SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:01 P.M. ET:

IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG – Obama-friendly journalists are already spinning the death of Muammar Gaddafi as a great victory for President Obama, and contrasting it with the BUSH (!!) war in Iraq, with its casualties and cost.  This, of course, is absurd.  Libya has a population of about 6.5 million, whereas Iraq has more than 31 million.  Iraq had a major military force and no internal revolt.  Libya's military force was minor and the country's revolution  was underway before we intervened.  But the Obama army won't let the details get in their way.  When have they ever?

OCCUPY OAKLAND – Crimes, mostly thefts, have been reported at a number of the "occupy" sites springing up around the country, but nothing compares to reports out of Oakland, California, where the occupy site has degenerated into rat infestation, sexual harassment, public sex, drug dealing, child endangerment, and violent threats against reporters.  The occupiers have now apparently banned the media from the occupy sites.  The sad fact is that there are legitimate complaints against some corprations and Wall Street operations, but they are being drowned out by the degenerating behavior of many of the protesters.

A REMINDER – Two Minnesota women, Amina Farah Ali and Hawo Mohamed Hassan, have been convicted in Minneapolis of funneling money to a terrorist group in Somalia.  Both women are U.S. citizens of Somali descent. The two are among 20 Somali-Americans charged with aiding al-Shabab, a Somalian group with ties to Al Qaeda. In recent years a number of Somali men have suddenly disappeared from Minnesota, and it is feared that they have gone to Somalia to join terror groups. 

CAIN LEADS IN IOWA – A new Rasmussen poll shows that Herman Cain has jumped into the lead among Republicans in Iowa.  Iowa is crucial because it holds one of the first primaries.  In Iowa's case, the caucus system is used.  Cain gets 28% of the vote, Romney 21%, Ron Paul 10%, Gingrich 9%, Bachmann 8%, and Rick Perry 7%.  Perry's showing is especially weak because he was the frontrunner in Iowa in early September.  The survey was taken yesterday, a day after the GOP debate in Las Vegas.

October 20, 2011