Somebody Won!

A Victory Lap open thread for whomever won the debate last night. Or The Voice, although how much Reality TV can we endure?

As some wag surely noted the big loser was the public's grasp of American foreign policy - in however long this took, there was no discussion of the Iran non-treaty, the climate change non-treaty, Obama's re-opening to Cuba, our fraught relations with China, Putin and the Ukraine, the collapse of Europe in the face of their refugee debacle... actually, a lot was left out.

I came away with the strong impression (as did Doc Drezner) that Ted Cruz has no idea what "carpet bombing" or "saturation" bombing means (or meant) and that The Donald would be up on stage a long time before he realized that conversation about the three legs of our nuclear stool is not a reference to Iron Man on a high-fiber diet.

I thought Rubio did as well as he could on immigration, claiming that his eyes were opened and he learned a lesson about the importance of Border Security First during the Gang of Eight debacle. Ted Cruz was transparently lawyerly in this phase, which was not a good look for him.

The group sing-along to "How Do You Solve A Problem Like Sy-ri-a?" was interesting. Strong support from some for Assad as a strongman in a troubled region, others insisting that Assad must go. Barry Red Line has tried both sides of this debate, so something for everyone.

Comments

[NK]

daddy-- there is some kind of weird pychodrama deal going on with Vlad-Choomer. Vlad may be the first real man Obummer has ever met. something unholy is going on there.

[new lurker]

Well, now The Five is "piling on" Cruz! Goody Two Shoes is thrilled to do this, imo.

[Publius]

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2015/12/fbi_

To juxtapose lyle's 2:23 pm above, highlighting FBI protection of Muslim terrorist relatives with Bret Stephen's WSJ column as to how the administration treats a US citizen who chooses to serve the US Navy and happens to have ties to Israel.

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2015/12/a-security-concern-due-to-divided-loyalties.php

Dr. Pincus's security clearance was denied, meaning he would not be able to continue doing his dental work. The "Statement of Reasons" provided by the OPM explained why.

"You have weekly telephone contact with your mother and brother in Israel. You added your mother, sister and brother may have contact with neighbors in Israel. Foreign contacts and interests may be a security concern due to divided loyalties or foreign financial interests, may be manipulated or induced to help a foreign person, group, organization or government in a way that is not in U.S. interest, or is vulnerable to pressure or coercion by foreign interests."

There has been a lot of debate in this country whether Obama is or is not a Muslim. To continue the debate is pointless. All one has to do is refer to Matthew 7:16, which tells us that "By their fruits you shall know them."

[Davod]

Fox was attacking Cruz, with misleading videos, the moment the last debate was over. Brit Hume appeared to be salivating on screen.

Fox has kept up the anti-Cruz commentary ever since.

[Puddin Floppy-Feet]

Publius,

Read Stephens this AM in my dead tree edition. Nothing there I was surprised at but just disappointed that we have declined that far in our treatment of our staunchest ally in the ME. Obama may not be Muslim but he does sympathize with them and is visibly anti-Israel, pro-Pali. I believe we will learn later not sooner that he has been in the pocket of the Saudis for a long time. In fact, considering his friends in Oxy and Columbia it appears he was groomed by Paki's on behalf of the Sauds.

[JMHanes]

Publius:

I think the only altar Obama worships at is his mirror. That "divided loyalties" canard is pure anti-semitic bullshit masquerading as concern. Ditto for the so called "anti-Israel" pretense, which is what allowed folks to start parading their anti-semitism at cocktail parties. It's possible to be anti-Israel, without being anti-semitic, but I bet nobody loses any clearance for calling relatives in France.

PFF:
If he was groomed on behalf of the Sauds, they probably started wishing they'd invested elsewhere quite some time ago!

[Publius]

PFF,

I hadn't drilled down enough to ask myself whether his loyalties were Shite or Sunni.

You could very well be right about his Saudi connection. However, his chief handler Jarrett, and his turning over the keys to the nuclear warehouse to Iran, makes a compelling case for the other option. At this point what does it matter? :)

My larger point, even if the rumor is true that the inside of his wedding ring in inscribed with There is no God but Allah, it doesn't matter if he is Muslim or not. By his actions he might as well be.

[Publius]

JMH,

Yes, you can be an anti-Semitic narcissist without being a Muslim. But when 100% of your foreign policies coincide with Muslim positions, and are universally opposed to the interests of our ally Israel, it is a safe bet where your sympathies lie.

To JIB's point, Obummer and Hillary seemed to show the most interest in the ME when the MB overthrew Mubarak, and in their support of the same in taking out Quadaffi in Libya. This would support JIB's position.

I guess the bottom line is that this administration's loyalties lie anywhere but here.

[Marlene]

Alrighty then,Brett Baier has David Gregory on the panel! WTH?

[new lurker]

The "times they are achanging" Marlene.

[Captain Hate on the iPad]

Monkey Boy landed on the Rove News Channel?

[GUS]

Obama has issues with his "father". Obama isn't Muzzlim, that would require effort. Obama is in love with a Father that never existed. Obama is mentally ill, and he thinks Barack Hussein Obama was a good man.
Obama is mentally ill.