Despite the Tough Talk

On the Republican side, Mr. McCain hit a unsettling bump in the road to his near-certain nomination. The victories by Mr. Huckabee, a populist ordained Southern Baptist minister, raised questions about Mr. McCain's ability to bring religious conservative voters to his side for the general election. Turnout was low among Republicans, and many of those who did show up were party-faithful religious conservatives. The wins give Mr. Huckabee renewed energy going into Tuesday's primaries, which had been seen to favor Mr. McCain.

With 100% of precincts reporting, Mr. Huckabee won the Kansas caucus with 60% of the vote to Mr. McCain's 20%. Texas congressman Ron Paul received 11%. In Louisiana, the vote was tight. Mr. Huckabee had 43% to Mr. McCain's 42%, with 99% reporting.

"It was an important victory, especially after the pundits spent the past few days saying this campaign is over," said Huckabee campaign manager Chip Saltsman after the victory in Kansas. Despite the tough talk, it's mathematically unlikely that Mr. Huckabee could catch Mr. McCain. After Mr. Huckabee's Kansas win he had a total of 234 delegates, compared with Mr. McCain's 719, according to the Associated Press. A candidate needs 1,191 delegates to secure the Republican nomination.

KKK Flag Flies in Jena, Louisiana

Photo Credit: Associated Press

A sad sight in Louisiana; the flag of the KKK or Ku Klux Klan - a throw-back to darkness...

Hate Crimes

Reading the following this morning, I was stunned to find that Al Sharpton believes that hanging nooses from tree limbs is tantamount to attempted murder! There is no doubt that the white students were in the wrong, but the black students were more serious in their expression of hatred, beating a student into a state of unconsciousness! Speaking of a hate-crime.

The Jena case began in August 2006 after a black student sat under a tree known as a gathering spot for white students. Three white students later hung nooses from the tree. They were suspended by the school but not prosecuted. Six black teenagers, however, were charged by LaSalle Parish prosecutor Reed Walters with attempted second-degree murder of a white student who was beaten unconscious in December 2006. The charges have since been reduced to aggravated second-degree assault, but civil rights protesters have complained that no charges were filed against the white students who hung the nooses.

"The FBI report confirms what we have been saying for many months about the severe increase in hate crimes," said the Rev. Al Sharpton, who organized Friday's march. "What is not reported, however, is the lack of prosecution and serious investigation by the Justice Department to counter this increase in hate crimes." Sharpton called for Attorney General Michael Mukasey to meet with members of the Congressional Black Caucus and civil rights leaders to discuss this enforcement.