And now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine...
History As a Guide
CBS News veteran Bob Schieffer is taking some heat for likening the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut and President Obama's fight with the gun lobby to some major historical events.
Quote -- "What happened in Newtown was probably the worst day in this country's history since 9/11. We found Usama bin Laden. We tracked him down...Surely, finding Usama bin Laden; surely, passing civil rights legislation, as Lyndon Johnson was able to do; and before that, surely, defeating the Nazis, was a much more formidable task than taking on the gun lobby."
Schieffer went on to call the president's speech yesterday, one of his best. He said the president is going to have to get his hands dirty to prevent another massacre.
A columnist for the Seminole County Republican Examiner slammed the remarks. Quote -- "Whatever do you mean, Bob? At no time were Presidents' FDR, LBJ, or Obama committing any crime against the Constitution when they defeated the Nazis, passed civil rights legislation, or killed bin Laden, respectively...A little free advice for Bob Schieffer -- If you feel the need to opine about historical events on national TV, please get your facts straight."
Upon Further Review
We have pointed out before, President Obama's opinions have changed from when he was a U.S. and state senator on the debt ceiling, prosecuting the War on Terror -- and it seems -- on gun policy.
Back in 1999 -- with the shooting at Columbine High School fresh in everyone's minds -- the Illinois State Senate took up a bill that would require adult prosecution for discharging a gun in or near a school.
State Senator Obama was one of five senators to vote "present" on that legislation -- which passed 52 to one.
The Chicago Tribune also called him a -- quote -- "gutless sheep," for missing a vote on other crime legislation later that year.
Indoctrination
Finally, parents in Wisconsin are aggravated that a public high school was "indoctrinating" -- in their words -- their children in what is called white privilege.
The course -- called "American Diversity" -- had a number of controversial worksheets and messages that one critic says amount to race baiting.
A parent tells Fox News, students were sent on an assignment to the toy aisle at Walmart and asked to count the number of white and black dolls.
The parent added -- quote -- "If you're white, you're oppressing. If you're non-white, you're a victim."
School officials say they will evaluate the course before it is taught again.
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox