Orlando Rays

Even still, I highly doubt many of those evangelicals actually practice what they preach. Furthermore, I also think she is being mislabeled as ultra-religious simply because of her positions on abortion and gay marriage. However, these issues become tricky because there are underlying scientific and Constitutional issues at play. For example, I am staunchly libertarian but I am pro-life because scientifically believe it results in the protection of liberty. This isn't a discussion I feel like having at the moment because there is so much else to talk about, but I feel it is a worthy point to make. I take a centrist position on abortion: permit it to a certain point (4 or 5 months), then when the baby is able to survive birth, no more. I know, virtually everybody is all or nothing. I'm an oddball like that. :mischief

She's an evangelical... what do you think the odds are that she used contraception? I could have sworn I read/heard it earlier today that she is pro-contraception. That she is. She described her fifth child as a "miracle", which is a code word for something unexpected. She probably missed a pill by accident, in her hectic life as a Governor. Or if she doesn't use the pill, Todd just "slipped up". :mischief

It's a moronic but typical comment from the political "experts". Even so, it's not "bashing" her, thus the topic title is completely misleading Orlando. I'll edit it if you don't want to. No need. It was what I first came up with, but I had difficulty at the time figuring out something else to put there.

Get over it. It's a legitimate question to ask any presidential or vice presidential candidate. They're asking whether she will have the time to take care of both her baby, who demands a lot of attention because of his disability, and her responsibilities as vice president. I would be thinking the same thing if either Obama or McCain had a baby with down syndrome. She has a husband, and three other children in the household (not including the one in the Army). They can take care of the baby while she does her work. Did she quit as Governor when she had the baby?

CNN'S JOHN ROBERTS: You know, there's one other issue -- we've talked about her experience and what depth of experience she has; the fact that maybe she tries to peel off a few women voters on the Democratic side, who really wanted to see a woman in the White House in some way, shape, or form. There's also this issue that on April 18th, she gave birth to a baby with Down's Syndrome. CNN'S DANA BASH : Yes. ROBERTS: The baby is just slightly more than four months old now. Children with Down's syndrome require an awful lot of attention. The role of Vice President, it seems to me, would take up an awful lot of her time, and it raises the issue of how much time will she have to dedicate to her newborn child?

As the parliament of Georgia voted to approve closing the nation's embassy in Moscow and severing diplomatic ties with Russia, officials in the breakaway territory of South Ossetia are stating that their ultimate goal is not independence, but to be absorbed into Russia. Znaur Gassiyev, a speaker in the parliament of South Ossetia, said today in Tskhinvali, the capital, that the region will be annexed by Russia "in several years" or earlier. He further went on that this was the position of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity, who met earlier this week to discuss the future of South Ossetia. Ultimately, South Ossetia would be joined with the Russian federal subject of North Ossetia-Alania. "We will live in one united Russian state," said Tarzan Kokoiti, one of Gassiyev's deputies. The Vice Speaker of Georgian Parliament, Gigi Tsereteli, warned the areas, which are "autonomous republics" within Georgia, that absorption into Russia would ultimately destroy them as territorial entities. "The regimes of Abkhazia and South Ossetia should think about the fact that if they become part of Russia, they will be assimilated and in this way they will disappear," he said. Russia's efforts to get other nations to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states hit a snag when the People's Republic of China and other members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation balked at recognition. Russia and South Ossetia continue to work on an agreement to install permanent Russian military bases in the breakaway territory. The agreement is scheduled to be signed on September 2. Russian military forces continue to occupy nominal Georgian territory in defiance of the European Union-brokered ceasefire aggrement. This is the draft of the Wikinews article I have written. Source articles: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/08/29...a.ap/index.html and http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,413282,00.html

