http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/hbo/2010/sep/29/minnick-demands-white-house-apology/

Minnick Demands White House Apology

Huckleberries Online has just received this statement from Congressman Walt Minnick’s office re: the news that the White House refused to provide a tour for the family of late World War II hero Vernon Baker: “Walt is very upset about this. Vernon Baker was one of our nation’s greatest heroes and it is wrong that his family was denied access to the White House. Walt has asked the White House to apologize to Vernon Baker’s family.”

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http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/hbo/2010/sep/29/white-house-denies-heros-family-tour/

White House Denies Hero’s Family Tour

On Friday, the family of Vernon Baker — who was the only living black WWII veteran to receive the Medal of Honor — laid their beloved husband, father and grandfather to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. The following day they were denied a tour of the White House, an experience Mr. Baker’s widow, Heidy, described as “ridiculous” and “hurtful.” The reason, according to Mrs. Baker, was because her 10-year-old grandson, Vernon Pawlik, was not appropriately dressed. That morning, Mrs. Baker said her grandson chose to honor his late grandfather by wearing a new white t-shirt with the national war hero’s photograph, signature and the words, “Lt. Vernon J. Baker n Medal of Honor.” That t-shirt proved enough for Vernon to be denied access by a member of the White House staff/Chris D’Angelo, St. Maries Gazette-Record. More here. (Related: Baker’s roof leaks no more)


•Cutline (& photo from Chris D’Angelo, St. Maries Gazette-Record): Vernon Baker’s widow, Heidy, stands with her daughter, Alexandra Pawlik, and grandson, Vernon Pawlik, in front of the family house in the Benewah Valley.

Question: Are you kidding me?

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http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/Bidenvice-presidentPewsurvey/2010/09/29/id/371976

Pew Survey: 41% Can't ID Biden as Vice President
Wednesday, 29 Sep 2010 01:41 PM Article Font Size
By: Mike Tighe

With some Democrats still whining about Vice President Joe Biden’s admonition to them the other day to quit complaining about President Obama, now he’s got something to whine about, too: A stunning 41 percent of Americans surveyed couldn’t name the vice president, according to the results of the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. Say it ain’t so, Joe might plead.

That stat stands out among the other answers of 3,412 Americans surveyed between May 19 and June 6, especially because some of Biden’s gaffes have given him enough notoriety that he can’t be viewed as just another VP, working in storied anonymity. Indeed, his gaffes have fueled a veritable cottage industry of YouTube videos, T-shirts, and other souvenir paraphernalia memorializing some of his more outrageous comments.

Of course, Biden’s quips have their endearing side, too. As Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham told Newsweek last year: "If there were no gaffes, there'd be no Joe. He's someone you can't help but like.”

Nonetheless, the former U.S. senator from Delaware sometimes feels the need to defend himself, such as when he chimed up in the same Newsweek article: "A gaffe in Washington is someone telling the truth, and telling the truth has never hurt me."

Hope this truth doesn’t hurt too much, Joe, and, to soften the blow, remember this: The fact that 41 percent don’t know you’re VP means that 59 percent do know you. Although they probably don't know that your middle name is Robinette.