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James S. Gilmore III, who seeks Virginia's U.S. Senate seat, yesterday dramatically distanced himself from President Bush on trade, immigration, spending and energy, and even likened the president's hat-in-hand request of the Saudi government to boost oil production last week to Sen. Barack Obama's call to negotiate with enemy leaders. His sobering assessment of his party's floundering was shared by a fellow Virginian, Rep. Eric Cantor, the Republican chief deputy whip in the House. In a separate interview, Mr. Cantor said Republicans are fighting uphill against the reality that "the public looks at the Bush administration in the last seven...

John Bolton was on Fox News' Hannity and Colmes a couple of days ago to discuss the left's reaction to Bush's appeasement comments...

On Monday, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama blasted the Tennessee Republican Party for the swipe it took at his wife. A new ad contrasts Obama's wife, Michelle Obama's admission earler this year that "for the first time in my adult life, I am proud of my country" with statements from people declaring their pride for the United States...

NBC Nightly News did a despicable job of editing an interview with President Bush and Richard Engel. To watch an interview with Karl Rove click here. To contact NBC, write nightly@nbc.com.

Excerpt - BAGHDAD (AFP) — US President George W. Bush has apologised to Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki over the shooting of a Koran by an American soldier near Baghdad, state television announced on Tuesday. "The prime minister received an apology from US President George W. Bush on the incident of shooting of a Koran by a US soldier," Al-Iraqia television said. US military authorities in Iraq have apologised to the local community west of Baghdad where the staff sergeant fired at the Koran during shooting practice on May 11. The unidentified soldier, who pumped bullets into the Muslim holy...

US President George W. Bush intends to attack Iran in the upcoming months, before the end of his term, Army Radio quoted a senior official in Jerusalem as saying Tuesday. The official claimed that a senior member of the president's entourage, which concluded a trip to Israel last week, said during a closed meeting that Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney were of the opinion that military action was called for. However, the official continued, "the hesitancy of Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice" was preventing the administration from deciding to launch such an attack on...

If anyone in your family lineage had any ties to the Nazi regime, no matter how obscure, you are automatically disqualified from speaking to any Jewish audience, according to Joy Behar.

The Presidency: It takes little courage — or brains — to join the mob vilifying President Bush. But the Democrats (and Republicans, too) depicting him as villain will one day regret it.In the eyes of members of both parties, George W. Bush seems to be the cause of everything from the recent GOP special election losses to a flagging economy to today's bad weather. Barack Obama plans to reach the White House by claiming the presidency of Sen. John McCain would amount to a third Bush term. McCain, meanwhile, seems to think it a wise campaign strategy to highlight his...

This weekend the President drew his visit to the middle east to close and flew back to Washington with the First Lady. See Daisyscarlett's weekend threads for further details and photos.SaturdaySunday Today the President met with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson in the Oval Office to discuss the economy.Pray for President Bush -- Day 2804 The White House issued information on "Setting the Record Straight: President Bush's Interview With Richard Engel of NBC News"click here to see a copy of the letter from Counselor to the President Ed Gillespie to NBC News President Steve Capus Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met...

The White House on Monday sent a scathing letter to NBC News, accusing the news network of “deceptively” editing an interview with President Bush on the issue of appeasement and Iran. At issue were remarks Bush made in front of Israel's parliament earlier this week. Specifically, White House counselor Ed Gillespie laments that the network edited the interview in a way that “is clearly intended to give viewers the impression that [Bush] agreed with [correspondent Richard Engel's] characterization of his remarks when he explicitly challenged it. “This deceitful editing to further a media-manufactured storyline is utterly misleading and irresponsible and...

