NRO:

I just learned that one of my oldest and dearest friends, Rich Nadler, died this morning at his home in Kansas City. Rich was many things: a high-school dropout, an autodidact, a traveling jazz musician, an ex-communist, the publisher of the late, great K.C. Jones, a hilarious movie reviewer, the head of the Missouri Taxpayers Watchdog Association, and a sometime contributor to National Review and, lately, the Corner. In the last years of his life he was, above all, a devout orthodox Jew and a devoted husband to Barbara.

He gave me my start in journalism and constantly encouraged me, even as we came to disagree on some matters. He was one of the most brilliant men I have ever known. Now there are a hundred things I won’t be able to talk or argue with him about. R.I.P.

From NRO:

“We are stunned at today’s news. As Christians we pray and look toward the end of all violence and for the saving of souls, not the taking of human life. George Tiller was a man who we publicly sought to stop through legal and peaceful means. We strongly condemn the actions taken today by this vigilante killer and we pray for the Tiller family and for the nation that we might once again be a nation that values all human, both born and unborn.”

From NRO:

NATIONAL RIGHT TO LIFE CONDEMNS THE KILLING

OF DR. GEORGE TILLER

WASHINGTON - The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the nation’s largest pro-life group, today condemned the killing of Dr. George Tiller.  The following statement may be attributed to NRLC Executive Director, David N. O’Steen, Ph.D.: (more…)

From Bottom Line Comm.:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 30, 2009
Mayor’s Statement on the City Clerk’s announcement regarding the recall petition:
Every day since I have been elected has been a challenge. Every issue I have tackled has had opponents. As I said in my State of the City Address, change is hard. My critics, the organizers of this effort, clearly do not like the status quo being challenged. But that is the reason I was elected to begin with. I plan to continue carrying out the agenda I laid out in the State of the City. (more…)

Source:

Nadler was the author of political biographies on Sen. Phil Gramm and commentator Pat Buchanan, and a contributor to such publications as the Wall Street Journal, New York Post, National Review, Policy Review, Insight Magazine, Education Reform News, and Human Life Review. In 2006, he co-edited the Daily Dispatch, a military blog reporting every weekday on the war in Iraq.
…
“Rich was always passionate about a side he took in any debate and well-prepared,” noted Kris Ketz, morning anchor on KMBC-TV9. “He was a good guy on and and off the set. Sad”
Nadler was the assistant B’al Koreh (Torah reader) at the Torah Learning Center of Overland Park, Kansas.

“Rich Nadler was a visionary always on the cutting edge of any subject he tackled. His knowledge was encyclopedic with an unsurpassed brilliance for extracting the last ounce of meaning from his carefully researched data.
“If there is a stereotype of the traditional Talmudic scholar, Rich epitomized its finest elements. I will miss him greatly.” — John Altevogt

John Nolte reviews the movie.

John Nolte:

1. Up - $20.5M Friday … $67M 3-day … $67M cume
2. Night at the Museum 2 - $7.5M Friday … $27M 3-day … $106.79M cume
3. Drag Me To Hell - $6.25M Friday … $16.5M 3-day … $16.5M cume
4. Terminator Salvation- $5M Friday … $16M 3-day … $90.5M cume
5. Star Trek - $3.7M Friday … $13.5M 3-day … $210.2M cume
6. Angels & Demons - $3.6M Friday … $12M 3-day … $105.56M cume
7. Dance Flick - $1.7M Friday … $5.2M 3-day … $19.54M cume

If these numbers hold, “Up” will open better than “Wall-E” and “Monsters and Aliens.”

Considering “Up” is fairly low concept and starring a 78 year-old man, this is beyond impressive. Word of mouth, rave reviews and the reservoir of goodwill Pixar’s built up over the years are making this a real audience-driven sensation.

As of Thursday “Terminator Salvation” is tracking almost to the dollar with “Terminator 3.” Figuring for inflation, this is a major disappointment, especially when Schwarzenegger’s last outing was considered an under-performer.

Rasmussen:

Most of us still think they’re out there.

