Michael Jordan’s Dorm Room Was Impossibly Clean

(By Dan Fogarty, SportsGrid) - This is a photo of University of North Carolina undergrad Michael Jordan, taken in his dorm room in 1983. Jordan would go on to become a basketball player of note.

There are a few things we immediately noticed about his college living quarters.

JV coach suspended for cemetery stop

MARCELLUS, N.Y. (ESPN) - The coach of a junior varsity football team has been suspended for making his players lie down in a central New York cemetery in an effort to motivate them after a loss.

The superintendent of the Marcellus school district outside Syracuse announced Thursday that coach Jim Marsh has been suspended for two weeks without pay.

Marsh, whose offer to resign was refused, will donate his remaining coaching salary to St. Francis Xavier cemetery, the Syracuse Post-Standard reported.

Oops? Mitt Romney’s Anti-Rick Perry Campaign Ad Uses Media Matters Music

(By Colby Hall, Mediaite) - The Mitt Romney campaign has recently released a web-only campaign ad that goes after comments made by Rick Perry at the most recent Fox News GOP debate over the issue of immigration. The video itself is a rather predictable example from the “gotcha politics” playbook, however the music bed underneath may sound familiar to anyone accustomed to watching videos online: it’s the same music bed used by Left Wing media watchdog Media Matters (sturm and drang!)

Ron Paul Condemns 'Assassinating' Al-Awlaki

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

MANCHESTER NH (By NBC's Jo Ling Kent) - Ron Paul aggressively criticized President Obama today for al-Awlaki's death.

"No I don't think that's a good way to deal with our problems," Paul said in a media avail after his remarks at the Politics + Eggs event here. "He was born here, Al-Awlaki was born here, he is an American citizen. He was never tried or charged for any crimes. No one knows if he killed anybody. We know he might have been associated with the underwear bomber. But if the American people accept this blindly and casually that we now have an accepted practice of the president assassinating people who he thinks are bad guys, I think it's sad.

Warren Buffett Does Not Endorse 'Buffett Rule'

(Real Clear Politics) - CNBC: "Are you happy that the way it is being described. Is the program that the White House has presented a million dollars and over your program? "

Warren Buffett: "Well, the precise program which will -- I don't know what their program will be. My program would be on the very high incomes that are taxed very low. Not just high incomes. Somebody making $50 million a year playing baseball, his taxes won't change. Make $50 million a year appearing on television, his income won't change. But, if they make a lot of money and pay a very low tax rate, like me, it would be changed by a minimum tax that would only bring them up to what other people pay."

CNBC: "Does that mean you disagree with the president's new jobs proposal which would be paid for by raising taxes on households with incomes of over $250,000."

Buffett: "That's another program that I won't be discussing. My program is to have a tax on ultra-rich people who are very tax rates. Not just all rich people. It would probably apply to 50,000 people in a population of 300 million."

Obama Says America's Grown 'Soft'

Wait, Is Malaise French for “Soft”?



(By Jonah Goldberg, National Review) - Obama speaking in Orlando:

“This is a great great country that had gotten a little soft and we didn’t have that same competitive edge that we needed over the last couple of decades,” Mr. Obama said in response to a question about the country’s economic future. “We need to get back on track.”

Interesting perspective. I wonder where America could have lost its competitive edge. It couldn’t possibly have anything to do with a government that blows billions on green energy boondoggles while making it harder to drill for oil while trying to make electricity rates “skyrocket.” It couldn’t have to do with extending unemployment benefits to 99 weeks (and rising), or to bailouts or perhaps advice like this offered by Michelle Obama:

“We left corporate America, which is a lot of what we’re asking young people to do,” she tells the women. “Don’t go into corporate America. You know, become teachers. Work for the community. Be social workers. Be a nurse. Those are the careers that we need, and we’re encouraging our young people to do that. But if you make that choice, as we did, to move out of the money-making industry into the helping industry, then your salaries respond.” Faced with that reality, she adds, “many of our bright stars are going into corporate law or hedge-fund management.”

School teacher straightens out a problem in the classroom

(LiveLeak.com) - This teacher did what these kids' parents should be doing. remind kids who they are and stop putting up with them running over people and stooping to stupid antics like gang banging. Angry children grow up into angry adults and everyone suffers.

11-Year-Old Football Star Told Not to Score Too Many Touchdowns

(By Tina Korbe, Hot Air) - Demias Jimerson of Malvern, Ark., is 11 years old — and he’s so good at football that “he’s going to score almost every time he touches the ball,” according to his intermediate school principal, Terri Bryant.

In other words, he’s so good he must be stopped. Because Jimerson runs circles around the other kids on the field, Bryant has decided he’s not allowed to score more than three touchdowns, provided his team has at least a 14-point lead.

In Malvern, they call that “the Madre Hill” rule, after Razorback great Madre Hill, who, like Jimerson, grew up in the tiny Arkansas town and breezed by his competitors at mind-boggling speed.

According to Bryant, she’s re-invoking the rule not to punish Jimerson but to provide his competitors with a chance to develop as players, too.

Charles Krauthammer: Obama Will Suffer Landslide Election

(Fox Nation) - During his appearance on the 'All Star Panel,' Charles Krauthammer said, "I think if Obama cannot rise from the 31% approval rating he has among independents, he's going to suffer a landslide."

Allen West: Obama Isn’t 'Emperor,' Blacks Can Complain

(By Alicia M. Cohn, The Hill) - The only Republican member of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) said this week that it was “absolutely offensive” for President Obama to tell the African-American community to stop complaining and grumbling.

“This is not an Imperial Empire, he is not an emperor,” Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) told Conservative New Media after a recent town hall, seemingly making a reference to the villain of the sci-fi “Star Wars” films. “The First Amendment says that you have the right to redress your government for your grievances. … We have a right to say, in the black community, that we’re hurting. We need to hear more than hope and change.”

Flashback: Obama Blames US Guns For Mexican Violence… Then Runs at Least 2,000 Guns to Mexico

(By Jim Hoft, The Gateway Pundit) - In April 2009 Barack Obama traveled to Mexico and blamed US gun sellers for “This war being waged with guns purchased not here but in the United States.” Just to be sure, a few months later the Obama Administration started running their own guns to Mexico, at least 2,000.

Jay Carney Quotes Mitt Romney Saying Individual Health Insurance Mandate ‘A Conservative Idea’

(By Tommy Christopher, Mediaite) - Just when things were going so well for Mitt Romney, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney has to come along and throw a wrench into the works. Romney overtook former frontrunner Rick Perry in a Fox News poll, but a favorable quote from President Obama‘s spokesman isn’t likely to be helpful. Carney was asked about the pending lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act, and buttressed his response by quoting Romney as saying that the individual mandate was “a conservative idea.”

Romney defended his state’s individual mandate at length on Sean Hannity’s radio show Wednesday, and Carney was apparently listening. Asked if the President is disappointed that his health care reform law is going to the Supreme Court, and could “potentially be a divisive issue, he reiterated the administration’s confidence that the law will be upheld, spoke about the benefits that Americans are already seeing from the Act, and then he went to work on Romney.

