Summary: Here's what I thought you'd like to hear about today: Driving God out of the Public Square - Secularists and Bigots Attack RomneyGates on the NIE - It's not Policy, it's the Independent CIAMore Progress in Iraq - Permanent Progress Download Subscribe Add Wizbang Podcast to iTunes Driving God out of the Public Square - Secularists and Bigots Attack Romney On my last podcast I played a clip from Mitt Romney's Faith in America speech. Since then, he has been praised by Republicans, and condemned by Democrats. Big surprise I guess. But the criticisms have all been over his statement that Freedom requires religion just as religion requires freedom. Some have claimed that this would exclude agnostics and atheists from government. Is anyone surprised that a speech called Faith in America is calling for more faith? Some are claiming that he is calling for a theocracy. I missed that part, somehow. Here is Newt Gingrich on This Week with George Stephanopoulos challenging the host's views on Romney's speech and American History. Play clip. I was intrigued, so I found an audio clip at American Rhetoric of an actor reading Lincoln's second inaugural address. It was given less than two months before he was assassinated. And it is frankly religious. Listen to the last half of this very short address. I think you will recognize the last few lines. Play clip. Stirring words, indeed. But the talking heads on This Week were ready to hang Romney for his modest effort. Listen to Sam Donaldson and Cokie Roberts. Play clip. Sam claims that it's getting much much closer to a theocracy; Frightening; Encroachment into the government. All Bunk. But for a really off the rails criticism of Romney, we have to go to MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell. Never one to hold back on his true feelings, Lawrence dragged up ancient history on the LDS church to attack Romney with both barrels. Here he is on The McLaughlin Group. Hold on to your hats. Play clip. Good for Pat Buchanan, one of my least favorite Republican pundits for asking if Romney's Mormonism disqualifies him from being President, and if past condoning of slavery by Christians disqualify them from running for office. O'Donnell is unhinged. He appeared on Hugh Hewitt's show after this rant to continue the bile against Romney. Hugh asked why he was only criticizing the politely religious, instead of the Islamofascists. Play clip. What a wimp. Only point out the flaws of the safe groups, not the dangerous ones. Gates on the NIE - It's not Policy, it's the Independent CIA Last week's release of the National Intelligence Estimate has been very controversial. Some have cited the cessation of the Iranian nuclear weapons program to call into question the belicose rhetoric of the Bush administration. World War III and all that. Secretary Robert Gates spoke on the subject of the NIE to some of our allies in Bahrain last week. I'm going to play to excerpts, the first from the speech and the second from the questions after the talk. Thanks to the Pentagon Channel Podcast for the audio. Play clip. I can see what trouble this independent intelligence community is to those responsible and accountable for government policy. How can our allies trust us when those who must formulate and implement the policy are tossed to the wolves by unaccountable spooks bent on bringing down Bush? More Progress in Iraq - Permanent Progress I have tremendous respect for Maj. Gen. W.E. Gaskin, the top man in Anbar Province. As the Pentagon Channel described it: MajGen W.E. Gaskin, Commanding General, MNF-West, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), provides Pentagon reporters with an update of ongoing operations in western Iraq, Dec 10, 2007 I joined a conference call with the General on a previous podcast, #66 on July 20, where he reminded us that Most of the dumb ones are dead. Gaskin is getting close to the end of his tour, due out in February 2008. So I was anxious to listen to his press conference on December 10 to the Pentagon Press
