If you are a Democrat or left leaning, run along now.....You have plenty to celebrate this weekend. This is just for my conservative friends who may be feeling a bit down about now.
Did you ever watch or hear about MTV's 'My Super Sweet 16?" It was a show that was basically about very wealthy parents overindulging their child with an over the top outrageously ridiculous expensive party in order to highlight how special their child must be. This is what this inaugural weekend is like to me. The Super Sweet 16 party Obama never had.
By now you have probably read the comparisons to Bush's inauguration. Bush spent 40 million and the media went nuts stating that money could be better spent for housing for the poor, food for food banks, and programs for school children. I think it was the New York Times that provided a chart for how the money could be better spent. They whined about "fat cats" funding it, and how wrong to have such a celebration at time of war. Obama spends an eye popping 150 million during a time of war and economic crisis, and there is not a peep from the media. This lavish extravaganza makes Bush's inaugural look like a high school prom in comparison. But we are all used to the media bias by now. No surprise.
We should get used to this kind of spending because with Obama it will become as natural as breathing. Which brings me to my point.
It's time for Republicans and conservatives to move forward. Our first order of business should be to go back to our roots on spending. We all understand that Bush had a war and a natural disaster to contend with, but even given that, he spent like a Democrat. We must never again allow our leaders in the Republican party to ever think that is ok. Starting now, we must do two things. We must run, elect, and demand candidates that believe in less government intervention, less spending, less taxes, less regulation, individualism, self responsibility and less dependence on the government. These are principles that all Republicans, libertarians, evangelicals, devout Catholics, moderates, black, white and everything in between, can agree on. Other issues can be debated, but we must come together. Together we win, apart we lose. It's that simple.
As far as this weekend and Obama's swearing in goes, I'm proud of my country that can finally see past someone's color of skin, but I'm not proud that they can overlook how wrong he has been on the issues that are so important to all of us.
My advice to my fellow conservatives? Rent or buy the DVD box set of "24". Invite some friends over. Buy a case of Blue Moon beer and a couple of bottles of Leonetti Cellar 2004 Reserve and wait for the Sweet Super 16 media love fest to end.
As for Jan. 20th, when Obama becomes President, I can only think of a recent quote we have heard over and over in the last few days: "Brace for impact." And let's hope, as in that disaster, no one gets hurt.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
To My Fellow Conservatives
Update: This is funny. You think Stahlar reads me? Heh.
Friday, January 16, 2009
He Kept Us Safe
Bush kept us safe when no one thought he could. That will be his greatest legacy, but coming in for a close second will be Bush's faith based legacy. Along with doing more to fight AIDS and disease in Africa than any person on the planet, Bush did much more right here in America:
Access to Recovery (ATR) program: Provided nearly 270,000 recovering addicts with vouchers that enabled them to choose from an expansive network of faith-based and other community organizations (FBCOs) for the clinical and supportive services that best met their individual needs. Thousands of participating FBCOs helped produce results that outperform many national programs on multiple measures.
The President’s Prisoner Re-entry Initiative: Links returning nonviolent offenders with FBCOs that help them find work and avoid relapse into criminal activity. Participants’ rate of re-arrest within one year of release is 15 percent, less than half the national average.
Disadvantaged Students: More than 515,000 children received after-school tutoring annually through Supplemental Educational Service providers, including FBCO partners.
Community Health Services: The President’s Community Health Center Initiative exceeded its goal of creating or expanding 1,200 community-based health centers, many of which are operated by FBCO grantees. The number of low-income individuals receiving medical services from these centers annually has increased by 5.8 million since 2001.
Homelessness: Federal partnerships with FBCOs have been greatly expanded to combat homelessness, contributing to a nearly 30 percent reduction in chronic homelessness (approximately 50,000 individuals) from 2005 to 2007. The estimated number of homeless veterans was cut by nearly 40 percent from 2001 to 2007.
Global Health:In FY 2007 alone, 87 percent of partners in the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) were local organizations, mostly faith-based and community groups. The latest results show that PEPFAR now supports life-saving treatment for more than 2 million people worldwide.
