Video Shows Gaddafi's Son Saif al-Islam Rallying Supporters in Tripoli

**UPDATE** The video was on autoplay, you can find it here

telegraph.co.uk

A video of what appears to be Saif al-Islam Gaddafi addressing supporters and clutching an assault rifle has appeared on a social media website

The mobile phone footage seems to show the son of the Libyan leader is seen standing on top of a vehicle on Sunday in front of a chanting crowd.

The 39-year-old Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the eldest of Gaddafi's children with his second wife, was educted in London where he has a house.

The situation in Libya remained chaotic today, with opponents of the regime – including many army units which have defected to the rebel side – holding almost all of the east of the country and most of its lucrative oil infrastructure.

Col Gaddafi himself retains control over capital Tripoli and nearby cities, backed by better armed security forces and militiamen

Karl Rove on Obama's Response to Libya: "I Agree With Bill Kristol That The Administration Is Dithering and America Has Looked Weak"

Rove on the O'Reilly Factor


Rove has a few suggestions for the Administration, things they could be doing right now on the Libyan crisis

-Medical supplies and humanitarian aid in the Eastern part of the country that's now been liberated from Qaddafi

-Declare that we're no longer recognizing Qaddafi, break diplomatic relations as Peru did early on

-Have dialogue with the people in the liberated parts in the country and find out what they need to defend themselves and what they need to care for their people

-Have a no-fly zone similar to what was imposed on Saddam Hussein after the Gulf War

Qaddafi's Forces Strike At Rebels Using Fighter Jets

Fighter jets? This guy is no different than Saddam Hussein

nytimes

BENGHAZI, Libya — Colonel Muammar el-Qaddafi’s forces struck back on three fronts on Monday, using fighter jets, special forces units and regular army troops in an escalation of hostilities that brought Libya closer to civil war

The attacks by the colonel’s troops on an oil refinery in central Libya and on cities on either side of the country unsettled rebel leaders — who earlier had claimed they were close to liberating the country — and showed that despite defections by the military, the government still possessed powerful assets, including fighter pilots willing to bomb Libyan cities.

But the ease with which at least one assault, on the western city of Zawiyah, was repelled by anti-government forces raised questions about the ability of the government to muster a serious challenge to the rebels’ growing power.

An international campaign to force Colonel Qaddafi from power gathered pace on Monday as the Obama administration announced it had seized $30 billion in Libyan assets and the European Union adopted an arms embargo and other sanctions. As the Pentagon began repositioning Navy warships to support a possible humanitarian or military intervention, Secretary

In some of the harshest language yet from an American official, the United Nations envoy, Susan Rice, accused the Libyan leader, Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi, of “slaughtering his own people” and being “disconnected from reality

I wonder if we should go back to the U.N. for another meaningless resolution?

Republican Group Launches Pro-Walker Ad in Wisconsin

'Leaders don't run away from tough problems like senate Democrats'

politicalticker

Washington (CNN) – Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker is getting as assist from national Republicans as he battles state Democrats and organized labor over the right of public employees to collectively bargain.

The Republican Governors Policy Committee, a wing of the Republican Governors Association, will launch a new television ad Tuesday defending Walker's rigid stance on his budget bill. Several labor groups have already run ads attacking Walker.

Democrats in the Wisconsin Senate have left the state to avoid a vote on the legislation, which would strip public employees of most of their bargaining rights. Walker has said layoffs could come as soon as Tuesday unless Democrats return and the bill passes.

"It's a sea of red ink in Madison," a narrator says in the ad, "and while senate Democrats are fleeing their responsibility, governor Walker is leading."

The ad claims that Walker is simply trying to balance the budget without raising taxes and asking state employees to contribute more to their own benefits, "just like everyone else."

In Wisconsin, leaders dot run away from tough problems like the senate democrats," the narrator says. "Instead they stand and lead, like governor Scott Walker."

Here's the video


This from via publicpolicypolling

"We'll have our full poll on the Wisconsin conflict out tomorrow but here's the most interesting finding: if voters in the state (Wisconsin) could do it over today they'd support defeated Democratic nominee Tom Barrett over Scott Walker by a a 52-45 margin.

The difference between how folks would vote now and how they voted in November can almost all be attributed to shifts within union households. Voters who are not part of union households have barely shifted at all- they report having voted for Walker by 7 points last fall and they still say they would vote for Walker by a 4 point margin. But in households where there is a union member voters now say they'd go for Barrett by a 31 point margin, up quite a bit from the 14 point advantage they report having given him in November"

I disagree...

Iran Threatens To Boycott 2012 London Olympics Because of Logo

Why? Because the block letters in the newly designed logo appears to spell the work 'Zion' which is the biblican term for Jerusalem. Take a look

Huh?

washingtonpost

According to an Iranian official, the logo, with its blocky, abstract rendering of "2012," is racist because it appears to spell the word "Zion," a biblical term for Jerusalem, rather than 2012.

