Deborah Kay Corey

The Olympics in China obviously have people excited. But, the event also raises the hackles of people who remember Tianamen square in 1989. One thought is that it seems that no matter how bad the Chinese economic policies are or how much the U.S. distrusts their government-the fact that they have money now from their fusion communist and capitalist policies makes them someone to respect. It seems the days of the U.S. protesting the way the Chinese treat their citizens are over.

Anyways, the email below came in from my friend Kin Ming Liu in Hong Kong about the upcoming Olympics in China.. He is a Chinese journalist who once lived in Washington, DC and moved to Hong Kong a few years ago. It is an email within an email. Here is the email:

Hello, I'm forwarding a message from my good friend Ellen Bork. Use this map if you are visiting Peking. Many thanks. Best, Kin-ming Dear Friends, With all of the attention being paid to Beijing and the Olympics, two friends and I thought a little attention might be diverted to another major event in the city's history. Using information provided by Ding Zilin and the Tiananmen Mothers, Philip Chalk, a graphic designer, Tian Jian, a student protester in 1989, and I put the identified victims of the June 4, 1989 massacre on an English language map. Here is a link: www.massacremap.com There's a little more at the site that explains the information and why we felt it was important to provide it. Best, Ellen

This blogger is busy, so why not let someone else do the work for a change? Try this blog post below.

DNC: Hillary Clinton is not the VP pick

By James Pindell

While they probably did not intend it this way, the Democratic National Committee just stated that New York Sen. Hillary Clinton will not be Barack Obama's pick for vice president.

In recent months there was a growing sense that Obama would pick someone other than his one-time Democratic rival for the nomination. A website developed by two former Clinton aides, voteboth.com, even stopped their efforts to put the two together because they were convinced it would not happen.

But in announcing the line-up for the Democratic National Convention in Denver today, the DNC made it official for the first time. On Tuesday night, Hillary Clinton will be given the prime time keynote speaking slot. On Wednesday the same time will be given to the vice presidential pick. Two different people on two different nights.

This does not preclude Obama from picking Clinton anyway though it would be a little odd that a convention he is essentially running on would reverse itself in such a dramatic way.

Hmm, keep in mind the Democratic National Convention is August 25-28, 2008. And the Republican National Convention is on September 1-4, 2008.

Kashmir Problems. A friend once said that Kashmir was so beautiful he could understand why India and Pakistan fought over it. It is probably more correct to say that the area is simply a symbol for the tension between India and Pakistan, Muslims vs. Hindus mostly....it was only 2003 when the two countries were freaking everyone out at the idea of potential nuclear war. Does anything ever change??? One would have been hesitant two weeks ago, to even bring the subject up...Iran, Iraq, Israel's problems, the Chinese, India vs. Pakistan, Russia....

Things have gotten rather spicy over August this year. The U.S. is going to spend resources to help calm things in Georgia. Maybe the President does not want Putin to get the idea that he can do whatever just because the U.S. is engaged in Iraq or that the U.S. has an election going on at the moment. And one cannot forget the Olympics either....as they draw attention away from the rest of the world.

And the Dems have revealed that Mark Warner will be the Dems keynote speaker on the second night of the Democratic Convention. Mark Warner is probably one of the most charismatic Democrats in the country...and he hasn't been sullied by controversy unlike some other people...

The John Edwards saga keeps going on and on about his relationship with that woman. It seems the most common complaint is from the people who were close to him that feel betrayed by his rock star behavior. Didn't anyone learn anything from the Clinton scandal? Celebrities of any kind dally when they choose to and being only human do it far too easily....
Check out this tidbit from The Enquirer. While any article could be false and untrue, if in fact Edwards continues to see Rielle Hunter and her baby because the baby probably is his child...and supposedly his wife knows about the affair...is it possible that she told him it was okay? Is it possible that the two of them have some deal because surely Elizabeth Edwards does not have to put up with him having a continued affair...um, but if the baby is Edwards' and it's hard to believe it is really the child of his campaign staffer, that would explain continued contact with Hunter..maybe it's worse than that though, maybe John and Elizabeth have an arrangement because of her condition....it makes you wonder...