Mentoring Children of Prisoners Initiative (MCP). In the interest of these children and their communities, President Bush established MCP in 2003 to work with hundreds of faith-based and community organizations to recruit and train mentors to provide guidance and support to some of our Nation's most vulnerable children. We have exceeded our goal for this program by matching more than 110,000 children with mentors so far, and we continue to make progress.
The Faith-Based And Community Initiative Built A Powerful Network Of Public-Private Partnerships To Address Need
Last year, the Federal government awarded direct, competitive grants to more than 19,000 FBCOs. Of those, more than 3,200 grants, totaling more than $2.2 billion, were awarded to faith-based organizations.
The President’s vision inspired State governments to develop their own FBCI programs. Today, 35 governors (19 Democrats and 16 Republicans) and 70 mayors of both parties have their own Faith-Based and Community Initiative offices and/or liaisons.
Remember this is only work done with faith based initiatives. This doesn't even count the "conservative compassion" he showed in signing legislation (in fact he was a bit too free with that pen, but that's for another day).
Bush is and always has been a good man with a big heart. As conservatives, we disagreed with him plenty, but we always knew he was doing was he thought was right. Being a leader isn't about being popular. It's about making the tough decisions even when they aren't popular. Bush led and I will always be grateful for that. He showed grace and dignity in the face of never before seen hate and scurrilous attacks from the left and the Democratic leadership. He never lowered himself to their level. He was always a gentleman.
So next time some liberal touts the tired lie that Republicans don't care about the poor, bookmark this page and prove to them differently.
Update: In the comments RB linked this excellent article regarding Bush's foreign policy. What I see as especially telling is how Arab govt's changed their policy toward terrorists groups because of Bush and how incredible that was.
The Church of Global Warming
via GOC
This explains a lot:
In 1971, perhaps entertaining thoughts of entering the full-time ministry, Al Gore, raised in and baptized into the Southern Baptist Church, entered the Vanderbilt Divinity School.
His sojourn was relatively brief. In three semesters, he enrolled in eight classes. He received an “F” as his grade in five of those classes. So, having failed out of school, he entered the family business, which was politics. But he apparently never lost his desire to enter a ministry, and since he couldn’t make the grade in the conventional sense, he did the next best thing. He started his own religion.
The result was the Church of Global Warming. With Gore as its high priest, the church was not long in establishing tenets of faith, nor in immediately branding those who refused to worship there as apostate.
Oh, the irony...
Fox News:
Tom Hanks, Executive Producer for HBO’s controversial polygamist series “Big Love,” made his feelings toward the Mormon Church’s involvement in California's Prop 8 (which prohibits gay marriage) very clear at the show’s premiere party on Wednesday night.
“The truth is this takes place in Utah, the truth is these people are some bizarre offshoot of the Mormon Church, and the truth is a lot of Mormons gave a lot of money to the church to make Prop-8 happen,” he told Tarts. “There are a lot of people who feel that is un-American and I am one of them.
So let me get this straight (excuse the pun). This show that Hanks produces, illustrates a "bizarre" offshoot of the Mormon Church because men marry multiple women, but letting men marry men (or women marry women) is not bizarre. Right.
The irony is that if gay marriage becomes legal, the very first people in line for lawsuits to demand their right to marry will be polygamists. Will it be "un-American" then to deny them the right to marry?
I suppose "bizarre" is all in your perspective, right Tom?
You gotta love this..
Black clergymen in Utah protest against Robert Redford and the Sundance Film Festival, basically saying that it's all well and good for rich limo liberals to be against drilling and the like when you can afford the more expensive alternate energy sources. When you are poor and heat can be cheap and affordable, all the policies of someone like Redford only drive the costs up. Not good for the poor.
It's about time someone called the limo liberals on this. I love it.
