Barack Obama apparently met with some friendly writers, columnists and editors to whinge about nasty Republicans and an unappreciative public that just doesn't get how hard he is working on terror. [And speaking of friendly writers, what are friends for?]
Sweet jiminy.
Mr. Obama is struggling to fashion a message that reassures Americans that he is serious about battling the threat of the Islamic State while also avoiding what he considers the alarmism voiced by some Republican presidential candidates. Polls suggest that many Americans believe he is not taking the threat from the Islamic State seriously enough.
Struggling to fashion a message? Maybe the strategy (or lack thereof) is the message. Sorry, spoiler:
To counter that, Mr. Obama visited the National Counterterrorism Center on Thursday, following a similar trip to the Pentagon earlier in the week and an Oval Office address to the nation last week. He is trying to make the case that his administration is succeeding in its fight against terrorism and the Islamic State, but even some members of his own party are grumbling that he needs a new strategy.
No kidding.
Mr. Obama emphasized again that vigilance against terrorism should not lead Americans to sacrifice values that define the nation — a direct response to remarks from the Republican campaigns.
“We have to remind ourselves that when we stay true to our values, nothing can defeat us,” Mr. Obama said, adding: “We’ve prevailed over much greater threats than this. We will prevail again.”
Uh huh. Of course, his common sense is that we should suspend due process and deny people the right to purchase weapons if they are arbitrarily or accidentally placed by the Executive Branch on a watchlist, with no judicial oversight. Suspending the Constitution is simply common sense, not giving in to fear.
Of course, I see that the San Bernardino terrorists were motivated by the teachings of Anwar al-Awlaki, the American imam killed by a drone strike in 2011. AL-Awlaki also met with some 9/11 hijackers and exchanged emails with Maj. Hasan, the 2009 Ft. Hood shooter. Quite a record.
So my 'common sense' tells me that if an imam, or "thought leader" such as a columnist is on the terror watchlist it would be foolhardy to allow them to publish or host private meetings. Common sense. Whatever.
In his meeting with the columnists, Mr. Obama indicated that he did not see enough cable television to fully appreciate the anxiety after the attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, and made clear that he plans to step up his public arguments. Republicans were telling Americans that he is not doing anything when he is doing a lot, he said.
He spent part of the conversation expressing pique at Republicans. For all of the attention paid to Mr. Trump, he said, the ideas that the Republican candidates are promoting have been part of a longer-term strategy of the party. And they have been successful to a point, Mr. Obama added, noting that many Americans believe he is a Muslim who was not born in the United States.
Yeah, fourteen people are dead in San Bernardino but the real outrage is that some people think this loser is a Muslim, not that there is anything wrong with that since Islam means peace.
And if Republicans have been promoting the ides that Obama is an out-of-touch elitist, well, what is being implied with "Mr. Obama indicated that he did not see enough cable television to fully appreciate the anxiety after the attacks in Paris and San Bernardino"? What, his pollsters didn't get back to him with the news that the bitter-clingers in flyover country were restless?
I wonder if Hillary has some intention of being President of all Americans, not just the ones she likes who also like her. Hope and change.
First?
So Obama met with his own thought leaders (imams)this week? Q'elle suprise!
Does this mean that he will be undertaking a campaign against the Republicans/Shiites?
Posted by: matt | December 17, 2015 at 08:01 PM
First he needs to implement alligator control. Man armed with alligator just arrested by Cleveland SWAT team.
Posted by: henry | December 17, 2015 at 08:08 PM
TM
Excellent topic
Every single day of Hussein's life it is all about him
This degree of narcissism is dangerous to our country
Posted by: maryrose | December 17, 2015 at 08:10 PM
Maybe if Sports Center starts showing subliminal security data 404 might understand what's going on, assuming any of it would stick in his empty head.
Posted by: Captain Hate on the iPad | December 17, 2015 at 08:10 PM
Obama didn't see enough cable television?
???????
Was he watching anything other than himself in a mirror or his personal Instagram selfie channel?
Posted by: henry | December 17, 2015 at 08:11 PM
Posted by: Dave (in MA) | December 17, 2015 at 08:16 PM
Calling the Skydragon hoax a bigger threat than terrorism, and then saying a crony fest for stealing our money to hand to windmill barons and global grifters is the best rebuke to ISIS have nothing to do with our lack of confidence in his ugly mug. Right. I'm going to get some high capacity tactical alligators before the pet store loophole is closed.
