From the source....

This Rev. Wright stuff is terrible. I'd walk out if I were at church and the preacher started spitting this. But Americans will make a judgment, and I don't believe in guilt my association. I have plenty of associates who say offensive things but have redeeming qualities.

I'm satisfied to take Senator Obama's word on his association and knowledge of these sermons, because having read all of this autobiographical materials, and countless profiles and stories, I've never once detected anything that would lead me to believe otherwise.

This is politics, a story that has been around for a year is like blood in the water. Soon enough, the sharks will smell it.

See for yourself, from the Obama Campaign:


Oh, and the Chicago Tribune, not the friendliest Obama Paper, is satisfied in putting the Rezko issue to rest. Explain to me again about the Obama media bias?

The Colvin Report: Obama Denounces Preacher's Remarks

After the widespread publication of the recent controversy, which I first addressed several weeks ago when it was being ignored by the main stream media, Obama has come out to publicly denounce the statements from his spiritual advisor.

"I categorically denounce any statement that disparages our great country or serves to divide us from our allies, ... I also believe that words that degrade individuals have no place in our public dialogue, whether it's on the campaign stump or in the pulpit. In sum, I reject outright the statements by Reverend Wright that are at issue."

My questions is, when you chose to go to this church for 20 years, is denouncing his continual attitude in wake of controversy really good enough?

There has to be another church in Chicago that Obama could have went to.

But he did not attend another church, he went to this church under this preacher for 20 years. Rev. Wright married Obama and Michelle and he baptized their children. Obama has spoken candidly about his christian faith, his involvement in the church, and close relationship with Rev. Wright; he had nothing negative to say until recently.

Maybe I'm a critic, but his relationship with his church just doesn't sit right with me. Fair is fair, bash McCain for his evangelicals, but at least they are proud to be American's.

The Colvin Report: Always Protect Yourself... And Your Friends (Maybe)

Somewhere in America there is a man paying child support to someone he never slept with or for that matter touched in any sexual way. No he wasn't a sperm donor, or at least not in the traditional sense.

Imagine this. Two couples are in a car at the local make-out spot. The couple in the back seat starts to heat things up and wisely uses protection. After a few moments, the couple in the front seat decide to follow their lead. Unfortunately, the guy in the front seat wasn't prepared. So naturally he turns to his friend, "hey man, let me get a condom."

Thats where things turn ugly. The guy in the back seat was willing to go a little too far for his friend. He took off his condom and gave it to his friend. This friend without second thought turned it inside out and went to town.

Well... nine months later a kid pops out.

Tests come back negative on the boyfriend, you guessed it... the guy in the back seat practicing safe sex with his girlfriend got the girl in the front seat pregnant.

Fella's we can all learn a little something from this guy. Friends may share everything, but "everything" comes with a disclaimer. Used condom's aren't included.

This is a true story and the guy is paying child support for the next 18 years.

Bush thinks it'd be "romantic" to be on the front lines

Wow, just when he was beginning to enjoy his irrelevance...

Bush has a Victorian fantasy to be in Afghanistan, on the front lines of his wars. Boy, he certainly didn't jump at the chance to do so during Vietnam. Unless of course you count protecting the skies of Texas from the Vietcong.

Relatedly:

Having an out of touch leadership produces an out of touch electorate. Example A - The percentage of people who know the number of US troops killed in Iraq (3887 as of today): 28%

ABC Reports on Obama's Spiritual Advisor

God Damn America. U.S. is under the influence of the KKK. Black republicans are sell-outs. U.S. brought on 9/11.

What does Obama say? "i don't think he is particularly controversial." (although his advisors now repudiate the statements)

What do church members say? "Its not radical, its being black in America"

More controversial statements are sure to come as Obama's church is now selling their sermons to the media.

Parole: What's the sense?

After reading another article of senseless killing in the UNC/Duke murders, I am questioning the logic of a system that grants prisoners parole. Suspects in the murder UNC of student body president Eve Carson are currently on parole. Although, I have no statistics indicating that people on parole commit more crimes than others, I would be willing to bet as a percentage of the general population people on parole do commit more crimes, and crimes in escalating violence. In fact, the BBC seems to agree with me.

Although critics might argue that everyone deserves a second chance, I would argue that that should not be true. After all, when you get to sent to "time out" when in kidergarten you aren't let out early for "good behavior." To me, parole seems to violate a system designed to give retribution to the victim. Someone steals money from you, or kills one of your family members, they should pay. Many crimes carry a certain sentance of course, but there is always the possibility that the sentance is cut short by parole. That create the situation where someone really hasn't paid for their crime. They paid a price in jail time, but not the full price, and we risk it that these people won't commit further crimes.

Given the increase in crimes commited by those on parole, I think people should pay the full price for their actions. They should not pay the bargain basement price they get becuase they were a model citizen in prison. Maybe paying the full price would make people think harder about thier actions.

Paging Mr. Bloomberg, Albany is waiting

Eliot Spitzer made a big mistake. And he will probably face pressure to resign after serving just 13 months as governor of the Empire State. It has been an incredibly rocky year for the Spitzer administration, but this scandal is probably his death knell in politics for the near future. This is a truly unfortunate happening for the people of the State of New York.

Spitzer violated the trust of his family, and I believe that is an unforgivable sin. Politician or not, marriage is a sacred vow of fidelity to anther for eternity. If you can't pass this test, don't get married, and don't ever have children. That's the bottom line. If you don't love your partner enough to stay faithful, get a divorce. It's cowardly to have it both ways, and in this way, Eliot Spitzer has peddled immoral wares.

That said, the illegality of prostitution is probably a mistake as a policy. It punishes, on a whole, women, and drives the world's oldest profession into the black market. This policy makes prostitution especially dangerous and unnecessarily so. Nevada is a model for the proper regulated paid-sex business, and it should be commended. The libertarian point of view, one which I subscribe to on many issues, is quite right in this regard. Adults shouldn't be barred from intimate conduct, or from imbibing in substances for that matter, of their own volition and accord. Without impinging the rights of others, and to the degree that the marginal negative effects can be sustained, we ought to be free to act in the manner we deem appropriate without a nanny-state, puritanical government batting down the door.

Notwithstanding my feelings on the law concerning this issue, Gov. Spitzer participated in an illegal scheme under the Mann Act. Federal prostitution prosecutions are very rare, and in fact, almost never focuses on the customers to these "human trafficking" organizations. Whatever, the result of the Federal investigation, it is sad to see a brilliant legal mind suffer such a terrible fate. Eliot Spitzer, by any accounts, is a genius. He scored a near perfect 1590 on his SAT. On his law school entrance exam, the LSAT, he achieved a perfect score of 48 (the old test). He was editor of the Harvard Law Review and clerked for a prestigious New York Southern District Court Judge. When he was elected Attorney's General after several years in private practice and as a Manhattan County District Attorney, he began his crusade as "sheriff of wall street".

His victories over Merryl Lynch, Marsh, AIG, and the NYSE stunned observers. The untouchable giants of Wall Street were brought to their knees under various New York State Laws including the pivotal Martin Act. It gives great power to the AG of New York to investigate corruption , intermingling of interests and general malfeasance. But, unlike Giuliani (whose crusade against organized crime almost always resulted in show trials), Spitzer always used the art of the compromise to wretch Wall Streeters to the bargaining table. By threatening business downturns and negative stock performance, Spitzer got the upper hand. He also advocated effectively for stockholders who had been taking a bath as a result of a complacent and aloof SEC during the late 90s and early 2000s.

His gambit then was his vigor and his ability to outsmart almost everyone in the room. Which is why this particular incident is so jarring. How did he allow himself to be caught in such a mess?

