Remembering Bush

George Bush contemplated his legacy in a hard-hitting interview conducted by his sister.  It's fun to see how different news outlets address or avoid what may soon enough be known as the Bush Problem.

The NY Times does not want to spoil the holiday mood for its readers:

The interviewer asked no bothersome questions about the financial crisis, wars overseas or Republican setbacks in the elections. Chances are that the interviewer, Doro Bush Koch, already knew how her brother the president felt about those and other weighty issues of the day.

“I would like to be a person remembered as a person who, first and foremost, did not sell his soul in order to accommodate the political process,” Mr. Bush said. “I came to Washington with a set of values, and I’m leaving with the same set of values.”

Mrs. Bush said she would “always have a special place in my heart” for the women and girls of Afghanistan, able in the post-Taliban era to go to school or walk outside without male chaperones.

The AP is comparably coy with their coverage, ducking the legacy question entirely:

WASHINGTON -- President George W. Bush is relishing the chance to see "the klieg lights shift somewhere else," although he admits he'll miss perks like White House cooking and flying on Air Force One.

"Frankly, I'm not going to miss the limelight all that much," Bush said in an intimate family conversation with his sister, Doro Bush Koch, about how he'll feel when he leaves the White House to make way for Barack Obama on Jan. 20.

The AFP gets after it:

Bush wants history to see him as a liberator of millions

WASHINGTON (AFP) — George W. Bush hopes history will see him as a president who liberated millions of Iraqis and Afghans, who worked towards peace and who never sold his soul for political ends.

"I'd like to be a president (known) as somebody who liberated 50 million people and helped achieve peace," Bush said in excerpts of a recent interview released by the White House Friday.

Reuters and UPI also included the liberator theme.  So did CNN but they had trouble with the math and forgot Afghanistan:

"I came to Washington with a set of values, and I'm leaving with the same set of values," Bush told Koch in an interview taped earlier this month that aired on National Public Radio Thursday.

Bush also indicated he hopes his legacy is evaluated on success in the War in Iraq, America's efforts to combat AIDS, and the passage of Medicare legislation in 2003.

"I'd like to be a President (known) as somebody who liberated 50 million people and helped achieve peace; that focused on individuals rather than process; that rallied people to serve their neighbor; that led an effort to help relieve HIV/AIDS and malaria on places like the continent of Africa; that helped elderly people get prescription drugs and Medicare as a part of the basic package; that came to Washington, D.C., with a set of political statements and worked as hard as I possibly could to do what I told the American people I would do," Bush said.

Well.  I will have a hard time overlooking the dismal planning of the initial post-liberation phase in Iraq, but if, ten or twenty years from now, a stable and more-or-less democratic Iraq has become a beacon of hope and change in the Middle East it will be harder to sustain Bush's ranking as worst President ever.  Hmm - we lost New Orleans and all our investment banks but not Iraq! Some scorecard.  That will be the Bush Problem.  If he's lucky.

Comments

[clarice]

If only Cheney and Scooter hadn't taken that levee busting submarine to New Orleans.

[Rick Ballard]

His reputation as a liberator will remain regardless of whether the muslim polloi bind themselves once again to the precepts of a belief system built upon justification of thievery and slavery.

As to the loss of New Orleans and the great brothels in Manhattan - nature and reality bear the responsibility for revealing that both were built on foundations of sand. President Bush had no practical effect upon the timing of the revelations. He did try seven times to point out the chimerical nature of the assurances of well credentialed economists employed by the brothels to assuage the multitude that the Masters of the Universe were not a whore's parade masked by a shabby charade of unmerited reputation but he was unable to prevail against the immense lack of wisdom displayed by those with loud voices and very weak minds.

Nature and reality will always have their way with the illusions promoted by men of inferior intellect. 'Best laid plans' and all that. That's why it is absolutely necessary for everyone to buy one of my SoLunar Windmills immediately. They won't make much sense if the temperatures keep dropping and oil goes to $20.

[RedHatRob]

We lost New Orleans?
That'd be like blaming Teddy Roosevelt for losing San Francisco in 1906. Or is the President now officially charged with steering hurricanes and lowering the level of the oceans?

We lost our investment banks?
History will show that Bush made multiple attempts to reign in the subprime lenders, manipulators, and facilitators - and was blocked by Pelosi, Reid, Franks, & Dodd

But he will get credit for changing the course of history in Iraq.

The only unknown at this point is the outcome in Afghanistan. And it is a big unknown.

[jimrhoads aka vnjagvet]

Lost New Orleans? That canard is not supported by the evidence as will be seen by at least one historian in the future.

The Mayor of NO and Governor of LA were pitiful. Mississippi and FL managed to deal with multiple hurricanes as did Texas. Why was Katrina the President's responsibility and not LA state and local governments'?

And the investment banks helped sink themselves, along with Fanny and Freddie and Barney Franks and his crew pandering to folks who wanted housing they couldn't pay for.

C'mon, Tom. That's not completely fair, (unless tongue in cheek).

[jimrhoads aka vnjagvet]

Rick and Bob. Sorry. I was WWWFB (writing while watching football) instead of reading your posts. As usual, you said it better than I could.

[PaulL]

Investment banks? Good riddance.

[Thomas Collins]

GWB dealt with Jihadistan in a manner superior to Reagan, GHWB and Clinton. GWB wasn't perfect, but we all owe him our gratitude for dealing with a situation that had festered under his predecessors.

As for Iraq, do folks really believe that the Middle East would be more stable today with a Saddam controlled Iraq, especially in light of what we now know about Saddam's undermining of the UN oil for food program?

We'll see if Zero's "strategery" will be an improvement on GWB's. We may never find out, because, faced with reality, Zero may well carry on GWB's "strategery."

[Soylent Red]

TC:

It should be apparent by now that anything Ø does will be superior in both intent and execution than anything Bushitler ever did.

If you don't believe me, just pick up any major newspaper.

[pagar]

" Why was Katrina the President's responsibility and not LA state and local governments'?

Every single American should have the pictures of underwater empty school buses lined up in rows because a State Governor and city mayor were not competent enough to realize that an an evacuation plan they wrote had to be implemented to work. Every single American should realize by now that this occurs over and over when members of a certain political party are voted in to office.

[Jane]

“I came to Washington with a set of values, and I’m leaving with the same set of values.”

Call me old fashioned, but this is precisely why I am still his fan. I really like integrity in a man.

[narciso]

More properly, that would like blaming Teddy Roosevelt, for Galveston. The irony is New Orleans still sits in 'the cup and
saucer' between Lake Poncetrain, the Misissippi and the Gulf of Mexico; so they same pattern may return, as William Maestri
pointed out four years ago. Good one,
Clarice, although tongue might be planted in cheek, for some to notice. Caught your April 24, 2007 Blog Radio with Moran; that should be the standard by which the medium should be judged. Concise, informative, and to the point; never conceding to the thread bare arguments, that Rick presented.

The investment banks haven't gone away, although one Lee Higginson, should suffice for this mess. They played with monopoly money, trading our real estate, like tokens, all around the world. We've seen their political acumen was as good as there financial one; and about as long lasting.

Hard to imagine how thirty five years of Baathist warfare against the majority ethnicity could really have gone down better. Remember why the Da'wa and the SCIRI came to power; what happened to the entire Sadr clan, never mind the Kurds.

[JM Hanes]

Congratulations, TM! Drink a little kool-aid, and you too can be worthy of Michelle Obama's attention:

"They tell you all you need to do is do these things and you'll get to the bar"
"Uh-huh."
"So you go about the business of doing those things — "
"Yes"
"You start working hard and sacrificing, and you think you're getting closer to the bar, you're working and you're struggling, you get right to that bar, you're reaching out for the bar, and then what happens?"
"They raise the bar!"
"They raise the bar. Raise the bar. Shift it to the side. Keep it just out of reach."

Back in April, "if the Bush-instigated surge has created an opportunity for something like a non-defeat in Iraq, and if Bush gets some credit for grit and resolution down the road, well, fine."

That was then! This is November, and "if, ten or twenty years from now, a stable and more-or-less democratic Iraq has become a beacon of hope and change in the Middle East it will be harder to sustain Bush's ranking as worst President ever."

And just in case Bush manages to kick the ball through those Hope & Change goal posts -- despite squandering universal admiration, polarizing our undivided nation, and being too backward to know our military is only supposed to fight easy, predictable wars -- let's add Acts of God, Global Economic Meltdown and anything else Jane Hamsher might feel like tossing in the sink, to the debit column.

Et voilá: Meet the new Bush scorecard, same as the old Bush scorecard. At this rate, however, it looks like Bush will have some surprising company on the Worst Presidents list.

Why do I get the impression that you're not even trying here, TM?

[bio mom]

We have not lost New Orleans. It is still there, exactly where it should not be, awaiting another catastrophe. If it occurs under a Democrat president, of course it will not be his fault.

Come on already. Give these tired old memes a well deserved burial.

[bad]

Ouch, JMH. A comparison to Michelle Obama, the ultimate groin smash.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

We lost New Orleans?
That'd be like blaming Teddy Roosevelt for losing San Francisco in 1906. Or is the President now officially charged with steering hurricanes and lowering the level of the oceans?

We lost our investment banks?
History will show that Bush made multiple attempts to reign in the subprime lenders, manipulators, and facilitators - and was blocked by Pelosi, Reid, Franks, & Dodd

But he will get credit for changing the course of history in Iraq.

The only unknown at this point is the outcome in Afghanistan. And it is a big

Ditto and ditto and ditto.

TM, you really must stop hanging around with those arrogant idiots up in New England, our Jane the exception.

As far as I'm concerned, every one of those investment bankers with their multi-million dollar penthouses, homes in the Hamptons, limos, and superior attitudes deserve to be in soup lines. We should turn every one of their residences into homes for displaced workers who actually work hard for their meager paychecks and produce something of value, not just more numbers on worthless paper.

I'm sick of those who have made it fashionable to blame President Bush for their miserable ineptitude and inadequacies.

[PeterUK]

"We lost New Orleans?
That'd be like blaming Teddy Roosevelt for losing San Francisco in 1906. Or is the President now officially charged with steering hurricanes and lowering the level of the oceans?"

Not Bush,but certainly the next one.

[narciso]

I guess you 'came in for an argument, and you got abuse' next door. I understand the counterfactual propositions involved but the reality is that Baathism, supported by the likes of the Dulaimi, Ubeidi, & Jibbur tribes was crushing Iraq. The low level covert ops that were run in the 90s, which involved the former Baathists in the Accord didn't work. The oil for food program, had become a sinecure for most of the world's leaders in the past. Saddamm in order to keep up the facade, had allowed Salafi elements to penetrate Iraqi society, The
Khobar Towers incident, and similar events,
did lead to a weakening of the no fly zone.
Consider that the major figures in the ORHA (precursors to the CPA) were the likes of Eagleton and Bodine, who were the public face of the US during the Anfal campaign
(see when Bob Kaplan, as in 'the Arabists' is good, I acknowledge it; when he's phoning it in) Was Bremer the best choice for viceroy, no I've made it clear, that
Ambassador Hume Horan, would have made a more suberb choice; He was not available in that capacity. Khalilzad and Negroponte turned out to be adequate for the job.

About New Orleans, the ineptness of the Army Corps of Engineers, the parochial nature of the levy boards, the fact that ethnic if not racism demagoguery had put
Kathleen Blanco over Bobby Jindal had put
her in charge in Baton Rouge, all precedes
and conditions any actions President Bush
would embark upon. A smaller scale example of this can be seen with Hurricane Andrew; where the then Gov Chiles, chose not to call on disaster services, until late into the next day, hence Kate Hale's 'screaming
about the cavalry. A generation of bad contruction standards, state appropriations,
et al made the August 1992 events that much worse.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

I'm still recovering from my sister's idea of Thanksgiving (did you know a 14 pound rib roast is supposed to serve eight?) so I'll just say +1 to all the other people spanking Tom.

[glenda waggoner]

Hey there, Charlie! I was wondering where you were..do you think the 5-day market rise will go to 6?

[Thomas Collins]

I agree, Soylent Red, that GWB will get no credit from MSM for leaving Zero a relatively stable Iraq and a policy that has resulted in no major homeland terrorist attacks in the last seven years. I suspect, however, that GWB is at peace with himself and is not overly concerned with what the drivel-masters and drivel-mistresses of MSM write.

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Aaah Charlie. You are welcome to come to So. Cal for turkey left overs since we had a 22 lb. bird for only 3 people, one of whom was too sick with stomach flu to stay at the table for more than 3 minute intervals.

[jeanedcrusader]

Of course nobody can keep an exact tally of how many people Bush liberated. But would it really hurt anyone to acknowledge that he did some good? Before the liberal illuminati begins its deeply moral, humanitarian reign, that is.

[Rick Ballard]

Thomas Collins,

A word of thanks for your "What would Hayek think?" question. I've reopened Law, Legislation and Liberty Vol. 1 again. He and Mises lose nothing with the passage of time.

[PeterUK]

Meanwhile Barrack Canute is heading in the wrong direction The sea levels are going down,by four inches,poor Al,he needs all the inches he can get.
Obama is a disaster before he is sworn in.

[PD]

we had a 22 lb. bird for only 3 people

Thanksgiving is made for leftovers, and that's a good thing (but condolences to your stomach-flu sufferer).

My wife made wayyyy too much stuffing, and that's a very good thing. :-)

[Rick Ballard]

Peter,

Even the dolts (outside of Missouri) are losing interest in the AGW scam. It takes a Harvard indoctrinated dimwit like Obama to keep pushing the string.

It really does look like the suckers aren't going to go for regressive Air Taxes to "save Gaia". When are the Brits going to give Gorbot Gordie the well earned heave ho?

[Jor]

HEH, its not a good sign, when you're leaving office as top contender for the worst president ever. Perhaps a successful iraq will mitigate worst president to one of the worst -- but that's not an exact legacy he's looking for. If Obama lives up to the hype -- Bush will go down as the worst president no matter what, he will look absolutely terrible in comparison. Some of the posters here are obviously still delusional.

Dumbest pundit ever definitely goes to Bill Kristol.

[Thomas Collins]

I appreciate the word of thanks, Rick Ballard. The Austrian Schoolers stand the test of time. I am grateful for the fact that the current carrier of the Austrian School torch, Thomas Sowell, has had a significant influence on my son's thinking on economics and politics.

[Scrapiron]

It's a pity the educated elite can't remember past yesterday. Maybe it's all of the drug abuse. I can remember that in Dec 06 the stock market was bumping 15,000 and the unemployment rate was 4.5%. Then the democrats promised to change the direction of the country if put in charge, Liberal elites failed to see the reverse of up is down. In two years the democrats in congress have totally destroyed the economy. The democrats aren't going to like it when the 'writers' of true history remember that. They won't be suffering from a confirmed mental illness called BDS.

Approval of every dime spent by the United States starts in congress and the president can't buy a hamburger with taxpayer money unless it is approved by congress. So place the blame where it belongs and will end up.

[PD]

Some of the posters here are obviously still delusional.

You're right.

[Jor]

Just to expound on Bush's Obama problem -- they are almost polar opposites. Bush comes from a life of privilege, Obama with a single mother. Obama is intelligent and hard working, Bush isn't. Bush is impulsive -- Obama isn't.

If you have a successful subsequent president, who is the polar opposite of the former, with a middle name Hussein -- Bush is hosed. The narrative there is very compelling for the resilience of America's democracy. Iraq alone will not be able to save Bush from that. He's screwed up waaaaaaaaaaay too many things.

The best Bush can hope for is that Oliver Stone's interpretation of Bush becomes the accepted one.

[Extraneus]

All of Bush's "losses" resulted from his refusal to confront domestic enemies.

[PD]

Obama is intelligent and hard working, Bush isn't.

Your evidence?

Bush is impulsive -- Obama isn't.

Your evidence?

Proof by assertion, very impressive.

[Jor]

PD -- Are you joking? Obama was president of Harvard Law Review and a lecturer at U of Chicago. Bush got straight C's at Yale and was a cheerleader. Seriously -- are you this delusional? Bush was a drunk till his mid 30s.

Obama's temperament was evident in his debates with both Hillary and McCain. Even David Brooks acknowledges it.

[Pofarmer]

Even the dolts (outside of Missouri)

Man,that really smarts. I still can't beleive that toad passed.

[PD]

Even David Brooks acknowledges it.

Oh. Well, then, that surely settles it.

Bush wasn't president in his 30's. Are those years relevant? If so, perhaps Obama's earlier years, like those when he was taking cocaine, are relevant?

[Pofarmer]

Here's what we can prove about the difference between Bush and Obama.

Obama palled around with Domestic Terrorrists and Marxists. Bush didn't.

Bush built and ran an oil company. Owned a Major Leaugue baseball team. Became a two term Governor of a State that, if it were a country, has an economy Bigger than Spain.

Obama was an ACORN "community organizer", and apparently bullshitted his way through Harvard and "teaching" law, cause there sure ain't no written record of either one. After that he joined the Socialst "New Party" for a short and unremarkable jaunt in the IL state Senate, Followed by an even shorter and less remarkable jaunt in the U.S. Senate where he couldn't even be bothered to hold a meeting for his own subcommittee.

[Pofarmer]

Obama's temperament was evident in his debates with both Hillary and McCain.

I agree, the flipping them off incidences certainly shows his charchter,if not his tempermant. The guys a lyin asshole, sorry you can't see it.

[PaulL]

Where would Obama have gotten the money for cocaine, unless he was also selling it?

[PD]

Bush is impulsive -- Obama isn't.

I was especially impressed by Obama's first "Office of the President-Elect" press conference when, after saying that he'd talked with all the "living presidents", he flailed around helplessly and embarrassingly, and then finally (but deliberatively and non-impulsively, no doubt) tossed out his insulting and thoughtless insult of Nancy Reagan.

Over time, he may learn to act presidential. But I suspect that this kind of thing will occur at intervals. Why? Because, at heart, this man is a PUNK. And his attitude toward those who aren't like him is one of snarky contempt. He won't be able to help himself from uttering these kinds of ejaculations from time to time.

[PeterUK]

Whereas you Jork will be remembered by no one.

[richard mcenroe]

"Bush comes from a life of privilege, Obama with a single mother."

OH FOR GOD'S SAKE, Jor... Obama's mother was the first senior female bank executive in Hawaii's history, and he went to the most expensive private school on the island. Hard working? At what job? Ever?

Look, you think we're idiots but don't TALK to us like we're idiots.

And Tom, we lost the banks to Dodd, Frank, Clinton and Schumer, NOT to George Bush.

[PeterUK]

"Obama was president of Harvard Law Review and a lecturer at U of Chicago."

You would be amazed how unimpressed human beings are by this.

[PeterUK]

"Bush comes from a life of privilege, Obama with a single mother."

Well grandmother actually,but Obama had the creme de la creme of the communist riff raff boosting his career.
You might like to check out whether he was worth $600,000,000,because somebody paid that for him.

