Sometimes (as the McCain campaign has certainly learned), it's best to quote your enemies to prove a point:

So here's what Mark Joseph at HuffPo has to say about Pawlenty:

"If he picks Pawlenty, he's thinking long term, wanting to leave a legacy behind after he's gone, by picking a young, relatively malleable guy who is conservative enough and will carry McCainism (whatever that is) into the future. He may also pick up MN's electoral votes."

Bingo!  Pawlenty will be a strong signal that McCain is serious about service, reform, peace and prosperity.  It will be a strong signal that McCain is looking to the future of his party and the future of America. 

I'll expound later on just what I think McCainism is but let's just say I think Susan Eisenhower has it all wrong... her grandfather would be a strong McCain supporter. Everyone who liked Ike and loved Reagan should back Mac!

Liberals hope the economy tanks so they can blame Republicans.

Liberals hope we lose in Iraq so they can blame Republicans.

Liberals hope the housing crisis worsens so they can blame Republicans.

Now, liberals hope New Orleans is flooded by another hurricane so they can blame Republicans for having a party in Minneapolis during the storm.

First off, we should all pray that nothing happens and all is well next week along the Gulf Coast. I'm a native of LoUiSiAna. I will always be a passionate defender of her people and the great state I know it to be. Bobby Jindal feels the same way... and that's why he'll be skipping the GOP convention if the storm threatens and doing the job that Democratic Governor Kathleen Blanco failed to do. It's also why he turned down McCain... he has too much important work to do for the people of Louisiana.

Blanco actually called a day of prayer two days after the storm hit, when she should have busting her tail to do everything she could to provide aid to those in the flooded areas. Imagine if a Republican governor had called a day of prayer while thousands of people were suffering on national TV? Instead, the media chose to blame Bush and FEMA. All natural disasters have traditionally had local and state governments in the role of first responders. The federal government offers aid and assistance, but state and local governments are the primary responders.

Blanco failed miserably but never bore the blame. Jindal will never allow that to happen again, but you can be sure the media will scrutinize his every move and not give him anywhere near the benefit of the doubt they afforded to his incompetent predecessor, Kathleen Blanco. One thing is for sure... liberals are already ready to paint the GOP as uncaring and non-responsive to another hurricane hitting New Orleans.

Seems the only time liberals care about Louisiana is when they can use 9th Ward residents as props and whine about the high price of oil and gas when supplies from America's Energy Coast are cut off. Liberals would never admit to or apologize for creating the welfare state and awful public schools that kept the 9th Ward in perpetual poverty. They've voted Democrat for decades and the schools and crime has only gotten worse, not better.

Again, I pray nothing happens and the storm passes without incident. I would never wish a natural disaster on my worst enemy. The destruction from a hurricane is widespread and catastrophic. I hope it's a long, long time before Louisiana endures another Katrina. 'Tis a pity some on the left don't seem to feel that way. Shameless, just shameless.

This time, it's Ohio.

There's the made-up vote fraud that the left always accuses us of. Everyone seems to know about that.

Then, there's the REAL vote fraud that the left is so often committing. No one seems to know about that, and no one at the Federal level appears interested in investigating.

Another ACORN fraud in Ohio?

Cuyahoga County officials have accused ACORN, the GOTV organization employed by Barack Obama’s campaign, of voter registration fraud — again.  The Board of Elections has begun a criminal investigation into the submission of fraudulent registration cards, with an eye to prosecuting ACORN officials . . .

Best line in the post is at the end: "In examining the record, one has to wonder why Congress hasn’t demanded a RICO investigation of ACORN instead of trying to find ways to fund its pattern of fraud."

Yep.

Well, apparently if she were under the dominion of Bishop Samuel Aquila of Fargo, she just might well be excommunicated:

From Catholic News Agency:

“As your bishop,” Aquila continued, “I have the responsibility to present to you the authentic teaching of the Church, to correct the misinformation she has given, and finally to warn you that those who oppose the true teaching are not in good standing with the Church.”

Noting that “The Christian teaching on abortion throughout history is unchanged,” the Bishop of Fargo called for human life to be respected from the moment of conception, be treated with dignity and protected.

Aquila also addressed the issue of Catholics who support “so-called abortion rights.” These Catholics, he said, “support a false right, promote a culture of death, and are guided by the ‘father of lies’ rather than by the light and truth of Jesus Christ.”

Aquila also stressed that Catholics who support these “rights” have “placed himself or herself outside of visible unity with the Church and thus should refrain from receiving Holy Communion” out of respect for the teaching of Jesus Christ and the Church.

Click here to read the full article.

The San Francisco archdiocese has posted a response to Pelosi's comments on their website... but no word yet on any specific action from Pelosi's archdiocese.

Most people savvy about political matters will know that the leftists will be protesting outside of both conventions this year, as they always do. There will be tear gas, mass arrests, and—as always—there won't be any conservatives involved. We will be keeping a tally of major riot/protest events each day. The MSM will make it difficult, of course, as they have to do their best to shield the Democrats from a 1968 effect.

Day 3
(scroll for Days 1 and 2)

 You know, surprisingly enough, there wasn't much in the way of confrontation on Wednesday. Oh sure, there was a big march, but as far as we can ascertain, there was no need for tear gas or pepper spray, and only a few arrests. Partially, this is because of a stern response by the Denver police on days 1 and 2. Partially, it is because for all their noise, the left hasn't yet quite returned to the fevered insanity levels of 1968, when they were bombing buildings and killing police. Give 'em time, I suppose.

That said, if you haven't actually been at one of the modern left's protests, you are missing out. EVERY one of them has masked thugs (urban stagecoach tilters, I call 'em). Every one has anti-Israel signs and Palestinian flags. EVERY one is either organized by or attended by communist front groups. Literally. Every one has conspiracy theories about con trails and 9/11 and GMOs. And they all have tons more wacky stuff too.

And yesterday's was no exception:

Day: Wednesday
Location: Denver Coliseum to downtown
Protesters: 1,500 to 2000

Anti-War Demonstrators March Downtown

Demonstrators spilled out of a concert featuring the anti-establishment rock band “Rage Against the Machine” and took to the streets of downtown Denver Wednesday to protest the Iraq War.

The march began at the Denver Coliseum and travelled down Brighton Blvd. into the downtown area.

An estimated 1,500 to 2,000 protestors carried signs, chanted slogans and banged drums as the march snaked through downtown streets toward the Auraria campus, adjacent to Pepsi Center where the 2008 Democratic National Convention was being held.

There was one incident that we found reported by Denver local news, but other than that, Wednesday appeared to be mostly peaceful. Freaky, but peaceful.

Of course, they're all freaky. Check out these photo essays from various immigration, anti-war, anti-Israel—all leftist—protests in Los Angeles:

Immigration March, Los Angeles, May 1, 2006: Videos!

Photo and Video Essay: Anti-Israel protest and the counter protest, Los Angeles, July 19th, 2006

Photo Essay: Anti-Israel protest and the counter protest -- Los Angeles, July 7th, 2006 (videos too!)

Immigration March, Los Angeles, May 1, 2006: Photo Essay

Photo essay: Yet another anti-war leftist protest: Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, March 17th, 2007

Day 2
(scroll for Day 1)

Day: Tuesday
Time: n/a

Weakened protest groups say truce with cops is over

DENVER – Defiant activists said they will no longer communicate with police, who dealt a blow to their organization with mass arrests Monday night.

"There is no truce with police anymore," said Recreate '68 organizer Glenn Spagnuolo during a news conference in front of police headquarters Tuesday.

 . . .

Activists say the crowd was not given a chance to disperse before police used pepper spray and made about 100 arrests.

Those arrests made a serious dent in the protest groups' strength, estimated at around 1,000 people. Police say they moved in when protesters, some of whom were carrying rocks, refused to disperse.

"We can only assume that they are trying to get some people in jail to keep them off the streets for the rest of the week," said Brian Vicente of the People's Law Project, a group offering assistance to those arrested.

A plan by the anarchist group Unconventional Denver to put street blockades in the way of convention-going delegates Tuesday was scrapped. An organizer said Monday's arrests took a toll on the group and they were meeting to assess their options for continued protests.

Day: Tuesday
Location: Civic Center Park
Police: ???
Protesters: 200

2 people arrested, prompting protest

About 200 protesters marched through downtown Denver Tuesday after police detained two people during a rally at Civic Center Park.

The arrests came when religious demonstrators arrived at the rally with anti-gay banners. One man yelled at the crowd, "Jesus Hates Sin." A rally participant holding a banner supporting separation of church and state was restrained by police and driven away by officers on a golf cart. People yelled "Let him go!" as police on foot and horseback tried to control the crowd.

