Charlie Chatter

 Dems Continue to Mold Obamacare Behind Closed Doors

            The story claims the expansion of Medicare may have been dropped (CBS News).  The partisan effort pits Democrat against Democrat (AP).  Public opposition to the plan remains very high (Rasmussen

Copenhagen:  Gore Caught Spreading Global Warming Fantasy

            The global warming poster boy said “there is a 75 percent chance that the entire north polar ice cap, during the summer months, could be completely ice-free within five to seven years.”   Gore’s office later admitted he was incorrect (FOX News).  Further adding to the entertainment, a story explains “The Copenhagen climate talks will generate more carbon emissions than any previous climate conference, equivalent to the annual output of over half a million Ethiopians, figures commissioned by hosts Denmark show” (Reuters).  Elsewhere in Copenhagen, a story notes “Tempers flared Monday at the United Nations climate summit as poor nations staged a walkout to protest what they called inadequate aid offers from rich countries, and the U.S. and China jockeyed for position” (WSJ).  Not much is going well in Copenhagen (Times Online).

Terrorists Heading for Illinois

            The story broken by Big Government yesterday turns out to be true.  The story notes “A prison complex 150 miles from Chicago will house Gitmo detainees, the Obama administration will announce Tuesday” (ABC News).  Though opposition is barely mentioned in the press, this story manages to at least note “Some Illinois officials have not supported the idea. GOP Rep. Mark Kirk, who is seeking Obama’s old Senate seat, said he believes moving Guantanamo detainees to Illinois will make the state a greater threat for terrorist attacks. Kirk has lobbied other officials to contact the White House in opposition to using the facility” (FOX News).

Democrats Could Lose Biden and Obama Senate Seats

            Polls are leaning Republican (Washington Times).  Democrats also risk losing a number of swing seats (USA Today). 

Budget Experts Warn:  US Must Tame Debt Soon

            Or risk a panic in financial markets (Reuters).  That doesn’t stop the Democrats in DC, who are handing out bonuses like they were cupcakes (Washington Examiner).  Obama, meanwhile, is blaming bankers (WSJ). 

Document:  Iran Closer than Ever to Nuclear Bomb

            The story claims “A smoking-gun document has emerged that indicates Iran is closer than ever to developing a nuclear weapon. Top-secret technical notes leaked from deep within the Iranian nuclear program – and making the rounds of Western intelligence agencies – detail research on a neutron initiator, a device that sets off a nuclear detonation.”

            Washington Times

Writer Figures it Out:  America is Not Pro-Choice

            Dr. Albert Mohler examines a story in which the writer reveals a pro-life country.

            Christian Post

School “Holiday” Program Says “Allah is God”

            It was the only mention of deity.  After a protest, the line was dropped.

            FOX News

Poll:  Americans Want Congress to Not Pass Obamacare

            By a massive 57-34 margin from a FOX News poll (FOX News).  And a similar 52-38 in Quinnipiac (Quinnipiac).  Democrats want the world to believe they are close to a passable plan (FOX News).  Hugh Hewitt wrote “Seniors especially have to hope that the new deal falls apart as it represents a savaging of Medicare” (Townhall).  The Medicare buy in didn’t win over Olympia Snowe and has Lieberman leaning against it (Politico).  The Senate version of the bill now includes a loophole to allow coverage limits, upsetting and confusing many (FOX News).  According to this editorial, the plan will still leave 24 million people uninsured (NY Post). 

Copenhagen:  Latest Attempt to Redistribute Wealth

            From Charles Krauthammer:  Politically it’s an idea of genius, engaging at once every left-wing erogenous zone: rich man’s guilt, post-colonial guilt, environmental guilt (Townhall).  There’s even talk of climate reparations (NY Times).  Meanwhile, the Financial Post is calling for the world to adopt China’s one child policy (Financial Post).  The writer of that article, Diane Francis, has two children.  She doesn’t mention which of her children she is willing to eliminate.  And the BBC is telling evangelicals to get on board the climate change train (Telegraph).  But the Washington Times notes “Contrary to the whitewash job conducted by propagandists, there are 450 academic peer-reviewed journal articles questioning the importance of man-made global warming. The Oregon Institute of Science and Medicine has collected more than 30,000 American scientists urging the U.S. government to reject the Kyoto Treaty, which pushes draconian measures to reduce carbon emissions. Much hay is made of 2,500 United Nations scientists who back Kyoto, but there are many more scientists with Ph.D.s among the 30,000 skeptics than there are among the oft-cited 2,500, most of whom are government bureaucrats without advanced degrees” (Washington Times). 

Obama EEOC Nominee Another Gay Rights Activist

            She said “There can be a conflict between religious liberty and sexual liberty, but in almost all cases the sexual liberty should win” (FOX News).  This comes as Obama’s safe schools czar is under fire for his advocacy of very unsafe and even illegal sexual activity (Washington Times). 

Democrats Look to Raise Debt by $1,800,000,000,000

            They want to do it now so you forget by the 2010 elections (Politico).  As many Americans lose their jobs or face cuts in pay, as the deficit soars to unthinkable highs, federal workers see an explosion in six figure salaries (USA Today). 

University of Colorado Bans Nerf Guns

            And, according to the story, the students put down their weapons quietly.  Since when to students give up any rights quietly?

            Washington Times

Judge to Make State Pay to Cover Tattoos on Alleged Murderer

            So the jury isn’t influenced.

            San Francisco Chronicle

Obamacare Won’t Help Middle Class, Will Hit Them with Big Tax

            The story notes “a middle-class family of four making $66,000 would still have to pay about 10 percent of its income in premiums, not counting co-payments and deductibles” (FOX News).  The Wall Street Journal notes “Reid is now rushing to pass a bill in a race against its rising unpopularity and President Obama’s falling approval ratings” (WSJ).  With the way Democrats are turning on America, Karl Rove looks at the political landscape for 2010 (WSJ). 

GOP to Obama:  Don’t Commit the US at Copenhagen

            From the story:  Several dozen House Republicans have written a letter to President Obama warning him not to commit the United States to an emission reduction protocol at UN Climate Change Conference taking place in Copenhagen, Denmark.  “Only a treaty ratified by the United States Senate or legislation agreed to by Congress may commit our nation to any mandatory emissions reduction program,” said the letter dated December 4 and signed by House Republican leaders John Boehner (Ohio), Eric Cantor (Va.) and Mike Pence (Ind.) and over 20 other House members (Human Events).  Another story notes “If negotiators reach an accord at the climate talks in Copenhagen it will entail profound shifts in energy production, dislocations in how and where people live, sweeping changes in agriculture and forestry and the creation of complex new markets in global warming pollution credits” (NY Times). And now it’s revealed that some scientists were pressured to sign the statement defending the “scientific integrity” of global warming research (FOX News).  A look at science as not so objective (IBD).  Al Gore mistakenly (I’m being nice here) dismissed the emails as a decade old and, therefore, somehow too old to consider (Herald Sun).  And here in the US, it remains very, very cold (Chill Map). 

Hillary Pollster Gets $6 Million from Stimulus 

            Saves just three jobs.

            The Hill

House Panel Passes College Football Playoff Bill

            From the story:  The bill, which faces steep odds, would ban the promotion of a postseason NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision game as a national championship unless it results from a playoff. The measure passed by voice vote in a House Energy and Commerce Committee subcommittee, with one audible “no,” from Rep. John Barrow, D-Ga.

            AP

University Blames Teachers’ Lack of “Cultural Competence” for Low Grades among Minorities

            And is forcing education students to buy into their left-wing belief system.

            FOX News

Even the Dalai Lama Admits Obama’s Nobel a Bit Premature

            The story also notes “Some commentators have joked that the award was for “not being George Bush” (FOX News).  The media continues to treat Obama as a hero, with this morning’s ABC News top headline:  ‘Deep Gratitude, Great Humility’: President at War Accepts Peace Prize.” (ABC News).  At MSNBC:  Obama accepts Nobel with ‘great humility’ (MSNBC). 

So-Called Christians in America Adopting New Age Concepts

            The story claims “Elements of Eastern faiths and New Age thinking have been widely adopted by 65% of U.S. adults, including many who call themselves Protestants and Catholics, according to a survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life released Wednesday.”