[PD]

I'm still getting a chuckle over the idea that adducing David Brooks as evidence seals the argument.

Yee haw!

[DrJ]

Bush got straight C's at Yale

And what were Obama's grades at Occidental, Columbia or Harvard? What courses did he take? He is all about being open, right?

[Barney Frank]

If you have a successful subsequent president, who is the polar opposite of the former, with a middle name Hussein -- Bush is hosed.

Perhaps, although not necessarily true. If however you have a failure as a subsequent president to the evil, stupid, lazy Bush, presumably that will mean Hussein is even more evil, stupider and lazier than Bush? Or, heaven forfend, his ideas and ideals are inferior?

[Jor]

Its funny how you guys ignore Bush's straight C's and his repeated business failures. Obviously you guys must come from the South where they don't value education. Has anything good come out of the South in the last 100 years?

[Jor]

DrJ: He graduated Harvard magna cum laude -- so he must have had a high 3.0 (3.5+). Don't know about columbia or occidental.

[DrJ]

So where are the transcripts?

[PeterUK]

Jork,
Let's talk about your accomplishments,which are what exactly? I have heard no references to a President Jor anywhere.Come on Jor,nobody will laugh if you are a rat catcher,sorry rodent eradicator,or a rent boy.

[Rick Ballard]

"we lost the banks to Dodd, Frank, Clinton and Schumer"

I disagree. The investment banks became brothels when they went public. Dodd, Frank, Clinton and Schumer just recognized them for what they had become and used them accordingly.

There is no reason whatsoever why anyone should respect institutions which rely on the misuse of other people's money for their sustenance. There is also no reason why true investment banks cannot arise once more and begin performing their proper function. Should some begin to do so, the pension funds will line up around the block in order to buy bonds guaranteed by the only things that matter - the use and risk of personal capital by persons of proven character.

Trash begets trash - whether it's an African commie sampling easy wares in Hawaii or a "Wall Street professional" with nothing on the line but a paycheck and bonus which grow according to public acceptance of the lie being told.

[Jor]

Peter -- I think my instigating tendancies are going to ruin that presidential run. However, you can sleep easy knowing that I'm in a top profession, sub-specializing in a very competitive area. Unfortunately my dreams of being in Pest management were dashed by never having to live in a place with a Pest problem.

[ken]

For the record: Obama's mother did not work for a bank, his grandmother did. Obama's mother was a anthropologist, or something like that, and mostly did field field work. Barack got into a pretty decent private school because his grandfather asked for and got some strings pulled to get him admitted.

His family emphasized education. Barack saw the value of this and so went first to Occidental then to Columbia then to Harvard Law. After Harvard he taught Constitutional Law at the University of Chicago.

As to the kinds of people he palls around with I don't know what you see wrong with Paul Volker, Warren Buffet, Larry Summers, Caroline Kennedy and the like. Have they done something wrong?

[Sara (Pal2Pal)]

Yeah, Bush was such a drunk, he managed to get an MBA from the most prestigious business school in the country, Harvard and be trusted with a multi-million dollar piece of equipment as he became a fighter pilot. Drunks have those accomplishments every day, right?

And Jor, unlike the the nouveau riche of today, Bush may have come from a socially prominent family, but they understand the value of hard work and learning from the bottom up as evidenced by Papa Bush, and GWB, as well as the rest of the Bush progeny, going out on their own to make it or break.

Obama is all talk and talk is cheap. There is no evidence to back up his claims of self-promoted brilliance, certainly not his ability to string a coherent sentence together without a teleprompter. Affirmative action all the way with a good deal of help from his commie and Muslim friends.

[Rick Ballard]

"got some strings pulled to get him admitted"

All along the way there are puppet masters pulling strings to move a meritless twirp through his paces. If he "values" education as anything more than ticket punching, why is he so reticent to release his obviously lackluster scores? He certainly can't be any dumber than his performances without a script in hand or teleprompter lit before his vacuous eyes would suggest. Is he embarrassed to provide proof of his mediocrity? He shouldn't be.

After all, it's not a secret.

[PeterUK]

Jor,
"However, you can sleep easy knowing that I'm in a top profession, sub-specializing in a very competitive area."

You're a hooker doing S&M ?

[PeterUK]

"His family emphasized education. Barack saw the value of this and so went first to Occidental then to Columbia then to Harvard Law. After Harvard he taught Constitutional Law at the University of Chicago."

He dodged a day job like Clinton dodged the Draft.

[MarkJ]

Jor,

Thanks for dropping in from Neptune and setting us all straight. Now that your sacred work is finished, you can go back and give a full report to Big Giant Head with satisfied smirks on all three of your faces.

By the way, how do you remain upright in those high Neptunian winds? I hear they're a Grade AAA bitch.

[PD]

As to the kinds of people he palls around with I don't know what you see wrong with Paul Volker, Warren Buffet, Larry Summers, Caroline Kennedy and the like. Have they done something wrong?

We could discuss their policy positions, but the problem with using these folks to attest to Obama's character is that it undermines Obama's character: To all appearances, these are the type of people he associated with only when it became expedient for advancing his presidential aspirations. When we look at the kind of people he associated with through choice (Wright, etc.), the more recent associations appear to be a sham designed to fool those who want to be fooled.

[Jane]

Bush got straight C's at Yale and was a cheerleader. Seriously -- are you this delusional? Bush was a drunk till his mid 30s.

Obama got D's at Columbia and was a coke dealer. He probably still uses.

You like playing that game Jor. Bring it on.

[Mescalero]

Go ahead, liberals, and portray George Bush as incompetent. Maybe so, but if you choose to drive home that point, then by your own inconsistent standards, Bill/Billary Clinton were totally incoherent in responding to the consistent warnings we received from bin Laden and al Zahawhiri prior to 9/11.

Are we headed for another four years of incoherent Bill/Billary foreign/defense policy nonsense? God, I hope not!!!

[peter]

brilliant post, jmh, comparing whining affirm-act-failed-the-bar-exam-the-first-time Michelle Obama to W.

[Soylent Red]

Whatever else you can say about GWB...

At least he knows who his father is.

[DrJ]

Barack got into a pretty decent private school

Punahou is a *superb* school, not just pretty decent. My ex went there (and her sister was in BHO's class) and I have met many of their graduates. The education and people who attend there, by and large, are really, really good.

[DrJ]

I'm in a top profession, sub-specializing in a very competitive area.

DD or DDD?

