President Obama's idea of change?

The illegal alien Aunt of the US President isn't getting deported for the time being.

Barack Obama's aunt, who lived in Cleveland last year, got a stay of her deportation order and her case has been reopened, a major development in any immigration case.

Zeituni Onyango, 56, the half-sister of Obama's late father, will be represented by Cleveland immigration attorney Margaret Wong and associates at a hearing before an immigration judge scheduled for April 1 in Boston.

The stay was issued on Dec. 17 and a judge reopened her case, in which she requested asylum in the United States, on Dec. 30.

"Her case has been reopened and the immigration judge will be looking at evidence that they may not have been aware of four years ago," said Michael Rogers, spokesman for Wong. "Wong is optimistic that the outcome will be favorable. We would have preferred to not conduct this case in the media spotlight, but that's not going to happen."

*****

Onyango came to America on a temporary visa in 2000, joining a son who had been accepted at a college in Boston, Wong said in December

Obama has said he did not know that his aunt was living in America illegally and that all appropriate laws should be followed.

I'd like to hear one person in Washington justify this when legal alien spouses of US citizens face deportation today and the widow of a dead marine is denied a green card. How can't this be seen as some sign of favoritism in light of the other actions of HS I cite above? Homeland Secretary Janet Napolitano, would you like to take a swing at this? How about any democrats out there? Rick, want to take a swipe since you're one of Obama's biggest supporters down here.

Goodbye Karl Rove

The President's long-time political adviser is resigning August 31st according to the Wall Street Journal.

Karl Rove, President Bush's longtime political adviser, is resigning as White House deputy chief of staff effective Aug. 31, and returning to Texas, marking a turning point for the Bush presidency.

Mr. Rove's departure removes one of the White House's most polarizing figures, and perhaps signals the effective end of the lame duck administration's role in shaping major domestic policy decisions. Mr. Rove revealed his plans in an interview with Paul Gigot, editor of The Wall Street Journal's editorial page. (See related commentary.)

Mr. Rove, who has held a senior post in the White House since President Bush took office in January 2001, told Mr. Gigot he first floated the idea of leaving a year ago. But he delayed his departure as, first, Democrats took Congress, and then as the White House tackled debates on immigration and Iraq, he said. He said he decided to leave after White House Chief of Staff Joshua Bolten told senior aides that if they stayed past Labor Day they would be obliged to remain through the end of the president's term in January 2009.

"I just think it's time," Mr. Rove said in the interview. "There's always something that can keep you here, and as much as I'd like to be here, I've got to do this for the sake of my family." Mr. Rove and his wife have a home in Ingram, Texas, and a son who attends college in nearby San Antonio.

I don't know what to make of the news. President Bush's popularity has been tanking for two years, and it looks like he'll get little done politically during his last 17 months in office. Maybe Rove simply decided it was time to seek some other line of work.

Two questions do remain-

1- Who will replace Rove as one of the favorite punching bags for liberals and Democrats?
2- Will AP give us an update on the contents of Rove's garage? Inquiring minds want to know.

Jason Leopold will now have to find honest work.

Also discussing Rove's resignation- A Blog for All, Below the Beltway, Betsy, Bright & Early, California Conservative, Gay Patriot, Hot Air, Iowa Voice, Leaning Straight Up, Michelle Malkin, Moderate Voice, MVRWC, Outside the Beltway, Pirate's Cove, Poliblog, Right Voices, Sister Toldjah, The Glittering Eye, Kim at Wizbang,

Scooter Libby- Two wrongs

If you're a blogger and haven't heard this news, you must not be very attentive.

WASHINGTON -- I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, the former top aide to Vice President Dick Cheney, will not be going to jail for lying in the CIA leak probe after all.

Libby was so close to being imprisoned that last Wednesday he was assigned inmate number 28301-016.

But in a highly unusual and controversial move, President George W. Bush commuted Libby's 30-month sentence after an appellate panel Monday rejected Libby's request to delay the start of his jail time while he appealed his March jury conviction.

"I respect the jury's verdict," Bush said in a statement. "But I have concluded that the prison sentence given to Mr. Libby is excessive."

In announcing a commutation that experts did not expect so soon, Bush said Libby will still have to face "harsh punishment," including a $250,000 fine, two years probation, and damage to his reputation and family suffering.

"The consequences of his felony conviction on his former life as a lawyer, public servant and private citizen will be long-lasting," Bush said.