Fifty-three percent (53%) of U.S. voters say it’s likely that intelligent life exists on other planets, including 28% who say it is Very Likely.
Thirty-five percent (35%) say it’s not very or not at all likely, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Twelve percent (12%) are not sure.

Politico:

Sonia Sotomayor may not have a long paper trail on hot button social issues, but in one area of the law-campaign finance-she has staked a position that could have far-reaching political consequences.

The clarity of her support for limits on campaign fundraising and her background as a pioneering campaign regulator is raising eyebrows among election law experts who say her record is more substantial and explicit than that of any Supreme Court nominee since the dawn of the modern, post-Watergate campaign finance regime.

NRO:

A commenter at the Weekly Standard Blog reminds us that the Democrats were very, very concerned about the association of John Roberts and Samuel Alito with that well-known extremist group, the Federalist Society.  So we know they’ll be equally interested in Judge Sotomayor’s past (and present?) association with La Raza, right?

An Email to Rich Lowry, at NRO:

First, Judge Valeriano Saucedo of the California courts, noted that, because of his experiences, he had a certain degree of understanding to Hispanic defendants, but “[t]hat does not mean that I apply a different standard of justice, because that is wrong.”

Speaking on the same panel, Judge Richard Paez (of the Ninth Circuit) was more emphatic, and emphasized that both juror and judge had a duty of impartiality.  Here are his extended remarks on the subject: (more…)

Sun-Sentinel:

TALLAHASSEE — A federal judge has thrown out Florida’s rules governing so-called electioneering groups, the shadowy political organizations known as “527s” on the national stage.

In striking Florida’s broad campaign-season reporting requirements, U.S. District Judge Stephan Mickle said the state had placed an unconstitutional burden on nonprofit organizations that want to discuss candidates and issues on the ballot.

The Broward Coalition of Condominiums, Homeowners Associations and Community Organizations brought the lawsuit forward, after the group ran into the reporting law when it tried to print a newsletter including information on candidates and constitutional amendments last November.

WSJ:

Communication gadgets and other consumer electronics burn up 15% of all the electricity consumed in households around the world, according to a new report from the International Energy Agency. If the use of electronics continues to spread at the current pace, their energy draw could double by 2022 and triple by 2030. At that point, they would absorb as much electricity as all houses in the U.S. and Japan today.

But are electric gadgets vampires or saviors? Telecommuters who would otherwise burn gasoline to get to work, or drivers who get to their destination quicker by using a GPS device are actually saving energy, argues the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. That’s a non-profit group sponsored by government agencies, utilities, and a variety of corporations.

From K-State:

News release prepared by: Katie Mayes, 785-532-6415, kmayes@k-state.edu

K-STATE PRESIDENT JON WEFALD RECEIVES ARMY’S OUTSTANDING CIVILIAN SERVICE MEDAL

MANHATTAN — Officials from the U.S. Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth honored Kansas State University President Jon Wefald today with the Department of the Army’s Outstanding Civilian Service Medal. The medal recognizes those not employed by the Army for their noteworthy support. (more…)

Source:

Republican Jay Fleitman, a physician and first-time congressional candidate, faces prohibitive odds in his planned 2010 challenge to 11-term Democratic Rep. Richard E. Neal in Massachusetts’ 2nd District.

But by staging the first Republican challenge to Neal since 1996 — that’s seven elections ago — Fleitman is acting on the obvious political truism that you can’t beat somebody with nobody.

Human Events asks 10 questions.

Rasmussen:

Eighty-three percent (83%) of Americans say it’s likely there will still be a need for the U.S. Postal Service in 10 years, even as increasing numbers pay their bills and send personal letters via the Internet. Fifty-one percent (51%) say it is Very Likely there will be such a need.

Just 14% say it is not very likely or not at all likely that the Postal Service will be necessary a decade from now, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

Fifty-seven percent (57%) of Democrats and pluralities of both Republicans (48%) and adults not affiliated with either party (45%) say Americans will still need the Postal Service in 10 years.

Those ages 30 to 64 are slightly less likely to agree than those older and younger.

….

Fifty-two percent (52%) of adults say they still pay most of their monthly bills by mail. Forty percent (40%) say they make the majority of their payments online.

