CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> <html> <head><script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/bundle-playback.js?v=HxkREWBo" charset="utf-8"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/wombat.js?v=txqj7nKC" charset="utf-8"></script> <script>window.RufflePlayer=window.RufflePlayer||{};window.RufflePlayer.config={"autoplay":"on","unmuteOverlay":"hidden"};</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/_static/js/ruffle/ruffle.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> __wm.init("http://web.archive.org/web"); __wm.wombat("http://www.outsidethebeltway.com:80/","20090115212550","http://web.archive.org/","web","/_static/", "1232054750"); </script> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/banner-styles.css?v=S1zqJCYt" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/_static/css/iconochive.css?v=3PDvdIFv" />      <title>Outside the Beltway | OTB| Online Journal of Politics and Foreign Affairs</title> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"/> <meta name="generator" content="Bluefish 1.0.5"/> <link rel="stylesheet" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550cs_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/style.css" type="text/css"/> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="print" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550cs_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/print.css"/> <link rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml" title="RSS 2.0" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://feeds.feedburner.com/OTB"/> <link rel="alternate" type="application/atom+xml" title="Atom 1.0" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://feeds.feedburner.com/OTB"/> <link rel="pingback" href="http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wordpress/xmlrpc.php"/> <link rel="shortcut icon" type="image/ico" href="/web/20090115212550im_/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/favicon.ico"/> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550js_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/moo.fx/prototype.lite.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550js_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/moo.fx/moo.fx.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550js_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/moo.fx/moo.fx.pack.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550js_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/moo.fx/moo.ajax.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550js_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/moo.fx/inline-comments.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550js_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/moo.fx/sidebar-dropdowns.js"></script> <link rel="EditURI" type="application/rsd+xml" title="RSD" href="http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wordpress/xmlrpc.php?rsd"/> <link rel="wlwmanifest" type="application/wlwmanifest+xml" href="http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wordpress/wp-includes/wlwmanifest.xml"/> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550js_/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wordpress/wp-includes/js/prototype.js?ver=1.6"></script> <meta name="generator" content="WordPress 2.6.2"/>  <meta name="description" content="Analysis of U.S. politics, world affairs, and public policy from an educated, thoughtful perspective"/> <meta name="keywords" content="politics, world affairs, mccain, obama, iraq, iran, military, election, polls, 2008"/>   <style type="text/css">  </style> <script src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550js_/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wordpress/wp-includes/js/quicktags.js" type="text/javascript"></script> <script src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550js_/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wordpress/wp-content/plugins/comment_quicktags.php" type="text/javascript"></script> <style type="text/css">/* To fix kubrick: */ #commentform #ed_toolbar input.ed_button { width:auto; }</style> <script type="text/javascript">var friendFeedServicePath = 'http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wordpress/wp-content/plugins/friendfeed-comments/';</script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550js_/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wordpress/wp-content/plugins/friendfeed-comments/friendfeed-comments.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript">function showHide(entryID, entryLink, htmlObj, type) {if (type == "comments") {extTextDivID = ('comText' + (entryID));extLinkDivID = ('comLink' + (entryID));} else {extTextDivID = ('extText' + (entryID));extLinkDivID = ('extLink' + (entryID));}if( document.getElementById ) {if( document.getElementById(extTextDivID).style.display ) {if( entryLink != 0 ) {document.getElementById(extTextDivID).style.display = "block";document.getElementById(extLinkDivID).style.display = "none";htmlObj.blur();} else {document.getElementById(extTextDivID).style.display = "none";document.getElementById(extLinkDivID).style.display = "block";}} else {location.href = entryLink;return true;}} else {location.href = entryLink;return true;}}</script><script type="text/javascript" charset="utf-8" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550js_/http://w.sharethis.com/widget/?wp=2.6.2&publisher=95437432-f4d6-4ea6-9fe4-43bb0ff78a78"></script> <style> .feedburnerFeedBlock{ } ul feedburnerFeedBlock { padding-top:4px; } </style> </head> <body> <div id="top-banner"> <div class="top-ad"> <center> <script type="text/javascript"></script><noscript><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://z.blogads.com/www/delivery/ck.php?n=aa693e61&cb=INSERT_RANDOM_NUMBER_HERE" target="_blank"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://z.blogads.com/www/delivery/avw.php?zoneid=31&n=aa693e61" border="0" alt=""/></a></noscript> </center> </div> </div> <div style="display: none;"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wordpress/wp-content/themes/otb-x/working.gif" alt="working"/></div>  <div id="main"> <div id="container"><div id="container2"> <table id="tab" style="border-collapse:collapse;width:100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr>     <td width="180" valign="top" style><div class="sidebar-left"> <div style="text-align:right;"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/images/otb_logo.gif"></div> <div id="sidebar-items"> <div class="archive"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/otbabout1/">ABOUT</a></div> <div class="archive"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/contact/">CONTACT</a></div> <div class="archive"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://otbmedia.org/policies.html">POLICIES</a></div> <div class="archive"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/otb_rss_feeds/">RSS FEEDS</a></div> <div class="show-hide-activator"><div id="show-ajax-section-blogroll"> <div class="archive"><a href="javascript:;" onclick="ajaxShowSection('blogroll'); return false;">BLOGROLL</a></div> </div> <div id="hide-ajax-section-blogroll" style="display: none;"> <div class="archive"><a href="javascript:;" onclick="ajaxHideSection('blogroll'); return false;">« BLOGROLL</a></div> </div> </div> <div id="ajax-section-blogroll-notice"></div> <div id="ajax-section-blogroll" class="ajax-content"></div>  <div class="show-hide-activator"> <div id="show-ajax-section-topics"> <div class="archive"><a href="javascript:;" onclick="ajaxShowSection('topics'); return false;">MAJOR TOPICS</a></div> </div> <div id="hide-ajax-section-topics" style="display: none;"> <div class="archive"><a href="javascript:;" onclick="ajaxHideSection('topics'); return false;">« MAJOR TOPICS</a></div> </div> </div> <div id="ajax-section-topics-notice"> </div> <div id="ajax-section-topics" class="ajax-content"> </div>  <div class="show-hide-activator"> <div id="show-ajax-section-archives"> <div class="archive"><a href="javascript:;" onclick="ajaxShowSection('archives'); return false;">ARCHIVES</a></div> </div> <div id="hide-ajax-section-archives" style="display: none;"> <div class="archive"><a href="javascript:;" onclick="ajaxHideSection('archives'); return false;">« ARCHIVES</a></div> </div> </div> <div id="ajax-section-archives-notice"> </div> <div id="ajax-section-archives" class="ajax-content"> </div>  <div class="show-hide-activator"> <div id="show-ajax-section-recent-posts"> <div class="archive"><a href="javascript:;" onclick="ajaxShowSection('recent-posts'); return false;">RECENT POSTS</a></div> </div> <div id="hide-ajax-section-recent-posts" style="display: none;"> <div class="archive"><a href="javascript:;" onclick="ajaxHideSection('recent-posts'); return false;">« RECENT POSTS</a></div> </div> </div> <div id="ajax-section-recent-posts-notice"> </div> <div id="ajax-section-recent-posts" class="ajax-content"> </div>  </div>   </div> <center><h4>ADVERTISERS</h4></center>  <center><div class="sideblock-left"><script language="javascript" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550js_/http://cache.blogads.com/178761116/feed.js"></script></center></div>   <center><div class="sideblock-left"><script type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550js_/http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js"> </script></div></center>  <p></p> <center><h4>POPULAR TAGS</h4></center> <div class="sideblock-left"><div id="catcloud"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/featured/" title="*FEATURED (161 entries)" class="size-161">*FEATURED</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/world_politics/africa/" title="Africa (64 entries)" class="size-64">Africa</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/world_politics/asia/" title="Asia (125 entries)" class="size-125">Asia</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/authors/bernard_finel-authors/" title="Bernard