It has now come to light that there is yet another lie embedded in the video. This time, it is about the decision to make the raid that captured Bin Laden:

In the first clip, actor Tom Hanks narrates: “How do we understand this president and his time in office?” The next clip is of Vice President Joe Biden praising the President’s decision to kill Osama Bin Laden: “As he walked out of the room, it dawned on me. He’s all alone. This is his decision. Nobody is standing there with him.”

But that isn’t what happened. Time Magazine has uncovered a memo that paints a very different story altogether:

“The timing, operational decision-making and control are in Adm. McRaven’s hands,” the memo says. “The approval is provided on the risk profile presented to the president. Any additional risks are to be brought back to the president for his consideration. The direction is to go in and get bin Laden and, if he is not there, to get out.”

In other words, it was McRaven’s call to pull the trigger or not on the raid.

Some would say that this is a distinction without a difference, sort of like a head coach in football drawing up the game plan and letting his offensive coordinator actually call the plays. Then, technically, President George W. Bush gets the credit, since it was on his watch our war on terror was declared, Navy SEALs and Special Forces funding was increased and the hunt for Osama bin Laden began.

The Panetta memo, rather than presenting a profile in courage, says “approval is provided on the risk profile presented to the president.” This left enough wiggle room to blame the operation planners and controllers if the raid had gone as wrong as President Jimmy Carter’s famous failure to rescue American hostages held by Iran. This memo left room for the blame for another “Blackhawk Down” snafu to be blamed on anyone and everyone but President Obama.

One has to respect Tom Hanks for his accomplishments in driving for the WWII memorial in Washington D.C., but that respect is diminished when he mouthed half-truths and borderline lies in support of a president that has squandered the economic livelihood of our children’s children.

Even before this latest revelation, the RNC had a great take on the mockumentary:

“In 2008, [Obama] did a 30-minute infomercial to talk about what he would do as president, and it seems somewhat ironic that four years later he has to stretch a 17-minute video to say what he’s done,” [RNC] spokesman Sean Spicer said. “As well done as it is, even the best Hollywood studio effects can’t cover up the failed policies of the last three years.”

While on the subject, Spicer took aim at Obama’s hectic fundraising pace and Hollywood-style leisure activities, like playing golf.

“Americans understand that politicians are going to raise money, and that their presidents need downtime and time with their family,” he stressed. But “for a guy who’s trying to talk about the 99 percent, to be blatantly living the lifestyle not just of the 1 percent but the .1 percent looks contrary to everything that he’s talking about.”

Then again, selective blindness is a well known Liberal affliction.

“In this little-known video posted in June 2010 (only 18 total views) by the pro-government consolidation group Rebuild Government, none other than Tomeka Hart assures voters the school systems “are not affected and they will remain separate entities.”

It has been a week, and the video is still only up to 155 views.

Politicians object to guns. Citizens not yet in the grip of political ambition are amazingly clear thinking.

When elected officials are active online, everyone benefits.And while he gets heat for what some consider controversial positions, one has to applaud state Sen. Stacey Campfield, R-Knoxville, for being one of the highest profile elected officials in the state on the Internet.

Great article, especially as the bulk of it is dedicated to the upcoming consideration of legislation concerning red-light cameras.

Full Disclosure: I gladly clicked the “Like” button on Kill Tennessee Traffic Cameras.

• Republican Mark Luttell easily took County Mayor over Democrat Joe Ford (57.8 to 41.5)
• Democrat incumbent Steve Mulroy easily bested Republican challenger Rolando Toyos for County Commission District 5 (65.5 to 34.5)
• Republican David Lenoir took the County Trustee office away from incumbent Democrat Regina Newman, who was unanimously elected by the county commission to serve as interim Trustee last September (49.3 to 46.4)
• Republican Bill Oldham beat Democrat Randy Wade, although Wade has yet to concede even though he lost by over 7,000 votes (51.9 to 48.0)
• Republican Jimmy Moore easily defeated Democrat Ricky Dixon for Circuit Court Clerk (55.4 to 44.6)
• Republican Kevin Key eked out a win over Democrat incumbent Minerva Johnican for Criminal Court Clerk (48.7 to 45.7)
• Republican Joy Touliatos gratifyingly tromped Democrat snake-oil-salesman Shep Wilbun for Juvenile Court Clerk (51.4 to 43.9)
• Republican Paul Boyd beat Democrat Sondra Bection for Probate Court Clerk (52.1 to 47.9)
• Republican Wayne Mashburn handily beat Democrat Corey Maclin for County Clerk (54.8 to 45.0)
• Republican Tom Leatherwood stomped Democrat Coleman Thompson for Register of Deeds (58.4 to 41.6)

Republicans won 9 of the 10 contested races in Shelby County, often by surprisingly wide margins against Democrat candidates with establish name recognition (e.g., Joe Ford and Shep Wilbun). Congratulations to the Shelby County GOP leadership for believing that the party could do this well in a county dominated by Democrats (57 percent of the voters voted in Democrat primaries during early voting).

