Last week was hectic at work, and that’s why I’m so late posting my diary about Michelle Obama’s public appearance in Raleigh, NC on Tuesday, April 8.

For details, meet me on the flip side.

Here's a short story that occured to me this morning while I was at the coffee shop sipping a latte (yeah, I know, how stereotypical).

While wading through the mire over at Red State the other day, I noticed something interesting: Hunter, one of their regulars, thinks the GOP convention will end up selecting their candidate.

Jump over the fold with me. It's intriguing.

By now, everybody who lurks Daily Kos is familiar with the unsubstantiated charge --- and it's no more than that --- that Sen. Hillary Clinton is quietly attempting to undermine her rival Sen. Barack Obama by spreading innuendos about his Muslim background. AFAIK, nobody here believes the original story at InsiteMag.org has any substance at all. We believe it's a smear directed at both Ms. Clinton and Mr. Obama. I accept that too.

However, by diligent googling I have tracked this rumor back to a press conference by a certain Andy Martin held on August 10, 2004, while Barack Obama was still running for the Senate against Alan Keyes.

More after the flip.

An endless war

A repressive regime

A land where people can't trust their neighbors

A "free election" fixed by computers

A rumor of underground resistance

A radical preacher

A simmering hope of liberation

A handful of disaffected teenagers

A stolen cache of weapons

These are the explosive ingredients of the new urban science-fiction thriller DISCARDED FACES.

And I, Kimball Cross, one of your fellow Kossacks, wrote it.

The Diary is an expansion of a comment I left a few days ago. I was prompted to write it by the many misconceived comments in the news media and on the web about the alleged perils of Democrats running against the Iraq War.

So, Sherman, set the Wayback machine for 1968 and let's review the facts.

I'm on the web tonight with a major Atlanta TV station which provides streaming video live coverage. Will the Republicans knock off ex-Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed, who's running for Lieutenant Governor of Georgia, or will we Democrats have to do it. We'd be glad to finish him off, if we have to, I'm sure.

There are less than 700 votes tallied so far statewide, and I have no idea where they're coming from, but Casey Cagle, Reed's opponent, has 63 per cent so far.

I found a fresh perspective this afternoon on what to do about Iran's nuclear program. It doesn't involve air strikes, invasions, or nuking anybody.

More below the fold.

I lurk at RedState.org from time to time, and today I found a post by Joshua Trevino, soliciting beta readers and other support for a new pro-war website called noendbutvictory.com. I am reproducing part of his manifesto below the fold.