Survey USA Poll:
- Allen 50%
- Webb 44%
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Women for Allen rally update from A-Team
The A-Team has an update about Friday's Women for Allen rally in McLean.
Polls
Mason Conservative has made an informed comparison between the three latest polls in the Allen-Webb race.
Friday, September 29, 2006
Wal-Mart urges employee voter registration
It's about time! Wal-Mart, who has been pounded on by dems and libs for everything from its health care to its pay scale, is rightfully fighting back. All employees are being encouraged by the company to register to vote.
The Washington Post article Wal-Mart launches employee voter drive explains how critics have campaigned against Wal-Mart ... so now Wal-Mart is taking a stand. Not only are they making it easier for employees to register to vote, they are providing three hours off for workers whose shifts would make it impossible to get to the polls on Election Day.
It's about time a company took a stand against unfair critics who take aim without considering the consequences to company and employees.
The Washington Post article Wal-Mart launches employee voter drive explains how critics have campaigned against Wal-Mart ... so now Wal-Mart is taking a stand. Not only are they making it easier for employees to register to vote, they are providing three hours off for workers whose shifts would make it impossible to get to the polls on Election Day.
It's about time a company took a stand against unfair critics who take aim without considering the consequences to company and employees.
Update: Women for Allen rally in McLean yesterday....
Senator George Allen, Susan Allen, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson, and Kay Cole James rally Allen supporters!
"We need you as partners!"
Thus began Susan Allen's rally cry to thundering applause yesterday morning at the Women for Allen rally in McLean as she encouraged close to 200 women (and men), many from various ethnic backgrounds, to be sure and pick up their ALLEN bumper stickers and yard signs, and please work GOP headquarters or make those walks and calls for the next 39 days to victory.
"Some don't like bumper stickers," she said, "but if you could just put it on for the final 39 days ... or tape it in your window ... it would be a great help!"
She thanked everyone and said her family had been lifted up by lots of prayer ... and that they had weathered the storm, and told about her mother-in-law's tramatic childhood experience of watching her father imprisoned by the Nazis during World War II and finally sharing her story after years of keeping it a secret. Susan Allen added that, even through the current political upheaval, Senator Allen had told her, "They haven't killed me yet."
George Allen himself roared out his "Good morning!" also to thundering applause as the crowd jumped to its feet in support of our Senator. He spoke, he laughed, he enjoyed just being there. He thanked his lovely wife and others in the room.
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson spoke sincerely of her friend and how much he had worked with her and helped in the Senate. She also spoke of the family weathering recent media attacks and added, "I take this personally." She was followed by Kay Cole James, an African-American woman who had been in Governor Allen's Cabinet, and who called Susan and George Allen her friends. She spoke of the character and integrity of George Allen as someone who listened to those around him, who asked their advice, and who didn't care who got the credit as long as the right thing was done.
Senator Allen's brother, Bruce Allen, was also in attendance. Although Senator Allen and Hutchinson had to leave early to participate in a Senate vote, Mrs. Allen and Bruce Allen stayed afterwards to talk with those in the crowd and to the media.
So now we're fired up for the 38 days left until victory! Clear your calendars, work as much as you can, and when Election Day comes around if you have leftover energy ... you haven't worked hard enough!
"We need you as partners!"
Thus began Susan Allen's rally cry to thundering applause yesterday morning at the Women for Allen rally in McLean as she encouraged close to 200 women (and men), many from various ethnic backgrounds, to be sure and pick up their ALLEN bumper stickers and yard signs, and please work GOP headquarters or make those walks and calls for the next 39 days to victory.
"Some don't like bumper stickers," she said, "but if you could just put it on for the final 39 days ... or tape it in your window ... it would be a great help!"
She thanked everyone and said her family had been lifted up by lots of prayer ... and that they had weathered the storm, and told about her mother-in-law's tramatic childhood experience of watching her father imprisoned by the Nazis during World War II and finally sharing her story after years of keeping it a secret. Susan Allen added that, even through the current political upheaval, Senator Allen had told her, "They haven't killed me yet."
George Allen himself roared out his "Good morning!" also to thundering applause as the crowd jumped to its feet in support of our Senator. He spoke, he laughed, he enjoyed just being there. He thanked his lovely wife and others in the room.
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson spoke sincerely of her friend and how much he had worked with her and helped in the Senate. She also spoke of the family weathering recent media attacks and added, "I take this personally." She was followed by Kay Cole James, an African-American woman who had been in Governor Allen's Cabinet, and who called Susan and George Allen her friends. She spoke of the character and integrity of George Allen as someone who listened to those around him, who asked their advice, and who didn't care who got the credit as long as the right thing was done.
Senator Allen's brother, Bruce Allen, was also in attendance. Although Senator Allen and Hutchinson had to leave early to participate in a Senate vote, Mrs. Allen and Bruce Allen stayed afterwards to talk with those in the crowd and to the media.
So now we're fired up for the 38 days left until victory! Clear your calendars, work as much as you can, and when Election Day comes around if you have leftover energy ... you haven't worked hard enough!
MoveOn.org moves in....
While surfing the blogs I came across this:
Moveon.Org is hosting a reception at Azar's on Saturday night starting at 5:00 pm. We'll mingle and eat until 7:00 pm. Cash Bar and hors d'oeuvres This is a good opportunity to meet local move on members and learn that this organization is truly a nationwide grassroots organization and not a "front" organization funded by the elitists and/or corporate special interests.
Yep, folks, MoveOn.org is here. George Soros' billions helps fund anti-Bush, anti-Republican works across the country including Virginia and even in Staunton, Virginia.
Moveon.Org is hosting a reception at Azar's on Saturday night starting at 5:00 pm. We'll mingle and eat until 7:00 pm. Cash Bar and hors d'oeuvres This is a good opportunity to meet local move on members and learn that this organization is truly a nationwide grassroots organization and not a "front" organization funded by the elitists and/or corporate special interests.
Yep, folks, MoveOn.org is here. George Soros' billions helps fund anti-Bush, anti-Republican works across the country including Virginia and even in Staunton, Virginia.
Listen up, libs: Common sense from President George W. Bush
"You do not create terrorism by fighting terrorism."
- President George W. Bush, 9/29/06
- President George W. Bush, 9/29/06
Women for Allen Rally this morning
Senator George Allen, Susan Allen, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson, Kay Cole James, and Rhonda Winfield rally Allen supporters!
Close to 200 women (and men) attended this morning's Women for Allen rally held at the McLean Hilton ... women of all walks of life and ethnic backgrounds ... women who were ready to re-elect Senator George Allen to the U. S. Senate. There was enthusiasm, applause, cheers, and numerous standing ovations throughout the one-hour breakfast rally.
When Senator and Mrs. Allen entered the room, everyone rose and cheered and applauded loudly and long ... this campaign has gotten personal to us, too, and we wanted the Senator to know he had our complete support!
Augusta County native Rhonda Winfield attended as a guest of Senator Allen's. Her son, Lance Cpl. Jason Redifer, was killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005 ... and she gave Jason's dogtags to Senator Allen in March 2006 as a thank you for his stand on staying the course in the war and for his support of President George W. Bush's determination to keep the American people safe through this war.
Senator Allen heard complete and loud, enthusiastic support from everyone in that room. There's 39 days to go until November 7th ... please clear your calendars and give everything you can to re-elect George Allen.
More on this when I return to Staunton ... we're about to leave the big city, bright lights of the D.C. area and head back to the Valley. Stay tuned....
Close to 200 women (and men) attended this morning's Women for Allen rally held at the McLean Hilton ... women of all walks of life and ethnic backgrounds ... women who were ready to re-elect Senator George Allen to the U. S. Senate. There was enthusiasm, applause, cheers, and numerous standing ovations throughout the one-hour breakfast rally.
When Senator and Mrs. Allen entered the room, everyone rose and cheered and applauded loudly and long ... this campaign has gotten personal to us, too, and we wanted the Senator to know he had our complete support!
Augusta County native Rhonda Winfield attended as a guest of Senator Allen's. Her son, Lance Cpl. Jason Redifer, was killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2005 ... and she gave Jason's dogtags to Senator Allen in March 2006 as a thank you for his stand on staying the course in the war and for his support of President George W. Bush's determination to keep the American people safe through this war.
Senator Allen heard complete and loud, enthusiastic support from everyone in that room. There's 39 days to go until November 7th ... please clear your calendars and give everything you can to re-elect George Allen.
More on this when I return to Staunton ... we're about to leave the big city, bright lights of the D.C. area and head back to the Valley. Stay tuned....
Back from Iraq ... Jeanine McDonnell
Daughter of Virginia Attorney General completes Army tour of Iraq
Open letter from her dad, AG Bob McDonnell:
Dear Friends,
From the last month and a half of our campaign, through the recount, and for the first 9 months of my administration, there has been something missing in the McDonnell family, our oldest daughter.
As many of you know, my oldest daughter, Jeanine, has been serving on a 12-month tour of duty in Iraq. While we all worried about her safety, and missed her presence, we also felt tremendous pride in what she was doing.
Now, I am happy to report, that yesterday Jeanine returned safely back to America, her tour of duty complete. Jeanine called Maureen and me shortly after she landed and I have to say that her phone call home was probably the best phone call of our lives. Our daughter was safe and sound on American soil.
Over the past year, so many of you have asked about Jeanine. You have inquired as to her well-being, you have offered your prayers for her safe return, and you have demonstrated time and time again your total and heartfelt concern for her safe return. Maureen and I thank you so much for all the kind words. We thank you for the prayers. And today we just wanted to share with you the wonderful news of Jeanine's safe return.
I am an Army veteran, but in my 21 years I never served anywhere as dangerous as Iraq. Jeanine's courage in the face of this assignment not only reassures me as a father, it also gives me great optimism as an American. The young men and women serving our nation in Iraq, Afghanistan, and all over the globe are the direct descendants of their ancestors who have served so bravely on the islands of the Pacific, the forests of northern Europe, from the mountains of Korea, to the jungles of Vietnam.
Recently I spoke at a 9-11 ceremony in Richmond and I used the old quote that "America is the land of the free, because we are the home of the brave." Today, our brave daughter is safely back home in the land of the free, and we could not be happier.
Again, on behalf of my wife, Maureen, and our entire family, thank you for your support over the past year, we could not have gotten through this without you.
Thanking you again,
Bob McDonnell
Open letter from her dad, AG Bob McDonnell:
Dear Friends,
From the last month and a half of our campaign, through the recount, and for the first 9 months of my administration, there has been something missing in the McDonnell family, our oldest daughter.
As many of you know, my oldest daughter, Jeanine, has been serving on a 12-month tour of duty in Iraq. While we all worried about her safety, and missed her presence, we also felt tremendous pride in what she was doing.
Now, I am happy to report, that yesterday Jeanine returned safely back to America, her tour of duty complete. Jeanine called Maureen and me shortly after she landed and I have to say that her phone call home was probably the best phone call of our lives. Our daughter was safe and sound on American soil.
Over the past year, so many of you have asked about Jeanine. You have inquired as to her well-being, you have offered your prayers for her safe return, and you have demonstrated time and time again your total and heartfelt concern for her safe return. Maureen and I thank you so much for all the kind words. We thank you for the prayers. And today we just wanted to share with you the wonderful news of Jeanine's safe return.
I am an Army veteran, but in my 21 years I never served anywhere as dangerous as Iraq. Jeanine's courage in the face of this assignment not only reassures me as a father, it also gives me great optimism as an American. The young men and women serving our nation in Iraq, Afghanistan, and all over the globe are the direct descendants of their ancestors who have served so bravely on the islands of the Pacific, the forests of northern Europe, from the mountains of Korea, to the jungles of Vietnam.
Recently I spoke at a 9-11 ceremony in Richmond and I used the old quote that "America is the land of the free, because we are the home of the brave." Today, our brave daughter is safely back home in the land of the free, and we could not be happier.
Again, on behalf of my wife, Maureen, and our entire family, thank you for your support over the past year, we could not have gotten through this without you.
Thanking you again,
Bob McDonnell
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Rush: George Allen smear will backfire on dems....
Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity have been talking about the George Allen campaign and following the smear tactics in place by the leftie bloggers.
Rush's prediction: the smear campaign will backfire because they have gone "way over the line," in his words. He also said, "It's typical."
NewsMax.com continues:
Rush recalled that Allen's opponent Jim Webb dodged a question as to whether he had ever used the n-word, saying only that, "Well, I don't think there's anybody who grew up around the south that hasn't had the word pass their lips at one time or another."
So what we have here is George Allen denying he said the n-word and Jim Webb all but admitting that he did say and has uttered it. Is the media making any hay out of this? No, this is not the agenda, it's not the template.
Allen's first wife is denying he ever said that African-Americans eat turtles, and there aren't any independent witnesses to corroborate any of these allegations made in that Salon.com piece or a New York Times article about Allen and the n-word.
Then there's this ridiculous charge that Allen put a deer's head in a black family's mailbox. Have you heard that one? Two Louisa County sheriff's deputies who were on the force in the early 1970s said in interviews on Tuesday that they don't recall any complaints about severed animal heads. Nobody remembers any such thing.
Now, one of these two named accusers, a guy named Christopher Taylor, is a registered Democrat. He opposes Allen's election. The other, a guy who got all this started, is a guy named Ken Shelton. A registered Democrat up until 2004 — he's the guy, by the way, that made the deer head allegation. A lot of people that were on Allen's football team have come to his defense, including Reverend Gary Hamm, who is a black minister."
Noting that nobody is debating ideas with George Allen, Rush said that "Every time Allen has debated James Webb, it is clear that Webb is not a Virginian, doesn't know Virginia history and policies. When they actually get discussed, it is clear that Allen is superior in that field.
"Democrats can't let that happen. They know they're going to lose on policy debates, ideological debates, idea debates, so what do they do? Smear. It's all they do."
Allen, he said, has been in public life long enough to have been an assemblyman, a governor, a congressman, and a senator. "And in all of that time there hasn't been one such complaint, other than the guy likes the Confederate flag, which is another smear attempt.
Now all of a sudden, here comes a guy from 17 years ago, many years ago, when Allen played football somewhere, saying that he used the n-word and that he said that black people eat turtles and all of this absurd stuff.
Rush's prediction: the smear campaign will backfire because they have gone "way over the line," in his words. He also said, "It's typical."
NewsMax.com continues:
Rush recalled that Allen's opponent Jim Webb dodged a question as to whether he had ever used the n-word, saying only that, "Well, I don't think there's anybody who grew up around the south that hasn't had the word pass their lips at one time or another."
So what we have here is George Allen denying he said the n-word and Jim Webb all but admitting that he did say and has uttered it. Is the media making any hay out of this? No, this is not the agenda, it's not the template.
Allen's first wife is denying he ever said that African-Americans eat turtles, and there aren't any independent witnesses to corroborate any of these allegations made in that Salon.com piece or a New York Times article about Allen and the n-word.
Then there's this ridiculous charge that Allen put a deer's head in a black family's mailbox. Have you heard that one? Two Louisa County sheriff's deputies who were on the force in the early 1970s said in interviews on Tuesday that they don't recall any complaints about severed animal heads. Nobody remembers any such thing.
Now, one of these two named accusers, a guy named Christopher Taylor, is a registered Democrat. He opposes Allen's election. The other, a guy who got all this started, is a guy named Ken Shelton. A registered Democrat up until 2004 — he's the guy, by the way, that made the deer head allegation. A lot of people that were on Allen's football team have come to his defense, including Reverend Gary Hamm, who is a black minister."
Noting that nobody is debating ideas with George Allen, Rush said that "Every time Allen has debated James Webb, it is clear that Webb is not a Virginian, doesn't know Virginia history and policies. When they actually get discussed, it is clear that Allen is superior in that field.
"Democrats can't let that happen. They know they're going to lose on policy debates, ideological debates, idea debates, so what do they do? Smear. It's all they do."
Allen, he said, has been in public life long enough to have been an assemblyman, a governor, a congressman, and a senator. "And in all of that time there hasn't been one such complaint, other than the guy likes the Confederate flag, which is another smear attempt.
Now all of a sudden, here comes a guy from 17 years ago, many years ago, when Allen played football somewhere, saying that he used the n-word and that he said that black people eat turtles and all of this absurd stuff.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Multiple posts ... oops!
My most sincere apologies for the multiples of the same post ... Blogger and I have been at odds this morning which I'm sure is my ineptitude and not Blogger's fault.
Separating facts from fiction ... Webbies sling mud
Great post today at The Ward View comparing fact with reality in all the mud coming out of the Webb camp. Rhapsody on a Theme of Hate in D minor details how Jim Webb and the Democrat Party orchestrated a smear campaign against George Allen. Good research from Ward Smythe.
Monday, September 25, 2006
Webb's 15 minutes in Staunton....
What's your hurry, Jim?
On the streets of Staunton the word today is Jim Webb stayed a total of 15 minutes at his Democrat appearance/fund raiser yesterday at the Mill Street Grill.
Even the reporter who called to talk with me afterwards complained of the short visit, saying he didn't have a chance to ask all his questions. In fact, as dems were still arriving for the event, Jim Webb was departing to head elsewhere.
Hmmm......
On the streets of Staunton the word today is Jim Webb stayed a total of 15 minutes at his Democrat appearance/fund raiser yesterday at the Mill Street Grill.
Even the reporter who called to talk with me afterwards complained of the short visit, saying he didn't have a chance to ask all his questions. In fact, as dems were still arriving for the event, Jim Webb was departing to head elsewhere.
Hmmm......
UCV's Weakly Webb Woundup: Conservative posts on Webb
"Be vewy, vewy quiet. We're hunting Webbites."
Flora over at United Conservatives has posted this week's Weakly Webb Woundup, collecting posts from conservative bloggers who are looking for issues from Jim Webb in this mud-slinging contest called a Senatorial race.
Check out commentary from Spank That Donkey, Spark It Up!!!, I'm Not Emeril, Black Velvet Bruce Li, Jefferson Mammoth, The Ward View, and yours truly.
While you're there check out Flora's powerful video, "Jim Webb's Dark Ride." If you've not seen it you are one of the few in the Virginia blogosphere who have missed it.
