THE TYGRRRR EXPRESS

The terrorist and the apologist joined hands and started a love train.

The murderer vowed to continue murdering, and the Zionist victim interviewing him thanked the murderer for his graciousness.

The Jewish newsman gave the Holocaust denier the platform to spread his bile.

As my friend Evan Sayet has said on many occasions, Larry King Live is an oxymoron. I have said that Larry died 20 years ago, and nobody told him. Nevertheless, in the spirit of the movie “Weekend at Bernies,” Larry King’s corpse was wheeled onto the stage, where his spirit asked warm and lighthearted questions of a mass murderer.

Iranian Terrorist and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad spent the day in New York attending an anti-semitic rally, known as a United Nations forum. While the world leaders did not chant about death to America or Israel, they did sit silently and allow Armageddonijad to spread his lunacy.

Armageddonijad then decided that he needed a forum to air his views where he would not be challenged. While nobody has hard evidence that Larry King ever asked Adolf Hitler if he preferred the Whopper or the Big Mac, he did have a chance to share warm fuzzies with the man who dreams of inflicting the next Holocaust.

Below is the best of the worst of the interview.

LK: “Do you like being in New York?”

He could not say he liked coming to New York. Larry never got to ask him if he preferred the Yankees or the Mets, or what he thought of the Joe Torre situation.

MA: “Hostility is not coming from our end. We want friendly relations. Hostility is one sided from American politicians.”

LK: “Are you controversial?”

Larry at that point was handed a memo indicating that water is wet, bears actually do take care of their business in the woods, and despite rumors to the contrary, the Pope is a practicing Catholic. Larry then debated whether to consult with Barbara Walters and ask her what kind of tree she would be.

Come to think of it, Armageddonijad should go on “The View.” The imbeciles can all talk and laugh together in their hatred of George W. Bush. He can let them know how terrible it is that women are oppressed in America. Joy Behar will indignantly agree at the top of her leftist lungs.

MA: “Never has the Iranian nation taken a misstep against another nation. We are for peace and are friendly with others. The only war against us was Saddam Hussein, and the U.S. supported that.”

Yes, we played both sides. I was disappointed the day the 1988 Iran-Iraq war came to an end. Thank you Ronald Reagan for keeping Israel safe, by allowing the enemies to murder each other instead.

MA: “Defending our nation does not mean we infringe on the rights of other nations.”

He could not say he was happy the U.S. took out Saddam even though he hated Saddam.

He and Palin were both mayors. How charming. He did not state he would meet with her.

MA: “The U.S. incited Saddam to attack Iran.”

The left really should give this warm furry fella a big socialist hug. After all, he keeps reciting the talking points of the Democratic Party.

MA: “Our religion teaches us to be against weapons of mass destruction. The atomic bomb has lost its use in political affairs. The bomb did not keep the Soviet Union intact. It did not help America win in Afghanistan and Iraq. Can it save the Zionist regime?”

At this point Larry King donned his Captain Obvious superhero outfit.

LK: “What do you mean by wiping Israel off the map?”

Somebody please buy the man a dictionary for his birthday. The phrase is rather literal. This is different from a less literal sentence, such as the fact that nobody watches CNN. I really did have nothing to do last night.

MK: “We oppose the Zionist regime because of peace and justice.”

I oppose the Iranian President and wish that we would shove a grenade up his hide and pull the pin while he is visiting the world’s only simian opthamologist, Bashar Assad of Syria.

He then pretended to care about the Palestinians.

MA: “Three big wars were started by the Zionist regime, the last one in 2006 when they attacked Lebanon. Our solution is a humanitarian one. The Palestinians must determine their own fate.”

LK: “Why not sit down and talk with Israel?”

Larry then taught Armageddonijad the lyrics to “Kumbaya.”

MA: “The Zionist regime is an uninvited guest in the Middle East.”

Somewhere at a violent peace rally Medea Benjamin orgasmed and ruined her new Code Pink Protester Panties.

MA: “The Apartheid regime of South Africa, The Soviet Union, where are they today? It was not talking, it was resistance. This Zionist regime is fundamentally illegal.”

LK: “You don’t want to see Israelis die. Do you?”

To think my grandfather and father escaped Nazis to see another liberal Jewish apologist share cookies and milk with a murderer of Jews.

http://hiram7.wordpress.com/2008/09/24/protesting-adolf-ahmadinejad-at-the-united-nations/

http://michellemalkin.com/2008/09/25/unholy-alliance-mahmoud-and-left-wing-religious-leaders/

MA: “When we speak of disappearance, crimes, murder, and terror must disappear. Our solution is humanitarian and democratic.”

Only a naive fool working at CNN could believe such nonsense.

LK: “Does Israel remain Israel?”

MA: “Let the people decide.”

I am a person. I decide we turn Iran and SYria into 50,000 hole golf courses.

MA: “The root cause of the problem is the others that came and harmed the Palestinians.”

This guy wants to explore phony root causes of crime. Maybe he is a liberal. I wonder if democrats would vote for him over George W. Bush. I wonder who they hate more.

MA: “We must allow for free elections in Palestine.”

We had them, and terrorists were elected.

LK: “Do you wish the Jewish people harm?”

MA: “There are Jews in Iran. Zionists are not Jewish people. They have no religion. They wear a mask of religiosity. How can you be religious and occupy lands of other people?”

LK: “Do not Zionists come from persecution?”

MA: “No one is allowed to freely discuss the history. Let more research be done on that history. Even if it did happen, it did not happen in Palestine, it would have happened in Europe. Why should the Palestinians be victimized? The Jews can be given Alaska.”