            USA Today

Reid:  Opponents of Obamacare Are Like Proponents of Slavery

            The Democrat from Nevada, leader in the Senate, took the rhetoric to a new low.  Reid said “When this body was on the verge of guaranteeing equal civil rights to everyone regardless of the color of their skin, some senators resorted to the same filibuster threats that we hear today” (FOX News). 

Copenhagen Opens with Claim They Are Saving the Planet

            With the Danish Prime Minister calling it “Hopenhagen” (AFP).  But, from the Wall Street Journal:  For months, the U.N. climate change summit that began yesterday in Copenhagen has been billed as the world’s last best hope to match the scientific consensus on global warming with a policy consensus. But now it turns out there is little of either, and Copenhagen looks like it will go down as one of the more remarkable cases of political hubris in recent memory (WSJ).  Despite the exposure of the left’s effort to silence opposition and alter data, the summit is off and running with the claim that the world is on the brink of disaster (FOX News).  As usual, dire warnings of global warming is met with frigid temperatures (CNN).  Rich Lowry looks at the “church of warmism” (NY Post).  From Byron York:  Gibbs also said the Climategate email scandal will have no effect on Obama’s push in Copenhagen. When asked whether the scandal “should slow the momentum in any way, shape, or form?” Gibbs responded, “It shouldn’t, because the science is clear.”  “And settled?” Gibbs was asked.  “And settled” (Washington Examiner).  From George Will:  With 20,000 delegates, advocates and journalists jetting to Copenhagen for planet Earth’s last chance, the carbon footprint of the global warming summit will be the only impressive consequence of the climate change meeting (IBD).  Obama’s favorability rating sank to a new low of 47 percent (Gallup). 

Exposing Obama’s “Safe Schools Czar”

            The story notes “Now revelations have surfaced that Mr. Jennings not only thought there was nothing wrong with boys having sex with older men (or girls having sex with older women), but he also played a role in promoting such relationships” (Washington Times).  More on Jennings promotion of porn to kids (Gateway Pundit). 

Obamanomics Cost per Job:  $246,436

            And that’s if their rosy numbers are to be believed.

            Reuters

EPA Prepares a Power Grab

            From the story:  In Monday’s much-anticipated announcement, the Environmental Protection Agency said that six gases, including carbon dioxide and methane, pose a danger to the environment and the health of Americans and that the agency would start drawing up regulations to reduce those emissions (Washington Post).  Business leaders worry Obama will use the EPA finding to enact extreme environmental laws (WSJ).  From Hugh Hewitt:  The only solution to this and all the other power grabs –GM, the banks, Obamacare– will be a wholesale forced retirement of Democrats in 11 months, including Blanche Lincoln, Harry Reid, Chris Dodd, Arlen Specter, Evan Bayh, Ron Wyden and scores of Democratic Congressmen.  The takeover of American industry like the takeover of American healthcare by the government will be reversed only when large majorities of free market proponents replace the Obama-Pelosi-Reid majorities which are presently in the saddle and riding the American economy into the ground (Townhall). 

CBS Uses Shocking Porn Talk to Promote Frosty the Snowman Broadcast

            Incredibly, the story notes “The video ad, “Frosty the Inappropriate Snowman,” takes authentic dialogue from CBS’ “How I Met Your Mother” and “Two and a Half Men” and dubs it on top of the cartoon classic, changing well-known “Frosty” scenes to contain suggestions that the snowman and his friends visit a “strip club.”  The mash-up also discusses Frosty’s “porn collection” and contains repeated mentions of prior sexual conquests.  The ad is intended to promote the network’s upcoming broadcasts of “Frosty the Snowman” and “Frosty Returns” (FOX News).  The ads (CBS). 

Town Skips Annual Reading of Christmas Story After One Question:  Is It legal?

            The wimpy mayor Tom Taylor said that was enough.

            WVLT

Obama Style School Supplies Sent Back

            From the story:  The design at issue includes a picture of pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. Above the coins is the phrase: “CHANGE” and underneath it reads: “WE CAN BELIEVE IN.” Below the words is a circle used by Obama’s campaign, in which the top half is blue and the bottom is red with three white lines cutting through it.  The designer claimed it was all just an amazing coincidence.