Americans ages 30 to 49 already are slightly more likely to pay their bills online than to use “snail mail.” Well over half of those who earn more than $75,000 per year pay most of their bills via the Internet.

Pollster:

Public Policy Polling (D)
5/19-21/09; 798 registered voters, 3.5% margin of error
Mode: IVR

North Carolina

Obama Job Approval
51% Approve, 42% Disapprove (chart)

2010 Senate - General Election (all trends)
Sen. Richard Burr (R) 46, Elizabeth Edwards (D) 35
Burr 48, Walter Dalton (D) 29
Burr 44, Dan Blue (D) 33
Burr 47, Ricahrd Moore (D) 34
Burr 47, Bob Etheridge (D) 47
Burr 44, Heath Shuler (D) 28

Burr 42, Cal Cunningham (D) 34*

* Editor’s Note: This matchup is effectively an “informed vote” question, which followed biographical information from a previous question that stated “Cal Cunningham is a Democrat and former State Senator who fought in the General Assembly to invest in job training, education and protecting the environment. After September 11th, Cunningham joined the Army Reserves, twice volunteered for active duty and was awarded the Bronze Star for his efforts to have contractors in Iraq prosecuted for their crimes.” In February, Burr lead Cunningham 46% to 27% without providing biographical information on Cunningham.

Party ID
Democrat 47, Republican 32

Campaign Standard:

The latest news from the Florida GOP primary race: Mike Huckabee and Jeb Bush Jr. endorsed Marco Rubio yesterday, a nice gift to the former Florida state house speaker, who turns 38 today. Rubio had endorsed Huckabee back in December 2007, so it’s not a surprise that Huckabee decided to scratch Rubio’s back in return. While Jeb Bush’s Jr.’s endorsement isn’t the game-changer that his father could provide, it seems unlikely that Bush Jr. would have thrown his support behind Rubio without his father’s approval.

Meanwhile, Charlie Crist raised cigarette taxes and fees for motorists yesterday.

Campaign Standard:

It’s an honor just to be nominated, even if you’re nominating yourself:

“Let me throw this out: I’m the best writer of nonfiction prose in America today. I may be the only writer of nonfiction who’s even alive.”– Michael Wolff

USA Today:

Half of the men arrested in 10 U.S. cities test positive for some type of illegal drug, a federal study found.

Not only do the findings show “a clear link between drugs and crime,” they also highlight the need to provide drug treatment, says Gil Kerlikowske, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, which will make the data public Thursday.

Assessing offenders for drug and mental health problems and providing treatment is “important if you want to stop recidivism and recycling people through the system,” says Kerlikowske, who supports drug courts that offer court-ordered drug treatment.

“There’s an opportunity when someone is arrested to divert them to treatment if they need it,” says Bill Piper, director of national affairs for the Drug Policy Alliance Network, a group that supports legalizing marijuana and treating drug use as a public health issue. “But people shouldn’t have to get arrested to get treatment.”

Weekly Standard:

Remember when Barack Obama pledged he wouldn’t raise taxes on anyone who made under $250,000? Remember when the Tax Day Tea Parties were all a bunch of nonsense because Barack Obama had yet to raise anyone’s taxes? Perhaps the protesters were more prescient than they’re given credit for. (more…)

Charles Krauthammer in The Post:

Since the 2008 election, people have been asking what conservatism stands for. Well, if nothing else, it stands unequivocally against justice as empathy — and unequivocally for the principle of blind justice. (more…)

Politico:

A quick note to rising college seniors: Stick with the Kennedy quotes.

Among the innocuous quotes on Sonia Sotomayor’s yearbook page: “I am not a champion of lost causes, but of causes not yet won.”

The source: Norman Thomas, who ran for president six times on the Socialist Party ticket.

(Actually, Sotomayor, as a Princeton history student and politically active, probably knew the source better than most who pull it from Bartlett’s.)

Sarah Palin is on Twitter @AKGovSarahPalin.

Huckabee is on Twitter @GovMikeHuckabee.

HT Race42012.com