Mount Virtus

Not that you’ll notice much - yes, I’ve been that busy, and yes, I haven’t had that much to say - but if I’ll be blogging at all in the next few days it will be from Washington, D.C. My first trip there in six years. Maybe, in honor of the Roberts nomination, a trip to the Supreme Court would be in order. And I definitely have to visit the World War Two Memorial. Arlington Cemetery and the Lincoln Memorial are must-sees. But since most of my time there will be taken up with business, I may not be able to catch much more than that.

(Yawn)

Kudos to the Rocky Mountain News, for the insider political coup of the season. The Denver daily did some sleuthing homework, conducting a “DNA Test” on one of the Dead Governors to confirm the identity of freelance writer and registered JeffCo Democrat Jason Bane. The hot political site’s contributors maintain that the rest of their identities will not be disclosed. The challenge is on.

Since I discovered this site months ago, I’ve readily classified it as a center-left-leaning political blog with plenty of gossip and sometimes reliable information. Learning part of its little secret doesn’t change any of that for me.

(End Yawn)

The fame of the Rocky Mountain Alliance extends a little further today…

After being gone all day, I find that my good friend Jim has made a quotable appearance in a Seattle Times column on Internet blogging and the upcoming Supreme Court nomination process:

Ordinary people such as Jim Cannon are hoping to use online blogs to amplify their cause.

Cannon, 30, a truck driver from Denver, contributes to a conservative blog group called the Rocky Mountain Alliance.

“We can get people to call senators, get people to talk to their friends and family on the issue,” he said. “Blogs defined the last presidential election. If we have half as big an impact on this as we did on the election, I think it will do a lot.”

Way to go, Jim!

The President’s nomination of John Roberts to fill Justice O’Connor’s vacancy on the Supreme Court - the first such change in 11 years - is such an intriguing and momentous development that I thought I’d take a moment to survey what some of the leading bloggers are saying about it. Kind of a snapshot in time.

My own opinion? The President made the best of this selection, and good conservatives can join reasonable centrists and even people on the center-left of the political spectrum to applaud it. But here’s what others are saying (in no particular order) - first, from the Right:

The gents at Powerline are ecstatic:

It’s a great day for conservatives and for America. Thanks to President Bush for nominating the best person for the job–or, certainly, one of the best people, along with McConnell, Luttig and one or two others–rather than taking the easy, politically correct way out.

Hugh raves about his personal friend:

John Roberts: A home run for the president, the SCOTUS, and for the United States.

Fellow former Harvard Law Review editor Carol Liebau is also exuberant.

Robert Alt at NR’s Bench Memos looks ahead:

Any attempt to filibuster him should be dismissed as silliness: when they finally permitted a vote on Roberts for the court of appeals, he was confirmed by unanimous consent. If the Democrats attempt to call him an “extraordinary circumstance” and use the filibuster, it will show their own disengenuity, and will guarantee not only the use of the nuclear option permanently ending the judicial filibusters, but public support for the nuclear option.

Pejman Y., one of the Red State gang, is disappointed in tonight’s announcement (but not how you might think):

My only complaint about the nomination of Judge John Roberts to the United States Supreme Court is that I would have preferred it to be for the position of Chief Justice, especially given the leadership skills which–along with a brilliant intellect–would make him one of the most consequential and great Chief Justices in history.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the ideological aisle, People for the American Way is grasping at straws. It looks like they’ve drawn the short one for this confirmation battle.

Besides being stuck on the Karl Rove / Valerie Plame non-issue and questioning the timing of Bush’s announcement, Kos seems a bit confused and uncertain how to react. No serious comments to be found from TalkingPointsMemo, Matthew Yglesias, or Andrew Sullivan (the sometimes Leftie).

Others?

Michelle Malkin has a roundup of some interesting sources on Roberts… it’s worth a stop.

For the real geeks on this sort of thing, Eugene Volokh analyzes the online trading markets’ ability to forecast the President’s nominee.

Finally, in a must-read post, ConfirmThem takes the high road and links to some thoughtful responses to the Roberts nomination from the legal Left.

I could go on and on, but it’s nights like this where it’s okay for an armchair amateur like myself to sit back, be a “linker” rather than a “thinker,” and take just a glimpse into the fascinating world that is the blogosphere.

And let me say it again: John Roberts is an excellent choice to be the next Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

Despite Hugh’s strong admonition and best hopes, Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo won’t back down from his irresponsible and increasingly infamous “bomb Mecca” comments. He demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of our enemy and what strategic objective could be accomplished by even floating the idea as a potential deterrent:

In an interview, Tancredo said he did not intend to offend moderate Muslims, whom he calls the “best hope” of bringing terrorists to justice.

