Obama is not President yet …
posted at 4:15 pm on January 2, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Liza Porteus Viana at AOL’s Political Machine produces a round-up of blogospheric and media reactions to the deafening silence coming from Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton on Israel’s operations in Gaza. Obama has kept a low profile in Hawaii during the holidays, and even when conducting business, has limited himself to discussing Cabinet appointments and refrained from most policy discussions, especially on foreign affairs. The fact that he’s not yet President has sunk in with Obama, but not the Obamaniacs around the world:
-”The truce Hamas had meticulously upheld was shattered when Israel attacked Gaza, killing six Palestinians, as The Guardian reported on 5 November. A blatant disregard for the facts, it seems, will not leave the White House with George W. Bush on 20 January. Axelrod also recalled Obama’s visit to Israel last July when he ignored Palestinians and visited the Israeli town of Sderot. There, Obama declared: ‘If somebody was sending rockets into my house where my two daughters sleep at night, I’m going to do everything in my power to stop that. I would expect Israelis to do the same thing.’ This should not surprise anyone. Despite pervasive wishful thinking that Obama would abandon America’s pro-Israel bias, his approach has been almost indistinguishable from the Bush administration’s.” - Electronic Intifada
-”President-elect Barack Obama is getting whacked by the left for declining to comment on Israel’s onslaught on Gaza, but his prudent silence is just as discomfiting to the Israeli government and its allies here in the United States. They wanted a ringing endorsement of their bombardment.” – The First Post, U.K.
-”President-elect Barack Obama and Secretary of State-to-be Hillary Clinton were shamefully silent in the first hours after the attack. Bush’s reaction, and the non-reaction by Obama and Clinton, underscores the point that Hanan Ashrawi made on Saturday. ‘Israel has gotten used to not being held accountable and to being a country that is above the law,’ said the Palestinian legislator and human rights activist. She called the bombings a ‘massacre.’” — The Progressive
-”But some fear that the US president-elect’s reluctance to speak out on the Gaza raids could be sending its own message. ‘Silence sounds like complicity,’ Mark Perry, the Washington Director of the Conflicts Forum group, told Al Jazeera. ‘Obama has said that Israel has the right to defend itself from rocket attacks but my question to him is ‘does he believe that Palestinians also have the right of self-defence?’” AlJazeera.net
-”Former London mayor Ken Livingstone and rights activist Bianca Jagger joined campaigners who have staged a week of rallies, culminating in a demonstration Saturday which will include a symbolic shoe protest outside Downing Street. ‘I would like to make an appeal to president elect Obama to speak up,’ said Jagger. ‘People throughout the world were hopeful when he was elected and we must appeal to him to ask for the immediate cessation of the bombardment of the civilian population in the Gaza Strip.’” - AFP
-”This was the time for President Elect Barack Obama to make a strong statement. He has not said anything; he has failed his first test as incoming president abysmally. …Obama has made several statements on the economy, and has even already devised a $750 billion stimulus of his own, in addition to all the programs that have been announced by the Bush Administration. Now when it comes to a vicious and disproportionate attack by Israel that has already claimed the lives of many children and women, the President Elect is not permitted to say a word because of some sort of protocol? What kind of nonsense is this?” – Black Star News
-”Obama and his aides should be openly counseling the Bush administration to use every diplomatic avenue to promote a ceasefire and, above all, to urge against an Israeli invasion and occupation of Gaza. Unfortunately, the president-elect is doing nothing of the sort. Some may imagine that this disengaged approach confirms Obama as a true ‘friend of Israel.’” - The Nation-”Obama has massive political capital, and could have injected himself into the crisis before it happened. He did so during the beginning of the economic meltdown, and could have lent his credibility to a situation that has spiralled dangerously out of control. Obama has stated that ‘There is only one President at a time’, abdicating responsibility and essentially passing the buck.” – Huffington Post
Some of these are just hilarious, especially the first. Hamas meticulously kept the truce until Israel attacked? They must have missed the public pronouncements by Hamas that they had unilaterally decided to end the truce, followed by the 200+ missile and rocket attacks on Israeli civilians from Gaza. Others assume that the only policy that should be pursued is that which forces Israel to stop defending itself after Hamas attacks, a policy that even Mahmoud Abbas and Egypt didn’t have the chutzpah to demand. Arab Times, the mouthpiece of the Saudi royal family, roundly condemned Hamas as the author of its own misery in a rambling and disjointed editorial.
Even putting aside the policy insanity these outlets demand, they miss one important point, which is that we have only one President at a time, and he sets foreign policy. Obama will become President soon enough, but until then, George Bush sets the policy and handles American diplomatic efforts. Had Obama interjected himself into the situation by demanding a different course of action, it would cripple whatever efforts the US would make over the next few weeks in that region, and pretty much anywhere else.
Give Obama some credit for understanding this and remaining appropriately in the background. He’s not abdicating any responsibility because he has no position to abdicate at the moment. Anyone who doesn’t understand that shows a lack of comprehension about American government and its traditions.
Blowback
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Unfortunately, the only way to win a war is to be ruthless. If you have any decency, it is hard to do the dirty work of war without being affected by it.
Alas, those that bray the loudest are those that do the most evil and those that don’t have a clue as to what war entails.
Israel is doing the dirty work for US. We should at least support them as they have supported us. We and they are in the right and we have a duty to defend the defenseless and free the oppressed. I have no respect for the strong who bully the weak nor for those that stand by and let it happen.
Obama is acting in exactly the correct manner.
Vince on January 2, 2009 at 6:21 PM
I think there is some value in showing the Islamic fundamentalists that Israel is willing to drop 1 ton bombs on the Hamas spiritual leader’s family in the days leading up to a filthy politician like Obama taking office. After all, Obama has already indicated that he won’t be the friend to Israel past administrations have been (he’s taking advice from Jimmy Carter after all).
highhopes on January 2, 2009 at 6:21 PM
In what world did Hamas uphold the truce?
I mean, I know there is virulent anti Joooooo hatred – there always has been. But when even the Saudis and Egyptians call out Hamas, you have to wonder what these journalists are on and who is pulling their strings.
Ares on January 2, 2009 at 6:21 PM
That 3 billion a year (if that number is even correct) is a paltry price to pay for the R&D that comes from direct usage of our military wares. Much of the technology we used in our most recent skirmishes have been “Tested” and tried against the barbarians that the Israeli’s are fighting. You also have to take into consideration the huge amounts of money the Israeli’s spend buying our military technology. Although I might agree that an isolationists policy would be nice in this day and age, the world has evolved and we the US of A have gone too far down the road to turn around now and have nothing to do with the other countries. So the next best thing is to be sure that other countries fighting our same enemies are given as much support as possible. And lodge, your “innocent civilian” comment is assinine when you take into consideration the barbaric nature of the people that are being battled.
rayvet on January 2, 2009 at 6:21 PM
In addition to what I stated at 6:19 PM, I also agree with your assessment as well. While Obama has no responsibility and *should* keep his nose out of things and allow the President to, you know, be the President until Jan 20th, I don’t believe Obama is doing it out of any respect for our nation or President Bush. He is doing it, because he is an incompetent, naive, ignorant tool who has no idea what he should do.
Michael in MI on January 2, 2009 at 6:22 PM
Well there’s your problem. Most of the people who wrote that garbage should be taken out, put against a wall, and shot! At the very least it will cause a drop in the bullshit index in 2009!
GarandFan on January 2, 2009 at 6:23 PM
Said it before, say it again:
Isolationism is the position of the intellectual nitwit and of a pure and utter coward. It takes no moral uprightness to stand on the side of history and shrug your shoulders. It takes no balls to stand aside whilst Muslim terrorists kill everyone who isn’t exactly like them.
Isolationism is the last refuge of the ballsless and the scoundrel.
mjk on January 2, 2009 at 6:24 PM
As far as making public statements, I agree but you’d better be hoping that the filthy bastard and his corrupt transition team have been doing more than talking about quid pro quo over the sale of his Senate seat. At 12:01 on January 20th this filthy politician will have an opinion that matters. Pray that he understands that fact and is wiling to respond whatever comes. Personally, I don’t see anything that is coming down from the hilltop in Chicago that gives me confidence that Obama is up for the job.
highhopes on January 2, 2009 at 6:24 PM
Obama is waiting until Jan. 20th and then he will solve the Middle East problem…right after he solves global warming and the financial crisis.
Don’t get impatient….
The Messiah is coming!
;-)
albill on January 2, 2009 at 6:25 PM
.
So the gardian is getting it’s talking points from hamas.
Johan Klaus on January 2, 2009 at 6:30 PM
Obama is correct to stay out of this until he has taken the oath.
Buy Danish on January 2, 2009 at 6:30 PM
highhopes:
I believe that you are of the opinion that Mr. Obama is unclean. Hmmmmmm?
Vince on January 2, 2009 at 6:31 PM
Kind of like Larry of The Three Stooges meticulously kept his hair combed and styled.
MB4 on January 2, 2009 at 6:35 PM
“Anyone who doesn’t understand that shows a lack of comprehension about American government and its traditions.”
Just as they always have, and always will.
Mike H on January 2, 2009 at 6:41 PM
Israel will not survive past 2009 with a Muslim as POTUS. There’s a reason why 80% of Israeli US citizens voted against him. What is unfortunate is that 80% of American Jews voted for him.
angryed on January 2, 2009 at 6:43 PM
One thing is certain . . . as his inauguration draws closer the left wing media are becoming more and more positive in their reporting of world and national events. It’s obvious that his propaganda machine is working well and is attempting to create the proper setting for his future success. Unfortunately, about 52% of the sheep in this country will bite and take it hook line and sinker.
rplat on January 2, 2009 at 6:49 PM
Obama has shown zero political courage, none, nada, not a smidgen. So why would he put himself in a position to take responsibility? Israel might be out of Gaza by the time he takes office. Then again knowing Obama is a weak leader they might be trudging through Gaza on the 20th. Then what can he do? The uhs will be flying fast and furious. When will the media notice he never makes a definitive statement? The American people should notice it rather quickly. Barack “broad strokes only” Obama. The details will be left to subordinates that can be thrown under the bus should things go wrong.
Theworldisnotenough on January 2, 2009 at 6:51 PM
What is unfortunate is that 80% of American Jews voted for him.
angryed on January 2, 2009 at 6:43 PM
Not this one.
TexasJew on January 2, 2009 at 6:52 PM
Israel will not survive past 2009 with a Muslim as POTUS. There’s a reason why 80% of Israeli US citizens voted against him. What is unfortunate is that 80% of American Jews voted for him.
angryed on January 2, 2009 at 6:43 PM
————-
OMFG OBAMA IS MUSLIM???!!!!! WOW! SUPER WOW!
80% of “Israeli US citizens” voted for McCain? Where’s your proof, Captain Tinfoil?
Dave Rywall on January 2, 2009 at 6:52 PM
Oh, he appears to be very hygenic- those dinner plate ears are always look squeaky clean. When it comes to the man’s politics he’s as filthy as any one that comes out of the Chicago school of political strategy. It’s a cesspool and the man has already proven himself to be a liar when he catagorically stated that he had no contact with Blago since the election.
Doesn’t it bother you that the man isn’t even in office yet and the corruption is already rampant among those in his closest circles including Imanuel’s role in Blago’s fire sale, Rezko and the shady house deal, not to mention racists like Jeremiah Wright and terrorists like Bill Ayers? Doesn’t it bother you that a filthy bastard with these connections is about to be in the top leadership position? It should.
highhopes on January 2, 2009 at 6:55 PM
IN PUBLIC. Given what is going on, this had better be part of the daily briefing that he’s getting and the man better be paying more attention to what he is being told than worrying about getting into Blair House early or what color suit he’s going to wear to get sworn in.
highhopes on January 2, 2009 at 6:57 PM
For his handling of this, I agree Ed. The moonbats it seems are deteremined to drive themselves crazy no matter what is going on or what those in or soon to be in power are doing or not doing.
Israel has the right to defend it’s self. Period, no exceptions. Just like any other country on this planet.
Hog Wild on January 2, 2009 at 7:02 PM
The filthy poltician and his gang of Chicago thugs have given us no reason to trust them at this point. They’ve already been caught lying about their involvement with the Blago scandal. In a couple weeks this filthy bastard is going to be in a position of responsibility. To be part of the “loyal opposition” it is my right and duty to question everything that this bastard says or does. I love this nation in ways that the bastard doesn’t and I’ll be damned to see it go down in flames because of this environment where morons are demanding we don’t question a thing the bastard says and does.
Put simply, I will question everything until he says and does until the bastard has proven he is worthy of trust. I don’t see anything hysterical in watching out for the best interests of the nation. More people should be out there questioning all their public officials on a daily basis.
highhopes on January 2, 2009 at 7:20 PM
Didn’t read all the comments—-so this may have already been said: IF ONLY ASSWIPES LIKE JIMMY CARTER COULD FOLLOW OBAMA’S COMMON SENSE….
Rovin on January 2, 2009 at 7:28 PM
Obama doesn’t want to come back…he wanted to run a lifelong campaign. Action is not in his nature.
tomas on January 2, 2009 at 7:42 PM
Ed has no credibility. He’s looking for ways to pull a pat robertson and find goodness in what Obama does or doesn’t do. Go ahead, Ed, jump on the bandwagon already. After all, it doesn’t matter if the country or the world goes down in flames, as long as we’re all TOGETHER.
TTheoLogan on January 2, 2009 at 7:45 PM
You been drinkin’ in that hopenchange kindness, Ed. There are lots of politic things he could have said which wouldn’t have interfered with the President.
I think The One was simply relieved to be able to vote “present” for a short while longer. I personally expect to see a lot of Expressions of Grave Concern, a few Sternly Worded Letters and a lot of deference to The International Community after the 20th.
eeyore on January 2, 2009 at 8:08 PM
Oh, now George is competent.
A fact strangely missing from Nightly News.
Speakup on January 2, 2009 at 8:09 PM
…still reading Atlas Shrugged, and, you know what?
The only people on this Earth that truly resemble Rand’s “looters” are the Palestinians (though the Camera Rouge were arguably even more degenerate). Prosperity is a vice, failure a virtue, and the submission and sacrifice of others is seen as a right.
Count to 10 on January 2, 2009 at 8:11 PM
It’s too bad you didn’t put a tenth of this vitriol against Obama back when it made a difference, BEFORE the election, and decided to campaign against the republican nominee and turn off as many people as possible who read your comments instead because of your one issue stance on immigration. Thanks. Thanks a lot.
wise_man on January 2, 2009 at 8:11 PM
Standing up and being held accountable for his actions is not in this filthy politician’s character. I didn’t always agree with GWB’s actions- particularly on the fiscal front- but he NEVER blamed Congress or some other source for the consequences of his administration’s policies.
We aren’t going to get more of that accountability with the bastard about to enter the White House. Obama and his apologists will always find something/someone to blame Obama’s policy failures on (while taking complete credit for any success). It’s not the bastard’s fault, he’s just been promoted to a position for which he is utterly unqualified. Outside the corruption of Chicago/Illinois politics the bastard is clueless. He’s going to rely on his handlers to give him the political solution.
highhopes on January 2, 2009 at 8:12 PM
That’s right. There are no Palestinian terrorists, not even adult Palestinian men. The Palestinians were all women and children. But they’re all dead now. I saw it on CNN.
DarkCurrent on January 2, 2009 at 8:12 PM
Go away you traitor. You should be getting ready to celebrate Obama’s victory since you are one of the Quislings that engineered a filthy politician taking office over a qualified candidate. When the next terrorist attack occurs on American soil, I will blame you more than Obama because your strident demand to prop McCain up as the only viable candidate doomed the party and the nation. I can’t tell you in this format how much hatred I have for traitors like you.
highhopes on January 2, 2009 at 8:16 PM
Here you are dumbass:
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/Flash.aspx/155045
(IsraelNN.com) Three out of four Americans in Israel who have cast absentee ballots for next week’s presidential election support Republican John McCain over Democrat Barack Obama, according to a survey conducted by Vote from Israel, a nonpartisan group that has encouraged Americans to vote. An exit poll was one of the features Vote from Israel had at a Tuesday session for submitting ballots that was held at the Jerusalem offices of the Orthodox Union.
Any other questions?
angryed on January 2, 2009 at 8:20 PM
And the flipside for Drywall the dunce:
http://www.ynet.co.il/english/articles/0,7340,L-3618408,00.html
WASHINGTON – The majority of Jewish voters in the US presidential election voted for the Democratic Party’s candidate, and now US president-elect, Barack Obama, Wednesday’s segmentation of the votes revealed.
According to the data, 78% of the Jewish voters in the US lent their vote to Obama while only 21% voted for his opponent, Republican Senator John McCain.
Can you please go away now?
angryed on January 2, 2009 at 8:25 PM
With the strategy of killing as many of the filth as possible? I don’t know of any war that has been won tieing a bulls-eye to your backside and trying to talk reason to an unreasonable psychotic people.
If you have an example of it, do tell.
I think they win only if they go all out. I say…Israel...go ALL OUT. Don’t listen to anyone else but your own gut. To do so is handing the enemy the very knife to slit your throat.
As far as the human rights (so called) end of it goes.
Be as compassionate as they are and have been to you.
Although, I would say try to stay away from willfully killing the women and children.
Try your best in that regard.
But kill the roaches. Do it right this time. Or simply stop complaining about it if your unwilling to do the job you know in your bones has to be done.
World criticism from the limp wristed and noodle spined be damned .
Handel on January 2, 2009 at 8:26 PM
But on the subject of this thread, Obama hasn’t done or said anything yet. Please don’t read that as me defending Obama, that’s just the facts. And the moonbats are going crazy over that, another fact.
Truth be told, in THIS instance, Obama has been conducting himself appropriately by not injecting himself into this conflict. Now on just about everything else, that’s a different subject.
Hog Wild on January 2, 2009 at 8:28 PM
And finally for Drywall the Dunce:
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3613689,00.html
Poll: Israel votes McCain in US elections
Survey finds 46% of Israelis would vote for Republican nominee if given chance to elect US president; Democrat Barack Obama receives 34% of votes. Almost half of those polled believe McCain would better impact Jewish state
Roni Sofer
Published: 10.27.08, 12:41 / Israel News
Israel chooses John McCain over Barack Obama in the US presidential elections, a survey conducted by the TNS Teleseker polling agency found. The Republican nominee defeated his Democratic opponent by a margin of over 12% among the adult Jewish population in the State.
Sorry Drywall the Dunce. Any way you spin it, Israelis – whether American citizens or not – know that Obama is bad news for them.
angryed on January 2, 2009 at 8:28 PM
no…obama is trying to do the same thing obama has always tried to do. Walk the fence. By not having a stance. It wont work on this level. The world doesnt play by the standards the morons in chicago have been willing to play by as they watch thier city go down the crapper.
At some point…At SOME TIME…”hope and change” is going to have to mean something. And it cant be pleasing to all sides.
In other words…there is no ‘present’ vote here.
Mowgli the man cub president is (along with his idiotic slogan)..is going to have to stand for something.
To try and do otherwise means jimmy carter part deux.
Handel on January 2, 2009 at 8:34 PM
The O’Bummer should just vote PRESENT and wave his magic wand to fix the HAMAS killer problems.
***
Stand by to watch “Hope and Change” in action. I think the HAMAS terrorists and their supporters / enablers will love us once again when the evil George Bush leaves office.
***
Maybe the Messiah should make a personal visit to the war zone to explain the error of their ways to HAMAS.
***
John Bibb
rocketman on January 2, 2009 at 8:36 PM
http://www.plainsradio.com
BHO is not president yet and maybe never will be.
Birthers check this out.
infidelgranny on January 2, 2009 at 8:37 PM
Yeah, we’ll know when dear leader is president…when the bombs start dropping on our heads.
HornetSting on January 2, 2009 at 8:38 PM
fify, fogw, gratis
Entelechy on January 2, 2009 at 8:45 PM
DITTO!
christene on January 2, 2009 at 9:07 PM
Even if BO is a Muslim, I think Israel will never be destroyed. It may take alot of hits and lose battles but the nation will exist until the very last days before the Lord returns. Its a miracle that Israel was founded again and exists even after being surrounded by millions calling for its total destruction.
garydt on January 2, 2009 at 9:35 PM
Oh brother. Seriously…oh, nevermind.
anuts on January 2, 2009 at 9:38 PM
While I don’t argue that’s Obama’s track record. But if he spoke up, he would be criticized for speaking out of place here on HotAir. The cries of “he’s only the President Elect, Bush is still the President” being a favorite chant I’m sure.
Maybe Obama has finally grown up. Maybe he’s getting sound advice from his NSA retired USMC Commandant General Jones.
Obama is not the President yet, it’s not his place to inject himself into this conflict, and so far he hasn’t done so. So in this instance, in my humble opinion, Obama is doing the right thing. I’m more than sure he will do 100 different things in the first 100 days to drive me bonkers. And when he does I’ll be first in line to make a principled and intelligent critisism.
The moonbats never gave President Bush credit for anything and criticized him on everything even when he was absolutely right. That’s what makes them moonbats and what makes them easily ignored. I’m not going to follow their example.
Hog Wild on January 2, 2009 at 9:44 PM
People, Obama is many negative things to our Founders, Constitution, capitalism, our country in general, etc.
He is not a Muslim.
He is an American citizen by birth.
Any possibility of us concentrating on the real and tangible issues concerning our new soon to be POTUS and less energy on jackassery? Pretty please…?
anuts on January 2, 2009 at 9:47 PM
Aren’t those mutually exclusive?
BacaDog on January 2, 2009 at 9:49 PM
you are insane
wise_man on January 2, 2009 at 9:49 PM
Of course he is. And of course your opinion is valid. But this is so fundamental, it amuses me that some feel the need to congratulate someone on something they are supposed to do.
It’s akin to being proud of a parent who feeds their child.
anuts on January 2, 2009 at 9:56 PM
Is anyone else worried that Obama’s Kool-Aid will now be served by Jim Jones?
I was actually going to agree with Ed on this one, and give Obama some credit–but after further thought, I realized that I would be giving Obama credit for doing nothing.
lodge–you need to check your history. The U. S. won a military victory in Viet Nam–and then isolationist liberals forced a withdrawal before the new government was stabilized, resulting in the slaughter of 3,000,000 people. As for Iraq, the SOFA is finalized and we’ve handed over the Green Zone. What more do you want?
Finally, I think this situation in Israel would be a lot clearer if people stopped referring to the Muslim population as “Palestinians.” There’s no such thing. “Palestinian” was made up in 1967 to drum up international sympathy by portraying these people as being ethnically attached to the area called “Palestine” (which is actually a reference to “Falatein,” Greek-speaking pirates who raided the area centuries ago). These people are Jordanians; they’re just so crazy and brain-washed that even Jordan doesn’t want them back.
q2600 on January 2, 2009 at 9:58 PM
*sigh*
He was born a muslim, of a muslim father and then the adopted(?) son of a muslim step-father, who spent his formative years in a muslim country at schools registered as a muslim. As to whether he is a muslim now, you don’t know – no one does. Those are the facts of this matter, so stop pretending that you know something more.
And you know this how? … You don’t.
The issues surrounding the Precedent-Elect’s background and eligibility are as real as issues get. If you are scared to broach these issues then I doubt you’ll be very effective at any of the other issues.
progressoverpeace on January 2, 2009 at 10:01 PM
Out of curiosity, what exactly did you do in the effort to prevent said filthy politician from winning?
And if possible, spare me the drama. It’s very unbecoming.
anuts on January 2, 2009 at 10:04 PM
Sure, he knows he’s not president yet and this fight is a political loser for everybody, but the Left believe he is the anointed one. Why should he not step right in and rescue the world?! Time’s a wasting!
PattyJ on January 2, 2009 at 10:09 PM
I read Ed’s comments differently, being he cited moonbat and terrorist supporting sites cricitizing the President Elect for acting like what he is, a private citizen. He resigned his Senate seat, he has not been sworn in as President.
I don’t think I was congratulating Obama for doing the right thing, as I don’t think that was Ed’s intent either but he can speak for himself. I just find it comically ironic how the left shows it’s true colors and idiotic logic.
There will be plenty to criticize Obama about in the four years to come without looking like a foaming at the mouth lunatic (typical left wing moonbat).
Hog Wild on January 2, 2009 at 10:14 PM
I am making no assumptions, therefore, I don’t have to pretend anything. I won’t argue his father, step-father, early childhood history. He has, several times, referenced his Christian faith. Been a member of a church (although one arguably worse than being a Muslim) for over 20 years. It is far more reasonable to take at face value of what someone is now through association during their whole adult life as opposed to what one was before the age of 5. Especially without making any assumptions.
Again, it’s being very presumptuous on anyone for them to expect me to believe that in 1961 the following occured:
a very late term pregnant teenager (mother was born in Kansas, by the way) in Hawaii boarded a plane for Africa for…well, that’s the thing really. What kind of sense exactly does that make? What could possibly motivate one enough to risk their pregnancy and want to endure the logistical nightmare that a trip like that would entail in 1961?
I certainly won’t be effective in continuing down this road of irrationality. I do try to leave kooks arguing over insane propositions. But feel free. I’m sure you’ll be…uh…more effective.
anuts on January 2, 2009 at 10:34 PM
Sorry Hoggy. With all due respect, I don’t buy it.
I am not expecting obama to start issuing policy. I do expect him to take SOME position. OR at the very least, stand on the foreign policy that he ran on.
WHATS THAT? Was there no questions about a middle east crisis during the campaign?
No. There wasn’t. Not much at all. Therefore, He has nothing to really fall back on because NO POSITION WAS TAKEN AT THAT TIME EITHER.
This is not the form of a leader. This is the form of someone that wants to PLAY leader.
And thats dangerous.
The country, the world is waiting to see what his actual STANCES are. ON EVERYTHING. It is HIS job right now (from the campaign on to now) to start showing some spine and vision.
That is how nerves are calmed.
Be it wall street, main street USA, or streets across the world.
We should have an idea, SOME IDEA of where he wants to go. And we don’t.
The reason is…because he doesn’t know either.
My “hope and change” is this.
I HOPE he doesn’t blow us up. Because at this point, its too damn late for the morons of this country to CHANGE their mind.
Handel on January 2, 2009 at 10:37 PM
Agree. I think that’s not only reasonable, but likely.
anuts on January 2, 2009 at 10:38 PM
I say this as a conservative so take this in the spirit its meant.
Many of you are pretty much getting to the point of being ridiculous.
“Johnny come lately s”
You were all late in getting behind a more conservative candidate when you had the chance. This is true of many conservative radio show hosts like laura ingraham. Then when there was no more time left and a choice HAD to be made…they jumped to romney. Toooooo laaaate!
Stuck with mccain…
and then the johnny come latleys just bitched and whined about it.
Bitched and whined about mccain. For being mccain.
Truth is…the ‘johnny come latley’s’ were every bit as much to blame for the nov loss as McCain.
“plenty to criticize obama in the four years”….Well I say theres plenty to criticize right now.
YOU “johnny’s” start later (just as in the primaries)…
I’m starting right now. But with that, let me just say that until the time when your willing to awaken out of your slumber….you are just dead weight.
Handel on January 2, 2009 at 10:48 PM
You have no idea. Count your blessings you didn’t waste any of your time with him and the others of the same mind back then. Suffice it to say, they trashed the republican nominee, lied about him, and tried to convince as many people as possible not to support him because of amnesty – something that we as conservative could have fought McCain after he became the next president. They got their wish, that teh evil El Capie-tan McShamnesty lost, and that the lesser of the two evils, Obama won.
wise_man on January 2, 2009 at 11:05 PM
To each their on “Handy”. You think Obama should be holding daily press confrences on world events before he’s sworn in? Then you sir are entitled to that opinion. But faulting him for allowing the current President to handle is a stance that is riddled with weak points and smacks of MoveOn / HuffPost / DKos levels of reasoning. And you are perfectly within your rights to make such assertions.
I’m just going to wait on something worth criticizing is all.
Hog Wild on January 2, 2009 at 11:46 PM
You couldn’t even get the “facts” correct in your rebuttal. I would think about that before you go spouting off about “irrationality” and “kooks”, next time.
progressoverpeace on January 2, 2009 at 11:52 PM
Ineffectuality, thy name is liberal. Treachery, thy name is Democrat.
This country could do amazing things for humanity if it wasn’t for the fact that 50% of the population has been brainwashed into thinking that the noblest thing they can do is piss on their own country. The fact that pissing on things is their only skill is just a coincidence, I am sure.
drunyan8315 on January 2, 2009 at 11:58 PM
And you’re an idiot. People like you are the reason why we lost this last election. Couldn’t climb down off your high horse long enough to vote for the better candidate. Not the “perfect” candidate, just the only other candidate that was better than Obama.
I hope you are satisfied.
Hog Wild on January 3, 2009 at 12:10 AM
Who can take an election win, sprinkle it with dew
Cover it with choc’late and a trillion bucks or two
The Obama Man, oh the Obama Man can
The Obama Man can ’cause he mixes it with hope and change and makes the whole thing taste good
Who can get in step with Congress, wrap it all in a sigh
Soak it in the sun and make a groovy economic pie
The Obama Man, the Obama Man can
The Obama Man can ’cause he mixes it with hope and change and makes the whole thing taste good
The Obama Man makes everything he does satisfying and delicious
Now you talk about your childhood wishes, you can even eat his best wishes
Oh, who can take tomorrow, dip it in a dream
Separate the sorrow and collect up all the cream
The Obama Man, oh the Obama Man can
The Obama Man can ’cause he mixes it with hope and change and makes the whole thing taste good
The Obama Man makes everything he does satisfying and delicious
Talk about your childhood wishes, you can even eat his best wishes
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Cheshire Cat on January 3, 2009 at 12:29 AM
McCain defeated McCaim. Stop blaming us who were (and still are) underwhlmed by that RINO.
He was a crappy candidate who nakedly colluded with Huckabee to knock off Romney, who was the only candidate on the Republican side who could make a coherent and compelling case for conservatism. McCain is not a Presidential candidate, but a good choice for a much more limited position as a defence Sec. He has always been either too vain and/or too stupid to acknowledge that blazingly obvious fact.
McCain’s pathetic performances at the debates, his drama-queen dash to Washington and his promises to shut down his campaign in the middle of a critical Presidential election showed just how limited he was as a candidate and as a leader.
He was as bad as Dole, if not worse.
I voted for him while holding my nose. like millions of other conservatives. I cannot forgive the Republican Party for forcing McCain – a RINO to the core and a sickingly nasty old man – upon us during so critical an election.
TexasJew on January 3, 2009 at 12:31 AM
As the professional I will be the judge of who is insane around here. And let me tell you something, you have been skating on very thin ice for some time now.
Sigmund on January 3, 2009 at 12:34 AM
I quite agree with you. And the moral of that is: Be what you would seem to be, or if you’d like it put more simply: Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise.
Cheshire Cat on January 3, 2009 at 12:40 AM
Well said, TexasJew, except that McCain’s suspension of his campaign to go to Washington and find out what the heck was going on with the insane bailout was exactly the right move – one of the few correct moves McCain made during the campaign. McCain just screwed it up, royally. Then he let the left, and BHO, just make sh#t up about the whole situation and never bothered even trying to defend himself (or us, as he was representing us – who he hated).
progressoverpeace on January 3, 2009 at 12:40 AM
Why should people that generally DON’T believe in personal responsibility be expected to acknowledge FACTS and tell the TRUTH? Whether it’s stealing elections, providing ACORN with slush funds, sticking 80k in freezers, or putting their collective heads in the sand (ala ostriches) when their Che loving buddies commit crimes of ALL KINDS, “progressives” are really only after the dismemberment of civilization…and anarchy.
Gohawgs on January 3, 2009 at 12:54 AM
progressoverpeace on January 3, 2009 at 12:40 AM
I diagree. It was an insane move, and as soon as McCain started clucking around and wound up doing nothing, his numbers tanked and tanked for good.
Obama just silently sat there with his dazed litttle head stuck up his derriere and wound up looking “statesmanlike” -absurdly enough.
All of the scary things about McCain – his semipsychotic ravings, his herky-jerky inconsistencies and that strange borderline creepiness that is the essence of his persona – came together at that moment and millions of Americans simply thought to themselves – “No way!”
TexasJew on January 3, 2009 at 12:55 AM
I quite agree with you. And the moral of that is: Be what you would seem to be, or if you’d like it put more simply: Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise.
Cheshire Cat on January 3, 2009 at 12:40 AM
McCain: That is certainly not unmeaningless, my friends, (cue: creepy smile)
TexasJew on January 3, 2009 at 1:00 AM
Now, I mostly agree with you, here. McCain blew it. But I, for one, was absolutely incensed that both Presidential candidates (who were Senators) would be galavanting around the country while the most insane Congressional action ever considered was coming down the pike.
My view is that the decision to go back to Washington was correct but that McCain screwed it all up after that.
Yes. BHO’s actions during that time were absurd (I loved the way they played his “deer in the headlights” reaction as being cool and calm. I’ve hardly seen a bigger joke … except for some of the other insane things that BHO did during the campaign that sent tingles up the legs of retards.
Well, I don’t go this far. I despise McCain and think he’s a boob, but all that “erratic” stuff was made-up by the BHO campaign and carried by the MSM (funny how the lines coming out of BHO ended up being the lines of almost all MSM reporters – along with many others!). I give McCain some leeway on this issue, since the MSM never covered him, except to make fun of everything he did – so for McCain it was like screaming into the aether. The idiot, unfortunately, didn’t realize that that meant that he had to talk to conservatives, who would carry his message … but McCain hated conservatives too much to ever try to talk to us.
McCain lost a lot of votes because it was clear that he had surrendered to BHO and the MSM.
progressoverpeace on January 3, 2009 at 1:05 AM
If you got behind the nominee and voted for him, there is nothing to blame. The primaries were decided by the time it got to my state, and McCain was not my first choice either.
But this sense that Handel is backing “agree with me 100% of the time or be gone” is just plain silly.
The only person I agree with 100% of the time is me. And my wife if she happens to ask… and only if I am under duress.
Hog Wild on January 3, 2009 at 1:11 AM
And on the 7th day he shall rest.
Probably have a waffle, too.
Yoop on January 3, 2009 at 2:07 AM
OK, fine. Show me the way. What are the facts..?
anuts on January 3, 2009 at 3:31 AM
The picture looks like a ventriloquist’s dummy to me.
DarkCurrent on January 3, 2009 at 5:33 AM
Barry’s pulling a Bill Clinton. No, he’s not fooling around. He’s portraying himself as a Moderate instead of a Leftist. If he sides with the Left, he will alienate the rest of the country. If he pretends to be Moderate, he thinks he will gain respect. You had better be believing he is carefully choosing his words and his stance on hot-button issues like this.
kingsjester on January 3, 2009 at 9:46 AM
Obama Campaign Contributions found to be Suspect in the Extreme
Puma-Pac has asked the FEC to audit the Obama Campaign books “for cause.” All written complaints on this matter must be posted (emailed) to the FEC by Monday at:
agencypro2008@fec.gov
To see what PUMA-PAC uncovered in suspect donations, go to:
http://pumapac.org/forums/feck-obama-team/
UnderstandingisPower on January 3, 2009 at 10:50 AM
I think this article sums up the selective positions that Mr.”President elect,look at my official seal”Obama chooses to speak out on and the negative effect his lack of “REAL” leadership has on our allies:
BAM STIRS FEARS IN ISRAEL
By RALPH PETERS
January 1, 2009 –
http://www.nypost.com/php/pfriendly/print.php?url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/01012009/news/columnists/bam_stirs_fears_in_israel_146762.htm
This part here goes directly to the heart of this thread.Obama had no problem speaking out on safe political issues like the economy because everybody is talking about the economy.The risk here is minimal because each party is looking for answers.
Taking a stand for Israel would be a whole different story.It would inflame his left-wing base and be risky politically.
No difference in the Blago/Rahm situation.
“Don’t waste your question” the press got thrown back at them concerning the very few questions his activists friends in the press dared to ask.
This sums Obama up well in this situation:
Obama is only a leader when it suits him politically and his staff has done enough polling to inform him on what position to take.
Baxter Greene on January 3, 2009 at 10:57 AM
who the hell are you?
wise_man on January 3, 2009 at 11:18 AM
You assume much hoggsy.
Where did I say (ever) that I want obama to have ‘daily press conferences’?
where? Ummm..try nowhere.
Where did I say that I fault him for letting ‘W’ handle things right now?
(insert jeopardy music for the ‘slow of mind’ here)
Ummmmm..nowhere.
I don’t fault him for letting ‘w’ take the lead. I DO fault him for not having ANY STANCE WHATSOVER.
Do YOU know what his position is in the middle east? Do YOU know what his take on this crisis is?
He has proven how he will handle things when the georgian crisis popped up. “PRESENT!”
I want more! I demand more. That isnt smacking of Kos or Move on..
It IS smaking of one who believes in standards and hates lazy thinking.
Which is why I think I’m having such a problem with you..
Your going to “wait on something worth criticizing”.
Please…..
Handel on January 3, 2009 at 12:48 PM
They are easy enough to find with a quick search. But, why are you making arguments when you don’t know the details you are arguing about – and calling others names, at the same time?
progressoverpeace on January 3, 2009 at 1:12 PM
Two small items.
First, infidelgranny, even the latest news on The One’s mother’s divorce documents does not support Mr. Berg. All it says is that they had a son. And one of the tabloids has become involved. A liberal I know was laughing about that till I reminded her of the Edwards case. Generally, I do support you, however, as there is something very wrong in how all his records were handled.
Second, on a positive note, watching this nonvetted, marginally educated mental case try to govern the country will be interesting. I think that I smell something in the wind. Oh, it is the buttery, fresh smell of the Georgia bean! I can almost see the specter of the smiling president peanut in all his thick headed inclusive glory! And he is wearing a sweater…
Go check your tire pressure, now! Hear?
IlikedAUH2O on January 3, 2009 at 3:25 PM
Again… you assume much. You assume based off of very little knowledge, that I didn’t vote fore mccain. I most definitly did. He was our candidate for prez and a far better one than obama would be.
In a wierd way, I don’t think you are clear as to what I’m saying. EIther willfully ignorant of it or just..ignorant.
You are making my point!
I was early in getting behind the most conservative candidate, while other conservatives swayed back and fourth. Because they WANTED the perfect candidate.
NO SUCH THING.
So everyone was late to the table on it and when the deadline came, it was too late. We got McCain by default.
Those late to the game were even notables like Laura ingraham.
Those that were late to the game just ended up complaining and are STILL complaining about the election. And ALSO the same ones being mamby pamby’s about obama.
Such as yourself.
“ohhh i’ll wait till obama does something to complain about.”
BALONEY.
Theres much to nail him on right now.
And those same fence sitters during the primary..are the same fence sitters now with obama.
D..e…a…d…….w..e..i…g..h…t.
I’m not too blame for obama..‘Moderate’ Wienies like yourself are.
Handel on January 3, 2009 at 3:54 PM
Jeeze dude..Now I know what Anne Sullivan must have felt when trying to teach Helen Keller.
I feel like I keep saying “Dolly” and you are saying :
“GGGOOOOSSSSOUPOOOOOO-POOOOO! GGGOOOSSSOUPOOOO-POOOO!”
I never once said that a candidate had to agree with me one hundred percent! Thats my point!
we are a house divided.
Each faction is making SERIOUS MISTAKES!
The conservative side is saying: Must be LIKE RONALD REAGAN! ABSOLUTELY ! No exceptions.
The other faction are the mushy headed ‘moderates’ such as yourself, who are kind of along the mccain way of thinking.
“FIGHT WITH ME! FIGHT WITH ME!!”
BUT..there really isn’t any fight to him!Its more like, lets play nice..or in your words,.,,,”I’ll wait to criticize obama when he does something naughty”.
THERE IS MUCH TO CRITICIZE HIM..DON’T come late to the game….Thats what I say to BOTH factions.
Both sides are making huge mistakes. The conservatives are wanting a reincarnation of a man long gone. A man by the way that they know very little about for some reason..which is astonishing.
The muddle headed “I’ll wait to criticize obama till later”..are making the mistake of sleeping.
Those people should do me a favor and just lie under a bus for your next nap. Do us all a favor.
Your walking dead anyway, don’t harm the country anymore by continuing to vote.
(I say that with love in my heart)
Handel on January 3, 2009 at 4:10 PM
I take back what I said about you being ignorant. And I apologize for that. I don’t think your ignorant. I do think you don’t listen though.
I think that’s why your most susceptible to obamas silliness.
willing to wait till there’s something you deem worthy of criticizing. (oh brother).
Till then you just sit there, with your eyes wide open with a silly grin on your face.looking back and fourth like one of those wierd…bobblehead dolls.
Handel on January 3, 2009 at 4:20 PM
Look, I have done quick searches and I have done slow searhes. I apologize if I implied (unwittingly) you were a kook. Wasn’t the intent. Originally, I was referencing the vast world of bizarre sites, forums, and participants which are wholly dedicated to stuff like that. There is so much garbage on the internet as I’m sure you’re aware.
Other than the age of 5 (which should accurately read 10), I still don’t know what facts I am wrong on or leaving out.
I still contend that there are way too many assumptions (and strange ones) one has to make to believe these two conspiracy theories. And people like Jerome Corsi are indeed, kooks.
anuts on January 3, 2009 at 6:00 PM
Dont worry kids. Those 143 days of experience in Washington are going to kick in any day now. Set your faces on stunned.
Chuck Schick on January 3, 2009 at 6:13 PM
yup..and chances are we will still be met with those dim bulbs saying, well “i’m goin got wait till theres something REAL to criticize.”
Hopefully we wont all be diggin out of rubble at that point..
Handel on January 3, 2009 at 6:24 PM
No problem. I didn’t take it personally, but was addressing the idea that questions about BHO’s eligibility are, themselves, kooky. They are not.
Yes, this was one. I think this is a major difference, as the years between 5 and 10 are among the most impressionable in a life. BHO spent those years as a muslim (as far as all the information points to) in a muslim country with a muslim step-father (perhaps adoptive father).
The other big problem was that you had his mother going the wrong way on the flight, along with the idea that she was a totally rational actor. All of her actions, that we know of, point to the idea that she was anything but a rational actor and cared little for her own child – whom she abandoned for years, then swept away to Indonesia (of all places) then returned to leave with the grandparents … To make any assumptions about what she would or wouldn’t do, based on some logical calculus doesn’t seem to mesh with those elements of her history that we are aware of.
But, BHO’s refusal to release any of a whole set of normal documents is even more bizarre. Isn’t it? I mean, who holds onto their birth certificate like that, especially when it is part of the evidence needed to prove the Constitutional eligibility of an alleged Constitutional scholar? That is so much stranger than any of the non-eligibility theories that it boggles the mind. Even the lefty “Constitutional experts”, like Jonathan Turley, can’t understand why BHO hasn’t released, at least, the birth certificate and find it beyond strange that he refuses to do so. Well … it feels that strange for a very good reason.
But, hey! Who would have thought that the winner of a US Presidential election would have been able to raise hundreds of millions in untraceable, anonymous donations and no one would complain, including the idiot who put the latest unconstitutional restrictions on compaign finance who happened to have been the opponent? The strangeness is quite overwhelming, on all fronts.
I like Jerome Corsi. He goes a bit overboard, occassionally, but in general he does good work. But, then again, I am one of those people who thinks that many in our government (some self-proclaimed conservatives, included, like Bush and McCain) are out to destroy US sovereignty. Well, I don’t think McCain wants to destroy US sovereignty. He’s just too stupid to understand what his amnesty, and his further gift of US citizenships to illegals, would do to the US.
progressoverpeace on January 3, 2009 at 6:58 PM
Progressoverpeace is a genius.
But he must learn to understand the ultimate winning strategy of kissing the rings of all minorities. It has worked for 50 years. For the minorities, that is. But, whatever the cause,
Juan couldn’t attack The One. On about 20 issues.
Deport illegals.
Even debate effectively. The guy is old and admirable but he lacks hormones or something.
Then there is Mr. Berg. Well, even with proof of The One’s lack of citizenship, SCOTUS will dance around the constitution. They will declare that the citizenship stricture had to do with a sense of loyalty or something.
IlikedAUH2O on January 3, 2009 at 8:30 PM
What happened to that “there’s only one President at a time” thing?
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/17011.html
I guess that’s for safe issues.
drjohn on January 3, 2009 at 9:21 PM
Too much flattery, IlikedAUH2O … though I’ll take it :)
We see a great rise in cowardice in our population and among our leaders. They’re scared of everything … and for no good reason, really. I guess we’re almost lucky that our SCOTUS doesn’t have the balls to take any of the eligibility cases, since they would just end up giving some mealy-mouthed “living document” interpretation, as you wrote, and we’d end up with Presidents holding 5 different citizenships (and picking up new ones while in office, even!).
As to McCain, he’s clearly no coward. That’s for sure. I don’t really know what his problem is, but it’s a big one. I think that he just gets himself stuck on bad ideas, either because one of his friends convinced him one night, or he read something, or saw something on tv that he believed, and once his mind is set, that’s it. He’s wed to that bad idea until death. It wouldn’t be so bad if his percentage of bad ideas wasn’t so large.
His refusal to take the gloves off with BHO (or even to just mount a vigorous campaign) was eerily reminiscent of his painting himself into a corner in the 2000 primaries with the idiotic promise of no negative ads (as if there’s really anything so terrible, or immoral, about negative ads). Bush started beating him down and McCain did nothing in return. People in his campaign were going haywire over it. McCain’s not a learner. That’s for sure.
But, here we are. We still have a couple more weeks left of civilization …
progressoverpeace on January 4, 2009 at 1:30 AM
This didn’t seem to stop Obama from voicing his opinion on our foreign policy for the last 2 years. He had no problem voicing his opinion on Iraq when we had troops in the enemies sights. We have no troops in the Gaza Strip. Not once did Obama or the press ever say “there is only 1 President at a time” when he was asking for my vote. This has got to be the lamest excuse ever. If Obama had been consistent, I could give him some credit but this leaves the smell of wimp in the air. I suspect Obama will eventually issue a yes/no/maybe/bowl of mush statement that confuses everyone and satisfies no one.
Dollayo on January 4, 2009 at 3:24 AM
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