Posted by: henry | December 17, 2015 at 08:16 PM
Of course, I see that the San Bernardino terrorists were motivated by the teachings of Anwar al-Awlaki, the American imam killed by a drone strike in 2011. AL-Awlaki also met with some 9/11 hijackers and exchanged emails with Maj. Hasan, the 2009 Ft. Hood shooter. Quite a record.
Anwar used to be the Imam at the Dar Al-Hijrah mosque in Falls Church, Virginia.
That is the same mosque that Dems visited to show their support for Islam after the San Bernardino Islamic terrorist slaughter.
http://freebeacon.com/national-security/democrats-to-attend-prayer-service-at-radical-mosque/
"a group of Democratic lawmakers said they would attend Friday prayer services at the Dar al-Hijrah Mosque in Virginia, which has been linked to the financing of terrorists and where al-Awlaki served as the spiritual leader.
The Democrats set to attend include Reps. Don Beyer (D., Va.), Joseph Crowley (D., N.Y.), Betty McCollum (D., Minn.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D., D.C.), and several Virginia state lawmakers, according to the New York Times."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dar_Al-Hijrah
It is sickening how the Dems always run to side with Islam...& the MFM cheer them on.
Posted by: Janet | December 17, 2015 at 08:18 PM
He was only talking to people who wouldn't be shocked at how ignorant he is when he talks off 'prompter, henry. I'm surprised he ever figured out how to tie his shoes, assuming he does.
Posted by: Captain Hate on the iPad | December 17, 2015 at 08:19 PM
Maybe one damn reporter could ask Imam Shakir El-Sayed of the Dar Al-HIjrah mosque what parts of the Koran & Hadith he no longer teaches. How does his faith differ from that of Anwar al-Awlaki.
Maybe President Obama could explain "real Islam" to us.
Posted by: Janet | December 17, 2015 at 08:25 PM
Hijrah btw means pilgrimage or migration. Letting loose another host of varsity players seems foolhardy, but that is what he is doing.
Posted by: buccaneer morgan | December 17, 2015 at 08:26 PM
--Of course, I see that the San Bernardino terrorists were motivated by the teachings of Anwar al-Awlaki, the American imam killed by a drone strike in 2011.--
He was killed four years ago and these creeps killed 14 of us now?
I guess killing al-Awlaki was just what the terrorists wanted us to do.
Posted by: Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki | December 17, 2015 at 08:33 PM
Narciso, at the rate Putin is killing them, they need the reinforcements.
Posted by: henry | December 17, 2015 at 08:34 PM
He's their Elvis or like the beattles on the white album, never goes out of style.
Btw the prophets birthday falls on the 24 for the Sunni and the 29 for the shia this year.
Posted by: buccaneer morgan | December 17, 2015 at 08:36 PM
narciso:
"Re muammar, he was an ally of convenience his spy chief the Spartan musa musa has given up some chips before the big reveal in 2003, but he had pursued ap's lfg franchise"
Alas, I'm afraid I need a little help here. Does that mean Qaddafi was an active or valuable counter-terrorism partner when we took him out?
Posted by: JMHanes | December 17, 2015 at 08:37 PM
Varsity is al nusra or aqap, he's reachong some of the latter, but not the former.
Posted by: buccaneer morgan | December 17, 2015 at 08:38 PM
So Christmas Eve at the Cineplex for Star Wars might have non cgi explosions? From what Clarice posted earlier that includes rural areas -- these ISIS guys are apocalyptic!
Posted by: henry | December 17, 2015 at 08:40 PM
Iraq declines the Merde Touch.
Is that worse than Putin accepting Obama's surrender in Syria? Worse than jerking F15s out of Turkey because of Russia taking over Syrian airspace?
Posted by: Rick Ballard | December 17, 2015 at 08:41 PM
Yes, although not nearly as much as Mubarak had.
The irony is the brit snowden shayler had revealed that mi6 had worked with the late anas al liby on an assasination plot against muammar, that fell through at the last minute in the mid 90s.
Posted by: buccaneer morgan | December 17, 2015 at 08:42 PM
JMH, You might remember that Qaddafi "did away" with his nuclear weapons program at the behest of the US, and yet, Obama and Hilary threw him away. And now, look at Libya--a total mess and haven for terrorists.
Posted by: new lurker | December 17, 2015 at 08:42 PM
Going by their timetable henry, i'm afraid that's not out of the question.
Posted by: buccaneer morgan | December 17, 2015 at 08:44 PM
I hate Obama.
Posted by: Jane | December 17, 2015 at 08:52 PM
The only dumb thing Moammar did after Reagan brought him to heel was bankroll Calypso Louie with pocket change. I'm not sure why that didn't buy him some protection with 404 although maybe the MB countermanded that; and Stedman could hold the threat of an investigation of the murder of Malcolm X over the king of the bow tied thugs.
Posted by: Captain Hate on the iPad | December 17, 2015 at 08:52 PM
It seems a News Years Times Square event is a bit off the schedule... but if the use clock boy level time pieces that may not matter.
Posted by: henry | December 17, 2015 at 08:54 PM
Oops. Put this on an old thread I see. Well, that's what people my age do.
Happy Birthday JimmyK!
Good luck on your hernia operation A(B)
Thanks for the warm birthday wishes, everyone, and for the hernia get-well card, daddy.
It's one of those damnable BIG birthdays that everyone hates, but I take solace in recalling that today I'm younger than I'll ever again be, so that's cause for rejoicing (and my hernia barely interferes with my tabletop dancing, daddy.)
Henry, two days ago I received a birthday package from my friend on Oahu: two cans of Spam, two plastic bags of "our-kind-of-rice" rice, nori, a bottle of seasoning and a musubi press. Only problem was the postman carried the parcel up to our door in a USPS plastic bag, with grains of rice falling all along the pathway. Seems the Ziploc bags my friend had used for the rice had exploded from the pressure changes (daddy? Cecil?) at 39,000 ft. and somewhere there must be a 757 cargo bin covered in rice, as the floor of our local post office now is, according to the mailman. Horrible waste. I swept the small remainder from our kitchen floor, while my son tried to enjoin me to save the dustpan contents: "Heck, Ma -- you're going to wash and boil it anyway," Didn't seem right though.
Thank y'all again. I like Savannah a lot but we have to return to Hawaii in January to sell our house (I think. It's difficult to do). Meanwhile I try to remain calm as the world collapses and I've completed EIGHT decades. How the hell did this happen?
Posted by: (A)Nuther Bub | December 17, 2015 at 08:49 PM
Posted by: (A)Nuther Bub | December 17, 2015 at 08:55 PM
Linus silenced by Grinch.
Posted by: Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki | December 17, 2015 at 08:57 PM
Happy Birthday, Bub. Nice to hear from you.
Posted by: Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki | December 17, 2015 at 08:58 PM
Jeez, Rick. Carter goes to Baghdad and the Prime Minister gives him 40 minutes? What a pathetic marker that is.
new lurker:
The results are ever more painfully clear, aren't they? I hate to think about just how much damage bad actors worldwide will manage to do before this Administration leaves office. They clearly realize that if they want to take advantage, now is the time to do it, from the Middle East, to the South China Sea.
Posted by: JMHanes | December 17, 2015 at 08:58 PM
Never ask "how" it happened, (A)B, just thank God and your genes that it did!
Posted by: Centralcal on iPad | December 17, 2015 at 09:00 PM
College dude suspended for post stating black women "aren't hot".
Originally 21 months but reduced to a mere 6.
Posted by: Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki | December 17, 2015 at 09:04 PM
Why should anybody in Iraq trust any representative of 404? Too bad they didn't shoot him out of the sky.
Posted by: Captain Hate on the iPad | December 17, 2015 at 09:04 PM
I hear ya, Jane.
Posted by: Janet | December 17, 2015 at 09:04 PM
The entire Middle East is an incubator for terrorists - they multiply faster than we can eradicate them; they bleed into surrounding countries and cross the seas and mountains to inflict their murderous demonic system upon all of Western civilization, until everyone submits or is killed for the Caliphate.
And Obama thinks ONLY whiny Americans and Republicans are upset? What, because they're over-reacting to 'cable TV'?
Posted by: BeenThereDoneThat | December 17, 2015 at 09:10 PM
My apologies for missing all this but Happy Birthday to AB in Savanah and good healing time to jimmyk. At least its not a torn roator cuff. Now that is some special physical threrapy. The steroid shot helps but still you need to build back up the muscle to control the tendons. Aches like hell at night.
Bucs look lost in St. Louis.
Posted by: Puddin Floppy-Feet | December 17, 2015 at 09:11 PM
Yet another Iranian mole, that abadi turned out to be, although he is less effective, like the post diem leaders in south vietnam.
Posted by: buccaneer morgan | December 17, 2015 at 09:11 PM
The battlefield was the middle east, but increasing it has moved to western Europe and out streets, and as we saw in the siege, that's a much harder slog.
Posted by: buccaneer morgan | December 17, 2015 at 09:14 PM
Christians share photos of their Christmas trees in countries where just having one can get you arrested, or killed.
Posted by: Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki | December 17, 2015 at 09:15 PM
(A)Bub!
Happy Birthday! Didn't realize you were back on the mainland. I can imagine how wrenching selling your wonderful house in Hawaii might be. My son has now bought his own place, which appears to be his final destination of choice. Fortunately, it's got an ohana! Hope you and Mr. Bub are both well; please give him my best.
Posted by: JMHanes | December 17, 2015 at 09:20 PM
Odd how tabligh al jamaat, the deobandi network nor the Libyan branch of islamic state kabl enter the picture. But its like see no evil, speak no evil and hear no evil fbi guides that mccarthy pointed out.
Posted by: buccaneer morgan | December 17, 2015 at 09:22 PM
I wonder if Hillary has some intention of being President of all Americans, not just the ones she likes who also like her. Hope and change.
There is exactly one person on this planet that Obama likes, and that's the one who looks back at him in the mirror. I imagine he has that in common with Hillary.
Or perhaps not. She probably loathes herself as much as she loathes pretty much everyone else. How could she not?
Posted by: James D. | December 17, 2015 at 09:25 PM
http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2015/12/17/hammer-meet-nail-donald-trump-statement-regarding-paul-ryan-omnibus-spending-bill/
Posted by: Threadkiller | December 17, 2015 at 09:26 PM
She reflexively admitted no, in the first debate like Strangelove"s salute.
Posted by: buccaneer morgan | December 17, 2015 at 09:28 PM
Ha! Clips of Obama saying we're making progress against ISIS, followed by clips of Lyndon Johnson at the podium claiming progress in Viet Nam! Eegads, they strike almost precisely the same chord.
Posted by: JMHanes | December 17, 2015 at 09:32 PM
I point out that muammar was a fair weather friend, back in 2001, kusa did being ibn sheik al link to our attention, but the Belgians and the French already knew of him, he ran the camp where nassiri was trained. We detained deghayes in part because we knew that libya would be a likely target, his son went to syria and list his head.
Posted by: buccaneer morgan | December 17, 2015 at 09:34 PM
BeenThereDoneThat,
Amen.
It's almost as though some Bibles along with missionaries should have been allowed to flood into the cesspool of the ME. How 'bout allowing some new ideas? Goodness, love, forgiveness, honor, truth, the Truth.
Instead, we hid crosses & burned Bibles so we didn't disrespect their murderous, hateful beliefs.
What a sad joke.
Posted by: Janet | December 17, 2015 at 09:34 PM
They forget that.missionaries led the way in out contact's in the middle east, then again so have the sons and grandsons of those missionaries like ray close, who forgot what the commandment was.
Posted by: buccaneer morgan | December 17, 2015 at 09:44 PM
TK,
Has anyone else released a statement on that stupid omnibus bill? I have been gone to the auction so didn't watch any news this evening.
I did hear Senator Mike Lee and a representative from Texas on Hannity's radio show talking about it and how upset they were. It was negotiated by the leaders of both parties in the House and Senate.
I also heard a clip of that weasel Josh Earnest bragging about how they got everything they wanted. He enumerated everything they won on, and it was horrible. No defunding of sanctuary cities, Planned Parenthood, Syrian refugees, Dreamers, environmental stuff, etc. etc.
I think Lee said the only thing they won was some concessions on military spending.
Posted by: Miss Marple 2 | December 17, 2015 at 09:53 PM
jmh, My son did, too.Maybe out paths will cross on Oahu soon.
