According to Antimullah, yes, and it will be announced by morning, Tehran time.
I can’t help but notice the similarities between this and the whole “Kim Jong-il is dead” meme that seems to be a common denominator in these evil, sealed-off societies.
However, Iran is not quite as sealed-off as North Korea, which makes me wonder:
If this is true, what will the response be like? Tehran circa June 1989 or Tehran circa June 2009?
Just when you think things are bad enough here, check out what politics are like in France:
PARIS (AP) – France’s culture minister is struggling to keep his job amid an uproar about a 2005 book in which he details Bangkok’s brothels and the pleasure and freedom of paying “boys” for sex.
Frederic Mitterrand’s candid tale came back to haunt him after he jumped to the defense of filmmaker Roman Polanski, currently in a Swiss prison on U.S. charges relating to his sexual liaison with a 13-year-old girl when he was 43.
In case you were wondering, Mitterand is the nephew of the late French (Socialist) President Francois Mitterand.
The affair is awkward for France and especially French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whose embrace of non-conservatives such as Mitterrand has upset his ruling UMP party. Mitterrand’s critics say it’s about child sex tourism, which France’s government is campaigning against. But it also involves a politician’s sex life, which many French consider private business, and a public figure’s recognition of his homosexuality.
Sarkozy, who named Mitterrand culture minister four months ago, has yet to speak out about the book. Sarkozy’s conservative UMP party is squirming but so far holding firm in defense of Mitterrand.
The far-right National Front party has conceded that it went looking for dirt on Mitterrand after his impassioned defense of Polanski.
“Frederic Mitterand must resign because his presence in the government as a representative of France is an indelible stain (for) the entire world,” National Front vice president Marine Le Pen said Thursday. Le Pen triggered the controversy earlier this week, flagging excerpts of Mitterrand’s book in a televised interview.
Leftists have joined in. Socialist Arnaud Montebourg said Thursday that Mitterrand “deliberately acted in violation of national and international laws” and appealed to Sarkozy and Prime Minister Francois Fillon to fire him.
“It is impossible that a minister representing France can encourage violation of his own international commitments to fight sexual tourism,” Montebourg’s statement said.
You know what’s sad?
It took a neo-Nazi party to point all this out, and it seems that only Socialists are willing to condemn this pervert.
God Bless America.
From the man who couldn’t beat Clinton:
Former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kans.) told a group of local Kansas reporters on Wednesday, that opposition to the president’s health care package had been driven by knee-jerk partisanship and urged Congressional Republicans to get on board a version of reform.
The 1996 Republican presidential candidate also predicted, following a speech at a health care reform summit in Kansas, that “there will be a signing ceremony” for a reform bill sometime this year or early in 2010.
But the comments that seem likely to create the most ripples were those that dealt with congressional opposition to the White House. Dole, according to reports, framed the pushback to Barack Obama’s reform agenda as almost perfunctory in nature.
“Sometimes people fight you just to fight you,” he said, according to The Kansas City Star. “They don’t want Reagan to get it, they don’t want Obama to get it, so we’ve got to kill it…
Sounds like someone just wants to get his Viagra paid for.
Winning today’s Pravda Award:
The United States is the most admired country globally thanks largely to the star power of President Barack Obama and his administration, according to a new poll.
You know, the kind of star power that can get the Olympics to come to–oh wait.
What evidence is used to support the ridiculously hyperbolic claims of the first line?
“What’s really remarkable is that in all my years studying national reputation, I have never seen any country experience such a dramatic change in its standing as we see for the United States for 2009,” said Simon Anholt, the founder of NBI, which measured the global image of 50 countries each year.
He believes that during the previous administration of George W. Bush the United States suffered in the world ranking with its unpopular foreign policies but since Obama was elected, and despite the recent economic turmoil, the country’s status has risen globally.
“There is no other explanation,” Anholt said in an interview, referring to the impact of Obama.
More ridiculous hyperbole.
And of course, in the age of Obama, there is no other explanation.
Canada took the biggest hit in the latest survey, falling to seventh from fourth place, while China climbed several spots to 22nd, which Anholt believes in due in part to the successful staging of the Olympics.
Anholt doesn’t seem to conjecture that Canada’s position “suffered” because of Stephen Harper.