The reaction of both the left and right blogosphere has been predictable, the right cheering this decision. Sister Toldjah, Don Surber, Betsy, Bullwinkle, and Jay at Wizbang to name a few. Most have made the predictable comparisons to the last minute and mostly wrong pardons of President Clinton, that they some how make the commutation of Libby's sentence all right.

It doesn't. A jury found Libby guilty, a judge sentenced him. Bush didn't pardon Libby, just excused him for serving time in jail. In other words Bush agrees with the verdict.

So he should have butted out. Unless the President feels the need to review every federal sentence handed down. Steve Verdon at OTB lists some convicted federal felons who are far more deserving of a commutation than Libby is. Is Bush going to step in on those cases also? I doubt it, Bush clearly did this out of favoritism of a political variety. Just as President Clinton in all probability pardoned Mark Rich in return for campaign contributions. Neither President was right, and why certain bloggers can't see this..... partisanship makes people blind when it comes to their own party's sins and crimes. Just like it did for President Bush.

That Richard Armitage wasn't indicted, may be wrong. Then the right's anger should be focused on Mr. Fitzgerald for not pursuing that case. Instead most use it as an argument that Libby did no wrong and his sentence wasn't justified. A jury thought otherwise, and so did the President. If you agree with Mr. Bush's commutation, you have to be agreeing with the verdict against Mr. Libby. So he's guilty, and therefore the Armitage excuse doesn't wash.

That's my own take on the matter. Others blogging on the verdict- Dr. Taylor at Poliblog, James Joyner at OTB, Alex at SOTP, Below the Beltway, Iowa Voice, Cao, California Conservative, Bright & Early, Gay Patriot, A Blog for All, Uncorrelated, Orin Kerr at the Volokh Conspiracy,

The Knucklehead of the Day award

Today's winner is Sally Quinn. She gets the award for the following.

The big question right now among Republicans is how to remove Vice President Cheney from office. Even before this week's blockbuster series in The Post, discontent in Republican ranks was rising.

As the reputed architect of the war in Iraq, Cheney is viewed as toxic, and as the administration's leading proponent of an attack on Iran, he is seen as dangerous. As long as he remains vice president, according to this thinking, he has the potential to drag down every member of the party -- including the presidential nominee -- in next year's elections.

Removing a sitting vice president is not easy, but this may be the moment. I remember Barry Goldwater sitting in my parents' living room in 1973, in the last days of Watergate, debating whether to lead a group of senior Republicans to the White House to tell President Nixon he had to go. His hesitation was that he felt loyalty to the president and the party. But in the end he felt a greater loyalty to his country, and he went to the White House.

Today, another group of party elders, led by Sen. John Warner of Virginia, could well do the same. They could act out of concern for our country's plummeting reputation throughout the world, particularly in the Middle East.

For such a plan to work, however, they would need a ready replacement. Until recently, there hasn't been an acceptable alternative to Cheney -- nor has there been a persuasive argument to convince President Bush to make a change. Now there is.

Here we go with the almost predictable Dick Cheney is leaving specualation. Sometimes its about who will replace Cheney and sometimes why he will be replaced. Ms. Quinn's column falls into the former. For she throws another name into the ring, one we've never heard before in previous speculation.

That leaves Fred Thompson. Everybody loves Fred. He has the healing qualities of Gerald Ford and the movie-star appeal of Ronald Reagan. He is relatively moderate on social issues. He has a reputation as a peacemaker and a compromiser. And he has a good sense of humor.

He could be just the partner to bring out Bush's better nature -- or at least be a sensible voice of reason. I could easily imagine him telling the president, "For God's sake, do not push that button!" -- a command I have a hard time hearing Cheney give.

Not only that, Thompson would give the Republicans a platform for running for the presidency -- and the president a way out of Iraq without looking like he's backing down. Bush would lega be left in better shape on the war and be able to concentrate on AIDS and the environment in hopes of salvaging hiscy.

Yep and Bush will withdraw all troops from Iraq, Kiss Usama Bin Laden on the White House Lawn, find a cure for cancer and do other wonderful deeds. NOT! My favorite blogger James Joyner at OTB sums up Ms. Quinn's column very well-

This has to be the dumbest thing I’ve seen from a major journalist in quite some time.

If you excuse that he doesn't read the Palm Beach Post on a regular basis, James is correct in his statement. The stupidity of the author ranks with the Karl Rove will be indicted scenario story of last year or AP's reporting on the contents of Rove's garage back in 2005. Don't forget Dana Milbank counting how many times President Bush blinked either. For reporting her personal fantasies, Sally Quinn is today's Knucklehead of the Day.

Also blogging on Sally Quinn's column- Dr. Taylor at Poliblog
Linked to- Amboy Times, Big Dog, Bright & Early, Cao, Jo, Leaning Straight Up, Maggie, Morewhat, Perri Nelson, Pirate's Cove, Planck's Constant, Pursuing Holiness, Right Wing Nation, Samantha Burns, Third World County, Webloggin, The World According to Carl, Yankee Sailor,

Holy Mackerel

It must be a slow news weekend.

Vatican City - US President George W Bush drew gasps at the Vatican on Saturday by referring to Pope Benedict XVI as "sir" instead of the expected "His Holiness", pool reporters said.

They could clearly hear the US leader say "Yes, sir" when the pope asked him if he was going to meet with officials of the lay Catholic Sant'Egidio community at the US embassy later during his visit.

A handful of pool reporters were on hand as Benedict greeted Bush at the door of his private library ahead of a private audience of about half an hour.

On his way to see the 80-year-old pontiff, the US leader apparently recognised someone he knew, and could be heard greeting the person with a casual "How ya doin'?"

Is it only a matter of time before someone calls for Bush's impeachment over this. My Philippine born wife says I should give the Knucklehead award. What do you think?

Hat tip- Hat tip- James Joyner at OTB
Linked to- Adam, Church and State, Pursuing Holiness,

Tell it to Estonia

From AP-

HEILIGENDAMM, Germany - President Bush on Wednesday discounted Vladimir Putin's threat to retarget missiles on Europe, saying "Russia is not going to attack Europe."

Bush, in an interview with The Associated Press and other reporters, said no U.S. military response was required after Putin warned that Russia would take steps in response to a U.S. missile shield that would be deployed in Poland and the Czech Republic.

"Russia is not an enemy," Bush said, seeking not to inflame a heated exchange of rhetoric between Washington and Moscow. "There needs to be no military response because we're not at war with Russia. Russia is not a threat."

Russia certainly is a threat to some of its neighbors. Did President Bush forget this news?

TALLINN, Estonia: When the Estonian authorities began removing a bronze statue of a World War II-era Soviet soldier from a park in this Baltic seaport last month, they expected violent street protests by Estonians of Russian descent.

They also knew from experience that "if there are fights on the street, there are going to be fights on the Internet," said Hillar Aarelaid, the director of Estonia's Computer Emergency Response Team. After all, for people here the Internet is almost as vital as running water, used routinely to vote, file their taxes, and, with their cellphones, to shop or pay for parking.

What followed was what some here describe as the first war in cyberspace, a three-week battle that forced the Estonian authorities to defend their small country from a data flood they say was set off by orders from Russia or ethnic Russian sources in retaliation for the removal of the statue. There are still minor disruptions.

"This may well turn out to be a watershed in terms of widespread awareness of the vulnerability of modern society," said Linton Wells 2nd, the principal U.S. deputy assistant secretary of defense for networks and information integration at the Pentagon. "It has gotten the attention of a lot of people."

The Estonians note that an Internet address involved in the attacks belonged to an official who works in the administration of Russia's president, Vladimir Putin.

The Russian government has denied any involvement in the attacks, which came close to shutting down the country's digital infrastructure, clogging the Web sites of the president, the prime minister, Parliament and other government agencies, staggering the biggest Estonian bank and overwhelming the sites of several daily newspapers.

If you need a reminder of the Estonia war monument controversy, click here. Coddling that psychopath Putin is not going to get him to change his behavior. He is going to be a threat to any nation that becomes cross with him, that includes the United States unless some nation is prepared to stand up to him.

Linked to- Bullwinkle, Cao, Right Wing Nation,

The First Day of Spring Knucklehead Festival Part Six

Our sixth Knucklehead goes all the way to the top. It is President George W Bush. He gets the award for the following.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A defiant President Bush warned Democrats Tuesday to accept his offer to have top aides testify about the firings of federal prosecutors only privately and not under oath or risk a constitutional showdown from which he would not back down.

Democrats' response to his proposal was swift and firm: They said they would start authorizing subpoenas as soon as Wednesday for the White House aides.

"Testimony should be on the record and under oath. That's the formula for true accountability," said Patrick Leahy, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Bush, in a late-afternoon statement at the White House, said, "We will not go along with a partisan fishing expedition aimed at honorable public servants. ... I have proposed a reasonable way to avoid an impasse."