Oh good. Now we know that despite protesting to the contrary, he dislikes Sarah Palin. After all, hates Jews, and wants them to be placed in her state. This guy might be leading the current demagoguic party in secret. How come we never see Armageddonijad and Nancy Pelosi in the same room at the same time? Khalid Sheik Mohammed turned out to be Rosie O’Donnell. Stranger things have happened.

LK: “Do you have any concerns about the future of your country?”

MA: “I have no concerns. The worst thing the U.S. Government can do is attack us. Israel is much smaller. Have you visited Iran?”

LK: “I am planning to visit next year.”

Isn’t it illegal for American citizens to visit Iran? I am nevertheless thrilled that Jewish Larry King would bypass Israel, which depends on tourism, for Iran, which finances terrorizing tourists.

LK: “Do you have human rights problems in Iran? Do you deny that there are homosexuals in your country?”

MA: “God’s rules are to improve human life. In our religion, this act is forbidden.”

So is murder.

LK: “What happens to gay people?”

MA: “Are you concerned for 70 million Iranian people or a few hundred homosexuals?”

MA: “It will benefit everyone if the U.S. leaves Iraq. The U.S. must limit its excursions to the United States alone.”

LK: “If you could go anywhere, what would you like to see in this country?”

MA: “California and Los Angeles.”

Yes, the land of fruits and nuts would welcome him. Perhaps UCLA Hillel could invite him for an interfaith dinner (I attended USC).

After being asked about his family, Armageddonijad announced that he sired three future terrorists.

LK: “You don’t look old enough to have married children.”

Yes he does. Larry King has not been the same since Martha dumped him at the altar for George Washington.

Larry King found the interview “illuminating.”

The only thing that should be illuminated is the part of Tehran containing the Mullahs.

Larry then had a heart attack on stage. Armageddonijad let him die before harvesting his organs. He took Larry’s heart and lungs, had them coated in steel ball bearings, and used them as miniature bombs to be dropped on Israel. Armageddonijad then blamed the Jews for the attack since Larry is Jewish.

Ok, so I made the last part up, but it was not any more nonsensical than the idea of this interview.

The moment this animal steps on American soil, well placed sharpshooters should be ready to take him out. This man was one of the animals responsible for the taking of American hostages for 444 days in 1979. Given that a democrat was in the White House at the time, we did nothing to respond to the terrorism.

Now those on the left do less than nothing. We interview them on television and treat them like they are Hollywood Celebrities. Then again, that would explain Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins planning a fundraiser for his 2010 democratic congressional primary. Barbra Streisand will be singing for him, which might be the one thing that might make him finally crack.

Sean Hannity interviewed Ambassador John Bolton last night as well, proving that intelligent discussion does still exist, just on Fox News, not CNN.

eric

At the 2008 Republican Convention in Minnesota, I had the pleasure of meeting Former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland Michael Steele.

http://www.gopac.org/chairmanscorner/bio.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_S._Steele

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7wjJyMDUH0

Despite his lighthearted manner, Michael Steele is no Pollyanna. As a republican who happens to be black, he has seen the ugliness of ideological bigotry. He has had Oreo Cookies tossed at his feet. this was not done by conservatives.

Nevertheless, he keeps his head level and his disposition ultra sunny. Below are some of his comments that had the crowd rollicking at the convention.

“Are you ready to party in this house tonight?”

“We need a leader who understands the meaning of hard work and self sacrifice.”

“We need somebody who leads for the public interest, not the glamour for public applause.”

“Do you want to put country first?

Drill, baby, drill, drill now!”

“Do what keeps us safe, not what is politically correct. Let’s win the war on terrorism.”

“Associations, who you hang out with, does matter.”

“The corruption of our school systems leads to the weakening of our families.”

The crowd erupted, and fed off his passion. He was exuberant when I met him as well.

With that, I present my “walk and talk” interview with Michael Steele.

1) What are the most important issues of 2008?

MS: “The economy and energy. We have to get off of foreign oi, and that means doing everything, including drilling right here, right now.”

2) Who are your 3 favorite political heroes?

MS: “Frederick Douglas, Abraham Lincoln, and Ronald Reagan.”

3) How would you like to be remembered 100 years from now? What would you want people to say about Michael Steele the person?

“I was someone who gave a d@mn.”

4) The democrats play identity politics. Given that the republicans are the party of John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, and Michael Steele, and the democrats are represented by Barack Obama and John Edwards, are the democrats bigoted against the follically challenged? Can John McCain finally crack the glass ceiling in the modern era? Is America ready for a bald President?

(Governor Steele cracked up, and was fabulous about answering the question.)

MS: “Absolutely! The democrats absolutely are prejudiced against the follically challenged! The republican party represents everybody. Yes, we can elect a bald guy President. Yes we can, yes we should, and yes we will elect bald John McCain the next President. That question was the question of all questions. Excellent question. I love it.”

Mr. Steele then turned to his handler, whose job is to get the Governor through the throngs without being slowed down, and said, “Get that guy’s information. Get his business card!”

He shook my hand vigorously, gave me a healthy pat on the back, and laughed on his way to the elevator. I ran into him a couple more times thorughout the convention, and he waved to me and smiled a wide grin.

As I said, his manner was affable, sincere, and fun. It was a pleasure meeting and interviewing Michael Steele because of his incredibly likable personality.

Also, for those who claim that America is racist unless we elect a black President right now, I say that they should put up or shut up, and get to work on helping Michael Steele reach the White House after John McCain and Sarah Palin finish their terms.

I will drill this message into the heads of people. If others request I take an easier approach, I will just respond as only Michael Steele can.

Drill, baby, Drill!

eric

The Tygrrrr Express is in Las Vegas, attending Blogworld Expo.

While I am learning how to be a better blogger, today’s column is not my own.

When people ask me where I get my information, I tell them that I listen to people that know what they are talking about.

One of my readers, Eagle 6, knows what he is talking about.

Below are two stories from Iraq as of a couple days ago.

My team went on a Humanitarian Assistance visit a couple weeks ago. We had
hundreds of pounds of rice we were giving to a community, and we thought it
would be great because the Iraqi Army was in charge of handing it out, and
since the Mayor was also there, it was an opportunity for him to gain status
within the community. Ignorant of our arrogance, we neglected to recognize
that in a democracy, even a fledgling one, everybody has a vote. As we
parked in the open area to make the delivery, two local mullahs came out and
began screaming at the Mayor for being a traitor and friend to the
“occupying infidels”. The Mayor responded with an equally harsh rebuttal.
Soon, there was a large crowd of military-aged males forming groups of
threes and fours, and the Mullahs and Mayor continued yelling, spitting,
shaking their fists, and piercing one another with angry eyes and bulging
throats…

Finally, the Mayor called for the arrest of the two Mullahs, but prior to
being led away, the Mullahs ordered their people to not touch the food.
They were taken to jail, yet released later in the day.
Meanwhile, the angry young men formed a semi circle around the Iraqi Army’s
grain-filled vehicle, arms across their chests, daring the locals to take
needed food from the invaders or their traitorous Iraqi Army supporters…
Ah, but for the compromise and love of youth and innocence… a young
black-haired girl, 7 or 8, skipped between two of the hard-hearted Iraqi
young men and placed a tentative hand on a 25 lb bag of rice… knowing she
couldn’t carry it, she looked beyond the band of belligerence and spied what
was likely an older brother… a slim young man of about 12 or 13 also
slipped through and assisted his sister with the bag, and other youths then
made their way to the truck, as Iraqi Soldiers and adolescent young men and
women off-loaded the bags of rice and took them home.

Future operations will include visits to local Mullahs to articulate
Coalition Force involvement in the area. Rather than having Quick Reaction Force,
snatch and grab, and combat-oriented Soldiers in this Area of Operations, we are an
enhanced Military Transition Team supplemented with a team of Civil Affairs,
Human Contact Team, Provisional Reconstrcution Team, and Explosive Ordnance Detail
elements. Our stated role in life is to mentor the Iraqi
Army. Since we have also assumed control of this Forward Operating
Base, some of our implied tasks are also to manage Sons of Iraq contracts, maintain
the Reconciliation Program (a program designed to allow former informants and others
“on the edge” to work for the police, Army, of Sons of Iraq) , assist with the “hold/build”
phases of the strategy via CA and PRT, and serve as a referee in City Council and Joint
Security Meetings.

What really makes this story and our interaction with the locals a hoot and
a challenge is this: part of the Mayor’s neck is missing from surviving an
IED blast outside his home last year. Two of his brothers were killed by Al
Qaida. Conversely, his first cousin is the head AQI leader in his town, and
this Al Qaida Iraq (AQI)’s brother is the principal contractor for all major construction in
the same town (hired by the Mayor), and the other brother is a teacher and
lead recruiter for local AQI… So the Mayor is not just playing both ends
against the middle – he’s doing a three or four dimensional dummy dip
dance… But if there’s a positive side, he was able to maintain order by
arresting the local Mullahs in public.

We went to a Memorial Service for an Iraqi Captain who was killed along with his driver via an IED about a month ago. We had been conducting a recon of our Traffic Control Points, Observation Posts, and command posts in support of an operation we supported, and the enemy waited for our heavy vehicles to pass prior to detonating against his light-skinned vehicle.

I had intended to attend the funeral, but fortunately, something else came up. I understand the family ripped into the battalion commander pretty hard, so our presence would have exacerbated an already explosive environment. The family since apologized to the Bn Cdr, and we were welcomed to the Memorial Service.

It was gut-wrenching. There was a podium on the carpeted stage and round glasses containing unlit, multicolored candles lined the front of the stage. Separate packets of wooden matches were placed alongside each glass-encased candle. I had the misfortune of choosing a candle with a short wick, so under the watch of hundreds of eyes boring into my back, I couldn’t light it…and just as my fingers’ flesh began burning, it lit…so I impulsively blew the match out and put it on the carpet in front of me…at which time the match stick glowed and began smoldering the carpet…and I had blown the candle out with the match…so while I struck another match, the glowing stick of the other match kept smoldering, so while I was lighting the candle, I simultaneously pushed my thumb down on the embers, trying to put it out…both my thumbs are blistered now, but the candle was lit, and the building survived.

The ceremony began with a gentleman singing “dirges in the dark” but without the upbeat background of American Pie… haunting melodies with women weeping loudly in the background. Then a gentleman recited a poem describing the life of Sayed Mahmoud, and I didn’t need to know the language to understand the heartfelt tribute to a true hero. They played videos and snapshots in time of this young Captain, with music playing…and women wailing, and men standing at attention, somber at the loss of a brother. Although many of the Iraqi Soldiers were on leave in various parts of the country, they gave up their leave to crowd the place with brothers-in-arms paying their respects to a fallen Soldier. The Mayor invited us to supper afterwards… the Ministry Of Interior rep asked us to meet… and people lined up to shake our hands and give us their blessings. It sounds flippant to say that this death of a Soldier, this sad occasion is a sign of success in Iraq, but when we can celebrate with former enemies, we are one step closer to unity.

eric

At the 2008 Republican Convention in Minnesota, I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle.

http://hawaii.gov/gov/governor/biography

http://hawaii.gov/gov/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_Lingle

I have always been a fan of hers. Governor Lingle is a Jewish republican. It still astounds me that a place with few Jews and few republicans would elect her. Maybe I should not be astounded. Thrilled is a better word.

