Which hardly means it was Ron Paul behind this; it's an Oregon firm that does a lot of work for Republicans in the west and anyone might have contacted them.

I still smell Huckabee behind this. He gives me that "Put Needermeyer on it, he's a sneaky shit" vibe.

Posted by: Ace at 01:24 PM | Comments (15)
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Thanks to Joe Gringo.

Posted by: Ace at 01:05 PM | Comments (22)
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It never ends.

A Tennessee judge resigned last month after making a recording of fantasies so lurid that when the tape fell into the hands of the police and FBI, they thought they were listening to a torture session and believed it might be linked to a murder case.

Ultimately, investigators brought no charges against Circuit Judge John B. Hagler, and police said Wednesday he is not a suspect in any investigation.

...

The recording was investigated by authorities more than two years ago, but its existence did not come to light publicly until just a few weeks ago....

During those two years, the judge remained on the bench, hearing mostly family court cases like divorces and child custody.

...

"It sounded like someone being tortured," Chattanooga police Sgt. Alan Franks testified Wednesday, offering the first details of what is on the tape.

Franks said the recording was investigated in relation to a still-unsolved 1997 murder. He gave no other details on the murder case.

"The content was so shocking. I have been a police officer for 24 years," Franks said before his testimony was cut off by an objection.

Investigators ultimately concluded the recording consisted only of fantasies.

...

Bebb, the district attorney, said he, too, concluded the recording was not connected to any crime, but what he heard led him to persuade Hagler, whom he describes as a longtime friend, to resign.

"This would disturb any human being who heard it," Bebb said.

All right, fine, there's no crime here, just a very sexually twisted individual.

Why is his party ID unimportant? Because I guarantee you if he were a Republican the headline would be Republican Judge Resigns Over "Sick" Torture Fantasy, as it always is.

Thanks to Anwyn.

In other Jurists Gone Wild news, Howlin' Jay Grodner's keying episode is starting to get some media play, here in the Chicago Tribune.

"Mike says, 'Hey, what are you doing to my car? Open up your hand!'" Sullivan told us. "And [Grodner] goes, '[Blank] you! Just because you're in the military you don't run the roost!'"

There were allegedly many more epithets and cuss words, some allegedly applied to the United States Marine Corps, to the U.S. armed forces and to Sgt. McNulty himself.

"Quite frankly, you don't even look like a soldier. You're a small little [blank]," Grodner said according to Sullivan.

This last bit really bothers William McNulty, who is Sgt. McNulty's brother, and he called me.

"My brother should be commended for not just smashing that guy's windpipe right there for all the stuff he said about our military, and the insults," William McNulty said. "Instead, my brother called the police, as he should have."

According to the police report I read, other investigative accounts and interviews, Grodner was upset to have been accused of purposely scratching the car. So upset, that he accused his accusers of being anti-Semitic.

The Chicago police officer responding to the call didn't take the accusation seriously, according to the report, because he couldn't justify it. And Sgt. McNulty's brother and Sullivan say it is outrageous and nonsensical.

"The officer wasn't going to hear this kind of talk. He put the kibosh on the whole thing," Sullivan said. "So [Grodner] became apologetic."

Of course, his party affiliation isn't mentioned, either, though I don't think it's terribly hard to find out. Or just guess.

Posted by: Ace at 12:58 PM | Comments (16)
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Lame.

Posted by: Ace at 12:24 PM | Comments (19)
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I don't mind predictions. But this guy actually claims God Himself is telling him the future... poorly.

Christian broadcaster Pat Robertson, who has made predicting the future an annual tradition, predicts a recession and a major stock market upheaval are on their way for the United States.

...

"I also believe the Lord was saying by 2009, maybe 2010, there's going to be a major stock market crash," said Robertson, who is a millionaire businessman as well as an evangelical leader.

But don't unload your portfolio just yet. Robertson acknowledged Wednesday that his prophecy of a nuclear terror attack in 2007 failed to unfold.

He also cited information from God when he predicted on a year go that major U.S. cities would be hit by "very serious terrorist attacks" causing "possibly millions" of deaths.

No such catastrophe occurred.

"All I can think is that somehow the people of God prayed and God in his mercy spared us," Robertson said...

I, myself, can think of something else to explain this. But maybe I just have a hyperactive imagination.

"So did I miss it? Possibly," he said of his unrealized prediction. "Or, on the other hand, did God avert it? Possibly. But whatever, it didn't happen, so I think we can all rejoice."

I was wrong, God punked me, let's rejoice.

On Wednesday, Robertson, 77, implied that God informed him who will be elected president in November.

"He told me some things about the election, but I'm not going to say, because some old man on "60 Minutes" would make fun of me, so I'm not going to tell you who the winner's going to be," Robertson said, in apparent reference to CBS humorist Andy Rooney, who turns 89 on Jan. 14.

