Fire-Keepers

In all the huzzah over Obama’s World Tour, the pros and cons of his media love-fest and his Berlin speech… in all the repeats of various quotes and hype about who he was channeling… I couldn’t shake the feeling that something (more than the usual) was missing. In reading the speech (couldn’t stomach listening to it) it just felt … too naive, too global, too vaguely monolithic and immaculate.

In yesterday’s ‘Is Obama Freedom and Democracy Deficient?‘ Larry Kudlow zeros in on the missing element:

Why is it that in all his statements in his recent foreign-policy trip to the Mideast and Europe, Sen. Obama never mentions the importance of spreading freedom and democracy around the world, and most especially in the very troublemaking nations that are so tied to terrorism that he has been discussing?

Perhaps I’m wrong about this. But I tried to read most of his speeches and I watched his television interviews, and I can’t find or don’t recall any references to freedom and democracy. What’s up with this?

Unintentional oversight? Extended lapse in judgment?  With the excessive over-scripting of every public moment in the Magical Mystery Tour I don’t see how that’s possible.

Not a major concern? Not top of his priority list? Both more likely IMO.

And let me add, although Obama does mention terrorism, I do not recall him using the phrase “global war on terrorism,” or “war on terrorism,” or “protecting the U.S. from terrorist attacks.” I’m no expert on foreign policy, so I ask my colleagues at NRO to tell me what I’ve missed here. I’ll be happy to recant.

But I continue to believe that the biggest reason to stop Iran, stabilize Iraq and Afghanistan, nail Osama and his evildoing friends in Pakistan, and generate some sort of protection for Israel against Hamas, Hezbollah, and the weak Palestinian government is a) to get the bad guys on their home turf before they get us and b) to spread freedom and democracy since democratic countries tend not to attack each other or us.

 Worried yet? You should be.

 Sometimes I come across comments on blogs or articles that seem to speak for countless people… words that could be from my own heart and echo what so many PUMA and Hillary Supporters feel and believe.

 From MEli at sodahead.com.

  - I’d give my left arm to sit down and talk with Hillary right now… to know if she honestly has any faith in Obama’s ability to lead without destroying this country…. has this past year broken her? or is she pissed and still willing to fight? is she biding her time? awaiting the right moment to Rise once again? or has she actually felt relief from the assault, relief from the responsibility, relief from the limelight?…. I could understand if she does. I wouldn’t blame her. But I am afraid that the one broken would be me. I do not have the courage, the determination, the qualifications, or the wisdom to fight as she has done…. and if I did, I do not know if I would choose to fight the sexism, the bias, the media, and the stupidity of people in large groups…. the fight she chose. But the fact that she DID chose this fight, and that she did so very well in spite of unprecidented opposition, and fought so HARD…. it stirred in me something I’ve not felt in a very long time, it rekindled in me a feeling and a belief that I had allowed to be stolen from me at a very young age…. the belief that good will triumph, the belief that I could do anything if I worked hard enough, the belief that we do not have to resign ourselves to being broken - to accept the damage inflicted on our souls by this world - in order to survive it.

I wish we could see her. hear her.

Maybe that is too much faith to put into one person, or one cause…. perhaps I am setting myself up for another defeat that I will be forced to accept and deal with…. I know this. But I still cannot yet let go of the hope that she will triumph.

 Maybe he should just concentrate on those staged photo-ops… facts don’t seem to be his forte.

Obama incorrectly claims membership of Senate committee

Posted: 12:00 PM ET

From CNN Political Producer Alexander Marquardt

Barack Obama claimed to be a member of the U.S. Senate Banking Committee, which he is not.

(CNN) – Responding to an Israeli reporter’s question Wednesday on his commitment to protect the Jewish state, Barack Obama pointed to a bill “we passed” in the U.S. Senate Banking Committee that tightens sanctions and authorizes divestment from Iran. “My committee,” he called it.

Except that he isn’t a member of the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs.

“Just this past week, we passed out of the out of the U.S. Senate Banking Committee - which is my committee - a bill to call for divestment from Iran as way of ratcheting up the pressure to ensure that they don’t obtain a nuclear weapon,” Obama said at a press conference in Sderot, Israel.

CAMPAIGN NOTEBOOK

Perhaps he was thinking that as the presumptive leader of his party, all of the Senate committees are his, as President Lyndon Johnson once quipped, when told he was heading toward the wrong military helicopter, that they all were his.

In the ‘early days’, decades ago it seems, I frequently dismissed Obama’s promises of Change, Hope, New Politics etc etc etc as being just words. His words, accompanied by his actions, of the last few days definitely put lie to that opinion.

Jack Tapper/Political Punch:

Today [07/20] on CBS’s Face the Nation, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., in Afghanistan, told the paparazzi-pursued correspondent Lara Logan that "the objective of this trip was to have substantive discussions with people like President Karzai or Prime Minister Maliki or President Sarkozy or others who I expect to be dealing with over the next eight to 10 years.

Tapper goes on to consider the possibility of ‘The Butterfly Effect’ with such careless statements and the ways in which international diplomacy can be "impacted by careless or glibly-chosen words". I found myself, on hearing this quote tonight, having thoughts along the same lines and some rather odd prescient feelings of doom. Not to mention my more knee-jerk reaction of "Who the hell does he think he is."

Some Democratic allies of Obama’s are — off the record — concerned that the senator too often doesn’t consider the potential butterfly effect of his diction.

Take his support for an "undivided Jerusalem,"  or his remarks about women seeking abortions when they’re "feeling blue," which upset feminist leaders.

Or the media kerfuffle after his "refine my policies" presser.

On his press plane on July 5, after that incident, Obama said, "I’m surprised at how finely calibrated every single word was measured."

A reporter noted that that is precisely what happens with the president, he can change world affairs with one word, finely calibrating your words is what happens.

I can’t help but wonder if this is just (more) indication of a certain unflattering attitude… whether simply careless arrogance or a serious callous indifference.  If careless arrogance… someone needs to tell him it’s not cute. If callous indifference that bodes ill for the future and magnifies other issues with the man. The ‘elitist’ label was ridiculed by Team Obama and his supporters long ago but I think it is rearing it’s ugly head once again and in a much more serious way.

American Thinker:

Can you imagine Obama managing a crisis with China? Or Russia? Unless he is willing to recognize how his words impact a given situation, we could be in real trouble. Wars have been started like that and Obama could paint us into a corner and not realize it.

More evidence - if any were needed - that this is a man who needs some seasoning before he enters in the international arena.

Further news tonight of his making public his conversations with Maliki…

David Gergen - Monday on AC360°:

“Barack Obama made the first mistake of his trip in releasing a statement in which he said exactly what Malaki had said in those conversations. We have a long tradition in this country that we only have one president at a time. He’s the commander in chief and negotiator in chief.

I cannot remember a campaign which a rival seeking the presidency has been in a position negotiating a war that’s underway with another party outside the country. I think he leaves himself open to the charge tonight that he’s meddling, that this is not his role, that he can be the critic but he’s not the negotiator. We have a President who does that.

So back to the knee jerk reaction… Who the hell does he think he is? Words… indifferent, arrogant or callous… on the ‘big’ public stage, national and especially international, are far more than words… they can be like deadly weapons in the wrong hands. I believe the ingrained attitude of Obama is something that seriously needs to be considered and examined and taken far more seriously. Political stances and solutions can, and do, change with the wind but ‘who we are’ is usually carved in stone.

You’ve GOT to be kidding me? MIRROR Obama’s editorial? And the point of that would be? Seems any excuse will do as the Obama-Media Love-Fest continues. The Drudge Report:

NYT REJECTS MCCAIN’S EDITORIAL; SHOULD ‘MIRROR’ OBAMA
Mon Jul 21 2008 12:00:25 ET

An editorial written by Republican presidential hopeful McCain has been rejected by the NEW YORK TIMES — less than a week after the paper published an essay written by Obama, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.

The paper’s decision to refuse McCain’s direct rebuttal to Obama’s ‘My Plan for Iraq’ has ignited explosive charges of media bias in top Republican circles.

‘It would be terrific to have an article from Senator McCain that mirrors Senator Obama’s piece,’ NYT Op-Ed editor David Shipley explained in an email late Friday to McCain’s staff. ‘I’m not going to be able to accept this piece as currently written.’

NYT’s Shipley advised McCain to try again: ‘I’d be pleased, though, to look at another draft.

Yeah right. The Bullshyt Meter just pegged on that one…

A top McCain source claims the paper simply does not agree with the senator’s Iraq policy, and wants him to change it, not "re-work the draft."

We got that already…

Shipley, who is on vacation this week, explained his decision not to run the editorial.

‘The Obama piece worked for me because it offered new information (it appeared before his speech); while Senator Obama discussed Senator McCain, he also went into detail about his own plans.’

Shipley continues: ‘It would be terrific to have an article from Senator McCain that mirrors Senator Obama’s piece. To that end, the article would have to articulate, in concrete terms, how Senator McCain defines victory in Iraq.’

Again with the mirroring… Can Shipley really believe that flies for anyone not currently in thrall to Obama?

The DRUDGE REPORT presents the McCain editorial in its submitted form:

Read the rest of this entry »

Party Unity My Ass

Seriously, you had to know this song was coming…. E Luv
=====

[HTML1]

Party Unity My Ass

(DJ VoiceCrack, GMNT, Earl Solow, E Luv)

(Verse 1 - E Luv)
I’m blogged out - surfin’ for the truth across the Internet
Gotta bring these political raps outta retirement
Aimin’ at the hypocrites who need their facts checked
When bush was selected not elected, I started payin’ attention
Think I can’t see, ain’t no foolin’ me, ain’t no stealin’ from me
Then bringin’ out the false guise of unity - you must be crazy
This is the theme song and every good movement needs one
We’re takin’ this to the Internet, the convention, and beyond

Close your eyes, see if you can visualize this candidacy
Won over 300 electoral votes worth of states convincingly
Brings deep red and purple swing states legitimately
Carries Women, Senior, Latino, and the Working Class consistently
Finished with the popular vote lead undisputedly (DJ VoiceCrack: Most votes ever)
And did all this despite calls to give up from one’s own party
Equal pay for equal work - shi-, quite the contrary
So where’s the democrat nomination for presidency?

Elect the candidate of the people - for those most in need
Whose supporters couldn’t contribute a whole lot, if any, money
Realize I can certainly do without some high-priced coffee
I don’t need a feeling, we need a president, it’s not about me
Look at the classmates and New York Farmers traveling on behalf
Kids selling toys/Make-A-Wish reunions - come on, do the math
Women’s suffrage survivors’ hopes of casting that symbolic vote
Why select the candidate of terrorists, radicals, and rezko…?

(Hook - E Luv, GMNT, and Earl Solow)
…Party Unity My As- - 18 million plus spoke
There can be no hope until you count my motherfu–in’ vote
Those with the pulpit stayed deafeningly silent
In the face of sexist disrespect - new politics/same bullshi-

…Party Unity My As- - a spade is a spade
Another stolen election - tell me what the fu– has changed
Embarrassment?  Harassment? - Not somethin’ I can believe in
There can be no unity without fairness, because unity equals enablement

(Verse 2 - E Luv)
Constituents can’t even explain their candidate’s platform
It’s ironic that the dems are now running for bush’s third term
Sayin’ a whole lot of nothin’, and I don’t have time for it
I won’t stand for it - discount experience in favor of a puppet
Who flip-flops and changes stances in the heat of the moment
For the fu– of it, to pander and won’t think nothin’ of it
To say and do whatever’s most politically expedient
I guess the ends must really justify the means in this election

Who’s pulling the strings or better yet, driving the bus?
Need two with all the people under here, one’s startin’ to fill up
This must be the inclusion - that ability to cross party lines
After years of neo-con rule, you now fall for liberal lies
Public financing, Iran, NAFTA, FISA, gun control (GMNT & Earl Solow: Flip-flop, Flip-flop)
Can’t tell where you stand/not worthy of my vote in the Fall
Don’t have to be Patrick Fitzgerald to connect the dots
But the news long since stopped doing it’s job, so I roll with the blogs

Your candidate praises the man who kicked off a campaign from the site
Of Mississippi Burning with the audacity to claim states’ rights
Yet shi-s on an administration that balanced budgets
Plus helped the world well before and way after the office of President
A record of tangible legislative accomplishment is important
All I hear is words, just words - and most of those are stolen
…This isn’t politics, it’s personal
PUMA’s have been left with no choice but to Just Say No Deal

(Hook - E Luv, GMNT, and Earl Solow)
…Party Unity My As- - 18 million plus spoke
There can be no hope until you count my motherfu–in’ vote
Those with the pulpit stayed deafeningly silent
In the face of sexist disrespect - new politics/same bullshi-

…Party Unity My As- - a spade is a spade
Another stolen election - tell me what the fu– has changed
Embarrassment?  Harassment? - Not somethin’ I can believe in
There can be no unity without fairness, because unity equals enablement

(Verse 3 - E Luv)
….Verse 3 - always vote for the person, fu– the party
Because a party that treats one of its own this badly
Isn’t worthy of blind loyalty - I’m sorry, ain’t no herdin’ me
With shepherds who are nothing more than wolves in sheep’s clothing
Now I’m flowing, unloading - trying to regain some sense of sanity
From a theory of conspiracy which involves the dnc moving
It’s madness, I’ve been a witness - unwilling participant in this shi-
Unprecedented, I’m beefin’ with this new type of democrat

In what context do the words "stripped votes" ever make sense?
When millions of people didn’t even have anything to do with it
Never thought dems would do this after the 2000 election
Yet we all witnessed the debacle decision for Florida and Michigan
Citing the weak "if they would have voted" precedent (DJ VoiceCrack: Fair reflection)
Coupled with a laughable compromise that included stolen delegates
While lecturing about rules, please close your mouths
100% penalty broke the rules too, so they net each other out

How dare you claim no other party shares my values and faith?
When you railed against and trashed my ideals in the first fu–in’ place
If the only thing that ties you to a party is an issue or two
Then you’ll always be a hostage, but I’m far from a fool
Unity for the sake of a party means absolutely nothing
And of those who can do no wrong, one must always be leery
Willing to achieve power at any cost and coffers flush with cash
Am I actively working to unseat all involved?  You bet your as-!

(Hook - E Luv, GMNT, and Earl Solow)
…Party Unity My As- - 18 million plus spoke
There can be no hope until you count my motherfu–in’ vote
Those with the pulpit stayed deafeningly silent
In the face of sexist disrespect - new politics/same bullshi-

…Party Unity My As- - a spade is a spade
Another stolen election - tell me what the fu– has changed
Embarrassment?  Harassment? - Not somethin’ I can believe in
There can be no unity without fairness, because unity equals enablement

.

Do these people really believe that simply saying Sen. Clinton will be ‘on the ballot’ will make us say "Oh, okay!", then quietly fall in line?  Why is the difference between that and ‘name in nomination’ so hard for some to understand… or do they simply find it too easy to be dishonest and disingenious?

Open Left

When asked about the ads criticizing him and Speaker Pelosi for Clinton supposedly not being on the ballot at the convention, he scoffed. Clinton will be on the ballot at the convention, and will be speaking there.

