Muslim Brotherhood: "The Jews Attacked Mumbai"

It was all a Mossad conspiracy, doncha know.

The Muslim Brotherhood, the organization that is dedicated in its own words to "a kind of grand Jihad in eliminating and destroying the Western civilization from within and sabotaging its miserable house by their hands and the hands of the believers so that it is eliminated and God's religion is made victorious over all other religions," has done the inevitable and expected and unsurprising in blaming the jihad attacks in Mumbai not on the jihadists whose motives and goals it shares, but on none other than...the Jews.

And the author of this farrago, one Amaresh Misra, is calling for blood. "We will fight a civil war if need be," he declares, "against the pro-Hindutva, communal forces and their Israeli backers."Conspiracy Fantasy and Projection Alert: "Mumbai and India Under Attack," by Amaresh Misra for Ikhwan Web....

jihadwatch

Extreme Pro-Abortion Leader Chosen for Obama Communications Director

By Kathleen Gilbert

WASHINGTON, D.C., November 24, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - President-elect Obama has continued the trend of appointing radical left-wing and pro-abortion figures to his Cabinet with the announcement that Ellen Moran is to be his future White House Communications Director.

Moran is currently the executive director of EMILY's List, a major political action committee dedicated solely to promoting the political careers of pro-abortion Democratic women.

On their website, EMILY's List describes its "three-pronged strategy to elect pro-choice Democratic women: recruiting and funding viable women candidates; helping them build and run effective campaign organizations; and mobilizing women voters to help elect progressive candidates across the nation."

The constituency group had long been a supporter of Hillary Clinton, but threw its weight behind Obama after Clinton lost her bid for the Democratic nomination.

Moran has in the past assumed the role of directing independent expenditures for the Democratic National Committee, and has extensive experience managing campaigns for the Democratic National Committee and individual Democratic politicians.

As Communications Director, Moran will be in charge of the White House's presentation to media outlets, as well as speeches such as the inaugural and State of the Union addresses.

EMILY’s List has raised over $240 million for pro-abortion female Democrats since its inception in 1984. The organization is notable for allying itself only to candidates who unquestioningly support taxpayer-funded and partial birth abortion. Senators Mary Landrieu from Louisiana and Blanche Lincoln from Arkansas are two former EMILY's List beneficiaries who fell from the List's good graces when they voted to ban partial-birth abortion.

See related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

Obama Selecting the Most Anti-Life, Anti-Family Radicals He Can Find for Administration.

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Detractors Downplay Pro-Abortion FOCA Bill's Reach, Say Pro-Lifers Exaggerate

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
November 24, 2008

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- With Barack Obama in the White House and abortion advocates having a strong grip on Congress, pro-life advocates are wasting no time in energizing the grassroots for the next battle. While pro-life advocates accurately point out the far-reaching effects of the pro-abortion FOCA bill, detractors claim they're exaggerating.

FOCA, or the so-called Freedom of Choice Act, is the Congressional bill that would take the Roe v. Wade ruling and its promotion of unlimited abortions throughout pregnancy for any reason and make it national law.

But the effect of the legislation goes well beyond that -- and even leading pro-abortion groups and lawmakers acknowledge this.

The bill would topple hundreds of pro-life laws in every state in the nation including freedom of conscience laws that protect private hospitals and medical personnel from having to do abortions.

As LifeNews.com has reported, the nation's Catholic bishops are very worried that Catholic hospitals, under FOCA, would be compelled to do abortions. They warned that they would go as far as shutting them down if Obama signs the bill.

Now, liberal web sites are starting a new campaign to play down the effects of the bill and deceive the public into thinking it's not so bad.

"What in the world were these bishops talking about, claiming that religious freedom in America was under attack? Keep up the hysterics, boys," the liberal web site Slate writes.

"And the most ludicrous line out of them, surely, was about how, under Obama, Catholic hospitals that provide obstetric and gynecological services might soon be forced to perform abortions or close their doors," Slate added.

The liberal evangelical web site BeliefNet, which ran article after article playing down Obama's pro-abortion views during the election, has a new editorial up calling the FOCA concerns a "phantom."

David Gibson calls the concerns the "Catholic right's doomsday prophesying" and sarcastically lambastes the bishops by saying they are worried about making "abortion-on-demand part of a mandated kindergarten curriculum" and pushing "the Catholic Church back into the catacombs."

Gibson goes as far as saying the pro-life movement needed to invent the concerns about FOCA to engender opposition to Obama and that the pro-life movement is largely reactive in nature -- its proactive work in pregnancy centers and promoting pro-life legislation notwithstanding.

Kathryn Jean Lopez, the editor of National Review Online, responded Tuesday to the attempts to downplay the concerns about FOCA.

"Though it's often referred to as a mere codification of Roe, FOCA, as currently drafted, actually goes well beyond that," she explains.

She quotes information from pro-abortion Sen. Barbara Boxer who, in a statement on her web site, explains that FOCA would nullify all existing laws and regulations that limit abortion in any way, up to the time of fetal viability.

"While there is strenuous debate among legal experts on the matter, many believe the act would invalidate the freedom-of-conscience laws on the books in 46 states," Lopez said.

"These are the laws that allow Catholic hospitals and health providers that receive public funds through Medicaid and Medicare to opt out of performing abortions. Without public funds, these health centers couldn't stay open; if forced to do abortions, they would sooner close their doors," she added.

"The bishops are not bluffing when they say they'd turn out the lights rather than comply," she concludes.

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An Anti Jihad Video

Criminal Gangs and the Occult

By Richard Valdemar,

Throughout the long history of Los Angeles street gangs, their members have flirted with the dark side of evil.
March 28, 2008

Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft, or casts spells, or who is a medium or spiritist or who consults the dead. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you.

Deuteronomy 18:10-13

Throughout the long history of Los Angeles street gangs, their members have flirted with the dark side of evil. On the one hand, they claimed to be defenders of their race and neighborhood; on the other, they acted in league with the devil, both metaphorically and literally. This conflict can be seen in the mixture of religious and demonic symbols depicted on their tattooed bodies.

While most street gangs were not driven by evil spiritual motivation, in the ugly manmade hell of prison some of these gangs clearly turned to the dark side, with escalated violence being the result. The Mexican Mafia actually forbade its members from "picking up the Bible" or espousing any form of Christianity. Some members of the Aryan Brotherhood were followers of pagan witchcraft, or worshipers of the devil.

In taking on these new belief systems many gang members eschewed the moral codes they had previously ascribed to as part of their religious/superstitious upbringing.

Pagan Rituals and Stoner Gangs

In the 1980s, Cuban "Marielitos" brought Afro-Cuban cult beliefs into the Los Angeles drug and gang culture. Santeria, Voodoo, and Palo Mayombe followers became some of the most violent criminal gang members Los Angeles had ever seen. Across the city, small altars with caldrons or "gangas" of fruit, rum, and cocaine, as well as animal blood sacrifices, dotted the map. "Botanicas" (occult pharmacies) that sold the paraphernalia required for these rituals sprang up in every community.

Drug cartels from Mexico practiced their own rituals. "Brujeria" (witchcraft) altars with figurines of the bandit saint "Jesus Malverde" or "Santisima Muerte" (holy death) were common in cartel drug houses. Cartel members wore amulets and placed figurines of occult symbols in their cars. Some openly worshipped Satan.

During the heavy metal music era of the early- to mid-1980s, a new type of gang began to get the attention of gang cops in Los Angeles. Unlike the common "Cholo" gangs, these new gangs were made up of "Stoners," kids who wore black concert T-shirts, leather jackets adorned with spikes and studs, and long hair. They rejected the classic "oldies but goodies" in favor of AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osborne, and Motley Crew.

They also rejected the Cholo gang morals and code of conduct. The Hole Stoners, ELA Stoners, MS Stoners (later to evolve into MS-13), and others played by their own rules. Soon these new Stoner gangs outnumbered traditional gang members in East Los Angeles booking cages. In turn, they were ostracized by most Cholo gang members.

To Read the rest click here

Australia rejects family with Down son

By Staff / Baptist Press

WASHINGTON (BP)--An Australian government agency has denied a German doctor's request for permanent residency because his 13-year-old son has Down syndrome.

Bernhard Moeller and his family moved to Australia two years ago for him to practice in a rural area of Victoria state that has a shortage of physicians.

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship rejected Moeller's application for permanent residency because his son, Lukas, "did not meet the health requirement," according to the department. An immigration department spokesman said Oct. 30 the rejection came because a medical official had determined Lukas' condition "was likely to result in a significant and ongoing cost to the Australian community," the Associated Press reported.

"This is not discrimination," the spokesman said, according to AP. "A disability in itself is not grounds for failing the health requirement -- it is a question of the cost implications to the community."

American bioethics specialist Wesley Smith refused to accept the department's claim.

"Of course it is discrimination.... If you think not, let's try a mind experiment: Would Australia ever deny permanent residence to a family whose child had HIV? The outcry would be heard in the States," Smith wrote on his weblog.

"This is shameful eugenics, morally akin in my view to laws in the USA that barred disfavored nationalities and Jews in the years running up to World War II.

"This eugenic tide is flowing, not ebbing, and people with Down are prime targets; of eugenic abortion, of medical neglect after birth, of infanticide, of health care rationing, of futile care theory, and now of refused immigration," Smith said. "Such are the consequences of rejecting human exceptionalism and embracing the bigotry intrinsic to the 'quality of life' ethic."

Click here to read the rest of the story

Smithsonian Honors Racist Eugenicist Margaret Sanger

From Dakota Voice

Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood, is being honored with your tax dollars at the Smithsonian Institute.

In addition to starting the nation's #1 provider of abortions, Sanger was also a eugenicist (one who sought to cleanse the gene pool of "undesirable" races) of great proportions.

Aren't you thrilled to have this dark element of your country's past (and present) honored at the Smithsonian?

Aren't you even more thrilled that your wallet is being lightened to do it?

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Australian Committee Proposal to Pay Mothers Late Abortion Cost for Disabled Babies Compared to Nazis

By Hilary White

CANBERRA, November 13, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The Australian Parliamentary Group on Population and Development has been slammed by Queensland Senator Ron Boswell for holding to Nazi-style eugenic ideology on the abortion of disabled children.

“This revisiting of eugenics principles is repugnant to a society that prides itself on the contribution of all,” Boswell said.

The pro-abortion group had made a submission, signed by 41 Australian MPs, to the parliamentary committee that is examining the issue of abortion in Australia. The group said paying women a Medicare rebate for second-trimester abortions would save the government about $180,000 a year, due to the high costs of caring for handicapped babies who are allowed to be born.

Removing the abortion rebate, the group said, would place “emotional, physical, mental, and financial stress on families, denying women and couples the right to decide if they are equipped to raise a child with disabilities.”

According to Christian Today, so far 7 of the MPs whose names were affixed to the submission have disowned its statements about abortion and handicapped children.

Boswell heavily criticised the submission, saying that its “underlying premise” is based on eugenic principles that governments should prefer to kill the disabled rather than support them. He said it holds that “some lives are worth less than others because they will cost too much to support.”

“This is the kind of thinking that was typical of the Hitler regime. They set themselves up as judge of who deserved to live and who deserves to die.”

In the period leading up to the Second World War, the Nazi government of Germany began to implement its eugenics policies, meant to “cleanse” the German people of undesirable “racial traits.” This meant in practice the killing of those children, and later, adults, considered by the state to be genetically defective. Thousands of children and adults who suffered from mental and physical disabilities were starved and gassed to death and killed by lethal injection.

More recently, the utilitarian eugenics movement has gained popularity in scientific circles that propose to eliminate undesirable traits by killing those unborn babies, and, increasingly, newborns, who are found to be genetically deficient. Utilitarian philosophers and bioethicists like Princeton University’s Peter Singer, openly advocate for the killing of disabled children in the womb and as newborns.

Currently the abortion rate for babies with Down syndrome is estimated to be as high as 95% in many Western countries, indicating that modern utilitarian eugenics is already being implemented on a widespread scale.

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Teacher suspended for letting class vote out autistic boy

Mother now homeschooling son, claims instructor violated his civil rights

Posted: November 20, 2008
1:10 am Eastern

© 2008 WorldNetDaily

A Florida kindergarten teacher was suspended for polling her students on whether an autistic boy should remain in class.

Alex Barton, 5, lost the vote 14 to 2.

Barton, a former student at Morningside Elementary School in Port St. Lucie, Fla., had received two discipline referrals to the principal's office May 21, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported. The school was aware that Barton was in the process of being tested for Asperger's Syndrome.

This week, the St. Lucie County School Board voted unanimously to suspend his tenured teacher, Wendy Portillo, for one year without pay. Superintendent of Schools Michael Lannon recommended discipline after Portillo took Barton to the front of the class and asked students to tell the boy what they didn't like about his behavior and how it impacted them.

Barton said the teacher allowed his classmates to call him "disgusting" and "annoying."

The teacher then asked her students to vote on whether Barton would be allowed to stay. When Barton lost the vote, he was instructed to spend the rest of the day in the nurse's office.

According to a police report, "Portillo said she did this as she felt that if (Alex) heard from his classmates how his behavior affected them that it would make a bigger difference to him, rather than just hearing it from adults."