Thanks, Flora, for all you're doing for the conservative cause.
Flora over at United Conservatives has posted this week's Weakly Webb Woundup, collecting posts from conservative bloggers who are looking for issues from Jim Webb in this mud-slinging contest called a Senatorial race.
Check out commentary from Spank That Donkey, Spark It Up!!!, I'm Not Emeril, Black Velvet Bruce Li, Jefferson Mammoth, The Ward View, and yours truly.
While you're there check out Flora's powerful video, "Jim Webb's Dark Ride." If you've not seen it you are one of the few in the Virginia blogosphere who have missed it.
Thanks, Flora, for all you're doing for the conservative cause.
Sunday, September 24, 2006
Jim Webb in Staunton
So ... the dems hosted Jim Webb in Staunton today. They were expecting the party loyal and they were expecting to hear from their candidate.
After the event, I received a phone call from a local reporter with the Staunton News Leader who said a number of people had commented there were no Republican protesters at the Webb event. The reporter was calling to ask if that was a concerted effort and why we weren't there.
First of all ... it is Sunday. In the Valley, Sunday is still a day of worship and a day for family. Second, I am working for my candidate, not against theirs.
Perhaps they were expecting us to show up in ape and banana suits, or dressed as the grim reaper as they did on the streets of Staunton in August.
Sorry, folks. We don't work that way. I think stunts like that are demeaning to the candidate, demeaning to the Party, and demeaning to the people inside those suits. It's ridiculous.
Instead, I prefer to work for Senator George Allen by talking issues and explaining to folks what he has accomplished to help the citizens of Virginia throughout his many years of public service as Delegate, Governor, and Senator.
Today the local Republicans went to church and spent time with their families. Tomorrow we'll be back campaigning.
After the event, I received a phone call from a local reporter with the Staunton News Leader who said a number of people had commented there were no Republican protesters at the Webb event. The reporter was calling to ask if that was a concerted effort and why we weren't there.
First of all ... it is Sunday. In the Valley, Sunday is still a day of worship and a day for family. Second, I am working for my candidate, not against theirs.
Perhaps they were expecting us to show up in ape and banana suits, or dressed as the grim reaper as they did on the streets of Staunton in August.
Sorry, folks. We don't work that way. I think stunts like that are demeaning to the candidate, demeaning to the Party, and demeaning to the people inside those suits. It's ridiculous.
Instead, I prefer to work for Senator George Allen by talking issues and explaining to folks what he has accomplished to help the citizens of Virginia throughout his many years of public service as Delegate, Governor, and Senator.
Today the local Republicans went to church and spent time with their families. Tomorrow we'll be back campaigning.
George Allen, the bloggers, and his Jewish heritage....
Unbelievable.
Raising Kaine and the screeching demon-crats over there have gone beyond anything I've ever encountered in politics. Those who have dug and researched and hunted for George Allen's Jewish background must be happy with the media circus that is now playing out and the probable turmoil it is causing children, grandchildren, parents, grandparent.
I was sitting at the Allen-Webb debate on Monday when the question was asked by reporterette Peggy Fox, a question I felt had nothing, absolutely nothing to do with the senatorial race in Virginia. But now I wonder what the intent was when she asked it. Was she against George Allen? Was she ignorant? Did she stop to think about the reprecussions of what could happen? Did she stop to think?
George Allen is an honorable man. He has been my next-door Delegate, my Governor, and my Senator, and I have been proud to be represented by such a hard-working man. I have admired his wife Susan and the way they have raised their children who have grown up in the public eye ... not easy for any child.
For years, when the month of August rolls around and the Senate is in recess, George Allen has gone on his "Listening Tour" throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, spending his weeks visiting the citizens he represents.
Here in the Shenandoah Valley, he is loved!! We always look forward to his visits, to his attendance at our pig roasts, our meetings, our dinners, our gatherings for burgers at Wright's, or a lunch meeting at Rowe's.
What did George Allen do to attract the wrath of the liberal screeching lefties?
He headed up the 2004 National Republican Senatorial Committee that defeated Minority Leader Tom Daschle and other Democrat senate seats that were up for grabs ... thus giving the Republicans an 11-seat advantage over the Democrats in the Senate -- the first time that had happened since 1928. He toppled Tom Daschle.
The defeat of obstructionist Tom Daschle probably did as much as anything else to put the bullseye on George Allen's back for his 2006 reelection to the Senate.
At the grassroots level we knew they would be gunning for him. We knew it would be a tough race. The mud-slinging we expected. The digging into George Allen's lineage we didn't expect. And, in my opinion, it has gone over the top. The bloggers have been unleashed like a pack of attack dogs, frothing at the mouth as they put out bit after bit of personal information about the Senator, his family, and his life.
Why, they asked, did his mother keep it a secret (all the while insinuating the Senator knew all along). As quoted in this Washington Post article, she said:
"The fact this is such an issue justifies my actions, and my behavior."
Exactly. What she feared ... is now happening at the hands of the democrats.
Back to the 2004 election....
As chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Senator Allen traveled nationwide and worked hard to secure eight open seats and defend two more for the GOP. Thanks to him there's 55 Republicans, 44 Democrats, and one Democrat-leaning independent in the Senate (source here).
The nastier the dems become, the more resolved I am to put in whatever work is required to win this election. Feedback from Allen supporters in this area has been extremely positive ... and the negative dem campaigning is boomeranging. People are angry and fired up. They cannot believe such tactics are being used against their beloved Senator. They will be there for him on Election Day ... just as he has been there for them throughout the years ... and he will win.
Raising Kaine and the screeching demon-crats over there have gone beyond anything I've ever encountered in politics. Those who have dug and researched and hunted for George Allen's Jewish background must be happy with the media circus that is now playing out and the probable turmoil it is causing children, grandchildren, parents, grandparent.
I was sitting at the Allen-Webb debate on Monday when the question was asked by reporterette Peggy Fox, a question I felt had nothing, absolutely nothing to do with the senatorial race in Virginia. But now I wonder what the intent was when she asked it. Was she against George Allen? Was she ignorant? Did she stop to think about the reprecussions of what could happen? Did she stop to think?
George Allen is an honorable man. He has been my next-door Delegate, my Governor, and my Senator, and I have been proud to be represented by such a hard-working man. I have admired his wife Susan and the way they have raised their children who have grown up in the public eye ... not easy for any child.
For years, when the month of August rolls around and the Senate is in recess, George Allen has gone on his "Listening Tour" throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, spending his weeks visiting the citizens he represents.
Here in the Shenandoah Valley, he is loved!! We always look forward to his visits, to his attendance at our pig roasts, our meetings, our dinners, our gatherings for burgers at Wright's, or a lunch meeting at Rowe's.
What did George Allen do to attract the wrath of the liberal screeching lefties?
He headed up the 2004 National Republican Senatorial Committee that defeated Minority Leader Tom Daschle and other Democrat senate seats that were up for grabs ... thus giving the Republicans an 11-seat advantage over the Democrats in the Senate -- the first time that had happened since 1928. He toppled Tom Daschle.
The defeat of obstructionist Tom Daschle probably did as much as anything else to put the bullseye on George Allen's back for his 2006 reelection to the Senate.
At the grassroots level we knew they would be gunning for him. We knew it would be a tough race. The mud-slinging we expected. The digging into George Allen's lineage we didn't expect. And, in my opinion, it has gone over the top. The bloggers have been unleashed like a pack of attack dogs, frothing at the mouth as they put out bit after bit of personal information about the Senator, his family, and his life.
Why, they asked, did his mother keep it a secret (all the while insinuating the Senator knew all along). As quoted in this Washington Post article, she said:
"The fact this is such an issue justifies my actions, and my behavior."
Exactly. What she feared ... is now happening at the hands of the democrats.
Back to the 2004 election....
As chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Senator Allen traveled nationwide and worked hard to secure eight open seats and defend two more for the GOP. Thanks to him there's 55 Republicans, 44 Democrats, and one Democrat-leaning independent in the Senate (source here).
The nastier the dems become, the more resolved I am to put in whatever work is required to win this election. Feedback from Allen supporters in this area has been extremely positive ... and the negative dem campaigning is boomeranging. People are angry and fired up. They cannot believe such tactics are being used against their beloved Senator. They will be there for him on Election Day ... just as he has been there for them throughout the years ... and he will win.
Friday, September 22, 2006
News-Virginian: New editor yet?
Was just wondering this evening if the News-Virginian had begun its search for a new editor to replace Todd Foster ... or if they may have found one yet.
My choice: Ross Mackenzie of the Richmond Times-Dispatch ... although I realize that's not going to happen. He's retiring at the end of this year but I'd love to see him at a small newspaper like Waynesboro to weave his conservative common sense into that paper.
I still maintain the News-Virginian, with the proper conservative editor, could give the Staunton News Leader a run for its money. So many people have cancelled subscriptions to the News Leader because of its biased slant against Republicans and conservatives that I feel certain they would head straight to the News-Virginian if they felt their viewpoints may be represented there.
Wouldn't that be fun?
My choice: Ross Mackenzie of the Richmond Times-Dispatch ... although I realize that's not going to happen. He's retiring at the end of this year but I'd love to see him at a small newspaper like Waynesboro to weave his conservative common sense into that paper.
I still maintain the News-Virginian, with the proper conservative editor, could give the Staunton News Leader a run for its money. So many people have cancelled subscriptions to the News Leader because of its biased slant against Republicans and conservatives that I feel certain they would head straight to the News-Virginian if they felt their viewpoints may be represented there.
Wouldn't that be fun?
Jim Webb was against John Kerry before he was for John Kerry....
Video from United Conservatives is powerful....
Flora over at United Conservatives has put together a powerful 4-minute video called "Jim Webb's Dark Ride" which pulls together images of Webb's flip-flops concerning Vietnam, John Kerry, Bill Clinton, Vietnam, Republicans, Democrats, Iraq, Vietnam.... Watch it and see for yourself. I downloaded on dial-up; took a while but well worth it.
Flora over at United Conservatives has put together a powerful 4-minute video called "Jim Webb's Dark Ride" which pulls together images of Webb's flip-flops concerning Vietnam, John Kerry, Bill Clinton, Vietnam, Republicans, Democrats, Iraq, Vietnam.... Watch it and see for yourself. I downloaded on dial-up; took a while but well worth it.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Webb background ... good stuff from A Team
The A Team website has excellent background information on Jim Webb that is researched, corroborated, referenced, and offered in a dignified manner ... unlike Raising Kaine where there is a continuous screeching of anti-Allen, anti-Bush, anti-conservative, anti-Republican ... attack, attack, attack! They have actually declared war on conservative bloggers and have listed the specific ones to target/spam.
The following article is posted here for those interested in Webb's past government performance under pressure (in a bridle, as he put it). Everything I've read so far suggests the man is good at down-in-the-mud warfare ... but diplomacy is not his cup of tea.
That is evident with his choice of bloggers ... they are in the mud slinging it as fast as they can. The A Team and other conservative Allen supporters who are blogging information are informative and civil in their discourse, much like their candidate, George Allen, who presents a stately presence and shows considerable knowledge and genuine concern for the Commonwealth.
Here's the first part of the article. Check out the A Team website's Jim Webb: Wrong then, wrong now to read the entire thing.
The Stormy Departure of a Navy Secretary who veered off course
(Washington Post, March 7, 1988)
James H. Webb Jr. says he is a man who can’t be bridled, a Marine who isn’t good at playing the bureaucrat, a political appointee who couldn’t march up to Capitol Hill and sell a pack of ideas he detested.
Some of his former Pentagon colleagues see it another way. They say he was reckless, bullheaded and unrealistic in his expectations of a massive bureaucracy like the Defense Department.
Jim Webb — novelist, lawyer, decorated Vietnam veteran — quit his job as Navy secretary two weeks ago in a fiery barrage of moral outrage and personal frustration.
It was an explosive ending to a short, stormy tenure as the civilian chief of the Navy and Marine Corps. Although his resignation came abruptly, it did not surprise some colleagues who had watched the growing tensions between Webb and his boss, Defense Secretary Frank C. Carlucci.
Relations between Webb and Carlucci had become so strained that the Navy secretary didn’t deliver the news in person: On Feb. 22, he left a resignation letter on the desk of one of Carlucci’s aides after he had dispatched a similar letter to President Reagan.
“It was not a class act,” remarked one Pentagon official.
“Secretary Carlucci and I were not talking at that point at great length anyway,” Webb retorted when asked about the incident on PBS’ “MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour” the next night.
Carlucci two days later told the House Armed Services Committee that he had sensed Webb’s unhappiness after reading some of Webb’s speeches that “reflected a certain divergence from the president’s national security strategy.” Carlucci said he sent Webb “a note or two saying I’d like to hear from him on this, but he never elected to come and talk to me about it.”
Parting Shots
While former defense secretary Caspar W. Weinberger had selected Webb for the Navy job partially because he respected Webb’s intellectual independence, it was that streak of uncompromising independence that finally led to his resignation.
“He was not a team player,” said one Pentagon official familiar with the internal conflicts.
Webb’s assessment: “It’s no secret that I’m not a person who wears a bridle well.”
On the morning he resigned, Webb called seven reporters into his fourth-floor office at the Pentagon and cast the political bridle aside.
“First of all, I’m not a bomb thrower,” Webb began. He went on to say, “This is not an attack per se on Carlucci.”
He then proceeded to lob bombs at Carlucci’s management style, his handling of budget issues and the military establishment’s failure to mold a proper defense strategy for the coming years.
Eleven months of personal frustrations and administrative setbacks spilled out: budget battles, snide memos, reprimands, personal snubs. Webb opened a rare window on the internal feuds and petty bickering of Washington’s biggest bureaucracy.
On the budget: “We gave the secretary of defense our best advice on three separate occasions, with three different versions of the budget, and our advice was rejected. And I’m in a position where I cannot support the reductions, so it’s just best for me to leave.”
On Carlucci: “This building needs to be led, it needs leadership, it needs some vision . . . . I’m saying if I had a piece of advice to give Secretary Carlucci, I’d spend a lot more time with the top leaders of this building . . . .”
On Carlucci’s reaction to a newspaper article noting the Navy’s opposition to cutting 16 frigates from its budget: “I got a handwritten note back saying ‘I assume this is inaccurate and will be denied.’ Now, I’m not going to deny the truth.”
On resigning: “I’ve thought about it for a number of weeks . . . . I’m not mad. Don’t make it sound like I am . . . . Nobody should have these jobs if they can’t walk away from them.”
Carlucci told the House panel that on the budget, “I think the Navy was dealt with quite fairly. I might say that we went through the same process with the other services.”
In his departing shot, Webb accused Carlucci of abandoning the administration’s goal of a 600-ship Navy when the defense chief demanded that 16 older frigates be retired. Carlucci responded: “Let me point out that we have in this budget some 17 ships for construction. So we are going ahead with the modernization effort. It’s really a question of what ships you have in the fleet.”
In the end, Webb got little support from Capitol Hill on his complaints that the Navy suffered seriously when Carlucci ordered almost $12 billion in cuts late last year. In fact, many congressional leaders had praised Carlucci for his efforts to trim the defense budget before it reached Congress.
“If anybody’s living in Fat City, it’s been the Navy for the past few years,” said Rep. William L. Dickinson (R-Ala.). “And we worked toward a 600-ship Navy. That’s fine — but {there’s} nothing magic about that.”
Taking Charge
The battle over the budget was only one of the frustrations that prompted Webb to resign, however. Webb and his associates both say the author of the best-selling Vietnam war novel “Fields of Fire” attempted to fit into a job that didn’t suit his temperament. “I’m not a good bureaucrat in {that} the tedium of the bureaucracy does get to me,” Webb said.
“He was far more comfortable sitting in a tent conversing with the troops than conversing with the bureaucrats in this building,” said one Webb associate.
Webb, 42, was recommended for the Navy post shortly after he quit the Pentagon job he’d held for three years as assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs.
Last April, when Webb moved into the spacious office that had been vacated by the controversial John F. Lehman Jr., he immediately set about reversing many decisions of Lehman’s final months. Lehman had enraged some of the Navy’s top admirals by rejecting the selections of an officer selection board. Webb reinstated the board’s original decisions and declared an end to the “politicization” of the board.
Webb then tossed out Lehman’s agreement to give two athletes from the Naval Academy special arrangements so they could participate in professional sports. There would be no special deals for Ensign Napoleon McCallum or Midshipman David Robinson to play pro football or basketball.
When Webb played an instrumental role in the early retirement of an admiral who had been one of Lehman’s close associates, Lehman dubbed it “the revenge of the nerds.”
Webb also attempted to dispel concerns over a magazine article he’d written years earlier entitled “Women Can’t Fight” by opening more noncombat jobs to women.
Webb, because of his background, showed a special interest in the Marine Corps and ordered a major study to determine whether the flexible mission of the Marines had become encumbered by equipment and other structural changes.
Marching Alone
Barely a month after Webb took over, the Navy was jolted by the May 17 Iraqi attack on the USS Stark in the Persian Gulf that killed 37 sailors. That would be the beginning of Webb’s first major clash with the leaders who had put him in charge of the Navy.
The Reagan administration’s decision to use Navy assets to carry out a new policy of escorting U.S.-flagged Kuwaiti tankers in the gulf was the most controversial, high-profile naval issue of Webb’s tenure, yet he had no direct control over any of the operational decisions.
The civilian Navy chief was not in the chain of command. The critical decisions were made by the military chief of naval operations, his colleagues on the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the defense secretary. Webb was left on the sidelines.
In July, he wrote a sharply worded memorandum to Weinberger, raising serious concerns about the roles and vulnerabilities of U.S. forces in the gulf. He questioned the military objectives of the mission and the lack of cooperation by allied nations in the venture.
Weinberger returned the fire, reiterating his views of the Persian Gulf policy and suggesting that the Navy secretary act like a team player and support the effort rather than criticize it.
During one of the most volatile gulf periods last November, Webb infuriated then-national security adviser Carlucci by telling a group of newspaper editors and reporters that he believed the United States should respond to Iranian hostilities with strikes that would prevent further aggression rather than hitting small military targets. The United States recently had destroyed Iranian oil platforms used for communications and launching small boats.