Judicial Panel: Judge Hartsfield Should be Suspended

FORSYTH COUNTY, NC (WGHP) — Forsyth District Judge Denise Hartsfield should be suspended for violating judicial ethics in giving favorable judgments without hearing evidence on traffic citations from friends and members of her church, the N.C. Judicial Standards Commission recommended.

The commission found that Hartsfield, who has been a district court judge since 2002, improperly entered judgments in at least 82 cases, according to an order filed Sept. 23. The recommendation comes about two weeks after the commission held a hearing in Raleigh.

How to Lock Down Your Privacy in Facebook's New Timeline

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WGHP) - Not crazy about Facebook's new auto sharing features? There's hope.

But for the few who may not have heard, when Facebook rolls over your account to reflect the new Timeline (and they will - soon), clicking "like" will no longer be the way you share information.

Rick Perry Mocks Obama: 'This Is My Golf'

(Fox Nation) - Here is a video released by the Rick Perry Campaign showing what he enjoys doing on a day off: Going to the gun range. Perry says – “This is my golf.”

Dennis Miller Endorses Herman Cain

Rick Perry: It’s the federal government’s fault I had to implement in-state tuition

(By Tina Korbe, Hot Air) - Rick Perry today employed a new argument for his slightly squishy immigration positions: The federal government’s failure to secure the borders forced his state to take up the issue of in-state tuition for illegal immigrant children in the first place.

“A lot of the problems that we face as governors would go away if they would secure the border,” Perry said on CNBC. “There has clearly been a failure of our federal government. That’s the reason that we’re having to deal with issues like in-state tuition.”

Obama Fundraiser Gloria Estefan Dumps Obama, Switches to Cain

Janeane Garofalo: Racist Republicans Support Herman Cain

(Real Clear Politics) - Janeane Garofalo: "Herman Cain is probably well liked by some of the Republicans because it hides the racist elements of the Republican party. Conservative movement and tea party movement, one in the same.

"People like Karl Rove liked to keep the racism very covert. And so Herman Cain provides this great opportunity say you can say 'Look, this is not a racist, anti-immigrant, anti-female, anti-gay movement. Look we have a black man.'"

Liberal Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX): Obama Being Crucified Like Jesus…

“Well, I will say this. First of all, you’re absolutely right. There were those who cheered when Jesus was crucified, and we have found that despicable from the beginning of history to this time.”

Obama's Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett: The Point of Government Is to Give People a Livelihood So They Can Provide for Their Families

Herman Cain: Black community ‘brainwashed’ into supporting Democratic Party

(By Justin Sink, The Hill) - After saying Monday that he believes blacks are "over this first African-American president thing," Herman Cain said Wednesday that the black community was "brainwashed" into traditionally voting for Democratic lawmakers.

"African-Americans have been brainwashed into not being open minded, not even considering a conservative point of view," Cain said on an interview set to air Wednesday afternoon on CNN. "I have received some of that same vitriol simply because I am running for the Republican nomination as a conservative. So it's just brainwashing and people not being open minded, pure and simple."

On Monday, Cain blasted the president for his tone at a Congressional Black Caucus dinner, and predicted he would be able to garner at least one-third of black voters in a head-to-head general election.

Herman Cain: I couldn’t support Rick Perry as the nominee

(By Allahpundit, Hot Air) - I get that they’re competing for the same base, but … isn’t the standard answer to this question, “Of course, I’ll certainly support any Republican nominee over Barack Obama”? Or is Cain simply saying that if he drops out, he couldn’t in good conscience endorse Perry 'in the primary?' Blitzer’s clearly asking about the general election if/when Perry’s the nominee but I’m not sure that’s what Cain has in mind. Frankly, I’m also not sure what his specific problem is with Perry on immigration. Does he mean e-Verify? He’s talking about enforcing the laws and securing the border, but that’s boilerplate. Is it the in-state tuition for illegals? If there’s something disqualifying about Perry, let’s specify, please. Especially since Cain’s apparently capable of forgiving an awful lot when it comes to other candidates in the field:

Cain, who supported Mitt Romney in 2008, said he could support the former Massachusetts governor again if he committed to repeal ‘Obamacare’ soon after taking office

“If he stuck to that commitment, I could support him. But if in any way he wanted to compromise and go for a mandate, I couldn’t support him,” Cain said, referencing the issue considered Romney’s most significant political vulnerability. “But I believe that he has backed off that and he’s saying that he would repeal Obamacare.”

Rick Perry: I shouldn’t have called people heartless for opposing in-state tuition for illegals

(By Allahpundit, Hot Air) - Via Newsmax, skip to 5:25 for evidence that his wife was right when she told Iowans this morning that he’ll be better prepared for the next debate. He’s smoother this time, emphasizing that it’s a highly bipartisan position in Texas and notably avoiding any insinuations about how evil those wingnuts in his base are. (Also: No rambling about saving a pretzel for the gas jets.) He might also note at the next debate that he’s hardly alone among prominent Republicans in backing the idea:

In 2001, Perry signed the first state law in the country that allowed the children of illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition rates. Former Florida state Rep. Juan Zapata said the Texas law was “the model” for legislation that he repeatedly—but unsuccessfully—pushed in his state. Two of his key allies then are now among the GOP’s most sought-after stars: [Jeb] Bush, the subject of perpetual draft movements to run for president, and his fellow Floridian, Sen. Marco Rubio, a sure bet for the GOP’s vice presidential shortlist in 2012.

“I think that is a fair policy,” Bush said in an e-mail to National Journal on Tuesday, adding that the students who benefit from the tuition breaks find themselves in the United States through “no fault of their own.”…

Rubio, the son of Cuban exiles, was the co-sponsor of such a bill in 2003 and 2004, before he became speaker of the Florida state House. Bush, whose wife was born and raised in Mexico and who speaks fluent Spanish, also championed the legislation…

“In times of cutbacks, it would not be as high a priority as it would be in times of abundance,” [Bush] said. In the email, he also insisted he would have required “many years” residency in state for students to be eligible for the tuition breaks. The Texas law, as well the Florida proposals, had a three-year residency requirement.

Heckler interrupts Obama fundraiser

(WGHP) - A heckler shouting about Jesus Christ interrupted President Barack Obama at a fundraiser before security dragged him out. As he was taken out the man called out that Obama is an antichrist.

Hallmark adds sympathy cards for job loss

(WGHP) - Greeting card companies have taken a cue from the nation's 9 percent unemployment rate.

In a six-by-four inch envelope, someone can send a friend who lost his or her job a pre-printed message of encouragement and sympathy.

Though not available at every corner store, layoff greeting cards are being manufactured by Hallmark and sold at its stores and online — and selling well, said Frank Fernandez, owner of two Hallmark stores in North Texas.

Reason TV’s look at urban renewal, 60 years later

(By Ed Morrissey, Hot Air) - When the Supreme Court upheld the seizure of private property in the 'Kelo' decision so that the city could sell it to another private owner, conservatives were rightly outraged over what they saw as an abuse of eminent domain.  Unfortunately, as some on the Right pointed out, the high court had a significant amount of precedent for 'Kelo' — decades of it, in fact, as Reason TV demonstrates in an excellent look at the urban renewal movement.  As with 'Kelo', cities seized land from private owners only to hand it off to other private owners in an attempt to eliminate “slums,” thanks to a federal law that gave breathtaking new powers to government over private property:

Bev Perdue’s open-mic night a total bust

(By Ed Morrissey, Hot Air) - When Allahpundit wrote about North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue’s suggestion that we skip the next Congressional election because the country really can’t afford democracy at the moment, he noted that the News-Observer reported that Purdue was “joking.” Was she? The News-Observer produced the audio of Purdue’s remarks, and it doesn’t sound as if she’s aiming for a spot on HBO’s next comedy jam:

Perdue faced almost instant national criticism on Tuesday after she recommended suspending elections until the economy recovers.

“I think we ought to suspend, perhaps, elections for Congress for two years and just tell them we won’t hold it against them, whatever decisions they make, to just let them help this country recover,” Perdue said at a rotary club event in Cary, N.C., according to the Raleigh News & Observer. “I really hope that someone can agree with me on that.”

Shortly after the controversial comments made national headlines, Perdue’s press team began claiming it was a joke. Until the audio of her comments was released, though, there was no way to know if she was serious.

Perdue spokeswoman Chris Mackey, who originally told TheDC that it was a joke and “hyperbole,” told TheDC the Governor and her press team are sticking to their statement, even after this new audio came out.

Ouch: Medics Drop Unconscious Soccer Player From Stretcher

(By Jonathon M. Seidl, The Blaze) - Anyone who watches sports has seen it happen plenty of times: a player gets injured, and the medics have to take him off on a stretcher. And many people probably hold their breathe during the ordeals, either out of fear for the player’s injury, or fear that the medics might just have a blunder and mess up during the stretcher transport. If your one of those who have feared the latter, it’s finally been realized.

During a top flight match in Portugal on Sunday between Olhanense and Uniao Leiria, Olhanense’s Salvador Agra was inadvertently kicked in the head by a defender. The hit knocked him unconscious. That brought out the medics, who quickly tried to load Agra on a stretcher and get him to an ambulance. The key words are “tried” and “quickly.” Maybe even too quickly:

This Is the Stunning Audio of an Unintelligible Michael Jackson Going Viral

(By Jonathon M. Seidl, The Blaze) - The involuntary manslaughter trial against Michael Jackson’s doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray, began in Los Angeles on Tuesday. And one of the day’s most stunning moments came when Deputy District Attorney David Walgren played a recording of a conversation between Jackson and Murray in which the singer detailed what he wanted out of the shows. Jackson’s voice, though recognizable, was slow and slurred.

“We have to be phenomenal,” Jackson is heard saying in the recording, which investigators gleaned from Murray‘s phone after the singer’s death. “When people leave this show, when people leave my show, I want them to say, `I’ve never seen nothing like this in my life. Go. Go. I’ve never seen nothing like this. Go. It’s amazing. He’s the greatest entertainer in the world.’”

Prosecution's Chilling Audio Recording of Michael Jackson: MyFoxLA.com

Video: Father of the year?

(By Ed Morrissey, Hot Air) - Tickets to Japanese baseball game for a family of four: around $150.

Price on eBay of a souvenir baseball signed by Willie Mays: $36 (for now)

Having a global moment of infamy by dumping your baby daughter into the next row while trying to catch a baseball for yourself: 'Priceless' …

Does Perry have a plan?

(By Ed Morrissey, Hot Air) - Yesterday, I wrote that Rick Perry needs to stop worrying so much about his competitors in the Republican primary fight and start laying out his own plans for a Perry presidency in order to claim the mantle of a front-runner.  Jill Lawrence at the Daily Beast decided to take a look at Perry’s website to see what kind of argument that might be, and discovered why Perry might be a little too focused on attacking Romney:

In public at least, Rick Perry is among those writing off his stumbling debate performances as a verbal problem—as in, he’s not a slick, smooth talker like President Obama or Mitt Romney. But Perry would be less of a piñata, and sound more like a president, if he had laid out a full platform.

In his three debates so far, the governor has attacked Obama and Romney, defended himself, explained himself, and talked about Texas. But the biggest missing piece is his blueprint for America.

When Perry is under fire over some aspect of his Texas record, he hasn’t pivoted to signature plans for jobs or foreign policy. A spin through Perry’s website underscores the problem. Under “Jobs,” we find five paragraphs of conservative boilerplate. The most detailed sentence refers to “low taxes, reasonable regulations, a predictable civil litigation system and an educated workforce.”

Charles Krauthammer: Obama Doesn't Deal in Reality

Sarah Palin: Is the title of President worth it?

(By Ed Morrissey, Hot Air) - Is she or isn’t she? Sarah Palin still isn’t saying whether she will jump into the presidential race, but she did give an argument for not doing so to Greta van Susteren on Fox last night. Palin wondered whether a “campaign would be too shackling” for the kind of change she wants, and noted as she often has that one doesn’t need a “title” to have an impact:

Appearing on Fox News’ On the Record, a favorite venue, Palin appeared to be talking herself out of the race in an interview with host Greta Van Susteren.

“Is a campaign too shackling?” she mused. As the GOP’s 2008 vice presidential nominee, Palin said she felt encumbered by “handlers.” Running for office “prohibits the freedom one needs to really make a difference,” said the self-described “rogue” politician.

Added Palin: “You don’t need a title to make a difference.”

Obligatory: The Rick Perry lip-reading clip

(By Allahpundit, Hot Air) - Prediction: We’re going to get a roughly 50/50 split on this in the comments. Half of you will hate it because it’s the dumbest thing ever, half of you will love it because … it’s the dumbest thing ever. Count me in the second group; I was gasping with laughter even on the second viewing. I think it’s a combination of the voice, which is dead on, plus the fact that — let’s face it — this is what this guy sounds like during the second hour of debates. In fact, if I’m not mistaken, that rambling attack on Romney for flip-flopping near the end of the last one closed with, “Save a pretzel for the gas jets.”

NC Gov. Bev Perdue (D) “jokes”: Let’s cancel congressional elections for a few years so that we can focus on the economy

(By Allahpundit, Hot Air) - The News-Observer claims in their headline that she was “joking” but I think that’s because they can’t quite believe a sitting governor would be so stupid as to say this publicly. In fact, in the story itself they note, “It’s unclear whether Perdue, a Democrat, is serious — but her tone was level and she asked others to support her on the idea.”

Hey, you know what would vastly improve American politics? Much less public accountability.

“You have to have more ability from Congress, I think, to work together and to get over the partisan bickering and focus on fixing things. I think we ought to suspend, perhaps, elections for Congress for two years and just tell them we won’t hold it against them, whatever decisions they make, to just let them help this country recover. I really hope that someone can agree with me on that. The one good thing about Raleigh is that for so many years we worked across party lines. It’s a little bit more contentious now but it’s not impossible to try to do what’s right in this state. You want people who don’t worry about the next election.”

The Republicans sure are taking it seriously as they look to score political points. Here’s a statement from GOP spokesman Rob Lockwood:

“Now is a time when politicians need to be held accountable more than ever. To suspend an election would be removing the surest mechanism that people have to hold politicians accountable: the right to vote. Does the Governor not believe that people of North Carolina have the ability to think for themselves about whether or not the actions of elected officials are working?”

