Newt Gingrich and Spanish. Oh, boy! You really should not go there, Newt.

In his attack on bilingual education he spoke of “the language of living in the ghetto.” Then he kind of, sort of, apologized. After listening to him, you really do know what “ghetto Spanish” sounds like.

But here is the irony about Newt and his attack.

Gingrich apologizes in a bilingual TV announcement, on a bilingual website containing a Spanish translation of his biography … and still insists on condemning a bilingual approach to helping kids learn English.

So you do think we should be English-only, huh? Or maybe you do want that Hispanic vote after all, Newt! Where do you stand?

With the administration of the most failed and catastrophic national-security policy in history in full-throated attack demeaning the Speaker, and mainstream media as usual parroting the attack with minimal response for the first 24 hours, it is time to make this case: The Speaker is absolutely right and it is important to consider exactly why.

First, let's be clear about exactly what the Speaker did. She put pressure on Syria to do exactly what the president claims he wants Syria to do. She put pressure on Syria to do exactly what Israel wants Syria to do.

If there is any message received by Syria from this trip, it is that the Speaker and Democrats join the president in demanding Syria provide security guarantees to Israel, stop any support for terrorist groups, and stop any action that helps those in Iraq killing Americans. Read more...

What if it turns out we wasted all this time breathlessly following Rudy Giuliani’s meteoric rise to the front of the GOP primary pack, just to have former Sen. Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) get in the race, knock Rudy’s celebrity socks off and turn America’s Mayor into just another also-ran?

It’s likely, but since that hasn’t happened, let’s ponder this: Giuliani’s support is soft and thin. Get any true Red Republican to talk about Rudy’s appeal and they weave caveats in and out of the conversation with lawyerly precision. Untested, three wives, socially liberal, terrible temper, the pre-911 tenure in New York — the list is long. When Giuliani campaigned in Iowa this week the reception was courteous but the crowds weren’t exactly crushing. He tried to tell Iowans that everybody is the same no matter where they hail from, but it was plain to see Rudy is no rock star to these heartland caucusers, at least not yet. That could prove dangerous in other states down the road. Read more...

And the winner is …

For a while, we thought it was Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.). After all, she set a new world’s record for fundraising: $26 million in the first quarter of 2007. No doubt about it. With her proven ability to raise money like that, it looked like Hillary had the Democratic nomination all locked up.

But that was three days ago. Today, the big winner is … Barack Obama. The senator from Illinois has stunned the political world by reporting $25 million raised. Almost as much as Hillary’s $26 million total, but better than Hillary in several significant ways. Read more...

Now Mitt Romney lies about hunting.

The former Massachusetts governor said he had been a hunter for just about all his life. Almost immediately his staff reminded him he had only been hunting twice. Presumably Mr. Romney forgot about all the times he never hunted.

Meanwhile, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is now engaged in intensive preparation for his congressional testimony. Will he accuse his former chief of staff of lying? Or will he admit that he lied himself when he said he was not involved in the U.S. attorney firings?

Of course, Scooter Libby was convicted of lying, to the applause of the neoconservative community, which calls for pardon because, for them, putting one's hand on the Bible with an oath to God Almighty and lying is really OK, thank you.

After many tall tales about Iraq WMDs, a little perjury between friends is no big deal. Read more...

Often in this space the issues center on the body politic and the three branches of government. While the political winds are critical to the psyche of the American people, it is not what is most important in their lives. As many celebrate the Christian Passover and resurrection week that leads us to Easter Sunday, we should remind ourselves why many still consider this country a Christian nation. Easter Sunday, the day the son of God rose from the dead, takes on special meaning this year for Christians amid a world at war and religion under siege. With daily destruction occurring around the world, archaeologists trying to debunk the parting of the Red Sea and other assaults on the Christian faith, many are clinging desperately to this week's resurrection celebration. The founding of this is rooted in our belief that we are a god-fearing nation. We've always felt that America was blessed because of our moral striving. In the words of Martin Luther King Jr., “I decided early to give my life to something eternal and absolute. Not to these little gods that are here today and gone tomorrow, but to God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” If we all made this kind of commitment, then striving would no longer be an issue. Even though every nation has its own traditions and customs, one thing we all have in common is that all the countries participate enthusiastically in Easter celebration and that is what matters at the end of the day. Do you still believe America is a Christian nation?

Senator Barack Obama solidified his position as the man with the momentum, money and excitement in the Democratic race for president with his staggering first-quarter filing. Senator Obama raked in $25 million in the first three months of this year — staggering when you consider he was a member of the obscure caucus in the Illinois state legislature just two years ago.

Delving deeper into Obama’s donation disclosure should give those in Senator Clinton’s campaign a serious headache. Senator Clinton received contributions from 50,000 donors to Obama’s 100,000. In fact, Obama had 50,000 Internet donations alone. Read more...

President Bush has had his embarrassing moments. But none surpass the childish temper tantrum he pretended to throw yesterday in the Rose Garden.

Surrounded by lights, cameras, props and podium, Bush staged a great show of political theater — in order to accuse the Democrats of “playing political theater.”

He accused Democrats of forcing troops to extend their stay in Iraq — when, in fact, he has kept troops in Iraq for over four years, forcing many of them to return for a second or third tour of duty. Read more...

America, Iraq and the Middle East may have entered a profound and historical turning point.

At this moment, the Reid-Pelosi flanking maneuver is brilliant and powerful. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) moves aggressively to turn around the military escalation, while House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) moves aggressively to support Middle East peace initiatives.

Lets begin with one key point. When George Bush said yesterday that he decided to surge the troops and escalate in Iraq at the request of American commanders, he was telling a bald-faced lie.

No more niceties. This is so fundamental and important, with so many American lives at stake, that we should be crystal-clear about the truth. Read more...