Via Project Veritas:

PARAMUS, NEW JERSEY- On New Hampshire Primary Day, Project Veritas, while violating no laws, exposed the ease in which voter fraud can occur in states lacking voter identification requirements.

Project Veritas’ work has been praised New Hampshire’s legislative leaders, yet the reaction also includes articles by large media organizations that stated false and defamatory statements and articles.

The New Jersey Star-Ledger editorial board reported O’Keefe “committed a felony by fraudulently obtaining a ballot in the name of another person; [broke] New Hampshire law by recording another person.” Additionally the Star-Ledger Editorial board wrote January 22^nd, O’Keefe is “still on probation for trying to tap the phone of Sen. Mary Landrieu.  The Star-Ledger had previously printed a retraction for this claim on November 3rd, 2010.

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This was the most social issues-heavy debate of them all. In New Hampshire. It was no coincidence.

In an election cycle where the economy is more important to voters than it’s ever been, focusing on social issues not only lets Obama off the hook, but also paints Republican candidates as “extreme” due to the GOP’s backwards inability to effectively and attractively message values.

In one of the most bizarre debate moments of modern times, candidates were asked whether or not states should be allowed to ban contraceptives, based on the illogical presupposition of a Santorum stance, one which he was not given the courtesy of clarifying before moderators proceeded with their misdirected question. This discussion went on for nearly a half an hour.

Following this, the discussion of gay marriage, which both Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry effectively shut down (and the moderators quickly changed subjects) when they pointed out the severe hypocrisy of talking equality in a country that discriminates against Christians, with the example of adoption and the Catholic Charities.

It took 3/4 of the way into the debate before candidates were asked about the economy. During a time when unemployment is, cosmetically, at plus-8% with hundreds of thousands giving up on the workforce entirely (before you celebrate the barely visible dip in the unemployment numbers by way of a shrunken workforce), quite frankly, no one gives a damn about gay marriage. People care even less about contraceptives, which no one believes states should or will ban.

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The latest mainstream media narrative designed to push a Republican candidate out of the presidential race is the idea that Texas governor Rick Perry was somehow drunk or incoherent when he gave a stirring speech in New Hampshire a week ago.

Unfortunately, some of Mitt Romney’s supporters have piled on, such as Michigan’s Republican National Committee representative, Saul Anuzis, who told Politico that Perry was “unpresidential” and could seem “incoherent.”

After watching highlights of the speech, I was puzzled. The only thing that stands out about it is how good it is.

Perry seemed more relaxed than we have seen him in any of the presidential debates. He had wit and rhetorical flair. He related well to his audience–uncharacteristically well.

As a former professional speechwriter, I was impressed. He was exciting to watch. “Where has that Rick Perry been?” I wondered. (more…)

On March 6, former George H. W. Bush speechwriter Michael Johns was speaking before a tea party gathering in Philadelphia when someone from the audience took exception to the fact that during his address he did not say “President Obama” but merely called him Mr. Obama. The heckler screamed a racial slur at Mr. Johns calling him a “white boy.”

“It’s President Obama, President Obama, white boy, President Obama,” the heckler yelled. Apparently this heckler did not recall the many times the Old Media called President Bush “Mr. Bush” all those eight years, but, there you have it. (There is a video of Mr. Johns’ full speech at YouTube)

Mr. Johns reacted well by not engaging his antagonist, and asking him to say his piece after Mr. Johns was done, but otherwise carrying on.

This incident neatly fits with the plans by Democrats and anti-tea party folks to disrupt tea party events the nation over. We recently had news of an effort by one fellow who claims he has some 60 agents provocateurs across the nation gathering forces to crash the tea party. This guy boasts that he plans to “dismantle and demolish the Tea Party.” (more…)

J.D. Salinger, the celebrated author of The Catcher in the Rye and Franny and Zooey has died at the age of 91. Having outlived his reputation, but never having quite escaped it, Salinger spent most of the latter half of his life as recluse in New Hampshire, pestered occasionally by fans and by Joyce Maynard, but otherwise apparently profoundly unproductive.

Great author or one-hit wonder?  Let’s have your overnight thoughts…