Laura Ingraham blasts Obama for pro-choice position.

Which would be more surprising?

A) Any of the candidates for the GOP presidential nomination coming out in favor of taxing millionaires?

B) President Obama supporting a woman’s right to choose?

If you guessed “B,” stop reading this blog and go back to bed.  Maybe Laura should go back to sleep, too.

In a recent blog post, she took Obama to task for supporting a position that he has had all of his political life: a woman’s right to choose. Uncovering Obama’s position on abortion took a lot of sly detective work on her part.

The “revelation” in her post is that Obama and many of his supporters believe that there are environmental and economic reasons to be pro-choice. Why is that any more unsavory than hearing the far-right claim that taxing the rich is “unfair” economically?

The “most listened-to woman political radio show host(ess)” evidently needed some filler for her blog. We’re happy to do our part and share her hard work with our more politically moderate audience.

Laura’s most recent book is

Are Alex from Modern Family and Tyler Clementi both anti-gay victims?

My friend, Rake Morgan, has come up with a somewhat different slant on the supposedly “gay friendly” sitcom, Modern Family. The suicide of Rutgers student, Tyler Clementi, got him thinking. . .

Like much of the country, I am stunned and saddened by the death of Rutgers student, Tyler Clementi. This is the young man who committed suicide after his roommate and another student streamed a live Internet broadcast of him and another man in a sexual situation.

Some of the media reports have quoted gay activists who suggest that if Tyler had been with a woman, not much would have been made of the broadcast, if it had been broadcast at all. No surprise to anyone, despite marvelous progress in granting gays more civil rights and, in some quarters, a greater understanding and acceptance by straights, there is still a burdensome bias and intolerance of gays in much of society. Tyler’s suicide proves that.

What I find distressing, however, is the often two-faced approach to homosexuality that appears in television programs that are ostensibly “gay friendly.” Case in point: last night’s episode of ABC’s Modern Family.

Read the rest of Rake’s comments here.

What they’re saying about Hillary Clinton – 05/02/10

Every week I’m taking a look at some of the more interesting and sometimes off-beat comments the world media has to say about Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Here are a few choice excerpts for this week’s report –

Hillary Clinton missed off Time’s ‘most influential’ list

By Guy Adams in Los Angeles

Women may hold more sway than eve before, but the world’s most powerful female, Hillary Clinton, is not in the same league as Kathryn Bigelow or Lady Gaga.

That, at least, is the stern verdict of Time magazine, which failed to find space for the US Secretary of State among the record 31 members of the fairer sex who feature in its prestigious annual list of the 100 people “whose ideas, innovations and actions are most shaping the world”.

Mrs Clinton’s name was notably absent from the roll-call of 25 “leaders” included in the 100-strong list when it was unveiled, with some fanfare, yesterday afternoon. But space was found for Barack Obama, Sarah Palin, and even Hillary’s husband, Bill.

The decision was somewhat perplexing, since she has previously featured on the list five times, and by her own lofty standards is enjoying one of the most successful and high-profile periods of her political career. Already this year, she has made 11 foreign trips, and was an architect of the “Start” nuclear reduction treaty signed by the US and Russia this month.

The Independent 04/30/10

Is Hillary prepping a challenge to Obama?

By Mychal Massie

Hillary wouldn’t be responsible for the socialist agenda Obama has pushed; she hasn’t voted on any piece of legislation; and Bill could always point to the success of his administration – which, such as it was, was due in large part to his taking credit  for Republican initiatives.

Even more insidious, if elected, she would be able to retain most of Obama’s agenda because, to a marginally lesser extent, she and Obama represent the same thing. The difference would be that she would be afforded political cover, because she would neither be pushing his agenda nor implementing it. She would simply be working with the programs she inherited.

And if, as we believe, a substantial turnover occurs in the Congress, she would not be encumbered to the same extent with anti-incumbent sentiment. Obviously I’m only surmising here, but it is worth noting that if I’m thinking about it, someone in camp Clinton is certainly thinking about it. It is also worth noting that few are better at political back-stabbings than the Clintons.

World Net Daily 04/27/10

Newsweek’s ‘Bad Cop’, From Sexist Insults to 3:00 a.m. Ad to WJC

By Taylor Marsh

In the White House, it’s still possible to hear someone dismissing Hillary as a foreign-policy lightweight. “She has no real strategic vision,” says an NSC official. “But she’ll get done what she has to do. She’s the good little Methodist girl. In the end she’ll have her list of the nine or 10 things she has to do and check them off one by one.” – Obama’s Bad Cop

“The good little Methodist girl” spewing from the lips of one NSC “source” must have made Meacham come right out of his chair with excitement. Could it be more condescending to a woman charged with the world diplomatic mission of the United States? No, and that’s why it was offered up. Cover makes brave people out of cowards, a dripping cheap shot easy to utter under the cloak of covert swipes. This anonymous national security official, no doubt, now substituting for what used to be called fairness when people had the spine to talk on the record. That Newsweek enjoys using quotes like these in a story that starts out revealing a moment where Obama and Clinton truly come together is revealing. But both sides gets shots in, anonymous or not, with Newsweek only to happy to divide the Obama and Clinton teams even a year after they’ve begun their work.

Taylor Marsh 04/28/10

Resilience: It’s How You Can Succeed Like Hillary

By John Sylo

Hillary Clinton is the very model of a successful leader, gifted at prospering even in the face of turbulent times. The real question is: Could the same be said about you?

Ask yourself:

* Do I bounce back from challenging situations?
* Do I know how to learn from my mistakes?
* Do I make my words count?
* Do I embrace change and take advantage of new opportunities?

In Leadership Secrets of Hillary Clinton, leadership expert Rebecca Shambaugh reveals the unique formula of open-mindedness, intense focus, authenticity, and resilience that allows Hillary to answer “yes” to all of these questions and that has led to her historic rise onto the world stage.

Work Bloom 04/28/10

Reflections on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

By Andrew Carroll

Though I disagree with America’s 67th Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on nearly every political issue, Secretary Clinton was perhaps the most engaging speaker I have had the opportunity to interact with during my three years as a McConnell Scholar. Secretary Clinton’s speech, her demeanor, and her responses to questions provided insight into why Secretary Clinton will arguably be remembered as one of the most influential American women in the history of our country.

Secretary Clinton’s speech and her answers to questions revealed not only her strength and knowledge of foreign policy, but also, as Senator McConnell revealed later, her political shrewdness in framing the answers to potentially unfavorable questions in a positive way. Her poise and engaging demeanor when interacting with a crowd revealed her ability to give a powerful speech that impacts nuclear policy around the world one moment, while introducing herself as simply “Hillary” the next.

McConnell Center Blog 04/29/10