But Lannon said Portillo's actions "caused community and, in fact, worldwide outrage and condemnation." He said her attempt to influence a 5-year-old's behavior by subjecting him to the scrutiny of his peers was "fatally flawed" and violated professional ethics.

To read the rest click here

Supremes to review citizenship arguments

Case challenging candidacy set for 'conference' of justices

A case that challenges President-elect Barack Obama's name on the 2008 election ballot citing questions over his citizenship has been scheduled for a "conference" at the U.S. Supreme Court.

Conferences are private meetings of the justices at which they review cases and decide which ones to accept for formal review. This case is set for a conference Dec. 5, just 10 days before the Electoral College is scheduled to meet to make formal the election of Obama as the nation's next president.

The Supreme Court's website listed the date for the case brought by Leo C. Donofrio against Nina Wells, the secretary of state in New Jersey, over not only Obama's name on the 2008 election ballot but those of two others, Sen. John McCain and Roger Calero.

The case, unsuccessful at the state level, had been submitted to Justice David Souter, who rejected it. The case then was resubmitted to Justice Clarence Thomas. The next line on the court's docket says: "DISTRIBUTED for Conference of December 5, 2008."

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Ayman al-Zawahiri Refers To Obama As "House Negro"

Mary Did You Know

Study shows divorce can be deadly

Published: 13 Nov 08 10:45 CET
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20081113-15501.html

A new German study shows that people who divorce die years sooner than others, putting them in company with smokers, the homeless, and the poorly educated.


Divorced people on average have a life span nine years shorter than others, according to the study by Rostock University’s centre for demographic research released this week.

“We assume that being divorced strongly influences lifestyle,” study contributor Gabriele Doblhammer told daily paper Der Tagesspiegel on Wednesday. “Married people seem to have a more regulated lifestyle than singles, and the divorced embody a combination of factors that can lead to an earlier death.”

The study, which reviewed the influence of social behaviors and conditions on the life expectancies of 50-year-old Germans, found that on average, men can expect to reach 77-years-old, and women 82.3-years-old.

Researchers chose to study 50-year-old subjects because they have “already experienced a lot and adopted behaviors that have an influence on death risks,” Doblhammer told the paper.

People found to have the highest life expectancy were non-smokers, moderate drinkers, married, high-school educated and employed. Females from this group also had one to two children.

Marine base bans anti-Islam decals

Chad Groening - OneNewsNow

A law firm that defends and promotes America's Christian heritage has filed suit against Marine officials on a behalf of a veteran who was ordered not to express his opposition to Islamic terrorism while driving on military installations.




Jesse Nieto is a 25-year Marine veteran who served two tours of duty in Vietnam. His youngest son, Marc, was one of 17 service members killed on October 12, 2000 by Islamic terrorists who bombed the USS Cole. Since 2001, Nieto -- who is now a civilian employee at Camp LeJeune, North Carolina -- has displayed various decals on his vehicle expressing anti-terrorist sentiments such as "Islam = Terrorism" and "We Died, They Rejoiced."

Richard Thompson, president and chief counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, says on July 31, 2008, two military police officers issued Nieto a ticket for displaying what they described as "offensive material."

"They decide to make an example of him, issue a ticket, force him to take off the decals -- and then say if you keep any decals on your vehicle that have anything to do with the Islamic terrorists, you can't drive your vehicle on any federal installation," says the attorney.

Thompson says the ban also prohibits his client from driving his vehicle into Arlington National Cemetery to visit the grave of his fallen son.

The lawsuit alleges that military officials have engaged in viewpoint discrimination, noting that other individuals are allowed to display anti-Christian decals of a similar nature on vehicles driving onto the installation.

"That's the Darwin fish that they have, which is an anti-Christian decal," says the Law Center president. "They're permitting those. But they are saying anything that smacks of criticism of radical Islam -- that is, the terrorists -- we're not going to allow."

Thompson describes the case as political correctness run amok.

"I suspect the next thing the Marine command will want to do is eliminate the Marine's Hymn since the phrase 'to the shores of Tripoli' celebrates the Marine victory over Islamic forces in the Barbary Coast War and the Battle of Derne," he states in a press release.

The Constitution still matters

Posted: November 11, 2008
1:00 am Eastern

© 2008

"Therefore do not fear them, 'For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.'"
–Matthew 10:26

Hold on. Just a minute. Not only was there no landslide and no mandate, there was no election. The Electoral College doesn't even vote until Dec. 15. And there's one thing that may stand in their way from affirming last Tuesday's popular vote: the Constitution.

For the electors to uphold the Constitution that they're sworn to do with their upcoming vote, they must first know for sure that the candidates meet the basic constitutional requirements for the office of president. He must be a natural-born citizen, at least 35 years old, and have at least 14 years of residency in these United States. That's not a lot to ask. Pretty basic, really.

And pretty easy. Either you are a natural born citizen or you aren't. Just deliver the original birth certificate and everyone can be on their way. That's just what Phillip J. Berg has asked the United States Supreme Court to do. And the Supreme Court has asked for a response from Barack Obama along with the Democratic National Committee and Federal Elections Commission. And they have until Dec. 1 to respond.

Surely a guy couldn't get this far without meeting the basic requirements, could he? Turns out … he could. Especially if the political party whose job it is to verify that their candidate is qualified has a conflict of interest – they want their guy to win.

Not extreme. Not fringe. Just constitutional. Obama says he's qualified? Phil Berg, multiple legal suits and growing number of Americans say: "Prove it."

Why is there any doubt?

Exhibit A: The Grandmother's tape

I was in the delivery room in [Mombosa,] Kenya, when he was born Aug. 4, 1961.
– Obama's paternal grandmother

This is the link where Obama's grandmother says Barack Obama is a native Kenyan.

Here's the phone call where Obama's grandmother says Obama was born in Kenya.

While politicians are known for it, grandmothers seldom lie.

Exhibit B: No birth certificate

Experts have called the Certificate of Live Birth posted online a forgery. Phil Berg reported on my Faith2Action radio program yesterday, "It's clearly been altered," which invalidates it, according to the document itself. Berg added that there is no indication even on this certificate as to specifically where the birth took place. And it turns out that Hawaiian law at the time allowed people to register for this non-hospital short form certificate (without a doctor's signature) up to one year from the date of the child's birth.

Exhibit C: The matter of Indonesian citizenship

Only Indonesian citizens could attend Indonesian schools at the time Barack Obama attended school in Indonesia where was registered as Barry Soetoro. His citizenship was listed as Indonesian and his religion as Islam. There was also no dual citizenship at the time.

If he was adopted by his Indonesian stepfather, he would have forfeited any U.S. citizenship he may have had, just as when a child is adopted in America, he or she becomes an American.

