"WWBCD?", Olympic version

Remeber that this is my back-up blog. Please go to Fausta's blog for regular posts
Blue Star Chronicles is keeping an Olympic eye on things, and sent this:
Pres. Bush declines to slap Misty May-Treanor's bikinied butt

Today, as the busy crowd over at our Olympics blog notes, after an hour's brisk bit of mountain-biking himself, Bush paid another visit to the American athletes, watching the women warm up for softball, regretting the disappearance of that sport from the next Olympics ("It's good for the world to have girls playing softball and these women are going to show young girls how to win") and trying his hand, so to speak, at volleyball.

Bush knuckled off a couple of lobs, but defending gold medalists Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh gave the chief executive some pointers. Then after a good play, in the tradition of female volleyballers, May-Treanor turned, bent over slightly and offered her bikinied rear-end for the 43rd president to slap.

"Mr. President," she said, "want to?"

Want to has nothing to do with it in public life.

As the son of a president, a husband of nearly 37 years, the father of two daughters, the subject of some attempted tabloid exposes and a seasoned political veteran, who is not a female athlete but knows that every camera for a half-mile is trained on him, Bush wisely chose instead to brush his hand across the small of May-Treanor's back. (See photo.)

Darn!

Reuters had to redo their captions.

Now ask yourselves, "What would Bill Clinton do?"

Fortunately for everybody, George W Bush is not Bill Clinton.

And Laura Bush is not Hillary.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the Olympic spirit, today's books and shoes:

First, the books:
The WSJ's Five Best Books on the Olympics, selected by ESPN's Jeremy Schaap:

And now the shoes,
Puma Espera, in silver/white/blue.

My experience with the Puma brand is that they run slightly small, so order a 1/2 size larger.

Crossposted

Bush asks Congress to clear way for offshore oil drilling

Thank you, Mr. President:

President Bush asked Congress Wednesday to permit drilling for oil in deep water off America's coasts to combat rising oil and gas prices.
...
Bush also renewed his demand that Congress allow drilling in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, or ANWR, clear the way for more refineries and encourage efforts to recover oil from shale in areas such as the Green River Basin of Colorado, Utah and Wyoming.

Bush said that the basin potentially contains more than three times as much recoverable oil as Saudi Arabia's proven reserves, and that the high price of oil makes it profitable to extract it.

At the Beeb

President George W Bush has called on Congress to end a 27-year ban on drilling for oil in US coastal waters, to reduce dependence on imports.

Look at the numbers:

Estimated reserves:
18bn barrels of recoverable oil
77 trillion cubic feet of natural gas

US annual energy usage:
7.6bn barrels of oil
21 trillion cubic feet of gas

As McCain said,

...speaking in Houston on Tuesday, Mr McCain called for the ban to be lifted to help counter US dependence on foreign oil.

"This was a troubling situation 35 years ago. It was an alarming situation 20 years ago. It is a dangerous situation today," he said.

"And starting in the term of the next president, we must take control over our own energy future and become once again the master of our fate."

We also need to increase refining capacity.

We'll see if Congress can ever get around to understanding the importance of energy to their future, or whether they'll dream of a Pooh approach.



Share on Facebook

Noon roundup: WaPo realizes Bush didn't lie, the al-Khaiwani verdict, and more

The Anchoress has an excellent post, WaPo: Bush "substantiated by intelligence", where she quotes from this article, 'Bush Lied'? If Only It Were That Simple

On Iraq's nuclear weapons program? The president's statements "were generally substantiated by intelligence community estimates."

On biological weapons, production capability and those infamous mobile laboratories? The president's statements "were substantiated by intelligence information."

On chemical weapons, then? "Substantiated by intelligence information."

On weapons of mass destruction overall (a separate section of the intelligence committee report)? "Generally substantiated by intelligence information." Delivery vehicles such as ballistic missiles? "Generally substantiated by available intelligence." Unmanned aerial vehicles that could be used to deliver WMDs? "Generally substantiated by intelligence information."

As you read through the report, you begin to think maybe you've mistakenly picked up the minority dissent. But, no, this is the Rockefeller indictment. So, you think, the smoking gun must appear in the section on Bush's claims about Saddam Hussein's alleged ties to terrorism.

But statements regarding Iraq's support for terrorist groups other than al-Qaeda "were substantiated by intelligence information." Statements that Iraq provided safe haven for Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and other terrorists with ties to al-Qaeda "were substantiated by the intelligence assessments," and statements regarding Iraq's contacts with al-Qaeda "were substantiated by intelligence information." The report is left to complain about "implications" and statements that "left the impression" that those contacts led to substantive Iraqi cooperation.

The bottom line:

But the phony "Bush lied" story line distracts from the biggest prewar failure: the fact that so much of the intelligence upon which Bush and Rockefeller and everyone else relied turned out to be tragically, catastrophically wrong.

THAT is the real issue.

Stephen Hayes has More on Rockefeller's Feculent Senate Report from today's NY Sun editorial
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Jane Novak posts that today is The Worst Day for Press Freedom in Yemen as journalist Abdul-Karim al-Khiwani has been sentenced to six years' hard labor in jail.

Speaking of Yemen, Over half of women who marry in Yemen are under 15 years of age (h/t the Baron)
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Snapped Shot has a display of Government insurance, government efficiency that may be heading our way.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Top Talent Scout for Obama Tied to Subprime Lender. Who sent him?

Richard Fernandez comments on growth of the Obama-Rezko connection and quotes from Salon,

After law school, Obama went to work for the firm of Davis Miner Barnhill & Galland. During Rezko's stint in ghetto rehab, Davis Miner represented three community groups in partnership with Rezmar. Through them, the law firm helped Rezko obtain $43 million in government funds.

At last week's debate in South Carolina, Hillary Clinton stung Obama for "representing your contributor, Rezko, in his slum-landlord business in inner-city Chicago."

If Clinton was trying to stick Rezko on Obama, that was the wrong line of attack. At Davis Miner, Obama did a total of five hours of legal work for Rezko, under the supervision of more-experienced attorneys. Obama didn't really become tight with Rezko until he ran for the state Senate, in 1995. Rezko, who can spot a comer, was first in line with a check. The day the campaign started, Obama received $2,000 from two of Rezko's fast-food businesses. Eight years later, when Obama was campaigning for the U.S. Senate, Rezko hosted a fundraiser at his suburban mansion.

Richard points out that

Apart from being a slum landlord, Rezko has also been accused of trying to take control of a $40B Illinois teacher's pension fund so that he could loot it.

The world of Chicago politics and international intrigue seems to loop around. Not only was Tony Rezko tight with former Saddam moneyman Nahdmi Auchi, guess who put up bail money for the pizza magnate? Aiham Alsammarae.

The Chicago Sun Times reports:

A former Iraqi official and ex-international fugitive helped spring Tony Rezko from jail earlier this month, putting up homes that comprise nearly one-third of the $8.5 million in property and cash securing Rezko's bail, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned.

The three homes belonging to former Iraqi Electricity Minister Aiham Alsammarae — a dual U.S.-Iraqi citizen who broke out of a Baghdad jail in 2006 — are part of a long list made public in Rezko's case Friday following a Sun-Times request.

Don't tell me: they weren't that way when Obama first met them...
Brutally Honest has All Obasms all the time



Share on Facebook

Truly disturbing: young child threatening the President

Via Gates of Vienna and Jawa, this video of a young boy (perhaps of school age but it's hard to tell) threatening to kill the President and his family.

This boy is clearly very disturbed. He refers to himself as "a little kid who is f***ng psycho".

He had to have had help on making the video, coming up with the text of the message (notice how he does not hesitate or repeat in the way people normally do when improvising a message), reading it or memorizing it, and then posting it on YouTube which removed it. If you read the comments, there is even more hate there.

Whether the kid can be located and helped, and the adults helping him arrested, remains to be seen.

But the question of where does a culture of death leads us is very much an issue that will not go away.


Share on Facebook

Dora translates the road map, stay off the vaginal couch, and other morning items

President Bush and His New Spokeswoman, Dora the Explorer

--------------------------------------------------------------------
Craigslist Item: "Pink Upholstered Vagina Couch" Eeew!
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Castro Says He's Too Unhealthy to Speak
--------------------------------------------------------------------
The Top 25 Men Who Look Like Old Lesbians
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Obama's Admiration of Ronald Reagan means he'll say anything to get elected.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
How Metrosexuals Came Into Being



Share on Facebook

"Israeli terrorism", Mr. President?

Shame:


(Video via Gateway Pundit)
Text of Bush’s Remarks at Annapolis Conference:

We express our determination to bring an end to bloodshed, suffering and decades of conflict between our peoples; to usher in a new era of peace, based on freedom, security, justice, dignity, respect and mutual recognition; to propagate a culture of peace and nonviolence; to confront terrorism and incitement, whether committed by Palestinians or Israelis.

And, sure as rain, Israelis will be forced into yet more concessions: Elder of Ziyon looks at the map.

The NYSun:

The sad fact is that Annapolis is sideshow to a larger battle that has to be won before anything appropriate in the way of peace negotiations can take place between Israel and her Arab enemies. Yesterday, while everyone was focusing on Annapolis, Lieutenant General Lute, Mr. Bush's "tsar" for the Battle of Iraq, quietly announced, as our Nicholas Wapshott reported yesterday, that the administration and the Iraqis are about to commence talks on withdrawing American troops in advance of the end of the U.N. mandate in 2008. The important, the most urgent battle in the coming seasons will be securing the victory that our GIs have been crafting in on the battlefield there and advancing the spread of democracy in the neighboring lands. What peace can be established between Israel and her neighbors while a regime exists in Iran to stoke the arsenals of the terrorists in Gaza and Lebanon, the latter of which, our Benny Avni reported earlier in the week, is the more logical place for Annapolis to focus. Messrs. Bush and Olmert are, sadly, the only players on the Middle Eastern battlefield with the kind of credentials — democratic credentials — that really matter.

Over in Saudi Arabia, the authorities have released more than 1,500 reformed extremists who underwent counseling.


Share on Facebook

Beltway Circus: Dems Outmaneuvered on Impeachment

Anyone who harbors any doubt that Washington is one huge three-ring circus need only read this caper:

Dems Outmaneuvered on Impeachment

Michelle Malkin has a blow-by-blow of the sporting event.

Dan Riehl asks,Republicans: The Nutroots Best Friend?

Memeorandum has lots more on the whole spectacle.



Share on Facebook

Darth goes to Buckingham Palace, and other news

Kudos to the music director:
King Abdullah Visits Buckingham Palace; Greeted by Darth Vader Theme
To make it even better, Stephen King was on the talk show:

--------------------------------------------------------------
Via Larwyn, Al Qaeda takeover of the Taliban
--------------------------------------------------------------
I made a brief appearance in Ed Morrissey's podcast, Heading Right to opine on Hispanic voters and drivers' licenses for illegal aliens.

As regular readers of this blog know, I have long believed that there is no such a thing as "a Hispanic vote".

Ed is a most gracious host and the best podcaster around.
--------------------------------------------------------------
I haven't been following the attorney general nominee Michael B. Mukasey hearings, but one thing is clear:
Why would anyone put themselves through such a stressful nomination process?

Sister Toldjah has been following the story and notices Feinstein & Schumer's change. More from Belgravia Dispatch.
--------------------------------------------------------------
The Anchoress asks, Clinton & Bush both thrown a Curveball on Iraq?

As we already know, The Anchoress is brilliant
--------------------------------------------------------------
Via The Manolo, The Thoughtful Dresser notices that

fashion is full of fat men (sorry Alber, I really love you in every other way) giving normal-sized women an inferiority complex.

Jill Kerr Conway, in her excellent memoir The Road From Coorain, also made that point.

Yet another reason to wear what is well made and looks good on you, not what some dude wants you to wear.
--------------------------------------------------------------
166,000 New Jobs Created Last Month, Double Expectations
--------------------------------------------------------------
Special thanks to Doug Ross for his recommendation. Please vote for his blog, and while you're at it, for mine, too; and don't forget Laurie Kendrick in the funniest blog category.




