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MAY 23,  2011

THE DISGRACE CONTINUES – AT 10:08 P.M. ET:  Of the many foreign-policy blunders of this administration, one of the worst was joining the farce known as the UN Human Rights Council, a ludicrous joke run by some of the world's worst governments. 

(CNSNews.com) – This year’s election for the U.N. Human Rights Council has, once again, produced a body that has fewer “free” countries – 21 of a total of 47 – and has more than one-third of the seats held by members of the Islamic bloc.

Among the 15 countries to win seats on the Geneva-based HRC on Friday was Congo, which joins 11 other countries ranked “not free” by the democracy advocacy group, Freedom House, based on an annual assessment of political freedoms and civil liberties.

Nonetheless, rights advocates did find some cause for cheer: In the only two regional groups to see any contest, Latin America and Eastern Europe, countries ranked “free” by Freedom House defeated candidates scoring a “partly free” grade.

COMMENT:  The United States should withdraw from this ridiculous body.  The fact that more than a third of the seats are held by the Islamic bloc, those great islands of democracy, should finally convince us that nothing honest will get done.  Joining the HRC was another one of Obama's silly ideas to show our devotion to the UN and "reach out" to countries that didn't like George Bush.  The outreach has failed completely, as has most of Obama's foreign policy.  Name a victory we have achieved?

May 23, 2011      Permalink

REMEMBER – HIGH GAS PRICES ARE GOOD FOR YOU – AT 9:55 P.M. ET:   It's really shameful that you mere citizens out there don't understand that these high gasoline prices are really good for you.  They make you a better person, a purer person.  Well, you may not understand it, but the president does.  From NRO:

A new report from the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform details a disturbing “pattern of evidence” indicating that not only are the Obama administration’s energy policies responsible for higher oil and gas prices, but that the administration’s energy policy, in fact, is higher gas prices.

The report’s findings are the result of an extensive committee review of public records, policy analysis, statements and e-mails from administration officials, and reveal “a pattern of actions [that] shows the Administration is, in fact, pursuing an agenda to raise the price Americans pay for energy,” according to a copy of the report obtained by National Review Online.

“What President Obama failed to accomplish through the so-called ‘cap and trade’ program, his administration is attempting to accomplish through regulatory roadblocks, energy tax increases, and other targeted efforts to prohibit development of domestic energy resources,” the report concludes.

COMMENT:  This is absolutely scandalous.  The arrogance of it all!  A group of self-appointed philosophers believe they know what's best for your family, and will demand that you pay for it.  In the midst of the worst economic decline since the Great Depression, the administration is pursuing policies that raise prices dramatically on something we must have to live – energy.  Read the article for the full indictment.

May 23, 2011       Permalink

SNIPPET OF THE DAY – AT 10:09 A.M. ET: 

From MSNBC:  In an interview with NBC's Brian Williams, former President Jimmy Carter, who has been a target of the right through the years, lauded his own post-presidency, telling Williams, "I feel that my role as a former president is probably superior to that of other presidents."  Carter, who is out with a new book defending his legacy, backed up his assertion by saying the Carter Center goes where the United States government does not, "to fill the vacuums in the world."

Carter's problem, like Obama's, is a surplus of ego and a deficit of wisdom.

May 23, 2011       Permalink

SMART AMERICANS – AT 9:18 A.M. ET:  Why are Americans so often smarter and more aware than their leaders, especially the leaders we have now?  Americans have been following reports of the "Arab spring," and apparently don't think it's very spring-like.  From The Hill:

Sixty-one percent of likely voters believe the democratic uprisings in the Arab world that President Obama embraced in a major speech Thursday will make things more difficult for the United States, according to a new poll conducted for The Hill.

Just 20 percent of respondents said the turmoil would benefit the United States, while more than 3 in 5 said the unrest would make things more difficult. The remaining 19 percent were unsure.

The voters are correct.  We are already seeing Egypt turning away from the United States, with Obama clueless.

The national survey of 1,000 likely voters was conducted on the evening of May 19, hours after Obama made his major foreign policy address at the State Department and pledged that, “It will be the policy of the United States to promote reform across the region, and to support transitions to democracy.”

The pessimistic view of the impact of the new Arab world upon the United States underscores the challenges Obama faces in navigating the nation’s response to Mideast unrest and its role in the Israel-Palestinian peace process. Other polls have shown mixed voter support for the American missions in Libya and Afghanistan.

COMMENT:  We face enormous problems in the Mideast, with Islamist elements ready to fill the power vacuum created by the "Arab spring."  Most revolutions don't end well.  That will probably be especially true in the Arab world, which has little democratic tradition or sense of modernity. 

I can't wait for Obama to propose a multi-billion-dollar aid package to an Islamist Egypt.  Get out the fire extinguishers.

May 23, 2011       Permalink

WHAT A REALITY SHOW! – AT 9:02 A.M. ET:  Are these women auditioning for a show on American television?  From The Australian: 

THE three widows of Osama bin Laden are turning on each other in custody, with two older Saudi women blaming a much younger Yemeni wife for leading American intelligence to their hideout.

Everyone knows about those Yemeni women.

"It's vicious," said a Pakistani official briefed on the interrogation of the widows. "The older wives think the younger one tipped off the Americans or was tracked when she came to join him."

The al-Qa'ida leader was living with three wives when he was killed in Abbottabad three weeks ago. Until US investigators discovered his hiding place, it was not known whether bin Laden and his family were alive. Some reports suggested that they had been killed in the US bombing of Afghanistan.

Although the compound where bin Laden hid for five years was large, the three wives were all cooped up in the same house. The older two lived on the second floor and the youngest one on the top. Their husband alternated between them. Pakistani officials who have been debriefing the women portray life in the compound as an Islamic version of Desperate Housewives.

"It's a well-known fact that when you have two older wives and then this young one comes along half their age, they don't like it," said one.

The wives even dispute who tried to protect their husband in the raid. The youngest was reported to have attempted to save him, sustaining a bullet wound to her calf. But the older wives say they were the ones who rushed to shield him.

I told you.  American TV.  Which wife will be voted out of the compound?  When she goes, Barbara Walters will be there to interview her.

And I can just hear the Emmy speech:  "I want to thank my late husband, Osama bin Laden, for inspiring me and my fellow wives..."

Book deal coming.

May 23, 2011      Permalink

SPAIN GOES RIGHT – AT 8:51 A.M. ET:  Ever since the 2004 terrorist train attacks in Madrid, Spain has been ruled by a leftist government of minimal ability and international stature.  Its prime minister, Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, is considered cold to the United States.  He replaced José María Alfredo Aznar López, a great man and a friend of America.

Now the Spanish people are apparently expressing some remorse.  Zapatero's left-wing crowd has suffered a staggering electoral defeat.  From CNBC:

Spain's ruling Socialists suffered a crushing defeat to conservatives in local and regional elections Sunday, yielding power even in traditional strongholds against a backdrop of staggering unemployment and unprecedented sit-ins by Spaniards furious with what they see as politicians who don't care about their plight.

Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said the result was due punishment of his government for the state of the economy — the jobless rate is a eurozone high of 21.3 percent. But he said he had no plans to move up general elections, which must be held by March of next year, and pledged to press on with job-creating reforms despite the loud outcry of opposition to his party.

The win for the conservative opposition Popular Party puts it in even a stronger position to win the general elections and return to power after eight years of Socialist rule.

COMMENT:  We would welcome back the conservative opposition, which has a responsible foreign policy.  Spain is a mess, and it's time for a change.  When the conservatives take power again it would continue a rightward trend in Europe that, while not entirely consistent, is better than the socialist alternative.

May 23, 2011       Permalink

THE DEFINITION OF TACKY – AT 8:21 A.M. ET:   Oh dear, Oh dear.  You can take the guy out of Chicago politics, but you can't take Chicago politics out of the guy.  The president is on a trip this morning.  I'm convinced he's absolutely sincere.  Aren't you?  (choke)  From The New York Times: 

DUBLIN — President Obama arrived in Ireland on Monday to make a familiar pilgrimage for an American president: returning to a country that lays claim to being one of his ancestral homes.

Landing here under blustery dark skies that soon gave way to sunshine, Mr. Obama set off to find his inner Irishman with plans to travel to Moneygall, the farming hamlet where his great-great-great-grandfather lived before immigrating to the United States in 1850.

In going to Ireland’s emerald hinterland, Mr. Obama was retracing the steps of Presidents Kennedy, Reagan and Clinton, though this product of Kenya and Kansas only learned of his Irish roots in 2007, after an inquisitive churchman tracked down his family’s records.

COMMENT:  I guess it's O'Bama from now on.  So he only learned of his "Irish roots" in 2007, did he?  I suspect that is, as they say in Ireland, blarney. 

The president is campaigning.  He is always campaigning.  Many politicians from large cities east of the Mississippi have traditionally taken the "three I" tour – Ireland, Italy, and Israel – to shore up their support among local ethnic voters.  Obama is in Ireland.  I'm sure he'll hit Italy.  Given the mess he made of things with the Israeli prime minister last week, I'd imagine an Israel trip isn't on the itinerary, no matter how many frequent flyer miles Mr. Obama has built up. 

This current trip takes the prize for cynicism.  I can just see teary-eyed souls in all the Irish pubs in America sitting around watching the news on TV saying, "He's one of us."  Not.  Not.

May 23, 2011     Permalink

MAY 22,  2011

PAWLENTY IN – AT 11:02 P.M. ET:  Former Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota will be running for president.  From WaPo:

Former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty released a video Sunday previewing his announcement for president, which is set for Monday.

The video, titled “A Time for Truth,” aims to be the anti-campaign announcement, shunning the usual pomp and circumstance for a somber message that Pawlenty says is more important than balloons and idealistic speeches.

“The truth is, our country’s in big trouble,” Pawlenty says. “We have far too much debt, too much government spending, and too few jobs. We need a president who understands that our problems are deep and has the courage to face them. President Obama doesn’t; I do.”

Pawlenty confirms in the video that he is indeed running for president, though the official announcement awaits Monday in Iowa.

The theme of the ad — essentially, ‘I’m not flashy, but that’s not what we need right now’ — plays to Pawlenty’s strength as a candid but not terribly exciting candidate, and it sets in motion the kind of campaign he is expected to run in the months ahead. In the video, Pawlenty seeks to contrast his style with Obama, who is known for his strong speech-making ability.

COMMENT:  Pawlenty was a capable governor of Minnesota, but is little known outside the state.  He would have to be counted, as a former governor, as an important and credible candidate.  I suspect much of the race, at least in the coming months, will be a contest between Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty. 

The GOP race lacks a woman.  We did a post this morning on Sarah Palin, who is making serious noises about running, but discouraged the prospect.  There is, of course, Michelle Bachmann, like Pawlenty, from Minnesota.  Frankly, I'd like to see her run.  Even Dan Rather, I mean even Dan Rather, described her on TV as smart and articulate, which she is.  Whether you agree with her or not, and she is very much a Tea Party candidate, she would add some gender interest to the race.

May 22, 2011      Permalink

DAMAGE CONTROL – AT 10:31 A.M. ET:   President Obama, having blundered badly in handling the visit of the Israeli prime minister, is now in damage-control mode.  Obama blundered, in his usual egotistical way, by inserting into his Thursday speech on the Middle East some language stating that peace between Israeli and the Palestinians should be based on Israel's completely indefensible 1967 borders. 

True, his language was more subtle, and there was much that was favorable to Israel in the speech, but inserting that language was like throwing a bomb into the peace process, for it declared to the Palestinians that they don't have to bother negotiating the huge issue of borders, as their demand for the 1967 lines would just be handed to them on a falafel platter.  The blunder overshadowed Mr. Obama's talks with Netanyahu and wiped out his Thursday speech.

Today the president speaks before AIPAC, the so-called "Israel lobby."  (Have you ever noticed that the mainstream media never discusses the Saudi lobby, with its vast wealth?)  He is expected to give the usual pep talk about U.S.-Israel relations, and maybe he'll explain away the comments that got him in trouble.

More important, Obama gave a tough-talking interview with the BBC, which seemed directed toward an American audience, rather than a British one.

US President Barack Obama on Sunday used language much more accommodating of Israeli concerns, while defending his previous call for negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians to be based on 1967 lines. In an interview with the BBC aired Sunday, Obama said that the Hamas-Fatah plan to ask for recognition of Palestinian statehood at the UN in September is a "problem."

"I do think it's a problem for two reasons," Obama told the BBC. "Number one, Hamas still hasn't recognized Israel's right to exist and renounce violence, and recognize that negotiations are the right path for solving this problem. And it's very difficult for Israel in a realistic way to say we're going to sit across the table from somebody who denies our right to exist. And so that's an issue that the Palestinians are going to have to resolve."

And...

He noted that leaders in Jerusalem are wary of creating a situation like that in Gaza and southern Lebanon, where rockets rained down on Israel following military withdrawals.

"The basis for negotiations will involve looking at that 1967 border, recognizing that conditions on the ground have changed and there are going to need to be swaps to accommodate the interests of both sides," the US president said in the BBC interview.

"On the other hand," Obama said, "and this was an equally important part of the speech, Israel is going to have to feel confident on its security on the West Bank, and that security element is going to be important to the Israelis."

COMMENT:  The president has done some damage, and should probably reconsider both his speechwriting staff and the wisdom of some of his advisers.  Now he is trying to walk back the problem.  He will be in Britain this week, addressing another somewhat disgruntled ally, disappointed in his leadership, especially on Libya.   

As they used to say in World War II, loose lips sink ships. 

May 22, 2011       Permalink 

JUICY SPECULATION – AT 10:06 A.M. ET:  Will she or won't she?  Speculation is turning once again to Sarah Palin.  Her star has faded somewhat, even within the Republican Party, but she is making noises about 2012, now saying openly that she has the fire in her belly.   And there is this bit from National Journal: 

Sarah Palin has deliberately left the question as to whether or not she will run in 2012 open. For those who believe a bid for the GOP nomination is still a possibility for her, The Arizona Republic provides some further evidence: after months of rumors, Palin may have purchased a house in Scotsdale, Arizona. A deal on a secluded, 8,000-square-foot home in far north Scottsdale was recently closed by Safari Investments LLC for $1.695 million cash. The terms of the deal hide the identity of the owner, and when the attorney listed on the property records, Alan Kierman, was asked if Palin was the buyer, his response was an intriguing "no comment."

According to the Republic, Palin has been rumored to be considering headquartering her 2012 White House campaign in Scottsdale, if there is a campaign. A anonymous source from her camp also told Ben Smith at Politico that she would base a potential presidential campaign in Scottsdale, near where Bristol Palin recently bought a house in Maricopa. Palin has also been mentioned as a possible candidate for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Senator Jon Kyl.

However, the Journal goes on to say that there may be other reasons for Palin to leave Alaska.  Her popularity has plummeted there, ever since she resigned as governor. 

COMMENT:  I hope she doesn't run.  I like Sarah.  She's a spark plug, a great fundraiser, and always fascinating.  But, I'm sorry to say it, she's badly damaged goods, and the wounds have been largely self-inflicted, although helped along by a press out to destroy her during the 2008 campaign, fearing that this vibrant, attractive woman would help put John McCain in the White House.

Sarah's great mistake was resigning as governor of Alaska.  That instantly destroyed her credibility.  As governor, she had a serious perch, and she had done a solid job.  Not even finishing one term simply diminished her.  Add to that her multi-million-dollar new career as a TV personality, and her ratings began to plummet.

She is no airhead.  She has great policy instincts and understands her country, which the incumbent president does not.  But Sarah often fails to do her homework, and remains too vague on policy matters.  I simply don't think she can overcome her deficits, especially as an already hostile media will be relentless should she run and get the GOP nomination.  The first responsibility of a political candidate is to be taken seriously.  Sarah has squandered that.  She starts too far behind in the polls, and with negatives that are forbidding.

There is also speculation that she might run for the Senate from Arizona, trying to fill the seat being vacated next year by Republican John Kyl, one of the best men in the Senate.  Maybe a credible Senate run will help Sarah in the future, especially if she can pull off a victory.  She's young.  She can have a future.  We cheer her.  But there is rebuilding to do. 

May 22, 2011      Permalink

BULLETIN:  DANIELS OUT – AT 9:52 A.M. ET:  Governor Mitch Daniels of Indiana formally declared, in a strange overnight message, that he will not run for president in 2012.  From The Wall Street Journal:

After months of stewing and despite widespread encouragement from many within his party, Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels sent out an e-mail to supporters early Sunday saying he had decided against jumping into the 2012 presidential race.

The decision is sure to disappoint the governor's many supporters, among them several prominent Republican governors who thought Mr. Daniels's deep résumé and record as cost-cutter in Indiana would add ballast to the 2012 GOP field.

In the end, he said, the decision came down to family. "I was able to resolve every competing consideration but one, but that, the interests and wishes of my family, is the most important consideration of all," he said in an e-mail sent after midnight.

Mr. Daniels, a two-term governor who had worked the administrations of both George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan, had often expressed concerns about the strains a national campaign would put on his wife and four adult daughters.

COMMENT:  His wife had left him for three years to marry another man, then came back and remarried Daniels.  One can understand how she might not want that dirty linen washed in public.

And so the Republican field, already thin, gets even thinner.  Daniels out.  Barbour out.  Nobody exciting in.  The new generation – Chris Christie, Marco Rubio – have declared they won't run either.

Well, I guess Mitt Romney is the tentative frontrunner, although former Governor Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota is set to declare on Monday.  The unspeakable Ron Paul, truly a nut job and no Republican, will probably also run,

At the rate we're going, be prepared for a second Obama inaugural.  It is a frightening thing.  Since he is term-limited to two terms, this president could run free for four years, unrestrained by the need to run again.  In domestic policy, Congress could probably block him.  But in foreign policy he could produce a catastrophe, most likely starting with another war in the Mideast.

It is time for someone to have a heart-to-heart with Marco Rubio and Paul Ryan.

May 22, 2011     Permalink