Hillary or Bust

[NewYorkExpress]

March 4, 2007

Morgan Tsvangirai assassinated in Harare.

Zimbabwe's opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai was assassinated yesterday by gunmen believed to be loyal to President Robert Mugabe after attending the funeral of an activist of his MDC party in downtown Harare. Today, Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice condemned the assassination in a press conference at the State Department. Senator Hillary Clinton, speaking at a campaign stop in Daytona Beach, called on Congress to institute sanctions against Zimbabwe. John McCain, speaking with reporters in Nome Alaska, suggested that he would support an American Military intervention in Zimbabwe to remove Mugabe, stating that he would consider removing troops from Iraq if they were redeployed to Zimbabwe.

March 8, 2007

Argentina awarded 2014 FIFA World Cup

At a conference in Nyon, Argentina beat out Brazil, Chile and Colombia to host the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

The following stadiums will be used as venues:

Estadio Gigante de Arroyito, Rosario (Group Play, Round of Sixteen, One Quarterfinal)
La Bombonera, Buenos Aires (Group Play, One Quarterfinal, One Semifinal, Final)
Estadio Jorge Luis Hirschi, La Plata (Group Play, Round of Sixteen)
Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza (Group Play, Round of Sixteen, One Quarterfinal, One Semifinal)
Estadio Momunetal Antonio Vespucio Liberti, Buenos Aires (Group Play, Round of Sixteen, One Quarterfinal, Third Place Game)
Estadio Cuidad de Lanus-Nestor Diaz Perez, Lanus (Group Play, Round of Sixteen)
Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, Cordoba (Group Play, Round of Sixteen, One Quarterfinal)
Estadio Monumental Jose Fierro, Tucuman (Group Play, Round of Sixteen)

March 7, 2007

Ahead of Presidential debate, Mitt Romney wins CPAC straw poll

With a CPAC Presidential debate taking place tomorrow, Mitt Romney won the straw poll at CPAC by a comfortable margin today, easily defeating his closest rivals, John McCain and Mike Huckabee. Notably, Jeb Bush, who has not declared a campaign, finished a surprising second in the straw poll.

CPAC Straw Poll

Mitt Romney 39%
Jeb Bush 22%
John McCain 16%
Mike Huckabee 10%
Newt Gingrich 8%
George Allen 4%
Ron Paul 0.7%
Other 0.3

[NewYorkExpress]

March 8, 2007

Third Republican Debate, Candidates pander to base

The third Republican debate took place on the final day of CPAC. Here's how the candidates did.

George Allen: Did well with limited speaking time. Made case that he was the "conservative who can get things done". B

Newt Gingrich: Another bad debate. Brought up Romney's religion again, and called for banning religions other than Christianity, while simultaneously stating that Mormons aren't Christians. Won points with the base, but cost himself dearly in general. D-

Mike Huckabee: Agreed with Gingrich on banning other religions, but otherwise had a quiet debate. D+

John McCain: Stayed above the fray, except for a response to Paul where he said "America does best at war" in response to an attack about his support for a troop surge in Iraq. B

Mitt Romney: Continued pummeling Gingrich for bringing up his Mormonism, but otherwise remained above the fray. B

Ron Paul: Got into a fight with McCain over Iraq, but was otherwise largely irrelevant. C-

[NewYorkExpress]

March 15, 2007

Third Democratic Debate held in South Carolina, Clinton shines.

The third Democratic Presidential Debate was held today at South Carolina State University. Here's how the candidates did.

Antonio Villaraigosa It's a mystery as to why Viilaraigosa keeps getting invited to the debates. He's polling at 0% in almost every state, keeps putting in poor performances, and tonight wasn't much better. He drew criticism from pretty much everyone when he said he agreed with John McCain about military intervention in Zimbabwe. F

Tom Vilsack Had a good moment when he called for the United States to boycott the Beijing Olympics over China's crackdown in Hong Kong, a call that would be echoed by the other Democrats on stage. Otherwise struggled to get attention. C+

Al Gore Struggled to defend his voting record on civil rights issues in the Senate from attacks from Cuomo and Clinton, who argued that he didn't do enough on the issue. Otherwise was well-prepared, and had a marked improvement from the previous debate. B-

Mario Cuomo: Strafed Gore on civil rights, and hit Clinton on carpetbagging into New York to run for the Senate, stating that "if I had tried to carpetbag into Arkansas, I would have been crucified". The attack against Clinton might not have landed. Again was clear, concise, and well-informed on the issues. Clearly isn't showing age or rust. B+

Hillary Clinton: Had an excellent debate. Pointed out that Cuomo originally supported her in her Senate race in 2000, called him a hypocrite for attacking her on carpetbagging charges. Suggested Gore's record on civil rights in the Senate was insufficient, an attack that may have resonated with African-American voters. A

[NewYorkExpress]

March 16, 2007

Hong Kong crackdown leads to boycott of Beijing Olympics

A sizable number of nations have announced a boycott of the 2008 Olympics, to be held in Beijing next summer, citing China's crackdown in Hong Kong. President Bush, in a press conference at the White House, said the United States was joining the boycott because "China's oppression of it's citizens cannot stand".

The Nations joining the boycott are:

The United States
Taiwan
The United Kingdom
France
Germany
Switzerland
Canada
Ireland
Italy
The Netherlands
Belgium
Norway
Denmark
Japan
South Korea
Finland
Sweden
Australia

Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing called the boycott an "act of war" and said that the Chinese Government was considering it's options against the boycotting countries.

IOC Chairman Jacques Rogge stated in a press conference that there were no plans to move the games from Beijing, saying that "preparations were too far along now", while also stating that it was "within a country's right to boycott the games for any reason".

Fred Thompson will enter Presidential race

Former Senator Fred Thompson will exit Law & Order, which recently wrapped up filming for it's seventeenth season, to enter the Republican Primary field for President. A formal announcement is expected to take place sometime in the coming weeks.

March 17, 2007

Newt Gingrich suspends campaign, endorses George Allen

With his fundraising collapsing, and with three bad debate performances in a row, Newt Gingrich has suspended his campaign for President. He endorsed George Allen at a rally in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, today calling Allen a "winning conservative leader". Gingrich denied rumors that he was considering running for Mayor of Atlanta in 2009, saying to an Atlanta-Journal Constitution Reporter that the race "wasn't winnable for someone who identified as a Republican".

[NewYorkExpress]

March 18, 2007

New York Times publishes secret plans for Chinese invasion of Taiwan

In a stunning scoop, the New York Times published secret plans from the Chinese government for a military invasion of Taiwan, code-named "Operation Boxer", which are purportedly scheduled to take place during the Winter of 2008, during the United States Presidential Transition. The proposed invasion, which calls for an amphibious invasion using 750,000 troops of the People's Liberation Army, as well as a simultaneous military assault consisting of another 300,000 troops on the U.S Military base in Okinawa, to prevent American Military aid from coming to Taiwan's aid, has been deemed "credible" by military experts in the Defense Department.

Neither the Chinese, nor the Taiwanese Government has commented on the matter.

Secretary of the Army-designate Pete Geren stated at his Senate confirmation hearing today that threats to American soldiers in Okinawa will not be tolerated.

Japanese Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma stated that an attack on American troops on Okinawa, a Japanese territory would be "an act of war against Japan by China".

Democrats, Republicans, announce next round of debates.

Both the Democrats and the Republicans announced the next set of Presidential Primary debates today.

The Fifth Republican Primary debate will take place on May 2, 2007 at the Dow Event Center, in Saginaw, Michigan, and will be moderated by Shep Smith.

The Sixth Republican Primary debate will take place on May 31, 2007 at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center, in Paradise, Nevada, and will be moderated by Chris Wallace.

The Fifth Democratic Primary debate will take place on April 26, 2007, at Florida Gulf Coast University, in Naples, Florida and will be moderated by Joe Scarborough.

The Sixth Democratic Primary debate will take place on May 22, 2007, and will be moderated by Richard Quest and Christiane Amanpour.

[NewYorkExpress]

March 19, 2007

Cuomo attacks Robert Byrd over past Klan membership

Campaigning in Greer, South Carolina, Mario Cuomo hit Robert Byrd (D-WV) over his membership in Ku Kux Klan in 1940's stating that he was "not fit to be dogcatcher". Cuomo called on Byrd to resign his Senate seat, stating that the long-time Senator should have been prosecuted under anti-terrorism statutes for his past Klan membership.

Senator Byrd's office has not commented on Cuomo's attacks.

March 20, 2007

Wu Bangguo named Chair of the Hong Kong Communist Party, will bring full integration with China

The Chinese Communist Party announced today that former Vice Premier Wu Bangguo would be named Chair of the Hong Kong Communist Party. Bangguo will provide full political integration of Hong Kong with Beijing, which means the formal end of the "one party, two systems" style of government that Hong Kong had been run by since being handed over to China in 1999.

Upset in Jacksonville Mayoral election signals possible Democratic landslide in 2008 according to analysts.

Political Analysts believe incumbent Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton's upset loss in tonight's Mayoral Election is foreshadowing significant gains for Democrats in 2008, especially in Florida. Stuart Rothenburg stated that "while the race is a local election and that can't be understated, it does foreshadow gains based continuing frustration with the Bush Administration's intransigence on Iraq, and the Republican Presidential frontrunner's open suggestion of sending American troops to Zimbabwe".

Jacksonville Mayoral Election

Community Activist Jackie Brown (D) 51.79%
Incumbent John Peyton (R) 49.21%

[NewYorkExpress]

Christ, Cuomo, I want to support you, but the man recanted, take the L.

He tried to pander and failed. Byrd is taking the high road, and Cuomo isn't gaining any significant support among black voters (most of it is going to Clinton, with a sizable percentage, especially after South Carolina, still undecided).

[NewYorkExpress]

March 24, 2007

George P. Bush running for Congress

George P. Bush, son of Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, nephew of President George W. Bush, and Grandson of Former President George H.W Bush has announced his campaign for the House of Representatives in Texas's 14th Congressional District.

The 14th is currently held by Ron Paul, who is running for President, and has not made his plans regarding reelection clear at this time. Texas law allows for candidates to run for more than one office at a time, and Paul has yet to make a decision about whether he will run for reelection.

For his part, Bush says he will not defer to the incumbent if he decides to run, telling the Houston Chronicle that he is "out of step with the Republican Party".

March 26, 2007

Republicans debate at Liberty University, Romney under attack again

The Republican candidates for President debated tonight at Liberty University. Here's how they did:

Fred Thompson: Did not attend the debate, and instead appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman to announce his candidacy. Probably offended most of his rivals, but it remains to be seen what this does for his candidacy. N/A

George Allen: Had the best attack of the debate, calling Romney's tenure at Bain Capital "Vulture Capitalism" but it sounded more like a Democratic soundbite than a Republican one. It will be reused in a general election, should Romney win the nomination. C+

Ron Paul: Called a racist by McCain over old newsletters he published in the late 1980's, he failed to provide an effective defense. Both McCain and Romney called on him to leave the race over the newsletters, and McCain called on him to resign from Congress in a spirited five minute argument. F

Mike Huckabee: Proved he was the religious candidate tonight, supporting bans on same-sex marriage, abortion, and various other issues backed by Christian Conservatives. Went far in gaining their support. A-

John McCain: Slammed Paul for his old newsletters, and had the other great attack line of the debate, calling Romneycare "socialist". Scored the best points on Romney today. A

Mitt Romney: Defended himself well from allegations that Romneycare was socialism, but had trouble with Allen's Bain Capitol attacks. Had a particularly tone-deaf moment when he bet McCain $20,000 that the Iraq Surge wouldn't be a success by election day 2008. B

[NewYorkExpress]

March 26, 2007

DNC announces Primaries will be winner take all

DNC Chairman Howard Dean announced today that the Democratic Primaries will not be decided by proportional representation, but instead will be winner takes all, a move that likely will benefit the front-runner, Hillary Clinton.

March 28, 2007

Douglas Wilder to run for President

Richmond Mayor and former Virginia Governor Douglas Wilder announced his candidacy for President today in Richmond.

If nominated Wilder would be the oldest nominee from a major party, and would be the first African-American nominee from a major Party.

March 31, 2007

Antonio Villaraigosa suspends campaign, endorses Hillary Clinton

Antonio Villaraigosa, who has failed to gain any sort of traction in the polls, and has raised less than $400,000 total in his Presidential campaign, has suspended his campaign, and endorsed Hillary Clinton in a rally in Los Angeles today.

AFL-CIO endorses Mario Cuomo

The AFL-CIO, the most powerful union in American politics, endorsed Mario Cuomo for President today, with their leader, John Sweeney stating that "Hillary Clinton simply cannot be trusted to get things done for the American worker when half the country hates her already".

[NewYorkExpress]

April 1, 2007

Cradle of New Hampshire Politics holds Democratic Primary debate, largely uneventful.

The Fourth Democratic Primary debate was this evening. Let's take a look at how the candidates did.

Douglas Wilder: Had a decent start to his campaign. Did a good job reintroducing himself to national audiences, but otherwise didn't stand out. Did himself no harm. B

Tom Vilsack: Got panned when he suggested that Bill Clinton was responsible for 9/11 due to inaction, was trashed by both Hillary and Gore for the comment. Otherwise had a quiet debate. D

Al Gore Still hasn't been able to shake the perception that he's running for revenge on the Clinton's. It's been dogging him on the campaign trail, and it's dogging him here too. Defended the Clinton's from Vilsack's comments on 9/11, and called for a more stringent version of the Kyoto Accords. B-

Mario Cuomo: Fast becoming the progressive alternative to Clinton. Hit Clinton on her not releasing her White House papers, and stated that "transparency was lacking" in the Clinton Administration. Called for an across the board tax increase to pay for universal health care, a move which will win him points in a primary, but might cost him in a general election. B+

Hillary Clinton: Hammered Vilsack on his statements regarding Bill Clinton and 9/11, but struggled to defend herself from Cuomo's attacks. Called on Democratic Party to abolish Superdelegates, said they were "undemocratic", a move that will win her points with primary voters, but may hurt her with superdelegates. B+

Primary Election Polling (As of April 2, 2007)

Democrats

Hillary Clinton 39%
Mario Cuomo 19%
Al Gore 18%
Tom Vilsack 6%
Douglas Wilder 6%

Republicans

John McCain 20%
Mitt Romney 20%
Mike Huckabee 19%
George Allen 8%
Fred Thompson 8%
Ron Paul 2%

Democrats-Iowa

Hillary Clinton 41%
Mario Cuomo 23%
Tom Vilsack 13%
Al Gore 12%
Douglas Wilder 6%

Republicans-Iowa

Mike Huckabee 24%
John McCain 20%
Mitt Romney 20%
Fred Thompson 17%
George Allen 9%
Ron Paul 6%

Democrats-New Hampshire

Hillary Clinton 34%
Mario Cuomo 27%
Al Gore 19%
Douglas Wilder 5%
Tom Vilsack 4%

Republicans-New Hampshire

Mitt Romney 21%
John McCain 21%
Ron Paul 10%
Fred Thompson 7%
George Allen 7%
Mike Huckabee 7%

Democrats-Michigan

Hillary Clinton 36%
Al Gore 18%
Mario Cuomo 18%
Douglas Wilder 14%
Tom Vilsack 7%

Republicans-Michigan

Mitt Romney 27%
John McCain 22%
Mike Huckabee 15%
Fred Thompson 7%
George Allen 5%
Ron Paul 5%

Democrats-Nevada

Hillary Clinton 40%
Al Gore 20%
Mario Cuomo 15%
Tom Vilsack 5%
Douglas Wilder 5%

Republicans-Nevada

Mitt Romney 31%
John McCain 17%
Ron Paul 15%
Mike Huckabee 10%
George Allen 8%
Fred Thompson 7%

Democrats-South Carolina

Hillary Clinton 39%
Douglas Wilder 32%
Mario Cuomo 11%
Al Gore 11%
Tom Vilsack 3%

Republicans- South Carolina

Mike Huckabee 27%
John McCain 25%
Mitt Romney 22%
Fred Thompson 9%
George Allen 9%
Ron Paul 1%

Florida-Democrats

Hillary Clinton 30%
Mario Cuomo 26%
Al Gore 21%
Douglas Wilder 15%
Tom Vilsack 1%

Florida-Republicans

John McCain 24%
Mitt Romney 24%
Mike Huckabee 24%
George Allen 9%
Fred Thompson 9%
Ron Paul 2%

[NewYorkExpress]

April 2, 2007

Florida wins NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

The Florida Gators won their second straight Men's Basketball title, defeating the Texas Longhorns 86-85 in double overtime. The Longhorns's Kevin Durant led all scorers with 49 points, and was named the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player.

April 3, 2007

Tennessee wins NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament

The Tennessee Lady Volunteers won the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament, defeating the Connecticut Huskies 69-65. Candace Parker led all scorers with 31 points, and was named the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player.

April 6, 2007

Mexican Interior Minister assassinated, Cartels to blame

Mexico's Interior Minister, Francisco Javier Ramirez Acuna, was assassinated by armed gunmen  in Cancun today. President Felipe Calderon has blamed the drug cartels operating in Mexico, stating that they have "taken the life of a Minister who was determined to to wipe them out" and that "we will finish his work".

April 8, 2007

Tom Watson wins The Masters, becomes oldest person to win one of Golf's majors

At 58, one's best years in Golf are probably behind them. However, Tom Watson managed to summon up some magic to win the Masters with a score of (-4) 284, for his ninth Major Championship, and third Masters title, defeating Tiger Woods and Camillo Villegas by three shots. At 58 years old, Watson is the oldest person to ever win one of Golf's Major Championships.

[NewYorkExpress]

April 7, 2007

IOC selects Salzburg to host 2014 Winter Olympics

At an IOC meeting in Guatemala City today, the International Olympic Committee selected Salzburg, Austria to host the 2014 Winter Olympics. Salzburg defeated Sochi, Russia and Pyeongchang, South Korea on the first ballot with over two-thirds of the votes.

April 10, 2007

Republicans upset defending Hastert seat

In the special election to replace Dennis Hastert, held today, Republicans defending the seat were defeated attempting to hold the seat.

Election Analyst Charlie Cook stated that the Hastert scandal didn't help Republicans in this district, but that the Democrats win could foreshadow major gains for Democrats in Illinois and nationally

Illinois 14th Congressional District-Special Election

Physicist/Business Owner Bill Foster (D) 54.453%
State Senator Chris Lauzen (R) 45.547%

Kim Jong-Il dead at 67

North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il died of a massive heart attack in Pyongyang early this morning. He was 67.

The North Korean Government has rallied around his son, Kim Jong-un, (35-36) as the new leader of North Korea.

