Daily Babe News

From AP; In a shocking turnabout, the press secretary most known for defending President Bush on Iraq, Katrina and a host of other controversial issues produced a memoir damning of his old boss on nearly every level - from too much secrecy to a less-than-honest selling of the war to a lack of personal candor and an unwillingness to admit mistakes.

In the first major insider account of the Bush White House, one-time spokesman Scott McClellan calls the operation "insular, secretive and combative" and says it veered irretrievably off course as a result.

The White House responded angrily Wednesday to McClellan's confessional memoir, calling it self-serving sour grapes.

"Scott, we now know, is disgruntled about his experience at the White House," said current White House press secretary Dana Perino, a former deputy to McClellan. "We are puzzled. It is sad. This is not the Scott we knew." [read more]

From Free Republic; Why bother reviewing a book written by a liberal for liberals? There are two answers.

First, since 1968 the national Democratic Party has experienced a revolutionary change. Secular liberals hijacked the party. This book documents the what and how of these changes.

Second, secular liberal dominance continues. This means there are serious problems for the national Democrat Party; these problems influence the 2008 election.

WHAT HAPPENED

The easiest place to begin is to quote Ramesh Ponnuru:

“It would have required a lot of prescience to predict in 1965 that American politics, for so many decades based on economic divisions, would soon split over social issues and, especially, abortion. But not even a very prescient observer could have correctly predicted which party would take which side in the coming battles. On abortion, in particular, it looked obvious which way it would break: The Democrats were the party of Catholic Northerners and Southern whites, the party that believed in using the power of government to protect the weak; the Republicans were the party with historical ties to Planned Parenthood.” >p> “Somewhere along the line, the parties switched places, with consequences–including the Democrats’ loss of their durable majority–that are plain to see. But how it happened still seems a puzzle, and, in his new book, Why the Democrats are Blue: Secular Liberalism and the Decline of the People's Party, Mark Stricherz has provided a crucial piece for solving that puzzle.”

The author of this book opines in respect to what happened:

“…The wrong position that national Democratic leaders have taken is that of secular liberalism. They oppose extending any legal protection to an unprotected class of human beings—unborn infants. And they favor granting public benefits to homosexual coupes. Considering the national party was know as “the-party-of–the-little-guy” and was led by Catholic big-city and state bosses, the post-1968 party’s support for secular liberalism qualifies as a revolution not an evolution.” (page 2)

“…The new deal, or Roosevelt coalition had included white Southerners, Catholics, union members, blacks and intellectuals. Under this coalition, the national party was a majority party, and its presidential candidates won seven of the ten elections from 1932 to 1968…”. (page 5)

“…The McGovern Commission destroyed this old electoral alliance and replaced it with a Social Change Coalition led by secular liberals. The commission pushed forward through a rules change that required informal delegate quotas for women and young people…this proposal had three major consequences. First, while the Democrat Coalition added feminists and secular professionals, it drove away blue-collar workers and Roman Catholics, many of whom became Reagan Democrats. Second, it broke the longstanding alliance with the Catholic Church. Third it reduced the number of Democrats…According to the party strategists William Galston and Elaine Kamarck, only 21 percent of the electorate consider themselves as liberal, while 34% consider themselves conservative…”

“…The fourth(more minor) consequence reduced the clout of traditional Democrats..”

“…The fifth (more minor) consequence of the McGovern Commission is that secular, college-educated professionals hijacked control of the party machinery and imposed their own secular educated agenda.

That this revolution in values and direction is real one need only look at Jesse Jackson and Senator Edward Kennedy. In 1976 Jesse Jackson delivered a passionate, faith based pro-life speech to the March for Life group. In the same year Edward Kennedy proposed a constitutional amendment to overturn Roe v. Wade and return the issue to the states. Also not to be forgotten, is Joe Biden, Al Gore, Dick Gephardt, Richard Durbin, and Dennis Kucinich began their political careers as pro-lifers. Finally, in 1986 while governor Bill Clinton wrote to the Arkansas Right to Life organization he was "opposed to abortion and government funding of abortions."

So things really changed once the feminists gained political power. [read more]

From Intellectual Conservative; I’ve been interviewing political authors and figures for five years. Never once have I posed more than 10 questions to a subject. In the case of Steve Moxon, who has just released The Woman Racket , I asked 14. My enthusiasm is quite appropriate, however. The Woman Racket is a tour de force and a classic which should be read again and again. Previously, Mr. Moxon authored The Great Immigration Scandal which was a result of his time spent as a Home Office immigration caseworker. He blew the whistle on widespread abuse and the nature of the government's policy of “Managed Migration” and was then duly fired. Mr. Moxon also pens a blog which debates “political correctness fascism” and counters journalists’ misguided take on immigration and male-female issues.

BC: Mr. Moxon, allow me to congratulate you on your new book. I know it’s only March but there’s no question it’s the best book I’ve read this year. My first question concerns its title. Your work is a thorough review of the scientific basis for sex differences, but “The Woman Racket” is a most polemical sounding phrase. Do you think this may limit your audience?

Steve Moxon: Yes, but the bigger problem is to get attention in the first place. The title succeeds in achieving that! It contrasts with the sub-title — which tells you that the book is popular science. It's somewhat cryptic. Actually it's not mine, but a phrase from Norman Mailer; one that beautifully encapsulates the recent cultural turn of perennial prejudice against men into a virulent political entrenchment of it. And it conveys something of this prejudice in a meta sense: at first glance some might think it's a book about "the white slave trade" or some other bogus supposed exploitation of the sex we spend too much time caring about.

BC: Are women privileged in America and the United Kingdom?

Steve Moxon: Women are privileged (compared to men) in every society and in every period of history. This will always be the case irrespective of whatever social systems emerge in the future. The females of all animal species constitute the "limiting factor" — the logjam — in reproduction, and given that reproduction is the fundamental biological imperative (maximizing reproduction over various timescales within the local reproducing group), then this inevitably translates in various ways to the female being prized, and correspondingly to males competing against each other to avoid reproductive oblivion. [read more]

From Reason; The Cult of the Amateur: How Today's Internet is Killing Our Culture, by Andrew Keen, New York: Currency, 228 pages, $22.95

Andrew Keen’s website claims, without a hint of humility, that he’s “the leading contemporary critic of the Internet.” No kidding? The entire Internet? A curious reader might wonder whether such an all-inclusive battle is similar to taking on, say, “music” or “radio waves.” It is.

More specifically, Keen’s depressing book, The Cult of the Amateur: How Today’s Internet Is Killing Our Culture, laments techno-utopianism, free content, and the rise of citizen journalists, filmmakers, musicians, and critics as cultural arbiters. It is a book, in other words, of spectacular elitism.

Keen, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur turned full-time critic of user-generated Internet content, argues that our most “valued cultural institutions” are under attack from the hordes of lay hacks, undermining quality content with garbage. His central argument is—to pinch a word he loves to use—seductive. He’s right that the Internet is littered with inane, vulgar, dimwitted, unedited, and unreadable content, much of it fueling outrageous conspiracy theories, odious partisan debates, mindless celebrity worship, and worse. And then there’s the stuff that’s not even entertaining. [read more]

From Instapundit; It's sure to make a splash, and it's already got some left bloggers in a tizzy even though it doesn't come out until next week. It's Jonah Goldberg's new book, Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning The title comes from H.G. Wells, and the history won't be news to people who've paid attention -- which means it will be news to a lot of people -- but Goldberg has a lot to say about the "progressive" roots of both socialism and fascism and the way they're reflected in contemporary politics. (He goes out of his way to make clear, though, that he's not saying liberals are fascists.) Plus, thoughts on the Hillary and Huckabee candidacies.

