Sunday, October 31, 2010

The Fall of the American Empire ?



Cutting through all the garbage this is what this election and the election in 2012 is all about.

We cannot escape our destiny, nor should we try to do so. The leadership of the free world was thrust upon us two centuries ago in that little hall of Philadelphia. In the days following World War II, when the economic strength and power of America was all that stood between the world and the return to the dark ages, Pope Pius XII said, "The American people have a great genius for splendid and unselfish actions. Into the hands of America God has placed the destinies of an afflicted mankind."

We are indeed, and we are today, the last best hope of man on earth.

Ronald Reagan

DUCKS # 1 in BCS


For the first time in my life and in the University of Oregon's history the Oregon Duck football team is #1 in the BCS including # 1 in the human polls and 2nd in the computers.Even if this only lasts a week this is a historic week and bring on the Washington Huskies to Autzen Stadium in Eugene on Saturday at 12:30 PM on ABC TV. Go Duck beat the Huskies and Win the Day. Let's GO DUCKS !

Friday, October 29, 2010

Medford Oregon vs Detroit Michigan


Interesting fact: Medford Oregon and Jackson County had a 13.5 % unemployment rate in September of 2010 while Detroit Michigan had a 13% unemployment rate. I am sure happy we got all that stimulus money to put people to work. (sarcasm)

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Sorry President Obama... we are not "enemies!"


The other day President Obama speaking on a Hispanic radio station called Republicans "enemies" who should be punished. The exact quote is as follows:

If Latinos sit out the election instead of saying, "We’re going to punish our enemies and we’re gonna reward our friends who stand with us on issues that are important to us," if they don’t see that kind of upsurge in voting in this election, then I think it’s going to be harder, and that’s why I think it’s so important that people focus on voting on November 2.


Another President when the nation was on the verge of Civil War spoke to his fellow citizens North AND South and said:

We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battle-field, and patriot grave, to every living heart and hearth-stone, all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.



Ending to Lincoln's First Inaugural speech

Sorry President Obama we are not enemies. I admit I don't like you and want your electoral defeat but you are an American and we are not enemies. Osama bin Laden, Al Qaeda, the Taliban and the other Islamic fascist are the enemy.

Too bad we don't have a President who appeals to our better angels.

Rubio's Closing Argument: 'A Generational Choice'



JOHN MCCORMACK at Nationalreview online's "The Corner" posts a quote from a two-minute TV commercial, by Republican Marco Rubio who closes out his campaign for US Senator from Florida by coming back to the theme of preserving American exceptionalism:

“It’s very clear. If we stay on this road Washington has us on right now, we will risk the essence of what makes us exceptional. We will lose what makes us unique.

“I know this because this idea about America being exceptional is not something I read in a book. As the son of exiles, my parents were born into a society pretty much like every other in the world where if you’re not from the right family or with enough money you can only go so far.

“And that is a very different place from our America – a place where the son of bartender doesn’t have to become a bartender and where the son of a maid can achieve any dream.

“So now we’re being asked whether we want to keep all that or whether we want to become more like the place my parents came from.
His parents were refuges from Cuba.

In 1964 when Ronald Reagan was campaigning for Barry Goldwater he gave what has been called "The Speech." I was a high school student at the time and saw it at home on TV and have never forgotten it. One of the most stirring parts is where Reagan said:

Not too long ago, two friends of mine were talking to a Cuban refugee, a businessman who had escaped from Castro, and in the midst of his story one of my friends turned to the other and said, "We don't know how lucky we are." And the Cuban stopped and said, "How lucky you are? I had someplace to escape to." And in that sentence he told us the entire story. If we lose freedom here, there's no place to escape to. This is the last stand on earth.

And this idea that government is beholden to the people, that it has no other source of power except the sovereign people, is still the newest and the most unique idea in all the long history of man's relation to man.

This is the issue of this election: Whether we believe in our capacity for self-government or whether we abandon the American revolution and confess that a little intellectual elite in a far-distant capitol can plan our lives for us better than we can plan them ourselves.


Goldwater lost to LBJ in a landslide and as a result we lost some of our freedom to "The Great Society" but the fight goes on..... rise up America !

Rise Up America !



ELECTION DAY NOVEMBER 2nd, 2010.

Monday, October 25, 2010

Obama: Republicans "gotta sit in back"


"we can't have special interests sitting shotgun. We gotta have middle class families up in front. We don't mind the Republicans joining us. They can come for the ride, but they gotta sit in back."

Barack Obama

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Howe Wins "Pants on Fire" Ruling


You have heard the phrase: "liar, liar, pants on fire." The liberal Portland Oregonian Newspaper has awarded Lynn Howe a "pants on fire" ruling for her campaign allegation against Sal Esquivel that he had proposed a bill in the Oregon Legislature to put a sales tax on food.

