He also threw in an “Al Gore invented the Internet” crack to top things off.

(Briefing Room) — In between his plugs for President Obama’s agenda at a New York City fundraiser on Wednesday, Vice President Biden joked about their divergent views on using a teleprompter.

Biden asked for the teleprompters to come down while speaking at an event for Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), recalling a conversation he said he had about the devices with Obama.

“I am not using this thing. If you want to put it down, it’s OK by me,” Biden said, according to a pool report. “You know Barack said, excuse me, the president said, ‘Joe is learning to make a speech with a teleprompter and I am learning to do one without a teleprompter.’” [On second thought, I'm not sure if that was a joke — ed.]

Obama’s critics harangued him for his teleprompter use during the 2008 campaign and throughout his presidency, suggesting he lacks the ability to speak dynamically off the cuff.

A Republican lawmaker even proposed an amendment this month to the House-passed government spending measure that would have removed funding for the teleprompter. He later withdrew the amendment.

Biden’s crack garnered laughter and applause from the audience of Democratic donors, according to the pool report. While explaining Obama’s desire to invest in the high-tech sector, he cited federal spending during the Eisenhower administration that helped spur the development of the Internet.

“I know that will disappoint some of you Al Gore fans,” he joked.

Someone remind me, when was the last time a Tea Partier hauled off and whacked a lefty? This is the girl he hit — Tabitha Hale:

CWA union thug strikes young female FreedomWorks activist — Michelle Malkin

Feeble Leader breaks his silence.

And fails miserably.

(ABC News) — President Obama said the bloodshed in Libya was “outrageous and unacceptable,” but he declined to directly censure Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi who has been blamed for much of the violent crackdown.

“The suffering and bloodshed is outrageous and it is unacceptable, so are threats and orders to shoot peaceful protesters,” Obama said in his first televised remarks on the situation in Libya. “These actions violate international norms and every standard of common decency. This violence must stop.”

The president said the Libyan government “has a strong responsibility to refrain from violence” and that it must be held accountable, but he stopped short of placing the blame on Gadhafi, Libya’s eccentric dictator who has ruled for 42 years.

Obama said his staff will work with the international community to discuss the volatile situation and the administration is “doing everything we can to protect American citizens,” calling it his “highest priority.”

Update: How pathetic was his speech? So bad even Tingles can’t believe it.

(Mediaite) — Chris Matthews had an immediate reaction to President Obama’s statement on the ongoing unrest in Libya and it was not positive. Even liberal commentators Howard Fineman and David Corn agreed that Obama’s statement was weak, and since Libya is no Egypt, Obama will have to talk tougher in the future.

Matthews’ surprising review of Obama’s speech:

“This statement could have been put out by the first President Bush. It has the aspect of an Arabist statement. I shouldn’t be too strong here, but it doesn’t have any dignity. I mean — Ronald Reagan — to his credit, said ‘evil empire’ before the fall of the wall.”

Expect the usual cast of characters to go ballistic.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Two Republican state lawmakers are trying to make it illegal to practice Shariah law inTennessee.

Sen. Bill Ketron said his bill aims to “curb homegrown terrorism,” while those of the Islamic faith say Shariah law doesn’t teach people to be terrorists.

Islam and the building of mosques like the one in Antioch have gotten a lot of attention over the past few months, but now the attention is on this proposed bill would make practicing Shariah law a felony.

“It’s in the news every week that someone is calling jihad,” Ketron said. “We have to step forward and try to pass some type of legislation.”

Ketron said his proposed bill has nothing to do with the building of the mosque in Murfreesboro that received national attention and much opposition from neighbors. But it is, he said, about protecting Tennesseans from radical extremists.

“It gives law enforcement officers in our state, if they find the material support of two or more people working together to create terrorism, then we have a right to charge them with a felony,” Ketron said.

He said the bill deals solely with those who practice the political part of Shariah law.

Well done, Mr. Santorum, well done indeed.

(Politico) — Rick Santorum launched into a scathing attack on the left, charging during an appearance in South Carolina that the history of the Crusades has been corrupted by “the American left who hates Christendom.”

“The idea that the Crusades and the fight of Christendom against Islam is somehow an aggression on our part is absolutely anti-historical,” Santorum said in Spartanburg on Tuesday. “And that is what the perception is by the American left who hates Christendom.”