By all accounts, Eliot Spitzer was a political steamroller. He won the governor's race by 40 points, 70 to 30. He was mentioned as a serious contender for President of the United States (and the first Jewish one at that). His (and my) hero is former New York Governor-turned-President Theodore Roosevelt. But he had few friends in the Democratic Party in New York. And he had even fewer across the aisle. He fought ferociously with old Republican Political Boss Senator Joseph Bruno, and even clashed with fellow Democrats over state priorities and appointments. He went so far as to actively campaign last fall against a sitting Democratic Representative in order to install someone to his preference. By insisting on pushing an unpopular measure to grant drivers licenses to undocumented aliens, he alienated voters in all corners of New York State.

Still, the circumstances of his demise are quite suspect. ABC News reported that it was a Bank that turned over information to the US Attorney's office due to "unusual financial transactions" in the Governor's account. It certainly seems as if Spitzer's old enemies had a close eye on his maneuvers. It wouldn't take much to believe a financial institution, still aching for Spitzter's blitz, would be eager to find fault in the Governor. What the bank thought were bribes, however, turned out to be something far different. It certainly doesn't help Governor Spitzer that the Department of Justice threatened to leak his name immediately unless he made a public admission. Nothing of the sort occurred when Justice investigations into the call-girl service revealed Senator David Vitter's number. But, that's politics when the other party is in control of the executive.

In all, it's sad for a rising reformer like Governor Spitzer. He crashed into office hoping to clear the girdlock in Albany, and clean up government. Say what you will about his tactics, but he won incredible legal victories against some of the best funded entities in the world. He always played to win, and that's the epitome of advocacy. He set the mold for other crusading Attorney's Generals, like current Florida Governor Charlie Crist and CT AG Richard Blumenthal, to turn their legal acumen and anti-corruption stances into political success.

Eliot Spitzer should resign. New York will now have it's first black, and blind, Governor, David Patterson.

Personally, I can't wait until Michael Bloomberg is sworn in to office in 2010 as Governor of New York, after prevailing over Rudy Giuliani in a close race. There's still hope for New York.

The Colvin Report: Does Hillary Drive Men To Other Women?

Paula Jones in an Arkansas Hotel Room.

Monica Lewenski in the Oval Office.

And we can't forget long-term lover Jennifer Flowers.

HIllary drives men to other women and apparently it doesn't stop with the hubby.

Now we can add prostitutes in Washington D.C. hotel rooms to the list.

Governor Spitzer, the steam roller who wouldn't allow one bit of corruption in New York suddenly changed face after he threw his allegiance behind Hillary Clinton.

Maybe its a coincidence, maybe he is just a hypocrite, but I'm trying to find some connection. Why do all the men in Hillary's life run to other women?

This is one more reason why we should avoid a Clinton/Obama ticket. Obama still has young children, we cannot do this to his family.

Just look how happy Bill looked before extensive time with Hillary.

The Colvin Report: Client Number 9

Is Gov. Eliot Spitzer Client Number 9?

In a sealed complaint, Governor Sptizer is not named, but he is being implemented in part of a prostitution ring.

He served as Attorney General and is currently in his first term as Democrat elect Governor of New York. Ironically, he is known for being a self-righteous prosecutor of a large prostitution ring in 1994. He also preached ethics reform and fought corporate corruption.

He did not address the situation specifically, but he came out to say that he must dedicate time to restore the trust of his family.

Client number 9 was caught under a federal wire tap while trying arrange to meet a prostitute. The transfer of money took place across state lines from NY to DC and therefore became a federal matter. Client 9 paid for the services, made travel arrangements, made hotel reservations, and met with at least 1 prostitute in DC on February 18, 2008.

The honorable thing for an elected official to do in such a scandal is to resign, whether it be a prostitution ring, a foot tap in the bathroom stall, or even aluminum foil wrapped mystery money hidden in the fridge.

As for his law license, that will depend on whether he is charged with a felony or misdemeanor. More will develop in the future.

Either way, it undermines his policy of soap box ethics reform and his status as Sheriff of Wall Street. He has few friends in NY and things are not looking very good for him. Wall Street is screaming "Hypocrite."