A Travesty

It sounds to me as though the Libby trial jurors were discussing a number of things that had nothing to do with the narrow confines of what they were supposed to be doing: following the judge's instructions on the law to decide whether the prosecution had proven its case.

Something that particularly caught my eye was that in my experience -- I proofread trial transcripts for a living -- jurors are usually told not to speculate about the absence of any witnesses who were not called by the prosecution to testify. So what were they doing speculating on "Where is Rove and all these other guys?"

I'd be curious to know if they were considering and discussing other things regarding the case which may not have been appropriate for the jury to consider.

Update: Andy McCarthy is more sympathetic toward the jury considering Rove's absence, inasmuch as Libby's lawyer said that Libby was a scapegoat for Rove, but nonetheless says, "The juror's remarks may be helpful to Libby down the road... There is a lot in what the juror said for the defense to work with."

Mark Levin thinks "Where's Rove?" indicates the jury was interested in convicting those who weren't charged. He also zeroes in on the point I raised above, saying "The jury instructions had nothing to do with Rove." He says the juror's statement "suggests to me that they weren't solely focused on the evidence."

Victoria Toensing on issues that may be raised in Libby's appeal.

Tonight's Movie: Those Endearing Young Charms (1945)

THOSE ENDEARING YOUNG CHARMS is a lightweight World War II romance which finds Laraine Day being romanced by two men: a love 'em and leave 'em flyer (Robert Young) and a steady boy (Bill Williams) who is the son of her mother's (Ann Harding) old flame.

The film is a good example of the entertaining "small" movie that Hollywood in that era turned out so often. In Leonard Maltin's CLASSIC MOVIE GUIDE he describes THOSE ENDEARING YOUNG CHARMS as "surprisingly effective...nothing special but nicely played." That review is on the mark; it's not a great movie, but it's a pleasant way to spend 81 minutes.

The original 1945 New York Times review by Bosley Crowther can be read here.

This was one of Bill Williams' first films. The year after it was released he married Barbara Hale, best known as Della Street on PERRY MASON. Their son, William Katt, achieved TV stardom for a time in THE GREATEST AMERICAN HERO; he also appeared with his mother in the 1980s PERRY MASON TV-movies, playing Paul Drake Jr.

THOSE ENDEARING YOUNG CHARMS was directed by Lewis Allen -- who funnily enough would one day direct some episodes of PERRY MASON. Allen's best-known film may be the first full-length movie he directed, the ghostly romance THE UNINVITED (1944). He had a long career in television, retiring in 1975.

Unfortunately this film isn't yet available on video or DVD, but it can be seen on cable as part of the Turner Classic Movies library.

The Latest Campaign News

Michael Barone posts his latest thoughts on whether or not Rudy Giuliani is a viable Republican candidate.

Barone focuses on Rudy's emphasis on school choice -- which is an issue I find very appealing.

Former Solicitor General Ted Olson suggests that Rudy would be happy to nominate Janice Rogers Brown to the Supreme Court. I'd love to hear Rudy say that himself.

This weekend Dean Barnett wrote on The McCain Mutiny and John McCain's floundering campaign.

And Cal Thomas rhapsodizes about Newt Gingrich.

Meanwhile, on the Democrat side, we've got John Edwards with the audacity to surmise that Jesus would not approve of our country (not to mention rejecting the idea that America is a Christian nation), Barack Obama creating an anachronistic fantasy autobiography (rather akin to Hillary Clinton claiming to be named after Sir Edmund Hillary), and Hillary Clinton adopting an embarrassing Southern accent when she spoke in Selma this weekend.

And just think, it's still a year or so till the primaries...

Judge: Public Schools "Entitled To Teach Anything"

A federal judge recently ruled against parents in the Lexington case in which a school refused to obtain parental consent before teaching children -- as young as kindergarten age -- about homosexuality.

The judge appeared to rely in part on the infamous 9th Circuit decision that parents do not have a fundamental right to guide their children's education.

The judge wrote "The constitutional right of parents to raise their children does not include the right to restrict what a public school may teach their children." He also wrote "...public schools are entitled to teach anything that is reasonably related to the goals of preparing students to become engaged and productive citizens in our democracy... Diversity is a hallmark of our nation. It is increasingly evident that our diversity includes differences in sexual orientation."

