SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:38 P.M. ET: 

UKRAINE ESCALATION – From CNN:  "Simferopol, Ukraine (CNN) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared Saturday to dismiss warnings from world leaders to avoid military intervention in Ukraine's Crimean peninsula, even amid growing evidence that pro-Russian forces were already in control of the region.  The rhetoric escalated Saturday night, with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry condemning what he called 'the Russian Federation's invasion and occupation of Ukrainian territory' despite a statement by Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev that no decision had been made on whether Moscow would dispatch forces."  Who's afraid of the Obamans?  Nobody.

RUSSIAN THREAT – Russia is making plans to administer another slap to Obama's face, although no move has been announced.  From Fox:  "The Russian government is making plans to recall its ambassador from the United States.  The request is being made by Russia's upper house of parliament to President Vladimir Putin, the chamber's speaker said on Saturday.  The request comes a day after President Obama warned Moscow that 'there will be consequences' if the county intervenes militarily in Ukraine.  The country is amid a major civil unrest, which has resulted in the ouster of its president and a new, interim leader.  The request also comes the same day the Russian parliament gave Putin permission to mobilize the country's military in Ukraine."

SARAH RIGHT AGAIN – Sarah Palin is giving herself a well-deserved pat on the back for having predicted Russian action in Ukraine.  From CNN:  "Sarah Palin may be having a bragging rights moment.  In 2008, when she was the GOP vice presidential nominee, Palin questioned in a speech whether then-Sen. Barack Obama would have the foreign policy credentials to handle a scenario in which Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine.  'After the Russian army invaded the nation of Georgia, Senator Obama's reaction was one of indecision and moral equivalence – the kind of response that would only encourage Russia's Putin to invade Ukraine next,' she said in Reno, Nevada on October 21, 2008.  The former Alaska governor was happy to highlight her prediction on Friday and scold those who criticized her 2008 comments."   Sarah has been right on many things, but she doesn't fit the media's image of a serious person.  Obama, who's perpetually wrong and incompetent, does."

March 1, 2014