“When we bombed Hiroshima, when we bombed Dresden, we punished a lot of people who were not necessarily (guilty),” Tancredo said. “Not every German was a member of the Nazi Party. You do things in war that are ugly.”

He stressed that he was not advocating an attack on Islamic holy sites, but that counterattacks had to be considered - and perhaps telegraphed ahead of time. That way, he said, both sides would know the stakes under a worst-case scenario, much as they did under the Cold War theory of “mutually assured destruction.”

But we bombed Hiroshima and Dresden because they had strategic military value - it was a completely different calculation. Unless your only goal is to escalate our current conflict against Islamofascist extremists into an all-out clash of civilizations, I’m not sure what could be accomplished by bombing Mecca.

Not only are you making yourself beholden to a fringe minority, Congressman, you are drowning out your ideas for immigration reform. You can bring an end to the media controversy. Apologize.

When you’re a United States Congressman, you have to take special care what sort of public pronouncements you make, as they are taken to have much greater weight and significance than utterances from your average “shock jock.” Not best known for his great tact, Colorado’s own Congressman Tom Tancredo crossed a line while recently on a radio talk show. As one prominent “shock jock” has written eloquently in response:

Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo’s speculation about using nukes on Mecca following an act of nuclear terrorism in the United States is the most irresponsible statement any American official can make. It will be on al-Jazeera within the hour, and it will be used by jihadists against us. Such speculations send the message that we are at war with all of Islam. We are not. We are at war with a slice of Islam that is radical and violent. Statements like Tancredo’s invite all of Islam to think they are our enemy.

Every media voice that was raised against Dick Durbin’s asinine comparison of Gitmo practices to those of Nazis and Pol Pot should speak with equal pointedness against Tancredo’s speculation. There is no defending this type of speculation, and no excuse for airing it. Congressman Tancredo has been a guest on my show, and his account of his travels to Beslan and account of the massacre there is some of the most moving talk I have heard on the subject. But this response was incredibly stupid, and his apology –unlike Durbin’s– should be immediate and complete.

Ditto. Unlike Durbin, Tancredo holds no leadership position on Capitol Hill. Unlike Durbin’s party, the GOP should have no problem giving out a reprimand to one of its own for such a knuckleheaded statement. Although I respect Tancredo greatly for his integrity and frequently agree with him on the issues, this is a no-brainer: he needs to make a serious, full, and unwavering apology.

Jan Crawford Greenburg of the Chicago Tribune raises the specter today that political expediency might steer the Bush White House away from nominating an avowedly outspoken anti-Roe candidate for the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court Nomination Blog speculates on the significance of reported statements that the President’s people have dropped strong conservative Judge Edith Jones from the list.

I don’t think there’s too much to read into this solitary report - unless you are starved for news on the subject amid the raging silence of recent days. First, Jones wasn’t very high on many experts’ A-lists as a potential replacement (even though Main Street USA reveled in her potential role as “the nuclear nominee”). Michael Luttig, Sam Alito, John Roberts, Emilio Garza, and Janice Rogers Brown have all been better bets. Second, I am inclined to believe that the shrewd Bush White House is well-prepared for the impending struggle and will probably unload a tactical surprise somewhere during the process. Third, it would be folly for the President to alienate his base and betray a campaign promise.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Dead Governors have the skinny on Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez’s first major fundraising report - and it looks pretty fat. Marc Holtzman’s figures are forthcoming shortly. Read the comment section on the post, and see the sparks fly on the debate about what this news really means.

Today’s news?

With news like this, the partisan White House press corps and Capitol Hill Democrats continue to scream like petulant children for the head of Karl Rove on a platter - calling them “circling sharks” may be giving them too much credit. After all, they seem to need something to whine about until the President announces his first Supreme Court nominee in the coming days.

I long for a real, legitimate debate on a substantive issue grounded in established facts with some serious-minded person of a different political persuasion. Focusing on the MSM’s crusade of the day, however, will just continue to lead at least this center-right blogger into self-assured chuckles and dismissive head-wagging.

I know, I know… so you ask why I’ve posted on this? I confess: ’twas too easy to pass up. I hope to have something more substantive and interesting to follow in days ahead. It will be better for all of us if we can focus more clearly on some serious issue.