Lynn Howe is running against Sal Esquivel the incumbent for the Oregon House of Representatives, District 6, which includes much of Medford, Oregon. The Portland Oregonian has been investigating campaign charges and then issuing a "ruling" on their "Truth-O-Meter" that the charge is, "True","Mostly True","Half True", "Barely True", "False" and "Pants on Fire." To date, in the entire state, the Oregonian has only awarded four "Pants on Fire" rulings and Lynn Howe is the recipient of one of those rulings.

Click on the title for a link to the Oregonian's news story and ruling.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Obama: Dems are in trouble because Americans aren't thinking clearly




According to Byron York of the Washington Examiner President Obama spoke before Democrat donors last night in Massachusetts at a $15,200 per person dinner and told the Democrat donors:

"Part of the reason that our politics seems so tough right now, and facts and science and argument do not seem to be winning the day all the time, is because we're hard-wired not to always think clearly when we're scared,"


This reminds me of what candidate Obama said in April of 2008 before San Francisco Democrat donors:

"It's not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren't like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations."

Click on title for link to Byron York's column.

Thus, it's not his fault, it's America's fault for "not thinking clearly."

Another example of his narcissism.

UPDATE: "Obama’s Dime Store Sociology."


Jay Cost from The Weekly Standard:


It is one thing for a professor doing a study to treat other human beings as subjects; it’s another for the president of the United States to do it. There is a condescending, anti-republican quality to these statements. Rather than take opposition at face value – President Obama locates the hidden causes behind it, causes that his fellow citizens do not even understand themselves.


This is a terribly bad habit of President Obama's. It comes across as arrogant and condescending, and it doesn’t do a thing to help persuade people.

OREGON DUCKS: # 1 USA Today & A.P. Polls


For the first time in my life and the life of the Oregon Duck football team (111 seasons) they are rated number 1 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and the Associated Press Poll for college football. They in the past have reached #2 but never #1. Regardless of how long they stay there this is a historic day and the moment should be savored for today and then we need to get ready for UCLA on Thursday night before a national TV audience on ESPN. Go Ducks Win the Day !

UPDATE: Oregon is also #1 in the Harris Poll.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Why Liberals Don't Get the Tea Party Movement


Our universities haven't taught much political history for decades. No wonder so many progressives have disdain for the principles that animated the Federalist debates by Peter Berkonitz in the Wall Street Journal.

Those who doubt that the failings of higher education in America have political consequences need only reflect on the quality of progressive commentary on the tea party movement. Our universities have produced two generations of highly educated people who seem unable to recognize the spirited defense of fundamental American principles, even when it takes place for more than a year and a half right in front of their noses.


Click on the title of a link to this interesting column.

Netflix Streaming of Movies


I am finally inching toward the 21st Century. I have had a Play Station 3 for several years primarily to play Blu Ray DVD movies. It's in the family/movie room far from our Internet connected computer two floors above in our bedroom. About two weeks ago I finally got the the Play Station 3 connected to the Internet though a wireless connection to the computer modem upstairs. I originally did this so I could update the software of the Play Station 3. I have now discovered I can stream movies though my Netflix account without additional charge.

Several years ago our daughter gave her mother and I a Netflix subscription for two movies at a time for three months. We loved it and have continually renewed our subscription and get two movies each week through the mail. Now I have sent to Netflix for a spacial DVD that will allow me to stream movies from the Internet through the Play Station 3.

Last night I was able to stream the movie "The Malta Story" (1953) from Netflix to my new computer and it's windscreen monitor. There are several misconceptions I had in my head that were disproved last night as follows:

I will have to pay Netflix a per movie charge for each movie I stream.

NOT True. If you have a "Unlimited" account with Netflix and for example can have two movies out at a time there is NO additional charge.

The movie will stop and start over and over again if you have a less than perfect Internet speed.

NOT True. I have a slow connection through Quest that causes many videos on the Internet to stop and start before you can see the entire video.. It took about two minutes to download the movie and there were NO interruptions in the movie.

Now, sitting at a computer is not the perfect way to watch a movie. I am still a traditionalist and enjoy watching movies in my movie room and will report back after I get my Netflix DVD that will allow me to stream to my big screen TV from my Play Station 3.

A VOTE AGAINST LYNN HOWE !



I will be voting for SAL ESQUIVEL to represent me in the Oregon House of Representatives from my District 6.

I am not a big fan of Sal Esquivel the incumbent Republican but Lynn Howe has run a negative, misleading and dishonest campaign against Sal and my vote will be more against Lynn Howe than for Sal. Don't take my word for it! The liberal Medford Mail Tribune newspaper refused to endorse either candidate. In their editorial of October 12, 2010 they write:

In 2008 we endorsed Howe because she impressed us then with her intelligence and grasp of the issues....

