Someone You Should Know: Thomas Hagan; AKA Talmadge X Hayer

It's time to Break It Down!

Many of us are aware of the lore of Malcolm X. We know he was for a time a street hustler from Omaha Nebraska.  Born Malcolm Little, he refined his hustle on the mean streets of New York and Boston. By age 13, his father had died; his mother institutionalized. He subsequently spent time in several foster homes while growing up.

Malcolm, who would become one of America’s “No last name required” legends, evolved from practitioner of petty street crimes to a member, and ultimately the foremost advocate, of the Nation of Islam (NOI). After more than a decade as the firebrand public face of the NOI, Malcolm broke ranks with the Honorable Elijah Muhammad (Elijah Poole), the leader of the NOI. The ensuing rift between these two men resulted in Malcolm leaving the NOI and affiliating with the orthodox Sunni Muslims.

After this split, there emerged a part of the lore that many people missed. Malcolm, in short order, made a Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca), changed his name again; this time to El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, and perhaps most important, renounced racism. On February 21, 1965, 11 months after leaving the NOI, El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz was assassinated while giving a speech in the Audubon Ballroom in Manhattan.

Enter Thomas Hagan!

Yesterday, the New York State Department of Correctional Services paroled Thomas Hagan. He left the Lincoln Correctional Facility at 11:00 a.m. Ironically, the facility is located at the corner of West 110th Street and Malcolm X Boulevard. Why is this ironic, you may ask? The biting irony lies in the coincidence that Mr. Hagan, known in 1965 as Talmadge X Hayer, is the lone “admitted” gunman involved in the slaying of Malcolm X. That Hagan should spend his final days of confinement in a facility on the corner of a street named for his victim is cruelly coincidental. To put the matter into even sharper focus, the nexus ties his freedom portal directly back to the man he murdered, and whose death resulted in his 44-year incarceration.

In many ways, Hagan being released yesterday was simply the culmination of events long underway. In fact, Mr. Hagan had been in a Work Release program since 1992 (18 years) that allowed him to spend five days a week at home in Brooklyn with his family, and required that he spend two days a week only at the minimum-security Lincoln Correctional Facility.

Thomas Hagan became eligible for parole in 1984. Last month he went before the parole board for the 15th time. After 14 rejections, the now 69 year-old Hagan finally gained approval for his release.  He is still on parole, but will return to his family, and continue his efforts to become a substance abuse counselor.

Hagan’s journey has been well-chronicled, and more than a little interesting. He was part of a group of three NOI members who shot and killed Malcolm. He was, however, the only one of the three apprehended on the spot. He was also the only person who ever confessed and pled guilty for his role in the assassination. According to transcripts from his March 3, 2010 hearing before the parole board, he said, “I have deep regrets about my participation in that. I don’t think it should ever have happened.”

In one of the more interesting developments of the case, two other suspects were also convicted in the killing. Both of them, Muhammad Abdul Aziz and Kahlil Islam, denied involvement. Of course, that is not the interesting part. Suspects declaring their innocence is an every day occurrence. Being convicted, in spite of their declarations is common as well. This scenario departed from the beaten path when Hagan, while admitting his own guilt, testified that Aziz and Islam were not with him, were not a part of the plan, and in fact were innocent.

All three were convicted and sentenced to 20 years to life in prison. Aziz, who was paroled in 1985, and Islam, who was freed in 1987, both maintained they were innocent, from the start. At every step in the process, from the trial throughout his 15 appearances for hearings before the parole board, Hagan admitted his personal guilt, and consistently maintained the other two men were innocent. The catch, if there was one, is that three men were involved in killing Malcolm. Hagan admitted his own involvement, and even conceded there were two other men involved; just not Aziz and Islam. I am left to infer that either the parole board did not believe him, or they elected to continue punishing him for refusing to roll over on his real co-conspirators.