Also deserving note, my heartfelt congratulations go out to personal favorite and acquaintance Heidi Shafer for being elected to the County Commission (District 1, Position 2).

Technorati Tags: Races of 2010, Tennessee Politics, Shelby County General Election, Mark Luttell, Shelby County Mayor , Joe Ford , Steve Mulroy , Rolando Toyos , David Lenoir , Regina Newman, Bill Oldham , Randy Wade, Jimmy Moore , Ricky Dixon , Kevin Key , Minerva Johnican , Joy Touliatos , Shep Wilbun , Paul Boyd , Sondra Bection , Wayne Mashburn , Corey Maclin , Tom Leatherwood , Coleman Thompson , Heidi Shafer

But yesterday Joe Ford was handily defeated for County Mayor by Sheriff Mark Luttrell by a whopping 16-point margin:

The result denies Memphis’ Ford family of something oft-imagined but never achieved — an elected Mayor Ford.

Luttrell, the Republican nominee, got 58 percent of the vote in a county where 57 percent voted in Democratic primaries during the 16-day early-voting period. That it was the closest county mayor race since the first contest, in 1975, was no consolation to Ford (42 percent), who also lost a 1999 bid for Memphis mayor.

In other news, incumbent US Rep. Steve Cohen fought off a challenge for the 9th Congressional District’s Democrat primary by five-time Memphis Mayor and self-proclaimed deity, Willie Herenton. This margin was even larger: 79 to 21.

Both Ford and Herenton are members of political machines with vast reach and influence. But both lost on Thursday.

But the real winners are the citizens of Shelby County. Finally.

Technorati Tags: Joe Ford, Mark Luttrell, Steve Cohen, King Willie Herenton, Shelby County Elections, Elections of 2010, Tennessee Politics

I stopped by the Toyota Dealership yesterday for a look at the new  Tacoma .

Just for fun, I took it out for a test drive. I wanted to sense that new “feel” before they become extinct.

The salesman (wearing an Obama “change” lapel pin) sat in the passenger seat describing the truck and all its “wonderful” options.

The seats were of particular interest. He explained that the seats directed warm air to your butt in the winter and directed cool air to your butt in the summer heat.

Feeling like messing with his mind, I mentioned that this must be a Republican truck.

Looking a bit angry, he asked why I thought it was a Republican truck.

I explained that if it were a Democrat truck, the seats would blow smoke up your ass year-round.

I had to walk back to the dealership. Dip-shit had no sense of humor.

Technorati Tags: Humor

If you want a little help, I’ve provided my picks below as well as a (prettier and better formatted) PDF that you can download and take with you to the polls. I’m sorry I don’t have time this election season to research more of the races nor even publish my reasons for making the choices that I have. Life is busy these days.

If you want to know where to vote early, click here. If you are going to wait for election day, click here to find your precinct.

Most importantly, vote.

• On the report card, enrollment is 104,829 in 2009 and 110,753 in 2007 and 116,528 in 2006. But there are more administrators (439 to 359), schools (199 to 194), teachers (7,259 to 6,438), and per-pupil spending ($10,394 to $9,254) now than there were three years ago. Why is that?

• The report card classifies 100,617 of the 104,829 students in MCS as “Title 1,” which is federal government-speak for “high-poverty schools.” Are you telling us that there is no middle class and no upward mobility in Memphis, a city that takes great pride in its entrepreneurship, flagship companies, and aspirations to become a “city of choice”? …

• Approximately 86 percent of MCS students are classified as “economically disadvantaged” and eligible for free and reduced price lunches. Have you ever audited this number, and how and when does MCS ask kids or their parents to document their family income?

  A full-price lunch in a school cafeteria costs $2 and includes an entrée, two vegetables, bread, and a beverage. That’s $10 a week, or less if you brown-bag it. If everyone is that poor, then why do you need a cell phone policy?

The entire article is brilliant. Unfortunately, questions like these rarely get asked to anyone in a meaningful forum.

Technorati Tags: Memphis City Schools, MCS, Memphis Politics, Kriner Cash, Failing Our Children