Monday link round-up

Since I’m so behind today, in the interest of catching up I’m going to post a link round-up of hot stories for the day, followed by brief commentary on each. Here we go …

—– First and foremost, it’s good to see that Houston resident Jason Smith and his family are ok after the devastation caused by Hurricane Ike. He’s described a little of what he’s seen in Houston, and will be back later (when he has power) to post some pictures. Please continue to keep that region of the country, as well as the Midwest – where Ike’s leftovers have been blamed for at least 13 deaths – in your thoughts and prayers.

—– The Wall Street Journal published a report today that talked about $453 million in federal funding Gov. Palin requested for the state of Alaska over the last two years, and unfortunately mixes up “federal funding requests” with “earmarks.” MichaelW at QandO has a detailed to this story, explaining things that the WSJ either didn’t or that they just flat out got confused.

Regardless of the WSJ’s slopping reporting on this story, the McCain camp needs to be on the beat explaining her record on spending and defining the differences between earmarks and federal funding requests (which nobody has really done). Gov. Palin’s reputation as a fiscal conservative is one of the top qualities that has drawn people to support the McCain-Palin ticket. For that reason, it is imperative that Team McCain clear up any confusion on the two years worth of federal funding request reported by the WSJ – the sooner the better.

—– And speaking of the Governor, she discussed today in Colorado what some of her priorities as vice president would be, and they fall very much in line with some of the main reasons I figured McCain chose her in the first place:

“John and I have worked out a plan, what I want to concentrate on and what he would like to kind of tap into me to help with,” Palin said at a rally just outside Denver this morning. “My mission is going to energy security and government reform. And another thing near and dear to my heart, it’s going to be helping families who have special needs and children with special needs. And we’re going to be pushing for innovative cures for diseases.”

Those are areas she clearly excels in, considering her record on reform and energy in Alaska, as well as the fact that she has a special needs child herself.

—– Oh, um – and did you know that the demographics of the Northwest are an indication that not only is that whole region racist, but perhaps means that Gov. Palin, too, is a closet racist? I didn’t know either, until I read this Philly Enquirer opinion piece today. The things you learn from reading “progressive” newspapers!

—– Barack Obama’s VP pick Joe Biden was in North Carolina yesterday – specifically Charlotte, and the public event (there was a private fundraiser as well) was not without its goofier moments:

At an event in Charlotte, N.C., Biden said his grandkids having a slumber party with Obama’s daughters was a metaphor for what Americans want. “They want a sleepover with people they like!”

And then there were the “gasp!” moments, like this one:

Biden said the policies of running mate Barack Obama make his presidency even more urgent and declared this to be the most important election that any living person has seen in their lifetime. But he particularly singled out the meaning of electing someone who is black.

“That will be a transformative event in American politics and internationally,” Biden said. “That all by itself will be significant.”

What happened to judge me the content of my character and not the color of my skin? Maybe Joe will get around to remembering that right after he moves on beyond his belief that being the Senator of a ‘former slave state means that he can relate to Southern folk.

I’m so sorry I had to miss this event. Not.

—– Lynn Sweet has the transcript of prepared remarks Senator Biden made today in Saint Clair Shores, MI, in which he slammed McCain – clearly meaning to take advantage of the worry voters have in that swing state about the economy – and what better day to deliver them than on a the day that has seen a wave of bad news on the investment banking front and stock market fronts.

—– McCain is being ripped by The Usual Suspects for saying today that in spite of the news about Lehman Brothers, that the fundamentals of the economy are still strong. Oddly enough, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg agrees with him.

—— Sidenote: Jennifer Rubin notes the strong campaign contribution connection Barry Oh! has with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Hey! I thought that only Republicans associated with the “filthy rich”?! Will the mainstream media pick up on this? I know – rhetorical question. Karl at Patterico’s blog has much, much more – and notes the rank hypocrisy of Barack Obama blaming today’s wave of bad news on Republicans like John McCain.

—– And for some bizarro reason, today’s bad financial news has got the far left waxing nostalgic about …. the Keating Five scandal. I anticipate some conspiracy theory about McCain’s secret hand in the financial ruin of Lehman Brothers and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in 4, 3, 2 …

—– More laugh out loud absurdities were posted at another far left blog, Think Progress, as they apprently view Fox News’ Megyn Kelly’s taking McCain spokesman Tucker Bounds to task on the McCain campaign’s repeated assertions about how Barack Obama is going to raise taxes as a signal that McCain has “lost” Fox News. Meaning, strangely, that Fox News is supposedly solidly in McCain’s camp. I note that neither they, nor the others who linked approvingly to that post referenced the fact that Fox News’ Bill Hemmer grilled one of Obama’s chief spokesmen Bill Burton on the “he can’t send email” ad earlier today:

About ten seconds into Fox News anchor Bill Hemmer’s interview of Obama spokesman Bill Burton, the two start talking over each other.

The trigger is that Hemmer’s got a simple, but uncomfortable question: Did Team Obama know that war injuries made it difficult for McCain to type when they put out their “he doesn’t even use a computer” ad?

Burton ignore the question and just repeats “he doesn’t know how to use a computer” line several times, emphasizing, “I read an interview in the New York Times and the San Francisco chronicle where he said that he was in fact learning to use a computer, but that he hasn’t got the knack yet.”

Hemmer asks, repeatedly and with increasing frustration, whether Burton or the Obama camp was aware about the injuries he suffered in Hanoi, and their impact on his ability to use a keyboard? Among Burton’s responses: “I think that I was aware of the fact that he said he was learning to use a computer.”

So – let’s add this up: Megyn Kelly takes to task a McCcain spokesman on a campaign claim. Bill Hemmer grills an Obama spokesman on a campaign claim. To me, this equates to Fox showing more fair and balanced reporting in one day than you’ll see in six months – perhaps even a year – on MSDNC, the preferred network of the Think Progress’ and Daily Kos’ of the world.

Next?

Updated to add:

—– Check out the upcoming line of Obama “faith” merchandise (make sure to scroll down a bit). The theme: “Believers for Barack.”

Somebody please tell me this is a joke.

—– The Atlantic Monthly’s editor said today he will be issuing a letter of apology to John McCain after word surfaced that the photographer who took the sinister looking photo of Mc on the most recent issue of The Atlantic Monthyl was a raging moonbat. The Atlantic is also considering a lawsuit.

—– Let’s not make this Victim Week 2, please: No, Carly Fiorina – the SNL skit featuring Tina Fey as Gov. Palin was not a “sexist” skit. McCain’s spokespeople and surrogates have got to stop trivializing certain words and their meanings.

To view the SNL segment, click below:

Judging by the response of Gov. Palin’s spokeswoman, the Gov. took it much more in stride than the McCain camp did:

According to her spokesperson Tracey Schmitt, the real Sarah Palin had a good laugh along with the press corps in the back of the plane and millions of Americans at home.

“She thought it was quite funny, particularly because she once dressed up as Tina Fey for Halloween” Schmitt said.