You can listen to the show directly -- no downloads needed -- by going right here and clicking on the gray Flash player. You can download the whole file and listen at your leisure by clicking right here, and you can get a lo-fi version suitable for dialup by going here and selecting "lo fi." And, of course, you can always get a free subscription from iTunes if you like -- and why wouldn't you? Show archives are at GlennandHelenShow.com.

From The American Spectator; Laura looked terrific. Sounded terrific.

And she reads well, too. Very well.

No, I'm not Chris Matthews, whose on-air propensity for commenting on the physical appearance of his female guests (as he has done with Ms. Ingraham and others) occasionally detracts from his zeal to bash the war in Iraq.

But there is, I think, a direct connection between the way radio talk show host and author Laura Ingraham has been looking and sounding lately and the contents of her new book, Power to the People.

The book is a rallying cry for Americans who have increasingly felt marginalized by what they see going on in their once familiar culture. The arguments are crisp, well reasoned, and filled with facts. The importance of family, immigration, terrorism and national security, federalism and more are discussed with imagination and a perceptive authority. In particular her expertise as a former law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas shines through, lasering in on exactly the extent to which un-elected judges have usurped the powers of elected officials. Her passionate insistence on the importance of citizen action is designed to encourage the reader to shake off the couch-potato mentality and do something. [read more]

From ABC News; Since Clarence Thomas joined the Supreme Court 16 years ago, he has largely remained silent, and his silence has become part of his mythology. He rarely speaks from the bench. He hasn't responded to legions of critics. His judicial opinions reveal a powerful voice, but his story had been written by others.

Now Thomas has chosen to speak, forcefully and bluntly, in his new book, My Grandfather's Son: A Memoir and in a series of interviews with ABC News over four days that can only be described as extraordinary for their scope and intensity. He talks with almost painful candor — all but unprecedented for a public official — about his life and personal struggles, his fears and failings, his anger and his regrets.

Thomas's most deeply felt opinions are about race, and he pulls no punches. For Thomas, the menacing racists who donned white sheets in the segregated South of his childhood are as bad or worse as the northern liberal zealots in suits and ties.

"These people who claim to be progressive … have been far more vicious to me than any southerner," Thomas says, "and it is purely ideological."

Thomas talks about the virulent racism he encountered growing up in the segregated South, when blacks were considered second-class citizens and kept separate from whites by law, and he equates those attitudes with the stereotypes he believes people hold today.

"People get bent out of shape about the fact that when I was a kid, you could not drink out of certain water fountains. Well, the water was the same. My grandfather always said that, 'The water's exactly the same.' But those same people are extremely comfortable saying I can't drink from this fountain of knowledge," Thomas says. "They certainly don't see themselves as being like the bigots in the South. Well, I've lived both experiences. And I really don't see that they're any different from them." [read more]

From NY Times; One of the most influential business books ever written is a 1,200-page novel published 50 years ago, on Oct. 12, 1957. It is still drawing readers; it ranks 388th on Amazon.com’s best-seller list. (“Winning,” by John F. Welch Jr., at a breezy 384 pages, is No. 1,431.)

The book is “Atlas Shrugged,” Ayn Rand’s glorification of the right of individuals to live entirely for their own interest.

For years, Rand’s message was attacked by intellectuals whom her circle labeled “do-gooders,” who argued that individuals should also work in the service of others. Her book was dismissed as an homage to greed. Gore Vidal described its philosophy as “nearly perfect in its immorality.”

But the book attracted a coterie of fans, some of them top corporate executives, who dared not speak of its impact except in private. When they read the book, often as college students, they now say, it gave form and substance to their inchoate thoughts, showing there is no conflict between private ambition and public benefit. [read more]

From 1918.com; I just finished a fantastic book, Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10. It's the eyewitness account of the worst day in Navy SEAL history.

I heard the "lone survivor" on Laura Ingraham's show a few days ago and ordered the book before the interview had even ended.

Good links and lotsa comments at Blackfive.

On a clear night in late June 2005, four U.S. Navy SEALs left their base in northern Afghanistan for the mountainous Pakistani border. Their mission was to capture or kill a notorious al Qaeda leader known to be ensconced in a Taliban stronghold surrounded by a small but heavily armed force. Less then twenty-four hours later, only one of those Navy SEALs remained alive.

This is the story of fire team leader Marcus Luttrell, the sole survivor of Operation Redwing, and the desperate battle in the mountains that led, ultimately, to the largest loss of life in Navy SEAL history. But it is also, more than anything, the story of his teammates, who fought ferociously beside him until he was the last one left-blasted unconscious by a rocket grenade, blown over a cliff, but still armed and still breathing. Over the next four days, badly injured and presumed dead, Luttrell fought off six al Qaeda assassins who were sent to finish him, then crawled for seven miles through the mountains before he was taken in by a Pashtun tribe, who risked everything to protect him from the encircling Taliban killers.

A six-foot-five-inch Texan, Leading Petty Officer Luttrell takes us, blow-by-blow, through the brutal training of America's warrior elite and the relentless rites of passage required by the Navy SEALs. He transports us to a monstrous battle fought in the desolate peaks of Afghanistan, where the beleaguered American team plummeted headlong a thousand feet down a mountain as they fought back through flying shale and rocks. In this rich , moving chronicle of courage, honor, and patriotism, Marcus Luttrell delivers one of the most powerful narratives ever written about modern warfare-and a tribute to his teammates, who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

From Washington Post; When I was 10, I founded an international organization known as the Black Cat Club. My friend Richard was the only other member. My younger brother, Hal, had "provisional status," which meant that he had to try out for full membership every other week. We told him we would consider his application if he jumped off the garage roof -- about eight feet from the ground. He had a moment of doubt as he looked over the edge, but we said it wouldn't hurt if he shouted the words "Fly like an eagle!" When he jumped, his knees came up so fast that he knocked himself out. I think the lesson he learned that day was not to trust his brother, which is a pretty valuable one for a growing lad.

I wrote "The Dangerous Book for Boys" as a handbook for boys with scenes like that from my childhood in mind. I wasn't trying to please anyone else. I was just trying to free boys to be themselves again, the way we were when my brother and I were growing up. [read more]

From NY Times; Judith Regan, the firebrand editor who stirred up decade-old passions last month with her plan for a book and television interview with O. J. Simpson, was fired on Friday by HarperCollins, the publishing company that oversaw her book business.

HarperCollins announced the firing, “effective immediately,” in a two-sentence news release that was issued about 7 p.m. Eastern time. The announcement was made by Jane Friedman, president and chief executive of HarperCollins, who has long had a strained relationship with Ms. Regan.

The statement said Ms. Regan’s publishing unit and its staff would continue as part of the HarperCollins General Books Group, but it is unknown whether that group would remain in Los Angeles, where Ms. Regan moved it from New York earlier this year. [read more]

From Human Events; There’s a book this Christmas for everyone, from the American history buff on your list to your children or grandchildren. We hope the recommendations below will help you with your shopping. All the books recommended here are selections of the Conservative Book Club, and Human Events is making them available through the Human Events Book Service, where you’ll find discounts up of up 33% off the retail price.

“The President, the Pope, and the Prime Minister”
By John O’Sullivan

John O’Sullivan’s “The President, the Pope, and the Prime Minister” begins at a historical moment that has a certain resonance with our own. Before our recent midterm election, a number of pundits warned that a Democratic victory would be a ticket back to the 1970s. Remember the disastrous Carter years? Our military was under-funded, and respect for our soldiers was at an all-time low. A recklessly utopian liberal foreign policy had diminished America’s prestige abroad. We were resigned to co-existence with the Soviet communism that had turned Eastern Europe into a giant prison. The effects of the ’60s revolt against traditional morality were taking their devastating toll on family life. “Malaise” seemed to sum up the mood of the country. [read more]

From CNS News; The antipathy that congressional Democrats have today toward President George W. Bush is reminiscent of their distrust of President Ronald Reagan during the Cold War, a political science professor says.

