Bruce McQuain from Blackfive joined us once again for Someone You Should Know, our weekly tribute to the troops. Bruce spent 28 years in the U.S. Army and he is a veteran of the Vietnam war. He brings a perspective and understanding to these stories that we could never match.
This was never more true than tonight. Bruce told us about his family, which includes both of his parents who served, along with his own children who are serving now. Bruce shared what this day means to him as well as a recent trip to he took Arlington National Cemetery. This was one of my all time favorite SYSK’s.
The Someone You Should Know radio collaboration began as an extension of Matt Burden’s series at Blackfive. Bruce does an incredible job with the series every week. The Pundit Review Radio Podcast RSS feed can be found here.
What is Pundit Review Radio?
Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to your radio every Sunday evening from 8-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.
About six weeks ago we told you the story of Kevin Dupont from Chicopee, MA. Kevin is a 52-year old Army National Guard soldier who volunteered to go to Afghanistan. He was severely injured in an IED explosion while riding in a humvee. He suffered expensive burns and he was fighting for life at US Army Burn Center at Brooke Army Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. His friend, MA State Police Sgt. Jim Deyermond, returned tonight to give us an update on Kevin’s condition. It has been an emotional rollercoaster for Kevin, his family and friends. On Kevin’s website at CaringBridge,there is a message board with hundreds of comments of support and encouragement. Kevin’s wife Lisa posted an update tonight that closed with this hopeful passage,
His surgeon made quite a interesting statement yesterday , he stated, I’ve learned my lesson with this guy, I am never giving up on him again. Just when you think he’s down and out, boy he comes right back, time after time…….
Kevin faces a long and difficult rehab. If you are able to donate to a charitable fund set up for Kevin’s long-term care, you can do so at:
Blue Skin Foundation
256 Doyle Road
Holden, MA 01520
Subscribe to the Pundit Review Radio podcast here.
What is Pundit Review Radio?
Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking†by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to your radio every Sunday evening from 8-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.
We’ve been following Dylan Desilva and his organization Cape Cod Cares For Our Troops for about four years now. Every year Dylan hosts his big two-day fundraiser in Hyannis featuring all branches of the military. For the past two years I had the pleasure of taking the entire family. It is quite an event. Unfortunately I was not on the Cape this year, but I did get to speak to Dylan tonight and hear how the first day went. For starters, he raised $12,000 in cash donations. Did I mention that Dylan is 16 years old?
Cape Cod Cares for Our Troops
1831 Long Pond Road Brewster, MA. 02631
(508) 896.6424
capecod4thetroops@comcast.net
Subscribe to the Pundit Review Radio podcast here.
What is Pundit Review Radio?
Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to your radio every Sunday evening from 8-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.
President Obama has been doing what he does best this week, reading The Prompter and lecturing America. His theme this week is upholding America’s values and moving away from the torture policies of the evil Bush administration. From his National Archives speech on GITMO,
We uphold our most cherished values not only because doing so is right, but because it strengthens our country and keeps us safe. Time and again, our values have been our best national security asset in war and peace; in times of ease and in eras of upheaval.
Byron York at the Washington Examiner says “Obama’s shallow rhetoric” is getting tiresome. Sure is. It is also exposing him as a rhetorical fraud of Clintonian proportions. Having followed Barack Obama for a few years now, it is clear that his words are meaningless. The difference between his words and deeds, remember? So, while he’s busy lecturing us about our moral failures and shortcomings, guess what Mr. Restore our Reputation in the World is doing,
U.S. Relies More on Aid of Allies in Terror Cases
WASHINGTON — The United States is now relying heavily on foreign intelligence services to capture, interrogate and detain all but the highest-level terrorist suspects seized outside the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, according to current and former American government officials.
The change represents a significant loosening of the reins for the United States, which has worked closely with allies to combat violent extremism since the 9/11 attacks but is now pushing that cooperation to new limits.
In the past 10 months, for example, about a half-dozen midlevel financiers and logistics experts working with Al Qaeda have been captured and are being held by intelligence services in four Middle Eastern countries after the United States provided information that led to their arrests by local security services, a former American counterterrorism official said.
Hmmmmmmmmm. What’s the word I’m searching for here….
As Hot Air notes, this is the second Bush terror policy despised by the left that has been adopted by Obama in three days. Oh the horror! Hey Hollywood, it’s time to greenlight Rendition II, The Obama Chronicles! After all, who could forget that dissent is the highest form of patriotism! I’m sure the Sunday morning talk shows will be filled with outraged liberal media pundits and Democratic politicians who are seething that our country and her cherished values are “outsourcing torture“. Riiiiiight. This reminds me of something I read earlier this week at Don Luskin’s blog, The Conspiracy to Keep You Poor and Stupid. While you enjoy the Sunday morning silence from Hollywood, the media and the left in general at the evil rendition and torture policies of the Obama administration:), ponder this question…
…had made a joke at the expense of the Special Olympics, would you have approved? …had given the Queen of England an iPod containing videos of his speeches, would you have approved?
…had bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia, would you have approved?
