Here's what I thought you'd like to hear about today:

1. The Porkbuster's Victory Lap
2. The passing of Ann Richards
3. Accountability - Isn't that what Elections are for?
4. Beating Back the Russert Machine
5. Bush's 9-11 Speech

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The Porkbuster's Victory Lap

In a great two minute speech on the floor of the house, Texas Representative Jeb Hensarling outlined the reasons why the Porkbusters have right on their side. On the Corner, Stephen Spruiell had this to say:

Rep. Jeb Hensarling (flanked by fellow fiscal cons Jeff Flake and Mike Pence) spoke today in favor of the earmark transparency rule that just passed the House. His remarks highlighted the absurdity of out-of-control spending in Washington:

Play clip.

The Passing of Ann Richards

Yahoo Video had a nice tribute to Ann Richards on their video site today, and I captured the last half in this clip. CNN prepared the material.

Play clip.

She was a class act. Always entertaining, even if, from my perspective, she was on the wrong side of many issues.

Accountability - Isn't that what Elections are for?

Howard Kurtz, David Gergen and Bill Press were on Reliable Sources on CNN Sunday. They had a short discussion that seemed to be trying to minimize the impact of the very effective speeches President Bush gave over the last week. This clip starts off by saying that the only way to hold the President accountable is to have the press doubt everything he says. I thought that's what elections were for, to hold them accountable. And I seem to remember President Bush won in 2004. Then note that the idea that there might be a valid reason why the President would want to rally support of the people for his very necessary programs. That never comes up. Instead they laugh at the absurdity of the thought that the President should not use the occasion to highlight the successes of his programs to make us safer than we would otherwise be. I agree.

Play clip.

I like the remark Gergen made:

Of course, the president is going to try to shape the debate of what the meaning of 9/11 is. That's what the bully pulpit is all about and so he should be.

Thank you Mr. Formerly Important Person. We appreciate, but intend to ignore, your approval. But Gergen is right. The anniversary of 9-11 is absolutely the right time to defend the administration's policies.

Beating Back the Russert Machine

And speaking of defending the administration's policies, on of the best defenders is actually Dick Cheney, that bane of the left. With an approval rating near single digits, not running for office again, Cheney is in a unique position of being able to forcefully respond to the talking points of the Democrats. And as a perfect example of rapid fire Democratic talking points, no one does that better than Tim Russert on Sunday's Meet the Press. Listen to Russert, followed by Cheney. This is great Sunday news talk show theater. Cheney was on for a full hour. Russert spent most of the time trying to say that Cheney had wrongly connected Sadam to 9-11. Of course he never did, but Russert must have tried a half a dozen times to conflate Cheney's connection of Sadam to terrorism to the 9-11 attack. This clip has Cheney answering Rissert's claim that a more defensive, less offensive terrorism policy would be a better way to spend money. It starts off by Russert playing Cheney's last appearance on Meet the Press, when Cheney made the claim that we would be greeted as liberators. No mention of "cake-walk", but Russert tries to play gotcha.

Play clip.

"Take the fight to the enemy." Please proceed, Mr. Vice President.

Bush's 9-11 Speech

President Bush made an excellent speech on the evening of the 9-11 anniversary, which the major networks carried live. Alexander K. McClure at our sister site, Wizbang Politics picked the following section for highlighting. Alexander wrote:

Tonight President Bush again addressed the nation from the Oval Office.

In sober rhetoric, he clearly laid out for the American people what happened five years ago, why it happened, and what we need to do at home to prevent it from happening again. In short, it was the typical speech that he has been giving since the attacks of September 11, 2001.

However, in several eloquent passages, he laid out what we will achieve if we win, and what will happen to free people around the world if we falter. He made this case tonight more clearly than I believe he has ever done in the past, including his Second Inaugural Address.

Play clip.

Alexander goes on to describe his feelings about the speech.

Often, I feel the "stay the course" message has left the American people with the impression of an Administration that is unable to change or adapt. However, tonight, the President proved those critics wrong. Through victory in Aghanistan and Iraq, he believes we can change an entire region, an entire culture. It is the defining theme of his Presidency, and will, I believe, be the defining theme of the 21st century.

It was clearly, in my mind, one of the best speeches of his Presidency. We shall see in the next few days what the American people thought.

I agree, Alexander. It was a great speech. And it appears to be affecting his approval ratings in polls. o Wizbang Politics says on 9/14:

According to a NBC/Wall Street Journal Poll, President Bush now has a 42% approval rating.

That's it for now podcatchers! From McLaren Airport in rainy Las Vegas.