Here's a bit of the article:
The protesters, led by the Congress of Racial Equality's national spokesman Niger Innis, suggested Redford should "relinquish his wealth" and live like a poor person. They complained that the filmmaker's anti-drilling stance could lead to higher energy prices for inner-city residents, forcing them to accept a lower standard of living.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Let me count the ways I love you, by TIME MAGAZINE
Straight-ahead head shot(2)
And there at least four more solid years of Obama covers on the way! Either Time is going to start repeating itself (even more), or they're going to have go deep into the bag of tricks. Standing on one foot? Playing basketball? Screaming angrily at staff? Surreptitious smoking photo? The paparazzi have their work cut out for them if America is to be free of fifty months of Barack's same old face.
This is important
I watched Congressman Ted Poe today speaking passionately about freeing Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean. Here is the backstory if you aren't aware of it. One part of the story I didn't know was that if they had pled guilty they would only have received one year. But they knew they were not guilty, and they weren't going to plea. Now they are in for 12 years. Complete injustice.
Pres. Bush has the power to free these men who were unjustly incarcerated. We all need to do what we can to ensure that happens.
Go here to send a letter to Pres. Bush.
This is about two men's lives who were only keeping our border safe from a sleaze drug dealer. Sometimes I can hardly believe that this really happened in this country.
Confirmation Hearings!
The reason I probably won't be blogging much on the confirmation hearings is because I think it's useless to do so.
Back in the day, confirmation hearings were just protocol to ensure nothing of a significant nature was overlooked. Back in the 80's the Democrats decided it would be a good idea to personally smear the person being confirmed. They excoriated Robert Bork, does anyone remember that? It was shocking at the time, but now it's commonplace.
And who can forget what they put Clarence Thomas through? Those confirmation hearings alone probably kept a generation of good people from ever seeking public service. Democrats had no shame.
Republicans saw how well the slander worked for the Democrats and aren't innocent of it themselves (although they are not nearly as good at it). So the whole process leaves me cold.
A President's pick should be put through barring anything illegal. What does it matter? Is the second pick going to be any less liberal? Any less wrong on policy? Of course not.
I find the whole thing a waste of time and disturbing. Nit pick a person to death. It's ridiculous. No wonder we can't get any good people in public service.
Oh, the left will howl at this...
WASHINGTON — A federal intelligence court, in a rare public opinion, is expected to issue a major ruling validating the power of the president and Congress to wiretap international phone calls and intercept e-mail messages without a court order, even when Americans’ private communications may be involved.
So... no shredding of the constitution. Bush was within his legal rights. Warrentless wiretapping is legal. Just in time for Obama to use it, and let's see if the left goes as nuts over The One taking advantage of this intelligence tool. I wouldn't hold my breath.
These kind of Catholics
If you have ever wondered what kind of Catholics ignore Church teaching and vote and support Democrats such as John Kerry, and Clinton, this should give you an idea:
DUBLIN, Ohio—Columbus police have charged a former member of Governor Ted Strickland’s staff with seven felonies, involving a prostitution ring. Eric McFadden, who until October of 2007 was head of Strickland’s Office of Faith-Based Initiatives, was arrested Wednesday morning in Dublin.Police said they believe McFadden was “Toby,“ the man they have been looking for during the past two months after busting up a prostitution ring that was operated on Craig’s List.
Eric McFadden ran Catholic organizing for Kerry and Clinton.
Always beware of those willing to get into bed with the wolves on the premise of "outreach" or "big tent" or "understanding." Usually when your in bed with someone, it's because you want to be. Because you are just like them.
"Everything is Possible"
Fascinating...
Here is a video which is part of a time-line posted on the wall of the Gush Katif Museum located in Jerusalem near Shuk Machne Yehudah. It's very brief. Really. Worth a look.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Obama Art
Finally....
....A true close up look at the Obama family.The STAR has the scoop:
Barack is concerned that Michelle spends too much dolling the girls up in fancy dresses. "He doesn't want them to look like little princesses," a source says. He wanted them to go to public school, but Michelle picked Sidwell. Oh, and she came back to their hotel with "loads" of new purchases, and "Barack hit the roof." (Yes, apparently No Drama Obama hits roofs!) A source swears: "He was stunned at how much she had spent. He told her she was letting the notion of being First Lady go to her head, and that she was going to have to take back many of the items." There was a lot of shouting, and then the silent treatment. But! "If there's a silver lining to their heated spats, it's the makeup sex."
Excuse me while I bleach my brain clean of the visual on that last sentence. Tabloids lie, we all know. If you believe Obama wanted to send the girls to public school, let me show you where a spaceship landed in my back yard. There's a circle there, I promise!
I guess this is what you get when your a "celebrity."
Super Gay!
First Marvel comics takes Spiderman to the inaugural to get all gushy with Obama and now.....The first gay superhero!
SPIDER-MAN creator Stan Lee is to unveil the world’s first gay superhero. High school basketball star Thom Creed hides his developing superpowers along with his sexuality. Former Marvel Comics boss Stan, 86 — who also created the Hulk and the X-Men — will unleash the character in an hour-long TV drama being shot in the US. If it’s a hit there it will cross to the UK. TV execs hope it will rival the huge success of shows likes Heroes. Lee developed the idea of a gay character from the award-winning novel Hero by Perry Moore. The first gay superhero!
Hey. What about "The Ambiguously Gay Duo??!"
JammieWearingFool sees it this way:
Instead of emerging from a phonebooth he'll bust out of a closet warbling showtunes while fighting off evil Mormons who contributed to the Prop 8 vote.
I say let's just let Spiderman give Obama an upside kiss at the inaugural and be done with it.
Girl Power!
What the Taliban (and other terrorist monsters) think will work in their favor is to terrorize people into doing exactly what they want. It didn't work with 9-11, and it doesn't seem to be working in Afghanistan either.
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan: One morning two months ago, Shamsia Husseini and her sister were walking through the muddy streets to the local girls' school when a man pulled alongside on a motorcycle and posed what seemed like an ordinary question.
"Are you going to school?" Then the man pulled Shamsia's burqa from her head and sprayed her face with burning acid. Scars, jagged and discolored, are now spread across Shamsia's eyelids and most of her left cheek. These days, her vision goes blurry, making it hard to read.
But if the acid attacks against Shamsia and 14 other students and teachers, which carried the tell-tale marks of the Taliban, were meant to terrorize the girls into staying home, they appear to have failed completely.
Today, nearly all of the wounded girls are back at the Mirwais School for Girls, including Shamsia, whose face was so badly burnt that she had to be sent abroad for treatment. Perhaps even more remarkable, nearly every other female student in this deeply conservative community has returned as well - about 1,300 in all.
This story is incredible on so many levels. This is what turning a page in history is all about. Generations of girls will grow up educated and free. This changes everything. When Pres. Bush says that history will judge him. This is what he means. What will these girls, who sacrificed so much, teach their own children? And then what will those children teach theirs?
They will teach them that you cannot let evil intimidate you. That freedom and education are things worth fighting for. They will teach them how brave these girls were. They will never let the Taliban dictate to them ever again. Incredible. This is what a taste of freedom does.
These are the result of REAL women's rights. These are the women of tomorrow that will change the Arab world forever.
Change is coming
Right before the ACLU gets the President they have always dreamed of, they needed to take a parting shot at Bush and Catholics:
President Bush's days in office are numbered, but his administration's weeks in court may have just begun. Hoping to get in a parting shot at the pro-life president, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed suit in federal court over grants made by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). As part of its national program to help victims of sex trafficking, the USCCB has tried to protect these women from even greater exploitation at the hands of the abortion business. To keep groups like Planned Parenthood from preying on vulnerable women, the USCCB bars subcontractors from using taxpayers' money to pay or refer for abortions and "emergency contraception." Under the twisted logic of the ACLU, the Bishops' pro-life policy constitutes a "misuse" of federal funds. An attorney for the pro-abortion ACLU says that women deserve "the full range of services," including, it appears, the right to kill their unborn children at taxpayers' expense.
The ACLU, which has long advocated for abortion-on-demand, is trying to persuade the court that when it comes to federal funds, religious organizations need not apply. In reality, the USCCB was operating under President Bush's own directive, which he outlined in March 2002, saying, "I said we're not going to use taxpayers' money to fund abortion, and I'm going to make sure we're not using taxpayers' money to fund abortion." While grants to Planned Parenthood ($286 million a year from federal taxpayers) far outweigh the roughly $6 million that HHS awarded to the USCCB, the ACLU is sending a clear message to the incoming administration that it won't tolerate the participation of all faith-based organizations in federal programs. Because the Bishops serve thousands through the trafficking program alone, it would be a true shame--not to mention a legal travesty--to sideline a church which plays such a vital role in U.S. health care.
via The Family Research Council
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Before Running For President
I'm having a discussion over at my Chron blog about how Obama was clearly for strict control before he ran for President, when he suddenly assured us that he would not take our guns away. He was only for "reasonable restrictions." Right.
In the same vein, Towleroad has found that Obama was a supporter of gay marriage before he suddenly decided it was only for a man and a woman when he ran for President.
the Windy City Times uncovered copies of Outlines newspaper and an IMPACT survey which were published in 1996 and summarized in various news articles during the final weeks of the 2008 presidential campaign. The articles, which contain quotes related to Obama's position on same-sex marriage, have been revealed in a Windy City Times article:
"During his run for Illinois state Senate in 1996, Barack Obama stated his unequivocal support for gay marriage, according to an exclusive story in the Jan. 14, 2009 Windy City Times newspaper. President-elect Obama's answer to a 1996 Outlines newspaper question on marriage was: 'I favor legalizing same-sex marriages, and would fight efforts to prohibit such marriages.' There was no use of the phrase 'civil unions'. [Outlines purchased Windy City Times in 2000 and merged companies.] This answer is among those included in this week's Windy City Times feature on Obama's evolving position on gay marriage. Windy City Times also includes his answers to the candidate questionnaire of IMPACT, at one time a gay political action committee in Illinois. In that survey he also stated his support of same-sex marriage."
Gee, I guess no reporter could find this during the campaign.
My feeling is that Obama is going to stay relatively moderate his first term in order to get his second term. Then all hell will break loose. Every leftwing agenda he ever had or believed in will be revealed and pushed through.
Just my feeling.
Joe The Plumber Reporting From Israel
Count me in as one of the dissenting voices in Pajama's Media letting "Joe the Plumber" go to Israel to report what is really going on there, since no one trusts anyone over there reporting.
Joe became famous when he asked a simple question of a Presidential candidate, and what the media did to him was the most disturbing thing of the whole campaign. I still can't quite believe how they justified going after him.
Joe had his moment of fame, and that has been extended by this. If you have seen his reports, it's clear he is not a professional. Maybe that's a good thing. I don't know. I do know that I wince sometime watching him and that can't be too good.
But Roger Simon of Pajama's Media does a pretty good job of explaining why Joe becoming "Joe The Reporter" isn't such a bad thing.
Joe's second report from Israel is here.
Using Limbo Time
Today I was reading about Israeli ground troops battling Palestinian militants in the streets early today of a densely populated Gaza City neighborhood. This is getting more and more serious by the day. Ground troops in neighborhoods? This isn't your usual hit and hit back thing that has been going on between Israel and Gaza in recent years.
It occurred to me how intresting the timing is of this. Israel picked that perfect limbo time where they know Bush will not do anything in his last week as President, and Obama has no power yet to do anything.
We just learned that in June Pres. Bush refused Israel's request to buy and use American bunker busting bombs against Iran's nuclear reactor. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert also asked the United States for permission to use American air space in Iraq to attack Iran. Bush also refused that.
I suppose they thought that using this twilight time of Bush's presidency would give them a window of doing exactly what they wanted to without U.S. intervention. No permission wanted or needed.
Hillary's confirmation
The one thing that I am struck by as Hillary talks about Iran, is that it feels like something I have heard before. What could it be? She is talking about Iran having WMD's and how that is unacceptable. She is talking about the frustration with Iran not allowing inspectors in. She is talking about how Iran with a nuclear weapon is in no one's best interest.
Does this all sound familiar to you? Oh yeah...substitute Iran for Iraq and you have Hillary saying pretty much the same thing back in 2003.
