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Gen. Allen ‘Pushed Out’ For Top NATO Post By White House, Source Says

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Photo Credit: APArmy Gen. John Allen is planning to retire rather than be re-nominated for the powerful post of NATO supreme allied commander-Europe, after White House officials forced him to step aside, a source familiar with the discussions told Fox News on Wednesday.

The source told Fox that Allen was leery of getting into a confirmation battle that would dig into the embarrassing issue of his emails with Tampa socialite Jill Kelley, but the real reason was the White House power play.

“He’s out,” the source said. “I know he is retiring. He was pushed out of the door.” The official Pentagon announcement is expected soon.

The source also said White House officials are optimistic that after a contentious battle, former Nebraska Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel will be confirmed shortly as defense secretary, and he can help pick a new person for the post.

Previously, the White House was thought to be keeping the nomination open while Allen mulled whether to seek the post.
Outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said earlier in the day that he told Allen on Tuesday that Allen needs to take time to decide what is best for him and his family.

Read more from this story HERE.

TLC’s ‘Honey Boo Boo’ Ratings Top the Republican National Convention

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Photo credit: Ted Drake

Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, and their Toddlers and Tiaras daughter, hit another ratings high Wednesday night.

The fourth episode of Honey Boo Boo pulled in just shy of 3 million viewers at 10 p.m., according to Nielsen overnight ratings, growing 30 percent from last week’s 2.3 million haul.

In the demo, Honey Boo Boo did even better. The half-hour series’ showing among adults 18-49 bested all other cable outings for the night — including coverage of the Republican National Convention — to pull a 1.3 rating.

Fox News gave the show its closest competition with a 1.2 adults rating in the same time period. On the broadcast networks, Honey Boo Boo bested ABC and CBS’ demo showing for the RNC combined and topped NBC by two-tenths of a point. Aggregate coverage of the RNC across networks obviously eclipsed Honey Boo Boo considerably.

Read more from this story HERE.

9 Hilarious Quotes From Clint Eastwood’s ‘Invisible Obama’ RNC Speech

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Even if you’re liberal and you feel like you have to “hate” Clint Eastwood for aligning with the enemy and speaking at the Republican National Convention, you can’t. All that Twitter talk about him sounding crazy and senile last night is ludicrous. That’s just people reacting to the message, not the man. Eastwood was adorable and funny, got his main points across simply but with that endearing edge, like your dad might have if you were debating politics with him. And talk to me when YOU are 82 years old and aren’t slurring at least a few words here and there, K? The “invisible Obama” set-up was a little awkward, granted. But the man pulled it off. The audience laughed and cheered. I laughed and cheered … at these in particular:

[Explaining that there ARE Republicans in Hollywood] “Conservative people by nature of the definition play it a little closer to the vest, they don’t go around hot-dogging it. But they are there.”

“I remember 3-and-a-half years ago, when Mr. Obama won the election, and though I wasn’t a supporter I was watching that thing. And there were talking about ‘hope and change’ and ‘yes we can’ … I thought it was great. Everyone’s crying. Oprah’s crying. Even I was crying. I haven’t cried so hard since I found out there are 23 million unemployed people in this country. That is a national disgrace.”

[Talking to Invisible Obama, who is “sitting” in an empty chair next to the mic] “What do you want me to tell Romney? I can’t tell him to do that. He can’t do that to himself. Your’re absolutely crazy. You’re getting as bad as Biden. Course, we all know Biden is the intellect of the Democratic party. Kind of a grin with a body behind it.”

“I never thought it was a good idea for attorneys to be President anyway. They are always taught to argue everything … and they are devil’s advocating this and bifurcating this and bifurcating that. It’s maybe time for a businessman. How about that? A stellar businessman.”

Read more from this story HERE.

Video: Rules Forced Through By Boehner in Tampa Would Prevent a Reagan Presidency Today

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The game play at the GOP Convention in Tampa has far-reaching implications for the future. Watch this news report on the little-known impacts of yesterday’s sham vote:

The words “Tea Party” banned from GOP Convention?

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Tuesday’s theme at the Republican National Convention was “We Built It,” but the night’s speakers did not reference or mention the Tea Party movement that built the current Republican majority in the House during the 2010 midterm elections and infused a party that seemed all but moribund after the 2008 elections and the latter part of George W. Bush’s presidency with enthusiasm, life, confidence, money, manpower, purpose, and a little swagger.

On Wednesday, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who, like his father, Ron, is one of the most prominent symbols of the Tea Party movement that revolted in part against the spending habits of Republicans and Democrats during the last decade, addressed the RNC.

But even Paul did not explicitly mention or make note, by name, of the Tea Party movement.

This has left many Tea Partiers to wonder if the Romney campaign and the RNC are deliberately trying to disassociate the Republican and Romney brands on the national stage from the Tea Party brand that has given them momentum against Obama. Tea Party members were also perturbed, to say the least, that the RNC passed rules concerning delegate selection and convention rules that stripped power away from the grassroots on Tuesday.
“Their words and their actions speak for themselves,” Jenny Beth Martin, co-founder of the influential Tea Party Patriots wrote. “The term ‘tea party’ appears to have been banned from the convention.”

The strategy is risky for Romney and Republicans . . .

Read more from this story HERE.

Video: Teleprompter Reveals that the Tampa Vote on Controversial Rules Change was Fixed?

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A GOP delegate took video of the convention teleprompter suggesting that the GOP hierarchy, even prior to hearing the “Aye’s” and “No’s”, had already decided the outcome of the vote on the controversial rules change.

Here’s a transcript of the rolling teleprompter, seen before the speaker spoke the words and before the vote was cast:

All those in favor signify by saying “aye.”

All those opposed say “No.”

In the opinion of the chair, the “ayes” have it and the resolution is adopted.

Click HERE for an excellent local Fox New’s Report on the vote.

GOP Tampa Convention: Huckabee hits it out of the park (+video)

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Photo credit: Gage Skidmore

I was so very honored to be asked to address one of this week’s themes, “We Can Do Better.” Then I was backstage and I heard some folks say that after hearing me speak, the delegates are going to say, “We sure can do better than Huckabee.” And that’s when they will unanimously nominate Mitt Romney to be the next president of the United States of America.

I want to say that Tampa has been a wonderful and hospitable city. And I’m grateful for all that they’ve done for us. But the only hitch in an otherwise perfect week, was the awful noise coming from the hotel room next door to mine. Turns out it was just Debbie Wasserman Schultz, practicing her speech for the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte next week. Bless her heart.

Four years ago, Mitt Romney and I were opponents. We still are, but we’re not opposing each other. No, we are mutual opponents of the miserably failed experiments that have put this country in a downward spiral. The United States of America was originally an experiment. But it was an experiment in recognizing God-given individual liberty and creating a government in which we no one is deemed better than another. And in which all of us are equal. Not equal in abilities, but equal in intrinsic worth and value. It is the essence, not just of who we are, but what we are. Now let me just say to those who question how once rivals can be now united, it’s quite simple, we have Barack Obama to thank.

It was Barack Obama who said, “You didn’t build it.” Translation, “It doesn’t belong to you.” Well no small differences among us in our party approximate the vast differences between the liberty limiting, radical left wing, anti-business, reckless spending, tax hiking party of Barack Obama, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, versus an energized America who knows we can do better.

For four years, we’ve given a chance to a man with very limited experience in governing, no experience in business whatsoever and since taking office, mostly interested in campaigning, blaming and aiming excuses at his predecessor, the Republicans and people in business. Or as Republicans like to call them, “employers.” We’ve stagnated into an economy that has taken all that hope right down the slope and has left millions without jobs.

Forced out of their homes by foreclosure. Herded into dependency upon a government that promises us candy, but gives us cavities. Barack Obama seems intent on enrolling more people on food-stamps. Mitt Romney’s focus is going to be on generating more jobs that will make food-stamps unnecessary for them. We know full well, we can do better.

Read more from this story and see the video HERE.

Mystery Speaker Slated for GOP Convention Tonight: Is it Palin, Eastwood, or someone else?

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The Republican National Convention is abuzz with speculation over the identity of a mystery speaker who’s supposed to appear Thursday night.

Convention officials have refused to reveal who will fill the “To Be Announced” slot on the closing-night schedule, but the list of possibilities being generated by convention delegates and observers stretches from Hollywood (Clint Eastwood) to hologram (Ronald Reagan) to a handful of conservative favorites who fall somewhere in between.

Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus refused to give even the smallest hint Wednesday.

“Everyone’s going to have to tune in on Thursday night and check it out,” he told Fox News.

Rumors were flying on the convention floor Wednesday afternoon that Hollywood icon Eastwood is the surprise guest, the speculation fueled by reports of the actor and director’s travel plans.

Read more from this story HERE.

Ryan’s speech “electrifies” Tampa GOP attendees (+video)

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By Russell Berman and Erik Wasson. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) on Wednesday night electrified the Republican Party with a speech that combined lacerating attacks on President Obama with homespun values and a tribute to GOP candidate Mitt Romney.

In a 35-minute address that drew thunderous applause from Republican delegates, Ryan condemned the Obama presidency and presented an optimistic vision of the future under Romney’s leadership.

The core theme of the speech amounted to four words: “We can do this.”

Ryan said the Romney-Ryan team would fix the nation’s problems, not blame others. “Our nominee is sure ready,” the vice-presidential nominee said. “His whole life has prepared him for this moment — to meet serious challenges in a serious way, without excuses and idle words. After four years of getting the run-around, America needs a turnaround, and the man for the job is Gov. Mitt Romney.”

The seven-term lawmaker focused much of his address on Obama, mentioning the president’s name 16 times and Romney on a dozen occasions. He said Obama promised to deliver change, but had failed after four years. Read more from this story HERE.

Here’s a video excerpt of his speech: