And the Winner of the V.P. Debate was...and Other Matters

* According to the post debate CNN poll the winner was Ryan by 48% to 44%. But one of the networks had Biden up by about 20%. Charles Krauthammer said if you just read a transcript of the debate it was a tie, if you heard it on the radio then Biden won, and if you saw it on TV then Ryan won. This writer did see it on TV and thought that Biden won. He was more aggressive and succeeded more in making his points. His facial antics, however, were inexplicable and reminiscent of a junior high school performance. It does not appear to have mattered to the voters. In a focus group on Hannity, Frank Luntz had 26 people, most of whom had voted for Obama in 2008, but were currently among the undecided. Not one said the debate would sway their vote. There were, however, some interesting comments.

* Said Biden: "We can't afford $800 billion going to the people making a minimum of $1 million. They do not need it..." The reference was to an extension of the "Bush" tax cuts (said cuts having been approved by Congress). So let's be clear. Obama said it's a good idea to spread the wealth around. Obama constantly talks about the millionaires and billionaires; that everyone needs to pay their fair share (the top 10% pay 70% of the Federal income taxes already). It was Obama who said that after a certain point you've made enough money. So when Obama and Biden say the wealthy "do not need" their money we are really talking about government confiscation of private property. Sadly, my friends on the left are able to justify this unwarranted taking of private property because they have followed Obama and the Democrat party to the path of tyranny and socialism. The ends justify the means; and principle varies with the need. Of course, "spreading the wealth around" has never worked. It does not matter; Obama and his followers are driven by ideology.

* Biden claimed that Iran was more isolated now than at any time since Obama took office. No doubt they have been affected by the sanctions. But sanctions do not have a good history of preventing a country that wants nukes from getting nukes. And Iran is not that isolated. They just recently hosted a meeting of the so-called "non-aligned" nations - 120 countries strong! When asked directly which is worse, another war in the Middle east or a nuclear armed Iran, Ryan answered directly and said a nuclear armed Iran. Biden did not answer at all, simply claiming that Iran is being crippled by sanctions. The moderator did not press him for an answer. But why did former defense secretary Gates say a strike on Iran would be catastrophic and haunting for generations? What about the Ayatollahs and "I'manutjob" having nukes?

* While much has been made over the last four years about whether or not Obama was born here, and whether he is truly a Christian or a Muslim, this blog has purposely avoided discussion of those issues. What I have said is that it is clear where Obama's allegiances lie - and that is with the Muslims. Whether it was his speech to the Muslim world from Cairo; his mistreatment of Bibi Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister; his bow to the Saudi King; his immediate siding with the Palestinians by calling the West Bank (Judea and Samaria) "occupied" territory; his refusal to visit Israel as President after visiting numerous Arab and Muslim countries; his latest refusal to meet with Netanyahu during the U.N. General Assembly, claiming his schedule did not permit it (although it did permit appearances on Letterman and The View); or his welcoming of the Muslim Brotherhood into the Egyptian government - it all points to one thing for those willing to see. And let's not forget that Obama's Ambassador to the U.N., Susan Rice, somehow could not be bothered sitting through Netanyahu's speech to the General Assembly.

* In his latest insult to Israel and the Jewish world, the Obama Administration has appointed one Salaam al-Marayati to represent the United States of America at the annual meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation, described as a 10 day human rights conference. Al-Marayati is the founder of the Muslim Public Affairs Council. Like others of his ilk, he says he just wants to uphold American values of freedom of religion. He speaks frequently on the subject of "Islamophobia." He knows how to sound reasonable and how to play to an American audience; and he knows how to play on their guilt. Unfortunately he is also a defender of Hamas and Hezbollah, mortal enemies of Israel, and I thought of this country. (Per Jihad Watch.)

* Following 9/11, Mr. al-Marayati had this to say: "If we're going to look at suspects, we should look to the groups that benefit the most from these kinds of incidents, and I think we should put the State of Israel on the suspect list because I think this diverts attention from what's happening in the Palestinian territories so that they can go on with their aggression and occupation and apartheid policies." This is a man who complained about having the Holocaust "shoved down (his) throat. At a 2005 Conference of the Islamic Society of North America, he told his fellow Muslims not to cooperate with any FBI investigations, saying: "We reject any efforts, notion, suggestion that Muslims should start spying on one another." (As reported by the Jewish Press.)

* If you missed the recently discovered video of Obama from 2007 speaking to a black audience, you should watch it. He had a black accent that one did not hear during the 2008 campaign. He said the federal government cheats blacks in favor of whites. He said "our people" should be getting more federal money and jobs and housing. He said; "We don't need to build more highways out in the suburbs" where the white folks live. And he claimed that the federal government did not care about the blacks in New Orleans the way they did about New Yorkers after 9/11 or Floridians after hurricane Andrew. Why? Because the Feds did not waive the Stafford Act for New Orleans; an act that requires local communities to contribute 10% toward disaster relief, after receiving federal assistance. Except - it's all a lie! Not only did the Senate vote to waive the Stafford Act, but the Feds spent more money on New Orleans than on New York post 9/11 and Florida post hurricane Andrew combined. And here's the kicker - then Senator Obama voted AGAINST waiving the Act! (Information from article by Thomas Sowell in the 10/9/12 Investor's Business Daily.)

* This is nothing other than classic Obama. Play black against white, Hispanic against white, poor against rich, non-religious against religious. But the black actress Stacey Dash had it right when explaining why she was going to vote for Romney. "I chose him not by the color of his skin, but the content of his character."

* Lastly, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, head of the DNC, was on Piers Morgan on CNN on 10/10/12. The discussion centered on the murder of our Ambassador and others in Benghazi; with the Obama Administration, and especially our UN Ambassador Susan Rice, claiming it was all due to an anti-muslim video, rather than a well coordinated terrorist attack. Said Schultz: "it is irresponsible and un-American, quite frankly, for my Republican colleagues in Congress to be jumping on this immediately, as some political opportunity." After telling her she was flogging the wrong horse, Morgan said: "The important horse that should be flogged is the behavior and misstatements of those who are in positions of responsibility and we would assume knowledge; and it's pretty un-American to be putting out completely false statements before you know the facts." Schultz: "Piers, it is not okay for you to be saying (that)." The look of astonishment on Schultz's face said it all. It was clear that she must have been thinking: Wait a minute. I'm on CNN, right? Am I on FOX? What just happened here? What happened is that we are starting to see a few usually Democrat-leaning reporters and talk show hosts actually asking tough questions of our leaders. I only wish that it would spread, and that the rest of the mainstream media would remember what their job is.