Links and Minifeatures 2008 08 28 Thursday

Neighborhoods of La Mesa: Connecticut Avenue

The Obama campaign is trying to suppress an campaign ad. Indeed, they want to file charges against the man who sponsored it

Meanwhile, Obama himself is funneling money to ACORN for advocacy work through a false front.

Hope and Change? The introduction of totalitarian (see: China, Hugo Chavez, Robert Mugabe)tricks to intimidate political opponents probably isn't what most of his backers have in mind.

Way to stay classy.

If Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity was saying something like this about Markos Moulitsas, what would the reaction be?

Michael Totten: The truth about Georgia

Like MIchael Yon, He's supported by reader donations.

A classy move by John McCain In a switch, McCain to Obama: "Well done"

Congratulating him on becoming the nominee, and spending his own campaign funds to do it.

Found it on You Tube

This could be indicative: McCain VP possibility cancels Denver appointments

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, in Denver to help provide counterattacks against the Democratic Party convention, canceled participation in a news conference and other appearances, a Republican official said.

It was unclear whether the cancellation had any significance to McCain's vice presidential search.

What other reason could he have for suddenly canceling appointments? A sudden illness in the family about covers it, and if that were the case, he would have said so.

Pawlenty is 47 - the same age as Obama. I think Mitt Romney or California's Duncan Hunter would be better, electorally, and help more in the actual governing, but Pawlenty is more of an outsider (always an asset), and his political agenda isn't quite so hardened. There's also the relative youth factor to consider. Assuming McCain wins and retires after one term, Pawlenty would be just about perfectly placed to succeed him - something Hunter will never do, and Romney would be getting up there in age as well in another 4 to 8 years.

Dog Bites Man. Another ACORN fraud in Ohio?

ACORN has a long history of alleged fraud in their registration drives. All of their improprieties have gone to the benefit of Democrats, and Democrats have not stinted on their appreciation. Here in Minnesota, failed gubernatorial candidate Mike Hatch diverted thousands of dollars to ACORN from a lawsuit settlement as Attorney General. Democrats in Congress sent millions to ACORN as part of the economic stimulus plan in February and in the housing bailout bill in April.

I expect the cold hard fact to have zero impact on how the economy is reported: Economy grew 3.3% in Q2.

Thus far, we have yet to have a single quarter of negative growth, and 3.3% growth is pretty darned good. But certain media groups, determined to paint George Bush as a failure, are spinning everything down.

Or could it be that we've just gotten so spoiled by nearly eight years of good economy under George Bush that slower growth feels like a recession? Or (say it softly) are they using the collapsing news business as their metric?

Is America Ready To Send Its Political Opponents to Jail?

Most totalitarians at least wait until after they're in power to suppress the opposition.

More on Obama attempting to suppress information at Q and O

They told me if George W. Bush was elected, political dissenters would be marched off to jail in leg irons and denied attorney representation. And they were right! Denver Protesters denied access to attorneys, forced to march in leg shackles

The ACLU issued a stinging rebuke to the Denver Police Department Wednesday, alleging that the department may have violated laws and constitutional rights of protesters arrested outside the Democratic National Convention.

Speaking of the previous item: Here's what real oppression looks like:

Statement from the Family of Imprisoned Opposition Leader, Hassan Baoum