You could see this coming from a mile away.

This weekend Al Sharpton debated Christopher Hitchens on the existence of God. Hitchens mentions something about Mormonism, and Al Sharpton, seizing the opportunity - utters the infamous retort “As for the one Mormon running for office, those who really believe in God will defeat him anyways, so don’t worry about that; that’s a temporary situation.”

Some will dismiss that bigoted backhand as thoughtless political slander, it’s just Al Sharpton. But wait - there’s a reason why the reverend is a player on the political field, he brings his own talents, like Randy Moss and his peculiar talent of being able to leap higher than anyone else and catch the ball. That’s why the Democratic party chose Sharpton to force the debate on the credibility of Mormonism. The Democratic party needs to neutralize Romney into utter obscurity and irrelevance because that he literally has the money of the Mormon community behind him. If it should happen that Romney finds himself facing Hillary, you have to know he would be unleashing a badge wearing army of veteran volunteers across this country. He could step into a custom made machine fueled by loyalty, mission tested, and willing to dig deep to elect him. Mitt Romney could potentially be a huge force for any office, and a potent supporter of anyone who is running for president.

Al Sharpton is the perfect assassin because he doesn’t lose support from his base for offending Mormonism, and now claiming that he’s been misinterpreted is using the outrage to level a few bombs of his own, wondering aloud why the Book of Mormon says black people aren’t allowed. The children of Cain, murderer of Abel? Is that what Mormons think of colored people?

He’s opened the door. Now the left get’s to focus on Mormonism in the guise of political curiosity. It will be a brutal dissection.

The Democrats believe Romney’s greatest weakness is the fear and ignorance about the Mormon religion; it’s curious beginning, it’s history of polygamy, and the challenging doctrines of the faith as dictated by the Book of Mormon. The next month will make or break the campaign of Mitt Romney. He’s introducing Mormonism to many Americans for the first time…

Evrviglnt: Political Vindication

It is interesting to hear people voice surprise that the left would join forces with misogynistic, oppressive Islam. But it makes perfect sense. Both are a dogma, both require group think, both are collectivist, and both are entirely anti-individual. Both are totalitarian in nature. Perfect marriage. And to those shocked that feminists would go along, that too is Lenin/Marxist in origin. Steve Stalinsky in today’s New York Sun, reports on the growing Leftist Islamic alliance.

Islamist-Left Alliance A Growing Force The MEMRI Report

“Where else can you sit down in a single evening and listen to senior people from Hamas, Hezbollah, the Muslim Brotherhood, people from the revolutionary left and the antiwar movement from around the globe?”

— British Trotskyite John Rees at the Cairo Anti-War Conference, April 2007

Over the past year, multiple international conferences have featured leaders of the anti-global left and Islamist groups working together. Go to any anti-war or anti-globalization demonstration in the West and chances are you will see the flags of Hezbollah and Hamas waved by people wearing Che Guevara T-shirts. And at some of these meetings, members of such radical Islamist groups as the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, and Hezbollah have enjoyed starring roles.

The roster of Islamist-left alliances quietly grows every day: Massachusetts Institute of Technology linguistics professor Noam Chomsky praises Hamas and denounces America on Hezbollah’s Al-Manar television. London Mayor Ken Livingstone invites a leading Islamist, Sheikh Yosef Al-Qaradawi, who is known for supporting suicide attacks, to visit his city. Iranian President Ahmadinejad calls for a world without America even as he plays host to a Tehran peace conference attended by American Mennonites, Quakers, Episcopalians, Methodists, and leaders of the National Council of Churches.

Go, read it all.

CASE IN POINT: Canadian antiwar activists sat down with terror groups Hamas, Hezbollah delegates among those at Cairo Conference. From Canada.com hat tip Beryl

More on the Islamic/Leftist Alliance

Interesting exchangebetween Sensenbrenner and Gonzales at the AG circus today:

“In a Thursday morning session of a House Judiciary Committee hearing, Rep. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wis.) demanded answers from Attorney General Alberto Gonzales about what the lawmaker considers a lack of progress in the FBI probe of Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.).

Gonzales was expected to receive a grilling from Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee about last year’s firing of eight U.S. attorneys. But rather than focus on how the prosecutors were dismissed, lawmakers turned the session into a series of partisan arguments about the status of U.S. attorney investigations of two sitting congressmen.

“My constituents are asking me when something is going to happen, whether an indictment is going to be returned or whether the Justice Department is going to make an announcement that there’s insufficient evidence to prosecute Representative Jefferson,” Sensenbrenner said. “When can the public expect some news one way or the other on this issue?”

Gonzales responded that Sensenbrenner knew that he could not talk about ongoing investigations.

“Well, everybody’s talking about it except you,” Sensenbrenner retorted. “I’m just interested in finding out when this matter is going to be brought to conclusion, because we authorize and appropriate a heck of a lot of money to run your department and people are wondering what the dickens is going on.”

More here at Macsmind, but suffice to say that Jefferson’s time is short according to sources I’ve spoken to.

