Great.

(The Hill) — Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee’s camp is refuting a South Carolina blogger who suggested Wednesday that Huckabee told consultants in the state he wouldn’t run for president next year.

Speculation Huckabee was opting out of a 2012 bid spread after Red State’s Erick Erickson tweeted a link to the blog post, along with the declaration, “Mike Huckabee is out. He won’t be running for president.”

HuckPAC Executive Director Hogan Gidley dismissed it as “unfounded speculation” in a statement, insisting that no final decision has been made.

“National polling consistently shows Governor Huckabee is the frontrunner — so we expect a certain amount of unfounded speculation, odd rumors, and sadly, the occasional lie lobbed our way,” Gidley said. “But the Governor himself has been quite clear on this matter. He has truthfully and repeatedly stated that he is seriously considering a run for President but he won’t make that decision until this summer — and that has not changed.”

On the bright side I’m sure a few al-Qaeda fighters were among those killed.

(NY Times) — NATO warplanes attacked a rebel position on the front lines of this besieged city here on Wednesday, killing 12 fighters in what the rebels called a friendly fire accident. The rebels, who did not want to be identified for security reasons, were at first reluctant to admit the accident had occurred, not wanting to discourage further strikes against the forces of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi.

The pace of NATO strikes had picked up noticeably in recent days, after rebel leaders complained of a lack of support in the weeks after the United States turned over operational control of the air campaign to NATO at the end of March.

As a former minister said earlier today, the Brits brought this upon themselves.

(Telegraph) — The royal wedding is a “legitimate target” for a terrorist attack because of Britain’s foreign policy and the invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan, a radical Islamic group has claimed.

Muslims Against Crusades, which had its application to protest on Friday turned down by police, yesterday urged Muslims to stay away from central London when Prince William marries Kate Middleton and to avoid all means of public transport due to the heightened risk of an attack.

Assad Ullah, leader of the extremist campaign group, insisted that it had no “inside knowledge” but was simply repeating security fears that have already been widely reported.

“There is a legitimate Islam opinion that those who have been attacked have the right to retaliate,” he said.

“British foreign policy is causing this kind of feeling and increasing the instability in this country. We do not advocate violence but can see how they made themselves a legitimate target for others.”

Announcing that the group had abandoned its plans to protest against the wedding, group spokesman Abu Abbas said: “We urge all Muslims to stay away from the royal wedding, not only because of the drinking, drug taking and sexual promiscuity but because of the likelihood of an attack by the Mujahideen.

Yes, he really said that.

(The Hill) — Former Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill compared lawmakers trying to block a debt-ceiling increase to terrorists.

Former Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill compared lawmakers trying to block raising the debt ceiling to “al Qaeda terrorists.”

“The people who are threatening not to pass the debt ceiling are our version of al Qaeda terrorists. Really,” O’Neill, Treasury secretary in the Republican administration of George W. Bush, said Wednesday in an interview with Bloomberg Television’s InBusiness with Margaret Brennan.

“They’re really putting our whole society at risk by threatening to round up 50 percent of the members of the Congress, who are loony, who would put our credit at risk,” O’Neill said.

Zombie has the whole report, including blurred out pics of a “gay Jesus” showing his anus off to the crowd. Here’s the video (minus nudity):

To the left mocking Christianity is “progressive,” but scoffing at Islam is considered “racist,” even though Muslim countries regularly put homosexuals to death.

D0 $1,170 skirts count as a “sacrifice?”

(Daily Mail) — In an interview last year, Ashley Olsen said that she would love to see Michelle Obama wear one of her designs. Now, it seems, her dream has come true.

The U.S. First Lady wore a skirt from The Row, the label Miss Olsen, 24, designs with her twin sister Mary-Kate, on The View last week.

Mrs Obama, who appeared on the show with Jill Biden, teamed the pale grey pleated Evelyn skirt, worth $1,170 with a cream V-neck and kitten-heel shoes.

Though expensive, the President’s wife’s choice represents a support of American industry, as all of the Olsen twins’ designs are made in the U.S.

From earlier this month:

“Everybody has got to make some sacrifices, everybody’s gotta take a haircut” — April 5, 2011

If that was me I’d be insisting it was a different Sinclair.

