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Subscribe to RSSIn 8:00 pm ET speech on Afghanistan, expect Obama -- in some form or fashion -- to declare success in defeating al Qaeda in the region… While the U.S. military might not like the surge withdrawal, Obama has more political leeway than ever before… Huntsman’s sluggish start yesterday and his stronger appearance on “TODAY” this morning… Yet he was unable to answer why his family’s Huntsman Corporation employs more in China and India than it does in the U.S… Pawlenty goes on the air in Iowa, meaning he’s all-in for the Ames Straw Poll… Our anti-CW on Iowa and New Hampshire… More rough news for Newt… And Huntsman stumps in South Carolina on Day 2 of his official launch.
*** Declaring success: When President Obama announced his troop surge in Afghanistan back in Dec. 2009, he said that the “overarching goal” was to “disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan.” The president went on to say, “To meet that goal, we will pursue the following objectives… We must deny al Qaeda a safe haven. We must reverse the Taliban’s momentum and deny it the ability to overthrow the government. And we must strengthen the capacity of Afghanistan’s security forces and government, so they can take lead responsibility for Afghanistan’s future.” In his 8:00 pm ET speech tonight on Afghanistan, Obama is expected to essentially respond to that paragraph from 2009 and say that progress has been achieved on all three fronts. And he might even say publicly what officials have been privately touting: that al Qaeda has been operationally defeated and essentially destroyed in the Af-Pak region, with the bin Laden kill being the symbolic exclamation point.
*** Obama’s political cover: The troop withdrawal that the president will announce concerns the 30,000 surge troops, not the total force in Afghanistan. There is no doubt that high-ranking officials in the U.S. military, including Gen. David Petraeus, want those surge troops to stay a bit longer there. But politically, Obama has more leeway than he’s ever had before. Just listen to what Mitt Romney said about Afghanistan in last week’s GOP debate. And listen to what Jon Huntsman said on “TODAY” this morning: “We can probably be a little more aggressive [on withdrawal] over the next year… What we need now is a healthy dose of nation-building at home.” One additional point: Tonight’s speech probably buys Obama a little more space on Libya. Why? Because, for another day or two, it puts THAT conflict on A4, and that's all the U.S. wants now is time as they continue to believe they are thisclose to forcing Khadaffy out.
*** But still a challenge for the president: Yet even though Obama can declare success regarding al Qaeda, and even though he has more GOP political cover on withdrawal, Afghanistan remains a challenge for him. As the Washington Post notes, “His prime-time address must remind a skeptical electorate and a concerned Congress that the country’s longest war remains worth fighting — and funding — for several more years.” The New York Times adds, “[B]ehind his words will be an acute awareness of what $1.3 trillion in spending on two wars in the past decade has meant at home: a ballooning budget deficit and a soaring national debt at a time when the economy is still struggling to get back on its feet.”
*** Huntsman’s sluggish start: The bad news for Jon Huntsman was that yesterday's presidential announcement didn't go smoothly (with audio issues, a misspelling mistake, and a flat speech). The good news: There's always another day, and Huntsman today stumps in South Carolina. His sluggish start was striking because the pre-rollout had been orchestrated so well, and it ran counter to the level of hype they were trying to give to the announcement. Yet the biggest shortcoming of Huntsman's speech yesterday was failing to address our question from yesterday: Who is Jon Huntsman? Yes, he wants to run an optimistic and civil campaign. Yes, he has an interesting biography (high school dropout, the band, the work overseas). And, yes, announcement addresses are rarely meaty speeches. But his announcement yesterday was full of generalities. In fact, the Washington Post fact-checker found that there were almost no facts to check in speech, because it was “content-free” and “fact-free.”
*** Huntsman on “TODAY”: Huntsman, however, was much stronger in his appearance on “TODAY” this morning. Regarding his low name ID, he told NBC’s Ann Curry that he’s still got months ahead to introduce himself to voters. “We have every opportunity to get out and talk about our issues.” On President Obama’s performance on the economy: “There is a lot of work to be done.” And on whether he’d raise taxes as president: “We didn’t raise taxes [in Utah]. We created the environment for business growth.” The one question Huntsman didn’t handle well was the fact that his family’s Huntsman Corporation now employs more people overseas than in the U.S. (“We now employ more people between China and India than we do in North America,” brother Peter Huntsman recently said.) Huntsman’s answer to this: If you look at any manufacturing company, it’s building more facilities overseas. But will that answer fly on the campaign trail?
*** Pawlenty goes on the air in Iowa: As we reported yesterday, Tim Pawlenty is going up with a new TV ad in Iowa -- the first Republican presidential candidate to do so. And now the ad has been released. In it, Pawlenty looks into the camera and takes a subtle dig at front-runner Mitt Romney, saying he passed health-care reform in Minnesota "the right way, no mandates, no takeover." At a $50,000 buy, the ad will air on FOX News in the Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Omaha, Ottumwa, Rochester, and Sioux City media markets from June 23 to July 3. Make no mistake: Pawlenty is all-in on the Aug. 13 Ames Straw Poll. His window is closing, and his team probably realizes he can’t afford another missed opportunity.
