The Discerning Texan

• THIS JUST BREAKING: A bombing of Sarkozy's former law office in Central Paris. Champs Elysses. Is that serious enough to get a little media attention? It is hard to guess these days... You will recall that Sarkozy has taken a hard line against the rioting youth in Muslim neighborhoods...
  

• The evidence continues to build that this whole NIE "sea change" is an orchestrated exaggeration designed to "out" primarily irrelevant information. Oh, the Iran threat is real, all right

The striking thing about this set of circumstances is that they are so eerily reminiscent of the Plame affair; like Our Gal Val, this leak was also also designed solely to damage war momentum within the Administration. And the timing of this was no accident. This was well-coordinated between the usual "leakers" within the Intelligence Community, and their "contacts" (errand boys) in the media. Don't expect this kind of sabotage to stop between now and election day.

People joke around when saying that the Democrats are rooting for defeat--but it is no joke: as Stalin and Mao themselves demonstrated, the Left's MO has always been to be willing to go to any lengths so long as it will inflict a political defeat on the opposition to Marxism. So what if the country has to lose a war to Islamofascist Religious Zealots... hey, what's an American city here a shopping mall there, a bio attack there, if it means "the party" can be in control of every aspect of your life and liberty? No damage to the United States as it exists today is too much so as not to be worth it to these people--no matter what "it" is... (I keep thinking of the "Political Officer" in The Hunt for Red October. This is an entire Party of "Political Officers", Soviet style, along with their collaborators in elite media).

The Left's puppets in big media also see this whole War on Militant Islam as some kind sick game, where the only positive outcome is political defeat for "the Right". Even if it means throwing us all into the mushroom cloud of our disintegrating Constitution... or our disintegrating fellow citizens.

Disgusting. And very very dangerous.

• Mitt Romney hit a home run today. I personally think he took a giant step towards winning the Republican nomination--his speech was that important. It was not so much what he said--we all pretty much knew that Romney was a man of faith--rather it was because of the conviction with which he said it; it was the fact that Mitt was bold enough to stand up for what he believed at tremendous personal risk to himself. Enough so that I believe it convinces a lot of doubters on the Christian Right that he is a man of courage and conviction, not to mention one of significant intellect. Check.
  

If there is one candidate who could seriously threaten Obama especially, it is Romney--because after hearing the entire speech today on Dallas radio, there is no question that Romney would render any intellect question moot--Romney would run rings around anyone who he might have to debate. Even a slick blank check like Obama. Check.

Many politicos have wondered if Romney was willing to take a risk. Yes, he positively had to do something if he was ever going to win. But the real story of today (in my book) was how forcefully Romney told people exactly where he stood on very personal and moral grounds, and his defense of the brilliance of the vision of the founders and why they crafted the Constitution as they did, was positively Reaganesque. Grand slam, bottom of the ninth. Check.

Will all that said, I'm still with Fred; he is also being courageous with his take on faith, and--especially relevant to me--he is also being honest at great personal risk (especially in the primary). In fact, Thompson's honesty on this matter will likely hurt him in the primary--and Fred does not need to take any more hits from the right at this critical juncture. Still I stand firm in backing him, because honesty is not something you can buy--you either have it or you don't. And Fred Thompson has it in spades. Quite simply Fred articulates the values closest to mine overall, especially on the issues most important to me.

But ... I would be wrong if I did not acknowledge that Mitt Romney is impressing me--a lot. And I don't think I am the only one who feels that way. (But Mitt: please, sir: get your act together on Immigration...).

UPDATE: Peggy Noonan agrees.

• Meanwhile Huckabee is beginning to be exposed for the snake oil salesman he is. Which could not happen fast enough for my liking. Enough said.