Finel (3 entries)" class="size-3">Bernard Finel</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/blogosphere/best_of_otb/" title="Best of OTB (55 entries)" class="size-55">Best of OTB</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/blogosphere/" title="Blogosphere (1315 entries)" class="size-1315">Blogosphere</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/book_reviews/" title="Book Reviews (14 entries)" class="size-14">Book Reviews</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/border_security/" title="Borders and Immigration (113 entries)" class="size-113">Borders and Immigration</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/bureaucracy/" title="Bureaucracy (45 entries)" class="size-45">Bureaucracy</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/us_politics/campaign_2004/" title="Campaign 2004 (1008 entries)" class="size-1008">Campaign 2004</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/us_politics/campaign_2006/" title="Campaign 2006 (270 entries)" class="size-270">Campaign 2006</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/us_politics/campaign_2008/" title="Campaign 2008 (1655 entries)" class="size-1655">Campaign 2008</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/us_politics/campaign_2010/" title="Campaign 2010 (9 entries)" class="size-9">Campaign 2010</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/us_politics/campaign_2012/" title="Campaign 2012 (8 entries)" class="size-8">Campaign 2012</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/us_politics/congress/" title="Congress (602 entries)" class="size-602">Congress</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/entertainment/contests/" title="Contests (1317 entries)" class="size-1317">Contests</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/economics_and_business/" title="Economics and Business (1536 entries)" class="size-1536">Economics and Business</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/education/" title="Education (493 entries)" class="size-493">Education</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/entertainment/" title="Entertainment (146 entries)" class="size-146">Entertainment</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/environment/" title="Environment (80 entries)" class="size-80">Environment</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/world_politics/europe/" title="Europe (300 entries)" class="size-300">Europe</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/us_politics/gender_issues/" title="Gender Issues (189 entries)" class="size-189">Gender Issues</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/general/" title="General (844 entries)" class="size-844">General</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/government/" title="Government (112 entries)" class="size-112">Government</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/guns/" title="Guns (20 entries)" class="size-20">Guns</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/health/" title="Health (475 entries)" class="size-475">Health</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/entertainment/humor/" title="Humor (545 entries)" class="size-545">Humor</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/national_security/intelligence/" title="Intelligence (301 entries)" class="size-301">Intelligence</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/national_security/iraq_conflict/" title="Iraq Conflict (2492 entries)" class="size-2492">Iraq Conflict</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/entertainment/late_night_otb/" title="Late Night OTB (129 entries)" class="size-129">Late Night OTB</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/world_politics/latin_america/" title="Latin America (73 entries)" class="size-73">Latin America</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/us_politics/law_and_the_courts/" title="Law and the Courts (1165 entries)" class="size-1165">Law and the Courts</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/media/" title="Media (1101 entries)" class="size-1101">Media</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/world_politics/middle_east/" title="Middle East (456 entries)" class="size-456">Middle East</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/national_security/military_affairs/" title="Military Affairs (1092 entries)" class="size-1092">Military Affairs</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/entertainment/movie_reviews/" title="Movie Reviews (7 entries)" class="size-7">Movie Reviews</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/national_security/" title="National Security (221 entries)" class="size-221">National Security</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/natural_disasters/" title="Natural Disasters (54 entries)" class="size-54">Natural Disasters</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/obituaries/" title="Obituaries (141 entries)" class="size-141">Obituaries</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/blogosphere/otb_history/" title="OTB History (467 entries)" class="size-467">OTB History</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/us_politics/politicians/" title="Politicians (54 entries)" class="size-54">Politicians</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/politics_101/" title="Politics 101 (238 entries)" class="size-238">Politics 101</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/entertainment/popular_culture/" title="Popular Culture (1198 entries)" class="size-1198">Popular Culture</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/us_politics/public_opinion_polls/" title="Public Opinion Polls (384 entries)" class="size-384">Public Opinion Polls</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/blogosphere/published_elsewhere/" title="Published Elsewhere (66 entries)" class="size-66">Published Elsewhere</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/us_politics/race_and_politics/" title="Race and Politics (336 entries)" class="size-336">Race and Politics</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/religion/" title="Religion (393 entries)" class="size-393">Religion</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/science_technology/" title="Science & Technology (694 entries)" class="size-694">Science & Technology</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/us_politics/social_security/" title="Social Security (28 entries)" class="size-28">Social Security</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/entertainment/sports/" title="Sports (666 entries)" class="size-666">Sports</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/national_security/terrorism/" title="Terrorism (1301 entries)" class="size-1301">Terrorism</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/world_politics/united_nations/" title="United Nations (143 entries)" class="size-143">United Nations</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/us_politics/" title="US Politics (1886 entries)" class="size-1886">US Politics</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/world_politics/" title="World Politics (547 entries)" class="size-547">World Politics</a> </div> </div> <p></p> <center><h4>ADVERTISERS</h4></center>  <div class="sideblock-left"><center><script language="javascript" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550js_/http://cache.blogads.com/536965113/feed.js"></script></center></div>   <center> </center>  </div></td>  <td class="content" valign="top" align="center">  <div class="header">  <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/images/otb_header.gif" alt="Outside the Beltway" style="border-style: none"/></a>  </div> <div class="navigation"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/" class="current">HOME</a>|<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/friendly_forces/" class="notcurrent">FRIENDLIES</a>|<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/loyal_opposition/" class="notcurrent">OPPOSITION</a>|<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/security/" class="notcurrent">SECURITY</a>|<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/trends/" class="notcurrent">TRENDS</a>|<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/media/" class="notcurrent">MEDIA</a>|<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/entertainment/contests/" class="notcurrent">CONTESTS</a>|<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/otb_links/" class="notcurrent">LINKS</a></div> <div class="text">  <div id="lijit_research"></div> <div class="blogbody"> <a name="post-30024"></a><h3 class="title"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/senator_roland_burris/">Senator Roland Burris</a></h3> <div class="postauthor"> <table><tr><td valign="center"><a href="/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/index.php?author=1/"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/images/postby.gif" alt="" style="border-style: none"/></a></td> <td valign="center"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/author/site_admin/" title="Posts by James Joyner">James Joyner</a> | <span class="post/date">Thursday, January 15, 2009</span></td> </tr></table> </div> <p>It’s <a title="Burris takes his place as Obama's Senate successor" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/senate_burris;_ylt=AqOtTYpp_CZUts6r.1G2YXWs0NUE">official</a>: Roland Burris is a United States Senator.