Showing posts with label Hillary. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hillary. Show all posts

Thursday, September 16, 2010

White House Insider: 'The President Is Losing It'

It hasn't gotten much press, but a former White House insider has reportedly dished the dirt on President Obama -- and the revelations sound plausible indeed.

And make for fascinating reading.

Sure the source is anonymous, but that always seems to be good enough for The New York times.

...[During the campaign] we definitely had people in the media on our side. Absolutely. We went so far as to give them specific ideas for coverage. The ones who took that advice from the campaign were granted better access, and Obama was the biggest story in 2008, so yeah, that gave us a lot of leverage...

...Obama loved to campaign. He clearly didn’t like the work of being President though, and that attitude was felt by the entire White House staff within weeks after the inauguration. Obama the tireless, hard working candidate became a very tepid personality to us. And the few News stories that did come out against him were the only things he seemed to care about. He absolutely obsesses over Fox News. For being so successful, Barack Obama is incredibly thin-skinned. He takes everything very personally...

That [Obama hates Joe Biden] is very well known in the White House. Obama chose Biden for one reason – to have an older white guy with some international policy credentials. Period. If Biden has all of this international experience that Obama found so valuable, why has he buried him under the pile of crap that became the stimulus bill? ...Give Joe a job and get him the hell out of my hair – that pretty much sums up the president’s feelings...

...Obama is scared to death of Hillary. He doesn’t trust her – obsesses over her almost as much as he does Fox News... when it comes down to it, she has played the game on a far tougher level than he has, and Obama knows that...

...we were all led to believe that this guy was some kind of intellectual giant, right? Ivy League and all that. Well, that is not what I saw. Barack Obama doesn’t have a whole lot of intellectual curiosity. When he is off script, he is what I call a real 'slow talker'. Lots of ummms, and lots of time in between answers where you can almost see the little wheel in his head turning very slowly. I am not going to say the president is a dumb man, because he is not, but yeah, there was a definite letdown when you actually hear him talking without the script...

...I don’t know [how bad things are in the White House] about right now, because I have not been there in over a month. But I still hear things, and [it's] not good. As bad as it might look to voters based on what they do know, it’s much worse. The infighting is off the charts. You got a Chief of Staff who despises cabinet members, advisors who despise the Chief of Staff, a President and First Lady having their own issues...

...I don’t have a problem saying that the president is losing it. I don’t mean he is like losing his mind. I mean to say that he is losing whatever spark he had during the campaign. When you take away the crowds, Obama gets noticeably smaller. He shrinks up inside of himself. He just doesn’t seem to have the confidence to do the job of President, and it’s getting worse and worse. Case in point – just a few days before I left, I saw first hand the President of the United States yelling at a member of his staff. He was yelling like a spoiled child. And then he pouted for several moments after. I wish I was kidding, or exaggerating, but I am not. The President of the United States threw a temper tantrum. The jobs reports are always setting him off, and he is getting increasingly conspiratorial over the unemployment numbers. I never heard it myself, but was told that Obama thinks the banking system is out to get him now. That they and the big industries are making him pay for trying to regulate them more. That is the frame of mind the President is in these days. And you know what? Maybe he is right, who knows?

...Oh – absolutely [he can win in 2012]. Who else campaigns as well as Barack Obama? Nobody. What politician is more loved and supported by the media? Nobody. I don’t see the Republicans offering up a candidate as powerful as Obama. I mean Sarah Palin? Really? Obama would defeat her by a 20 point landslide! Romney? The Republicans will enjoy these midterm elections, but 2012 is Obama’s year if he chooses to run again. As a president, Obama has many flaws, but as a candidate, he is near flawless...

...I am going to come right out and say it – No [, another four years of Obama would not be a good thing]. Obama is not up to the job of being president. He simply doesn’t seem to care about the work involved. You want to know what? Obama is lazy. He really is. And it is getting worse and worse. Would another four years of Obama be the best thing for America? No it would not. What this country needs is a president who is focused on the job more than on themselves. Obama is not that individual. I actually hope he doesn’t run again. Looking back, as much fun as the campaign in 2008 was, Hillary Clinton should have been the nominee. Hillary was ready to be president. Obama was not ready. He had never lost a campaign. [Ed: not true, he lost a campaign for Congress in 2000] Everything was handed to him. He doesn’t really understand the idea of work – real, hard, get your heart and soul into it work. And frankly, that is very disappointing to a whole lot of us...

President Axelrod could not be reached for comment at press time.


Hat tip: LVN. Linked by: Weasel Zippers and Protein Wisdom. Thanks!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

A Revolt Among Equals: A Play in One Act

The curtain opens to reveal a dark, window-less chamber where a dozen recognizable faces are seated around a large, pentagon-shaped table. The walls of the chamber are paneled in a dark wood, perhaps mahogany. Framed posters of faces by Shepard Fairey provide a bit of color on an otherwise drab background. The posters are red (Lenin), yellow (Stalin), purple (Khrushchev), white (Castro), green (Ahmadinejad), brown (Che) and others who we cannot so easily identify.