Exhibit D: Travel to Pakistan

U.S. citizens were prohibited from traveling to Pakistan in 1981 when Barack Obama made his visit – likely with a passport other than a U.S. passport.

Exhibit E: Immigration back to the U.S.

According to Phillip Berg on my radio program yesterday, if Barack Obama went through immigration as he re-entered the United States, he would have become "naturalized," which also would not qualify him to become President. If he did not, said Berg, there is a likelihood that he is now an illegal alien – not even eligible to serve in the U.S. Senate. In fact, Berg suggested there has been no evidence that Barack Obama legally changed his name from Barry Soetoro.

In addition, according to U.S. law, from "Dec. 24, 1952, to Nov. 13, 1986," a U.S. natural-born citizen at the time of Obama's birth must be:

A natural-born citizen;
Born to two U.S. citizen parents; OR
If only one parent was a U.S. citizen at the time of your birth, that parent must have resided in the United States for at least 10 years, at least five of which had to be after the age of 16.
Since Barack Obama's father was not a U.S. citizen and Obama's mother was only 18 at the time of his birth, she failed to meet the legal requirements of U.S. residency for at least five years after the age of 16.

Here's the bottom line: either the Constitution matters or it doesn't. And if we're willing to ignore the constitutional requirements for the highest office in the land, what else are we willing to forgo? That part about free speech? Freedom of the press? Freedom of religion? If we are willing to shred one part of the Constitution, brace yourself to lose the rest.

Matthew 10:26 said it best: "Therefore do not fear them, 'There is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.'" The question is whether it will come in time to avert a Constitutional crisis.

If you are a Democrat or Republican elector who cares about the Constitution even more than your party, please email me directly at jfolger@wnd.com. You are sworn to uphold the Constitution with your vote next month, and making sure the constitutional requirements are met is vital for you to uphold that oath.

Members of Congress also need to step up to the plate since they are the ones responsible to approve the vote of the Electoral College. They can be reached at: 202-224-3121. Seems to me a defender of the Constitution like Rep. Ron Paul would be a natural plaintiff in the case to verify that constitutional requirements have been met. Other members with courage to stand need to stand now or forever hold their peace.

Our Founding Fathers were right; the Constitution is still worth defending. Rise up and speak up while there is still time. Go Phil Berg's www.ObamaCrimes.com and join the fight to defend the Constitution. Please forward this to everyone on your e-mail lists.

Islamic scientist: Hadith revealed cure for AIDS

VIDEO HERE

CAIR's demand for fees from Michael Savage rejected

Posted: November 13, 2008
4:52 pm Eastern

© 2008 WorldNetDaily

A Clinton-appointed federal judge ruled in favor of Michael Savage today in an attempt by the Council on American-Islamic Relations to extract attorney fees and costs in a case the nationally syndicated talk radio host brought against the Muslim lobby group.

"This is a huge victory for me, personally, but also for the rest of America who is afraid of this lawsuit-happy group of intimidators," Savage said.

Judge Susan Illston of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California previously dismissed Savage's copyright infringement and RICO lawsuit against CAIR. Savage alleged CAIR illegally published singled-out quotes and audio excerpts from his show regarding Islam, misappropriated his words and used the clips for its own fundraising purposes, damaging the value of his copyrighted material.

Savage noted Illston is a "bona fide liberal, yet she followed the law in the fees motion."

"CAIR tried to tell her in their claim that she 'should get' me, because they were all liberals," he said. "You have to read their sloppy claim to believe it. Now, people will not be afraid to file suits if they have a legitimate claim against CAIR or any other Soros-funded group."

CAIR last year waged a public campaign using excerpted Savage remarks to urge advertisers to boycott his top-rated program. CAIR stated its campaign successfully resulted in Savage losing $1 million in advertising.

Part of Savage's lawsuit alleged CAIR received millions in foreign funding and that the Islamic group may have been wrongfully acting as a lobbyist or agent for a foreign government, violating its nonprofit status.

Savage also alleged CAIR was engaged in racketeering, describing the group as a "mouthpiece of international terror" that helped fund the 9/11 attacks, a contention strongly denied by CAIR.

But Illston threw out the case in July, arguing it is legal to use excerpts of a public broadcast for purposes of comment and criticism.

Illston, nominated to her position by President Bill Clinton, wrote in her ruling that Savage could try to rewrite the racketeering portion of his suit to better fit the specifics of his case.

In May 2007, CAIR was identified by the government as an unindicted co-conspirator in a case involving the Holy Land Foundation, a charity allegedly affiliated with Hamas. Federal prosecutors listed CAIR under the category: “Individuals/entities who are and/or were members of the US Muslim Brotherhood’s Palestine Committee and/or its organizations.”

The government also listed Omar Ahmad, CAIR's founder and chairman emeritus, under the same category.

CAIR is registered as a nonprofit organization recognized as tax-exempt under IRS codes, which restrict "lobbying on behalf of a foreign government." CAIR's website claims it receives no foreign government support.

But CAIR's headquarters near the U.S. Capitol until recently was owned by the ruler of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and the ruler's foundation has pledged $50 million to capitalize a long-term CAIR public-relations campaign.

The UAE formally recognized the Taliban, and Dubai reportedly acted as the transit point for cash for the 9/11 hijackers. Two of the hijackers were from the Emirates, and one served in the UAE military.

Until 2005, the Al Maktoum Foundation run by Dubai's ruler Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid held the deed to CAIR's headquarters just three blocks from the Capitol. The same foundation reportedly has held telethons to raise money for families of Palestinian "martyrs" during the intifada – or terrorist war – started in September 2000 against Israel. It recently pledged a $50 million endowment for CAIR.

CAIR argues that any assertions it receives money from foreign governments is "disinformation."

"This is yet another attempt to invent a controversy," the group said. "CAIR's operational budget is funded by donations from American Muslims."

CAIR, however, has never publicly acknowledged $1 million controlling interest that the ruler of Dubai's foundation took in its national headquarters just one year after 9/11.

The group also received $500,000 from Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, the sheik whose $10 million relief check after 9/11 was rejected by then-New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani after he blamed U.S. policy toward Israel for the attacks.

"There is nothing criminal or immoral about accepting donations from foreign nationals," CAIR asserted. "The U.S. government, corporations and non-profit organizations routinely receive money from foreign nationals."

"Bin Talal is not a member of the Saudi Arabian government," the group added in a statement. "He is a private entrepreneur and international investor."

This may be a distinction without a difference, Savage's lawyers argue, since bin Talal is a member of the Saudi ruling family.

"CAIR is proud to receive support of every individual," CAIR argued, "as long as they are not an official of any foreign government and there are no strings attached to the bequest."

The UAE endowment to CAIR was specifically earmarked for public relations efforts to repair the image of Arabs and Muslims in America after public outrage doomed a Dubai bid to run U.S. ports.

Lawyers for Savage argue that CAIR may have used UAE funds and other foreign support to attack the radio host.

CIA head says bin Laden isolated, fighting to survive

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. intelligence agencies believe Osama bin Laden is isolated from al Qaeda and spending much of his energy merely surviving, the head of the CIA said on Thursday.

CIA Director Michael Hayden said hunting down bin Laden remains his agency's priority.

"He is putting a lot of energy into his own survival -- a lot of energy into his own security," Hayden said in a speech at the Atlantic Council in Washington.

"In fact, he appears to be largely isolated from the day-to-day operations of the organization he nominally heads," he said.

In recent weeks, there have been several U.S. missile strikes by unmanned drones around the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

The United States maintains that Taliban and al Qaeda forces operate with relative impunity in tribal areas along Pakistan's border with Afghanistan and use those areas as staging grounds to attack U.S. forces and their allies inside Afghanistan.

Hayden said al Qaeda has been hurt by a sustained fight with the United States and its allies, but remains a threat.

"Al Qaeda has suffered serious setbacks, but it remains a determined, adaptive enemy unlike any our nation has ever faced," Hayden said. "The war is far from over."

Regardless of whether bin Laden is actively helping lead the terrorist organization, the CIA believes capturing or killing him would be a huge blow to al Qaeda, according to Hayden.

"This is an organization that has never been through a change at the top," he said. "For 20 years, bin Laden has been the visionary, the inspiration or harmonizing force behind al Qaeda."

Hayden said it remained to be seen whether bin Laden's deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, could maintain unity in the ranks without him.

"The truth is, we simply don't know what would happen if bin Laden is killed or captured. But I'm willing to bet that whatever happens, it would work in our favor," Hayden said.

Islamists Impose Sharia Law on Somali Port Town

(AP Photo)

By VOA News
13 November 2008

Islamist insurgents have moved to impose Sharia law in a key Somali port town they seized Wednesday.

Residents of Merka were ordered Thursday to shut down their businesses during Muslim prayer times. An insurgent commander, Sheik Abukar, also vowed to change the behavior of youths in the town.

The al-Shabab militant group took Merka without a fight Wednesday after pro-government forces fled. The town is the main entry point for U.N. food aid to Somalia, and is just 90 kilometers south of the capital, Mogadishu.

Islamist forces have been conquering territory in recent days as the Somali government squabbles over formation of a new cabinet.

Witnesses Thursday said al-Shabab has taken the town of Elasha, just 18 kilometers outside Mogadishu. However, Reuters news agency said the insurgents left when Ethiopian troops who back the Somali government arrived.

In Washington, a State Department spokesman, Robert Wood, said attacks by Islamic forces are a matter of "great concern" to the U.S, and pledged to support Somalia's transitional government.

Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf and Prime Minister Nur Hassan Hussein are in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa. The Ethiopian news agency said they came to discuss their country's situation with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.

Ethiopia sent thousands of troops into Somalia two years ago to help the government oust an Islamist movement that had seized power across much of southern Somalia. The government took control of Mogadishu but has struggled to extend its authority or contain the insurgency.

Ethiopian troops are scheduled to withdraw under a tentative peace deal signed by the government and some moderate Islamist opposition figures last month. Al-Shabab and other hardline militants have rejected that deal.




Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.

Why I don't Believe In Evolution

Thanks to VeanomfangX

Are We All Used Up ? ( Michael Savage Audio Clip )

10 minute clip

Hamas says its officials met Obama aides before U.S. election

The Arab daily Al-Hayat on Tuesday quoted a senior Hamas official as saying that United States President-elect Barack Obama's advisors met with members of the Palestinian militant group before the U.S. presidential election.

Ahmed Yusuf, a political advisor to Hamas' Gaza leader Ismail Haniyeh, reportedly told the London-based paper that, "The connection was made via email and after that we met with them in Gaza."

Al-Hayat reported that Yusuf also said the relations were maintained after Obama's electoral victory last Tuesday. He said the president-elect's advisors requested that the relations be kept secret so as not to aid his rival, Senator John McCain.

( excerpt )

Saudi Arabia to Lead U.N. Faith Forum

Saudi Arabia, the oil-rich Islamic kingdom that forbids the public practice of other religious faiths, will preside Wednesday over a two-day U.N. conference on religious tolerance that will draw more than a dozen world leaders, including President Bush, Israeli President Shimon Peres and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

What's next, the kkk on civil rights for Blacks ?

Paying Jizyah is a Sign of Kufr and Disgrace

Allah said,

until they pay the Jizyah), if they do not choose to embrace Islam,

(with willing submission), in defeat and subservience,

(and feel themselves subdued.), disgraced, humiliated and belittled. Therefore, Muslims are not allowed to honor the people of Dhimmah or elevate them above Muslims, for they are miserable, disgraced and humiliated. Muslim recorded from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said,

(Do not initiate the Salam to the Jews and Christians, and if you meet any of them in a road, force them to its narrowest alley.) This is why the Leader of the faithful `Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, demanded his well-known conditions be met by the Christians, these conditions that ensured their continued humiliation, degradation and disgrace.

tafsir

Islam / Jews and Christians

Conservatives on Youtube harrased : Jihad videos run amok

Cameraman attacked at Muslims of America

Interfaith Dialogue With The Devil

Catholic and Muslim leaders worked on Thursday to deflate suspicion between their two faiths, pledging at a high-level seminar here to work together to condemn terrorism, protect religious freedom and fight poverty.

Then an Islamic barbarian blows up murdering 20 people.

Never make a deal, with the devil.

Mosqewatch Welcome Video

Mosqewatch has just become a contribute to my blog The Tedland Daily. So I made a welcome video for him.

Thankyou for letting me be a part of this forum

Islamic Barbarians Stone 13 Year Old Rape VICTIM

Published: Wednesday, November 05
The United Nations said yesterday that a Somali stoned to death by Islamists on accusations of adultery was a 13-year-old girl who had apparently been raped while visiting her grandmother.

In the first such public killing by the militants for about two years, she was placed in a hole and stoned to death on Oct. 28 in rebel-held Kismayu port in front of hundreds of spectators after local leaders said she was guilty under sharia law.

Democrats Eye Tighter Regulations in Finance

By DAMIAN PALETTA and KARA SCANNELL

WASHINGTON -- Congressional Democrats plan to use their widened majority to push quickly for a broader government role in financial markets, citing Tuesday's election as a repudiation of years of Republican deregulatory policies.

House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank said in an interview that he is weighing tougher rules on shareholder rights and stricter conditions on the $700 billion financial rescue package.