Of course, diversity doesn't include having Christian beliefs that homosexual relationships are wrong, or beliefs that very young children should be sheltered from issues related to sexuality. "Diversity" only goes so far.

Isn't it interesting, too, that public schools are "entitled" to certain rights, but citizens are not?

The case will be appealed.

Jeff Jacoby notes that the ruling essentially means "parents have no authority to veto elements of a public-school curriculum they dislike. They have no right to be notified before those elements are presented in class. And the Constitution does not entitle them to opt their children out of such classes when the subject comes up."

American parents need to remember Germany. We seem to be on the downhill slope toward the state having total control over our children...the current Gardasil issue is yet another example.

In his column, Jeff Jacoby calls for the separation of school and state.

If only it could be so.

Tonight's Movie: Broken Lance (1954)

I've been in the midst of a heavy work crunch over the last couple of weeks, which has been good for our household budget but not so good for movie watching time! This weekend, however, we were able to continue our recent viewing of '50s Fox Westerns with BROKEN LANCE.

BROKEN LANCE casts Spencer Tracy as a stubborn rancher who loves his Indian wife (Katy Jurado), their son (Robert Wagner), and his ranch, but who has little affection or trust for his three older sons from his first marriage. Two of the sons (Hugh O'Brian and Earl Holliman) have become shiftless ne'er-do-wells, who stoop to rustling some of their father's own cattle for extra cash. The oldest son (Richard Widmark), who has poured years of hard work into the ranch, is hurt and angered by his father's rejection and refusal to let him take a bigger role in running the ranch. Family conflicts come to a head when a series of events leads to one of the brothers being jailed and the father having a stroke.

Spencer Tracy is superb as the flawed father, and Katy Jurado was nominated for the Oscar as Best Supporting Actress for her role as Princess, his understanding wife. Robert Wagner and Jean Peters are pleasing, though not particular standouts, as the loyal "half-breed" son, Joe, and the girl he loves.

The always-interesting Richard Widmark is underutilized as the simmering oldest brother Ben; one reviewer at Amazon suggested that the "nervy, brilliant" Widmark should have instead played the larger Robert Wagner role as the youngest son, which would have been interesting. Still, Widmark is moving in his too-small part; although he is something of a villain due to his treatment of his half-brother, his frustration and resentment are understandable. The climactic confrontation between Widmark and Tracy, in which Widmark conveys the pain he's felt at having been overlooked his entire life, was riveting. I did find the final battle between Wagner and Widmark to stretch the bounds of believable plotting, but that is a small quibble with a very good film.

The movie, which won the Academy Award for Best Story, has fascinating Biblical and Shakespearean overtones. The film is a loose remake of HOUSE OF STRANGERS (1949) which starred Edward G. Robinson.

BROKEN LANCE runs 96 minutes and was filmed in color. It was shot in Arizona, as well as at ranches in Chatsworth and Calabasas, California. The film was directed by Edward Dmytryk, who also directed CROSSFIRE, reviewed here in January.

It's available on a DVD which includes both the widescreen and fullscreen versions. It's also available in a pan and scan video. I caught the film on video and the panning and scanning is very noticeable; if possible I recommend watching the letterboxed DVD so you can enjoy the original CinemaScope picture.

2018 Update: I had the wonderful opportunity to see BROKEN LANCE at the 29th Lone Pine Film Festival with Robert Wagner present for a post-film discussion.

Mark Steyn on Al Gore's "Glowing Example"

Don't miss Mark Steyn's latest gem.

One of my favorite bits: "So Al can buy his carbon offsets from himself. Better yet, he can buy them with the money he gets from his longtime relationship with Occidental Petroleum. See how easy it is to be carbon-neutral?"

I don't know how Steyn manages to be so good so often. He's a wonder.

Another Governor Plays Daddy

Tim Keane, the Governor of Virginia, has apparently decided that he is the father of every 11-year-old girl in the state, and he will sign legislation requiring that these young girls be vaccinated with Gardasil as a condition of attending school.