Obama backer: Enough with the class-warfare rhetoric

(By Ed Morrissey, Hot Air) - Ted Leonsis owns a sports-entertainment conglomerate that includes three major-league sports teams, a major venue in Washington DC, as well as a number of Internet ventures. He’s vice-chairman emeritus of AOL’s board, which last year purchased Huffington Post. He’s also a big, big donor to the Democratic Party and its candidates, including Barack Obama, for whom Leonsis has already maxed out his contributions in this cycle and did the same in 2008.

That was in June, however, before Obama decided to shift to the Left and start indulging in class-warfare, soak-the-rich rhetoric in order to bolster his sagging ratings and change the dynamic of the 2012 race. Leonsis rips Obama for demonizing the successful in a lengthy rant at his website:

I say this as I read all of the rhetoric about Class Warfare, the rift that is being created between economic middle and lower class and as the President said “those millionaires and billionaires.”

The real rift in philosophy though is do you want the Government to create jobs and stimulate the economy or do you want America’s small business to be the engine of growth?

Economic Success has somehow become the new boogie man; some in the Democratic party are now casting about for enemies and business leaders and anyone who has achieved success in terms of rank or fiscal success is being cast as a bad guy in a black hat. This is counter to the American Dream and is really turning off so many people that love American and basically carry our country on their back by paying taxes and by employing people and creating GDP.

This is a bad move all designed by some pollster who said this is the way to get votes during the re-election. It should be stopped. We should be healing and creating teams NOT dividing and pitting people against one another.

Prosecutors: John Edwards Motions to Dismiss Case Without Merit

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Prosecutors seeking to try John Edwards for campaign finance violations have filed a stack of motions rebutting the former presidential candidate's contention that the case against him is fundamentally flawed.

Lawyers for Edwards filed five motions earlier this month asking a federal judge to dismiss all six felony and misdemeanor counts, arguing that case is the work of a partisan prosecutor.

Herman Cain: Blacks Are ‘Over This First African-American President Thing’

"I think that they're over this first African-American president thing. I think that is behind them. Here's what's going to do it, Greta, growing this economy. Growing this economy is what's foremost on the minds of black Americans, Hispanic Americans, all Americans."

Charles Krauthammer: Straw Polls Don't Crown Candidates, But They Winnow The Field

(Real Clear Politics Video) - The panel discusses recent straw poll results in Florida and Michigan and what it says about the current state of the GOP race.

Charles Krauthammer: Governance Phase Of Obama Presidency Is Over

"He’s gone three-thousand miles to fundraisers. He’s focused entirely on the election." Charles Krauthammer said on FOX News. "He’s essentially announced that the governance phase of the Obama presidency is over and he’s now fully campaigning with a year and two months to go."

Nancy Grace Has Major Wardrobe Malfunction on 'DWTS'

(By Frances Martel, Mediaite) - Since its premiere last week, opponents of this season’s 'Dancing with the Stars' have claimed that the images broadcast therein could corrupt and severely traumatize children. All the griping around Chaz Bono seemed to leave the 'Dancing with the Stars' unprepared for the real threat: Nancy Grace‘s breasts, escaping the shackles of her dress after a fairly energetic performance.

Can Perry regain his mojo?

(By Ed Morrissey, Hot Air) - When Rick Perry entered the presidential race, he zoomed straight to the top of the polls and energized those voters looking for a practical alternative to Mitt Romney. Perry had a great resumé for a nominee — eleven years governing one of the most populous states in the country, job growth that defied a national malaise, and a track record of fighting federal regulation, especially in energy production. After the first four weeks of the campaign, though, Perry has not even begun to introduce himself to the American public, oddly choosing instead to engage on defense against everyone else in the campaign. And as for debate performances, calling Perry underwhelming would be charitable, thanks to a couple of bizarre attempts to play defense and attack other candidates on stage.

Perry’s decades-old barb about Carolina barbecue comes back to bite him

(By Tina Korbe, Hot Air) - Don’t mess with North Carolinians and their barbecue. Pick a side, maybe — East v. West, vinegar v. tomato, whole hog v. pork shoulders — but, whatever you do, don’t just dismiss the meat of the matter as flavorless. That’s what Rick Perry did in 1992 — and he’s still paying a price.

Apparently, in 1992, when Perry was Texas agriculture commissioner and the city of Houston hosted the Republican National Convention, he tried Eastern North Carolina BBQ from King’s of Kinston and reacted to it with this: “I’ve had road kill that tasted better than that.”

Last week, 'Raleigh News and Observer' staffers Rob Christensen and Craig Jarvis served up the decades-old quote in a quick blog post — and North Carolinians are none too pleased with Mr. Perry at the moment.

Naked Emperor News/The Blaze: Liberal Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) Tells Right Media & Blogs to Shut Up and Stop Playing Racial Politics, Then Seconds Later Says Obama’s Buy American Should Be Buy African American

‘Not Up to Primetime’: Herman Cain Blasts Perry’s Performance at GOP Debate

(By Tiffany Gabbay, The Blaze) - Following his tremendous success in the Florida straw poll, GOP presidential candidate Herman Cain, who in the past has refrained from going after rivals with both barrels, had strong words of criticism for Texas Governor Rick Perry. During an in-depth two part interview with Fox News’ Megyn Kelly, Cain said Perry‘s performance at last week’s Republican presidential debate was “not up to primetime” and “wasn’t even on par with anybody on that stage.”

“With all due respect, it was not up to primetime. His performance, quite frankly, wasn’t even on par with anybody on that stage. Not in terms of the issues per se, but in just debate delivery,” Cain stated.

“His answers were not crisp. They were not succinct. And I think one of the biggest disappointments was when Bret Baier asked him, well, ‘What is your economic growth plan?‘ He didn’t have one. You would have thought, getting all this free publicity for weeks, that you would have at least already started to work on the outline of what you’re going to do about the biggest crisis we face — other than national security — which is this economy. And I think that disappointed a lot of people….”

Secret Service Agent Quits, Campaigns Against Obama Policies

Secret Service Agent-Turned Senate Hopeful: ‘I Like the President,’ but ‘Policies Just Wrong’

(By Rick Klein, ABC News) - After more than a decade protecting presidents with the Secret Service, Daniel Bongino is currently running against the policies that the most recent president he worked under – President Obama – has moved along.

Bongino, who quit his job with the Secret Service in May to run for the Senate as a Republican in Maryland, told us on ABC’s “Top Line” today that it’s nothing personal.

Wildlife Officials Shoot, Kill More Deer for Disease Testing

DOBSON, NC (WGHP) — Nearly a week after wildlife officials shot and killed nine deer on a Randolph County rehabilitation farm, it has been learned that wildlife officials killed two deer last month in Dobson for the same reason.

Two fawns that Freddy Snow was nursing back to health were euthanized in August. Just like the case with Wayne Kinley, wildlife officials said Snow did not have a license to keep deer in captivity.

State wildlife officials said licenses are needed to keep deer in captivity in order to prevent the spread of disease.

Gov. Perry Dances With Rabbis

(Breitbart.tv) - Gov. Rick Perry celebrates the lighting of the menorah during last year's Hanukah celebration.

