Riehl World View

They Really Are Deranged: Yes, Enough Is Enough

So now the media really cares precisely which foot of Sarah Palin may or may not have been across a border on one overseas trip? Kornblut, who already has a story which had to be edited to at least make it appear truthful (WaPo didn't disclose that), citing the Globe.

WASILLA, Alaska -- Aides to Gov. Sarah Palin are scrambling to explain details of her only trip outside North America -- which, according to a new report, did not include Iraq, as the McCain-Palin campaign had initially claimed.

Obama aides described the new revisions to Palin's account as part of a growing pattern of deception.

Okay, that does it - I've had it. Aren't there some overseas travel and subsequent events in Obama's life the media seems to not care about at all? Isn't that fair game to discuss given the above?

Maybe it's time the media did some serious looking into the early travels of a fellow who wants to be President, not Vice President of the United States - Barack Obama.

This isn't crazy Obama Muslim Manchurian candidate stuff. Remember the Clintonite who off-handedly dropped the "drug dealer" line during the primaries? Well, anyone can source this below based upon MSM accounts, the news at the time or the few simple links provided. It's certainly enough to make me curious about some things.

By 1980 at Occidental Obama ran partly with a circle of wealthy, drug using Pakistani friends. He traveled to Pakistan between Occidental and Columbia in 1981. That was during the Second Military Era (1977-1988) - Pakistan was under Sharia Law and not the most welcoming to foreign visitors, especially without some graft or connections.

Based upon documented accounts, Obama seems to have also traveled the country-side, not just in the cities. By 1981 Pakistan had become the world's number one supplier of Heroin. Upon his return Obama took up residence with one of the drug using Pakistanis in a run down, presumably drug infested part of NYC in an apartment they couldn't qualify for based on income.

For a college kid out of California via Hawaii who ends up in a NYC slum via Pakistan partying with admitted drug users - using well beyond what Obama has ever admitted to, especially given the particular era, that Pakistan voyage is one very curious trip no matter how you slice it. And I don't mean for any possible Muslim/terror related reasons.

For example, if they had to lie about income to get the apartment cited below - how is it they paid for it seems a fair question? Did he deal drugs at Columbia? He certainly seems to have had the location and friends for it and the Obama campaign has gone to great lengths to cover up that period of his life. Frankly, I want to know why and I think America deserves to know, as well.

In 1981, Obama transferred from Occidental to Columbia. In between, he traveled to Pakistan.

"He was clearly shocked by the economic disparity he saw in Pakistan. He couldn't get over the sight of rural peasants bowing to the wealthy landowners they worked for as they passed," says Mifflin, who makes a brief appearance in Obama's memoir.

When Obama arrived in New York, he already knew Siddiqi -- a friend of Chandoo's and Hamid's from Karachi who had visited Los Angeles.

The Obama campaign declined to discuss Obama's time at Columbia and his friendships in general.

In about 1982, Siddiqi and Obama got an apartment at a sixth-floor walk-up on East 94th Street. Siddiqi managed to get the apartment thanks to subterfuge.

"We didn't have a chance in hell of getting this apartment unless we fabricated the lease application," Siddiqi said.

Siddiqi fudged his credentials, saying he had a high-paying job at a catering company, ....

While Obama has acknowledged using marijuana and cocaine during high school in Hawaii, he writes in the memoir that he stopped using soon after his arrival in New York. His roommate had no such scruples.

But they obviously hung out together cruising clubs and such? What's next? Obama going to put designated driver on his resume right below community organizer? Is anyone buying that? Come on, Barry - what are you hiding from us? Fess up!

"We were always competing," he said. "You know how it is. You go to a bar and you try hitting on the girls. He had a lot more success."

.... The two, along with others, went out for nights on the town. "He wasn't entirely a hermit," Siddiqi said.

Siddiqi said his female friends thought Obama was "a hunk."

Gibson Invokes The Obama Defense

Just sayin' - only a 20 second vid.

wiki: Originally, Gibson planned to go into law, but reconsidered when he determined his grades were not sufficient for top tier law schools

ABC Shamelessly Edits Palin Interview To Make Her Look Bad

Will these idiots never learn? They actually believe they still have a monopoly on the news? In a prudent and not a victim-ish manner, Palin needs to elevate this into the news cycle next week. She should simply question why it seems important elements of her ABC interview were left on the cutting room floor while acknowledging their right to edit. She doesn't want to come off as whining, but simply pointing it out. Other networks will eat that up. And the American people have a right to know.

Via Mark Levin:

EXCERPTS: Charlie Gibson Interviews Sarah Palin (September 11, 2008)

THE BOLDED & UNDERLINED PARTS WERE EDITED OUT OF THE INTERVIEW

UPI Takes ABC To Task

At least some outfit in media besides Fox is willing to take ABC to task for their obvious and increasing bias. In watching the Stephanopoulos / Obama interview, I found myself wondering how Georgie boy was restraining himself from leaning over and giving old Barry-O a big wet sloppy kiss. In the end he just decided to make due by basically kissing his butt.

Meanwhile Gibson acted as though he were on a mission from God while trying to take Palin apart. It would have been nice to have had the cameras turned-off giving Gov. Palin five minutes to literally slap old Chuck around a bit in return. I mean, there really is no question who would win that contest three falls out of three, is there? Does the AB in ABC stand for All Biased, or All Ball-less? Watching Chuckie and Stephie perform makes it a might difficult to figure out.

Charles Gibson of ABC News was out for blood and inherently applied a double-standard compared with the kid gloves George Stephanopoulos used on Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois on Sunday night.

Gibson was out to embarrass Palin and expose her presumed ignorance from the word go. By contrast, when Obama referred to his "Muslim faith" on Sunday and did not correct himself, Stephanopoulos rushed in at once to help him and emphasize that the senator had really meant to say his Christian faith.

By contrast, Gibson tried to embarrass Palin by referring to her Christian faith in asking people to pray for U.S. soldiers in Iraq. Palin countered by pointing out she was following the precedent set by Abraham Lincoln.

So What's Biden's Excuse?

Obviously Biden wouldn't be producing any Obama ads - but it's hard to believe he wouldn't be privy to what they were doing, particularly as his name was mentioned by the campaign as recently as yesterday in terms of taking on McCain. From the WaPo link below - McCain even served as an aide of sorts to Biden years ago and the two have traveled together extensively over the years. Wouldn't he have been in a position to at least offer some counsel that this might not be a good line of attack? You know, offer some sound advice, like a good VP might do for any President? Or is that something of which Biden is incapable?

Plouffe said Biden “will be integral to that effort, both in pushing back on the lies that we'll continue to see from our opponents, and in keeping the debate focused on delivering for everyday Americans.”

Vice presidential candidates often play the role of attacker. But many Democrats feel their party's last two nominees for that job, John Edwards and Joe Lieberman, were too passive.

The newest Obama TV ad gets personal and makes a none-too-subtle dig at McCain's age. It shows McCain at a hearing in the early 1980s, wearing giant glasses and an out-of-style suit. Other images include a disco ball, clunky phone, outdated computer and Rubik's Cube. “Things have changed in the last 26 years,” the announcer says, “but McCain hasn't.”

“He admits he still doesn't know how to use a computer, can't send an e-mail, still doesn't understand the economy, and favors $200 billion in new tax cuts for corporations, but almost nothing for the middle class,” the commercial says. McCain has said he relies on his wife and staff to work the computer for him and that he doesn't use e-mail.

WaPo: "They actually have a long and good relationship. They're friends," a senior Biden aide said Saturday morning.

McCain called his colleague early Saturday morning to congratulate him, aides said. In his first speech as Obama's running mate, Biden acknowledged that McCain is "genuinely a friend of mine" before proceeding to blast his friend for being a wholehearted backer of the Bush-McCain policies that Biden said threaten the future.

That friendship dates back decades, to the time that a young John McCain served as a staffer to senators like Biden. It was then, McCain has said, that he first wanted to become a member of Congress.

In a biography of McCain, author Robert Timberg wrote that "McCain was much in demand for overseas escort duty...He was fun to be around, his wit appealing, his natural exuberance infectious. In an Athens taverna he danced on a table with Senator Joseph Biden's wife, Jill, a red bandanna clenched in his teeth."

Later, as senators, the pair sometimes joined forces, especially on military and foreign policy matters. In 1999, a "McCain-Biden" bill would have authorized President Bill Clinton to use "all necessary force," including ground troops, in Yugoslavia.

Senator Gaffe-tastic-O Strikes Again

On a serious note, I wanted to check in on Obama's website before bed. It's 2:30 AM and despite objections from many commenters at the site, the McCain doesn't use computers ad is still up. The back story and several links are here if you haven't kept up. It would seem the answer to John Hinderaker's question is in.

Fortunately, Obama's imprudent computer ad does provide a segue to this other item I happened to note. I wonder which Obama genius decided it would be smart to encourage his supporters to create a "MyBO" account? Or maybe they've been trying to tell us something about the campaign all along.

Either way, it stinks.

