August 23rd, 2008 at 9:49 am

What bloggers are saying regarding Obama’s running mate… byJenn Sierra in: '08 Elections,

Hot Air’s Ed Morrissey: It’s an admission that Obama’s inexperience has finally begun worrying voters, and not just Democratic power brokers. There really is no other way to see an addition of Biden to the ticket. … Now Obama, who supposedly represents a new brand of politics, has instead hitched his wagon to an old-time pol who has trouble coming up with his own words when he campaigns. That’s desperation, and what’s more, it’s obvious desperation. And in politics, just as in dating, desperation is not an aphrodisiac (HotAir.com, 8/23/2008)

Power Line’s Scott Johnson: Barack Obama’s selection of Joe Biden as his running mate is underwhelming for many reasons, but it affords an opportunity to review a few of the moments that might have provided all the embarrassment a normal person needs to escape from public life. (PowerLineBlog.com, 8/23/2008)

The Moderate Voice’s Jazz Shaw: At this point, Obama is fast becoming the only convincing argument I’ve seen in favor of gun control. He shoots himself in the foot so often that I’m shocked the man has any toes left. … Obama made his bones during this election cycle talking first about how Hillary Clinton lacked the judgment to get the Iraq war right. (She voted in favor of the authorization to use military force in Iraq.) Barack later criticized John McCain for his support of the war (”getting it wrong”) and voiced his opposition to the surge. (Another place he had better “judgment” than McCain.) He has now selected a running mate who not only voted in favor of the war, but came out on McCain’s side in saying what a great idea the surge was. (TheModerateVoice.com, 8/23/2008)

The National Review’s Kathryn Jean Lopez: Question of the Day: How exactly is Biden “change”? (NationalReview.com, 8/23/2008)

RedState’s Erick Erickson: The One has chosen. … This is all about Obama. Joe’s just there for constitutionally required window dressing. (RedState.com, 8/23/2008)

The Weekly Standard’s Dean Barnett: The conventional wisdom regarding vice-presidential nominees is first do no harm. Given that Biden has been a garrulous gaffe machine for his lengthy political career (36 years in the senate, although it feels like longer), it would seem the potential for harm is great. … Also on the right, we’ll get to watch progressives feign joy over Obama’s elevation of an Iraq war supporter who enjoys a cozy relationship with the credit card companies. (WeeklyStandard.com, 8/23/2008)

Obama's Biden balancing act

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Barack Obama's call to political bruiser Joseph Biden is an admission that his own meteoric rise and crusade for change are undercut by inexperience and fragile bonds with blue-collar Democrats.The choice cemented the Democratic presidential ticket in the early hours of Saturday when the presumptive party nominee named veteran Senator Biden as his number two.

The choice balances Obama's thin resume on the national stage with a man who has spent more than half his life in the Senate.As chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Biden is on the quick dial list of world leaders and has been an outspoken voice on every US national security crisis including Kosovo, Iraq and Pakistan.

Politically, his presence helps the ticket because Biden, 65, is as down to earth as Obama is exotic and refined, a contrast which may appeal to "lunch-bucket" Democrats yet to warm to the party nominee.But the pick is not perfect. It gave Republican John McCain an immediate opening to point out that Biden had previously questioned Obama's readiness to lead.Obama's calls for change in Washington also seem compromised by his pick of an old-school pol from the gridlocked political culture he has vowed to cleanse.

"He's essentially put a middle aged white guy on the ticket, and I think it compromises the change message," said Costas Panagopoulos of Fordham University's Elections and Campaign Management program.On the other hand, pretty much every US president and vice president in history has been a middle aged white guy, so Biden may reassure voters uneasy at Obama's change-driven quest to become America's first black president.

Oil sinks on stronger dollar to $115 a barrel

NEW YORK - Oil prices dove to $115 a barrel on Friday, driven lower by a huge jump in the U.S. dollar, signs of moderating demand around the world and the burgeoning belief that commodities may have peaked.

Shrugging off concerns about a sabotaged oil pipeline in Turkey, investors pulled their money out of commodities and put it back into stocks — giving crude oil a weekly loss of nearly $10 a barrel, and driving the Dow Jones industrial average up more than 300 points.