Henry Kissinger sentenced for role in Operation Condor

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger was sentenced in a Buenos Aries Court on over 1,200 counts of conspiracy to commit murder during his involvement in Operation Condor in Argentina, Chile and Brazil today in Buenos Aires. A judge sentenced Kissinger to a total of one hundred and five years in prison, an effective life sentence for the 83 year old Kissinger.

April 12, 2007

Ted Kennedy endorses Mario Cuomo

In a rally in Boston today, Ted Kennedy became the first high-profile Democrat to formally endorse, announcing his support for Mario Cuomo. Kennedy said Cuomo was "the great bridge between the old and the new" and said that "liberalism is not a dirty word, no it is a word we should be proud of" in his announcement speech.

[NewYorkExpress]

April 13, 2007

Scooter Libby alleges that Donald Rumsfeld ordered Valerie Plame's covert identity to be leaked to journalists

Testifying in his own defense today in his criminal trial for leaking Valerie Plame's cover in the CIA to journalists Robert Novak and Judith Miller, former Chief of Staff to the Vice President Lewis "Scooter" Libby alleged that his and Richard Armitage's orders to leak Plame's cover came from then-Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

When asked if an indictment of Rumsfeld would be forthcoming, U.S Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois and Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald simply told reporters to "stay tuned".

Bud Selig to retire as Commissioner of Major League Baseball

Longtime Major Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig will retire, effective December 31, 2007. Despite speculation that President George W. Bush will resign from office early to take his dream job one owner talked to said that this was "not being seriously considered".

The current front-runners for the position are:

Chief Operating Officer Rob Manfred

Tampa Bay Devil Rays Owner Stuart Sternberg

U.S Court of Appeals Judge Sonia Sotomayor

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell

April 14, 2007

Mitch Landrieu will run for Governor of Louisiana

Lieutenant Governor Mitch Landrieu has become the highest profile candidate of either party to enter the Louisiana Gubernatorial election this autumn.

Political analyst Charlie Cook said that Landrieu's entry makes the race an instant tossup, especially if he can consolidate the Democratic vote.

In the October Jungle Primary, Landrieu faces State Representative Shirley Bowler (R), State Senator Robert Marionneaux (D), former State Representative Vic Stelly (I) and State Representative Carla Blanchard Dartez (D), with Representative Bobby Jindal and Secretary of State Jay Dardenne both considering runs.

April 17, 2007

Plamegate Special Prosecutor indicts Donald Rumsfeld

U.S Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, acting as special prosecutor in the investigation for Valerie Plame leak investigation, announced the indictment of former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld on a single count of leaking classified information today.

Rumsfeld is expected to be arraigned tomorrow, and according to sources close to Rumsfeld, he will plead guilty, and might implicate Vice President Cheney, President Bush or both.

April 18, 2007

Rumsfeld pleads guilty in Washington D.C, sentencing set for April 23.

Former Secretary of Defense plead guilty to a single count of leaking classified information today, and his sentencing was set for April 23.

April 23, 2007

Rumsfeld sentenced to six months in prison

Donald Rumsfeld, after pleading guilty to a single count of leaking classified information earlier this week, was sentenced by Federal Judge Richard Leon to a term of six months in prison today.

April 22, 2007

French voters go to the polls for the first round of the Presidential Election, Segolene Royal, Nicolas Sarkozy advance.

French voters went to the polls today for the first of two rounds in the French Presidential Election, and results so far show Segolene Royal and Nicolas Sarkozy advancing to the second round.

French Presidential Election-First Round

Interior Minister (former) Nicolas Sarkozy (UMP) 19.557%'
President of the Regional Council of Poitou- Charentes Segolene Royal (PS) 19.057%
MEP Jean-Marie Le Pen (FN) 16%
Former Minister of National Education Francois Bayrou (UDF) 14.76%
Activist Oliver Besancenot (LCR) 6.778%
MEP Phillipe de Villiers (MPF) 6.346%
Former Minister of the Environment and Regional Planning Dominique Voynet (LV) 5.999%
National Assemblywoman, former Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Marie-George Buffet (PCF) 3.075%
Former MEP, former member of the Regional Council of Ile-de France Arlette Laguiller (LO) 2.988%
Activist Jose Bove 2%
Gerard Schiavardi (PT) 1.89%
Fredric Nihous (CPNT) 1.55%

[NewYorkExpress]

April 26, 2007

Democrats hold Florida debate without Clinton, Gore

Democrats held their fifth Presidential debate this evening. Hillary Clinton and Al Gore did not attend, with Bill Clinton stating that the reason for Hillary's absence is because she wasn't happy that the DNC has not yet announced a location for the debate on May 22. Gore did not give a reason for his absence from the debate, but his campaign manager Donna Brazile stated  that Gore would be on the campaign trail elsewhere in Florida as he felt that he had done poorly in prior debates, and that his candidacy would do better if he didn't attend them.

Here's how the candidates that did attend did:
Tom Vilsack: Claimed without evidence that ethanol is more environmentally friendly than any other type of gasoline. Al Gore (not attending the debate) bashed it on Twitter immediately. D

Mario Cuomo: Really shone tonight, presenting a detailed climate policy plan. His plan to save Social Security by dramatically raising the taxes that pay for it might not go over so well, but it's more than other candidates will offer. A

Douglas Wilder: Became the first candidate to call for racial reparations tonight in what seemed to be a gotcha question from Joe Scarborough. Even so, he made himself very unpopular with everyone but his African-American base. D+

April 24, 2007

Israeli Elections held, broad coalition brings Benjamin Netanyahu to the Prime Minster's office.

Elections in Israel were held on Thursday with the following results:

Israel-Knesset

Likud-Benjamin Netanyahu 24 seats
Kadima- Tzipi Livni 24 seats
Labor-Meimad- Amir Peretz 23 seats
Hetz- Avraham Poraz 12 seats
Shas- Eli Yishai 10 seats
Yisreal Beitneu- Avigdor Lieberman 5 seats
United Torah Judaism- Yaakov Litzman 5 seats
Meretz-Yachad- Yossi Beilin 4 seats
Mafdal- Zevulun Orlev 3 seats
National Union- Benny Elon 3 seats
Hadash- Mohammed Barakeh 3 seats
Ra'am-Ta'al- Ibrahim Sarsur 2 seats
Balad- Jamal Zalkha 2 seats

Today, a broad coalition between Likud, Kadima and Labor-Meimad has been announced.

Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu will become Prime Minister and will also become Minister of Foreign Affairs. Kadima Leader Tzipi Livni will become Minister of Defense, and Labor Leader Amir Peretz will serve as Minister of Finance and Minister of the Economy.

[NewYorkExpress]

April 26, 2007

Democrats hold Florida debate without Clinton, Gore

Democrats held their fifth Presidential debate this evening. Hillary Clinton and Al Gore did not attend, with Bill Clinton stating that the reason for Hillary's absence is because she wasn't happy that the DNC has not yet announced a location for the debate on May 22. Gore did not give a reason for his absence from the debate, but his campaign manager Donna Brazile stated  that Gore would be on the campaign trail elsewhere in Florida as he felt that he had done poorly in prior debates, and that his candidacy would do better if he didn't attend them.

Here's how the candidates that did attend did:
Tom Vilsack: Claimed without evidence that ethanol is more environmentally friendly than any other type of gasoline. Al Gore (not attending the debate) bashed it on Twitter immediately. D

Mario Cuomo: Really shone tonight, presenting a detailed climate policy plan. His plan to save Social Security by dramatically raising the taxes that pay for it might not go over so well, but it's more than other candidates will offer. A

Douglas Wilder: Became the first candidate to call for racial reparations tonight in what seemed to be a gotcha question from Joe Scarborough. Even so, he made himself very unpopular with everyone but his African-American base. D+

April 24, 2007

Israeli Elections held, broad coalition brings Benjamin Netanyahu to the Prime Minster's office.

Elections in Israel were held on Thursday with the following results:

Israel-Knesset

Likud-Benjamin Netanyahu 24 seats
Kadima- Tzipi Livni 24 seats
Labor-Meimad- Amir Peretz 23 seats
Hetz- Avraham Poraz 12 seats
Shas- Eli Yishai 10 seats
Yisreal Beitneu- Avigdor Lieberman 5 seats
United Torah Judaism- Yaakov Litzman 5 seats
Meretz-Yachad- Yossi Beilin 4 seats
Mafdal- Zevulun Orlev 3 seats
National Union- Benny Elon 3 seats
Hadash- Mohammed Barakeh 3 seats
Ra'am-Ta'al- Ibrahim Sarsur 2 seats
Balad- Jamal Zalkha 2 seats

Today, a broad coalition between Likud, Kadima and Labor-Meimad has been announced.

Likud leader Benjamin Netanyahu will become Prime Minister and will also become Minister of Foreign Affairs. Kadima Leader Tzipi Livni will become Minister of Defense, and Labor Leader Amir Peretz will serve as Minister of Finance and Minister of the Economy.

I can already see the headlines; Gore unable to handle pressure of debate, can he handle Presidency?

If you look back at the 2000 General Election debates with Bush, it was widely agreed that Gore came off worse there too, so this isn't new territory for him, and he's been treated like a pinata by his rivals so far this election.

[NewYorkExpress]

April 27, 2007

Democrats announce location for May debate

DNC Chairman Howard Dean announced this morning in response to complaints from the Clinton campaign that he had secured a location for the debate on May 22, to be moderated by Richard Quest and Christane Amanpour.

The debate will take place outdoors at the Myrtle Beach Speedway, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Terry Branstad to run for Senate

Iowa Republicans got a shot in the arm when former Governor Terry Branstad announced today at a press conference in Des Moines that he would challenge Senator Tom Harkin.

Political Analyst Charlie Cook said that while the fundamentals still favored Democrats, Branstad's entry would be Harkin's strongest challenge yet as an elected official.

Another analyst, Stu Rothenburg, stated that he wouldn't be surprised to see Branstad win, even on a good night for Democrats nationally, pointing out that incumbent Governor Chet Culver was unpopular, and that early polling showed the Presidential race as a coin-flip.

April 28, 2007

Ron Paul will drop reelection bid, will focus on Presidential run.

Ron Paul, in an interview with the Houston Chronicle confirmed that he would drop his bid for reelection in Texas's 14th Congressional District to focus on his longshot bid for President. This essentially clears the field for George P. Bush to win the Republican nomination. So far, one Democrat, State Representative Allen Craig Eiland has filed to run here, but polls show him trailing Bush by a sizable margin.

Most political analysts, rate this race as Safely Republican, though Charlie Cook warned that running a member of the Bush family could come back to haunt Republicans here as Eiland is a strong candidate in the event of a sizable Democratic wave.

May 1, 2007

Bush to nominate J.C Watts as U.N Ambassador

President Bush announced today the nomination of former Representative J.C Watts (R-OK) to fill the vacant position of Ambassador to the United Nations. Watts is expected to have a tough confirmation battle, as Democrats are expected to move to block his nomination until a withdrawal from Iraq is announced, much as they are doing with Colin Powell.

[NewYorkExpress]

May 2, 2007

Republicans hold Michigan debate

Republicans held their fifth Presidential debate earlier this evening at the Dow Events Center in Saginaw, Michigan. Here's how the candidates did.

Ron Paul: Was not invited to the debate, on account of low national polling numbers. Paul filed a lawsuit seeking to be included in this debate and in future debates in federal court, but a hearing had not been scheduled as of this debate. N/A

Fred Thompson: Surprised many when he attacked McCain on the Iraq surge, stating that "the job is done and it's time to come home". Otherwise had a quiet debate. B-

George Allen: Attacked McCain for his sponsorship of McCain-Feingold Campaign finance reform act, stating that "the rich should control our government". Got a round of boos from the audience for that attack. D

Mike Huckabee: Had a major gaffe, when asked about returning jobs to Michigan, saying "the jobs aren't coming back". Got a round of boos from the audience for that. D

Mitt Romney: Had the best comment of the debate, when prompted by Shep Smith to respond to Allen's attack on McCain with his thoughts on campaign finance reform, he said that "if rich people like me want to control our government, than they should run for office themselves, rather than funding other people". Got a round of applause for the comment. Also hit Huckabee for lying to the people of Michigan about jobs coming back. A

John McCain: Refused be suckered into a response on McCain-Feingold, and stated that "it would be fine with me if we never left Iraq" in response to Thompson's attack on him in regards to the Iraq surge, in what is regarded as a major gaffe. D+

Most countries support boycott of 2008 Olympics

In response to China's crackdown in Hong Kong and the formal end of the "One Country, Two Systems" governance, and rumors that similar plans exist for Macau, most countries in the world have announced that they are joining a U.S led boycott of the 2008 Olympics, to be held in Beijing.