Missing Autistic Boy Found After Searchers Play Ozzy Osbourne

(Breitbart.tv) - The search for 8-year-old Joshua Robb, the California autistic boy who was missing during a night of lightning storms, ended this afternoon when a search and rescue team found him in the woods near his school after playing recordings of Ozzy Osbourne.

Herman Cain: Perry 'Not Up To Prime Time'

(Breitbart.tv) - Presidential candidate Herman Cain continued his media tour after winning the Florida straw poll over the weekend. Here, he appears with Megyn Kelly and gives his critique of Gov. Rick Perry's campaign performance.

California Democratic Party among Solyndra’s creditors

(By Jim McElhatton, The Washington Times) - Out of the hundreds of out-of-work employees, vendors, investors and other creditors in the bankruptcy of government-backed solar-panel maker Solyndra LLC, one name stands out: the California Democratic Party.

Why California Democrats would be creditor to a company that received more than a half-billion dollars in federal loans to build a solar-panel plant isn’t clear. Even party officials say they’re not sure.

The California Democratic Party’s communications director, Tenoch Flores, said the organization was not owed “any funds in any form” by the California-based company. He said he was unclear why the party would be listed as a creditor in Solyndra’s bankruptcy filing.

Breitbart.tv: Obama’s Bizarre Gaffe: A Billionaire Should Pay Same Tax Rate As A JEW… Er… Janitor

Florida Teacher Fired After Private Sex Videos Sent to School, Parents

(By Billy Hallowell, The Blaze) - Thirty-five-year-old Natalie Santagata was an elementary school teacher at Kingsway Elementary School in Charlotte County, Florida, for nearly a decade. But she was fired earlier this year after scandalous videos and images were anonymously sent to school officials.

The drama that cost Santagata her job started back in June 2011, when her employer received four photographs and five videos showing her performing “graphic” sex acts and purportedly smoking marijuana. Interestingly, these videos were filmed in private localities where no students or minors were present.

Still, although she passed her most recent drug test and despite the fact that she violated no laws with her behavior, the district was so disappointed that officials decided she needed to be let go.

Rick Perry reels after Florida flop

ORLANDO (By ALEXANDER BURNS & MAGGIE HABERMAN, POLITICO.com) – The alarm bells are ringing for Rick Perry’s presidential campaign.

The Texas governor, who leaped to the top of national polls immediately after his August kickoff, finds himself suddenly reeling from a pair of setbacks in the country’s most prominent political battleground.

First, Perry drew a round of scathing reviews for his unfocused debate performance in Orlando Thursday night. Then he suffered a thumping defeat in the Florida GOP’s straw poll – to long-shot candidate Herman Cain, no less – that amounted to a vote of no confidence from dissatisfied activists.

Liberal Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA): Obama would never tell the Jews or the gays to stop complaining

(By Ed Morrissey, Hot Air) - Looks like Barack Obama really made an impression on the Congressional Black Caucus this weekend — but not the one he intended. Maxine Waters tells CBS that she’s not sure exactly 'who' Obama thought he was addressing, and claimed that the CBC has worked a whole lot more on unemployment than the President has, 'without' whining about their critics.  But Waters goes one better by telling CBS that Obama wouldn’t have dared telling a couple of other identity groups to stop griping:

George Will: The Republican Party Has Become Too Dependent on Southern States

(By Christopher Santarelli, The Blaze) - Has the Republican Party become too southern? In reaction to a particularly cringeworthy Rick Perry soundbite from Thursday’s debate, George Will told the rest of the panel on ABC’s This Week with Christiane Amanpour that the party indeed has become too dependent on southern states in Presidential elections:

Watch And LOL: Local News Weather Graphics Epic Fail

(By Josh Feldman, Mediaite) - Winding down on this calm Sunday afternoon, here’s a fun little local news clip for you. Not sure if this was a happy accident or a prank or someone was just testing the graphics. Whatever the case, never have the words “EPIC FAIL” carried with them so much meaning.

Watch the video below, courtesy of KIDK:

Fox News Panel Pans Rick Perry’s Debate Performance: He ‘Really Did Throw Up All Over Himself’

(By Josh Feldman, Mediaite) - On 'Fox News Sunday' [yesterday], Chris Wallace and the panel talked about Rick Perry’s future chances to secure the GOP nomination after his less-than-impressive showing during last week’s debate. Brit Hume started out by arguing that Perry not only stumbled, he “really did throw up all over himself in the debate at a time when he needed to raise his game.”

Video: Obama tells CBC to “stop complaining” and start marching

(By Ed Morrissey, Hot Air) - This is getting big play over at The Blaze and in a couple of our comment threads, but let’s keep a couple of things in mind. The CBC was going to stop complaining soon enough anyway; did anyone think that the CBC would publicly oppose Barack Obama in 2012? I doubt anyone in the room was offended, although having Obama dropping his Gs while telling authentic heroes of the civil-rights movement like Georgia’s John Lewis to take off their bedroom shoes and start marching really 'should' have offended them.  And casting himself as a quasi-martyr for continuing “press on” despite his low approval ratings might not exactly be offensive, but it is at least a little desperate:

Realignment: Where things stand now

(By Andy Katz, ESPN.com) - The Pac-12 Conference's decision Tuesday night to remain at 12 teams and not take on Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State allows us to pause for a moment and assess the realignment picture in major college sports.

So where are we now?

This all seems to change by the hour, but let's break down the current state as we know it now.

Watchdog Group Slams John Edwards Indictment

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - A government watchdog group wants to support John Edwards in a campaign finance case against the former presidential candidate.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington asked a court Wednesday for permission to file a motion on behalf of Edwards. The group says the federal government's case against Edwards would radically alter campaign law for the worse if it succeeds.

Bill Kristol: Liberals Need To Toughen Up And Do Something About Obama

(Real Clear Politics) - The Special Report panel discusses the relationship between President Obama and his liberal base after the repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and the release of the president's deficit plan.

Ex-President Clinton to Newsmax: Raising Taxes Won't Work

(By Jim Meyers and Christopher Ruddy, Newsmax.com) - Former President Bill Clinton tells Newsmax that Washington should not raise taxes until the slumping economy is turned around — and says President Obama’s plan to increase taxes on the wealthy won’t solve the debt problem.

Clinton sat down for an exclusive interview with Newsmax Founder and CEO Christopher Ruddy in New York, where Clinton is holding the 10th annual gathering of the widely praised Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an event that brings together heads of state, business leaders, humanitarians and celebrities to devise and implement innovative and successful solutions to some of the worlds most pressing challenges.

In the wide-ranging interview, Clinton discussed his foundation, climate change, the economy, taxes, government regulations, fellow Democrat Obama, and the possibility of civil unrest in America.

He also spoke about his wife Hillary’s chances of running for president in 2016, calling her “the ablest person in my generation” — and offered his surprising take on the 2012 GOP presidential race.

Dems to drop controversial leaders' names from signature dinner

RALEIGH (Winston-Salem Journal) - Three years after a majority of North Carolina voters cast their ballots for the country's first black president, the state Democratic Party is dropping the names of a Confederate leader and a white supremacist governor from one of its signature annual activities.

For decades, the party's yearly fundraiser in western North Carolina had been known as the Vance-Aycock Dinner, after two former Democratic governors. This year the dinner, which is held in October, will be dubbed the Western Gala while a committee works on a permanent replacement title, party spokesman Walton Robinson said.