Bahram Afsharzadeh, the secretary-general of Iran's National Olympic Committee, said via the official IRNA news agency that he sent a letter of complaint to International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge.

"There is no doubt that negligence of the issue from your side may affect the presence of some countries in the games, especially Iran, which abides by commitment to the values and principles," Afsharzadeh said in the letter to Rogge, according to the Associated Press, and urged other Muslim states to protest as well.

The International Olympic Committee and London's organizing committee disagree. "Our response is as follows: The London 2012 logo represents the figure 2012, nothing else," the IOC said

Senator Orrin Hatch Calls Health Care Law "A Dumbass Program"

"It really is an awful piece of crap" says Hatch


thehill

GOP Sen. Orrin Hatch reportedly directed a few profane insults toward President Obama's healthcare law in a speech late last week.

During at an appearance at an event sponsored by the Utah State University College Republicans, Hatch was asked whether he thought the nation's healthcare system needs serious reforms. He acknowledged that states have different problems when it comes to healthcare, but called the federal law Democrats passed last year a "dumb-ass program" that will not solve them.

"Every state has different demographics, every state has different problems," Hatch said, according to a Utah Statesman report published Monday. "It's good to allow them to work out their own problems rather than a one-size-fits-all federal government, dumb-ass program. It really is an awful piece of crap."

Hatch apologized for swearing, according to the Statesman. Hatch explained that "he does not swear often. He said he is passionate about the health care debate and would repent for using the words that he did," the Statesman wrote.

Fox News Mike Tobin Shares Details of 'Unwanted Touching' By Wisconsin Protesters (Video)

'Assault is a pretty big word' but it did 'cross the line' Tobin says, Megyn Kelly says what happened yesterday with the protesters was 'battery' according to the law

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker Gives Absent Democrats 24 Hours To Return

Governor Walker wants the Dems to return to vote on a measure to refinance Wisconsin's debt saying it will save the taxpayers $165 million, but I bet not a one of them will return...

reuters

Wisconsin's Republican Gov. Scott Walker said on Monday that absent senate Democrats have 24 hours to return and vote on a measure to reduce the power of public sector unions or the state will miss out on opportunity to refinance its debt.

"Now they have one day to return to work before the state loses out on the chance to refinance debt, saving taxpayers $165 million this fiscal year," Walker's spokesman Cullen Werwie said in a statement.

"Failure to return to work and cast their votes will lead to more painful and aggressive spending cuts in the very near future," the statement said.

Walker's budget proposal has sparked nationwide protests from labor unions who fear it could be a harbinger of things to come in other states. To balance the state's budget, Walker wants to require public sector employees to pay more for pensions and health care, and to strip their unions of bargaining rights except for wages up to the rate of inflation

'My People Love Me, They Would Die for Me,' Libya's Gadhafi to Christiane Amanpour in ABC News Exclusive

twitter photo Amanpour and Gadhafi, interview to be aired later

Poll: Sarah Palin's Favorability Rating Slips Among Iowa Republicans

desmoinesregister

Sarah Palin's popularity has declined among the very voters the former Alaska governor would need to impress first were she to seek the 2012 Republican nomination for president, The Des Moines Register's new Iowa Poll shows.

Palin's favorability has ebbed with Iowa Republican likely voters, whose most active members make up the state's presidential caucus electorate, in the past 15 months, according to the poll taken this month.

While a solid majority of this group still views Palin positively, the intensity has waned as Palin has become a regular national media presence but done little to cultivate a support base in Iowa.

The shift is not dramatic, but it raises questions about whether Palin would have staying power in Iowa as she moves closer to a decision on a White House run, pollsters say.

"One might ask the question: Is she wearing well? And the numbers are not moving in a favorable direction on that," Iowa Poll director J. Ann Selzer said.

Palin's favorability has slipped among Iowa Republicans who say they will vote in 2012 to 65 percent in the poll taken this month from 71 percent in November 2009

Hillary Clinton at the U.N. Human Rights Council: "Col. Gadhafi Must Be Held Accountable" (Video)

Clinton at the Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva

Pelosi Splits With Reid, Dismisses GOP Plan To Avoid a Shutdown

thehill

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is showing no enthusiasm for the new proposal from Republicans to avoid a government shutdown, putting her at odds with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid

Pelosi said in a statement that the GOP's plan for a two-week spending bill cuts funding for critical programs.

"Republicans want to cut an additional $4 billion, which includes stripping support for some pressing educational challenges without redirecting these critical resources to meet the educational needs of our children," Pelosi said in a statement. "This is not a good place to start."

Pelosi's comments came a day after Reid's office released a statement cautiously applauding the latest continuing resolution proposal by House Republicans.

“The plan Republicans are floating today sounds like a modified version of what Democrats were talking about," Reid spokesman Jon Summers said in the statement. "We’re glad they think it’s a good idea, but we should keep our focus on what we need to do to cut spending and keep our economy growing in the long-term. If we need a little more time to agree on a responsible path forward, we should pass a short-term CR for no longer than the next month."

Video Shows Gaddafi's Son Saif al-Islam Rallying Supporters in Tripoli

Here's the video

Tony Blair Asked Gaddafi to Stop Killing Libyan Protesters

Former prime minister Blair who has faced criticism over his relationship with the dictator, telephoned him twice to urge him to 'step back.' In an interview with the Times, Blair said that he was appalled by what has happened in Libya with Gaddafi ordering the killing of his own citizens.

guardian

Tony Blair telephoned the Libyan leader twice on Friday to try to persuade him to stop killing protesters. Lord Mandelson, the former business secretary, confirmed that the former prime minister had telephoned Gaddafi to urge him to abandon his "last-stand mentality".

Blair, who has been heavily criticised by David Cameron for shaking Gaddafi's hand in his tent on the outskirts of Tripoli in 2004 and 2007, initially telephoned the Libyan leader on Friday to urge him to cease attacking the protesters. The former PM then consulted the Foreign Office, which made clear that Britain wanted Gaddafi to stand down. Blair made a second telephone call to pass on the message.

Mandelson outlined the messages Blair passed to Gaddafi. Speaking on the Andrew Marr Show on BBC1, Mandelson said: "What he will have been saying is very clear. You have an option now. You know you can follow one course or the other. And what I want you to do or what everyone wants you to do and what your own people want you to do is to step back."

Frank Buckles, The Last Living U.S. WWI Veteran Dies at the Age of 110

cnn.com

Frank Buckles, the last living U.S. World War I veteran, has died, a
spokesman for his family said Sunday. He was 110.

Buckles "died peacefully in his home of natural causes" early Sunday morning, the family said in a statement sent to CNN late Sunday by spokesman David DeJonge.

Buckles marked his 110th birthday on February 1, but his family had
earlier told CNN he had slowed considerably since last fall, according his
daughter Susannah Buckles Flanagan, who lives at the family home near Charles Town, West Virginia

Buckles in 1917


ABC News did a report on Buckles in their 'person of the week' 2 years ago. Here's the video on youtube

Gadhafi Control Wanes Outside Tripoli (Video)

CNN's Nic Robertson with a crowd of 2,000 anti-government protesters that are 40 miles from Tripoli


NBC's Richard Engel reports on the opposition building and arming themselves in Benghazi.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Paul Wolfowitz on Libya: "I’m Mystified By The Way The Administration Has Handled This One”

Deputy Sec. of Defense Paul Wolfowitz on CNN's Fareed Zakaria


thedc

Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz sharply criticized the White House for its lack of response to the turmoil unfolding in Libya.

Wolfowitz, currently a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute, said, “I’m mystified by the way the administration has handled this one.”

“It’s mystifying to me how, when you have a killer like Gadhafi who is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Africans,” Wolfowitz said, “for 270 people onboard Pan Am 103, for Lord knows how many of his own people and is now slaughtering his own people, that we can’t come to a position that it’s long since time for him to go

Fox News Mike Tobin Threatened By Protester During Live Report From Wisconsin Capitol (Video)

"This guy is making threats and he says he's gonna break my neck"-Fox News Mike Tobin

Protesters Still Inside The Capitol in Wisconsin **Update**

4:00p.m. was the deadline for the protesters to leave according to police.

4:25 (Wisconsin time) Protesters still inside the capitol in Wisconsin


4:40 Protesters chanting "the whole world is watching"...Followed by singing the 'Star Spangled Banner'

Right after the above screen shot, the live feed was cut.

Lib site Mother Jones is there:


New live feed: Protesters at 5:00 (6:00 eastern)


On the floor: Dancing, banging on drums (6:00 eastern)


6:05




***Fox news*** Mike Tobin at 7:00p.m. reports that there are 2 dozen protesters refusing to leave the capitol. During the live report from the capitol (on Fox News at 7:00p.m.) Mike Toobin interrupted his live report to say "the guy behind me is making threats, he says he's gonna break my neck"

Benghazi Rebels Mobilizing Against Qaddafi To Finish Him Off

2,000 are "waiting for the green light"

CBS News producer in eastern Libya says rebels fear Qaddafi has chemical weapons and want to finish the fight "before he does anything stupid." A former Qaddafi official says he knows the Libyan leader quite well, and told CBS Radio News that he will never step down before destroying everything around him.

I think the news coming out of Libya will be very bad in the next few days

cbsnews

Rebel forces controlling the eastern city of Benghazi who oppose Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi fear he possesses chemical weapons and will use them, and so they want to finish the fight, they say, "before he does anything stupid"

CBS Radio News producer Steve Baltin, speaking from Benghazi, said today that "Benghazi is mobilizing its youth for jihad against Qaddafi."

Baltin said approximately 2,000 people - some armed, with weapons, TNT and Molotov cocktails - "are just waiting for the green light to move forward." morale is "high and boiling," Baltin said.

Rebels in Benghazi, the second-largest city in Libya, are asking others cities to join the fight against the Qaddafi regime or to provide weapons and ammunition.

Baltin also spoke with a former Qaddafi official, Major General Abdul Fattah Younis, who resigned as Interior Minister a few days ago in protest of Qaddafi's use of force against protesters.

Younis knows the Libyan leader quite well, and told CBS Radio News that he will never step down before destroying everything around him.

Younis revealed that he has orders from Qaddafi to bomb Benghazi itself, but he refused and joined the revolution.

From CBS News, 3:30 eastern

Union Thug With a Bullhorn Screaming 'Fascist Pigs' Says The Tea Party Is Spewing Hate

This was in Sacramento yesterday. The video shows a Teamsters thug shoving one of the tea partiers at the rally. He is interviewed by 10news following the incident. As you'll see, his version of events is far different from the video. Reports are that he was cited for battery. Here's the video from yesterday's rally in Sacramento

more at news10 Sacramento

Bill Kristol: The President's Libyan Response is 'Wildly Over Cautious'

KRISTOL: 'God forbid the Americans should look like they are actually helping an Arab people overthrow a brutal dictator. 'What do you do when a brutal dictator wants to fight to death? What you do is hasten his death, hasten his departure'...Kristol calls renting a ferry to get Americans out of Libya "pathetic"

"It's Not An American Business" Gadhafi's Son Replies When Asked About Obama Calling For The Libyan Leader to Step Down

Christiane Amanpour flies into Tripoli from Britian to interview Gadhafi's son on ABC This Week. Saif al-Islam Gadhafi says 'we didn't use force.' Amanpour asks him why so many Libyan diplomats are leaving the regime


abcnews.com

In an exclusive interview with "This Week" host Christiane Amanpour, Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, the son of Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi and one of his chief advisers, insisted Libya was calm, the military has not attacked any civilians and reports of Libyan diplomats abandoning their posts were simply a 'miscommunication.'

ch: Inside Gadhafi's Weird WorldThere was a "big, big gap between reality and the media reports," Gadhafi told Amanpour. "The whole south is calm. The west is calm. The middle is calm. Even part of the east."

In response to President Barack Obama's call for Moammar Gadhafi to step down and the UN Security Council's unanimous vote to impose an arms embargo on Libya and urge nations to freeze Libyan assets, Gadhafi's son was defiant.

"Listen, nobody is leaving this country. We live here, we die here," he insisted. "This is our country. The Libyans are our people. And for myself, I believe I am doing the right thing."

"The President of the U.S. has called on your father to step down. How do you feel about that?" Amanpour asked.

"It's not an American business, that's number one," said Gadhafi, who was dressed casually as he spoke with Amanpour. "Second, do they think this is a solution? Of course not."

"[Obama] says if a person can only keep control by using force, then legitimacy is gone," Amanpour pressed. Gadhafi responded, "Right, but what happened? We didn't use force. Second, we still have people around us."

"Show me a single attack, show me a single bomb," he told her. "The Libyan air force destroyed just the ammunition sites. That's it."

Amanpour also sat down with Gadhafi other son, Saadi, in Tripoli. A professional soccer player who is less involved with politics than his brtoher, Saadi Gadhafi still had an ominous warning about what would happen if his father were to step down.

Airport empty when she arrives


Outside the airport, hundreds wait to leave


The area has turned into a complete garbage dump

Union Thug Roughs Up Tea Partier At Rally in Atlanta (Video)

This guy holding a sign has his back to the Union thug who knocks him right out of the way on the sidewalk


Here's the video:

From the video: "This guy crossed the street and came into the group intentionally to thug it up. There was a cop that I missed on the video. You can see the officers trousers as I am trying to catch back up to the action and I am outside the barricade looking back in. The cop stopped anyone from pursuing this freaking hero"

Van Jones: Wisconsin Governor Has A Lot of Power and Is "Prepared to Unleash It In a Blitzkrieg Lightning Strike Against the People"

He then takes a little shot at Fox News. Van Jones at the MoveOn rally in D.C. today. I thought he was saying 'blistering' but he's actually saying 'Blitzkrieg'

mrc video

Surveillance Video Captures Escalator Malfunction at D.C. Metro Station

An escalator goes into high speed and starts tossing people to the ground, the cause was a failure of the braking system..The surveillance video was released today. Here's the video, watch the panic...

myfoxdc

WASHINGTON - Surveillance video has been released by Metro of an escalator malfunction at the L'Enfant Plaza Metro Station. This incident occurred during the "Rally To Restore Sanity" event on the National Mall in October. Several escalator riders were injured during the incident.

