Every once in a while the MSM does its job.

ABC News’ Jake Tapper reports:

The president said he was prompted to act “two weeks ago, when the Republican House had put forward a budget that will have huge consequences potentially to the country, and when I gave a speech about my budget and how I felt that we needed to invest in education and infrastructure and making sure that we had a strong safety net for our seniors even as we were closing the deficit, during that entire week the dominant news story wasn’t about these huge, monumental choices that we’re going to have to make as a nation. It was about my birth certificate. And that was true on most of the news outlets that were represented here.”

But the president was wrong.

According to Pew’s Project for Excellence in Journalism, that week the dominant news story was without question the economy.

The ridiculous claims about the president’s birth certificate actually was the No. 4 story for the week — receiving about one tenth of the coverage devoted to stories about the economy.

According to Pew’s PEJ: “Hardly dipping from the previous week’s level of 40%, news about the economy was the top story in all media sectors studied, from cable TV to the Internet. And the particularly high level of coverage in cable (53%) and radio (52%), two politics-heavy platforms, indicated just how politically loaded the debate about federal spending was.

“Much of the coverage consisted of analysis of the speech Wednesday by President Obama, one that based on listening to many press accounts renewed support for the President among much of his liberal base. Obama was also the dominant newsmaker in 13% of stories — double that of the previous week — a bigger share than any week since January 24-30, when Obama gave the State of the Union. (To be a dominant newsmaker, someone must be featured in at least 50% of a story.)

Keep reading…

I think one of the main reasons Obama decided to release his birth certificate yesterday was to draw attention away from these dismal economic numbers. He’ll lose in 2012 because of the economy and he knows it, not on the BC issue. Just my 2 cents.

(CNBC) — U.S. economic growth slowed more than expected in the first quarter as higher food and gasoline prices dampened consumer spending, and sent a broad measure of inflation rising at its fastest pace in 2-½ years.

But the pull back in output, which was also the result of harsh winter weather, a widening trade gap as well as weak government spending, will probably be fleeting given a firming labor market.

Growth in U.S. gross domestic product — a measure of all goods and services produced within U.S. borders — braked to a 1.8 percent annual rate after a 3.1 percent fourth quarter pace, the Commerce Department said on Thursday. Economists had expected a 2 percent growth pace.

“We hit a bit of a soft patch in the first quarter, but that should prove temporary because weather was a drag and we got blindsided a bit by a jump in gasoline prices late in the quarter,” said Ryan Sweet, a senior economist at Moody’s Analytics before the report was released.

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday acknowledged the slowdown in first-quarter growth, describing the recovery as proceeding at a “moderate pace” — a slight step back from a statement in March when it said the economy was on a “firmer footing.”

It trimmed its growth estimate for 2011 to between 3.1 and 3.3 percent from a 3.4 to 3.9 percent January projection.

Then there’s jobless claims:

WASHINGTON (AP) — More people sought unemployment benefits last week, the second rise in three weeks, a sign the job market’s recovery is slow and uneven.

Applications for unemployment benefits jumped 25,000 to a seasonally adjusted 429,000 for the week ending April 23, the Labor Department said Thursday. That’s the highest total since late January.

The four-week average of applications, a less volatile measure, rose to 408,500, its third straight rise and the first time it has topped 400,000 in two months.

Obama (along with the rest of the left) despise the notion of American exceptionalism.

(Rasmussen) — Most voters continue to believe U.S. society is fair and decent, but far fewer feel President Obama agrees with them.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 67% of Likely U.S. Voters think American society is generally fair and decent. That’s up slightly from last month and the highest finding since October. The number who regard society this way has ranged from 54% to 74% in surveys since November 2006.

Twenty-four percent (24%), however, describe society in this country as unfair and discriminatory, a view that’s run from 17% to 33% in the past four-and-a-half years. Generally, voters have had a more positive view since Obama assumed office as the first African-American president in January 2009.

Forty-three percent (43%) of voters say the president thinks U.S. society is fair and decent, consistent with findings since March 2009. Thirty-six percent (36%) believe the president finds society generally unfair and discriminatory. That’s consistent with numbers since the first of the year but the lowest finding since February 2009. Voters have generally more evenly divided over the past couple years. Twenty-one percent (21%) now are not sure what the president thinks about society.

What the hell is there to think about? Just do it.

(Indy Star) — Gov. Mitch Daniels said this morning he does not know yet if he will sign House Bill 1210, which makes Indiana’s abortion restrictions among the tightest in the nation while also defunding Planned Parenthood.

“I haven’t decided yet,” Daniels said.

The defunding of Planned Parenthood “has been attached to a bill I strongly supported,” he told The Indianapolis Star. “But we’ve got a little research to do.”

Among those closely watching Daniels’ decision will be those handicapping his presidential prospects. Daniels is weighing a decision whether to run for the Republican nomination for president. He’s been criticized by social conservatives for saying the next president should seek a “truce” on social issues in order to focus the nation’s attention on what he sees as a dire fiscal outlook.

Hey, it’s not like the blowback in Afghanistan resulted in the creation of al-Qaeda . . .no, wait?

PARIS (AFP) — The revolt against Libyan strongman Moamer Kadhafi could stall unless the United States arms the rebels battling his regime, influential US Senator John McCain warned Wednesday.

“There is a possibility if not a probability of a stalemate, and that should be of deep concern to us,” the former presidential candidate and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee told AFP.

“The United States needs to recognise the TNC as France and Italy have done. They need to get supplies and equipment into the liberation forces and we need to get American air power back into the fight,” he said.

The TNC is Libya’s “Transitional National Council”, the political arm of the rebellion, which has been recognised by Paris and Rome but not yet by Washington as legitimately representating the Libyan people.

“I’m glad that the Predator is now there, it’s a very effective weapon, but I think there’s more that need to be done,” he added, referring to the armed drone deployed last week by US forces to strike regime targets.

McCain said he remains opposed to sending US ground troops to Libya, but confirmed that he supported sending weapons to the rebels.

“I think we could do the same thing that we did in the Afghan struggle against the Russians. There are ways to get weapons in without direct US supplying,” he said, referring to US covert action in the 1980s.

Look closely, I think one of his horns is showing.

Via The Blaze

Bravo, Oklahoma!

OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) — The Oklahoma Senate on Wednesday approved a bill that would create criminal penalties for undocumented immigrants who work in Oklahoma and those who smuggle them into the state.

It would also give police officers more authority to question citizenship status of suspects.

The bill, approved by a 37-8 vote, originated in the Oklahoma House and underwent revisions in the Senate. The two chambers must reconcile differences in the bill before it can go to Governor Mary Fallin. Senators faced a deadline on Thursday to pass bills that originate in the House.

Oklahoma is one of several states — including Alabama, Georgia, Indiana, South Carolina and Utah — where Republicans are pushing immigration measures reminiscent of the one that became law in Arizona a year ago. The Arizona law required police to investigate the immigration status of anyone they detained and suspected of being in the country illegally.

Under the Oklahoma measure, local police officers trained through a federal program would be authorized to ask about immigration status.

The bill would also make it a misdemeanor for undocumented immigrants to work, apply for work or solicit work in a public place. Convictions could result in up to a year in jail and/or a $500 fine.

In addition, the measure:

— Targets the common practice of employers hiring day workers who gather along roadways by making it a misdemeanor to stop a vehicle in a roadway and impede traffic while picking up workers. In addition, it prohibits undocumented workers from entering vehicles stopped in a roadway.

— Prohibits employers from hiring workers who do not have proper identification issued by state or federal authorities, but it does not call for any specific punishment for violations.

— Makes human smuggling for profit a felony offense punishable by no less than a year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine; it also allows for the forfeiture of vehicles used to smuggle illegal immigrants into the country.

— Repeals a section of Oklahoma law that enables undocumented immigrants in the state to pay in-state tuition for college.

Modern-day snake-oil salesman pushing a 7th-century cure all.

(Al-Masry Al-Youm) — A Muslim Brotherhood member presented Islam as an economic solution during a conference in Daqahlia Governorate Tuesday.

Talaat al-Shennawy, head of the Brotherhood’s Daqahlia office, said Egypt could curb price increases by following God’s rules.

Shennawy said the greatness of Islam lies in it being a comprehensive religion that embraces all fields of life. He said people should apply all Islamic orders rather than just the ones they like.

In apparent conflicting messages, the Brotherhood said during another conference in Minya that it does not want religion to govern the state.

“The Brotherhood will opt for a civilian state and is seeking a strong parliament, as well as municipal councils free of bribery and nepotism, that can address citizens’ needs,” said Supreme Guide Mohamed Badie.

PC kills.

(WSJ) — The federal government Wednesday effectively ended a controversial program launched in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks to keep tabs on individuals visiting the U.S. mainly from Arab countries.

The National Security Entry-Exit Registration System, known by its acronym, NSEERS, required individuals from more than 20 predominantly Arab countries to register with the government on arrival and departure from the U.S.

The manual process required about 30 minutes of additional inspection at a port of entry for those arriving on nonimmigrant visas. Visitors had to register again on exiting the country.

Human-rights groups said the program promoted profiling of Muslims.

The Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday that the program was abolished because new automated technology renders the program unnecessary and no longer cost-effective.

“Since NSEERS was first implemented in 2002, DHS has implemented more robust, risk-based, and intelligence-driven targeting processes,” said spokesman Matt Chandler.

Link to CAIR’s inevitable victory lap press release.

“If God has something decided for me going down the road, I will always seek to continue my service to this great nation.”

Low blow.

(Daily Mail) — The daughter of Colonel Gaddafi has taunted President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, saying the President has ‘achieved nothing’ while chastising Mrs Clinton for not leaving her husband after he had an affair.

In response to Allied attacks on her native Libya, Aisha Gaddafi used personal jibes to try to rattle the American leadership.

While calling for open talks to begin to try to end the conflict in Libya, Ms Gaddafi said President Obama had ‘achieved nothing so far’.

The glamorous Lawyer, once dubbed ‘North Africa’s Claudia Schiffer’ because of her long blonde locks, then posed a personal question to Secretary of State Mrs Clinton about her husband Bill’s affair with Monica Lewinsky when he was President.

‘Why didn’t you leave the White House when you found out about the cheating of your husband?’ she asked rhetorically, while laughing.

Dressed in tight jeans and Gucci shoes, she mocked the fact that earlier this year the U.N stripped her of her title as a goodwill ambassador after previously ‘begging’ her to be a peace envoy.

Forget Obama’s birth certificate. Here’s a far more perplexing question:

How did this:

Produce this (Aisha Gaddafi)?

I know, the horror of having to learn American history from an (gasp) American perspective!

TUCSON — Rowdy students take over a big Tucson school board meeting in protest.

It’s a pretty wild scene — and it’s all over a Mexican-American studies class, a class that teaches history from a Mexican-American perspective.

Here’s what’s going on.

The governing board of the Tucson Unified School District was supposed to consider a plan that would make the class an elective, rather than a required class, like it is now.

A state law passed in December basically discouraged the classes, saying they segregate students. And this group of students wanted no part of it.

They took over the room, chanted “fight back,” and basically ran the governing board out of the meeting.

Security tried to come in and tried to take the students away, but many of them apparently chained themselves together.

He’s on to promote awareness to the Warrior 100 Bike Ride and these brave veterans of war, but Snuffleupagus wants to bait him into political commentary. To heck with the wounded warriors and the cause. “W” looks good!

TERLINGUA — The heroes of Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom are trained to never give up until the fighting is done. For the wounded, that fight continues long after they come back home.

As a sign of his commitment to these brave men and women, former President George W. Bush joined them on the Warrior 100 bike ride.

“So I just finished a ride with men and women, who served our country and lost a limb or were seriously injured and decided not to give up, recovered and rode across the desert,” President Bush said.

14 U.S. servicemen and women may be been left physically broken, scarred and changed for life by their service in Iraq and Afghanistan. But, it was because of their grit, honor and fortitude that the former president joined them on the Warrior 100, a 100K mountain bike ride through Big Bend.

“I’m riding as hard as I could possibly ride and I look over my shoulder and there’s a one legged guy, barely breathing. If you’re having a problem out there, just think about some of these guys who had real problems and decided to do something about it,” President Bush said.

These heroes were total strangers when they met on Monday. That doesn’t mean they didn’t already have many things in common.

“(That’s) all I can say, really. It’s an honor to be out here with him. I respect the man, greatly,” Retired U.S. Army SFC Dylan Beard, said, while choking back tears.

According to Retired Army SSgt, Kevin Butler, “I think, what’s important about today, we got to show we’re not giving up and it could help inspire other people and fellow wounded guys that could be sitting in the hospital bed right now and they see this on the news and say, ‘hey, that’s going to be me once I get my prosthetic or get out of this hospital bed and get well.’”

“It doesn’t matter what branch we are, if someone’s fallen behind, they’re going to pick them up and help them move on,” Retired Army Spc. Jacob Learner, said.

For these war heroes, sharing a bike trail with the former Commander in Chief was exciting enough. But finding out the President brought a guest of his own, that was icing on the cake.

“What is most important is that we support, encourage and absolutely welcome home these brave men and women that served our country,” former Tour de France Champ, Lance Armstrong, said.

The Warrior 100 highlights the contributions, made by organizations, that support the troops and their families, while they’re deployed and once they come back.

Continue…

I can think we can safely say the UK is now a consistent exporter of Islamic terrorism, stunning for a western country to achieve that status.

(Herald Sun) — A TALIBAN bomber who infiltrated Afghanistan’s defence HQ may have travelled from London.

The operative killed two guards before he was shot dead in the daring Kabul raid.

British intelligence officials were given details of the militant who carried out the attack, British newspaper The Times reported.

Sources said the failed bomber’s name and personal details were forwarded to London, suggesting that he might have been living in Britain, though the Foreign Office was unable to confirm that claim.

If the attacker was proved to have had British nationality, he would be the first known case of a suicide bomber from the UK travelling to Afghanistan.

Suicide bombers from Britain were killed in Israel, Kashmir and Somalia in recent years.

The bomber wore a sergeant major’s uniform as he tricked his way into the country’s defence headquarters.

He shot dead two guards and was outside the office of Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak when he was shot dead by bodyguards. He failed to detonate his suicide vest.

Get it done.

Indianapolis (AP) — Indiana is poised to become the first state to cut off all government funding for the Planned Parenthood organization, providing a significant victory for the anti-abortion movement but posing a political predicament for the state’s governor, Mitch Daniels, as he considers running for president.

The Indiana House is expected to vote as soon as today to cut off the $3 million in federal money the state distributes to the organization for family planning and health programs. The Senate approved the measure earlier this month.

The action would open a new legislative front in the conservative assault on the organization, which has been targeted for its abortion services. Efforts to cut off federal funds in Congress failed this year, but bills are moving in a number of statehouses.

Update: One down, 49 to go! (HT: Emily Esfahani Smith)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana House voted 66-32 Wednesday to approve a bill cutting the $3 million in federal money the state distributes to the organization for family planning and health programs.

The measure also ban abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy unless there is a substantial threat to the woman’s life or health and requires women seeking an abortion be told that life begins at conception and that doctors performing abortions have admitting privileges in a nearby hospital. The Senate approved the measure earlier this month.

I see Bob Schieffer has dropped any pretense of being an actual journalist.

HT: HAP

To my fellow Catholics, our nightmare is almost over. When will the Church grow a pair and give Pfleger the official boot?

(Chicago News) — Citing what he called threats from the Rev. Michael Pfleger to leave the church, Cardinal Francis George has removed the outspoken priest from St. Sabina parish and has suspended his “sacramental faculties as a priest.”

Pfleger had publicly feuded with the cardinal about possibly being reassigned to Leo High School, telling a radio show recently that he would look outside the Catholic church if offered no other choice.

“If that is truly your attitude, you have already left the Catholic Church and are therefore not able to pastor a Catholic parish,” George wrote in a letter dated today.

“A Catholic priest’s inner life is governed by his promises, motivated by faith and love, to live chastely as a celibate man and to obey his bishop,” the cardinal continued. “Breaking either promise destroys his vocation and wounds the Church.

“Many love and admire you because of your dedication to your people,” the cardinal wrote. “Now, however, I am asking you to take a few weeks to pray over your priestly commitments in order to come to mutual agreement on how you understand personally the obligations that make you a member of the Chicago presbyterate and of the Catholic Church.

“With this letter, your ministry as pastor of Saint Sabina Parish and your sacramental faculties as a priest of the Archdiocese are suspended.”

Here’s one of Father Pfleger’s greatest hits, which was so bad even Obama had to distance himself from it.

“Rev. Moss, when Hillary was crying, and people said that was put on, I really don’t believe it was put on,” Pfleger says from the pulpit. “I really believe that she just always thought, ‘This is mine! I’m Bill’s wife, I’m white, and this is mine! I just gotta get up and step into the plate.’ And then out of nowhere came, ‘Hey, I’m Barack Obama,’ and she said, ‘Oh, damn! Where did you come from? I’m white! I’m entitled! There’s a black man stealing my show!’

Pfleger then mocks her crying, much to delight of the crowd, many of whom stand up and applaud.

“She wasn’t the only one crying, there was a whole lot of white people crying!” Pfleger says to laughter.

Pathetic.

(INN) — The UN Security Council failed to reach an agreement on Wednesday over a statement that would condemn the violence by security forces against demonstrators in Syria.

Diplomats told the Reuters news agency that during the discussions on the subject, the representatives of Lebanon, Russia and China said that they would oppose a decision to denounce the Syrian government’s actions.

HT: captdiggs

Finally, the left has a superhero they can call their own (other than Obama).

(Comics Alliance) — After recently undertaking a journey to walk — not fly — across the United States in the “Grounded” storyline and reconnect with the country and everyday Americans, Superman appears to be taking another step that could have major implications for his national identity: in Action Comics #900 Superman announces that he is going to give up his U.S. citizenship. Despite very literally being an alien immigrant, Superman has long been seen as a patriotic symbol of “truth, justice, and the American way,” from his embrace of traditional American ideals to the iconic red and blue of his costume.

What it means to stand for the “American way” is an increasingly complicated thing, however, both in the real world and in superhero comics, whose storylines have increasingly seemed to mirror current events and deal with moral and political complexities rather than simple black and white morality.

The key scene takes place in “The Incident,” a short story in Action Comics #900 written by David S. Goyer with art by Miguel Sepulveda. In it, Superman consults with the President’s national security advisor, who is incensed that Superman appeared in Tehran to non-violently support the protesters demonstrating against the Iranian regime, no doubt an analogue for the recent real-life protests in the Middle East. However, since Superman is viewed as an American icon in the DC Universe as well as our own, the Iranian government has construed his actions as the will of the American President, and indeed, an act of war.

Superman replies that it was foolish to think that his actions would not reflect politically on the American government, and that he therefore plans to renounce his American citizenship at the United Nations the next day — and to continue working as a superhero from a more global than national perspective. From a “realistic” standpoint it makes sense; it would indeed be impossible for a nigh-omnipotent being ideologically aligned with America to intercede against injustice beyond American borders without creating enormous political fallout for the U.S. government.

Keep reading…

HT: RRB

Oh yeah, he’s dead serious.

Obama, lost in thought — Dana Milbank/WaPo

Seeking a template to understand the enigmatic president, I consulted three leading academics in the fields of psychology and behavior. With their help, I put Obama on the couch and came away with a reasonably coherent diagnosis: There’s too much going on in the poor guy’s head.

“What distinguishes Obama particularly is the depth and carefulness of his thinking, which renders him somewhat unfit for politics,” said Jonathan Haidt, a professor of social psychology at the University of Virginia. “He is a brilliant social and political analyst, which makes it harder for him to play hardball or to bluff.”

Obama’s strengths and weaknesses come from his high degree of “integrative complexity” — his ability to keep multiple variables and trade-offs in mind simultaneously. The integratively simple thinker — say, George W. Bush — has one universal organizing principle that dominates all others, while the integratively complex thinker — Obama — balances many competing goals.

Philip Tetlock, a professor of psychology with the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, found that politicians on the center-left (where Obama dwells) tend to have the highest degree of integrative complexity, followed by politicians on the center-right. Politicians on the far left and far right are the most simple.

Though Tetlock hasn’t applied his methodology to Obama, the 44th president would seem to be the very model of the complex thinker. Among the complex thinker’s advantages, says Tetlock, is the ability to see quickly the trade-offs among policy options, to update his beliefs after finding evidence that disproves his preconceptions, and to predict probable outcomes with accuracy. Among the disadvantages: The complex thinker can suffer from “analysis paralysis” and confusion; he can be perceived as unprincipled or disloyal to the values that elevated him to power; and he can be seen as too willing to make trade-offs.

HT: Allah