</p> <blockquote> <div id="attachment_30026" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><a rel="attachment wp-att-30026" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/senator_roland_burris/illinois_senate/"><img class="size-medium wp-image-30026" title="Roland Burris Swearing In Photo" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/roland-burris-swearing-in-300x284.jpg" alt="Sen. Roland Burris, D-Ill., accompanied by his wife Berlean takes part in a mock swearing-in ceremony administered by Vice President Dick Cheney on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009, after an official swearing-in on the floor of the Senate. (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke)" width="300" height="284"/></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Sen. Roland Burris, D-Ill., accompanied by his wife Berlean takes part in a mock swearing-in ceremony administered by Vice President Dick Cheney on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009, after an official swearing-in on the floor of the Senate. (AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke)</p></div> <p>Roland Burris took his place as Barack Obama’s successor in the Senate on Thursday, ending a standoff that embarrassed the president-elect and fellow Democrats who initially resisted the appointment by scandal-scarred Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.</p> <p>“I do,” Burris said with a grin as Vice President Dick Cheney administered the oath of office to the former Illinois attorney general who takes Obama’s place as the Senate’s only black member.</p> <p>More than a week after his colleagues were sworn in, Burris was seated without objection or a roll call vote, even though Majority Leader Harry Reid had said senators would have their voices heard on whether to accept his appointment.</p></blockquote> <p>Presumably, this isn’t over yet. Rightly, Burris should be senior to each new member of the Class of 2008, since he was lawfully appointed during the last Congress. He should press his case until his seniority is appropriately backdated.</p> <p></p> <div class="discussionLink"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/senator_roland_burris/#comments" target="_top">Discussion (1)</a> </div>    <div class="postblock"> <div class="tags"><b>Tags |</b> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/authors/james_joyner/" title="View all posts in James Joyner" rel="category tag">James Joyner</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/us_politics/" title="View all posts in US Politics" rel="category tag">US Politics</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tag/barack_obama/" rel="tag">Barack Obama</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tag/congress/" rel="tag">Congress</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tag/harry_reid/" rel="tag">Harry Reid</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tag/rod_blagojevich/" rel="tag">Rod Blagojevich</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tag/roland_burris/" rel="tag">Roland Burris</a> </div> <script type="text/javascript">SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Senator Roland Burris", url: "http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/senator_roland_burris/" });</script> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://feeds.feedburner.com/OTB" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" alt="Subscribe to RSS Feed" style="vertical-align:middle;border:0"/></a> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/senator_roland_burris/" target="_top" title="Link to this post">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.aylwardfamily.com/content/tbping.asp" target="_blank" title="TrackBack pinger for non-enabled blogs">Send TrackBack</a> <br/> </div>     <span id="show-inline-comments-30024"><a href="javascript:;" class="comment-show-hide" id="show-inline-comments-link-30024" onmouseup="ajaxShowComments(30024); return false;">Show comment here »</a> </span> <span id="hide-inline-comments-30024" style="display: none;"><a href="#comments-30024" class="comment-show-hide" onmouseup="ajaxHideComments(30024); return true;">« Hide the comment</a> </span> <div id="ajax-comments-notification-30024"> </div> <div id="ajax-comments-30024" class="ajax-comments"> </div> <center><script type="text/javascript"></script><noscript><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://z.blogads.com/www/delivery/ck.php?n=a9d2bc99&cb=INSERT_RANDOM_NUMBER_HERE" target="_blank"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://z.blogads.com/www/delivery/avw.php?zoneid=32&n=a9d2bc99" border="0" alt=""/></a></noscript></center> <div class="divider"> </div> </div></div>  <div id="lijit_research"></div> <div class="blogbody"> <a name="post-30020"></a><h3 class="title"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/personal_official_futures/">Personal Official Futures</a></h3> <div class="postauthor"> <table><tr><td valign="center"><a href="/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/index.php?author=40/"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/images/postby.gif" alt="" style="border-style: none"/></a></td> <td valign="center"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/author/dschuler/" title="Posts by Dave Schuler">Dave Schuler</a> | <span class="post/date">Thursday, January 15, 2009</span></td> </tr></table> </div> <p>Reacting to the same news <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/worst_case_scenarios_failed_states/">I posted on yesterday</a>, the pseudonymous <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://cominganarchy.com/2009/01/14/mexico-decline-fall/">Chirol at Coming Anarchy observed</a>;</p> <blockquote><p> Each individual has what is called an ‘official future’ they imagine. It is essentially a compilation of assumptions usually based on extending current trends into the future in a linear way. That means assuming the US Dollar will remain the world’s reserve currency because it is now, or that Russia and the US will always be adversaries, that China will rise, or that the West will always be dominant politically and culturally. These assumptions are dangerous because they create a bias that blinds regular citizens, analysts and policy makers to alternatives and to key indicators of change. </p></blockquote> <p>That’s an idea that’s novel to me but I think it’s useful. Is that common knowledge? I’d appreciate knowing its source.</p> <p>It made me start thinking. What’s in my official future? I’ll need to reflect long and hard to identify my assumptions about the contours of what will happen globally in the future. I think they’re less in the form of discrete, isolated beliefs and events than larger operating principles. So, for example, I tend to believe that genuine changes in the character of nations are extremely rare. Russia will remain Russia; China will remain China; the United States will continue to be the United States.</p> <p>Occasionally, there are real turning points in history in which a nation will turn away from its past. The French Revolution may have been one such although, as Mao Tse Tung noted, it’s too early to tell. Contrariwise I don’t think the Russian Revolution really changed Russia nor do I think that, however hard they may have tried, the Chinese Communists have changed China’s essential character.</p> <p>I invite commenters to share their own official futures. Serious answers preferred!</p> <p></p> <div class="discussionLink"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/personal_official_futures/#comments" target="_top">Discussion (0)</a> </div>    <div class="postblock"> <div class="tags"><b>Tags |</b> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/authors/dave_schuler/" title="View all posts in Dave Schuler" rel="category tag">Dave Schuler</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tag/future_history/" rel="tag">Future history</a> </div> <script type="text/javascript">SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Personal Official Futures", url: "http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/personal_official_futures/" });</script> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://feeds.feedburner.com/OTB" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" alt="Subscribe to RSS Feed" style="vertical-align:middle;border:0"/></a> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/personal_official_futures/" target="_top" title="Link to this post">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.aylwardfamily.com/content/tbping.asp" target="_blank" title="TrackBack pinger for non-enabled blogs">Send TrackBack</a> <br/> </div>  <div class="divider"> </div> </div></div>  <div id="lijit_research"></div> <div class="blogbody"> <a name="post-30011"></a><h3 class="title"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/war_on_terror_into_the_dustbin_of_history/">War on Terror into the Dustbin of History?</a></h3> <div class="postauthor"> <table><tr><td valign="center"><a href="/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/index.php?author=1/"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/images/postby.gif" alt="" style="border-style: none"/></a></td> <td valign="center"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/author/site_admin/" title="Posts by James Joyner">James Joyner</a> | <span class="post/date">Thursday, January 15, 2009</span></td> </tr></table> </div> <p><a rel="attachment wp-att-30012" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/war_on_terror_into_the_dustbin_of_history/britain-terrorism/"><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-30012" style="border: 2px solid black; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px;" title="BRITAIN-TERRORISM/" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/miliband-mumbai-war-on-terror-2-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150"/></a>In both a <a title="'War on terror' was wrong The phrase gives a false idea of a unified global enemy, and encourages a primarily military reply" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jan/15/david-miliband-war-terror"><em>Guardian</em> op-ed</a> and a <a title="Miliband condemns war on terror as 'mistaken'" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/15/AR2009011500566.html?wprss=rss_world/wires">speech in Mumbai</a>, both today, British foreign secretary David Milibrand says that the “war on terror” was a bad idea.