Labor Day BUZZzzzzzz

(Good Morning Iraq!!)
President Bush, Secy of State Condi Rice and Secy of Defense Robert Gates surprised every one of us by dropping in on the troops in Iraq today. His visit is part of a full offensive to pave the way for Gen.Patraeus' testimony to Congress. Patraeus will note the military success in Anbar and Baghdad, ask for more time and get it, and tell the Congressmen that political progress is up to them.

Most significant quote from Bush's visit: "When we begin to draw down it will be from a position of strength and success, not from a position of fear and failure or a nervous reaction by DC politicians to poll results in the Media."


(Shame on them)
The D-featocrats have been twisting the reports from Iraq for weeks now...they ignore the signs of progress and concentrate on the political difficulties that the Maliki government seems unable to improve. It's note worthy that Maliki scolds the Democrats by referencing Hillary's "it takes a village" metaphor.

Iraqis clearly feel that the Democrats will abandon them if left unchecked by President Bush and the Republicans. Not a favorable bumpersticker in an election year?

[Democrats Always Quit!!] Count on it.


(Flushed!!)
Senator Larry Craig (R-ID) resigned effective as of Sept. 30th...let's hope it's the last we hear of tap dancing in men's bathrooms. No surprise? All Republicans wanted him to go..rumors of his potty exploits were circulating for some time.

After threatening to stick around because of a few encouraging words from legal supporters and Dems sensing a bloody feeding frenzy in an election year, Craig has changed his stance again and decided wisely to resign at the end of this month. Probably, the refusal of the Senate Ethics Committee to drop the investigation forced Craig to come to his senses and fade into the Idaho sunset.


(Underwhelmed?)
Fred Thompson said he'll declare officially on Sept. 6th and begin his non-campaign in earnest. Sheeesh..another disappointment. His few appearances over the summer have been painfully UNremarkable...the "wishful thinking" comparisons to Reagan have belittled him. Reagan had a clear and consistent message; so far Thompson has none except that he's a Conservative.


Thompson's formal declaration happened on the Jay Leno Show. He skipped the GOP Debate in NH and went for the ratings and viewership on Late Night TV. New Hampshire voters are not amused; either is Iowa. Let's see what his poll ratings are at the end of next week?

(Finally!)
WMDs found at UN...Officials located vials of hazardous chemicals that were sent to NY in 1996 from a bombed out research and development building at Iraq's main chemical weapons facility at Muthana, near Samarra. A second package was found containing "Nuclear Magnetic Resonance reference standards in sealed glass tubes." (Notify the Wilsons?)


(Tastes like chicken?)
North Korea has promised to dismantle their Nuclear Program. Most likely China's applied pressure in order to ensure visitors to their Olympic Sites that there's no danger of nuclear fallout from a lunatic neighbor like Kim Jong IL.

Of late, China has been losing face because of it's lead based and poison exports to the USA and world markets...In efficient Communist style, the government took care of the problem by quickly executing those deemed responsible. Still, the scandal reminds me of days of old when cats disappeared in neighborhoods around Chinese restaurants. Yuk.