James Carville (sitting near the center of the stage, gravely bangs the gavel, then intones): "I call this, the seventy-eighth Plenary Planning Session of the Democrat Party, to order!"

Katie Couric: "In the interest of expediting our first order of business, I move that we forego the reading of the minutes and the review of the agenda."

Tom Brokaw: "I second."

Carville: "So moved. All in favor, say aye." (a chorus of 'ayes' are heard). "Any nays?" (silence -- the gavel sounds) "The motion carries."

Carville: "Comrade Obama, the floor is yours."

Obama: "Thank you, Comrade. As many of you know, the Clinton wing of our party appears to be staging a revolt against the Obama wing --" (a chortle is heard from the area where Bill and Hillary Clinton are seated. Obama glares in their direction, and after a pause, continues) "Dammit! My iPad Prompter app is out of synch now." (he slides his hand back and forth a few times on the iPad)

Hillary: "Comrade Barack, you have no evidence to suggest that there is any form of revolt brewing in our party of brothers and sisters, unified as one in our fight to advance socialism."

Obama: "Then, what the hell is... this?" (He rips a computer page, a printout of a website, from the binder in front of him, and holds the page up for all to see.)

Obama: "This, comrades, is an article by Lee Cary of The American Thinker that accurately describes what you and your sorry band of nineties nincompoops are up to."

Hillary: "American Thinker? Why not just rip a page off Free Republic or, better yet, Michelle Malkin's site?"

Obama: (slams hand down on table) "That's enough! I have hard evidence, and I do mean hard. Emanuel, unleash the tape."

(a loud click is heard and the scratchy voice of Bill Clinton sounds, seemingly from all over the room): "...Dammit, girl, stop ticklin' me... I'm tellin ya' for real... we're running in '12... and I'm gonna sneak your cute little behind into the White House and show you the old cigar trick...")

Hillary (unflustered): "That's proof of absolutely nothing. Any computer technician could have simulated that voi--"

Obama (soberly raises a wrinkled, size sixteen black cocktail dress on a hanger. A prominent beige stain can be seen at center body mass).

Hillary (glares at Bill and her eyes, at least for a moment, appear to glow red. Maybe we imagined it. She shrieks, a horrid, terrifying noise): "Son of a---!!!" (Calmer) "Fine. Yes, we're running, you clueless n00b! You've come as near to destroying our roadmap as anyone since the Rabbit Killer..."

(All eyes turn to Jimmy Carter, who is asleep in a rocking chair in the corner, the floor around him covered with peanut shells).

Obama: "What the hell are you talking about, you wrinkled, old shrew? I passed more of our agenda in 18 months than you and Lester did in 8 freaking years!"

Hillary: "You sure did, and look where it got us. We're in for an utter disaster in November, thanks to your complete lack of diplomatic skills. Not only that, people are talking about the Constitution and the Declaration! They're forming grass roots armies of voters to turn back the clock on the New Deal and our entire agenda!"

Hillary: "You didn't even try to pretend to tack to the center, like Bill and I did. What's the harm in inviting a few Republicans into some committee meetings? Would it hurt you to stop campaigning and vacationing for a week or two? And actually govern? Didja learn that at Community Organizer school?"

Obama (his eyes are cold and his face filled with disdain): "I passed socialized medicine. I passed the Stimulus and Omnibus spending bills that will bankrupt our country, just as Cloward and Piven instructed. I passed --"

Hillary: "You did no such thing. Pelosi and Reid did all the heavy lifting. You just bloviated. It's apparently your only skill. And besides, we're the ones that touched off the housing crisis. It's beautiful. No one ever suspected that Jamie Gorelick, Andrew Cuomo and Janet Reno were put in place to detonate the biggest economic meltdown in history."

Hillary: "See, Community Organizer, that's the way you do it. You overwhelm the system, the way Cloward and Piven laid it out. But you don't get your entire party destroyed!"

Obama: "Why you little Madeline Albright look-a-like, we'll take you apart in the primary -- "

Hillary: "With what? The nine people left in Organizing for America?"

Carville (sternly bangs gavel and everyone jumps in their seats): "Shakespeare wrote, 'The course of true love never did run smooth.'"

Carville: "We all have the same mission. True, we diverge on the approach to dismantle the Constitution. We shall resolve this quibble as we did the disputes between Bill Clinton and Vincent Foster... as well as Sandy Berger and Ron Brown."

Carville (He opens up the box resting in front of him and displays two fine dueling pistols) "Gentlemen, we shall resolve this situation in November."

(The curtain is closed).


Tuesday, September 07, 2010

Unintended Consequences? Really?

Dan from New York

This just in from Memri:

"The actions in recent months by the Obama administration in nuclear affairs, aimed at advancing a vision and a policy of global nuclear disarmament, have had the exact opposite effect."


Read the rest of the report from the Iranian Media Project here.