</p> <p>In my <em>New Atlanticist</em> essay, “<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.acus.org/new_atlanticist/time-lose-war-terror">Time to Lose War on Terror?</a>” I disagree.</p> <p></p> <div class="discussionLink"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/war_on_terror_into_the_dustbin_of_history/#comments" target="_top">Discussion (1)</a> </div>    <div class="postblock"> <div class="tags"><b>Tags |</b> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/authors/james_joyner/" title="View all posts in James Joyner" rel="category tag">James Joyner</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/national_security/terrorism/" title="View all posts in Terrorism" rel="category tag">Terrorism</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tag/mumbai/" rel="tag">Mumbai</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tag/united_kingdom/" rel="tag">United Kingdom</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tag/war_on_terror/" rel="tag">war on terror</a> </div> <script type="text/javascript">SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "War on Terror into the Dustbin of History?", url: "http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/war_on_terror_into_the_dustbin_of_history/" });</script> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://feeds.feedburner.com/OTB" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" alt="Subscribe to RSS Feed" style="vertical-align:middle;border:0"/></a> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/war_on_terror_into_the_dustbin_of_history/" target="_top" title="Link to this post">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.aylwardfamily.com/content/tbping.asp" target="_blank" title="TrackBack pinger for non-enabled blogs">Send TrackBack</a> <br/> </div>     <span id="show-inline-comments-30011"><a href="javascript:;" class="comment-show-hide" id="show-inline-comments-link-30011" onmouseup="ajaxShowComments(30011); return false;">Show comment here »</a> </span> <span id="hide-inline-comments-30011" style="display: none;"><a href="#comments-30011" class="comment-show-hide" onmouseup="ajaxHideComments(30011); return true;">« Hide the comment</a> </span> <div id="ajax-comments-notification-30011"> </div> <div id="ajax-comments-30011" class="ajax-comments"> </div> <div class="divider"> </div> </div></div>  <div id="lijit_research"></div> <div class="blogbody"> <a name="post-30006"></a><h3 class="title"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/hamas_security_chief_killed/">Hamas Security Chief Killed</a></h3> <div class="postauthor"> <table><tr><td valign="center"><a href="/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/index.php?author=1/"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/images/postby.gif" alt="" style="border-style: none"/></a></td> <td valign="center"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/author/site_admin/" title="Posts by James Joyner">James Joyner</a> | <span class="post/date">Thursday, January 15, 2009</span></td> </tr></table> </div> <p><a rel="attachment wp-att-30007" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/hamas_security_chief_killed/mideast-palestinian-israel-gaza-egypt-hamas/"><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-30007" style="border: 2px solid black; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px;" title="MIDEAST-PALESTINIAN-ISRAEL-GAZA-EGYPT-HAMAS" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/said-siam-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150"/></a>Finally, an Israeli strike that <a title="Hamas confirms Israel strike killed security chief" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090115/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_palestinians;_ylt=AkssNgjOB48cOt23HAN7SUCs0NUE">hit its target</a>:</p> <blockquote><p>Hamas officials are confirming that an Israeli airstrike killed the Hamas interior minister, who oversaw thousands of security agents in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army confirmed the airstrike.</p> <p>Hamas television says Interior Minister Said Siam was killed in a strike that flattened a home in Gaza City. A top aide, Siam’s brother and his brother’s family were also killed. Siam is considered to be among Hamas’ top five leaders in Gaza.</p></blockquote> <p>It’s still not clear what Israel’s endgame is with this operation. As is usually the case with these things, the terrorists will plug someone in to fill his job and keep lobbing rockets into Israel. But killing senior Hamas leaders is likely its own reward.</p> <p></p> <div class="discussionLink"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/hamas_security_chief_killed/#comments" target="_top">Discussion (6)</a> </div>    <div class="postblock"> <div class="tags"><b>Tags |</b> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/authors/james_joyner/" title="View all posts in James Joyner" rel="category tag">James Joyner</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/world_politics/middle_east/" title="View all posts in Middle East" rel="category tag">Middle East</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/national_security/terrorism/" title="View all posts in Terrorism" rel="category tag">Terrorism</a> </div> <script type="text/javascript">SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Hamas Security Chief Killed", url: "http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/hamas_security_chief_killed/" });</script> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://feeds.feedburner.com/OTB" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" alt="Subscribe to RSS Feed" style="vertical-align:middle;border:0"/></a> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/hamas_security_chief_killed/" target="_top" title="Link to this post">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.aylwardfamily.com/content/tbping.asp" target="_blank" title="TrackBack pinger for non-enabled blogs">Send TrackBack</a> <br/> </div>     <span id="show-inline-comments-30006"><a href="javascript:;" class="comment-show-hide" id="show-inline-comments-link-30006" onmouseup="ajaxShowComments(30006); return false;">Show comments here »</a> </span> <span id="hide-inline-comments-30006" style="display: none;"><a href="#comments-30006" class="comment-show-hide" onmouseup="ajaxHideComments(30006); return true;">« Hide the comments</a> </span> <div id="ajax-comments-notification-30006"> </div> <div id="ajax-comments-30006" class="ajax-comments"> </div> <div class="divider"> </div> </div></div>  <div id="lijit_research"></div> <div class="blogbody"> <a name="post-30002"></a><h3 class="title"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/10_percent_off_at_last_10_percent_off_at_last/">10 Percent Off at Last, 10 Percent Off at Last</a></h3> <div class="postauthor"> <table><tr><td valign="center"><a href="/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/index.php?author=1/"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/images/postby.gif" alt="" style="border-style: none"/></a></td> <td valign="center"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/author/site_admin/" title="Posts by James Joyner">James Joyner</a> | <span class="post/date">Thursday, January 15, 2009</span></td> </tr></table> </div> <p>An email solicitation from Charles Tyrwhitt, a UK-based clothier with whom I occasionally do business, is mildly amusing:</p> <p><a rel="attachment wp-att-30003" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/10_percent_off_at_last_10_percent_off_at_last/tyrwhitt-mlk/"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-30003" title="tyrwhitt-mlk" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/tyrwhitt-mlk.jpg" alt="" width="500" height="145"/></a></p> <p>I’m not exactly sure what buying British style shirts has to do with the occasion, unless perhaps that was in one of Dr. King’s <em>other </em>dreams.</p> <p></p> <div class="discussionLink"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/10_percent_off_at_last_10_percent_off_at_last/#comments" target="_top">Discussion (0)</a> </div>    <div class="postblock"> <div class="tags"><b>Tags |</b> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/economics_and_business/" title="View all posts in Economics and Business" rel="category tag">Economics and Business</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/authors/james_joyner/" title="View all posts in James Joyner" rel="category tag">James Joyner</a> </div> <script type="text/javascript">SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "10 Percent Off at Last, 10 Percent Off at Last", url: "http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/10_percent_off_at_last_10_percent_off_at_last/" });</script> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://feeds.feedburner.com/OTB" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" alt="Subscribe to RSS Feed" style="vertical-align:middle;border:0"/></a> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/10_percent_off_at_last_10_percent_off_at_last/" target="_top" title="Link to this post">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.aylwardfamily.com/content/tbping.asp" target="_blank" title="TrackBack pinger for non-enabled blogs">Send TrackBack</a> <br/> </div>  <div class="divider"> </div> </div></div>  <div id="lijit_research"></div> <div class="blogbody"> <a name="post-29998"></a><h3 class="title"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tax_simplification/">Tax Simplification</a></h3> <div class="postauthor"> <table><tr><td valign="center"><a href="/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/index.php?author=1/"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/images/postby.gif" alt="" style="border-style: none"/></a></td> <td valign="center"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/author/site_admin/" title="Posts by James Joyner">James Joyner</a> | <span class="post/date">Thursday, January 15, 2009</span></td> </tr></table> </div> <p><a rel="attachment wp-att-29999" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tax_simplification/tax-day/"><img class="alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-29999" style="border: 2px solid black; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px;" title="tax-day" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/tax-day-150x150.jpg" alt="" width="150" height="150"/></a><a title="Too Taxing - WSJ.com" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123195892258282217.html">James Taranto</a>:</p> <blockquote><p>We’re tempted to say America needs a Treasury secretary who is smart enough to figure out his own taxes. But such a cheap shot would be beneath us. Instead, we are going to make a serious point:America needs a tax code simple enough for the Treasury secretary to figure out.</p></blockquote> <p>Hear hear.</p> <p><em>Story via <a title="Tax simplification" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://pajamasmedia.com/instapundit/66435/">Insty</a>. Pic via <a title="taxes" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.flickr.com/photos/thedailyhamster/2416262874/">Daily Hamster</a>.</em></p> <p></p> <div class="discussionLink"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tax_simplification/#comments" target="_top">Discussion (7)</a> </div>    <div class="postblock"> <div class="tags"><b>Tags |</b> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/authors/james_joyner/" title="View all posts in James Joyner" rel="category tag">James Joyner</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/us_politics/" title="View all posts in US Politics" rel="category tag">US Politics</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tag/irs/" rel="tag">IRS</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tag/taxes/" rel="tag">taxes</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tag/treasury/" rel="tag">treasury</a> </div> <script type="text/javascript">SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Tax Simplification", url: "http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tax_simplification/" });</script> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://feeds.feedburner.com/OTB" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" alt="Subscribe to RSS Feed" style="vertical-align:middle;border:0"/></a> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tax_simplification/" target="_top" title="Link to this post">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.aylwardfamily.com/content/tbping.asp" target="_blank" title="TrackBack pinger for non-enabled blogs">Send TrackBack</a> <br/> </div>     <span id="show-inline-comments-29998"><a href="javascript:;" class="comment-show-hide" id="show-inline-comments-link-29998" onmouseup="ajaxShowComments(29998); return false;">Show comments here »</a> </span> <span id="hide-inline-comments-29998" style="display: none;"><a href="#comments-29998" class="comment-show-hide" onmouseup="ajaxHideComments(29998); return true;">« Hide the comments</a> </span> <div id="ajax-comments-notification-29998"> </div> <div id="ajax-comments-29998" class="ajax-comments"> </div> <div class="divider"> </div> </div></div>  <div id="lijit_research"></div> <div class="blogbody"> <a name="post-29987"></a><h3 class="title"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/israel_bombs_un_headquarters_/">Israel Bombs UN Headquarters (Updated)</a></h3> <div class="postauthor"> <table><tr><td valign="center"><a href="/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/index.php?author=1/"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/images/postby.gif" alt="" style="border-style: none"/></a></td> <td valign="center"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/author/site_admin/" title="Posts by James Joyner">James Joyner</a> | <span class="post/date">Thursday, January 15, 2009</span></td> </tr></table> </div> <p><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.acus.org/new_atlanticist/israel-shells-un-headquarters-gaza">Oops</a>.</p> <div id="attachment_29989" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 510px"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/un-headquarters-gaza.jpg"><img class="size-full wp-image-29989" title="MIDEAST ISRAEL PALESTINIANS" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/un-headquarters-gaza.jpg" alt="United Nations workers and Palestinian firefighters work to try and put out a fire and save bags of food aid at the United Nations headquarters after it was hit in Israeli bombardment in Gaza City, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009. Israeli forces shelled the United Nations headquarters in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, setting the compound on fire as U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon was in the area on a mission to end Israel's devastating offensive against the territory's Hamas rulers. Ban expressed "outrage" over the incident.(AP Photo/Hatem Moussa)" width="500" height="340"/></a><p class="wp-caption-text">United Nations workers and Palestinian firefighters work to try and put out a fire and save bags of food aid at the United Nations headquarters after it was hit in Israeli bombardment in Gaza City, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009. Israeli forces shelled the United Nations headquarters in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, setting the compound on fire as U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon was in the area on a mission to end Israel's devastating offensive against the territory's Hamas rulers. Ban expressed "outrage" over the incident. (AP Photo by Hatem Moussa)</p></div> <p><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.acus.org/new_atlanticist/israel-shells-un-headquarters-gaza"><br/> </a></p> <p><strong>UPDATE (Dave Schuler)</strong></p> <p>The story on this incident <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090115/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_palestinians">appears to be changing</a>:</p> <blockquote><p>JERUSALEM – Israel’s prime minister says the Israeli military fired artillery shells at a U.N. compound in Gaza after militants opened fire from the location.</p> <p>Ehud Olmert says Israeli forces “were attacked from there and the response was harsh.”</p> <p>U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon expressed “outrage” over the Israeli shelling of the compound Thursday.</p> <p>At a meeting between the two, Olmert called the shelling a “sad incident” but said militants were responsible. The U.N. denies the Israeli allegation.</p></blockquote> <p>The AP has this story marked as “Breaking”.</p> <p></p> <div class="discussionLink"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/israel_bombs_un_headquarters_/#comments" target="_top">Discussion (17)</a> </div>    <div class="postblock"> <div class="tags"><b>Tags |</b> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/authors/dave_schuler/" title="View all posts in Dave Schuler" rel="category tag">Dave Schuler</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/authors/james_joyner/" title="View all posts in James Joyner" rel="category tag">James Joyner</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/world_politics/middle_east/" title="View all posts in Middle East" rel="category tag">Middle East</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/national_security/military_affairs/" title="View all posts in Military Affairs" rel="category tag">Military Affairs</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/world_politics/united_nations/" title="View all posts in United Nations" rel="category tag">United Nations</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/world_politics/" title="View all posts in World Politics" rel="category tag">World Politics</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tag/israel/" rel="tag">Israel</a> </div> <script type="text/javascript">SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Israel Bombs UN Headquarters (Updated)", url: "http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/israel_bombs_un_headquarters_/" });</script> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://feeds.feedburner.com/OTB" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" alt="Subscribe to RSS Feed" style="vertical-align:middle;border:0"/></a> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/israel_bombs_un_headquarters_/" target="_top" title="Link to this post">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.aylwardfamily.com/content/tbping.asp" target="_blank" title="TrackBack pinger for non-enabled blogs">Send TrackBack</a> <br/> </div>     <span id="show-inline-comments-29987"><a href="javascript:;" class="comment-show-hide" id="show-inline-comments-link-29987" onmouseup="ajaxShowComments(29987); return false;">Show comments here »</a> </span> <span id="hide-inline-comments-29987" style="display: none;"><a href="#comments-29987" class="comment-show-hide" onmouseup="ajaxHideComments(29987); return true;">« Hide the comments</a> </span> <div id="ajax-comments-notification-29987"> </div> <div id="ajax-comments-29987" class="ajax-comments"> </div> <div class="divider"> </div> </div></div>  <div id="lijit_research"></div> <div class="blogbody"> <a name="post-29974"></a><h3 class="title"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/obama_to_end_dont_ask_dont_tell/">Obama to End Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell</a></h3> <div class="postauthor"> <table><tr><td valign="center"><a href="/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/index.php?author=1/"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/images/postby.gif" alt="" style="border-style: none"/></a></td> <td valign="center"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/author/site_admin/" title="Posts by James Joyner">James Joyner</a> | <span class="post/date">Thursday, January 15, 2009</span></td> </tr></table> </div> <p><a rel="attachment wp-att-29978" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/obama_to_end_dont_ask_dont_tell/dadt/"><img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-29978" style="border: 2px solid black; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px;" title="dadt" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/dadt.