WATER COOLER
The Water Cooler is written by Washington Times staffers.
Latest Blog Entries
PICKET: Hip hop's Simmons calls U.S. celebrations after bin Laden kill a 'mob'
Rap music mogul Russell Simmons spoke to me on Tuesday about a range of topics from Donald Trump to Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity. Mr. Simmons also expressed to me his thoughts about Osama bin Laden's death and the reactions at Ground Zero following the announcement of the al Qaeda leader. I asked Mr. Simmons about the debate over how much credit President Barack Obama or former President George W. Bush should receive over the bin Laden kill.
PICKET: Hip hop mogul Russell Simmons slams FNC's Hannity over rapper criticism
Conservatives including Fox News host Sean Hannity and former Alaska Republican governor Sarah Palin were critical of the White House for inviting the rapper Common to perform at the White House on Wednesday. Def Jams business leader Russell Simmons responded to the criticisms.
PICKET: Hoyer critical of Obama Disclose Act order
President Barack Obama's executive order, that establishes a measure from the failed Dislose Act bill that would force federal contractors, except unions, to expose their political contributions when making a bid for a government contract, was challenged by House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, Maryland Democrat on Tuesday.
PICKET: McCotter for President?
Sources around Capitol Hill are chatting up a dark horse candidate for the 2012 Republican nominee for president, I'm told.
ROBBINS: Pakistanis say bin Laden was not behind 9/11
Most of our Pakistani friends either think Osama bin Laden had nothing to do with the 9/11 attacks, or that he did but the attacks were justified. With friends like these...
PICKET: Cain campaign manager says Cain epitomizes tea party movement more than any other GOP presidential hopeful
Cain campaign manager, Mark Block, says Herman Cain "epitomizes" the tea party movement.
PICKET: Cain likely announcing 2012 presidential bid on May 21
News media over the last two days is reporting that GOP presidential hopeful Herman Cain will announce his bid on May 21.
Update: Gingrich announcement for president Wednesday
Update - Gingrich Spokesman: Newt Gingrich will announce his run for the Republican nomination for president Wednesday via Facebook and Twitter.
CREW: Harkin's short-seller committee witness 'manipulated' education hearing process
U.S. Department of Education wants to impose on for-profit schools are knee-deep in suspicion by critics on both sides of the aisle and general political spectrum. Anne Weismann of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington spoke to me on the issue.
ROBBINS: Dog Bites Terrorist
An exclusive interview with the military working dog who took a bite out of bin Laden
Obama’s prayer for bin Laden: give him a nice house, better wife
President Obama wants everyone to understand that bin Laden’s burial was done by the book. So that’s what we must consult, since the administration refuses to give any more details. According to “Navy Military Funerals,” the manual governing sea-burial protocols, the body of a person of Muslim faith—like Osama bin Laden—must be washed, wrapped and positioned in very specific ways to meet Islamic funeral requirements. Prayers must be said as well—including one that would have asked Islam’s god to “pardon” bin Laden, “grant him security,” “provide him a nice place and spacious lodgings” and a “better” partner and family. This is hardly the petition the U.S. government should be making for a man responsible for murdering thousands of Americans.
Media Research Center to host annual 'dishonors' dinner
The Media Research Center, the Alexandria, Virginia based conservative media watchdog group founded by Brent Bozell, is holding it's yearly "Dishonors" gala on Saturday at the National Building Museum in Washington, DC. Going into it's seventh dinner, MRC will be poking fun at some of the liberal media's lowest moments while lauding conservative commentators in the press.
Cain godfathers SC GOP debate-impresses primary voters
Herman Cain, former CEO of God Father Pizza, went from relatively anonymous among GOP primary voters to a Republican presidential candidate everyone is buzzing about following his performance at the first Republican presidential debate in South Carolina.
Dept. of Ed. regulations on for profit education shrouded in shadiness
U.S. Education Department's new regulations on for profit schools has become enshrined in what could very well be a huge pay-off for hedge fund short sellers and publicly funded universities like Iowa State, a school that recently named a new public policy institute after Senator Tom Harkin, Iowa Democrat.
Libs Always Put Government First
One of the most disturbing trends among lefties these days is the assumption that virtually everything — money, property, civil rights — start with government and are the government’s to dole out or withhold as the government sees fit.
