Was Joe Biden’s nomination for Vice President – a pick elicited first by the criticisms of Hillary Clinton, then
John McCain, for Barack Obama’s relative foreign policy inexperience – a shallow attempt to dispel the disparaging
‘naiveté’ narrative? Will Vice President Cheney, a man who has expanded the powers of the Office of the Vice President more than any VP in recent memory,
be succeeded by a wall moth? Survey says: Yes.

In all but confirmed leaks, Obama is set to name his national security team – Gates, Clinton, Jones – on Monday. Obama’s highly anticipated
announcement, notwithstanding any surprises, stands to seal the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman’s proverbial
foreign policy coffin, and not a moment too soon, I might add (see: This whole ‘time table’ thing is boring me.
Let’s partition Iraq!).

Read More →

After being dealt a serious blow today by the Minnesota state Canvassing board, who, much to the ire of Team Franken,
refused to re-examine rejected absentee ballots, Al Franken’s band of
merry men were forced to regroup, but vowed to continue their fight in a press conference.

According to Marc Elias, Franken’s lead recount attorney, the protracted legal battle for Norm Coleman’s senate seat will indefinitely continue.
Elias, whose comments were first reported by
Talking Points Memo’s Eric Kleefeld, signaled their readiness to take their fight to, of all places, the United States Senate:

Read More →

Per the AP, British
health experts have begun lobbying Parliament to explore a possible ban on happy hours – designated times for discounted drinks in bars –
to stem the growing “epidemic” of liver disease.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a government spokesman said the ban will be evaluated when an independent study on binge drinking and
alcohol-related illnesses is published in the coming weeks. Health Advocacy groups have also successfully lobbied the government to spend $10 million
pounds, $15 million American, on a “public awareness” campaign, and wants stricter enforcement of underage drinking laws.

Of course, low price alcohol facilitates drinking in a casual setting, but the implied suggestion that two hours of discounted prices can account
for, and even encourage, binge drinking and alcohol-related deaths on a large scale is pure poppycock. While pillorying a successful business practice
may be the makings of a Rob Reiner wet-dream, it’s not the answer. Britain should promote a culture of moderation and self-reliance.
Then again, we are talking about
the UK…

At least the Irish embrace their inner-drunkard.

Cross-posted at Skepticians.com

Townhall’s Amanda Carpenter is reporting Barack and Michelle Obama
have selected Sidwell Friends – the same school Chelsea Clinton attended – for their two girls, Sasha and Malia.

Sasha, 7, and Malia, 10, currently attend University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, one of Chicago’s premier private schools, but will
make the transition to the Washington-area private Quaker school in January. The Obama’s will be following in the footsteps of the Nixons, Clintons,
Gores, and Vice-President Elect Joe Biden’s granddaughter.

Mayor Adrian Fenty (D-DC), who was hopeful the Obama’s would consider enrolling their daughters in a DC public school, is reportedly
perturbed with President-elect Obama’s choice of Sidwell Friends. Fenty attempted to pitch DC’s schools – not only to Obama, but all “new families” –
as a serious option, but DC’s reputation failed to comfort Michelle, who currently serves on her daughters’ school board.

Amy Carter, son of peanut farmer and handyman Jimmy Carter, was the last First-kid to attend a
public school.

Q: Fenty’s feigned outrage is politics, to be sure, but who plays politics with children? A: Democrats wanting re-election. The decision of where
to send your children is an extremely personal one, i.e. not a publicity stunt for Fenty to raise the public profile of DC’s Compton-like school system.
I seriously doubt the Obama’s would voluntarily send their children to a school system where students carry clear backpacks for fear of weapons.

I’m not sure what is more troublesome for the First-couple: The

triple-stabbing that occurred at Anacostia High School four days ago, the lax curriculum, or the fact that Fenty, having full-knowledge of these
security failures and sub-par academics, tried selling them such an underperforming school system.

If this Mayor gig doesn’t pan out, Fenty, there’s always used car sales. You seem pretty good at pulling the wool over folks’ eyes already.

Cross-posted at Skepticians.com