1. Obama tells Kyl in private Oval Office meeting: I won’t secure border b/c then Republicans will have no reason to support “comprehensive immigration reform.”

2. A Senate Candidate Helps Mexican Drug Lords Get U.S. Tax Dollars, Then Launches a Jihad Against Jim DeMint

3. Rep. Giffords to Petraeus: You’re Fighting Two Wars? But What About Windmills?

4. BP: Observations and Ruminations

5. Didn’t They Do This For Specter and Crist Too?

6. Democrats Kill Free Checking Accounts

1. Obama tells Kyl in private Oval Office meeting: I won’t secure border b/c then Republicans will have no reason to support “comprehensive immigration reform.”

On June 18, 2010, Arizona Republican Senator Jon Kyl told the audience at a North Tempe Tea Party town hall meeting that during a private, one-on-one meeting with President Obama in the Oval Office, the President told him, regarding securing the southern border with Mexico, “The problem is, . . . if we secure the border, then you all won’t have any reason to support ‘comprehensive immigration reform.’” [Audible gasps were heard throughout the audience.] Sen. Kyl continued, “In other words, they’re holding it hostage. They don’t want to secure the border unless and until it is combined with ‘comprehensive immigration reform.’”Sen. Kyl also said he reminded President Obama that the President and the Congress has an obligation, a duty, to secure the border.Please click here for the rest of the post.

2. A Senate Candidate Helps Mexican Drug Lords Get U.S. Tax Dollars, Then Launches a Jihad Against Jim DeMint

A few days ago, former Utah Senate candidate Cherilyn Eager, the woman who claimed Tim Bridgewater offered to pay off her campaign debt in exchange for her endorsement then denied that was a bribe before – you know – endorsing Bridgewater, came onto RedState and attacked Jim DeMint.Eager claims that Jim DeMint and Mike Lee are both affiliated with some energy company I’ve never heard of and DeMint denies it. Best I can tell, the attack is as crazy as Cherilyn Eager is.However, concurrent to Eager attacking Jim DeMint on RedState, Tim Bridgewater’s campaign has been using the exact same attack against Jim DeMint in Utah via flyers, emails, and phone calls. Bridgewater is claiming DeMint is shilling for the energy company. Here is one of the emails circulating straight from the Bridgewater campaign. (PDF)The attack is a lie.Here’s the truth: Jim DeMint has never attacked Tim Bridgewater. In fact, in each race DeMint has gone into with the exception of Rubio v. Crist, DeMint has always made the race about the guy he has endorsed, not the guy he did not.Only after Jim DeMint’s Senate Conservatives Fund began questioning who was behind that anonymous mailer in Utah designed to hurt Mike Lee did Tim Bridgewater begin an all out assault on Jim DeMint. After Mike Lee filed an FEC complaint about the anonymous attack, Bridgewater escalated the attacks against Jim DeMint.Makes you wonder what Bridgewater is so scared of.Please click here for the rest of the post.

3. Rep. Giffords to Petraeus: You’re Fighting Two Wars? But What About Windmills?

On Wednesday, General David Petraeus was on the Hill to brief Congress on Afghanistan. You know, that place where we are still fighting one of two wars, even though Democrats have stopped screeching that No War For Oil line ever since Obama became President. I suppose they figure that he has enough to worry about, what with busily trying to improve his golf handicap and perfecting the art of woeful incompetence and all.Two more American soldiers lost their lives in Afghanistan today, which makes 33 killed in June so far. At the time of General Petraeus’ briefing on the Hill, the total was at 31. In addition, the Taliban is regaining strength. So, what did Congresswoman Giffords (D-AZ) ask about when she got her turn to question the General?Hey, man. What are you doing about, you know, super cool renewable energy and stuff at our bases in Afghanistan? No, really.Please click here for the rest of the post.

4. BP: Observations and Ruminations

I’m no apologist for Big Oil. As a resident of South Louisiana, I’ve seen the mess that was left behind when they left for greener pastures. The simmering animosity between the “majors” and us “independents” goes back generations. They also have enough dough to carry their own water; they don’t need the help of a small fish blogger like me.That being said, the press has not used the phrase “Rush to Judgment” a single time in the last 60 days.And apparently Toyota now manufactures nothing but perfectly safe cars. I haven’t seen a Toyota headline in, oh, about 62 days.Please click here for the rest of the post.

5. Didn’t They Do This For Specter and Crist Too?

Remember, John Cornyn said the NRSC had learned its lesson.Remember, John Cornyn said the NRSC would now stay out of primaries.Why then is the Wall Street Journal reporting John Cornyn is off to Colorado to campaign with Jane Norton?First, it is a recognition that Ken Buck’s campaign is ahead of the NRSC’s chosen campaign.Second, it is a recognition that the NRSC has the integrity of Charlie Crist and Arlen Specter, both of whom the NRSC supported.Please click here for the rest of the post.

6. Democrats Kill Free Checking Accounts

Democrats, devoid of basic economic sense, continue to screw consumers with laws against business with very foreseeable consequences. Case in point: banks now are getting rid of free checking accounts.Why?Well, banks have been giving free checking accounts, but then charging irresponsible check holders overdraft fees for drawing more money out their accounts than is there.In other words, only the spendthrifts pay.But Congress now says banks cannot charge overdraft fees without first getting the consumer’s permission. Fat chance that will happen.So banks are going to start charging fees merely to have a checking account.Please click here for the rest of the post.