No matter how you look at it, there is a lot about this part of the case that begs numerous questions. To start with, what are the odds that if Hagan had two co-conspirators that the witnesses at the Audubon Ballroom mistakenly identified, Aziz and Islam, who apparently were there, could not have extricated themselves by identifying the other parties? Why would Hagan take the fall for Aziz and Islam? If Aziz and Islam are in fact innocent, why would Hagan not identify the actual culprits?

Of course, there are other equally compelling queries, but that will do for our purposes. There has long been an undercurrent of rumor and innuendo implicating NOI, in general, and the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, in particular, in Malcolm’s murder. There are those who also theorize a step further that the current NOI Leader, the Honorable Louis Farrakhan, may have been involved directly or indirectly,

I am not a detective; nor am I writing this to solve a cold case. In taking just a cursory look at the matter, however, one could certainly see how individuals close to the situation might have been encouraged, incentivized, induced, threatened, or otherwise persuaded to recall specific details differently, or not at all. This matter has garnered some of the same kind of mystique as that of President John F. Kennedy and Dealey Plaza (the grassy knoll legend), and as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Lorraine Motel. One marked distinction in those two cases is that conspiracy theorists have been trying to establish for over 40 years that Lee Harvey Oswald and James Earl Ray did not act alone; while we know Talmadge X Hayer (Thomas Hagan) did not. We are just uncertain who acted as his accomplices.

As with Kennedy and King, other theories emerged. To be considered an icon, one must certainly be the source of more than one legend. Obviously Malcolm emerged as a change agent at a time of great social travail, and national strife. As a black leader, he was alleged to have been constantly under the watchful eye of the enigmatic J. Edgar Hoover and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Back in the day, the agency was widely believed to have infiltrated all major black organizations, including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), the Black Panther Party for Self Defense (BPPSD), and even the NOI, as well as numerous others. The alleged purposes for these infiltrations were basic; to keep tabs on the plans and activities of the groups and their leaders, but also to sow seeds of confusion, clamor, and chaos. If in the process of so doing, one or more of the leaders happened to get taken out, even better, or so the theory goes.

So yesterday Thomas Hagan gained a measure of freedom. By stepping out of prison, and into his future, he begins to reconstruct what is left of his life. He has been out of the game, at least in some part, more than four decades. It is difficult, at least for me, to avoid wondering what might be different had Malcolm been here to spend those decades, working in his own way, to retool America, and to reshape “We the People,” who live here. Because of his central role in Malcolm’s absence, “Thomas Hagan, AKA Talmadge X Hayer, is Someone You Should Know!”

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com. A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/04/26/malcolmx.killer/index.html?hpt=Sbin

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-us-malcolm-x-killer,0,117782.story

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ny_crime/2010/04/27/2010-04-27_malcolm_x_assassin_thomas_hagan_is_freed_on_parole_in_new_york_city.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/20/nyregion/20parole.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_X

http://www.africawithin.com/malcolmx/malcolm.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elijah_Muhammad

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nation_of_Islam

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betty_Shabazz

http://crdl.usg.edu/people/a/aziz_muhammad_abdul_1939/?Welcome

http://www.experiencefestival.com/norman_3x_butler

http://nymag.com/news/features/38358/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hajj

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._Kennedy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Harvey_Oswald

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther_King,_Jr.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Earl_Ray

"The Next Level: Playoff Basketball!"

It's time to Break It Down!

If you detest sports, hate reading about sports, abhor the National Basketball Association (NBA), or the League, or the Association, as it is affectionately called; if you think of basketball as just another of the many games in which a ball is the focus, or perhaps just prefer the college game to the NBA, this is not the post for you. Try again next week; perhaps I can come up with something more to your liking.

In many ways, this story began in 1988. That is when the Charlotte Hornets (1988-2002) defied the wisdom of one quick-witted, but myopic journalist (probably from Miami), who opined “The only franchise Charlotte will ever land is McDonald’s.” That was the year Hornets began play in the then New Charlotte Coliseum.