Share on Facebook

Editor & Publisher gets lost in Aznar-Bush translation

Editor and Publisher looks at a machine translation of a transcript of a conversation and jumps to conclusions.

The transcript was published by El Pais this week.

The conversation took place on February 22, 2003, at President Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas. President Bush, Spanish President Jose Maria Aznar, and Condoleezza Rice were discussing Saddam Hussein.

Let me point out that from the looks of it, the transcript, then, is a transcript of a conversation that took place in English. I realize that President Bush speaks Spanish, but the transcript has him speaking with the vosotros form (Quizá os sirva.), which is used in Spain. While Pres. Bush is fluent in Spanish, I have never heard him use the vosotros form in his speech. I expect that the conversation took place with Bush & Rice speaking in English, Aznar in Spanish.

On top of that, Editor and Publisher used an atrocious machine translation to write their article. Think Progress and others have picked up the story based on E&P's article.

Barcepundit, who is fully bilingual (and I can attest to that, because I talk to him daily), has read the transcript and reached different conclusions from E&P's:

If anything, the transcript proves precisely the opposing point that critics want to make. The conversation shows both Bush and Aznar trying to avoid war; that they were concerned of its human toll, and that Saddam wanted to flee with money... and WMD information. I guess all the people who are trumpeting this will stop sying now that Bush lied and mislead us on the WMD issue. Won't hold my breath, though.

Barcepundit is working on a full translation but for the time being, read his post.

Update: Jules Crittenden:

What the leaked memo doesn't do is indicate bloodthirsty lust for war at all costs. What it does do is underscore that Bush believed, quite correctly, that Saddam posed a threat to the world. That Bush believed, naively, as it turned out, that Iraq was ready to embrace democracy. That Bush preferred to see Saddam go quietly, but understood that there was no chance he would go, or set aside his ambitions, in the absence of a credible and imminent threat of force. It also indicates that Bush, then a year and a half into war, did not relish having to inform mothers and fathers of the deaths of their sons and daughters in battle, or the strain on the American exchequer that war would create. But he did not want to go down in history as someone who flinched, avoided his responsibilities and allowed a murderous dictator to pursue his dreams of domination of the world's primary oil reserves.

Update 2: Michael Goldfarb raises a good point:

This begs the question: why would Saddam attach so much importance to information on Iraq's WMD program? The mainstream media, the Democratic party, and many others have accepted that Saddam had no weapons of mass destruction, and that there is no reason to think that Iraq's program posed a threat to anyone at the time of the US invasion. Small caches of WMD and evidence that Saddam intended to reconstitute the program at some point in the future have been downplayed in light of the failure to find the stockpiles of weapons that most intelligence agencies believed to exist.

Yet if the dominant narrative is correct--that Iraq posed no WMD threat--then why did Saddam stake his life on concealing information about the program? After all, he had to think that if he did not leave Iraq, there was every chance that he would be killed during or after the invasion. Why would it have been so important to hide evidence that merely confirmed the lack of any threat?

The only logical reason for making this a condition of his agreement to exile was that he believed the program was more advanced than it really was, or that he intended to augment it. In either case, it further bolsters the case that Saddam remained a threat to the region (at least), and that it was wise to depose him.

Welcome, Weekly Standard readers! Please visit often.



Share on Facebook

The purloined presidential timepiece - found!

U.S. denies reports Bush's watch stolen in Albania

Reports that U.S. President George W. Bush had his wristwatch stolen while shaking hands with Albanians on his weekend visit are false, Albanian police and the U.S. embassy said on Tuesday.

"The story is untrue and the president did not lose his watch," a spokesman for the embassy in Tirana said.

Now, if someone would only steal his crocs...

-------------------------------------------------
Totally unrelated video, sent by Ana and Maria,

-------------------------------------------------

Drink deeply from your BDS mug, and praise the freedom to do so

Updated
Yesterday I was in downtown Princeton walking down Witherspoon Street when I saw something in the window of a local shop that caught my attention: George W. Bush dog biscuits.
(I hasten to clarify that I didn't see them at this shop which is not on Witherspoon; their dog biscuits are different).