He added, “They hate Western civilization at the core. That’s the problem.”

After asserting that Christianity had not shown any “aggression” to the Muslim world, the former Pennsylvania senator — who is considering a 2012 run for the White House — argued that American intervention in the Middle East helps promote “core American values.”

“What I’m talking about is onward American soldiers,” he said. “What we’re talking about are core American values. ‘All men are created equal’ — that’s a Christian value, but it’s an American value.”

“It’s become part of our national religion, if you will,” he continued. “The point I was trying to make was that the national faith, the national ideal, is rooted in the Christian ideal — in the Judeo-Christian concept of the person.”

Why not the Teddy Bears and Gumdrops Party? Because they have about as much to do with Islam as freedom and justice.

(JPost) — The Muslim Brotherhood — which had been the standard bearer of Egypt’s opposition until non-aligned protesters forced President Husni Mubarak out of office this month — is forming a political party, as it seeks to ensure it place for itself in the country’s new democratic politics.

But the new party, to be called Freedom and Justice, faces an uphill struggle. The Brotherhood officially remains banned in Egypt and its leaders declined to detail what its positions will be or even state with certainty whether non-Muslims will be able to hold leadership positions. Analysts say many Egyptians are suspicious of its Muslim agenda.

Moreover, once the only significant opposition to the rule of Mubarak and his predecessors — Gamal Abd Al-Nasser and Anwar Sadat — was largely sidelined during the three weeks of protests that shook Egypt and now faces a plethora of new rivals for Egyptian votes.

With a transitional government promising elections later this year, other opposition groups are coming back to life or being formed. Earlier this week, an Egyptian court authorized the registration of the Wasat, or Center Party, headed by Abul-Alaa Madi and Issam Sultan, two Brotherhood breakaways. On Tuesday, it held a press conference . . . Abd Al-Gawad said the Brotherhood was making a special effort to “play by the rules” in order to dispel internal and external anxieties.

“The Brotherhood is trying to avoid scaring the Egyptian public, because most Egyptians, like many foreign players, are afraid of it,” he said. “The Brotherhood has announced it will not appoint a candidate for president nor will it seek a majority in parliament, trying to look magnanimous.”

But on Wednesday Katatni did not rule out the possibility of Freedom and Justice nominating a presidential candidate. “It is hard to tell right now. When the party is formed, it will decide the matter,” he told Al-Masry Al-Youm.

The White House’s new propaganda minister Jay Carney is picking up where Baghdad Bob left off.

(RCP) — “This is a scheduling issue. The president will meet with Secretary of State Clinton this afternoon. We will have something to say out of that meeting. If possible, the President will speak this afternoon or tomorrow,” White House press secretary Jay Carney says about President Obama’s lack of response to the crisis in Libya.

Sarahcuda giving him both barrels.

(Sarah Palin) — It’s a little perplexing looking at the White House today. There was a statement on the horrible earthquake in New Zealand, and certainly our hearts go out to all those affected by this horrible natural disaster. But nothing on the slaughter in Libya?

The protests in many places in the Middle East affect regimes that have cooperated with the U.S. on issues from peace with Israel, fighting al Qaeda, hosting our military forces, or cooperating against Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Gaddafi’s Libya is different. For four decades, this tyrant has held power.

Gaddafi was Osama before Osama hit the scene. He ordered the bombing of a disco in Germany to kill Americans. When he paid the price for that — after President Reagan rightly ordered retaliation — he directed his agents to blow up Pan Am Flight 103. They did, and more than 250 innocent people died. Gaddafi tried to come in from the cold in 2003 — scared by the demonstration effect of Iraq. But we should have no illusions. Gaddafi is a brutal killer and Libya — not to mention the world — would be better off if he were out of power.

Now is the time to speak out. Speak out for the long-suffering Libyan people. Speak out for the victims of Gaddafi’s terror. NATO and our allies should look at establishing a no-fly zone so Libyan air forces cannot continue slaughtering the Libyan people. We should not be afraid of freedom, especially when it comes to people suffering under a brutal enemy of America. Here’s to freedom from Gaddafi for the people of Libya.