Here are the countries that have not agreed to join the boycott:

China (hosts)
Saudi Arabia
Iran
Zimbabwe
Libya
Lebanon
Syria
Qatar
Russia
The United Arab Emirates
North Korea
Singapore
Pakistan
Belarus
Azerbaijan
Afghanistan
Iraq
Yemen
Algeria
Egypt
Sudan
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan

[NewYorkExpress]

May 3, 2007

Senate will not hold hearings on J.C Watts to be U.N Ambassador until Iraq withdrawal takes place.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joe Biden confirmed that after consulting with the Democratic membership of his committee, there would be no hearing on J.C Watts's nomination to the position of Ambassador to the United Nations until President Bush ordered a full withdrawal of American troops from Iraq.

May 4, 2007

IOC announces cancellation of Beijing Olympics

Citing the massive boycott, and an unwillingness to move the games on short notice, which was the condition laid out for the end to the boycott, International Olympic Committee Chairman Jacques Rogge announced that the 2008 Olympics and Paralympics were being cancelled, issuing a formal apology to the athletes that will be affected by news.

Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi called the decision "cowardice on the part of the IOC", and Doha and Dubai have both withdrawn bids for the 2016 Olympics that were being discussed by their countries National Olympic Committees.

May 6, 2007

Segolene Royal elected President of France

French voters went to the polls today in Round Two of their Presidential election to decide a winner between Nicolas Sarkozy and Segolene Royal. With endorsements from all other defeated left-wing candidates, plus the UDF's Francois Bayrou, Royal has emerged with an easy victory to become the first ever female President of France.

French Presidential Election-Second Round

Segolene Royal-PS 57.8966%
Nicolas Sarkozy-UMP 42.1034%

Leaked audio recording shows Hu Jintao and Cao Gangchuan arguing about nuking Pearl Harbor

A leaked audio recording, played for the world for the first time this evening on The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer shows China's Minister of National Defense Cao Gangchuan getting hysterical attempting to prevent Hu Jintao, the President of China, General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party and head of the military from ordering a nuclear strike on Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in retaliation to the U.S led boycott of the now-cancelled Beijing Olympics. Gangchuan can be heard warning Jintao that the military "will not follow an order that will bring ruin to China", and that "if you give such an order, a coup will follow immediately".

Neither the American or the Chinese Governments have had any comment. Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle when asked, said that "having a major military base here will always present dangers like this, but us Hawaiians aren't going to run from them".

[NewYorkExpress]

May 7, 2007

Pat Buchanan fired from MSNBC after stating J.C Watts was not qualified to be U.N Ambassador due to his race.

Pat Buchanan, a Presidential candidate in 1992, 1996 and the Reform Party nominee in 2000, was fired from his position writing columns for MSNBC after writing a column online that stated that because J.C Watts was black, he is unqualified to be Ambassador to the United Nations.

Watts has not commented on the article.

Italy will host Euro 2012

UEFA announced that Italy will host the 2012 European Championships after a vote taken today in Nyon.

The proposed venues for the tournament are:

San Siro/Stade Giuseppe Meazza, Milan (One Group, One Quarterfinal, One Semifinal)
Stadio Olimpico, Rome (One Group, One Quarterfinal, One Semifinal, Final)
Stadio Artemio Franchi, Florence (One Group, One Quarterfinal)
Juventus Stadium, Turin (One Quarterfinal)
Stadio San Paolo, Naples (One Group)

May 9, 2007

Eliot Spitzer indicted for extorting madam of prostitution ring

New York County District Attorney Robert Morgenthau announced the indictment today of Governor of New York Eliot Spitzer on charges that he extorted the madam of the Emperor's Club, a prostitution ring being investigated by the Justice Department, to keep silent about seeing prostitutes employed the club while Attorney General of New York, threatening to personally prosecute the club if word got out that he was seeing the club's prostitutes.

Calls for Spitzer's resignation have been unanimous on both sides of the aisle.

If Spitzer were to resign, or were convicted, Lieutenant Governor David Paterson would become Governor.

[NewYorkExpress]

May 10, 2007

Myanmar Government has Aung San Suu Kyi executed while under house arrest

According to a report by the Chief of Mission at the United States Embassy in Myanmar, Shari Villarosa, the government of Myanmar executed opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi by firing squad on May 3, in an attempt to squelch a protest movement that has been building.

For the past month scattered, intermittent protests have been occurring in Yangon and Naypiydaw against the ruling military junta, and the leadership is believed to have wanted to squash the protests before they reached a critical mass.

The American Government has not formally commented on the matter.

Hillary Clinton, campaigning in New Hampshire, stated that she mourned Suu Kyi's death, calling her an inspiration to women throughout Asia.

British Foreign Minister Margaret Beckett and Defence Minister Des Browne called for a military intervention in Myanmar. Prime Minister Tony Blair declined to comment on his ministers call for military action action in Myanmar, only telling the BBC that "there's no way we could invade Myanmar without American and Australian help, and I don't think that's available".

Wilder under fire for ad depicting Bill Clinton as a rapist, Hillary Clinton as a rape enabler

Douglas Wilder became the first candidate on the air, running a one minute ad in South Carolina, and his ad left a lot of people fuming.

The ad, which features Paula Jones, Monica Lewinsky and Juanita Broaddrick (the last of whom has endorsed John McCain, but agreed to appear in the attack ad without telling McCain's campaign team) calling Bill Clinton a rapist, and Hillary Clinton a rape enabler as pictures of Bill and Hillary scroll across the screen. Bill, Jones and Lewinsky's testimony from the 1990's can be heard, before Wilder appears at the end saying that "America deserves better than someone who enables perverts as President".

The ad has drawn condemnation from across the Democratic Party.

Both of Wilder's endorsements, Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA) and State Senator/Former Representative Cleo Fields (D-LA) have rescinded their endorsements, and Scott issued a one-line endorsement of Clinton this morning.

Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) called for Wilder to suspend his campaign, stating that "even if Bill Clinton was a rapist, and even if Hillary Clinton did enable his behavior, what you are doing is the work of the Republicans by bringing up". Obama also suggested discreetly that Hillary should also consider suspending her campaign, stating that "she'll never earn my endorsement". When asked if he'd reconsider entering the race, Obama said he wasn't interested, as his work getting stronger Democrats to run was more important. He called on colleagues Joe Biden and Debbie Stabenow to enter the race instead.

[NewYorkExpress]

May 11, 2007

Frank Lautenberg to retire

Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), has announced his retirement, citing pressure from national party leaders who were concerned that the 82 year old Lautenberg would not finish out another term. So far, only Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan (R) has declared a candidacy for either party, but other candidates are expected to announce shortly.

Huckabee surrogate says President Bush should've "nuked Mecca" as retaliation for 9/11.

Former Louisiana State Representative and Mike Huckabee surrogate Tony Perkins, campaigning for Huckabee in Pensacola, told a crowd that President Bush should have retaliated for the terrorist attacks on 9/11 by ordering a nuclear strike on Mecca, stating that "Islam was to blame for 9/11".

President Bush condemned the remarks, stating that "nuclear weapons are not meant to be used to commit genocide", and that "Muslims at large are not to blame for 9/11".

Huckabee, speaking in Waterloo, Iowa, stated that Perkins's statements "were not my beliefs or the beliefs of this campaign".

John McCain, Mitt Romney and Hillary Clinton all issued press releases calling on Huckabee to end his Presidential campaign, while RNC Chairman Mike Duncan said that the RNC would be reevaluating whether Huckabee would be allowed to attend future primary debates.

May 13, 2007

Eliot Spitzer reaches plea agreement, will resign as Governor

Eliot Spitzer reached a plea agreement today with the New York County District Attorney's office today, pleading guilty to a single count of solicitation, and agreeing to resign as Governor of New York.

With Spitzer's resignation, Lieutenant Governor David Paterson will become Governor.

Rush Holt will run for the United States Senate

Representative Rush Holt became the first notable Democrat to announce a campaign for the open Senate seat held by retiring Senator Frank Lautenberg today.

So far, Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan is the only declared Republican, however, former New Jersey Commissioner of Insurance Kenneth Merin, U.S Attorney Chris Christie and State Senator Robert Singer are all publicly considering the race, with State Senator Thomas Kean Jr, also believed to be mulling a run.

Political analysts currently have the Senate race as Likely D, with Charlie Cook saying much depends on just who the Republican nominee is, and how deep the Democratic Presidential nominee's coattails are in New Jersey.

Beau Biden to run for Congress

Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden has announced a bid for the state's At-Large Congressional District today.

The incumbent, Mike Castle has not announced his plans for reelection, and already faces a primary challenge from his right in the form of activist and 2006 Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell, who launched her campaign back in February. Political insiders say Castle is likely to retire.

Major Political analysts currently have this race as a tossup, with Stu Rothenburg having it at Tilt D, stating the future of this race depends on whether Castle runs for reelection and wins his his primary.

Delaware At-Large Congressional District-PPP

Republican Primary

Mike Castle 54%
Christine O'Donnell 14%

General Election

Mike Castle (R) 46%
Beau Biden (D) 46%

Beau Biden (D) 55%
Christine O'Donnell (R) 22%

Poll conducted with 800 registered Delaware voters between May 19-22. Margin of error +/- 2.5%

May 15, 2007

John Edwards will run for Governor of North Carolina

Former Senator and 2004 Vice Presidential nominee John Edwards surprised some pundits by announcing a campaign for Governor of North Carolina today in a race where the incumbent Mike Easley is term-limited. Most political insiders expected Edwards to seek a return to the Senate, and challenge Elizabeth Dole, however Edwards told reporters that he would not seek a job that took him away from his wife Elizabeth, who has been diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer for extended.

Edwards currently faces no primary opposition, but Lieutenant Governor Bev Purdue is considering a run in either this race or the Senate race as is Treasurer Richard Moore.

For the Republicans, Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory is considering the race, pending his reelection, while attorney Bill Graham and State Senator Fred Smith have already announced their campaigns.

Political analysts consider this race a tossup, with Charlie Cook stating that while the climate may favor Democrats, they may be better off nominating someone other than Edwards, as the scars of his 2004 Vice Presidential campaign run deep.

May 16, 2007

Knesset passes legislation that restricts the right to vote to Jews only, prohibits non-Jews from serving in Israeli government jobs..

The Israeli Knesset passed a change to the Basic Law in Israel today, 112-8, with only the Arab parties, and a single Labor MK voting against the change.

The proposed change would restrict the right to vote in any Israeli election to Jews only, and prohibits non-Jews from serving in Israeli government jobs, including the army.

Several European countries, most notably, the United Kingdom and France have recalled their ambassadors, and an emergency meeting of the U.N Security council has been called by British Ambassador to the U.N, John Sawers. Acting U.S Ambassador Alejandro Wolff has promised that the U.S will veto any UN measure that criticizes Israel's actions, telling the New York Post that "non-Jews are a grave threat to Israel's security as a nation, because most non-Jews hate Israel for being a state that prides itself on being Jewish, spiritually and culturally."

[NewYorkExpress]

May 16, 2007

President Bush to recess appoint Colin Powell, J.C Watts.

With the Senate having midway through their Memorial Day recess, and not due to return to Washington until May 30, President Bush announced in a Rose Garden address that he was making a pair of recess appointments to fill two positions Senate Democrats had been blocking indefinitely.

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell has been given a recess appointment to the position of Secretary of Defense. Senate Democrats had pledged to block Powell's nomination until a pullout from Iraq was undertaken, with Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin stating that Powell "likely wouldn't get a hearing on his committee regardless of whether the troops were withdrawn".

Former Representative J.C Watts has been given a recess appointment as Ambassador to the United Nations. Senate Democrats pledged to block his nomination until troops were withdrawn from Iraq, and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joe Biden said that should a withdrawal occur he'd give Watts a hearing, but "it was unlikely he'd make it to the full Senate".

Dick Gephardt running for President

Former Representative Dick Gephardt launched a third Presidential bid this morning, after disappointing performances in 1988 and 2004. His announcement speech, delivered in St. Louis, was considered relatively mild in it's attacks on the front-runner, Hillary Clinton, instead reserving his harshest criticism for President Bush's attempts to privatize Social Security, and attacking Al Gore, the 2000 Presidential nominee, and a current candidate in this race, as a "hypocrite" on climate change.