It's the Friday Fry Up! The weather has been lovely and fall like in Washington, DC this week. It's a good time to get out and take a walk! Although many people are simply out of town... things have been interesting in the news. Somebody needs to remind the world it's August, because things have just been soooo interesting...

John Edwards thought he would hide his affair in the August heat, the PR strategy was to let the news out at a time when no one would care or notice, not so golden boy. Everyone has noticed...he is like a child confessing right before a big party (The DNC convention) thinking his parents would not notice or have time to punish him.

Let's be blunt after reading all the information about the affair it seems like this: Elizabeth found out about the affair, thought about divorcing her husband for a.) the stupidity of having an affair during a campaign b.) having an affair c.) having it with a twit d.) all of the above. But she did not because she found out her cancer was coming back and she decided the kids needed her more during this time since Daddy is a jerk. And life will be hard enough for her kids when she passes on.....if she does not survive this round of cancer. In the meantime, John Edwards has continued the affair with Rielle most likely, maybe he has just kept contact because she is the mother of his child, but in light of recent events he probably just continued the affair. Two things, Rielle will one day tire of telling him that he is Gandhi and the relationship will end and more important his other kids will grow up to hate him. Moving along...

Readers may have noticed a lack of posts on the Polireport this week. That is because this blogger has been on vacation this week, so get over it. It's hot, it's August..people go on vacation in August in DC.

However, this blogger has been doing some home hunting and received this weird email as a response to her Craig's List post.

Mjbusk2@aol.com to hous-808048596 show details 3:41 PM (58 minutes ago) ** CRAIGSLIST ADVISORY --- AVOID SCAMS BY DEALING LOCALLY ** Avoid: wiring money, cross-border deals, work-at-home ** Beware: cashier checks, money orders, escrow, shipping ** More Info: http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html

Would you be interested in sharing my home as a roommate with Benefits, Free rent :-) South of the Beltway?

Note the email address Ladies, note it the email address. See these are the kind of men we get here in the capital.

So, this past week-end Obama's campaign sent out an email at 3:00 a.m. on Friday night or you could say early Saturday morning...this blogger was on a train headed home at 2:00 a.m. tracking the issue through a friend's blackberry. The question hung in the air, would the email still be sent that night? Isn't that sort of crazy??? The issue was discussed off and on all night at various events around town, will Obama pick Biden? Unfortunately, this blogger got off the train at 2:30 a.m. just in time to miss the email at 3:00 a.m.

In fact, the whole story is much more sordid and dramatic if you read this article. What was the point behind the 3:00 a.m. email? Was it a political blunder? Or an immature way of flipping the bird at rivals? Saturday Night Live did a number of skits over the past year that said essentially Obama could not handle the pressure of making major decisions at 3:00 in the morning like most older more experienced Presidents have in the past. In fact, the skits said that he would have to call someone like Hillary for help...

Tonight is the second night of the DNC convention and Hillary is speaking...this blogger would be lying if she said the drama was not exciting to any viewer. It is easy to imagine the general bitterness and teeth baring that goes on in this type of situation. Delicious! The polireport will comment.

And the ACU decided to send out a press release on their plans for the Republican Convention:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, August 26, 2008 7:30 AM

CONTACTS IN MINNEAPOLIS:
Larry Hart 202-550-5018 or Brent Littlefield 877-441-5795

ACU Releases A Conservative Agenda for America's Future
While the Denver Assembled Liberal Party Features Liberal Activists like Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Big Labor on Stage, the American Conservative Union Gathers with Republican National Convention Platform Committee Members in Minneapolis to Push for Conservative Agenda

Minneapolis, MN – The American Conservative Union, the nation's oldest, largest and leading grassroots conservative organization today is releasing in Minneapolis a platform blueprint entitled A Conservative Agenda for America's Future.

The Agenda, which is the culmination of more than two months of work gathering conservative opinion, will be distributed this morning to Members of the RNC Platform Committee who are assembling in Minnesota to begin the RNC's Platform deliberations.

"We have gathered the opinion of tens of thousands of citizens from throughout America and they are included in the Conservative Agenda for America's Future," said ACU Chairman David Keene, "We hope and expect that this document will serve as a blueprint for RNC Platform Committee Members as they begin their work to finalize the RNC Platform."

Among its highlights the Agenda calls for responsible drilling in ANWR and the promotion of additional energy sources, abolishment of the Alternative Minimum Tax, reduced government spending and the elimination of earmarks, true choice driven health care reform, and tighter border security and law enforcement.

The ACU platform Agenda drive is being Chaired by Arizona Republican Congressman John Shadegg. Rep. Shadegg is being joined in Minneapolis this morning by ACU Chairman David Keene, ACU Vice Chairman Don Devine, ACU Executive Vice President Dennis Whitfield, ACU Government Relations Director Larry Hart and other members of the ACU team. All will be distributing and pushing for ACU's Platform blueprint.

Tens of thousands of American citizens have expressed their opinion through ACU surveys, town halls and petitions. Those opinions became the core of the Conservative Agenda for America's Future.

The ACUF, the American Conservative Union Foundation, hosts the annual CPAC gathering attended by more than 10,000 conservatives from around the nation. ACUF also publishes the annual conservative score rankings of Members of Congress. Established more than forty years ago, ACU continues to be the home of conservative thought in the nation's capital.

The Conservative Agenda for America's Future being released this morning can be viewed at: http://conservative.org/pressroom/2008/Platform_Final080826.pdf

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Last night Hillary spoke at the DNC convention in Denver, CO. Her speech was strong and she definitely gave a performance, whether it was really for Obama or herself is anyone's guess. It was certainly good for her party and good for her. Tonight Bill Clinton will speak and this blogger will try not to get sick. Oh well. It seems that those who supported Hillary need to get over the past, that is a tall order. And well what about those of us who can't get over the 90's with slick Willy?

Whatever, there are rumors that McCain will pick a V.P. by or on Friday this week. Possible contenders are: Joseph Lieberman and Mitt Romney that stand out the most. It's hard to see McCain working with Romney because they competed so hotly with each other. But he has so much experience working with Lieberman in the U.S. Senate that it almost seems a clinch. They are best buds so to speak. It's just that...

Bill Clinton spoke last night at the DNC convention, it was a blast from the past, any viewer could find themselves taken back to the 90's. Moreover, Clinton is such a good speaker that he wows anyone with an understanding of what it takes to deliver a speech so well and with so much charisma. Any professional can appreciate his skills as a speaker even if one might think he is about as genuine as an infomercial. He did what needed to be done to support the party and Barack Obama last night. Is it enough after the weird race baiting he played while his wife was running for the job? Who knows.

Clinton ran the expected cards in his speech, America is not doing well as a leader in the world, the American dream is no longer happening...didn't he say that in the 90's to get elected? It must resonate with people because rehashing the idea seems to work. He named off all the current problems: job losses, credit card debt, spike in gambling, overburdened military, a rise in the amount of drug and human trafficking..he certainly got some current problems right..

It's the last Friday of August, an August to give it credit that has not been as hot and dirty as most in previous years. In fact, this August may be the nicest in a decade in Washington, DC. Whatever. This Friday is too exciting to talk Fry Up. Let's talk about the Republican Vice Presidential pick, because it is coming today!

Talk about stealth moves, in all the writing this week, over the past months and year Alaska Governor Sarah Palinhas only come up today as the probable nominee for Vice President. Tim Pawlenty has revealed in uncertain terms that he is not the candidate.

With an announcement scheduled in Dayton, Ohio, an associate of Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty said the governor had been informed he is not McCain's pick.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak for Pawlenty, who had all but ruled himself out.

"I'm not going to be there. I plan to be at the state fair. You can draw your conclusion from that," Pawlenty said on his weekly call-in radio show on WCCO-AM in Minneapolis. He also called it "a fair assumption" that he will not be McCain's running mate.