I visited Hawaii in 2006 and 2007, attending the Pro Bowl both years. I wanted to meet her, but that is the busy time of year for the legislature. The closest I got was the front row at the 50 yard line of the Pro Bowl. She flipped the coin on the field to start the game.

Governor Lingle has a deep commitment to her Jewish faith. The local Chabad Rabbi is Rabbi Krasynyanski, who sometimes prays with her. The hotel I stay in when I visit Hawaii is the Ala Moana. The Chabad House is located in that hotel, allowing me to pray with Rabbi Krasynyanski as well.

http://www.chabadofhawaii.com/

Governor Lingle is a rock star in Hawaii, and definitely a rising star in the Republican Party. Out of 33 bills that came before her in the last legislative session, she vetoed 27 of them, signing only 6 of them. As a conservative, I admire her. As I said, as a Jewish conservative, her being in office is a thrill.

Before getting to my interview with her, I just want to express that while the outpouring of affection for Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is well deserved, I am shocked that Linda Lingle does not get the same amount of attention. She would have also made a fabulous Vice Presidential nominee. Hopefully a future ticket will have her on it.

Linda Lingle gave a fabulous speech in support of Sarah Palin at the convention. Below are some of the highlights.

“Mere words, no matter how eloquent, will never replace decisive action and real results.”

“Sarah Palin is a leader and a winner.”

“Being a Mayor in Hawaii or Alaska is outstanding preparation for higher office. People in Hawaii and Alaska will tell you that we are doing just fine.”

“Sarah Palin lacks experience? The other side has no experience! Zero!”

“The other side has never managed a multi-billion dollar budget…or managed anything for that matter.”

“Mayors and Governors are CEOs.”

“Alaska was criticized by some as a small state. Alaska has the same number of electoral votes as Delaware. You can fit 250 states the size of Delaware into Alaska.”

I have to admit that I really wanted to meet her. Even as I was ending my last evening at the convention, I had lamented that despite doing over 50 interviews with many Senators and Governors, I had not interviewed her.

For those who wonder why her in particular, the reason is cultural. I am deeply committed to my religious faith and my political beliefs. I take great pride in seeing Jewish republicans succeed. Arlen Specter and Norm Coleman are fine Senators, and Eric Cantor is one of the top members of the House.

Yet Linda Lingle is a Jewish Republican Governor. I want to see a Jewish President in my lifetime. I want that Jewish President to be a republican. Governors get elected far more often than Senators.

As a member of the Republican Jewish Coalition Leadership, I can tell you that it is more than just getting republicans elected. It is about bonding with other Jews. That is why it is not the Republican Catholic Coalition.

My friend Larry Greenfield, the California Executive Director of the RJC, was the one that persuaded me to attend the convention. On the third night of the convention, I told him that I was having a wonderful time, but I still wish I could have interviewed Governor Lingle.

Later that night, after Sarah Palin gave a speech that electrified the entire planet to the left of Leon Trotsky, the crowd spilled out into the halls. I was a fish swimming upstream. As I tried to get past the herds and reach the convention floor, I wondered who my next interview would be.

Among the throngs, I ran into Larry Greenfield. He said, “Hey buddy, have you met Governor Linda Lingle?”

Larry knew I would be wide eyed. He had a genuine look of happiness on his face, as if to let me know that when he is standing before God and wants testimony, I would be happy to vouch.

He then turned to the Governor and said, “This is Eric. He is a Jewish republican blogger. He gets a ton of traffic.”

I was surprised she did not have a bunch of security around her. Then again, they may have gotten swallowed up by the crowd. I told her that I was a big fan of hers, and mentioned praying with Rabbi Krasynyanski. She was very receptive, and expressed her admiration for him as well.

I also let her know that my mother is active in her local Chabad in Florida, and that my mom cried when reading about the Governor. My mom was just very inspired. The Governor was touched by this.

As for doing a “walk and talk” interview, it was more like a “try to stand up and not get crushed and repeat the questions over the yelling throngs” type of interview. Nevertheless, the Governor was quite gracious. Also, even though I was not appointed by anybody, I tried to protect her to make sure that the crowd did not crash into her. I was walking ahead of her up the stairs, and backwards. That way I could make sure she was ok.

Despite the chaos, the interview was completed, and both of us reached our destinations safely.

1) How does a nice Jewish republican woman become Governor of Hawaii, a state not known for Jews or republicans? How did you get elected?

LL: “The key is to work hard. I have a good team around me. People know that I care. Also, I ran at the right time. There was a corruption scandal in Hawaii at the time. Hawaii is a democratic state, so the democrats were the ones linked to the corruption. I am a reformer and a fiscal conservative.”

2) Does Judaism in any way apply to your job?

LL: “My upbringing gives me empathy for others.”

3) Who are your 3 favorite political heroes?

LL: “I have heroes, but my main heroes are personal. My grandmother is my hero.”

4) What are the most important issues of 2008?

LL: “Security. This involves national security and the economy. Economic health is economic security.”

5) How would you like to be remembered 100 years from now? What would you want people to say about Linda Lingle the person?

LL: “As somebody who tried to do the right thing for America. Again, as somebody that worked hard with a good team around her. As somebody who cared.”

As we were finishing, I saw a crevice near the railing that provided daylight from the throngs. I moved out of the way so her staff person could usher her to a quieter area.

I wished the Governor goodbye and then completely reversed gears, walking back towards the convention floor, where I was initially headed.