Mr. Frank added that a central point of Democrats' plans would be the creation of a "systemic-risk regulator." It could have unprecedented powers over a wide range of financial institutions, from insurance firms to hedge funds, with responsibility for protecting the soundness of the whole financial system, not just one sector. He likened that to the establishment of the Securities and Exchange Commission, charged with maintaining fair markets and investor protection, five years after the market crash of 1929.

In a separate interview, Sen. Charles Schumer (D., N.Y.) said Congress would try to redraw supervision of financial markets completely in the first six months. "Whether the economy was in tatters or not, we need a new system of regulation," said Sen. Schumer, a leading member of the Senate Banking Committee.

While financial-services companies are braced for more-assertive government oversight, Mr. Schumer added that Capitol Hill's reworking of market rules could also give banks some victories. He said Democrats would be willing to consider easing limits that currently prevent banks from holding more than 10% of U.S. deposits after an acquisition. Any change to this policy could free up huge institutions such as Bank of America Corp., Wells Fargo & Co. or J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. to pursue more acquisitions.

Mr. Schumer acknowledged that some Democrats were worried about being accused of regulatory overreach. Democrats are "very mindful of the fact that too much regulation will snuff out the hallmark of our economy, which is entrepreneurship," he said. "You are going to find that balance."

The day after the big Democratic win, the stock market fell sharply, a reminder of the volatile economic environment that the party in power will be facing.

Mr. Frank added that a central point of Democrats' plans would be the creation of a "systemic-risk regulator." It could have unprecedented powers over a wide range of financial institutions, from insurance firms to hedge funds, with responsibility for protecting the soundness of the whole financial system, not just one sector. He likened that to the establishment of the Securities and Exchange Commission, charged with maintaining fair markets and investor protection, five years after the market crash of 1929.

In a separate interview, Sen. Charles Schumer (D., N.Y.) said Congress would try to redraw supervision of financial markets completely in the first six months. "Whether the economy was in tatters or not, we need a new system of regulation," said Sen. Schumer, a leading member of the Senate Banking Committee.

While financial-services companies are braced for more-assertive government oversight, Mr. Schumer added that Capitol Hill's reworking of market rules could also give banks some victories. He said Democrats would be willing to consider easing limits that currently prevent banks from holding more than 10% of U.S. deposits after an acquisition. Any change to this policy could free up huge institutions such as Bank of America Corp., Wells Fargo & Co. or J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. to pursue more acquisitions.

Mr. Schumer acknowledged that some Democrats were worried about being accused of regulatory overreach. Democrats are "very mindful of the fact that too much regulation will snuff out the hallmark of our economy, which is entrepreneurship," he said. "You are going to find that balance."

The day after the big Democratic win, the stock market fell sharply, a reminder of the volatile economic environment that the party in power will be facing.


Democrats face pressure to address problems in multiple industries, not just banking. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday that Congress may have to provide additional assistance to auto makers. "We may need to make a statement of confidence in our auto industry but in a way that says we're going forward with new green technologies," she told National Public Radio.

Although Speaker Pelosi wasn't specific, Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow of Michigan said Wednesday that congressional leaders are considering doubling the low-cost loans to be offered to ailing auto makers to $50 billion as part of a second economic-stimulus package. A second package of loans would be on top of the $25 billion in credits signed into law this fall and earmarked to help auto makers retool plants to produce new, fuel-efficient vehicles. Those loans haven't been released yet.

President-elect Barack Obama, while on the campaign trail, had echoed many of the financial-industry changes congressional Democrats are expected to push, including a new regulatory structure and new rules for executive compensation. It is unclear whether his administration will let Congress drive such overhauls or will want to take control of some of the bigger issues itself. Sen. Obama is still putting his economic team together.

"If you wanted to look at the single largest factor in turning the election, its no doubt it's the economy," said Andy Laperriere, a managing director at ISI Group, a brokerage firm. "That gives Democrats a mandate to try to address that problem, but I'm not so sure that voters necessarily voted for a substantial shift in terms of endorsing much broader government regulation."

New Restrictions
Democrats are expected to push for new restrictions on a broad group of loan products that financial institutions can issue. "We have to continue the process that we began last year of banning the bad subprime loans, but there will be other bad loans," Mr. Frank said. "You can't just ban the bad subprime loans." He didn't specify which products, but Democrats are expected take up legislation restricting certain credit-card practices.

According to Democratic aides, one of the first moves Congress is likely to address is tightening standards on executive compensation at firms receiving federal money as part of the bailout. However, it's also possible such standards could be dealt with by the Obama administration's Treasury secretary rather than Congress.

"One area that sticks in everybody's craws are the pay-for-failure packages," said Patrick McGurn, special counsel at RiskMetrics Group, a proxy advisory firm. "We could see strong language there in terms of shareholder-approval requirements."

Mr. Frank said Democrats would look to continue their broad push for more scrutiny of executive pay. He said those efforts wouldn't involve setting a "dollar amount" but might try to alter certain incentives that companies use to set compensation.

Last year the House passed a Frank-sponsored bill that would have given shareholders an advisory vote on executives' pay. Sen. Obama introduced an identical bill in the Senate the same day, but the Senate didn't take it up. It's expected that Rep. Frank will push the bill again.

The so-called say-on-pay bill, which has been opposed by business groups, may gain support as a compromise with those who are seeking more direct congressional involvement in setting executive pay.

The SEC has already warned companies that further changes could be afoot. Compensation committees at institutions getting federal capital injections in the bailout are required to review pay plans to make sure they don't promote excessive risk-taking. A senior SEC official recently suggested that all companies take that into consideration.

Considering Consolidation
Beyond the possible creation of a systemic-risk regulator, lawmakers are considering consolidation of some financial regulators. This will likely depend on the views of the Obama administration.

One possible scenario would be merging the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, which regulates national banks, and the Office of Thrift Supervision, which regulates savings and loans. The OTS has lost clout in recent months as two of its top institutions, IndyMac Bank and Washington Mutual Inc. have failed. Its top official, John Reich, hasn't indicated whether he plans to stay past January.

SEC Chairman Christopher Cox, who is expected to leave in February, has pushed for his agency to be merged with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Such a move could make it easier for lawmakers to set tougher limits on complex financial products such as credit-default swaps, which are under much more scrutiny amid the financial turmoil.

The banking industry was already bracing for a tough 2009, and it lost one of its key allies Tuesday. Rep. Tom Feeney (R., Fla.), a top defender of the banking industry during the economic crisis, was defeated in his re-election bid. Rep. Feeney was in the rare position of serving on both the Financial Services Committee and the Judiciary Committee, panels where Democrats were pushing for some of the biggest controls over banks.