…had visited Austria and made reference to the non-existent “Austrian language,” would you have brushed it off as a minor slip?
…had filled his cabinet and circle of advisers with people who cannot seem to keep current on their income taxes, would you have approved?
…had ordered the firing of the CEO of a major corporation, even though he had no constitutional authority to do so, would you have approved?
…had proposed doubling the national debt, which had taken more than two centuries to accumulate, in one year, would you have approved?
…had then proposed doubling the debt again within 10 years, would you have approved? …had promised detailed tracking of the spending from a $785 Billion Stimulus Bill and then postponed that oversight until 2010, would you approve or would you think something “smelled fishy”? If Bush had promised 48 hour advance posting of the same bill on the internet and only released it two hours before congressional approval, would you wonder what was being hidden from the public?
had been “addicted” to using a TelePrompTer, and was afraid to give a speech without having one, would you have approved ? Would you think he was intellegent? had pre-approved/pre-picked the list of reporters allowed to ask questions at his press conferences and refused to call on the correspondent from MSNBC (FOX with Obama), would you have approved? Is that a Fair and Balanced news conference? and a Republican Congress had given hundreds of millions of dollars to a group (the right-wing equivalent of ACORN) after its members had been convicted of voter registration fraud, would you approve of them to doing the 2010 Census, which will determine congressional districts for 10 years? Will you trust ACORN in 2010?
If Bush’s White House Staff had spent over $300,000 flying Air Force One low over New York (for a publicity photo flyby with the Statue of Liberty) frightening the city, wouldn’t you have expected Bush to make the pictures public? Would you have approved? Obama won’t give them up, but he will release the secret “torture memos”.
Would you have approved of George W. Bush moving the Census from the Dept. of Commerce into the White House and putting his Chief of Staff in control of the counting?
Obama’s done all this in 14 weeks — so we still have three years, eight-and-a-half months full of surprises ahead of us.
I had the honor of speaking to retired Lt. Col. Oliver North about his new book American Heroes: In the Fight Against Radical Islam
Most people hear the name Oliver North and think Fox News or a bit further back, Iran-Contra. What is largely forgotten is the fact that this man is a combat decorated Marine. His awards for service in combat include the Silver Star, the Bronze Star for valor, and two Purple Hearts for wounds in combat. If you’ve ever listened to our Someone You Should Know segment, you know what kind of courage and bravery it takes to be awarded medals like that.
American Heroes: In the Fight Against Radical Islam:
What is a hero? Oliver North says, “Real heroes are selfless. Those who serve America in harm’s way in the war against radical Islam have that quality in abundance. And so do their families and loved ones at home. Yet, they rarely get the attention or coverage they deserve . . . I never cease to be amazed at the self-discipline of these brave young Americans. They can endure the adrenaline-pumping violence of enemy engagement, and then, just minutes later, help school children get safely to their classes . . . No nation—ours included—has ever had a military force better than the one we have today.”
In American Heroes, North offers an inspiring, first-hand account of the extraordinary men and women defending America against radical Islamic terror from his perspective as a forty year member of the United States military, a member of the National Security Council staff and serving as the U.S. counter-terrorism coordinator from 1983-1986. This patriotic book also pulls in the very latest reports and exclusive full-color photographs from War Stories, the award-winning FOX News Channel series hosted by North.
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What is Pundit Review Radio?
Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week we give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to your radio every Sunday evening from 8-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.
Biden Reveals Location of Secret VP Bunker
The vice president, well-known for his verbal gaffes, confirms at a dinner the existence and location of a secret hidden bunker that Cheney is believed to have used after the 9/11 attacks.
According to a report, while recently attending the Gridiron Club dinner in Washington, an annual event where powerful politicians and media elite get a chance to cozy up to one another, Biden told his dinnermates about the existence of a secret bunker under the old U.S. Naval Observatory, which is now the home of the vice president.
The bunker is believed to be the secure, undisclosed location former Vice President Dick Cheney remained under protection in secret after the 9/11 attacks.
Eleanor Clift, Newsweek magazine’s Washington contributing editor, said Biden revealed the location while filling in for President Obama at the dinner, who, along with Grover Cleveland, is the only president to skip the gathering.
According to Clift’s report on the Newsweek blog, Biden “said a young naval officer giving him a tour of the residence showed him the hideaway, which is behind a massive steel door secured by an elaborate lock with a narrow connecting hallway lined with shelves filled with communications equipment.”
Clift continued: “The officer explained that when Cheney was in lock down, this was where his most trusted aides were stationed, an image that Biden conveyed in a way that suggested we shouldn’t be surprised that the policies that emerged were off the wall.”
Viva La Experience!
Here’s a list of 14 amusing yet cringe-worthy “Bidenisms” made during the vice president’s more recent political career.
— On March 13, 2009, Biden addressed a former Senate colleague by saying, “An hour late, oh give me a f**king break,” after he arrived on Amtrak at Union Station in Washington, D.C. The vice president’s expletive was caught on a live microphone.
— During a Feb. 25, 2009, interview on CBS’ “Early Show,” Biden encouraged viewers to visit a government-run Web site that tracks stimulus spending. When asked for the site’s web address, Biden could not remember the site’s “number.”
“You know, I’m embarrassed. Do you know the Web site number?” he asked an aide standing out of view. “I should have it in front of me and I don’t. I’m actually embarrassed.”
— At a Jan. 30, 2009, swearing-in ceremony of senior White House staff, Biden mocked Chief Justice John Roberts for his presidential oath blunder on Inauguration Day.
“Am I doing this again?” Biden said, after Obama asked him to administer the oath. When Biden was told the swearing-in was for senior staff — and not cabinet members — the vice president quipped, “My memory is not as good as Justice Roberts,” prompting a stern nudge from Obama.
— On Inauguration Day, Jan. 20 2009, Biden misspoke when he told a cheering crowd of supporters, “Jill and I had the great honor of standing on that stage, looking across at one of the great justices, Justice Stewart.” Justice John Paul Stevens — not Stewart — swore Biden in as vice president.
— When criticizing former GOP nominee John McCain in Athens, Ohio, on Oct. 15, 2008, Biden said, “Look, John’s last-minute economic plan does nothing to tackle the number-one job facing the middle class, and it happens to be, as Barack says, a three-letter word: jobs. J-O-B-S, jobs.”
— In a Sept. 22, 2008, CBS interview, Biden misspoke when he said Franklin D. Roosevelt was president when the stock market crashed in 1929.
“When the stock market crashed, Franklin D. Roosevelt got on the television and didn’t just talk about the, you know, the princes of greed. He said, ‘Look, here’s what happened,” he said. Herbert Hoover — not Roosevelt — was president in 1929, and television had not yet been invented in 1929.
— During a Sept. 12, 2008, speech in Columbia, Mo., Biden called for Missouri State Sen. Chuck Graham, who is wheelchair-bound, to “stand up.”
“Oh, God love ya,” Biden said, after realizing his mistake. “What am I talking about?”
— At a Sept. 10, 2008, town hall meeting in Nashua, N.H., Biden said, “Hillary Clinton is as qualified or more qualified than I am to be vice president of the United States of America. Quite frankly, it might have been a better pick than me.”
— Biden mistakenly referred to Alaska governor Sarah Palin as the “lieutenant governor” of her state during a town hall meeting on Sept. 4, 2008 at George Mason University in Manassas, Va.
“I heard a very, by the way I mean this sincerely, a very strong and a very good political speech from a lieutenant governor of Alaska who I think is going to be very formidable, very formidable not only in the campaign but in the debate,” Biden said.
— Biden said he was running for president — not vice president — during a Sept. 1, 2008, roundtable discussion in Scranton, Pa.
“Today is the moment for me as a United States senator running for president to put aside the national politics and focus on what’s happening down there,” Biden said.
— Biden referred to John McCain as “George” during his vice presidential acceptance speech on Aug. 27, 2008, at the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Co. “Freudian slip, folks, Freudian slip,” he explained.
— Biden confused army brigades with battalions when speaking about Obama’s plan for sending troops to Afghanistan.
“Or should we trust Barack Obama, who more than a year ago called for sending two additional combat brigades to Afghanistan?”
— During his first campaign rally with Obama as his vice presidential running mate on Aug. 23, 2008, Biden introduced Obama by saying, “A man I’m proud to call my friend. A man who will be the next President of the United States — Barack America!”
— On Jan. 31, 2007 — the day Biden announced his presidential bid — the Delaware Senator was roundly criticized for calling Obama “the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that’s a storybook, man.”
In the new issue of The New Republic Michael Lewis has a long, entertaining review of Alice Schroeder’s The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the business of life.
There is now a long shelf of books about Warren Buffett, but this is the first time he has gone to any trouble to add to it. Reportedly Buffett now regrets his decision–he has apparently put some fresh distance between himself and his official biographer. If so, it’s not hard to see why.
As I noted in February, “If Buffet is pissed about the book, I’m not surprised.”
Lewis, whose writing on all things financial is always tremendous, continues,
Alice Schroeder is a former Morgan Stanley research analyst, able to understand and to explain Buffett’s money-making, but she declined to confine herself to the business at hand. She has sought to describe Buffett’s psychological landscape as clearly as his financial one. For the reader, the results are pretty terrific–there are not a lot of 838-page narratives that leave you wanting more–but for Buffett they are no doubt upsetting.
Over his long and admirable career, the famous billionaire has been shockingly honest about who he is and what he does. Now along comes this first-time author who insists on seeing his pleasant honesty and raising it, painfully. Even worse: she’s a woman! Buffett has a long and happy history of admitting attractive, intelligent women into his life, which Schroeder describes without mentioning how neatly she fits into the pattern. These women have invariably felt the need to shelter and to protect their man, and to subordinate their own needs to his–until now. Buffett should have known better: you should never completely trust a writer. Especially if she is any good.
Alice Schroeder’s not just a great writer, she’s a great interview. Alice was on Pundit Review Radio last December and it was a real pleasure to talk with her about this terrific book.