Posted by: clarice | December 17, 2015 at 09:53 PM
*our* paths/
Posted by: clarice | December 17, 2015 at 09:54 PM
And the oil export ban, otherwise they are as quiet as basengi. So two elements of chaos really disrupted the March to amnesty one was David brats toppling cantor and the other was judge hanen's decision.
Posted by: buccaneer morgan | December 17, 2015 at 09:57 PM
Yeah, JMHanes, LBJ was differnt. We had 55K American's dying in VN while no one is dying today in Iraq or Syria. Big deal for me. No comparison. But your milage may vary.
Lets not confuse VN with Iraq or Afghanistan. It may piss off a lot of us.
Posted by: Puddin Floppy-Feet | December 17, 2015 at 09:59 PM
In regards to this that I transcribed earlier about no Press Briefing in San Bernardio today:
The Conference was cancelled by the DOJ. And it wasn't the DOJ who was giving it (the Conference) but they told the local authorities, the Regional authorities, "You know what, you're not doing it now. We're going to put out a Press Release." ...As of about 5 minutes ago I was told don't expect anybody from the Federal Govt to say anything today.
Former Congressman Allen West was on Levin's Show in Hour 2. His guess was that Obama is going to stop in San Bernardino on his way to Christmas Vacation in Hawaii, and he'll use that as an occasion to give a short speech about how things are going great and how safe we all are. If so, that would explain the DOJ shutting down the locals from giving us a briefing today---wouldn't want to ruin a Presidential photo-op.
Posted by: daddy | December 17, 2015 at 10:02 PM
Bosch Fawstin
9 hrs ·
"Here are the Muslims who are Enraged over the San Bernardino Muslim terrorists being buried as Muslims following an Islamic ritual, and thus connecting Islam with terrorism..."
Posted by: Janet | December 17, 2015 at 10:02 PM
PFF,
The one thing they have in common was the left and the media's effort to cause us to lose.
They did their bestto cause it in the Iraq invasion but the rise of the internet kept them from total success, although they did undermine morale.
I hate all of those people. They are willing to cause loss of life, untold suffering in refugees and captive people, and the destruction of our country, all to prove their point and gain power.
They re evil.
Posted by: Miss Marple 2 | December 17, 2015 at 10:04 PM
MM.
Still no comparison no matter how you want to frame it.
I was there. No comparison.
Posted by: Puddin Floppy-Feet | December 17, 2015 at 10:06 PM
But PFF, thousands did die in Iraq, and Obama made their deaths in vain by pulling out and letting ISIS take over. Lots of differences, but the similarity is putting soldiers in harm's way without having total victory as the objective.
Posted by: jimmyk on iPad | December 17, 2015 at 10:10 PM
If you'll look a little closer at what she said, she was noting the similarity in Barry and LBJ foolishly claiming progress where there is none, not comparing the wars or casualties thereof.
There is a useful comparison to be made in their foolishness and it is one Cecil has also made occasionally by noting how we initially crept into Viet Nam a few advisers at a time.
Posted by: Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki | December 17, 2015 at 10:10 PM
404 should be booed off the stage in San Bernadino if he shows up there. It takes a certain type of psycho to show up where people lost lives because of his horrible policies and expect to be welcome. Too bad we don't have an opposition party made up of the likes of Allen West.
Posted by: Captain Hate on the iPad | December 17, 2015 at 10:10 PM
Marx was wrong, it always end tragically, first, second and third times.
Posted by: buccaneer morgan | December 17, 2015 at 10:13 PM
I was curious about this awhile ago:
http://www.wnd.com/2015/12/where-is-san-bernardinos-john-doe-no-3/
I'm glad someone else is hip to this.
Posted by: Threadkiller | December 17, 2015 at 10:14 PM
I don't understand why Planned Parenthood is getting funded in this bill.
I thought the House & Senate had voted to defund PP...& the bill was waiting for Obama to veto it. I don't know where that stands.
IT's all confusing.
Posted by: Janet | December 17, 2015 at 10:15 PM
They stripped out the language because Moloch must be Fed.
Posted by: buccaneer morgan | December 17, 2015 at 10:16 PM
PFF,
Like I said, the two arenot the same. Only the media's efforts to destroy, which isn't a similarity in the wars, only in their actions.
