Finally, he's the LATE Osama Bin Laden

Credit where credit is due. The Obama administration has accomplished something that the Bush Administration could never do. They have executed an operation which assassinated Osama Bin Laden. Apparently, the kill has been confirmed via DNA testing, so there is no concern that a lookalike or decoy was eliminated instead.

Bin Laden was located at a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, which was monitored and when the time was determined to be right, the president said, he authorized a "targeted operation."

"A small team of Americans carried out the operation," Obama said. "After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body."

...Former President George W. Bush said in a statement tonight that Obama called him to inform him of the news of bin Laden's death.

Bush called the operation a "momentous achievement" that "marks a victory for America, for people who seek peace around the world, and for all those who lost loved ones on September 11, 2001."

Now, we wait to see if this development (1) demoralizes al-Qaeda around the world, (2) energizes and united them, or (3) has no effect whatsoever.

Dead men cash no checks?

Why is it most of the Obama administrations errors seem to be in the "well-meaning but clueless" category? Giving DVDs to the English Prime Minister that won't play in British DVD players. Sending VP Biden to talk about Swine Flu. And now issuing stimulus checks to the dead. Or did I miss a "Zombie Americans Act" somewhere?

Antoniette Santopadre of Valley Stream was expecting a $250 stimulus check. But when her son finally opened it, they saw that the check was made out to her father, Romolo Romonini, who died in Italy 34 years ago. He'd been a U.S. citizen when he left for Italy in 1933, but only returned to the United Stated for a seven-month visit in 1969.

The Santopadres are not alone. The Social Security Administration, which sent out 52 million checks, says that some of those checks mistakenly went to dead people because the agency had no record of their death. That amounts to between 8,000 and 10,000 checks for millions of dollars.

Paul Harvey says "Good day!" for the last time

I was only an AM Radio Boffin for a few years of my life, but one of the regular joys of the airwaves was the daily news program by Paul Harvey. In a world where "If it bleeds, it leads" was the watchword of reporting, he was unafraid to also report happy and uplifting news. And he always had a cheerful take on life. Now, he has passed away, and we are poorer as a nation for it.

Auto Bailout dies in Senate... for now

Union bosses refused to consider wage cuts before at least 2011, so the Senate tabled the discussion until January. The auto bailout is dead... for the moment. Democrats and the Bush administration are already hinting that they may simply give the money anyway, from the bank bailout fund.

If Congress is actively asking the President to bypass Congress, what is our legislature for again?

R.I.P. Tony Snow

I never really got over his choosing to leave the media to become White House Press Secretary, but I always respected Tony Snow as a journalist and one of the forces at FoxNews that kept it truly balances and fair. When he left, I stopped watching because the network became what its detractors charged it as being - pure partisan news. Now, he has died of cancer at 53. Please be praying for comfort and peace for his family.

Tim Russert is Dead

NBC newsman and Meet the Press host Tim Russert has died of a heart attack at the age of 58. Russert was by far my favorite political host/commentator. I always found him tough, but fair. WE used to joke that they should change the name of Meet the Press to "Hammer Time" because he was able to and would ask the tough questions to politicians of both parties. He was always well prepared and ready to challenge the usual answers of politicians that sound good, but mean nothing. I am very sad that we won't have him around for the rest of this election cycle to ask the right questions at the right time.