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Set aside an hour to watch this video. Trust me. The hour flies by as Mark Steyn systematically dismantles the purely emotional arguments of his critics in an unplanned live debate on Canadian television. Host Steve Paikin (who handled the whole event extremely well) wrote a follow up piece on his blog:

Steyn challenged the three complainants to allow him to join the debate. After considering his request (on live TV no less), they insisted they have time alone (as he did), after which they were content to have him join.

That seemed eminently reasonable to me, and so we made it so, all of it happening on the fly.

For what it’s worth, I think the “Maclean’s Three” made the right call by engaging in a debate with Steyn. They would have looked like hypocrites had they not, given that they’ve been calling for an open debate on the subject matter for weeks.

The program was certainly one of the most heated we’ve ever done, although I believe it stayed civilized almost all the time. We ensured at the outset there would be no shouting or name calling and our guests to their credit stuck to those rules.

What you didn’t see was that after we got off the air and the cameras and lights were shut off, all four participants stayed in the studio for another hour discussing the issues with Wodek and another producer, Navin Vaswani, who helped Wodek with the show.

To Steyn’s credit, he may have offered the first olive branch when he said as I was closing the show, “would you guys like to go for dinner?” One of the lawyers immediately said, “No!” They may not have broken bread, but they did continue the dialogue.

The only problem with the show is that there wasn’t much discussion about the ideas (and facts) presented in Steyn’s work. His opponents went there only briefly and apparently found the experience painful. They could not point to inaccuracies in his work and they did not present any data that offered a reasonable counterpoint to his conclusions. They simply wanted to be heard because their feelings were hurt. The result? Steyn cut through them like a buzzsaw.

She wants fame - she just got it. The NYT broke the story and surfaced her Myspace page. Don’t pass up the relationship advice in her most recent blog entry:

The past few months have been a roller coaster with so called friends, lovers, and family…but its something you have to deal with and confront in order to move on…

I stepped away from each situation that happened and asked myself…

1) What is this person doing to make my life better? (financial, intel, drive, networking etc.)

2) How does this person make me feel? (happy, sad, motivated, depressed, constantly doubting, drama, etc.)

3) How is this person a positive influence in my life? (do they share the same interests, same dreams, does that person make me better when i am with them, or when they are in my life…i would be the same person if they werent in my life, but its just better with them in it…is my best interest always number one in their head AND heart, etc.)

from all this, i mean…

*Does that person make you feel good?

*Does that person drive you to be better?

*Is that person right there behind you when things arent that good, or even if they are??

*Will that person be an asset to your life…(will that person have value): doesn’t have to be financial, i am talking respect, courage, and umm RESPECT.

Oh, and does that person have $4300 in cash? Can’t forget that one.

The Chicago Tribune wants to know:

Identified only as “Client-10″ in court documents, the man requested that the prostitution ring, Emperors Club VIP, send a prostitute known as “Chrissy” from Los Angeles to Chicago on March 4, according to the indictment dated March 5.

The FBI intercepted a phone call Feb. 22 between Client-10 and Temeka Rachelle Lewis, one of the defendants named in the indictment, asking about the possibility of “Chrissy” being flown to Chicago for a date on March 4. Lewis told the man that he would be responsible for the cost of airfare and other travel expenses, the indictment says.

Intercepted text messages show that a flight was booked for “Chrissy” from Los Angeles International Airport to O’Hare International Airport for March 4, returning to Los Angeles from O’Hare the following morning. It is not clear from the documents whether she arrived in Chicago.

I think everyone is waiting to see if Eliot Spitzer takes someone else down with him.

Paglia contrasts the two in a thoroughly entertaining piece at Salon:

The current wave of support for Barack Obama from Democrats, independents, and even some Republicans is partly based on his vision of a new political discourse that breaks with the petty, destructive polarization of the past 20 years. Whether Obama can build up his foreign policy credentials sufficiently to reassure an anxious general electorate remains to be seen.

But Hillary herself, with her thin, spotty record, tangled psychological baggage, and maundering blowhard of a husband, is also a mighty big roll of the dice. She is a brittle, relentless manipulator with few stable core values who shuffles through useful personalities like a card shark (”Cue the tears!”). Forget all her little gold crosses: Hillary’s real god is political expediency. Do Americans truly want this hard-bitten Machiavellian back in the White House? Day one will just be more of the same.

These people are seriously unhinged. They remind me of the Lyndon LaRouche supporters who used to leaflet my neighborhood near Johnson Space Center in the 1980’s.

