You probably remember when I posted that piece about North Carolina congressman Bob Ethridge getting physical with a student recently after said student asked an innocent question to the congressman.

In case you didn’t, here’s the clip:

It shows two men approaching Etheridge with a camera on a Washington street. He swats at the camera and repeatedly asks the men who they are. When they say they are students, he grabs one by the wrist and quickly by the back of the neck before pulling him against his side. After that event, Ethridge apologized on Monday after getting outed on the videotape as the aggressor.

According to Ethridge:

“The truth is I had a long day.”

“I’ve had bad days many times. It’s not a good crutch to lean on and I won’t use that.”

That apology is going to ring hollow to many who live in Ethridge’s home district in North Carolina. I certainly hope he is revising his resume because people are going to remember this incident when they visit their local polling place. What will come to their mind is, “Who are you?”

 

I’ll simplify this. A student simply asks a congressman whether he supports President Obama’s agenda. The congressman strikes said student and also hits away a video camera. The congressman’s name? Rep. Bob Ethridge (D-NC2). Remember that name when you go vote in November.

A North Carolina judge has ordered Andrew Young, John Edwards’ former aide, to turn over a “very private and personal” videotape, which reportedly features Edwards and his then-mistress Rielle Hunter.

To encourage quick compliance with the order, the judge placed Young in contempt of court. So far, though, the actual arrest of Young has not been ordered.

If Young complies and hands over the tape, the contempt citation will be removed. The deadline for him to do so is February 10.

Hunter, former mistress of ex-senator and Dem presidential candidate John Edwards, sought the court’s help in returning what was described in court filings as a “very private and personal” videotape.

Court papers indicate that the video is in the possession of a campaign aide who wrote a tell-all book about Edwards and his affair.

Hunter, a Hollywood videographer, was originally granted a temporary restraining order against Young by the court. The restraining order also contains papers that specify the return of photos and videos, including a tape made approximately four years ago while she was working for Edwards.

“In or about September 2006, using my video camera, I authored a personal video recording that depicted matters of a very private and personal nature,” Hunter’s affidavit reads. In the affidavit Hunter also acknowledges “having an intimate relationship with Edwards.”

“The decision was made that the Video be destroyed,” Hunter wrote. She stated that she pulled out the tape from the cassette and stored it in a box with personal belongings.

In his book, Young describes viewing a sex tape that showed Edwards and a woman he assumed was Hunter. Young indicated that some videotapes were inside a “box of trash” that Hunter left behind at a home he rented for her. He also indicated that the tape had been pulled out of its cassette casing, but that he was able to fix it.

Young wrote in his book that the naked woman depicted in the video was pregnant.

Hunter had her child with Edwards in 2008, more than a year after the affidavit indicates her “private” video was made.

Hunter has also filed a lawsuit against Young and his wife, seeking damages for invasion of privacy.

Edwards’ political action committee reportedly paid Hunter’s production company $100,000 in 2006 for her work as a videographer during his second White House run.

U.S. military leaders believe Iran still intends to develop nuclear weapons.

The Navy and Coast Guard save a man off the coast of North Carolina.

The historic USS Missouri is out of dry dock after nearly four months of maintenance.

A look at the life and heroic actions of Medal of Honor recipient SFC Jared Monti, and Marines training at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

I bet at some time or another you always wanted to know which states are in the worst financial shape; well folks, I present to you the top ten states.  And trust me – the numbers will boggle your mind.  Here they are:

California

FY2009 Deficit: $13,700,000,000

Projected Stimulus Funds: $7,854,800,000

Governor: Arnold Schwarzenegger (R)

Up for Reelection in 2010?: No

Job Approval Rating: 38% Approve, 54% Disapprove*

Source: Field Research Corp., 3/3/09

Illinois

FY2009 Deficit: $4,300,000,000

Projected Stimulus Funds: $2,713,550,000

Governor: Pat Quinn (D)

Up for Reelection in 2010?: Yes

Job Approval Rating: 49% Approve, 6% Disapprove*

Source: Chicago Tribune, 2/11/09

New Jersey

FY2009 Deficit: $3,600,000,000

Projected Stimulus Funds: $1,763,258,000

Governor: Jon Corzine (D)

Up for Reelection in 2009?: Yes

Job Approval Rating: 40% Approve, 50% Disapprove*

Source: Quinnipiac, 3/12/09

Massachusetts

FY2009 Deficit: $2,400,000,000

Projected Stimulus Funds: $1,314,888,000

Governor: Deval Patrick (D)

Up for Reelection in 2010?: Yes

Job Approval Rating: 28% Approve, 68% Disapprove*

Source: SurveyUSA, 2/26/09

Florida

FY2009 Deficit: $2,300,000,000

Projected Stimulus Funds: $3,546,800,000

Governor: Charlie Crist (R)

Up for Reelection in 2010?: Yes

Job Approval Rating: 67% Approve, 22% Disapprove*

Source: Quinnipiac, 2/18/09

Pennsylvania

FY2009 Deficit: $2,300,000,000

Projected Stimulus Funds: $2,528,086,000

Governor: Edward Rendell (D)

Up for Reelection in 2010?: No

Job Approval Rating: 47% Approve, 38% Disapprove*

Source: Quinnipiac, 2/11/09

Georgia

FY2009 Deficit: $1,999,662,000

Projected Stimulus Funds: $2,200,000,000

Governor: Sonny Perdue (R)

Up for Reelection in 2010?: No

Job Approval Rating: 57% Approve, 39% Disapprove*

Source: Rasmussen, 12/11/08

North Carolina

FY2009 Deficit: $2,000,000,000

Projected Stimulus Funds: $1,838,396,000

Governor: Bev Perdue (D)

Up for Reelection in 2010?: No

Job Approval Rating: 43% Approve, 32% Disapprove*

Source: Public Policy Polling, 2/18/09

Connecticut

FY2009 Deficit: $1,700,000,000

Projected Stimulus Funds: $718,194,000

Governor: M. Jodi Rell (R)

Up for Reelection in 2010?: Yes

Job Approval Rating: 75% Approve, 19% Disapprove*

Source: Quinnipiac, 2/11/09

New York

FY2009 Deficit: $1,700,000,000

Projected Stimulus Funds: $3,991,858,000

Governor: David Paterson (D)

Up for Reelection in 2010?: Yes

Job Approval Rating: 26% Approve, 71% Disapprove*

Source: Marist Institute, 2/18/09