If you check the right column, right above my blogroll, you’ll see a new scrolling news ticker I’ve added - I want to add more than just Fox News (also wanted to add USAToday) but I’m not sure I can do it on the 14 day free trial. In the meantime, lemme know if you have any problems viewing it (like scrolling issues, etc).

Update: I switched over to the Yahoo News “Top Newstories” RSS feed, which includes stories from AP, Reuters, etc. I’m trying to see if this thing updates automatically or if I have to do it manually and I also need to find out how to add a second feed (like Fox) to the list. I’ve tried the instructions and they aren’t working for me. (Here’s the site I got the news ticker from - if you’re a blogger or other website owner, you may find some of what they have there useful)

The topic: “Can Islam reform itself?”

Ijaz and McCarthy debate the issue here. Make sure to bookmark it and check back throughout the day as it will be updated with new posts.

The debate surrounding the controversial UAE port deal has made for some strange bedfellows. I’m on board with it, and this morning the LA Times editorial page has come out in support of it (hat tip: Karl), Richard Cohen at the WashPost is in favor of it, as is Nick Kristoff (paid reg. req.) at the New York Times.

The same can be said for my friends on the right who are against the UAE port deal, who are on the same side of the fence on this one as Senator Hillary Clinton (among others on the left who share her opinion) - although the reasons why why our friends on the right are against the deal more than pass the credibility test whereas the Hillary Clinton-led left’s do not.

Stange bedfellows indeed, eh?

There’s a strong element of profiling in all of this, and Hillary has never been a proponent of profiling - until now. Whether for or against it, the right’s position on this is pretty consistent with their belief in profiling: both pro and con UAE port deal on the right believe the UAE should have been more heavily scrutinized than, say, the UK, on this deal for the obvious reasons - namely, the fact that two of the 9-11 hijackers were from the UAE and also the UAE’s questionable relationship in the past with the Taliban. One side of the right says that scrutiny should have shown that the deal shouldn’t have been approved while the other side of the right (the pro-deal side) welcomed the extra scrutiny but believed in the end that the scrutiny shows that the UAE are a valuable ally in the war on terror and have proven their worth with their assistance in the WOT.

The left’s position on this all of a sudden seems to be that it’s ok to profile because the buyers are from the UAE. Does this mean that Hillary and the rest of the newfound supporters of profiling on the left are now on board with a more targeted scrutiny of UAE Muslims who pass through our airports? I would bet the answer on that would be a resounding “NO.”

(Cross-posted at Blogs For Bush)

Related Toldjah So posts:

• Disinformation campaign on the UAE port deal?
• The UAE port deal: I support it
• Bush veto threat on bill that would stop port sale to UAE company
• Your feelings on the UAE port deal

You can listen to it here.

Had a great time with Jamie and Smash, as usual

Mega-thanks to Kevin/blogagog for recording it for me.

Previous Allman and Smash interviews with ST:

• ST on Allman and Smash 11/29/05
• ST on Allman and Smash 10/11/05

The latest CBS News poll is showing the President’s approval rating down to 34% - an all time low.

Bad, yes, but John Hawkins at Right Wing News has taken a closer look at those poll numbers - specifically, the number of Democrats versus Republicans who were surveyed for the poll - and has found that with all those things considered, it’s really not surprising at all that the President polled low in this particular poll.

The latest in the rumor mill regarding a possible step down for VP Dick Cheney comes from Insight Magazine. They write:

Vice President Dick Cheney is expected to retire within a year.

Senior GOP sources envision the retirement of Mr. Cheney in 2007, months after the congressional elections. The sources said Mr. Cheney would be persuaded to step down as he becomes an increasing political liability to President Bush.

The sources reported a growing rift between the president and vice president as well as their staffs. They cited Mr. Cheney’s failure to immediately tell the president of the accidental shooting of the vice president’s hunting colleague earlier this month. The White House didn’t learn of the incident until 18 hours later.

Mr. Cheney’s next crisis could take place by the end of the year, the sources said. They said the White House was expecting Mr. Cheney to defend himself against charges from his former chief of staff, Lewis Libby, that the vice president ordered him to relay classified information. Such a charge could lead to a congressional investigation and even impeachment proceedings.

“Nothing will happen until after the congressional elections,” a GOP source said. “After that, there will be significant changes in the administration and Cheney will probably be part of that.”