            FOX News

Obama, Democrats Continue Push on Obamacare

            The abortion issues continue to heat up (FOX News).  Obama gave what he called “a pep talk” to Democrats (FOX News).  But one key Democrat, Harry Reid, is seeing the love of Obamacare slip in his home state (ReviewJournal).  Many other organizations are just now starting to see what a disaster this bill is (WSJ). 

Copenhagen:  Limos, Private Planes and Caviar

            The great hypocritical do-as-I-say not-as-I-do event begins (Telegraph).   Another story notes “Researchers have estimated that the bill for the 12-day jamboree will top £130million – and will generate as much greenhouse gas as an entire Africa country” (Daily Mail).  This LA Times article on Copenhagen barely notes the hacked emails and quickly dismisses them (LA Times).  But the emails have received some attention in Copenhagen (FOX News).  They continue to be an inconvenient truth to the Obama Administration (AP).  A look at the left-wing who bring a bizarre spiritual element to the talks (USA Today).  This, as the event organizers kill the Christmas trees (FOX News).  A look at the dire warnings in 1975 of the coming ice age (Forbes).  Meanwhile, more trouble as the UN panel on climate change prediction that Himalayan glaciers could melt to a fifth of current levels by 2035 turns out to be a “misunderstanding” (BBC).  Despite it all, this sky-is-falling editorial demands swift, overwhelming action now (Guardian).  And the effort continues to turn the focus from the content of the emails to the motive of those who hacked it (Times Online). 

Why the Mainstream Media is Ignoring the Great Climategate Story

            The story notes “ABC News hasn’t deemed the story newsworthy. Neither has CBS nor NBC. If Americans only got their news from the networks, they would not know about the global-warming fraud or would merely think there was a simple misunderstanding about what scientists meant in some vague e-mails.”  The story concludes “The networks found plenty of airtime to cover rumored family problems plaguing professional golfer Tiger Woods. Yet, even though there is climate-regulation legislation pending in Congress that could cost Americans trillions of dollars, network producers don’t see anything newsworthy in a scandal exposing fraud in global-warming research. Such omissions make mainstream news complicit in the cover-up” (Washington Times).  From George Will:  The CRU materials also reveal paranoia on the part of scientists who believe that in trying to engineer “consensus” and alarm about warming, they are a brave and embattled minority. Actually, never in peacetime history has the government-media-academic complex been in such sustained propagandistic lockstep about any subject (Townhall). 

9/11 Families Protest Holder’s Decision to Try Terrorist in US

            From the story:  Debra Burlingame, the sister of American Airlines flight 77 co-pilot Charles “Chic” Burlingame, warned the trials would serve as a platform from which the terrorists will preach jihad. Holder wants to give 9/11 plots “a stage in that federal court house,” she said. “We’re here to say, that is not going to happen.”

            Weekly Standard

Remembering December 7^th, 1941

            As the “date that will live in infamy” quietly passes.

            USA Today

Obama Battles Congressional Black Caucus

            As the radical group wants the administration to do more for black owned businesses.

            Townhall

Blind Side Back on Top of Box Office

            The movie exceeds expectations again.

            CNN

McCain to Seniors:  Cut Up your AARP Cards

            Noting that the senior citizen organization has turned on its members over Obamacare (FOX News).  Behind closed doors, Democrats battle each other over the public option (FOX News).  Hugh Hewitt got a dose of “verbal gymnastics” from the pro-Obamacare guests he hosted this week (Townhall). 

Obama:  Okay, Time to Help Economy

            After concerning himself with a record number of trips overseas, Obamacare, the environment and an excruciatingly slow decision on Afghanistan, the President is demanding we take “action right now to help businesses create jobs right now, in the near term” (ABC News).   Why a Jobs Summit now?  Polling (Washington Examiner).  John Stossel calls the Jobs Summit a “stunt” designed to “concoct special tax credits and handouts to the politically connected” (Stossel).  According to the Cato Institute, Obama is killing business with taxes (CATO).  Better economic numbers are expected today (AP). 

Obama Approves Millions of Tax Dollars for Embryonic Stem Cell Research

            Your tax dollars at work.

