Does anyone want to try to explain why the investments of Mitt Romney, his wife, and his “former” (not really) investment and management partnership in state-controlled Russian companies and their Iranian oil projects don’t matter? Good luck.

John McCain’s recent statements in reaction to the Russia-Georgia situation have been laudable.

But if John McCain selects Mitt Romney as his Veep, they will have meant nothing. McCain will give away every bit of his foreign policy credibility with that pick.

On Hannity’s show yesterday, I heard both Scott Rasmussen and John Zogby predict that McCain will pick Romney. Hannity, of course, was happier than a pig in slop.

I half expected Ronald Reagan to spring back to life and say, “over my dead body.”

John McCain needs people on his staff who know what a computer is to Google “Putin Gazprom” and “Gazprom Georgia” (each without quotes). Or [Lukoil “Oil for food”] (typed as indicated within brackets). They should also read this December item at Democrats.org (the truth is the truth, no matter where you find it). They should look at Romney’s Personal Financial Disclosure Form (accessible here; file to download is a 3MB PDF), and demand the underlying investment detail that isn’t in it, and should be (I’ll betcha Romney won’t provide it).

Get going on this, guys — and fast. And remember that Bain Capital, which would certainly have a Vice President Romney’s ear, is, from all appearances, still heavily involved in projects involving Gazprom, Lukoil, and (yes) Iran. Additionally, per the New York Times in June 2007, not disputed by Romney, “….. Romney ….. remains an investor in Bain Capital” (in fact, the article was heavily excerpted at Romney’s website when he was a candidate).

As the Russian bear awakens, and occupies, and threatens, how in the bleep can John McCain even think of putting someone who is so hopelessly conflicted a heartbeat away from the presidency?

Where in the world is renowned anticommunist Rush Limbaugh on this? Or that archenemy of Islamofascism, Michael Savage? Or Glenn Beck, or Laura Ingraham? Or the folks at Bill Buckley’s National Review? Or Michelle and the Hot Air guys? Or the Milbloggers?

This is a potential mistake of epic proportions, even above the already-good reasons not to select Romney discussed here.

And don’t forget the hypocrisy over Iran.

Forget who the following video came from. Facts are the facts, and they will be used (direct YouTube link, in case the embed doesn’t work):

(NOTE: CNOOC and Sinopec are Chinese oil companies.)

What about “invested in our enemies” does John McCain not understand? Or thug capitalists?

If John McCain selects Mitt Romney, we will have lost all assurance that John McCain will put “Country First.” Every. Single. Bit.

Even worse (and yes, it STILL would be worse), we might see a “Messiah” rise from the dead.

Here’s what’s at the top of Drudge’s middle column at the moment:

Actually, I count seven previous cover appearances since December 10, 2007, less than nine months ago:

(more…)

Quote 1 is from Guy Benson at Townhall:

Whether it was Obama’s radical policy preferences, blind partisanship, or some combination of the two that motivated his vote is unclear. Although it’s offensive that Obama spun false excuses to try to justify his vote, what ultimately matters most is that he voted “no” on a bill that simply stated killing a living, breathing baby is not acceptable. That vote, in and of itself, is far worse than any political cover-up could ever be.

Quote 2 is from Ed Morrissey at Hot Air. His post at Hot Air is a read-the-whole thinger (”BAIPA unnecessarily burdens doctors with … babies”), but here’s the money quote:

Obama protected infanticide in order to protect abortion on demand.

How does someone who “thinks” this way get this far?

At Saturday’s Saddleback Summit, the Complainer In Chief, aka “The One” I refer to as “Mr. BOOHOO-OUCH” (Barack O-bomba Overseas Hussein “Obambi” Obama - Objectively Unfit Coddler of Haters) said that “Americans’ greatest moral failure in my lifetime,” he said, “has been that we still don’t abide by that basic precept in Matthew that whatever you do for the least of my brothers, you do for me.”

Hmmm (HT Hot Air) — mightily resisting further comment beyond a few bolds:

The Italian edition of Vanity Fair said that it had found George Hussein Onyango Obama living in a hut in a ramshackle town of Huruma on the outskirts of Nairobi.

Mr Obama, 26, the youngest of the presidential candidate’s half-brothers, spoke for the first time about his life, which could not be more different than that of the Democratic contender.

“No-one knows who I am,” he told the magazine, before claiming: “I live here on less than a dollar a month.”

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From the “Flip-Flops You Can Believe In” Dept. – “Obama flip-flop: Oil and Freddie Mac lobbyist as foreign-policy adviser.”

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Related to yesterday’s post on the “Ask AP” whitewash of the costs of illegal immigration — “Cost of illegal immigration in California estimated at nearly $9 billion.”

That was in 2004. Projected to the entire country based on California having 25% of the illegal immigrant population and adding a bit of inflation, we’re talking about a nationwide cost of almost $40 billion.

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The presidential candidate I refer to as “JS3M3″ (John Sidney the Mad Maverick McCain III) is up in the polls — nationally by more than the margin of error, and in Ohio by the same percentage as margin of error.

Money quote from Rasmussen:

The most discouraging number in the poll for Obama may be the fact that 51% of Ohio voters have an unfavorable opinion of the presumptive Democratic nominee. That figure includes 33% with a Very Unfavorable opinion, up six percent from a month ago.

It’s comforting to think that yours truly might have made a very, very, very, very small contribution to that reality-based result. How about we get to 70% in the next 75 days?

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Based on the previous item, it’s naturally time for a Dem party flak like Susan “Estrogen” Estrich to tell us it doesn’t mean anything. I don’t necessarily disagree with her, but it’s funny how the polls have seemed to mean everything to traditional media types — probably until, oh, about right now.

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Larry Kudlow on the economy (HT Jeff Poor at NewsBusters; bolds are mine) –

If the economy is in recession, why are business durable-goods orders and shipments booming?

….. And if we are in a housing depression, why have existing home sales in the hard-hit West (think California, Arizona, and Nevada) increased four straight months (plus 12 percent)? And why are they up 17 percent from the low in October? More important, nationwide median existing home prices have increased four straight months, from $196,000 to $215,000. That’s a 10 percent gain.

….. To wit, Phil Gramm was right: We are in a mental recession, not an actual recession. And the low-tax, free-trade, free-market, capitalist economy is a whole lot more resilient and durable than the pessimistas (sic?) and declinists would have us believe.

I think Kudlow is exaggerating the significance of the median home price increase. It would be more meaningful to see what’s happening to the medians in each major region. But otherwise, his points are well-taken.

I sort of like the word “pessimistas,” even if it turns out to be a typo.

From Lake Lynn, Pa. (HT Michelle Malkin):

POSTED: 3:33 pm EDT August 18, 2008
UPDATED: 5:58 pm EDT August 18, 2008

An 85-year-old great-grandmother from Lake Lynn, Fayette County kept an alleged burglar at bay using a .22-caliber pistol.

According to police, a 17-year-old suspect was attempting to burglarize Leda Smith overnight.
That’s when Smith grabbed her gun and told the teen that she would shoot him if he moved, police said.

“I had the gun on him before he turned around and said, ‘you’ve had it,’ ” Smith told Channel 11-News.

According to police, Smith ordered the boy to dial 911 and then gave him some advice.

“Dial 911 and don’t attempt to throw the phone at me, or do anything bad or i’ll just shoot you,” Smith said. …..

Go here for the rest of the story.