Howe who impressed us two years ago is still a hardworking campaigner......

Where she loses us is in the execution. She seems unwilling to take a definitive stand on any issue, falling back on vague generalities such as "making government more efficient"...
Then there was her attack and criticising Esquivel for supporting a tax reform bill that included a sales tax. It's one thing to criticize an opponent for something real---Esquivel did support the bill which did not become law--- but her ads claimed the measure would have taxed food and medicine. It clearly exempted those essential items and would have imposed a sales tax only in exchange for sharp reductions in income and property taxes.
If Howe is going negative and avoiding taking clear stands on the advice of party strategists, she needs some new advice.


In the last few weeks I have received FOUR negative mailings from Lynn Howe.

She tries to appear as a moderate but once elected she will be a solid vote for Oregon's public employee unions that have been bankrupting the state, with among other things, their overgenerous retirement benefits through PERS.

The Mail Tribune in their same editorial write:

Howe, as nearly as we can discern, is working overtime to appeal to moderates, but would likely be a reliable member of the House Democratic Caucus.....


Lynn Howe makes a big deal out of being a former register nurse and in fact there is a medical type cross on all of her yard signs.

All I can say is I hope she never takes MY blood pressure!

VOTE FOR SAL ESQUIVEL

Friday, October 15, 2010

State of the Race for the US House


Morning Jay: Special Prognostication Edition!
by Jay Cost from the Weekly Standard

Click on the title for a link to a good summary of all of the prognosticators including

Real Clear Politics: Republicans +52

Nate Silver: Republicans +47

Steve Lobardo at Pollster: Republicans + 60-70

Larry Sabato: Republicans +47

Stuart Rothenbert: Republicans +37-45

Republicans need to pick up 39 to take control of the US House of Representatives.

Liberals say the darndest things


Cynthia Tucker of the Atlanta Journal Constitution has the "honor" of making a second appearance on Liberals say the darnedest things when she writes a column in which she says:

"The president has made some of his biggest mistakes trying to woo a GOP opposition"

Give me a break..... President Obama has some good qualities but dealing with folks he disagrees with is not one of them. There have been some photo opportunities but Obama has made no attempt to work with the Republicans in Congress. He has met with them but rather than "the give and take" that is required to work out compromises, President Obama is given to giving lectures and demonizing his opponents. It's the narcissist in him. The reason the Republicans in Congress have been fairly united in their opposition to Obama is the fact there has been no real attempt by him to split off the "moderate" Republicans. Clinton and LBJ were good at that. I predict he will not attempt to work with a Republican majority in the House after the November election. It's not in his makeup. As he said "there will be hand to hand combat"

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Movie:"The Big Carnival" (1951)


Also know as "The Ace in the Hole" I first saw this movie at a drive in movie theater with my parents in the early 1950's. It left a big impression on me and every time there is a "trapped in a mine" type news story I think of it. In fact, every time the news media hypes a disaster news story I think of it.

The basic plot is Kirk Douglas is a down on his luck New York City news reporter who is stuck working for a small newspaper in Albuquerque, New Mexico who learns of a man trapped in a old mine. He turns the story into a big media carnival in an attempt to get back to the "Big City". He intentionally prolongs the rescue attempt to be able to make it into a longer news story that will catch the nation's attention. He has a carnival set up with hot dog stands and rides to entertain the thousands of people who arrive to observe the rescue attempt. The movie make a great statement about the media and about peoples fascination with disaster whether they are natural or man made. Billy Wilder Directed the move. It's available on DVD from Netflix.

Click on the title for a link to IMDB.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Obama's Search for Enemies


John J. Pitney Jr. a professor of American politics at Claremont McKenna College has an interesting article on President Obama's search for enemies to rally the base of the Democratic party and how it hasn't worked. He writes:

Just three weeks before Election Day, Democrats are still searching for demons.

Why? Richard Nixon once explained: “Politics is battle, and the best way to fire up your troops is to rally them against a visible opponent on the other side of the field. If a loyal supporter will fight hard for you, he will fight twice as hard against your enemies.”


Let's review the "targets" of Obama's attacks:

Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh, Chief Justice Roberts, House GOP Leader John Boehner, and now "that sinister outside groups are influencing elections with tainted money, including foreign donations" which even the New York Times can't find.

Te read the rest of the column click on the title for a link

"Why Obama Is Losing the Political War "


As a follow up to my post below, Mark Helperin of Time Magazine, delivers a devastating analysis of the Obama Administration. He writes in part:

With the exception of core Obama Administration loyalists, most politically engaged elites have reached the same conclusions: the White House is in over its head, isolated, insular, arrogant and clueless about how to get along with or persuade members of Congress, the media, the business community or working-class voters.


