The Hound Of Ulster

HERE is a Pew Research Center survey. I have no idea what any of it means. (I understand what they’re saying, of course. I just have no idea how it will impact the election. I’m flying completely blind on this one. Thank goodness we only have about 3 days to go.)

A nationwide Pew Research Center survey finds voting intentions shifting in the direction of Republican congressional candidates in the final days of the 2006 midterm campaign. The new survey finds a growing percentage of likely voters saying they will vote for GOP candidates. However, the Democrats still hold a 48% to 40% lead among registered voters, and a modest lead of 47%-43% among likely voters.

The narrowing of the Democratic lead raises questions about whether the party will win a large enough share of the popular vote to recapture control of the House of Representatives. The relationship between a party’s share of the popular vote and the number of seats it wins is less certain than it once was, in large part because of the increasing prevalence of safe seat redistricting. As a result, forecasting seat gains from national surveys has become more difficult.

I found the reaction to Kerry’s comments particularly interesting. Lots of folks heard about it, that’s for sure. And it seems to have impacted the famous “independent voters” a bit.

In addition, Sen. John Kerry’s “botched joke” about the war in Iraq attracted enormous attention. Fully 84% of voters say they have heard a lot or a little about Kerry’s remarks ­ with 60% saying they have heard a lot. By comparison, just 26% say they have heard a lot about President Bush’s statement that he will keep Donald Rumsfeld as secretary of defense until he leaves office in 2009. Most voters say Kerry’s statement is not a serious consideration in their vote, but 18% of independent voters say it did raise serious doubts about voting for a Democratic candidate.

I still have absolutely no idea what’s going on. This doesn’t really help.

DETAILS.

Saddam, shaking and defiant, was sentenced in Baghdad today after being found guilty of ordering the murder of Iraqi civilians.

“Allahu Akbar!” (God is Greatest) and “Long live the nation!”, he shouted, pointing defiantly at the judge as the verdict was delivered.

Tonight George Bush said: “Saddam Hussein’s trial is a milestone in the Iraqi people’s efforts to replace the rule of a tyrant with the rule of law.

“It is a major achievement for Iraq’s young democracy and its constitutional government.”

…

Saddam was convicted of ordering the deaths of 148 Shia men and teenage boys in the town of Dujail in 1982.

The killings followed a failed assassination attempt against him and were intended to act as a grim warning to others not to oppose him.

Amnesty International was not impressed, apparently. (I guess they liked the “you are no dictator” judge better.)

He had wanted to face a firing squad - that request was refused.

Celebratory gunfire echoed across Baghdad while fighting broke out in the north of the city.

Saddam’s lawyer said the former president urged Iraqis “not to take revenge” on the US coalition and to “unify in the face of sectarian strike”.

Sporadic violence has been reported in other parts of the country.

What a strange situation.

Or brave bishop-controlled diocesan newspapers, anyway.

The Catholic Sun SPEAKS out against the Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in its November 2nd editorial.

Thanks to last year’s race, the Phoenix affiliate was able to give more than $1.2 million to local research, education, screening and treatment programs, according to their Web site. Among many of the worthy organizations that receive grant monies, unfortunately, is the not-so-worthy Planned Parenthood of Central and Northern Arizona. The Komen foundation gave Planned Parenthood $24,580 this year “for breast health education and early cancer detection in Coconino, Gila, Maricopa and Yavapai Counties.”

Some will argue the grant is earmarked for areas other than abortion or contraception, so the affiliation between the organizations is inconsequential. But the sad reality is that the grant money now frees up Planned Parenthood funds for these other areas opposing life and counter to our Catholic faith.

Tragically ironic, too, are the ongoing scientific discoveries linking abortion and breast cancer. So by giving money to Planned Parenthood, Komen is in essence shooting itself in the foot — then trying to race with only one good foot to raise additional funds to stop the bleeding. But the blood, both literally and figuratively, won’t stop until the grants to Planned Parenthood end.

So if you’re like a great many of the pro-life Catholics who stand, walk and run for life but were unaware of the connection between Komen and Planned Parenthood, we urge you in joining with us in calling upon the Phoenix Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation to immediately end its support of Planned Parenthood.

AZ Central TRIES to find a conflict of interest, with limited success. I’ll bet those folks get dropped from the next edition.

(HT: DOM)