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The current president (left) and Canadian Ellen impersonator Justin Beiber (far right). TV's Michael Dorn looks on in horror (center).

It’s very strange the amount of attention the current President of the United States gives Canadian Ellen Degeneres impersonator, and sometimes singer, Justin Beiber.

For weeks leading up to the White House Easter Egg Roll, Obama kept aides, including his “body man” Reggie Love, in a frenzy, obsessing over whether Beiber would or would not perform for him, and whether he’d get the chance to meet Beiber, and maybe spend a little alone time with him, “just hanging out, maybe playing some Wii, you know, chillin’ like villains”. If the president gave this sort of attention to the oil spill threatening Louisiana and other Gulf Coast states, there wouldn’t be a drop left of crude in the water.

This weekend, the White House still hasn’t figured out an effective strategy for tackling the Gulf disaster, but Beiber was strangely invited to the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, where Obama insisted he sit at the People Magazine table, so he could have a clear sightline of Beiber at all times.

Why?

Here’s the list of the Correspondents’ Dinner attendees, via Nikki Finke’s Deadline Hollywood:

ABC Table: Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal; Modern Family‘s Julie Bowen and Ty Burrell; George Stephanopoulos and Ali Wentworth, who invited J.J. Abrams and his wife, Katie McGrath.

American Urban Radio Network Table: Wendy Williams

Bloomberg News Table: Rosario Dawson, James Brooks.

CBS Table: Julianna Margulies; Morgan Freeman; Betty White; Chelsea Handler

CNN Table: Ashley Judd; Dennis Quaid; Quinton Aaron; The Tuohy family, whose story is the basis for the film The Blind Side; James Badge Dale and Jon Seda of the HBO miniseries The Pacific; Larry King, who is bringing Seth MacFarlane and Jeff Probst; Joy Behar.

Creative Coalition Table: Jessica Alba and her husband, Cash Warren; Ashley Greene; Omar Epps; Steven Weber; Cheryl Hines; Adrian Grenier; Spike Lee; Morley Safer; Tom Fontana; and CCH Pounder.

Essence Table: Queen Latifah

Fortune Table: Michael Douglas.

Fox News Channel Table: Vanessa Williams; Chace Crawford; Matthew Morrison; Enrique Iglesias; Ali Larter; Marlon Wayans; Patricia Arquette.

Huffington Post Table: John Cusack; Scarlett Johansson; Jeremy Piven; Ari Emanuel.

NBC Table: Jon Bon Jovi; Anna Kendrick; Bradley Cooper; Alec Baldwin; Ewan McGregor; Jimmy Fallon; Mariska Hargitay; Angela Kinsey; Elisabeth Moss; Fred Armisen; Today and Morning Joe show hosts.

Newsweek Table: Chevy Chase, Jeremy Renner.

New Yorker Table: Judd Apatow and his wife, Leslie Mann, Tracy Morgan.

People Table: Justin Bieber, Gabourey Sidibe, Tom Colicchio, Kristin Davis, Jessica Simpson.

POLITICO Table: Mary J. Blige, The Jonas Brothers, Tim Daly.

Talking Points Memo Table: Darren Star.

Time Table: Steven Spielberg and his wife Kate Capshaw; Michelle Pfeiffer and her husband, David E. Kelley.

Rumored others: Ryan Seacrest, Zach Galifianakis, Terrence Howard.

There are other randoms on this list that raise a few eyebrows here in Boystown, like Chase Crawford and Ryan Seacrest — who, shockingly enough, did not arrive together (now, how they left is another matter, but don’t tell JC Chasez). Then there’s Bradley Cooper, the Jonas Brothers, Ewan McGregor, and Queen Latifah.

Evidently, the Village People, Lily Tomlin, and the ghost of Liberace were unable to attend. Rip Taylor’s still prohibited from coming within two miles of any sitting president, as Secret Service strangely classifies confetti as an IED (an Irritating Eye Distractor).

Otherwise, the Capitol Pride invitation list seemed to be cut-and-pasted into the Correspondents’ dinner, though downgraded from full-on Judy to mere Liza in terms of fabulous.