*** Some anti-CW on Iowa and New Hampshire: Speaking of Iowa… The Conventional Wisdom as we head into the early nominating contests is that Iowa will benefit the social conservatives, while New Hampshire will be where the moderates fare well. But here's a little anti-CW: It's possible that a moderate (say Romney) has a mathematical chance to win Iowa because either 1) the social conservative vote gets split, or 2) the moderate attracts new caucus-goers like Obama did in '08. As pollster Ann Selzer recently wrote, “Iowa is a problem for moderate Republicans only if they believe the 2012 caucus will fit the mold of 2008.” Similarly, in New Hampshire, it’s possible that Romney and Huntsman could all split up the moderate indie vote, leaving a social conservative (Bachmann? Perry?) to overperform in the state. Remember, the moderate BUSH won Iowa in 1980, and the conservative Buchanan won New Hampshire in 1996 (even when there was NO Dem primary competing for the indie vote).
*** Newt’s second line of credit at Tiffany’s: Unfortunately for Newt Gingrich, the stories keep getting worse, not better. Yesterday, we learned that his campaign lost two top finance staffers. And then came this: He “had a second line of credit at the high-end jewelry store Tiffany’s for as much as $1 million dollars,” the Washington Post’s Cillizza reported. “Joe DeSantis, a spokesman for Gingrich, said that the candidate’s personal financial disclosure filing, which is due within 30 days of his formal entrance into the presidential race, will ‘show that the Gingriches had a $500,000 to $1 million line of credit at Tiffany’s, that it has a zero balance, and it has been closed.’ DeSantis added that all debts to Tiffany’s had been paid in full. He offered no details about when the second line of credit was taken out, what it was used for or when it was closed.” How long will Gingrich allow this to go on?
*** On the 2012 trail: In Georgia this morning, Gingrich already delivered a speech on the economy and the Federal Reserve… And Huntsman, in Columbia, SC, visits a local business, holds a media avail, and meets with supporters.
Countdown to Iowa GOP straw poll: 52 days
Countdown to NV-2 special election: 83 days
Countdown to Election Day 2011: 139 days
Countdown to the Iowa caucuses: 229 days
* Note: When the IA caucuses take place depends on whether other states move up
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I just figured i'd stop by and thank all of the lberals. You see after working all of my life and then getting the shaft after El magnifico got elected my benefits finally exhausted so now I m collecting SS, earlier than I expected but seeing as how I will be getting all of my healthcare paid for and early medicare also, well I just figured a big thankyou was in order. I just hope the RICH don't run out of money or all decide to move off shore, as then I would have to started taking from the liberals before they (sic) give it all away. You folks are just dandy, I'm all afluster after this outpouring of generousity By the way, if you could would you send me a bit extraas my Hummer is below a quarter of a tank. Ya'll have a nice generous day now, ya hear.
You still drive a Hummer? And you want financial aid? Hmmm....
Just where in the hell do the rich plan to move so they will be taxed less-- Switzerland? China? Mexico, France?
I think Argentina would be a great place to have a nice villa by the sea. they can visit the U.S as long as they like and stay as long as they like.
Maybe a condo in Milan or Barcelona too.
Oh my, what political timing. O'Bungle to declare victory in Afganistan. What a joke. Now, lets see, a drawn down of the "surge" troops. Doesn't sound like a withdrawal at all, does it folks. Watched a Face the Nation installment last night by some of our best respected journalist (none from MSNBC, CNN, or CBS, of course, the government sponsored media). They pointed out how the United States has wars going all over the world. Afganistan, Iraq, Somolia (proxy, meaning funded by the American taxpayers), Lybia, border with Mexico, and soon to be Tunisia. This country just can't get enough of meddling in other countrys' business. Afganistan alone in $200 million a week. Building infrastructure, schools, housing, and shopping malls, but the mainstream media NEVER tells us this. It's the American dream, close a school in Detroit, build one in Iraq. Train a policeman in Afganistan, lay one off in Kansas City. These third world regimes are laughing at how anxious America politicians are to give YOUR money to them, while thet harbor terrorists and use YOUR money to fund them. But oh my gosh, let's jump on the O'Bungle band wagon, hip hip hurray for the almighty, let's not believe the truth from NON-POLITICAL journalists who tellthe truth.