You know it is bad for the Obama Administration when they have lost the likes of Mark Helperin and Time Magazine which until now have been sycophants for Obama

Read the rest of the article by clicking on the title above for a link.

The Adults are leaving the Obama Administration



The top advisors who have left or are leaving is as follows:

White House Budget Director: Peter Orszag

Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers: Christina Romer

Director of the White House National Economic Council: Larry Summers

White House Chief of Staff: Rahm Emanuel

National Security Advisor: Marine General James Jones.

Secretary of Defense: Robert Gates is leaving next year. He will be sorely missed.


In the last few months, before the midterm elections, there has been a mass exodus from the Obama Administration of many of his top advisers. Now, it could be argued this is the result of the poor performance by this administration in both the economy and in foreign policy; but, the replacements are from the Presidents political cronies and not from any attempt to bring in new people with real world experience and new ideas. The circle around President Obama is tightening in a time he should be expanding it. A Washington insider yesterday told me the reason the adults were leaving is Obama doesn't listen to them and is keeping his "yes" people around him. Now, I disagreed with the people in his administration but it bothers me for the sake of my country that the President will no longer be getting a wide range of advise and options. It appears the the President and his administration are getting into a bunker mentality.

What will happen when we have our next crisis ?

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Obama Narcissist Watch


From the Politico:


President Barack Obama’s message to thousands of African Americans who came to see the man they voted for two years ago was simple: Get out and vote for the Democratic ticket in next month’s mid-term elections, even though he’s not on the ballot.

“Don’t make me look bad, now,” ......


Forget the economy and the terrorist threat we don't want Obama to "look bad". (Sarcasm)



Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1010/43296.html#ixzz120xqFS5D

Saturday's Duck Win at Louie's Bar & Grill in Ashland !


Yesterday my Oregon Ducks won an ugly football game up at Washington State in a game that had very limited TV access. In fact it was only shown in the State of Oregon and a limited area in Washington across the Columbia river from Portland.

The game was broadcast on the hated Comcast Sport Northwest that has been playing "Hard Ball" with most cable TV companies and both of the major satellite TV providers. As a result most folks in Southern Oregon did not get the game on cable or satellite TV. The only cable company that has Comcast in Southern Oregon is the Ashland Fiber Network in Ashland Oregon. Thus, many fans in Medford and other areas congregated at the major (only?) Sports Bar in Ashland Oregon. This is not a large place and it was wall to wall standing room only at Louie's Bar & Grill in Ashland.

We had a great time!!! My friend and I got there a 1 1/2 hours before the game to get a seat and ended up in in the Oregon Lottery room the size of a large closet. But, the "closet" had a big screen TV that had the Oregon vs Washington State football game. There were 9 of us in the "Closet" with 4 video poker machines and an ATM. The burgers were great. I highly recommend the "Jack Daniels BBQ Burger."

It's so much more fun watching a game on TV with a 150 or so Duck fans versus watching it with your cat in the family room TV. It was hot and the bathrooms were not as clean as at home but it's hard to beat the atmosphere. Every time the Ducks scored a touchdown they would play on the Bar's speaker system the Oregon Fight Song as everyone clapped to the music. The staff all wore Duck Tee shirts and the prices were reasonable. I will be back for a game even if I can get it at home.

I highly recommend the place for a game. Go Ducks.

DUCKS # 2 in Nation !!!!!


Today both major polls ranked my Oregon Ducks # 2 in college football in the nation. I should be more excited but experience has shown me that it's more important where you are ranked at the end of the season than midway through the 2010 collage football season. There is a big target on my Ducks back for the rest of the season. "Heavy is the Crown"

Go Ducks! Win the Day!

Saturday, October 09, 2010

Obama's Disastrous Choice of Tom Donilon as National Security Advisor



Things became a lot scarier for our national security yesterday when President Obama appointed Tom Donilon as his new National Security Advisor replacing General Jones. To prove my point all you have to do is read Bob Woodward's new book "Obama's Wars" The Republican National Committee did and this is their report:

Obama’s Choice Of “Democratic Fixer” And Lobbyist
Tom Donilon As New National Security Advisor
Could Spell “Disaster”
________________________________________________________________
Secretary Of Defense Robert Gates “Felt That Donilon Did Not Understand The Military Or Treat Its Senior Leadership With Sufficient Respect” And That Donilon Would Be A “Disaster” As Obama’s NSA.

