This is hard to believe, but hey, it's the federal government's own statistics.

Guess how many new jobs the much ballyhooed "stimulus" program has created across the state of Connecticut, a place with a workforce of about 2 million?

20. That's right. TWENTY. Two-Zero.

You know, that's a total of 2.8 additional new jobs for each Democratic vote in the CT congressional delegation that favored the $800 billion boondoggle.

I really do hope this program picks up some more steam. Because based on the fact that CT's taxpayers are responsible for about 2.2% of the total federal tax base; right now we are running a cost to the CT taxpayer of about $900 million per additional job. This even makes Alex Rodriguez look like cheap labor.   

Then again, Joe Biden was in Fairfield last month  touting some big paving and tree cutting program  on the Merritt Parkway.  And we know " no one messes with Joe"

Right?

Obama Adminstration Negotiates Nuclear Bailout Deal with Iran

by. Irving Peter Freely

WASHINGTON -- Declaring the World's Largest Sponsor of Terrorism "too big to fail," U.S. President Barack Obama today announced the Iranian Nuclear Reinvestment Act of 2009.  The controversal deal, opposed by Republicans, will commit the U.S. Government to funding the Iranian nuclear program through the end of 2010.  The Iranian Nuclear program had become a causalty of the global credit crisis and lower oil prices.

"In this time of global economic crisis," President Obama announced today, "when we stand on the edge of catastrophe, Vice President Biden, Secretary Geithner and Iranian president [Mahmoud] Ahmedinejad have negotiated a deal that should allow us to create or save over 400 jobs in the Iranian Nuclear Sector.  Given the unprecedented nature of the pressures Iran faces, not acting is simply not an option."

The deal is expected to meet resistance on Capitol Hill.

"Is the President serious?"  Asked Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA), a member of House Republican Leadership.

"The American People do not want us to send billions of dollars to prop up the nuclear program of a country that regularly declares it's intention to destroy the United States of America," said Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN).

Not all members of Congress feel this way.

"I find it appaling that Herbert Hoover Repubilcans would follow Rush Limbaugh's marching orders to obstruct this crucial economic and national security measure in order to justify their own failed policies," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

"Who do these Republicans think they are?" asked Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), "When the administration negotiates a bailout deal in secret with our enemies, they expect a certain amount of support from the United States Congress.  These Herbert Hoover Republicans seem to think that the Iranian nuclear program will survive if we do nothing.  These Republicans don't understand that real people work in the Iranian nuclear program."

While Republicans are anticpated to largely oppose the deal, Democrats expect the measure to pass largely along party lines, although moderate Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) is expected to support the administration.

"I just think that, given the size of the current crisis, we have to do something even if this approach isn't my first choice", Specter said this week on the Sean Hannity Radio show.  "I gave my word to the Senate Leadership and I intend to keep it."

Cross-posted from NextGenGOP.

At this point, I don’t think that any of us can effectively predict what the outcome of tomorrow’s elections will be. Quite frankly, I’m not even sure that we’ll know the who the next President of the United States is going to be for many hours, if not days, after polls close. That said, it seems that there are three possible scenarios that could play out in tomorrow’s Presidential election:

1. Barack Obama wins in a huge landslide.
2. Barack Obama wins in a close race.
3. John McCain pulls off an historical upset in a close race.

Barack Obama Wins in a Huge Landslide

This seems to be the narrative that the Leftosphere would like us to believe. This scenario seems to be the most unlikely due to a number of factors, including the huge percentage of undecided voters (which should break for McCain), McCain’s success in raising doubts in the minds of voters about Barack Obama, and Obama’s struggles with working-class voters in states like Pennsylvania and Ohio. Nonetheless, if current polling is to be believed, then we should see a such a landslide with an electoral map looking something like this (this is pulled straight from the RCP “No Toss Up States” map):

Barack Obama Wins in a Close Race

Unfortunately, I strongly believe that this scenario is the most likely. Basically, I see Florida and Ohio departing from their current polling numbers and going for McCain. Obama is polling near, but not at, the 50% mark in each of the states, and I think that the vast majority of undecided voters will swing to McCain in these states, allowing him to win each of them, albeit closely. Thus, the final electoral map in this scenario would look like this:

John McCain Pulls of an Historic Upset in a Close Race

I am extremely hopeful that John McCain can pull off an upset tomorrow. Unfortunately, looking at the electoral maps above, it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which he can accomplish such a difficult feat. However, if it’s going to happen, I think that in addition to Ohio and Florida bucking the current polling trends, so will Pennsylvania and, out of necessity, another state with a couple of electoral votes. Based on current RCP averages, I’m of the opinion that Nevada is the other state most likely to swing.