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225"/></a>The last Democratic president began his administration by starting the controversial “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy regarding gays in the military. His successor may start by <a title="Obama to End Military's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Policy" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,479952,00.html">ending it</a>.</p> <blockquote><p>President-elect Barack Obama will allow gays to serve openly in the military by overturning the controversial “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that marred President Clinton’s first days in office, according to incoming White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.</p> <p>The startling pronouncement, which could re-open a dormant battle in the culture wars and distract from other elements of Obama’s agenda, came during a Gibbs exchange with members of the public who sent in questions that were answered on YouTube. “Thadeus of Lansing, Mich., asks, ‘Is the new administration going to get rid of the “don’t ask, don’t tell policy?’” said Gibbs, looking into the camera. “Thadeus, you don’t hear a politician give a one-word answer much. But it’s, ‘Yes.’”</p> <p>The Obama transition team declined to elaborate on that one-word answer when asked by FOX News on Wednesday about a timetable for repealing the policy, which was enacted by Clinton after a protracted public debate. Obama officials also would not explain which lawmakers or Pentagon officials would attempt to repeal “don’t ask, don’t tell.”</p> <p>Clinton, who initially sought to overturn the longstanding ban on gays in the military, ended up enacting the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy as a compromise that made it illegal for commanders to ask about the sexual orientation of service members, who were also barred from announcing they were homosexual. If a service member’s homosexuality becomes known anyway, he or she is expelled.</p></blockquote> <p>One of the great misconceptions about DADT is that people think it began the ban on gays in the military. In fact, it was an attempt to allow gays to serve if they kept their sexuality to themselves. Perversely, however, it led to a witch hunt mentality in which suspected gays had to be “caught” since they couldn’t be asked.</p> <p>As I’ve noted here more than once over the years, one of the more bemusing experiences I had in the military was the questioning for my Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information clearance as a cadet about to be commisioned as a military intelligence officer (albeit one detailed to the field artillery). This would have been late 1987 or early 1988, several years before DADT. There were a whole series of questions on homosexuality — Was I gay? Was I even a little bit gay? Had I ever thought about becoming gay? Could I envision myself turning gay? Was I sure? The rationale, apparently, was that, since gays were not allowed in the military and homosexual acts were subject to court martial, a closeted gay was subject to blackmail by the enemy.</p> <p>While I believe that the cultural barriers that made the DADT compromise more palatable than removing the ban on gays still exist, they’re certainly lower than they were in 1993. The military is a microcosm of the larger society, whose values on the matter have changed considerably.</p> <p>It’s worth noting, however, that the president can’t overturn the ban on gays in the military on his own. That’s contained in the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which is codified in federal law. Indeed, DADT itself is codified in Public Law No: 103-160. It will, quite literally, take an act of Congress to change.</p> <p></p> <div class="discussionLink"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/obama_to_end_dont_ask_dont_tell/#comments" target="_top">Discussion (3)</a> </div>    <div class="postblock"> <div class="tags"><b>Tags |</b> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/us_politics/gender_issues/" title="View all posts in Gender Issues" rel="category tag">Gender Issues</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/authors/james_joyner/" title="View all posts in James Joyner" rel="category tag">James Joyner</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/us_politics/law_and_the_courts/" title="View all posts in Law and the Courts" rel="category tag">Law and the Courts</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/national_security/military_affairs/" title="View all posts in Military Affairs" rel="category tag">Military Affairs</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tag/barack_obama/" rel="tag">Barack Obama</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tag/culture_wars/" rel="tag">culture wars</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tag/dadt/" rel="tag">DADT</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tag/gays_in_the_military/" rel="tag">gays in the military</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tag/homosexual/" rel="tag">homosexual</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tag/pentagon/" rel="tag">Pentagon</a> </div> <script type="text/javascript">SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Obama to End Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell", url: "http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/obama_to_end_dont_ask_dont_tell/" });</script> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://feeds.feedburner.com/OTB" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" alt="Subscribe to RSS Feed" style="vertical-align:middle;border:0"/></a> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/obama_to_end_dont_ask_dont_tell/" target="_top" title="Link to this post">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.aylwardfamily.com/content/tbping.asp" target="_blank" title="TrackBack pinger for non-enabled blogs">Send TrackBack</a> <br/> </div>     <span id="show-inline-comments-29974"><a href="javascript:;" class="comment-show-hide" id="show-inline-comments-link-29974" onmouseup="ajaxShowComments(29974); return false;">Show comments here »</a> </span> <span id="hide-inline-comments-29974" style="display: none;"><a href="#comments-29974" class="comment-show-hide" onmouseup="ajaxHideComments(29974); return true;">« Hide the comments</a> </span> <div id="ajax-comments-notification-29974"> </div> <div id="ajax-comments-29974" class="ajax-comments"> </div> <div class="divider"> </div> </div></div>  <div id="lijit_research"></div> <div class="blogbody"> <a name="post-29966"></a><h3 class="title"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/andrew_sullivan_outed/">Andrew Sullivan Outed?</a></h3> <div class="postauthor"> <table><tr><td valign="center"><a href="/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/index.php?author=1/"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/images/postby.gif" alt="" style="border-style: none"/></a></td> <td valign="center"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/author/site_admin/" title="Posts by James Joyner">James Joyner</a> | <span class="post/date">Thursday, January 15, 2009</span></td> </tr></table> </div> <p><a rel="attachment wp-att-29969" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/andrew_sullivan_outed/andrewsullivan/"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-29969" style="border: 2px solid black; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px;" title="andrewsullivan" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/andrewsullivan.jpg" alt="" width="251" height="289"/></a>No, no — Andrew certainly makes no secrets about his sexuality. But he was included in President-elect Obama’s meeting with liberal pundits, a follow-up to his dinner with conservative pundits. <a title="Obama Meets With The Center-Left" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/01/obama_meets_with_the_centerlef.php">Marc Ambinder</a>:</p> <blockquote><p>9:45 a.m., in the transition office, President-elect Obama, meeting with: the Atlantic’s<strong> </strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: #000000;"><strong>Andrew Sullivan,</strong> CNN’s <strong>Roland Martin</strong>, MSNBC’s <strong>Rachel Maddow</strong>, the Washington Post’s <strong>Gene Robinson</strong>, the Boston Globe’s<strong> Derrick Z. Jackson</strong>, the one and only <strong>Maureen Dowd</strong>, the New York Times’s<strong> Frank Rich</strong>, the Wall Street Journal’s <strong>Jerry Seib</strong>, Atlantic political director <strong>Ron Brownstein</strong>, USA Today’s <strong>DeWayne Wickham </strong>and columnist<strong> E.J. Dionne Jr.</strong></span></span></p></blockquote> <p><a title="Andrew Sullivan Finally Moves to the Left" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.blogpi.net/andrew-sullivan-finally-moves-to-the-left">William Beutler</a> says, “Aha!”</p> <blockquote><p>Could that really be <strong>Andrew Sullivan</strong>? As in <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2007/05/a_conservative_.html">“conservatism of doubt”</a> Andrew Sullivan? Author of <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.amazon.com/Conservative-Soul-How-Lost-Back/dp/0060188774">“The Conservative Soul”</a> Andrew Sullivan? The same Andrew Sullivan whose strident advocacy for the Iraq war made him <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1435462/The-most-influential-US-conservatives-21-40.html">one of the most influential voices</a> among the online conservative commentariat? Who among us could ever have imagined the day would come when Andrew Sullivan would break with his ideological compatriots and move to the left?