“Gates did this in part, he told an aide, because he did not think Donilon would work out as Jones’ successor. Gates felt
that Donilon did not understand the military or treat its senior leadership with sufficient respect. The secretary later told Jones
that Donilon would be a ‘disaster’ as Obama’s national security adviser.” (Bob Woodward, Obama’s Wars, 2010, p. 343)

AS DEPUTY NSA, DONILON HAS FACED STRONG CRITICISM

Donilon Elicited Criticism That He “Didn’t Have The Broad Experience For The Sensitive White House Position And
Lived In A Lawyer’s Bunker.” “Donilon unloaded on many people at the Pentagon, invoking the president’s name and
insisting Obama wanted this fixed immediately. He was a lawyer with one client – the president. But instead of absorbing
Obama’s frustration, he was a pure transmission belt for it. He took the heat from the president and retransmitted it, eliciting
sniping that Donilon didn’t have the broad experience for the sensitive White House position and lived in a lawyer’s bunker.”
(Bob Woodward, Obama’s Wars, 2010, p. 195)
“Donilion Had Not Even Visited Afghanistan. He Had No Feel For The Situation On The Ground Or For The Military. He
Had Hosed Down Pentagon Officials And In The Process Come Close To Endangering His Relationships With Some
Of Them, Including Gates.” (Bob Woodward, Obama’s Wars, 2010, p. 196)
Jones Thought Donilon Had Made Key Mistakes, Including Not Visiting Afghanistan, Iraq, “Or Really Left The Office
For A Serious Field Trip,” Which Gave Donilon “No Credibility With The Military.” “In good Marine Corps tradition, Jones
believes that all key subordinates were entitled to a performance evaluation. … But Donilon had made three mistakes. First, he
had never gone to Afghanistan or Iraq, or really left the office for a serious field trip. As a result, he said, you have no direct
understanding of these places. ‘You have no credibility with the military.’ You should go overseas. The White House, the
Situation Room, interagency byplay, as important as they are, are not everything.” (Bob Woodward, Obama’s Wars, 2010, p. 199)

• Jones Said Donilon Would “Frequently Pop Off With Absolute Declarations About Places [He Had] Never
Been” Which Almost Caused Secretary Gates To Walk Out Of An Oval Office Meeting. “Second, Jones
continued, you frequently pop off with absolute declarations about places you’ve never been, leaders you’ve never
met, or colleagues you work with. Gates had mentioned this to Jones, saying that Donilon’s sound-offs and strong
spur-of-the-moment opinions, especially about one general, had offended him so much at an Oval Office meeting that
he nearly walked out.” (Bob Woodward, Obama’s Wars, 2010, pp. 199-200)

• Jones Criticized Donilon For Not Being Able To Connect With Staff. “Third, he said you have too little feel for the
people who work day and night on the NSC staff, their salaries, their maternity leaves, their promotions, their family
troubles, all the things a manager of people has to be tuned into. ‘Everything is about personal relations,’ Jones said.”
(Bob Woodward, Obama’s Wars, 2010, p. 200)
Paid for by the Republican National Committee.
310 First Street SE - Washington, D.C. 20003 - (202) 863-8500 - www.gop.com
Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
Donilon “Made Impulsive Statements And Snap Judgments.” “On January 12, a devastating earthquake struck Haiti.
Leading the U.S. relief was Air Force General Douglas Fraser, head of the Southern Command. Early in the effort, Donilon
raced into Jones’ office. It was an example of how Donilon made impulsive statements and snap judgments.” (Bob Woodward,
Obama’s Wars, 2010, p. 342)

• “‘We’ve Got To Replace General Fraser For Cause,’ Donilon Said. ‘He’s Incompetent. You Won’t Believe How
Slow They Are Getting Relief Down There.’” (Bob Woodward, Obama’s Wars, 2010, p. 342)

• Jones Told Donilon To Calm Down And Pointed Out That Once Again, Donilon Had No Understanding Of The
Situation. “’Calm down,’ Jones said. ‘You’ve got to realize that SouthCom – do you even know where it is? SouthCom
is always at the bottom of the resource list. They get the last helpings from the military pie. They’re always
shortchanged. I know Fraser. He’s a good guy. He’ll straighten this out. It’s going to take longer than we would like.’”
(Bob Woodward, Obama’s Wars, 2010, p. 342)

IS DONILON ANOTHER “WATER BUG” PLAYING POLITICS WITH OUR NATIONAL SECURITY?

Jones Thought Obama Was Not Tough On His Political Advisers, Whom Jones Referred To As “Water Bugs,”
“Politurbo”, “Mafia”, The “Campaign Set,” “Major Obstacles To Developing And Deciding On A Coherent Policy.”

