In response to Hillary’s ridiculous ad asking “Who do you want answering the Red Phone at 3:00 AM”, Obama provides this beauty:
I will never see the threat of terrorism as a way to scare up votes, because it’s a threat that should rally the country around our common enemies. That is the judgment we need at 3:00 a.m., and that’s the judgment that I am running for as president of the United States of America.
Um, is it just me, or did that first sentence make no proper sense? If I read it right, he’s saying he doesn’t want to use terrorism to “scare” people into doing what he wants… and that’s sort of noble (but unrealistic), and in the next breath says that the threat of terrorism should cause us to rally around our enemies? Doesn’t that term mean “support our enemies”? Okay, I can accept that he meant “rally the country against our common enemies”, but how is that different than using the threat to “scare” the country to rally against our enemies? I think he’s trying to say he’s not going to try to manipulate, but that just won’t wash, and in saying it, he can’t even really prove it to be true.
The fact is, I don’t want someone as commander-in-chief who doesn’t have the nerve to use the tools we’ve provided him as a country to protect us and our national interest. You can argue all you want about whether Iraq was right or wrong, the fact is I don’t think Obama or Clinton have what it takes to do what needs to be done even if it’s abundantly clear what should be done. I think that’s a big reason why Kennedy and Johnson failed so miserably with Cuba and Vietnam.
Obama scares me. As does Clinton.
McCain makes me nervous, but I think he’d do the right thing when it comes to military action and foreign policy. I don’t really care that he leans left on domestic policy since that’s the job of Congress. If we can get control back in Congress that will make the difference.
Those of you that are seriously considering voting for Obama because he’s “more conservative” than McCain, take a look at this and tell me this is what you think we need. Obama will hand our interests over to foreign nations before protecting our land.
What a non-announcement. I think I should probably announce that I’m not running for president as well. How about you? Have you announced yet?
Bloomberg said in a New York Times op-ed piece, titled “I’m Not Running for President, but …,” that he has listened carefully to those who encouraged him to make a bid for the White House but that he is not and will not be a candidate for president.
I know he’s an independent, but what can he really add? He’s always living in Giuliani’s shadow, and running for president would be one more example of that.
Oh well, nice of him to let us know.
And I appreciate the update from my locale TV station (KCCI), but did they really need to send a “Breaking News Alert” to my email box for this? Oh yeah, you should have seen Super Tuesday.
Mr Buckley, 82, suffered from diabetes and emphysema, his son Christopher said, although the exact cause of death was not immediately known. He was found at his desk in the study of his home, his son said. “He might have been working on a column,” Mr. Buckley said.
Mr. Buckley’s winningly capricious personality, replete with ten-dollar words and a darting tongue writers loved to compare with an anteater’s, hosted one of television’s longest-running programs, “Firing Line,” and founded and shepherded the influential conservative magazine National Review.
Many people around the country mourn his passing. Memeorandum has a great deal of links to those speaking words of kindness about him and sadness over his loss. He will be missed.
Navy Chief Special Warfare Operator (SEAL) Michael E. Koch
29 years old from State College, Pennsylvania
East Coast-based SEAL team
February 4, 2008
“There are only approximately 2,500 SEALs in the Navy and they really are a brotherhood,” said Naval Special Warfare spokesman Lt. David Luckett. “This is another unfortunate reminder of the risks and sacrifices these amazing warriors and their families make on a daily basis.”
Koch leaves behind his parents and a fiancee. He enlisted in July 1998 and entered SEAL training in January 1999, according to The Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk. He received the Bronze Star, Joint Service Commendation Medal and three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals.Navy SEAL Michael E. Koch died Feb. 4 after being wounded by small-arms fire during combat operations in Iraq alongside fellow SEAL Nathan Hardy, who was profiled last week.
These brave men and women sacrifice so much in their lives so that others may enjoy the freedoms we get to enjoy everyday. For that, I am proud to call them Hero.
We Should Not Only Mourn These Men And Women Who Died, We Should Also Thank God That Such People Lived
This post is part of the Wednesday Hero Blogroll. For more information about Wednesday Hero, or if you would like to post it on your site, you can go here.
Two news items that I saw on the news shows this evening that I find very interesting and would like to read what other people who saw the same think about them.
Firstly, I saw and heard shock radio jock Bill Cunningham say not too flattering things about Obama during a rally for McCain. Cunningham used Obama’s middle name Hussein during his rant. To be sure, McCain never what Cunningham uttered about BO. When Senator McCain completed his event, he was briefed by staffers about what Billy boy had said about Obama and possible negative backlash.
Senator McCain wasted no time in getting back on the stage and repudiating Billy boy. McCain took full responsibility and promised that it will never happen again. I applaud the Senator for his quick and emphatic action. He showed me that he was going to win or lose the election the right way. To you Billy boy I say only in Cinncinati will you have the bully pulpit that allows you to act so irresponsibly. Please go to a McCain rally in Chicago and say those things.
The second news item was Hillary chiding Obama for his campaign’s distribution of unflattering literature about her stand on various issues. Her stand on those issues have been proven to be true by the news media so there is no misrepresentation here. Rather than take full responsibility for her bad behaviour over the weekend, after all she told Obama “shame on you for…….”, she attributed her bad behaviour to being “hot under the collar”. Mrs Clinton, you are running for public office and you will not win it this time if the polls remain as consistent as they have been in the eleven races in a row that you have lost. Losing the race this time around should not cause you to lose future contests. People remembering how you behaved as a loser will. Remember, elephants never forget.
Evidently, only half of the Obama family is actually proud of their country. Or something. This was probably last summer here in Iowa somewhere (since it appears to be a Harkin event). Do we really want someone as president that doesn’t already naturally show appropriate respect for the flag of the United States? I’m just sayin’. Oh, and you might want to mute your speakers or cover your ears… this version of the Star Spangled Banner is in a class with Roseanne.
Not only is Culver desperate to find more money to spend in Iowa, he wants the Federal Government to help him out. In a Reuters story Monday about states looking for a second economic stimulus package:
Iowa Gov. Chet Culver, …, said his state has 50 or more infrastructure projects the state could begin working on in 30 to 90 days, if only the federal government would provide matching funds.
I can just see it now “we will SAVE MILLIONS of dollars if we spend it now because the Feds are gonna match it!”. Sorry, that won’t fool me.
Chet, you know we’re a little tight right now. Here in Iowa and throughout the country. Let’s be smart and just say “no”.
It is so easy, especially when you aren’t tightly scripted, to say things that just don’t come out the way you mean them to.
John McCain: When asked what will happen if he can’t convince the American public that the war in Iraq is succeeding, he said “Then I lose.” I don’t have a problem with this answer, because it’s true. John’s mistake here, in my opinion, is attempting to retract the statement. It’s one thing to say something that pundits will have fun with, it’s another to react so dramatically so as to give the pundits not just credence on the point, but additional fire power.
Hillary Clinton: “Shame on you!” Very tepid and unnatural? Bring back Bill, at least he knows how to get riled up properly.
Barack Obama: “Anybody got some water?” Nuf’ said.
Michelle Obama: “Let me tell you, for the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country. Not just because Barack is doing well, but I think people are ready for change…” Ouch. I can understand some of the emotion behind this, but as smart a lady as Michelle is, you’d think she’d catch this one before it came out. But indeed, I’ve said similarly stupid things… (don’t ever tell a niece that she’s the “most [something] niece” when there are other siblings. Yeah, me.)
Mike Huckabee: “Mike Huckabee does not overstay his welcome.” Okay, that was pretty tightly scripted… it was SNL after all… but in a way he gave up control of the content to Lorne Michaels. Realistically, Ron Paul has more insight into making a case for staying in the race than Mike does. Of course, if anyone is overstaying their welcome, it’s Mike Gravel (yeah, he’s still in the Democratic race, believe it or not).
Ralph Nader: (any argument against the idea that he messed with Al Gore’s chances… it just falls on deaf ears).
Ron Paul: “… there will be no third party run.” That may bite him if he loses his Congressional District Republican Primary.
These are all to some extent understandable, and in some ways not as bad as some of Bush’s own gaffs.
That said, there’s another class of people whom put together their comments from behind a desk, run through spell-check, grammar-check, reviewed by an editor, and still get into the eyes and ears of the general public.
The New York Times: “A female lobbyist had been turning up with him at fund-raisers, visiting his offices and accompanying him on a client’s corporate jet. Convinced the relationship had become romantic, some of his top advisers intervened to protect the candidate from himself - instructing staff members to block the woman’s access, privately warning her away and repeatedly confronting him, several people involved in the campaign said on the condition of anonymity.” This content was later referenced by the Times “Public Editor” (the paper’s ombudsman to the readers) as problematic because “it offered readers no proof that McCain and Iseman had a romance.”
Tim Russert: Oh, never mind, he needs no example.
NPR: Bloggers’ Roundtable discussion on the whole Obama Plagiarism question on the “words… words…” (please note, this text came from a speek by Barack Obama, and prior in a speech by Deval Patrick). I listened to this on the radio in my car and wished desperately that I could change to another channel, but too much sports that I wasn’t interested in at that time (basketball, auto racing). Clearly Obama borrowed from Patrick (who, I think, did not himself give credit to Kennedy, MLK Jr., FDR, or Thomas Jefferson), and clearly with permission. It was a great message, and effectively delivered, and this whole mishmash is a waste of time. We’re going to get ourselves into a spaghetti of criticisms of perceived sins, but this is like complaints in church that dancing is evil.
Dan Rather & CBS News: Yes, I mentoned this the other day. It still amazes me that they could bring fraudulent evidence into a news report without appropriate confirmation. And frankly, I think more of that happens today than we even know about.
Hillary Clinton (apparently on message): [Reuters]Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton called rival Barack Obama a risky choice to lead U.S. foreign policy. Yes, Hillary’s foreign policy ability’s are second to … Ron Paul. Hillary originally thought the general election (for the legislature) in Pakistan (that was just held on Feb 18) was for the President’s position. Although her husband made some sweet deals with the Chinese as I recall.
Barack Obama (also on message): [Reuters]The Obama campaign accused the Clinton camp of “the most shameful, offensive fear-mongering” when a photograph of the Illinois senator, dressed as a Somali elder with white headdress and matching robe, turned up on the popular Drudge Report Web site. Did you see that? They said “Shameful”, like Hillary’s “Shame on you”. Wow! Talk about hitting hard!
It’s a wild, wacky time and lot’s of people are gonna make mistakes. I think we should give some of them a break (except for Russert).