"The tradition of the Democratic Party being what it is, folks just felt it was time for a change," he said.

Not An Honest Liberal

The fact that Warren Buffett doesn’t know what he’s talking about is his own business. But those who repeat his error in “expert” political commentary ought to know better.

RALEIGH (By John Hood, Carolina Journal Online) – As President Barack Obama’s latest, lamest attempt to stir up class warfare against “millionaires and billionaires” has quickly devolved into ridiculous farce, it may seem uncharitable of me to pile on. But I feel compelled to make three observations about the president’s new tax proposals and the “Buffett Rule” on which they were based.

Syracuse Coach's Greensboro Comments Cause Controversy

GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) - A comment from one of the newest members of the ACC has caused some controversy in Greensboro.

Syracuse men's basketball coach Jim Boeheim made a speech at the Monday Morning Quarterback Club in Birmingham, Ala., and included some comments about where he thinks the ACC Tournament will be held.

'The Birmingham News' reported Boeheim, whose school is only 4 hours from New York City, told the audience he thinks having the tournament in the Big Apple would be "great."

"Where would you want to go to a tournament for five days? Let's see: Greensboro, North Carolina, or New York City? Jeez. Let me think about that one and get back to you," Boeheim said.

Wildlife Officers Shoot, Kill Nine Deer on Randolph Co. Farm

Animals killed to be tested for disease, wildlife officials say



RANDOLPH COUNTY, N.C. (WGHP) — State wildlife officers shot and killed nine deer on a rehabilitation farm in Randolph County on Tuesday.

Seven fallow deer and two white-tailed deer were euthanized on Wayne Kindley's farm in Hoover Hill Road in Asheboro. The deer were killed so they could be tested for Chronic Wasting Disease, wildlife officials said in a news release.

There have been no cases for the disease in North Carolina, but deer have tested positive in nearby states, wildlife officials said in the release. There is no way to test live deer for the disease.

Liberal Mass Gov Seen Riding In SUV During ‘Car-Free Week’

(WBZ) - Governor Deval Patrick did walk to a morning event on Beacon Hill — a stone’s throw from the Statehouse — but was quick to sheepishly admit that he probably hadn’t set the best example earlier in the day.

“You got me!” grinned the Governor.

Video: Perry’s first ad — “Proven Leadership”

(By Ed Morrissey, Hot Air) - Politico’s daily e-mail blast Morning Score calls Rick Perry’s first campaign video “an epic new bio spot,” but it’s more like an epic new teaser spot.  It doesn’t give a warm biography of the candidate, except for a background picture of Perry in his Air Force pilot’s jumpsuit.  Instead, the spot takes the first 40 seconds to blast Barack Obama and then set the theme of the Perry campaign, which is that he wants to get America working again:

Southern Baptists to Consider Name Change

(By Todd Starnes, Fox News Radio) - The president of the Southern Baptist Convention has formed a task force to study the possibility of changing the name of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination.

“The convention’s name is so regional,” SBC President Bryant Wright told Fox News Radio. “We are going to think through potential names that would better describe us without such a regional geographic limitation.”

The Southern Baptist Convention is 166-years old and has churches in all 50 states. However, most of the denomination’s membership is in the South and Southwest.

Byron York: Perry locked, loaded for Thursday's debate

(By Byron York, Campaign 2012) - Thursday's Republican presidential debate in Orlando will be a key moment for Rick Perry. The newness is off the Texas governor's candidacy, and his support has leveled off and even slipped a bit in some recent polls.

Perry received mostly good reviews from his debate debut, at the Reagan Library on Sept. 7, but less positive notices after his second outing at the CNN debate in Tampa, Fla., on Sept. 12. How he performs in the rubber match in Orlando, put on by Fox News, Google and the Republican Party of Florida, will provide an important directional signal: Is Perry moving up, or down?

After Tampa, some critics suggested Perry should put in some extra study time before the next debate. But sources in the Perry camp say he's approaching this one in "essentially the same way" as previous sessions. Preparing for Perry's first debate, his staff put him behind a podium for a mock session, to get a feel for the timing and flow and the sheer strangeness of standing on stage with seven other candidates. Now, Perry's debate prep is mostly small group discussions.

Howard Dean: Employers will drop coverage under Obamacare

(By Conn Carroll, Campaign 2012) - Former Democratic National Committee Chairman, and doctor, Howard Dean backed a McKinsey & Co. survey today that found that almost a third of private-sector employers will drop their employee health insurance coverage when Obamacare's government-managed insurance exchanges come online.

Dean told Morning Joe, "The fact is it is very good for small business. There was a McKinsey study, which the Democrats don't like, but I do, and I think its true. Most small businesses are not going to be in the health insurance business anymore after this thing goes into effect."

The reason Democrats fought so hard to dismiss the McKinsey survey when it was released is because its conclusion undermines two major claims Obama made during health care debate: "If you like your health plan, you can keep it" and "It will not add one penny to the deficit."

Texas Tea Party to Rick Perry: ‘We are fed up’

(Houston Chronicle) - Texas Tea Party leaders are unhappy with Gov. Rick Perry’s immigration-related positions and want him to call another special legislative session to give state lawmakers a third opportunity to ban sanctuary cities.

“This is an issue that is simmering and bubbling up to the surface … We are tired of lip service. We are fed up. We are fed up, too, Gov. Perry,” Texas Tea Party Caucus Advisory Committee chair JoAnn Fleming of Tyler said Monday.

Perry declared sanctuary cities an emergency issue in January and put it back on the legislative agenda in June after lawmakers failed to approve legislation during the regular session. Legislation to ban so-called sanctuary cities – and subject anyone stopped for a traffic violation to document their citizenship – also failed during the special session.

Rangel makes surprise appearance at Perry's N.Y. event

Washington (CNN) - Gov. Rick Perry’s meeting Monday in New York with Hispanic business leaders had an unexpected guest in attendance: Democratic Rep. Charles Rangel, who represents the district where the meeting took place.

Rangel said he was simply doing the neighborly thing by welcoming the Republican presidential candidate to his locality. But a statement released by Rangel on Monday night did away with bipartisan pleasantries after the first sentence.

"As a courtesy, I stopped by Inwood to welcome Governor Rick Perry to the most beautiful congressional district in our nation,” Rangel said. “However, the Governor's visit ironically came on the very same day that my constituents heard President Obama's speech earlier today on getting America back to work. The President has made it clear that he would veto any bill that would change benefits for those who rely on Medicare but does not raise serious revenues by asking millionaires and billionaires or biggest corporations to pay their fair share.”

Obama Bundler And Solyndra Investor George Kaiser In 2009: We’re Trying To Get As Much Stimulus Money As We Possibly Can

(Breitbart.tv) - The Obama fundraiser in the center of the growing Solyndra scandal spoke at a Rotary Club event in Tulsa, OK in 2009 bragging about how he was trying to get as much of Obama's giant stimulus payout as possible.

VIDEO: Former Bachmann Campaign Manager Says She's Done After Iowa

(Business Insider) - Ed Rollins, former campaign manager and current "informal adviser" to Rep. Michele Bachmann, told MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell moments ago that Bachmann doesn't have the "ability or the resources" to go beyond Iowa.

