TIME's end-of-year thing is turning into a joke. Last year, if they didn't have the guts to put Osama on the cover, they should have put "the American people." This year obviously belongs to Bush. I listened to the guy say next year would probably be Bush, but if he defeats Saddam, brings down the mullahs, gets North Korea to disarm, they'll doubtless find someone else.
Lawrence agrees.

Scrappleface on Affirmative Action. I was thinking about this in the Emergency Room Christmas morning. There was my doctor, an African-American. I don't care WHAT color his skin is, but I WAS a little interested in how he got to medical school... was it ability, or was it affirmative action? In other words, does he actually know anything? I decided to relax and take his credentials on faith. But WHY do our A-A brethern want to be thought of this way, instead of just considered as a human of whichever skin shade?

Yay David Letterman!

My sister lives in Anti-American Central:
Best of the Web:

This reflects a geographical divide in the state of Washington. Seattle is a haven for wacko anti-Americanism; it even sends pro-Saddam congressman Jim McDermott to Congress. The rest of the state, however, is populated by normal Americans. A Seattle Post-Intelligencer poll finds that Seattle residents oppose the liberation of Iraq by 52% to 40%, while the statewide figures (despite including Seattle) are reversed: 51% favor liberation and only 43% oppose it.

Why isn't Law in Jail?

The Three Wise Guys

Clinton a Hypocrite (No, I'm shocked, I tell you, shocked!) by Earl Ofari Hutchinson, who by his picture, is African-American.

via Best of the Web, Hanoi Jane in Jerusalem.

Christmas, by Cold Fury, via Bill Quick.

Lileks.

Forgiving the Phony, James Bowman :

let us remember that it is the season of forgiveness and goodwill and if there is little enough of either yet for Trent Lott, let us spare a bit for Al Gore. What, you may ask, has Al Gore to be forgiven for? I don't know, but there must be some reason why I hate him so. No man in public life do I find so repulsive as Al. It's partly that he is such a transparent phony, and phony not in the way that Bill Clinton was a phony. Clinton was conman phony, but a conman has to be charming or he will starve to death. And Clinton was certainly charming. Gore is utterly without charm. He is boring-phony; phony-for-the-sake-of-phoniness; phony because he doesn't know how not to be phony.
...
; Gore is dull as well as phony, and the worst kind of dullard at that: Namely, one who believes that he is smarter than the rest of us and so undetectable in the lifelong imposture that he is Al Gore and not merely an arrogant twerp trying to impersonate him.

(He says if we don't forgive Gore, he'll be back!

Victor Davis Hansen says not to forget why we are fighting.

The Last Lott (or so I hope)

Instapundit:

Unlike the Democrats with Clinton, the Republicans have purged themselves of someone who didn't belong in the office he held. The failure to do so cost the Democrats greatly. I think that the Republicans, meanwhile, will reap benefits from their action.

Also:

THE LOTT CONTRAST: Reader Tom Wright emails:

This may not be a widely held view but I think the Trent Lott episode is a huge plus for the Republican Party. It may gain them nothing at the polls but at least they have proved that they are capable of embarrassment and shame when on of their number demonstrates an unfitness for his office.

Tardy though it may have been, the disgust and outrage shown by Republicans over Sen. Lott's remarks contrasted with the Democrats' studied indifference to the past comments by Sen. Byrd or the vileness spewed by Rep. McKinney shows that while both parties may have bigots, at least the Republicans are ashamed or theirs.

Eric Alterman:

Actually, this is the worst possible solution for the Democrats, who won’t have Trent Lott to kick around anymore as leader, but also won’t be getting a Democratic replacement in his seat.

(Hillary hasn't heard this word, yet. She thinks they can still pile on... I think it IS going to be another Wellstone memorial.)

Patrick Ruffini:

This is a watershed moment in the history of the Republican Party. If the November 5th elections testified to the strength of the party as reformed by George W. Bush, the events of today spoke to its soul. By showing that the party could police itself in a morally significant manner — a rarity in Washington — these last two weeks have proven more crucial to the future of the GOP than even the big election victory of six weeks ago.