The rumors about a possible Cheney resignation have persisted throughout his tenure as Vice President - for example, back in October during the height of la affaire de pLame, US News reported that “government officials and advisers” were fueling the grapevine with speculation that Cheney would step down.

If the latest scuttlebutt on this proves to be true, I doubt it will have much - if anything - to do with any pressure on the part of the President to push Cheney into stepping down. Bush is nothing if not loyal, and I believe he wouldn’t try to exert any influence one way or the other on Cheney’s decision.

A Cheney resignation would put the left in a bit of a quandry as he - along with Karl Rove - have been on their political hit lists going back to before the President was inaugurated the first time. They consider having him in office as a Republican weakness on which they can capitalize. But if he steps down, they Congressional left would be in the position of helping to either approve or disapprove his successor - the person who could very well be considered a contender for the office of the Presidency come ‘08. The Congressional right would be chomping at the bit to get someone in that seat who they think could breathe new life into Republican party supporters who are tired from weathering so many storms on behalf of both Cheney and the President.

Professor Bainbridge has posted a just for kicks poll which asks the question: “If Dick Cheney Resigns, Who Should Bush Pick as the Next VP?” - make sure to cast your vote.

(Cross-posted at California Conservative)

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Reminder: Make sure to tune in to Allman and Smash tomorrow at 8:10 ET as I’ll be interviewed for their weekly blogger segment. Here’s how to catch it if you’re not in their listening area.

Let’s hope this can be confirmed! Via AP:

BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Interior Ministry forces captured a top aide to al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi during a raid in western Iraq, state television reported Monday.

Iraqiya TV identified the captive as Abu al-Farouq, a Syrian. It said he was captured with five other alleged al-Qaida operatives in the Sunni insurgent stronghold of Ramadi, 70 miles west of Baghdad. The raid was carried out by the ministry’s counterinsurgency Wolf Brigade.

Without question, news of the UAE port deal has generated a firestorm of criticism on both sides of the aisle. I came out last week in favor of the deal, after initially not supporting it. I know there are other conservatives who initially were against the deal who changed their minds as well as more information came out about it. Others are sticking by their initial position on the issue, and I can respect that, even though I disagree with them.

However, what I don’t respect is what seems to be a deliberate, ongoing misinformation campaign on this issue, with most of the (deliberate) misleading coming from liberals like Sen. Hillary Clinton. This morning, Jim Geraghty at NRO’s “The Kerry Spot” reports on what the left hand side of the aisle in DC has had to say on this issue over the course of the last several days - statements from them which, unfortunately, cloud a topic worthy of serious in-depth discusssion based on the facts. Regardless of what one thinks about this deal, it’s important that all facts are put on the table in a way that fosters and encourages that debate. When misinformation is spread, it becomes nearly impossible to separate the truth from fiction - but Geraghty does a good job of it here.

Others blogging about this: Glenn Reynolds, Amy Proctor, Roger L. Simon, Sweetness and Light, INDC Journal, Gateway Pundit

PM Update: Make sure to check out what John at Powerline has to say on the UAE port deal.

Related Toldjah So posts:

• The UAE port deal: I support it
• Bush veto threat on bill that would stop port sale to UAE company
• Your feelings on the UAE port deal

This was just too humorous to pass up this morning

Links from around the blogosphere that may be of interest to you:

• The latest from the anti-war left: United for Peace is calling for all interested parties to join them in “storming” the White House “until they [Bush and Co.] leave.”
• Michael Yon posts a report (with photos) from a mainstream journalist (who wishes to remain anonymous) about the need for wheelchairs for children in Iraq. Once you’re done reading, you’ll see links that will take you to sites where you can sign up to help.
• US ambassador to the UN John Bolton says the UN is hobbled “by bad management, by sex and corruption” - Debbie at In the Bullpen thinks Bolton is being “way too kind.”
• Uncle Jimbo at Blackfive is calling US Olympic ski-stud Bode Miller “Nike’s Million Dollar Ski Bum”
• The Confederate Yankee picks apart a CNN report on Iraqi troop readiness
• Jim at bRight and Early has a new web domain addy - make sure to update your bookmarks and/or blogrolls
• Big Lizards and Powerline both blog about a recent Investor’s Business Daily editorial titled “Saddam Had WMD”.
• Your humble blog hostess has a post up at Blogs for Bush about an anti-Semitic/anti-America movie that has generated an outcry in Germany.

Feel free to comment on any of the above, or whatever’s on your mind in the comments section and consider this an open thread.