mainstream media, this morning in Clearwater, Florida at 9:15am, vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin brought up Obama’s words regarding our military fighting in Afghanistan. Obama said that our military was air-raiding villages and killing civilians in much the same vein as Rep. John Murtha accused them of killing civilians in cold blood. That tact, although fashionable to the anti-war anti-Bush crowd, is not acceptable coming from someone wanting to be President, and that story should be told.

It is important to know more about who a candidate really is, beyond their talking points. So today Sarah Palin also brought up the name of William Ayers, and Obama associate from the far left. So far left, in fact, that that guy is an unrepentant domestic terrorist, no matter what else he may be.

The media is mute on Obama’s involvement with the far-left group ACORN as well. For the man that wants to be Commander in Chief, the people need to know more about this man than the media and the Obama campaign wants us to know. So when Barack supporters like Lanny Davis, call this as attacking Barack Obama, just remember to put this in the proper perspective. It is not attacking Obama, it is exposing Obama. So to candidate Palin I say, You Go Girl.

To make a judgment about every horse race, you always want to know ‘who won?’. But in the context of last night’s vice-presidential debate, it is also relevant to know ‘who lost?’. And in this case, you have to say that the mainstream media lost, BIG TIME.

Leading up to the debate, NBC’s political director Chuck Todd called the debate and the race as already over. That Gov. Sarah Palin lost the debate and McCain lost the race even before last night’s debate started. They characterized the debate as if, to use a boxing analogy, Sen. Joe Biden would win the match in the first minute of round one in a 15 round fight. Well, if you saw the debate last night, you have to agree that the fight went the distance. And if anyone got so much as a black eye, it was the 35 year defending champion Joe Biden. But in terms of this debate, a draw is a win for Palin.

Based on all the media hype leading up to the debate, you could come away feeling that Palin won only because she didn’t lose in the first round.

It does not take much to confirm the notion that 2008 is the year that journalism died. All one needed to do is to watch last night’s debate analysis on MSNBC immediately following the debate. Remember when journalism consisted of reporting what happened? The lineup on MSNBC last night took shots at Gov. Palin on ‘what she didn’t say.’ It looked like they tried to do in round sixteen what Joe Biden could not do in the first fifteen.

During the first Presidential debate last Friday night, Sen. Barack Obama made two powerful points that seemed to make some points for him and against Sen. John McCain. One was his ‘me too’ response to what McCain said about a bracelet he wears from a fallen soldier. The other was that Dr. Henry Kissinger, a McCain adviser, supported his view that the U.S. president should meet with Iran’s president and other rogue dictators without preconditions.

His dance about Henry Kissinger’s advice was deceptive, if not simply indicative of a candidate loose with the facts. But don’t expect the mainstream media to set the record straight.

Here is a quote from Dr. Kissinger immediately after the debate about Obama’s remark.

‘Senator McCain is right. I would not recommend the next President of the United States engage in talks with Iran at the Presidential level. My views on this issue are entirely compatible with the views of my friend Senator John McCain. We do not agree on everything, but we do agree that any negotiations with Iran must be geared to reality.’

The bracelet issue is really not much of an issue, except for the fact that Obama was asked by the family not to bring up their son’s name or use it in speeches and debates. The father and mother, since divorced, have both confirmed that point.

All that can be said about it with any certitude now is that Obama showed the world how deep his commitment to that soldier was when he didn’t even know his name. And, that for a man wanting to be Commander in Chief, he can not be trusted to keep his word to the mother of a fallen soldier.

For the mother’s part, she is an Obama supporter. She is reported to have said that Obama’s mention of her son on Friday was appropriate because he was responding after Sen. John McCain said a soldier’s mother gave him a bracelet.