For the purposes of this post, March 17, 2010…a day that will be etched in the memories of Charlotte Bobcats’ historians, will do nicely. Admittedly, that is a small fraternity at present. Of course in a nothing breeds success like success world, nothing will change that more quickly that the Bobcats making a decent showing in the team’s first ever playoff appearance.

This past March 17th was the day the NBA Board of Governors unanimously approved Michael Jordan’s $275 million bid to buy the franchise from Bob Johnson. The Bobcats have been around since 2004; an expansion team replacement for the erstwhile Charlotte Hornets, Charlotte’s first Major League sports team. The Hornets lost their designation as the only pro team in town in 1995, when the Carolina Panthers joined the NFL.

For any number of reasons, the Panthers opted to market themselves as a regional (Carolina) team, rather than the city’s own. Practically speaking, it takes 73,778 fans to fill Bank of America Stadium, while only 19,026 to do the trick at Time Warner Cable Arena. In a very real sense, "It is all about the Benjamins!” The Panthers need to market themselves to wider audience to give themselves the best chance to succeed at filling their stadium.

But this story is about neither the Hornets, nor the Panthers. It’s not about Michael Jordan, a perennial favorite pick as the best-ever NBA player. It’s not about Larry Brown, Phil Ford, or Dave Hanners, former University of North Carolina basketball players who now serve as Head Coach, and Assistant Coaches for the Bobcats. It’s not about Raymond Felton, a former Tar Heel who plays point guard for the team, or Sean May, another Tar Heel, who was often injured, seldom played, but like Felton, was drafted by the Bobcats in 2005, after winning an NCAA Championship at North Carolina for Coach Roy Williams. It’s not a story about him either; nor is it about his mentor, Dean Smith. And it is certainly not about Vince Carter, another former Tar Heel player, who plays for the Orlando Magic, the Bobcats’ First Round Playoff opponent.

This is a celebration of culminating a 7-year odyssey; of finally ending an 82-game NBA Regular Season, and being rewarded with the opportunity to play at least four more games in the NBA Playoffs. It really may not be fair or accurate to call the Bobcats’ next assignment a reward though. Reaching the playoffs is a privilege afforded to sixteen teams, eight from the Eastern Conference, and eight from the Western Conference. As the seventh seeded team in the Eastern Conference, the Bobcats open the playoffs against the seconded seeded Orlando Magic.

The Magic were Finalists in the 2009 NBA Championship Series, and boast the two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Dwight Howard, AKA Superman (sorry Shaq), as their starting center. Over the past 14 games (before the playoffs) against the Magic, the Bobcats were 2-12. So although earning a berth in the playoffs does provide the Bobcats an “opportunity” to play the Magic, it is probably more appropriate to characterize playing them as a challenge, than a reward.

The series began last Sunday in Orlando with the Magic taking a workman-like 98-89 victory in Game 1. The Magic, as expected used their experience to dominate the Bobcats from the outset. They led by 16 at the half, and by as many as 22, early in the 3rd Quarter. Then a combination of things happened to recalibrate the game. First the Bobcats remembered they were, in fact, in a basketball game. They got over their first-ever playoff game jitters, they adjusted to “The Next Level” intensity of a playoff game, and most important, they tightened up their defense of the pick and roll. Jameer Nelson, the Magic’s point guard, scored 24 points in the first half; 32 for the game.

Of course, there are two teams on the court during play. The Magic appeared to be satisfied that they had this game under control and they stopped executing their sets with as much precision. They also played long stretches of the game without Dwight Howard. He played only 28 of 48 minutes, and collected 7 rebounds to go with 9 blocks, but only 5 points, along with 5 fouls (the NBA allows 6 before disqualification). The Magic also withstood a star-quality performance from the Bobcats small forward, Gerald Wallace, who grabbed 17 rebounds to accompany his 25 points.

