Via Ace, LGF noted that Representative Hinchey of New York was on Hannity's show today.

I heard the Congressman on the show today, and while I didn't hear him say exactly that, he couldn't make a sentence that didn't contain Gannon's name. This guy is totally wack on the subject. And if it is true that there are Democrats who want to start an investigation, the crackup of the Democrat Party is full and complete. Dr. Dean is the perfect head of the Party.

Hillary will be the most electable Democrat candidate by dint of being sane.

Remember all that stuff about how we were destroying our reputation with the "Arab street?" I recall that Afghanistan was going to inflame them. And then Iraq. And more Iraq. Well, who is the Arab street mad at now?

Syria, Egypt, Iran. All of that Iraq is the Berlin Wall stuff sounds like we are on the right track - especially when you consider Bratislava, below.

Also on the WaPo front page: U.S.-Russia Pact Aimed at Nuclear Terrorism. Certainly there is some to worry about with Russia, with their backsliding a bit on democracy, and their support of Iran (which is commercially driven). But I think they are mostly on our side. That's a good thing.

Also, the meeting between President Bush and President Putin today is in Bratislava, Slovakia. A country that used to be part of Czechoslovakia, and part of the Warsaw Pact. A country that is today a functioning democracy, and part of NATO. I think that is in itself a powerful message.

I pick up today's WaPo out of the snow, and this was the front page image:

Click for bigger.

I don't think that anyone, anywhere, could ask for better imagery. Just look at the placement it got. Even more interesting, there is not a story about the Secretary of State on the front page.

Applauding soldiers, the American flag, stylish in all black - those boots are made for walking, no doubt. I know the editorial board over at the Post loved General Powell, but he never got anything like this.

UPDATE: Hi everyone! Also, some notes in the comments talk about antipathy from the "hard right" toward a Rice candidacy. Patrick Ruffini's report on the CPAC straw poll I think puts the lie to that.

That should rev up the Google hits.

I opined before why I thought that Rice 2008 probably won't happen (though it isn't impossible). Ace gots more on that, essentially in the same vein.

But because I am a lazy blogger, I didn't write my piece on Clinton 2008, and why that will happen (meaning all the way to the Presidency). So James Taranto got way out in front of me on that issue. Like that's never happened.

Anyway, what Taranto said, and more. Much has been made about Senator Clinton drifting right in her speech. If that is indeed what is happening, she's about 10,000 times smarter than Howard Dean. Dean goes around saying that he'll talk differently about God and values and such, but doesn't actually do it, and when he does, he's already telegraphed the plan and it wll be spotted for the phoniness that it is, or will be. Plus, whether she means it or not, she can get away with it by her party. The same nastiness that was launched on Tim Roemer will not be brought to bear on Senator Clinton even if she came out full-bore pro-life.

All of her baggage will be deeply discounted as old news - if it couldn't burn President Clinton, it surely isn't hot enough to singe her by association. And most importantly, she is the one Democrat potential candidate who appears to "get it" about the war on terror. The American people will not vote for someone rooting for our failure in that conflict. She has proven through her record that she is serious about it - even voting "Yea" for Michael Chertoff as Homeland Security Secretary.

She even sounded more positive about Iraq than did John McCain. Think whatever you will of the politics of the Clintons, but they certainly are always aware of which way the wind blows - by saying the insurgency is failing, she is saying that we are winning.

She is smart enough to know that she won't be running against George W. Bush in 2008, so she doesn't waste energy on that.

You know, if we could make deals on voting, I would agree to this deal - I'd vote Hillary if it meant for sure that the Left and the press (same thing, I know) would get on board on the US side of the conflict.

I made sure to watch the show last night, and I have to say that I enjoyed it quite a bit. The narration was minimal. It was truly documentary in its approach - the team that made this filmed what happened.

They showed what those guys went through. They showed that some things don't work, and they showed that some things do. I have to agree with the Pentagon source I quoted below - "It proves once again that it is our Soldiers who are our best spokespeople."

I got a note from Jessica Smith thanking me for posting, and also letting me know that the entire show will be available online after Friday. If you missed it, it is definitely worth watching, regardless of where you fall on what we should or should not be doing in Iraq.

The outreach coordinator sent me another email.:

The first, "A Company of Soldiers" (see PBS and AFN Spectrum broadcast dates below), is a powerful first-hand account of the War in Iraq through the eyes of the men and women fighting it. Viewers are with the troops as they come under sniper fire, respond to car bombings, work with the Iraqi people to restore the country's economy and infrastructure, and grapple with the daily possibility of fatal attacks.

"The Soldier's Heart" (see PBS and AFN Spectrum broadcast dates below), tells the stories of soldiers returning from Iraq and suffering the psychological effects of what they've seen, done, or not done, during their tour of duty. The film includes interviews with returning troops, their families, and mental health experts about the challenges of readjusting to civilian life.

We've paired these two films to give viewers a glimpse into the tough realities faced by our troops at war and the subsequent psychological fallout--an underreported story of the War in Iraq. I've pasted a short description of each film below for your convenience with links to the full press releases. For your convenience, I've also included broadcast dates for American Forces Network.

Please contact me if I can be of assistance. I encourage you to forward or post this message.

Sincerely,
Jessica Smith

A COMPANY OF SOLDIERS

Airs Tuesday, February 22, at 9 P.M. on PBS (check local listings)

Airs Thursday, February 24, at 9 P.M. on AFN Spectrum (viewer time (CET/JST/KST)

FRONTLINE reports from inside the U.S. Army’s 8th Cavalry Regiment stationed in Baghdad for an up-close, intimate look at the dangers facing an American military unit in Iraq. Shot in the weeks following the U.S. presidential election, the film tracks the day-to-day challenges facing the 8th Cavalry’s Dog Company as it suddenly has to cope with a dramatic increase in attacks by the insurgents.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/company/

THE SOLDIER’S HEART

Airs Tuesday, March 1, at 9 P.M. on PBS (check local listings)

Airs Thursday, March 3, at 9 P.M. on AFN Spectrum (viewer time (CET/JST/KST)

As the War in Iraq continues, the first measures of its psychological toll are coming in. A medical study estimates that more than one in seven returning veterans are expected to suffer from major depression, anxiety, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. For those who have survived the fighting, the battle is not over. For some, the return home can be as painful as war itself. FRONTLINE tells the stories of soldiers who have come home haunted by their experiences and asks whether the government is doing enough to help.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/heart/

Some Frontline shows are better than others - these may be pretty good - another press release I have seen on "A Company of Soldiers" includes this:

One senior confidential source at the Pentagon who has seen the film told us: "It is compelling stuff. It proves once again that it is our Soldiers who are our best spokespeople. It is not only courageous filmmaking (both figuratively and literally), but it's also an example of very insightful filmmaking. The film captures our Soldiers' humanity, putting a human face on a very complex set of issues - that is priceless stuff."

Then again, it might be like the last time I was alerted to a Frontline show - a vehicle to attack US policy. Who knows. But I'll probably watch both.