You Are 80% American

You’re as American as red meat and shooting ranges. Tough and independent, you think big. You love everything about the US, wrong or right. And anyone who criticizes your home better not do it in front of you!

A fun quiz to take, for sure…

Hat tip to Jonathan

As Major League Baseball’s 76th All-Star Game makes its appearance at Detroit’s Comerica Park tomorrow evening, the spotlight turns on a city still haunted by the echoes of urban decay. Motown’s battle for a fairer perception opens a new chapter. For many old enough to remember it, the words “Detroit” and “baseball” together conjure up a glorious 1984 World Series victory overshadowed by deplorable behavior - vandalism, fires, destruction.

How far has Detroit come since then? Progress has been made, for sure, but not a lot. Michigan’s largest city, the once-thriving world capital of automotive production, has a lot to prove. The Tigers, the wearers of the proud Olde English D, have a lot to prove as well. No World Series since 1984. No playoff appearance since 1987. No winning season since 1993.

Now there’s a chance to forge a new era in the history of Detroit and of Detroit baseball. This native Michigander says it can’t come too soon. The 2005 Tigers have shown flashes of brilliance but have struggled with inconsistency. Now 42-44 at the All-Star break with a resurgent offense that has overcome bouts of injuries, hopes are as high as they have been for this team in years.

All eyes are on the All Star Game at Comerica Park and the surrounding festivities. To read the finest example of resilience among Detroiters and their sports fans, take a gander at Mitch Albom’s “Meet the Real Detroit” in today’s Free Press (with the telling subtitle of “All Star guests, listen up: We’re good folks and we love our baseball”. Amen.

First, read my post from yesterday.

Then, read this story in today’s Rocky Mountain News. Marc Holtzman and Bob Beauprez are going back and forth in an attempt to outdo each other in the early stages of the campaign for the Colorado Republican gubernatorial primary.

No, I had no sources feeding me information.

No, I’m not ghostwriting for Lynn Bartels.

You come here for intriguing insights on Colorado politics, right?

In his bid to be Colorado’s Republican candidate for governor in 2006, second-term Congressman Bob Beauprez is garnering some early key endorsements, just as the Marc Holtzman campaign has been picking up momentum.

Former Congressman Bob Schaffer, who now holds the official GOP position of Colorado’s National Committeeman, has given Beauprez a big boost with his thumbs-up, one that should resonate with the party’s hard-core conservative voters. I’m not sure that in the midst of the Referendum C/D battle that the Governor Owens endorsement is that helpful with most voters who will participate in next year’s Republican primary. Then again, how many are even paying attention at this point? Some might interpret the Governor’s move as taking Holtzman, a personal friend and former cabinet appointee of his, to task for privately chastising his support of Ref. C, “the forever tax increase.”

But surely Beauprez needs the big-name endorsements at this point to offset the pending announcement that the Holtzman campaign has the early fundraising advantage. Or will the 7th District Congressman be irrevocably branded as the “Establishment” candidate?

All the GOP “Establishment” heft is there: Add Schaffer and Owens to a list of big-name Beauprez supporters that includes State Treasurer Mike Coffman and U.S. Representatives Marilyn Musgrave and Joel Hefley.

It’s sure shaping up to be an interesting gubernatorial primary, but will they wear out the voters too early?

In a startling development that may have had something to do with one malodorous world leader’s derogatory comments about a neighboring country’s cuisine, London edges out Paris for the 2012 Summer Olympics bid, in spite of a failed grassroots protest. Joyful Brits take to Trafalgar Square to celebrate the city’s first Olympic Games since 1948. How ’bout some fish’n'chips and a toast to Mr. Chirac?

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness….”

HAPPY 229TH BIRTHDAY, USA!

May you all safely enjoy your Independence Day weekend celebrations with friends and family!

Batten down the hatches… prepare for an all-out pitch political battle in the U.S. Senate. The Left is going to bring forward the MoveOn.org, NARAL, and PFAW artillery, barrels fully loaded.

Sandra Day O’Connor steps down from the Supreme Court. Hugh graciously eulogizes her 24-year term of service. Orin Kerr at the Volokh Conspiracy shares 8 intriguing first reactions, including this amusing tidbit:

Even if Justice O’Connor is gone, we may still hear her name in 1 First Street when lawyers accidentally call Justice Ginsburg “Justice O’Connor.”

ConfirmThem speculates that Emilio Garza will be the replacement. The Supreme Court Nomination Blog has profiles on some other potential replacements. The gang at the Corner is all over the map with their off-the-cuff ideas. And a free-for-all has begun at Red State.