I think we should all catch our breath before we start accusing our president of intentionally messing up our position in the world. More than likely, it’s simply the result of good, old-fashioned incompetence.

But, Dan -- what do you call it if it's willful incompetence?


Friday, August 27, 2010

Hilllary Clinton's State Department Unmasked: Separation of Church and State, but not Separation of Sharia and State

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." [U.S. Constitution: First Amendment]

In his farewell address to the nation, President George Washington noted the strong affinity of faith to the American republic, stating, "Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports."

As evidenced in their writings and statements, the nation's founders believed inherently in the role of faith as the underpinning of a moral system of government. Government could only be moral if it recognized that human rights were granted by God, not man, and were therefore irrevocable by temporary politicians or potentates.

The Declaration of Independence proudly trumpeted the bond between God and the founding of the Republic, as the nation's fate hinged upon "...a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence."

And, for many older Americans, the Pledge of Allegiance -- "I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all" -- served as a daily affirmation of the role of faith in the nation's founding.

Judicial Activism and the 'Separation of Church and State'


Despite all evidence to the contrary, judicial activists have dismissed the founders' bedrock principles related to faith. To do so, they have invented the notion of 'Separation of Church and State' from whole cloth. The First Amendment was, of course, intended to prevent the establishment of a state religion -- like the Church of England. But it was never intended to remove the role of Judeo-Christian beliefs from the halls of government; the motto "In God We Trust" on our currency serves as the most tangible reminder of this fact.

Nevertheless, using the canard of church-state separation, judicial activists -- led by atheists and Statists -- have banned nativity scenes on public property, prohibited the display of the Ten Commandments, and removed crosses that memorialized fallen state troopers.

In other words, the very Judeo-Christian traditions upon which our founders relied have been capriciously excised from the public square. If given the chance, activist judges would likely censor the Declaration of Independence and rewrite American history to achieve their vision of a barren and secular society.

Which makes the State Department's recent activities so very bizarre.

The State Department's Curious Book on Being Muslim in America


An anonymous commenter points us to the Obama-Clinton State Department's bookshelf. Its "Diversity" section features a book entitled Being Muslim in America (PDF) which, "[i]llustrates in word and image that practicing the Muslim faith is fully compatible with being American, and that Muslim Americans are endowed by right with the same freedoms, privileges, and responsibilities as other Americans."

Did anyone ever say otherwise? What would be the reason for this publication?

The State Department has chosen precisely one religion for which it offers its support: Islam.

Try as I might, I could find no similar publications entitled:

• Being Buddhist in America
• Being Christian in America
• Being Hindu in America
• Being Jewish in America
• Being Sikh in America
• Being an Atheist in America

And yet, within weeks of Barack Obama taking office, the State Department had created a guide to being Muslim in America.

An Homage to Sharia Law and More Apologies for America


From its cover photograph featuring a (presumably) Sharia-compliant basketball uniform to its opening graph -- an apologia for America's imperfections -- the guide is as disturbing as it is un-American.

I love America not because I am under the illusion that it is perfect, but because it allows me — the child of Muslim immigrants from India — to participate in its progress, to carve a place in its promise, to play a role in its possibility.

In other words, America has a long way to go. Which is why so many people are trying to get here from the largely third-world hellholes their own failed governments have created.

Another photograph features a woman -- covered head-to-toe in Sharia-compliant garb -- walking behind her husband while shopping, as many Islamic countries require.

Furthermore, the State Department insists that Americans are irrational and intolerant people, especially when it comes to Muslims.

A new, truly American Islam is emerging, shaped by American freedoms, but also by the aftermath of the September 11, 2001, attacks. Even as surveys by the Pew Research Center and others show that Muslim Americans are better educated and more prosperous than the average, the terrorist attacks — planned and executed by non-Americans — raised suspicions among other Americans whose immediate responses, racial profiling among them, triggered in turn a measure of Muslim-American alienation. Sadly, suspicions of this kind are not uncommon — in the United States or in other nations — during wartime or when outside attack is feared. But 2008 is not 2002, when fears and suspicions were at their height. Context is also important: Every significant immigrant group has in the United States faced, and overcome, a degree of discrimination and resentment.

Also featured in the book is Imam Khalid Latif, who serves on "the Board of Directors of CAIR-NY, where Latif’s sister is also a key player. CAIR, is the unindicted co-conspirator to the largest terror-financing conviction in U.S. history, and currently shunned by the FBI and both Democrats and Republicans alike for its connection to, and support of, Hamas."

Latif also strongly objected to NYU's publication of the Danish cartoons depicting Mohammed, to the point that the school caved into his demands. In this case, the First Amendment was dismissed so blatantly that the decision was roundly criticized by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education [FIRE], which asked NYU "to reverse course and stand up for freedom of speech."

Finally, Latif also sits on the board of the Muslim Consultative Network [MCN] which is reportedly run by Adem Carroll of the Islamic Circle of North America. ICNA is said to support a variety of terror groups including al-Qaeda, Hamas and Jamaat-e-Islamia.