Jean Stevens, spokeswoman for the group Codepink, said the other person taken away by police was a member of her group.

Day: Tuesday
Time: Morning
Location: Denver City and County building

Day 2: More Confrontations Between Police, Protesters

DENVER -- Tuesday started the same way Monday ended -- with tension between police and protesters. At least two people were arrested Tuesday morning on the streets right outside the Denver City and County building.

The clash Tuesday lasted about an hour. Protesters called the choice between Obama and McCain, no choice at all.

Day 1

Day: Monday
Time: 7:30 PM
Location: Denver capitol building
Police: 100
Rioters: 200

Tear Gas Fired at Demonstrators Near State Capitol

Protesters clashed with police outside the Denver state capitol building early Monday evening as law enforcement amassed and tensions heightened.

Tear gas was dispersed on a crowd of screaming demonstrators who had been attending a rally at the Civic Center Park. The protesters’ decision to march on the capitol building without a permit started the confrontation.
As of 7:30 p.m., about 200 protestors and 100 police officers in full riot gear were on the scene. Several police vehicles were en route, sirens blazing.

Day: Monday
Time: ??? (possibly the same event as above)
Location: Sheraton Denver Hotel
Police: ???
Rioters: 200-300

Tear Gas Disperses Group

The Denver police used tear gas on Monday night to disperse a small group of demonstrators outside the hotel where many of New York’s delegates to the Democratic National Convention are staying, witnesses said.

The police action stranded many delegates in the lobby and left one woman wheezing and coughing from the gas.

The scene at the Sheraton Denver Hotel was hectic and confused as delegates, including Representative Charles B. Rangel and Gov. David A. Paterson, entered the lobby unaware of what had happened and were told by hotel employees that they could not go to their rooms.

Day: Monday
Time: Day
Location: Denver Mint
Police: ???
Rioters: ???

Video Exclusive: Michelle Malkin Attacked at DNC; “Kill Michelle Malkin”

Michelle Malkin was attacked by protesters and conspiracy nut Alex Jones during the “Shake Your Money Maker” event while Recreate68 attempted to levitate the Denver Mint. Another protester began shouting “Kill Michelle Malkin.”

By William Owens, Jr.

In a crisis situation, people without a North Star are reactive. Unable to proactively remedy a situation, they desperately fall back on old themes, old playbooks, and old mentalities that worked in the past. As John McCain continues to surge in the polls, a panicked Barack Obama will once again focus on the race issue.

Obama’s race propelled the inexperienced State Senator to the national stage and sustained him through a bitter primary against a female Presidential Candidate. Once Obama became the presumptive nominee, empty rhetoric and platitudes of “hope” and “change” were only able to carry him so far. Voters eventually tire from daily “rock star” events and look for substance on policies that affect their lives.

A person who lacks his own core values and principles (and must rely on talking points posted on a teleprompter during Townhall meetings), can only look to the past. Let me go back to Black Americans; put on the brother move with my big smile, and ask Black people to vote for me because we share the same pigmentation of skin. Let me convince all Americans to vote for me because of my color.

Black America should clearly have doubts about Barack Obama. He has brazenly cloaked himself with race to which he does not belong. Obama is no more Black than Michael Jackson is white. Obama has relied on secrecy and omission to hide the fact that if elected, he will not become the first Black American President; he will become the first Arab-American President.

Barack Hussein Obama is half-white from his mother’s side, but 43.75% Arab from his father’s side (his father was 87.5% Arab and 12.5% African Negro). Barack (which in Arabic means “blessed”) is only 6.25% African Negro. Perhaps this is why the Obama campaign refuses to release his birth certificate.

Obama consistently profited from his race, yet has never offered proof to the American public that he is a true Black American. The truth is, Obama’s upbringing is not one from a Black American heritage or tradition. In his book, Obama claimed an article in Ebony influenced his choice to run for office. Ebony has not found the article. Obama has claimed the events in Selma, AL led to his birth, yet the march in Selma was held in 1965 and Obama was born in 1961. The sole factor Obama relies on for election, his racial history, is as cloudy as his positions on every issue except infanticide.

Obama has mastered the verbiage of a political figure but cannot fill the role of a strong political contender, and must therefore rely on a race of which he is not part.

Whether white or black, the appeal of a Presidential Candidate must be based on principle. No American should be persuaded to vote by color or creed, especially if they do not know what color or creed.

Black-Americans are resilient, intelligent, and have a core that has caused them to triumph over great challenges. Their spirit is a winning spirit that dare not be exploited or taken for granted.

To encourage a person to follow you because you believe you will lead them to higher ground is noble.

To encourage a person to follow you because you have their best interests in mind is commendable.

To encourage a person to follow you because have a track record of producing results is certainly sound.

However, to solicit the Black race to follow you simply because you are convincing them you are Black is outright criminal.

It's not so much that we, or more specifically the protesters, can't take it. Sticks and stones, and all that. But how is it that we have Speaker of the House who is this childish, and this easily drawn into name-calling exchanges with protesters?

House Democratic leaders and protesters waving McCain signs had a war of words Tuesday at a press event outside an old train station. The demonstrators interrupted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with chants of “Drill here! Drill now!”

Pelosi paused and asked the group, “Right here?”

Seeming to enjoy the back and forth, she followed with another question: “Can we drill your brains?

Not to be outdone, Steny Hoyer got insulting with the crowd, "saying that “sophomoric chanting” won’t solve the energy crisis and that “all thinking Americans know” — stressing the word "thinking" and looking at the crowd — that America doesn’t have a quarter of the word’s fossil fuels yet uses a quarter of the world’s energy."

He managed to slip in one of the left's favorite memes: we consume so very much of everything, so much more than the rest of the world.

Oh gee, there's a surprise: people in an industrialized society consume more than people in mud huts. 

24 hours ago, my nerves were jumping at the chance to represent Modern Conservative (and Freedom Broadcast Network) and interview the roster of conservative entertainers set to appear at the Monday night fundraiser for Sen. John McCain in Beverly Hills.

First, yes, they exist (I almost said "we," but I don't think I count on the conservative entertainer radar just yet ... maybe after my next appearance at Evan Sayet's Right to Laugh on 9/16 -- plug, plug, plug -- just not yet). In the wake of Jon Voight's recent op-ed piece that eloquently laid down a case against Sen. Barack Obama's run for the White House, one which so riled the left that Mr. Voight became the subject of a modern day blacklisting against conservatives, the guest list included a pretty impressive slate of performers, too: Voight, Jon Cryer, Angie Harmon, Craig T. Nelson, Gary Sinise and more (also spotted:  Evan Sayet, Victoria Jackson, Mary Hart). Yup, all actively working, despite the aforementioned desire by the left to silence them; all out to show their support for Sen. McCain.

Night started out pretty well, too, when my crew-of-one and I were lucky enough to have none other than Jon Voight hold the elevator for us. Yup, the man not only drove himself to the event, but he holds elevators, too, automatically earning him "Steve McQueen cool" status in my book (that's right, Steve McQueen cool). Quick introductions and his agreeing to an interview later in the night later, we proceeded to the reception area ... which is pretty much where the evening ended.

Through no fault of anyone's but my own to get better and make more specific arrangements with the McCain campaign team, despite being told that though we were not able to go into the fundraiser proper (but could still conduct interviews in the entryway -- and if an event ever screamed for a red carpet, this was it), we were sadly asked to leave. Not wanting to cause a ruckus, we acquiesced, content to bore our friends and family with the story of our brief Jon Voight encounter.

So, almost 24 hours later and the nerves aren't jumping quite as much. Eh, as a Buffalo Bills and Cleveland Indians fan, I'm more than familiar with next times ... and since I'm also a Boston Celtics man, I know there will be a next time.

That's what he's calling the Department of Justice these days:

Obama to DOJ: Block terrorist ad

Sen. Barack Obama has launched an all-out effort to block a Republican billionaire’s efforts to tie him to domestic and foreign terrorists in a wave of negative television ads.

Obama’s campaign has written the Department of Justice demanding a criminal investigation of the “American Issues Project,” the vehicle through which Dallas investor Harold Simmons is financing the advertisements. The Obama campaign — and tens of thousands of supporters — also is pressuring television networks and affiliates to reject the ads. The effort has met with some success: CNN and Fox News are not airing the attacks.

The left love to call us "fascists." 

Someone please remind me, though, when the last time we did something like his was?  The stations running SBVfT ads were threatened in 2004. Bill Clinton and Harry Reid threatened ABC for running the Path to 9/11; Reid actually threatened their broadcast license. 

According to the left's clumsy definition (and utterly projective use) of the term "fascist," would their behavior not fit the bill better?

Fortunately, Obama's efforts appear to be calling more attention to exactly what it was he was trying to hide.