Where's the Outrage?

We are now a nation a 300 million. Out of 300 million there are going to be some folks that can’t handle life. There are going to be some crazy people. I have no idea what happened here. Sad. Very sad.

Update: Another young man who wanted attention. Details are still coming to light. Here’s what is known -
• Nine dead, including the gunman, and five injured at Westroads Mall. Victims were taken to Creighton University Medical Center and the Nebraska Medical Center, where two were in critical condition.

• Shooting is worst single case of violence in state history.

• Shooting appears to have been confined to Von Maur. Most of it occurred on the second and third floors.

• Police took call at 1:42 p.m., and first officer arrived on the scene in six minutes. Officer found one shooting victim in the store.

• Omaha police sent “every available officer in the city of Omaha to the mall,” according to Sgt. Teresa Negron, an Omaha police spokeswoman.

• Omaha Fire Department transported seven victims to the hospital, two of whom died en route or after arrival.

• Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey and Police Chief Thomas Warren were out of town.

New video added.

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From CNN.com:

A gunman killed eight people and wounded five others Wednesday at the popular Westroads Mall in Omaha, Nebraska, before apparently turning the gun on himself, police said.

“We do not believe that we have any other shooter,” said Sgt. Teresa Negron.

“The person we believe to be the shooter has died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.” (more…)

 

 Mall Shooting [1:05m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 Mall Shooting Update [1:12m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Domestic Issues by ecthompson
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Senator Joe Biden talks with Chris Matthews about Iran and nuclear weapons.  One of the things that you can say about Biden is that he is passionate about what he feels and believes.  He is clearly not a typical politician.

 

 HB - Biden [7:13m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Election 2008, Hardball by ecthompson
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I’m guessing that most didn’t see this one coming.  Mike Huckabee is leading in some polls.  With Rudy Giuliani having probably the worst week ever in modern politics and Mitt Romney feeling that it is necessary to explain his Moron faith, Huckabee strolled in the front door.  He is a minister.  Therefore, he should appeal to conservative Christians.  The problem with Huckabee is that he isn’t a fiscal conservative.  He is hoping that many Republicans overlook that little issue.

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From WaPo:

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney holds a wide lead over his Republican rivals in New Hampshire, where he is seen as the strongest leader and most electable presidential candidate in the field, but the GOP race there remains unsettled a month before the nation’s first primary, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

Romney has the edge on most issues and candidate qualities tested in the new poll, and his strength in New Hampshire contrasts with his far shakier position in Iowa. He led throughout the summer and fall in Iowa, but recent polls show him locked in a competitive race with former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee.  (more…)

 

 Huckabee leading in Iowa [2:22m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Election 2008 by ecthompson
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A recent Newsweek profile of Rudy Giuliani begins its analysis in the right place.

The profile starts with Mr. Giuliani at an unruly rally of mostly white New York City police in 1992. Many of the officers were drunk and some were shouting racial slurs about then New York City Mayor David Dinkins. Some police officers jumped up and down on cars.

At issue was a demand for a new collective-bargaining agreement, opposition to the establishment of a civilian review board for police and a denial by Mayor Dinkins of a request to allow patrolmen to have 9mm guns.

Mr. Giuliani, who would be elected Mayor the next year against Mr. Dinkins, made a profanity-laced speech to the cops that was harshly critical of Mr. Dinkins. Mayor Dinkins later said that Mr. Giuliani was trying to get “white cops to riot.”

As Mayor of New York, the Giuliani administration was known for aggressive tactics in policing black sections of New York. This led to, along with many other factors, lower rates of crime in these areas. It also led to incidents of police brutality and to much distrust of Mr. Giuliani among black New Yorkers.

Mr. Giluani’s platform for his Mayoral bid was based upon his time as a high-ranking Justice Department official in the Reagan Administration and as United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York.

Mr. Giulani’s case for the Presidency is based in good degree on the over-hyped claim of claim of leadership after the September 11 attacks and the assertion that this experience makes Mr. Giuliani uniquely able to deal with terror threats. Mr. Giuliani also often talks about shifting people off welfare in New York and his crime fighting as Mayor. [Read more →]

Tags: Election 2008, Race by Texas Liberal
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First, I applaud NBC Nightly News for trying to place the newest National Intelligence Estimate into context. I have spliced yesterday’s Nightly News together with tonight’s.  I think that the picture of what’s going begins to come into focus.

Secondly, so, what happened?  How did this happen?  Didn’t we hear World War III rhetoric just recently?  I find it very interesting that the intelligence community put this report out.  You know that the Bush administration had to have fought to keep it under wraps.

I would like to add since Hillary Clinton was getting beaten up in an NPR debate that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard is a terrorist organization.  We have known this for more than 10 years (Read Richard Clarke’s book Against All Enemies.)  So, that isn’t the question.  The question is why do we label this organization now.  It is fact that the IRG has supported several terrorist groups in the region.  Why does the Senate in concert with the White House vote on this now?  If it isn’t to support Bush’s case for “strong, aggressive” action then what was the purpose?

Finally, it is time to pull in the reigns on the Bush administration.   Yes, there are problems in Iran.  Yes, they have a leader who is crazy and playing to his base (the Iranian leader…who did you think that I was talking about).  We, the American people, has an opportunity to get our foreign policy right.  I think that the Intelligence Community has no desire to be the scapegoat again.  This is why they forced the issue and wouldn’t cave under pressure.

Update:  There are those on the other side of the political spectrum who claim that Progressives are dancing in the streets.  Stating that Progressives believe that Iran poses no threat to the region or to anyone.  Wrong.  There are those that hear whatever they want to hear.  The key is we need diplomacy.  Real diplomacy to get Iran to open its borders so that we can see what’s inside.  With the crazy man at the helm we have to assume that he means some of what he is saying.  Hopefully, through engagement we can convince Iran that being a rouge nation is only fun on TV.

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From WaPo:

President Bush asserted today that Iran’s nuclear program remains a danger to international security despite an assessment in a new U.S. intelligence report that the Tehran government stopped work four years ago on a suspected effort to build nuclear weapons.

In a White House news conference, Bush argued that Iran continues to develop the capability to enrich uranium and that this know-how ultimately could be transferred to a new clandestine weapons program.

“Look, Iran was dangerous,” Bush said. “Iran is dangerous. And Iran will be dangerous if they have the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon.”  (more…)

 

 Iran and our NIE [5:22m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tags: Bush Administration, National Intelligence, National Intelligence Estimate by ecthompson
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