Rollins stopped working for the campaign day-to-day earlier this month in a staff shakeup, and criticized her comments on the HPV vaccine last week.

Rollins said Texas Gov. Rick Perry's entrance into the race undercut her campaign, and that she was unprepared for the national stage running as a congresswoman.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Obama Invokes George Washington to Defend His Proposed Tax Hikes

(CNSNews.com) – The 44th president of the United States invoked the very first president on Monday, as Barack Obama called for $1.5 trillion in new taxes, mainly on wealthy Americans.

“George Washington grappled with the problem” of taxes, Obama said. “He (George Washington) said, 'Towards the payment of debts, there must be revenue, and to have revenue, there must be taxes. And no taxes can be devised which are not more or less inconvenient and unpleasant.'

“But he understood that dealing with the debt is -- his choice of words -- 'always a choice of difficulties.' He also knew that public servants weren't elected to do what is easy; they weren't elected to do what was politically advantageous. It's our responsibility to put country before party. It's our responsibility to do what's right for the future. And that's what this debate is about."

Defunct NASA satellite to crash to Earth this week

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - A defunct NASA science satellite is expected to fall back to Earth on Friday, showering debris somewhere on the planet although scientists cannot predict exactly where, officials said.

The 6.5-ton Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, or UARS, was carried into orbit during a space shuttle mission in 1991. It operated for 14 years, collecting measurements of ozone and other chemicals in the atmosphere.

Since completing its mission in 2005, UARS has been slowly losing altitude, tugged by Earth's gravity. On Friday, the 35-foot-long, 15-foot diameter (10.6-metres long, 4.5-metres diameter) satellite is expected to plunge into the atmosphere, NASA reported on its website.

N.C.: ‘We Are Not Sure’ Why Obama Got Facts Wrong on Bridges

(CNSNews.com) - The North Carolina Department of Transportation say it is “not sure” how President Barack Obama came up with the statistic that there are 153 “structurally deficient bridges” in that state--in arguing for more federal stimulus spending before “another bridge falls.”

In fact, according to the department, there are far more than 153 “structurally deficient” bridges in North Carolina—but the designation “structurally deficient” does not mean they are in any way unsafe.

“[W]e are not sure how President Obama’s staff came up with the number he referenced about structurally deficient bridges in North Carolina,” department communications officer Julie Merchant told CNSNews.com.

Rush Limbaugh: Obama’s ‘Pure Class Warfare’ Will Be The Destruction Of What Makes This A Great Country

(By Jon Bershad, Mediaite) - Ok, everyone, are you sitting down? Is there anyone with heart condition reading? Are your shoes strong enough to withstand your socks literally being blown off your feet?

Is everyone ready? Ok, then. Here comes the bombshell; Rush Limbaugh didn’t like Barack Obama’s remarks this morning about his jobs bill.

I know!

AP fact check: Secretaries don’t pay more taxes than their bosses

(By Ed Morrissey, Hot Air) - Let’s hope that Warren Buffet is better at managing funds than he is at tax policy.  After Buffett complained that his secretary pays a higher tax rate than he does, Barack Obama decided to call his new class-warfare taxes “the Buffett Rule” and emphasize that he wants to make taxes more “fair.”  But was Buffett right?  According to an AP fact check — and just about every ounce of common sense that exists outside of the class-warfare fever swamps of the White House these days — not at all:

“Middle-class families shouldn’t pay higher taxes than millionaires and billionaires,” Obama said Monday. “That’s pretty straightforward. It’s hard to argue against that.”

The data tell a different story. On average, the wealthiest people in America pay a lot more taxes than the middle class or the poor, according to private and government data. They pay at a higher rate, and as a group, they contribute a much larger share of the overall taxes collected by the federal government.

There may be individual millionaires who pay taxes at rates lower than middle-income workers. In 2009, 1,470 households filed tax returns with incomes above $1 million yet paid no federal income tax, according to the Internal Revenue Service. That, however, was less than 1 percent of the nearly 237,000 returns with incomes above $1 million.

Liberals vow to challenge Obama in Democratic primaries

(By Seth McLaughlin, The Washington Times) - President Obama’s smooth path to the Democratic nomination may have gotten rockier Monday, after a group of liberal leaders, including former presidential candidate Ralph Nader, announced plans to challenge the incumbent in primaries next year.

The group said the goal is to offer up a handful of candidates from various fields and areas where the president either has failed to stake out a “progressive” position or where he has “drifted toward the corporatist right.”

“Without debates by challengers inside the Democratic Party’s presidential primaries, the liberal/majoritarian agenda will be muted and ignored,” Mr. Nader said in a news release. “The one-man Democratic primaries will be dull, repetitive, and draining of both voter enthusiasm and real bright lines between the two parties that excite voters.”

Obama Slams ‘Special Interests’; No Mention Of Solyndra

(Breitbart.tv) - Part of President Obama's tax hike speech focused on corporations with the "best lobbyists" ending up getting preferential treatment. Despite his concern with "special interests", President Obama neglected to mention the Solyndra scandal which appears to be rife with favors for the "green jobs" special interest company.

Obama Misrepresents Boehner’s Position On Tax Reform

(Breitbart.tv) - In today's speech unveiling his new tax increase, President Obama said Speaker of the House John Boehner had ruled out "any additional revenues whatsoever." Yet Mr. Boehner specifically said he was in favor of closing tax loopholes in conjunction with fundamental reform of the tax code, which would result in increased revenues. He is against increasing taxes, but not increasing revenues. They are not the same thing.

Former Hillary strategist: Obama plan is awesome — if he wants to lose the election

(By Ed Morrissey, Hot Air) - Barack Obama’s team seems to think that demonizing the wealthy will win him back his base and let him roll to re-election.  Not so fast, says Democratic strategist and former Hillary Clinton adviser Mark Penn at Huffington Post.  Obama’s plan makes for great strategy, Penn says, only if the President wants to pattern his next election like that famous Democrat, 'Walter Mondale':

Obama’s team actually believes that in the last six months they have courted independent voters and that didn’t work, so now they are turning to activating the base with higher taxes on the wealthy. However, he never made any meaningful appeal to those voters in terms they would understand. He supported extending the Bush tax cuts, temporarily zoomed up in the polls, and then promptly repudiated what he had done, only to then fall back down.

The 2010 mid-term elections were fought over Obama’s healthcare plan and on his plan to raise taxes on the wealthy by ending the Bush tax cuts. The results were, in his own words, a “shellacking.” After his most recent speech to Congress, voters in New York City’s Ninth Congressional District just elected a Republican for the first time since 1920.

And now, Obama is pressing the case for higher taxes, following in the footsteps of Walter Mondale. Higher taxes always seem to poll well, but in reality the country sees that as a last resort.

Today In America: Two Grandmas Shotgun Beers Before A Michigan Football Game

(By Dan Fogarty, SportsGrid) - A pair of Michigan football grandmas shotgunned beers during a tailgate this weekend before the Wolverines’ matchup with Eastern Michigan, and we really can’t think of anything more wondrously American than this.