Additionally, "the Lord was saying there's going to be violence and chaos in the world," Robertson said. He cited violence in Kenya and Pakistan, saying "we've just begun to see what's going to happen."

Wow, God really goes out on a limb when making predictions. Violence and chaos, you say?

Tell me, did God also predict a Spears sister would publicly embarrass herself at some point?

Posted by: Ace at 12:05 PM | Comments (39)
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Obama, Edwards, with Hillary trailing.

Novak writes that Camp Hillary is praying for an Edwards victory, because they don't see him as a threat outside very liberal, populist-friendly Iowa. But an Obama win in Iowa, followed by a likely follow-up win in New Hampshire, could kill Hillary's dream.

And my dream, too. Obama is a much bigger threat than Hillary.

On That Last Point: Lowry saw Obamessiah speak, and he says he's "electrifying" and he may be poised for a "historic" run.

Posted by: Ace at 11:49 AM | Comments (68)
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Life-long Republican caucuses for Obama!

In the NYT's letters, a life-long Republican bashes Bush!

Again. The latter story is particularly embarrassing:

The quickest way to get the liberal media to pay attention to you is to claim to be a Republican who hates Republicans....

It's also done wonders for "lifelong Republican" Henry A. Lowenstein.... In the past five years, the Times has received approximately 1.8 million letters. It's printed 20 of Lowenstein's.

And this life-long Republican writes nothing but screeds against Republicans.

I'm a life-long Democrat -- seriously; I have as much claim to being a "life-long Democrat" as either of these twits have to being "life-long Republicans" -- and I'm voting Republican this year.

Anyone think Andrea Mitchell will feature me on NBC News?

Posted by: Ace at 11:02 AM | Comments (37)
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I went to the Rotary meeting today at noon, and had a good conversation with my "inside source" with the Madison County Republican party. He said that they only anticipate having five precinct captains speak up for their candidates, but that wasn't the good part.

Guess who's standing up to speak for Mike Huckabee?

No, God's going to be busy watching the Virginia Tech/Kansas football game, and Jesus said something about trying to catch up on some NHL games he's TiVo'd. Huck's going to be handling this one with a mere mortal.

The Precinct Captain for Mike Huckabee will be: Mike Huckabee's sister. I. Shit. You. Not. Mike Freakin' Huckabee's freakin' sister. What are the odds of that happening?

Advice time, morons: Should I refrain from calling Mike Huckabee a pigf*&ker in front of his sister, or should I let 'er rip?

OK, serious question here. I usually start growing a winter beard right before deer season (the beginning of December), and right now I've got a good 3/4" of scruffy growth on my face. Not quite a Taliban beard, but it'll be there in a couple of weeks. Should I shave the beard off and try to fool people into thinking that I'm a respectable member of society, or should I just trim it up a little and make them think that if they vote against Fred there's a real chance that I'll have the other members of my biker gang in the parking lot ready to sodomize them with a tire iron out of spite? I'm torn here. Maybe I'll lose the beard, but keep the 'stache with those Fu Manchu handles going down across my jawline - that just screams STATESMAN!

Posted by: Russ from Winterset at 10:57 AM | Comments (79)
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The President, I wrote before, after I realized what the hell pork was, always had the power to stop earmarks himself. Earmarks don't have the force of law. They're not usually in the legislation itself, but rather noted without the force of law that X Congressman wants Boondoggle Y funded with Z million dollars. Executive agencies usually honor these, um, "suggestions" just to keep on Congress' good side.

But the President could, if he wanted, direct all of his agencies to not honor those "suggestions" at all, and only spend money as 1) actual legislation directs them and 2) how the executive agencies themselves decide (as they are permitted under law).

Bush is -- or at least was -- about to sign an Executive Order forbidding agencies from honoring 90% of all earmarks. Under pressure from porkers, he may not sign it.

As Captain Ed suggests, call the White House to urge it -- politely, but firmly -- to finally end the earmark game:

If CapQ readers want George Bush to issue the Executive Order and hold Congress responsible for violating its own rules while pursuing personal political benefits, they need to let the White House know now how they feel. The EO advocates need to remind Bush that only through dramatic action can the GOP reclaim any momentum on fiscal responsibility. A rescission package would only play into the hands of the same people who larded up the spending bill while delivering it three months late.

You can make a difference. Call 202-456-1111 and politely explain why the President should issue the EO, or e-mail the staff at comments@whitehouse.gov.

After years of overspending, Bush might want to be reminded of his legacy, and whether he'll be remembered fondly by those who voted for him or as a bad mistake.

Posted by: Ace at 10:18 AM | Comments (13)
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Well, that's maybe a tad better than say Lavrentiy Beria, ...but not much.

10:1 I'll be able to pick the winner before the voting even begins.

Posted by: Purple Avenger at 10:15 AM | Comments (16)
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