From Claremont:

The Claremont Institute is proud to welcome George F. Will to our dinner in celebration of the Claremont Review of Books.  The dinner will be held on Monday evening, June 8, 2009, at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica, California.  Mr. Will will receive the prestigious Salvatori Prize in the American Founding, and will be our featured speaker for the evening.

Schedule: General Reception 6:00 PM, Dinner 7:00 PM
Location: The Fairmont Miramar Hotel, 101 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA  90401
Dress: Business Attire

For ticket information and registration, please click HERE. We will send you a receipt and acknowledgement upon registration.  If you have any questions, please contact Marcia Shackelford at (909) 621-6825 x125.

From K-State:News release prepared by: Lea Studer, 785-532-3432, lstuder@amisuccess.com

K-STATE’S ADVANCED MANUFACTURING INSTITUTE HELPS TWO ST. GEORGE ENTREPRENEURS DEVELOP NEW PRODUCT THAT’S NOW ON THE MARKET

MANHATTAN — Two Kansas entrepreneurs have developed a special new smoker and grill, and Kansas State University’s Advanced Manufacturing Institute helped make it possible.

The Xtreme Smoker & Grill, created by Delmar and Steve Toburen, St. George, is now on the market — just in time for the summer barbecue season. (more…)

Orlando Sentinal:

“Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer this afternoon challenged Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa to a bet on the Magic-Lakers NBA finals.

Dyer prefaced his bet with an odd comparison to the battle between Superman and Lex Luthor. And he finished with an even stranger ante: naming rights to a Lake Eola swan and a year’s supply of Amway cleaning supplies, against a year’s supply of Staples’ office supplies and a visit from Dyan Cannon. (We warned you it was strange.)

The wacky folks at City Hall also produced a video of Dyer in magician’s hat and cape, waving his Magic wand (get it?) to banish the 76ers, Celtics, Cavs and, yes, the Lakers.

Here’s the letter sent to the Los Angeles mayor. No answer yet.

Benjamin Hodge at Race42012:

I’m scheduled to be on the Chris Stigall Show during the 6:30-7:00 a.m. (Central) period tomorrow morning, Friday, June 5.  I think it’ll be closer to 6:30 a.m.

Jack Cashill will be guest-hosting the program.

Click below to listen live on streaming radio (direct link; small box/radio opens)

(more…)

WSJ opinion.

Weekly Standard:

After two days of silence, President Obama issued a statement Wednesday on the shooting of two U.S. soldiers by a Muslim militant in Arkansas–but the White House didn’t even email the statement to its list of national reporters. Rather, the White House appears to have quietly released this statement to a local AP bureau in Arkansas (via Michelle Malkin):

“I am deeply saddened by this senseless act of violence against two brave young soldiers who were doing their part to strengthen our armed forces and keep our country safe. I would like to wish Quinton Ezeagwula a speedy recovery, and to offer my condolences and prayers to William Long’s family as they mourn the loss of their son.” (emphasis mine)

In contrast, the White House blasted a statement to reporters via email about five hours after news broke that third-trimester abortionist George Tiller was murdered on Sunday:

I am shocked and outraged by the murder of Dr. George Tiller as he attended church services this morning. However profound our differences as Americans over difficult issues such as abortion, they cannot be resolved by heinous acts of violence.(emphasis mine)

The contrast between Obama’s statements is striking: He’s “deeply saddened” by the murder of a U.S. soldier, but “shocked and outraged” by the murder of an abortionist? The murder of a U.S. soldier is a “senseless” act of violence but the murder of an abortionist is a “heinous” act of violence?

Obama musters up moral outrage to denounce the wicked deed committed in Kansas, but seems almost resigned to the tragedy or “man-caused disaster” that occurred in Arkansas.

Why the different treatment of the two acts of terrorism? As Michelle Malkin wrote earlier today:

When a right-wing Christian vigilante kills, millions of fingers pull the trigger. When a left-wing Muslim vigilante kills, he kills alone. These are the instantly ossifying narratives in the Sunday shooting death of Kansas late-term abortionist George Tiller versus the Monday shootings of two Arkansas military recruiters.

Weekly Standard has the text.

That’s the headline from the Drudge Report on Wednesday.

Jim Geraghty asks “Huh?”:

Tonight at 9 p.m. Eastern, I’ll be asking Cam Edwards of NRANews whether we’ve entered Bizarro World.

RCP:

The poll was conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research (May 26 - 27, 400 LV, +/- 4.9%), which concluded “the three candidates are neck-and-neck-and-neck.” Moran leads with 29%, followed by Deeds with 27% and Terry McAuliffe with 26%.

The pollster also noted that McAuliffe receives the highest unfavorable rating — 41% have a favorable opinion of him and 24% negative. Both Deeds (45%/14%) and Moran (44%/12%) have higher favorable and lower negative ratings than McAuliffe.

Jim Geraghty reports:

Lonegan, in his concession speech: “I congratulated Chris Christie on his astounding effort in his victory… We have built a movement.” After citing some victories by political allies in races for lower office, he said, “This is just the beginning, folks. America is an ongoing revolution.”

“We have to be united in one cause: We have to beat Jon Corzine… We must come together as one. It’s up to us to join together and take this state in the right direction. It’s up to us. We can still do it. Yes, we will.”

NRO:

We didn’t actually meet in person until a few weeks ago, at the same Council on National Policy meeting in D.C. where Rich (L.) saw him. Rich (N.) came up to me after a panel I was on - and yes, I did wonder who let the Trotsky-looking dude in - and was so kind, so engaging, and seemed so determined to make a positive contribution to our nation. Which he did.