I expect no less from these thugs.

HT: Jay

You don’t say?

Via Fox Nation:

National Education Association’s retiring top lawyer, Bob Chanin, speaking at the NEA’s annual meeting in July, 2009:

“Despite what some among us would like to believe it is not because of our creative ideas. It is not because of the merit of our positions. It is not because we care about children and it is not because we have a vision of a great public school for every child. NEA and its affiliates are effective advocates because we have power.”

“And we have power because there are more than 3.2 million people who are willing to pay us hundreds of millions of dollars in dues each year, because they believe that we are the unions that can most effectively represent them, the unions that can protect their rights and advance their interests as education employees.”

“This is not to say that the concern of NEA and its affiliates with closing achievement gaps, reducing dropout rates, improving teacher quality and the like are unimportant or inappropriate. To the contrary. These are the goals that guide the work we do. But they need not and must not be achieved at the expense of due process, employee rights and collective bargaining. That simply is too high a price to pay.”

You mean they’re not doing this already?

(LA Times) — The United Nations has long courted celebrities for its peace-keeping and anti-poverty efforts, from Mia Farrow and Ricky Martin to George Clooney and Angelina Jolie.

It is a mutually beneficial arrangement. Hollywood stars grasp at gravitas; the U.N. pushes for publicity.

Now the beleaguered multi-national agency, fresh from a disappointing round of climate negotiations in Cancun, wants something more concrete: actual story lines in movies, television and social media drawing attention to the dangers of global warming.

The push comes at a time when public concern over climate change has plummeted in the polls and Congress has rejected federal legislation to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

“Usually I speak to prime ministers and presidents, but that has its limits” said U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who arrived in Los Angeles on Monday for a high-profile outreach effort. “Movie producers, directors, actors — they have global reach.”

Ban will sit down for a conversation with actor Don Cheadle before several hundred entertainment industry invitees at a “Global Creative Forum” Tuesday at the Hammer Museum.

The day-long gathering will feature panels titled “The United Nations and Hollywood for a Greener and Better Planet,” “Making Global Warming a HOT Issue” and “Empowering Women and Protecting Children for a Safer World.”

Still at a loss as to why Israel did nothing to stop this.

GAZA, Feb 22 (KUNA) — The two Iranian naval ships which crossed the Suez Canal to the Mediterranean Tuesday morning are carrying “advanced Hezbollah weapons,” Maariv Israeli paper reported on Wednesday, citing sources.

The sources told the paper, “Estimates indicate the two ships are carrying missiles of different range, rifles, ammunition, and night-vision gear. . . The voyage of the two ships is an Iranian attempt to go around the arms embargo on Hezbollah.”

The paper also said that it is believed the voyage is an attempt on the part of the Iranians to “test the waters” with and gauge the responses of the Egyptian Supreme Military Council and its stance towards Tehran.

You stay classy, Keith Ellison.

(The Hill) — Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) has adopted the posture of a dictator by refusing to negotiate on a labor reform, a leader of the Congressional Progressive Caucus said Wednesday.

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), the co-chairman of the CPC, said Walker was “is basically taking up the posture of a dictator” in his standoff with state Senate Democrats over legislation limiting most collective bargaining for public employees.

Ellison and Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.), the other CPC co-chairman, framed the battle in Wisconsin as one that could predict the outcome of similar labor battles in other Midwestern states.

“If we win this battle for middle-class workers in Wisconsin, we will win everywhere else in this country,” Grijalva said in a call organized by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC).

His awesomeness knows no limits.

“When you remember the song . . . I won’t back down that’s the clear message that I have to send . . I have to stand up for the principles of this country and let people know that I will not be intimidated”

Via HAP

Now that they’re free to speak their minds, this is what comes out.

(INN) — Protesters demanding the ouster of their new unity government in Tunisia are also now calling for ‘Death to the Jews.’

A local source who spoke exclusively with Israel National News on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution warned this week “the situation is not getting better for the Jews,”

Tunisians took to the streets Sunday demanding the ouster of the country’s prime minister, Mohammed Ghanoucci, whom they denounced as part of the former regime, toppled three weeks ago. The demonstration followed by one day the resignation of four members of the country’s nascent unity government formed in the wake of the ex-ruler’s ouster.

