Hamas Victory - Hope Loses

The stunning victory by Hamas in yesterday's Palestinian elections should be a "wake-up call" both here in Washington, D.C., and in Israel. Faced with a choice, the Palestinian voters picked the most ardent and committed Jew-killers and America-haters. And just so voters weren't confused, Hamas spokesmen spent the last two weeks of the campaign making it clear they would never abandon their major goal: the replacement of Israel with a Palestinian state run under the doctrine of Islamofascism. While Washington and Tel Aviv are stunned, the darkest forces in the Middle East are gloating and lusting for blood.

Now well-meaning and decent men in Israel, the United States and Europe must start answering questions too long ignored. Why should the free world push for a Palestinian state when it has been made clear, yet again, that it will be a terrorist state? Why should the U.S. and Europe continue to send millions of dollars of taxpayer subsidies to such a corrupt regime? On what basis can anyone in Israel or the U.S. still argue that the answer to Hamas' success is to give away more precious land and force more Jews out of their homes, while putting Israel at greater and greater risk?
 

Split Widens

Here is a story desperately waiting for someone in the major media to notice it - the ever-widening rift on the political Left. Today, the New York Times issued its marching orders to Senate liberals with an editorial demanding they filibuster the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court. The rhetoric is chilling, and according the Times the future of the republic is evidently at stake. But few Democrats are willing to fall on their sword at the request of the New York Times. Today, Senators Byrd (D-WV) and Johnson (D-SD) announced that they would be voting for Alito's confirmation, while Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) said a filibuster would be "counterproductive."

But Alito's confirmation isn't the only issue rankling the radicals. The leftwing "blogosphere" is boiling over on reports that Democrats tapped newly elected Virginia Governor Tim Kaine to deliver the response to President Bush's State of the Union address. The problem is that Kaine is a Roman Catholic, not afraid to talk about faith and values, and opposes same-sex "marriage." In many ways, Kaine resembles the "Reagan Democrats" who have been fleeing that party for decades and that is precisely why he is being put "out front" as a new face of the liberal party.
- Gary Bauer