So when does Obama lead the victory mission accomplished ticker tape parade down Broadway
Now if I were Obama I would bribe a bunch of Afghan Taliban Warlords with 10 billion each to be nice until at least election day 2012 to , you know, make him look good. THEN they can toss Karzai under the bus and behead him
we did not win in Afghanistan we lost allot of brave men an woman, we have the watch the tali-ban has the time, John McCain an John Kerry a Liberia an a rhino working together, my a small world after all, limited war in Libya,Yemen,Syria, all of Africa, Asia, Europe,why not the hole world, people of the United States we need to wake up an stand up an vote these liberals an rhinos out of office an get back to worrying about are people of the united States not the world, not big union either build the infrastructure of America with American an keep the Labor an all other union out of the mix Good day
If the president announces a rapid withdrawl the republicans and faux news/republican radio will whine "cut and run" If he announces a slower withdrawal the republicans and faux news/ republican radio will whine "endangering the troops" The only certain fact is the republicans will do what they are best at: whining & lying.
sharky.
I could careless about fox news, I get my news from a wide spectrum, and you are an idiot for wasting your time on fox news instead of discussing real subjects and how this administration is affecting us. But, like most democrats, which I believe are mentally disturbed, you waste you time bashing people and organizations, because you are weak and stupid.
The dems wasted 8 years of only bashing bush (who was a bum also) instead of doing something constructive!
You mean things like "Hope and Change!"....."Change we can believe in!"......Yes we can!".......and "Summer of Recovery (2010)!!"? ..........you mean that kinda stuff?..............who cares anymore?
reparations
Your right for the lazy and no-goods! And still have some sort of a beef after 300 years. Your handle says it all!
reparations - Obama's approval rating on 1/20/09 was 65%, today it's 47% and dropping......I think your apple pie is heading for the ktichen floor..............with the whipped cream side down......for more splatter effect!
So since we are so damned worried about Americans versus the rest of the world, i take it the money we save by winding down the wars will be put into SS and medicare, right? Nah lets just give the Upper Class another tax break because the Bush ones just weren't enough for them. AND we need to get right back to deregulation because TARP worked so its no big deal if they screw things up again. The "we gotta regulate the banks " fervor due to the housing bubble and pop lasted all of 6 months
obama got binladen! time to come home mission accomplished
what a bunch of loons. You blame CEOs and Corps for making money and somehow think they owe us something? Does someone make you spend your savings account? Did you ever make a profit from a used car or a yard sale? Did you pay taxes on it? Our Corporate tax rate among the highest in the world and is why jobs are going overseas. Heck, Boeing can't even build a factory in SC without a union lawsuit and you demand the corporations pay more? You wonder why everything you own says "made in china"? Instead of spending your day here, go get a JOB and contribute. What did YOU pay in taxes last year? Best most of you got a full refund! You spek ill of any news org that refutes your lies and then refute the proof that your lying. (Fox actually has a higher number of informed viewers). You lefty crazies are what drove the indies like me toward the right...someday you'll awaken from your idealistic utopian socialist dream to discover your country is gone and you'll riot in the streets for scraps of bread..
Cut and run becomes mission accomplished. Quintessential spin at its absolute finest
Is it too late to behead Rummy the Dummy for tossing a trillion and 6000 lives down a rat hole because he couldn't plan his way out cardboard box with the top missing
reparations - Obama's approval rating on 1/20/09 was 65%, today it's 47% and dropping......I think the apple pie is heading for the ktichen floor..............with the whipped cream side down for more splatter effect!
You know what they say -- " there will be plenty of time for blame later". Well, I've been waiting patiently for a decade now. I say TIMES UP. Oh wait NOW you say "there is no sense in dwelling on the past". Well I say there IS because how in the hell else are you going to avoid FUTURE debacles like this hatched up by illogical twits with a lot of can do hubris
Glad to see the National Barack Channel (NBC) has launched their campaign media bit. In other news, 40 Al-Qaeda militants "escaped from a Yemeni jail, their Muslim Brotherhood ( that we supported) plans for the obliteration of Israel, Hamas has declared Palestine a haven for Al Qaeda and Taliban refugees and the world is getting better everyday.
Just out of curiosity.. are these the same aides that declared Obama created 6 million jobs or the aides, or that declared the "recovery summer".
Congrats on killing Bin Laden but Obama did not locate him, did not go into get him, nor did he even set any of the programs in operation. Still he was the President that after all the plans were made said "Present"
Medicare and Social Security are wonderful programs that work. They have allowed many elderly citizens to live-out their retirement with dignity and a sense of security.
As stated by many Republicans on this blog, they support the mighty Ryan plan. That's all fine and well but, remember ALL citizens of the United States have the Constitutional Rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That means free from oppression from not only the government but also from the oppression of other citizens.
If Republican/Tea Party members are really concerned about the high cost of Medicare and Social Security, I suggest that these are "optional participation" programs and you have the option of not filing for any form of benefits. On the other hand, quit trying to oppress those that find it necessary to participate in these social safety-net services.