Tailgating. College football. Beer. Grandmas. We can’t say with absolute certainty that the two saucy ladies (Whose grandmas were they? How did they find themselves in the middle of a crowd of chanting twenty-somethings? 'Why was I not invited?' These are the things we need to know.) powered Michigan to a 31-3 victory, but… you know what? We’re going to say it anyway: these party girls are the reason the Maize and Blue are now 3-0.

Wendy's Remakes Hamburger, Introduces 'Dave's Hot 'N Juicy'

NEW YORK (AP) — When Wendy's decided to remake its 42-year-old hamburger, the chain agonized over every detail. A pickle chemist was consulted. Customers were quizzed on their lettuce knowledge. And executives went on a cross-country burger-eating tour.

The result? Dave's Hot `N Juicy, named after late Wendy's founder Dave Thomas. The burger -- with extra cheese, a thicker beef patty, a buttered bun, and hold the mustard, among other changes -- will be served in restaurants starting Monday.

"Our food was already good," said Denny Lynch, a Wendy's spokesman. "We wanted it to be better. Isn't that what long-term brands do? They reinvent themselves."

Liberal Congressman Mike Quigley (D-IL) to Islam Conference: “I apologize on behalf of America”

(Rebel Pundit) - On Saturday morning, Illinois Democrat Congressman Mike Quigely made a surprise appearance at the American Islamic College Conference in Chicago. The unaccredited college is the first of its kind in the United States.

Quigley gave remarks to the primarily muslim audience. He rambled on about the typical racism and discrimination that the liberal left is so convinced America is rampantly infected with. As you can see in the video below, he proceeded in his congressional capacity to apologize on behalf of the country for discrimination against muslims’ faith.

Obama: I’ll veto any bill that isn’t “balanced” with tax hikes

(By Ed Morrissey, Hot Air) - He’s got a deficit-reduction package that can’t clear the House, thanks to massive new tax hikes that everyone knows are a deal-killer.  He has a jobs package that can’t clear the Senate.  What’s a President to do?  Threaten a veto:

President Obama warned he will veto any deficit plan brought to him by Congress that wasn’t ‘balanced’ between taxes and spending cuts.

‘We are not going to have a one-sided deal that hurts the folks who are most vulnerable,’ Obama said Monday morning, speaking from the Rose Garden.

He rejected accusations that tax increases for the wealthy was ‘class warfare’.

The president argued, as he has repeatedly, that wealthier Americans ‘shouldn’t get a better deal than ordinary families.’.

“This is not class warfare, it’s math. The money’s going to have to come from some place,” the president said, speaking to reporters. “If we’re not willing to ask those who’ve done extraordinarily well to help America close the deficit, the logic, the math says everybody else has to do a whole lot more. “

What’s so surprising about this rhetoric is how unsurprising it is. Obama has been making this same exact argument for years, starting in the 2008 campaign, but accelerating last year. Obama made the exact same argument — and veto threat, too — just before caving in December 2010 and agreeing to extend the Bush-era tax rates.

Related Material...

• (Breitbart.tv) - NBC News Anchor: GOP Position ‘Bunk’; ‘How Can The Right Defend Greed?’

VIDEO: Russian media mogul in talk show brawl

(UK Telegraph) - Billionaire Russian oligarch Alexander Lebedev has physically attacked a fellow tycoon on national TV after the other man told him he would like to “punch someone’s lights out.”

Obama to propose a “Buffett tax” while pushing jobs plan

(By Ed Morrissey, Hot Air) - Talk about your mixed messages!  While Barack Obama goes on the campaign trail trying desperately to drum up support for a jobs plan that will cost $450 billion, the President will also deliver at the same time his plan to reduce the spiraling federal deficit and slow the runaway growth of the national debt.  And while claiming that he’s not engaging in class warfare, Obama wants to target a new tax at one segment of society in order to protect and amplify his redistributionist policies.  Care to guess what that segment of society is?

President Barack Obama, in a populist step designed to appeal to voters, will propose a “Buffett Tax” on people making more than $1 million a year as part of his deficit recommendations to Congress on Monday.

Such a proposal, among suggestions to a congressional supercommittee expected to seek up to $3 trillion in deficit savings over 10 years, would appeal to his Democratic base ahead of the 2012 election but likely not raise much in revenues.

White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer said in a tweet on Saturday the tax would act as “a kind of AMT” (Alternative Minimum Tax) aimed at ensuring millionaires pay at least as much tax as middle-class families.

The “Buffett Tax” refers to billionaire U.S. investor Warren Buffett, who wrote earlier this year that rich people like him often pay less in tax than those who work for them due to loopholes in the tax code, and can afford to pay more.

Related Material...

• (By Ed Morrissey, Hot Air) - WaPo: Obama going full populist with new budget proposals

• (Breitbart.tv) - The Taxman Cometh

• (Breitbart.tv) - FLASHBACK: Obama Says ‘You Don’t Raise Taxes In A Recession’

CBC’s Cleaver: We would be ‘marching on the White House’ if Obama weren’t president

(By Tina Korbe, Hot Air) - The members of the Congressional Black Caucus continue to be outraged at the “unconscionable” rate of unemployment among African-Americans — but they’re not employing the same tactics to force the president to pay attention to their complaints as they would ordinarily, CBC Chairman Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) admitted in comments published today in 'The Miami Herald'.

As chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, [Cleaver] has been at odds with President Barack Obama over his administration’s response to the soaring unemployment rate in the African-American community.

Nearing 17 percent, joblessness among blacks is at a three-decade high and almost twice the size of the overall unemployment rate. The black caucus wants the president to do more.

But the group’s efforts are freighted with political sensitivities, given Obama’s unique role as the first African-American occupant of the White House and the sometimes untethered animosity that his election has triggered.

“If (former President) Bill Clinton had been in the White House and had failed to address this problem, we probably would be marching on the White House,” Cleaver said. “There is a less-volatile reaction in the CBC because nobody wants to do anything that would empower the people who hate the president.”

George Will Explodes Myth Behind Obama’s Great Rhetorical Powers

“He went to Massachusetts to campaign against Scott Brown. Scott Brown is now a senator. He went to New Jersey to campaign against Chris Christie, who’s now the governor. He went to Virginia to campaign against Bob McDonnell, who’s now governor. He campaigned for the health care plan extensively, it became less popular. He campaigned in 2010 for the Democrats, they were shellacked. He began, in a sense, his presidency flying to Copenhagen to get Chicago the Olympics. Chicago was the first city eliminated. There is no evidence that the man has rhetorical powers he is relying on.”

This Could be the Wildest Car-Crash Description You Ever See

(By Jonathon M. Seidl, The Blaze) - “I felt like Chris Farley had come back to life,” is how the local anchor described what your about to see.

Meet Phoenix man George Lindell. He was driving down the road minding his own business Thursday when he was rear-ended by another driver. Sounds like a fairly ordinary accident. But just wait until you hear Lindell tell you the story. Not only did he get rear-ended, but the man who rear-ended him became trapped inside his SUV after he lost control of the vehicle, rolled over, and struck a utility pole.

Now that’s a little more incredible. But you still haven’t seen or heard Lindell describe it to KSAZ-TV. Why do you need to see it? Well, let’s give you a visual taste. It starts fairly normal, but quickly picks up:

Power Lines Fall on Crashed Vehicle, Driver Trapped: MyFoxPHOENIX.com