“Jones thought there was another group that President Obama was not tough enough on – his senior White House political
advisers, whom he saw as major obstacles to developing and deciding on a coherent policy. This group included Emanuel,
Axelrod, press secretary Robert Gibbs, and the two former Senate operatives now placed in the NSC – Denis McDonough and
Mark Lippert. He privately called them ‘the water bugs,’ the ‘Politburo,’ the ‘Mafia,’ or the ‘campaign set.” (Bob Woodward, Obama’s
Wars, 2010, pp. 137-138)

• According To NSC Member Ret. General Douglas Lute, The Obama Administration Was Divided Into “Tribes,”
With The Campaign Aides Dubbed The “Insurgency.” “Members of his [Gen. Doug Lute] shop privately described
the Obama administration in Afghan terms. ‘Tribes’ populated the presidency, reflecting its divisions. The Hillary tribe
lived at the State Department. The Chicago tribe occupied Axelrod’s and Emanuel’s offices. The campaign tribe at the
NSC – led by chief of staff Mark Lippert and strategic communications director Denis McDonough, both former Obama
campaign aides – seemed to flaunt their personal relationships with the president and often circumvented Jones as the
national security adviser. Lute’s team dubbed them the ‘insurgency.’” (Bob Woodward, Obama’s Wars, 2010, p. 144)

• Jones Felt Obama’s Political Advisers Hindered Policy. “‘There are too many senior aides around the president,’
Jones said privately. ‘They’re like water bugs. They flit around. Rahm gets an idea at 10 A.M. and wants a briefing by 4
P.M., and I will say no’ because the work can’t be done in a day. The water bugs did not understand war or foreign
relations, Jones felt, and were too interested in measuring the short-term political impact of the president’s decisions in
these areas.” (Bob Woodward, Obama’s Wars, 2010, p. 138)
Bob Woodward Noted That Everything To The Obama White House Is "Political" And That All They Focus On
Immediately Is "The Political Impact." CNN'S LARRY KING: "What do you make of this whole staff? I mean, you know all the
staffs going back a long way. What do you make of this one?" BOB WOODWARD: "It's political. They immediately think about
what is the political impact." (CNN's "Larry King Live," 10/3/10)

• Obama's White House Team Lives In The "Permanent Campaign." WOODWARD: "But the political staff is -- you
know, it's the permanent campaign." (CNN's "Larry King Live," 10/3/10)
Jones Felt He Could Never Connect With Obama And Felt Shut Out From The Inner Circle. “In 40 years in the Marine
Corps, Jones had always found a way to connect with the boss. That was not the case with Obama, whom he found cerebral
and distant. Jones had never really been invited into the inner circle of Emanuel, Axelrod, and Gibbs – and now Donilon. With
those aides holding so much control, Jones felt as though he couldn’t be in charge. He planned to leave office around the start
of 2011.” (Bob Woodward, Obama’s Wars, 2010, p. 344)
At Times, It Seemed As If The White House Had Five Different National Security Advisers. “Blair realizedthat Jones had
no control over the place. Donilon and Brennan had direct access to the president, so they didn’t have to go through Jones.
There were at least three national security advisers – Jones, Donilon and Brennan. But Denis McDonough also had his own
turf, so he was a fourth. And Emanuel also tinkered in policy and acted at times as a fifth. ‘It’s the goddamnest thing I’ve ever
seen,’ Blair said.” (Bob Woodward, Obama’s Wars, 2010, p. 289)
“Worse For Jones, He Often Felt Sidelined By Emanuel, Who Would Regularly Come To The National Security
Adviser’s Suite And See His Deputy, Donilon.” (Bob Woodward, Obama’s Wars, 2010, p. 138)

• Jones Realized He Should Have Never Picked Donilon As His Deputy. “So Jones told Emanuel, ‘I’m the national
security adviser. When you come down there, come see me.’ It got better for a short time, but the practice of visiting
only Donilon soon started up again. Jones hadn’t realized what a clique the White House was. He concluded that if he
had understood that dynamic when he was picking a deputy, he never in a million years would have gone with
Donilon.” (Bob Woodward, Obama’s Wars, 2010, p. 138)


DONILON IS A “CLASSIC DEMOCRATIC FIXER”

Donilon Is “A Classic Democratic Fixer” And Has “Done His Time In The Political Trenches.