Joe Lieberman says Islam isn't a religion, it's a terrorist lifestyle while campaigning for McCain.

Former Senator and John McCain surrogate Joe Lieberman put himself and McCain in hot water, when he told a group of donors in Kew Gardens Hills, in Queens, that "Islam isn't a religion, it's a terrorist lifestyle, and therefore isn't protected by the First Amendment." McCain's campaign manager, Steve Schmidt, stated that "Lieberman is expressing his own views on the subject, and that we not only disavow his comments, but his endorsement altogether".

Ibrahim Hooper, speaking on behalf of the Council on American-Islamic relations stated that the Republican Party was "hopelessly anti-Muslim, and should be outlawed forthwith" citing Lieberman's statements on behalf of McCain, as well as last week's comments by Huckabee surrogate Tony Perkins that President Bush should have nuked Mecca in retaliation for 9/11.

Politicians from across the spectrum criticized and Attorney General Rudy Giuliani stated to reporters that Lieberman's comments "in no way reflected any realistic American position".

May 17, 2007

Saudi Arabia expels American Ambassador following multiple anti-Muslim comments by American politicians.

Following the anti-Muslim comments of Tony Perkins and Joe Lieberman, it remained to be seen what the fallout would be in the Muslim world. Today, however, it's clear there will be at least some fallout, as Saudi Arabia expelled Ambassador James Oberwetter, and gave him and the entire staff at the United States embassy in Riydah 36 hours to leave the country, as well as recalling their Ambassador, Adel al-Jubeir, and the entire embassy staff of their embassy in Washington D.C.

In addition, according to a spokesman at the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, American Muslims would not be permitted entry into Saudi Arabia "for the foreseeable future" for any reason, including for the Hajj.

May 21, 2007

The New York Times publishes bombshell story revealing that Pervez Musharraf is involved in a conspiracy to conceal Osama Bin Laden's presence inside Pakistan.

The New York Times published a bombshell story this morning stating that Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, and top leadership in the Pakistani Army and Intelligence services were involved in a massive conspiracy to cover up Osama Bin Laden's presence in Pakistan from the United States. Citing a source in the Pakistani army, that stated that Bin Laden's hideaway had been in Abottabad as recently as August 2006, and that he was responsible for making sure Bin Laden's basic needs were met while he stayed in Abbotabad, and that the Army and Pakistani Government provided him with a budget to do so.

The Times also revealed that Musharraf used an elaborate campaign of deception to convince American officials that Bin Laden was not actually in Pakistan, and that he had either fled back into Afghanistan, or that he had fled elsewhere in the Middle East, including providing fake Bin Laden sightings across the Middle East to U.S officials and soldiers, and even having the Intelligence Service record fake videos purporting to be from Bin Laden, to establish that he was in another country.

Bin Laden's current whereabouts are unknown, as the army source says he left Abbottabad in January 2007, though he believes he is still in Pakistan.

[NewYorkExpress]

May 22, 2007

Democrats debate in Myrtle Beach, Pakistan target of outrage by many.

Democrats had their sixth Presidential debate earlier tonight at the Myrtle Beach Speedway. Let's run down how the candidates did:

Tom Vilsack: Called for an invasion of Pakistan, a position that was relatively popular with the Democratic field, and will be a popular position in the Republican next week. Also got mocked by Gore for his support of ethanol. B-

Douglas Wilder: Also called for an invasion of Pakistan. Suggested that Whites should have lost the right to vote after the Civil War, an assertion that was savaged by pretty much everyone else on the stage, and it's uncertain whether that will be a winner with African-American voters in the South. May have done in his own candidacy tonight. F

Al Gore: Cautioned against an invasion of Afghanistan, reminding voters of what happened in Iraq. Mocked Vilsack for his support of ethanol, but was hit by Cuomo for his shifting positions on Same-Sex marriage and Civil Unions. Responded effectively to the attack, finally revealing that he was in favor of same-sex marriage, but he might get labeled a flip-flopper in the future. B

Dick Gephardt: Joined the chorus calling for an invasion of Pakistan. Went as far as to suggest that if he got solid intelligence on Bin Laden's location, he would order a nuclear strike on that location, even if civilian casualties were to number in the "millions". F

Mario Cuomo: Suggested that crippling sanctions would be enough to force Pakistan to hand over Bin Laden.  Hit Gore for shifting positions on same-sex marriage, and made a general attack against the Clinton Administration for having "three Vice Presidents". B+

Hillary Clinton: Agreed with Cuomo about sanctions being more effective than an outright invasion of Pakistan. Stated that the recent severing of ties with Saudi Arabia should be made permanent. Otherwise ignored all jabs made at her. A

May 23, 2007

Manchester United wins UEFA Champions League

Manchester United won the UEFA Champions League, arguably the most prestigious club football competition in the world, today, defeating Arsenal 4-0, behind braces for Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo at the Olympic Stadium in Athens.

[NewYorkExpress]

Knesset passes legislation that restricts the right to vote to Jews only, prohibits non-Jews from serving in Israeli government jobs..

The Israeli Knesset passed a change to the Basic Law in Israel today, 112-8, with only the Arab parties, and a single Labor MK voting against the change.

The proposed change would restrict the right to vote in any Israeli election to Jews only, and prohibits non-Jews from serving in Israeli government jobs, including the army.

Several European countries, most notably, the United Kingdom and France have recalled their ambassadors, and an emergency meeting of the U.N Security council has been called by British Ambassador to the U.N, John Sawers. Acting U.S Ambassador Alejandro Wolff has promised that the U.S will veto any UN measure that criticizes Israel's actions, telling the New York Post that "non-Jews are a grave threat to Israel's security as a nation, because most non-Jews hate Israel for being a state that prides itself on being Jewish, spiritually and culturally."

No. That would never happen.

Israel has a thing called the Israeli Supreme Court. Non-Jewish Israelis HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE UNDER THE CONSTITUTION. You clearly either hate Israel or are uninformed.


[/quote]

It's not mentioned, but leading Arab and Druze individuals are filing a court challenge. I'd expect it to wrap up sometime in late 2007 or early 2008, so stay tuned for that.

[NewYorkExpress]

Also what happened to the appeal in the fanfiction lawsuit?

The Ninth Circuit overturned Judge Walker's ruling.

J.K Rowling has appealed to the Supreme Court, however, they have yet to announce whether they will take the case.