Metro released the following statement regarding the video:

Staff reported to the Board in November that the cause of this incident was a failure of the braking system to stop when the over-speed safety switch activated. On November 4, Metro began a program with our escalators that included:∙ Inspection of the braking systems of the 588 escalators in service (which was completed);∙ Modification of our procedures to increase the frequency of our brake tests to monthly from quarterly;∙ Implemented additional steps to improve quality control and compliance with escalator maintenance standards.

U.N. Security Council Votes To Impose Sanctions Against Libya

news.blogs.cnn[UPDATED 8:30 p.m. ET] The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Saturday night to punish Moammar Gadhafi's government in Libya for violence against unarmed civilians, hours after the nation's budding opposition picked a former top official as its interim leader

15-0


Mark Knoller:

President Obama Says Gadhafi Must Leave 'Now'

I'm pretty sure this would've been considered 'meddling' in June 2009

Associated Press

WASHINGTON – Ratcheting up the pressure, President Barack Obama on Saturday said Moammar Gadhafi has "lost the legitimacy to rule" Libya and said the embattled leader needs to do the right thing by "leaving now." It was the first time Obama has called for Gadhafi's ouster.

His comments came during a private telephone call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the latest in a series of discussions he's been having with world leaders about the unrest in Libya.

The White House summarized the conversation in a statement afterward.

Obama's call for Gadhafi to step down came a day after the administration froze all Libyan assets in the U.S. belonging to Gadhafi, his government and four of his children, and closed the U.S. embassy in Libya

thehill reports

Obama's concern that Gadhafi might "use mass violence against his own people" to keep control of power is a possible reference to concerns that Libya remains in control of some weapons of mass destruction that it would turn against its own people.

"They discussed appropriate and effective ways for the international community to respond," the White House readout said. "The president welcomed ongoing efforts by our allies and partners, including at the United Nations and by the European Union, to develop and implement strong measures."

Allen West on the Shutdown Showdown: Our Constituents Want Us To Stay the Course, They Don't Want Us To Blink (Video)

WEST: If Obama wants to play games and recreate 1995, 'that's not being a president, that's not being a leader, that's not standing up and making the hard decision that need to be made for this country'

Rahm Emanuel Aide Resigns Over Ethics Violations

Mr. Mayor is off to a good start...

politicalticker

A co-chair of Chicago mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel's transition team resigned from her new post Friday after it was revealed that she left her high-level state job last summer over ethics violations, CNN confirmed Saturday.

Judy Erwin previously served as the executive director of the Illinois Board of Higher Education and served on then-candidate Barack Obama's Education Policy Committee during his 2008 presidential campaign.

On Thursday, she was named to Emanuel's transition team and according to a news release, Erwin was also recently hired as managing director for ASGK Public Strategies, the communication management firm founded by former Obama senior adviser David Axelrod

But a recent decision by the state Executive Ethics Commission says Erwin used her state e-mail account and phone to campaign for Obama, engaging in campaign fundraising activity and using staff resources to help plan her trip to the 2008 Democratic National Convention. The filing states that Erwin stepped down from her position at the Board of Education on August 15.

More at the chicagotribune

Also this from myfoxchicago: Rahmbo spent $11 million in race for Chicago Mayor

Dozens Wounded As Gaddafi Forces Opens Fire: Report

reuters

Dozens of people were severely wounded Saturday in western Libyan after security forces opened fire, the Quryna newspaper reported.

The Al-Khuweildi al-Humaidi battalion opened fire in an area along a strip on the Mediterranean cost between the cities of Sabratha and Surman, the online version of Quryna reported, quoting its correspondent there. It did not specify the circumstances of the shooting and who the victims were

Video: Gaddafi hired mercenaries from neighboring countries to crackdown on protests


Associated Press: ARMED PRO-GADDAFI GANGS ROLL IN LIBYAN CAPITAL, REGIME PASSES OUT GUNS TO CIVILIAN SUPPORTERS

TRIPOLI, Libya – The embattled Libyan regime passed out guns to civilian supporters, set up checkpoints Saturday and sent armed patrols roving the terrorized capital to try to maintain control of Moammar Gadhafi's stronghold and quash dissent as rebels consolidate control elsewhere in the North African nation.

Residents of its eastern Tajoura district spread concrete blocks, large rocks and even chopped-down palm trees as makeshift barricades to prevent the SUVs filled with young men wielding automatic weapons from entering their neighborhood — a hotspot of previous protests.

With tensions running high in Tripoli, scores of people in the neighborhood turned out at a funeral for a 44-year-old man killed in clashes with pro-regime forces. Anwar Algadi was killed Friday, with the cause of death listed as "a live bullet to the head," according to his brother, Mohammed.