. As a campaign veteran and lawyer at O’Melveny and Myers, he was a classic Democratic fixer with a
specialty in debate prep for Democratic candidates from Michael Dukakis to Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Donilon also
worked at the collapsed mortgage giant Fannie Mae for several years, but kept his hand in foreign-policy circles through the
Council on Foreign Relations and as a congressional adviser on national security.” (Richard Wolffe, “The Next Rahm,” The Daily Beast,
9/28/10)
Donilon Has Worked For The Greats, “Jimmy Carter, Walter Mondale, Michael Dukakis...” “Donilon's background as a
Democratic political strategist would be an asset to the Obama White House: He has worked for Jimmy Carter, Walter
Mondale, Michael Dukakis, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden. From 1999 to 2005 he was a registered lobbyist working for Fannie Mae.
Donilon has also spent time inside the White House, serving President Clinton as the assistant secretary of state for public
affairs and as chief of staff for Secretary of State Warren Christopher.” (Alex Wagner, “The Next White House Chief Of Staff,” Politics
Daily, 9/30/10)
The Connections Between The Donilon And Biden Families Runs Deep. “Donilon’s ties to Biden do not stop there: His
brother Mike Donilon is Biden’s longstanding political consultant (now counselor), and his wife Cathy Russell is chief of staff to
Mrs. Biden. Another credential that might help Donilon win promotion: He knows how the media works, having held a job as a
pundit for CBS in 1988...” (Richard Wolffe, “The Next Rahm?” The Daily Beast, 9/28/10)

DONILON WAS A LOBBYIST FOR FANNIE MAE DURING THE HOUSING BUBBLE

“Donilon Would Be A Rich Pick” Given His Longtime Ties To “Fannie Mae During The Housing Bubble” And Obama’s
Anti-Lobbyist Stance. “Given Obama’s talk about “exclud[ing] lobbyists from policymaking jobs,” and stopping the revolving
door between the executive branch and K Street, Donilon would be a rich pick. He was a top lobbyist at Fannie Mae during the
housing bubble, when Fannie fought — with Democratic help — to avoid any restrictions or curbs on its work to inflate home
values and get more people under mortgage. Before that, Donilon was a lobbyist at O’Melveny and Myers, where Fannie was a
client.” (Timothy Carney, “Rahm’s Replacement?: A Fannie Mae Lobbyist In The Pay Of Goldman,” The Washington Examiner, 9/8/10)

• In 2004, Thomas E. Donilon Was A Lobbyist On Behalf Of Fannie Mae. (OpenSecrets.org)

• In 1998, Thomas E. Donilon, Was A Lobbyist At O’Melveny And Myers, Where Fannie Mae Was A Client.
(OpenSecrets.org)
“In 2008, According To His Financial Disclosure Forms, Donilon Was A Paid Consultant For Citigroup, Goldman
Sachs, And Apollo Investments.” (Timothy Carney, “Rahm’s Replacement?: A Fannie Mae Lobbyist In The Pay Of Goldman,” The Washington
Examiner, 9/8/10)

Donilon “Served For Several Years As The Top Lawyer At Fannie Mae.” “Donilon is a longtime partner at O'Melveny &
Myers, the law firm of Warren Christopher, who was Clinton's first secretary of State. Donilon was Christopher's chief of staff at
State. He later served for several years as the top lawyer at Fannie Mae, which was on the verge of collapse when the federal
government took it over this year.” (John Mulligan, “R.I. Native Tom Donilon Is Part Of Obama’s Team,” The Providence Journal, 11/13/08)

Friday, October 08, 2010

President Obama: What Did He Say?


Multiple choice test:

What did President Obama say yesterday, on a radio talk show, about what would happen if the GOP won control of one or more houses of Congress. The Choices are:

a) We will have to work together for the good of the country.

b) I will have to compromise.

c) There will be hand to hand combat.

d) If so, I will respect the will of the American people.

Yes folks, our President said "There will be hand to hand combat." Sad to say, "c" is the correct answerer.

Thursday, October 07, 2010

Ducks on the Road to the Bay Area to play the Cal Bears



Today I received this email from The Oregon Club of Southern Oregon which is sponsoring a charter bus trip for the Oregon Duck football game with the Cal Bear's in Berkeley :

California get-a-way:

As many of you know, we had a great trip to see Oregon play Stanford last year. We are doing the same thing this year and taking a bus full of duck fans to watch Oregon play California on November 13th. The bus will leave Medford on Friday, November 12th around noon and return to Medford on Sunday, November 14th in the afternoon. The package includes the following:

· 2 nights lodging at the Lafayette Park & Hotel

· 2 complimentary breakfasts (Saturday and Sunday morning)

· Game ticket in the Oregon section

· Transportation to and from the game

· Driver tip included

Pricing for this trip for club members is $455 for a single person and $645 for 2 people sharing a rom. Please get back to me soon as the we are trying to get all accommodations filled no later than October 20th. This is open to all duck fans who are interested so invite your friends!

Thanks and Go Ducks!!!
H.J. Cohn

Regional Director of Development

Southern Oregon & Northern California

Duck Athletic Fund

512 Crater Lake Ave.

Medford, OR 97504

(O): 541-772-3540

(C): 503-330-7457

Monday, October 04, 2010

Comcast & Oregon Duck Sports ?