Geert Wilders for President! "Analysis: Dutch critic of Islam warns Bush," by Leander Schaeraeckens for UPI, May 19 (thanks to the Constantinopolitan Irredentist): BRUSSELS, May 19 (UPI) -- As President George W. Bush wraps up his trip to the Middle East, controversial Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders, a passionate supporter of Bush and the U.S. war on terrorism, called on him to drop his "double agenda" in the region by ending support to Islamic states like Saudi Arabia. Wilders, who briefly achieved global notoriety when he released his anti-Koran film "Fitna" in March, told United Press International that the United States...

It is hard to underestimate the amount of dislike harbored by the Left for George W. Bush, and even among independents and many Republicans, there is a definite sense of Bush fatigue. The respected Rasmussen poll placed the President’s approval rating at just 32% last week - the lowest ever recorded by Rasmussen, with a slumping economy putting the final nail in the popularity coffin of the Administration. Last week’s Republican defeat in Mississippi’s special election has Republican insiders sweating bullets. If current trends hold, many are predicting a GOP rout unlike any in recent history. The traditional GOP brand...

Another excellent example of what personal diplomacy and leadership really means!It's been less than four months since President Bush's last trip to the Middle East. His attendance at the World Economic Forum in Egypt this weekend afforded him another opportunity to make diplomatic progress on a host of issues, but most importantly, Iran. With leaders of so many of the region's leaders present, the message was unmistakable and clear: Iran's theocratic government is a threat to peace and the best way forward is not to recognize ore reward it with meaningless talks it, but to isolate it. That has been...

Byrd endorses a shining young statesmen Tribune-Review By Salena Zito Well, his state may have gone Clinton, but he didn't. In a statement released by the Obama campaign, Sen, Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., announced his endorsement of Senator Barack Obama saying:

You're running out of oil - Bush « Previous « PreviousNext » Next »View GalleryPRESIDENT George Bush yesterday told leaders of the oil-rich states of the Middle East that they must face up to a future without their precious hydrocarbons. In a stark warning, he said their supplies were running out and urged them to reform and diversify their economies. The outgoing United States president told the World Economic Forum, meeting in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, that it was tiADVERTISEMENTme to "prepare for the economic changes ahead". Mr Bush's family name is inextricably linked to the oil industry,...

Last week, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates admitted to a policy defeat when it comes to Iran -- the US has no “leverage” complained the secretary. “We need to figure out a way to develop some leverage … and then sit down and talk with” Iran, Gates said. The reality is that fear of certain and violent decapitation is the only leverage the mad mullahs are likely to understand. But Senator Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, says he knows how to deal with rogues like Iran. He proposes to talk and without pre-conditions and presumably with no leverage....

Bush was assuring the Israelis that the United States would not, in contrast to liberal democracies of the past, appease states and organizations intent on killing Jews by the millions. Second, Bush’s warning came in a climate of fear and weariness in the West, in which calls to meet without preconditions with both Iran and Hamas — the former state whose president has forecast the impending destruction of Israel, the latter terrorist organization whose charter hinges on the end of the Jewish state — have been voiced by several public figures, most prominently in recent days by former President Carter....

Democrats haven’t done too well trying to win the White House by whining about Republican “attacks.” But now they’re fixing that. If whining doesn’t work, whine faster, louder and more often. Democratic train wrecks Michael Dukakis and John Kerry insist to this day that if only they had “responded to the attacks” fast enough, they would have won. Like his vanquished predecessors, Barack Obama remembers every part of the evil-Republicans-attacked-and-we-didn’t-respond narrative incorrectly. Both Dukakis and Kerry complained that their patriotism was under attack by Republicans, even though no one can find a single example of a Republican attacking the patriotism...

WASHINGTON, May 18, 2008 – President Bush noted the improved security situation in Iraq’s southern oil city of Basra following meetings with Iraqi Vice President Abd al-Mahdi in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, today. President Bush stands with Iraqi leaders after their meeting May 18, 2008, in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt. With him, from left, are: Hoshyar Zeban, foreign minister; Vice President Abd al-Mahdi; and Deputy Prime Minister Barham Salih. White House photo by Chris Greenberg  (Click photo for screen-resolution image);high-resolution image available. Bush said he told Iraqi representatives at the World Economic Forum on the Middle East that he’s impressed...

