E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSDUE TO TECHNICAL ERROR, FIRST THOUGHTS WAS LATE PUBLISHING.
The bin Laden killing, one year later – how quickly things change … Republicans cry foul that Obama campaign is using the death as a reelection weapon … Foreign policy vs. the economy (it’s still the economy) … Is Obama the Warrior in Chief? … Another veep tryout – this time it’s Romney with New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte. … Gingrich to drop out Wednesday.
Believe it or not, tomorrow marks a year since Osama bin Laden was killed. We wrote then: “While it’s doubtful that Osama bin Laden’s death will have as long of a political impact [as 9/11] -- especially in this fast-changing, short-term memory media landscape -- it will surely shape the contours of next year’s presidential race. … Last night changes everything (for now), but we also know how quickly it can dissipate.” And dissipate it did. The president’s bump – for something that was as big a singular accomplishment that any president could have -- was short-lived, because of the economy and the debt-ceiling fight. It’s a reminder of just how important the economy is that the bump was never as big as it would have been under normal circumstances. (By the way, NBC’s Rock Center went inside the decision making of the killing of bin Laden. Brian Williams previewed his interview with the president on Meet the Press. The full show, with interviews of others that were in the room) airs Wednesday at 9:00 pm ET.
Caption: NBC's Domenico Montanaro discusses the politics of the one year anniversary of the Osama Bin Laden raid, and New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte gets a look as a possible vice president for Mitt Romney.
*** Playing politics: Republicans are crying foul at the Obama campaign’s touting of the killing (and using it in a campaign video charging that Mitt Romney might not have made the same call. There are two lines of attack: (1) Republicans are trying to minimize the accomplishment, saying anyone would have done it; and (2) They say he’s politicizing everything, including foreign policy. Ed Gillespie, an adviser to the Romney campaign and former Bush adviser said on Meet the Press: “This is one of the reasons President Obama has become one of the most divisive presidents in American history. He took something that was a unifying event … and he’s managed to turn it into a divisive, partisan, political attack. … I think most Americans will see it as a sign of a desperate campaign.” It’s fascinating to watch Democrats try to demagogue foreign policy, the way Republicans do and have done over the years (see Cheney, Dick in 2004). Republicans usually find themselves almost overreacting when Democrats go over the top in their foreign policy attacks. Count on some REALLY heated cable and Twitter rhetoric this week on this topic as the run-up to the bin Laden anniversary kicks in.
Saul Loeb / AFP - Getty Images
President Barack Obama speaks to troops at Third Infantry Division Headquarters at Fort Stewart in Hinesville, Georgia, on April 27, 2012, prior to Obama signing an Executive Order to protect them from deceptive targeting by educational institutions.
*** Warrior in Chief? The Romney campaign has pushed the issue of foreign policy, trying to paint Obama as weak and appeasing (especially when it comes to Iran). The GOP would have liked to paint the picture of Obama as a feckless, weak president, lacking strength. But despite the rhetoric, Obama’s foreign policy has been incredibly muscular. In fact, Peter Bergen of the New America Foundation in the New York Times Sunday Review provocatively casts President Obama as the “Warrior in chief,” ticking off several of Obama’s foreign-policy raids, killings, and use of drones. The death of bin Laden undercut any hopes Republicans had of being able to paint Obama as Jimmy Carter. And he makes the point of this disconnect: “Despite countervailing evidence, most conservatives view the president as some kind of peacenik. From both the right and left, there has been a continuing, dramatic cognitive disconnect between Mr. Obama’s record and the public perception of his leadership….” Make no mistake, had it failed, that’s exactly how he would have been portrayed. Bergen writes that if Romney runs a risk when criticizing Obama on foreign policy. If he tries to portray him as “a typical, weak-on-national-security Democrat,” then “he will very likely trap himself into calling for a war with Iran, which many Americans oppose.”
*** McCain as top foreign-policy attack dog: Taking the lead on the attack, though, is Sen. John McCain, Obama’s 2008 opponent (who also believes Obama hasn’t had courage to act in Syria). McCain, now a Romney surrogate, said Obama’s “diminishing the memory of September 11th,” and accused him of “doing a shameless end-zone dance.” It’s a fine line. McCain clearly doesn’t mind playing this role. He says things Romney couldn’t get away with and it’s something that’s quite beneficial to Romney. If Romney said what McCain did, Romney might get ridiculed. It’s an interesting role that McCain is willing to play. It could be a preview of the role McCain might play going forward in the campaign -- traditional role of VP, but on foreign policy. McCain doesn’t mind going personal with Obama, as he’s demonstrated since 2008. You can try to explain away McCain’s motives all you want, but it could be oddly effective for Romney.
