Here's what I thought you'd like to hear about today:

1. Rest in Peace, Gerald Ford
2. Idiots of the Republican Party -Virgil Goode talks to Fox News
3. Eason Jordan on IraqSlogger - Why he's joining forces with Michelle Malkin, sort of
4. Idiots of the Mainstream Media - The White House Press Corp Ladies
5. Rest in Peace, James Brown - The Godfather of Soul supported Podcasting

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Rest in Peace, Gerald Ford

Last night Betty Ford issued a press release to announce that Gerald Ford died at the age of 93. Best known for pardoning Richard Nixon and being the only president never elected to either the Presidency or Vice Presidency, Ford has been much more well respected by historians than he was by the press at the time. Many say that the pardon did him in, but others cite his performance in the presidential debate against Jimmy Carter to explain the loss in the 1976 election. It looked like a blowout all Summer, but by November, he lost by only two percentage points. Writing in the Corner on National Review Online, Stanley Kurtz has this to say about the man.

The quick take on Gerald Ford is that he lost the presidency for pardoning Richard Nixon. Actually, the 1976 election was quite close. The pardon was a factor in Ford's loss, but so was an infamous debate gaffe. In a garbled defense of the Helsinki accords, Ford said: "There is no Soviet domination of Eastern Europe and there never will be under a Ford administration." ... The mistake helped convince the public that Ford wasn't up to the job, and also help drive Northeastern Catholics, [who were initially] uncertain about voting for a Southern evangelical [like Carter], away from Ford.

Here is a clip from an interview with the two presidential candidates that includes the gaffe from the debate, and Ford and Carter discussing the implications on PBS News Hour with Jim Lehrer.

Clip of Ford & Carter on PBS.

Idiots of the Republican Party -Virgil Goode talks to Fox News

There has been a minor dustup over the plans of the first Muslim ever elected to Congress, Keith Ellison, D-Minnesota, to bring a Koran to his swearing in. I say if his constituents elected him, he can bring a Sears catalog to the swearing in, regardless of his former association with the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan's Nation of Islam. But Congressman Virgil Goode wrote a holiday letter to his supporters taking Ellison to task for not bringing a bible. Here is a clip from Goode on Fox News last week. Thanks to Crooks and Liars for the video.

Clip of Virgil Goode on Fox News

Someone should remind this idiot that if you ever find yourself in a hole, stop digging. Or just shut up and let us not confirm your stupidity. America's strength comes from its people and their freedoms, and refusing to allow Muslims to immigrate to this country is a bad idea. I'm not advocating open borders, just recognizing that such bigotry is not conducive to a free society. And he's a fool.

Eason Jordan on IraqSlogger - Why he's joining forces with Michelle Malkin, sort of

On the Media, the National Public Radio program produced by Brooke Gladstone, did an interview this weekend with Eason Jordan. They describe the episode this way:

Almost every news outlet focuses some of its coverage on Iraq. But a new website is devoting itself entirely to news from that country. Ex-CNN chief Eason Jordan talks about his new project, iraqslogger.com.

Listen to this clip from the show where Eason explains his motivation for partnering with Michelle Malkin, the conservative commentator, columnist, blogger, and substitute host for Bill O'Reily on Fox News.

Clip of Eason Jordan with Brooke Gladstone

If they manage to find the missing Iraqi policeman who keeps showing up in the AP stories with gruesome tales that turn out not to be true, then Eason & IraqSlogger.com will have contributed to the story about the Iraq war. I look forward to Michelle's reports from the scene.

Idiots of the Mainstream Media - The White House Press Corp Ladies

Speaking of Michelle Malkin, she blogged about the White House Press Corp last week. Here's a portion of her post:

I, for one, was glad to hear that the surgery to remove the skin cancer tumor from First Lady Laura Bush's right shin in early November was successful.

My relief seems not to have been shared by female members of the White House press corps, who tried to instigate a David Gregory-style swarm and imitate their male WH press corps counterparts' VP Cheney accidental shooting feeding frenzy. They are justifying their attacks on the grounds that somehow Mrs. Bush is obligated to become a public crusader for whatever ailments she suffers. Never mind that this is the same press corps that mocks the First Lady any time she expresses an opinion on health matters or any other policy matter.

Here's a clip from the press conference with Tony Snow politely handling the anxious ladies of the press.

Clip of White House Briefing Room

As Michelle said in her weblog entry, this "really reveals how thoroughly pathetic and idiotic the self-parodying WH press corps has become." Idiots on parade, indeed.

Rest in Peace, James Brown - The Godfather of Soul supported Podcasting

In addition to the death of Gerald Ford, this week brought the announcement of James Brown's death from apparent pneumonia. Also called, "The Hardest Working Man in Show Business," James Brown is one of my absolute favorite musicians. His discipline and power were worlds above other acts at the time. In addition to his video's, CD's, performances, and records, James Brown found the time to support Podcasting as well. Here's a song that he or his people published to the PodSafe Music Network, an operation run by Adam Curry to host music that podcasters have permission to play in their podcasts. Musicians upload their cuts to the site to gain exposure, and podcasters play them on their shows to entertain their listeners. Today I'm going to play James Brown's contribution to the network, a piece called Gut Bucket. 100% legit. Enjoy.

Clip of James Brown's Gut Bucket

That's it for now podcatchers. I'm Charlie Quidnunc reporting from a cold, wet, windy, winter in Mercer Island, WA. Sorry for the long gap between shows, but we lost power for 7 days last week, and online time was scarce.