I skipped Hawaii in 2008, but will go back in 2009. It will again be for the Pro Bowl, meaning that the legislature will be in session. Nevertheless, I will send regards through Rabbi Krasynyanski, and very warm regards they will be.

eric

At the 2008 Republican Convention in Minnesota, I had the deeply humbling honor of meeting and interviewing Lieutenant Colonel Orson Swindle.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orson_Swindle

http://www.hunton.com/bios/bio.aspx?id=16727

While Colonel Swindle has had a distinguished career in the military and in government, he will probably be most remembered by many as the Vietnam prisoner of war that once shared a prison cell at the Hanoi Hilton with Senator John McCain.

One of the reasons McCain is so respected is because he has that difficult to define quality known as “gravitas.” Colonel Swindle has gravitas. Anybody can give a political speech. Colonel Swindle is a testament to a truly great human spirit. I cannot begin to fathom his strength of character and courage.

Colonel Swindle was escorting fellow POW Colonel Bud Day to an interview when I approached them. Colonel Day is 85, and while Colonel Swindle is not a young man, he and his wife kept a wall around Colonel Day to keep him from getting jostled by the crowd.

For those who have not heard the story, Colonel Day was brutally beaten and tortured, as were Colonel Swindle and Senator McCain. Colonel Day pleaded with John McCain to rebreak his arms and set them properly. McCain did not want to do this, but Colonel Day insisted. McCain broke his arms, and reset them using bamboo. Today Colonel Day has the use of his arms.

Regardless of political affiliation, true greatness is found in men like Colonel Swindle, Colonel Day, and Senator McCain. We are free because of them.

Below is my interview with Colonel Orson Swindle.

1) What are the most important issues of 2008?

OS: “This is about the Presidency. It is not America Idol. This is real, not imaginary.

Major issues in this campaign are education, the economy, and Social Security.

We need a leader to bring people together and get things done. John McCain is a leader.

John McCain has dozens of character representatives. I am one of them. People will put it all on the line and tell you what kind of man John McCain is. Name 5 people that are willing to do the same for Barack Obama.

John McCain is proven. He’s been tested. He has integrity. He is an intellectual. He offers loyalty. He has courage.”

2) Who are your 3 favorite political heroes?

OS: “Ronald Reagan. Ronald Reagan. Ronald Reagan.”

3) You spent 7 years as a prisoner of war. How did you get through it? How did you survive?

OS: “During the tough times…it was mostly tough times…you just hang on. That’s all you can do. You hang on. You don’t give up. You can’t give up. You are driven not to give up. It’s your sense of honor.

That, and you pray to God.”

4) How would you like to be remembered 100 years from now? What would you want people to say about Orson Swindle the person?

“He made a difference.

Ronald Reagan once said, ‘Most people spend their lives wondering if they made a difference. Marines don’t have to wonder.’

I’m a marine.”

I was too choked up to ask any more questions. I am in awe of the man.

I thanked him for his time and his service, but it was not enough.

Thank you again Colonel Swindle. God Bless you sir. I’ll tell you what I told John McCain when I met him, and what I tell every veteran I ever meet.

Thank you, and welcome home.

Welcome home sir.

eric

I am a creature of Wall Street, and proud of it.

I have been in the financial services industry for almost 15 years. I wanted to be a stockbroker before I even knew what that meant, thanks to Alex P. Keaton on “Family Ties.”

I believe that anything business can do, government can do worse. Virtually everything except for the military should be privatized. Social Security should certainly be privatized.

I am a creature of Wall Street. My firm has an office on Wall Street. I work there from time to time.

I am a rah rah cheerleader for corporate America. I believe that what is good for big business is good for America.

Therefore, if you are a big business…and I don’t like you…then nobody likes you.

If you are Wall Street…and I am not defending you…then nobody should defend you.

Before getting to the recent financial inconvenience (it is not a meltdown or a crisis, so I refuse to call it that), keep in mind that the left in this country knows nothing about business. They would destroy every business if they could, because they believe business is evil.

Not all CEOs are corrupt plutocrats. CEO pay is not out of control.

Jack Welch, the former CEO of General Electric, was the gold standard for executives. Some criticized the fact that he received a golden parachute of about one billion dollars. Some people feel that no CEO deserves that much money.

That uneducated argument is nonsense. Jack Welch took a 14 billion dollar a year company and turned it into a 500 billion dollar a year company. Therefore, a one time payment representing approximately 1/5 of 1% of the companies revenues is quite reasonable.

What is not reasonable are when CEOs get paid for doing a lousy job. Michael Eisner received millions at Disney as the stock languished for a decade. AFter the tragic death of Frank Wells in a helicopter crash, Eisner was rudderless. The Ovitz debacle, where a 90 million dollar severance package was given to a man that was fired after 14 months, was Eisner’s undoing.

Another awful CEO that should never be on television is Carly Fiorina, the former disaster that headed up Hewlett Packard. John McCain should get as far away from this woman as possible. I never thought I would ever agree with Paul Begala, a man that is rarely right about anything. Yet he was absolutely correct when he pointed out that Carly Fiorina was incompetent. The Compaq merger was a debacle, and she fired 18,000 people, drove the stock price down, and was deservedly fired.

Yet Carly Fiorina and Michael Eisner are geniuses compared to some of the current CEOs on Wall Street. Neither of them destroyed their companies totally. Maybe they would have if they had been given more time, but this did not occur. As is usually the case with Wall Street, the system worked.

Where the system is not working is with the current bailout climate.

Investing in any financial product outside of U.S. Treasury Bills involves the risk of loss of investing principal. Risk is the concept of moral hazard.

Since the beginning of time, people have looked for riskless investments. Attempts have been made t remove the moral hazard from investing. This only makes matters worse.

The 1987 stock market crash nearly brought down the entire U.S. financial system. It was much more serious than the situation today. The 1987 crash was the result of too many people trying to use “portfolio insurance” to protect themselves from market downturns. Portfolio insurance was just a fancy way of describing a strategy of using options, which are risky themselves. The options were meant to be the equivalent of “stop loss orders.” Any trader will let you know that stop loss orders are not worth the paper ticket they are printed on.

When companies and individuals do not feel that there is a moral hazard to their decisions, they simply take bigger risks. What keeps individuals and companies in check is the notion that their actions could have adverse consequences.

This brings us to the notion of bailouts.

There may be a situation where a government bailout of a corporation is justified, but I cannot think of one. Companies should simply be allowed to go bankrupt.

http://michellemalkin.com/2008/09/24/illegal-immigration-and-the-mortgage-mess/

Most human beings have to depend on themselves or their families. If I fall on hard times, I do not receive a bailout. When tough times hit, I or most small businesses do what  should be done. Costs are cut, and acquisitions are delayed or denied.

Airlines are a prime example. Now they blame the high price of fuel oil. Before that they blamed 9/11. Before that they blamed the Ides of March, one eyed Jacks,  suicide Kings, and any number of  mythical excuses to  hide an unavoidable truth…the CEOs did lousy jobs. Thankfully, the government did not bail these pathetic excuses for companies out. The government let them sink or swim on their own. The government was right.

For some reason many on Wall Street should be rewarded no matter what. Wall Street absolutely should be rewarded for bringing in sky high profits. Multi-million dollar bonuses do not bother me in any way. However, incompetence should not be rewarded.

The government bailed out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. This was wrong.

The current crisis began because a bunch of home owners bought homes they did not understand and could not afford. It was not greedy lenders. It was greedy individual buyers. I have nothing but contempt for these people because I do not own my own home. I would love to own my home. Property in Los Angeles is simply too expensive. Do not buy anything if you cannot afford it or do not understand it. I do not understand real estate, and what little I know tells me that the prices are higher than what I can afford. Therefore, I do not buy real estate.

Americans are hooked on credit. The President said America is addicted to oil. Americans are addicted to credit. I own a 55 inch big screen television. I bought it factory refurbished after doing some research and getting a warranty. I paid $800, not $8,000. I drive a 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass Siera. I paid $2,000 for it. I own it outright. No, it is not a fancy car. It is not sexy. On the rare occasions I have a high class function in another city, I rent an expensive rental car. I still come out ahead.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac simply took insane risks. The reason they did this is because they believed that the government would bail them out. These companies should not have existed to begin with, but try making that political argument. After all, what is the purpose of government if not to guarantee all Americans housing?

When these companies failed, the Federal Reserve should have burned the financial village. They did fire the CEOs, and they did take over the two entities, but this was not sufficient. They should have sold them to private corporations. Incentives could have been provided, but the current bailout only encourages further bad behavior.

The Fed got it right with Bear Stearns. The Bear Stearns situation was not a bailout. JP Morgan bought the company at a fire sale price. This was a smart business decision by JP Morgan, which has largely steered clear of the current inconvenience. Some lamented that Bear Stearns ceased to exist. After all, it was such a venerable institution. So what? So were my grandparents. We all die.

Then Lehman Brothers crashed. The Fed got it perfect. They basically told Lehman Brothers to (redacted) itself. Imagine that, an adult corporation being forced to take responsibility for their own actions.

Wall Street was making spectacular profits as little as a couple years ago. The stock market hit an all time in 2007. The problem was that some of the risks necessary to achieve these products was excessive. Some of the companies were leveraged to the hilt.

Merrill Lynch is being bought at a fire sale price by Bank of America. This is positive. Merrill Lynch had a choice of either being acquired or collapsing like Lehman. The CEO of Lehman refused to accept life as anything other than an independent firm. Pride wenteth before the fall. Luckily the CEO of Merrill Lynch did not have the emotional connection that plagued the CEO of Lehman. The CEO of Merrill was new to the firm. He would rather walk away then command a sinking ship.

Some will blame corporate greed, the culture of deregulation, and republicans all over the world for this tragedy. Those people do not know a stock from a bond from the inside of their own orifices, so answering them is unnecessary.

No government regulation can force people to obey moral hazard. What governments can do is reward companies for ignoring moral hazards.

The best example of a non-scandal was Enron. Enron was a corporate scandal, but not a government scandal. The critics of the President believed that he was corrupt because he was from Texas, and so was Enron. I am sure these same people ignore the fact that Jeffrey Dahmer and Barack Obama both had roots in Illinois.

Enron was simple. They went to the government and asked to be bailed out. The President and Vice President, supposedly friends of big oil, told them no. This was the right thing to do. The scandal would be if they had bailed Enron out. They let Enron collapsed. Good.

Some will argue that innocent workers get hurt. Yes, this does happen. Yet even many of these innocent workers could have made better decisions. They did not have to invest their entire savings in company stock. The word diversification is not a new concept. One of the stocks in my portfolio had a terrible week. Another one, even in this climate, had a fabulous week.

The solution is to leave business alone, and let bad businesses fail.

Now I will advocate something that will enrage many. We should let Social Security go bankrupt.

Some will be in shock at that comment, but nobody on the left truly wants to fix it. They think that this current financial situation justifies leaving it alone. After all, given the tough stock market conditions, why privatize it?

Because in this case inaction is what is hurting it. A lack of taking risk is a bigger risk. The solution is not to avoid all risk. It is to take reasonable, calculated, measurable risks.