He added that federal prosecutors work for him and it is natural to consider replacing them. "There is no indication that anybody did anything improper," the president said.

Bush gave his embattled attorney general, Alberto Gonzales, a boost during an early morning call and ended the day with a public statement repeating it. "He's got support with me," Bush said.

TFM has given President Bush the Knucklehead twice before. Click here to read one of the President's previous awards.

Bush is obviously out of touch or in denial. There was political interference in the matter of the US Attorney in New Mexico and glaring incompetence in the possible hiring of another possible attorney. Bush needs to confess the administration screwed up and fire Gonzales.

And as to Bush's critics over these firings, it isn't just coming from the left. Conservative Bloggers James Joyner, Steven Taylor and Captain Ed(Not to mention me but I'm a nat compared to those three giants) have all been highly critical of the US Attorney firings. There are apologist bloggers out there for Bush too. Click here and here for examples. Kind of reminds me of the Republican bloggers who blindly supported Katherine Harris last fall.

For not taking responsibility for the incompetent firings of eight US attorneys, President George W Bush is our sixth Knucklehead of the Day.

Linked to- Amboy Times, Basil, Big Dog, Blue Star, Bright & Early,

Vice President Cheney is coming to town

He'll be almost in TFM's backyard on Saturday.

Vice President Dick Cheney will be the featured speaker Saturday at the Republican Jewish Coalition's winter meeting in Manalapan.

Cheney will speak during the organization's dinner at the Ritz Carlton, which recently reopened after being closed for eight months for a $60 million renovation.

Newt Gingrich, former speaker of the U.S. House, will be the Saturday luncheon speaker. Gingrich, a former Georgia congressman, is weighing whether to enter the race for the GOP nomination for president.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist will speak to the group Friday night.

Fred Barnes, executive editor of The Weekly Standard and a commentator on Fox News, also is expected to attend the meeting.

The Republican Jewish Coalition describes itself as "committed to building a strong, effective and respected Jewish Republican voice in Washington and across the country."

Manalapan and the Ritz Carlton are less than five miles from my home and about two miles from my wife's workplace.

Come on over Mr. Vice-President and have some pork picata with us. I promise not to call you a Knucklehead and there is no danger of being assaulted by a 15-lb lap cat any more.

Linked to- Basil, Bright & Early, Bullwinkle,

VP Cheney and the mindless babbling of the MSM

It didn't take 48 hours since the announcement of VP Cheney having a blood clot for someone in the MSM to speculate about his resignation.

Dick Cheney has been diagnosed with a blood clot in his left leg, leading to speculation he will be forced to resign as U.S. Vice-President.

The 66-year-old has a history of major health problems, including four heart attacks, and has undergone quadruple-bypass surgery.

He is a driving force in both the war in Iraq and the 'war on terror' and his resignation would be a huge loss to George Bush.

The vice-president is the leader of Washington's neo-conservatives and is believed to be a dominant influence on Mr Bush's military and foreign policies.

Is this article about the VP's health or politics?

He is also believed to be the president's closest political friend.

Gee 290 million people just learned something new. NOT!

There has been widespread speculation that if Mr Cheney is unable to complete his term in office through ill health he will be replaced by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, another personal friend of Mr Bush.

Yes and its all been done by the media. No one in the Bush administration has ever hinted VP Cheney will step down.

Mr Cheney called in a doctor yesterday after suffering 'discomfort' in his calf.

'An ultrasound test revealed a deep venous thrombosis or blood clot in his left lower leg,' said an official report. The vice-president has been put on blood thinning medication and has returned to work.

The medication is called Warfarin or Coumadin. TFM has more than a passing acquaintance with these medications.

A filter can also be placed in Cheney's body to prevent the clots from going to the lungs. That was done with me in 2005, it is called inferior vena cava or Greenfield filter.

While the White House is trying to play down the situation, the condition is obviously serious and will again trigger speculation that Mr Cheney could be forced to resign through poor health.

Again the press is the only one speculating. Why didn't someone sign off on this piece of crap article? I'd be ashamed to admit I wrote this total piece of ignorance.

Blood clots that form deep in the legs can become killers if they break off and float into the lungs.

This is called a pulmonary embolism.

I been there. It happened in August 2005 to me. I was home by myself and could barely breathe or move. My wife after coming home called the paramedics and I began a 10 day hospital stay. Four of those days were spent in the ICU.

