[Guest post by DRJ]

Hot Air links this Live Action undercover video of Planned Parenthood’s advice to mothers considering abortion:

Here is Live Action.org‘s description of the video taken at an Appleton WI Planned Parenthood clinic:

“In the undercover video, when the two women ask a Planned Parenthood counselor if the pregnant woman’s 10-week-old unborn child has a heartbeat, the counselor emphasizes “heart tones,” and answers, “Heart beat is when the fetus is active in the uterus–can survive–which is about seventeen or eighteen weeks.” On the contrary, embryologists agree that the heartbeat begins around 3 weeks. Wisconsin informed consent law requires that women receive medically accurate information before undergoing an abortion.

The counselor then says, “A fetus is what’s in the uterus right now. That is not a baby.” Dr. Prohaska, the abortion doctor, insists, “It’s not a baby at this stage or anything like that.” Prohaska also states that having an abortion will be “much safer than having a baby,” warning, “You know, women die having babies.”

In 2006, Patterico posted a photo array of babies in utero and addressed the question of “When does a fetus resemble a baby?” I think it helps to see the photos as you consider Planned Parenthood’s advice.

— DRJ

[Posted by Karl]

Sen. Maj. Ldr. Harry Reid said Tuesday night that he and a group of 10 Democratic senators had reached “a broad agreement” to resolve the dispute over the so-called “public option.” The snap judgment of the netroots was angry, and some House progressives also seemed miffed. However, at this juncture, Reid really only cares about getting to 60 votes in the Senate, which means getting votes from most of the following: Lieberman, Lincoln, Landrieu, Nelson, Snowe and Collins. And the day after Reid’s big announcement, at least the first three are disclaiming that any deal is done, and taking a wait-and-see posture.

Jennifer Rubin sees this latest step as Reid “frantically to throw anything up against the wall to see if 60 votes will stick.” Bill Kristol sees it as Reid trying to create a sense of inevitability this week. But it may be Reid simply trying to maintain a sense of momentum.

Recall that last week ended with Reid threatening to keep the Senate in session through the holidays. This week started with Pres. Obama giving a pep talk to the Senate Dems (Why was one needed?). That was followed by Reid’s tantrum comparing the GOP’s delaying tactics to opposing slavery. In reality, there are about as many Democratic amendments in the hopper as GOP amendments. Indeed, last I checked, the Senator with the most amendments is Bernie Sanders, the Socialist from Vermont. And the GOP is taking flak from its base for not being obstructionist.

Some might look at these events and see a lack of confidence, perhaps even smell a whiff of desperation. So Tuesday brought a “broad agreement” — voilà! — that really is no more than an agreement to send a slate of proposals off to the CBO.

However, these proposals are already getting bad reviews from insurers, hospitals and doctors. One of Pres. Obama’s primary strategies for taking over the US healthcare system was to buy off these very same interest groups. It seems likely that these stakeholders are already making their displeasure known directly to key Senators while everyone awaits puffs of smoke from the CBO’s chimney. The counter-productivity of Reid’s latest proposal may suggest how difficult Reid is finding his job these days.

–Karl

I have read on the Internet today that I called Robert Stacy McCain a racist. I did not. I said that he said something that is in my opinion racist. That is not the same thing.

Some of the people saying these things did not read what I wrote. Some read it but did not pay attention. And some are just liars.

I said: “I’m not saying that one racist/prejudiced quote brands you as a racist for all time.” I have seen many people speak well of him and that certainly speaks well of him.

I think if people are going to address what I said then they should address what I said. Not some fictional account that somebody made up and tried to put in my mouth.

Yes, I stand by my belief that McCain’s quote was racially prejudiced:

As Steffgen predicted, the media now force interracial images into the public mind and a number of perfectly rational people react to these images with an altogether natural revulsion. The white person who does not mind transacting business with a black bank clerk may yet be averse to accepting the clerk as his sisterinlaw, and THIS IS NOT RACISM, no matter what Madison Avenue, Hollywood and Washington tell us.

I am happy to discuss that with anyone. I will not defend myself against accusations that misstate what I said.

UPDATE: Nor have I said that I believe he is not a racist. I just don’t know.

Some people need to learn to read better.

[Guest post by DRJ]

GatewayPundit has published several posts on Kevin Jennings, Obama’s Safe Schools Czar and former executive director of GLSEN. (For example, here, here, here and here.) The latest post claims GLSEN passed out guides to gay bars to teens at several GLSEN events:

“Earlier today it was reported that Kevin Jennings’ Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network (GLSEN) organization was distributing gay bar directories to high school students at the 2005 Massachusetts GLSEN conference.

This wasn’t an isolated incident. Mass Resistance Blog today reported that GLSEN passed out directories to gay “leather” bars to teens at several of their events.

GLSEN organization also passed out guides to gay leather bars in Chicago to students in 2000.”

Michelle Malkin will be discussing this on Hannity tonight, and the Washington Times published an editorial on Obama’s Risky-Sex Czar. The Washington Times editorial offers a brief overview of the claims if you don’t have time for all the links.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

Are you ready for some Congressionally-mandated and supervised college football playoffs?

“A House subcommittee approved legislation Wednesday aimed at forcing college football to switch to a playoff system to determine a national champion, over the objections of some lawmakers who said Congress had more pressing matters on its plate.”

Experts say it’s unlikely this legislation will go any further, although both President Obama and Senator Orrin Hatch have expressed concerns about the BCS system.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

Via Ed Morrissey at Hot Air, Willis Eschenbach at WattsUpWithThat considers why the East Anglia CRU deleted its raw data:

People keep saying “Yes, the Climategate scientists behaved badly. But that doesn’t mean the data is bad. That doesn’t mean the earth is not warming.”

So he looked at the Australian data and what did he find? The CRU’s “adjusted” data show rising temperatures even though the actual temperatures show a decline. It’s complicated so don’t rely on my shorthand version. Instead, check out the links.

[EDIT: Dr. K pointed this out the other day — so that’s another good reason to read the comments here.]

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

South Carolina lawmakers voted against impeaching Governor Mark Sanford for his Argentinian “travels and trysts” but recommended a formal rebuke:

“South Carolina lawmakers voted down a measure to impeach Gov. Mark Sanford on Wednesday, but recommended a formal rebuke that said his travels and trysts with an Argentine mistress brought the state “ridicule, dishonor, disgrace and shame.”

Most of the seven legislative panel members said the Republican should resign, though his affair, use of state planes and a 2008 taxpayer-funded trip to Argentina were not serious misconduct that merited removal from office.”

I’ve repeatedly said this is a matter for South Carolinians to decide. I don’t care if Sanford is impeached, resigns, or serves out his term. I just hope he isn’t re-elected, but these days you can never tell.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

During a hearing on the recent White House security breach, the government disclosed that sensitive screening information has been posted on the internet since March:

“According to the [Wandering Aramean] blog, TSA posted a redacted version of the document but did not delete the sensitive information from the file. Instead of removing the text, the government covered it up with a black box. But the text was still embedded in the document and could be uncovered.

TSA had the document removed from the Federal Business Opportunity site on Dec. 6 but copies – with the redacted portions exposed – circulated on the Internet and remain posted on other Web sites not controlled by the government.

Noting that the transportation agency uses multiple layers of security, Lee said, “TSA is confident that screening procedures currently in place remain strong.”

The document reportedly listed screening protocols for security access to aircraft and facilities. Five TSA employees have been relieved of duty pending a review.

— DRJ

[Guest post by DRJ]

Following reports that American authorities are worried about homegrown terrorists, the AP reports 5 young American men have been arrested in Pakistan for investigation of links to terror groups:

“Frantic relatives and worried FBI agents have been searching for the five college-age men for more than a week, since their disappearance in late November. The missing students have family roots in the northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., area.

Two U.S. officials said one of the group — they did not say which one — left behind what investigators believe was a farewell video message, in which he talks about defending Muslims and shows images of U.S. casualties. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case.

Pakistan police officer Tahir Gujjar said five Americans were picked up in a raid on a house on Sarghoda in the eastern province of Punjab. He did not identify the five, but said three are of Pakistani descent, one is of Egyptian descent and the other has Yemeni heritage.”

The men are all from Muslim families:

“The families, members of the local Muslim community, took their concerns to CAIR, which put them in touch with the FBI and got them a lawyer, [Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations] said.”

— DRJ

He’s ready to thin the herd:

If you have a racial axe to grind, if you are kind of pissed off about minorities, stop posting on the subject. You are embarrassing yourselves, you are embarrassing me, you are embarrassing everyone else here.

If you think that I am secretly winking at you telling you I just hit the Racism Button and it’s okay to start with the racial jibes, you are wrong.

If you think I am your secret racist buddy, who speaks in “code” but you “get” what I’m really saying, you are wrong. I hate you. I despise you.

I am tired of the people who whoop it up saying “Yeah, Ace, go get ’em! Tell those liberals that racism is a myth perpetrated by the liberal establishment media!” right before deciding it’s the perfect time to compose a post in stupid ebonics, or to denigrate black people’s looks, or the rest of it.

I am tired of people joining my tirade against Eugene Robinson for seeing everything through the prism of race right before themselves posting completely through the prism of race.

I’m tired of it. I won’t be having it.

Fascist.

Read it all. In there, humorously done as always, is a primer for allowing free speech and discussion — and non-politically correct humor — without being a jerk.

I’m told SEK is busily composing an essay saying this proves Ace “knowingly baits” racist comments.

Not because Ace has a huge site, and there are jerks in any large crowd. No, because (as SEK would have it) conservatives are just more racist.

P.S. Try toddling by any large liberal blog when they’re discussing, say Clarence Thomas. No racism there!

UPDATE: Apparently R.S. McCain thinks this post is about him. It is not. Cue the Carly Simon music. “You’re so vain, you probably think this post is about you.”