August 6, 2008
Exclusive: Wednesday, August 6Print This
E-mail This
Presidential Watch
Reverand James Manning delivers a rousing argument against Barack Obama - GO HERE.
Get This Man A Teleprompter!
Powerline Blog.com
Barack Obama is a lot like Sean Penn or George Clooney. If you give him a script, he can deliver it pretty well. But if he tries to talk without a script that has been written for him by others, he quickly reveals that he is poorly-informed if not downright ignorant. Today he delivered another classic, by claiming that if only we would all properly inflate our tires, we could save as much gasoline as "all the oil that they're talking about getting off drilling." Seriously:
The stunned silence with which the crowd greets this howler suggests that most Americans have a more practical understanding of energy consumption than Obama.
Just for fun, I did the math. Properly inflating your tires can improve gas mileage by 3%. Of course, many people already keep their tires properly inflated, and many more are at least close to being properly inflated. Let's be generous and assume that one-half of the total possible savings would be realized if we all inflated our tires properly; that's a net gain of 1.5% fuel efficiency.
It would take only 11,308 years of proper tire inflation to equal "all the oil that they're talking about getting off drilling."
Obama is a curious case. He gives the impression of being an intelligent guy, but through his unscripted comments we have learned that he knows little about history, science or mathematics. He also seems rather shockingly short on common sense, as this most recent gaffe illustrates. Read article.
The Butter-Cutter On The Campaign Of “Change”
Maj. Anthony F. Milavic, USMC (Ret.), Two Tablets.Blogspot.com
The presumptive Democratic candidate for president of the United States, Sen. Barack Obama, has made “change” the theme of his campaign. In an effort to learn the substance of that theme, I changed and sought out the Butter-Cutter on the left side of the Chow Line in the virtual Mess Hall.
“That's right! The brother's gonna change.” the Butter-Cutter declared without prompting.
“Well, early on, Sen. Obama pledged to stick to public financing. Now with his coffers full of cash, he has withdrawn from that commitment. Is changing his mind what the Senator means by 'change,' ” I asked.
“Look, man, this way, he can do more than with public money. So, he changed his mind. Man, he ain't dumb!"
“Senator Obama refused to wear a U.S. flag pin because, as he said, it had become a substitute for true patriotism; then he started wearing it. Why do you think he made that change?” I queried the Butter-Cutter.
“Oh, man, a bunch o' them small-town people who pray, keep guns, 'n' are afraid of everything trash-talked him. So, he put on one o' them little pins 'n' they stopped. Ya know what I'm sayin'?” Read article.
Obama’s Advisors – A Source For Concern
Yoram Ettinger, Ynet.co.il
Senator Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential candidate, is not a key member of the Senate committees on foreign relations, armed services or intelligence, has not initiated-led any significant legislation and has not devoted himself to national security issues. He surged into the Senate and the presidential race from the Illinois local-political-social arena.
Obama relies on a battery of experienced advisors, who influence/shape his world view and maybe even US policy and US-Israel relations for the next 4-8 years. However, the record of his advisors – most of whom served in the Carter and Clinton Administrations – constitute a source of concern.
For instance, Tony Lake, served as the influential Director of Policy Planning under Secretary Cyrus Vance and President Jimmy Carter. He played a lead role in the policy, which stabbed the Shah of Iran – a most loyal ally of the US in a most critical area to US interests - in his back, catapulted Khomeini to prominence and constituted a tailwind to the Islamic Revolution.
Lake was the luminary and National Security Advisor of President Clinton, who shaped a policy, which approached international and Islamic terrorism as a challenge for law enforcement agencies rather than for the Chairman of the joint Chiefs-of-Staff. Lake’s policy defined terrorists as criminals who should be brought to justice, rather than wartime lethal enemies who should be brought down on their knees. Read article.
Pacifism: The Last Refuge of Hypocrites
Burt Prelutsky, Townhall.com
It amazes me that Barack Obama continues to score points for having opposed the war in Iraq. But, considering how much the left-wing media adores this guy -- and let us never forget that Obama has managed to send shivers up Chris Matthews’ leg -- I suppose nothing should surprise me. I mean, Sen. Obama is a man who’s been around for nearly 47 years and apparently every single person who is near and dear to him is a creep I would cross the street to avoid.
Also, isn’t it high time that people quit oohing and ahing about his oratorical skills? I’m willing to grant that so long as he is reading the work of his speech writers, he’s okay. But ask him a question off the cuff and he turns into Mortimer Snerd. Still, I suppose if I were desperately trying to pass myself off as a centralist when I was really a left-wing radical, I’d get nervous, too.
Much has been made of Sen. Obama’s reluctance to meet with General Petraeus and his refusal to travel to Iraq with or without Sen.McCain, but I, personally, don’t blame him. After all, what could he possibly say afterwards when all the evidence suggests that, thanks to the surge, things are turning out just swell over there? It’s one thing to pat oneself on the back for being the most prescient member of the Illinois legislature and quite another to admit to having been a nincompoop. Read article.
Obama's Very Bad Week
Hugh Hewitt, Townhall.com
With the pressure on Obama did what he has done before --he played the race card, asserting that John McCain would try and scare voters because of Obama's name, his insufficient patriotism, and because Obama doesn't look the presidents on the dollar bills. Put aside the gaffe about presidents being on dollar bills --just another in a long string from Mr. 57 States-- and note that this is the second time in recent weeks when Obama reflexively played a race card.
McCain won the week, or rather Obama lost it. Even the MSM began to notice the "all hat, no cattle" aspect of Obama's campaign, asking "What has he ever done? What does he propose to do, specifically?"
And as a backdrop to it all, an emerging an undeniable victory in Iraq that, had Obama had his way, would not only have been prevented but which would have seen genocide in its place.
Obama doesn't understand the war, and increasingly seems not to understand the American voter. Read article.
The Barack Bubble
David R. Stokes, Townhall.com
It might be constructive, maybe even essential, to think of the whole Barack Obama phenomenon as a gigantic bubble. It has captured pan-cultural attention and transcends the humdrum of mere mortal politics. Expectations are inflated. Rational analysis has been muted. Look, up in the sky – it’s a bird, it’s a plane no, it’s Super Senator above the political fray soaring in his designer soap bubble.
The value of Barack Obama’s stock is sky high these days. His most devoted followers assume this upward trend will continue. Happy days are just around the corner. Can’t you just feel the love and unity? Not to mention the change?
And back on earth, those who should be watching more closely, and asking tough questions, seem to have temporarily (we can only hope) suspended their capacity for serious investigation while following the bubble-beacon here, there, and everywhere.
What does it say about legacy mainstream media outlets when it is left to the likes of Katie Couric to ask the man from Illinois an actual tough question with a measure of ferocity (at least for her)? Read article.
Don't Count Johnny Mac Out
Jamie Johnson, NMJ.us
John McCain is slowly and steadily rising in the national polls despite the media's over-the-top coverage of Barack Obama's Middle East trip. Don't count Johnny Mac out -- those who do usually lose. He is the closest thing to the Energizer Bunny that anyone has seen in modern politics.
Remember where McCain was in the Spring of 2007. The one-time front-runner had hit rock bottom. People were telling him to pack it in -- that it was all over. The money had dried up. He had to lay off his campaign team. He had to start carrying his own bags in airports. And that was when it happened -- that was when he reconnected with the common man -- the guy who ultimately decides every election.
In the midst of all the Obama worship, we need to ask ourselves one question: Who will the common man vote for on November 4? Read article.
We Need John McCain as President
Geoff Metcalf, NewsWithView.com
The upcoming presidential election is critically important. At this point in our history it is not the time for gestures, petulance or posturing. Time to “Man Up!”
I am not an apologist for Sen. John McCain. He would not be my first choice for president. However, Thomas Jefferson is dead, and Ron Paul or Bob Barr are not going to restore the republic in our lifetime. Sure McCain is the lesser of available evils, but hey…
Complaints about McCain being the lesser of available evils are true. However, itching and moaning that support of McCain compromises conservative principles are naïve, counter-intuitive, divisive and flat out dangerous.
Barack Obama is a significant huge honking threat to the United States of America and the remnants of the republic. THAT is an empirical reality that cannot and should not be overshadowed by frustration or angst with McCain. Read article.
Demonomic Déjà Vu
Mark Alexander, Patriot Post.us
Barack Hussein Obama’s economic plan is nothing more than a remake of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s class-warfare proclamation: “Here is my principle: Taxes shall be levied according to ability to pay. That is the only American principle.”
In fact, Roosevelt’s “principle” was no more American than Obama’s. Not to be confused with the biblical principle in the Gospel according to Luke, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be required...” (which, ironically, some Leftist do-gooders cite as justification for socialist policies), Roosevelt was essentially paraphrasing the gospel according to Karl Marx, whose maxim declared, “From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs.”
Jesus used parables to enlighten the heart, in this case, about our personal responsibility. Marxist methods are a bit more coercive—rejecting God and anointing the state as the supreme deity.
Soviet dictator Nikita Khrushchev said of Roosevelt’s “New Deal” paradigm shift, “We can’t expect the American people to jump from Capitalism to Communism, but we can assist their elected leaders in giving them small doses of Socialism, until they awaken one day to find that they have Communism.”
Perennial Socialist Party presidential candidate Norman Thomas (the grandfather, incidentally, of Newsweek Assistant Managing Editor Evan Thomas), echoed that sentiment: “The American people will never knowingly adopt Socialism. But under the name of ‘liberalism’ they will adopt every fragment of the Socialist program, until one day America will be a Socialist nation, without knowing how it happened.”
We are much closer to that day in 2008. Read article.
The Impending American Tragedy
Dick McDonald, Dick McDonald.Blogspot.com
If there ever was a time in American history where there was a greater disconnect between the American people and the leaders they elect to govern them it is the Summer of 2008. The American people want to be independent of Middle-Eastern oil and want to drill in America to solve this problem. Yet the ruling party in Congress adamantly says no to this idea and blocks legislation by never scheduling it for a vote..
The American people have such a low opinion of Congress its approval rating is only 9%. There is no mystery here the people have been promised the American Dream of financial independence for over 70 years and are farther away today than their parents were two generations ago.
Through a confluence of disastrous economic policies, taxation, inflation and “global warming” are eating up whatever meager nest eggs ordinary Americans had saved. Those who can barely survive are eating and driving a whole lot less this summer. One might ask where did we go wrong.
Collectively the American people have not been wrong. They know that collectivism doesn’t work. They know that government is not the answer. Yet they are so desperate for relief from the failures of their leaders they are willing to elect an avowed collectivist, an admitted disciple of a long list of socialist and communist mentors for president. They are willing to do this because he is ariculate, talks to their hopes and dreams, promises to "change" the "failed" policies of the past and promises to deliver a better future. Unfortunately the illusion of Barack Obama will never meet reality. Read article.
Barack Obama: the Triumph of Emotionalism Over Reason
Arnold Ahlert, Political Mavens.com
It has been difficult for many Americans to fathom why a political lightweight like Barack Obama has gotten as far as he has. The answer is simple. Forty years of public school education “chickens” have “come home to roost:” thinking and feelings have become interchangeable.
Once one understands this dynamic, everything becomes clear. Barack Obama’s entire presidential campaign–with a giant assist from a “star-struck” media–revolves around being the more “emotionally satisfying” candidate. His handlers have deduced that, for many Americans (perhaps even a voting majority), the most important qualification for president is to be someone who makes them “feel good.”
Thus, it matters not how much he changes positions, mangles policy or grossly underestimates our enemies. Such “details” only matter to Americans who still believe the presidency is a position of utmost seriousness. Many other Americans want someone who, as Chris Matthews put it, makes them feel “a thrill going up my leg.”
In a country where reason were ascendant, such a vapidly adolescent endorsement of a candidate’s “expertise” would be a liability. In an America besotted by celebrity, “infotainment,”and ten-second attention spans, “thrilling” may be the ultimate asset. Read article.
The messiah who can't break away
Wesley Pruden, JWR.com
" Barack Obama leads in the polls, but every pollster understands the butterflies in the bellies of sober Democrats. With everything going for him, why hasn't Barack Obama put a little daylight between himself and John McCain? Querulous minds want to know.
Where, asks Kellyanne Conway of the Polling Company, is "the Barack bump?" Where, indeed.
Many of the reporters traveling with Mr. Obama on his Magical Mystery Tour of the Middle East (and certain European beachheads of Islam) and the giddy pundits have been treating him as if he were, in Mzz Conway's description, "the fifth Beatle."
Gallup found a tiny weekend bump ‘ perhaps a pimple or a zit ‘ over the weekend, and on Sunday put his advantage at 9 points. This is getting close to something significant, but Gallup cautions that "the key question remains as to whether this 'bounce' is short-term. Read article.
Change He Can Steamroll
Monica Crowley, Political Mavens
Over the past year and a half, Barack Obama has sold himself as the Hope Guy Who Transcends Party, Race, and Generation and Who Can Bring Us All Together. Americans tired of fierce and unproductive partisanship and of the same, old tired political fistfights look to Obama to usher in a new way of doing things: a post-partisan, civilized coming together to find common ground and compromise.
What a load of B.S.
Last week, the Obama campaign sent out a letter on behalf of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee that made two points, one implicit and the other explicit.
The implicit point is that Obama himself has no problem raising money for his own campaign, and he’s got the presidency in the bag.
The explicit point is that since Obama’s already won this thing, he’s asking donors to focus on supporting Democratic candidates for Congress. Said the letter, “We must have a deadlock-proof Democratic majority.”
So the guy running on “unity” and “working across the aisle” has neither the desire nor the intention to foster “unity” or “work across the aisle.”
He wants to pound the Republicans into dust so he doesn’t have to deal with them at all. He wants a Democratic majority so lopsided that he can plow his far-left agenda right through. And he wants so many Democrats crawling the hallways of Capitol Hill that he won’t have to work as hard at all that exhausting and pesky persuasion and compromise. Read article.
Barack Obama: voters are nervous about me
Tim Reid, TimesOnline.co.uk
Barack Obama conceded yesterday that US voters were nervous about making him their next president as fresh polls showed him in an increasingly tight race against John McCain, his Republican rival.
The Democratic candidate sought to explain why he has not seen a significant bounce in the polls after his international tour last week - with a new survey showing Mr McCain taking a lead for the first time since Mr Obama secured his party's nomination.
Mr Obama's aides say that it is relatively early in the general election cycle, but there is a growing anxiousness about why he is not doing better against Mr McCain, who has so far run an unimpressive, disjointed and at times shambolic campaign.
Nagging at Mr Obama are memories of his big defeats to Hillary Clinton in the later stages of their primary battle, when white, working-class voters turned their backs on him.
Going back farther, there are other nail-biting historical precedents: in three elections when there was no incumbent president on the ballot - 2000 (Bush-Gore), 1968 (Nixon-Humphrey) and 1960 (Nixon-Kennedy) - the winner entered the White House with a margin of victory of less than 1per cent. Read article.
familysecuritymatters.org |