First, let’s talk about Pennsylvania. I’m Pittsburgh born and raised, and so I’ve lived in Pennsylvania my entire life. As a former Santorum 2006 staffer, I know that accomplishing a statewide victory in Pennsylvania is an incredible challenge for Republicans. However, I also believe that the dynamics of Pennsylvania’s electorate make it the next most likely state to flip from polling projections after Ohio and Florida. No, this isn’t because we’re racist or a bunch of rednecks (although I believe that Murtha’s comments may drive an increased number of Republicans in his district to the polls tomorrow, which is undoubtedly in McCain’s favor). Rather, I believe that the blue collar voters of Pennsylvania, although reliably Democrat, find it extremely difficult to swallow Barack Obama’s “spread the wealth around” policies – and as a result, they may either decide to not vote at all, or to pull the lever for John McCain. Additionally, there are a number of highly competitive Congressional races in PA in which an outcry of Republican voters could help turn the race in favor of McCain. Specifically, I look to William Russell’s race against John Murtha (which I mentioned above), but also to Lou Barletta’s race against the filthy Paul Kanjorski, in which I think Lou will defeat Kanjorski. With Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Florida going against polling trends, the electoral college stands at 270 for Obama-Biden to 268 for McCain-Palin, requiring one more state to flip for a McCain-Palin victory.

In my eyes, there are two other states that potentially could end up becoming red despite polling that indicates otherwise: Virginia and Nevada. Winning in either of these states will prove difficult for John McCain. However, he only has to flip one of them from its polling trends in order to win. So a McCain-Palin victory might look something like this:

The roadmap to victory for the McCain-Palin ticket is enormously difficult and quite improbable, although certainly not impossible. Some important questions to ponder over the next day or so: Can Barack Obama close? Will the GOP’s vaunted GOTV machine have the success we’ve seen in previous elections? Will young voters turn out in droves, and if so, will they really disproportionately vote for Obama? And, most importantly, does John McCain’s campaign have the ability to pull off an unprecedented and historic electoral victory?

Senator Obama has gone to Hawaii to be with his ill grandmother (We wish her well)

Senator Biden has disappeared off the campaign trail. Rumor has it a noted surgeon is busy trying to remove a Florsheim stuck between the Senator's teeth.

Given what's transpired the last few days, perhaps they think silence is golden. In football terms, they are now running the prevent defense http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_football_strategy#Prevent

Sitting back in a deep zone usually avoids sudden scoring passes or damaging penalties. But take it from someone who has cringed every time the NY Giants adopt this ploy when they hold a late lead, it's also a great way to lose in the last minute of the game. 

As noted philosopher John Madden once said:. All a prevent defense does is prevent you from winning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zL0VoIgopPI

Podcast Show Notes

Biden warns of danger ahead if Obama's elected. (Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin.) Biden is the gift that keeps on giving. (Hat Tip: Wizbang Blog.) Left blog reaction: "Did Biden take his extra stupid pill yesterday?"

Biden: Undecided voters are struggling with racism. (Hat Tip: Sister Toldjah.) John Murtha insults his own constituents--again.

A Republican arrested for voter registration fraud.  (Hat Tip: Volokh Conspiracy.)

Ayers: Just some guy in Obama's neighborhood that he shared an office with for 3 years.

In the World Series, is Obama for the Devil Rays or the Phillies? Yes. (Hat Tip: World Magazine.)

What's so about spreading the wealth? Ask Zimbabwe. (Hat Tip: Michelle Malkin.)

Click here to download, click here to add this podcast to your Itunes.

IMPORTANT: Please take our listener survey

By now I'm sure you heard Joe Biden's upbeat assessment of the first year or so of an Obama-Biden Administration 

 Because I promise you, you all are gonna be sitting here a year from now going, 'Oh my God, why are they there in the polls? Why is the polling so down? Why is this thing so tough?' We're gonna have to make some incredibly tough decisions in the first two years. So I'm asking you now, I'm asking you now, be prepared to stick with us. Remember the faith you had at this point because you're going to have to reinforce us."