With energy losing its luster in the marketplace, the cost of roadside gasoline has been crawling lower. The average retail price for a gallon of gasoline slipped to $3.836 Friday. That's down about a penny from Thursday, and down nearly 28 cents from the record high of $4.114 reached July 17.

TO READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Newt Gingrich is pushing his Drill Here. Drill Now. solution as gas prices go up.

It is a great idea. Along those lines, here is some information that really reflects the differences between the Republicans and Democrats in the U.S. House -- and why winning back the House is important.

In a breakdown of top energy issues, you'll find the GOP is in favor of more options for energy than the Democrats.

ANWR Exploration
House Republicans: 91% Supported
House Democrats: 86% Opposed
 
Coal-to-Liquid
House Republicans: 97% Supported
House Democrats: 78% Opposed
 
Oil Shale Exploration
House Republicans: 90% Supported
House Democrats: 86% Opposed
 
Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Exploration
House Republicans: 81% Supported
House Democrats: 83% Opposed
 
Refinery Increased Capacity
House Republicans: 97% Supported
House Democrats: 96% Opposed
 
 That's startling information. Look at that again. Put another way, the Republicans are opposed to grinding our economy to a halt due to soaring energy costs and the Democrats are in favor of shutting down our economy and way of life.

Why are the Democrats so in favor of shutting down the American economy? Because they've become wedded to an entrenched group of radical environmentalists who see the United States as the greatest threat to the earth.

The Democrats want the United States to fall behind because they see it as the only real way to, as Barack Obama said, let the earth "heal" and "the oceans … recede." The only way to save the planet is to humble America, apparently.

No wonder so many radicals and terrorists like Obama. The whole party is eaten up with anti-American sentiments.

To our fellow American countrymen,

Today, we invite you to join us on a journey to form a political alliance that will reshape our history and steer us back to the wisdom of our founding principles.  If your blood runs a patriotic red, white & blue; if you wish to see the Federal Government function within its constitutional limitations; if you are tired of politically correct platitudes and policies that defy common sense; and if you reject the creeping socialism that both major political parties have embraced, please take a few minutes to learn about the FALCON Party and our agenda for America’s future.

We are not asking for money or oaths of allegiance.  We are not even requiring you to leave the party to which you currently belong.  But we are asking you to join us in this fight for America’s soul.  We are seeking friends, supporters and allies who share the values of our heritage, values that were reflected and imbedded into our national character by a group of inspired patriots at our country’s founding. 

For those who want to be organizers on the state or local level, we can certainly use your talents.  For those who are, or wish to be, modern day pamphleteers in support of our conservative, pro-America agenda, we will give you an additional platform (or at least a link to your blog).  For those that just want to stop by our website (www.falconparty.com) and offer moral support at this time, we welcome the encouragement.  Any level of effort in between is also appreciated.  Our goals are your goals.  They are ambitious, but realistic.  We intend to nominate candidates for national office by the 2012 presidential election year cycle.   We intend to become a preeminent voice of conservatism in the years to come.  We are not just a political party, but also a think tank, an advocate for American Exceptionalism, and a place to gather for those interested in US history, the foundations of our Republic, and our place in the world today.   

We are not ‘neo-conservatives’, ‘paleo-conservatives’, or ‘third way’ conservatives; we are simply conservatives - American patriots who believe in fighting our enemies both foreign and domestic, slashing the unseemly bureaucracy that usurps our God given freedoms, and restoring the constitutionally proscribed powers between the federal government, the States and the people. 

Why FALCON, you may ask?  Our party was founded by rock ribbed, Reaganite conservatives who are more than disenchanted with the direction of the Republican Party.  We are not intending to sabotage the genuine conservative members of the GOP.  We will continue to support them with our voices and our alliance.  By being an open party ourselves, we anticipate many GOPers will sign up for FALCON, yet retain their Republican membership for the time being (we anticipate the same for Libertarians and Constitution Party members). 

Our name, FALCON is an acronym, and represents Fealty to America, Liberty, Conservatism, Optimism, and Nobility.