The United States has reached a deal with North Korea to provide 500,000 tons of food aid over the coming year to the isolated communist nation. The U.S. administration says the aid has little to do with its nuclear disarmament deal with Pyongyang, although both have involved an unusual intensity of U.S. diplomacy with North Korea, a nation President George W. Bush once included as part of a rhetorical ``axis of evil.'' ``We don't see any connection,'' State Department spokesman Sean McCormack was quoted as saying. ``We're doing this because America is a compassionate nation and the United States and...

<p>While celebrating Isreals 60th birthday, Bush said anyone who would negotiate with terrorists was naive & foolish. While not mentioned by name, these comments could have been directed against Jimmy Carter, who recently met with Hamas' leadsership. Despite this, Obama (and the majority of the Democratic party) immediately lashed out at his comments as "outrageous & offensive." This reaction clearly illustrated whos side the rats are on. What I dont understand is how "one sided" these reactions always are. Obama & Clinton slam Bush directly on an almost daily basis. Yet when Bush makes even a veiled reference, all hell brakes loose!! Does anyone else see this as somewhat lopsided??</p>

The Talk Shows Sunday, May 18th, 2008 Guests to be interviewed today on major television talk shows: FOX NEWS SUNDAY (Fox Network): Sens. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., and Chris Dodd, D-Conn.; Rick Dutrow Jr., trainer of Kentucky Derby winner Big Brown. MEET THE PRESS (NBC): Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va.; former Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-Ark.; Republican strategist Mike Murphy; Democratic strategist Bob Shrum. FACE THE NATION (CBS): Gov. Charlie Crist, R-Fla.; Republican strategist Ed Rollins; former Govs. Mario Cuomo, D-N.Y., and Roy Romer, D-Colo.THIS WEEK (ABC): Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., and Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio. LATE EDITION (CNN) : Commerce Secretary Carlos...

President Bush yesterday characterized Capitol Hill Democrats as hypocrites for demanding that Saudi Arabia pump more oil while blocking attempts to increase domestic drilling in such places as Alaska and the Gulf of Mexico. Saudi Arabia announced on Friday that it would meet Mr. Bush's request to increase oil production, though the jump of 300,000 barrels per day was less than the president had wanted. But rather than criticize the Saudis, Mr. Bush — after a round of meetings with Middle East leaders at the Egyptian resort of Sharm el Sheik — instead heaped blame on congressional Democrats for skyrocketing...

You have GOT to be kidding me. Thats Obama trying to make amends with those bitter, gun clinging, bible thumping, xenophobe rural voters in Watertown, South Dakota. Powerline: Apparently Obama chose to hold his rally in a "livestock arena" where, according to the Times, there were "wood chips and even cow chips scattered on the floor." I assume the Obama campaign chose the venue with the idea that these rustic visuals would enhance his populist credentials, but it would have been easy to find a more comfortable venue--Watertown Stadium, say, or the Watertown Civic Arena. As for the speech itself...

I have come to the sad conclusion that President Bush is a Punk on the World stage. If ever a US President deserved that term, it is George W. Bush. In case you haven't been keeping up with current events, the leader of the free world made a special trip over to Saudi Arabia recently to ask them to increase oil production. They said no, Bush left with hat in hand. While some may see this as some sort of diplomatic effort to reduce the price at our pumps, I see it as surrender to the OPEC tyrants. This is...

George Bush seems to have really rattled Barack Obama and the Democratic Party with his speech yesterday in the Israeli Knesset. Rather than ignoring Bush’s argument against appeasement, or adopting it, Barack Obama has declared that Bush intended his denunciation of appeasement as an attack on his campaign, even though Bush never even mentioned the nationality of modern appeasers in his speech. Obama lashed out in a speech today, calling Bush’s rhetoric “appalling”: Barack Obama has called President Bush’s comments on appeasement “exactly the kind of appalling attack that’s divided our country and alienates us from the rest of the...

