Chad’s Morning Brief: Obama Continues to Make Bin Laden Death Political, Planned Parenthood Injunction, & More

Here is your Morning Brief for the morning of May 1, 2012. Give us your feedback below and tune in to Lubbock’s First News with Chad Hasty for these and many more topics from 6-9 am. Join Chad & Rex at Good Brews Coffee and Tea Lounge starting at 7am.

1. Obama Suggests Romney Wouldn't Have Killed Bin Laden (link)

President Obama again yesterday suggested that Mitt Romney wouldn't have killed Osama Bin Laden. Now, the Romney team is firing back. According to the Weekly Standard:

The Romney campaign responds with this statement from press secretary Andrea Saul: “It’s unfortunate that President Obama would prefer to use what was a good day for all Americans as a cheap political ploy. President Obama’s feckless foreign policy has emboldened our adversaries, weakened our allies, and threatens to break faith with our military. While the Obama administration has naively stated that ‘the war on terror is over,’ Gov. Romney has always understood we need a comprehensive plan to deal with the myriad of threats America faces.”

I do believe that Romney would have given the "OK" to kill Bin Laden. I give Obama credit as well. He gave the order and then let the Navy Seals do their work. Now it seems he is trying to take credit for everything. After a year of dancing around the issue and not wanting to celebrate because it may inflame tensions, the President wants to celebrate his accomplishment. Too bad. This shouldn't be an issue in the campaign. The Seals did an excellent job and that's that.

2. Judge Grants Planned Parenthood Injunction (link)

Hey look another activist judge. Where exactly in the Constitution does it say Texas has to fun Planned Parenthood?

A federal judge in Austin ruled today that state officials cannot exclude Planned Parenthood from a health care and contraception program for low-income women.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Lee Yeakel was a victory for Planned Parenthood that may prove short-lived. State officials have warned that they would have to cancel the Women’s Health Program if Planned Parenthood prevailed in its lawsuit.

Yeakel granted Planned Parenthood’s request for a preliminary injunction to allow it to continue serving women, and being reimbursed, under the program. Yeakel will have to hold a trial before the injunction could become permanent, and he set a May 18 scheduling conference to work out the details, including setting a trial date.

Under state rules adopted in February, Planned Parenthood health clinics would have been excluded from participating in the program beginning tomorrow because they are affiliated with an organization that provides abortions and advocates to keep the procedure legal — Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

The state rule, Yeakel determined, violated Planned Parenthood’s rights of free speech and association.

“By requiring plaintiffs to certify that they do not ‘promote’ elective abortions and that they do not ‘affiliate’ with entities that perform or promote elective abortions … Texas is reaching beyond the scope of the government program and penalizing plaintiffs for their protected conduct,” Yeakel wrote in his order.

Texas will appeal the ruling to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said.

Catherine Frazier, spokeswoman for Gov. Rick Perry, said the governor will work with Abbott to “pursue all legal options” to enforce the ban on Planned Parenthood.

“Texas has a long history of protecting life, and we are confident in Attorney General Abbott’s appeal to defend the will of Texans and our state law, which prohibits taxpayer funds from supporting abortion providers and affiliates in the Women’s Health Program,” Frazier said.

So Texas violated Planned Parenthood's free speech? What BS.

3. Texas Endorsement Story (link)

Interesting take on Texas political endorsements.

Political endorsements say as much about the endorser as they do about the endorsee.

Helping someone in a tough race — or even appearing to lend support — is a basic form of political trading.

That’s why Comptroller Susan Combs, Attorney General Greg Abbott, Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples and Gov. Rick Perry have been so busy this spring. Combs and Staples each want to be the next lieutenant governor of Texas, assuming Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst wins the United States Senate race. Abbott is not so secretly angling for the governor’s job, hoping ever so gently that Perry will move on when that post is on the ballot again in 2014.

4. DOJ More Partisan Than Ever? (link)

Lamar Smith believes that the DOJ under Eric Holder is more partisan than ever. Is he right?

The report details how President Barack Obama’s DOJ — led by Attorney General Eric Holder — has been “stalling” the congressional investigation into Operation Fast and Furious, has been “failing to enforce immigration laws” and has been “challenging voter ID laws.”

Smith’s report says Holder gave “inaccurate and incomplete testimony” about Fast and Furious during his May 3, 2011, appearance before the House Judiciary Committee.

“In his May testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, the Attorney General stated that he had first learned about the program only a few weeks earlier,” the committee wrote in the report summary. “But documents released by the Justice Department revealed that information regarding the program was provided in memos to the Attorney General’s office as early as July 2010. On November 8, 2011, Attorney General Holder conceded that his May 3rd testimony was inaccurate.”

With regard to immigration law enforcement, Smith’s report rips the DOJ for attacking Arizona’s SB 1070 — a law “that empowers Arizona law enforcement officers to enforce federal immigration law by inquiring into the immigration status of people who they have lawfully stopped, detained, or arrested” — and for refusing to pursue legal action “against states like New York, Massachusetts, and Illinois that openly violate federal immigration enforcement laws.”

“These states have refused to participate in Secure Communities, a federal program that ensures that illegal and criminal immigrants are identified,” Smith’s report summary reads.

“Additionally, the Obama administration fails to pursue cities and counties that have sanctuary policies in violation of federal immigration laws. This shows that the Justice Department is making decisions based on a partisan agenda rather than the law of the land.”

I'll go out on a limb and say Smith is right.

5. Dumb story of the morning (link)

Some people just don't understand what being a parent means. This is from Dear Abby, and the dumb part is the letter to her. A great response was given though.

DEAR ABBY: I have a beautiful wife, a dog and an 8-year-old son I love to watch sports with. My son loves sports, but he has trouble accepting a loss. He'll take out his disappointment by beating the dog.

My wife doesn't want to get rid of "Patches" because she has had him since college. I don't want to put my son through counseling because he said he'll hate me forever if I do. I'm afraid if the problem isn't controlled, my son's life goals may be affected. What can I do? -- GOOD DAD IN CLEVELAND

DEAR "GOOD DAD": Stop trying so hard to be your son's sports buddy, and try harder to be a parent. At his age, he should be able to handle disappointment and control his anger and aggression. Do not wait another day to get him the counseling he needs! Children who hurt animals often go on to hurt other children. Your son should be evaluated by a mental health professional ASAP. By getting him the help he needs, you could be saving not one but two lives -- his and Patches'.

6. Good Brews Good News of the Day (link)

Seniors wishes come true.

Wish of a Lifetime is the foundation of Jeremy Bloom, a young man who knows a thing or two about making dreams come true.  Bloom was an Olympic freestyle skier who competed in Salt Lake City in 2002 and Torino in 2006.  He was a three-time world champion in moguls.  After skiing in the Olympics, the gifted athlete -- who was also college football standout -- was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles and went on to play in the NFL.  He's now co-founder of Integrate, a booming marketing technology company, but his life's passion is granting wishes to seniors.

Read the full story at the above link.

Everyday, Good Brews Coffee & Tea Lounge brings you the Good News of the Day! Join Chad and Rex TUESDAY from Good Brews! Details below!

Other Top Stories:

SEALs Slam Obama

Ron & Rand Paul Plan Tea Party Rally in Austin

TSA Keeps Taking Hits

Christian Teens Say Gay Activist Made Girls Cry

New York's Tallest Building. The World Trade Center Rises.

LIVE APPEARANCES!

TODAY 5.1.12- LFN LIVE broadcast from Good Brews Coffee and Tea Lounge. State Rep. John Frullo to appear.Details

These and many more topics coming up on today’s edition of Lubbock’s First News with Chad Hasty. Tune in mornings 6-9am on News/Talk 790 KFYO, streaming online at kfyo.com, and now on your iPhone and Android device with the radioPup App. All guest interviews can be heard online in our podcast section after the show at kfyo.com.