There are a number of things that differentiate the NBA Playoffs from the Regular Season. Three items top the list. They are:

• Time – Teams seldom play back-to-back (games played on consecutive nights or days) games in the playoffs. On the rare occasion when it does happen, it is almost always due to scheduling conflicts at a venue, rather than intentional schedule-making. This allows for more rest, and provides trainers an opportunity to treat minor injuries

• Familiarity – By playing an opponent at least four times, coaches have an opportunity to scout the other team more intensely. This factor is the basis for fundamental, as well as nuanced adjustments, which are often game changers, and occasionally dramatically alter entire series

• The Next Level – This may be the single most telling difference between the Regular Season and the Playoffs. Every dimension of the game is intensified, usually greatly; sometimes incalculably. A playoff newbie team, like Charlotte, is at a stark disadvantage against a team seasoned in playoff basketball, like Orlando

And so it is, if the Bobcats are to make this series interesting, if they are to move it to a competitive plane, if they are to ignite and energize the City’s fan base in a meaningfully lasting way, they must do more than put on their game faces. They must transition, collectively, to “The Next Level: Playoff Basketball!”  And it would be timely, were they to start with Game 2, tonight.

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/. A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_Bobcats

http://www.urbandictionary.com/products.php?defid=1766483

http://www.gastongazette.com/sports/set-46007-bobcats-charlotte.html

http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/blog/queen_city_agenda/2010/04/fast_break_for_playoff_seats.html

http://www.nba.com/bobcats/playoffs.html

http://www.wcnc.com/sports/basketball/Jordan-to-discuss-Bobcats-purchase-88438837.html

http://wapedia.mobi/en/Charlotte_Bobcats

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=all+about+the+benjamins

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Jordan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Brown_(basketball)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Ford

http://www.nba.com/bobcats/Bobcats_Coaching_Staff.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Felton

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_May

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Williams_(coach)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vince_Carter

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_Smith

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_Magic

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/gameflash/2010/04/18/27946_recap.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolina_Panthers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Football_League

http://www.unc.edu/

Rhetoric of the Right: Radical - the Reproach du Jour

It's time to Break It Down!

In what often appears to be a relentless effort to insult, disgrace, and otherwise minimize the President of the United States, the voices of the Right have discovered a new flavor. The Right-leaning Reproach du jour for President Obama is Radical.

The journey to claim the highest office in the land and to subsequently execute the duties and responsibilities of the office has been littered with a litany of sometimes clever, occasionally mean, always denigrating affronts. The spurious attacks emanate from quite an array of sources, ranging from the likes of the recognizably non-traditional Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck to the usually measured in scope and tone, House Minority Leader, John Boehner and former Presidential candidate, Senator John McCain.

In between the two poles lie a host of other Right-wing notables, including Tea Party members, other House and Senate members, as well and a host of folks incited by the vitriol and inflammatory speech.

A short list of the terms that these groups and individuals have used to describe President Obama includes, but is not limited to:

• 20) Elite

• 19) Uppity

• 18) NoBama

• 17) Community Organizer (My personal favorite)/(Sarah Palin)

• 16) Terrorist Pal (Sarah Palin)

• 15) Anti-American

• 14) Socialist

• 13) Marxist

• 12) The Joker

• 11) Liar (You Lie – Joe Wilson)

• 10) Racist (Hates White culture – Rush Limbaugh)

• 9) Not American (Birthers)

• 8) Not Christian

• 7) Far Left Lunatic

• 6) Destroyer of Republican Party

• 5) Left-wing bastards

• 4) The Grim Reaper

• 3) Kenyan

• 2) Barack Ogabe (Rush Limbugh)

•   Radical

Over time I have discussed the nature of the political environment in this Country. Increasingly, anything goes, it seems. Certainly the Republican Party has embraced the idea that the way to regain a power advantage in Congress and to take possession of the Presidency once again is by enthusiastically, and relentlessly opposing President Obama. Not only do they oppose him, but they frequently characterize him, his motives, and his accomplishments as un-American. Newt Gingrich, who is currently considering making a run for the Office of President, referred recently to Mr. Obama as the most radical President we have ever had. One gets the feeling Mr. Gingrich, a historian, is ratcheting up the hyperbole machine in advance of his potential campaign.

Several Commanders-in Chief likely possess a legacy of radicalism more robust that President Obama, including:

• George Washington: Mr. Washington was a central figure in the American Revolution, and then went on to become the first President of the “New World.” Anyway one looks at it, that is some big-time radical cred

• Abraham Lincoln: Mr. Lincoln led the country into a war against itself, ostensibly to save the Union. But intentionality or not, his role in ending slavery in a country that was predisposed, both socially and economically to the benefits of the institution, cannot be minimized

• Franklin Roosevelt: Mr. Roosevelt broke the mold on term limits, managing to be elected four times. However, all you need to know is, he was the architect of Social Security; enough said

• George W. Bush: Mr. Bush introduced his own “Doctrine,” which allowed preemptive invasions of foreign countries. He also eschewed paying for the wars we engaged in while he was in office. Finally, he empowered various authorities to “spy” on American Citizens in ways that had never before been permitted

Mr. Obama has occupied the White House for less than a year and a half. Given time and opportunity, he may still build a legacy to rivals those on this list. As for this point in time, it simply has not happened yet. All historians should demand a higher standard of accountability. Perhaps Mr. Gingrich is being graded on the bell curve’ maybe he is auditing this course.

What is clear is, he is definitely a student of the “Rhetoric of the Right: (and) Radical (is) the Reproach Du Jour. I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/. A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

http://crazymotion.net/michael-savage-attacks-obama-supporting-academics-and-media/wIFoiephR2TsjAy.html

http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/04/13/avlon.radical.presidents/index.html?hpt=C2

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,590822,00.html

http://www.newshounds.us/2010/04/13/greta_van_susteren_doesnt_challenge_newt_gingrichs_extremist_radical_allegations_against_president_obama.php

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-ostroy/ya-wanna-talk-radical-beh_b_533703.html

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jTW8-

http://www.necn.com/04/09/10/Gingrich-labels-Obama-most-radical-presi/landing.html?blockID=212940&feedID=4215

http://www.mediaite.com/online/haley-barbour-concedes-obama-not-most-radical-president-in-history/

http://www.mediaite.com/online/virginia-to-celebrate-treason-defeat-with-confederate-history-month/

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2010/04/12/2265635.aspx

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2010/04/11/interview_with_mississippi_gov_haley_barbour_on_state_of_the_union_105138.html

"At Da Club: The Young Eagles Landed!"

It's time to Break It Down!

In the wake of the Republican National Committee’s (RNC) most recent parallel universe experience, one staffer has has been fired, another has been forced to resign, and an abundance of undesirable publicity has ensued. According to various news reports, a group of young Republicans was feted at an after-party event at Voyeur in West Hollywood, January 31, 2010. The Young Eagles, as the group is called, are a key demographic target of the RNC; comprised mainly of large-donor males, under age 45. The venue, Voyeur, is said to feature topless female dancers in bondage gear, simulating sexual acts.

Fallout from the episode began to permeate the “mediascape” last week and has continued to snowball. The GOP, which has for years worked fervently to couch itself as the last bastion for Family Values, has been placed in the unenviably discomfited position of explaining how anyone in the organization, even the lowliest of functionaries, could have found it acceptable to arrange and pick up the tab for such an excursion.

Inevitably, as the event details emerged, so did the need to flay a sacrificial lamb. In this case Allison Myers, the Young Eagles director was fired. Ms. Meyers facilitated a consultant’s reimbursement for the costs of the evening of food, fun, frivolity, and fellowship. Framed in the guise of concerns about fiscal responsibility and accountability, news of the event provided a convenient catalyst to question, again, the viability of Michael Steele’s leadership of the RNC.

During the 15 months of Mr. Steele’s tenure, he has had a series of controversial encounters with various factions of the media, as well as with established members of the Party’s insider hierarchy. There have been frequent suggestions that he has indulged consistentlly in furthering his own agenda, at the expense of engaging in the basic work of strengthening the Republican Party. He has been accused of spending too much of the Party’s money, too freely, and too often. He has also been rebuked for accepting appearance fees at events; siphoning money that many within the Party feel should be used expressly to build and expand the Party’s coffers.