            Washington Post

NASA Refuses to Reveal Climate Change Data

            From the story:  Chris Horner, a senior fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, said NASA has refused for two years to provide information under the Freedom of Information Act that would show how the agency has shaped its climate data and would explain why the agency has repeatedly had to correct its data going as far back as the 1930s.   “I assume that what is there is highly damaging,” Mr. Horner said. “These guys are quite clearly bound and determined not to reveal their internal discussions about this.”  The numbers matter. Under pressure in 2007, NASA recalculated its data and found that 1934, not 1998, was the hottest year in its records for the contiguous 48 states. NASA later changed that data again, and now 1998 and 2006 are tied for first, with 1934 slightly cooler (Washington Times).  This, as the global warming enthusiasts experience a PR disaster (Globe and Mail).  From the Washington Times:  Global warming was an academic Ponzi scheme. Its leading proponents were mini-Madoffs, peddling a vision of global catastrophe to gullible activists, bureaucrats and policymakers. The vision was so vast, the fear it inspired so pervasive, that it seized popular imagination, aided ably by hucksters like former Vice President Al Gore and his science-fiction feature film “An Inconvenient Truth.” But like any Ponzi scheme, global warming only worked if everyone kept investing and no one looked at the books. Once the truth came out – of manipulated findings, phony data, rigged peer-review processes and intimidation of skeptics – the scheme began to collapse (Washington Times).  And none of the lies and deception has changed Al Gore’s obsession – he’s demanding even more drastic government intervention (Times Online).  Two Academy members want Al Gore’s Oscar taken back (LA Times).   And there’s more today on Senator Boxer’s desire to go after those who exposed the fraud (FOX News).  The fraud didn’t stop Arnold Schwarzenegger from using a global warming map that has much of San Francisco under water (Daily Mail). 

Democrats Pushing to Eliminate Don’t Ask Don’t Tell

            They want to grant temporary immunity so gays can testify about how the policy is bad.

            Washington Times

Caucus Demands More from Obama

            From the story:  The CBC members laid out a series of policies they would like to see enacted: efforts to reduce foreclosures, including through principal write-downs; better access to credit for African-American-owned auto dealerships; more aid to small and community banks that lend to African-Americans; and more federal money going to support ad buys in minority radio stations and newspapers.

            The Hill

Story:  Degrading Media Leading to Abuse of Teens

            The story claims a jump in abuse in relationships is due to a world “where teens are constantly bombarded with pop culture images objectifying and degrading women.”

            CBS News

Another Homeowner Association Demands US Flag be Taken Down

            This time the victim is a 90-year-old WWII veteran.  Wounded three times, he’s up for the fight.

            WTVR

Abortion Issue Continues to Threaten Obamacare

            From the story:  Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., plans to unveil an anti-abortion amendment as early as Thursday that abortions rights supporters inside the Senate and out say they can’t support.  Nelson says he won’t vote for the underlying bill without his strong abortion language. But opponents say his amendment doesn’t have the votes to pass. The outcome could be critical in determining the fate of President Barack Obama’s signature health overhaul agenda (AP).  A look at the National Organization for Women website reveals an obsession with keeping abortion in Obamacare (NOW).  And unions stand to haul in billions from Obamacare (Townhall).  From Jon Kyl on the Hugh Hewitt Show:  the Washington Post is one of the cheerleaders for the Democrat majority here. And one of the things they’re trying to do is create expectations and momentum, inevitability as it were. They’re wrong. The bill is not going to be done by Christmas. In fact, it won’t be done by the end of the year. Hopefully, it won’t ever be done. But in no event will it be done by Christmas (Townhall).    

Obama Now Turns Focus on Economy

            Must be an election year (USA Today).  Some say it’s nothing more than a publicity stunt (ABC News).  From Mitt Romney:  Today’s White House jobs summit comes too late for millions of Americans who through no fault of their own have lost their jobs, their homes, their savings and, in many cases, the self-esteem and self-respect that come from work. Like other presidents before him, Barack Obama inherited a recession. But unlike them, he has made it worse, not better (USA Today).  Tax cuts are near the top of the list in a Gallup poll asking how to help the economy.  Stimulus funding is near the bottom (Gallup).  One key Democrat (Waxman) wants tax payers to save newspaper jobs (AFP).  And Bernanke is catching heat (FOX News). 