Read the rest of the article at The A Team.
The following article is posted here for those interested in Webb's past government performance under pressure (in a bridle, as he put it). Everything I've read so far suggests the man is good at down-in-the-mud warfare ... but diplomacy is not his cup of tea.
That is evident with his choice of bloggers ... they are in the mud slinging it as fast as they can. The A Team and other conservative Allen supporters who are blogging information are informative and civil in their discourse, much like their candidate, George Allen, who presents a stately presence and shows considerable knowledge and genuine concern for the Commonwealth.
Here's the first part of the article. Check out the A Team website's Jim Webb: Wrong then, wrong now to read the entire thing.
The Stormy Departure of a Navy Secretary who veered off course
(Washington Post, March 7, 1988)
James H. Webb Jr. says he is a man who can’t be bridled, a Marine who isn’t good at playing the bureaucrat, a political appointee who couldn’t march up to Capitol Hill and sell a pack of ideas he detested.
Some of his former Pentagon colleagues see it another way. They say he was reckless, bullheaded and unrealistic in his expectations of a massive bureaucracy like the Defense Department.
Jim Webb — novelist, lawyer, decorated Vietnam veteran — quit his job as Navy secretary two weeks ago in a fiery barrage of moral outrage and personal frustration.
It was an explosive ending to a short, stormy tenure as the civilian chief of the Navy and Marine Corps. Although his resignation came abruptly, it did not surprise some colleagues who had watched the growing tensions between Webb and his boss, Defense Secretary Frank C. Carlucci.
Relations between Webb and Carlucci had become so strained that the Navy secretary didn’t deliver the news in person: On Feb. 22, he left a resignation letter on the desk of one of Carlucci’s aides after he had dispatched a similar letter to President Reagan.
“It was not a class act,” remarked one Pentagon official.
“Secretary Carlucci and I were not talking at that point at great length anyway,” Webb retorted when asked about the incident on PBS’ “MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour” the next night.
Carlucci two days later told the House Armed Services Committee that he had sensed Webb’s unhappiness after reading some of Webb’s speeches that “reflected a certain divergence from the president’s national security strategy.” Carlucci said he sent Webb “a note or two saying I’d like to hear from him on this, but he never elected to come and talk to me about it.”
Parting Shots
While former defense secretary Caspar W. Weinberger had selected Webb for the Navy job partially because he respected Webb’s intellectual independence, it was that streak of uncompromising independence that finally led to his resignation.
“He was not a team player,” said one Pentagon official familiar with the internal conflicts.
Webb’s assessment: “It’s no secret that I’m not a person who wears a bridle well.”
On the morning he resigned, Webb called seven reporters into his fourth-floor office at the Pentagon and cast the political bridle aside.
“First of all, I’m not a bomb thrower,” Webb began. He went on to say, “This is not an attack per se on Carlucci.”
He then proceeded to lob bombs at Carlucci’s management style, his handling of budget issues and the military establishment’s failure to mold a proper defense strategy for the coming years.
Eleven months of personal frustrations and administrative setbacks spilled out: budget battles, snide memos, reprimands, personal snubs. Webb opened a rare window on the internal feuds and petty bickering of Washington’s biggest bureaucracy.
On the budget: “We gave the secretary of defense our best advice on three separate occasions, with three different versions of the budget, and our advice was rejected. And I’m in a position where I cannot support the reductions, so it’s just best for me to leave.”
On Carlucci: “This building needs to be led, it needs leadership, it needs some vision . . . . I’m saying if I had a piece of advice to give Secretary Carlucci, I’d spend a lot more time with the top leaders of this building . . . .”
On Carlucci’s reaction to a newspaper article noting the Navy’s opposition to cutting 16 frigates from its budget: “I got a handwritten note back saying ‘I assume this is inaccurate and will be denied.’ Now, I’m not going to deny the truth.”
On resigning: “I’ve thought about it for a number of weeks . . . . I’m not mad. Don’t make it sound like I am . . . . Nobody should have these jobs if they can’t walk away from them.”
Carlucci told the House panel that on the budget, “I think the Navy was dealt with quite fairly. I might say that we went through the same process with the other services.”
In his departing shot, Webb accused Carlucci of abandoning the administration’s goal of a 600-ship Navy when the defense chief demanded that 16 older frigates be retired. Carlucci responded: “Let me point out that we have in this budget some 17 ships for construction. So we are going ahead with the modernization effort. It’s really a question of what ships you have in the fleet.”
In the end, Webb got little support from Capitol Hill on his complaints that the Navy suffered seriously when Carlucci ordered almost $12 billion in cuts late last year. In fact, many congressional leaders had praised Carlucci for his efforts to trim the defense budget before it reached Congress.
“If anybody’s living in Fat City, it’s been the Navy for the past few years,” said Rep. William L. Dickinson (R-Ala.). “And we worked toward a 600-ship Navy. That’s fine — but {there’s} nothing magic about that.”
Taking Charge
The battle over the budget was only one of the frustrations that prompted Webb to resign, however. Webb and his associates both say the author of the best-selling Vietnam war novel “Fields of Fire” attempted to fit into a job that didn’t suit his temperament. “I’m not a good bureaucrat in {that} the tedium of the bureaucracy does get to me,” Webb said.
“He was far more comfortable sitting in a tent conversing with the troops than conversing with the bureaucrats in this building,” said one Webb associate.
Webb, 42, was recommended for the Navy post shortly after he quit the Pentagon job he’d held for three years as assistant secretary of defense for reserve affairs.
Last April, when Webb moved into the spacious office that had been vacated by the controversial John F. Lehman Jr., he immediately set about reversing many decisions of Lehman’s final months. Lehman had enraged some of the Navy’s top admirals by rejecting the selections of an officer selection board. Webb reinstated the board’s original decisions and declared an end to the “politicization” of the board.
Webb then tossed out Lehman’s agreement to give two athletes from the Naval Academy special arrangements so they could participate in professional sports. There would be no special deals for Ensign Napoleon McCallum or Midshipman David Robinson to play pro football or basketball.
When Webb played an instrumental role in the early retirement of an admiral who had been one of Lehman’s close associates, Lehman dubbed it “the revenge of the nerds.”
Webb also attempted to dispel concerns over a magazine article he’d written years earlier entitled “Women Can’t Fight” by opening more noncombat jobs to women.
Webb, because of his background, showed a special interest in the Marine Corps and ordered a major study to determine whether the flexible mission of the Marines had become encumbered by equipment and other structural changes.
Marching Alone
Barely a month after Webb took over, the Navy was jolted by the May 17 Iraqi attack on the USS Stark in the Persian Gulf that killed 37 sailors. That would be the beginning of Webb’s first major clash with the leaders who had put him in charge of the Navy.
The Reagan administration’s decision to use Navy assets to carry out a new policy of escorting U.S.-flagged Kuwaiti tankers in the gulf was the most controversial, high-profile naval issue of Webb’s tenure, yet he had no direct control over any of the operational decisions.
The civilian Navy chief was not in the chain of command. The critical decisions were made by the military chief of naval operations, his colleagues on the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the defense secretary. Webb was left on the sidelines.
In July, he wrote a sharply worded memorandum to Weinberger, raising serious concerns about the roles and vulnerabilities of U.S. forces in the gulf. He questioned the military objectives of the mission and the lack of cooperation by allied nations in the venture.
Weinberger returned the fire, reiterating his views of the Persian Gulf policy and suggesting that the Navy secretary act like a team player and support the effort rather than criticize it.
During one of the most volatile gulf periods last November, Webb infuriated then-national security adviser Carlucci by telling a group of newspaper editors and reporters that he believed the United States should respond to Iranian hostilities with strikes that would prevent further aggression rather than hitting small military targets. The United States recently had destroyed Iranian oil platforms used for communications and launching small boats.
Read the rest of the article at The A Team.
Webbies declare war on Allen bloggers
Allen supporters targeted by Raising Kaine
The screeching coming from Raising Kaine has gotten louder and uglier as they rally their lemmings to attack, attack, attack!
They have raised the bar on untruths being slammed out in the blogosphere with no concern for fact checking or civility. They have declared war on George Allen backers who blog their support of the Senator, even going so far as to list the names of those to attack/spam.
It has gotten so bad that one of their own liberal bloggers has posted a protest against Raising Kaine and has called for Lowell to resign. It's amazing that Jim Webb never weighs in on this issue or holds his blog staff accountable.
The screeching coming from Raising Kaine has gotten louder and uglier as they rally their lemmings to attack, attack, attack!
They have raised the bar on untruths being slammed out in the blogosphere with no concern for fact checking or civility. They have declared war on George Allen backers who blog their support of the Senator, even going so far as to list the names of those to attack/spam.
It has gotten so bad that one of their own liberal bloggers has posted a protest against Raising Kaine and has called for Lowell to resign. It's amazing that Jim Webb never weighs in on this issue or holds his blog staff accountable.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Get Hannitized! George Allen to appear with Sean Hannity in D.C.
Get Hannitized!
Young Professionals for Allen
invite you to join
Sean Hannity and Senator George Allen
Friday, September, 29th, 2006
HOST Reception 6:00pm
General Reception 6:30pm – 8:00pm
400 North Capitol Street NW
Washington, DC
$1000 per HOST
$75 per person
R.S.V.P. to Michelle Presson at pressons@yahoo.com
Please make checks payable to Friends of George Allen.
Questions? Call (703) 625-9597.
Young Professionals for Allen
invite you to join
Sean Hannity and Senator George Allen
Friday, September, 29th, 2006
HOST Reception 6:00pm
General Reception 6:30pm – 8:00pm
400 North Capitol Street NW
Washington, DC
$1000 per HOST
$75 per person
R.S.V.P. to Michelle Presson at pressons@yahoo.com
Please make checks payable to Friends of George Allen.
Questions? Call (703) 625-9597.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Senator Allen's statement regarding inappropriate question by reporter Peggy Fox at debate
Statement from Senator George Allen
ARLINGTON, VA – U.S. Senator George Allen released the following statement this afternoon:“Yesterday, I found it especially reprehensible that a reporter would impugn the attitudes of my mother, as Ms. Peggy Fox did in her first question at the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce Senate debate. My mother and father both taught me to abhor bigotry, and Ms. Fox’s suggestion to the contrary was deeply offensive.
“The notion peddled by the Webb campaign that I am somehow embarrassed by my heritage is equally offensive, and also absurd.
“I was raised as a Christian and my mother was raised as a Christian. And I embrace and take great pride in every aspect of my diverse heritage, including my Lumbroso family line’s Jewish heritage, which I learned about from a recent magazine article and my mother confirmed.
“On several occasions through the years, I have mentioned publicly that my mother's father was incarcerated by the Nazis. I have never known whether he was persecuted by the Nazis because of his nationality, his religious faith, his role as a community leader, or his part in the anti-Nazi resistance.
“What I do know is that my grandfather’s imprisonment by the Nazis had a profound impact on my mother. It was a subject she found painful to discuss and so we almost never discussed it.
“Some may find it odd that I have not probed deeply into the details of my family history, but it’s a fact. We in the Allen household were simply taught that what matters is a person’s character, integrity, effort, and performance – not race, gender, ethnicity or religion. And so whenever we would ask my mother through the years about our family background on her side, the answer always was, ‘Who cares about that?’
“My mother has lived a long and full life, and I hope and pray she will enjoy many more years. She deserves respect and she also deserves privacy, especially where painful memories are concerned. I sincerely hope that simple decency will be respected.”
ARLINGTON, VA – U.S. Senator George Allen released the following statement this afternoon:“Yesterday, I found it especially reprehensible that a reporter would impugn the attitudes of my mother, as Ms. Peggy Fox did in her first question at the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce Senate debate. My mother and father both taught me to abhor bigotry, and Ms. Fox’s suggestion to the contrary was deeply offensive.
“The notion peddled by the Webb campaign that I am somehow embarrassed by my heritage is equally offensive, and also absurd.
“I was raised as a Christian and my mother was raised as a Christian. And I embrace and take great pride in every aspect of my diverse heritage, including my Lumbroso family line’s Jewish heritage, which I learned about from a recent magazine article and my mother confirmed.
“On several occasions through the years, I have mentioned publicly that my mother's father was incarcerated by the Nazis. I have never known whether he was persecuted by the Nazis because of his nationality, his religious faith, his role as a community leader, or his part in the anti-Nazi resistance.
“What I do know is that my grandfather’s imprisonment by the Nazis had a profound impact on my mother. It was a subject she found painful to discuss and so we almost never discussed it.
“Some may find it odd that I have not probed deeply into the details of my family history, but it’s a fact. We in the Allen household were simply taught that what matters is a person’s character, integrity, effort, and performance – not race, gender, ethnicity or religion. And so whenever we would ask my mother through the years about our family background on her side, the answer always was, ‘Who cares about that?’
“My mother has lived a long and full life, and I hope and pray she will enjoy many more years. She deserves respect and she also deserves privacy, especially where painful memories are concerned. I sincerely hope that simple decency will be respected.”
Allen signs ... keep a watch!
RightsideVA has a humorous post this morning about his late-night paranoia concerning Allen campaign signs being safe and sound from would-be vandals. It was my laugh of the morning!
Big city ... bright lights
Spent the weekend in the D.C. area ... the heartbeat of the nation. Busy, exciting, historical.... Metro, shopping, traffic, people.... Truly a "big city, bright lights" weekend. Spent Saturday in Alexandria, Saturday night in McLean, Sunday at the Washington Zoo, Monday at the Allen-Webb debate. Exciting stuff going on in the Nation's Capitol.
However ...
I was ready to come home when my van turned toward the Valley late yesterday afternoon. I love the hustle and bustle about as much as anyone ... but I love the Valley more. Give me the mountains, less people, less traffic, the serenity, the quiet, the climate ... and did I mention the mountains....
The Shenandoah Valley ... nice to be back home.
However ...
I was ready to come home when my van turned toward the Valley late yesterday afternoon. I love the hustle and bustle about as much as anyone ... but I love the Valley more. Give me the mountains, less people, less traffic, the serenity, the quiet, the climate ... and did I mention the mountains....
The Shenandoah Valley ... nice to be back home.
Allen-Webb Debate ... Fairfax Chamber of Commerce
A front row seat on history....
I asked four questions yesterday morning before the Webb-Allen debate and now, after sitting in and observing, I have the answers plus more. The questions I asked were:
1) Will Jim Webb allow George Allen to respond to questions without speaking over him as he did repeatedly on Meet The Press?
Number of times Webb spoke over George Allen during debate: 4
Number of times Senator Allen spoke over Webb: 0
2) Will Jim Webb give us some idea of what he has in mind as far as handling the Iraq War besides the pat response of "we shouldn't be there," "we need to get out," etc.?
Short answer, no.
But when asked by George Stephanapoulos if he would vote for cutting appropriations for the war, Webb said no.
3) Will the moderator (and I still have questions about George Stephanapoulos modering the debate -- couldn't they find someone a little more bipartisan?) pull some information out from Webb about Virginia issues?
I was pleasantly surprised at George Stephanapoulos' handling of the debate. Although he opened by expressing interest in this race because it was now a "barn burner," he was even-handed and didn't let his partisan politics show.
4) Will the moderator bring out and perhaps ask a question or two about the accomplishments of GOVERNOR George Allen?
Not really.
--
Shortly into the debate, a bizaar question was asked by reporter Peggy Fox that brought boos from the crowd and calls of, "What's that got to do with anything?" Look at the video here of this part of the debate.
There were 800 people in attendance. Sold out.
Opening and closing statements: Senator Allen was positive with his achievements and desire to continue in leadership. Webb was negative, saying we needed solutions (but conveniently leaving out any ideas about how to go about obtaining those solutions), and offering nothing tangible to hang on to.
On at least three occasions Webb said he "echoed" George Allen's sentiments - he had nothing to offer on his own. He then offered negatives....
1) America's foreign policy is in complete disarray due to Iraq.
2) We have three Americas.
3) Called it "Karl Rove" politics and professed dismay at the negative campaigning. He must have had a deaf ear to the "macaca" incident that was hounded on continuously in the lib/lefty blogs and media.
4) Everytime Webb was asked if he would vote for whatever bill that had been proposed by whichever senator/congressman, he conveniently said yes.
5) On the stem cell issue Webb is for embryotic stem cell research and commented that this was even Nancy Reagan's project.
Webb appeared to entirely miss the point that NOW he was being respectful of Nancy Reagan but NOT when she asked him to withhold the footage in his TV ads showing Webb with President Ronald Reagan ... those same ads that he began airing on Monday, 9/11, when every other campaign held their ads in respect of the fifth anniversary of 9/11 ... something the mainstream media has also let slide instead of holding the Webb campaign, and Jim Webb himself, accountable.
6) Said terrorists (I believe he used the word "insurgents" but they are terrorists) are blowing up oil pipe lines in Iraq and want Americans out. (Well, duh!)
7) When asked about the scathing article Webb wrote against including women in the military including the "horny" reference, he never apologized for saying it. He apologized for the tone of the article but said to look at the tone of the times.
Senator Allen responded there were women who were affected who still talk about Webb's words, not his tone.
8) Because the subject of women in the military came up, and Webb was asked to be accountable for what he wrote, he snarled, "This must be my 'macaca' payback. Keep trying, George."
9) When George Allen was asked about transportation needs he explained his belief in a private-public partnership with private investment to help. Switch to Webb ... and again he said he agreed with Allen but offered no real solutions of his own.
The closing statements were interesting. Senator Allen went first and used his three minutes to thank everyone for being there and told of what he had helped accomplish while in office to help with everything from transportation in the congested NOVA area to education. He ended by asking that the voters allow him to continue to represent them.
Jim Webb's closing statement went negative ... there are problems out there ... issues to be resolved ... the war is wrong ... Senator Allen is wrong ... everything seemed to be wrong and we needed to find solutions ... but he didn't offer the solutions! He said he wanted national defense to be properly focused on again. Well ... hello! I believe that's what the President is doing. Sorry; my opinion there....
I attended the debate with Rhonda Winfield, the Marine mom whose 19-year-old son, Jason Redifer, was killed in Iraq on January 31, 2005. She is a staunch supporter of George Allen.
After the debate she approached Jim Webb and, after waiting for 10 minutes or so, finally got his attention as he was pulling away from the venue. She asked him, "What is your plan for Iraq so my son did not die in vain?"
Webb's response: "I think we've done the job. My son's in Iraq right now." And he went on to elaborate on his service in Vietnam and his worse nightmare was to have that happen again ... and then he finally said, "God bless your son," and hugged her. It struck me that his immediate response was not to express his sorrow at her loss but, rather, that it came later in the conversation. While talking about it on our drive back to the Valley, Rhonda called it a "photo op" hug and said he was the first Marine she had ever encountered who did not feel like a brother Marine.
More on this to come....
I asked four questions yesterday morning before the Webb-Allen debate and now, after sitting in and observing, I have the answers plus more. The questions I asked were:
1) Will Jim Webb allow George Allen to respond to questions without speaking over him as he did repeatedly on Meet The Press?
Number of times Webb spoke over George Allen during debate: 4
Number of times Senator Allen spoke over Webb: 0
2) Will Jim Webb give us some idea of what he has in mind as far as handling the Iraq War besides the pat response of "we shouldn't be there," "we need to get out," etc.?
Short answer, no.
But when asked by George Stephanapoulos if he would vote for cutting appropriations for the war, Webb said no.
3) Will the moderator (and I still have questions about George Stephanapoulos modering the debate -- couldn't they find someone a little more bipartisan?) pull some information out from Webb about Virginia issues?
I was pleasantly surprised at George Stephanapoulos' handling of the debate. Although he opened by expressing interest in this race because it was now a "barn burner," he was even-handed and didn't let his partisan politics show.
4) Will the moderator bring out and perhaps ask a question or two about the accomplishments of GOVERNOR George Allen?
Not really.
--
Shortly into the debate, a bizaar question was asked by reporter Peggy Fox that brought boos from the crowd and calls of, "What's that got to do with anything?" Look at the video here of this part of the debate.
There were 800 people in attendance. Sold out.
Opening and closing statements: Senator Allen was positive with his achievements and desire to continue in leadership. Webb was negative, saying we needed solutions (but conveniently leaving out any ideas about how to go about obtaining those solutions), and offering nothing tangible to hang on to.
On at least three occasions Webb said he "echoed" George Allen's sentiments - he had nothing to offer on his own. He then offered negatives....
1) America's foreign policy is in complete disarray due to Iraq.
2) We have three Americas.
3) Called it "Karl Rove" politics and professed dismay at the negative campaigning. He must have had a deaf ear to the "macaca" incident that was hounded on continuously in the lib/lefty blogs and media.
4) Everytime Webb was asked if he would vote for whatever bill that had been proposed by whichever senator/congressman, he conveniently said yes.
5) On the stem cell issue Webb is for embryotic stem cell research and commented that this was even Nancy Reagan's project.
Webb appeared to entirely miss the point that NOW he was being respectful of Nancy Reagan but NOT when she asked him to withhold the footage in his TV ads showing Webb with President Ronald Reagan ... those same ads that he began airing on Monday, 9/11, when every other campaign held their ads in respect of the fifth anniversary of 9/11 ... something the mainstream media has also let slide instead of holding the Webb campaign, and Jim Webb himself, accountable.
6) Said terrorists (I believe he used the word "insurgents" but they are terrorists) are blowing up oil pipe lines in Iraq and want Americans out. (Well, duh!)
7) When asked about the scathing article Webb wrote against including women in the military including the "horny" reference, he never apologized for saying it. He apologized for the tone of the article but said to look at the tone of the times.
Senator Allen responded there were women who were affected who still talk about Webb's words, not his tone.
8) Because the subject of women in the military came up, and Webb was asked to be accountable for what he wrote, he snarled, "This must be my 'macaca' payback. Keep trying, George."
9) When George Allen was asked about transportation needs he explained his belief in a private-public partnership with private investment to help. Switch to Webb ... and again he said he agreed with Allen but offered no real solutions of his own.
The closing statements were interesting. Senator Allen went first and used his three minutes to thank everyone for being there and told of what he had helped accomplish while in office to help with everything from transportation in the congested NOVA area to education. He ended by asking that the voters allow him to continue to represent them.
Jim Webb's closing statement went negative ... there are problems out there ... issues to be resolved ... the war is wrong ... Senator Allen is wrong ... everything seemed to be wrong and we needed to find solutions ... but he didn't offer the solutions! He said he wanted national defense to be properly focused on again. Well ... hello! I believe that's what the President is doing. Sorry; my opinion there....
I attended the debate with Rhonda Winfield, the Marine mom whose 19-year-old son, Jason Redifer, was killed in Iraq on January 31, 2005. She is a staunch supporter of George Allen.
After the debate she approached Jim Webb and, after waiting for 10 minutes or so, finally got his attention as he was pulling away from the venue. She asked him, "What is your plan for Iraq so my son did not die in vain?"
Webb's response: "I think we've done the job. My son's in Iraq right now." And he went on to elaborate on his service in Vietnam and his worse nightmare was to have that happen again ... and then he finally said, "God bless your son," and hugged her. It struck me that his immediate response was not to express his sorrow at her loss but, rather, that it came later in the conversation. While talking about it on our drive back to the Valley, Rhonda called it a "photo op" hug and said he was the first Marine she had ever encountered who did not feel like a brother Marine.
More on this to come....
Monday, September 18, 2006
Allen-Webb before-the-debate....
Just a few hours left before the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce debate between Senator George Allen and Jim Webb.... After yesterday's Meet the Press exchange between the two, I am looking forward to sitting in on today's event. A couple of things I'll be looking for....
- Will Jim Webb allow George Allen to respond to questions without speaking over him as he did repeatedly on MTP?
- Will Jim Webb give us some idea of what he has in mind as far as handling the Iraq War besides the pat response of "we shouldn't be there," "we need to get out," etc.?
- Will the moderator (and I still have questions about George Stephanapoulos modering the debate -- couldn't they find someone a little more bipartisan?) pull some information out from Webb about Virginia issues?
- Will the moderator bring out and perhaps ask a question or two about the accomplishments of GOVERNOR George Allen?
This is an extraordinary opportunity to sit in on history. I'll be laptop-free once I arrive at the debate so hope to post about this tonight after returning to Augusta County which is, after all, GEORGE ALLEN COUNTRY!
- Will Jim Webb allow George Allen to respond to questions without speaking over him as he did repeatedly on MTP?
- Will Jim Webb give us some idea of what he has in mind as far as handling the Iraq War besides the pat response of "we shouldn't be there," "we need to get out," etc.?
- Will the moderator (and I still have questions about George Stephanapoulos modering the debate -- couldn't they find someone a little more bipartisan?) pull some information out from Webb about Virginia issues?
- Will the moderator bring out and perhaps ask a question or two about the accomplishments of GOVERNOR George Allen?
This is an extraordinary opportunity to sit in on history. I'll be laptop-free once I arrive at the debate so hope to post about this tonight after returning to Augusta County which is, after all, GEORGE ALLEN COUNTRY!
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Allen-Webb debate tomorrow
Ringside seat on Virginia history
Senator George Allen and Jim Webb will meet tomorrow for a debate at the McLean Hilton. I will have the honor of attending the debate. After being present at the first debate at The Homestead in July, this is a political junkie's dream-come-true ... a ringside seat on history. Senator Allen is strong on issues, strong on defense, strong on family values, and he has a gentlemanly presence that escapes Jim Webb. Let's hope Webb keeps his short fuse under check and allows the Senator to speak without talking over him.
But, you know ... George Stephananpolis as the moderator? A member of Bill Clinton's administration is moderating this thing? How did that happen? There would be HOWLS of protests from the dems if Tony Snow or Karl Rove or Karen Hughes or anyone from any past Republican administration was in that position. It will be interesting to see if Stephanapolois can be impartial and not let his partisanship slip into the questioning.
Stay tuned....
Senator George Allen and Jim Webb will meet tomorrow for a debate at the McLean Hilton. I will have the honor of attending the debate. After being present at the first debate at The Homestead in July, this is a political junkie's dream-come-true ... a ringside seat on history. Senator Allen is strong on issues, strong on defense, strong on family values, and he has a gentlemanly presence that escapes Jim Webb. Let's hope Webb keeps his short fuse under check and allows the Senator to speak without talking over him.
But, you know ... George Stephananpolis as the moderator? A member of Bill Clinton's administration is moderating this thing? How did that happen? There would be HOWLS of protests from the dems if Tony Snow or Karl Rove or Karen Hughes or anyone from any past Republican administration was in that position. It will be interesting to see if Stephanapolois can be impartial and not let his partisanship slip into the questioning.
Stay tuned....
Saturday, September 16, 2006
"World Trade Center" ... never forget
I went to see the movie "World Trade Center" tonight. It is a powerful, moving film about the collapse of the World Trade Center towers on 9/11 ... and the two Port Authority police officers who were buried in the rubble and survived.
It's another movie every American should see to remember that we are at war ... and why.
In it we saw Marine SSgt. Dave Carnes who went back into active duty when 9/11 occurred ... he knew that day that America was at war ... and the movie shows how he traveled to the WTC to help in the massive search and rescue mission. He was one of two Marines who discovered the Port Authority officers buried 20 plus feet under mounds of jumbled concrete and steele. The officers yelled, "Don't leave us! Don't leave us!"
SSgt. Carnes called to them, "We're not going anywhere! We're the United States Marines. You ... are our mission."
At the end of the movie, as rescuers surveyed the jumble of rubble and jagged steel that was once the Twin Towers, he said, "We're going to need good men to avenge this."
I reached for the arm of my movie partner sitting beside me ... Rhonda Winfield.
Rhonda's 19-year-old son, Lance Cpl. Jason Redifer, was killed at the age of 19 in Iraq.
Jason was one of those good men.
Rhonda and I wept as events played out in front of us ... even though we knew the story and how it would turn out ... the sheer tragedy of it all washed through us ... and as we left the theater we looked at each other ... we were drained.
When we returned to the van, emotionally spent, Rhonda looked at me and said, "That movie makes me angry ... not at the terrorists ... but at the Americans who don't get it."
We are at war.
It's another movie every American should see to remember that we are at war ... and why.
In it we saw Marine SSgt. Dave Carnes who went back into active duty when 9/11 occurred ... he knew that day that America was at war ... and the movie shows how he traveled to the WTC to help in the massive search and rescue mission. He was one of two Marines who discovered the Port Authority officers buried 20 plus feet under mounds of jumbled concrete and steele. The officers yelled, "Don't leave us! Don't leave us!"
SSgt. Carnes called to them, "We're not going anywhere! We're the United States Marines. You ... are our mission."
At the end of the movie, as rescuers surveyed the jumble of rubble and jagged steel that was once the Twin Towers, he said, "We're going to need good men to avenge this."
I reached for the arm of my movie partner sitting beside me ... Rhonda Winfield.
Rhonda's 19-year-old son, Lance Cpl. Jason Redifer, was killed at the age of 19 in Iraq.
Jason was one of those good men.
Rhonda and I wept as events played out in front of us ... even though we knew the story and how it would turn out ... the sheer tragedy of it all washed through us ... and as we left the theater we looked at each other ... we were drained.
When we returned to the van, emotionally spent, Rhonda looked at me and said, "That movie makes me angry ... not at the terrorists ... but at the Americans who don't get it."
We are at war.
Friday, September 15, 2006
Todd Foster leaving News-Virginian?
Over at The Augusta Free Press a bomb shell dropped today: Todd Foster, in his own words, admitted that he would no longer be at the helm of The News-Virginian. A little past 2:00 this afternoon he posted the following:
J. Todd Foster said...
To the residents of Augusta County and cities of Waynesboro and Staunton: To stem any misinformation, which frequently gets published on this site, I want to clarify the reason behind my leaving the editor's job at The News Virginian. There is a full story at www.NewsVirginian.com. I was contacted by a head hunter several weeks ago for a job at a larger paper in Louisiana. I turned down the job several times until the offer reached the point financially that I could not turn it down. Thanks for your readership. J. Todd Foster
I've got to admit I've had my rounds with Todd Foster. He is a pit bull and doesn't back down, often responding to emails in a snarky manner. He's had battles with Reo Hatfield and Frank Lucent in Waynesboro. During the 2004 Bush campaign when I wrote him a letter saying I was canceling my subscription and the reason why, he wrote about me (leaving out my name) in his Sunday op-ed piece -- those partisan Republicans or some such thing.
Perhaps his hard-hitting style will be better suited at his new daily. Meanwhile, the hunt is on for a replacement.
Wonder if they will hire a conservative editor..... Nah. Never happen.
J. Todd Foster said...
To the residents of Augusta County and cities of Waynesboro and Staunton: To stem any misinformation, which frequently gets published on this site, I want to clarify the reason behind my leaving the editor's job at The News Virginian. There is a full story at www.NewsVirginian.com. I was contacted by a head hunter several weeks ago for a job at a larger paper in Louisiana. I turned down the job several times until the offer reached the point financially that I could not turn it down. Thanks for your readership. J. Todd Foster
I've got to admit I've had my rounds with Todd Foster. He is a pit bull and doesn't back down, often responding to emails in a snarky manner. He's had battles with Reo Hatfield and Frank Lucent in Waynesboro. During the 2004 Bush campaign when I wrote him a letter saying I was canceling my subscription and the reason why, he wrote about me (leaving out my name) in his Sunday op-ed piece -- those partisan Republicans or some such thing.
Perhaps his hard-hitting style will be better suited at his new daily. Meanwhile, the hunt is on for a replacement.
Wonder if they will hire a conservative editor..... Nah. Never happen.
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Ross Mackenzie, editor extraordinare
Editor gets it on War on Terror
I'm going to miss Ross Mackenzie when he retires from the Richmond Times-Dispatch at the end of this year. I wish he would stay. He's been outspokeningly ... conservative. How many newspaper people do you know who are conservative? Ross Mackenzie gets its!
Mackenzie's column in today's Times-Dispatch is titled "It's Getting Old, Their Game of 'Can You Top This?'" In it he talks about returning from vacation and checking the headlines to get caught up ... and finding the same Democrat/lib screeching he saw before he left:
"Fire Rumsfeld. Impeach Bush. Condi's a joke. Cheney is wrong. The retired flag officers are right. We all voted for the war before we voted against it. We support the troops but not the war ... "
... and on and on.
He ended it with this:
"The irreducible facts: We are at war. The jihadists hate us, want to destroy our freedoms and rights, seek to kill us. And we dare not flag until they are defeated and victory is ours."
Amen.
I'm going to miss Ross Mackenzie when he retires from the Richmond Times-Dispatch at the end of this year. I wish he would stay. He's been outspokeningly ... conservative. How many newspaper people do you know who are conservative? Ross Mackenzie gets its!
Mackenzie's column in today's Times-Dispatch is titled "It's Getting Old, Their Game of 'Can You Top This?'" In it he talks about returning from vacation and checking the headlines to get caught up ... and finding the same Democrat/lib screeching he saw before he left:
"Fire Rumsfeld. Impeach Bush. Condi's a joke. Cheney is wrong. The retired flag officers are right. We all voted for the war before we voted against it. We support the troops but not the war ... "
... and on and on.
He ended it with this:
"The irreducible facts: We are at war. The jihadists hate us, want to destroy our freedoms and rights, seek to kill us. And we dare not flag until they are defeated and victory is ours."
Amen.
Nate
Lance Cpl. Nate Salatin, USMC, age 21. Augusta County, VA. Deployed to Iraq on Tuesday, 12 September 2006.
Nate ... a special young man to me.
Nate came into my life when he was 11 years old and I was teen coordinator for the local home school group. He was outgoing, a natural leader, a go-getter who was great at sports, public speaking, leadership ... anything he tried he strived to be the very best.
He was a star soccer player ... President of the Virginia State 4-H 2003-04 ... member of the Home School Envirothon Team that took 2nd place in the Nation in 2004 ... natural public speaker winning many 4-H competitions ... Steve Landes' campaign manager in 2003 ... and much more.
He's an example of the young people in this country who are willing to lay their lives on the line to keep us safe. He grew up in a missionary family and, yet, he understands the importance of fighting the Muslim terrorists on their soil ... and not here on ours.
Nate grew up during the 10 years I worked with the teens. Several years ago he taught a public speaking class for our home school students ... I took it with them. A shy student during my school years who literally took zeros rather than give an oral book report, Nate gave me the tools to public speaking and opened a whole new world to me.
Nine months later, his graduating class asked me to be their speaker. I've spoken a number of times since at various events ... the last being at the PEACH Class of 2006 graduation in June when I recognized Nate as an alumni, for his service in the Marines, and that he was going to deploy to Iraq in September.
After graduating from high school, Nate joined the Marines and went to boot camp. Afterwards, he entered Virginia Military Institute where he excelled in his studies and got one year under his belt before his Marine Unit was activated in June 2006.
There's a gloomy cloud over me this week that is hard to shake. Tears come quickly. He's gone. After months of training and more training ... he's finally gone. I've busied myself by planting mums in my flower boxes ... I've spent hours working at GOP headquarters ... I've done any and everything I could to keep my mind off him. But it hasn't worked.
I pray God keeps him safe and strong. I pray God gives his family strength to endure his absence the next year.
Nate ... we love you. Be safe. We are so proud of you. And thank you for your service.
Semper Fi.
Nate ... a special young man to me.
Nate came into my life when he was 11 years old and I was teen coordinator for the local home school group. He was outgoing, a natural leader, a go-getter who was great at sports, public speaking, leadership ... anything he tried he strived to be the very best.
He was a star soccer player ... President of the Virginia State 4-H 2003-04 ... member of the Home School Envirothon Team that took 2nd place in the Nation in 2004 ... natural public speaker winning many 4-H competitions ... Steve Landes' campaign manager in 2003 ... and much more.
He's an example of the young people in this country who are willing to lay their lives on the line to keep us safe. He grew up in a missionary family and, yet, he understands the importance of fighting the Muslim terrorists on their soil ... and not here on ours.