Armed men in green armbands, along with uniformed security forces check those trying to enter the district, where graffiti that says "Gadhafi, you Jew," "Down to the dog," and "Tajoura is free" was scrawled on walls

Rob Portman: " The President's Budget Goes Nowhere Near Where They’ll Have To Go To Address Our Fiscal Problems"

"What we have done is kicked the can down the road and we are now at the end of the road and are not in a position to kick it any further"

PORTMAN: "This historic failure to control spending directly affects our economy and the ability to create jobs. It pushes up interest rates, crowds out private investment, and leaves us with three bad choices, either far higher taxes, even more borrowing or both. Left unchecked these mounting debts could lead to the kind of financial crises we’ve seen in Greece and other countries. At the same time, job creators tell us Washington has added to the uncertainty by pursuing other policies that stifle job growth, including onerous new federal regulations, a tax code that expires, making it a political football unpredictable rising health care costs, and an increasing reliance on the Mideast and other volatile parts of the world for our energy It’s time to change course"

Obama Weekly Address
Unbelievable...Obama: "We have to get our fiscal house in order, just like any family we have to live within our means"....Good one Barry, this is like listening to Charlie Sheen say we need to stop the partying

Lawrence O'Donnell: When Republicans Say Obama Has 'Union Bosses,' They Are Saying "A Black Man Can't Be The Real Boss" (Video)

That is what he said. Lawrence O'Donnell on tonight's 'Last Word' on MSNBC with Jennifer Granholm. This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of in my life

ODONNELL: "Governor, I want you to listen to that last line of that republican attack ad against president Obama one more time.

The Republican party is saying that the president of the United States has bosses, that the union bosses this president around, the unions boss him around. Does that sound to you like they are consciously or subconsciously deliver the racist message that of course, of course a black man can't be the real boss

Here's the ad from the RNC that was posted yesterday


Check out the latest headlines updated all day-------------------->

CBS News: Qaddafi's Net Worth In Excess of $20 Billion

Oil..

cbsnews

In Switzerland, the government ordered a freeze today on any assets Qaddafi may have there. In the U.S., the Treasury asked banks to watch for any suspicious transactions involving Libyan accounts.

Qaddafi has ruled his oil-rich country for more than 40 years - but how much is he worth?

Chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian reports government officials are still trying to figure out exactly how rich the Libyan leader and his family are. But one intelligence source told CBS News their wealth is estimated to be "in excess of $20 billion."

"With all those revenues flowing through the national government, through the treasury, it's pretty easy to tap those revenues for various purposes," Raymond Baker director of the Global Financial Integrity said.

Confidential diplomatic cables unearthed by WikiLeaks underscore that estimate. In a January 2010 State Department cable written by current ambassador Gene Cretz, he states Qaddafi's regime controls $32 billion in liquid assets around the world. And "that several American banks are each managing $300-500 million" in regime funds.

"I remember interviewing the director of the Central Bank at one point who admitted that quite frankly, he had no idea some years what money went where, and under what circumstances," said Dirk Vandewalle, author of "A History of Modern Libya"

**Update** Headline

story at NBC News

George W. Bush Cancels Visit to Denver After Learning That Julian Assange Was Invited To Speak At The Same Conference

"The former president has no desire to share a forum with a man who has willfully and repeatedly done great harm to the interests of the United States" a spokesman said

fox31

DENVER -- Former President George W. Bush canceled his visit to Denver scheduled for Saturday after learning that Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was invited to speak at the same conference.

“Six months ago, President Bush accepted an invitation to speak to the YPO Global Leadership Summit in Denver on February 26, 2011," Bush spokesman David Sherzer said.

"This week, upon learning that Julian Assange had recently been invited to address the same summit, President Bush decided to cancel his appearance. The former president has no desire to share a forum with a man who has willfully and repeatedly done great harm to the interests of the United States," Sherzer said.

Assange was scheduled to appear Friday via videoconference at the conference for young CEOs and other business leaders. The former President was also scheduled to address an education reform group in Denver

Gingrich: If Palin Took Obama Actions, There Would Be Calls for Impeachment

Gingrich argues that Obama swore an oath on the Bible to become president, vowing to uphold the Constitution and enforce the laws of the United States. "He is not a one-person Supreme Court. The idea that we now have the rule of Obama instead of the rule of law should frighten everybody," he warns Newsmax

newsmax

In an exclusive interview with Newsmax.TV Friday, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said President Barack Obama’s decision not to fully enforce the Defense of Marriage law eventually could lead to a constitutional crisis, as he has directly violated his constitutional duties by arbitrarily suspending a law.

Gingrich even suggested that, if a “President Sarah Palin” had taken a similar action, there would have been immediate calls for her impeachment. (Speaker Gingrich stressed that we are not currently in a constitutional crisis, nor was he calling for the direct impeachment of the president. His statements were meant to illustrate the hypocrisy of the left and the mainstream media.)

Obama Attorney General Eric Holder said on Wednesday that the administration will not defend the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act in the courts, which has banned recognition of same-sex marriage for 15 years. President Clinton signed the act into law in 1996.