"We see some of the same sentiments today, in that some Democrats see the Republican president as being a threat and the true obstacle to peace, instead of seeing our enemies as the true danger," said Paul Kengor, a political science professor at Grove City College and the author of new book, The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism.

In his book, Kengor focuses on a KGB letter written at the height of the Cold War that shows that Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) offered to assist Soviet leaders in formulating a public relations strategy to counter President Reagan's foreign policy and to complicate his re-election efforts. [read more]

From LA Times; A new book by a former White House official says that President Bush's top political advisors privately ridiculed evangelical supporters as "nuts" and "goofy" while embracing them in public and using their votes to help win elections.

The former official also writes that the White House office of faith-based initiatives, which Bush promoted as a nonpolitical effort to support religious social-service organizations, was told to host pre-election events designed to mobilize religious voters who would most likely favor Republican candidates. [read more]

From Fuzzilicious Thinking;
Don't miss this one...

With great insight and compassion, Award-winning journalist Michael Weisskopf has written on a subject very near and dear to my heart—the amputees of this war. Weisskopf himself lost his dominant hand while embedded with soldiers in Iraq in preparation for the Time magazine 2003 Person of the Year edition. He picked up a grenade that landed in his vehicle and awoke to a whole new life: Ward 57 of Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

But while Weisskopf weaves himself throughout Blood Brothers, he is not the central figure. Instead, he vividly paints the portraits of three fellow-travelers in Ward 57, soldiers who must come to terms with the physical and psychological impacts of losing a limb. In powerful but matter-of-fact, news-like prose, the reader is introduced to Before and After, and taken along for the gut-wrenching journey in between as wounded warriors (along with their loved ones and care-givers) tackle the mountain that is physical and psychological recovery from amputation. [read more]

From The American Thinker; Richard Johnston of the University of British Columbia and Byron Shafer of Wisconsin have written a book, The End of Southern Exceptionalism, which argues that the GOP took control of the South from Democrats (segregationist Dixiecrats) becuase of economic issues, not because of catering to white racism.

The fact that Harvard University Press dared to publish the argument is encouraging. Doubly so is that The Boston Globe, a subsidiary of the New York Times Company, published this positive account of the thesis. [read more]

From AP; It's the latest twist for the mega-selling conspiracy thriller "The Da Vinci Code": a lawsuit against the book's publisher for breach of copyright that could taint the novel and delay the much-anticipated movie version.

Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh, authors of the 1982 nonfiction book "The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail," are suing publisher Random House, Inc. over the allegation that parts of their work formed the basis of Dan Brown's novel, which has sold more than 40 million copies worldwide and remains high on best seller lists nearly three years after publication. [read more]

From Little Democrats; "Why Mommy is a Democrat is a warm and wonderful story of commitment to family and community.

You'll want to share this book with your children for the same reason you're a Democrat -- because you care." - Mayor Michael B. Coleman, Columbus, OH

From AP; Meet the latest children's author, Sen. Ted Kennedy, and his Portuguese Water Dog (ed. no, it's not a joke, he actually has a "water dog"), Splash, his co-protagonist in "My Senator and Me: A Dogs-Eye View of Washington, D.C."

Scholastic Inc. will release the book in May.

"I am very excited about the opportunity to create a book for young readers and their families that will deepen their understanding of how our American government works," Kennedy said in a statement Monday issued by Scholastic. [read more]

From Althouse; From Cliff Sloan's piece in Slate about Joan Biskupic's new biography of Justice O'Connor:

[S]ome of [what is in the book] is new—an apparent rivalry between liberal lion William Brennan and O'Connor for influence on the court, and Brennan's clumsiness in his maneuvers; the effectiveness of Justice Stephen Breyer in reaching out to her. With Potter Stewart's departure in 1981 and O'Connor's replacement of him, Brennan seemed to have lost an important occasional ally.

[read more]