John McCain Victory Speech Transcript 3-4-08

McCain wins the nomination (Read entire transcript):

I understand the responsibilities I incur with this nomination, and I give you my word, I will not evade or slight a single one. Our campaign must be, and will be more than another tired debate of false promises, empty sound-bites, or useless arguments from the past that address not a single American's concerns for their family's security. Presidential candidates are judged on their records, their character and the whole of their life experiences. But we are also expected to concentrate our efforts on the challenges that will confront America on our watch and explain how we intend to address them.

America is at war in two countries, and involved in a long and difficult fight with violent extremists who despise us, our values and modernity itself. It is of little use to Americans for their candidates to avoid the many complex challenges of these struggles by re-litigating decisions of the past. I will defend the decision to destroy Saddam Hussein's regime as I criticized the failed tactics that were employed for too long to establish the conditions that will allow us to leave that country with our country's interests secure and our honor intact. But Americans know that the next President doesn't get to re-make that decision. We are in Iraq and our most vital security interests are clearly involved there. The next President must explain how he or she intends to bring that war to the swiftest possible conclusion without exacerbating a sectarian conflict that could quickly descend into genocide; destabilizing the entire Middle East; enabling our adversaries in the region to extend their influence and undermine our security there; and emboldening terrorists to attack us elsewhere with weapons we dare not allow them to possess.

The next President must encourage the greater participation and cooperation of our allies in the fight against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Huckabee finally conceded (read entire transcript):

Ladies and gentlemen, I called Senator McCain a few moments ago. It looks pretty apparent tonight that he will, in fact, achieve 1,191 delegates to become the Republican nominee for our party.

I extended to him not only my congratulations, but my commitment to him and to the party to do everything possible to unite our party, but more importantly to unite our country, so that we can be the best nation we can be, not for ourselves, but for the future generations to whom we owe everything, just as we owe previous generations all that they have done for us.

Senator McCain has run an honorable campaign because he's an honorable man. One of the things I'm proudest of is that the two campaigns that I believe have been run in the most civil manner are the two in the Republican Party that have lasted on their feet to the final. And I'm grateful for the manner in which he has conducted his campaign.

And, quite frankly, with your great help, I'm very proud of the way that you have insisted that we conduct our campaign. And it's been one that we will always be able to say was done with honor.

Pro-Clinton Video Calls Obama a "Muslim" Jihadist

This is pure vile filth put out by someone who claims to be a Hillary Clinton supporter. It shouldn't surprise you that a Clinton campaign worker was behind this garbage. The person who posted has been a member for only 7 hours. Meaning its a hit-and-run video. My account was canceled for doing much less. I've already complained about this video to Youtube:

It Looks Like Hillary Clinton will Survive Today's Results

The results in Ohio and Texas look like they will be very close for the Democrats. This means the Clinton campaign will interpret it as a victory and will fight on. Dan Rather said today on the Morning Show that Ms.Clinton will stay in the race regardless of the harm done to the party and their chances of winning in November. If she can't win Hillary will make sure that Obama does not come the Fall. She wants to be able to run in 2012.

Apparently her appearances on comedy programs the last 3 days have benefited her. In addition, the negative publicity surrounding the claims that Obama and the government of Canada have some understanding on NAFTA, along with the Rezko scandal, have had an impact. Polls show late movement in favor of Hillary. Even if the results are close this could mean Obama gets more delegates from all of Tuesday's primaries. Nevertheless, the press hype will translate it as a victory for Clinton and dub her the comeback kid. This will give Hillary the excuse to fight on despite the unlikeliness that she will win the nomination. This in turn will mean that Obama will be too bloodied come the general election. Bottomline: Obama loses to McCain in November. The Clintons are good at damaging the Democratic Party.

UPDATE:

• Chuck Todd, MSNBC's top political analyst, said this morning that Hillary has no statistical chance of winning regardless of what happens tonight.
• A Washington Post poll gives hope to Hillary. It showed almost a majority of the public thinks the former First Lady should remain in the race regardless of today's results.
  

China's Defense Budget up 17.6 Percent

China continues to build up their military and threaten America without a wimper from our so-called leadership in Washington. It is the same kind of indifference that existed prior to 9-11. It will continue to be ignored until there is a conflict between our two sides, probably over Taiwan:

China's defense budget for 2008 will be up 17.6 percent from last year to more than $58 billion, a parliamentary spokesman announced Tuesday.

Jiang Enzhu, spokesman for the National People's Congress, whose session opens Wednesday, told reporters in Beijing the budget represents an increase of nearly $8.8 billion from last year's actual military spending, Xinhua reported.

Then there is the highly provocative hacking the Chinese are engaging in:

China rejected a U.S. report concluding that the Chinese military is secretly increasing spending to break into U.S. military computer systems, expand its Navy, and invest in intercontinental nuclear missiles and weapons to destroy satellites.

Speaking of Taiwan:

China warned Tuesday that Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian will "pay a dear price" if he continues with current pro-independence plans.

Texas Gets B+ Rating, Runs a $3.3 Billion Shortfall

So much for ratings of State governments:

Texas' state government got a B-plus in a report card released Monday by The Pew Center on the States. The center ranked the states based on how well they manage their budgets, staffs, infrastructure and information. A closer look:Texas' grade: B+. The state made a B in 2005, when the last report card was issued.

Here's the reality that really matters, not some worthless rating system:

Texas would lose more than $3.3 billion in Medicaid funding if Congress doesn't stop new rules designed to arrest the growth of federal health care spending, according to a congressional report issued Monday.

The new rules target hospitals and other organizations that use Medicaid to provide health care to the uninsured. In a letter to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission estimated that the changes to hospital reimbursements would create a shortfall that could imperil health care for 185,000 patients.