Obama’s decision to forego a legal defense of the law has caused a firestorm of anger from conservative groups.

Gingrich slammed Obama for his decision, telling Newsmax that he is not a “one-person Supreme Court” and his decision sets a “very dangerous precedent” that must not be allowed to stand

Allen West Not Ruling Out VP Bid: 'I'm Always Willing to Serve My Country'

thehill

Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) is not closing the door to being considered for the vice presidential spot, despite only having served in Congress for less than three months.

Speculation over West was sparked Friday when former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.), who is considering a presidential bid, said that a number of Florida GOP politicians would do well as vice president, including West.

When asked about Gingrich's comments by WPTV-TV, West asked, "He said that?"

"I have to pray about it and I have to clear it with my wife and two daughters," he added. "I never thought that seven years ago when I retired here I'd be a United States congressman, and that I'd be standing in front of your news camera. So we don't know what the future holds, but I'm always willing to serve my country."

West, 50, is one of two black Republicans elected to Congress in the 2010 midterm elections, which saw the GOP take control of the House with the backing of Tea Party activists. Florida has never had a candidate on a national ticket, according to WPTV.

CNN Ousts Kathleen Parker from 'Parker Spitzer' Program, Show Will Now Be Called 'In The Arena'

'Parker Spitzer' has been a ratings disaster for 4 months. My guess is the new show will also get crushed in the 8:00 p.m. time slot by O'Reilly

nypost

CNN ousted Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Kathleen Parker from its show "Parker Spitzer," that she co-hosted with former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, the cable network said today.

CNN executive Ken Jautz told staff members of the change this afternoon, saying the show will be redubbed "In The Arena."

The Post's Page Six reported today that Spitzer had told friends Parker "will be gone within a week."

A source said, "Spitzer thinks she's holding him back. The ratings surged when she was out sick, and he anchored alone during the turmoil in Egypt. Only very few anchors have the power to wipe out a co-host, and Spitzer thinks he has it. CNN bosses are high on Spitzer, and he might get his own show. Kathleen has been weighing her options. There's this sense of dread among middle management."
CNN described the departure as mutual. In a statement, Parker said she wanted to concentrate on her writing and that “with the show moving in a new direction, it was time to move on.”

Page Six has reported that Parker could be dumped due to lack of chemistry with Spitzer.

"Parker Spitzer" -- which competed at 8 p.m. against Fox News Channel's "The O'Reilly Factor" -- has struggled to find ratings success since it made its debut four months ago.

The former governor, meanwhile, will continue as host and will be joined by several other people. "I wish Kathleen all the best in continuing on with her spectacular career," Spitzer said in a statement released by CNN

**Update** Here's some ratings numbers on the Parker Spitzer program, this is Wednesday night versus O'Reilly and O'Donnell

Rick Santorum Says Speaker Boehner and the GOP Should Defend Marriage, Calls Obama's Decision on DOMA 'Radical'

What a mistake the voters of Pennsylvania made when they tossed out Santorum and replaced him with a phony moderate Democrat who has been an Obama rubber stamp from day one...

Santorum is calling on House Speaker John Boehner to appoint a counsel representing the House of Representatives to "take up the cause and argue the cases" in court

usatoday

Former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum, who is testing the waters for a presidential run in 2012, is blasting his fellow Republicans for timidity in defense of traditional marriage.

He cites as Exhibit A: The relatively muted response to the Obama administration's announcement it would no longer defend the Defense of Marriage Act in court.

DOMA, as it is known, says states can refuse to recognize the same-sex marriages and civil unions performed in other states. The law defines marriage as being between a man and a woman.

"It's very disappointing," Santorum said Friday in an interview with USA TODAY. "Here you have a president of the United States who's walking away from his constitutional duty to defend the law of the country."

He says President Obama is "siding with folks" who say limiting marriage to heterosexual couples is "somehow unconstitutional," a position he calls "pretty radical, in my opinion."

Specifically, Santorum called on House Speaker John Boehner to appoint a counsel representing the House of Representatives to "take up the cause and argue the cases" in court.

Boehner spokesman Michael Steel said the speaker "is reviewing the situation with other congressional Republicans and all options are under discussion."

The former Pennsylvania senator, a favorite of social conservatives, says it's no surprise that the Republican leaders haven't done more since the administration announced earlier this week it was reversing its position on defending DOMA

Congressman Paul Ryan on the Wisconsin Fleebaggers: "I Don't Understand This Lack of Respect for the Rule of Law"

"Elections have consequences"

RYAN: "I didn’t like the legislation that was moving through Washington the last two years, I didn’t like cap and trade, I didn’t like ObamaCare, I didn’t like the stimulus. But I didn’t walk out. We stayed and did our jobs, we voted, we tried to amend, we made our debates Elections have consequences. They won, we lost. That’s the way it works. So I just don’t understand this lack of respect for the rule of law.”