USA Today's Susan Page, The Washington Post's Dan Balz, and The Chicago Tribune's Clarence Page discuss the Romney campaign's accusation that President Obama is politicizing the death of Osama Bin Laden.
*** STILL THE ECONOMY: But for all the talk of foreign policy and how much credit Obama deserves or whether or how he should be touting it, the most important issue this election – as it was a year ago -- remains the economy. It should be like a flashing red sign – IT’S THE ECONOMY, IT’S THE ECONOMY. Jobs will get a fresh look Friday when the latest report comes out. The unemployment rate has been essentially flat for three months. Even though the rate has come down from a high of 10.0%, if the rate continues to appear not to drop very much or the trajectory seems flat, that is going to be a problem for the incumbent president. Watch the trajectory; it will tell you the whole ballgame.
*** Another veep tryout: Today’s another veep tryout with Romney and New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte at 10:50 am ET. Though she’s been a senator for just two years, Ayotte served as New Hampshire’s attorney general (she was appointed by Republican Craig Benson in 2003 and RE-appointed by a Democratic governor). The Republican Party’s problems with women have been well documented over the last few months. If Romney is going to pick a woman, the most serious candidate is likely Ayotte. That is, aside from Condoleezza Rice if she wants it, and there’s no indication she does. But the shadow of Palin still looms large over the GOP pick, and the Romney team may be more risk averse because of it. But as GOP 12’s Heinze wrote last week: “Sarah Palin didn't prove that picking a woman doesn't help with women. Palin was simply the wrong woman.” (By the way, over the weekend, NBC’s Alex Moe reported that Newt Gingrich would officially drop out Wednesday.)
*** Obama fundraises with Clinton: There were a couple striking things at the fundraiser with President Clinton this weekend at the home of Terry McAuliffe: (1) How little Romney was mentioned. After a weekend and week of going after Romney personally, last night was more in line with where the Obama campaign was when this campaign first started -- go after the entire GOP. It was more the theme of -- they want to take you back, it’s their failed economic policies on steroids, not the party of Abe Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt; it’s not their Republican Party. (2) This was not an ordinary Obama fundraiser speech. Here, he was trying to follow one of the Democratic Party’s best economic communicators. Obama knew he was on friendly turf, but not the friendliest turf, as he was trying to appeal to Clinton people. One Democratic source who is more of a member of Team Clinton than Team Obama described last night as kind of like a “first date” between Clinton and Obama; For the first time, this person could actually see the two of them starting to bond; It took a while for Clinton to get over 2008 but so far, things have gone well in this courtship. Two more Obama-Clinton fundraisers to go; New York and PROBABLY Hollywood.
*** A way to bring up Seamus: Don’t overlook the fact that the White House used the opportunity of the White House Correspondents Dinner -- when they knew they’d get lighter coverage for what they did – put a story that they’ve struggled to put into the mainstream, quietly trying to do for months, the Seamus story. It was frankly a way to get Seamus out there. Yes, Obama made fun of himself and eating dog, but they’ll take that to get the Seamus story mainlined; They’ve been trying for months.
** Waiting on Lugar’s fate: There are just eight days until the Indiana Senate primary that could see the ouster of the most senior Republican in the Senate. AP today wonders whether Richard Lugar waited too long to brand his opponent. On Friday, the 2008 GOP presidential ticket split its endorsement – John McCain endorsed Lugar; Sarah Palin endorsed his challenger and Tea Party favorite, state Treasurer Richard Mourdock. Mitt Romney said he was staying out of it. A poll aligned with Mourdock showed him up 44-39% Thursday. The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette headline: “Hundreds cheer Mourdock at city rally.” The rally was organized by Tea Party Express, which has played a big role in this race.
Countdown to Indiana Senate/Wisconsin recall primaries: 8
Countdown to Wisconsin recall election: 36
Countdown to Election Day: 190 days
Click here to sign up for First Read emails.
Text FIRST to 622639, to sign up for First Read alerts to your mobile phone.