The problem Barack Obama is stuck with - whether he likes it or not, and he doesn't - is that during this campaign he did in fact say, and moreover did in fact say several times, that as President he would be entirely willing to sit down with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and other rogues with no preconditions whatsoever. That is why, for a second day Friday, the customarily unflappable Obama rather flappably chose to go on a tear over President Bush's remarks to the Israeli Knesset. He called those remarks "appalling" and "divisive" and much else, presenting himself as...

US Congress moves to bring down oil pricesBy Anwar Iqbal WASHINGTON, May 14: The US Congress has voted overwhelmingly to prevent further rise in oil prices, ordering the government to stop depositing oil in a national reserve. The Senate voted 97 to 1 on Tuesday to stop putting 70,000 barrels of oil a day in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve through the remainder of this year. The House of Representatives later approved a similar bill by a 385 to 25 vote. The move aims at bringing down the price by forcing more oil into the market. Speaker Nancy Pelosi said the...

President Bush’s speech to the Israeli parliament sparked a series of denunciations from high ranking Democrats across the country. The President’s characterization of negotiation with terrorist regimes—like the one in Iran that has called for the destruction of Israel—as “a foolish delusion” and akin to Neville Chamberlain’s negotiations with Hitler appears to have touched a nerve in Democratic circles. Although Bush did not specifically name anyone in his speech, Democratic presidential front runner, Senator Barack Obama (Ill.) called Bush’s comments an “appalling attack on my ‘peace through concessions’ strategy for making America safe. Look, we can’t afford to get involved...

On their last day in Israel President & Mrs. Bush participated in roundtable discussion with Israeli youth leaders at the Bible Lands Museum. (Transcript) "Mr. President and Mrs. Bush, thank you so much for choosing to spend this time with us. This is an amazing opportunity and I'm very honored and glad to be here. Congratulations, mazel tov also for your daughter's wedding." (Laughter.) Among the press, the hot topic continues to be the comments made by President Bush yesterday at the Knesset in Jerusalem: "Some seem to believe that we should negotiate with the terrorists and radicals, as if...

Today is Day #4 of the President and Mrs. Bush’s trip to the Middle East and their final stop. They are in Egypt visiting the beautiful resort city of Sharm el Sheikh. (see Sanity Island photo today and maps above) The President is meeting with a number of key leaders from the region, including President Mubarak of Egypt, President Abbas of the Palestinian Authority, King Abdullah of Jordan, President Karzai of Afghanistan, Prime Minister Gilani of Pakistan, and several senior officials from Iraq's democracy. He will also address the World Economic Forum in the Middle East.

US president presses on with Mideast tour, meets with Egypt's Mubarak in Sham el-Sheikh. Due to speak at World Economic Forum on Sunday, Bush says he will outline vision for reaching agreement on future Palestinian state while still in office US President George W. Bush said on Saturday he remained confident a deal on Palestinian statehood could be achieved before he leaves office, as he sought to ease Arab doubts about his commitment to even-handed peacemaking. In the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh for the final stop of his Middle East tour, Bush faces growing skepticism over his chances...

SHARM EL-SHEIK, Egypt — U.S. President George W. Bush said Saturday that the Saudis' modest increase in oil production is "something but it doesn't solve our problem" of soaring gas prices. Taking note of the kingdom's recent decision to raise production by 300,000 barrels a day, the president said the United States must act, too, to ease the gasoline crisis. He mentioned steps such as developing alternate fuels, improving conservation and expanding domestic exploration. "We've got to do more at home," the president said on a lawn of a resort overlooking the Red Sea. He spoke after a private meeting...

