Veteran White House reporter Keith Koffler on his blog WhiteHouseDossier.com late last night posted a stunning story that President Barack Obama will ignore an order by an Atlanta judge to appear in court Thursday for a hearing in a case challenging his qualifications under the Constitution to be president.  So is this the new state of the union, in which no one must obey the law?

According to the White House Koffler writes, Obama will continue with his current trip out West, starting the day in Las Vegas and then continuing on to Buckley Air Force Base in Aurora, Colorado before heading to Detroit where he will spend the night.

The case centers on whether Obama, whose father was Kenyan, qualifies as a “natural born citizen,” as required of a president under the Constitution. Some contend that “natural born citizen” means both of a presidential candidate’s parents must be U.S. citizens.

The Atlanta lawsuit would deny Obama the right to participate in the March 6 Georgia Democratic primary, though backers of the suit clearly hope to establish a precedent that would help make a national issue over whether Obama can serve as president.

A letter apparently sent by Obama attorney Michael Jablonski Wednesday to Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp asks Kemp to “bring an end to this baseless, costly and unproductive hearing by withdrawing the original hearing request as improvidently issued.”

Jablonski states that while waiting for Kemp to do as requested, “we will, of course, suspend further participation in these proceedings, including the hearing scheduled for January 26.”

A letter that appears to be from Kemp to Jablonski rejects the demand and holds out the threat of punitive action should Obama and his attorneys withdraw from the proceedings.

“To the extent a request to withdraw the case referral is procedurally available, I do not believe such a request would be judicious given the hearing is set for tomorrow morning,” the Kemp letter states. “Anything you and your client place in the record in response to the challenge will be beneficial to my review of the initial decision; however, if you and your client choose to suspend your participation in the OSAH proceedings, please understand that you do so at your own peril.”

Koffler writes “ I possess copies of both the Jablonski and Kemp letters, and I have little doubt that both are genuine, but I have not as of late this evening been able to contact officials to absolutely confirm their authenticity.”

Click here for the original report by Keith Koffler on WhiteHouseDossier.com.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), a leading Senate Conservative, Tuesday night responded to President Obama’s State of the Union Address with the following statement.

“Tonight we heard President Obama’s last State of the Union Address before the 2012 election.  It was a campaign stump speech, and it is clear that President Obama believes the best way to keep his job is to continue to promote class warfare in America and blame Republicans in Congress.  Not surprisingly, he took credit for successes that he has actively fought against.

“After three years of failed economic policies, record deficits, and layers of back breaking regulations, President Obama just doesn’t get it.  Tonight we heard about more government programs and more government spending.

“President Obama wants to pay for all this by increasing taxes and cutting defense spending.  

“His defense cuts began in 2009 with his first budget cutting the Army’s Future Combat System and missile defense, ending production of the F-22 and the C-17, and postponing development of a new combat search and rescue helicopter and the next generation bomber.  The next two rounds of defense cuts included downsizing the force, cancelling the Marine Corps Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle, and slowing down production of the F-35.

“Tonight we heard President Obama’s vision for the future of American Manufacturing.  The best thing for American manufacturing is for President Obama to get out of the way. The Obama Administration’s overly intrusive regulations are killing jobs in America.

“What he couldn’t achieve through legislation, he is achieving through heavy-handed regulations.  He is moving forward with a plan to regulate greenhouse gases through the EPA, which will cost American families $300 to $400 billion a year – and this is just the tip of the iceberg: the barrage of regulations coming out of EPA taxing electricity and gasoline have become known as the ‘train wreck’ for the incredible harm they will do to jobs and the economy.  In fact, the cost all these regulations put together add up to about the same as Obama’s national deficit, which is a recipe for economic disaster.   

“President Obama continued his double-speak on energy.  That is why he’s been touting oil and natural gas production so much lately.  As his re-election approaches, he understands that especially in a weak economy, Americans want the hundreds of thousands of jobs, the affordable energy prices, and the increased energy security that fossil fuel development brings.  But while he talks the talk, his actions clearly show that he is still determined to shut down oil, gas and coal development so that energy prices will, as he said himself, ‘necessarily skyrocket.’       

“Just last week, to appease his global warming alarmist friends, he killed the Keystone Pipeline that would have provided 20,000 jobs and increased energy security while providing a means to get more domestic energy to the marketplace.   

“We heard quite a bit tonight about fairness.  Tonight’s speech makes it clear that his view of America and our values is vastly different from how our Founding Fathers viewed this great nation.  He believes that fairness should be mandated and imposed through bigger government, more regulations, higher taxes and wealth redistribution.  I couldn’t disagree more.  American values are not found in government imposed fairness – but rather through increased liberty, personal responsibility, and individual charity.  The unique greatness of America is found in the goodness of our people, not the strong arm of government.  

“Now as usual, he was eloquent.  Some of the things he said tonight, like reforming our tax code and investing in our nation’s infrastructure, sounded good.  But, as usual, despite his eloquence, his actions defy his rhetoric.

“He has already had three years of record setting deficits, and now he wants more government programs and even more spending.  We cannot allow that to happen.”

Click here to see Senator Inhofe’s response in video.

The Washington Post is reporting that for the American government, the crash of the RQ-170 drone in Iran was an embarrassment. For the Iranian government, it was a propaganda victory. And for at least one company, according to state radio, it could be a windfall.

