No, you weren’t imagining it — the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama’s former pastor, was all over the media last week. He even received more coverage than Obama’s opponent, Hillary Clinton, according to a study by the Project for Excellence in Journalism, which looked at 48 major news sources, including cable and network TV shows, newspapers, blogs, radio and Web sites.
From April 28 to May 4, Wright was the subject of 42 percent of all political news stories — compared with 41 percent of stories for Hillary Clinton. He also dominated the news cycle two weeks earlier.
The Iraq war? The economy? Health care? Not as important as Wright, apparently. This wasn’t just a bad news cycle for Obama. It was nothing less than a media feeding frenzy.
All the more impressive, then, that Obama has emerged from the Wright controversy largely intact, and with strong showings in North Carolina and Indiana. He’s proved that he can weather a storm.
Here are the top 10 “reasons Hillary Clinton loves America,” as delivered by the Democratic candidate Monday on CBS’ “Late Show With David Letterman”:
10. “We have more Dakotas than every other country combined.”
9. “Canadian bacon: soggy and chewy; American bacon: crisp and delicious!”
8. “Thanks to the Internet, I can order new pantsuits 24/7 — there’s your pantsuit joke, Dave. Are you happy?”
7. “Two hundred thirty-two years, and not one cookie shortage.”
6. “TiVo.
5. “Did I mention the soup? MMM, soup.”
4. “Did you know former President Teddy Roosevelt was an American?”
3. Where else can you get a car painted for $29.95?”
2. “Is this the part where I say, ‘Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night Live!’?”
1. “Apparently anyone can get a talk show.”
http://www.cbs.com/latenight/lateshow/top_ten/index/php/20080505.phtml
Until now, the calls to “drop out” have been directed at Hillary Clinton, whose road to the Democratic nomination has a math problem. Recognizing she won’t do that, Slate writer Chris Wilson calls for Barack Obama to bail, saying that “if he’s really serious about representing a new kind of politics, now is the time for him to prove it in the only meaningful way left. Moreover, were he to play it right, dropping out now nearly guarantees that he’ll be elected president in 2012.” According to Wilson’s scenario: Obama regains “his messiah creds by making the ultimate sacrifice for the good of the party.” His followers are so furious that they refuse to help Clinton, who loses in November. The base then turns its ire on current party leaders, allowing Obama to install his loyalists and deny John McCain re-election in 2012.
“Congressional oversight committees have failed miserably to exercise prompt oversight. They’re at the root of the politicization of the intelligence apparatus. I would assert that Sen. Pat Roberts is the root of the problem,” Valerie Plame Wilson, the outed CIA operative, said during a recent visit to the University of Kansas. She blames the inaccurate intelligence that led to the Iraq war on the Bush administration but also on the Kansas Republican senator, who chaired the Senate Intelligence Committee at the time.
In response, a spokeswoman for Roberts told the Lawrence Journal-World that Wilson “is not a credible source. Valerie Plame is hawking a book and appears willing to say anything to get media attention.”
Several bloggers have had trouble posting comments after they registered. Here are instructions our online people have given for a common problem:
If you will log out, then log in again, this will reset your user cookie and the comment form should then work correctly. Once you’re logged back in, the grayed-out boxes should be prefilled with your user name and e-mail address.
If you have continued problems, contact Nick Jungman at njungman@wichitaeagle.com.
In its timing, handling and everything-but-the-kitchen-sink content, the abortion bill that went to Gov. Kathleen Sebelius last week looked less like a serious effort to curb abortion than an invitation for another Sebelius veto — and an issue for fall campaign mailers. Allowing extended family members to prevent late-term abortions, letting local prosecutors access women’s medical records, adding more hurdles for patients — such proposals deserve thorough debate. Yet the bill was passed without review by a Senate committee. “It’s every legislator’s right to use the rules put in place to represent their district,” said state Sen. Phil Journey, R-Haysville. But lawmakers should exercise that right with greater care, or do reproductive rights mean nothing in Kansas anymore?
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told the Washington Times last week that slavery was the nation’s “birth defect.” She said: “Africans and Europeans came here and founded this country together — Europeans by choice and Africans in chains. That’s not a very pretty reality of our founding.”
While citing “enormous progress” on race, she said America’s past “makes it hard for us to confront it, hard for us to talk about it, and hard for us to realize that it has continuing relevance for who we are today.”
She also called Barack Obama’s recent speech on race “important.”
“What I would like understood as a black American is that black Americans loved and had faith in this country even when this country didn’t love and have faith in them — and that’s our legacy.”
From a New York Times Magazine article: “Separating schoolboys from schoolgirls has long been a staple of private and parochial education. But the idea is now gaining traction in American public schools, in response to both the desire of parents to have more choice in their children’s public education and the separate education crises girls and boys have been widely reported to experience.” The article explained: “Among advocates of single-sex public education, there are two camps: those who favor separating boys from girls because they are essentially different and those who favor separating boys from girls because they have different social experiences and social needs.”
Bruce Cole of Wichita became the Intergalactic Cartoon Caption Writing Champion with his winning take on this week’s contest. We don’t keep records of such things, but surely Bruce has won ten or twelve of these contests by now. Here are a few other entries that deserve more than a lump of coal (Cole?) in their stockings as well. From Wichita’s Amy Godsey came, "You really should get a flue shot." Bill Papineau, also of Wichita, came up with, "Santa, maybe it’s time we get our BUTTS outa here!" "Hand me my inhaler!" was sent in by Nancy Mueller of Wichita. Troy Davis touched on another subject with, "Don’t worry, Santa. It’s just the grill smoke from the fatty, salty steak you ordered." Wichita’s Thomas Coats said, "We get hazard pay for this, right?" From Derby, Julie Dombo sent, "You’re going to have to throw in a long-term health care policy if we keep this up!" Wichita’s Karen Wallace submitted, "…While visions of carcinogens danced in their heads." Another good one from Bruce Cole: "Talk about secondhand gifts…" Then there was this slap at my friend and coworker from Fred Wolfe of Wichita: "Brent Castillo says to pass them by, Santa. They couldn’t be evangelical Christians because they smoke and drink and do you know what."
Posted by Richard Crowson
Author J.K. Rowling surprised and shocked fans last week when she revealed that Harry Potter’s mentor, beloved master wizard Albus Dumbledore, is gay.
You have to wonder: Why this bombshell revelation now? If Dumbledore’s sexuality is important to understanding his character, why didn’t Rowling overtly make it part of the story line, or even suggest it between the lines?
Is she just out to tweak the noses of social conservatives who still disapprove of the wildly popular fantasy series?
Most fans, of course, won’t care a bit.
Still, Rowling’s outing of Dumbledore, while it doesn’t seem like crucial information, does reinforce a major theme of the books: celebration of individuality and tolerance of those who are different.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
It’s comforting and surprising to learn that the Air Force punished 70 airmen over the August flight of a nuclear-armed B-52 bomber to North Dakota to Louisiana — comforting because the response seems significant, surprising because this incident clearly was bigger than a couple of guys. “We are making all appropriate changes to ensure this has a minimal chance of ever happening again,” said Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne.
With so much consideration given to the terrible things terrorists want to do to the United States, it’s too easy to forget the terror we could unleash on ourselves if our nuclear arsenal isn’t handled with extraordinary care.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
A Los Angeles Times article on the challenge of prosecuting pornography cases when X-rated materials are everywhere included two cautionary thoughts that apply in Sedgwick County, where a second porn-related grand jury recently brought obscenity charges against five businesses:
“This is the only crime you don’t know you did until the jury tells you you did it,” said Ira Isaacs, a Los Angeles film distributor and producer indicted in July on federal obscenity charges.
“The only people forced to look at this stuff are the jurors in the obscenity case,” added Mark Kearnes, a senior editor of Adult Video News.
Interestingly, the article link anti-smut groups’ dissatisfaction with the Justice Department to last year’s firing of U.S. attorneys and this year’s resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.
Meanwhile, the Operation Southwind group in Wichita, plans to see if local Halloween stores are displaying obscene costumes. A Johnson County grand jury recently ruled that four costumes were obscene.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
It’s been a busy week for God-related lawsuits. A Fort Riley soldier is suing the Defense Department claiming that a military officer threatened to file military charges against him and block his re-enlistment if the soldier held a meeting for atheists and non-Christians.
Meanwhile, a Nebraska state senator is suing God for causing "widespread death, destruction and terrorization of millions upon millions of the Earth’s inhabitants." In this case, the lawsuit isn’t serious but is in protest of what he considers to be frivolous lawsuits.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
I love it when readers take off in lots of unexpected directions in response to a cartoon. When I drew this week’s caption contest toon, I thought the captions would have to do with the end of summer, maybe some jokes about school starting so early, that sort of thing. And there were some good captions along those lines. But lots of you jumped right out of that lane and made with the wise cracks on other subjects. Bekki Gardner of Benton was the winner. Click on the cartoon to see her entry. Among the other caption-writers who took on the same subject, Alan McMillan of Snoqualmie, Washington (!) said: "I knew I shouldn’t have bought season tickets from that cowboy out front this morning." From Blanchard, Oklahoma came Amanda Stillwell’s entry: "Tom Etheredge owned this too? Who knew?" Brian K. Frye of Wichita sent in "Maybe calling this place ‘Wild Water World’ wasn’t such a good idea." Shawn Steward of Wichita said, "I didn’t realize Wild West World operated the city pools too." From Karl Ganoy came "That’s the last straw! Come on, kids, we’re moving out of Park City!" Bruce Cole of Wichita had this one: "Just like Daddy’s job at the Greyhound Park - down the drain!" Jon McGlaun submitted "Get used to it, kids. This is Wichita. Hopes for a casino for me to play in have dried up too!" Margaret Stevens was succinct: "Got water?" Dean Kerr said "The city can afford to spend $500 on downtown projects, but they can’t afford to keep water in the swimming pools for us residents!" Chris Lunt speculated that "All the water is now being used to grow corn for ethanol." From Galen Rothman of Wichita came "If water rates keep increasing this may be as good as it’s going to get." Here’s Kathy Barniger of Wichita’s take: "And the pro-casino folks think they got hosed…we should be so lucky." Susan K. Teel of Wichita said, Ok, we can play ring-around-the-road-cones." Amber Helm of Kingman sent "Looks like they’ve implemented ‘No Water Left Behind.’" Maize’s Judy Grisham submitted "Too bad the ‘Vote No’ campaign didn’t include the starting of school in August." Among Karen Wallace of Wichita’s entries was "Drat! Back to car pooling." James Richards of Wichita said, "Don’t worry, kids, you’ll be swimming in ‘in-service days’ before you know it!" Beckky Garwood of Wichita had this take: I’m sorry there’s no water in the pool, Jimmy, but it just wouldn’t be safe. Our floaties made in China." Cpl. Kevin Groenhagen of the USMC smacked us down with this one: "My, this pool is as empty and shallow as the head of a Wichita Eagle editorial board member." Oh, and there was this one from Jeff Duckworth: "Why is Richard Crowson such a radical left wing lap dog for the Democrat party and why do I continue to subscribe to such a left leaning rag such as the Wichita Eagle that professes unbiased journalistic integrity?"
Posted by Richard Crowson
Might Wichitans still get a chance to play at Wild West World? It’s encouraging that a California theme park company this week expressed interest in purchasing the amusement park for $12 million; one company official called the park a “tremendous opportunity.” If the deal goes through, the park could be open for the 2008 season. That would be a win not just for Park City but for the entire county.
Wichita still needs a major amusement park. Let’s hope a deal goes through that gives this attraction a chance to succeed.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
“The level of anger with the president has sidetracked Congress,” Rep. Todd Tiahrt, R-Goddard, told The Eagle editorial board recently. He said that the left has so pressed Democratic members of Congress that they’re having trouble making progress. “We’re not focused on getting good policy done,” he said.
Tiahrt disagreed that the GOP failed to oversee the Bush administration when it was in charge of Congress. “A lot of the things were done out of the public eye to try to avoid bad press, but there was oversight,” he said.