What was not reported in the media, however, is the fact that in Sunday’s demonstration many of the hundreds of protesters were screaming as they marched, “Death to the Jews!”

“This is a new phenomenon,” said the source. “Until now, we have not heard this. Perhaps the people were thinking it, but we have not heard it. Now they feel free to say what they wish, what is in their hearts.”

Members of the Jewish community are meanwhile staying out of sight, the source said. “Jews are very afraid, and trying not to show themselves.”

Two days earlier, on Friday, a smaller group of dozens of Islamists held an anti-Jewish rally outside the country’s main synagogue shouting, “Jews wait, the army of Mohammed is coming back. “We’ll redo the battle of Khaibar!” — a reference to the slaughter of Jews in what is now Saudi Arabia at the hands the founder of Islam.

First a Democratic Congressman calls for “bloody streets,” now the SEIU’s theme song calls for violence. Note to the left, we’re not stupid, we know exactly we’re you’re going with this . . . and, yes, we are ready.

(The Blaze) — First violent signs, now violent songs.

The band Dropkick Murphys wants to do its part to stand with the Wisconsin protesters. What does that look like? Actually it sounds like a new song, released on union websites including the SEIU’s, that screams such phrases as “take the bastards down!” and “we got to smash them to the ground!”

“As part of the band’s efforts to support the workers, they are working with SEIU and other unions and labor federations to have the song available to be played at rallies across the country,” a post on SEIU’s website says.

In a statement yesterday, the band made it clear that they are avid supporters of the unrest in Wisconsin:

[We] would like to take a moment to acknowledge the struggles of the working people of Wisconsin and to pledge our support and solidarity by releasing the song ‘Take ’Em Down’ from our upcoming album. We think it’s appropriate at the moment and hope you like it. . . The Dropkick Murphys Stand With Wisconsin!!!!! [emphasis original]

Keep reading »

Isn’t that the SEIU’s job?

(LA Times) — The community organizer who became president has launched a massive pre-reelection year campaign to assemble and train an army of new community organizers to carry Obama’s “movement forward for years to come.”

Strengthening “our democracy” presumably has something to do with reelecting the revered leader in 2012.

However, the recruiting message says nothing about politics or election campaigns and strangely talks in military terms of “a grassroots program that aims to put boots on the ground and help foster a new generation of leaders — not just to help win elections but to strengthen our democracy in communities across the country.”

The message about what it calls the “Summer Organizing Fellowship” adds: “Effective organizing doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It takes commitment, time, and hard work to build a movement around a cause.” It does not specify what the “cause” is, other than promoting Obama and his agenda.

Prediction time: How much longer does Gaddafi have?

ALGIERS Feb 23 (Reuters) — A Libyan air force plane crashed near the eastern city of Benghazi after its crew bailed out because they refused to carry out orders to bomb the city, Libya’s Quryna newspaper cited a military source as saying.

Quryna’s online version quoted the source, a colonel at an air base near Benghazi, as saying captain Attia Abdel Salem al Abdali and his number two Ali Omar Gaddafi bailed out of the Russian-made Sukhoi-22 plane and parachuted to earth.

The aircraft, which took off from Tripoli, came down near the city of Ajdabiya, 160 km (100 miles) south-west of Benghazi, the newspaper said.

Benghazi and most of eastern Libya has not been under central control since an uprising last week against the rule of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

In a televised speech on Tuesday night, Gaddafi threatened violence against groups who were defying his rule.

Because when people think about genocidal madmen, Mike Huckabee is usually the first name that comes to mind.

Via Newsbusters:

Chris Matthews went off the deep end on Wednesday’s Hardball as he accused conservative talk show hosts Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck of demonstrating “ethnic disdain” for the First Family and even charged former Arkansas Governor and current Fox News host Mike Huckabee of wanting to ethnically cleanse Arabs from the West Bank.

Right after a discussion about Republican contenders like John Thune and Chris Christie not entering the presidential race, Matthews told his GOP strategist guest Todd Harris “You are being left with the crazies now” like Huckabee who Matthews charged wants to “clear out all the Arabs in the West Bank, just get rid of them all! . . . Talk about ethnic cleansing? He says he’s gonna do it.”