</p></blockquote> <p>Bill’s having a bit of fun with Andy, of course, whose conservative credentials have been questioned in recent years after turning against President Bush and then endorsing John Kerry and Obama in consecutive elections. Indeed, he’s as passionate an Obama advocate as you’ll find and has been since nearly the beginning.</p> <p>As for the meeting itself, <a title="Sorry, No Details" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/01/sorry-no-detail.html">Sully</a>’s very much Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell:</p> <blockquote><p>It was totally off the record and I’m a stickler for those rules. I can say, however, the following: it’s hard to express the relief I feel that this man will be the president soon. I realize that’s what I feel above all else: <em>relief</em>.</p> <p>I may disagree with him at times, and criticize him at times, but his great gift is showing that he does not expect people to change their convictions in order to find common areas of agreement. That’s the challenge he’s presenting all of us with, wherever we come from ideologically. The challenge is as real for a Krugman as for a Kristol, for Rick Warren as well as Gene Robinson.</p> <p>As I’ve said repeatedly for the last two years, we’re lucky to have him.</p></blockquote> <p>So, is Andrew now an out-of-the-closet lefty? Or just an Oakeshottian conservative left without any likeminded candidates to vote for and forced to vote for the man, not the party? Probably a bit of both, I’d say.</p> <p>American conservatism, at least as represented by the Republican Party, has changed too much and not enough over the years. They’ve long stopped pretending to care about fiscal responsibility, merely pretend to care about limited government, and care perhaps a bit too much about fighting losing battles in the cultural wars.</p> <p>Lots of us — Andy, <a title="Balloon Juice" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.balloon-juice.com/">John Cole</a>, <a title="PoliBlog" href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.poliblogger.com/">Steven Taylor</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://professorbainbridge.com/">Steve Bainbridge</a> come to mind — are less enthusiastic about The Cause as defined by the Republican agenda than we were even five years ago. The Steves and I have remained on the GOP bandwagon and Andy and John have jumped off. That’s a matter of slightly different ranking and weighting systems, methinks, rather than movement to the Left or Right.</p> <p></p> <div class="discussionLink"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/andrew_sullivan_outed/#comments" target="_top">Discussion (5)</a> </div>    <div class="postblock"> <div class="tags"><b>Tags |</b> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/authors/james_joyner/" title="View all posts in James Joyner" rel="category tag">James Joyner</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/politics_101/" title="View all posts in Politics 101" rel="category tag">Politics 101</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/us_politics/" title="View all posts in US Politics" rel="category tag">US Politics</a> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tag/andrew_sullivan/" rel="tag">Andrew Sullivan</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tag/john_cole/" rel="tag">John Cole</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tag/rick_warren/" rel="tag">Rick Warren</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tag/steve_bainbridge/" rel="tag">Steve Bainbridge</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tag/steven_taylor/" rel="tag">Steven Taylor</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/tag/william_beutler/" rel="tag">William Beutler</a> </div> <script type="text/javascript">SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Andrew Sullivan Outed?", url: "http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/andrew_sullivan_outed/" });</script> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://feeds.feedburner.com/OTB" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" alt="Subscribe to RSS Feed" style="vertical-align:middle;border:0"/></a> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/andrew_sullivan_outed/" target="_top" title="Link to this post">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.aylwardfamily.com/content/tbping.asp" target="_blank" title="TrackBack pinger for non-enabled blogs">Send TrackBack</a> <br/> </div>     <span id="show-inline-comments-29966"><a href="javascript:;" class="comment-show-hide" id="show-inline-comments-link-29966" onmouseup="ajaxShowComments(29966); return false;">Show comments here »</a> </span> <span id="hide-inline-comments-29966" style="display: none;"><a href="#comments-29966" class="comment-show-hide" onmouseup="ajaxHideComments(29966); return true;">« Hide the comments</a> </span> <div id="ajax-comments-notification-29966"> </div> <div id="ajax-comments-29966" class="ajax-comments"> </div> <div class="divider"> </div> </div></div>  <div id="lijit_research"></div> <div class="blogbody"> <a name="post-29963"></a><h3 class="title"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/caption_contest-357/">Caption Contest</a></h3> <div class="postauthor"> <table><tr><td valign="center"><a href="/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/index.php?author=6/"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/images/postby.gif" alt="" style="border-style: none"/></a></td> <td valign="center"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/author/duglum/" title="Posts by Rodney Dill">Rodney Dill</a> | <span class="post/date">Thursday, January 15, 2009</span></td> </tr></table> </div> <p>Time for the Thursday OTB Caption Contest<small><sup>TM</sup></small></a></p> <p><center> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/nowwhat.jpg" alt="nowwhat" border="1"><br/><br/> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Al-Gore-Joe-Biden-President-elect-Barack-Obama-former-Vice-President-Al-Gore/ss/events/pl/050505algore/im:/081224/photos_ts/2008_12_24t012419_450x289_us_usa_economy_stimulus/print;_ylt=AtoHs0GjegAPyXG4jL.45I_mWMcF"><br/> (Jeff Haynes/Reuters)<br/> </a></center></p> <p>Winners will be announced Monday PM</p> <p></p> <div class="discussionLink"> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/caption_contest-357/#comments" target="_top">Discussion (21)</a> </div>    <div class="postblock"> <div class="tags"><b>Tags |</b> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/entertainment/contests/" title="View all posts in Contests" rel="category tag">Contests</a>, <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/category/authors/rodney_dill/" title="View all posts in Rodney Dill" rel="category tag">Rodney Dill</a> </div> <script type="text/javascript">SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Caption Contest", url: "http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/caption_contest-357/" });</script> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://feeds.feedburner.com/OTB" rel="alternate" type="application/rss+xml"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://www.feedburner.com/fb/images/pub/feed-icon16x16.png" alt="Subscribe to RSS Feed" style="vertical-align:middle;border:0"/></a> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/caption_contest-357/" target="_top" title="Link to this post">Permalink</a> | <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.aylwardfamily.com/content/tbping.asp" target="_blank" title="TrackBack pinger for non-enabled blogs">Send TrackBack</a> <br/> </div>     <span id="show-inline-comments-29963"><a href="javascript:;" class="comment-show-hide" id="show-inline-comments-link-29963" onmouseup="ajaxShowComments(29963); return false;">Show comments here »</a> </span> <span id="hide-inline-comments-29963" style="display: none;"><a href="#comments-29963" class="comment-show-hide" onmouseup="ajaxHideComments(29963); return true;">« Hide the comments</a> </span> <div id="ajax-comments-notification-29963"> </div> <div id="ajax-comments-29963" class="ajax-comments"> </div> <div class="divider"> </div> </div></div>  <p></p> <div id="menu"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/page/2/">Next 10 posts »</a></div> </div> </td>     <td width="224" valign="top"> <div class="search-block"> <style> #lwp_2_searchbutton{ margin-left:5px; background:transparent url(http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/images/go.gif) no-repeat; border:none; height:29px; width:32px; } #lwp_logo{ display:none; } #lwp_main{ top:20px; position:relative; left:20px; padding-bottom:20px; } #lwp_sfd{ width:110px; } .search-header{ top:20px; position:relative; left:20px; } </style> <span class="search-header">Search OTB</span> <div style="position:relative;"> <script src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550js_/http://www.lijit.com/informers/wijits?username=drjjoyner&js=1"></script> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://lijit.com/"><img style="position:absolute; top: 30px; right:0;" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://www.lijit.com/res/images/wijit_logo_bw.png" alt="Lijit Logo"/></a> </div> <script> $butt = document.getElementById('lwp_2_searchbutton'); $butt.value=''; </script>   <table style="padding:5px 0 0 15px"><tr> <td class="search-header"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/images/rss_logo2.jpg"></td> <td class="search-header" style="vertical-align:top;padding-top:4px"> <div