But Tiahrt agrees with some concerns by Democrats about the power and privileges claimed by the executive branch, such as President Bush’s use of signing statements to negate legislation. “There is some truth to that,” he said.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
The devastating collapse of a Minneapolis bridge should raise concerns anew about the nation’s aging infrastructure. A full 26 percent of the nation’s 600,000 bridges — including 22 percent of those in Kansas — were rated "structurally deficient" in a 2006 Department of Transportation study, according to USA Today.
Most aren’t going to fall down tomorrow, but with increased traffic and loads, significant and costly repairs can’t be postponed indefinitely.
"We need more responsible understanding that the infrastructure issue is a crisis today," said one engineer expert. "If we don’t believe it, we just need to start looking around."
Posted by Randy Scholfield
The Kansas GOP is planning a new "loyalty committee" to punish party officials who endorse or contribute to Democrats, according to an Associated Press article.
Some moderates fear that they’re the targets of the conservative-dominated state party organization.
Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh said, "It gives me pause for thought anytime someone requires a loyalty oath of anyone from any organization."
It does sound creepy. What’s next: GOP kids who squeal on their parents?
Andy Wollen, president of the moderate group Kansas Traditional Republican Majority, said the panel sounded like something from the Inquisition.
"When you hear the term loyalty committee, what runs through your mind?" he said. "Joseph McCarthy. George Orwell."
Posted by Randy Scholfield
Kansas native Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., broke two unwritten rules when he rode on Air Force One last week: He visited with reporters aboard the plane, and he spoke ill of the administration while doing so. Specter told reporters that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’ testimony last week before the Senate Judiciary Committee was “devastating,” yet President Bush was sticking by Gonzales out of “personal loyalty.” White House officials were not happy with Specter — though he was allowed to ride back to Washington, D.C., on Air Force One.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
If the U.S. military and veterans’ health care system needs an emergency overhaul — which it does, according to a new report by a presidential commission co-chaired by former Kansas Sen. Bob Dole and former Health and Human Services Secretary Donna Shalala — the Bush administration and Congress must find the resources and political will necessary for reform, our Friday editorial argued.
At a time of hyperpartisanship in Washington, D.C., the veterans’ care scandal at least has brought political foes together on one point: Those whose time in harm’s way has left them needing medical treatment must not have the insult of penny pinching and bureaucratic bungling added to their injuries.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
The oil that leaked during the Coffeyville flood created an environmental mess. But despite all the problems and heartache that it caused, the spill may have a silver lining for some homeowners. That’s because most residents didn’t have flood insurance to pay for the severe water damage to their homes. But Coffeyville Resources, which spilled the oil into the water, has stepped up and pledged to buy about 300 homes at 110 percent of their pre-flood values. The refinery may use the purchased properties to create a buffer zone.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles this week became the latest diocese to make a huge payoff to sex abuse victims — $660 million — dwarfing past payments and reminding the nation once again of the scope and pain of these sex scandals.
Since 1950, the Roman Catholic Church of America has paid more than $2 billion in settlements to victims abused by deviant priests.
Cardinal Roger Mahony apologized for the past abuse, but L.A. abuse victims remained bitter that Mahony himself now won’t have to testify in court about why some of the wayward priests were protected for so long by the church.
Posted by Randy Scholfield
“Funny how the Root Causes crowd becomes so incurious about the root causes of crime when the suspects are anti-military nutballs and antiwar protesters,” columnist Michelle Malkin wrote. She was referring to the lack of media coverage of the shooting of an Air Force airman in New Jersey by a crazed gunman who reportedly was angry at the U.S. government. Malkin wrote: “What if a soldier had attempted to murder a peace activist over the holidays in order to ‘make a statement’? The (New York) Times would be holding front-page vigil, and Katie Couric’s brow would be furrowed for a week.”
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
No, you weren’t imagining it — the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama’s former pastor, was all over the media last week. He even received more coverage than Obama’s opponent, Hillary Clinton, according to a study by the Project for Excellence in Journalism, which looked at 48 major news sources, including cable and network TV shows, newspapers, blogs, radio and Web sites.