Yet another bizarre video moment for the Clintons today. Watching Bill one almost gets the impression that he is contractually obligated, yet personally reluctant, to campaign for his “wife.”

Drudge is having a little fun at Hillary’s expense:

TALK OF HILLARY EXIT ENGULFS CAMPAIGN

Facing a double-digit defeat in New Hampshire, a sudden collapse in national polls and an expected fund-raising drought, Senator Hillary Clinton is preparing for a tough decision: Does she get out of the race? And when?!

“She can’t take multiple double-digit losses in New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada,” laments one top campaign insider to the DRUDGE REPORT. “If she gets too badly embarrassed, it will really harm her. She doesn’t want the Clinton brand to be damaged with back-to-back-to-back defeats.”

Meanwhile, Democrat hopeful John Edwards has confided to senior staff that he is staying in the race because Hillary “could soon be out.”

“Her money is going to dry up,” Edwards confided, a top source said Monday morning.

As I said in a previous post it’s way too early to count Hillary Clinton out of this race. However, I think this story is going to hurt her. It’s going to be a huge topic for the blogosphere and pundits and that is going to make her appear increasingly vulnerable. That could set the stage for a dramatic comeback but I suspect that it will only accelerate the unraveling process.

Others Blogging

Outside the Beltway
If, as looks increasingly likely, she loses badly tomorrow in New Hampshire, she’s going to feel as if the wind has been knocked out of her. She expected to win these two easily and then march on to a coronation. But the idea that she can’t afford to stay in the race through February 5th is just silly.

A Blog for All
This has to boost the Barack Hussein Obama campaign.

Irish Trojan in Tennessee
I agree with those “others close to the former first lady.” I don’t think there is any way she can beat Obama. In fact, I believe that she will not win a single primary. Obama’s momentum is already unstoppable, at least by her.

Hot Air
The Clinton true believers, god love ‘em, are putting on a brave face even as the new Marist poll contemplates the outside chance of a disastrous third-place finish tomorrow. I don’t mind seeing her lose, but I’ll cop to a very dark secret: Thanks partly to my hunch that we’d have an easier time with her than Obama in the election and/or as president, partly to my impatience with the vapid, messianic “change” crap Obama’s peddling, and partly to my instinctive sympathy as a beta male for anyone who’s been humiliated, I … kind of feel a little sorry for her. Kind of. A little. Oh, the shame.

Blue Crab Boulevard
That’s twice the money problems rumor has surfaced just today. But James Carville is mentioned in the story as well. This story reeks of Carville and his media manipulation.

Riehl World View
One cannot be re-born until you die. What better way to do it than to plant the story of your demise, eventually pinning it on the underhanded dealings of a presumably noble competitor’s campaign? Nothing like sucking the wind out of your competitions headline grabbing success with a staged funeral that doesn’t take place. I don’t buy it at all.

PoliGazette
So, why the rumor? Riehl argues that the Clinton campaign itself is behind the rumor, in an attempt to orchestrate some kind of giant comeback later this month or in February. That’s one option indeed, but it could also be spread by rival campaigns in an attempt to discourage people from voting for her and, instead, to jump on Obama’s bandwagon (or to support Edwards of course).

Wonkette
Have you ever seen a sadder Drudge Report Siren? Hillary can’t leave Matt, not after he’s been telling the world how she’s so smart and tough and the whole President Clinton Jr. thing is inevitable! Hang in there, Matt! Hillary might still be your Queen.

Atlas Shrugs
Hillary is in free fall. Big time. Looking like Obama/Edwards…

Gun Toting Liberal
As I read the breaking news from The Drudge Report, the tears began to flow uncontrollably; Sir Hillary Rodham Clinton’s “presidential goose” just might be cooked. My heart is broken. No, really. It is. No, that’s not a smile; it’s a nervous tick…

Wake Up America
As to Edwards saying her money is going to dry up? Eventually maybe, but certainly not yet. If Edwards does, indeed, think Hillary “could soon be out”, then I would ask for his definition of the word “soon”.

I’ll be liveblogging tonight’s action. Refresh this page for updates once things get rolling. There’s already a little excitement and the event hasn’t even started:

There are several security officers at every entrance to the college checking IDs. Two hours before the forum is scheduled to start there are already about 30 Paul supporters protesting on the sidewalk. There have also been unconfirmed reports about a small aircraft flying a banner reading “Ron Paul Revolution” around Manchester.