Big Media Ignores Climategate

            Many in the public found out through Jon Stewart (FOX News). Video of Stewart (YouTube).  Barbara Boxer is more concerned with prosecuting the hackers than the fact that scientists lied and concealed key data (The Hill).  Obama’s top science advisor, John Holdren, treated the lies and deception like jaywalking, saying “Scientists are human, and from time to time they display defensiveness and bias and even misbehavior of some kinds” (NPR).  Many in the science world understand how troubling this is (Washington Times).  Meanwhile, CNN has quickly jumped back on the sky-is-falling global warming bandwagon with a story claiming Alaska is melting (CNN).  And MSNBC warns that global warming will cause global cooling (MSNBC). 

Rove:  Obama Was Good and Bad on Afghanistan

            Rove noted Obama was gutsy, going against his VP and many in his party to increase troops (WSJ).  Obama was blistered in Spiegel for the speech (Spiegel).  From George Will:  The war is in its 98th month, yet Obama’s “Mission Accomplished” banner will be unfurled 19 months from now — when Afghanistan’s security forces supposedly will be self-sufficient. He must know this will not happen (Townhall). 

Sports Illustrated:  Football Discriminates Against White Running Backs

            The nations’ leading college running back, who’s white, was recruited as a fullback.

            SI

News:  NY Senate is “Dysfunctional” for Not Approving Gay Marriage

            The clearly biased reporting only gave one quote to those supporting traditional marriage.

            WCBS

National Security Advisor:  Window is Closing on Iran

            Like a parent who refuses to see the time outs aren’t working, the Obama administration essentially says “I told you guys to stop it. One…”

FOX News

CNN Drops Even More Without Dobbs

            From the story:  After Dobbs announced his resignation on air on Wednesday November 11, CNN suffered a 25% decline among all viewers in Dobbs’ 7pm time slot, and a 26% decline among adults 25-54.  Meanwhile – surprise, surprise – CNN’s competition in the 7pm slot at FOX News, The FOX Report with Shephard Smith, scored its highest rated month of the year in November with more than 2.1 million total viewers and just over 500,000 viewers in the A25-54 demo.

            RCP

Paparazzi Seeing Hard Times

            Not hard enough.

            ABC News

Obama Calls for More Troops, 2011 Pullout

            From Hewitt:  he telegraphed our enemies in the region that he will cut-and-run in 18 months, thus assuring their celebration tonight as they tell their troops that their victory is assured if they stay their course (Townhall).  One former Marine said “We have to make sure that we are going go stay until the job is done. It ain’t going to be as easy as he thinks it is” (FOX News).  From the LA Times:  Obama’s assurance that the presence of U.S. troops in Afghanistan is not indefinite is just as worrisome for Pakistanis. A pullout that leaves the Taliban intact probably would lead to an Afghan civil war on Pakistan’s doorstep (LA Times).  Democrats, many who ran against the war, were disappointed.  From the story:  Republicans who oppose Obama on almost everything else praised his decision, sometimes grudgingly, to deploy 30,000 additional U.S. troops. Democrats who are usually his most reliable allies expressed criticism, sometimes heatedly, over his failure to detail when the U.S. mission would end (USA Today). Obama may not get the troop help he’s expecting from other countries (IBD).  From moveon.org:  This is wrong.  President Obama has ordered about 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan—escalating the war. But escalation only deepens our involvement in a quagmire. (Moveon.org).  Where he once enjoyed a 22 point gap in approval on Afghanistan, Obama now sits with a 20 point deficit (Gallup). Speech fact check (AP).  Transcript of the speech (FOX News). 

Obamacare Covers Illegal Aliens

            From the story:  Republicans said that loopholes in the bill could allow coverage to just about any illegal immigrant who wants to cheat the system.  “This is a complete cover-all-the-gaps federal health insurance for illegals, whether it be under Medicaid, the refundable tax credit or whether it be under their employers who would not be able to verify their employers unless we fix E-Verify,” said Rep. Steve King of Iowa, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee’s immigration subcommittee.