Saudi oil output hike would not solve US problems: Bush US President George W. Bush said on Saturday that a hike in oil output by Saudi Arabia would not solve American energy problems. "It's not enough, it's something but it doesn't solve our problem," Bush told reporters in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. Bush said he was "pleased" with a Saudi decision taken on May 10 to increase its oil production by 300,000 barrels per day in response to customers, but said that he was "also realistic" about what the Americans should do. "Our problem in America gets...

"Frankly, I can be wrong, but I do not think that America can carry to the presidency a candidate as on the left as Barack Obama." Norman Podhoretz, May 14, 2008 Check the link for the complete interview on Iraq, Iran, the WoT, neoconservatism and US presidential elections.

"That's enough. That – that's a show of disrespect to me." That was Barack Obama, a couple of weeks back, explaining why he was casting the Rev. Jeremiah Wright into outer darkness. It's one thing to wallow in "adolescent grandiosity" (as Scott Johnson of the Powerline Web site called it) when it's a family dispute between you and your pastor of 20 years. It's quite another to do so when it's the 60th anniversary celebrations of one of America's closest allies. President Bush was in Israel the other day and gave a speech to the Knesset. Its perspective was summed...

President Bush made a moving speech in Israel to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the founding of that state. The New York Sun began its editorial "Bush's Covenant" this way: As far as political reactions go, it was a weird one. President Bush gave a beautiful and moving speech in the capital of Israel to give voice to America’s solidarity with the Jewish state. He reached back to Herzl and beyond, declaring that the establishment of the State of Israel was, as the president put it, “the redemption of an ancient promise given to Abraham and Moses and David —...

The United States and Israel agree on the need for "tangible action" to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's spokesman said Friday, after a visit by U.S. President George W. Bush. "We are on the same page. We both see the threat ... And we both understand that tangible action is required to prevent the Iranians from moving forward on a nuclear weapon," Olmert spokesman Mark Regev said. Regev described diplomatic efforts so far to exert pressure on Iran as "positive", but added: "It is clearly not sufficient and it's clear that additional steps will have...

It was fun while it lasted. The guaranteed election of a non-conservative President on November 4th represents the end of the conservative movement in America. Neither Barack Obama nor John McCain stands for Reagan principles in any way, shape, manner or form—and after twenty years of non-conservative Presidents, it’s obvious that the Reagan era will never, ever return. The conservative movement has been in the hospital for nearly two decades. Once George H. W. Bush—a good, moral man, but not a true conservative—entered the White House, conservative principles slowly but surely began to leave. Yes, he gave us a victory...

How to Enrage a Democrat May 17, 2008 If nothing else, we now know what it takes to make a Democrat go nuts. One word: "appeasement." Notwithstanding that President Bush named no names in his speech to Israel's Knesset on Thursday, Barack Obama instantly called it a "false political attack." On him, of course. To House Speaker Nancy Pelosi it was "beneath the dignity of the office of the President." "Offensive and outrageous," thundered Hillary Clinton from somewhere in South Dakota, followed by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid: "reckless and irresponsible." When the party's top four Democrats come roaring out...

Barack Obama may be part black, part white, and part cow. ... Without accusing anyone in particular, Bush made a statement of policy, a policy that preceded him by three other Presidents. Obama took it personality, and reacted with a level of youthful impetuousness normally reserved for a prom night grope. ... If Obama had let the sleeping dog sleep, Bush’s comment might not have made the evening news. Obama instead reacted ... That, my friends is reason enough to vote against him.

Right off the bat he reaffirmed that Hezbollah is “not a legitimate political party.” Instead, “It’s a destabilizing organization by any common-sense standard. This wouldn’t happen without the support of Iran and Syria.” I asked him what he meant with all this emphasis on electoral and patronage reform. He said the U.S. should help the Lebanese government deliver better services to the Shiites “to peel support away from Hezbollah” and encourage the local populace to “view them as an oppressive force.” The U.S. should “find a mechanism whereby the disaffected have an effective outlet for their grievances, which assures them...