Romney as McCain's VP would only enhance House-Gate. I say go for it. I liked Romney's response when asked how many houses he owned: One less than John Kerry! The dems don't seem to care when a guy is a gazillionaire as long as it their guy. This is such a ridiculous, non issue. The only people who seem to care are the goggle wearing democrats who will paint anything. It's not about how many houses he owns, but the fact that he has no clue!!!!!! That's called being out of touch. While they make it look that way, the fact is that HE does not own that many houses. They threw in the houses his siblings inherited from his father.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0808/12900.html DENVER — Amid a spate of awkward on-air conflicts among MSNBC anchors at this week's Democratic convention, some staff members say there are sharp internal disputes at the cable network over whether its opinion and personality-driven political coverage has crossed the line. "The situation at our channel is about to blow up," a high-ranking MSNBC journalist told Politico on Wednesday. Two other MSNBC sources said some of the testy on-air exchanges between Keith Olbermann — whose quick-witted and often caustic commentary has fueled ratings growth — and other network personalities were a public glimpse of much more intense behind-the-scenes turmoil. As replays of the conflicts became YouTube hits, MSNBC President Phil Griffin gave his first public defense in a Politico interview. "MSNBC does not have an ideology," Griffin said. "We hire smart people who are passionate about their love of politics and love of news." "Do I want them to have squabbles?" Griffin asked. "No. But I understand they're human." In addition to Olbermann, MSNBC personalities Chris Matthews, Joe Scarborough and David Shuster were involved in Denver controversies. On Monday evening, Olbermann interrupted Scarborough while he was talking about McCain being competitive in the polls. "Jesus, Joe, why don't you get a shovel?" Olbermann remarked. On "Morning Joe" the following day, a clearly agitated Scarborough went off on Shuster during a discussion of Iraq, which quickly devolved over several cringe-worthy minutes into personal attacks, such as Scarborough telling the world how his colleague missed the show three times by oversleeping. "Are you Rip Van Shuster?" Scarborough asked. "Have you been sleeping for the past couple of months?" But Scarborough, a former Republican congressman from Florida, became enraged when Shuster made a reference to "your party." Asked by Scarborough what his party was, Shuster said he was an "independent." "I feel so comforted by the fact that you're an independent," Scarborough said, in a mocking tone. "I bet everybody at MSNBC has independent on their voting cards. Oh, we're down the middle now." (Shuster left the set, but returned later to hug it out, "Entourage"-style.) That night, Scarborough told NPR that he "get frustrated by people who have an obvious partisan bias that don't proclaim that bias." The old debate over election coverage bias was given new life on Sunday, when Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell — who'd remarked during the primaries that Fox News was the "most objective" network — told a panel of Sunday show anchors, including NBC's Tom Brokaw, that "MSNBC was the official network of the Obama campaign." "I've got to laugh a little bit," Griffin said, over the notion that MSNBC has an agenda, while Rendell is "the voice of reason." "Ed Rendell, bless his soul, has an agenda," Griffin said. "Period." Even with Obama as the presumptive nominee, it was MSNBC vs. the Clinton team again, a battle that played out throughout the primaries. During Tuesday night's broadcast, both Olbermann and Matthews took shots at Howard Wolfson, the Clinton campaign's former communications director, criticizing him as a Republican collaborator because of his work as a Fox News analyst. Matthews called Wolfson a "little toy soldier waiting on the shelf," while Olbermann compared him to "Tokyo Rose," the woman who delivered propaganda over the airwaves during World War II. "I think these antics have seriously damaged NBC's brand," wrote Wolfson in an e-mail to Politico. On Wednesday, Wolfson criticized MSNBC on the air, too. "I'm not gonna take any lectures on how to be a good Democrat from two people who spent the last two years relentlessly attacking Bill and Hillary Clinton every day," Wolfson said Wednesday on Fox News. Also on Wednesday, the New York Post reported that Olbermann was an obstacle in allowing McCain adviser-turned-NBC political analyst Mike Murphy to get on the air during the convention. Murphy was bumped from Monday's convention coverage due to "technical difficulties," the Post reported. He also didn't appear on Tuesday. "I'm told I'll be on the air tonight," Murphy said, when reached by phone Wednesday. And so will Olbermann and Matthews, anchoring on a big night when Bill Clinton hits the stage. But last night the two volatile hosts bickered, with Matthews jumping into the frame as Olbermann introduced House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.). "You made that sound, Keith," Matthews said, raising his voice. "I can do the same to you. That's what I thought, and I said it." Some sources who have worked with Olbermann at MSNBC describe him as a difficult colleague, and one source said that there are tensions with Matthews. Regardless, Griffin said he has faith in his convention anchors — including Olbermann, a scourge of the right — for both the final days in Denver and next week in St. Paul, Minn. "Look, when Keith anchors, he plays it straight down the line," Griffin said. "This is our team. They've served us well. We love 'em, and we're going to be at the Republican convention, and it's going to be great. And I don't have any hesitation."

seems over the top. The only thing I wonder is if his credentials allowed him to be there. He was on a public sidewalk, though the hotel claimed they owned the sidewalk. And apparently he was shooting an investigation for his ABCNews.com section, "The Money Trail", on the role of lobbyists in the DNC. Some added info on the same article (same link as the top): Video taken at the scene shows a man, wearing the uniform of a Boulder County sheriff, ordering Eslocker off the sidewalk in front of the hotel, to the side of the entrance. The sheriff's officer is seen telling Eslocker the sidewalk is owned by the hotel. Later he is seen pushing Eslocker off the sidewalk into oncoming traffic, forcing him to the other side of the street. It was two hours later when Denver police arrived to place Eslocker under arrest, apparently based on a complaint from the Brown Palace Hotel, a central location for Democratic officials. During the arrest, one of the officers can be heard saying to Eslocker, "You're lucky I didn't knock the f..k out of you." Eslocker was released late today after posting $500 bond. Eslocker and his ABC News colleagues are spending the week investigating the role of corporate lobbyists and wealthy donors at the convention for a series of Money Trail reports on ABC World News with Charles Gibson.

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/Conventions/...8622&page=1 DENVER--Police in Denver arrested an ABC News producer today as he and a camera crew were attempting to take pictures on a public sidewalk of Democratic Senators and VIP donors leaving a private meeting at the Brown Palace Hotel. Police on the scene refused to tell ABC lawyers the charges against the producer, Asa Eslocker, who works with the ABC News investigative unit. A police official later told lawyers for ABC News that Eslocker is being charged with trespass, interference, and failure to follow a lawful order. He also said the arrest followed a signed complaint from the Brown Palace Hotel. Eslocker was put in handcuffs and loaded in the back of a police van which headed for a nearby police station. :mis2

I say the National Champ will be non-BCS. :mischief

I need to stop reading these at work. :mischief

Gustav's development took a nosedive. It's back to a mid-strength tropical storm.

It is a decent pick. I am not a fan of anyone that he had on his short list, mainly because I am a huckabee supporter, but I think it can work. I think it might show more "change" and still conservatism than people would think out of the GOP Well, how's this for another name? There's also rumblings for Colin Powell.

Looked clean to me. Shouldn't have touched the baserunner. You're jealous that we have a shot at the playoffs this year. :mischief lol j/k

Oh boy... Next time, don't be so talkative when buying condoms. And for your first time, only get the three-pack. :mischief

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/5967502.html There are some people who are claiming that John McCain may consider Kay Bailey Hutchinson for vice president, in an attempt to grab disenfranchised Hillary supporters. Others think she's more interested in quitting her Senator seat in 2010 to run for Texas Governor.

Jumping directly into criticizing the opponent is only something Republicans would do :thumbup That's about all they do, actually. Criticize, ridicule, whine, and moan. This must be your first convention? Oh come on, you know it's true. Actually when I saw that, you reminded me of Democrats. But I guess you could say both parties do it.

At least the DNC didn't put protesters in a designated protest zone like the GOP did in NY in 2004. Uhh, this is EXACTLY what the DNC is doing. All protestors are limited to a small caged-in area 700 feet from the Pepsi Center.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/thecrypt/080...ns.html?showall House Democratic leaders and protesters waving McCain signs had a war of words Tuesday at a press event outside an old train station. The demonstrators interrupted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with chants of ?Drill here! Drill now!? Pelosi paused and asked the group, ?Right here?? Seeming to enjoy the back and forth, she followed with another question: ?Can we drill your brains?? She went on to refer to the protestors, who continued to chant sporadically, as ?handmaidens of Big Oil.? Arguing that increased offshore drilling would only reduce gas prices two cents in 10 years, she referred to the demonstrators as the ?two-cents-in-ten-years-crowd.? Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer swiped at the demonstrators, too, saying that ?sophomoric chanting? won?t solve the energy crisis and that ?all thinking Americans know? ? stressing the word "thinking" and looking at the crowd ? that America doesn?t have a quarter of the word?s fossil fuels yet uses a quarter of the world?s energy.

Totally awesome. :mischief

Hopefully we won't see a "part trois" anytime soon. :mischief Get well soon. Again.

http://www.wmctv.com/global/story.asp?s=8898891 BARTLETT, TN (WMC-TV) - Bartlett Grove Park sits in the middle of a subdivision. It's a favorite spot for children, and was recently the site of an adult website porno shoot. The video clip we discovered begins innocently enough. "I thought I'd come out for the day," says the "model." She then exposes herself on the playground slide. "She's definitely a tramp -- just nasty," parent Barbara Taylor said in reaction to the video. Taylor had a typical reaction. "I think it's disgusting," she said. "I think I'm not letting my kids go down that slide anymore." Danny Berryhill is a Baptist minister who lives right across the street. "I don't have the words," he said. "I'm a Baptist minister, and I have no words." Action News 5 is not publicizing the the exact web-site the video appears on, but it's full of explicit pornography, and there's a promise to visit more public places. Bartlett Police Capt. Tina Schaber said the girl in the video is clearly breaking a law. "Public indecency right off the bat," she said. Police got on the case after Action News 5 clued them in. "I don't think this would be appropriate for an adult to see in a park -- much less a child," Schaber said. According to Schaber, the model and those video-taping her could be charged with a number of other crimes. "These days, who knows?" she said. "She could be over 18 -- she could be under 18." Action News 5 was unable to locate the "model." She writes on the web-site that the pornographic shoot took place just last week. :mischief

Al Qaeda in Iraq was never the real problem. The military has said several times that they were not a major organization in Iraq. The problem was sectarian militias, which still exist in the country. Groups like the Mahdi Army are far more powerful than Al Qaeda has ever been inside Iraq. AQI empowered and inflamed the sectarian militias. It was AQI that committed the one big mosque bombing that kicked off the worst of the sectarian violence, and most of the suicide bombings (which resulted in most civilian deaths) were committed by AQI as well. While the sects have not totally gone away, most have turned to the political arena. As for the Mahdi Army, most of that disconnected from al-Sadr earlier this year, and what was left of his loyal militiamen were told to disarm by Sadr himself recently. Although he reserved an "elite force" to resist if we don't set a timetable to leave expediently, that may not be necessary if this agreement comes to fruition.

I think the Dems would have been criticized more had they beaten up on McCain or Bush too much on the first day. That's the problem Carville had: they hardly mentioned either at all.