The recent death of Tony Snow brought sadness to millions of Americans who admired the man's public service and optimism about his country. But not everybody felt the need to honor him. Just hours after he died from cancer, the Associated Press released an obituary that has shocked some people and badly damaged the AP's image, at least in the conservative community.

Earlier this week on my television program, we broke the story of Jesse Jackson criticizing Barack Obama for "talking down" to black Americans. In Chicago, Jackson was speaking to Dr. Reed Tuckson, a healthcare official, when a microphone picked up the reverend saying in part: "See, Barack been talkin' down to black people on this faith based [situation]. I want to cut his [body part] out. He's talking down to black people."

Pretty rough. So what exactly is this all about?

Just in time for Independence Day, the bible of the American left, The New York Times, continues to opine that the United States is a "nation in decline."