You gatta Watch This.......

http://www.glumbert.com/media/shift

Makes you think!

Mark Towner

Republicans Can Have Fun!

Here be Captain Mark and his wench Carrie

Captain "Mustang Mark" Towner

Carrie Towner, Senate District 2 Chair

Utah Attorney General "Black Mark" Shurtleff

Senate President "Long John" Valentine

With the latest "taxes" collected from Fort Jordan Commons

Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & ResearchRepublicans 2008: Giuliani 27%, McCain at 19%

Angus Reid Global Monitor : Polls & Research
Republicans 2008: Giuliani 27%, McCain at 19%
June 13, 2007

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Public support for Rudy Giuliani dropped in the race for the Republican Party’s presidential nomination in the United States, according to a poll by Ipsos-Public Affairs released by the Associated Press. 27 per cent of respondents would back the former New York City mayor in a primary, down eight points since March.

Full Details:

http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/index.cfm/fuseaction/viewItem/itemID/16090

Captain Mark

MITT VS. FACT: Shifting Positions On Abortion

The Gloves come off in the GOP Race

For Immediate Release
Contact: Matt David
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
703-650-5550

SHIFTING POSITIONS ON ABORTION
"Mitt Romney's biggest challenge in this election will be convincing Republicans he has principled positions on important issues, especially now that it's known that he remained committed to pro-choice policies after his 'epiphany' on abortion in 2004. In stark contrast, John McCain has a consistent 24 year pro-life record." - Matt David, Deputy Communications Director

MITT: Mitt Romney maintains that he changed his position on abortion to pro-life after a "single revelatory moment" in November 2004.
VS.
FACT: A new video shows Mitt Romney, just six months after his so-called epiphany, declaring himself "absolutely committed" to supporting pro-choice laws. (YOUTUBE VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxV-QNXoRIc)

BACKGROUND:
Romney Says He Converted To Pro-Life Cause In November 2004, Saying That After That Time He Was Compelled To "Stand For The Dignity Of Human Life"
Romney "Simply Changed His Mind" On Abortion One Day In November 2004. "On abortion, Romney says he simply changed his mind. He recalls that it happened in a single revelatory moment, during a Nov. 9, 2004, meeting with an embryonic-stem-cell researcher who said he didn't believe therapeutic cloning presented a moral issue because the embryos were destroyed at 14 days. 'It hit me very hard that we had so cheapened the value of human life in a Roe v. Wade environment that it was important to stand for the dignity of human life,' Romney says." (Karen Tumulty, "What Romney Believes," Time, 5/21/07)

The Doctor, Harvard's Douglas Melton, Claimed Romney "Mischaracterized My Position." "Governor Romney has mischaracterized my position; we didn't discuss killing or anything related to it. ... I explained my work to him, told him about my deeply held respect for life, and explained that my work focuses on improving the lives of those suffering from debilitating diseases." (Scott Helman, "Romney's Journey To The Right," The Boston Globe, 12/17/06)
Romney: "When I First Ran For Office ... I Concluded, Wrongly, That I Would Support The Law As It Was In Place ... And So I Publicly Acknowledged My Error, And Joined With You To Promote The Sanctity Of Human Life." "As you know, when I first ran for office ... I concluded, wrongly, that I would support the law as it was in place - effectively, a pro-choice position. ... And I was wrong. And so I publicly acknowledged my error, and joined with you to promote the sanctity of human life. And you know that my words were matched with my actions." (Mitt Romney, Remarks To Massachusetts Citizens For Life Mother's Day Dinner, Agawam, MA, 5/10/07)

Six Months After His So-Called Epiphany, Romney Said He Was "Absolutely Committed" To Maintaining Pro-Choice Laws In Massachusetts
Romney In May 2005: "I am absolutely committed to my promise to maintain the status quo with regards to laws relating to abortion and choice and so far I've been able to successfully do that and my personal philosophical views about this issue is not something that I think would do anything other than distract from what I think is a more critical agenda ..." (Mitt Romney, Remarks At Press Conference, 5/27/05)
· Watch

Mitt Romney Say He Was "Absolutely Committed" To Maintaining Pro-Choice Laws Six Months After So-Called Epiphany On Abortion.

Today, Romney Says "As Governor I Came Down On The Side Of Life"
Romney In May 2007: "You don't have to take my word for it. You can look at what I did as a governor. And as a governor I came down on the side of life." (Fox News' "Hannity & Colmes," 5/7/07)

Bramble drops Romney to back McCain for president

Bramble drops Romney to back McCain for president
By Matt CanhamThe Salt Lake Tribune

Posted: 7:06 PM- Sen. John McCain has a new Utah ally in his race for the presidency - state Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble. But this is far from the standard political endorsement. Just a few months ago Bramble announced his support for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, as did 55 of his fellow Republican lawmakers. McCain's campaign is expected to announce the endorsement Tuesday, but Bramble really switched sides some time ago. "I think there is room at this stage of the presidential contest to consider several candidates," said Bramble, who does not want his support for McCain to be seen as a criticism of Romney. "I would have no problem if Gov. Romney was the party's nominee." Bramble signed a Romney endorsement letter that circulated through the Legislature. He also went to a press conference but did not stand on stage with the candidate on Feb. 20. Less than two weeks later, Bramble spent 45 minutes alone with McCain at the Grand America Hotel. At the end of the meeting, Bramble promised his support. Bramble liked McCain's willingness to take tough stands that may not be popular. He cited McCain's support for the troop surge in Iraq and his involvement in an attempt to create an immigration reform package, which has since stalled in the Senate.

Bramble dismissed the Romney letter, saying it was not an endorsement, only a sign of support for a visit and fund raiser by Romney, a Mormon with Utah ties. "I didn't see supporting Mitt's appearance the same as saying I was going to work on his campaign," Bramble said. Other Republicans who signed the letter saw it differently. Senate President John Valentine is one of the Legislature's biggest Romney supporters, saying he has had "more personal contact with Mitt" when he led the Salt Lake Olympic Organizing Committee.

Valentine said Bramble will be welcomed back to Romney's camp at any time. "When John McCain doesn't make it through the primaries, we would sure like to have Sen. Bramble back on this side," Valentine said. McCain's biggest supporters in Utah include Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. and Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. Most public officials and, according to polls, most Utah Republicans are backing Romney. In a recent ABC News-Washington Post poll 20 percent of Republican leaning voters support McCain, with 10 percent backing Romney.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani leads the pack at 34 percent. mcanham@sltrib.com

New voting dates shift GOP tactics

Candidates forced to remain flexible

By Scott Helman, Globe Staff June 10, 2007
As the 2008 Republican presidential race heads into the summer, the campaigns are constantly reassessing their tactics as they wrestle with an unsettled primary calendar, a front-runner who is testing conventional wisdom, and the emergence of a new, high- profile contender.

With states still moving up their primary dates, what will the voting calendar look like and which states will carry influence? Can Rudy Giuliani, the former New York mayor leading most polls, win by de-emphasizing traditionally decisive conservative primary states? Will Senator John McCain of Arizona meet the fund-raising goal his campaign set for the second quarter, and what happens if he doesn't? And will the candidacy of former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson change the race or be a footnote?

Full Story:

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2007/06/10/new_voting_dates_shift_gop_tactics/

The Fred factor

The Fred factor
June 10, 2007

BY ALAN FRAM AND TREVOR TOMPSON Associated PressWASHINGTON---- Fred Thompson's expected entry into the tight Republican presidential race is drawing crucial strength from conservatives and older men, vaulting him into the thick of the nomination fight, an Associated Press-Ipsos poll says.

The survey shows the top Democratic contender, Hillary Rodham Clinton, has twice the support from women as her nearest rival, Barack Obama, but dwindling strength among men. Her margin over the Illinois senator has eroded slightly since the last AP-Ipsos poll, in March.
Thompson, who has sandwiched an acting career around a largely anonymous eight years as Tennessee senator, has not formally entered the race. But he already has impressed many people. One in four of his supporters cites his strong character, more than any other GOP candidate. ''He can be kind of Reaganesque in his engaging with people,'' said Ronald Coppinger, 47, a carpenter from Indianapolis, describing a plainspoken style like the late President Reagan's. ''I think that's important.''

That has helped place Thompson firmly in the top tier among GOP contenders in the AP-Ipsos poll released Saturday. It shows former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani with 27 percent; Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., at 19 percent; Thompson essentially even with McCain at 17 percent; and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney at 10 percent.
''It shows America wants somebody with Fred's style, Fred's leadership,'' said former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., a Thompson adviser.

On the Democratic side, New York Sen. Clinton is drawing support from four in 10 women -- a group that accounted for 54 percent of the vote in 2004's key Democratic primaries. One in three of her supporters cites her experience -- the highest rate among Democrats.
''I think women relate more to the needs of people,'' said cashier Jadine Robinson, 52, of Magnolia, Miss.

Clinton had 33 percent in the poll; Obama 21 percent; former Vice President Al Gore, who so far is not a candidate, 20 percent; and former Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., 12 percent.
Democratic analysts had no ready explanation why Clinton has lost support from men, especially younger men. Much of this support seems to have moved to Gore. Her chief strategist, Mark Penn, said that could change and noted that younger men do not vote with the frequency that women do.

Clinton, Gore and Obama each draw about one-quarter of Democratic men. Said Democratic pollster Mark Mellman, who is not working for a candidate: ''If she can hold close in the race among men and dominate among the women, that's the ballgame'' and she will win the nomination.

The AP-Ipsos poll in March did not ask about Thompson. But with strong initial appeal to conservatives -- among the GOP's most loyal and active primary voters -- he seems poised to cause problems for his rivals.
In an AP interview last week, Romney said Thompson's strength in the poll said nothing about voters' views of the active GOP candidates.
''He's a terrific guy and he's been putting bad guys away every week on (the NBC show) 'Law & Order,''' Romney said. ''And he'll go through the same processes we all do, which is building an organization, raising money, being scrutinized thoroughly by everyone.''
In a nod to Giuliani's response to the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, one-half of his supporters cite his leadership qualities, far more than any other candidate. McCain's supporters like his experience, while Romney's note his views generally.
Giuliani has lost some support since March -- a period during which his abortion rights views have been a focus -- notably from conservatives, white evangelicals, older voters and women.
Giuliani is still supported by one in four conservatives, slightly more than those backing McCain, Thompson or Romney.

Overall support for McCain and Romney has stayed about even.
Thompson also has shown strong support among older voters, especially men. Three in 10 male Republicans over age 44 said they would pick him.
While that is about the same as with Giuliani, Thompson seems to have gained support from that group at the expense of Giuliani and McCain.
Noting that McCain has been preparing to run since his failed 2000 presidential bid, unaffiliated Republican pollster Tony Fabrizio said the virtual tie between McCain and Thompson ''tells you something about Thompson's potential and McCain's weaknesses.''
John Weaver, McCain's chief strategist, said Thompson's impact is not yet measurable and that still is early in the campaign.
Among Democrats, voters most often cite Obama's freshness on the national scene' Gore's stance on issues, especially the environment; and Edwards' character.
For Obama, the challenge is arguing that ''America needs a transformational leader even if that person lacks the experience of the other candidates,'' Democratic pollster Geoffrey Garin said.
Clinton still has a significant lead among nonwhites and lower-income voters, enjoying the support of half of both groups. She has been losing ground among whites, who are about evenly divided among the top four Democratic names.
The AP-Ipsos poll involved telephone interviews with 1,000 adults from Monday to Wednesday. It had an overall margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
The margin of sampling error for the 541 Democrats or people leaning Democratic was plus or minus 4 percentage points. It was plus or minus 5 percentage points for the 356 Republicans or Republican leaners.

Latest AP-Ipsos poll shows Fred Thompson's entry into the GOP presidential race would draw considerable support. The poll surveyed 356 Republicans and Republican-leaning voters and has a margin of error of 5 percentage points.

27%: Rudy Giuliani
19%: John McCain
17%: Fred Thompson

Rudy goes jaw-to-jaw Trades barbs with Edwards on terror

Rudy goes jaw-to-jaw
Trades barbs with Edwards on terror
BY CELESTE KATZDAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Sunday, June 10th 2007, 4:00 AM
Analysis: When it comes to keeping America safe, Rudy Giuliani and John Edwards are in an escalating war of words that shows little sign of cooling." name=storyDesc>

Republican Rudy Giuliani says Democrat John Edwards' anti-terrorism plan is basically a joke. Edwards says Giuliani's making a political career out of spreading fear.
When it comes to keeping America safe, the presidential hopefuls are in an escalating war of words that shows little sign of cooling.

For former Mayor Giuliani, it's a chance to bash a Democrat as clueless on his signature issue, national security, and play up his post-9/11 strongman image.
Former North Carolina Sen. Edwards is trying to lump Giuliani in with the unpopular President Bush and set himself apart from his primary foes by forcefully taking on a major Republican.
Giuliani used several Friday radio shows to mock Edwards' anti-terror proposal, cracking that it's like "some kind of settlement to a personal injury lawsuit" and suggesting Edwards' military plan is "maybe new uniforms."

"This is not even National Security 101," he jeered.
Edwards, meanwhile, has ridiculed Giuliani as a wanna-be "George Bush on steroids," peddling fear instead of facts about security.

In swinging at Edwards, Larry Sabato of the University of Virginia Center for Politics said, Giuliani is working a classic front-runner strategy: Act like you've already won your primary and start going right after the other side.

"One thing that unites all Republicans is an attack on the other party's principal figures," Sabato said. "Plus, [national security] is all he wants to talk about, instead of abortion and gay rights, and Edwards has given him the opening."

The difference between the top Democrats is that front-running Sen. Hillary Clintontypically doesn't take the Giuliani bait.

Edwards - who has trailed her and, sometimes, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama in polls - appears plenty game for a dogfight.

"It's a better argument for Edwards to have than for Hillary," GOP consultant Dan Schnur said. "Edwards has gone full steam against the war. Even though Hillary's spoken out against it, she's still trying to preserve her national security credentials."

Teams Clinton and Giuliani both declined comment, but a source close to Giuliani said Edwards conveniently "provides a foil for Mayor Giuliani to discuss the need to stay on offense."
The Edwards people aren't complaining: "It gives voters a preview of what a general election matchup might look like between [Giuliani] and the politics of fear and [Edwards] and the politics of hope," said aide Mark Kornblau.

Not everyone thinks this is the safest fight for Edwards to pick.
"This attack helps Giuliani more than Edwards, because it reminds voters of Giuliani's finest moment," argues Darrell West of Brown University's Taubman Center for Public Policy.
But in his push to woo Dems and top Clinton, Edwards apparently thinks it's worth the risk.
"John Edwards has obviously adopted Dennis Rodman's line: 'The only bad press is an obituary,'" Schnur said.

ckatz@nydailynews.com

If at First You Don't Succeed...

GenRolly Speaking:Political insights by columnist Paul Rolly.

Thursday, June 07, 2007

If at First You Don't Succeed...

Republican activist Mark Towner blamed me for blowing up his planned Pirates of the Caribbean-themed fund-raiser for Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff. He was a good sport about it, but was disappointed that Shurtleff deep-sixed his idea after I questioned one part of the fund-raiser: the wench auction. Shurtleff quickly called me to let me know he never OK'd a wench auction.

But Towner went back to the drawing board and has come up with a Shurtleff-approved event for Republican delegates and their families. It will not be a fund-raiser, but just a party for the delegates, including a free screening of the movie at the Jordan Commons Complex at 5:30.The party will start at 3:30 and delegates and their families are invited to attend in pirate costumes. Senate President John Valentine will be there, dressed as "Long John Valentine."The event is planned as a convention-eve gala, with the organizing convention convening Saturday.

Cheers,Paul Rolly
1:02 PM

1 Comments:
At 2:52 PM, Mark E. Towner said...
Thanks Paul, I hope to see you there. We have leg irons and a plank for you to walk.....Arrrrrr.Captain Mark "Mustang" Towner
Post a Comment

Attorney General Goes Pirate

June 7, 2007 For Immediate Release

Contact Captain Mark E. Towner

Phone: 801.502.9134 or 801.897.0151

E-mail: markshurtleff@mymacmail.com

SHIVER ME TIMBERS! SHURTLEFF THROWS A PIRATE PARTY Ahoy! It's time to put the "pARRRty" back in the G.O.P. Admiral "Black Mark" Shurtleff, better known to land-lubbers as Utah's Attorney General, is ordering those who bleed political red and who fly the Republican flag to walk the plank to a pirate party this Friday.

Elected officials, aspiring politicians and party delegates will eat, drink and be merry at a private screening of Pirates of the Caribbean III. "As Jack Sparrow once said, 'Pirate is in yer blood' and here's a chance for Utah Republicans to get their inner pirate out," growled Admiral Shurtleff.

All buccaneers hoping to set sail should look for the Jolly Roger flying over the Jordan Commons Megaplex 17 in Sandy.

Prepare for more eye patches, peg legs and parrots than the Black Pearl. Good booty will be given to the best dressed pirates---young and old. Everyone will also get a chance to talk like a pirate, sing a chantey and get their picture taken with not only the Pirate Admiral and the infamous "long John" Valentine, but also the likes of Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, Elizabeth Swan and Davey Jones!

All scurvy mateys from the media are also welcome to witness all the swashbuckling scallywags.

Who: Admiral "Black Mark" Shurtleff, President "Long John" Valentine Lt. Governor Gary Herbert, Captain Mark “Mustang” Towner and a crew of Red State Renegades

What: Pirate Party & Movie When: Pirate Party 3:30 p.m. Pirates of the Caribbean III 5:30 p.m. Friday, June 8, 2007

Where: Cricket Theater, Jordan Commons Megaplex 17, 9335 S. State St., Sandy

Why: Pirates never need a reason to have a party

Password: "Turns out not even Jack Sparrow can best the devil!" ###

Giuliani, McCain say no to straw poll

Giuliani, McCain say no to straw poll
By LIZ SIDOTI, Associated Press Writer 18 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - Republican presidential contenders Rudy Giuliani and John McCain (news, bio, voting record) said Wednesday they won't compete in a high-profile Iowa straw poll, rendering the decades-old contest all but meaningless.
The decision clears the way for top rival Mitt Romney in the early test of organizational strength.
"I just got a win of sorts, with the two national front-runners realizing they couldn't keep up with me in the first state in the presidential sweepstakes," Romney told The Associated Press as he campaigned in New Hampshire. "Their backing out makes me feel 10 feet tall."
Both Giuliani, the former New York mayor, and McCain, an Arizona senator, said they would still compete in the state's lead-off caucuses in the GOP presidential nomination process.
"We are 100 percent committed to winning the Iowa caucuses in January," said Mike DuHaime, Giuliani's campaign manager, even as he announced the decision to skip the Aug. 11 straw poll in Ames, Iowa.
Hours later, Terry Nelson, McCain's campaign manager, told the AP that McCain won't participate in light of Giuliani's announcement because "it's clear that the Ames straw poll will not be a meaningful test of the leading candidates' organizational abilities."
That leaves Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, as the only top-tier GOP candidate to commit to the nonbinding contest. He has put extraordinary resources into building a statewide campaign and preparing for the event — an investment that now may be unnecessary.
Romney claimed the McCain-Giuliani withdrawal as a victory, contending that even without those two, a win in the straw poll will be a boost to his campaign's energy.
"They read the handwriting on the wall and are packing up their tents and going elsewhere," Romney said. "This is a huge boost for me and my team. This will energize my team from across the country to realize this campaign is winning and is winning early."
Held at Iowa State University, the straw poll is a dress rehearsal that allows GOP candidates to measure their organizational strength months before the caucuses, a one-day contest that requires a strong get-out-the-vote operation.
Republican-only straw polls have been held in every competitive presidential cycle since 1979, and no candidate has skipped the event and won Iowa the following January.
Iowa GOP Chairman Ray Hoffman said both Giuliani and McCain will be hurt by not participating.
"They are missing a huge opportunity," Hoffman said, calling the event a cheap way to promote their candidacies. "I don't get it. I don't understand why they are doing this. I still believe we are going to have a record turnout and I believe the advantage is going to those who participate. This could create a big opening."
A state GOP fundraiser, the straw poll is expensive for campaigns and can cost millions. Because anyone with a ticket can vote, campaigns traditionally purchase blocks to distribute to their supporters and set up air-conditioned tents filled with food and entertainment.
The decisions by Giuliani and McCain reflect the pressures of 2008's rapid-succession primary calendar that is forcing campaigns to rethink their strategies and use money when and where it counts.
Indeed, Giuliani's campaign attributed the decision to finances, saying the estimated $3 million he would spend would be better used to lay the groundwork for winning the caucuses.
But the move also amounts to recognition by Giuliani that McCain and Romney may be better prepared to turn out backers in Iowa in just two months' time. Seven months before voting begins, Giuliani leads the Republican pack in national polls but is in a tight race in Iowa and trails both in building state operations.
For months, observers have questioned whether Giuliani would bypass Iowa altogether to focus on competing later in delegate-rich states such as New York, Florida, New Jersey and California, where his moderate positions on social issue has more appeal.
DuHaime countered that suggestion, saying: "There's no de-emphasis at all on the first states. We are 100 percent committed to winning Iowa and believe we will do so." He said the campaign will beef up Iowa staff and Giuliani will visit often.
McCain didn't compete in the caucuses in his failed 2000 run, but he has since put together a solid Iowa team and is vigorously campaigning in the state. He'll hold four town hall meetings there in the coming days.
But McCain significantly lags behind Romney and Giuliani in fundraising and cash-on-hand, and the senator's decision to bypass the event will allow him to save money — and avoid a potentially embarrassing finish. Some Republicans in Iowa still view him skeptically for his rebellious streak as well as his positions on immigration and ethanol.
Nelson indicated the senator will cede no ground, saying: "John McCain has built a solid grassroots organization in Iowa."
Bob Haus, a veteran GOP activist in Iowa who is uncommitted in the race, said anyone who skips the event will have a difficult time convincing supporters that they can bypass the August test but still compete in the caucuses. "You can't sit out half the game and expect to be the effective closer," he said.
In 1987, Pat Robertson stunned Republicans by winning the straw poll, a victory that vaulted him to second in the caucuses. But George H.W. Bush captured the nomination and the presidency.
In August 1999, Texas Gov. George W. Bush was the GOP front-runner. He won the Iowa straw poll and months later, the nomination on the way to capturing the presidency.
___
Associated Press writers Mike Glover in Des Moines, Iowa, and Philip Elliott in Manchester, N.H., contributed to this report.

5k Fun Run for Cancer Research

The Judgesrun Foundation will host its Tenth Annual Judgesrun 5k Fun Run/Walk on Saturday, June 16th, 2007, at 8:00 a.m.

The race will begin at Highland High School, located at 2100 South 1700 East, and finish at Wasatch Presbyterian Church, located at 1626 South 1700 East. At the conclusion of the race, participants will enjoy a free pancake breakfast and awards ceremony.

This year, the 5K is distinguished as a USATF (U.S.A. Track and Field) sanctioned race. Awards will be given for male and female winners up to 3rd place in eighteen separate divisions, and Mayor Rocky Anderson will serve duties as the “grand marshal.” Expect music, prize drawings, and much, much more!

As with all Judgesrun Foundation events, the 5K raises money for cancer research, in memory of the late Judge Anne Stirba. 100% of the proceeds and race pledges benefit breast cancer research. To find out more about the race or to register as a participant, please visit www.judgesrun.com

To find out more about the Judgesrun Foundation, visit www.judgesrunfoundation.org

Real Time Costs of illegal immigration

ImmigrationCounters.com

ImmigrationCounters.com provides the public key statistics resulting from illegal immigration in America. Using the latest government and private sources, research and analysis trending data is factored at their individual rates of increase. Topic related books and links are provided for you to become informed about illegal immigration in America. For information about the research behind the individual counters, click here Data Sources.

ImmigrationCounters.com supports 'legal' immigration and respect for all, yet highlights the significant weight of illegal immigration as a result of poor governmental controls and unscrupulous employers. The ramifications of illegal immigration goes beyond the numbers and affects all aspects of society as the current crisis is unprecedented in American history. It's now time to transition from admitting the crisis exists to fixing it with urgent priority, to expose who wants it and who's been allowing it to occur.

Check it out
http://immigrationcounters.com/

It's about time...Rep. Jefferson indicted in bribery probe

Rep. Jefferson indicted in bribery probe
By LARA JAKES JORDAN and MATTHEW BARAKAT, Associated Press Writer 38 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - Louisiana congressman William Jefferson (news, bio, voting record) received more than $500,000 in bribes and sought millions more in nearly a dozen separate schemes to enrich himself by using his office to broker business deals in Africa, according to a federal indictment Monday.

The charges came almost two years after investigators raided Jefferson's home in Washington and found $90,000 in cash stuffed in his freezer.
The indictment lists 16 counts, including racketeering, soliciting bribes, wire fraud, money laundering, obstruction of justice and conspiracy. He faces a possible maximum sentence of 235 years.

He is the first U.S. official to face charges under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which prohibits corporate bribery overseas.
Jefferson, through his lawyer, claimed innocence. He will be arraigned Friday in U.S. District Court in Alexandria.

The schemes were complicated and Jefferson set up front companies to hide the money and disperse it to family members, prosecutors said.

"But the essence of the charges are really very simple: Mr. Jefferson corruptly traded on his good office and on the Congress," said Chuck Rosenberg, the U.S. attorney in Alexandria.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (news, bio, voting record) is expected to push this week for Jefferson to be stripped of his seat on the Small Business Committee, according to a leadership aide who spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision had not yet been announced.
"If these charges are proven true, they constitute an egregious and unacceptable abuse of public trust and power," said Pelosi, D-Calif. "Democrats are committed to upholding a high ethical standard and eliminating corruption and unethical behavior from the Congress."
House Republican Leader John Boehner (news, bio, voting record) of Ohio said Jefferson should be expelled from Congress if he is found guilty and refuses to resign.

Jefferson, 60, whose congressional district includes New Orleans, has said little about the case publicly. He was re-elected last year despite the investigation.
His lawyer, Robert Trout, on Monday called the indictment "lengthy and creative" and accused prosecutors of "trying to create an offense."

"Even after they turned over every rock, they did not allege in this indictment that (Jefferson) promised anybody any legislation. There is no suggestion that he promised anyone any appropriations. There were no earmarks. There were no government contracts," Trout said during a news conference in Los Angeles.

Trout also said Jefferson has no intention of seeking a plea bargain. "He's obviously not happy about being indicted, but he's confident that when the facts are known he will be vindicated," Trout said about his client. "He is committed, he is confident and he is ready to fight."
Two of Jefferson's associates have struck plea bargains with prosecutors and have been sentenced.

Brett Pfeffer, a former congressional aide, admitted soliciting bribes on Jefferson's behalf and was sentenced to eight years in prison.
Another Jefferson associate, Louisville, Ky., telecommunications executive Vernon Jackson, pleaded guilty to paying between $400,000 and $1 million in bribes to Jefferson in exchange for his assistance securing business deals in Nigeria and other African nations. Jackson was sentenced to more than seven years in prison.

Both Pfeffer and Jackson agreed to cooperate in the case against Jefferson.
The impact of the case has stretched across continents and even roiled presidential politics in Nigeria. According to court records, Jefferson told associates he needed cash to pay bribes to the country's vice president, Atiku Abubakar.

Abubakar denied the allegations, which figured prominently in that country's presidential elections in April. He ran for the presidency and finished third.
In Lagos, Nigeria, Abubakar spokesman Garba Shehu said the former vice president "has always denied wrongdoing in the matter."

"He has only had official interaction with the congressman, who the vice president felt deserved a hearing because he was a ranking member of the U.S. Congress," Shehu said. "The vice president was in no way cited in this thing, so we feel vindicated."
While Abubakar is not cited by name, the indictment refers to "Nigerian Official A," a high-ranking official in Nigeria's executive branch who had a spouse in Potomac, Md. One of Abubakar's wives, Jennifer Douglas, lived in that Washington suburb. A search warrant for the Potomac home, combined with the indictment, makes clear that Abubakar is the unnamed Nigerian official.

As co-chair of a congressional caucus dedicated to African investment and trade, Jefferson was ideally positioned to influence business contracts with African governments. The indictment said Jefferson would meet with African officials and write official letters on behalf of businesses that agreed to provide kickbacks.

Court records indicate Jefferson was videotaped taking a $100,000 cash bribe from an
FBI' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> FBI informant who felt the congressman and another businessman had bilked her out of millions. Most of that money later turned up in the freezer in Jefferson's home.
In May 2006, the FBI raided Jefferson's congressional office, the first such raid on a congressman's Capitol office. That move sparked a constitutional debate over whether the executive branch had stepped over a boundary.

The raid's legality is still being argued on appeal. House leaders objected to the search, saying it was an unconstitutional intrusion on the lawmaking process. The FBI said the raid was necessary because Jefferson and his legal team had failed to respond to requests for documents.
Some but not all the documents seized in the raid have been turned over Justice Department prosecutors.

Assistant Attorney General Alice Fisher said the documents helped bring the case against Jefferson. "Some of those documents that we were able to obtain through the process have indeed supported the charges that are presented today," Fisher said.
___
Associated Press writers Michael Blood in Los Angeles, Laurie Kellman in Washington and Edward Harris in Lagos, Nigeria, contributed to this report.

McCain, Romney clash over immigration

McCain, Romney clash over immigration
By BRENDAN FARRINGTON, Associated Press Writer 22 minutes ago
CORAL GABLES, Fla. - Republican presidential hopefuls John McCain (news, bio, voting record) and Mitt Romney clashed on Monday over the immigration bill, with McCain embracing the measure as a practical solution and Romney dismissing it as unworkable.
Speaking in politically crucial Florida, with its heavy concentration of Cuban and Haitian immigrants, McCain argued that while the bill is imperfect, it is an attempt to secure U.S. borders, help the economy and identify those who have entered the nation illegally.

The four-term Arizona senator chided rivals who are trying to score points on the issue. McCain never mentioned any names but his target was obvious — Romney.
"To want the office so badly that you would intentionally make our country's problems worse might prove you can read a poll or take a cheap shot, but it hardly demonstrates presidential leadership," McCain told members of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce.
Romney answered back.

"The immigration approach proposed by Senators McCain and Kennedy falls short of a workable solution to an important problem," the former Massachusetts governor said in a statement. Romney said he respected McCain, but his opposition was based on a "principled disagreement about policies and priorities related to enforcement of our immigration laws."
The immigration measure would tighten security on the Mexican border while allowing some of the 12 million illegal immigrants a chance to stay in the United States and eventually become citizens.

President Bush' name=c1> SEARCHNews News Photos Images Web' name=c3> President Bush has spoken out in favor of the bipartisan bill. Romney did not mention the president, instead describing the immigration approach of McCain and liberal icon Kennedy.
McCain said Bush understands the political implications.

"The president knows. He spent eight years as governor of Texas," McCain told The Associated Press after his speech. "The Republican Party must address this issue, if, in my part of the country, we expect to attract Hispanic voters."

McCain stands alone among the major candidates in supporting the bill. He has criticized Romney for opposing the measure based on provisions that would provide a path to legalization.
"I will never conduct my campaign in such a way that it makes our country's most difficult challenges harder to solve. I hope you will hold all candidates to that same standard. Pandering for votes on this issue, while offering no solution to the problem, amounts to doing nothing. And doing nothing is silent amnesty," McCain said to loud applause.

Another GOP rival, former New York city Mayor Rudy Giuliani, also opposes the bill, but has said he is willing to compromise on how to deal with the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States as long as he is satisfied all security issues are addressed.
Romney has not offered a detailed plan on how he would handle illegal immigrants, but he said recently a priority would be to deport criminals and remove illegal immigrants from government assistance programs.

Romney's response to the bill has varied with his audience. Most of his criticism has focused on the so-called Z-visa, a document proposed for registering the estimated 12 million illegal aliens in the country.

Last month in South Carolina, home to the type of social conservatives Romney is courting, he said, "I think we should not call it the 'Z' visa; we should call it the 'A' visa, because it's amnesty and that's what it stands for."
Yet a week later in Florida, he said, "There are some who get involved in whether it is technically amnesty or not and I'm not really trying to define what is technically amnesty. I'll let the lawyers do that."

Despite his amnesty complaints, Romney said he would not favor rounding up the illegal immigrants already in the country. Rather, he supports them self-reporting to immigration authorities.

McCain chose a supportive crowd to deliver his 25-minute address Monday. Many of the Miami area's business leaders are immigrants or children of immigrants. He was given an extended ovation before beginning his speech and his remarks were interrupted several times by applause.

"Florida is a living testament to the benefits of immigration, a great and prosperous state built in large part by immigrants who came here to escape tyranny and despair," he said.

SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN TO DELIVER ADDRESS ON IMMIGRATION

SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN TO DELIVER ADDRESS ON IMMIGRATION

Contact: Press Office
Monday, June 4, 2007
703-650-5550

ARLINGTON, VA - U.S. Senator John McCain will deliver remarks to the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce at 10:00 a.m. EDT. Below are Senator McCain's remarks, as prepared for delivery:
"Thank you for this opportunity to share with you a few thoughts about the issue that has occasioned much debate in our country: illegal immigration and the failure of the United States to secure our borders. It is a serious problem that poses many challenges, and how we address it will impact directly the destiny of the great nation we are blessed to call home. Those of us privileged to hold elective office have the responsibility to secure our borders and change the immigration policy that has allowed this intolerable situation to persist: a nation at war, confronting an enemy that means to do us great harm, has failed to control its borders, tolerated for years an immense wave of illegal immigration, and is presently unable to discern from the hundreds of thousands of people who cross our borders illegally each year, who came here to work; who came here for criminal purposes; and who came here to hurt us.

"This problem cannot be allowed to continue any longer. Finding an effective, just and practical solution is difficult, but it is our work to do, on our watch. The politics of Washington have encouraged us to leave solutions to the toughest problems for another unluckier generation of leaders. Problems are left unsolved year after year, because we fear the political consequences of seriously addressing them or value their utility as political attacks in our campaigns. Illegal immigration and our porous borders are problems that we have, to our shame, ignored for too long because it was too hard and politically risky to solve. But the problem has grown too acute and dangerous to ignore any longer. To do nothing now would be an unconscionable abrogation of our responsibilities to defend the security, prosperity and values of our country.

"A number of us, Republicans and Democrats, and the President, have tried to meet this responsibility. We have proposed a remedy that, while imperfect as all compromises are, is, nevertheless, a serious, comprehensive, and practical attempt to secure our borders, defend the rule of law, help our economy grow, and make it possible for the United States to know who has entered this country illegally, and who among them have done so for purposes more nefarious than making better lives for their families. As the legislation is debated in Congress, many changes will be proposed and some adopted. Many already have been. I welcome any attempt to meet our responsibility to fix our broken borders and immigration system. Our proposal has provoked criticism from some on both the left and right. Compromises usually do. People of good will, who take their responsibilities seriously, argue variously that our ideas are too tough or not tough enough. I do not question the sincerity of their convictions or their purpose in proposing other ways to address the problem. There is one premise most of us agree on: the status quo is unacceptable. Our borders are unsecured, our laws our being violated, and our current immigration laws do not meet the needs of a growing economy. And while we argue over the means to solve the problem, we should respect each other's intentions.

"Both proponents and opponents of the legislation agree on another point: the last attempt to address the problem, made over twenty years ago, was a failure. The immigration reform adopted in 1986 simply granted amnesty to the millions of illegal immigrants living in our country, and did virtually nothing to improve border security. It is important that we avoid repeating these mistakes. A country facing an enemy as malevolent as the enemy we face must have effective control of its borders. And we cannot prevent further waves of illegal immigration without drastically improving border security. Those improvements alone will not stop people from coming here illegally, but without them, we cannot stem the tide of illegal border crossings by those who are simply fleeing despair and injustice or those who mean us harm. So we began by authorizing tough and effective measures to secure our borders, which must be operational and visually certified before other provisions to reform our immigration laws take effect.
"We will increase the number of border patrol agents up to 20,000. We will complete 370 miles of border fencing, and 200 miles of vehicle barriers, which will not be, as some critics have suggested, all that will be constructed. We will continue until we have protected our border with fencing, vehicle barriers, ground sensors, unmanned aerial systems, cameras, advanced communications systems and the most up to date security technologies available to us. New detention facilities will be constructed to hold those who have crossed our border illegally. We will institute a tough new employment eligibility verification system, tamper proof biometric cards to prove to an employer that foreign workers are in this country legally, and impose substantial fines on employers who hire someone without proper status. We will not admit one temporary worker or grant one undocumented worker a visa until the Secretary of Homeland Security can certify that these tough, new measures are in place.

"As imperative as these measures are, they will not alone ensure our control of immigration or enable us to know the identity, whereabouts and purposes of the millions of undocumented workers who are in our country now. To address those problems, we must recognize that as long as the job market in our growing economy offers opportunities to immigrants, they will come here, legally or otherwise, for the same reasons immigrants have always come here: to escape poverty and injustice, and seize opportunities so abundant in our good and blessed country. Moreover, our economy needs them. Ask any orange grower, restaurant manager or hotel owner in Florida. We have proposed a temporary worker program that will discourage illegal immigration by allowing more workers a legal way to come here to fill jobs that are available to them and have not been taken by an American. It is genuinely temporary. It grants each worker a two year visa that can be renewed twice but only after th e worker has returned to his or her country for a year. They will be granted a visa only if they prove a job is waiting for them, and it didn't come at the expense of an American worker.

"The most difficult problem is what to do about the twelve million or more undocumented workers who live and work here now. No critic of our bill has offered a serious proposal to round up all these millions, many of whom have children born in this country, and ship them back to their countries of origin. There is simply no practical way to do that, and most Americans understand that. We have proposed a way to encourage them to come out from the underground economy, submit to a criminal background check, pay fines, back taxes and prove they are gainfully employed in exchange for a visa that would allow them to continue working here. Getting these people to declare themselves and prove they have come here for a job, pose no security threat and have no criminal record beyond entering the country illegally will enable our security and law enforcement officials to concentrate their resources on those who have come here to threaten our way of life rather than embrace it. DHS Secretary Chertoff, who helped negotiate this legislation, has warned that two million people in this country illegally have committed serious crimes. If some of them attempt to legalize their status, we will apprehend them. If they don't, we can concentrate our efforts on locating them and not rounding up lettuce pickers, hotel maids, and babysitters. Most importantly, we can devote all the resources necessary to finding terrorists who have broken our immigration laws, like three of the terrorists who intended to attack our soldiers at Ft. Dix.

"Those undocumented workers who declare themselves, pass criminal background checks, prove their employment, pay fines, taxes, learn English and study American civics may be offered eventually, and I stress eventually, a path to citizenship. Critics of the bill attack this as amnesty and a special path to citizenship that is denied to lawful immigrants. Both charges are false. Amnesty is what we gave in 1986, and it didn't work. It was unconditional forgiveness for breaking our laws. Illegal immigrants broke our laws and they should pay a penalty for doing so. We impose fines, fees and other requirements as punishment. And if the path to citizenship we offer them is 'special,' it is because it is harder, longer and more expensive than the path offered to those immigrants who come here legally. Those undocumented workers who attain legal status are not automatically provided a green card and citizenship. The process could take as long as thirteen years, and will cost them thousands of dollars, require them to learn English and understand our laws and culture, return to their country and get in the back of the line - not the front, not the middle, but the back of the line for a green card. That is a fair, practical and humane way of dealing with the problem of twelve million undocumented workers. And if someone objects to it, especially if they are a candidate for President, they should have the responsibility and courage to propose another way.

"The situation as it currently exists is de facto amnesty. These people are here in numbers too large, diffuse and concealed to round up and deport, which even critics concede is impractical. They will stay here. They will work. And we won't have any idea how many of them are simply here to earn a living and how many are here planning an attack. It is a hard problem, and I understand that. But the choice is between doing something, imperfect but effective and achievable, and doing nothing. I would hope that any candidate for President would not suggest doing nothing. And I would hope they wouldn't play politics for their own interests if the cost of their ambition was to make this problem even harder to solve. To want the office so badly that you would intentionally make our country's problems worse might prove you can read a poll or take a cheap shot, but it hardly demonstrates presidential leadership. Americans are problem solvers, and they want their leaders to be problem solvers, and to show the same common sense, civic-mindedness, sense of justice and humanity that they do. We have a chance now to secure our borders and place effective controls on immigration that benefit all of us, and enhance our ability to apprehend terrorists before they strike us. It is a common sense, conservative approach to the problem. Is any office worth sacrificing the progress we can make now to solve this crisis? I want to be President to do the hard but necessary things: to protect our country and defeat its enemies; to solve our country's biggest problems on our watch and not leave them to a more responsible, braver, and wiser generation of leaders. I make one pledge to you that I will keep no matter what. I will never conduct my campaign in such a way that it makes our country's most difficult challenges harder to solve. I hope you will hold all candidates to that same standard. Pandering for votes on this issue, while offering no solution to the pr oblem, amounts to doing nothing. And doing nothing is silent amnesty.
"I know that except for a very few people on the fringes of our society, we all value legal immigration. And though the waves of people who have come here over the centuries have posed some challenges to our society, immigration has always proved in the end to be a great and valued part of the American story. Irish, Italians, Poles, Cubans, Japanese, Mexicans and people from every country in every corner of the world have come here, assimilated, and given America renewed vigor and opportunities. Most arrived destitute, worked at any job that would put a little food on the table, and then they rose, or their children rose to succeed in every profession. And they made this country great. No other country in the world has so successfully absorbed immigrants and made them an asset and not a problem. Even in many developed democracies today, immigrants are left in a segregated, unassimilated underclass and pose serious and threatening challenges to the prosperity and stab ility of those countries. Here, people arrive from everywhere, and are given the opportunity to become citizens of the greatest nation on earth, a nation that is based not on tribal identity or ethnicity but on an idea, the boldest, bravest, truest political idea ever conceived by man: that all people are free, and endowed by their Creator with inalienable rights. As long as you embrace and defend that ideal, you are an American.

"How proud that makes me of my country. How proud that must make you. Florida is a living testament to the benefits of immigration, a great and prosperous state built in large part by immigrants who came here to escape tyranny and despair, live the American Dream, contribute to our greatness and defend our ideals. I am honored today by the presence of Miami's police chief, John Timoney, who arrived in this country from Ireland at the age of thirteen, and whose contributions to our country have earned our respect and gratitude. Florida has been well led by its most recent governors, my friends, Charlie Crist and Jeb Bush, both of whom have fought for immigration reform that protects our security, laws, economy, and values. I want to particularly salute former Governor Bush, for the recent column he wrote with the former chairman of my party, Ken Melhman, which made an eloquent and persuasive case for our proposal.
"As a country deeply rooted in a tradition of religious faith, we are taught to love our neighbors as ourselves. In the trackless deserts of Arizona, people who broke our laws, not to harm us but to possess for themselves the ideals and opportunities cherished here, are dying, led into the wilderness by unscrupulous smugglers of human cargo, and left to perish in an agonizing death. Allow me to quote from a newspaper article that put faces on a few of these forgotten people who died in the desert of my state in one year.

"'Maria Hernandez Perez was No. 93. She was almost 2. She had thick brown hair and eyes the color of chocolate.
"'Kelia Velazquez-Gonzales, 16, carried a Bible in her backpack. She was No. 109
"'John Doe, No. 143, died with a rosary encircling his neck. His eyes were wide open.'
"We can't let immigrants break our laws with impunity. We can't leave our borders so undefended that people who come here to hurt us can enter it as easily as someone following a dream of living in a great country. But these people are also God's children, who wanted simply to be Americans, and we cannot forget the humanity God commands of us as we seek a remedy to this problem. Over 200 illegal immigrants died in Arizona last year. We have a chance this year to prevent such terrible tragedies from occurring in the numbers they have occurred in the past. Let's do it. For the sake of security, justice, prosperity and humanity, let us do it.
"The United States of America, the greatest experiment in human history - powerful, prosperous, industrious, inventive, striving, madly in love with liberty, hopeful, generous and good - has been the ideal of my life. I have always loved her, but it wasn't until I lost America for a time that I realized how much I love her.

"I loved what I missed most from my life at home: my family and friends; the sights and sounds of my country; sports; music, information; the endless variety of American life; our hustle and purposefulness: our fervid independence; our hopefulness; and our confidence that we could make of our industry and talents a better life than we had begun, a better country than we had inherited.