I’ve been reading the posts listed in the Pajamas Media round-up.

In this morning’s conversation during our Blog Talk Radio podcast, Siggy and I discussed Blair’s tenure as Prime Minister.

Siggy’s position is that, in a sense, Blair is leaving in a high note, because the economy is booming, the integration into the EU was well handled, and Blair kept the pound as currency. The Blair economy influenced the boom in Ireland which in turn influenced the peace process in Northern Ireland as Northern Ireland saw how their neighbors were flourishing - and Blair is credited by both sides, for instance,

“the Prime Minister’s concerted efforts helped in ultimately securing devolution in Northern Ireland.”

Siggy feels that Blair became a great prime minister because he blurred party lines, and,

“Blair understood that there needed to be changes, and that techonology was going to change the way information moved within England… within Europe, and not just within Europe but across the globe. That was a very very important shift.

“Blair redefined British politics, and by doing so, redifined European politics.”

Blair is a man of conviction,

“You can disagree with the war, you can disagree with the politics, but no one can say that Tony Blair is not a decent guy”

which even the BBC notices

Conviction politician

He said he had “a deep respect for the British people and it’s been an honour and privilege to lead them”. But he said he had “changed” over the past 10 years. He was a “different sort of person” now, who was less concerned about being “liked”.

Blair had been hardened by a decade in office.

He had become a conviction politician - a very different character to the one that had first walked into Downing Street in 1997, guitar case in hand.

On the matter of Blair’s successor, Rick Moran speculates on the future,

The US and Great Britain have steadfastly supported each other through some of the most turbulent times in world history. The alliance has benefited each country enormously both economically and strategically. We’ve had each other’s backs for more than 100 years – World Wars, the Cold War, Viet Nam, the Falklands, and now Iraq. We’ve assisted in peace efforts in Northern Ireland as well as using Britain’s good offices on more than one occasion when our diplomacy has been stuck in a rut. There is a symbiosis, a melding of interests between the two countries that would not be easily pried apart. And any effort to do so would not only affect our two countries, but also Europe and points beyond as well.

For these reasons, I feel confident Mr. Brown will resist calls to redefine our relationship and instead, try and establish that special bond with the American President – whoever it ends up being – that has been the hallmark of this, the most remarkable partnership the modern world knows. It has benefited both nations in the past. And I see no reason why it can’t be a plus in the future.

Siggy basically concurs, but you’ll have to listen to him.

Red State asserts that Blair has taken the Jihad lightly.

Siggy and I didn’t discuss Blair and the Jihad; we’ll just have to do another podcast to discuss that.

For the time being, however, go and listen to this morning’s podcast.

On this developement, my take here. On general I agree that if Bush loses the support of the Iraqi government for the Baghdad security plan, then it’s finished, still I have my qualms on the veracity of that vote. The greatest winner of our premature pullout would be Iran as they have been working feverishly to get us out via their involvement with the insurgency. Our presence is mandatory not only as a stablization to Iraq, but also to continue the pressure on Tehran. Having us “next door” provides us a advantage that cannot be over estimated. Iraq will for some time need protection against Iran and if we pull out that cannot be accomplished adequately. Thus Iraq will ulimately become many times worst for the wear after our departure.

VP Cheney’s visit while no doubt to let it be known that “recessess” are not helpful, is relaying this information as well.

You can feel this thing start to snowball already. No wonder the Dems want to limit the Iraq funding bill to two months and tie it to impossible benchmarks for the Iraqi government to meet. They probably figure that by July, the only support Bush might have for the war in the House will come from the crickets chirping in the GOP caucus.

The Senate will be a different story - at least until September. Can they hold the line? Peeling away 11 GOP Senators may be a problem for the Democrats if they expect to override any further vetos by the President.

Somehow, I think that if, as you suggest, the Iraqi government takes a vacation while our guys are fighting and dying to give them a chance to bring the country together, even the President will become disgusted and start to pull out - at least from Baghdad. And then we’ll have 535 Commanders in Chief trying to tell us what we should do next.

What a mess…

Great topic to cover today, Fausta. I plan on listening in.

But what will Blair’s legacy be? He’s more popular here than he is in his own country. I think eventually, he will be seen as a strong leader who lived up to the best traditions of the Anglo-American alliance despite great cost to his personal and political standing. Whether that will be seen as a mistake or not is best left to future historians. However, his steadfast support for America as well as the unique personal relationship he forged with George Bush will not soon be forgotten in this country. And for that alone, he has made his mark on the history books.

I have some further thoughts on Blair’s passing the torch: Farewell and Adieu, Tony.

Blair will stand down on 27 June

Tony Blair has announced he will stand down as prime minister on 27 June.
…
He will remain prime minister until the Labour Party elects a new leader - expected to be Gordon Brown.

SPECIAL PODCAST THIS MORNING: In this morning podcast at 10:30AM, Siggy and I will discuss the news.
Join us at 10:30 AM live TODAY

Cross-posted at Fausta’s blog