The State Department's 'Guide': Balkanization and Intolerance


In its choice of wording, photographs and representatives, the State Department appears to implicitly support both Sharia and a subtle form of extremism.

After all, Sharia is a political system consisting of its own laws; and it is completely antithetical to the United States Constitution.

How is it that a Nativity Scene on a town square is somehow 'unconstitutional', but the State Department's affirmative endorsement of Balkanization and the intolerance of Sharia is somehow acceptable?

Where is the ACLU?

Where are the atheists?

Where are the liberal activists who complain endlessly about separation of church and state, at least when it concerns Christians and Jews?

These are rhetorical questions, of course, because the agenda -- while hidden from plain sight -- is obvious.


Hat tips: The Stafford Voice, Michelle Malkin and Anon.

Sunday, August 01, 2010

The Wife Was Really P.O.'ed This A.M. -- Chelsea's Wedding Extravaganza

The wife was on a roll this morning, pointing out some interesting facts about the immense Clinton wedding that took place this weekend.

"This damn wedding cost between $2 million and $5 million."

"They hold this wedding at the Astor Estate, with its porcelain bath fixtures, paying millions of dollars, and claim to be for the little people?"

"Here's the spokesman (Clinton) for Haiti and he's blowing ten grand on a cake?"

"And all of the liberals defending this extravaganza claim it stimulates the economy. Can you believe that? These are the same geniuses who tell us that trickle-down economics doesn't work!"

"Apparently Chelsea wanted a quiet little wedding. She's very publicity-shy. So why didn't they tone it down and donate the money to Haitian relief?"

"But, no, they had to hold an over-the-top, massive celebration when the American economy is suffering."

"There really are two Americas: the Democrat ruling class and everyone else."

"These people are such f***ing hypocrites it makes me sick to my stomach."

"And no one is pointing out a comparison to Jenna Bush's wedding."

"She had a small, discrete ceremony in Crawford, Texas."

"The whole thing probably didn't cost much more than Chelsea's cake."

"Oh, but the Democrats are for the little people. They feel for the common man."

"It's like the difference between Al Gore's multiple mansions and George W. Bush's simple ranch that really is a 'green', environmentally friendly home."

"And the media plays along, as usual. The American people know exactly what they would have done had Bush held this kind of shindig in an economy like this one."

"The media in this country suck."

Like I said, the wife was on a roll this morning. And she's right.


Related: There is a God!. Linked by: Michelle Malkin, iOwnTheWorld, Don Surber, Memeorandum, The Other McCain, American Power, So it goes in Shreveport, DaTechGuy and DBKP. Thanks!

Monday, July 05, 2010

What's the definition of insanity again?

Obama announces plan to sink $2 billion into solar energy projects


07/03/2010 -- "Facing sluggish job growth, President Barack Obama on Saturday announced about $2 billion in new investments to help build clean energy technology and create thousands of jobs."

Clinton's goal: a million solar system on roofs by 2010


8/16/1997 -- "At the United Nations conference on global warming this summer, President Clinton introduced the ''Million Solar Roofs Initiative'' as part of the nation's halting efforts to slow the increase in ''greenhouse'' gases produced by burning fossil fuels...

...The goal is to put a million solar systems on the roofs of commercial and residential buildings by 2010 -- whether photovoltaic units that convert sunlight into electricity or thermal systems for space heating and hot water."

Conservation Bank for Solar Energy Will Spend $3 Billion


1/20/1981 -- "From fiscal years 1979 through 1981, in fact, Carter got more solar-energy subsidy dollars than he asked for. A residential tax credit was put in place for 40 percent of the first $10,000 spent on photovoltaic solar-energy systems. A business tax credit of 15 percent was granted through the end of 1985. A "Solar and Energy Conservation Bank" was established and authorized to spend $3 billion between fiscal years 1981 and 1984 to provide subsidized residential and commercial loans for solar energy and conservation investments."

Carter wants 20% of America's electricity from sun, wind by 2000


7/15/1979 -- "On a sunny June day in 1979, President Jimmy Carter held the first and only press conference on the White House roof. Atop the West Wing, he unveiled a $28,000 solar cell system that captured the sun's energy to provide hot water for the White House. He also launched a sweeping drive aimed at harnessing the sun, the wind, and other renewable resources to generate 20% of America's electricity by 2000."

Carter announces multi-billion solar energy R&D effort


6/20/1979 -- "President Carter announces program to increase Nation's use of solar energy, including solar development bank and increased funds for solar energy research and development."

* * * * * * * * *

This is why liberalism needs to be classified -- officially -- as a mental disorder. History, facts, logic and reason are of no concern to the liberal. Their repeated attacks on oil (which, based upon the unstanched flow in the Gulf, does not appear to be in short supply) while they burglarize the Treasury to pay for faerie dust and solar panels on every roof.

Only the free market can deliver "green" solutions. No amount of government central planning, "free" money for crony capitalists, solar boondoggles, bureaucrats and lawyers can create new sources of energy.

Only the free market can solve the problem of renewable energy. It will take decades -- and can only occur if government gets the hell out of the way.


Friday, June 04, 2010

They came to destroy civilization

In 1933, Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany. Although his totalitarian, Nazi ideology commanded but a minority of the German people, his dogma of of race supremacy appealed to many in society.

The destiny of the Aryan race, Hitler claimed, was to dominate Europe by cleansing the gene pool. The cleansing process was straightforward: exterminate Catholics, Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, the handicapped, and other 'undesirables'. Only then would the thousand-year Reich reign.

The Nazis quickly violated every international treaty agreement related to armed forces and military equipment. They created new, deadly organizations like the SA and SS for internal and external security. And they began undermining the governments of neighboring countries through clandestine military and intelligence activities.

The German people were, at first, hesitant to embrace the tenets of Nazism. Church leaders and many members of the original Prussian officer corps resisted the Nazis. Students, academics and unions also served as opposition to Hitler in the early years of the Reich.

By 1938, however, the Nazis had seized sufficient power to launch the Holocaust and the attendant military takeover of Europe. Their rationale:

A massive arms buildup defied every international convention and represented forward-thinking military technology. The Nazis' Panzer tanks and Stuka dive-bombers quickly proved, at least regionally, that the German war machine was without peer.

Furthermore, their demonstrations of dominance quickly convinced the Soviets that an alliance was preferable to conflict. And no one else in Europe was willing to challenge the buzz-saw represented by Hitler's war machine.

Historians now claim that Hitler's buildup could have been preempted much earlier. But opposition from the allied powers -- England and France -- came only after an untenable series of affronts by the Nazis. And the U.S. tried to avoid direct intervention until it suffered a catastrophic sneak attack at Pearl Harbor.

But the most effective check against Nazism -- a sanity check, if you will -- never came, because most Germans could not believe that Hitler was serious about exterminating the Jews. In fact, German Jews felt relatively secure seeing as how they operated in Europe's most culturally and economically advanced country.

Compounding the issue, leaders in England and France believed that their political fortunes rested on diplomacy with Hitler. While history now reviles Neville Chamberlain, he had returned from negotiations with Hitler in 1938 as an acclaimed peacemaker.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The religious extremists that rule Iran today enjoyed significant popular support in 1979. Khomeini, Ahmadinejad, Khameini and other Iranian leaders enunciated two clear goals: (a) to bring about the return of the Twelfth Imam and (b) to wipe "Israel from the face of the earth."

Many years ago, Iran began a massive military buildup. Its most secretive program related to the production of nuclear weapons -- and attendant guided missile technologies. At the same time, Iran helped support terrorist groups like Hezbollah, Hamas and Ansar al-Islam.

Today, members of Iranian society believe that they are ruled by the Middle East's equivalents of rednecks and hill-jacks. This year's deadly student protests in Iran prove that most citizens are simply not aligned with the Mullahs.

But the greatest check on serious measures against Iran are -- just as in the case of Nazi Germany -- eradicating the sober suspicion that the Mullahs "can't be serious."

Now, as in the case of the thirties, little time remains. Will the President have the wherewithal to truly isolate Iran if it defies basic international convention? That appears unlikely, based upon Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's recent actions and remarks. Somewhere, Neville Chamberlain is shaking his head.


Based upon: R. James Woolsey's Parallels Between Present-Day Iran and Nazi Germany

Wednesday, June 02, 2010

Two news snippets sure to warm the cockles of your heart

Two news snippets, brought to our attention by Stratfor Research, help shine a spotlight on the impressive diplomatic achievements of SmartPower™.

A-bomb manufacturing equipment missing in Iran: Iran has officially denied the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) claim that critical nuclear enrichment equipment was discovered missing from a facility in Tehran. The "sensitive equipment... could be used to extract plutonium for an atomic bomb."

Radical Islamist group Muslim Brotherhood endorses former IAEA head Mohamed El Baradei: One of the most powerful groups of Islamist extremists in the world -- the Muslim Brotherhood -- says it will support Mohamed El Baradei's efforts to reform Egyptian politics.

The executive summary: the very man -- El Baradei -- who dissembled, deflected and delayed scrutiny of Iran's nuclear program is now in a position to help further destabilize Egypt. The former IAEA head is arguably the man most responsible for Iran's acquisition of nuclear weapons; and El Baradei himself is endorsed by radical Islamists whose stated goal is to kill and/or convert the world's billions of infidels while it establishes a global Caliphate. Dee-lightful.

Those crazy, whacky nuts at the United Nations: they're worth every penny we spend on 'em.


Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Hillary's 'Sanctions With Bite' Already Having the Desired Effect...

...if you're a Mullah.

Iran rejects UN sanctions threat


AP

Official: Draft resolution "has no legitimacy at all".

The more foreign policy we get to see from this administration, the more I believe that their term "Smart Power Diplomacy"™ was intended to be sarcastic. And always would be followed closely by a rim-shot.


Hat tip: Dan from New York..

Monday, May 10, 2010

Big Government Reports That Mullah Omar Was Captured

Big Government's Brad Thor is reporting that Mullah Omar was captured by Pakistani officials. In keeping with the tradition of the Obama administration, he was read his Miranda rights and taken to a jail in Yonkers. Okay, I made that last sentence up. But tell me you didn't buy into it.

Through key intelligence sources in Afghanistan and Pakistan, I have just learned that reclusive Taliban leader and top Osama bin Laden ally, Mullah Omar has been taken into custody...

At the end of March, US Military Intelligence was informed by US operatives working in the Af/Pak theater on behalf of the D.O.D. that Omar had been detained by Pakistani authorities. One would assume that this would be passed up the chain and that the Secretary of Defense would have been alerted immediately. From what I am hearing, that may not have been the case.

When this explosive information was quietly confirmed to United States Intelligence ten days ago by Pakistani authorities, it appeared to take the Defense Department by surprise. No one, though, is going to be more surprised than Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. It seems even with confirmation from the Pakistanis themselves, she was never brought up to speed.

It figures. It would be more of a surprise if the Pakistanis hadn't treated the administration like a bunch of clueless n00bz.


Saturday, March 13, 2010

Clue Bat Finally Finds Side of Abe Foxman's Head

Dan from New York:

The ADL is a dyed-in-the-wool liberal outfit and its national director for life, Abraham Foxman, has spent a good deal of time defending Barack Obama's attitude toward Israel and the Administration's handling of the "peace process." However, the tone and manner of Obama/Biden/Clinton's reaction to Israel's Jerusalem construction announcement seems to have shook up our hero, who narrowly survived the Holocaust. Maybe Abe is hearing footsteps from his past and senses the possibility that the next knock on his door might not be room service.

Administration's Dressing Down of Israel is a 'Gross Overraction'


We cannot remember an instance when such harsh language was directed at a friend and ally of the United States.

New York, NY, March 12, 2010 … The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) today said it was shocked and stunned by the Administration's public dressing down of Israel by saying it had "undermined trust and confidence in the peace process, and in America's interests," as related by Assistant Secretary of State Philip J. Crowley in his daily briefing. Crowley was referring to the announcement about future building in Jerusalem made during Vice President Joe Biden's Israel visit.

Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, issued the following statement:

We are shocked and stunned at the Administration's tone and public dressing down of Israel on the issue of future building in Jerusalem. We cannot remember an instance when such harsh language was directed at a friend and ally of the United States. One can only wonder how far the U.S. is prepared to go in distancing itself from Israel in order to placate the Palestinians in the hope they see it is in their interest to return to the negotiating table.

It is especially troubling that this harsh statement came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly and privately explained to Vice President Biden the bureaucratic nature in making the announcement of proposed new building in Jerusalem, and Biden accepted the prime minister's apology for it. Therefore, to raise the issue again in this way is a gross overreaction to a point of policy difference among friends.

The Administration should have confidence and trust in Israel whose tireless pursuit for peace is repeatedly rebuffed by the Palestinians and whose interests remain in line with the United States.

The Anti-Defamation League, founded in 1913, is the world's leading organization fighting anti-Semitism through programs and services that counteract hatred, prejudice and bigotry.

Not only is Obama no friend of Israel, more importantly for us, it appears he's no friend of the United States Constitution, American traditions or even our ethos.

If only Democrats could save some invective for, oh I don't know... say, the nuclearized Mullahs of Iran?


Update: Soccer Dad observes that "One man's conspiracy theory is another man's track record."

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Parallel Universe: Massachusetts and New York

Dan from New York:

New Yorkers have our own special election in November to pick a lucky guy or gal to complete Hillary Clinton's term. Right now, a junior lightweight going by the name of Kirsten Gillibrand is keeping that seat warm. Her appointment by Gov. Patterson brought gasps to the liberal hoi polloi who favored Princess Caroline and thought Kirsten was much too far to the right. But since taking office Gillibrand has rolled over like a puppy, showing she knows how and whom to please. Sure enough, the lady has their backing and intends to run in the fall.

After Massachusetts (and even before), this would seem like a juicy opportunity to add another Republican senate seat. But noooo! To date, not one of our pathetic RINOs has stepped up to the plate. Rudy, Pataki and Peter King have all said they'll run - the other way. Yesterday's upheaval could light a fire in someone's pants and a Republican with some stature may emerge to seize the day. But more and more this state is succumbing to the dictatorship of the proletariat, and I'm not holding my breath.

Schumer-Weiner. Schumer-Weiner. Schumer-Weiner.

Sorry. Every time I think of New York politics, those names of those two crapsacks rattle around in my brain.


Monday, November 30, 2009

Source of Nigerian E-Mail Scams Discovered


Dan from New York:

Chelsea Clinton to wed son of Nigerian Finance Minister


November 30, 2009

WASHINGTON -- Chelsea Clinton is engaged to marry her... boyfriend of two years. Clinton, 29, the only daughter of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and former President Bill Clinton, became engaged over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend to investment banker Marc Mezvinsky, 31.

Mezvinsky, who works for Goldman Sachs, is the son of former U.S. Reps. Ed Mezvinsky (D-Iowa) and Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinksy (D-Pa.). The elder Mezvinsky recently served a prison term for swindling $10 million from investors in a series of Nigerian e-mail scams. He was released in 2008.

...The couple announced their engagement last Friday in a mass e-mail to friends, a Clinton spokesman said, according to media reports.

The authenticity of the mass e-mail, which also requested help in releasing "funds currently trapped in Nigeria," could not be confirmed at press time.


Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Hot Flash! Hillary Forgets Hormone Meds in Hotel


Dan from New York and Amy both point us to this bizarre Hillary quote:

Clinton: U.S. Wants Israel to Halt Settlements 'Forever'


Secretary of state says Washington does not accept the legitimacy of Israeli settlements in the West Bank


Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton defended the U.S stance toward Israeli settlement building to worried Arab allies on Wednesday, saying Washington does not accept the legitimacy of the West Bank enclaves and wants to see their construction halted "forever."

Still, she said an Israeli offer to restrain -- but not halt -- construction represents "positive movement forward" toward resuming Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations.

Clinton met for an hour with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak during a hastily arranged stopover in the Egyptian capital to soothe Arab concerns that Washington is backing off demands for an Israeli settlement halt. The fears were sparked on Saturday when Clinton, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at her side in Jerusalem, praised his government's offer as unprecedented.

She has since tried to clarify the remarks, saying that the Israeli offer does not got far enough. Still, she has indicated that the Palestinians should resume negotiations with Israel without a full settlement halt as they demand.

On Wednesday, Clinton insisted "our policy on settlement has not changed."

"We do not accept the legitimacy of settlement activity. Ending all settlement activity current and future would be preferable," she told reporters after talks with Mubarak.

These shifting positions are too complex for mere mortals to comprehend. That's why it's called Smart Power™!

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

The Chronology of Peace


Dan from New York writes:

Follow the bouncing ball from top to bottom. In diplomatic terms, this is a lesson in "realism." And the reality is a nuclear-armed Iran will not threaten the US for many years, plenty of time for more diplomacy, Peace Prizes, betrayals, appeasement, jive talk and passing the nuclear hot potato -as it gets hotter - to the next administration - as Bush did. Of course, the last thing we’d want is an outlier like Israel coming along to spoil such a tidy arrangement.

Clinton to press Russia on Iran

IrelandOnline - ‎5 hours ago‎

US secretary of state Hillary Clinton will today urge Russian leaders to impose “specific forms of pressure” against Iran if the regime fails to obey ...

 

Sanctions against Iran avoidable: Clinton

Xinhua - 4 hours ago

MOSCOW, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Currently sanctions against Iran are not inevitable, said visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton here Tuesday at a press ...

 

Clinton, Lavrov: Sanctions on Iran not inevitable

RT - ‎4 hours ago

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton agree that positions of both countries on addressing Iran's nuclear program ...

 

US, Russia rule out imminent sanctions on Iran

Indian Express - 2 hours ago

Hillary Clinton is on a two-day visit to Russia, highlighting Washington's desire to reset ties with the Kremlin. The US and Russia on Tuesday ruled out ...

 

Clinton: "reason to hope" Boeing to win Russia bid

Reuters - Jeff Mason, Robin Paxton - ‎56 minutes ago

MOSCOW (Reuters) - US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Tuesday aircraft maker Boeing could potentially win a contract from Russian ...


Gee. I feel so... comforted.


Sunday, September 27, 2009

Clinton: Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy Still Exists, But Not 'Vast' Anymore


President Bill Clinton's wife earned notoriety by claiming that a "vast right-wing conspiracy" had orchestrated allegations of his adultery.

The ex-president is back in the spotlight after a visit to Meet the Press earlier today.

[He] told NBC's David Gregory... that the so-called "vast right-wing conspiracy" still exists and is "as virulent as it was," but has had its impact diminished by the nation's changing demographics.

"...It's not as strong as it was, because America has changed demographically. But it's as virulent as it was. I mean, they're saying things about him. You know, it's like when they accused me of murder, and all that stuff they did. … But … it's not really good for the Republicans and the country, what's going on now. I mean, they may be hurting President Obama. They can take his numbers down. They can run his opposition up. But, fundamentally, he and his team have a positive agenda for America. Their agenda seems to be wanting him to fail."

Vast right-wing conspiracy?

But I thought it was racism.

Or Karl Rove.

Or Glenn Beck.

Or the Tea Partiers.

Hey, Bill. Sorry to burst your bubble, but the Chosen One got 52.7% of the vote. He outspent a weak GOP candidate -- "Mumbles" McCain -- by half-a-billion dollars. He had a cool logo designed by the NEA. He promised a post-partisan world of transparency and Utopian change. He had a great speaking voice. He read from a teleprompter better than Brian Williams.