They’re as loony as the Code Pink crowd - but probably better looking. Stay tuned for updates.

Wrap Up
The Fox focus group is hammering Huckabee on his initial confrontation with Romney. The exchange between the two of them, and Wallace’s attack on Huckabee’s foreign policy shortcomings, are the big stories coming out of this event. Will it have an impact? I think so. The Huckabee surge may have been slowed.

McCain performed well enough. He certainly didn’t sustain any real damage. I think the question here is did Romney’s slightly better performance sway a game-changing percentage of undecided voters? It’s possible.

The group’s take on Fred Thompson is exactly what I’ve feared. In essence they agree with him but his style is a major turnoff. They overwhelmingly agreed that he was the worst performer. It’s unfortunate but not unexpected.

Update 8:30 PM CST:
Huckabee thinks Republicans could hold the White House if they “actually solve problems.” It sounds silly but I think it will resonate. McCain’s focus is security.

Update 8:26 PM CST:
Wallace is grilling Rudy on the Bernie Kerik case and asking his to assure “republican voters” that they won’t have to worry about Rudy being further implicated or tied to the mob. I don’t think Rudy managed to pull that off.

Update 8:20 PM CST:
Wallace is on “flip-flopping” now. These topics are useless and tired.

Update 8:20 PM CST:
Huckabee: “Chuck Norris is standing outside right now.”
Thompson: “If John Wayne was here I’d have him beat him up.”

Update 8:17 PM CST:
Huckabee is referencing his slimy ad stunt in an attempt to address Wallace’s question about the tone of the campaign.

Update 8:14 PM CST:
Fox is replaying highlights from various negative campaign ads. McCain went first and didn’t bite.

Update 8:10 PM CST:
Fred has the only insightful take on immigration and blames policy makers on both sides of the border for encouraging illegal immigration.

Update 8:08 PM CST:
Rudy is rattling off the immigration buzzwords.

Update 8:07 PM CST:
Romney and Wallace are trying to challenge the harshness of Huckabee’s immigration plan.

Update 8:05 PM CST:
Romney and Wallace are trying to challenge the harshness of Huckabee’s immigration plan.

Update 8:00 PM CST:
Romney is pwning McCain on illegal immigration. That’s easy enough to do.

Update 7:54 PM CST:
Fred lands another: “Wasn’t that Ted Kennedy at your bill signing?” - directed at Mitt.

Update 7:53 PM CST:
Fred lands one: “My friend Mitt thinks experience is important in all areas except national security.”

Update 7:46 PM CST:
Holy crap! Chris Wallace just destroyed Huckabee. He highlighted his numerous national security and foreign policy missteps and then asked him, in essence, how can you claim to be up for the job? This will be the defining moment of this event unless Ron Paul steers his blimp into the building.

Update 7:43 PM CST:
Romney: “The Clinton’s have endorsed Senator McCain’s immigration plan.” Ouch. He made a pretty good case for the office requiring broad based leadership skills instead of specific expertise. It’s his attempt to undercut McCain’s national security credentials while highlighting his impressive resume.

Update 7:36 PM CST:
Rudy dismissed the whole change question as frivolous. It was my favorite take.

Update 7:34 PM CST:
McCain is shifting from change to national security. He’s blasting Adam Gadahn for tearing up his passport and promising to deliver Osama.

Update 7:32 PM CST:
Romney on McCain and change: “Just sending the same people to Washington, but in different chairs, is not going to change the outcome.”

Update 7:29 PM CST:
Ugh. Chris Wallace wants to talk about “change”.

Update 7:28 PM CST:
Fred Thompson is calling for a simplified tax code but Wallace wants to move on.

Update 7:23 PM CST:
Romney: “We also need a president who knows how to shrink the federal government.” Amen and a great response to Huckabee’s cheesy class warfare.

Update 7:21 PM CST:
Huckabee is feeling your pain. It would be a good moment for him if Romney hadn’t just kicked his feet out from under him on taxes.

Update 7:20 PM CST:
McCain on Social Security: “Tell the American people it’s broken and it’s got to be fixed.”

Update 7:18 PM CST:
Fred Thompson on Social Security: “I have the only plan dealing with Social Security.” and “We’re promising future retirees something we can’t possible deliver.” I want to see him back up and tackle the tax issue.

Update 7:14 PM CST:
Rudy: “I am a supply-sider.”