An Iranian firm, seeking to capitalize on the frenzy that followed the
crash of the drone — and American calls to have it returned — is now
producing miniaturized toy versions of the craft. Most of the toys,
which come in several colors and are made of Iranian plastic, have
already been snapped up by Iranian government organizations, according
to the group that manufactures them. 

At least one model — a pink one — has been reserved for President Obama.
 
“He said he wanted it back, and we will send him one,” said Reza Kioumarsi, the head of cultural production at the Ayeh Art group.

Click here to read more from The Washington Post. 

The Costa Concordia’s captain did abandon ship before hundreds of his passengers and refused to go back when ordered, it has emerged via a transcript of a conversation between him and the local coastguard. 

Capt. Francesco Schettino is being taken into a Grosseto courthouse
today to be questioned by investigating magistrate Valeria
Montesarchio.  He also lied to the Captain of the Port of Livorno’s
Coastguard when asked how many people were on board the sinking liner,
Italian media is reporting. 

He initially replied ’40’, when there were actually hundreds still at risk, and when further questioned admitted he was not even there.

He then ignored an order to go back onto the sinking ship – with some reports suggesting he volunteered to return, but only to pick up the black box.

The publication of the transcripts by Il Fatto Quotidiano newspaper comes as it was revealed junior officers onboard led a ‘mutiny’ after the ship struck a reef and captain Francesco Schettino dithered in giving the order to abandon the stricken vessel.

According to coastguards Schettino did not give the crucial instructions until 10.58pm on Friday night, more than one hour after the initial impact with the rocks, and so wasting valuable time that contributed to the loss of six lives.

Officials say that during those chaotic minutes, the bungling skipper had tried to palm them off and minimise the dangerous situation it was facing – and that it was his juniors who realised the impending disaster and ordered passengers and crew to the lifeboats.

Proof of the ‘mutiny’ came from coastguard vessels at the scene, who reported seeing several lifeboats in the water before Schettino had officially given the order at just before 11pm.

Italian authorities believe the fact that so many lifeboats were seen in the water in the water just ten minutes after Schettino had ordered them to be launched is proof that they had already been lowered before his command.

A Coastguard source said: ‘Ten minutes is just not enough time to have launched the number of boats that were seen in the water. That’s why we believe that once the ship had started to list, crew members realised the seriousness of the situation and ordered passengers to the lifeboats ahead of the captain giving the order.’

To read more from The Daily Mail, click here. 

The following is a translation of the recording, which is posted on the news website Corriere della Sera:

Captain Schettino: It’s Capt. Schettino.

Port Authority: Schettino, listen to me, there are people trapped onboard, now you go back, you will go with your rescue boat under the stern of the ship, there are some steps, you climb those steps and you get onboard and you get back to me letting me know how many people are on board. Is that clear to you? I am actually recording this conversation captain.

[inaudible, captain mumbles]

PA: Speak in a loud voice.

Captain: So, the ship right now [inaudible]…

PA: Speak in a loud voice! Put your hand by the microphone to cover it and speak up! Is that clear?

Voices in the background: "Tell him to come here. Tell him to come here."

Captain: So, right now the ship is tilted…

PA: I understand that. Listen to me, there are people that are getting off using the rope ladder on the stern side, you go back there and you go up that ladder the opposite way, you go onboard the ship and you tell me how many people [are there] And what they need. You tell me if there are children, women or people that need assistance and you give me a number for each one of these categories is that clear? Look Schettino, you may have saved yourself from the sea but will put you through a lot of trouble it will be very bad for you! Get back on board for [expletive]’s sake!!!

Captain: Officer, please.

PA: There are no "pleases"! Get back on board! Please assure me that you are going back on board.

Captain: I am here on the rescue boat. I’m right here, I didn’t go anywhere else, I’m here.

PA: What are you doing captain?

Captain: I’m here to coordinate rescue operations.

PA: What are you coordinating? Get back on board and coordinate rescue operations from onboard the ship.

[silence, sound cuts out]

PA: Do you refuse to do that?

Captain: No, I’m not refusing to do that.

PA: Are you refusing to back on board?

Captain: No, I am not refusing to go back. I am not going because the other rescue boat stopped.

PA: Get back on board! This is an order! You don’t need to make any other assessment. You have declared that you have abandoned ship, therefore I’m in command. Get back on board right now is that clear?

Click here to read more of the transcript from the news website Corriere della Sera.

Palestinian Media Watch is an organization whose stated mission is to monitor, translate and disseminate all forms of media broadcast by the Palestinian Authority. These translations, videos and transcriptions showcase a steady stream of virulent anti-Semitic and anti-Western sentiment, often with direct calls for physical violence.

Many believe PMW offers a valuable service as it provides key insights into the way the PA thinks and operates. Now, however, for at least the second time, PMW’s YouTube service has been disrupted after the watchdog group uploaded a vitriolic Fatah video in which Jewish people are referred to as “descendants of apes and pigs” and the PA Mufti Muhammad Hussein calls on Palestinians to “kill the Jews” no matter what “rock or tree” they “hide” behind.

Of course, the hate speech and calls for violence do not come directly from PMW. PMW merely translates and disseminates what was already produced and broadcast by the PA.

YouTube administrators have deemed the most recent upload as “inaproriate,” and have subsequently removed the video from its site and frozen PMW’s user account. This is not the fist time YouTube has taken such actions against PMW and the exact reasons are unclear. Some critics say YouTube has bowed to pressure from Islamic special interest groups.

Click here to see the video and read more from The Blaze.