If you have watched any of it, it's been a lovefest between Hillary and the Democrat Senators and that is including a great deal of self love.
I think I have come a long way. I can actually watch Hillary and totally control my gag reflex.
*Update: Speaking of Iran, I don't think they like Obama anymore than they did Bush. I thought all this was supposed to "change?" (via NRO)
Maybe Hillary's confirmation hearings will be interesting after all
I'm sure this will come as a shock to many of you. The Clintons using their political power for self interest (and money):
WASHINGTON – Secretary of State appointee Hillary Rodham Clinton intervened at least six times in government issues directly affecting companies and others that later contributed to her husband's foundation, an Associated Press review of her official correspondence found.
via HotAir
Monday, January 12, 2009
Score one for Blago
CNN twitter is reporting that Roland Burris is expected to take Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat this week, Democratic Senate leaders say
*Update: HotAir has a perfect summation. In part:
You’ve got a popular Democratic incoming president, a Democratic lieutenant governor and secretary of state, and overwhelming Democratic majorities both in Congress and in the Illinois legislature. Everyone involved was opposed to letting Blagojevich make the pick.
And together they still couldn’t figure out a way to stop him.
Football News
Yeah, I bet you were surprised by that title, right? Because I can think of very few things I am less interested than football (except when my son is playing). But this story caught my attention for obvious reasons:
Quarterback Who Led Florida Gators to Championship Almost Victim of Abortion Gainesville, FL (LifeNews.com) -- Tim Tebow led his Florida Gators football team to become national champions last Thursday in a win over Oklahoma. On Sunday, the former Heisman Trophy winner announced he's coming back for his senior season, despite thoughts that he was looking to leave early for the NFL after pulling off the big victory. However, Tebow's accomplishments may never have been supported had his mother followed a doctor's recommendation to have an abortion. Pam Tebow and her husband were Christian missionaries in the Philippines in 1985 and they prayed for "Timmy" before she became pregnant. Pam entered into a coma after she contracted amoebic dysentery, an infection of the intestine caused by a parasite found in a contaminated food or drink. The treatment for the medical condition would require strong medications that doctors told Pam had caused irreversible damage to Tim -- so they advised her to have an abortion. Pam Tebow refused the abortion and cited her Christian faith as the reason for her hope that her son would be born without the devastating disabilities physicians predicted. Pam ultimately spent the last two months of her pregnancy in bed and, eventually, gave birth to a health baby boy in August 1987.
via Facebook/Terri's notes
You have to wonder all that we have lost through abortion.
Update: I found the source of this story, The Gainsville Sun, and the whole thing is an interesting read.
War,hate, and innocents
I facebooked a Palestinian woman the other day to ask her about the claim that Hamas uses women and children as human shields, and schools and Mosques to store weapons. I fully expected, if not a full denial, a explanation of sorts.
I got none.
What I got was a rehash of all the ills the Israel's have bestowed upon the Palestinians. In her world using innocents is an acceptable means of dealing with the situation.
I followed 2 people from Gaza on twitter. Never in my entire life, including my time growing up during the civil rights movement, have I ever experienced such a pure hatred for a people of another race or religion. Never have I experienced such name calling filth, as I read the tweets of these two Palestinians towards Jews and Israel. I was trying to get the other side of the story. I was trying to understand their view. But their view is pure unadulterated hate, and they will gladly inform you of that. All means justify the end of Israel. This is why they elected Hamas.
And if you don't believe these three people, then check out the video at HotAir of a Hamas Politician in Feb. of 2008. His words:
[The enemies of Allah] do not know that the Palestinian people has developed its [methods] of death and death-seeking. For the Palestinian people, death has become an industry, at which women excel, and so do all the people living on this land. The elderly excel at this, and so do the mujahideen and the children. This is why they have formed human shields of the women, the children, the elderly, and the mujahideen, in order to challenge the Zionist bombing machine. It is as if they were saying to the Zionist enemy: “We desire death like you desire life.”
This is what we call in America......insanity. Let's just say it. It is INSANE to look at death this way. These monsters have managed to somehow brainwash a culture into believing this horrid nonsense. They don't even pretend civility.