On Today’s Show... The Democrats are throwing a fit over President Bush's truthful statement about appeasing evil. Obama threw a tantrum, taking it personally even though the president didn't mention Obama by any of his names. (Rush 24/7 Members: Listen Here) When you're a messiah, everything that happens anywhere in the world is about you, eh, Barack? What a spoiled little child this guy is. (Rush 24/7 Members: Listen Here)A helpful guide for the speech police: Things you can't say about Obama, or talk about because Lil' Barack might think are about him. (Rush 24/7 Members: Listen Here) Pearl...

In an interview to air later tonight on Bloomberg TV, Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA) said President Bush is "absolutely radioactive" and Republicans "will suffer widespread election losses in November unless they distance themselves from him." Said Davis: "They've got to get some separation from the president." Davis also said his party "would lose 20 to 25 House seats if the election were held today." And if Sen. John McCain is seen by voters as "Bush III" he will lose by 20 percentage points.

Appeasement: In slamming President Bush and John McCain, Barack Obama seemed to follow political consultant Jim Carville's rule: "You've got to be willing to fight." But what Obama is defending is indefensible.When the first President Bush charged in 1992 that the only way rival Bill Clinton could keep his big-spending campaign promises was by raising taxes on families earning $36,000 and up, Clinton hit back hard. "It is a disgrace to the American people that the president of the United States would make a claim that is so baseless, so without foundation, so shameless, in an attempt to get votes...

If President Bush would simply pardon the unjustly imprisoned former Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, we could all rest much easier knowing that in the United States, a foreign drug smuggler's word does not prevail over the word of federal agents in the line of duty. This week, the Kentucky-based group, Christians Reviving America's Values, filed an ethics complaint with the Texas Bar Association to investigate U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton, whom the group argues willfully misled a jury to convict the agents. Here is a refresher on the case for those who need it: Messrs. Ramos and...

Thursday May 15, 2008, American media hit a new low. To paraphrase Michelle Obama, I have never been less proud of my country. On the occasion of Israel's 60th anniversary, President George W. Bush gave one of the greatest speeches of his career. Yet, America's media could only see this event through the tiny prism of the upcoming presidential election, and thereby totally ignored virtually everything that was said by the most powerful man in the world to one of our nation's greatest allies. From a speech that lasted over 20 minutes -- interrupted eight times by applause from Israeli...

WHEN HE hinted to the Israeli Knesset this week that Barack Obama was an appeaser for being willing to talk to Iran, President Bush broke an unwritten rule against partisan politicking on foreign shores. He also displayed confusion about his own policies — and about the cause of his calamitous foreign policy failures. more stories like this * What they said * U.S. looks set to offer Israel powerful new radar * US-Russia pact faces opposition in Congress * Obama slams Clinton's "cowboy" talk on Iran * Petraeus promotion keeps nation on its war course * Perhaps Bush forgot that...

Not that I want to bring any attention to that loser on MSNBC, but the comments made recently by Keith Olbermann on his "Countdown" show should be addressed, if only to point out how out of control these left-wing Bush haters are. Olbermann has engaged in vitriolic diatribes against the president before, but this time he was way over the top. Referring to the US Military in Iraq as "merciless mercenaries who shoot unarmed Iraqis and then evade prosecution in any country by hiding behind your skirts, sir," this foul-mouthed commentator, struggling to get ratings for the moribund network, has...

The Popular Press is lined up outside the tuxedo rental places here in Your Nation's Capital, to get ready for what they all assume will be the Coronation of Sen. Barack Obama as the Nominee for President of the Democratic Party after the primaries in Kentucky and Oregon. The endorsement of John Edwards yesterday, one assumes, also brings his eleven delegates with him. That would put Obama, according to CNN's count, at 1,910 delegates only 115 short of the 2,025 to have a majority. Kentucky (60 delegates) and Oregon (65 delegates) will hold their primaries on Tuesday. Assuming Obama and...