"It will be a very active 2009 for the financial-services industry," said Scott Talbott, the top lobbyist for the Financial Services Roundtable, an industry group. "We'll be playing offense and defense."

Write to Damian Paletta at damian.paletta@wsj.com and Kara Scannell at kara.scannell@wsj.com

Hamas praises Obama win as 'historic victory for world'

Terrorists drafting letter of congrats to be sent directly to president-elect

Posted: November 05, 2008
12:16 pm Eastern


By Aaron Klein
© 2008 WorldNetDaily

JERUSALEM – The Hamas terrorist group believes the election of Sen. Barack Obama is an "historic victory" for the world and an opportunity to change U.S. foreign policy toward engagement with America's foes, Ahmed Yousef, Hamas' chief political adviser in the Gaza Strip, told WND in an exclusive interview today.

Yousef, speaking by cell phone from Gaza, said Hamas is drafting a letter of congratulation to be sent tomorrow directly to Obama. He said the current draft of the letter praises the president-elect as "another John F. Kennedy, or great Roosevelt."

"We want to be one of the first to congratulate him," Yousef said.

"This is an historic day, a turning point. I think this is the very first time in history that one country's election concerned everyone everywhere all over [the] world," said Yousef. "Everybody is looking forward to Obama's change, for a change in the U.S. policy, particularly in the Israeli-Palestinian equation, which is the mother of all conflicts."

Yousef told WND he believes an Obama administration will be more willing to engage in dialogue with Hamas.

Our President Barack Obama

A video about the man (Muslim) the country just elected.

Fidel Castro praises Obama but doesn't endorse him

The Associated Press
HAVANA -- Fidel Castro praised Barack Obama Tuesday as smarter and less warlike than John McCain, but stopped short of endorsing either U.S. presidential candidate.

Cuba's former president said he delayed weighing in until the U.S. election day so that "no one would have time to say I wrote something that could be utilized by the candidates in their campaigns."

"Without a doubt, Obama is more intelligent, cultured and levelheaded than his Republican adversary," Castro wrote in state-controlled newspapers. "McCain is old, bellicose, uncultured, of little intelligence and not healthy."

Castro, 82, has struggled with his own health problems. He has not been seen in public since July 2006. His younger brother Raul formally succeeded him as president in February.

The elder Castro also expressed skepticism about both candidates.

"Worries about the overwhelming problems of the world will not really occupy an important place in the mind of Obama and much less in that of a candidate who, as a fighter pilot, dropped dozens of tons of bombs on the city of Hanoi," he wrote, alluding to McCain's military service.

Castro also wrote that if the Republicans win due to U.S. racism, "the danger of war will increase and the opportunities for peoples to move forward will be reduced."

Barack Obama's Kenyan family to celebrate by slaughtering bulls, chicken and goats

Times reporter attends the Obama family victory feast in the village of Kogelo, Kenya, and brings along a live goat

Rob Crilly in Kogelo, Kenya

There's only one thing to take to a Kenyan election victory feast: a goat. Preferably still breathing - “a sign of freshness“ - and with big testicles, apparently the sign of quality breeding.

And so it was that I found myself bouncing along a dirt track towards the ancestral home of the Obamas in a saloon car with the sound of John the goat bleating miserably from the boot.

It had not been easy finding such a quality specimen. The local livestock market had mostly sheep and cattle, with only a few scrawny goats on hand.

Instead, John was spotted at the side of the road by my driver George, who was impressed by the size of its belly and, well, other attributes.

He was mine for 2500 shillings, a little under £20, and roughly the price of 20 pints of beer or eight malaria-proof bednets.

“This is a fine animal,” said Abongo Malik Obama, at the lush family homestead in the far west of Kenya, surrounded by grazing cattle and fields thick with maize. “You are certainly welcome now to stay and sit around the fire tonight.” By then John will be nyama choma - the Swahili term for grilled meat.

He was to be only one small part of a vast celebration feast starting last night and comprising four bulls, 16 chickens and assorted sheep and goats.

“We are Africans, so our plan is to slaughter a bull and have friends come over,” said Abongo, the candidate’s oldest half-brother.

“We invite Kogelo (the village where Mr Obama's Kenyan family lives) to come over and it will be open house. People will just come on over and bring a couple of sodas.”

Losing has never been considered in a country gripped by Obamamania for the best part of four years. Ever since their “lost son” was elected to the Senate everyone has been expecting him to become president.

Every twist and turn of his primary battle and general election campaign have been followed in the local papers and on television in the belief that his rise was inevitable.

Today, early signs of celebration were obvious everywhere, long before the polls opened.

American flags hung from trees in the city centre of Kisumu, the regional capital, and flapped from the handlebars of bicycle taxis.

The Jamaican reggae hit, “Barack Obama”, by Cocoa Tea boomed from matatus - the battered minibus taxis that most locals use to get around.

And bars were setting up big screens so that patrons could watch television coverage from the US as a whole nation held its breath for the signal to celebrate.

In Kogelo, women peeled onions and stoked cooking fires - yet another reminder of the vast gulf between his American dream and their African reality.

Children rehearsed their songs ahead of a party being held at a neighbouring school, the Senator Barack Obama Secondary School, while gospel music pumped from a marquee where priests were praying for victory.

Abongo, sitting in front of the tin-roofed shack that once belonged to Obama’s father, a government economist who died in a car accident more than two decades ago, said dozens of family members had congregated for a historic event.

“The reason we are here is that we are looking forward to a great day to celebrate,” he said, rubbishing any suggestion that Mr McCain might win. “We are not considering that possibility. I am not,” he said confidently, as a cock crowed in the shade of a mango tree.” The first stage of the celebrations was starting tonight.

Relatives, including some from England, were planning to stay up watching the results start to filter across the Atlantic.

Tomorrow, they will move to the neighbouring school where the chickens are breathing their last.

“It’s going to be chaotic,” said Ben Semel, from New York, who was helping organise the feast, “especially when everyone goes through the election night without sleeping.”

The Role of Race: It Was Important

The Corner,
[Byron York]

The exit polls suggest that race was a factor in a lot of voters' decisions — and that, on balance, it worked to Barack Obama's advantage. In Ohio, for example, six percent of voters said that race was the most important factor in their decision. Among them, Obama won 59-40. Another 13 percent said race was an important factor in their vote, and Obama won among them, 52-46. So nearly one in five voters said race was an important part of their decision, and more of them voted for Obama than McCain.

Beyond that, eight percent said race was a "minor factor" in their decision — and they went for McCain, 56-44. Finally, 71 percent said race played no role at all in their decision — and Obama won among them, 54-45.

Obama Wins White House, Becomes First Black President

FOXNews.com

Tuesday, November 04, 2008


Barack Obama will become the first black president of the United States, with a sweeping Election Day victory.