In summary, by the GOP having been caught at Voyeur, metaphorically, with their pants down, Steele once again provided dry powder as ammunition to his detractors. Of course in situations such as this, it is standard operating procedure to close the ranks. So as the battle front appeared to advance closer to Chairman Steele, the RNC established a stouter perimeter defense. Clearly sensing that having jettisoned Ms. Meyers was proving insufficient to quell the increasingly bellicose calls for Mr. Steele’s resignation, the Chairman, instead, forced his highest aide, Chief of Staff, Ken McKay, to resign.

In prepared remarks, Mr. Steele asserted that the RNC held him and his staff members accountable for leading the loyal opposition against the President’s destructive agenda, building a stronger Republican Party, and winning elections. He insisted that he is serious about his role, and declared he would use all available resources as effectively as possible. Loosely translated in self-preservation parlance, that reads like this: “Sorry Ken; good-bye!”

In excising Ms. Meyers, Chairman Steele overruled the Shakespearean advisory, “Don’t shoot the messenger.” In pressuring Mr. McKay to resign, Steele demonstrated that the RNC DEFCON system is operational, and that he is ready and willing to deploy and escalate levels, as necessary.

In spite of these signals initiated by Chairman Steele, one heretofore supportive group sent a potentially ominous signal. On Message, Inc., a consulting firm that has long backed Steele, and continued to advise him at the RNC, announced earlier this week that it had severed ties with the RNC. One of the firm’s partner’s Curt Anderson, speaking about the separation noted, the firm felt it was best to step away from its advisory role at the RNC. He added that the firm regarded the Chairman highly, and wished him well. Loosely translated, that reads like this: “Sorry Mike; good-bye!”

The RNC has worked with purpose to distance Steele from the Voyeur incident. They insist he was not there, and that he had no knowledge of the expenditure. All of this may be true, but the Steele regime has the appearance of one that, slowly but surely, is losing it grasp, if not its way. It is uncertain whether Mr. Steele can recover from his Party’s Left Coast dalliance with Sex in the City (of Angels). What is undeniable is…”In Da Club: The Young Eagles Landed!” Ultimately, what they did while there really isn’t the point. That they were there at all is almost certainly the magnetic north that will serve as the be-all-end-all terminus for this discussion. The compelling question is, "Will Michael Steele be standing when the dust settles?"

I’m done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com/. A new post is published each Wednesday. For more detailed information on a variety of aspects relating to this post, consult the links below:

http://s0.ilike.com/play#50+Cent:In+Da+Club:13657:s146537.13030.1240575.1.1.13%2Cstd_14a07cd23e3b0546ceaf55a95592a24e

http://www.voyeur7969.com/

http://www.alan.com/2010/03/29/rnc-denies-michael-steele-was-at-sex-themes-nightclub/

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2010/03/29/2010-03-29_gop_family_values_michael_steeles_rnc_staffers_ran_up_almost_2k_at_strip_club.html

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2010/mar/30/republicans-fire-staffer-over-sex-club-outing/

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/03/reports-say-young-eagles-direc.html?wprss=44

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/03/reports-say-young-eagles-direc.html

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2864324/ken_mckay_rnc_chief_of_staff_resigns.html?cat=9

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/05/AR2010040502835.html

http://qctimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/columnists/guest/article_329a1548-3d35-11df-a940-001cc4c002e0.html

http://cbs2.com/local/Republican.National.Committee.2.1600594.html

http://www.whsv.com/virginiaap/headlines/89518717.html

http://www.theage.com.au/world/republicans-in-sex-club-outing-20100330-rbej.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/29/AR2010032903822.html?nav=hcmodule

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/the_gops_young_eagles_if_youve_got_a_little_insecu.php

http://mystateline.com/fulltext/?nxd_id=151315