Archive for December 1st, 2009
Reactions to Afghanistan Speech
Posted by: | CommentsHere are some decent summaries of and reactions to the president’s Afghanistan speech.
All three are better than mine – I was too annoyed to write anything coherent.
Here’s video of the reaction of some cadets during the speech.
Bill O’Reilly called the speech “academic” and Carl Rove said it was “tired” and “delivered in a weak manner.”
Popularity: 2% [?]
Blue Dog Dem John Tanner to Retire
Posted by: | CommentsVia Instapundit, HotLine On Call reports there’s trouble in blue dog land. What does the retirement of Rep. John Tanner (D-TN) mean for the democrats?
Indeed, Hotline’s Amy Walter wrote last week that, of all potential Dem retirements, a Tanner announcement would send the biggest shockwave through the party. After all, the thinking goes, if a longtime leader of the Blue Dogs decides now is the time to hang it up, what does that say for others in his position (like MO’s Ike Skelton, AR’s Marion Berry or WV’s Alan Mollohan)? They’ve all skated to re-election in recent cycles, yet all saw their CDs go quite strongly to McCain.
NRCC Comm. Dir. Ken Spain echoed that sentiment in a statement issued tonight. “When a longtime incumbent such as Tanner – who hasn’t faced a credible challenge in over decade – chooses to retire, it speaks to the deteriorating political environment that Democrats have left in their wake after eleven short months,” he said. …
Tanner isn’t the only Blue Dog retiring. So is Dennis Moore (D-KS).
Popularity: 1% [?]
Obama lunched with political writers on day of Afghan speech
Posted by: | Comments(Via Memeorandum) President Obama lunched today with foreign policy writers before his Afghan speech. They were instructed to keep it hush until after the speech, according to Politico.
There were some attendees today who write extensively on foreign policy, such as Joe Klein (Time), Fareed Zakaria (Newsweek/ CNN), and Tom Friedman (NY Times).
But it wasn’t the only time that the White House reached out to leading opinion-makers before Obama outlined the administration’s strategy at West Point. As I reported earlier, senior administration officials held a background briefing with nearly a dozen top writers and pundits, including Ron Brownstein, Eugene Robinson, Al Hunt and Judy Woodruff.
Over the the course of 2009, the Obama White House has proven to be much more proactive than their immediate predecessor in making the administration’s case on important domestic and international issues with small groups of political columnists, analysts, and editorial writers.
Do you think he was trying to butter them up before they report on his speech?
As Obama answered questions, White House stewards served the president and his guests a three-course meal featuring a well-cooked Chesapeake striped bass and mango sorbet. There was wine, too, but no one imbibed. …
I didn’t see any names from National Review, The American Spectator, or any other right-of-center publications.
Popularity: 2% [?]
Iraqi Shoe Thrower Gets Shoe Thrown At Him
Posted by: | CommentsThe Iraqi journalist, Muntadar al-Zaidi, who threw a shoe at President Bush got a taste of his own medicine. Another Iraqi journalist threw a shoe at him during a press conference because he felt dishonered by Zaidi’s actions.
Heh!
Via Breitbart
Full story at UPI.
Popularity: 2% [?]
Unbelievable! Chris Matthews Calls West Point ‘Enemy Camp’
Posted by: | CommentsThe mind of a leftist – believes West Point cadets are the enemies of the Commander in Chief!
Popularity: 3% [?]
Tweeting The Afghanistan Speech
Posted by: | CommentsHere’s the full text if you care to read it.
I was unimpressed, to say the least. The cadets looked like they were about to fall asleep. I tweeted my thoughts during the speech:
Did I hear him take credit for success in Iraq?
Let me be clear
excuses for dithering
announces exit date
Opposed war in Iraq
unity in tatters, polarized, worst econ crisis since great depression
has he said anything new?
RT @WestWingReport Obama says “I do not make this decision lightly” -cites letters to families of victims, visits to Dover and Walter Reed.
BO says must end this war. Did he say “win this war?”
Open door to Taliban?
Who divided us? He’s talking about divisive partisan politics? Is he freaking serious?
Who attacked our last commander in chief during war time relentlessly?
And he has the nerve to talk about divisive partisan politics?
Thank God that’s over.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Holder Did Not Consult NYC Officials or NYPD Before 9/11 Trial Decision
Posted by: | CommentsSadly, this is just so typical of the way the Obama administration does things. How disgusting.
“There was no consultation, no consultation with the police department. That decision was made. We were informed,” [NYPD Commissioner Ray] Kelly said Tuesday.
When asked if the NYPD should have been asked about security and other considerations in advance of sending the accused terrorist to the scene of the attack, Kelly said,” The fact is we weren’t asked. And we will make the best of a situation. We weren’t.”
A spokesman for Mayor Bloomberg said the Mayor was only informed the morning Attorney General Eric Holder made his announcement.
Kelly said there are no new terror threats to New York City. But he added that moving “the trial here will do nothing to diminish that threat level.”
Attorney General Holder announced his decision on November 13 to hold the 9-11 trial in federal court in Manhattan. The courthouse is located just blocks from ‘Ground Zero.’
Holder has said he did not even consult the President before making his decision, but told the President the night before he went public with his decision. …
Sure, Obama knew nothing about Holder’s decision ahead of time. Yeah right.
Popularity: 2% [?]
Tea Party: The Documentary Film – Liberty’s March Has a New Generation of Patriots
Posted by: | CommentsUpdate: This was posted on October 25. The premier is tomorrow.
DECEMBER 2, 2009
Ronald Reagan Center
Washington D.C.
Reception: 6:00pm
Film Premiere: 7:30pm
Click here for more information.
Here’s a movie I’d like to see. The Tea Party documentary film follows several average American citizens who decided to take on the establishment in Washington, DC. The sleeping giant has been awakened!
The Tea Party movement of 2009 shocked the political establishment, the nation at large and left a big media machine dizzy in its wake. How did it happen? Where did it come from? Now, experience the story of the movement that’s driving our national dialogue against big government spending and a Constitution under assault. “Tea Party: The Documentary Film” follows the struggles of five grassroots individuals and their transformation from home town rally goers and rally organizers to national activists in the 912 March on Washington. In the process, the film reveals what is at the heart of this nationwide surge of civic engagement – a return to and respect for a Constitutionally limited government, personal responsibility and fiscal restraint at the Federal level.
Anyone in the Syracuse area interested in putting together our own “Tea Time Sneak Peak?” If so, drop me a line at LonelyConservative@yahoo.com.
Via American Power via The Astute Bloggers
Popularity: 2% [?]
Rove: Obama voted against funding for Iraq and Afghanistan
Posted by: | CommentsCarl Rove explains to Matt Lauer troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan during the Bush years. He also reminds us that Senator Obama voted against war funding for Iraq and Afghanistan in 2007. Watch to the end. Slam!
H/T Townhall
Popularity: 2% [?]
ClimateGate Update: CRU Director Stepping Down Pending Investigation
Posted by: | CommentsIf ClimateGate is no big deal, why is Phil Jones stepping down pending the outcome of an investigation?
Britain’s University of East Anglia says the director of its prestigious Climatic Research Unit is stepping down pending an investigation into allegations that he overstated the case for man-made climate change.
The university says Phil Jones will relinquish his position until the completion of an independent review into allegations that he worked to alter the way in which global temperature data was presented.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Vermont Judge Orders Biological Mom to Give Child to Ex-Lesbian Partner
Posted by: | CommentsAIP reported:
Superior Judge William Cohen ruled last week that Lisa Miller, a former lesbian who is now a Christian, must hand her daughter, Isabelle, over to her former partner, Janet Jenkins by Jan. 1.Miller conceived Isabella through artificial insemination while she was in a civil union with Jenkins. About a year later, Miller left homosexuality.
Jenkins sued for custody, even though she has no biological tie to the child.
Miller admits she made mistakes, like signing a custody agreement while still in the relationship with Jenkins, but Mathew Staver, founder and chairman of Liberty Counsel and legal counsel for Miller, said that wouldn’t stop him from appealing the decision to the Vermont Supreme Court.
“This judge in Vermont ultimately ruled that he is going to switch custody from Lisa Miller,” he said, “and take her own biological daughter Isabella and move her from Virginia and put her into an activist lesbian household up in Vermont with a person she really doesn’t know, who’s not her biological mother, and frankly who’s not acted as a parent.”
The courts had ordered to spend time with Jenkins in the past, and Miller complied until her daughter complained.
“Every time that the visitation actually occurred, Isabella had violent reactions, because Janet exposed her to the lesbian lifestyle,” Staver said. “(Jenkins) tried to convince her that she has two moms and even tried to scare her by saying that she was going to be taken from Lisa and transferred to Vermont.”
Eventually, Miller refused the court-ordered visitations.
Historically, courts have sided with the biological mother in custody battles, and Staver said the judge has never questioned Miller’s fitness as a parent. …
This is horrible for the child, but leftie activists and judges don’t give a whit about what’s good for the children.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Video: Howard Dean declared debate between capitalism and socialism is over
Posted by: | CommentsAfter blathering about multi-culturalism (notice it’s the left that always focuses on race?) Howard Dean declared the debate between capitalism and socialism is over. He said capitalism represents part of human nature, but the other part of human nature is communitarianism. So it isn’t whether we have to choose between capitalism and socialism, just how much of each we want to live with. Then he praised Obama’s permanent campaign, and the permanent campaign for social change to bring us closer to the European model.