HONOLULU (AP) — The family of a Honolulu doctor whose signature appears on President Barack Obama’s birth certificate woke up to the news that the late obstetrician had delivered Obama.

Relatives of Dr. David Sinclair told The Associated Press on Wednesday they were “blown away” and “honored” to hear the news that he delivered the nation’s 44th president.

A signature on the certificate appears to read “David. A. Sinclair.”

Karl Sinclair, of Kailua, says his father delivered babies all over the state when Obama was born in 1961. The doctor died in 2003.

This is big news, the last time Hamas was part of a unity government with the Palestinian Authority the US withheld all funding (over $470 million a year). Unless Obama does the same we will be showering Hamas with cash, on the other hand if he does cut off the cash spigot to the Palestinians his lefty base will throw a nutty.

(IPT) — Officials from the rival Palestinian Fatah and Hamas movements have reached a reconciliation agreement, ending a four-year old split that led to the establishment of separate governments in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. The agreement calls for the formation of a unity government in the next few days and preparations to have presidential and legislative elections a year from now.

“The two sides signed initial letters on an agreement. All points of differences have been overcome,” said Taher Al-Nono, the government spokesman for Hamas in Gaza. . . .

To reach an agreement, Hamas leaders demanded a full power-sharing deal, including a division of security responsibilities. They also insisted on the release of hundreds of Hamas members imprisoned in the West Bank, the re-opening of outlawed Hamas charities, and the removal of a ban on Hamas activities in the West bank.

The recent push for an agreement with Hamas comes amidst a large-scale effort by Abbas to gain international recognition of Palestine as an independent state without signing a peace deal with Israel. The United Nations is expected to vote on this issue in September.

The U.S. administration, for its part, is the largest single donor to the Palestinians, providing more than $470 million a year in direct financial assistance. The U.S. withheld this support when Hamas was part of the Palestinian unity government in 2007 and will likely do so again unless Hamas agrees to renounce violence and recognize Israel. Hamas has so far shown no signs that it is willing to do either.

Keep reading…

Update: Good analysis by CFR’s Elliot Abrams.

This deal, if it is real, will be interpreted in Israel as a choice by Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas to make peace with Hamas rather than with Israel. It is hard to see how Israel could negotiate with a Palestinian government half or more of which represents a terrorist group dedicated to attacking the Jewish State. Formally, it is not the Palestinian Authority but the PLO that negotiates with Israel, but that formality will hold little political weight. As this deal does not appear to require Hamas to change one word of its violently anti-Semitic Charter, the new Palestinian government would hardly be a peace partner.

Other questions arise. Will Salam Fayyad, the current prime minister, maintain his post? If not, how will Congress and other donors feel about continuing the aid flow to the PA? Even if Fayyad remains, will Congress vote aid funds for this new half-Hamas government? What will lawyers at the Treasury and State Departments say about the participation of a terrorist group in the PA government? Will it even be legal to give funds to the PA?

We’ll all know more in the coming days, but this move by President Abbas vastly complicates U.S. efforts in the region and the Obama Administration’s current negotiations with Prime Minister Netanyahu. How can he be expected to lean far forward in seeking a deal with the Palestinian leadership just when it is leaning away from Israel and toward

(click image for video)

Bonus: Whoopi also claims Trump was helping America’s enemies by insisting on Obama’s birth records and Joyless Behar chimes in that “Bush made us stupid.” God bless the people at RCP for sitting through this drivel so we can all enjoy a good laugh.

(RCP) — “It is very difficult, on a daily basis, to see this stuff and not say, ‘you know, this is what it is,’” ABC’s Whoopi Goldberg said on “The View” this morning. Goldberg was reacting to The White House releasing a birth certificate this morning.

Goldberg expressed the stress of holding in the race card, but now she is fed up.

And after Obama’s done with Oprah he’s got not one, not two, but three re-election fundraisers to attend in NYC.

(Daily Caller) — In a press conference announcing the release of his long form birth certificate, Obama denounced the “silliness,” the “sideshows and carnival barkers” that forced him to release a completely unremarkable document after years of speculation on the issue had metastasized into a political phenomenon he could no longer ignore.