            Washington Times

Fellow Experts Turn on Climategate Perps

            From the story:  Some mainstream academics working in the area have distanced themselves from Mann, Jones, and other researchers whose correspondence has drawn allegations of impropriety. Aynsley Kellow, a professor at the University of Tasmania who was an expert reviewer for a U.N. global warming report, told ABC Radio there was evidence of a “willingness to manipulate raw data to suit predetermined results, you’ve got a resistance to any notion of transparency, an active resistance to freedom of information requests or quite reasonable requests from scientists to have a look at data so that it can be verified.”  Hans von Storch, director of the Director of Institute for Coastal Research who was assailed by Mann in one e-mail message, calls the CRU axis a “cartel” and suggests that Jones and others avoid reviewing papers (CBS News).  At least one scientist at CRU is stepping down (Washington Post).  From another story:  The shameless denial with which major newspapers and networks have treated “Climategate” layers even more scandal on top of the original one: Mainstream media now co-conspirators with scientific hacks and big government.  The evolution of America’s dominant media from guardians of our freedoms to enablers of government growth has been a decades-long story, their biases copiously chronicled (IBD).  Meanwhile, Australia votes down their version of cap and trade.  No mention in the story of Climategate (CBS News). 

Stars Continue Hypocrisy on Global Warming

            Preaching tiny carbon footprints while creating a giant.

            Times Online

Town Orders Firemen to Take Down Merry Christmas Sign

            A 50 year-old sign.

            Eagle Tribune

Murdoch Laments Internet Affect on News

            Saying “We are allowing our journalism – billions of dollars worth of it every year – to leak onto the internet. We are surrendering our hard-earned rights to the search engines and aggregators, and the out and out thieves of the digital age. It is time to pause and recognize this – free costs too much.”

            Media Week

Washington Blames Arkansas for Cop Shooter Release

            The story looks at emails between the two states prior to Clemmons’ release.

            Seattle Times

CBO:  Obamacare Will Drive Up Costs

            From Mitch McConnell “Most people, according to the Congressional Budget office, will end up paying more or seeing no significant savings. This is not what the American people are asking for. And it’s certainly not reform” (FOX News).  A look at how good healthcare really is in America (WSJ).

Obama to Call for More Troops in Afghanistan

            And the left is livid (FOX News). The left-leaning Democrats in Congress are nervous (Politico).  From Byron York:  Sending more troops will fulfill a key Obama campaign pledge, but it will also expose a deep rift in the party — and highlight its habit of dissembling on the war (Washington Examiner).  From Cheney:  Every time he delays, defers, debates, changes his position, it begins to raise questions: Is the commander in chief really behind what they’ve been asked to do? (Politico).  Fred Barnes on what Obama should say tonight (Weekly Standard). 

Whitehouse and UN Live by CRU, Won’t Die By Them

            The UN is shrugging off the emails (Guardian).  As is the White House (The Hill).  Elsewhere, they seem to get it.  The Telegraph called it “a major scandal” and then:  But the question which inevitably arises from this systematic refusal to release their data is – what is it that these scientists seem so anxious to hide? (Telegraph).  From the Financial Times:  Science may be objective; scientists emphatically are not. This episode illustrates what too many universities, professional societies, and research funders have irresponsibly allowed their scientists to become. Shame on them all.  The source of that shame is a toxic mix of institutional laziness and complacency. Too many scientists in academia, industry and government are allowed to get away with concealing or withholding vital information about their data, research methodologies and results. That is unacceptable and must change  (FT).  A look at the motives (WSJ).  An interview with one man who changed his mind on global warming (Guardian). 

Americans Trust GOP on Issues

            Including on the economy by double digits.

            Rasmussen

A Look at Seven Stories Obama Doesn’t Want Told

            Including:  He thinks he’s playing with Monopoly money.  You can likely think of 10 more stories.

            Politico

University Refuses to Graduate Fat Students

            Unless they take a fitness course.

            CNN

Man Seeks to Ban Divorce in California

            As a protest to prop 8, which the story claims “outlawed gay marriage in 2008.”  It also outlawed polygamy and marrying your dog or rocking chair, but CBS News didn’t note that (CBS News).  Meanwhile, a move to put gay marriage on the ballot in 2010 is failing (San Francisco Chronicle).