Parents will not be allowed to "opt out" of this STD vaccine until they review literature provided by the school.

This vaccination requirement is not only an affront to parental rights, it's completely pointless, as pointed out in a detailed article in the Weekly Standard.

Update: The Washington Post on the building Gardasil backlash: "Never has compulsory use of a drug been pushed with such breakneck speed."

More on the Great California $500 Giveaway

Thomas Lifson of the American Thinker has written a scathing piece on the insanely nutty bill co-sponsored by a Democrat and Republican, which would give away California taxpayers' money by handing a $500 check to each and every baby born in the state beginning January 1, 2008. "Each and every baby," incidentally, includes all illegal alien babies. Cross the border to give birth in California, collect $500, simple as that.

Lifson's essay is too good to pick out any one quote. Read the whole thing.

The Orange County Register calls the plan "stunningingly ridiculous." The Register's editorial is also worth reading to the last word.

I honestly despair for our country at times, that there are elected officials who are so cavalier about giving away other people's money. They simply think of it as "state" money to spend on whatever crazy scheme they desire, forgetting that the money comes from the hard work of individual citizens.

My husband told me that the Republican co-sponsor of the bill, Senator Bob Dutton, was so stunned by the blowback he experienced when he went on the John and Ken radio show that he has withdrawn his support for the bill. Confirmation of this is posted at the show's website.

The Voice of Disney's Alice and Wendy

Next week sees the release of a new 2-disc Platinum Edition of Disney's animated PETER PAN.

The Ultimate Disney website has celebrated the upcoming release by posting a very interesting interview with Kathryn Beaumont, who was the voice of both Wendy Darling and Alice in Wonderland.

In relatively recent years Beaumont has even recorded new lines for Disneyland's Alice in Wonderland dark ride. The passing years do not appear to have greatly changed Beaumont's distinctive voice.

Photos of last month's premiere of the restored PETER PAN at Hollywood's El Capitan Theatre can be seen at Laughing Place.

Gore Buys "Carbon Offsets" From Himself

If you weren't sure the concept of carbon offsets was a scam before, just read this...

While we're on the subject of Al Gore, Noemie Emery has a great column at the Weekly Standard reminding us of the former Vice President's longtime "reality problem."

Homeschooling Horror Story

The Germans sound quite, well...Hitleresque...in the way they today enforce his 1938 law outlawing homeschooling. Parents who attempt to homeschool are arrested and jailed, and the most notorious case currently has a homeschooled young girl locked in a psychiatric ward due to "school phobia." No, this is sadly not a joke.

As detailed in the linked article, the United Nations also frowns on homeschooling.

The facts recited in this Washington Times article should be a cautionary tale for all Americans.

In an age when some Supreme Court justices like to cite foreign and international law rather than rely on the United States Constitution...an age when a Texas governor feels free to mandate that all girls get a vaccine for a sexually transmitted disease...an age when the 9th Circuit Court rules that parents do not have a "fundamental right" to direct their children's education...an age when a Massachusetts school refuses to obtain parental consent before teaching kindergarten children about homosexuality...

...all American parents need to be on their guard.

Welcome to Socialist California

A bill pending in the California Senate would give every child born after next January 1st $500 to start a personal savings account.

What on earth gives the state the right to hand my money -- anyone's money -- to someone else's child?

Whatever happened to working hard to benefit one's own family?

Of course, the government has been "transferring income" from one class of taxpayers to another for years, but this really takes the cake, handing out "free money" that really isn't free, but comes from the hard work of this state's taxpayers.

Why stop the giveaway at $500? Why not $5000?

The Democrat who introduced the bill calls it "the essence of equal opportunity."

No, sir, it's the essence of socialism.

Maybe He Can Buy the Team

A young Dodgers pitcher is possibly on the road to being a billionaire -- thanks to owning a rock quarry.

Lawmakers With Too Much Time on Their Hands

The Drudge Report highlights a story about a Florida legislator who has introduced a bill to ban the term "illegal alien" from state documents.

The poor offended woman says "An alien to me is someone from out of space." Perhaps she needs an English course.

And so we have one more example of Nanny State lawmakers who want to ban everything that could possibly offend anyone.