For the last three years I have been complaining that Comcast Sports has been playing "hard ball" with Oregon cable companies and as a result many communities in Oregon, including Southern Oregon are not getting University of Oregon Sports programing including games, replays of games and coaches shows.

At the same time Comcast is attempting to take over NBC and as a result the Federal Communications Commission is asking Comcast some interesting questions according to the Wall Street Journal blog. The FCC wants:

copies of deals with other cable or satellite companies to distribute Comcast-owned sports .......... programming — to the oddly specific — details of Comcast’s expansion in Eugene and Portland, Ore. over a six-month period in 2009.

Both the FCC and the Department of Justice are reviewing Comcast’s offer to buy a controlling stake in NBC Universal....


Click on the title for a link to this Wall Street Journal blog post.

Two Wild and Crazy Ducks


Before the Stanford game at the Mo Center.

Sunday, October 03, 2010

Ducks: Section 13 Fan Visits Section 29CL for the Stanford Game !



Last night on national TV my Oregon Ducks beat the Stanford Indians er Cardinal 52 to 31 in a game that that was a roller coaster ride of emotions.

My season tickets for the last 19 years have been on the sunny side of Autzem stadium in section 13 ( To your right in the picture above) However, yesterday a good friend of mine was able to get two tickets in Section 29 CL directly across from section 13 under the covered part of Autzen Stadium. Section 29CL includes access to a large club room behind the stadium where there are many amenities such as plush carpet, TVs with games, two bars serving adult drinks, many easy chairs and a Duck shop out of a upscale airport gift shop. The seats in the stadium are molded plastic theater type seats with a cup holder. I do love the cup holder for my Diet Pepsi. The tickets come with the requirement of a large donation to the Duck Athletic Fund.During the game I noticed the fans on this side of the field tend to be a little more gentile. In public I tend to be on the quiet side but not at a football game with my Ducks. I have a loud deep voice and at Autzen Stadium I yell "LET'S GO DUCKS" at the top of my lungs from the time the opposing team breaks the huddle on offence until the play is over.I never yell when Oregon has the ball until the play is over.

Auzen Stadium has a well earned reputation as the loudest stadium in the country.
This from Wikipedia:

Autzen is known for its crowd noise. On October 27, 2007, during a 24–17 defeat of the USC Trojans, a record crowd of 59,277 fans was recorded at 127.2 decibels. A similarly-loud 31–27 upset of third-ranked Michigan in 2003 prompted a Michigan Daily columnist to write[17]

“ Autzen's 59,000 strong make the Big House collectively sound like a pathetic whimper. It’s louder than any place I’ve ever been, and that includes The Swamp at Florida, The Shoe in Columbus, and Death Valley at Louisiana State. Autzen Stadium is where great teams go to die. ”

Michigan coach Lloyd Carr later said that Autzen Stadium was the loudest stadium he'd ever been in.[18]


I must say the fans in section 29CL were not used to my Section 13 yelling. Several middle aged laddies in the two rows in front of me kept looking back at me. To my right were two Stanford fans in disguise who would politely clap as if at a tea party whenever Stanford would do something good.

I am sure the people around me though I was a barbarian when I let It be known, very loudly, that I though a Stanford defensive player was faking an injury to slow down the "no huddle" Oregon offence. I felt vindicated when the same player, #44, came running back into the game after being held out under the rule for one play. Teams have been doing this to Oregon all season.

Don't get me wrong, the fans in section 29CL are good Ducks, and we do appreciate their money. Some fans go to a game to be entertained and some go to be the "12th man."

LET'S GO DUCKS !

(For more information about the "12 man" concept click on the title for a link)

UPDATE: Jon Wilner of the San Jose Mercury News:

The Autzen atmosphere was fabulous, as loud as I’ve ever heard it from start to finish.

Friday, October 01, 2010

ABD ="All But Dissertation"


In the last few weeks I have learned the meaning of the term "All but dissertation". the following is from Wikipedia:

The term all but dissertation (ABD) is a mostly unofficial term identifying a stage in the process of obtaining a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree or equivalent research doctorate (Ed.D., EngD, Sc.D., etc) in the United States and Canada. At this stage the student has completed the preparatory coursework, qualifying examinations, comprehensive examinations, and defended his or her dissertation proposal. To complete the degree, the student must carry out the proposed research which must be original research and write the dissertation that defines a Ph.D. or equivalent research doctorate.


Congratulations Son !

I LOVE MY DUCKS 2010


This is a great video. Better than last year which was good. If you are a University of Oregon Duck fan watch this video! These students are very talented and I wouldn't be surprised if they aren't film makers or at least commercial video makers after they graduate. It really gets you ready for this weeks game against Stanford on Saturday night on ABC or ESPN depending where you live. Did I say ESPN Game Day is in Eugene on Saturday. Just Win the Day ! Go Ducks