I've tried to understand the Palestinian plight. I know these people suffer. Their suffering must stop and it must begin with Hamas no longer existing to fan the flames of hate.
Hamas hides behind women and children. Hamas stores weapons and rockets where innocents are. Israel bombs where the weapons are, where Hamas is, and kills innocent people. The Palestinian's rage grows.
It's all so wrong.
We have to admit one thing though about Israel. We would never do what they are doing. We would not target schools and Mosques as long as we knew innocent people would be there. That is not right either.
We are living it
I first read "Atlas Shrugged" when I was 17 because it is my Mom's favorite book. If you haven't read it, you should. Stephen Moore at the WSJ says we are living it. I think he may be right.
Same song, different verse
Bill Kristol in the NYT speaking of Obama's no discernible change in foreign policy:
And he seems to be going for the no-dramatic-change-in-policy-in-the-White-House alternative as well. Consider Obama’s reaction when George Stephanopoulos played a clip of Dick Cheney counseling Obama not to implement his campaign rhetoric until he’s fully briefed on the details of the Bush administration’s counterterrorism policy.
“I think that was pretty good advice, which is I should know what’s going on before we make judgments and that we shouldn’t be making judgments on the basis of incomplete information or campaign rhetoric. So I’ve got no quibble with that particular quote,” said Obama. Usually, presidents pretend their campaign positions are more than “campaign rhetoric.” Not Obama.
You have to hand it to Obama for that moment of honesty. Admitting that all that anti-war stuff was just campaign rhetoric and admitting that Cheney is right. Because it's like this....
There was a reason the Bush administration did what it did on wire tapping, interrogation, Gitmo, and military actions. It was to keep us safe here. And it did. What Obama will discover is intelligence, operations, and knowledge that we, the American public aren't privy to because of National Security (I'm sure he has been informed quite a bit now), that tells him all those things were needed and necessary. That is why Obama is backing away from his campaign rhetoric. Because Bush was right.
Now, will we hear the howling from the left for the exact same policies that Bush relied on? Of course not.
For example, on the closing of Gitmo:
But he warned that it was “more difficult than I think a lot of people realize,” explaining that while he was committed to the rule of law, he wasn’t interested “in releasing people who are intent on blowing us up.”
And at one point he returned, unbidden, to the much-maligned vice president, commenting, “I thought that Dick Cheney’s advice was good.”
I can only imagine the reaction to that over at places like Kos and Huffington Post. I'm sure they are passing the Prozac around.
More on Obama and the Middle East:
With respect to the Middle East, Obama didn’t even say we’d gotten much wrong in the past. Asked by Stephanopoulos whether his policy would build on Bush’s or would be a clean break, Obama answered, “if you look not just at the Bush administration, but also what happened under the Clinton administration, you are seeing the general outlines of an approach.” So: No break.
Who are you and what have you done with Obama??
I wonder....Will we will be hated around the world? Nah, the media will report it all oh so differently.
Friday everyone was blogging about how the Guardian reported that Obama would sit down with Hamas. Now, THAT is the Obama we knew. But hold on, not true, says his spokesperson. Obama says Hamas IS a terrorist organization and won't deal with them until they recognize Israel and abide by past agreements. Well, thank you Pres. Bush..oops, I mean Pres. Obama.
I keep posting about how Obama is letting down the left on a number of things and we on the right need to give credit where credit is due. Something the left NEVER did for Pres. Bush. So let's do that.
We should be happy that Obama seems to be following the track that has kept us safe all these years since 9-11.
But it's the domestic front that keeps me concerned. Expanding government seems to be Obama's order of the day. And we all know that when it comes to government, once expanded, always expanded. And unfortunately Obama seems to be following the main path that made conservatives so angry at Bush, throwing money at government. Obama's stimulus package could reach an unbelievable 775 billion dollars or more, surpassing the already eye popping 700 billion dollars Bush used for his financial rescue package.
And with a Democratic Congress, this will all sail through.
God help us all.
At least we will stay safe while we drown in debt.