"There are gonna be a lot of you who want to go, 'Whoa, wait a minute, yo, whoa, whoa, I don't know about that decision'," Biden continued. "Because if you think the decision is sound when they're made, which I believe you will when they're made, they're not likely to be as popular as they are sound. Because if they're popular, they're probably not sound."

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/10/biden-to-suppor.html

So what to make of Biden's untimely truthfulness?

1. They are going to repeat what was probably the most critical deficiency of the Bush Administration. They are going to presume they are right and simply press on whether they properly gain the public's trust for their foreign policy.

Actually one prominent national leader has already compared Obama's foreign policy deficiencies to that of Bush, but her candor has been placed in a blind trust this autumm. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/25/AR2008022502663.html

Obama will never recover politically from this sort of mistake. He will never have the Right and as it is apparent, will promptly lose the Left. And Senator Biden, I know Dick Cheney and you are no Dick Cheney.

2. They are going to break their campaign promises at a blinding pace. At a minimum, it's hard to reconcile one of the architects of the Iraq War with Move On. org.  Even the most decent politician is going to leave someone in the dust, and I don't these guys in that high regard.  

3. They are probably going to sell out our allies as a consequence of their willingness to do something when  " it's not gonna be apparent initially, it's not gonna be apparent that we're right" http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1017129.html

4. They promise "unpopular decisions". Conservatives should recall that previous international crisis have been used as excuses to implement economic and social measurres inimical to liberty that could never be approved otherwise.  Think rationing, wage/price controls etc.  Watch the same people who attacked FISA and the Patriot Act as violative of the civil liberties of terrorist suspects chill the 1st and 2nd Amendment rights of decent Americans. (Notice, by the way, Obama failed to mention the 2nd Amendment when discussing the Constitution at the debate) 

5. At the end of the day, there is nothing Joe Biden is willing to offer America except blind faith in a man manufacturing his own "cult of personality" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult_of_Personality_(song)  America will get into the soup, Obama and Biden will do something that makes no sense, and we will be told to chill out and wait for things to work out..... Eventually..... Because

Maybe Bruce Springsteen oughta reconsider this support for the Obama-Biden ticket

Blind faith in your leaders, or in anything, will get you killed.
Bruce Springsteen
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/b/bruce_springsteen.html

Words, even from a Lefty, to live by.

You just can't trust these lefties to tell the truth.  Having watched the technically well made video, one is left with the impression that all security and military people in the Israeli military and intelligence have strong positive feelings for Obama. While some actually do, others do not. Not one contrary voice is heard on this video.  Indeed some of them seem to have a positive impression of Obama, basically because Obama endorses no pre-condition talks with Iran.

Yossi Alpher, appearing in the video and tagged as a "former Mossad senior officer" (but the Jewish Council for Education & Research failed to associate Alpher with one of his other jobs, that of Senior Advisor to Ehud Barak at Camp David [where Barak tried to give away most of Yosh to Arafat who chose not to end the conflict]) appears in the video endorsing Obama as a negotiator and reinforces one of the themes of the video that Sen. McCain is essentially a second President Bush and that would no longer be helpful. 

More interesting is the assertion by Ret. Brig. Gen. Shaul Arieli in the video that the "Bush Doctrine" has intensified the fundamentalist Islamic threat and has strengthened Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Arieli is interviewed in the JPOST article and endorses Obama. Arieli is a member of the "Council for Peace and Security" which includes in its http://www.peace-security-council.org/about.us.asp#abGuiding Guiding Principles  these gems:

• PEACE IS ACHIEVED BY COMPROMISE  Peace and a strong army are the essential ingredients for Israel’s security.  The army must at all cost retain its deterrent ability.  It should however be borne in mind that peace is not achievable without compromise and willingness to make sacrifices.

• THE OCCUPATION IS CAUSING DAMAGE  Continued occupation of the Territories and control over the Palestinians is damaging the democratic character of the State of Israel.  It is weakening the army, undermining its ability and its preparedness to respond to military threats.

