Busy Bear

TB is busy getting settled in to George Washington University, his home for the next week. Blogging will be light as there is a serious lack of WiFi.

Seems silly season is in full swing so nowt really going on.

Will see if TB can find some nice republican ladies for a southern belles totty watch edition.

Something for the weekend...

There is a storm brewing here tonight in DC. Fingers crossed it might clear some of the intense humidity, but apparently it often only makes it worse. Guess that is what you get when you build a city on a swamp!

Either way TB is taking it easy tonight and hit the room service. Tucked up in bed watching the West Wing,

seemingly like a true Cameroon

. Blogging will probably be slow again for the next few days. Tomorrow is particularly busy as TB will be spending the day with former Reagan speechwriter Dr John Shosky to polish his speech writing technique. In the mean time enjoy...



Have a good weekend. Happy recess.

Former Clinton strategist proves he is still a moron...

Mark Penn was Hillary Clinton's useless campaign strategist who presided over her abortive attempt at the Presidency. Mr Penn has resurfaced in the

latest edition of PR Week

to tell the world he thinks Gordon Brown can still win the election.

Well no offence Mark, but excuse TB if he doesn't take a single thing someone who instigated a campaign of leaks and dirty tricks before eventually having to resign for

being a sleazeball

has to say.

Still an idiot then.

DC baby...

TB popped in for tea today with that nice Mr Obama and his charming wife...

They even gave him a tour of their house...

Just kidding. In fact TB had a visit and tour of the White House planned but

YBF

's access was mysteriously withdrawn at the eleventh hour for what can only be partisan reasons. There have never been problems in previous years yet mysteriously it's become very hard for those on the right to gain access to the White House in recent months.

TB had to settle with peering through the fence and was most happy to see some honey bees are being kept in the gardens now. His old friend Winnie would be most happy. Maybe TB should write to Mr Obama and ask him to free Winnie, can't stop thinking about his sad face in that little glass box.

Besides this TB is having a wonderful time out here with his new friends. He's off now for drinks with the

Young Conservative Coalition

.

Time to put the chinos and blazer back on...

Quote of the Day

"Tupac was a social conservative"

-An anonymous YBFer after a couple of beers.

Oh really?

TB can't really see it himself.

Typical.

This annoying little chat between

Tory Politico

and the CCHQ press office just came to TB's attention:

Tory Politico: “Hi there I wonder if you can help me. I run the Conservative supporting blog Tory Politico at tory-politico.com, and was wondering if you could send me a copy of the press release that has just been issued about the letter send from David Cameron to the Prime Minister seeking clarification on his position regarding TV debates.
Press Officer: “who do you work for?”
TP: “tory-politico.com.”
PO: “so your not a member of the media.”
TP: “No I am a Conservative party member and a blogger.”
PO: “sorry I cant help you.”
TP: “Why not?”
PO: ”Bloggers don’t count as media so I cant send it to you.”
TP: “Right, so you don’t see blogs as important then, is that right?:
PO: “Yes.”
TP: “So what about the likes of Iain dale and ConservativeHome, are they media? are they seen as important?”
PO: “Yes we feel that they are representatives of the media, and yes we do see them as an important conduit?”
TP: “But you just said blogs don’t count as media.”
PO: “We see them as important conservative commentators not bloggers, we feel that independent bloggers do not provide an efficient means of communicating the Conservative message.”
TP: “Not efficient means of communicating the Conservative message - Im a Conservative blogger, all I blog about is politics and the Conservative party, I think that’s evident from my blogs title.”
PO: “Im sorry, but I have already told you that I cannot send you a copy of the press release you asked for.”
TP: “OK, can you add my details to the press release distrobution list so that future releases and notices are sent to me?”
PO: “No.”
TP: “Because blogs are not important.”
PO: “Yes.”

Hmmmmmm.

TB recommends that TP finds a friend in the lobby who gets the releases and sets up an autoforward to his email account. Not that TB has done that.

Honest guv.

Are Lesbians Making Britain's Swans Impotent?

Via

Shane Greer

, TB has come across the wonderful

Daily Mail headline generator

. Absolute genius. These have to be his favourite so far:

Leave your favourites in the comments.

First ID cards and now...