Nate grew up during the 10 years I worked with the teens. Several years ago he taught a public speaking class for our home school students ... I took it with them. A shy student during my school years who literally took zeros rather than give an oral book report, Nate gave me the tools to public speaking and opened a whole new world to me.
Nine months later, his graduating class asked me to be their speaker. I've spoken a number of times since at various events ... the last being at the PEACH Class of 2006 graduation in June when I recognized Nate as an alumni, for his service in the Marines, and that he was going to deploy to Iraq in September.
After graduating from high school, Nate joined the Marines and went to boot camp. Afterwards, he entered Virginia Military Institute where he excelled in his studies and got one year under his belt before his Marine Unit was activated in June 2006.
There's a gloomy cloud over me this week that is hard to shake. Tears come quickly. He's gone. After months of training and more training ... he's finally gone. I've busied myself by planting mums in my flower boxes ... I've spent hours working at GOP headquarters ... I've done any and everything I could to keep my mind off him. But it hasn't worked.
I pray God keeps him safe and strong. I pray God gives his family strength to endure his absence the next year.
Nate ... we love you. Be safe. We are so proud of you. And thank you for your service.
Semper Fi.
"Obsession" - radical Muslim terrorist docudrama ... scary
Scary.
"Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West." I beg you ... watch this movie. It tells what we are up against.
If you are one of those anti-war, "hate-America first," "hate-Bush, hate-Republicans, hate-conservatives" people ... this movie is for you.
For those people who get it, this movie will confirm why you work so hard against the radical lib contingent in this country who have their heads stuck in the sand. They cannot be put in control of our national security ... or we will all perish.
"Obsession" shows why President George W. Bush feels the need to take drastic measures to protect the American people. It shows what we are up against.
These people want to kill us. Plain and simple. Period.
Check out these interviews with Director Wayne Kopping and Nonie Darwish, who appeared in the film and whose father headed the Egyptian military in Gaza and the Sinai when Gaza was under Egyptian control in the '50s and was killed in 1956 in jihad against Israel:
Rush Limbaugh interview
Fox News link to interview on Hannity & Colmes
Glenn Beck interview
"Unlike any war we've had, this will happen on the streets the world over." --Glenn Beck
"In Britain [Muslim] mothers are putting explosives in their baby's bottles."
-- Nonie Darwish
"The terrorists could, on a whim, make a decision to do something drastic... These people don't care about their men, their women, their children. In fact, their men, women, and children are their weapons." -- Nonie Darwish
"It's not a military struggle. It's not a political struggle. This is an ideological struggle. ...You have to take it back right down to the children, to the toddlers. That's the level that you have to deal with it. And you have to change the way these people see the world and the way they educate their kids about the world." - Director Wayne Kopping
"Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West." I beg you ... watch this movie. It tells what we are up against.
If you are one of those anti-war, "hate-America first," "hate-Bush, hate-Republicans, hate-conservatives" people ... this movie is for you.
For those people who get it, this movie will confirm why you work so hard against the radical lib contingent in this country who have their heads stuck in the sand. They cannot be put in control of our national security ... or we will all perish.
"Obsession" shows why President George W. Bush feels the need to take drastic measures to protect the American people. It shows what we are up against.
These people want to kill us. Plain and simple. Period.
Check out these interviews with Director Wayne Kopping and Nonie Darwish, who appeared in the film and whose father headed the Egyptian military in Gaza and the Sinai when Gaza was under Egyptian control in the '50s and was killed in 1956 in jihad against Israel:
Rush Limbaugh interview
Fox News link to interview on Hannity & Colmes
Glenn Beck interview
"Unlike any war we've had, this will happen on the streets the world over." --Glenn Beck
"In Britain [Muslim] mothers are putting explosives in their baby's bottles."
-- Nonie Darwish
"The terrorists could, on a whim, make a decision to do something drastic... These people don't care about their men, their women, their children. In fact, their men, women, and children are their weapons." -- Nonie Darwish
"It's not a military struggle. It's not a political struggle. This is an ideological struggle. ...You have to take it back right down to the children, to the toddlers. That's the level that you have to deal with it. And you have to change the way these people see the world and the way they educate their kids about the world." - Director Wayne Kopping
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Cookies for the troops ... a labor of love
My 18-year-old Katy has been baking cookies the past three days.
Why?
They are for our local troops currently stationed in Iraq. As part of the From Our Hearts program in the Shenandoah Valley, 160 care packages are mailed on a weekly basis with all sorts of goodies. And this week and next they will be receiving cookies.
Katy has baked over 100 dozen cookies so far ... and she's still at it. You read that correctly: one HUNDRED dozen. That's over 1,000 cookies.
Not only that ... but Jan Harman, whose husband, Herb, is stationed in Baghdad, baked also. How many? About 200 dozen! TWO HUNDRED DOZEN.
They both said it was one of the best ways they could think of spending their time on 9/11 ... doing something for the soldiers.
Someone donated boxes of cookie dough. We thank them. So our local guys over there will have sweet treats coming their way, compliments of an anonymous donor and Jan and Katy.
For more information about the From Our Troops program check www.fromrhearts.blogspot.com. The program, originally scheduled to end 9/11/06, will continue through the first of December.
Why?
They are for our local troops currently stationed in Iraq. As part of the From Our Hearts program in the Shenandoah Valley, 160 care packages are mailed on a weekly basis with all sorts of goodies. And this week and next they will be receiving cookies.
Katy has baked over 100 dozen cookies so far ... and she's still at it. You read that correctly: one HUNDRED dozen. That's over 1,000 cookies.
Not only that ... but Jan Harman, whose husband, Herb, is stationed in Baghdad, baked also. How many? About 200 dozen! TWO HUNDRED DOZEN.
They both said it was one of the best ways they could think of spending their time on 9/11 ... doing something for the soldiers.
Someone donated boxes of cookie dough. We thank them. So our local guys over there will have sweet treats coming their way, compliments of an anonymous donor and Jan and Katy.
For more information about the From Our Troops program check www.fromrhearts.blogspot.com. The program, originally scheduled to end 9/11/06, will continue through the first of December.
Allen endorsement: News Leader, News-Virginian drop ball
Yesterday I wondered if the local newspapers, Staunton News Leader and Waynesboro News-Virginian, would carry the great news on their front pages of Senator George Allen's endorsement by African-American Democratic State Senator Benjamin Lambert.
Wonder no more. They dropped the ball.
They are quick to use the front page if they can tear down the Senator to pass along negative news even if it's "non" news. But to report something as important as the endorsement of a 28-year veteran to the state legislature, an important black leader in the Democratic Party, after coming off the "macaca" bruhaha?
Neither paper put the endorsement on the front page.
The News Leader buried it on the bottom of page 3. Not having hard copy of the News-Virginian, I couldn't find it online but perhaps they buried it somewhere in their paper.
What was on their front pages?
News Leader: "Grant named asst. super in Waynesboro," "Hispanics make market inroads in Valley," "Immigrants find business success," "Board tours Kate Collins construction," "Police identify victim in pool drowning death."
News-Virginian: Construction of middle school, Wayne theater rehabilitation update, Gang expert to visit area, Special Waste Collection Sept. 30, WWRC staff to hold fundraiser."
Hmm... No room for important information about our United States Senator? And even though it was related to the August non-news about him being a racist?
The liberal agenda of the mainstream media continues....
Wonder no more. They dropped the ball.
They are quick to use the front page if they can tear down the Senator to pass along negative news even if it's "non" news. But to report something as important as the endorsement of a 28-year veteran to the state legislature, an important black leader in the Democratic Party, after coming off the "macaca" bruhaha?
Neither paper put the endorsement on the front page.
The News Leader buried it on the bottom of page 3. Not having hard copy of the News-Virginian, I couldn't find it online but perhaps they buried it somewhere in their paper.
What was on their front pages?
News Leader: "Grant named asst. super in Waynesboro," "Hispanics make market inroads in Valley," "Immigrants find business success," "Board tours Kate Collins construction," "Police identify victim in pool drowning death."
News-Virginian: Construction of middle school, Wayne theater rehabilitation update, Gang expert to visit area, Special Waste Collection Sept. 30, WWRC staff to hold fundraiser."
Hmm... No room for important information about our United States Senator? And even though it was related to the August non-news about him being a racist?
The liberal agenda of the mainstream media continues....
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Saxman on radio Thursday....
Delegate Chris Saxman will be on WSVA Radio 550 Thursday, Sept. 14, at 10:00 a.m. The program is titled "Issues With Growth.
Will local newspapers cover George Allen endorsement?
Now that Senator George Allen has been endorsed by Democratic State Senator Benjamin Lambert, will the Staunton News Leader and Waynesboro News-Virginian cover it?
I want to see it on the front page because they were so eager to print all the controversial stuff there where everyone could see. Now's when we will see how honest they are....
I want to see it on the front page because they were so eager to print all the controversial stuff there where everyone could see. Now's when we will see how honest they are....
Democratic State Senator endorses George Allen
Wow! The A-Team delivered in a big way with their tease today about a major announcement.
State Senator Benjamin Lambert, a Democrat, said he has worked for 20 years with George Allen and is pleased to support his re-election to the U.S. Senate. He went on to say he specifically appreciated Senator Allen's support of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Read all about it over at The A-Team's website.
State Senator Benjamin Lambert, a Democrat, said he has worked for 20 years with George Allen and is pleased to support his re-election to the U.S. Senate. He went on to say he specifically appreciated Senator Allen's support of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Read all about it over at The A-Team's website.
Major George Allen announcement today?
Over at The A-Team website there's news of a major announcement coming from the Allen Camp today. This from Riley Not O'Reilly:
Early word is that it will be an endorsement. Details are still sketchy, but we are hearing it may be that a member of the General Assembly is getting ready to cross party lines to support Allen.
Stay tuned....
Early word is that it will be an endorsement. Details are still sketchy, but we are hearing it may be that a member of the General Assembly is getting ready to cross party lines to support Allen.
Stay tuned....
Post-9/11: Mom of slain soldier writes President Bush....
How do military families who have lost a loved one feel about the War? Most will tell you they believe the President should stay the course because their loved ones would have died in vain if we pull out of Iraq without finishing the job.
Our troops are special - they get it. They are fighting Muslim terrorists over there instead of encountering them over here.
Rhonda Winfield's son, Lance Cpl. Jason Redifer, 19, USMC, was killed in Iraq on 31 Janurary 2005. She has written a book about her son, "When Johnny Doesn't Come Marching Home: A Mother's Story of the Price of Freedom" that details her journey beginning with Jason's enlistment and going through the one-year anniversary of his death.
Here is a letter Rhonda wrote to President George W. Bush just one day after burying her son in Arlington Cemetery ... a letter written while watching the 2005 State of the Union Address.
February 09, 2005
President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President,
I am sending you this letter as a card of thanks. You were my son's Commander In Chief as well as his President. I am the mother of Lance Corporal Jason C. Redifer, USMC, who died on January 31, 2005 in the Babil Province of Iraq as a result of an IED explosion that ripped through the Humvee that he was in.
Jason was scheduled to return from his tour of duty in Iraq just nine days after the accident that claimed his life. He had just departed on his final mission and was killed only two hours after speaking with me on the phone. He was but a new nineteen years old, yet an old soul in many ways.
Like so many of those serving their country, Jason was the embodiment of patriotism and honor. The horrific attack on our country on Septembver 11, 2001 cast his future and he left for Parris Island just three days after graduation from high school at only seventeen years of age. He believed, as you do, that this is a war of necessity and absolutely needs to be addressed on their soil, not ours.
Jason went to Iraq with the ideal of defending our freedoms even though many of his fellow countrymen exercised theirs by condemning what he did. Once there, he immediately grasped the importance of being part of the vast effort to liberate the Iraqi people and bring them a semblance of the democracy we enjoy. This filled him with as much purpose and importance as what he had originally viewed as his mission to keep terrorism from the doorstep of his brothers.
Jason lived only long enough to know that the elections were deemed a success and to feel the relief that the numbers of voters were greater than anticipated and the number of casualties far less. He had many concerns that the battles waged and the lives given may not be enough to insure the liberation that we have all prayed for. He knew that the final verdict of success would rest as a tally in a record of history. He knew for the meantime, however, that to fight the battle against tyranny and to march ahead under the banner of freedom was work that God himself had commissioned.
While I was lost in my grief and struggling to continue forth with the mundane details that these times require of the surviving loved ones, I heard your voice call to me. You had come into my living room and were standing among my family. You were delivering The State of the Union Address, but that was only the venue you used to chat with me. You reminded me of the pride of country and love of life that filled my son. I was able to look into the eyes of the man he so deeply respected and I knew exactly why he was so proud to deploy and fight on your orders. I knew, as he did, that the loss of but one life was too many and that your decision was not one that you made without the heavy weight of human cost.
You steadied my trembling being and cradled my breaking heart delicately in your mightly hands. You lifted my chin and my gave was held by someone who felt the loss of our troops and the grief of their families. You implored us, even without words, not to break ranks but to continue to hold strong our bond of determination to end terrorism so our children, and their children, may someday sleep in peace throughout the world.
You brought with you friends. I swelled with pride at the young Iraqi woman who was born into a life of oppression as were those born before her. She told me that on Monday, she opened her eyes to see the faint light of hope for the first time in her life. She showed me her fingers that were stained with the blood of my son. That vote reminds us all that my child did not die in vain! [my emphasis]
You also introduced me to another family who, like us, had let go of their son's hand to send him away to pay the ultimate price for our beliefs. Their tears mingled with mine and their warmth filled my very soul. Their pride, their anguish, was mine and ultimately, their unwavering support of their President shone like mine all around us.
When that chamber filled with people erupting in applause time and time again, I felt a peace engulf me that has sustained me throughout the days since.
We laid my son, America's son, to rest in Arlington National Cemetery yesterday and committed him to a piece of hallowed ground reserved for the celebration of the values and beliefs that the rest of us could only aspire to hold so dearly. He shared your vision, honored your courage, and proudly fought on your command. He also prayed every night that God would grant you the strength and wisdom to make the decisions that only you can make.
We share your vision, honor your courage and offer the same prayers for you, your family and all those who advise you. You reminded me of all of those things during your visit to my home. It is with that great gift that I humbly say thank you and may God Bless the United States of America.
Sincerely,
Rhonda L. Winfield
Virginia
Our troops are special - they get it. They are fighting Muslim terrorists over there instead of encountering them over here.
Rhonda Winfield's son, Lance Cpl. Jason Redifer, 19, USMC, was killed in Iraq on 31 Janurary 2005. She has written a book about her son, "When Johnny Doesn't Come Marching Home: A Mother's Story of the Price of Freedom" that details her journey beginning with Jason's enlistment and going through the one-year anniversary of his death.
Here is a letter Rhonda wrote to President George W. Bush just one day after burying her son in Arlington Cemetery ... a letter written while watching the 2005 State of the Union Address.
February 09, 2005
President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President,
I am sending you this letter as a card of thanks. You were my son's Commander In Chief as well as his President. I am the mother of Lance Corporal Jason C. Redifer, USMC, who died on January 31, 2005 in the Babil Province of Iraq as a result of an IED explosion that ripped through the Humvee that he was in.
Jason was scheduled to return from his tour of duty in Iraq just nine days after the accident that claimed his life. He had just departed on his final mission and was killed only two hours after speaking with me on the phone. He was but a new nineteen years old, yet an old soul in many ways.
Like so many of those serving their country, Jason was the embodiment of patriotism and honor. The horrific attack on our country on Septembver 11, 2001 cast his future and he left for Parris Island just three days after graduation from high school at only seventeen years of age. He believed, as you do, that this is a war of necessity and absolutely needs to be addressed on their soil, not ours.
Jason went to Iraq with the ideal of defending our freedoms even though many of his fellow countrymen exercised theirs by condemning what he did. Once there, he immediately grasped the importance of being part of the vast effort to liberate the Iraqi people and bring them a semblance of the democracy we enjoy. This filled him with as much purpose and importance as what he had originally viewed as his mission to keep terrorism from the doorstep of his brothers.
Jason lived only long enough to know that the elections were deemed a success and to feel the relief that the numbers of voters were greater than anticipated and the number of casualties far less. He had many concerns that the battles waged and the lives given may not be enough to insure the liberation that we have all prayed for. He knew that the final verdict of success would rest as a tally in a record of history. He knew for the meantime, however, that to fight the battle against tyranny and to march ahead under the banner of freedom was work that God himself had commissioned.
While I was lost in my grief and struggling to continue forth with the mundane details that these times require of the surviving loved ones, I heard your voice call to me. You had come into my living room and were standing among my family. You were delivering The State of the Union Address, but that was only the venue you used to chat with me. You reminded me of the pride of country and love of life that filled my son. I was able to look into the eyes of the man he so deeply respected and I knew exactly why he was so proud to deploy and fight on your orders. I knew, as he did, that the loss of but one life was too many and that your decision was not one that you made without the heavy weight of human cost.
You steadied my trembling being and cradled my breaking heart delicately in your mightly hands. You lifted my chin and my gave was held by someone who felt the loss of our troops and the grief of their families. You implored us, even without words, not to break ranks but to continue to hold strong our bond of determination to end terrorism so our children, and their children, may someday sleep in peace throughout the world.
You brought with you friends. I swelled with pride at the young Iraqi woman who was born into a life of oppression as were those born before her. She told me that on Monday, she opened her eyes to see the faint light of hope for the first time in her life. She showed me her fingers that were stained with the blood of my son. That vote reminds us all that my child did not die in vain! [my emphasis]
You also introduced me to another family who, like us, had let go of their son's hand to send him away to pay the ultimate price for our beliefs. Their tears mingled with mine and their warmth filled my very soul. Their pride, their anguish, was mine and ultimately, their unwavering support of their President shone like mine all around us.
When that chamber filled with people erupting in applause time and time again, I felt a peace engulf me that has sustained me throughout the days since.
We laid my son, America's son, to rest in Arlington National Cemetery yesterday and committed him to a piece of hallowed ground reserved for the celebration of the values and beliefs that the rest of us could only aspire to hold so dearly. He shared your vision, honored your courage, and proudly fought on your command. He also prayed every night that God would grant you the strength and wisdom to make the decisions that only you can make.
We share your vision, honor your courage and offer the same prayers for you, your family and all those who advise you. You reminded me of all of those things during your visit to my home. It is with that great gift that I humbly say thank you and may God Bless the United States of America.
Sincerely,
Rhonda L. Winfield
Virginia
Monday, September 11, 2006
9/11 ... a Nation remembers....
FLY THOSE AMERICAN FLAGS TODAY!
"Freedom itself was attacked this morning by a faceless coward, and freedom will be defended." - President George W. Bush, 9/11/01
"I will not forget the wound to our country and those who inflicted it. I will not yield, I will not rest, I will not relent in waging this struggle for freedom and security for the American people."
- President George W. Bush, 2001
In MEMORY of my American heroes on 9/11 ...
- Lance Cpl. Jason Redifer, 19, U.S.M.C., Stuarts Draft, VA. Operation Iraqi Freedom. Killed in action in Iraq on January 31, 2005. Jason joined the Marines as a direct result of 9/11 because he didn't want terrorism coming to this country and threatening his two younger brothers. He was a remarkable young man, outgoing and a friend to all, a Valley cowboy who grew up on a farm in Stuarts Draft. He once rode his horse through the Arby's drive-thru! His winning personality won him many friends at school and elsewhere. He was killed by an IED just one day after the first successful free elections in Iraq's history ... he was able to see the excitement of the Iraqi people as they voted and then proudly displayed their purple-stained fingers.
- Lance Cpl. Daniel Bubb, 19, U.S.M.C., Grottoes, VA. Operation Iraqi Freedom. Killed in action in Iraq October 17, 2005, when he was shot during battle. A graduate of Ft. Defiance High School, he was outgoing and friendly ... and worked as a guide at the Grand Caverns in Grottoes. He is remembered fondly by the friends and family he left behind.
- Raymond Wilbur Randall, U.S. Navy. World War II veteran. My dad; passed away in 1975 at the age of 51. He was stationed on the USS Wisconsin which is now docked at Norfolk, and served in the South Pacific during WW II. Part of the greatest generation; they got it as far as keeping America safe.
In HONOR of my American heroes on 9/11 ...
- SSgt. Herb Harman, 45, U.S. Army Reserve, currently serving in Baghdad, Iraq - my "radical, conservative Republican." He is from Churchville, VA, and is one of the Precinct Captains in my Magisterial District. He rejoined the Army Reserve after 9/11 because he saw what had happened to our Nation, and served a year at Guantanamo Bay before being deployed to Iraq. He was recently home for two weeks and surprised us all at the Augusta County Fair by showing up at the Republican booth unannounced. What a wonderful surprise!
- Lance Cpl. Nate Salatin, 21, U.S.M.C. From Swoope, VA, he deploys Sunday for Iraq with his Marine unit. Nate was one of the teens from my teen group, a natural leader, State President of Virginia 4-H his senior year in high school, and a member of the award-winning Home School Envirothon Team that won 2nd place in the national competition in 2004. After graduating from high school he went through basic training at Camp Lejeune, then entered Virginia Military Institute where he completed his freshman year (2005-06) before his Unit was activated this past June. Nate is representative of today's young conservative youth who feel called to service for this country.
- Sgt. Justin Redifer, 22, U.S. Army. Justin is Jason Redifer's older brother who lives in West Virginia with his wife and baby daughter.
- Sgt. Marcus Averill, 28, U.S. Army. Marcus' mom is Trixie Averill, GOP activist and Allen Western Field Coordinator. This is Marcus' third deployment to Iraq. I had the pleasure of finally meeting him when he was home in July, and what a pleasant young man he was! He has been accepted into Army Ranger School when he returns home in November.
- Rhonda and Scott Winfield, parents of Jason Redifer. They gave the ultimate sacrifice ... their child ... for our freedom. Knowing Rhonda is to know Jason. She has a fortitude and determination that doesn't quit. She is patriotic, outgoing, and funny! But she's also introspective and has been wounded way beyond anything most of us will ever know. She and Scott have my upmost admiration, love, respect, and gratefulness.
Thank you to President George W. Bush for his steady leadership in keeping us safe from Muslim terrorists.Thanks, also, to Senator George Allen, Senator John Warner, and Congressman Bob Goodlatte for standing with the President in the War on Terrorism.They all get it and understand the urgency of fighting terrorists on their own soil to keep them away from ours.
And thank you to all our military - Current Active Enlisted, Reserves, Veterans, and their families - and to our homeland security forces including police, firefighters, EMTs, and others who are the front line of defense during a disaster.
"The enemies of liberty and our country should make no mistake. America remains engaged in the world, by history and by choice, shaping a balance of power that favors freedom. We will defend our allies and our interests. We will show purpose without arrogance. We will meet aggression and bad faith with resolve and strength. And to all nations, we will speak for the values that gave our nation birth." - President George W. Bush, 2001
9/11: We will never forget. May God bless America!
"Freedom itself was attacked this morning by a faceless coward, and freedom will be defended." - President George W. Bush, 9/11/01
"I will not forget the wound to our country and those who inflicted it. I will not yield, I will not rest, I will not relent in waging this struggle for freedom and security for the American people."
- President George W. Bush, 2001
In MEMORY of my American heroes on 9/11 ...
- Lance Cpl. Jason Redifer, 19, U.S.M.C., Stuarts Draft, VA. Operation Iraqi Freedom. Killed in action in Iraq on January 31, 2005. Jason joined the Marines as a direct result of 9/11 because he didn't want terrorism coming to this country and threatening his two younger brothers. He was a remarkable young man, outgoing and a friend to all, a Valley cowboy who grew up on a farm in Stuarts Draft. He once rode his horse through the Arby's drive-thru! His winning personality won him many friends at school and elsewhere. He was killed by an IED just one day after the first successful free elections in Iraq's history ... he was able to see the excitement of the Iraqi people as they voted and then proudly displayed their purple-stained fingers.
- Lance Cpl. Daniel Bubb, 19, U.S.M.C., Grottoes, VA. Operation Iraqi Freedom. Killed in action in Iraq October 17, 2005, when he was shot during battle. A graduate of Ft. Defiance High School, he was outgoing and friendly ... and worked as a guide at the Grand Caverns in Grottoes. He is remembered fondly by the friends and family he left behind.
- Raymond Wilbur Randall, U.S. Navy. World War II veteran. My dad; passed away in 1975 at the age of 51. He was stationed on the USS Wisconsin which is now docked at Norfolk, and served in the South Pacific during WW II. Part of the greatest generation; they got it as far as keeping America safe.
In HONOR of my American heroes on 9/11 ...
- SSgt. Herb Harman, 45, U.S. Army Reserve, currently serving in Baghdad, Iraq - my "radical, conservative Republican." He is from Churchville, VA, and is one of the Precinct Captains in my Magisterial District. He rejoined the Army Reserve after 9/11 because he saw what had happened to our Nation, and served a year at Guantanamo Bay before being deployed to Iraq. He was recently home for two weeks and surprised us all at the Augusta County Fair by showing up at the Republican booth unannounced. What a wonderful surprise!
- Lance Cpl. Nate Salatin, 21, U.S.M.C. From Swoope, VA, he deploys Sunday for Iraq with his Marine unit. Nate was one of the teens from my teen group, a natural leader, State President of Virginia 4-H his senior year in high school, and a member of the award-winning Home School Envirothon Team that won 2nd place in the national competition in 2004. After graduating from high school he went through basic training at Camp Lejeune, then entered Virginia Military Institute where he completed his freshman year (2005-06) before his Unit was activated this past June. Nate is representative of today's young conservative youth who feel called to service for this country.
- Sgt. Justin Redifer, 22, U.S. Army. Justin is Jason Redifer's older brother who lives in West Virginia with his wife and baby daughter.
- Sgt. Marcus Averill, 28, U.S. Army. Marcus' mom is Trixie Averill, GOP activist and Allen Western Field Coordinator. This is Marcus' third deployment to Iraq. I had the pleasure of finally meeting him when he was home in July, and what a pleasant young man he was! He has been accepted into Army Ranger School when he returns home in November.
- Rhonda and Scott Winfield, parents of Jason Redifer. They gave the ultimate sacrifice ... their child ... for our freedom. Knowing Rhonda is to know Jason. She has a fortitude and determination that doesn't quit. She is patriotic, outgoing, and funny! But she's also introspective and has been wounded way beyond anything most of us will ever know. She and Scott have my upmost admiration, love, respect, and gratefulness.
Thank you to President George W. Bush for his steady leadership in keeping us safe from Muslim terrorists.Thanks, also, to Senator George Allen, Senator John Warner, and Congressman Bob Goodlatte for standing with the President in the War on Terrorism.They all get it and understand the urgency of fighting terrorists on their own soil to keep them away from ours.
And thank you to all our military - Current Active Enlisted, Reserves, Veterans, and their families - and to our homeland security forces including police, firefighters, EMTs, and others who are the front line of defense during a disaster.
"The enemies of liberty and our country should make no mistake. America remains engaged in the world, by history and by choice, shaping a balance of power that favors freedom. We will defend our allies and our interests. We will show purpose without arrogance. We will meet aggression and bad faith with resolve and strength. And to all nations, we will speak for the values that gave our nation birth." - President George W. Bush, 2001
9/11: We will never forget. May God bless America!
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Chris Saxman ... my Delegate....
Bacon's Rebellion has this post today about Chris Saxman who happens to be my delegate. I am grateful to be represented by such a capable, hard-working public servant.
Chris was the first candidate I worked with from the very beginning of his elected life. I was there in 2001 when he announced he was running, and worked at all the volunteer activities that are necessary in any campaign. He was one of the hardest-working candidates I had ever seen. He wore out about three pairs of tennis shoes walking door-to-door to visit folks in the newly-formed 20th District which included my home.
He walked behind the Republican float in the Staunton Fourth of July parade that year (and every year since except 2006 when he was out-of-state at a family reunion), jogging to catch up, dashing up the embankment to shake hands with parade watchers on the hill, working his way around Gypsy Hill Park. His wonderful wife Michele and their children rode on the float, waving to the crowd which included many friends and family members.
One Saturday as I worked GOP HQs, he came in after walking door-to-door for hours ... stretched out on the sofa ... and promptly nodded off. That was a rare "down-time" moment.
Chris won the Republican nomination at Buffalo Gap High School in August against Dr. Charles Curry, a popular former Augusta County Board of Supervisor member. It was a resounding win.
He never slowed down after winning the nomination ... he kept running for the finish line in November. And we ran with him. Because of 9/11 it seemed to make it more urgent that we get the job done.
That Fall, a well-attended Saxman for Delegate pig roast was held at a Churchville farm and the band D.O.G.S. of Pray played their signature tune, "Thank God for the U.S.A.," a song written prior to 9/11 but whose words fit right into the post-9/11 world we suddenly found ourselves living in. It kind of became Chris' theme song as the D.O.G.S. played at several events during the campaign. The chorus said:
"Thank God for the U.S.A. where the dreams haven't gone away / No matter what your wealth, your race, your creed, All can have their say / Thank God we're in America, Liberty, in God we trust. I stand to pray / Thank God for the U.S.A."
When I worked the phone banks asking folks to vote for Chris I was amazed at how many people had a personal anecdote about him: he had knocked on their door; he had stood talking with one lady when he was going door-to-door and she was working in her flowers; another said he sat on her front porch and had a glass of iced tea. This guy had connected with voters.
On Election Eve about 20 Republicans gathered with Chris for dinner at The Pullman Restaurant in downtown Staunton to reflect and be together before the next day's election. Chris thanked everyone for all their time, their efforts, and their sacrifices in helping him in his run. I was very surprised when he singled me out as the "goddess of Augusta County," thanking me for all my work. I've never forgotten that special recognition.
What an amazing campaign ... and what an amazing win!
On Election Night I ended the day working the Stuarts Draft precinct until closing (I had floated all day from poll to poll as needed). It was cold and, by 7:00 when the polls closed, frost was settling on the grass. But I still remember the voters hurrying in after work and, as I asked for their vote for Chris Saxman, almost every one of them said he was the guy for them!
That was the first time Chris had run for public office and, yet, 9 out of 10 voters arriving said they were voting for him because they had talked with him/ seen him/ had him knock on their doors. At 7:00 I pulled up the "SAXMAN - Republican for Delegate" signs and headed to Staunton's BisMark restaurant for the GOP victory party.
When I arrived, TVs were tuned into election returns and the place was packed with local Republicans in a party atmosphere but with a tinge of sadness as it became apparent we were going to lose the governor's race. However, local races were turning out in our favor.
The D.O.G.S. of Pray were on stage and played a set ... and then the call was made that Saxman would win the 20th District Delegate seat.
The band started playing the opening strains of "Thank God for the U.S.A." and in bounced a smiling ecstatic Delegate-elect Chris Saxman. The place exploded in cheers and applause as the band boomed out his "theme song." It was classic ... and perfect. And a memory to keep....
When he finally made his way through the sea of cheering supporters he bounded up on stage, took the microphone, and thanked everyone ... and then dropped a bomb shell that we all laugh about to this day. He and Michele were expecting ... it was such new news that even his mom didn't know! All I could think was, "When did he have time??" He had been all-campaign all-the-time for months!
Media were everywhere and, of course, everyone wanted a piece of Chris -- interviews, congratulations, hugs, kisses.
The last interview of the evening came from a now-defunct newspaper called The Observer. The reporter got his interview and then asked for a photo ... and Chris looked around the room and called, "Lynn! Come over here!" He wanted me in the picture ... and I had the distinct pleasure of having my photo, standing side-by-side with my new Delegate, on the front page of the next edition of The Observer. Humbling.
Chris Saxman has talent, energy, youth, and personality. He is driven to succeed, both in the family business and in representing the citizens of the 20th District. He recently showed up at a luncheon for Susan Allen and local GOP supporters ... in shorts! An employee was out that day so he was driving the Shenandoah Water Company truck route. He simply pulled the truck into South River Grille, popped in for lunch in shorts and tennis shoes, then went back to work.
That's our Delegate!
Thank God For the U.S.A.
Music & Words by Henley Folk, Eddie Folk, Zack Henry
Long ago with a dream in mind of a nation of a different kind
All the young and the old alike standing straight and tall did fight.
They gave their time, they gave their might
They gave their heart, their souls, their lives.
They changed this world, and all for the good.
To them I'll always owe.
Chorus
Today united we all must stand
And give thanks for this great land
Where hopes and dreams come true
My allegiance I pledge to you
Home of the brave, land of the free
One nation under God we'll be.
Let's raise the flag, let freedom ring.
Go Red, White, and Blue.
Chris was the first candidate I worked with from the very beginning of his elected life. I was there in 2001 when he announced he was running, and worked at all the volunteer activities that are necessary in any campaign. He was one of the hardest-working candidates I had ever seen. He wore out about three pairs of tennis shoes walking door-to-door to visit folks in the newly-formed 20th District which included my home.
He walked behind the Republican float in the Staunton Fourth of July parade that year (and every year since except 2006 when he was out-of-state at a family reunion), jogging to catch up, dashing up the embankment to shake hands with parade watchers on the hill, working his way around Gypsy Hill Park. His wonderful wife Michele and their children rode on the float, waving to the crowd which included many friends and family members.
One Saturday as I worked GOP HQs, he came in after walking door-to-door for hours ... stretched out on the sofa ... and promptly nodded off. That was a rare "down-time" moment.
Chris won the Republican nomination at Buffalo Gap High School in August against Dr. Charles Curry, a popular former Augusta County Board of Supervisor member. It was a resounding win.
He never slowed down after winning the nomination ... he kept running for the finish line in November. And we ran with him. Because of 9/11 it seemed to make it more urgent that we get the job done.
That Fall, a well-attended Saxman for Delegate pig roast was held at a Churchville farm and the band D.O.G.S. of Pray played their signature tune, "Thank God for the U.S.A.," a song written prior to 9/11 but whose words fit right into the post-9/11 world we suddenly found ourselves living in. It kind of became Chris' theme song as the D.O.G.S. played at several events during the campaign. The chorus said:
"Thank God for the U.S.A. where the dreams haven't gone away / No matter what your wealth, your race, your creed, All can have their say / Thank God we're in America, Liberty, in God we trust. I stand to pray / Thank God for the U.S.A."
When I worked the phone banks asking folks to vote for Chris I was amazed at how many people had a personal anecdote about him: he had knocked on their door; he had stood talking with one lady when he was going door-to-door and she was working in her flowers; another said he sat on her front porch and had a glass of iced tea. This guy had connected with voters.
On Election Eve about 20 Republicans gathered with Chris for dinner at The Pullman Restaurant in downtown Staunton to reflect and be together before the next day's election. Chris thanked everyone for all their time, their efforts, and their sacrifices in helping him in his run. I was very surprised when he singled me out as the "goddess of Augusta County," thanking me for all my work. I've never forgotten that special recognition.
What an amazing campaign ... and what an amazing win!
On Election Night I ended the day working the Stuarts Draft precinct until closing (I had floated all day from poll to poll as needed). It was cold and, by 7:00 when the polls closed, frost was settling on the grass. But I still remember the voters hurrying in after work and, as I asked for their vote for Chris Saxman, almost every one of them said he was the guy for them!
That was the first time Chris had run for public office and, yet, 9 out of 10 voters arriving said they were voting for him because they had talked with him/ seen him/ had him knock on their doors. At 7:00 I pulled up the "SAXMAN - Republican for Delegate" signs and headed to Staunton's BisMark restaurant for the GOP victory party.
When I arrived, TVs were tuned into election returns and the place was packed with local Republicans in a party atmosphere but with a tinge of sadness as it became apparent we were going to lose the governor's race. However, local races were turning out in our favor.
The D.O.G.S. of Pray were on stage and played a set ... and then the call was made that Saxman would win the 20th District Delegate seat.
The band started playing the opening strains of "Thank God for the U.S.A." and in bounced a smiling ecstatic Delegate-elect Chris Saxman. The place exploded in cheers and applause as the band boomed out his "theme song." It was classic ... and perfect. And a memory to keep....
When he finally made his way through the sea of cheering supporters he bounded up on stage, took the microphone, and thanked everyone ... and then dropped a bomb shell that we all laugh about to this day. He and Michele were expecting ... it was such new news that even his mom didn't know! All I could think was, "When did he have time??" He had been all-campaign all-the-time for months!
Media were everywhere and, of course, everyone wanted a piece of Chris -- interviews, congratulations, hugs, kisses.
The last interview of the evening came from a now-defunct newspaper called The Observer. The reporter got his interview and then asked for a photo ... and Chris looked around the room and called, "Lynn! Come over here!" He wanted me in the picture ... and I had the distinct pleasure of having my photo, standing side-by-side with my new Delegate, on the front page of the next edition of The Observer. Humbling.
Chris Saxman has talent, energy, youth, and personality. He is driven to succeed, both in the family business and in representing the citizens of the 20th District. He recently showed up at a luncheon for Susan Allen and local GOP supporters ... in shorts! An employee was out that day so he was driving the Shenandoah Water Company truck route. He simply pulled the truck into South River Grille, popped in for lunch in shorts and tennis shoes, then went back to work.
That's our Delegate!
Thank God For the U.S.A.
Music & Words by Henley Folk, Eddie Folk, Zack Henry
Long ago with a dream in mind of a nation of a different kind
All the young and the old alike standing straight and tall did fight.
They gave their time, they gave their might
They gave their heart, their souls, their lives.
They changed this world, and all for the good.
To them I'll always owe.
Chorus
Today united we all must stand
And give thanks for this great land
Where hopes and dreams come true
My allegiance I pledge to you
Home of the brave, land of the free
One nation under God we'll be.
Let's raise the flag, let freedom ring.
Go Red, White, and Blue.
9/11 ... let's hear your story
Posted at The Mason Conservative was this reasonable suggestion: "A 9/11 Truce?" In it, cbeer wrote:
The political back and forth has gotten pretty heated on the VA Blogosphere, so with the upcoming 5th anniversary I think we should cease all political discussions for one day. In its place, I propose that all of us write what happened in our lives on 9/11/01. Just describe the day and your story. I think its important that we never forget this day, that it stays with us always so we can never be lulled asleep again, and we can hold out elected officials, be them Republican or Democrat, accountable to this. That is what I am going to do on Monday, and that will be the only post.
Sounds like a plan....
The political back and forth has gotten pretty heated on the VA Blogosphere, so with the upcoming 5th anniversary I think we should cease all political discussions for one day. In its place, I propose that all of us write what happened in our lives on 9/11/01. Just describe the day and your story. I think its important that we never forget this day, that it stays with us always so we can never be lulled asleep again, and we can hold out elected officials, be them Republican or Democrat, accountable to this. That is what I am going to do on Monday, and that will be the only post.
Sounds like a plan....
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Clinton has hissy fit over The Path to 9/11
Excuse me?? A miniseries on ABC on Sunday and Monday nights recalling events leading up to and including 9/11 has caused Bill Clinton to direct his lawyer to send a letter to ABC demanding they pull it.
Does anyone recall a recent book about the assassination of President George W. Bush? How about the movie of the same name currently being filmed in Canada?
I'm shaking my head at the HYPOCRISY in all this. The dems have proven once again they can dish it out but they certainly cannot take it on the chin when it boomerangs back to them.
Consider watching The Path to 9/11 tomorrow night and Monday.
Does anyone recall a recent book about the assassination of President George W. Bush? How about the movie of the same name currently being filmed in Canada?
I'm shaking my head at the HYPOCRISY in all this. The dems have proven once again they can dish it out but they certainly cannot take it on the chin when it boomerangs back to them.
Consider watching The Path to 9/11 tomorrow night and Monday.
The Path to 9/11 ... remembrance of tragic day in American history
"A great people has been moved to defend a great nation. Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shattered steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve. America was targeted for attack because we're the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining. Today, our nation saw evil, the very worst of human nature. And we responded with the best of America -- with the daring of our rescue workers, with the caring for strangers and neighbors who came to give blood and help in any way they could." - President George W. Bush, 9/11/01
The Path to 9/11: ABC. Sunday, September 10 - 8 p.m. Monday, September 11 - 8 p.m. From the ABC website:
NIGHT ONE
September 11, 2001. Teams of terrorist hijackers board four American airliners and take control of the cockpits. Passengers and flight controllers quickly learn something is terribly wrong....
February 1993. On a similarly ordinary day, New York is stunned by a deadly bombing at the World Trade Center. The discovery of a traceable van part at the site leads to the arrest of one of the conspirators, and he is linked to a mosque led by the Blind Sheikh, a radical cleric. A valuable FBI informant helps bring down the cleric and his cell. A manhunt for elusive WTC bomber Ramzi Yousef ensues, and he narrowly escapes capture in Pakistan, where he is linked to the attempted assassination of Benazir Bhutto. Yousef travels to the Philippines, where he tests an innovative small bomb that kills a flight passenger and comes close to bringing down the plane as well. He's almost captured again when a fire at his bomb-making lab exposes to Manila police his plot involving the simultaneous bombings of a dozen airliners.
Yousef is finally brought down when an informant in Pakistan tips off a team of agents working in coordination with FBI counterterrorism expert John O'Neill. Yousef's trail leads them to a rebel named Usama bin Laden.
In 1998, journalist John Miller's interview with bin Laden is broadcast, and O'Neill and others in Washington are alarmed by the al Qaeda leader's fatwa against the U.S. CIA field agent "Kirk" contacts bin Laden's primary opposition, General Massoud of Afghanistan's Northern Alliance, and they concoct a plan to capture bin Laden and bring him to the U.S. to face justice. The plan is never approved for action, but the simultaneous bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa push the Administration to respond with an ineffective missile strike that some think merely elevates bin Laden's stature in the Muslim world. Arrests of al Qaeda operatives at the Canadian-U.S. border and in New York on the even of the millennium provide further evidence that Muslim extremists are bringing their holy war to America.
NIGHT TWO
The October 2000 bombing of the USS Cole sends O'Neill and his team to Yemen, where he runs afoul of the U.S. Ambassador, who tries to have O'Neill recalled to the States. The investigation in Yemen stalls, but the White House, confident bin Laden is behind the attack, continues to debate how to stop him.
In 2001, counterterrorism czar Richard Clarke's warnings about bin Laden are downplayed, as is an FBI agent's warning to his superiors that some suspicious individuals are learning to fly jet aircraft. O'Neill butts heads with the CIA over their lack of shared information, and while intelligence agencies squabble, al Qaeda terrorists, under the radar, continue with their hijacking plot.
O'Neill, his career stalled by an incident wherein he lost his laptop, and tired of the bureaucracy, retires from the FBI in August and takes over security at the WTC. Shortly thereafter, the Northern Alliance's Massoud, who had pressed the U.S. for assistance against the Taliban and warned that bin Laden might strike, is assassinated by al Qaeda agents. Two days later comes September 11, and O'Neill dies bravely, along with thousands of others, in an attack by the enemy he had devoted his career to thwarting.
In the aftermath, the 9/11 Commission is formed to study the events leading up to that fateful day and to form recommendations to confront the threat of terrorism.
The Path to 9/11: ABC. Sunday, September 10 - 8 p.m. Monday, September 11 - 8 p.m. From the ABC website:
NIGHT ONE
September 11, 2001. Teams of terrorist hijackers board four American airliners and take control of the cockpits. Passengers and flight controllers quickly learn something is terribly wrong....
February 1993. On a similarly ordinary day, New York is stunned by a deadly bombing at the World Trade Center. The discovery of a traceable van part at the site leads to the arrest of one of the conspirators, and he is linked to a mosque led by the Blind Sheikh, a radical cleric. A valuable FBI informant helps bring down the cleric and his cell. A manhunt for elusive WTC bomber Ramzi Yousef ensues, and he narrowly escapes capture in Pakistan, where he is linked to the attempted assassination of Benazir Bhutto. Yousef travels to the Philippines, where he tests an innovative small bomb that kills a flight passenger and comes close to bringing down the plane as well. He's almost captured again when a fire at his bomb-making lab exposes to Manila police his plot involving the simultaneous bombings of a dozen airliners.
Yousef is finally brought down when an informant in Pakistan tips off a team of agents working in coordination with FBI counterterrorism expert John O'Neill. Yousef's trail leads them to a rebel named Usama bin Laden.
In 1998, journalist John Miller's interview with bin Laden is broadcast, and O'Neill and others in Washington are alarmed by the al Qaeda leader's fatwa against the U.S. CIA field agent "Kirk" contacts bin Laden's primary opposition, General Massoud of Afghanistan's Northern Alliance, and they concoct a plan to capture bin Laden and bring him to the U.S. to face justice. The plan is never approved for action, but the simultaneous bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa push the Administration to respond with an ineffective missile strike that some think merely elevates bin Laden's stature in the Muslim world. Arrests of al Qaeda operatives at the Canadian-U.S. border and in New York on the even of the millennium provide further evidence that Muslim extremists are bringing their holy war to America.
NIGHT TWO
The October 2000 bombing of the USS Cole sends O'Neill and his team to Yemen, where he runs afoul of the U.S. Ambassador, who tries to have O'Neill recalled to the States. The investigation in Yemen stalls, but the White House, confident bin Laden is behind the attack, continues to debate how to stop him.
In 2001, counterterrorism czar Richard Clarke's warnings about bin Laden are downplayed, as is an FBI agent's warning to his superiors that some suspicious individuals are learning to fly jet aircraft. O'Neill butts heads with the CIA over their lack of shared information, and while intelligence agencies squabble, al Qaeda terrorists, under the radar, continue with their hijacking plot.
O'Neill, his career stalled by an incident wherein he lost his laptop, and tired of the bureaucracy, retires from the FBI in August and takes over security at the WTC. Shortly thereafter, the Northern Alliance's Massoud, who had pressed the U.S. for assistance against the Taliban and warned that bin Laden might strike, is assassinated by al Qaeda agents. Two days later comes September 11, and O'Neill dies bravely, along with thousands of others, in an attack by the enemy he had devoted his career to thwarting.
In the aftermath, the 9/11 Commission is formed to study the events leading up to that fateful day and to form recommendations to confront the threat of terrorism.
Friday, September 08, 2006
9/11 ... the countdown continues....
"If our country does not lead the cause for freedom, it will not be led." - President George W. Bush, 2001
"This is not, however, just America's fight. And what is at stake is not just America's freedom. This is the world's fight. This is civilization's fight. This is the fight of all who believe in progress and pluralism, tolerance and freedom." - President George W. Bush, 2001
Three more days until the fifth anniversary of the worst attack ever on American soil. Get your American flags ready ... fly them on Monday to commemorate this somber occasion ... and to show unity and freedom!
"This is not, however, just America's fight. And what is at stake is not just America's freedom. This is the world's fight. This is civilization's fight. This is the fight of all who believe in progress and pluralism, tolerance and freedom." - President George W. Bush, 2001
Three more days until the fifth anniversary of the worst attack ever on American soil. Get your American flags ready ... fly them on Monday to commemorate this somber occasion ... and to show unity and freedom!
Jim Webb rebuked by Nancy Reagan
Nancy Reagan has ordered Jim Webb NOT to use video of her husband and Webb.
Ouch.
In this story the former First Lady says footage used is "neither authorized nor appropriate."
Double ouch.
Other Reagan administration officials are lining up against Webb, too. This guy was only in the Reagan White House a short time. It sounds as if he burned some bridges behind himself when he left.
Ouch.
In this story the former First Lady says footage used is "neither authorized nor appropriate."
Double ouch.
Other Reagan administration officials are lining up against Webb, too. This guy was only in the Reagan White House a short time. It sounds as if he burned some bridges behind himself when he left.
Lib bloggers ... me thinks thou doeth protest too much
Not Larry Sabato's latest post included this comment: It is totally fair to hold the candidate accountable for what his paid staff says on blogs.
I agree with that statement mainly because of two words: paid staff. When on the payroll for anyone you are an extension of that person/ company/ organization ... a spokesman/ representative for them. To say otherwise is completely disingenuous.
I see nothing wrong with fighting fire with fire. The Allen campaign is working to combat the daily ad nauseum spin/ untruths coming from Raising Kaine, the paid blog of the Webb campaign. Should Republicans sit back and do nothing? That's not politics, folks. That's burying your head in the sand. The difference is the ability to put facts out there.
To be in an uproar because conservative bloggers are posting about the Raising Kaine "Monkey Fest" stunt planned for Saturday's GOP Ethnic Rally in Alexandria is plain silly. It's the truth, isn't it? They do plan to romp around in circus outfits, don't they? This from their website:
Allen and three other Republican candidates will be attending the event. We, Mac (the Monkey) and Anna (Banana) will be there, but much more exciting will be the opportunity to hang out with Patch Adams (clown doctor activist) who will be “Gorilla”! We will have 9 monkey face masks to share – first come, first serve and plenty of our favorite yellow snacks, balloons, and stickers. We encourage you to bring your own monkey outfits, masks, and signs.
And the truth is Jim Webb received a letter from the Ethnic Rally organizers stating they felt his campaign was openly mocking their rally, a rally held by hard-working Americans coming together to celebrate their diversity and support for Senator George Allen's re-election. They wrote, "For paid members of your staff to denigrate our gathering and attempt to disrupt and demean our rally is wrong"and asked that Webb condemn the "mean-spirited actions" of his campaign staff. They ended by saying, "This is no way to conduct a Senate campaign."
To lib bloggers complaining of conservative bloggers getting the word out about this stunt ... me thinks thou doeth protest too much.
I agree with that statement mainly because of two words: paid staff. When on the payroll for anyone you are an extension of that person/ company/ organization ... a spokesman/ representative for them. To say otherwise is completely disingenuous.
I see nothing wrong with fighting fire with fire. The Allen campaign is working to combat the daily ad nauseum spin/ untruths coming from Raising Kaine, the paid blog of the Webb campaign. Should Republicans sit back and do nothing? That's not politics, folks. That's burying your head in the sand. The difference is the ability to put facts out there.
To be in an uproar because conservative bloggers are posting about the Raising Kaine "Monkey Fest" stunt planned for Saturday's GOP Ethnic Rally in Alexandria is plain silly. It's the truth, isn't it? They do plan to romp around in circus outfits, don't they? This from their website:
Allen and three other Republican candidates will be attending the event. We, Mac (the Monkey) and Anna (Banana) will be there, but much more exciting will be the opportunity to hang out with Patch Adams (clown doctor activist) who will be “Gorilla”! We will have 9 monkey face masks to share – first come, first serve and plenty of our favorite yellow snacks, balloons, and stickers. We encourage you to bring your own monkey outfits, masks, and signs.
And the truth is Jim Webb received a letter from the Ethnic Rally organizers stating they felt his campaign was openly mocking their rally, a rally held by hard-working Americans coming together to celebrate their diversity and support for Senator George Allen's re-election. They wrote, "For paid members of your staff to denigrate our gathering and attempt to disrupt and demean our rally is wrong"and asked that Webb condemn the "mean-spirited actions" of his campaign staff. They ended by saying, "This is no way to conduct a Senate campaign."
To lib bloggers complaining of conservative bloggers getting the word out about this stunt ... me thinks thou doeth protest too much.
Jim Webb and Guantanamo Bay
During the July debate at the Homestead between Senator George Allen and Jim Webb, comments were made by Webb that still concern me.
Coming from a military man I found them disturbing because he had bought into the liberal/Democrat spin that we had mistreated prisoners at Guantanamo and needed to set an example for the rest of the world ("They're watching us," he said) ... or risk having our soldiers "mistreated" also.
What was glaringly obvious, at least to some of us, was the fact our soldiers had been given no chance to be "mistreated" by the enemy because they had been beheaded, their bodies had been booby-trapped with explosives, and other atrocities.
I expect a die-hard, anti-war, Bush-hating liberal to think like that ... but a former military man?
Coming from a military man I found them disturbing because he had bought into the liberal/Democrat spin that we had mistreated prisoners at Guantanamo and needed to set an example for the rest of the world ("They're watching us," he said) ... or risk having our soldiers "mistreated" also.
What was glaringly obvious, at least to some of us, was the fact our soldiers had been given no chance to be "mistreated" by the enemy because they had been beheaded, their bodies had been booby-trapped with explosives, and other atrocities.
I expect a die-hard, anti-war, Bush-hating liberal to think like that ... but a former military man?
Thursday, September 07, 2006
9/11 remembered ... somber facts....
We've defeated freedom's enemies before, and we will defeat them again. We have refused to live in a state of panic or in a state of denial. There is a difference between being alert and being intimidated and this great nation will never be intimidated. - President George W. Bush, 2001
9-11 Remembered
-- 3,030 people were killed
-- 2,337 people were injured
-- 343 New York firefighters and paramedics were killed
-- 75 NYPD officers were killed
-- 115 nations lost citizens
-- 3,051 children lost a parent
-- 1,609 people lost a spouse or partner
-- The greatest age of a person killed in 9/11: 39 years
-- Percentage of Americans who knew someone hurt or killed: 20%
-- Number of firefighters on leave for respiratory problems as of Jan. 2002: 300
-- Tons of debris removed from both sites: 1,506,124
-- Days the fires of the WTC and Pentagon burned after the attacks: 99
-- Total Deaths at The Pentagon (Ground): 124
-- Total Injured at The Pentagon: 76
-- Deaths on American Airlines Flight 77 to the Pentagon: 64
-- Deaths on American Airlines Flight 11
-- World Trade Center North Tower: 92
-- Deaths on United Airlines Flight 175
-- World Trade Center South Tower: 65
-- Deaths on United Airlines Flight 93 Shanksville, PA: 40
May God bless their families, our military who fight to keep us safe, our Nation, and our President as we continue to stand guard against Muslim terrorists.
9/11: May we never forget.