[Captain Hate]

I will have a hard time overlooking the dismal planning of the initial post-liberation phase in Iraq

Why are you guys wasting time on a mega-loser like Jork when our host is posting howlers like the above? We've been through this before, TM; there's a reasonable consensus at places other than the great minds of Keef Olberdunce and David Gregory that if the Surge had happened too early (like at the initial post-liberation phase) it would've had a counterproductive impact in terms of confusion on the part of the Iraqis on who to trust. If you have some insight that refutes this (after all it is a hypothesis as is your assertion; the only thing we know for sure is what happened) then please provide the evidence.

[narciso]

Barack's other jobs, working for the same Wall Street analyst shop that William Ayers had ties to; and community organizing. Then there was that law school lecturing where apparently reading the statutes were not a strict requirement as long as you had he right neo-Marxist race peddlinganthologizer like Derek Bell or bell hooks to summarize the cases. The CAC foundation, which squandered 150 millions meant to assist the Chicago public schools. The half dozen years in the state legislature where he voted present, except on the question of aborted babies born alive. The apprenticeship at the hands of former Kadaffi coffee klatcher Reverend Wright, and the crazy white Marxist Father Michael Pfleger. Solid experience all around

Crikey, will someone get rid of this troublesome troll. Seriously, one of the reasons why he drank was the oil business of the 1970s was nothing like the one his father saw in the 50s. In the 50s, you had the oil depletion allowance, which encouraged independent oil development on our own shores. Thats how the Gettys,(who later partnered up with the Newsoms, the Pews of Sun Oil (who would somersault in their graves as to what the successor generations would do) Even by the mid 50s, it was easier to either go offshore to Mexico, or all the way to the Arabian peninsula (both were done by Zapata Oil and the Gettys)Then came the great Santa Barbara oil spill that led to Earth Day, that closed off even more of our domestic oil. One of the few bright spots was the opening of the Alaskan oil pipeline, without which we'd really be up the creek without a paddle, guess who opposed that, our genius VP elect Biden (I sometimes think America has a death wish; seriously) Then came the oil embargo, that seemed to key off the cartel's realization that there was no slack in the market. OPEC ironically was an export of Texas populism; theRailway Commission as observed by it's founder Perez Alfonso in the 40s. Now the logical response to such a systemic shock would have been an impetus to drill, drill drill. But that wastechnically harder to do than ever, You would think the second oil shock in '79 created by the Iranian Revolution would have made a push for more domestic exploration that much more obvious. But you'd be wrong. It was in the Reagan era that the first executive orders on off shore regulations were implemented, For reasons passing understanding. After the collapse of the oil price in the mid 80s (which led in no small part to the S&L crisis) there was even less incentive. One of the last ventures of Arbusto Spectrum was to expand into gasoline distribution, that didn't pan out, After the initial Harken find in Bahrain, attention basically turned to managing the Texas Rangers.
Meanwhile there were statutory caps on further development after the Exxon Valdez spill. Which was followed not long after, by the Persian Gulf War, which briefly peaked interests. There was a brief flurry of activity as part of the "Contract with America" but that was effectively forestalled. So as a consequence, after yet another war where petroleum was a major consideration. we are more than ever dependent of the Russian Bear, the Chinese Dragon, the ocelot with the red Beret and the Saudi princeling, all 100,000 of them. And we voted for the guy, (what do you mea we, kemosabe) for the guy who wants us to keep out tire pressure up, and is not opposed to 4-5 gallon oil; just the timing. Who has admitted he want to shutter the coal industry, and is ambivalent about nuclear power to say the least.
We had the option of voting for someone who's expertise was oil, who mentioned these same threats in her acceptance speech!, the Abquaiq chokepoint in Arabia, Chavez, Putin's petro thievery but the people couldn't be bothered because she was too hot, her kid was hers or wasn't, her clothes, her voice, and Tina Fey, made a funny smirk, while she slandered her. It would it have been a challenge to get the Wingman to turn, specialy with the brain dead advisory crew, whose proficiency has proved sorely lacking. Probably we'll never know till the next crisis, possibly a Gulf hurricane or some international incident, make us think, what the hell were we doing. probably

It's been disproved, but It wouldn't surprise that Bush took a shot of pisco in Peru, hey I'd go for tequila straight up when faced with these prospect. With the exception of most of this crew, too many were ungrateful for the President's stewardship, and they were willing to buy a 'pig in a poke' sight unseen. when times got tough. Sarah was reportedly seen taking a cocktail at the hotel before confronting Wolf Blitzer, that's possibly the only to make that situation passible. It did beg the question, how sober can you be, if the Big 3 Auto bailout makes sense to you? Not very is my conclusion (the preceding facts from year's old recollection of Anthony Sampson's the Seven Sisters, Daniel Yergin's the Prize, and a whole other series of books on the oil industry.I read for a paper in economics, along with other comments of my own devising)

[PD]

Jor: "Has anything good come out of the South in the last 100 years?"

Are you referring to Arkansas?

[DrJ]

He must be referring to Jimmy Carter. What an idiot.

[jorod]

I can't wait to read history's indictment of Barney Frank and Company for triggering the ruination of the mortgage markets....

[Laura]

Bush was raised to do the right thing, and time and time again he chose to do so despite the best mudslinging money could buy. Complaints about a patrician upbringing ignore the graciousness that a family like the Bush's extends to even a wannabe like Obama. I too will always have a soft spot for George W Bush.

[narciso]

See Tom, you remember with that earlier link, and even another relating to a Peggy Noonan whine about emptying out her plastic
bottles, that those led to very long, combative threads. And there's always the danger of troll seepage; exhibit A; Jor.
the whole nation-building meme, was like many contaminated by the self serving accounts of Tom Warrick to the likes of David Rieff, which spread to the likes of Drezner, Packer, et al; without much push back until sources like Michael Rubin provided context. Lets not forget the likes
of Rajiv Chandriksar's biased accounts of the CPA's operation. In some places, like
Anbar/Dulaimi's experience related by Bing West the stories ring truer. The insurgency was well underway at the time of the
'deBaathification decrees', set up by Baathist with cooperation from the Salafi element that had permeated Iraqi society, post 1991. This had been facilitated by the corruption that saw it's apotheosis in the palace building wave, and the 'oil for food
program'. There are parallels here with late Czarist Russia and pre-Revolutionary
France. In contrast, to both of those examples, the successors in the form of Uday and Qusay were even more corrupt by
a greater magnitude. The Shiite and Kurdish majority were remarkably patient, despite this pattern of events, the former at leat for the first three years. The insurgency was composed of the same troublemakers that
had risen against Adky and Nuri Al Said under the Vichy flag of Rashid AliGhailani, in other words, those who already had the majority in the military, the civil service and the educational institutions; who had driven the Shia and the Kurds into their own ghetto, who had stolen the oil wealth from the Kirkuk and Basra regions. Seeing as Muqtada Sadr's rise, came in part from the Sunni resuming of old rivalries, a paln that would have assuaged the latter, would
have likely angered the former.