Welcome to Crawford Howard Dean

Howard Dean might have gotten a bit more than he bargained for today when he jumped off his bus this morning in Crawford to launch a multi-state Democratic Party registration drive. The first person he met was Guila Jackson, who demanded that the party put Hillary Clinton’s name into nomination at this summer’s national party convention.

"We want a nominee who’s elected, not selected," she said, gripping Dean’s hand as he sought to get away.

Not being part of the Obama/Dean/Brazilla nation we’re not conned by empty words. ‘On the ballot’? That is rhetorical symbolism that means exactly nothing. ‘Name in nomination’ and a ‘genuine roll call’. Now those are *actions* with real meaning and ones that are historically and politically relevant. Anything less is a slap in the face to Democrats and an acknowledgment that they believe only DNC leaders matter, not Party integrity or us pesky little voters.
 
I simply do not understand why they think an open and fair convention, per party guidelines, is something they can just throw out the window… particularly on a race that was so close. We not talking about a candidate that garnered only 20-25% of the votes, we’re not talking about a landslide win/loss. We’re talking about a hard race that left a lot of bad feelings. If Obama is so sure of the nomination then let him win *without* changing the Party, the convention and the nomination process beyond recognition and against Party guidelines.
 
Anything less means he *takes* the nomination and will never have the honor of winning it fairly. If the tides turn and and he doesn’t win then so be it. At least Democrats will know that the Party held to integrity and fairness.

But then integrity and ‘these people’ have been strangers for a long time.

h/t HillBuzz

Hmmm… according to the International Herald Tribune Obama’s overseas trip will be loaded up with ’star’  reporters from major newspapers and magazines "flocking to catch Obama’s first overseas trip since becoming the presumptive nominee of his party" while anchors Williams (NBC), Gibson (ABC) and Couric (CBS) will meet him on the trip with remote broadcasts. Seems the Obama-Media lovefest has found new life…

But one key person won’t be going along for the ride. Michelle has had her ‘ticket to ride’ pulled and will be sitting this one out! Quite a surprise since she has been broadcasting her excitement about this trip for a while now. Poor Michelle. I have to wonder what motivated this move. Surely she would love an expense-paid vacation with the family. Surely it would bring her much joy (vindication?) to be photographed by the international press with Sarkozy or with Barry at the [cough] Brandenburg Gate. With both girls out of school for the summer it would be perfect timing. So what is it? If it’s not family scheduling, then what?

That leaves the more -political- reasons. Too many opportunities to talk? Too many chances to show the world who she is and just how she feels about things? Too many chances to OFFEND the hell out of  European leaders and dignitaries. Yep, that sounds more likely. Maybe England, Germany, France and the Middle East are simply not ready to be ‘educated’ on American social demise by Michelle’s vitriol; not ready to be blasted by her lack of diplomatic sense and decorum.  I’m with HillBuzz on this one…

Something’s fishy with this Michelle business. For her to miss her chance to fist-bump in front of the Eiffel Tower and Big Ben, either the New Yorker cover is expected to generate too much bad press for the campaign overseas, or something else Michelle-related is on the way (and having her on the trip would provide far too many chances for this whole thing to blow up in Obama’s face).

Whatever the reason it’s cause for a little silly schadenfreude at her expense. And cause for some relief as well; international relationships being what they are I can’t help but be glad that Michelle and her harsh Obama-drama won’t be making them worse. To be honest… evil-me would celebrate such an awesome event but… it’s not what we need right now.  =(

[youtube FMGgyPm9kh4]

Face it Obamacons (or not, if it's too painful)… he avoids virtually all unscripted, unpredictable and off-the-cuff appearances. He knows his weaknesses well and if he can not create a performance or a micro-managed production then he will not play. He is a coward, a liar and a con man. And everyday more and more thinking humans realize this and lose faith that he has any integrity at all. The Kool-aid keg is empty… what will you do now Skippy?