The store is not a political artifacts store, it's a hippie shop: It specializes in "hippie clothes" - i.e., t-shirts and tops in prints and batik, made in exotic (and low-wage labor) locales abroad from hemp, cotton and rough-spun linen - plus it carries stained glass, inexpensive jewelry, and pottery.

As I said, a hippie shop. I bought a sterling silver ring there a few years ago.

The biscuits were displayed in a cardboard box that said something to the effect of, "...crunch, crunch...he's gone!".

The biscuits were displayed on a shelf with other goods that carried the logo 01.20.09
I had no idea what 01.20.09 stood for until I read on the mugs "Bush's Last Day", which was explanation enough (click on photo to enlarge):

I stared at the goods in bewilderment and admiration.

I was bewildered (yes, I bewilder easily) that anyone would spend their hard-earned after-tax money on this kind of stuff. As you all know by now, I'd rather spend my hard-earned after-tax money on books and shoes, and I don't wear clothes with writing on them (except for the logo of this company, since I own their stock).

Bewildered, also, that one would hate our President so much that they'd buy a mug and start their morning focusing on his last day in office.

And then I admired how free we are to produce, market, wear and talk about merchandise like this.

I looked at the date and appreciated greatly how our Constitution provides for presidential term limits. It's a wonderful country where you can tell with certainty the date in the future when one ruler leaves. Britain, France, and many other democracies don't provide for that. Putin has no sense of humor so I don't expect any Russian stores will be carrying any such merchandise. Chavez is pushing to end term limits in Venezuela. Castro, Assad, Kim, and other revel in their never-ending tyranny; the very notion of term limits in their societies would mean a death sentence.

I looked at the merchandise and was pleased to see how we have the technology and the means of producing the items, transporting them to the stores and keeping track of the inventory so the stores can reorder.

And I looked in wonderment at the dog buiscuits - the Iranian mullahs consider owning a dog "moral depravity". How amazing that some people can feed their dogs the effigy of the President, who they despise for confronting the Iran-sponsored terrorism in Iraq, while being blind to the fact that the nuclearly-armed Iranian theocrats would not even allow them to have a dog.

Not only that: people from much poorer countries arrive at our country and can't believe that we have whole stores and aisles at the supermarkets dedicated to dog food.

We live in a land of abundance, prosperity and opportunity indeed.

Of course, I fully expect that the irony-poor Left will get together for coffee, sipping from their 01.20.09 black mug, proudly wearing the (symbollic, of course) pink 01.20.09 t-shirt and the 01.20.09 black baseball cap and feed the dog GWB biskits (what's with the spelling? Can't they spell, or is there a copyright on the word biscuit?), all the while bemoaning how our President's turning the country into a dictatorship, where we're all being repressed while the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy oppresses the heck out of our lives.

The disconnection between the fact that they can wear the stuff while making such arguments makes my head swim (* see footnote).

Dr Krauthammer diagnosed BDS as,

the acute onset of paranoia in otherwise normal people in reaction to the policies, the presidency -- nay -- the very existence of George W. Bush.

Drink deeply from your BDS mug, and praise the freedom to do so, folks.

* Footnote: I was talking to a friend yesterday who told me that "makes my head swim" doesn't mean the same as "makes my head spin", which I have been using interchangeably.
She says that "makes my head swim" implies delight, and "makes my head spin" implies confusion.
Any clarification on this matter will be greatly welcome.
Update Beth emails,

my head swims means that you are dizzy or lose your balance. So, that seems to me it would be the same as my head spins.

Thanks!

Update 2 My neighbor TigerHawk posts that The New York Times discovers jihadi ideology
More The Albanians won't be buying any of those dog biscuits
-----------------------------------------------------------
Dr. Sanity has The Carnival of the Insanities:



Share on Facebook

A Beeb and blog round-up

Students go on rampage in China

Hundreds of students have rioted against the police in central China.

Witnesses said the unrest, in the city of Zhengzhou in Henan province, was sparked on Wednesday after a student was beaten by police.

She had been selling items on the street, apparently without a license. There was an argument and reports say officials broke her front teeth.

