CALIFORNIA YANKEE

Burning Car Rammed Into Glasgow Airport

Note To John Edwards - The War Against Terror is a lot more than a bumper sticker.

Eyewitnesses say a Flaming Jeep Cherokee was driven into the Glasgow airport terminal.

Two men, one of whom was on fire, were in the car. Police said two people were arrested and detained in connection with the incident. The airport has been evacuated and all flights suspended.

According to CNN, the SUV was driven at full speed towards the building indicating a deliberate attack.

The Glasgow attack comes a day after two cars loaded with explosives were discovered in London. The first car was discovered parked near Piccadilly Circus; the second was found about an hour later, less than a kilometer away near Trafalgar Square. Officials said hundreds of people could have been killed if the devices in the cars had been set off. The Car bombs included a "substantial quantity of nails," designed as sharpnel to injury many people.

The United States is boosting security presence at airports in the wake of terrorist acts in London and Glasgow.

What's Good For Black America

In a preview of tonight's Democratic presidential candidates debate at Howard University, the Miami Herald reports the "debate" was conceived by Tavis Smiley as a "companion to his book, The Covenant With Black America, about issues of concern to black Americans:

"We're at a point where the country is ready to elect an African-American president. The question is, is Barack Obama that man? The country is ready to elect a woman president. The question is, is Hillary Clinton that woman?" said commentator Tavis Smiley, who'll moderate tonight's forum at 9 on PBS.

[. . .]

His goal is to ensure that candidates consider the needs of minority voters in dealing with domestic issues such as healthcare and agriculture policy.

"The issues that we're raising matter to all of America. But we're not stupid. We know in America there are many issues that disproportionately affect people of color," Smiley said. "When you make black America better, you make all of America better."

Eight Democratic will be on stage, but Smiley will keep the spotlight on the two Democratic front-runners, Hillary and Obama.

This third debate among Democratic presidential wannabees Biden, Clinton, Dodd, Edwards, Gravel, Kucinich, Obama, and Richardson is billed as the first "panel exclusively comprised of journalists of color" in primetime. In addition to Tavis Smiley, the panel includes NPR's Michel Martin, syndicated columnist Ruben Navarrette Jr., and USA Today's DeWayne Wickham. Despite a panel made up entirely of minority journalists, Smiley claims the event is "not tailor-made" for Obama.

Obama seems to see it differently. On Tuesday, MSNBC's First Read called the timing for Obama’s new TV ads, a week before a major holiday, odd. Maybe it's an effort to generate more attention prior to the debate. According to the New York Times the ads were posted on Obama's campaign Web site and could easily be forwaded to supporters and contributors.

Given the audience, the issues, and the panelists, this debate is Obama's to lose.

Rell Vetoes In-State Tuition Rates For Illegal Aliens

Connecticut's Republican Governor M. Jodi Rell vetoed instate college tuition rates for children of illegal aliens at Connecticut colleges and universities

In her press release Governor Rell said that while she is sympathetic to the plight of the students, they are living in the U.S. illegally and she does not want to encourage people to circumvent federal immigration laws:

"I understand these students are not responsible for their undocumented status, having come to the United States with their parents,” Governor Rell said. “The fact remains, however, that these students and their parents are here illegally and neither sympathy nor good intentions can ameliorate that fact."

"This bill does not address the underlying problem that these students face – that they are not legal residents of the United States,” Governor Rell said. “The requirement that students file an application to legalize their status would in essence, be notification to the government that they are here illegally and it would greatly increase the likelihood that they would be deported."

The Governor noted in her veto message that she also does not want “to encourage individuals to circumvent federal immigration laws. The bill, by providing benefits to undocumented aliens, may serve to encourage others to come to Connecticut in violation of federal immigration law. National security in the post-9/11 world has become increasingly important and we cannot dismiss the effects of state action that may undermine federal security measures."

The legislation passed the supposedly veto-proof legislature by votes of 21-15 in the Senate and 77-68 in the House of Representatives 77-68. It is unlikely the Democratic controlled legislature will be able to override Rell's veto.

Three cheers for Governor Rell.

As I posted two years ago when the Connecticut Legislature still had the balls to do right thing and reject instate tuition for illegals, to provide the in-state tuition to illegal aliens would only further encourage illegal immigration. As a Connecticut taxpayer I don't see why I should be asked to subsidize the education of someone who is not in this country legally.

Thanks to The Everyday Republican for the tip.

Immigration Bill Advances

Breaking

The Senate voted to revive the stalled immigration legislation to legalize millions of illegal aliens.

The pivotal test-vote was 64-35 to revive the divisive legislation.

I was guess I was wrong about Reid.

More on the Immigration Vote

My RedState colleague, Rob Bluey has posted "Top 10 Defects of the Amnesty Bill." It is well worth your time. Bottom line - the Senate deal won't solve the problem of illegal immigration. It's just another band-aid.

Also not to be missed is Brian Darling's op-ed at National Review explaining the ramifications of the “clay pigeon” procedure that Harry Reid will use to trample on minority rights in the Senate.

UPDATE: At RedState, Erick has posted a recent article by Daniel B. Perrin, a former staffer to the U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Prerrin's article also concerns how Senator Reid has run roughshod over Senate rules and procedures that have existed for quite a long time.

It's "Comprehensive Immigration Reform" Showdown Day

On the eve of today's big vote on the so-called "immigration reform," three of the Republican architects of the Senate's immigration deal "threw their weight yesterday behind a significant change to the legislation that would force illegal immigrants to return to their home countries to apply for legal status."

The amendment added by Senators Jon Kyl (Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), and Mel Martinez (Fla.), may be a deal breaker. According to the Post, objections to the provision come from all sides including New Jersey Democratic Senator Robert Menendez, Republican Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter, and illegal aliens:

Last week, in the first-ever poll of illegal immigrants, 83 percent of the 1,600 undocumented Latinos surveyed told the polling firm Bendixen & Associates that they would pay the thousands of dollars in fines and fees, produce the work documents and submit to the background check needed for a Z Visa. But if they also had to return to their home countries, participation rates would drop to 63 percent, according to the poll commissioned by New America Media, a consortium of ethnic news media.

The White House "says it has the votes to resurrect the immigration bill," but Senate conservatives are mounting a mutiny:

Over the objections of the White House, House Republicans said they will vote this morning on a party resolution critical of the immigration bill the president has been struggling to have called back up in the Senate.

The administration had hoped to forestall such action given the timing of the Senate debate. But faced with pressure from their members, Republican leaders informed the White House that they will go ahead with the conference vote, just hours before a closely fought Senate roll call on proceeding to the bill.

The administration believes it can still get the 60 votes needed to cut off debate and move to the bill. But conservatives in the Senate were openly delighted with the prospect of House Republicans effectively endorsing their stand against the president.

"The White House has climbed way out on a limb, and we're going to cut it off," said Sen. Jim DeMint (R., S.C.)

On the other side of the political spectrum, opposition from labor unions could doom the bill’s prospects by putting pressure on many Democrats to vote against it.

Will the deal pass the Senate? It's a very close call. So close that Harry Reid isn't capable of getting it done.

How To Be Invisible

Hem Acharya has a post up showing how to become invisible.

Tancredo's Question

Colorado Congressman and presidential candidate Tom Tancredo asks fellow presidential candidate Governor Mitt Romney what he would do with the 12 - 20 million illegal aliens currently in the country.

It's a fair question. What would Congressman Tancredo do with the illegals? We know what Senator McCain proposes. What do the other presidential candidates propose to do with the illegals?

Ringing For Obama

Illinois Senator and presidential wannabee is offering free ringtones that feature a techno beat along with lyrics like “Go, Obama, Obama!” or clips of Obama speeches.

An effort to appeal to younger folks the ringtones feature a techno beat along with lyrics like “Go, Obama, Obama!” The idea behind the marketing ploy is that every time the phone rings the owner, and everyone in earshot is reminded of the candidate's message.

More than 1,000 of the Obama ringtones have been delivered since Tuesday. Even without evidence the political ringtones will translate into votes, you can be sure other candidates will follow suit. It's all about creating a buzz.

McCain Falls To Single Digits

A new Mason-Dixon poll of likely Republican Nevada caucus goers finds Arizona Senator John McCain in single digits:

Fred Thompson, 25 percent
Mitt Romney, 20 percent
Rudy Giuliani, 17 percent
John McCain, 8 percent

The survey was conducted Wednesday through Friday and has a margin of error of plus or minus five percentage points.

McCain's fall isn't limited to Nevada. McCain is running third in Iowa, behind Romney and Giuliani. In New Hampshire, Romney leads McCain and Giuliani who are tied nearly 10 points behind Romney.

McCain, the former front-runner has dropped more than 11 percentage points in national polls since early February. According to Real Clear Politics, McCain now receives the support of 15 percent of Republicans, down from 26.4 percent 20 weeks ago.

The Examiner's Bill Sammon writes that McCain could fall even further this week as the Senate resumes debate on so-called immigration reform.

Things will get even worse for McCain when the latest fundraising period, covering April through June, ends and the new finance reports reveal whether McCain is able to raise enough money to stay in the race.

The Associated Press reports McCain's stance in support of the Senate's immigration deal has hurt his fundraising.

McCain reorganized his money operation after he finished in third-place finish in the January-March period. The Senate began the immigration debate Just as McCain was stepping up his fund raising effort. In a move that reeks of desperation, McCain has packed his schedule with an average of more than one fundraiser a day this month in hopes of approaching the $13.6 million he raised in the first quarter.

McCain's presidential campaign looks to be on life support now, but it's a long time until any votes are counted.