Some corporations took obscene, wild risks. Social Security is too conservative. It is going bankrupt from lack of any risk at all. Putting it in some balanced Mutual Funds is not the same as investing it all in options on garbage.com.

So what if Social Security were privatized, and then it went bankrupt like Lehman?

People would suffer. Then others would step in and save it, not out of patriotic duty, but for the best reason possible…a financial incentive.

For every bad CEO, plenty of good ones exist.

Let Lehman burn. They did it to themselves. The CEO and the Board of Directors destroyed this firm. Yes, thousands will lose their jobs, but they will find other jobs. Times will be tough for them. They may or may not have legal action against the CEO and the Board. While some of them will be innocent victims, taxpayers absolutely cannot subsidize this firm. Not unless Lehman wants to pay my student loans.

The Fed is now loaning money to AIG. This loan should be at fair market value, and must be repaid. The CEOs must be forced out as a condition for this money. If this does not occur, then our government will be rewarding AIG.

Some will argue that these bailouts are necessary to calm nervous investors.

Investors are not nervous. The stock market has been resilient. It is down less from the high than the bear market of 2000-2002 was. There are plenty of value stocks, and some growth stocks, that pay solid dividends.

I did not own stock in Lehman or Bear Stearns. I do own shares of several financial stocks. Many of those shares are down. However, they are a portion of my portfolio, not the entire portfolio. Also, with rare exceptions, I won the shares outright. I did not purchase them on margin. I own less of them, but like my car and my television, I own them outright.

I will not miss Lehman. Nor should you.

I believe in Wall Street. I celebrate the success of Wall Street.

Like any industry, there will also be failures. Let those failures happen.

Capitalism involves winners and losers, and Wall Street is based on merit. The losers should be ruthlessly punished, not rewarded. The winners will be the ones that conduct their business ethically, successfully, and with a reasonable amount of risk.

The solution is to say yes to moral hazards.

There should be no more government bailouts. Not now, not ever.

eric

At the Republican Convention, I interviewed Hugh Hewitt.

http://hughhewitt.townhall.com/blog

Hugh Hewitt is one of the top conservative radio talk show hosts in America. He is also the preeminent political blogger in the country. He will be putting on Blogworld Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center from September 19th through the 21st.

http://www.blogworldexpo.com/

I initially met him at the Reagan Library at a function sponsored by the Republican Jewish Coalition.

I went up to him very politely, and explained that I was a blogger. He looked at me, and instantly understood why I told him that. He replied in a friendly manner, “You want a link.”

I absolutely did. I did not know this at the time, but he actually did read what I gave him. Although he said I could contact him at any time, I did not want to take advantage of his generosity. Every 3 to 4 months, I would submit something to him. He was encouraging, and when I let him know that I was beginning my own radio show, he sent me a very supportive email.

At the Republican Convention, it was nice to finally sit down with him, with him being the interviewee.

The interview is below.

1) What are the most important issues of 2008?

HH: “The War and the Supreme Court. John McCain will win the former, and he will appoint well to the latter. Barack Obama will do neither of these things.”

2) What issues are most important to you personally?

HH: “The same as number one. The War and the Supreme Court. 6 of the Justices are 68 years of age or older. It is vital that the right Justices be chosen to replace them.”

3) What is the future of blogging? Where do we go from here?

HH: “We are really in the trenches, and we have to be prepared. The Daily Kos slimed Sarah Palin, and it is going to get dirtier. The blogosphere on the right must push back responsibly.”

4) How would you like to be remembered 100 years from now? What would you want people to say about Hugh Hewitt the person?

HH: “Nobody will remember me in 100 years. If I am remembered, I would like it to be as a man of faith and a great husband.”

5) One of the things I learned the hard way early on was that once it is on the internet, it is there forever, and errors in judgment can damage brands. What advice can you give bloggers regarding branding?

HH: “Building a brand takes time. The key is to promote yourself, not other people. One of the things that you personally did correctly was send me links to your own blog. You also didn’t do it every day, but when you thought you had written something of quality. So many bloggers send links to various articles they have read, rather than directing people to their own work. I read the articles you sent me.”

I thanked Hugh Hewitt very much for the interview, but the biggest surprise was yet to come. Later on that evening, I stopped by his radio show with a nervous request. I asked him if I could make a brazen request, but for the sake of ethics, it was a very nervous one. Without stating what the request was, since it can be inferred, Hugh Hewitt is one successful person that truly does believe in lifting up other potential talent. I thanked him for his time, which occurred on the second night of the convention.

I was having a conversation with somebody else on the third night of the convention when Hugh Hewitt saw me. He was doing his radio show, and called out my name. I turned around, and he motioned me into his guest chair. For two to three minutes, I was a guest on his show. While I have a lighthearted side, I kept it very professional, in keeping with the dignified and high brow manner in which he conducts his radio show. I spoke about the purpose of my blog, which was and is primarily about combating ideological bigotry.

For those who do not know, two to three minutes on his show is enough time for a blogger to be flooded with congratulatory emails. I sent Hugh Hewitt a thank you note, but I did not realize that my biggest thank you was yet to come.

After Sarah Palin’s speech, I ran into him again. In all fairness, he was in the same place, and I kept walking back and forth. Nevertheless, he asked me my opinion on the speech. It was at that moment that I remembered the advice from my dad, which was that when somebody very important asks your opinion, answer quickly and intelligently, and then shut up. The Tygrrrr Express was going to be a ramble free zone.

I told him that I felt that Sarah Palin was the second coming of Margaret Thatcher. I also expressed that she had more testosterone than the entire Democratic Party, and that one woman pointed out to me that she also had more of it than much of the Republican Party. He seemed amused by my comments, and offered his own opinion on Palin, which was also highly favorable.

I wrote a column about Sarah Palin’s speech, published it, and came back to Los Angeles. The last thing I told Hugh Hewitt was that given how nice it was of him to have me as a radio guest, I had no more favors to ask him. From then on, whenever I saw him, it was just to say hello. The more someone give a person, the less the receiver should ask for.

Sitting at my desk in Los Angeles, my friend congratulated me on Hugh Hewitt publishing my column on his site. I had no idea. I raced to the site, and right at the top was what I had asked for the first time I met him. He had given me a link.

For those who do not know, one link from Hugh Hewitt causes a blogger’s traffic to explode. It was a spike that rivaled the ascension of the price of oil. Like the price of oil, I have come down from the Hugh Hewitt High, but am still sitting at a healthy, light, sweet, level.

So all in all, I interviewed him for several minutes, and he then interviewed me. I had linked to him, and he had linked to me. Besides, who knows? Maybe there are actually people in this world somewhere that have heard of me and not heard of him. Theoretically it is possible. My relatives read my blog more than his. Well, some of them anyway. Maybe I even increased his traffic by a fraction of a percentage.

Either way, I have one obligation to Hugh Hewitt, but it is the same one I have to myself. I must continue to write well. Hugh Hewitt has stayed successful because he zealously guards his brand. I was vetted for an entire year before he took a chance on me. Letting him down or giving him pause to regret that decision is not a viable option.

I thank him for his kindness of spirit, and for his taking a calculated risk on a raw talent with potential. Like oil, I could sometimes use a refinery to smooth out my product.

It has been a pleasure getting to know Hugh Hewitt. I wish the very best for him always.

One day, when my success is staggering, I know who my first guest will be.

Thank you Mr. Hewitt. Thank you very much sir.

eric

At the 2008 Republican Convention in Minnesota, I interviewed radio personality Armstrong Williams.

http://www.armstrongwilliams.com/

Some would describe Armstrong Williams as a black conservative, but that is not how the Republican Party works. He is a conservative that happens to be black.

He is fun, brash, and most importantly, right.

I became a fan of his 15 years ago when he was debating Bob Beckel on the CNN show Crossfire. They were arguing about affirmative action, and Beckel seemed stunned when Armstrong said, “I don’t need your help. I’m not inferior. My kids will beat your kids fair and square. We don’t need your help.”

If you ever want to read an inspiring column, read his Father’s Day tribute to his own father. It is a column for all time.

I spoke to Armstrong a few weeks earlier as a call in guest to the radio show “Political Vindication.” I asked Armstrong about whether or not Israel should attack Iran. I wish I had been taking notes, since his answer was brilliant. All I can say is that he believes Israel has every right to defend itself, and it might have to strike Iran. If this happens, America should support the action.

When I met Armstrong, he graciously agreed to an interview. The interview is below.

1) How does a black man in America end up a republican? What about the party appeals to you?

AW: My parents are 3rd generation republican. They never left the party of Lincoln. The GOP belongs to me, I don’t belong to them. They share my beliefs. It’s my party, not the other way around.

2) What are the most important issues of 2008?

AW: Redistribution of wealth. Barack Obama wants to raise taxes. He wants to raise capital gains taxes and payroll taxes. Everybody should pay the same rate. Those that make more will still pay more in dollars. Having so many people exempt mkes things worse. People take no interest if they have no stake. When everybody has to pay some share, they care more.

Illegal immigration is also an issue. It affects the economy, and education. The problem is that when you mention illegal immigration, people turn their heads away. It’s too explosive.

Lastly, all these issues pale in comparison if there is another terrorist attack. I give credit to President Bush because he has kept us safe. The price of gasoline, the price of food, and the mortgage issue are all meaningless if the terrorists attack us again. We have to keep things in perspective. President Bush took the fight to the terrorists. So will John McCain. Will Barack Obama take the fight?

3) Who are your 3 political heroes?

AW: Justice Clarence Thomas, C. Boyden Gray, and Justice Janice Rogers Brown.

4) What issues are most important to you personally?

AW: Escaping the cultural plantation. The left talks about diversity, but  diversity is not about race.  The democrats are out to lunch.  They are still damaged from the results. Look at the democratic primary. Clinton and Obama  have not recovered  from playing identity politics. Americans want Americans, not small groups.

5) 100 years from now, how would you like to be remembered?

AW: No Child Left Behind. My ideas and opinions cannot be purchased. My beliefs are my own. My values are strong. I am willing to die for my beliefs. We have to love something greater than ourselves. I have been to Greece, Rome, and Egypt. Hopefully 100 years from now people will see our freedoms, and see a thriving democracy. Hopefully I contributed to that.

Armstrong Williams then did something very nice. He allowed me to be an on air guest to his radio show. We were on for 10 minutes, an overwhelmingly generous gesture on his part. His producer is also hip and funny as well. We chatted politics, and on the air I brought up identity politics.

6) Armstrong, the republicans have great men like John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, and Armstrong Williams. The democrats offer Barack Obama and John Edwards. Are the democrats bigoted against the follically challenged? Can John McCain break the glass ceiling in the modern era so we can elect a bald President?

Armstrong and his producer laughed on air, and off the air let me know in a nice way what I freely admit, that I have some screws loose. To hear his response to this and other issues, listen to his radio show.

It was my honor and privilege to meet Armstrong Williams. It was a thrill to have him interview me.

I wish him a ton of success, because he achieved his success the conservative way…he worked hard and earned it. Now if only he can get his taxes cut so he can keep more of what he earns.

eric