"I missed all of it, very much, but I still carried her ideals in the habits of my heart. And because they were all I possessed of my country, I cherished them all the more. I cherished the honor of being a citizen of a country that was the last, best hope of mankind, the great refuge of those who sought escape from despair and tyranny on crowded, miserable steamers into New York harbor, on small rafts across the Florida Straits, and on foot across the punishing deserts of the southwest. I know why people want to come here. I once thought I would rather die than be denied my country for one more day.

"I want us to seize this opportunity to secure our borders, and change our immigration laws to meet the demands of our security, economy and values. I don't want to use the issue to make it easier for me to be President. I'm not running to do the easy things. So, I defend with no reservation our proposal to offer the people who harvest our crops, tend our gardens, work in our restaurants, care for our children and clean our homes a chance to be legal citizens of this country. They will have to earn it. They must come out from the shadows, pay their penalties, fees and taxes, stay employed, obey our laws, learn our language and history, and go to the back of the line and wait years for the privilege of being an American.

"Riayan Tejeda immigrated to New York from the Dominican Republic. He came with two dreams, he said, to become an American citizen and to serve in the United States Marine Corps. He willingly accepted the obligations of American citizenship before he possessed all the rights of an American. Staff Sergeant Tejada, from Washington Heights, New York by way of the Dominican Republic, the father of two young daughters, died in an ambush in Baghdad on April 11, 2003. He had never fulfilled his first dream to become a naturalized American citizen. But he loved his country so much he gave his life to defend her. Right now, at this very moment, there are fighting for us in Iraq and Afghanistan, soldiers who are not yet American citizens, or whose parents are not, but who have dreamed the dream, and have risked everything for it. They make me proud to share this country with them. They are my countrymen, and I am theirs.
"They came to grasp the lowest rung of the ladder of opportunity, and they intend to rise. Let them rise. Let them rise. We will be the better for it. Our America -blessed, bountiful, and beautiful - is the land of hope and opportunity, the land of the immigrant's dream. Long may she remain so."

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Yo Ho Yo Ho a Pirates Life For Me

It's time to clean house on Capital Hill.

Any Senator who has been in Washington for more than 18 years needs to retire, or replaced at the polls.

Any Congressman who has been in Washington more than 9 terms needs to retire, or replaced at the polls.

"It's Time to Send a Fiscally Conservative Grandmother to Washington, to clean up the House"

Captain Mark Towner

This Weeks Headlines

Obama Feels the Love from New Hampshire's Famous Skeptics by David ShribmanHillary vs. The 'On Your Own' Society by Rich LowryHonor, Duty, Country? by William F. BuckleyAs Europe Self-Destructs by Caroline GlickThe Gay Lobby Takes on eHarmony by Ross KaminskyThe End of Reaganism by Richard ReevesTime to Split the Blanket by Patrick BuchananRudy's Jersey Coup by Robert NovakMichael Bloomberg vs. the 12th Amendment by Jay CostGet in Line, Einstein by Charles KrauthammerDebating In Parallel Universes by E. J. DionneFreedom's Forgotten Front by Oliver NorthRising to a New Generation of Global Challenges by Mitt RomneyRenewing American Leadership by Barack ObamaObama Enters National Health Care Bidding War by Rick MoranSpecial Report Roundtable - May 31 by FOX News Special Report With Brit HumeLaura Ingraham on Thompson, Democrats by Hannity & ColmesThe Global Immigration Problem by Victor Davis HansonWhy Fred Thompson? by Robert NovakThe Case for Conservatism by George WillBush Nears Debacle in Iraq, but Dems Can't Be Trusted Either by Mort KondrackeHillary Needs Classier Friends by Froma HarropHow About Amnesty for the Market? by Daniel HenningerCarter and Bush: Not So Different After All by Steve ChapmanIt Takes a Socialist Village by Cal ThomasBush Breaks Neocon Taboo With Iran by Joe ConasonFill 'Er Up by William F. BuckleyThe 'Law and Order' Candidate by Debra SaundersDemagoguery Beats Data on Gas Prices by Thomas SowellThe Justice Teaches Civics by Suzanne Fields'Hypocrisy' at the Top by Maggie GallagherPosada and Che Lived Parallel Lives by Carlos Alberto MontanerDusting Off Baker-Hamilton? by David IgnatiusWhat Do They Think of America? Don't Ask by Richard ReevesAbout Those "Skyrocketing" Gas Prices by Larry ElderSpecial Report Roundtable - May 30 by FOX News Special Report With Brit HumeFrank Luntz on Clinton's "Shared Prosperity" by Hannity & ColmesThe Hard Truth About Leaving Iraq by Ed KochWho Wants to Party with David Brooks? by Robert RobbThe Double 'Thank-You' Moment by John Stossel

Attention Utah GOP State Delegates

If you are a Utah GOP State Delegate and would like tickets to a private screening of Pirates 3 at Jordan Commons on June 8th, Attorney General Mark Shurtleff is throwing a Pirates party starting at 3:30 with food, costume contest, prizes, and the movie will start exactly at 5:30.

If you need tickets, send an email to marktowner@comcast.net and let us know how many seats you need.

Mark Towner

Today's Campaign Headlines

Campaign: Edwards Misspoke on Reading Iraq NIE - New York Times
With Immigration, McCain Tries to Regain Maverick Aura - Bloomberg
Critics Press Romney for Immigration Specifics - Boston Globe
RNC Fires Solicitors as Donations Drop - Washington Times
Union Split on Immigration Could Doom Bill - Los Angeles Times
Giuliani Would Use Successful NYC CompStat as President - New York Sun
Within Giuliani's Slim Lead, Time Bombs May Be Ticking - The State
McCain Fires South Carolina Organizer - The State
Boehner Leads Effort to Polish GOP "Brand" - Washington Post
Congressional GOP Expands African-American Ranks - The Politico
Two More Democrats Decline Fox Presidential Debate - New York Times
Clinton Touts Measure to Help Silicon Valley - New York Sun
Edwards Wants to Probe High Gas Prices - Associated Press
Edwards Wants to Force Oil Companies to Install Ethanol Pumps - Reuters
Obama: Restore Environmental Regulations - Associated Press
Obama Planting Grassroots in Nevada - Las Vegas Sun
Obama Says He'll Compete in Rural Nevada - Reno Gazette-Journal
Richardson: New Hampshire Warming to Me - Seacoast Online
The Florida Democratic Endorsement Elite - Washington Post