This lawmaker prefers "undocumented immigrant" in official documents...so in this matter we also have someone who wants legislation banning the state from telling the truth.

The Lie That Proved the Point

Rich Lowry points out that during the David Geffen-Hillary Clinton-Barack Obama dust-up of last week, Hillary Clinton's staff referred to David Geffen as Obama's "campaign finance chair."

This, it turned out, was a lie -- it's hard to think anything is an innocent oversight when it comes to the Clintons -- probably deliberately calculated to more closely link Geffen to Obama.

Lowry writes that this aspect of the incident illustrated Geffen's very point about the Clintons: "Everybody in politics lies, but they do it with such ease, it’s troubling."

Lowry goes on to describe "...the corruption at the core of the Clinton team — Bill’s heedlessness and the need to cover it up. It created a political ethic that has a rottenness at its heart, and Hillary has deeply partaken of it."

With Mrs. Clinton running for President, this is a point we can't afford to forget.

Confirm Them Interviews Supreme Conflict Author

Confirm Them has conducted a very interesting interview with Jan Crawford Greenburg, author of SUPREME CONFLICT.

Greenburg suggests that if President Bush has another opportunity to name a Supreme Court justice, chances are good it will be Janice Rogers Brown or Maureen Mahoney.

Greenburg's assessment of the role of Confirm Them and NRO's Bench Memos in the Miers debate is also quite interesting.

(Hat tip: Patterico's Pontifications.)

Prince Charles Opposes Freedom

Britain's Prince Charles has been quoted as advocating the banning of McDonald's Big Macs because of their ostensible health dangers.

Rolling eyes...

Wednesday Update: Like Al Gore, Prince Charles has issues with hypocrisy.

"Do As I Say, Not As I Do"

You've gotta love the hypocrisy of someone like Al Gore, whose mansion uses more energy in a single month than most families use in a year, while he's meanwhile lecturing all the "little people" that we're causing global warming and the end of the world and we need to sacrifice, sacrifice...while he uses all the energy he wants and makes himself feel better about it by purchasing "carbon offsets."

I love Ed Morrissey's term for the nonsensical concept of purchasing carbon offsets -- Ed calls it "a modern form of indulgences." That is so apt! Mr. Gore refuses to sacrifice, so he tries to assuage his guilt buying "offsets."

More good stuff at The Anchoress, who notes that President Bush's Texas home is ecology friendly, and largely ignored by the media.

Thomas Sowell Reviews Supreme Conflict

Thomas Sowell reviews SUPREME CONFLICT, which I first wrote about in January.

Sowell says of the author, Jan Crawford Greenburg, "Although she is a journalist, the scholarship that went into this book is of a higher caliber than many academic scholars achieve in writing about the law or about the Supreme Court."

I recently purchased the book and look forward to reading it soon. (I'm in a bit of a work deluge right now, hence light blogging and little pleasure reading!) It sounds like a fascinating read.

Patterico reviews the book here.

Conflict of Interest?

Cal Thomas raises interesting questions about the unusually large income earned by former President Clinton since leaving office -- nearly $40 million, most of that from speaking fees.

Thomas suggests "It ought to be a concern, though, when so much money is paid to a former president by foreign governments, foreign entities and corporations with interests in U.S. foreign and domestic policies. While Bill Clinton is no longer in a position to determine such policies, his wife, the junior senator from New York and Democratic presidential candidate, is and she may soon be in an even more powerful position. Given the Clintons' history of questionable political, business and personal relationships, can anyone say with certainty that the providers of this largesse are uninterested in influencing a President Hillary Clinton through her husband?"

"While other ex-presidents have spoken for money, there has been nothing on this scale and none of their spouses served as elected officials."

More on the Clintons and money at Betsy's Page. Her post reminds me of something I mused about early in the Clinton Administration, when the Clintons were sailing on some new wealthy "friend's" yacht off Martha's Vineyard: Didn't the Clintons realize that their rich new friends only cared about them because he was President? Would the yacht owner be their friend if the Clintons were just lawyers in Arkansas?

According to the New Republic article Betsy links to, it doesn't seem that the Clintons care all that much about motivations, as long as their friends have money, and plenty of it.