Ok, not hell, but it is regularly described as being hotter than hell…From Sister Toldjah:

Via Reuters:

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Snow fell on Baghdad on Friday for the first time in memory, and delighted residents declared it an omen of peace.

“It is the first time we’ve seen snow in Baghdad,” said 60-year-old Hassan Zahar. “We’ve seen sleet before, but never snow. I looked at the faces of all the people, they were astonished,” he said.

“A few minutes ago, I was covered with snowflakes. In my hair, on my shoulders. I invite all the people to enjoy peace, because the snow means peace,” he said.

Traffic policeman Murtadha Fadhil, huddling under a balcony to keep dry, declared the snow “a new sign of the new Iraq.”

“It’s a sign of hope. We hope Iraqis will purify their hearts and politicians will work for the prosperity of all Iraqis.”

The streets of the capital were largely empty as big, thick, wet flakes fell on Friday morning, a weekend day in Iraq. The temperature hovered around freezing and the snow mostly melted into grey puddles when it hit the ground.

Wonder what it looked like through the eyes of this child:

Think about what that means:  They just missed a white Christmas in the Middle East.  Lots to think about there…. 

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I’ve been expecting this for some time.  Via Politico:

Racial tensions roil Democratic race

A series of comments from Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, her husband and her supporters are spurring a racial backlash and adding a divisive edge to the presidential primary as the candidates head south to heavily African-American South Carolina.

The comments, which ranged from the New York senator appearing to diminish the role of Martin Luther King Jr. in the civil rights movement — an aide later said she misspoke — to Bill Clinton dismissing Sen. Barack Obama’s image in the media as a “fairy tale” — generated outrage on black radio, black blogs and cable television. And now they’ve drawn the attention of prominent African-American politicians.

“A cross-section of voters are alarmed at the tenor of some of these statements,” said Obama spokeswoman Candice Tolliver, who said that Clinton would have to decide whether she owed anyone an apology.

And here comes Obama’s defenders:

Illinois State Senate President Emil Jones, a prominent Obama supporter, echoed those sentiments.

“It’s very unfortunate that the president would make a statement like that,” he said of Bill Clinton’s criticism of Obama’s experience, adding that the African-American community had “saved his presidency” after the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

“They owe the African-American community — not the reverse,” he said. “Maybe Hillary and Bill should get behind Sen. Barack Obama.”

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr., through a spokesman, used even stronger language. “Following Barack Obama’s victory in Iowa and historic voter turnout in New Hampshire, the cynics unfortunately have stepped up their efforts to decry his uplifting message of hope and fundamental change. 

“Regrettably, they have resorted to distasteful and condescending language that appeals to our fears rather than our hopes. I sincerely hope that they’ll turn away from such reactionary, disparaging rhetoric.” 

…

The black blogosphere was even less diplomatic, with the widely read site MediaTakeOut calling Clinton’s comment on King “explosive” and the blog Jack and Jill Politics saying it “pretty much solidified the image that, whatever happened in the ’90s, you are now some out-of-touch rich white folks.”

Fred Thompson’s campaign is breaking my heart…or more to the point, the media’s ignoring of it is.  He continues to say what needs to be said to the Republican party, and to his opponents he has become the elder statesman who slaps down their bullshit rhetoric.

And the media casually dismisses the most practical voice in favor of those they can demagogue the best:  The Preacher, the Mormon and the POW.

Here are some recent clips and such.

Via Hot Air and STA, here is audio of Rush discussing Fred, including some Fred clips:

Next is video of Fred, two clips from Hot Air.  Again, Fred wins the common sense award by calling it like it is:

By the way, here is the line of the night:

I love this guy.

Fred did pick up a key endorsement:  Human Events

I don’t know if this is THE big endorsement hyped up from yesterday or not. It is a good one though, right on time to keep him on a roll.

The 2008 presidential election is the most unusual and most important in many years. It’s been more than five decades since such a race didn’t feature an incumbent President or Vice President. Since World War II, America has not had a presidential election at a time when the stakes were higher. Conservatives have to win this election, and to do so, we have to identify a candidate around whom we all can rally.

Fundamental Beliefs

We begin by recalling the profound words of Ronald Reagan at the Conservative Political Action Conference Feb. 15, 1975: “A political party cannot be all things to all people. It must represent certain fundamental beliefs which must not be compromised to political expediency or simply to swell its numbers.” We believed that then, and we believe it now. The issue for us — and for the conservative community — boils down to which of the candidates is most representative of the fundamental conservative principles we believe in. The answer is Fred Thompson.