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My gut tells me that, even now, Obama/Democrat operatives are working on how to turn Obama into "the savior of Haiti!" to try to bump his numbers up a little. I wish I were wrong but I fear I'll be proved right. Prayers for the survivors of the earthquake in Haiti and their families. For the thousands who who have died: Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.

... Haiti's $7 billion economy -- roughly a quarter the size of North Dakota's -- is a collection of subsistence farming and small-scale production of apparel primarily for export to the U.S., the nation's largest trading partner. The nation, where 80% of the population lives under the poverty line, has yet to recover from a spate of four hurricanes in 2008. The storms wiped out roughly 15% of the country's gross domestic product, and killed 165,000 goats, 26,000 cows and 60,000 pigs, according to Ludovic Comeau, a native of Haiti and economics professor at DePaul University. Four years earlier, Hurricane...

Obama this morning announced that "the U.S. response to the disaster in Haiti will require 'every element of our national capacity,' including military and civilian forces, to deliver aid" as reported by Roger Runningen and Hans Nichols for Bloomberg: The president, making a statement at the White House, said he told government agency and department heads that rescue and relief efforts in Haiti "must be a top priority." The U.S. will put $100 million into relief efforts, Obama said. Spreading generosity and compassion thoughout the world is all well and good but what about making the disasterous American economy --...

<p>At least four Brazilian soldiers from a U.N. peacekeeping mission in Haiti were killed and a large number are missing in the Caribbean country's huge earthquake, a Brazilian army official said on Wednesday.</p> <p>General Carlos Barcellos of the Brazilian army told a news conference in the capital Brasilia that the total count of Brazilian soldiers missing or killed could be considerably higher because telephones are are down and road transportation is impossible due to wreckage.</p>

"...more than four years into the war in Iraq, our troops are stretched thin, our equipment is deteriorating, and the patience of our nation is wearing thin. We have seen 3,600 service members die. Thousands upon thousands more have been injured. "

The National Guard is stretched so thin by simultaneous assignments in Iraq and the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast that leaders in statehouses and Congress say it is time to reconsider how the force is used.

As the island mobilized to help Haiti, Interim Gov. Kenneth McClintock sent three military helicopters and two C-130 cargo airplanes from the Puerto Rico Air National Guard filled with emergency personnel and equipment to aid the neighboring Caribbean nation, which was devastated by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake Tuesday evening. “Since this morning I have been in contact with United Nations Special Envoy to Haiti Bill Clinton and Haitian Consul General in Miami Ralph Latourtude to put Puerto Rico at Haiti’s service,” McClintock said during a news conference to announce various collection centers where local residents can make donations of water,...

Bobby and Sherry Burnette, the founders and directors of Love A Child Orphanage, are reporting widespread destruction in Haiti in the aftermath of Tuesday’s massive earthquake.

Disaster Relief: Tuesday's earthquake in Haiti was its worst since 1770, leaving the capital in ruins and a death toll that may top 100,000. But help is on its way, and it's America leading the effort. Our tiny tragic neighbor was already in bad shape when the 7.0 earthquake struck the capital of Port-au-Prince. It wasn't just any 7.0 quake, as if that were not bad enough, but a shallow one, meaning it shook harder. Worse still, it hit the most populated area of the country, where 3 million of the country's 9 million citizens live — and left thousands...

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — Survivors strained desperately on Wednesday against the chunks of concrete that buried this city along with thousands of its residents, rich and poor, from shantytowns to the presidential palace, in the devastating earthquake that struck late Tuesday afternoon. Calling the death toll “unimaginable” as he surveyed the wreckage, Haiti’s president, René Préval, said he had no idea where he would sleep. Schools, hospitals and a prison collapsed. Sixteen United Nations peacekeepers were killed and at least 140 United Nations workers were missing, including the chief of its mission, Hédi Annabi. The city’s archbishop, Msgr. Joseph Serge Miot,...