style="4px 0"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://feeds.feedburner.com/OTB">Subscribe to Feed</a></div> <div style="padding:4px 0"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://feedburner.com/fb/a/emailverifySubmit?feedId=235587">Subscribe by Email</a></div> <div style="padding:4px 0"><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://feeds.feedburner.com/OTB" rel="nofollow"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://feeds.feedburner.com/~fc/OTB?bg=000000&fg=FFFFFF&anim=0" height="26" width="88" style="border:0" alt="OTB RSS Subscribers via FeedBurner"/></a></div> </td></tr></table>  </div>  <p></p>  <div class="redblock-right" style="padding-top:10px;padding-bottom:10px;margin:15px 0;"> For Advertising Info, write<br/><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/mailto:otb@blogads.com">otb@blogads.com</a> </div>  <p></p> <center><h4>ADVERTISERS</h4></center>  <center><div class="sideblock-right"><iframe src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550if_/http://content.pulse360.com/cgi-bin/context.cgi?id=88550842&cgroup=external_content_video&color=maroon&format=vid160x865&subid=89536801" style="width:160px; height:865px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></center></div>   <center></center>   </div>  <p></p> <center><h4>OTB MEDIA</h4></center>    <div class="sideblock-right"> <center><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://gone-hollywood.com/" title="Gone Hollywood"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/images/side_hollywood.gif" alt="OTB Gone Hollywood"></a></center> <script src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550js_/http://feeds.feedburner.com/otbgonehollywood?format=sigpro" type="text/javascript"></script><noscript><p>Subscribe to RSS headline updates from: <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://feeds.feedburner.com/otbgonehollywood"></a><br/>Powered by FeedBurner</p> </noscript> </div> <p></p> <div class="sideblock-right"> <center><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://sports.outsidethebeltway.com/" title="OTB Sports"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/images/side_sports.gif" alt="OTB Sports"></a></center> <script src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550js_/http://feeds.feedburner.com/otbsports?format=sigpro" type="text/javascript"></script><noscript><p>Subscribe to RSS headline updates from: <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://feeds.feedburner.com/otbsports"></a><br/>Powered by FeedBurner</p> </noscript> </div> <p></p> <div class="sideblock-right"> <center><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/" title="Outside the Beltway"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/images/side_otb.gif"/></center> <script src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550js_/http://feeds.feedburner.com/OTB?format=sigpro" type="text/javascript"></script><noscript><p>Subscribe to RSS headline updates from: <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://feeds.feedburner.com/OTB"></a><br/>Powered by FeedBurner</p> </noscript> </div> <p></p> <div class="sideblock-right"> <center><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://allieiswired.com/"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://outsidethebeltway.com/fotos/aiw4ghw.jpg" alt="Allie is Wired"></a></center> <script src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550js_/http://feeds.feedburner.com/allieiswired?format=sigpro" type="text/javascript"></script><noscript><p>Subscribe to RSS headline updates from: <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://feeds.feedburner.com/allieiswired"></a><br/>Powered by FeedBurner</p> </noscript> </div> <center><h4>ATLANTIC COUNCIL</h4></center> <div class="sideblock-right"> <center><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://acus.org/new_atlanticist" title="New Atlanticist"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/images/side_newatlanticist.gif" alt="New Atlanticist Atlantic Council Blog"></a></center> <script src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550js_/http://feeds.feedburner.com/new_atlanticist?format=sigpro" type="text/javascript"></script><noscript><p>Subscribe to RSS headline updates from: <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://feeds.feedburner.com/new_atlanticist"></a><br/>Powered by FeedBurner</p> </noscript></div>  <center><h4>AFFILIATIONS</h4></center> <div class="sideblock-right"> <center><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.blogtalkradio.com/hostpage.aspx?host_id=5831" rel="nofollow"><img id="btn180x60" border="0" alt="blog radio" src="/web/20090115212550im_/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/fotos/BTR_Button_180x60.gif"/></a> <embed src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550oe_/http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mediaplayer.swf?displayheight=&file=http://www.blogtalkradio.com%2fOTB%2fplay_list.xml&autostart=false&shuffle=false&callback=http://www.blogtalkradio.com/FlashPlayerCallback.aspx&volume=80&corner=rounded" width="180" height="152" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" quality="high" wmode="transparent" menu="false"/></center> <p></p> <center> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2006/03/otb_wins_golden_dot_award/" rel="nofollow"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://outsidethebeltway.com/fotos/goldendot2006_sidebar.gif" alt="Photo: 2006 Winner Best Blog"></a> </center> <p></p> <center><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://2008.weblogawards.org/polls/best-major-blog/"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/4888/wa_finalist_2008_150x100.png" border="0" alt="The 2008 Weblog Awards"/></a></center> <p></p> <center><a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://mediabloggers.org/" rel="nofollow"><img src="/web/20090115212550im_/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/fotos/mba_blue.gif" alt="Media Bloggers Association"></a></center> <p></p></div></center> <center><h4>VETERAN'S ALERT</h4></center> <div class="sideblock-right">In addition to uncertain healthcare services, economic disadvantages, and finding a place to call home, veterans certainly do not need any more challenges. Unfortunately, the wounds of war can be less obvious than those that we can see. Psychological disorders and sicknesses caused by toxic exposure can be the most damaging aspects of war that veterans bring home. Toxin exposure in particular is of particular concern as previous exposure to asbestos among veterans is causing incidence of the aggressive cancer <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://www.mesothelioma.com/">mesothelioma</a> to rise among former members of the armed services. We must not leave those who risked their lives for our nation in the cold. Our veterans have never questioned the right or wrong of war when it mattered most. They simply did as they were trained. We must now show the same unwavering determination, in all ways we are able, by affording those opportunities to which they are entitled, including financial, medical and emotional support to all veterans.</div></center></div>  <script type="text/javascript" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550js_/http://s29.sitemeter.com/js/counter.js?site=s29otbprime"> </script> <noscript> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://s29.sitemeter.com/stats.asp?site=s29otbprime" rel="nofollow" target="_top"> <img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://s29.sitemeter.com/meter.asp?site=s29otbprime" alt="Site Meter" border="0"/></a> </noscript>  <p></p> <script src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550js_/http://www.google-analytics.com/urchin.js" rel="nofollow" type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript"> _uacct = "UA-252881-1"; urchinTracker(); </script> </div></td> </tr> </table> </div>   <div class="credits"><div class="credits2"> <div class="links"> <center>Powered by <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://wordpress.org/">WordPress 2.6.2</a>    |   Design by <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://regardingdesign.net/" title="Regarding Design">Brandon Ratzlaff</a>    |   Coding by <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://txfx.net/">Mark Jaquith</a> and <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://blogrescue.com/" title="Blog Rescue">Ed Burns</a></center> </div> <br/>  <center> <script type="text/javascript">var site="sm8drjjoyner"</script><script type="text/javascript" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550js_/http://sm8.sitemeter.com/js/counter.js?site=sm8drjjoyner"> </script> <noscript> <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://sm8.sitemeter.com/stats.asp?site=sm8drjjoyner" target="_top"><img src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://sm8.sitemeter.com/meter.asp?site=sm8drjjoyner" alt="Site Meter" border="0"></a> </noscript>  <br/> Visitors Since Feb. 4, 2003  <form id="searchform" method="get" action="/web/20090115212550/http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/index.php" target="_self"> <input type="text" name="s" id="s" size="14"/> <input type="image" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550im_/http://otb.cachefly.net/otb/wordpress/wp-content/themes/default/images/go.gif" name="submit" value="Search OTB" target="_self"/></form> </center> <p></p> <center><em>All original content copyright 2003-2008 by <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550/http://otbmedia.org/" title="OTB Media">OTB Media</a>. All rights reserved.</em></center> <p></p> </div></div>    <script type="text/javascript" src="http://web.archive.org/web/20090115212550js_/http://outsidethebeltway.us.intellitxt.com/intellitxt/front.asp?ipid=5115"></script>  </div>  </div>  </body> </html>