Update: Some earlier Joe Trippi quotes from Wizbang praising McCain in relation to the use of the Internet in politics.

I closely followed John McCain's insurgent Republican presidential bid in 2000, the first national campaign to attempt to make use of the Internet.

Help Wanted: MSNBC Talking Head

Why this lifelong Republican may vote for Obama

By Michael Smerconish

Sept. 11, 2008 | Where the hell are Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri? And why does virtually no one ask anymore? What's changed since the days when any suburban soccer mom would have strangled either of them with her bare hands if given the chance? And what happened to President Bush's declaration to a joint session of Congress nine days after 9/11 that "any nation that continues to harbor or support terrorism will be regarded by the United States as a hostile regime." Doesn't that apply to Pakistan?

These are things that I wonder as I watch from my perch in Philadelphia, where I'm a talk show host, columnist and MSNBC talking head.

Requirements: Shit for brains.

That is all.

Buh Bye Barry - Thanks For Playing

Now go home, son. I rather think you have had your run. I mean, it is your campaign your running? Right? You put that out there as a sign of your executive experience. Forget Hillary as Veep - they'll be tossing Barry under the bus given this:

Yep. The day after 9/11, as part of its "get tough" makeover,  the Obama campaign is mocking John McCain for not using a computer, without caring why he doesn't use a computer. From the AP story about the computer illiterate ad:

"Our economy wouldn't survive without the Internet, and cyber-security continues to represent one our most serious national security threats," [Obama spokesman Dan] Pfeiffer said. "It's extraordinary that someone who wants to be our president and our commander in chief doesn't know how to send an e-mail."

Well, I guess it depends on what you mean by "extraordinary." The reason he doesn't send email is that he can't use a keyboard because of the relentless beatings he received from the Viet Cong in service to our country. From the Boston Globe (March 4, 2000):

McCain gets emotional at the mention of military families needing food stamps or veterans lacking health care. The outrage comes from inside: McCain's severe war injuries prevent him from combing his hair, typing on a keyboard, or tying his shoes. Friends marvel at McCain's encyclopedic knowledge of sports. He's an avid fan - Ted Williams is his hero - but he can't raise his arm above his shoulder to throw a baseball.

Update: As of 8:15 PM this is from Obama's website.

Andrew Sullivan: Man Of Steel

Okay, come on, someone on the Right has to fess up. As I e-mailed a couple of bloggers, no one can be this stupid. Either Andy is writing emails to himself in the final stages of some Governor Palin induced mental breakdown, or someone on the Right is playing him for a stooge. More at link above:

One reader thinks so:

I just wanted to say thank you so much for being the only blogger (aside from Al Giordano) who  gets it. While the rest of the blogosphere (especially the liberal bloggers) lose their heads you are an island of common sense. Patience and Steel. Yes, yes. yes.

It also occurs to me that in a way McCain and Rove have actually simply taken over the liberal blogosphere in some way. They are being played.

Just a few examples---yesterday Obama gave a fantastic interview at the Service Forum. Did the liberal blogs even cover this? No.

He gave a great speech on the trail. Are his town halls even posted or excerpted? No.

McCain and crew realized early this cycle that they did not have a visible internet presence. So what did they do?  They took over the liberal presence, they are manipulating the leading liberal blogs , just as they manipulate the MSM.  All to their own advantage. And the blogs have all fallen for this hook, line and sinker. Does no one realize this?

They are all being played.

And Obama, god bless him, he gets it. As does his team. while everyone whines he keeps at it every day with much much class and like a laser focused on the issues. The problem is not Obama, is that no one wants to follow his lead. Instead they are following McCain-Rove and they don't even know it.

A Chicago Canary Sings But "The One" Turns A Deaf Ear

Via The Chicago Sun-Times, this would be the "Canary:"

Cindi Canary, director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform,

This would be her heartfelt song as Obama buddies and Chicago Machine Pols apparently look to reverse some much needed ethics reform:

"As a presidential candidate, this is small potatoes. But as Illinois' U.S. senator, this is a place he could come in and quickly clean up some of the damage and serve his state," said Cindi Canary, director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, which has pushed for the donation restrictions for three years.

"A 30-second phone call to the Illinois Senate president could yield huge dividends to this state," she said.

Alas, The One does not appear receptive to the voices of all creatures great and small when the pockets of his Chicago benefactors are involved. What would that great community organizer Jesus do?

Obama ducks call to push reform in Illinois

Obama's campaign refused to tell the Sun-Times whether the senator supports either version. And a spokesman ducked questions on whether Obama would speak with Jones, as Canary suggested.