At this point other students began to gather round and witnesses say hundreds clashed with police and burned cars.

-------------------------------------------
While the G8 guys fret about Global Warming, Cold snap prompts Peru emergency and April freeze hurts Kentucky farmers

Meanwhile the North Koreans are firing missiles and the Lebanese are bombing Palestinians and no one at the G8's complaining. Imagine if Israel was doing that...

Speaking of the G8, this would be a good picture for a caption contest:

-------------------------------------------
The Anchoress has an excellent discussion over immigration, and another one on Pres.Bush that are must-reads.
-------------------------------------------
Gerard has the Memo from Israel to Palestine (h/t Larwyn)
-------------------------------------------
PBS: EXCLUSION AND POLITICAL DISCRIMINATION
-------------------------------------------
Via Maria, Who is Nicolas Sarkozy? What to expect from France's new president, scion of one of the oldest Jewish families of Salonika, Greece
-------------------------------------------
In a lighter mode:
Separated at birth?

• Arrogance has to be earned. Tell me what you've done to earn yours - Dr House
• Believe fervently in miracles, so that you too can be plucked from the Sea of Stupidity - Siggy

On the other hand, has anyone seen Hugh Laurie and Siggy in the same place at the same time?

Pres. Bush's speech at the US Coastguard Academy

Updated with video. Please scroll down
Today President Bush delivers the commencement address at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT. I took part in a bloggers's conference call with the White House this morning regarding the points Pres. Bush made during his speech, as follows,

Osama bin Laden sent Iraqi-born terrorist Abd Al-Hadi Al-Iraqi to Iraq:
- According to our intelligence community, Abd al-Hadi had been a senior advisor to bin Laden and served as his top commander in Afghanistan. Abd Al-Hadi never made it to Iraq. He was captured late last year, and he was recently transferred to the U.S. Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay.

In January 2005, Osama Bin Laden tasked terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi with forming a cell to conduct terrorist attacks outside Iraq:
- Bin Laden emphasized that America should be Zarqawi's number one priority in terms of foreign attacks, and Zarqawi welcomed this direction and claimed that he had already come up with some good proposals.

- Bin Laden then tasked one of his top terrorist operatives, Hamza Rabia to send Zarqawi a briefing on al Qaeda's external operations, including information about operations against the American homeland.

- Our intelligence community reports that a senior al Qaeda leader, Abu Faraj al-Libi went further and suggested that bin Laden actually send Rabia to Iraq to help plan external operations. Abu Faraj later speculated that if this effort proved successful, al Qaeda might one day prepare the majority of its external operations from Iraq.

- In May 2005, Abu Faraj was captured and taken into CIA custody. Several months later, in December 2005, Rabia was killed in Pakistan. And several months after that, in June of 2006, the terrorist Zarqawi was killed by American forces in Iraq. Successes like these are blows to al Qaeda and a testament to steps we have taken to strengthen our intelligence, work closely with partners overseas, and keep the pressure on the enemy by staying on the offense.

As Lawrence Wright said, al-Qaeda's happy if the US stays in Iraq because the civil war's serves their purposes; al-Qaeda's happy if the US withdraws and leaves a likely genocide, spreading to other countries.

Death is what al-Qaeda is selling; and defeat them we must.

The speech is being broadcast live right now on CNN, Fox News and MSNBC.

Update: Video:


Update: And Now, Al-Qaida In Lebanon

Saint Dymphna, and today's items

Before I start on today's items, I'd like my visitors to know that I'm not in the area affected by the brush fires. My thanks to the friends who asked, who actually learned about the fire before I did.
-----------------------------------------------
Dymphna celebrates the feast of her patron saint,

Dear President Bush:

Not to worry. So another lunatic left-wing therapist has decided that you're looney tunes, and of course Newsweek swallows this malarkey and spits back out at us, but what does that prove beyond another manifestation of BDS?

Ace looks at Newsweek. (h/t Larwyn)-----------------------------------------------
Ich bin ein American... (h/t Maria)
-----------------------------------------------
Doug Ross has a bright idea for a post.
Dr Sowell writes about The Anger Of The Left (h/t Maria)
-----------------------------------------------
Fitness in Less Time Than You Think? Janet-my-personal-trainer had me doing 80 cruches yesterday.

It felt like a lot longer than it took.
-----------------------------------------------
Did you listen to Thursday's podcast on Tony Blair, and Friday's on Israel yet?

Bloggers' call with Tony Snow

I had the distinct pleasure yesterday of joining in a bloggers' call with White House spokesman Tony Snow and Brett McGurk, Director for Iraq, National Security Council.

Joining me on the call were N.Z. Bear of Victory Caucus, Rob Bluey, Erick Erickson of RedState, McQ of QandO, Mark Finkelstein of NewsBusters, Michelle Oddis of Human Events, John Hawkins of Right Wing News, Matt from Blackfive, Tom Bevan of RealClearPolitics, Bryan Preston of Hot Air, and Brian Faughnan of the Weekly Standard.

As Rob states,

White House spokesman Tony Snow and Brett McGurk of the National Security Council made the case for the veto this afternoon in a conference call with bloggers, outlining these four points:

1) The bill handcuffs the generals
2) It makes politicians the combat commanders
3) There is excessive pork in it
4) It hurts U.S. credibility and strengthens the hands of those who paint us as weak on the world stage

Eric of Red State says, Tony Snow

made it very clear that the President intends to fight this issue for the cause and for the troops.

My question was, How are our armed forces around the region - in the Middle East immediately affected by this delay in funding?
Tony Snow stated that there's no direct impact at the moment, but the more the longer the debate drags on the more it'll affect people around the world. However, Brett stated, in two weeks it will start to affect both ongoing operations and on readiness level - The military have to plan ahead and have the assurance and commitment of the funding, a point that Sen. McCain also made in his most recent Bloggers' Call - The last thing affected would be combat operations, but the impact would be felt.

McQ explains,

The point, and it is one that I've made repeatedly, is that the debate - while satisfying to those engaged in it - ends up showing us as a divided and weak country. In that region especially, divided and weak countries are treated with disrespect. United, determined and purposeful countries are treated with respect. What this debate is keeping alive is the perception of the "weak horse" that bin Laden and his ilk have so successfully used to recruit followers and with which they keep hope alive for their movement.

As General Petreaus pointed out, the way you defeat an insurgency is to remove it's hope for victory. This bill does anything but that.

John Hawkins asked,

Do you think Harry Reid's comment that the war was lost boosted the morale of Al-Qaeda and do you think it would be appropriate for him to resign his leadership position over his comments?

A: The 2nd part is up to Democrats, but it probably had a lot of people scratching their heads. Our troops are signing back up in record numbers and they say they are seeing a lot of improvement in Iraq.

Q: What else can bloggers do about the pork?

A: Continuing plunging into details and tell people about it. You can't make some of this stuff up.

The last question was from Mark of Newsbusters:

Asked by me to comment on the Mitchell claim [that Cuba's "economic difficulties" were due to the embargo], Snow, flashing midseason form, observed:

As for the economic straits of the people in Cuba, there's an unbroken record of eocnomic failure in socialist states. Certainly the economic approach of the United States has not helped the economy of the Cubans, but on the other hand, this has been an economy that now for 47, 48 years has in fact been a basket case.

It's a direct result of policies that suppress people's natural freedoms, and their abilities to generate wealth and also to enjoy the incentives to build fresh wealth and opportunity on their own. So, again, look around the world, and socialism is 0-for-history when it comes to producing widespread, profound prosperity.

Brian Faughnan has an excellent article about the call,

Snow argued that it is important to recognize the consequences of victory and defeat in Iraq. Victory will show that democracy can succeed against terror, and that people can choose a democratic regime with a government of their choosing, even in the face of aggressive terrorism. Failure will lead to cataclysmic violence, regional destabilization, and a haven for terror networks. It is vital that we succeed.

Go read every word.

Special thanks to Claude Chafin for inviting me. Warm regards and best wishes to Tony Snow; all the bloggers are very glad to have him back.

Today Captain Ed has commentary on the veto.
Update: Iraq Withdrawal Bill's a Goner.