I know, you will scream about "your taxes" going to pay for someone else. My grand parents and parents paid taxes for my education, my parents still pay for public education; though all their children no longer attend public education programs. I paid for my children and will continue to pay for them and my grand children; long after they no longer attend public schools. I don't whine about this. Public education is a program that works. Medicare and Social Security does too. It is good government.
Your greatest error is your inhumane attitudes toward your fellow citizens. If another citizen chooses to seek-out abortion services; keep your nose out of their business. They pay taxes too. It may NOT be "your taxes" paying for it. It might be mine and I am totally supportive of their need. If you are fortunate enough to never need any of these government services; well, you are quite the philanthropist...thank you for helping to make the United States the greatest place on Earth.
Commenters...
One question, although I have many answers to this question, I am curious as to the commenters views=
Why do middle class Republicans and TeaParty voters continue to vote for their candidates when it is so obviously not in their best interests? Do they really think their votes help America? Are they blind to what they are voting for? Perhaps they don't understand what they are voting for? Any insight?
That's funny ! We ask the same question about you left wing loonies. Do you really vote for less freedom and more of your money taken from you?
Yer nuts !
ps. How's that hope and change YOU voted for workin' out for ya?
Anduandi----I was looking for intelligent responses, not your idiotic rantings.....go watch more Fox News.
Another Republican presidency would be another GOP nightmare for this nation on both foreign and domestic fronts.
Yes because it's going so well now the way it is......................HA !
Odumbo doesn't give a rat's a$$ about the Afghan war.
This is just more campaigning on Odumbo's part. He is attempting to walk a fine line between pulling out, and staying there. He is trying to appease the most voters.
Anything and everything Odumbo says, or does, is weighed on the balance scale of votes.
Look at Gay marriage. Does he take a stand for, or against, gay marriage?? Oh no. Best to play it safe and try not to piss off the gays, or the evangelical Christians. Stay somewhere (vaguely) in the middle.
His attitude towards the gay marriage issue is "evolving" LOL
Gun control. Since the Fort Hood shootings and the Giffords shootings, does he propose a definite gun control act. Oh no....that would piss off the gun lobby, and cost him VOTES. Does he reaffirm his undaunted belief in the 2nd amendment right to bear arms??
Oh no....that would piss off the liberal anti-gun lobby, and might cost him VOTES.
Illegal Immigration. Does he present his amnesty program during this Great Obama Recession. Nooo, that would piss off the American middle class and might cost him VOTES.
Does he order the immediate deportation of all Illegal aliens like President Eisenhower did. Oh noooo, that would piss off too many Hispanic Americans and might cost him VOTES.
Waffle, waffle, Flip-flop, waffle waffle, flip flop. Always walking the fine non-committal line to maximize the votes.
Seems this is his Modes Operendi. Same as the short time in the Senate. Don't take a side on any issue....just vote "present"
This is not leadership by any stretch of the imagination. If I was interested in seeing a tight-wire act, I would go see a circus.
BINGO ! You got it !
I thought we were seeing a circus. LOL
"WILL OBAMA SAY IN PUBLIC WHAT HIS AIDES SAY IN PRIVATE?"
That Obama is really a Republican.
It is utterly amazing. If some of you listen to the president instead of listening to what pundits, GOP and conservatives, say he's saying, your viewpoint may change. Hold him to his words. Some of you are just coming around to the viewpoint he expressed at least 2 years earlier. He said, probably during the same speech, that we were not going to get involved in any nation building in Afghanistan because we had our nation building to do. I suspect he didn't want to get involved in Libya, but world events caused it, just like all the natural disasters we've had during the past year or so. If you only listen to republicans or conservatives, obviously, you're going to some kind of twist to anything he says. Who's the real dummy???
You !
ps. nice pass on Libya
JB,
and Odumbo can't just say no?? What is the U.N. without us?? Nothing.
All you "bring 'em home" fools can't see past your nose. Where did all the Al qaida training occurr before 911? Where do you think it will begin again when we cut and run for Obongo's political agenda. As long as we have enemies plotting against us in that region, we need to kill them there rather than wait for another attack on our soil.
Bush had the sense and the political guts to know this and did what was best for the country and not his political career. And then you nuts gave us the Nobel Peace Prize winner of now 3 wars, Barrack Insane Obongo.
Perhaps Obama should put on a Navy SEAL uniform and drop down to the podium via helicopter and declare, "Mission Accomplished!" No wait...only a TOTALLY LAME president would pull a stunt like that!!
What president did that?
Have you forgotten our beloved (tongue in cheek) president, George "Wrong-way" Bush, already?
The 2012 GOP field could be broken into 2 camps:
The MORMONS and the MORONS.
........listen to the party of tolerance, peace and love........
Noone should tolerate intolerence, stupidity and hate, and yet the Tea Party has made it a platform.
Who cares what Obama says, the government must be destroyed.