I remember finding out that we WON the Tet Offensive in the late 1980's. It was only because of something I heard on Rush andI then went andlooked it up.
Because of Walter cronkite, I thought we had LOST the Tet. And I wasn't the only one. I called a good friend and askedher, and she was unaware of it either.
I will never get over that.
I know that was a bad deal for the troops. My brother-in-law was Marine officer for 2 tours.
Posted by: Miss Marple 2 | December 17, 2015 at 10:19 PM
We were sold out in the omnibus spending bill. Again.
It's a mystery how Trump keeps polling so well.
Posted by: Captain Hate on the iPad | December 17, 2015 at 10:20 PM
Happy Birthday A(B)!!!!!!!
I'll be eating Musabi, but I'll be dreaming of you:)
"Hey" to the Mister and to Dr Kildare, from their Side Street messmate, and cheers to your great Grandson. And even Xmas greetings to Obama the feral kitty cat.
Posted by: daddy | December 17, 2015 at 10:33 PM
If Kim Kardashian would chime in the trinity would be complete.
OK TM,
If that's what you need to make you happy.

I don't understand it of course, but I suppose it takes all kinds.
Posted by: daddy | December 17, 2015 at 10:52 PM
That Union Leader Trump endorsement the other day was pretty funny -- especially from a newspaper not known for its humor.
Posted by: Jim Miller | December 17, 2015 at 10:59 PM
Look at it this way, Janet; if children get aborted by Planned Genocide, they won't be shackled with the massive debt that Private Eddie's budgets will produce.
Posted by: Captain Hate on the iPad | December 17, 2015 at 11:09 PM
In 2008 I remember being astonished and dismayed by the libertarians (!) (and a few conservatives) who endorsed Obama. It seemed to me that anyone who looked at his record -- not what he was sometimes saying in the campaign -- could see that he wasn't a libertarian, or a conservative.
I don't think their reputations will ever completely recover.
This year, I'm seeing something similar. It's especially odd seeing conservative talk show hosts sell out to the Trump folks. It isn't as if Trump's long Democratic and liberal record is a secret. Or that there is any reason to believe anything he says, judging by his record.
Well, all too often people believe what they want to believe, but it is still a sad thing to watch.
Posted by: Jim Miller | December 17, 2015 at 11:10 PM
Really him has Noonan been punished for her fooloshness, or Kathleen Parker ( being shackled to client no 9 is it's own punishment. Brooks still ventures into category error Buckley fils now pollutes the renaissance in vary bad satire.
Posted by: buccaneer morgan | December 17, 2015 at 11:17 PM
PFF:
Please know, that I didn't mean to equate what's going on today with VietNam at all! It was just the similarity in tone of those two misbegotten Presidents standing up there making wooden claims of "progress."
At the same time, let us never forget that we we have also lost something like 8,000 troops between Iraq and Afghanistan, a figure which doesn't include the non-fatal casualties.
Posted by: JMHanes | December 17, 2015 at 11:32 PM
I could see how a conservative voter supporting Cruz might wish Trump wasn't diverting the attention of other conservatives.
On the other hand some not particularly conservative voter saying "How can you call yourself a real conservative unless you stridently oppose Trump who is obviously not a real conservative" ... kinda phony ...
Posted by: boris | December 17, 2015 at 11:39 PM
During Nam I served stateside, but my brother saw combat there as a Marine. He also did 2 tours in Iraq with the Army Corps of Engineers. 2nd tour he saw significant improvement there.
Whatever faults LBJ had with Nam he was not part of the betrayal by dimorats of the people there and everyone who served.
Obama has betrayed Iraq and those who served there.
I'll ask my brother if he considers that betrayal comparable to LBJ's flaws. Think I know what he'll say.
Posted by: boris | December 17, 2015 at 11:49 PM
Clarice:
"My son did, too.Maybe out paths will cross on Oahu soon."
Wouldn't that be fun! Young Mr. Hanes lives on Maui, which is abfab, but I've taken to traveling through Honolulu, because I can fly non-stop from Atlanta on Delta, (which is head and shoulders above United & American, who seem to fly older planes on the Hawaii route). How long has your son been living on Oahu?
Posted by: JMHanes | December 17, 2015 at 11:55 PM
I would agree that LBJ's misdeeds do not compare to Obama's. But he did more or less give up on military victory in 1968. He gave in to the media's opposition. He collapsed under pressure. Obama, by contrast, chose his path based on his own misguided convictions.