I'll agree it seems better not to have a treasury secretary from a financial
background; Paulsen is possibly the most distressing since Roger Taney (or was he Commerce)O'Neil and Snow were pretty good
in the job. I'd say Secretary Mellon, but he was generally on point; but he suffered
from the opposite problem, Greenspan, the longest serving Fed chief since George Strong, is responsible for a good deal of this chaos; Strong looks marginally better now, because he was no longer around when the Depression hit. which Andrea Mitchell is loath to point out. The nearly two year interest rate spike, between 2004-2006, probably had not a little to do with alienation of Americans from the prosperity meme, not to mention a trigger to the sub prime bubble. Well David Gregory, doesn't talk too much about Beth's work with Fannie Mae, does he. Robert Rubin's protestations that he didn't know what was going on with
the subprime assets he was peddling around Europe; really doesn't pass the smell test.

[Thomas Collins]

See the second article from the top at www.claremont.org (Thomas Joscelyn on Guantanamo)for a thorough summary of the jihadist threat to the US that GWB faces, and for an analysis of why dealing with jihadists solely through the federal criminal system doesn't work. My suspicion is that, far from trumping up the jihadist threat for his own political gain, GWB downplayed the threat in public to minimize the negative impact of the jihadist threat on commerce. The article doesn't necessarily break new ground (much of its sourcing has already been reported in the press with sourcing substantially derived from public records requests). But I would respectfully suggest that those who lambaste GWB for his response to 9/11 peruse the article and reflect on what they would have done as POTUS.

[Dicebucket]

"Hmm - we lost New Orleans and all our investment banks but not Iraq! Some scorecard. That will be the Bush Problem. If he's lucky."

Tom! Where have you been? You're slipping if you join those who pile on blaming the financial crisis on Bush! Take the time to review the evidence:

This housing crisis didn't come out of nowhere. It was not a vague emanation of the evil Bush administration.

It was a direct result of the political decision, back in the late 1990s, to loosen the rules of lending so that home loans would be more accessible to poor people. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were authorized to approve risky loans.

What is a risky loan? It's a loan that the recipient is likely not to be able to repay.

The goal of this rule change was to help the poor — which especially would help members of minority groups. But how does it help these people to give them a loan that they can't repay? They get into a house, yes, but when they can't make the payments, they lose the house — along with their credit rating. They end up worse off than before.

This was completely foreseeable and in fact many people did foresee it. One political party, in Congress and in the executive branch, tried repeatedly to tighten up the rules. The other party blocked every such attempt and tried to loosen them.

Furthermore, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae were making political contributions to the very members of Congress who were allowing them to make irresponsible loans. (Though why quasi-federal agencies were allowed to do so baffles me. It's as if the Pentagon were allowed to contribute to the political campaigns of Congressmen who support increasing their budget.)

Note the article date: September, 1999 – GW was the governor of Texas at the time... http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0DE7DB153EF933A0575AC0A96F958260

Bush officials sound a firm warning... http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=JsfMicOgufA

An obsequious sycophant chairman of Fannie Mae addressing the Congressional Black Caucus (Senator Obama -- top row center) http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2008/09/fannie_mae_and_congressional_d.html

Rep Gregory Meeks, Maxine Waters, Barney Frank, et al poo-pooing the coming crisis. http://www.breitbart.tv/?p=184743

[JM Hanes]

peter:

"brilliant post, jmh, comparing whining affirm-act-failed-the-bar-exam-the-first-time Michelle Obama to W."

Couldn't have been all that brilliant, if you missed the operative comparison entirely. That would make you wrong on two scores, wouldn't it?

[cathyf]

Then came the oil embargo, that seemed to key off the cartel's realization that there was no slack in the market.

Very minor quibble with that...

Through the 60's the Arab governments became increasingly socialist, and increasingly nationalized their oil industries. (Which in practice meant throwing out ARAMCO and other western partners and expropriating their investments.) During the time when it became increasingly obvious that the companies were going to have their oil wells confiscated, they did the rational thing, which was pump oil like mad, in an attempt to sell as much as possible while they were still going to get the profits. This meant (law of supply and demand) that oil prices fell steeply throughout the 60's.

What happened in 1973 was that the arab governments completed their nationalization programs. The "embargo" was really more of a political prop -- the price of oil returned to its 50's level (in inflation-adjusted dollars).

When you own a soybean/corn field, if you decide to leave the field fallow one year, then you forever lose the grain that would have been grown on the field that year. The difference with an oil field is that if you decide not to pump the oil out today, then you still own it to pump it out in the future. The arbitrage with oil is pump it today, sell it for a certain price, deposit the money in bonds, and then have the money and interest on the future date, OR leave the oil in the ground, then pump it out of the ground on the future date and sell it for the price in the future. Whether to pump today or keep the oil in reserve depends upon your prediction of how much the price will go up in the future vs. how much the interest rate on those bonds is.

But that entire calculation is based upon the premise that if you own oil today and don't pump it, then you will still own the oil in the future and can pump it and sell it in the future. If you aren't going to own the oil field much longer, then you want to pump flat out as much as possible as fast as possible.

If you observe the behavior of the House of Saud, it appears that they are quite conscious of the notion that if they don't pump out enough oil to keep the world economy humming along reasonably well, then they won't be allowed to keep control of the Saudi oil fields for long.

But, anyway, the 73 embargo was surely a political statement, but I maintain that it was an opportunistic one. This was a re-balancing in the price of oil that was due because the foreigners had been forced out, and they chose to make a political statement while they were at it.

[clarice]

Thanks, Narciso. Chaco, what;s wrong with your sister's portion count? Nothing I can see.
First night I was here son's mother in law made tempura dinner. Next night sushi feast extraordinaire. Third night DIL made giant turkey dinner. Last night my mom insisted on taking us out to Italian restaurant which specialises in giant portions. Tonight we started attacking the leftovers. URGH.

Best to all.

[McCloud]

I think Mr. Maguire might be pulling a feint with his N'Awlins comment. Down here in the dumb south--Clinton/Gore country--we've been making predictions about the demise of the Chocolate City™ for years. Not like it's under sea level or anything.

The same type comments are made about the expected aftermath of another New Madrid fault quake, which we only hope doesn't come on either Bush or Obama's watches. The point is, no politician will be able to do much to help for a few days-weeks. They've told us as much.

[Soylent Red]

TC:

But I would respectfully suggest that those who lambaste GWB for his response to 9/11 peruse the article and reflect on what they would have done as POTUS.

I agree with your assessment of the terrorist threat being hushed up. I suspect it had more to do with not giving them the panic that they so desired than with preserving commerce.

Be that as it may, with Obama, hushing up the terrorist threat will simply not be done. The modus is to identify threats/crises (or manufacture them when necessary), blame Republicans, the position the Democrat Party as the heroic saviors. There's no reason to believe that Obama is going to shift out of permanent campaign mode when it comes to addressing the GWOT.

Start looking for an increase in news stories about the waves upon waves of terrorist threats (reactions rooted in the failed policies of George W. Bush, really) narrowly averted by a strengthened and ever vigilant Homeland Security apparatus, finally freed to do their jobs by the visionary leadership of the One.

When the attack finally comes, it will be because the Bush Administration didn't do enough, and the wise and all-knowing Obamessiah could not repair the damage with the measly deficit-laden budget he had to work with.

[narciso]

No sadly, I don't think it will be able to be covered up; recall the first WTC bombing occurred because surveillance was cut off at a critical time between the FBI agent and the informant Emad Salam; who had infiltrated the terrorist. Recall the VP who wrote FISA's crazy provisions. The Khobar Towers was certainly traceable to chatter coming out of Iran. The failure to actually follow through on the TRODPINT and JAWBREAKER teams working with the Northern Alliance made the Embassy bombings; It wasn't till after that event, that Ali Mohammed who had scouted those targets was finally arrested, where his contacts provided the sketchy details behind the 1st PDB. Diana Dunham? spotted Ahmed Ressam, the fact the after action report by Sandy Burger, proved clearly, so it had to be purloined from the archives. It took the careful eye of customs agent Gonzalez Quevedo to intercept Mohammed Al Quahtani in Orlando as he was meeting with Mohammed Atta. REcall that the Senior Senator from Illinois, cried over the fate of Quahtani; who no one with any sense about the matter would do (but I repeat my self) You think people were on pins and needles back after 2000. when The then President elect had absorbed CAIR's propaganda about 'secret evidence'; consider all that discretion out the window now. We know from Andy McCarthy's
experience (and the Moussaoui, Padilla, & even Lindh hearings,) how the criminal courts don't work. WE will learn that lesson, painfully, once again. SCalia and Robert's dissent in Boumedienne will be proven right. And sadly we've seen what his preferred solutions are; restricting guns, restricting speech, ostracism of critics
(Joe the Plumber, Barbara West) I hope I'm wrong, but I fear I'm not.

[Soylent Red]

I'm not saying the spin will work, I'm just saying what it will be. Unfortunately there are still people who deny Clinton's dithering at various inflection points through the 1990s. I don't see the upcoming four years playing any differently.

Whatever the political spin narciso, not a great time to be living in a target city. I'm not sure I'd live in lower Manhattan right now if someone gave me the apartment.

[PeterUK]

"I'm in a top profession, sub-specializing in a very competitive area.

DD or DDD?

DUD.

[PeterUK]

"why dealing with jihadists solely through the federal criminal system doesn't work."

It doesn't work quite simply because,by their own lights,jihadis are not criminals,you are the criminals.
These are not recidavists knocking over the corner liquor store,these are holy warriors,duty bound to destroy or subvert your society.

[PeterUK]

Mr Supersmart Barrack Canute Obama is about to plunge you into the dark ages.

[peter]

peter:

"brilliant post, jmh, comparing whining affirm-act-failed-the-bar-exam-the-first-time Michelle Obama to W."

Couldn't have been all that brilliant, if you missed the operative comparison entirely. That would make you wrong on two scores, wouldn't it?

Hey, cut me a break, it was Saturday night, and I had just had my evening dry Manhattan.

[Pofarmer]

PeterUK, I started the article you linked, but haven't finished it yet. In my monthly Rural Electric Coop paper there is a map of electricity availability in the U.S. In 09 there are expected to be shortages in the northeast(northeast of New York, and in the west, in a line at approximately the western border of Kansas, and a large portion of Texas. In 2010 it's expected to get most of the north Western tier of statesand wrap around MO down into the rest of texas. 2011 Should get NewYork State. Bh 2012 look at the Rust belt having problems. The center and Southeast is apparently good beyond 2015. The Article states that demand is expected to increase 18% over the next decade while generation will only increase 8%. I'd assume that this is pretty well set in stone because of the time involved in permitting, then designing, then actually building the plants. Prepare for parts of the U.S. to look like Baghdad.

[kim]

Has the New York Times called for Bush's resignation? I've read that Fox News reported it, but I can't find it on the web.
==================================

[narciso]

Wow, Clarice, I'm exhausted just thinking about all that food. That's kind of like my grand mother's idea of a meal, sizable portions, multiple dishes, including
dessert. I can see, why you were worn out
by the end of Friday; sorry for keeping you up with my musings. Who actually runs this site from day to day?

Boy when you go by subborn facts, rather than "hope and change" one is dissapointed
all the time, aren't we. Melanie Phillips, who used to be as left as Christopher Hitchens. but didn't buy the fodderal, pointed out that Bush had similar advisors to Obama notably Powell, Haas, & Armitage, he overrode their judgement,(defending Israel during the intifada, going against the Saud clique, by invading Iraq
consequently they struck back at him, with leaks, and the Plame set up. His instinct were basically correct. The reverse is true is true of our incoming potentate. The level of cluelessness is paramount, I guess
that's why I didn't pass the foreign
service test. Some commentator said Hillary needs to trust the State Department, in order to be successful. Zounds no, that's exactly the wrong way to go about it. General Jones, much like Scowcroft and Christopher before him, listens to those who find a thousand reason, why not to do the right thing and call it wisdom.

You're right, Peter (what exactly is
Tiscali?) no, they're not, instead re:
'unlawful enemy combatants.' Mumbai provided
yet another example, which of course 'all the usual suspects' will ignore. Zakaria, got a head start on that this weekend. The term is clunky to say the least but apt. ex parte Merryman over Milligan, no matter that
Lt. Comdr (probably future Capt) Swift doesn't like that decision. The AP through the Herald had a piece by some new sparkling
legal genius, Andy Barkow, saying it's alright to try them through the regular courts. Yes, no record of his expertise, on the subject was actually forthcoming. a series of strikes like those seen in an old Bob Woodward made for TV screenplay, "Under Siege" seems more plausible than a new style attack, we've seen before. I'd say a scenario more like Season 6 of 24, than the earlier ones, featuring David Palmer; sorry to be formulaic.

The ironies of how Sarah's possiblecandidacy
with the proxy fight in Atlanta, and the stare down in Philly are truly curious. We've been told, forever, that the GOP. The Don Surber links about her popularity; occasioned this rumination. needs someone more down to earth, not a Bush or Dole family legacy. We've been toldauthenticity is at a premium, no affairs, no living high off the hog. Actual administrative
experience, is at a paramount; as well as an ability to work with various factions for a common goal. And how often is the Conservative afraid of strong women, meme, been propagated.
Yet look what happens, because she didn't have a ready sponsor, she is faulted for following the leads of seemingly backbiting
staffers. Because she draws crowds, because of her message, but in part because she is so real; the charges of demagoguery, and I kid you not, chronyism surface. Where the Senior Senator, the former Atty. General,
and the party Treasurer, went away, in part because of her. Because the Governorship of Alaska really matters, as opposed to a Senate seat from Chicago; any time away for campaigning will be held against her. Ditto,
for her devotion to her family, will be used as a cudgel against pursuing higher
office. McGeehee, has made the point that an identity politics stand, is a loser; but that train left the station long ago. They turned her into a lightning bolt, and now they don't like the static. I think she can still persevere through this, because she is quite simply one of the mostextraordinary
political and personal phenomena ever seen in America; 'a force of nature' as one acquaintance put it. but the odds are exceedingly steep. If there was someone, (anyone, Buehler, Buehler)who would be willing to take up the burden, it might be much preferred; but sometimes that is the only choice available.

[Extraneus]

Investors Business Daily: Stop Covering Up And Kill The CRA

I blame McCain for allowing the financial panic opportunity to go to waste. Such fools we have compared to the street-fighters on the Democrat side.

[JM Hanes]

Sorry, peter, I thought you were snarking. Perhaps I'm the one who should have been relaxing with Manhattans!

I must admit to some general post-election disorientation. Is it just me, or is anyone else looking around and seeing a disturbing intellectual resemblance between left and right these days?

We have paternalistic pundits, oozing with disdain for the hoi polloi, arguing that government is the rightful province of elitist policy wonks. We have ideologues calling for party purges. I expect to see feverish folks fainting dead away at Palin rallies any day now, while others are conjuring up vast conspiracies and puppet masters that would do a lefty proud.

And then, as if to top things off, I discover that TM is not the contrarian I thought I knew!

[peter]

Is it just me, or is anyone else looking around and seeing a disturbing intellectual resemblance between left and right these days?

It's not just you. Exhaustion has set in. Conservative pundits can't believe we elected a socialist, apostate Moslem, Harvard elitist just seven years post WTC, and liberal elites can't believe they won't have Bush to blame for everything in a few short weeks. It is very disorienting.

[Extraneus]

Is it just me, or is anyone else looking around and seeing a disturbing intellectual resemblance between left and right these days?

Funny you should mention that. I was just wondering where to get my Buck Farak t-shirt and my "nOt my president" bumper sticker.

Seriously, I am against turning the other cheek as if to prove we're better people. I'll do my part to give our new President 100% of the support the left gave to Bush.

[kim]

I'm still holding close to my vest the belief that Tom is putting us on. Remember, he's subtle.
==========================================

[kim]

I'm stunned that even the most rabid at Polipundit don't want to hear about the birth certificate. This is elementary, my dear. Showing a valid birth certificate is fundamental to many questions of identity here in America, and he has not identified himself.
================================

[PeterUK]

Pofarmer,
"Prepare for parts of the U.S. to look like Baghdad."

Be of good cheer,by that time, the Army of Mesopotamia will have invaded and deposed the tyrant.
If you can only prevent insurgent Greens from disrupting the reconstruction.

[pagar]

PeterUK,
Could you please take a look at this LUN and give us your thoughts on the story.

"Is reporting these acts of jihadi rape insulting to Islam and in violation of the UN resolution against "defaming Islam"?"

Of course, if it's going to cost you your job or anything like that, a simple No would be understandable.

[PeterUK]

Pagar,
This has to be understood in context.Whilst official taxi drivers are licensed and have to have a knowledge of their area,the mimi cab drivers and private businesses have no vetting procedure for drivers. It is an ideal was for illegals to earn money.I once had a very interesting three hour conversation with a Kosovan,who was studying chemistry.This was on a twenty minute journey.
The basic problem is the cab owners find themselves cheap drivers.It would seem therefore a honey pot for those looking for nefarious opportunities.
The whole business needs tightening up

[kim]

Sweet Home, Alabama. I've twice run into rumours that blockbuster news about the birth certificate is coming out next week from Alabama. Maybe it's just the echo chamber of straw graspers. This latest is at the end of Benjamin's TD thread, but it is pretty vague.
======================================

[centralcal]

kim: I am back from a holiday break and I see the Obama birth certificate issue is still in the blogosphere.

Did you see this last week in the WSJ by Taranto (re: Berg & the SCOTUS):

"The probability that the court will actually grant certiorari is, in theory, greater than zero, but it is such a small number as to be incomprehensible to anyone within the ordinary range of intelligence. As Judge Peter Messitte notes in an article for the State Department's eJournalUSA, the justices typically grant such petitions only for cases "raising particularly significant questions of law, and/or those where there is a division of legal authority, as where lower courts have produced conflicting interpretations of constitutional or federal law."

An additional rumor, not repeated by Forbes.com's Serchuk, is that the "response" that Obama is "required" to file next week consists of proof that he is a natural-born citizen. Those who make this claim seem to believe that cert. is two, two, two writs in one. In fact, the only question currently before the high court is whether to hear the appeal at all.

Even in the vanishingly unlikely event that the court does grant certiorari, it almost certainly would consider only the legal issue raised by the lower court's ruling--namely, whether Berg has standing to sue. In the even more vanishingly unlikely event that the justices rule in his favor, the case would be returned to a trial judge for consideration of the factual allegations."