Gee, when conservatives accuse democrats and liberals of what Dean was taped saying, we’re called kooks, haters and racists.
We’ve been living with a mix of capitalism and socialism for decades. But that’s not enough socialism for the Left, which is pretty much what Dean is saying here. We aren’t communist enough for their tastes. At least Dean tells the truth, unlike his comrades.
Popularity: 2% [?]
Dick Cheney: Obama giving aid and comfort to the enemy
Posted by: | CommentsFormer VP Dick Cheney isn’t letting up on his criticism of President Obama. He told Politico the president is projecting weakness and more Afghans will turn to the Taliban if they believe the US is going to cut and run from Afghanistan. But his harshest criticism was of the decision to try terrorists in civilian courts.
“One of their top people will be given the opportunity — courtesy of the United States government and the Obama administration — to have a platform from which they can espouse this hateful ideology that they adhere to,” he said. “I think it’s likely to give encouragement — aid and comfort — to the enemy.”
Cheney’s right. Giving those terrorist thugs a platform for spewing their hate and anti-American garbage does give aid and comfort to our enemy.
We’ll see what Obama says tonight about Afghanistan. Will he blame Bush? Will he talk about off-ramps and exit strategies while ammouncing his troop level increase? If so we’ll know this is all about politics and has nothing to do with national security or winning the war against Al Qaeda.
For more on the subject, Heritage has answers to the Top Ten Questions on Obama’s Strategy in Afghanistan.
To read what other bloggers have written on the subject check out memeorandum.
Popularity: 3% [?]
John Kerry’s Memory Problem
Posted by: | CommentsJohn Kerry should use that gold plated health plan we the people provide him with to have his memory checked. He’s at it again. Today he’s in favor of more troops in Afghanistan. The problem is, he was against the idea in 2001.
From the Wall Street Journal:
President Obama unveils his new Afghanistan strategy today, and in the nick of time Senator John Kerry has arrived with a report claiming that none of this would be necessary if former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld had only deployed more troops eight years ago. Yes, he really said more troops.
In a 43-page report issued yesterday by his Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Mr. Kerry says bin Laden and deputy Ayman Zawahiri were poised for capture at the Tora Bora cave complex in late 2001. But because of the “unwillingness” of Mr. Rumsfeld and his generals “to deploy the troops required to take advantage of solid intelligence and unique circumstances to kill or capture bin Laden,” the al Qaeda leaders escaped.
According to the great flip flopper, if only we had deployed more troops in 2001 poor President Obama wouldn’t have to make such a decision today. So, what did Mr. Kerry have to say back in 2001 about troop levels in Afghanistan?
In 2001, readers may recall, the Washington establishment that included Mr. Kerry was fretting about the danger in Afghanistan from committing too many troops. The New York Times made the “quagmire” point explicitly in a famous page-one analysis, and Seymour Hersh fed the cliche at The New Yorker.
On CNN with Larry King on Dec. 15, 2001, a viewer called in to say the U.S. should “smoke [bin Laden] out” of the Tora Bora caves. Mr. Kerry responded: “For the moment what we are doing, I think, is having its impact and it is the best way to protect our troops and sort of minimalize the proximity, if you will. I think we have been doing this pretty effectively and we should continue to do it that way.” The Rumsfeld-General Tommy Franks troop strategy may have missed bin Laden, but it reflected domestic political doubts about an extended Afghan campaign.
Why does anyone listen to this guy?
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Maurice Clemmons is Dead – Shot By Police Officer
Posted by: | CommentsMaurice Clemmons won’t kill anybody else.
Fox News reported:
Maurice Clemmons was shot to death after a “very alert patrol officer” tracked down a stolen vehicle linked to him, Ed Troyer, a spokesman for the Pierce County sheriff, told Fox News.
Clemmons, 37, is suspected of murdering the four Lakewood police officers at a cafe Sunday morning in Parkland, a Tacoma suburb about 35 miles south of Seattle.
He was killed in a working-class neighborhood after police found him using information about possible hiding spots supplied by Pierce County investigators, Troyer said.
“Shots were fired,” Troyer told “Fox & Friends” Tuesday. “We’re very happy that the Seattle police officer is OK. … This could have turned out a lot worse.”
Sgt. Mark Renninger, 39, and Officers Ronald Owens, 37, Tina Griswold, 40, and Greg Richards, 42, were the victims of Sunday’s shooting spree.
Troyer told Fox police arrested three people overnight on suspicion of rendering criminal assistance. …
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