The "Birther" Crazies are Winning in Arkansas

We know that Arkansas consistently ranks in the bottom half with regards to public schools. Thus it comes as no surprise that only 45% of Arkansans believe that President Barack Obama was born in the United States while 55% believe that he wasn't or are "not sure" if he was. The birther crazies are winning in Arkansas.

I've already written on this topic and probably will again but the level of paranoia, fear, and ignorance in the United States is stunning. Newsflash America: your president is black and has an unusual name. He was born in Hawaii. He's an American and he's your president. Deal with it.

Hat Tip: Political Wire

The Great Philosophical Divide in the Health Care Reform Debate

Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) crystallized the health care debate when he intoned that "I think health care is a privilege. I wouldn't call it a right. ... I do think in our country and in any civil society there should be a safety net for basic health and food and shelter, but that doesn't mean that the whole system should be designed around the belief that people can't make their own decisions, can't be responsible for themselves."

This statement reflects the basic difference of philosophy between most Liberals and Conservatives, Democrats and Republicans. Democrats and Liberals view health care as a right, Republicans and Conservatives view it as a privilege. This overarching disagreement is at the heart of what has plagued attempts to reform the health care system for decades.

Perhaps it is the ideological difference in interpretation of the words in the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Whether or not someone believes health care is incorporated in this phrase probably goes a long way to determining their stand in this debate.

Dancing With DeLay

Dancing With the Stars announced its lineup for Season 9 and former Republican Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) is among them. Yup. Tom DeLay. The only politico that would have surprised me more is former Speaker Dennis Hastert *R-IL).

DeLay joins a celebrity cast which includes: singers Mya, Macy Gray and Aaron Carter; actors Ashley Hamilton, Melissa Joan Hart and Debi Mazar; models Joanna Krupa and Kathy Ireland; reality stars Mark Dacascos and Kelly Osbourne; entertainer Donny Osmond; mixed martial artist Chuck Liddell; professional snowboarder Louie Vito; Olympic swimmer Natalie Coughlin; and former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin.

I've never been a big fan of the show but I may have to tune in from time-to-time to watch this season...

Brett Favre, Huckster

Huckster: "a cheaply mercenary person"

Yes, I know this blog is about politics but as the creater/owner/CEO I have license to digress. And, as a lifetime Green Bay Packer fan I have a responsibility to write on the following topic: Brett Favre. For many years, wise friends tried to tell me that Favre was a prima donna--a spotlight-craving diva. I always poo-pooed them. I was sucked in by the awe-shucks, wrangler-wearing, John Deere mower-riding good ol' boy from Kiln, Mississippi who was born to heave the pig.

Those days are over. Favre has committed treason for reasons of revenge and money. He has signed with the Minnesota Vikings. But I fret not. I am glad. Green Bay will visit Minnesota October 5. It will be great sports theater. Minnesota's offensive line had better construct an iron curtain around the 39 year old diva because the Packers will be out for blood. And with every sack I will cheer. He is the hero no more. A huckster has arisen in his place.

The Vacationing President

CBS News' Washington Unplugged has a 15 minute segment on the history of modern presidents and their vacation habits. It's a cool watch.

Interesting tidbit: President George H.W. Bush could play 18 holes of golf in 90 minutes. If true, that's almost unheard of. I wonder what his average score was.


Watch CBS Videos Online

Hat Tip: Political Wire

John Quincy Adams, Tweeter

Did John Quincy Adams tweet? Well, no, but his short diary entries sure look like tweets. Now the Massachusetts Historical Society is broadcasting those diary entries as tweets, day-by-day, exactly 200 years after Adams embarked on a trip to Russia.

From MHS: "Beginning on 5 August 2009, we'll be posting JQA's line-a-day diary entries on Twitter, one per day exactly 200 years later....If you use Twitter too we hope you'll follow along and receive the daily updates. We'll be posting JQA's exact words (his entries really do work perfectly as 140-character tweets), and where possible we will augment the posts with maps showing his location (thank him for providing regular latitude and longitude readings), links to longer diary entries, and other information. His short entries are surprisingly rich, full of wonderful details about his reading, meals, weather, and shipboard activities."

For more info, check here.

Hat Tip to a faithful reader who chirped to me about this story.

FLOTUS Fashion

If you like fashion and you like First Lady Michelle Obama, the website "Mrs. O" is for you. The "site hopes to be a central, ever evolving resource to chronicle Mrs.O’s look, while providing fashion commentary and information." (Hat Tip: American Presidents Blog)

Another Mrs. Obama fashion watcher is: Michelle O. Style

I'm not a fashionista, but for those who are, you will probably be ga-ga over these sites. Enjoy.

Additional NYC Air Force One Flyover Pictures Released

Yes, that flyover. You remember when the DoD and the Director of the White House Military Office thought it was a good idea to have Air Force One flying really low over the New York City skyline a few months ago so they could snap a few pictures. Well, because of a Freedom of Information Act request, you can the photo shot by the military jets accompanying Air Force One.

According to The Caucus: "The Pentagon released the full set of 146 photographs in response to Freedom of Information requests, it seems. Around photo 82, the jet begins flying over the Statue of Liberty, and then later, does a return rip above the landmark. The Defense Department also released a redacted flight manifest, which, frankly, doesn’t tell you much. The flyover rumbled lower Manhattan, prompting building evacuations in a stark reminder of the airplane attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. And it later forced the resignation of Louis Caldera, who was the director of the White House Military Office. President Obama himself apologized for the fear factor generated by the plane’s — and its two fighter jet escorts’ — jaunt over a jittery New York populace."

The photos are available here.