How bad is a PE. One morning I was trying to eat breakfast and had to catch my breath when doing so. My pulse ox was barely hitting 90 even with me getting 100% oxygen for a few days.

The vice-president is under enormous stress as his policies in Iraq continue to fail and casualty figures mount.

More repeating of the obvious.

He returned last week from a trip that included unannounced stops in Afghanistan and Pakistan and during which a Taliban suicide bomber tried to kill him.

Since he got back, Mr Cheney has been sharply criticising the opposition Democrats for trying to restrict funds for President Bush's troop build-up in Iraq.

The President relies on him heavily not just to formulate policy but also as an 'attack dog' to take on domestic critics.

Ditto again and I'm not just sure why this article was even written except to repeat the usual left talking points and attacks on the VP. TFM has been critical about the War on Terror and the war in Iraq, and I don't always support the administration.

It is well known I'm a loose cannon in the conservative blogosphere. Read this post for further evidence.

There is speculation that the 65 hours Mr Cheney spent in the air aboard Air Force Two over the nine-day trip could have contributed to his thrombosis.

'When you're just sitting there with your legs hanging down for long periods of time, that's what predisposes you to the problem,' said Sean O'Donnell, chief of vascular surgery of Washington Hospital Centre.

Excuse me Dr. O'Donnell, VP Cheney is not your average flyer. He flies on government planes, not in a cramped commercial airliner. He can put up his legs as much as needed. So please get your head out of your rear end!

That goes for whoever in the MSM wrote this nonsense too. TFM who never got a college degree can be smarter than a vascular surgeon. Who would have thought it? LOL.

Note- I wrote this post with my legs up the entire time. If I can do it, Cheney can.

Hat tip- James Joyner at OTB
Linked to- Basil, One Big Dog, Overtaken by Events, Right Wing Nation,

Vice President Cheney

From AP-

WASHINGTON - Doctors discovered a blood clot in Vice President Dick Cheney's left leg Monday, a condition that could be fatal if left untreated.

The 66-year-old Cheney, who has a history of heart problems, will be treated with blood-thinning medication for several months, said spokeswoman Lea Anne McBride.

She said Cheney visited his doctor's office in Washington after feeling minor discomfort in his calf. An ultrasound showed the blood clot — called a deep venous thrombosis — in his left lower leg.

Blood clots that form deep in the legs can become killers if they break off and float into the lungs. This is called a pulmonary embolism. Deep vein thrombosis strikes an estimated 2 million Americans each year, killing 60,000.

TFM is more than familiar with pulmonary embolisms. For in August 2005 I had a blood clot go from my right leg to my lungs. I spent 10 days in the hospial because of it.

The medication VP Cheney is probably being prescribed is called Wafarin or Coumadin. I'm still taking this medication today.

Get well Mr. Vice-President.

Linked to-Conservative Thoughts, Right Voices, Right Wing Nation,

Former President Gerald Ford dead at 93

He passed away yesterday.

RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. - Former President Gerald R. Ford, who declared "Our long national nightmare is over" as he replaced Richard Nixon but may have doomed his own chances of election by pardoning his disgraced predecessor, has died. He was 93.

The nation's 38th president, and the only one not elected to the office or the vice presidency, died at his desert home at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday.

"His life was filled with love of God, his family and his country," his wife, Betty, said in a statement.

Ford was the longest living former president, surpassing Ronald Reagan, who died in June 2004, by more than a month.

Ford's office did not release the cause of death, which followed a year of medical problems. He was treated for pneumonia in January and had an angioplasty and pacemaker implant in August.

Alex at SOTP reminds us this excellent Ford quote.

"I ask that we stop refighting the battles and the recriminations of the past. I ask that we look now at what is right with America, at our possibilities and our potentialities for change and growth and achievement and sharing. I ask that we accept the responsibilities of leadership as a good neighbor to all peoples and the enemy of none. I ask that we strive to become, in the finest American tradition, something more tomorrow than we are today."

Words both the American public and our politicians would be wise to remember and adhere to. Gerald Ford took over the Presidency at a time of turmoil in American politics. Ford helped to restore respect to the Presidency after the Watergate scandal, and for that he will always be remembered. RIP.

Many bloggers are commenting on the passing of President Ford. They include- Jo's Cafe, Chris Lawrence at OTB, The Moderate Voice, Gay Patriot, Kevin at Wizbang, Blue Star, Flopping Aces, Captain's Quarters, Michelle Malkin, Blue Star, Amboy Times, Stuck on Stupid, Don Surber,