Update 7:11 PM CST:
Romney on Huckabee’s tax claims: “Mike, you make up facts faster than you talk.” Huckabee then dodged a direct question, twice - “Did you raise taxes?”

Update 7:08 PM CST:
Huckabee getting nailed on $500 million in tax increases.

Update 7:08 PM CST:
Romney: “I’ve got a record of cutting spending and cutting taxes.” He seems a bit agitated.

Update 7:05 PM CST:
McCain: Spending cuts drive tax cuts. He’s more on target, in both tone and message, than Romney.

Update 7:03 PM CST:
We’re starting off on taxes. Chris is hitting Romney on tax increases and Romney is immediately deflecting with jabs at McCain and Huckabee.

Update 7:00 PM CST:
Chris Wallace is kicking off the show.

Some say O’Reilly threw a punch while others say he pushed Nicholson. Either way, it sounds like things got ugly in Nashua New Hampshire:

The incident was triggered when O’Reilly–with a Fox News crew shooting–was screaming at Obama National Trip Director Marvin Nicholson “Move” so he could get Obama’s attention, according to several eyewitnesses. “O’Reilly was yelling at him, yelling at his face,” a photographer shooting the scene said.

O’Reilly grabbed Nicholson’s arm, said “move” and shoved him, another eyewitness said. Nicholson, who is 6′8 said O”Reilly called him “low class.”

Secret Service agents came after O’Reilly pushed Nicholson and the agents flanked O’Reily.

Nicholson claims that O’Reilly shoved him several times:

An aide to Barack Obama said talk-show host Bill O’Reilly shoved him several times at the rope line after a campaign event today.

Marvin Nicholson, Obama’s trip director, said the commentator from Fox News Channel pushed him and called him “low class” after Nicholson refused to get out of the way of his cameraman’s shot.

“I’ve worked two campaigns, and I’ve never had a member of the press lay hands on a staff member before,” Nicholson said.

The Factor should be a hoot.

Update 4:47 PM CST:
Gateway Pundit has a photo of the standoff.

Update 4:30 PM CST:
Added video of an O’Reilly interview. Bill’s version is that he “gently removed” Nicholson because he was blocking the Fox camera.

Others Blogging

Firedoglake
Jonah Goldberg predicted it. Glen Reynolds nodded in sage assent. The campaign of Barack Obama will inevitably lead to violence on the campaign trail. ” I seriously think certain segments of American political life will become completely unhinged,” said Goldberg. We scoffed. And yet — it has come to pass

Crooks and Liars
SO BillO thinks he’s above the rest of the press corp and caused a violent incident. FOX calls Marvin —Obama’s body guy. The guy that is always beside Barack Obama. Is Bill O’Reilly going to be stalking any of the Republican candidates today?

Daily Kos
Funny how a big bully like Bill O’Reilly thinks of a taller guy doing his job as “low class.” To the point: Obama refuses to play O’Reilly’s rigged game, and the animosity dates back over a year.

The New York Observer describes the unusual video:

In the vid, Mr. Beck, unshaven and emotionally on edge, speaks directly to the camera for more than seven long minutes about his recent surgery (for what? it’s unclear), how it went awry, and how he was left on the brink of suicide as a result. Mr. Beck, while tearing up at times, called the weekend hospitalization “one of the darkest moments” of his life, spoke of “drug-induced” visions, and said the experience could have been a scene from the horror movie Saw.

“By Saturday night, if they would have come into the room with a handgun and said, ‘okay we can give you some more medication or we can give you this handgun, and you can go ahead and blow your brains out’ I would have honestly taken a handgun at that point and ended it,” said Mr. Beck.

I guess we’ll learn more once he gets back to work:

Well it all started out fine. How it all ended with me in the hospital for 5 days and sent home with patches they give people (I found out later) who are at ‘end of life’ for pain is a journey I would like to forget, but know I won’t anytime soon. Today, New Years Day, is the first time since Christmas that I have been able to even attempt to play with the kids so, needless to say, I am not going to make it back for broadcast this week.

We should see Glenn back on air Monday.

Others Blogging:

Hot Air
He’s always been the “eccentric” of the conservative punditocracy. This won’t do anything to change that. Poor guy; sounds like a bad acid trip with stabbing pain on top.

Gawker
We wish him a speedy recovery, obv, and are excited to see what his righteous, Raymond Chandlerian doctor-hatred will bring forth when he returns to the air. Also we are very seriously (or perhaps ghoulishly) curious as to what the hell this is all about.