“We do not have time for this kind of silliness. We’ve got better stuff to do. I’ve got better stuff to do. We’ve got big problems to solve,” the president said.

Minutes later, he boarded a helicopter, bound for Chicago where he will interview with Oprah, the queen of daytime TV talk shows who recently launched her own network.

The press conference was held a few minutes after 9:45 a.m. At 10:05 a.m. he was in the air, according to a White House pool report, which noted “Oprah awaits.”

Keep reading…

White House schedule here.

Mission creep.

(Telegraph) — Britain “may have to look at” deploying ground troops in the Libya campaign in order to establish safe havens for civilians, Liam Fox has said.

Fears of a humanitarian crisis have grown as food imports into Libya’s rebel-held east have been hit while the National Transitional Council struggles to establish lines of credit and foreign traders fear they will not be paid.

Dr Fox, the defence secretary, was asked if soldiers would be needed for humanitarian purposes or to protect safe havens in Libya or its borders and if this would require a new United Nations mandate.

In response to the question by Jeffrey Donaldson, the DUP MP, Dr Fox accepted that it was “something we may have to look at”.

It’s almost like he’s proud his fellow Muslims in Afghanistan would rip Jones to shreds (around 4 minute mark).

HT: Verum Serum

A little comic relief from the cesspool of PC madness otherwise knows as Great Britain.

(Daily Mail) — A pub singer has been arrested on suspicion of racism for singing the classic chart hit Kung Fu Fighting.

The song, performed by Simon Ledger, 34, is said to have offended two Chinese people as they walked past the bar where he was singing.

The entertainer regularly performs the 1974 number one hit, originally by disco star Carl Douglas, at the Driftwood Beach Bar in Sandown, on the Isle of Wight.

But after one of the passers-by reported his routine on Sunday afternoon, Mr Ledger was arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated harassment.

‘We were performing Kung Fu Fighting, as we do during all our sets,’ he said.

‘People of all races were loving it. Chinese people have never been offended by it before.

‘But this lad walking past with his mum started swearing at us and making obscene hand gestures before taking a picture on his mobile phone.

‘We hadn’t even seen them when we started the song. He must have phoned the police.’

Officers later called Mr Ledger while he was eating in a Chinese restaurant to arrange a meeting.

The singer assumed it was a prank — but he was later arrested and is still under investigation.

Keep reading…

It should be left up to parents. Period. Here in the People’s Republic they start indoctrinating kids in the second grade by reading them fairy tales about gay marriage.

(Fox News) — Public school teachers in Tennessee could lose their tenure or their jobs for discussing homosexuality with their students under a new bill.

The state Senate will soon vote on a bill, known as “Don’t Say Gay,” that would prohibit educators from “the teaching or furnishing of materials on human sexuality other than heterosexuality in public school grades K-8.”

The Senate Education Committee passed the bill last week, 6-3.

The author of the bill, state Sen. Stacey Campfield, has been trying to advance the bill for several years as member of the House. But he only got momentum when Republicans won control of the governor’s mansion, House and Senate in November for the first time since the Civil War-era.

Campfield said his bill aims to stop gay-rights activists from pushing their agenda in the classroom. He cited children’s programming that taught homosexuality and said “several” teachers have informed him that they’re already teaching the material.

Campfield told FoxNews.com that he has gotten hundreds of letter from around the world that are either hate-filled or asking him why he proposed the bill.

“Schools shouldn’t be advocating for or against homosexuality,” he said.

EVERYTHING IS RACIST! (Yes, I’m yelling)

You mean to tell me that [Trump’s] questioning the academic prowess of one of the smartest presidents we’ve ever had? Mr. Trump, when you start getting your advice from all of the special, special Republican advisers that we’ve seen step to the plate in the past instead of Jerome Corsi. Dude, you could do better than that.

This is what the Republican Party stands for, though: racism. I think Donald Trump is a racist.

Via Newsbusters

Or something.

Trump Says Obama Should ‘Get Off His Basketball Court’ — ThinkProgress

This morning, the White House released Obama’s long form birth certificate. Obama had already released an official version of his birth certificate during the campaign last year. However, because of nasty smears from people like Donald Trump, the White House believed a release of the original copy was necessary to avoid a “distraction” over the birth certificate issue. This morning, a smirking Trump told reporters he was claiming victory over the release. During the question and answer period, he added that Obama should get “off his basketball court” to respond to gas prices.

Many have alleged that Trump’s nonstop, unsubstantiated smears about Obama’s birth and legitimacy are coded racial language designed to inspire hatred against Obama’s identity. His recent comments about Obama’s “terrible grades” may be a hint to “resentful whites that this seemingly brilliant black man isn’t so smart after all,” writes Michelle Goldberg. Trump previously commented on the the “frightening” level of support that Obama enjoys from black voters and bragged that “I’ve always had a great relationship with the blacks.”

After Trump’s claims about Obama’s birth certificate were further discredited, he is moving on to even more transparent racist language. Will the media continue to provide a free platform to Trump’s hate-fueled publicity campaign?

Only 620,000 people live in the state, how much you want to bet they still can’t make it work?

Vt. Senate approves single-payer plan — WCAX

The Vermont Senate gave final approval to health care reform legislation Tuesday.

The vote came after lengthy debate on amendments — many of them aimed at making the bill more palatable for businesses. Republicans introduced several amendments that they say would reduce the costs for businesses. But the strong Democratic majority easily rejected those amendments.

After giving preliminary approval to the health care reform bill on Monday, lawmakers considered several amendments Tuesday. Many were aimed at making the bill more business friendly after several businesses, including IBM, voiced concerns.

“This amendment simply says that we respect and appreciate the jobs in Vermont,” said Sen. Hinda Miller, D-Chittenden County.

“The one thing that is certain is that if we continue to move in the direction that we are moving, the certainty is that their costs will continue to increase,” said Sen. Anthony Pollina, D-Washington County.

Most of the amendments that would have made significant changes to the health care bill were defeated, including changes that Republicans called benefits to the business community. The bill passed 21-9.

So now the bill will enter a conference committee to reconcile the differences between the Senate proposal and the version that passed through the House. Then it will be sent to Gov. Peter Shumlin, D-Vermont, for signing.

Just another day.

(All Voices) — It has been reported that two Christians from Punjab, Pakistan are in protective custody after blasphemy accusations against them sparked violent riots.

Release International, an United Kingdom (U.K) based Christian advocacy group which stated this said a furious mob began attacking Christian homes in Aziz Colony, Gujranwala, after a father and son accused of burning the Koran were released by police.

It noted that Police said they had no option but to re-arrest Pastor Mushtaq Gill and his son, Farrukh, to avert further violence.

In statement a Release partner the Centre for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement (CLAAS) said the attacks, on April 15, prompted hundreds of Christians in the area to flee their homes, fearing a repeat of the attack on Gojra, also in Punjab, in August 2009. “Seven Christians were killed in the Gojra raid, which was also prompted by blasphemy allegations.”

It observed that Pastor Mushtaq is a teacher at the Christian Technical Training Centre of Gujranwala; Farrukh works for a bank. CLAAS reports that the pair was falsely accused about four months ago when burnt pages of the Koran were found near their house.

Quoting Compass Direct news service, it said that since the riots, the police have charged the pair under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws and are holding them at an undisclosed location. Police said that a case was registered for the Christians’ own safety.

Be a good dhimmi and kiss the book.

(PressTV) — A top Iranian military commander has called on US President Barack Obama to distance himself from those who perpetrated the recent acts desecration against the Holy Qur’an.

“Western states must pay respect to Muslims’ holy book, the Qur’an, as much as they show interest in maintaining strong ties with Middle Eastern countries and their oil,” Fars News Agency quoted Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Hassan Firouzabadi as saying on Monday.

“Obama should distance himself from the desecrators of the Qur’an,” he added.

Maj. Gen. Firouzabadi further said the current situation in the United States obligates Obama to fulfill the pledges he made during his presidential campaign.

On March 20, the American evangelical preacher Wayne Sapp set fire to a copy of the Holy Qur’an in a small church in Florida.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the repeated desecration of the Holy Qur’an, saying that “such actions cannot be condoned by any religion.”