In fact, has Canada done anything to warrant a drop of 3 places?
And of course, China climbed “several spots” because of the Olympics which were held…over a year ago.
In Soviet Russia, poll takes you.
From the kind-of-creepy official White House Twitter:
Reality Check on the Olympics: Fox News Trying to Turn a Point of Pride into a Moment of Shame http://bit.ly/RsRXJ
Once you click on the link, you’ll find a familiar looking “Rhetoric vs. Reality” format that the White House bloggers seem so content with using, even when they try to make hilariously hair-splitting points.
RHETORIC: BECK SAID VANCOUVER LOST $1 BILLION WHEN IT “HAD THE OLYMPICS.”
REALITY: VANCOUVER’S OLYMPICS WILL NOT TAKE PLACE UNTIL 2010.
RHETORIC: VALERIE JARRETT “WAS LAST SEEN WITH THE NEA.”
REALITY: VALERIE JARRETT WAS NOT ON THE NEA CONFERENCE CALL.
RHETORIC: CHICAGO IS CLOSING THE GOVERNMENT SEVERAL DAYS A WEEK BECAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO BE OPEN.
REALITY: CHICAGO HAS HAD ONE REDUCED-SERVICE DAY IN 2009, AND WILL HAVE TWO MORE ON THE FRIDAY AFTER THANKSGIVING AND ON CHRISTMAS EVE.
RHETORIC: VALERIE JARRETT WILL BENEFIT FINANCIALLY.
REALITY: UPON ENTERING GOVERNMENT, VALERIE JARRETT DIVESTED ALL HER REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT HOLDINGS EXCEPT FOR A SINGLE INVESTMENT THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE OLYMPIC BID.
What is the White House so scared of?
Why do they see it necessary to go out of their way to “debunk” staggeringly trivial (and essentially truthful) claims made on one episode of Glenn Beck by Democrat strategist Pat Caddell?
And why do they go out of their way to insist upon the innocence of Valerie Jarrett?
I think most reasonable observers would conclude that the White House is simply afraid of another Van Jones situation here, especially with Obama leaving for Copenhagen so soon. There are so many problems with hosting the Olympics in Chicago, and to get a peek at the Daley Machine in action for 2016, check out Michelle Malkin’s brilliant column from this week.
It’s absolutely embarrassing that a move towards hosting the Summer Olympics in the US for the first time since Atlanta in 1996 could be so fraught with corruption at its genesis. As far as the other contenders go, you have Madrid (undesirable, especially in light of the fact that their government was overthrown in 2004 by Islamic terrorists and is now controlled by Socialist Zapatero), Rio (also undesirable, especially since Brazil is led by Chavez buddy and professional racist Lula de la Silva), and Tokyo (probably the most solid choice, except now less-US-friendly Hatoyama is PM). As far as the positives go, Brazil has the most to gain as far as proving themselves on the world stage. And hey, the government in charge can’t be much worse than Beijing in 2008 (and as far as corruption goes, London in 2012.)
As much as I would enjoy seeing the Olympics stay in the US, and see Chi-Town undergo a revitalization (which has been spearheaded by the revamped Sears “Willis” Tower), I’m afraid that the people in charge simply can’t make it happen. And if Daley (or Obama for that matter) want the 2016 Olympics to be just another jewel in their crowns, then the Games will turn out to be more of an embarrassment than a “point of pride”.
Sadly, it seems like every year (or, rather, four years) the Olympics turn into a political spectacle.
I remain hopeful that having the Olympics in the US will allow for the smallest margin of corruption. And if President Obama (if he’s still President by then) really wants to “improve our standing in the world”, he ought to be personally responsible for making these games as transparent as possible.
New Rule: Nobody who has ever been involved with ACORN or their associates, whether working with them or receiving campaign contributions from them, should be allowed to investigate them.
The House of Representatives decided to wait a whole week to punish Rep. Joe Wilson for shouting “you lie” during Obama’s healthcare speech (when he actually lied.) The hubris here is stunning.
“The resolution is not about the substance of an issue but about the conduct we expect of one another in the course of doing our business,” declared House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md.
This is the same man who, along with the Botoxasaurus, wrote an article entitled:
‘Un-American’ Attacks Can’t Derail Healthcare Debate
Really? Calling opponents of HR 3200 “un-American” is a-okay, but legitimately calling out the President when he was lying is worthy of petty, vindictive legislation.
I never thought I’d say this, but I agree with Barney Frank:
One of the Democrats voting “present,” Barney Frank of Massachusetts, said, “I think it’s bad precedent to put us in charge of deciding whether people act like jerks. I don’t have time to monitor everyone’s civility.”
Especially people who are in no place to monitor the civility of anyone.
Meanwhile, Nancy Pelosi has shot down a vote on withdrawing funding from ACORN six times.
I remember an Under Armour commercial from not too long ago with the tagline “We Must Protect This House”.
What happens when the House isn’t worth protecting?
Just about 20 minutes ago, a brand new video from O’Keefe/Giles. And this one promises…
Prostitution!
Illegal immigration!
and…
MURDER!
(dun dun DUNNN)
Tune into Glenn Beck…the next 40 min will be about the video…and I will be liveblogging!
2:11-The employee, “Theresa”, thinks that prostitution should be legalized…BECAUSE SHE USED TO RUN AN ESCORT SERVICE
“Heidi Fleiss was my hero”
2:15-Beck: “how is that man just sitting there? Are there any decent men anymore?”
2:20-Beck: “We must quarantine Washington DC…NO legislation must come out of it” until ACORN fully investigated
2:24-Back to the video…Theresa: “I talk to congressmen, senators, assemblypeople every day”…”McCloud”, “Torres”, “Carter…67th district”…”Joe Baca”…”Barbara Boxer”
2:26-Beck: ACORN “going from villain to victim”
2:26-Theresa: “I am not your typical ACORN employee”…”my supervisor…might do this on the side”
2:27-Beck: I would hope our “taxpayer money isn’t going to dirtbags”
2:29-Theresa to Hannah Giles aka “Eden: “You would look adorable in a three-piece suit”…”I would ask for the [bank] President”…to seduce him!
2:30-Theresa: “I have some experience in how not to get caught”
2:33-HOUSE OF REPS PASSES RESOLUTION OF DISAPPROVAL AGAINST REP JOE WILSON YET THEY WON’T INVESTIGATE ACORN?!
2:35-Theresa: about her ex-husband…”I shot him” WTF
2:37-Theresa: “I never spanked my kids for anything” Beck: “she doesn’t spank her kids but you can bring in 13-year-old illegal aliens for hookers”
2:39-Beck: “Nobody’s asking questions!”…”The Red Cross doesn’t seem to have this problem!”
2:40-Beck: “There needs to be an independent investigation of ACORN”…”I hate to go all Howard Beale on ya…but GET THE (heck) OFF THE COUCH”…asking folks to call newspapers, ABC, Katie Couric, tell congressmen “protect and defend the Constitution of the United States…you took an oath…get your a$$ in gear!”
2:43: Beck-”Does sacred honor even exist anymore?”…now making Edward R. Murrow allusions “have you no shame?” (Beck starting to sound like Olbermann!)
2:47: ACORN set to receive $8.5 BILLION in stimulus $$$ WOWWWW
2:54-O’Keefe: entire expose operation cost $1300…”I’m willing to serve prison time for what I’ve found”…information “completely blew past my expectations”…”it occurred to me very quickly that this wasn’t an isolated incident”
Just about an hour ago, filmmaker James O’Keefe released the third installment of the ACORN expose, following Baltimore and DC. This one takes place in the Brooklyn ACORN office, and it’s just as shocking as the rest.
I don’t want to give away what happens…but let’s just say there will be a whole new meaning to the phrase “astroturf”…
According to The Hill’s (not the TV show) Blog Briefing Room:
President Obama says the angry scenes on televised town halls represents a “coarsening of our political dialogue.”
Really? What about Van Jones? Or Rev. Wright? Or Bill Ayers?
Since when was questioning authority considered to be a “coarsening of our political dialogue”? Wasn’t it quite vogue amongst the 60s revolutionaries whom Obama seems to be so fond of? When did Obama become such a square?
Obama’s philosophy must be “Free speech for me, but not for thee.”
And in honor of “coarse words”, I present:
