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1.) America, the beautiful — In the end, liberty reigns in America. TheDC’s Eric Owens reports:
“The United States is home to plenty of dumb judges but Lu Ann Ballew, a child support magistrate in rural Cocke County, Tenn., may well be the dumbest. Last month, Ballew ruled that Jaleesa Martin and the unnamed father of an eight-month-old boy could not name the child ‘Messiah.’ On Wednesday, another judge overruled her, reports local NBC affiliate WBIR.”
Remember, friends. This is America. And in America, we can name our babies whatever name we want, no matter how utterly stupid that name happens to be. That’s what our founders fought and died for.
2.) CAIR beclowns itself — The Council on American-Islamic Relations — famed for being an un-indicted co-conspirator in the 2007 Holy Land Foundation trial — released a report Thursday attacking conservative media personalities and organizations for supposedly being Islamophobic. TheDC wanted to attend the press event accompanying the report’s release, but sadly CAIR didn’t want us there. TheDC’s Caroline May reports:
“CAIR held a news conference on the report –’Legislating Fear: Islamophobia and its Impact in the United States 2011-2012′ — Thursday morning. While The Daily Caller was absent from CAIR’s list of Islamophobic news outlets, CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper prevented TheDC from attending the press conference Thursday — showing TheDC to the door — for being a ‘hate’ group and not ‘legitimate.’ ‘You’re credentialed with a hate site,’ Hooper said, when TheDC showed Hooper media credentials. When TheDC pointed out that The Daily Caller is not listed in CAIR’s Islamophobe report, Hooper replied, ‘you’re not in our news conference either.’”
Among those accused of being Islamophobic was Zuhdi Jasser, a proud American Muslim. TheDC Morning can attest that he is a very good man doing very important work. If you can judge an organization by the company it keeps (or who it attacks), CAIR fails the test. Also, if you can judge an organization by whether they have been named an un-indicited co-conspirator in a case dealing with terrorism financing, CAIR doesn’t come out looking so well in that test either.
3.) Book(er) bag — Cory Booker’s Senate prospects don’t look great, if the opinions of four New Jerseyans not wanting his Booker for Senate tote bag mean anything. (Hint: They don’t!) TheDC’s Patrick Howley reports:
“The campaign of Democratic New Jersey Senate candidate Cory Booker, who is also the mayor of Newark, announced Thursday the availability of limited edition Cory Booker for Senate tote bags, which can be purchased for a $20 campaign contribution. But interest in the product is non-existent. Zero percent of Newark-area residents are considering buying the tote bag, according to a Daily Caller survey comprised of phone conversations Thursday with four randomly-selected people in the Newark area code. …’A back of the envelope analysis of your polling methodology indicates, due to your sample size, a margin of error of +/- 49% with a 95% confidence level. We are 100% confident in the broad appeal of these tote bags,’ Booker for Senate deputy communications director Silvia Alvarez told TheDC. ‘It’s not often a leader comes along who’s able to inspire us and bring us together like Cory Booker,’ wrote Booker’s campaign finance director Lauren Dikis in an email to supporters. ‘And one of the best ways to literally show your support is with a limited edition Cory Booker for Senate tote bag.’”
4.) A new Playbook— Every morning, Politico sends out its Playbook, written by Mike Allen. TheDC Morning understands that some find it insufferable. So TheDC’s intrepid reporter Scoops Delacroix spoofed it. It’s really great, though be forewarned: If you are not a reader of the Playbook — and why would you be when TheDC Morning exists? — you will be totally and completely confused by what you are reading.
5.) Tweet of Yesterday — Josh Greenman: Do dolphin politics stop at the land’s edge?
6.) Today in North Korean News — BREAKING: “Fuel Show Held in Pyongyang”