• A PALESTINIAN STATE IS NOT A THREAT  The establishment of a Palestinian State in the major part of Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip – with necessary security provisions – does not constitute a threat to Israel.  On the contrary, it is essential in order to maintain a Jewish majority in Israel.  A realistic permanent boundary between Israel and a Palestinian State should be that of the Green Line (Israel’s provisional border before the Six Day War in 1967), with certain adjustments in Jerusalem and in other places.  The large Jewish settled domains on the eastern side of the Green Line should be annexed to Israel.</blockquote> I suppose giving away Gaza and offering to give away Yosh has had nothing to do with strengthening the more visible anti-Israel forces amongst the Pali population vis a vis the terrorists in suits. It is much easier to blame the American president than take responsibility for advocating failed policies which have brought increased bloodshed and rocket attacks. More of the same policies will leave a devastated Israel in its wake. A PA terrorist state will certainly NOT enhance Israel's security in any way.

 

Essentially, this video was constructed to be an Obama outreach to Jews and people close to Israel, made by lefties advocating the Obama way as the most effective method to preserve Israel's security. To what extent the Obama campaign assisted in its creation or advised the producers remains to be seen. That misleading and deceptive editing was needed to sell the message is something well worth noting. I wonder though if any of those appearing in the video actually are thinking that an inexperienced and naive Obama will be easier to manage from Jerusalem than someone else?

I also wonder what some of the desire for "change" in US policy is all about.  The Bush administration has, more than any previous Presidency supported the Palis politically all the while, not backing down in support for Israel in the issues that matter.  The Bush administration has publically called for a Pali state which was a game changing event. At the same time, the pretense of having free elections and at least some lip service to a commitment to "living in peace" with Israel by the PA has insulated the Bush team and prevented the forcing of any significant concessions.  Bush even sat quietly while watching Arafat rot in the Muqata. The Bush policy has certainly helped reveal a pali population that actually is more concerned with bringing on Jewish suffering than they are establishing a civil government by giving them a vote. Sen. 'say it ain't so' Joe Biden, speaking for the Obama camp during his VP debate with Governor Palin believed removing the veil of concealment covering the true intentions of the Pali population to be a negative. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1222017470356&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull  (Ex-generals misled by pro-Obama video)

Oct. 6, 2008
Matt Zalen and Shani Rosenfelder , THE JERUSALEM POST
A video released by the Jewish Council for Education & Research, which appeared to show several retired senior IDF and Mossad officials supporting Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has proven to be misleading, with a number of officials who appeared in the video saying on Monday that their words were taken out of context.

The film's producers have stressed in response that the Obama campaign was not involved during any stage of the production.

"It's not only misleading, it was an interview about what the next president was going to have to deal with," former deputy chief of General Staff Maj.-Gen. (res.) Uzi Dayan told The Jerusalem Post. "And to know that they used this interview and took five seconds, and put me in a list of people praising Barack Obama…

"It wasn't about the campaign, it was about the political and security issues of the Middle East that the next president should be involved in," he continued. "Nothing was said about Obama or [Republican presidential candidate John] McCain."

"I don't want other people to interfere in my elections, and I must not interfere with the elections in the United States," he said, adding that to do so would be neither "ethical nor smart."

In the video, the senior Israeli officials appear to support Obama's stated policy that dialogue with Iran would be the best way of confronting the current nuclear crisis. Dayan said that his position is just the opposite.

"I don't think that we - either the United States or Israel - should be engaged with Iran, because the Iranians will take advantage of that," the former deputy chief of staff said. "Our issue is to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear capability."

"We need more powerful, effective sanctions to delegitimize [Iranian President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad," he continued. "A military option should be prepared, but used only as a last resort."

Former Mossad chief Ephraim Halevy, who appeared in the video praising the Democratic candidate, also said that he was misled.

"I was interviewed for a documentary dealing with what issues the new American president must deal with regarding the Middle East," Halevy told the Post. "I was asked about the candidates, and was complimentary to both."

But when asked about his opinion on who was more qualified to be president, Halevy said that he had rejected the question.

"I said that I thought it was inappropriate for an Israeli to advise Americans on who they should vote for, as it would be for them to advise Israelis on who they should vote for prime minister," he said.

Halevy added that it would be irresponsible to comment on the positions of any US presidential candidates before an election, as those positions may change once the new president takes office.

Both Halevy and Dayan said that representatives of the Jewish Council for Education & Research had been in contact with them, and promised to deal with the matter.

According to Israel Radio, Maj.-Gen. (Ret.) Amram Mitzna and Brig.-Gen. (res.) Giora Inbar, a former IDF commander in south Lebanon, both said that they were also unaware of the true nature of the video. However, Inbar said he did not have a problem with the clip because it represents his views.

In the video, Mitzna had said that another four years of indecision, stagnancy and a lack of intense US involvement in the Middle East peace process would be bad for Israel. He claimed Obama would achieve a greater involvement and that he "brings many hopes."

For his part, Inbar was filmed saying that he would personally vote for Obama to help Israel. Inbar said he was not convinced that the Bush method was the right way to deal with the axis of evil and that he would welcome anyone who chose to handle it differently.

Revised Films, the independent film company that produced the clip, issued the following response:

"Our firm is an independent company that created a clip that was composed of interviews with senior Israeli security officials, and whose subject was the American policy regarding Israel, in light of the upcoming elections in the United States, while focusing on the two central candidates for president, and Barack Obama.

"The Obama campaign was not involved during any stage of the production, or [the film's] distribution. After the film was completed, the Jewish Council for Education & Research, took charge of the film and used it."

A response by The Jewish Council for Education & Research has yet to be obtained due to the time difference between Israel and the US.
 

VIDEO LINK

http://vimeo.com?pg=embed&amp;sec=1882159

Joe Biden once again warps the time-space continuum. Evidently people who frequent a local restaurant in Wilmington, DE are concerned about the Bush economic record.

Since "Katie's Restaurant" closed during the first Bush administration, perhaps there's enough "truthiness" for Bidenspeak purposes

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NGUwOWIxM2ZiZjc2MWEyYjY5YmMyYTFlOWUyMmE5OWY=

My suggest is that we enbrace "Katie's restaurant" and speak to all their diners around the nation. A cursory look shows that there still are restaurants by that name in St. Louis, Milwaukee, Omaha,  Orange County, CA, and suburban Denver.

http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=katie%27s+restaurant&ei=UTF-8&y=Search&fr=yfp-t-501-s&xargs=0&pstart=1&b=1&xa=ilXfrDkn13F_7d8au.ts6g--,1223167307

Maybe the McCain campaign can gather at the real "Katie's Restaurant"s around the nation while we demonstrate which campaign actually is in touch with 2008 America

If Sarah Palin makes a few gaffes or demonstrates a misunderstanding of history, it's the end of the world as we know it.

If Joe Biden makes a few gaffes... and a few more... and a few more... and demonstrates a basic misunderstanding of history, well, that's just Joe being Joe.

For his decades of experience in public life, John McCain is part of the problem in Washington, and did we mention... too old?

For his decades of experience in public life, Joe Biden is the wise old hand, the man with the gravitas to succeed into the Presidency.

Barack Obama's two years of experience as one of 100 in the Senate before running for President makes him young and fresh and exciting, the right man at the right time to be leader of the free world.

Sarah Palin's two years of statewide executive experience before running for Vice President makes her dangerously unfit to succeed into the Presidency in the unlikely event she would be called upon to do so.

Look folks, I am not trying to whine or work the refs. The media will always be biased. We've won lots of elections against a biased media. Ronald Reagan had to deal with this, and he managed somehow.

But what makes it more interesting this time is that both tickets have members who are mirror images of the other. And yet the double standard couldn't be more obvious. What makes this different is that the media can't arbitrarily decide that a quality possessed by the Democratic ticket is simply more relevant. Both sides possess many of the same qualities in equal measure. For McCain-Palin, either experience or inexperience is a liability, no matter how you cut it. And for Obama-Biden, both inexperience and experience are huge plusses... at the same time.

After the election, we will surely be treated to countless media seminars and soul-searching on media bias. (Here's what it looked like last time.) Maybe we were too hard on McCain, they'll say, as the Maverick's unappreciated qualities suddenly rise to the fore. And then we'll have to go through this whole rigamarole again in four years.

I just wondering out loud what it would take to get some real-time accountability from the media -- not the kind that starts 32 days from now.