"Home Secretary Alan Johnson has agreed to release previously unseen documents relating to the 1989 Hillsborough disaster. Mr Johnson told the mothers of three of the 96 victims of his decision at a face-to-face meeting in London."

Johnson won some grudging support from the right when he took the long overdue decision to announce that ID cards won't be compulsory. With populist decisions like

this one

today it makes it even clearer just how much Gordon doesn't get it. This decision could/should have been made months ago and once again Johnson has outmaneuvered Brown and strengthen his position as the king over the water without displaying an ounce of disloyalty.

TB bumped into Alan Johnson last time he was in Parliament. He was walking around the place with a swagger that only the man who could be PM within months can pull off. A smile here, a handshake there, building up support without saying a word. Johnson is refusing to let the traditional graveyard reputation of the Home Office get the best of him.

He's a smart guy.

TV debates?

TB would love to see a line as good as this one, a real nail in the coffin, delivered to Brown in a pre-election television spar:



Mandy has apparently

spoken out of line

with his suggestion that Gordon had warmed to the idea. It's always the opposition leader that calls for television debates so it's refreshing to hear at least someone in government is thinking about the idea. While the real PM may want them, Brown is a coward of the highest order who has shirked away from every challenge he has ever faced. He avoids PMQs at the drop of a hat and TB isn't holding his breath for a television debate.

The tories should keep the pressure on though.

Sweary Dave

Dave was

told off

twice this morning for getting all sweary. Twat here, pissed off there. Lucky he wasn't in the States. The line about twitter was fantastic though - “The trouble with Twitter, the instantness of it, is I think that too many twits might make a twat." A fair point, as was this line; “The public are rightly, I think, pissed off - sorry, I can’t say that in the morning - angry with politicians.”

So who are these twats that Dave speaks of? Hattie Garlick over at

Comment Central

has helpfully compiled a list of village tweeters.

It seems Dave was quick to reassure the tweeting Tory head of press that he didn't mean him.

Henry Macrory

was quick to play down the "incident":

"No offence was meant, and none should be taken... but DC tells me he'll use tweeter language in future.."

Ahhh.

Front row ticket please...

From last night's

Standard

:

"David Cameron will gamble at his party conference by revealing further details of where the spending axe would fall if he wins power.
Shadow cabinet ministers have been told to spend the summer identifying examples of real savings that could be made from Whitehall budgets to show they are serious about repairing the public finances."

Let's hope Dave comes on stage weilding the said axe.

TB's two cents...

TB always plays by the rules so wouldn't want to fall foul of the

Total Politics blog poll

regulations. TB isn't suggesting you vote for these people but as it's seemingly all the rage he thought he would let you all know who he vote for.

These ten blogs are the ones he will read without fail and offer some of the finest voices on the right and some other cracking reads:

1.

Paul Waugh

- Just call him scoop.
2.

Dizzy

- Never fails to make TB laugh and kick himself he didn't get the story.
3.

Events Dear Boy Events

- Could go pro as a newswire.
4.

SNP Tactical Voting

- Spot on every time on everything but independence.
5.

Tory Politico

- An excellently written and constantly updated commentary.
6.

Charlotte Gore

- One of the brightest libertarian minds out there. Blog is very pretty too.
7.

Donal Blaney

- Never a man to mince his words!
8.

Tory Rascal

- Excellent insight into Britain's armed forces and great bloke.
9.

Devil's Kitchen

- When he's on fire he's up still up there with the best.
10.

Shane Greer

- Glad he's back blogging regularly.

Guido Fawkes

,

Political Betting

and

Iain Dale

go without saying and frankly probably don't need any more votes! A special mention has to go to

Irfan Ahmed

for his shrewd insight and open mindedness.

James Delingpole

and

Daniel Hannan

are fantastic at The Telegraph blogs and

ConservativeHome

has gone from strength to strength. As for the enemy? Well

Blackburn Labour

and Alex Smith's

LabourList

prove that the right might one day be given a run for their money online after the election.

Don't forget you have until Friday to

vote

.

Thanks to anyone who has voted for the bear.

And the answer is...

Apologies for the lack of posting yesterday, it's been a busy day here. Just unwinding with a gin and tonic after a fascinating afternoon at the

Cato Institute

,

Competitive Enterprise Institute

and dinner with the boys behind

Bureaucrash

.

Further to yesterday's quiz, there were some very odd answers and one person got close. It was indeed the UN building by night. TB stayed with a buddy in his awesome midtown apartment, right opposite the UN last week and couldn't help but think it strange that those particular lights were left on at three am. According to the guy who lived there, different lights are left on different occasions, sometimes none. In a moment of drunken sincerity it certainly looked like they are broadcasting some sort of code or signals out to the world, maybe beyond.

Keep cracking that code.

Pop Quiz

Calling all mathematicians, statisticians and spooks. Can you crack what this "code" is? There is a torybear.com bag up for grabs for whoever correctly guesses where it was being broadcast and what this picture is really of:

Answers in the comments. TB will reveal all tomorrow unless someone gets it.

Your Party Needs You

Conservative Future have gone a

recruitment drive

today. The National Executive are looking to take on three people, much needed after the resignations of two of it's members. TB sadly doesn't carry a copy of the constitution with him, but off the top of his head it states that each chairman is allowed three co-options onto the executive. Richard Jackson and Ed Hallam have already been taken on, leaving one space, plus the replacements for those who have stood down. This upcoming election campaign will be a chance for CF to stick it to the naysayers within the party and really shine. This is a welcome move, though tempted as he is to go for the press role, TB feels he can probably be more useful remaining rogue...

Press & media development

This person will work to help CF branches attract local coverage in both print and broadcast media, as well as on the blogosphere.

They will also work to increase the media coverage for the national organisation, but the focus of the role is on getting local media coverage for individual branches.

Click here to apply for this role

Conservative Future TV

This person will produce regular videos for CF TV looking at political issues of the day and the work CF members are involved with.

They will also work on getting branches to make and send in their own videos.

Click here to apply for this role

Research

This person will focus on research into areas we cover, such as political education and student politics.

They will also work with other CF members to develop policy ideas that can be submitted to the main Party.

Click here to apply for this role

TB is currently at the

Leadership Institute

in DC being trained by the very best of the conservative movement in the US. Their courses are fantastic and insightful and TB recommends that whoever is taken on has received some of this training, either out here or from

YBF

back home.

Best of luck to all the applicants.

Keep dreaming beardy...

"Mr Darling said that he was optimistic about Labour’s prospect at the next general election, despite the party's poor performance in the Norwich North by-election.

“Yes, I do think we can win a general election. I am confident, and I am not noted to be a natural optimist”.

He added that he believed Gordon Brown could win the next election and that the Labour party would “need to fight for every single vote.”"

Once again he is either deluded or a liar. Either deems him unfit for his office.

H/T

Politics Home

Vote Bear

Just a little gentle reminder to vote for Tory Bear in the Total Politics blog poll 2009. It takes a minute

here

. You have until Friday...

Thank you very much.

The Smoking Gun?

So remember when Tom Miller denied that he had any involvement in the red rag conspiracy that saw McBride and Draper go down?

He said he had no idea it was going on, you know the whole attempt to brand conservative bloggers as racists etc. Well thanks to a

eagle-eyed commenter

this has come to TB's attention. TB is suspicious that even Miller could be this stupid:

If this filth is really from Miller then it would seem to be comprehensive proof that, once again, Tom Miller is an odious liar. Though at this point TB is going to insert a caveat. The comment has

seemingly been removed

since it was first published on the 16th of June, but not before the screen-grab was taken, and thus TB cannot verify that he isn't being pranked. If anyone can verify the authenticity of this image then please do get in touch. It would be the smoking gun and comprehensive proof of Miller's true intentions, if it is real. There is something fishy about this though. The line about central office is the real sore thumb.

TB would love it to be real and wonders what the squeaky clean

Game Changer PR

that have Miller as some sort of consultant on the books, would have to say about his less that tactless attempts to smear the Conservatives.

Hmmmm.

What do you mean it's just a big right-wing conspiracy?

Arrived in DC and getting cosy after an unexpected upgrade to a hotel rather than dorms at the

Leadership Institute

. Just across the Potomac in the Arlington Hilton. Jackpot. Been flicking through the photo's TB took back in NYC...

What exactly was the small blue bear doing at Murdoch's place eh?

Not wasting any time...

Seems the removal vans are coming for Labour already.