Posted by: jimmyk | December 17, 2015 at 11:59 PM
Obama [] chose his path based on his own misguided convictions
How is that "by contrast" when it can be accurately stated that Obama also "gave in to the media's opposition".
... except he didn't need to give in ...
Obama does not get credit for "courageous betrayal" from me.
Posted by: boris | December 18, 2015 at 12:07 AM
--Whatever faults LBJ had with Nam he was not part of the betrayal by dimorats of the people there and everyone who served.--
Good point, boris.
Posted by: Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki | December 18, 2015 at 12:19 AM
Boris, I'm not following your point at 12:07. I don't think we disagree, but you seem to think we do. I certainly never said anything about "courageous betrayal." I don't think the MSM was beating the drums to abandon Iraq the way they were in opposition to the Vietnam War.
Posted by: jimmyk | December 18, 2015 at 12:30 AM
I don't think the MSM was beating the drums to abandon Iraq the way they were in opposition to the Vietnam War.
JimmyK,
I agree with that, and in the same vain I also don't see the MSM demanding that we ship home the prisoners and close Gitmo. I think Gitmo is entirely on Obama, regardless how damaging it'll be to our security in the future. When's the last time we heard anybody on TV demanding we close Gitmo?
Posted by: daddy | December 18, 2015 at 12:42 AM
THAT was fun. Went to the Country Club ladies Dirty Santa and Bunko party and stopped by a friends house to pick up a "calibered" accessory I purchased as they are moving to a non carry state with the new purchase prominently sitting in the passenger seat and passed through not one but TWO checkpoints in 3 1/2 miles after consuming five cosmos in four hours.
Can you say piss your pants? Sure you can.... I'm totally sober NOW. Just dayum.
Posted by: Stephanie | December 18, 2015 at 02:27 AM
JMH He bought a house on Oahu a few months ago. They are not living there permanently yet, just flying there a lot. They probably won't move there permanently for another year, It's a long trip isn't it? The wolverine is interviewing at Iolani soon and then, I guess at Punahou and elsewhere. She enters 6th grade next year and 6th and 7th are apparently transition times at those schools.They plan to keep their house in L.A. so maybe the family will also meet up there in between visits to HI.
Posted by: clarice | December 18, 2015 at 08:10 AM
"but you seem to think we do. I certainly never said anything about "courageous betrayal."
I wrote about Obama'a betrayal. You wrote "chose his path based on his own misguided convictions".
I simply combined the notions inside "scare quotes". I wasn't quoting you or putting words in your mouth (again) if that's what you mean.
"I don't think the MSM was beating the drums to abandon Iraq the way they were in opposition to the Vietnam War"
Why would the MSM need to "beat the drums" to make Obama give in and abandon Iraq? The hated GWB was akready gone, Iraq was at that time a claimed victory.
My only point is there's no actual contrast to say LBJ "gave in" to opposition while Obama "chose his path based on his own misguided convictions".
Not sure that counts a disagreement.
But while I'm on the subject ... LBJ didn't give in, he just went away. Opposition to the Iraq war was certainly in drum beating mode during GWB terms and Obama was part of it.
Do you recall Obama on national TV saying his opposition to the surge was the correct position even knowing that's what won the war?
Fixed that didn't he. Now he can say the war was never won so he was right all along.
Fuck that.
Ya, it's Obama that pisses me off, not you.
Posted by: boris | December 18, 2015 at 09:39 AM
The only way we could lose in Iraq was to run away. And we did.
Fixed that didn't he. Now he can say the war was never won so he was right all along.
Exactly. And I'm not convinced it was unintentional.
Posted by: Cecil Turner | December 18, 2015 at 10:33 AM
Do you recall Obama on national TV saying his opposition to the surge was the correct position even knowing that's what won the war?
I remember that.
I remember him making a similar statement about capital gains taxes - he would raise them even if he knew it would result in less money coming into the treasury.
He made it clear exactly who he was and what he would do before he was elected.
Posted by: James D | December 18, 2015 at 10:36 AM
Prezzy Numb Nuts has a hard time keeping his stories straight.
Posted by: Comanche Voter | December 18, 2015 at 08:46 PM