“Imagine“, writes Richard Grenell

. . . if The New York Times and other media outlets had sent their foreign affairs reporters on Gov. Mitt Romney’s trip to England, Israel and Poland. Instead of sending political reporters who report on politics, the foreign affairs reporters might have given us serious reporting on the international issues raised when the Republican nominee for president traveled abroad.

No wonder these folks focused on Mr. Romney’s supposed gaffes.  Grenell offers some details of the legacy media’s focus on those gaffes:

Like a high school nerd not being invited to the rich kids’ party, Washington Post reporter Philip Rucker wrote a whole piece titled, “Romney bans media from Jerusalem fundraiser, violating pre-established protocol.”

Rucker later had to write a followup piece titled, “Romney opens Jerusalem fundraiser to press, reversing earlier decision.” His coverage of Romney’s trip was silly.  A review of Rucker’s writings on the Washington Post website did not show one stand-alone story on Romney’s Jerusalem announcement, but several stories highlighting what he called trip “gaffes.”

Read the whole thing.  Do wonder about the legacy media’s disinterest in actual Republican policies.  And their perpetual patrolling for Republican gaffes.

No wonder so many people dependent on such journals as the Washington Post and New York Times for their news have such a low opinion of Republicans.

As a lemonade lover, I find it relatively easy to order a lemonade at restaurants, but rarely, alas do I chance upon a good cup of my preferred summer drink.  Most establishments serve a processed version of that refreshing beverage.

Last night at the Hollywood Chick-fil-A, I enjoyed a deliciously tart cup of lemonade.  Had it not been for politically correct politicians  attempting to keep the chicken chain out of their cities, I likely wouldn’t have visited the local franchise.

Their demagoguery coupled with Mike Huckabee’s decision to create Chick Fil-A Appreciation Day served as promotion for the chicken chain.  Now that I know how tasty their lemonade is, I’ll likely return when I’m craving a cup.

Mayor Menino and his politically correct cohorts may have been trying to deny Chick-fil-A business because of its owners politically incorrect views, but he instead succeeded in making me aware of the restaurant’s wonderful lemonade.  How many other people yesterday discovered the quality of the chicken chain’s products and intend to return to try them again?

Back in 1950, then-U.S. Senator Joseph R. McCarthy of Wisconsin inveighed that he had a list of members of the Communist Party working at the State Department.  Well, today, one of his successors in the United States Senate, but of the opposing party, has been talking about a list he has, “number of people” who told him that the presumptive Republican presidential nominee didn’t pay his taxes.

And like Mr. McCarthy, Mr. Reid isn’t planning on making his list public:

Asked to elaborate on his sources, Reid declined. “No, that’s the best you’re going to get from me.”

“I don’t think the burden should be on me,” Reid said. “The burden should be on him. He’s the one I’ve alleged has not paid any taxes. Why didn’t he release his tax returns?”

So, just because a partisan adversary alleges somehow then the accused has the burden of proof?  If, deadpans Ed Morrissey, “a Democratic Party leader accuses you of a crime with no evidence whatsoever, you are expected to be considered guilty unless you prove yourself innocent.”

Based on that standard, Mr. Reid is a racist, corrupt pederast.

Jim Geraghty is calling for the journalists to fact check the Senate Democratic Leader.  Don’t you think they could at least ask the Democrat to identify the sources to them (without making their names public) so they can verify the story’s accuracy?  After all, the Washington Post tweeted Mr. Reid’s claim.  Shouldn’t those folks now investigate it?

Although Mr. Reid can’t substantiate his claims, this story still led memeorandum on Tuesday.

On CNN Money, however, Dan Primack called BS on Reid’s claim. Accountable journalists would regularly be calling on Mr. Reid to name his sources. And knock him for his failure to do so.

UPDATE: Liberal comedian Jon Stewart mocks Harry Reid: (more…)

Last night, Allahpundit linked an interview with the man behind Chick-fil-A appreciation day, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. I don’t always agree with the charismatic social conservative, but this time he’s spot on; I encourage you to watch the video in its entirety. It’s only four minutes.

Huckabee made it clear that this was largely about freedom of speech, not about gay marriage, as some would spin it.

Just after the 2-minute mark, he says he’d love to ask the various urban politicians (who want to block Chick-fil-A from building franchises in their community) what gave them the “right to censor” commerce just because they disagreed with “someone who worked there.” Then, he points out that the CEOs of Amazon, Apple, Ben and Jerry’s and Starbucks all “give generously” to support same-sex marriage, yet he still partakes of those products.

“I’m not buying their politics,” he emphasized, “I’m buying their products.” And that’s what I felt like last night when I joined a gay and a lesbian reader at the Chick-fil-A on Sunset & Highland in Hollywood.

How many products do we buy everyday with a full knowledge of the political views of the owners of the company show produces?  On my desk, by this Apple computer, I see a variety of Uniball pens, Stabilo and Dixon Ticonderoga pencils, a Canon camera, a Sony digital recorder, a cup of coffee made from beans bought at Starbucks, a bowl which until recently contained McCann’s Irish Oatmeal.

I have been impressed by their quality of these products.  Now, from Governor Huckabee’s interview, I learned that two of those products (the computer and the coffee) have CEOs who support state recognition of same-sex marriage.  What do the CEOs of the other companies support?  I don’t know.  I do know that I like their products. (more…)

A step in the right direction:

Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan is quitting as international peace envoy for Syria in the face of an armed rebellion against President Bashar Assad whose violence shows no sign of abating after 17 months of strife.

Along with two readers, Chris H and a former left-leaning lesbian, I ventured out last night to the Chick-fil-A at Sunset and Highland in Hollywood.  I had to park three blocks away.  When I arrived, the line for the drive-thru wrapped around the block from McCadden (where the entrance was, onto Sunset and then onto Highland.

I joined my lesbian friend in long line to a packed restaurant.  We would not be able to find a seat in the outdoor seating area (and had to stand while we ate our meal).  A news team was there and interviewed me when they learned I was gay.

The crowd was very supportive as I made clear that this was about freedom, saying that I disagreed with Mr. Cathy’s stand on gay marriage, but also that I disagreed with Ben and Jerry’s politics, but still eat their ice cream.

Chris soon arrived and we hugged, right in front of Chick-fil-A. No one insulted us. In fact, one woman thanked me for saying when I did. She would not be the last patron to approach us when we indicated we were gay.

It was almost a party atmosphere, with everyone friendly. My lesbian friend said it reminded her of a Tea Party. The service was most polite. The manager Alex had remembered me from earlier in the day and welcomed me back. The food was good, with the lemonade particularly tart, the way I like it. Alex told me they squeeze the lemons fresh every morning.

And there were some protesters, most friendly, but a few angry.  (Pictures below the fold.)  When it was time for us to head home, I hugged Chris and kissed him on the cheek.   Our lesbian friend engaged the protesters. (more…)

As I returned home last night, found this story leading the news on Yahoo!’s home page:

San Bernardino filed for bankruptcy protection on Wednesday citing more than $1 billion of debts and making it the third California city to seek protection from creditors.

The city of about 210,000 residents 65 miles east of Los Angelesdeclared a fiscal crisis last month after a report said local government had tapped out its reserves and projected spending would top revenue by $45 million in the fiscal year that began on July 1.

The filing, made in the United States Bankruptcy Court, Central California District, states that the city has “more than $1 billion” in liabilities, and estimated that it has between 10,001 and 25,000 creditors.

The article’s author Tim Reid didn’t mention the name or political affiliation of the Mayor.  So I googled “San Bernadino Mayor” to learn that Patrick Joseph “Pat” Morris is “currently the mayor of San Bernardino, California” and “a a member of the Democratic Party.”  That information came up right away.  Wonder why Mr. Reid left it out.

Oh, and Morris just happens to be an appointee of once and current California Governor Jerry Brown who had tapped his fellow partisan to serve on the “San Bernardino County Superior Court in 1976.”