This morning the DNC crew at Morning Joe all hit the fainting couches in "shock" that Rush Limbaugh would suggest that the Obama administration would respond to the Haiti earthquake with an eye on political ramifications.Joe, Mika, even Pat Buchanan slammed Rush's comments made on his radio show yesterday.Yet here is what the sanctimonious crew at MSNBC wrote about former President George W. Bush being asked by Barack Obama to co-lead relief efforts for Haiti along with Bill Clinton:For Bush 43, this is his first real public effort since he left office; it's an opportunity to begin establishing his post-presidential...

Capability One, Airfield "We are scheduled to be among the first people on the ground over there and we don't know the extent of damage done to the airfield," said Major Daniels. "Our goal is to have the airfield ready to take on full traffic by tonight. We bring our own lights and communication equipment so we are prepared." In addition to opening up the International Airport at Port-au-Prince, combat controllers are trained to survey other areas to look for potential airdrop and landing zones so other cargo and personnel can be accepted into the country if required. Capability Two,...

At the top of the matter, let’s not think that any US government aid to Haiti will ever reach the poor. We all feel for the agonizing Haitian poor if we have any conscience; but that said, don’t think that any US government aid will reach the poor.

Remember when the liberals ripped Bush apart because there weren't enough National Guardsmen to help in disasters because they're off in Iraq/Kuwait? Now Hussein has promised an all-out effort to help Haiti. We just had the biggest national guard deployment since World War II in Florida...the state closest to Haiti. So when will the liberal media (national and local) ask if Hussein's troop surge is hindering our efforts to help our neighbors?

Disaster Relief: Tuesday's earthquake in Haiti was its worst since 1770, leaving the capital in ruins and a death toll that may top 100,000. But help is on its way, and it's America leading the effort. Our tiny tragic neighbor was already in bad shape when the 7.0 earthquake struck the capital of Port-au-Prince. It wasn't just any 7.0 quake, as if that were not bad enough, but a shallow one, meaning it shook harder. Worse still, it hit the most populated area of the country, where 3 million of the country's 9 million citizens live — and left thousands...

The New York Times: Calling the death toll “unimaginable” as he surveyed the wreckage, Haiti’s president, René Préval, said he had no idea where he would sleep.

In the nightmare of Haiti, Americans were first to respond just as Americans have always responded, recession-bound or not. This is the giving spirit of America in action. Not waiting for anyone else, just doing what is necessary to help, without boasts, without expecting anything back. Simply America. America has always been there for others and always will be. Even a falling-in-the-polls President Obama whose conduct since election has been to belittle the spirit of America and its people is cashing in today on that generosity, promising to a shocked and grief stricken people his “unwavering support” and a “swift...

U.S. officials are laying out a massive military response to the Haiti earthquake, saying that ships, helicopters, transport planes and a 2,000-member Marine unit are either on the way or likely to begin moving soon. Gen. Douglas Fraser, head of U.S. Southern Command, said Wednesday that one of the U.S. Navy's large amphibious ships will likely head to Haiti with a Marine expeditionary unit aboard. Fraser said other U.S. military forces are on alert, including a brigade, which includes about 3,500 troops. Fraser said during a news conference with other U.S. officials that the Pentagon is "seriously looking at" sending...

BEGIN TRANSCRIPT RUSH: Here's President Obama speaking about Haiti this morning in Washington at the White House. He held a press conference. Now, I want you to remember, it took him three days to respond to the Christmas Day Fruit of Kaboom Bomber, three days. And when he came out after those three days, he was clearly irritated that he had to do it. He didn't want to do it. He comes out here in less than 24 hours to speak about Haiti. OBAMA: I have directed my administration to respond with a swift, coordinated, and aggressive effort to save...

Navy, Coast Guard deploying forces to Haiti NORFOLK Thousands of Hampton Roads sailors received orders this morning to prepare to deploy to Haiti as part of a massive U.S. effort to deliver humanitarian assistance in the wake of Tuesday’s devastating earthquake. At least four Norfolk-based ships are getting ready to leave for the impoverished country, said Ted Brown, a spokesman with Norfolk’s Fleet Forces Command. The amphibious assault ship Bataan, the guided missile cruiser Normandy and the dock landing ships Fort McHenry and Carter Hall will likely leave port by Friday, the Navy said. Expeditionary forces based at the Little...