Change has come.

Barack Obama made history Tuesday night when he was elected to become the first black president of the United States.

The 47-year-old Democratic junior senator from Illinois swept to a landslide victory over his Republican opponent, Arizona Sen. John McCain, building an Electoral College majority of at least 349 votes.

"If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer," Obama told a massive crowd of cheering supporters in Chicago's Grant Park Tuesday night.

"It's been a long time coming, but tonight because of what we did on this day, in this election, on this defining moment, change is coming to America."

With his victory, Obama, the Hawaiian-born son of a black man from Kenya and a white woman from Kansas, is poised to turn the page on Republican policies of the last eight years, as well as some racial barriers that have stood for generations.

McCain, speaking in Phoenix, Ariz., said he called Obama to concede. He urged his supporters to move beyond their "disappointment," and said Obama was worthy of respect for the race he had run.

"Whatever our differences, we are all Americans," McCain said, with running mate Sarah Palin standing by his side. "Though we fell short, the failure is mine, not yours."

President Bush also called Obama to congratulate him.

The Illinois senator climbed over the top at 11 p.m. ET Tuesday with victories in California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii. It takes 270 electoral votes to win.

The crowd of tens of thousands in Grant Park erupted in cheers once it was clear the Illinois senator had clinched the presidency.

They were eagerly watching the returns build in their candidate's favor all evening. Obama delivered a crushing defeat earlier in the night by clinching Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia, states that were key to McCain's electoral strategy. Obama later won the major swing state of Florida.

The Democratic nominee also took a commanding lead over his Republican rival with a slew of victories in reliable East Coast and Midwestern territory, and red states scattered throughout the country. In the end, he significantly expanded his party's 2004 electoral map.

Obama has so far won New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maryland, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Vermont and the District of Columbia. He also won all four electoral votes in Maine and scored a victory in his home state of Illinois, as well as in Indiana, Nevada, Colorado, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan and New Mexico.

McCain has won Texas and Georgia, as well as Idaho, Alaska, Arizona, South Dakota, South Carolina, Mississippi, Utah, Louisiana, Arkansas, North Dakota, Kansas, Wyoming, Alabama, Oklahoma, Tennessee, West Virginia and Kentucky. He won three of Nebraska's five electoral votes.

The Democratic nominee has so far amassed 349 electoral votes to McCain's 158.

Pennsylvania, with its 21 electoral votes, was one of the few states that voted Democratic in the 2004 presidential election that McCain was actively pursuing. Another was New Hampshire, which Obama also won Tuesday. McCain aides initially objected to the Pennsylvania call, complaining that it was too early to project.

But McCain's narrow path to victory was made air tight after he lost Ohio and its 20 electoral votes, and Virginia's 13.

Races in Missouri and North Carolina were still too close to call.

Both candidates took their campaigns well into Election Day, as each battled for votes at the 11th hour.

McCain, who all along faced an uphill road to attaining the 270 electoral votes needed to win, first flew into Colorado for his final rally. Then he visited dozens of volunteers at a New Mexico phone bank, before finally heading home to Phoenix.

Obama, in an election day tradition that perhaps demonstrated his confidence, played basketball Tuesday afternoon in Chicago with friends and staff.

Both candidates and their running mates joined enthusiastic voters Tuesday morning in casting their ballots. An estimated 153 million voters were eligible, and in an indication of interest in the battle for the White House, 40 million of them had already voted as Election Day dawned.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Michael Savage and Jose the Caller

Part 1


Part 2


Part 3


Part 4

School Clams Up on 'Gay' Pledge Cards Given to Kindergartners

Saturday, November 01, 2008

By Michelle Maskaly

Fox News

A California school system refuses to say what action, if any, it will take after it received complaints about a kindergarten teacher who encouraged her students to sign "pledge cards" in support of gays.

During a celebration of National Ally Week, Tara Miller, a teacher at the Faith Ringgold School of Arts and Science in Hayward, Calif., passed out cards produced by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network to her class of kindergartners.

The cards asked signers to be "an ally" and to pledge to "not use anti-LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) language or slurs; intervene, when I feel I can, in situations where others are using anti-LGBT language or harassing other students and actively support safer schools efforts."

The school has acknowledged that the exercise was not appropriate for kindergartners.

Parent Adela Voelker, who declined to be interviewed in depth for this report, said she was furious when she found her child's signature on one of the cards. She said she contacted a non-profit legal defense organization specializing in parents' rights.

Meanwhile, a school board member, Jeff Cook, says some type of action should be taken.

"We have a general rule that all instruction should be age appropriate, and this clearly was not," said Cook, who has served on the school board for five years.

Val Joyner, a school district spokeswoman, told FOXNews.com in an e-mail that when deciding what to teach on this subject matter, educators "gather materials from community agencies and other education groups" and that "the materials have grade level indicators which help determine what is age-appropriate."

The district said the pledge cards were intended for middle school and high school students.

Asked last week if the district planned to take action against Miller, Joyner said she would have to look into the incident. On Thursday she told FOXNews.com that she did not have an answer for the question and that she would no longer be doing any media interviews.

Joyner said in an e-mail that Miller, the teacher, "planned to teach students how to become an ally and conflict-mediation through various activities." She added that the district doesn't advocate for a specific cause and/or lifestyle, and it has "no curriculum for gay, lesbian and transgender lifestyles."

The district employs a "Professional Learning Specialist: Equity," who is in charge of gathering material and helping teachers decide what should be taught on the subject matter.

Brad Dacus, president of Pacific Justice Institute, the group representing Voelker, said parents at the Faith Ringgold School weren't notified of what was going to take place in the classroom.

He said that teaching students as young as pre-school about gay, lesbian and transgender issues is common in California, but that there are "all kinds of material the average parent could find highly objectionable or potentially harmful" to their children.

When asked if the school district did anything wrong, he said, "possibly," but he declined to go into detail or say whether Voelker would sue the district.

Dacus would not comment specifically on whether children who signed the pledge could be held responsible if the school determined that they were not honoring it. He said they are minors and there are certain degrees of limited liability, but from a psychological and emotional perspective, it's a whole different ballgame.

"[There is] tremendous peer pressure put on children to accept a pro-homosexual philosophy and attitude," Dacus said.

Meanwhile, opponents of gay marriage are up in arms over the incident, which occurred as California voters prepare to vote Tuesday on Proposition 8, which would overturn the state Supreme Court's ruling legalizing gay marriage.

"How do you teach a 5-year-old to sign a pledge card for lesbian, gay and transgender issues without explaining what transgender and bisexual is?" asked Sonja Eddings Brown, a spokeswoman for Protect Marriage California.