Quick Takes:

Olympian Michael Phelps to join Obama Cabinet?
After the photo at right was printed in a British tabloid showing the Olympic superstar smoking pot in a bong Michael Phelps acted quickly to stem the damage to his reputation:

“I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment,” Phelps said. “I’m 23 years old and despite the successes I’ve had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again.” -Michael Phelps

With Democrats rushing to excuse tax cheats like Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and former Senate Majority Leader Tom Dashcle I'm left wondering when Phelps might be asked to join the Obama cabinet despite the photo showing him enjoying his 'pot of gold?'

White House Defends Daschle: "Nobody's perfect"
Writing at CBS.com, WH reporter Mark Knoller:

It sounds like a sequel to the movie “Dumb and Dumber." But it's actually part of the White House defense of Health and Human Services nominee Tom Daschle: “nobody’s perfect.”

Peppered with questions today about Daschle's acknowledgment that he failed to pay more than $120,000 in taxes between 2005 and 2007, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs argued that the problem does not come close to disqualifying the former Senator from serving as Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Of course it doesn't come close to disqualifying Daschle. That would only happen if Daschle were a Republican appointed to serve in a GOP Administration.

And as for the "nobody's perfect" defense: you just try giving that excuse to the IRS when they discover you didn't pay your taxes!

Six More Weeks of Winter?

Punxsutawney Phil sees shadow, winter to continue
Feb 2, 2009

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) - The world's most famous groundhog saw his shadow Monday morning, predicting this already long winter will last for six more weeks.

Punxsutawney Phil emerged just after dawn in front of an estimated 13,000 witnesses, many dressed in black-and-gold to celebrate the Pittsburgh Steelers' Super Bowl victory the night before.

The annual ritual takes place on Gobbler's Knob, a tiny hill in Punxsutawney, a borough of about 6,100 residents some 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh.

The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club announced the forecast in a short proclamation, in which Phil acknowledged the Steelers' 27-23 win over the Arizona Cardinals.

According to German superstition, if a hibernating animal casts a shadow on Feb. 2 - the Christian holiday of Candlemas - winter will last another six weeks. If no shadow was seen, legend said spring would come early.

Since 1887, Phil has seen his shadow 97 times, hasn't seen it 15 times, and there are no records for nine years, according to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club.

Biggest Snow in 20 Years Cripples London
This is global warming?

Troopers of the Blues and Royals, mounted division, brave the weather during the Changing of the Guard ceremony at Horse Guards Parade in London on February 2, 2009. Much of the south of England has been blanketed in snow bringing chaos to the transport system.

Snow covers tree branches in front of the Houses of Parliament , in central London February 2, 2009.

A woman walks past telephone boxes during snow fall in Cambridge, eastern England February 2, 2009.

Obama Calls for 10% Cut in Defense
Meanwhile, billions more in the stimulus bill to reward his ACORN supporters!

Fox News: The Obama administration has asked the military's Joint Chiefs of Staff to cut the Pentagon's budget request for the fiscal year 2010 by more than 10 percent -- about $55 billion -- a senior U.S. defense official tells FOX News.

Last year's defense budget was $512 billion. Service chiefs and planners will be spending the weekend "burning the midnight oil" looking at ways to cut the budget -- looking especially at weapons programs, the defense official said.

Some overall budget figures are expected to be announced Monday.

Obama met Friday at the White House with a small group of military advisers, including Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. James Cartwright, vice chairman, and Gen. Jim Jones, National Security Council chairman.

So much for assuring conservatives uneasy with Obama's national security policy. And of course the cuts will impact our troops ability to perform their mission, keep themselves safe and reduce civilian casualties. What a liberal wet dream!

Do You Miss Bush Yet?
Three links:

• Archive of the Bush White House web site.
• 43Alumni.com, the web site for veterans of the Bush Administration.
• George W. Bush Presidential Center-- The Bush library web site.