Fox News Cheerleads Newt to Improbable South Carolina Win

This man is a disgrace to conservative values.

First of all, I am a conservative Republican - but the over-the-top cheerleading for Newt Gingrich this week on Fox News definitely was a disturbing, and I believe, a major contribution to Gingrich's win in the South Carolina primary.  And what pains me the most is that Newt is somehow characterized as the more conservative response to national poll leader Mitt Romney.  Hmm - let's see here - Newt attacked the free enterprise system and Bain Capital in an amazing display of liberal democratic hubris - and in the same week was pointed out that he is a career adulterer.  But somehow, he is the MORE conservative candidate?  I don't get that.  Screaming at reporters does not make you conservative - it makes you a time bomb - and an unstable President. 

Meanwhile, at Fox News they basically can't contain their elation that Newt has won - I don't know if this is because they really like him, or that he was their colleague the past couple of years or that they now have an actual election to cover.  But the favoratism toward Newt is palaple and astonishing for a network that claims to be fair and balanced.  It has been not.  The smiles on the faces of Megyn Kelly and Andrea whathername are just pasted on their face that their colleague has won.  And, Sarah Palin,  I have lost all respect for you from here on out.

Juan Williams at Fox and John King at CNN gave softballs to Newt at the debates that he could hit out of the park and deliver red meat (although not meaningful) stuff to South Carolinians.  Mitt Romney was fine in both debates but didn't have pat answers about releasing his tax returns.  And by the way NO ONE ELSE WAS ASKED ABOUT THAT.  But Mitt's rich and apparently he, and only he, has to answer these direct questions (why is that?) - and meanwhile Newt campaigns excessively against captialism.  And so, who is actually more conservative?

And another thing, Rick Perry and Huntsman dropped out, thus releasing already dedicated votes - and Perry actually went against Romney in the debates asking him specifically for his tax returns.  Did he have a deal with Newt already and acted to be his hatchet man?  Probably.  So who is more conservative?  You gave the primary to a guy who attacked captialism and Romney's tax records without releasing his own (until the last minute).  But it was a false attack (no major presidential candidate has ever released his tax returns in recent history until the general election).

And the silly election night analysis by Bill Hemmer and others (like Britt Hume saying Mitt can't shake hands) is just appalling and somewhat incompetant (and I'm a fan guys. but really!)  I think Fox News and South Carolina have done a diservice to the country and the Republican Party in trashing Mitt Romney for 1) creating jobs and 2) paying his taxes.  It's a real shame.  Roger Ailles are you listening?\

UPDATE:  Thanks Britt Hume for reminding us late that Newt has the most unfavorable ratings nationwide of any candidate - way to bring it back to earth - I almost thought Megyn was going to cry.

The Bane of Bain

It was a job - get over it.

The recent overreaction, hysteria and general misunderstanding regarding Bain Capital, Mitt Romney's former company, and what they actually "do", appears to be a one-week tempest in a teapot.  But the manner in which so-called Republicans and conservatives bashed the all-but-confirmed Republican nominee for 10 straight days is unconscionable.  First of all, the guy has been running for President for about 12 years - you don't think this hasn't been grist for the mill before?  Did Mike Wallace and the 60 minutes crew all of a sudden discover a smoking gun somewhere?  Guess what - they didn't.  But  a few confused candidates who apparenlty don't understand how the free enterprise system works (and/or arithmetic) found that there was something else to throw at Mitt instead of Romneycare - that, and they're desperate.

Between Gingrich and Perry's utterly pathetic attacks against Romney (which make them both a bit to the left of Obama) and the overeaction of a few faux-right pundits who think this will be used as an iron cudgel during the general election, the discourse has been seriously dissappointing.  Even FOX News seems to have difficulty describing what venture capital/private equity companies actually do.  Bill O'Reilly exclaims it's "real complicated".  It's not!  Struggling companies look for private equity investors to invest in their businesses and essentially "bail them out".  In committing funds they retain ownership rights in the company, and in turn make tough business decisions as how to save the business.  This can entail layoffs, cancelling product lines, shutting down factories or finding another buyer, partner or investors.  Over time the equity investor works to rebuild the company and sell it to a going concern to reap return on what is frankly a risky investment.

Please note how this is incredibly different from the government (or Obama) using your taxpayer dollars to do the same thing.  The government doesn't innately look for a return on its investment (ROI), but private entities do - thus they usually take more expedient and direct action.  Nevertheless, we still have purported conservative websites crying that this raft of bad news will hurt Romney and the Republican chances of overtaking Obama.  If giving up on the free enterprise system is the way some "conservatives" think we should retake the White House, then the terrorists really have won.  Fortunately, it looks like Gingrich's sucker punch is having the opposite effect as Romney's lead is now widening in South Carolina.

Whoa Nellie! It Was a Great Game!

Roll Tide  - the clear National Champion

I am fairly tired of all of the media saying that Monday night's BCS college national championship tilt between Alabama and LSU was a bad game - like they were reviewing a movie.  It was a GREAT game!  After a bowl season full of arena league scores and zero defense, and frankly zero drama, we had it all in the BCS game with Alabama throttling previous unbeaten and No.1 LSU 21-0.  Not only did they totally manhandle LSU, the Tigers didn't even cross the 50-yard line until the game was almost over - and they also did this in New Orleans with 70% of the crowd cheering for LSU.

Of course there was nothing much to cheer about as LSU couldn't do anything right - and this was supposed to be the "greatest team ever?"  Ha.  That's what made the game exciting to me - seeing such an overhyped football power (who admittedly deserved to be No. 1 at the end of the regular season) get absolutely crushed on its virtual home turf - a good ol' college football smackdown.  Whoa Nellie!  After a year of exaggerated hyperbole (i.e. a Baylor QB gets the Heisman just because he beats a bad Texas team on the last week of the year) it was great to see real football settled the old way.

Meanwhile we have critics lambasting the game and wishing for other final game alternatives (now, all of a sudden, they wish they had Ok St in the BCS game - then why didn't you vote for it?).  Sorry, pathetic losers.  Enjoy the college game while you can - because in a couple of years the playoff advocates will get their wish and all of this will be over soon.  You'll be bitchin' about something else then.  Roll Tide.