And he barely won.

Don't look now, Cigar-master, but the 2010 midterms are just around the corner. And I'm guessing we'll see real change.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

India ecstatic that Hillary's coming to call


They're as pleased as punch.

In all seriousness, it would appear that India's leaders are still miffed over Hillary's last snub.

Mission accomplished: another Democratic ally rebuffed.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Dealergate: Zero Hedge understated 'The Clinton Effect'


Few doubt that Zero Hedge is among the finest quant blogs on the planet. Its amazing work in analyzing the relationships between campaign contributions and Chrysler dealership closings resulted in a stunning conclusion: "a noticeable and highly positive correlation between dealer survival and Clinton donors" (87% confidence interval).

Put simply, Zero Hedge found that dealer owners who contributed to Hillary Clinton had a far-better-than-expected "survival rate" than any other set of donors.

And, oddly enough, "car czar" Steven Rattner's wife (Maureen White) is described on her own website as the "National Finance Chair of the Hillary Clinton for President Campaign".

Now, analysts will point to 90% or 95% as a "gold standard" confidence interval and the ZH data is stuck at 87%. But there's a simple reason that the Zero Hedge correlation is (perhaps dramatically) understated: the database of dealership owners lists only a single party in each record. But many dealerships are owned by multiple parties.

And, in some cases, those parties are billionaires who do not want their names listed as primary owners in these types of documents.

Who owns RLJ?

The RLJ dealer group, first identified by Joey Smith, is reported to have three owners:
  • Steve Landers - a long-time car dealer who is listed as the primary owner;
  • Thomas "Mack" McLarty - former Chief of Staff for President Clinton
  • Robert Johnson - founder of Black Entertainment Television
It is important to note that neither McLarty's nor Johnson's name appear as owners in the database utilized by ZH.

Landers, who would have appeared in most of the RLJ records during the Zero Hedge analysis, donated a modest sum to GOP candidates (a few thousand dollars).

McLarty, on the other hand, is a huge Democratic donor. The search I performed showed dozens of contributions, approaching a hundred thousand dollars. And not a dime to a Republican cause or candidate.

Johnson, on the other hand, makes McLarty look like a piker. The Washington Post reports on Johnson's largesse when it comes to Democrat causes:

Since 1990, Johnson has donated $2 million to congressional and presidential candidates, and 99 percent of that has gone to Democrats, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. He has given $14,800 to Hillary Clinton since she first ran for the Senate in 2000. He gave $4,500 total to Obama during the 2004 and 2006 cycles...

So, in fact, a half dozen -- or more -- records appear to be non-Democrat donors in the Zero Hedge database, but actually mask millions in Democrat donations.

How did RLJ fare?

Thanks to Joey Smith's work, we have an excellent picture of how RLJ fared when the smoke cleared.


Bentonville, Arkansas


The two Springdale dealerships gave no money to any political candidates since 2004. The two dealerships will close in June while the RLJ-owned dealership in Bentonville will remain open. The Landers-McLarty dealership will have no other Chrysler dealers within a 20-mile radius of the dealership.
Huntsville, Alabama


The dealerships in Athens and Decatur gave no money to any political candidates since 2004. Landers-McCarty and the Athens dealership will remain open while the Decatur dealership will close in June.
Branson, Missouri


The RLJ-owned dealership in Branson will remain open while the other three dealerships will be forced to close in June. Tri-Lakes Motors in Branson (RLJ owned) will have no other Chrysler dealers within a 30-mile radius of its dealership.
Lee's Summit, Missouri


The RLJ-owened dealership will remain open while the other four in Raytown and Harrisonville will close. The RLJ dealership will have no other Chrysler dealerships located within at least a 20-mile radius. All of the local competition will be wiped out due to the Chrysler closings.
Shreveport, Louisiana


The Bossier City dealership owned by RLJ-McCarty-Landers and the Shreveport dealership owned by Marshall Hebert will stay open. The Shreveport dealership owned by Stinson (a major GOP donor) will be forced to close.
Kansas City, Missouri(Olathe area)


Olathe DCJ (RLJ-owned dealership) will remain open. Bud Brown Chrysler and Keystone Chrysler will both close their doors. It looks like Olathe DCJ will not have any competition from other Chrysler dealers within at least 15 miles of their dealership.

Suffice it to say that none of these selective closings -- that provided dramatic improvements in the competitive landscape for McLarty and Johnson -- showed up in the Zero Hedge analysis.

Summary

Though Zero Hedge found a "eyebrow-raising" correlation between Clinton donors and dealerships that remained open, instances like these show that the effect is understated. Perhaps dramatically understated.

More analysis is needed and will be forthcoming, but until then, the Obama administration's vaunted "transparency" pledge appears as empty as a promise that Michael Moore will pass the potato chips "in a minute".



Update: Red State, Libertarian Republican and Disenfranchised 6909 have the crucial coverage.