Tuesday with Paulie 7/15/08 (It's late, I know)

Obama selects anti-Israel travel companion
Sen. Hagel (R) joins Pres. candidate on world tour

This blog has watched with amazement as Barack Obama tells the Jewish community that he will be a friend of Israel and at the same time he surrounds himself with every anti-Israel and often anti-Semitic adviser, spiritual leader and now politician he can find.

GOP presidential nominee John McCain has been calling on Obama to travel to Iraq and see first hand what is happening on the ground, talk with troops and see for himself the success America has had since the surge began. McCain even offered to go with Obama and educate him during the flight. As expected Obama turned down McCain's request to travel together, but has decided to tour Iraq as well as Europe and the Middle East with another so called Republican.

The GOP under the leadership of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and then President Bush has been the best friends Israel has ever had in Washington. Unfortunately even the Republicans have a few bad apples. None more rotten to the core than Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel.

In an extremely rare display of agreement both the Republican Jewish Coalition and the National Jewish Democratic Council urged Obama in the strongest terms to drop the anti-Israel senator from his trip.

Earlier today it was learned that Hagel will not be joining Obama during his stop in Israel, but will still accompanied him during the rest of his world tour. It is unclear what Hagel will be doing while Obama visits Israel and the Palestinians, but if Obama was smart he'd send him out for snacks and make him wash the windows.

From a political point of view, Obama knows Hagel is his type of Republican. Against the war, isolationist and pro-big government. Better known as a Republican in name only (RINO). Traveling with Hagel in Obama's mind is his attempt to reach across the aisle. Something he claims he had done, but in reality hasn't. It also supposedly helps him with Independents.

The reality is that Hagel offers him nothing in getting disgruntle GOP voters. Hagel is the poster child for what is wrong with the Republican Party. Hagel also doesn't help him with Independents because they don't know who he is. I find it hard to believe that Obama's campaign guru David Axelrod doesn't understand this.

So once again your brilliant blogger wants to know why Obama continues to surround himself and even go out of his way to be with people who are anti-Israel? The irony here is that Obama could of put himself above the political bickering and publicly asked any GOP senator or congressman to join him. How could anyone say no? Better yet ask one of his strongest critics to be by his side in Iraq and Israel, Sen. Joe Lieberman.

Your brilliant blogger has always said that we don't know what is in Obama's heart. I also have stated that he is terribly naive and he continues to prove me correct. However his recent choice of travel companion is another chapter in an enormous book that gives Jewish voters and supporters of Israel reason to be concerned about what kind of President Barack Obama will be and if he will stand by Israel during this crucial time in history.


Heaven Welcomes Tony Snow
Former White House Press Secretary passes away

I was driving back home from my local hardware store on Saturday morning when my wife called and told me the news that Tony Snow had died. I was overcome with sadness and tears began rolling down my face as the information began to sink in.

Snow was one of the good guys and I'm not just talking about his politics. The former speech writer for the first George H. Bush was a proud conservative in the same tradition of Ronald Reagan. As a radio talk show host he often criticized the GOP and his later boss President George W. Bush, when they strayed from their limited government roots. However he showed the world who he really was when he went public with his battle with Cancer, demonstrating courage and a positive outlook that I'm sure helped many Cancer victims deal with their illness.

As a Cancer survivor myself for over twenty years, I know first hand the importance of having a positive attitude as well as great support from friends and family. Snow never allowed his disease to get the best him. He called his reoccurrence last year a "bump in the road." Sadly this bump became a hurdle he physically couldn't climb over.

A bright light of optimism and hope has left our world and gone to a better place. The way he lived his life and courage he displayed as battled Cancer head on, should inspire us all.

Paulie