9-11 Remembered
-- 3,030 people were killed
-- 2,337 people were injured
-- 343 New York firefighters and paramedics were killed
-- 75 NYPD officers were killed
-- 115 nations lost citizens
-- 3,051 children lost a parent
-- 1,609 people lost a spouse or partner
-- The greatest age of a person killed in 9/11: 39 years
-- Percentage of Americans who knew someone hurt or killed: 20%
-- Number of firefighters on leave for respiratory problems as of Jan. 2002: 300
-- Tons of debris removed from both sites: 1,506,124
-- Days the fires of the WTC and Pentagon burned after the attacks: 99
-- Total Deaths at The Pentagon (Ground): 124
-- Total Injured at The Pentagon: 76
-- Deaths on American Airlines Flight 77 to the Pentagon: 64
-- Deaths on American Airlines Flight 11
-- World Trade Center North Tower: 92
-- Deaths on United Airlines Flight 175
-- World Trade Center South Tower: 65
-- Deaths on United Airlines Flight 93 Shanksville, PA: 40
May God bless their families, our military who fight to keep us safe, our Nation, and our President as we continue to stand guard against Muslim terrorists.
9/11: May we never forget.
I like Senator George Allen on a horse!
Seems the dem bloggers are trying to disparage Senator George Allen again ... but what else is new?
George Allen, as he traditionally does, rode a horse in Monday's Buena Vista Labor Day parade. The dem bloggers are trying to make something of that in a negative way. Sorry, dems. I like to see George Allen riding horses in parades. It sets him apart from the rest.
I've said since President George W. Bush was elected and since 9/11 that it's nice to have John Wayne in charge of the ranch again - a man who takes charge and gets things done - and makes me feel safe.
I feel the same about George Allen. Cowboy boots, jeans, horses ... bring 'em on, George!
George Allen, as he traditionally does, rode a horse in Monday's Buena Vista Labor Day parade. The dem bloggers are trying to make something of that in a negative way. Sorry, dems. I like to see George Allen riding horses in parades. It sets him apart from the rest.
I've said since President George W. Bush was elected and since 9/11 that it's nice to have John Wayne in charge of the ranch again - a man who takes charge and gets things done - and makes me feel safe.
I feel the same about George Allen. Cowboy boots, jeans, horses ... bring 'em on, George!
Operation 9/11: Fly those American flags!
I will not forget the wound to our country and those who inflicted it. I will not yield, I will not rest, I will not relent in waging this struggle for freedom and security for the American people. - President George W. Bush, 2001
We are now five days away from the fifth anniversary of 9/11. Here's a plan for every red-blooded American next Monday - Operation 9/11: Fly those American flags!
On Monday, September 11, 2006, an American flag should be displayed outside every home, apartment, office, and store in the United States.
Every individual should make it their duty to display an American flag on this fifth anniversary of our country's worst tragedy. We do this in honor of those who lost their lives on 9/11, their families, friends and loved ones who continue to endure the pain, and those who today are fighting at home and abroad to protect our cherished freedoms.
In the days, weeks, and months following 9/11, our nation was bathed in American flags as citizens mourned the incredible losses and stood shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism. Sadly, those flags have all but disappeared.
Our patriotism pulled us through some tough times and it shouldn't take another attack to galvanize us in solidarity. Our American flag is the fabric of our country and together we can prevail over terrorism of all kinds.
So here's what we need to do:
1) Pass this information on to everyone you know.
2) Fly an American flag of any size on 9/11.
Honestly, Americans should fly the flag year-round but if you don't then at least make it a priority on this day.
Thank you for your participation. May God bless America!
We are now five days away from the fifth anniversary of 9/11. Here's a plan for every red-blooded American next Monday - Operation 9/11: Fly those American flags!
On Monday, September 11, 2006, an American flag should be displayed outside every home, apartment, office, and store in the United States.
Every individual should make it their duty to display an American flag on this fifth anniversary of our country's worst tragedy. We do this in honor of those who lost their lives on 9/11, their families, friends and loved ones who continue to endure the pain, and those who today are fighting at home and abroad to protect our cherished freedoms.
In the days, weeks, and months following 9/11, our nation was bathed in American flags as citizens mourned the incredible losses and stood shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism. Sadly, those flags have all but disappeared.
Our patriotism pulled us through some tough times and it shouldn't take another attack to galvanize us in solidarity. Our American flag is the fabric of our country and together we can prevail over terrorism of all kinds.
So here's what we need to do:
1) Pass this information on to everyone you know.
2) Fly an American flag of any size on 9/11.
Honestly, Americans should fly the flag year-round but if you don't then at least make it a priority on this day.
Thank you for your participation. May God bless America!
Thanks from Iraq
Check FromOurHearts for information on how to help send care packages to military men and women from the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia stationed in Iraq. We pack on a weekly basis and send 140-160 packages with everything from junk food to home backed cookies to CDs and shaving gear and more. We thank our hard-working military men and women and their families for their sacrifices to keep us safe. God bless them all.
Dear From Our Hearts,
WE WANT TO THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HOT HEARTS OVER HERE FOR THE GIFTS THAT YOU HAVE SENT US!!!!!!! It has meant sooooooo much to us and also just the thought that someone remembers us and cares. The guys were moved cause they were recieving gifts from someone "In the Valley" whom they do not know but yet has reached out to touch us. Well it may take a month but we are working on reaching out to you guys for your love , concern, and inspiration.
Well let us share a day in our lives right now-----the one picture is the heat over here----the top thermo is the heat in the sun---the second is the temp in the shade--- the third is measureing humity!!! So in your future packs if you could send ice that would be great!!!-----lololololol--- just kidding there is plenty of ice --- it justs does not last long at all. You would not believe how hot the water gets in our equipment too----you think water coming out of the tanker or engine as pleastant--but our equipment stands out in the sun all day so since its as hot as the thermo says it is then the water is over half way to boiling when it comes out--lolol.
Well THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts of here in Kalsu Iraq!!!!
Mike Flook
Dear From Our Hearts,
WE WANT TO THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HOT HEARTS OVER HERE FOR THE GIFTS THAT YOU HAVE SENT US!!!!!!! It has meant sooooooo much to us and also just the thought that someone remembers us and cares. The guys were moved cause they were recieving gifts from someone "In the Valley" whom they do not know but yet has reached out to touch us. Well it may take a month but we are working on reaching out to you guys for your love , concern, and inspiration.
Well let us share a day in our lives right now-----the one picture is the heat over here----the top thermo is the heat in the sun---the second is the temp in the shade--- the third is measureing humity!!! So in your future packs if you could send ice that would be great!!!-----lololololol--- just kidding there is plenty of ice --- it justs does not last long at all. You would not believe how hot the water gets in our equipment too----you think water coming out of the tanker or engine as pleastant--but our equipment stands out in the sun all day so since its as hot as the thermo says it is then the water is over half way to boiling when it comes out--lolol.
Well THANK YOU from the bottom of our hearts of here in Kalsu Iraq!!!!
Mike Flook
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
9/11 ... the countdown continues....
Six days until the fifth anniversary of 9/11.
9/11 ... the worst attack ever on American soil.
9/11 ... Muslim terrorists hijacked American airplanes and ditched them into American buildings.
9/11 ... when Americans on Flight 93 showed the American tenacity and backbone that has made this country strong for over 200 years.
9/11 ... when we could no longer turn our backs on the Muslim extremists and terrorism attacks that had been occuring worldwide for many years.
9/11 ... the day most of America woke up!
9/11 ... we need this anniversary as a reminder to those who have forgotten.
"We're ready, we're steady, we're resolved." - President George W. Bush, 2001
9/11 ... the worst attack ever on American soil.
9/11 ... Muslim terrorists hijacked American airplanes and ditched them into American buildings.
9/11 ... when Americans on Flight 93 showed the American tenacity and backbone that has made this country strong for over 200 years.
9/11 ... when we could no longer turn our backs on the Muslim extremists and terrorism attacks that had been occuring worldwide for many years.
9/11 ... the day most of America woke up!
9/11 ... we need this anniversary as a reminder to those who have forgotten.
"We're ready, we're steady, we're resolved." - President George W. Bush, 2001
Monday, September 04, 2006
MoveOn.org is in the Valley
Today's Augusta Free Press has this story about politics in the Valley and an admission that MoveOn.org is, indeed, alive and well in this area despite the denial of lib activists and local media-types.
The Crocodile Hunter is dead.... 1962-2006
"Crickey!"
How many times over the years did I hear that expression from Steve Irwin, the "crocodile hunter," who has been killed by a stingray in Australia?
How many times did I jump in my chair as yet another deadly snake lunged at him as he held it by its tail?
Just this past weekend I had watched as he chased down some deadly snake in a rice paddy in some remote corner of the world ... and then pushed back into my chair as he cornered a Cobra that struck at him, missing by inches....
"He's going to get bitten one of these days!" I declared.
Ironic that it wasn't a snake that did him in ... or even one of the crocs or alligators he wrestled with in the wild ... but rather a stingray. Who have you ever heard of who was killed by a stingray?
Apparently the poisonous barb on its tail whipped into his chest, piercing his heart, killing him almost instantly.
Steve Irwin was only 44 years old. He was married to Terri, an American, and had two children, Bindi, age 8, and Bob, age 3.
He had a passion for life, a boyish joyfulness that exuded from him in everything he did. His zest for life was a breath of fresh air. And, yet, he put himself right in there with those deadly creatures, sometimes, in my opinion, way closer than necessary.
But I have to admire someone who lived his life exactly as he wanted. That means he died as he wanted ... doing what he wanted. Not many of us can say that.
Steve Irwin ... the Crocodile Hunter ... we will miss you. Crickey - we will!
How many times over the years did I hear that expression from Steve Irwin, the "crocodile hunter," who has been killed by a stingray in Australia?
How many times did I jump in my chair as yet another deadly snake lunged at him as he held it by its tail?
Just this past weekend I had watched as he chased down some deadly snake in a rice paddy in some remote corner of the world ... and then pushed back into my chair as he cornered a Cobra that struck at him, missing by inches....
"He's going to get bitten one of these days!" I declared.
Ironic that it wasn't a snake that did him in ... or even one of the crocs or alligators he wrestled with in the wild ... but rather a stingray. Who have you ever heard of who was killed by a stingray?
Apparently the poisonous barb on its tail whipped into his chest, piercing his heart, killing him almost instantly.
Steve Irwin was only 44 years old. He was married to Terri, an American, and had two children, Bindi, age 8, and Bob, age 3.
He had a passion for life, a boyish joyfulness that exuded from him in everything he did. His zest for life was a breath of fresh air. And, yet, he put himself right in there with those deadly creatures, sometimes, in my opinion, way closer than necessary.
But I have to admire someone who lived his life exactly as he wanted. That means he died as he wanted ... doing what he wanted. Not many of us can say that.
Steve Irwin ... the Crocodile Hunter ... we will miss you. Crickey - we will!
Beyond the pale ... lunatic fringe steps over the line ... again
I have felt ineffective at expressing my displeasure at Dem/lib tactics the past three years. While growing up in Virginia I witnessed fairly genteel politics even though as an adult I realized there was backroom arm twisting from the then-dominant Democrat Party.
But the tactics of MoveOn.org and others that has come into the Commonwealth is worrisome. They are aggressive, they are bitter, they are arrogant, and they have no respect for the views of those who disagree with them.
So ... when I found this post at ShaunKenney.com I saw that he had put into words many of my frustrations and concerns. Check it out for yourself. Here's what he wrote that got my attention:
When Raising Kaine Goes To War...
by Shaun Kenney
So let me get this straight: an independent organization gives Senator George Allen an award for his support for historically black colleges. Radicals on the left find out about this, and what do they decide to do?
Threaten and cajole the donors of the Thurgood Marshall Foundation: Do the Thurgood Marshall people realize that George Allen's cuts to education, when he was Governor, took a disproportionate amount away from Virginia's historical African-American universities - Norfolk State and Virginia State? Do they realize that Sen. Allen voted AGAINST programs that improve education for minorities and communities? That he voted against approximately $24.5 billion for Head Start programs? That he voted AGAINST eliminating testing requirements even if Title I programs that aid students in low-income areas were not fully funded? That he voted against increasing Hispanic education funds by $210 million? Now, in what way does George Allen deserve an award from an organization that bears the name of the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States?
Now typically I don't relay stuff from Raising Kaine, mostly for the way they communicate their viewpoint. Still, sometimes the most ungentlemanly thing you can do is make an obscure man (or in this case, blog) feel their obscurity. Folks, this goes way over the edge. Placing pressure on the Marshall Foundation is ludicrous, and the things said in the comments section about the Thurgood Marshall fund is way beyond the pale:
The "fund" gave an award to -- drum roll -- GOPPER Michael J. Steele in 2003 . . .
Rick Santorum! Now there's a fine model of tolerance!
The people giving Allen this award are thuming their nose to Thurgood Marshall, His Family and endorsing Allen's associated with the CCC (KKK) and his remarks to Sidarth.
(T)he TMSF just an organization that is careful not to bite the hand that feeds it? Or are they active supporters of these right-wingers? Who do the members of TMSF give to? Start calling everyone, press, the people giving this award, black leaders, EVERYONE.
Now folks, I'm getting awful tired of the "Republicans = Racists" meme the lunatic fringe of the Democratic Party continues to spew out unchecked. Personally, I take offense not just at the fact that Republicans presumably can never be on the side of equality, but if organizations like the Thurgood Marshall Foundation are so inclined to recognize Republicans they are immediately branded as disingenuous, or worse for those who remember what Democrats did to Michael Steele in Maryland. And this isn't the first instance:
Pelting Michael Steele with Oreos? Perfectly acceptable behavior for Dems.
Calling Condoleeza Rice a "house nigga"? Just a harmless comic.
Speaking of harmless comics, no worries if Democrats use caricatures to emphasize the Jewishness of their primary opponents (as if that were something to be ashamed of).
Senator Biden is free to make comments about "speaking with an Indian accent" at 7-11's, but Biden is still considered a Democratic contender for president.
My grandfather was a member of Citizens United for Action (CUA) back in 1964. He ran against the poll tax, and for his stand he came in second-to-last place right next to the African-American candidate for Fredericksburg City Council. He ran as a Liberal because he believed in equality as a virtue despite background or race. My grandfather would be ashamed at what the Progressives are doing today. Classic case of a vocal minority blackmailing the Thurgood Marshall Foundation for political points. Thurgood Marshall himself certainly never gave in to such tactics, and shame on Lowell and the radicals at Raising Kaine for threatening his namesake.
______________
Be sure to go to Shaun's website and read the lively comments posted because there is interesting history listed that everyone should know. Thank you for your post, Shaun. You put into words what I couldn't.
But the tactics of MoveOn.org and others that has come into the Commonwealth is worrisome. They are aggressive, they are bitter, they are arrogant, and they have no respect for the views of those who disagree with them.
So ... when I found this post at ShaunKenney.com I saw that he had put into words many of my frustrations and concerns. Check it out for yourself. Here's what he wrote that got my attention:
When Raising Kaine Goes To War...
by Shaun Kenney
So let me get this straight: an independent organization gives Senator George Allen an award for his support for historically black colleges. Radicals on the left find out about this, and what do they decide to do?
Threaten and cajole the donors of the Thurgood Marshall Foundation: Do the Thurgood Marshall people realize that George Allen's cuts to education, when he was Governor, took a disproportionate amount away from Virginia's historical African-American universities - Norfolk State and Virginia State? Do they realize that Sen. Allen voted AGAINST programs that improve education for minorities and communities? That he voted against approximately $24.5 billion for Head Start programs? That he voted AGAINST eliminating testing requirements even if Title I programs that aid students in low-income areas were not fully funded? That he voted against increasing Hispanic education funds by $210 million? Now, in what way does George Allen deserve an award from an organization that bears the name of the first African American to serve on the Supreme Court of the United States?
Now typically I don't relay stuff from Raising Kaine, mostly for the way they communicate their viewpoint. Still, sometimes the most ungentlemanly thing you can do is make an obscure man (or in this case, blog) feel their obscurity. Folks, this goes way over the edge. Placing pressure on the Marshall Foundation is ludicrous, and the things said in the comments section about the Thurgood Marshall fund is way beyond the pale:
The "fund" gave an award to -- drum roll -- GOPPER Michael J. Steele in 2003 . . .
Rick Santorum! Now there's a fine model of tolerance!
The people giving Allen this award are thuming their nose to Thurgood Marshall, His Family and endorsing Allen's associated with the CCC (KKK) and his remarks to Sidarth.
(T)he TMSF just an organization that is careful not to bite the hand that feeds it? Or are they active supporters of these right-wingers? Who do the members of TMSF give to? Start calling everyone, press, the people giving this award, black leaders, EVERYONE.
Now folks, I'm getting awful tired of the "Republicans = Racists" meme the lunatic fringe of the Democratic Party continues to spew out unchecked. Personally, I take offense not just at the fact that Republicans presumably can never be on the side of equality, but if organizations like the Thurgood Marshall Foundation are so inclined to recognize Republicans they are immediately branded as disingenuous, or worse for those who remember what Democrats did to Michael Steele in Maryland. And this isn't the first instance:
Pelting Michael Steele with Oreos? Perfectly acceptable behavior for Dems.
Calling Condoleeza Rice a "house nigga"? Just a harmless comic.
Speaking of harmless comics, no worries if Democrats use caricatures to emphasize the Jewishness of their primary opponents (as if that were something to be ashamed of).
Senator Biden is free to make comments about "speaking with an Indian accent" at 7-11's, but Biden is still considered a Democratic contender for president.
My grandfather was a member of Citizens United for Action (CUA) back in 1964. He ran against the poll tax, and for his stand he came in second-to-last place right next to the African-American candidate for Fredericksburg City Council. He ran as a Liberal because he believed in equality as a virtue despite background or race. My grandfather would be ashamed at what the Progressives are doing today. Classic case of a vocal minority blackmailing the Thurgood Marshall Foundation for political points. Thurgood Marshall himself certainly never gave in to such tactics, and shame on Lowell and the radicals at Raising Kaine for threatening his namesake.
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Be sure to go to Shaun's website and read the lively comments posted because there is interesting history listed that everyone should know. Thank you for your post, Shaun. You put into words what I couldn't.
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