Many Corner readers may only know the name Rich Nadler because of the recent immigration debates he started, or reignited, with his magazine piece. The passion he displayed in those debates typified Rich Nadler. And not just on one issue. He knew he had some influence over some things. And whatever opening he had, he went for, because he loved his country and was here for a reason.

I think Rich’s efforts made the immigration debate better. I think he made people around him better. He engaged. And his was a life well lived.

Times:

Republicans plan to use the government takeover of General Motors Corp. as ammunition in their bid to defeat congressional Democrats next year, saying its a glaring example of big government intrusion into the marketplace that will rankle average voters.

They said the bankruptcy arrangement, which President Obama announced at the White House on Monday, is doomed to entangle politicians in business decisions that are outside their expertise.

NY Times:

This development bears watching, as the left wing of the Democratic Party keeps going after top lawmakers within its own realm. This time, it’s the health care issue on which advocates for President Obama’s agenda (and well beyond that) have begun eating their own. (more…)

Rasmussen:

Thirty-one percent (31%) of U.S. voters believe the economic stimulus package passed earlier this year has helped the economy. That’s down from 34% who thought it would help in late February and 38% who held that view when it first passed earlier in the month. (more…)

Union Leader:

Gov. John Lynch signed the bills just after 5:20 p.m. before dozens of enthusiastic supporters of same-sex marriage.

New Hampshire’s law takes effect Jan. 1.

HB 73, compromise legislation demanded by the governor, was passed by a vote of 14-10 in the Senate and 198-176 in the House today. HB 73 (text), was an add-on to the gay marriage bill itself, HB 436 (text), and to HB 310 (text), which made technical changes to the main bill. (more…)

Source:

The government has no reason to regret its murderous crackdown during “the political storm at the end of the 1980s,” a foreign-ministry spokesman in Beijing told reporters last month. “China has scored remarkable success in its social and economic development. Facts have proven that the socialist road with Chinese characteristics that we pursue is in the fundamental interests of our people.” (more…)

Politics Nation:

“John McHugh has served his constituents, the Congress, and the men and women of our Armed Forces with integrity for the past 16 years. While I’m disappointed we’ll be losing him as a member of our Conference, I congratulate him on his nomination to be Secretary of the Army. His work on the Armed Services Committee has made him one of our nation’s foremost military experts and advocates, and his experience will be invaluable as Secretary of the Army, particularly as our nation continues to fight terrorism and other global threats to our security. I thank John for his years of service and wish him all the best during the confirmation process and in his new position.”

RCP has details.

Rasmussen:

Forty-eight percent (48%) of all voters have a favorable opinion of Sotomayor, virtually unchanged from 49% a week ago. However, the number with an unfavorable opinion has grown from 36% a week ago to 44% today.

Twenty-one percent (21%) now have a Very Favorable opinion, up a point from last week.

Twenty-three percent (23%) hold a Very Unfavorable view, up six from a week ago.

Forty-eight percent (48%) hold their views less firmly. Among this group, Democrats are more likely to say they Somewhat Approve while Republicans Somewhat Disapprove.

Forty-six percent (46%) believe that Sotomayor is politically liberal while 37% view her as a moderate. A week ago, those figures were 43% and 32% respectively.

TV Week:

New “Tonight Show” host Conan O’Brien got off to a rousing ratings start Monday, crushing CBS’s “Late Show with David Letterman” and generating strong sampling.

O’Brien’s debut notched a 7.1 rating/17 share in Nielsen’s 56 overnight metered markets, the best Monday metered markets for the “Tonight” franchise in four years. “Tonight” outdrew “Late Show” (2.8/7) by a wide margin, and beat the combined average of the CBS broadcast and a repeat of ABC’s “Nightline” (2.7/6)/ “Jimmy Kimmel Live” (1.2/4) by 154 percent, NBC said.

Compared to what “Tonight” had been averaging in the most recent quarter, O’Brien boosted ratings by 82 percent. He also improved on his final edition of “Late Night” (2.6/8) by 173 percent.

RCP:

If you haven’t already, I highly recommend reading a couple of pieces from dramatically different viewpoints on George Tiller that appeared on the RCP front page today:  Melissa Harris-Lacewell and George Jonas. Once you’ve read those, then read this and tell me who has the better argument.

Redstate:

Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad, 23, aka Carlos Bledsoe, told police that he shot two U.S. Army privates with the intent to kill them Monday because he was a practicing Muslim, and he was angered by what the American military had done to Muslims in the past. He also told officers that if more soldiers been on the parking lot with the victims, he would have shot them too. (more…)

Jim Geraghty:

“American voters say 55 - 36 percent that affirmative action should be abolished, and disagree 71 - 19 percent with Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayer’s ruling in the New Haven firefighters’ case, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. More than 70 percent of voters say diversity is not a good enough reason to give minorities preferential treatment in competition for government or private sector jobs, the independent Quinnipiac University survey of more than 3,000 voters finds.”

RCP:

A survey released this morning by PPP finds Deeds leading with 27%, followed by Terry McAuliffe with 24% and Brian Moran 22%. With a quarter of voters still undecided and turnout expected to be extremely low, the race has to be considered even between the three candidates — but with the amount of money McAuliffe has raised and Moran’s years of public service in populous Northern Virginia, that in itself is a feat.