February 26, 2009, 3:31 pm <!– — Updated: 5:39 pm –>

Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images At a private screening in London, a viewer watches a scene from the controversial film “Fitna,” made by Geert Wilders, a Dutch legislator.

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/02/26/mr-wilders-goes-to-washington/?hp

On Capitol Hill, the events that usually make the news are the ones that take place in front of television cameras, from votes to testimony to speeches. But an event scheduled to take place today behind closed doors, in a cozy chamber of the Capitol known as the L.B.J. Room, is creating some buzz.

At first glance, the event sounds innocent enough: a screening of a short film. Read the rest of this entry »

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/02/26/hate.groups.report/index.html

- Don Black said he despises Barack Obama. And he said he believes illegal aliens undermine the economic fabric of the United States.

• Story Highlights
• Report: the number of hate groups grew by 54 percent since 2000
• Obama’s election win fueled some to join hate groups, study found
• The FBI’s uniform crime report found 7,624 hate crime incidents in 2007
• Obama is a “visual aid” that helps lure new members, says neo-Nazi

(CNN) — Don Black said he despises Barack Obama. And he said he believes illegal aliens undermine the economic fabric of the United States.

Black, a 55-year-old former Ku Klux Klan Grand Wizard, isn’t the only person who holds such firm beliefs, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which today released its annual hate group report. Read the rest of this entry »

Tapped by the Republican party to deliver the GOP’s response to President Barack Obama’s congressional address Tuesday night, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal took on the massive stimulus package and big government — and pledged that his party would regain the nation’s trust.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal gives the GOP response to President Obama’s address Tuesday.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/24/sotn.jindal.speech/index.html

“In the end, it comes down to an honest and fundamental disagreement about the proper role of government,” Jindal said. “We oppose the national Democratic view that says the way to strengthen our country is to increase dependence on government. We believe the way to strengthen our country is to restrain spending in Washington, to empower individuals and small businesses to grow our economy and create jobs. Read the rest of this entry »