But, with Miss Thang yucking it up with Jay Leno, having a gay old time, as usual for this president, who needs a parade — not with Michelle up there on the dais proud of everything for the first time in her adult life, already dreaming of something even more hideous she could be wearing out in public to another party tomorrow.

What oil spill?

:::UPDATE:
BREAKING NEWS: NYC Car Bombing episode looks increasingly like work of terrorists. It takes a lot to get anyone to admit it. Let’s be aware of this: were it not for technical difficulties last weekend in NY, and in the air last December 26th, we’d now be talking about two successful terrorist attacks on America, in the last 6 months.

The Government is keeping its options open, though. You never know, this might have been the work of government-hating grandmas:

Officials cautioned that even if the investigation points toward an international link, rather than domestic or anti-government groups, that does not mean al-Qaeda or another terrorist organization is necessarily involved.

These are real attacks. They count. The only thing that has kept them from being deadly has been the incompetence of the terrorists, and some eagle-eyed civilians.

I wonder how long our luck will hold?

END UPDATE:::

It’s that time of the day – where I look at my tabbar and realize the best way to share it all with you is just to throw it all your way.

Let’s start with this creepy ad for Big Brother Tax Amnesty.

Three men on different pages of the same book: Victor Davis Hanson, Mark Steyn, and Doug Ross All must-reads, but watch your blood pressure; keep telling yourself, “t’was ever thus…”

Speaking of Ross, he has an illustrated timeline of the oil-spill disaster in the Gulf which, which will have broad consequences and, we are told, looks “like chocolate milk!” – a description only someone with a “D” after his name could ever get away with. But they can get away with saying a lot of questionable, aggressive and bullying or goofy things. Don’t cry about it; life isn’t fair. Just keep track.

Powerline also has a timeline of the spill and the reactions. It seems, according to this video, that some feds realized very quickly the potential for massive oil spilling. Did you know there are Orcas in the Gulf?

Pursuing Holiness on the reasonable costs of drilling for oil. Thoughtful. Meanwhile BP says “we’ll cover costs, but it’s not our fault”

Hey, praying in school is okay in Nashville, now! For some. Some are privileged.

Just as some, like the Dalai Lama, are privileged to observe religious customs without being called men in dresses, or have their believes denigrated, because of political correctness. I wonder if Mo Dowd will be writing any time soon about the need for a Dalai Lama-ess? Would she or the rest dare to tell Archbishop Hilarion that he needs to change his thinking on abortion and ordain some women, stat, or risk public scorn?

But, then, “sexual egalitarianism” is here to stay.

The ability of laugh at oneself is the sign of a secure ego.

Obama, not so much

Fresh questions: about the constitutionality of Obamacare

So, who told GM to lie about its Tarp Repayment?

Vitamins and internet controls, just what the FTC should be controlling?

Reason: is the Greek Bailout already making things worse?

Have we ever seen this in history, a nation being “bailed out” of its self-weakening? Historically, I suppose such a nation would be at risk of invasion or conquest by a stronger nation. But we live in kinder and more enlightened times. And that’s good, because no one likes to see war, or the conquest of another country (unless, it seems, that country is Israel, of which both “meddling” and conquest seem to be approved). I suspect that -barring some kind of multi-national legislative “take-over” no one has an actual “solution” to Greece’s problem, which is the same problem that is going to occur in other countries, soon. So…I guess we just keep shoveling money into economic abysses and hope they will magically become prosperous mountains.

Prosperous until the president decides that you’ve made enough money. Time to dust this one off:

I mind people who are bouncing on fluffy pillows of honest-to-goodness wealth shaking a rhetorical finger at us for daring to try to get comfortable on our foam rubber mats of hard-earned wages.

If I lived in California I’d vote for him. What the Democrat party needs is a few Democrat voices willing to actually critique the party and work to change it, instead of just marching in lockstep. This characteristic does exist in the GOP, to some extent. Not that the GOP is much better than the Dems, but it seems to me it does manage to endure a bit of insider-criticism.

Philly: Did local gov’t pressure a teen to get an abortion?

The City of NY: should end mandatory celibacy and let its workers marry.

Arizona: George Will talks about the immigration laws.

Meanwhile, it seems that perhaps that carbomb in Times Square was meant for Viacom, afterall.

Blame Nagin? Blame Blanco. Blame ‘em both. Blame everybody. But in the right order: local, state, fed.

Facebook Privacy: Glad I never signed on.

Michael Totten talks about Proxy wars and Spengler is writes on what he is calling General Petraeus’ Thirty Years War. Hmmmm….

Auschwitz and Catholic Jews. Looks interesting. So does this book. And this one, too.

Instapundit: what you may have missed this weekend.

Elizabeth Fox-Genovese: on The Way of Conversion

In Praise of: English Curmudgeons!

The Pill and Women: Shortchanging us in so many ways.

Lynn Redgrave is dead. RIP. I liked her.

Peace. It’s wonderful.

Comments (7)

Obama Administration Working With Egypt & Russia to Rid Israel of Nuclear Weapons

Posted by Jim Hoft on Monday, May 3, 2010, 12:13 PM

Do you remember when Jesse Jackson said that under Obama Jews would lose all of their clout?
He was right.

(Top left clockwise) Barack and Michelle Obama and radical Leftist anti-Israel Professor Edward Said at a May 1998 Arab community event in Chicago at which Edward Said gave the keynote speech. (Bill Baar’s West Side), Former PLO operative and close friend of the Obama’s Rashid Khalidi, Barack Obama and his racist minister Jeremiah Wright, and close terrorist friend William Ayers.

Obama Administration officials are working with Russia and Egypt to rid Israel of its nuclear weapons.
Israel National News reported:

The United States is working with both Egypt and Russia to rid Israel of its nuclear weapons, as part of a comprehensive plan to neutralize Iran’s nuclear power.
Reports of this nature are being reported in various news media. The Guardian (London) reports that the US and Russia have drafted an initiative to ban nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, while the Wall Street Journal says the Obama Administration is considering support for a “nuclear-free Middle East.”
The Guardian adds that the proposal involves the appointment of a special coordinator to conduct exploratory talks with Israel, Iran and the Arab states, followed by a regional conference. It is to be a central issue at an anti-proliferation United Nations conference beginning Monday in New York.
According to the Wall Street Journal report, the US is strongly considering opposing Israeli nuclear weapons more strongly than it ever has before. However, the US government has, at the same time, sent Jerusalem a message designed to calm Israeli anxieties on the matter, stating that the U.S. would not take such a drastic approach before it sees significant progress in the peace process between Israel and the Arab nations.

Previously on Obama and Israel:
** Obama Refuses to Dine With Jewish Leader
** Obama Won’t Allow Any Photos of Him With PM Netanyahu
** Stunner. Obama Has Refused All Israeli Military Requests Since Entering Office in 2009
** Obama Administration Denies Visas to Israeli Nuclear Scientists
** Barack Obama Announces Historic Shift in America’s Relationship With Israel

Comments (29)

John Bolton: Just A Reminder, Obama's Iran Policy Is Leading To A Very Dangerous Place

—DrewM.

The Mustache speaks and a per the usual, it slices like a f'ing hammer.

After going through for the umpteenth time what everyone but a liberal Democrat understands...diplomacy and sanctions won't stop Iran, Bolton looks to the future to see where Captain Awesome's engagement policy leads.

It's not pretty.

It is hard to conclude anything except that the Obama administration is resigned to Iran possessing nuclear weapons. While U.S. policy makers will not welcome that outcome, they certainly hope as a corollary that Iran can be contained and deterred. Since they have ruled out the only immediate alternative, military force, they are doubtless now busy preparing to make lemonade out of this pile of lemons.
President Obama's likely containment/deterrence strategy will feature security assurances to neighboring countries and promises of American retaliation if Iran uses its nuclear weapons. Unfortunately for this seemingly muscular rhetoric, the simple fact of Iran possessing nuclear weapons would alone dramatically and irreparably alter the Middle East balance of power. Iran does not actually have to use its capabilities to enhance either its regional or global leverage.
Facile analogies to Cold War deterrence rest on the dubious, unproven belief that Iran's nuclear calculus will approximate the Soviet Union's. Iran's theocratic regime and the high value placed on life in the hereafter makes this an exceedingly dangerous assumption.
Even if containment and deterrence might be more successful against Iran than just suggested, nuclear proliferation doesn't stop with Tehran. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey and perhaps others will surely seek, and very swiftly, their own nuclear weapons in response. Thus, we would imminently face a multipolar nuclear Middle East waiting only for someone to launch first or transfer weapons to terrorists. Ironically, such an attack might well involve Israel only as an innocent bystander, at least initially.

I've had this discussion with liberal friends about the cost of stopping or not stopping Iran and they all ignore the costs of "containment".

Even if you believe Iran will be rational and not nuke Israel directly or hand off some nukes to their terror front groups to do the job, you simply can't ignore 30 years of history. Iran has been a dangerous and belligerent nation without nukes. Why in the world would you think they won't ratchet up their non-nuclear attacks once they have the shield of nuclear weapons?

People always talk about the price of oil skyrocketing if Iran is attacked. Well, it will. For awhile. Now if Iran gets the bomb, it will sky rocket whenever the Iranians want it to. They won't have to attack anyone directly (with or without nukes), they'll just issue a press release to stir up the markets and presto...several billion dollars more whenever the IRGC needs some more pocket change.

Yes, there are costs and dangers in attacking Iran. The thing is, adults living in the real world, not The Republic of Unicorns and Rainbows, understand there are real costs and dangers in not stopping Iran.

Alas, there's no reason to think this administration is populated by adults. Witness their latest plan to get rogue nuclear countries in line...declassify information about our weapons stockpiles that has been closely held for decades.

The Pentagon on Monday will release long-classified statistics about the total size of America’s nuclear arsenal, part of an effort to make the case that the country is honoring its treaty commitments to shrink its inventory of weapons significantly, senior administration officials said Sunday.
The American initiative will be cast by the White House as a small but significant step toward allowing the world to measure whether President Obama makes good on his promise of reducing American reliance on nuclear defenses. The commitment to make the figures public will be included in a speech that Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will deliver at the opening of a United Nations conference reviewing progress on the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Mrs. Clinton will also announce new funds for the International Atomic Energy Agency.
For years, American intelligence officials have objected to publishing quantitative descriptions of the American nuclear arsenal, concerned that the figures might help terrorist groups calculate the minimum nuclear fuel needed for a weapon. But administration officials said reputable Web sites that track such issues have long noted that American weapons designers need an average of around 4 kilograms of plutonium, or 8.8 pounds.

(via Gabe)

It's childish to think Iran has the slightest interest in our weapons program when it comes to the continuation of theirs. It's simply irrelevant to their calculations.

You know who cut a lot of nuclear weapons without any fanfare or self congratulations? George W(ar Monger) Bush. He did it because he thought it was in the national interest, not because of some moon-eyed romanticism over the effect it would have on Iran.

Once again, Obama is all show and no results.

Posted by DrewM. at 12:12 PM New Comments Thingy

Pelosi Caught In Major Lie- Says Bush Didn’t Warn Congress About Financial Crisis… Records Show He Warned Congress 17 Times in 2008 Alone

Posted by Jim Hoft on Monday, May 3, 2010, 3:24 PM

Speaker Nancy Pelosi held a news conference last week and told reporters this:

During her weekly press conference on April 15, a reporter asked Pelosi a seemingly innocuous question about taxes. Pelosi prefaced her response with a fairly standard litany: explaining the dire state of the U.S. economy inherited by President Obama and setting the blame at the foot of the Bush administration. But she also added this: “When [then-Senator Obama] accepted the nomination in Colorado, the [Bush] Administration had kept from the public the idea that, in a matter of weeks, the financial community would be in crisis, and we would need to pass the TARP legislation.”

The state-run media is trying to make something of this latest Pelosi fabrication today.

But, what Speaker Pelosi failed to mention was that President Bush warned the Democratic Congress 17 times in 2008 alone about the systemic consequences of financial turmoil at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and also put forward thoughtful plans to reduce the risk that either Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac would encounter such difficulties.

Unfortunately, these warnings went unheeded, as the President’s repeated attempts to reform the supervision of these entities were thwarted by the legislative maneuvering of those who emphatically denied there were problems.

The White House released this list of attempts by President Bush to reform Freddie Mae and Freddie Mac since he took office in 2001.
Unfortunately, Congress did not act on the president’s warnings:

** 2001
April: The Administration’s FY02 budget declares that the size of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is “a potential problem,” because “financial trouble of a large GSE could cause strong repercussions in financial markets, affecting Federally insured entities and economic activity.”
** 2002
May: The President calls for the disclosure and corporate governance principles contained in his 10-point plan for corporate responsibility to apply to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. (OMB Prompt Letter to OFHEO, 5/29/02)
** 2003
January: Freddie Mac announces it has to restate financial results for the previous three years.
February: The Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight (OFHEO) releases a report explaining that “although investors perceive an implicit Federal guarantee of [GSE] obligations,” “the government has provided no explicit legal backing for them.” As a consequence, unexpected problems at a GSE could immediately spread into financial sectors beyond the housing market. (“Systemic Risk: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Role of OFHEO,” OFHEO Report, 2/4/03)
September: Fannie Mae discloses SEC investigation and acknowledges OFHEO’s review found earnings manipulations.
September: Treasury Secretary John Snow testifies before the House Financial Services Committee to recommend that Congress enact “legislation to create a new Federal agency to regulate and supervise the financial activities of our housing-related government sponsored enterprises” and set prudent and appropriate minimum capital adequacy requirements.
October: Fannie Mae discloses $1.2 billion accounting error.
November: Council of the Economic Advisers (CEA) Chairman Greg Mankiw explains that any “legislation to reform GSE regulation should empower the new regulator with sufficient strength and credibility to reduce systemic risk.” To reduce the potential for systemic instability, the regulator would have “broad authority to set both risk-based and minimum capital standards” and “receivership powers necessary to wind down the affairs of a troubled GSE.” (N. Gregory Mankiw, Remarks At The Conference Of State Bank Supervisors State Banking Summit And Leadership, 11/6/03)
** 2004
February: The President’s FY05 Budget again highlights the risk posed by the explosive growth of the GSEs and their low levels of required capital, and called for creation of a new, world-class regulator: “The Administration has determined that the safety and soundness regulators of the housing GSEs lack sufficient power and stature to meet their responsibilities, and therefore…should be replaced with a new strengthened regulator.” (2005 Budget Analytic Perspectives, pg. 83)
February: CEA Chairman Mankiw cautions Congress to “not take [the financial market's] strength for granted.” Again, the call from the Administration was to reduce this risk by “ensuring that the housing GSEs are overseen by an effective regulator.” (N. Gregory Mankiw, Op-Ed, “Keeping Fannie And Freddie’s House In Order,” Financial Times, 2/24/04)
June: Deputy Secretary of Treasury Samuel Bodman spotlights the risk posed by the GSEs and called for reform, saying “We do not have a world-class system of supervision of the housing government sponsored enterprises (GSEs), even though the importance of the housing financial system that the GSEs serve demands the best in supervision to ensure the long-term vitality of that system. Therefore, the Administration has called for a new, first class, regulatory supervisor for the three housing GSEs: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan Banking System.” (Samuel Bodman, House Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Testimony, 6/16/04)
** 2005
April: Treasury Secretary John Snow repeats his call for GSE reform, saying “Events that have transpired since I testified before this Committee in 2003 reinforce concerns over the systemic risks posed by the GSEs and further highlight the need for real GSE reform to ensure that our housing finance system remains a strong and vibrant source of funding for expanding homeownership opportunities in America… Half-measures will only exacerbate the risks to our financial system.” (Secretary John W. Snow, “Testimony Before The U.S. House Financial Services Committee,” 4/13/05)
** 2007
July: Two Bear Stearns hedge funds invested in mortgage securities collapse.
August: President Bush emphatically calls on Congress to pass a reform package for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, saying “first things first when it comes to those two institutions. Congress needs to get them reformed, get them streamlined, get them focused, and then I will consider other options.” (President George W. Bush, Press Conference, The White House, 8/9/07)
September: RealtyTrac announces foreclosure filings up 243,000 in August – up 115 percent from the year before.
September: Single-family existing home sales decreases 7.5 percent from the previous month – the lowest level in nine years. Median sale price of existing homes fell six percent from the year before.
December: President Bush again warns Congress of the need to pass legislation reforming GSEs, saying “These institutions provide liquidity in the mortgage market that benefits millions of homeowners, and it is vital they operate safely and operate soundly. So I’ve called on Congress to pass legislation that strengthens independent regulation of the GSEs – and ensures they focus on their important housing mission. The GSE reform bill passed by the House earlier this year is a good start. But the Senate has not acted. And the United States Senate needs to pass this legislation soon.” (President George W. Bush, Discusses Housing, The White House, 12/6/07)
** 2008
January: Bank of America announces it will buy Countrywide.
January: Citigroup announces mortgage portfolio lost $18.1 billion in value.
February: Assistant Secretary David Nason reiterates the urgency of reforms, says “A new regulatory structure for the housing GSEs is essential if these entities are to continue to perform their public mission successfully.” (David Nason, Testimony On Reforming GSE Regulation, Senate Committee On Banking, Housing And Urban Affairs, 2/7/08)
March: Bear Stearns announces it will sell itself to JPMorgan Chase.
March: President Bush calls on Congress to take action and “move forward with reforms on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. They need to continue to modernize the FHA, as well as allow State housing agencies to issue tax-free bonds to homeowners to refinance their mortgages.” (President George W. Bush, Remarks To The Economic Club Of New York, New York, NY, 3/14/08)
April: President Bush urges Congress to pass the much needed legislation and “modernize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. [There are] constructive things Congress can do that will encourage the housing market to correct quickly by … helping people stay in their homes.” (President George W. Bush, Meeting With Cabinet, the White House, 4/14/08)
May: President Bush issues several pleas to Congress to pass legislation reforming Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac before the situation deteriorates further.
“Americans are concerned about making their mortgage payments and keeping their homes. Yet Congress has failed to pass legislation I have repeatedly requested to modernize the Federal Housing Administration that will help more families stay in their homes, reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to ensure they focus on their housing mission, and allow State housing agencies to issue tax-free bonds to refinance sub-prime loans.” (President George W. Bush, Radio Address, 5/3/08)
“[T]he government ought to be helping creditworthy people stay in their homes. And one way we can do that – and Congress is making progress on this – is the reform of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. That reform will come with a strong, independent regulator.” (President George W. Bush, Meeting With The Secretary Of The Treasury, the White House, 5/19/08)
“Congress needs to pass legislation to modernize the Federal Housing Administration, reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to ensure they focus on their housing mission, and allow State housing agencies to issue tax-free bonds to refinance subprime loans.” (President George W. Bush, Radio Address, 5/31/08)
June: As foreclosure rates continued to rise in the first quarter, the President once again asks Congress to take the necessary measures to address this challenge, saying “we need to pass legislation to reform Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.” (President George W. Bush, Remarks At Swearing In Ceremony For Secretary Of Housing And Urban Development, Washington, D.C., 6/6/08)
July: Congress heeds the President’s call for action and passes reform of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as it becomes clear that the institutions are failing.

In 2005– Senator John McCain partnered with three other Senate Republicans to reform the government’s involvement in lending.
Democrats blocked this reform, too.

More… Not only did democrats not act on these warnings but Barack Obama put one of the major Sub-Prime Slime players on his campaign as finance chairperson.

Comments (44)

The May Day angry mob you won’t see

23K Dead Since Mexico Legalized Drugs

Police forensic experts load into trucks the bodies of at least six men that were found dead in the city of Cuernavaca, Mexico, Tuesday April 13, 2010.

As death toll in drug war rises, Mexicans short of facts and trust

What’s with Obama’s obsession with Justin Beiber?

John Bolton: Just A Reminder, Obama's Iran Policy Is Leading To A Very Dangerous Place

—DrewM.