Libya: Troops Being Killed For Refusing to Fight (Video Report)

Report: Soldiers at a local army base tied up and burned alive


reuters

Government forces shot dead at least two protesters in the Libyan capital Tripoli on Friday, television stations reported, as a popular uprising against Muammar Gaddafi closed in on his main power base.

Gaddafi appeared on the central Green Square to make an impassioned speech of defiance, after witnesses described swirling clashes on streets all around the city between security forces loyal to the 68-year-old leader and crowds of protesters.

Al Jazeera television said two people had been killed and several wounded in heavy shooting in several districts. Another channel, Al Arabiya, said seven people had been killed.

By around 5 p.m. (10 a.m. EST), some protests had been dispersed but others were continuing, a resident from central Tripoli told Reuters.

Reporters had little freedom to move around. Foreign journalists escorted in to the city from the airport by Gaddafi loyalists were confined to hotels.

Just before 7 p.m., Gaddafi appeared to address tens of thousands of his supporters massed on the capital's central Green Square in a speech broadcast live on state television

Public Sector Unions vs. America (Video)

'Our message to politicians is simple, lead with real solutions or get the hell out of the way' Great video....

71% of Wisconsinites View Governor Scott Walker's Spending Proposal as 'Fair'

washingtonexaminer

A survey of 500 likely voters in Wisconsin found 71 percent saying Gov. Scott Walker's two major budget proposals to require public employees in the Badger State to pay more for their pensions and health care benefits are "fair," according to WisconsinReporter.com.

While 71 percent of the respondents said Walker's proposal to require public employees to pay 5.8 percent of their salaries toward pensions and 12.6 percent toward health care benefits as fair, 22 percent said the proposals were not fair. Another seven percent weren't sure one way or the other.

The results were significantly more evenly divided on other aspects of the Battle of Wisconsin, however, with respondents virtually in a dead heat in terms of supporting or opposing the major players.

More than two-thirds of the respondents, 68 percent, said President Obama spend his time focusing on the federal budget rather than becoming involved in the Wisconsin debate.

Among the 500 respondents, 46 percent voted for Walker, while 54 percent voted for his Democratic opponent or another candidate last November.

*Do you believe that President Obama should get involved in state disputes like the one in Wisconsin or focus his efforts on the federal budget battle in Washington?


* Governor Walker is asking unions to pay 5.8% of their salary toward the cost of their pensions plans and double their contributions for health care premiums to 12.6%. Is that fair?


Poll at wisconsinreporter.com

Fourth-quarter GDP Growth Revised Downward to 2.8% From 3.2%

For the whole of 2010, the economy grew at 2.8% which was considered a depression when George W. Bush was president

reuters

The economy grew more slowly in the fourth quarter than initially estimated as government spending shrank more sharply and consumer spending was less robust, a government report showed on Friday.

Gross domestic product grew at annualized rate of 2.8 percent, the Commerce Department said in its second estimate on Friday, marking a downward revision from its initial 3.2 percent estimate.

Economists had expected GDP growth, which measures total goods and services output within U.S. borders, to be revised up to a 3.3 percent pace. The economy expanded at a 2.6 percent rate in the third quarter.

Against the backdrop of surging crude oil prices and impending government budget cuts, the outlook for growth is looking less robust and some economists have lowered their forecasts for the first quarter.

Shame! Shame!’ Wisconsin Democrats Scream Angrily in House Chambers After Vote (Video)

Here's the moment the bill passed from Fox News, the voted was rapidly called


The House Chamber in Wisconsin erupts after the vote passing the budget repair bill

Wisconsin Assembly Passes Budget Repair Bill, Moves On To State Senate

Bill would strip most public workers of their collective bargaining rights

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. — The Wisconsin Assembly early Friday passed a bill that would strip most public workers of their collective bargaining rights — the first significant action on the new Republican governor's plan.

The vote put an end to three straight days of punishing debate, but the political standoff over the bill is far from over.

The Assembly vote sends the bill on to the state Senate, where minority Democrats have been missing for a week. No one knows when — or if — they'll return from their hideout in Illinois. Republicans who control the Senate sent state troopers out looking for them at their homes on Thursday, but they turned up nothing.

Gov. Scott Walker's proposal contains a number of provisions he says are designed to fill the state's $137 million deficit and lay the groundwork for fixing a projected $3.6 billion shortfall in the upcoming 2011-13 budget. The flashpoint is language that would strip almost all public sector workers of their right to collectively bargain benefits and work conditions.

Democrats and unions see the measure as an attack on workers' rights and an attempt to cripple union support for Democrats. Unions have said they would be willing to accept a provision that would increase workers' contributions to their pensions and health care, provided they could still bargain collectively. But Walker has refused to compromise

Photo from NBC 15

Following the vote, Democrats and those still left in the gallery shouted, "Shame" and "Cowards" as Republicans filed out of the chamber