Check us out on Facebook and also on Twitter. Follow us @chucktodd, @mmurraypolitics, @DomenicoNBC, @brookebrower
Leave a Comment:
i'll give credit to obama for gettin bin laden, u know why? coz if dubya had got him first i'd give him credit for that too.... he had 8 freakin years to get him and did not.... so what is this karl rove guy's problem?!
i like the picture of the osama raid, with berrie cowering in the corner..
not a setting of your up and get'em guy with his teleprompters..
that picture show's it all..
berry and hillary..
king and queen of the nerd prom..
ronaswyhod: You can bet that Bush jr had to much to drink to even remember what a corner looked like along with his grilfriend Dick Chaney. Or maybe Sarah Palin would be a better choice if she can keep her legs closed.
I agree that politicizing OBL's death is not an appropriate re-election strategy, but remember that Bush failed to get him and this certainly failed to aid the Republican cause in 2008.
It's fairly clear that Cheney just wanted the oil. War can be profitable.
How so?
i can guarantee you this..
president romney will go down as one of the greatest presidents of america..
along with abraham lincoln and ronald reagan..
he will be known as..
"the saviour of our nation"..
Typical la-la land view from the delusional "Fair and Balanced" types...
Face the facts, the GOP/TEA/Dumb FUX NEWS party doesn't even like Romney...Remember the main issue for righties to vote for Bush was that the numbskulls thought Bush was the one they could have a beer with...and that ain't Romney...
Ronsey.....what rock did you a. Smoke or b. crawl out from under?. Get a life and or job.
Stay in school. oh and BTW fact check more often!
Go back and watch the 2004 ads for Bush and Cheney about 911 which was three years earlier. TALK ABOUT POLITICING!!!!
This is going to be a good mud slinging fight and the comedy world can't wait for all the new material. I really don't like Romney but if I were his campaign manager my advice would be; if you want to win the election Willard shut the hell up!
Your strange enough with you stupid remarks and when you try to say something smart you sound like a dumba$$. Just shut up!
Jimmy Kimmel was very funny at the Obama roast too. Romney should buy the video rights and use it as a compaign commercial. It was all true, and funny!
Jerry-759068: Mitt Romney can't shut up unless he got permission from his wife who would not give him the cookie if he did.LOL.
4 More years of Obama? better brush up on my Chinese!
for starters, shei-shei is "thank you."
It is a free market...not really any President's fault that the Chinese labor is so cheap. Would you suggest sweat shops in America? Sooner or later the Chinese labor force will rise against their government (just as we did), and things will change....labor unions in Shanghai maybe. History will repeat itself.
This is one thing I actually like about Obama ... he has at least given lip service to the idea of protecting US jobs through tarriffs. It is a free market, but the other side does not play fair. The heavily impose import taxes on US goods and services. If Obama could counter this and resurrect some lost US jobs, he would do well in a lot of people's minds.
Yeah, and you called it right...Lip Service!!
An amazingly our government has been ignoring all the warning signs. Greece is the perfect example of where we are headed thanks to our social welfare programs. One of my biggest customers is based in Spain, but all their Latin American branches that I sell to have budget holds due to Spain's shaky economy. Those countries are small to us by comparison. God forbid we let history repeat here in America.
If Romney (FAT chance) should win in Nov....he'll make more deals with China. (that is what he Does) He would sell the USA, his own mother and of course his dog for a dime.
Remember, Republican politics does not want any barriers to trade...the other side "not playing fair" is unfortunate, but it's not as if we can take our ball and go home.
When you think of Obama, just close you eyes and see him on the Senate floor speaking the following words about the dangers of raising the debt ceiling.
From Sen. Obama’s Floor Speech, March 20, 2006:
The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government can’t pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies. … Increasing America’s debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that “the buck stops here.” Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.
At the time, Senator Obama was urging Congress not to tolerate an increase that would bring the debt ceiling to $9 trillion.
Now imagine him standing before congress with his never ending ever growing debt crises asking that the debt ceiling be raised to 15.7 trillion.
Funny how raising the debt ceiling was so dangerous for this country in 2006 and now its the only way he can keep his government operating.
Yes Obama, Americans do deserve better.
George W. Bush showing strong leadership in the days after 9/11 as a way to get reelected is perfectly acceptable...just as Obama using the death of Bin Laden as a tool to get reelected is as well. Too much finger pointing.
Jack the problem is that we are still waiting for Obama to show some leadership.
Creating a never ending ever growing debt crises is not a sign of leadership, it a sign of failure.
Even Obama said that his actions are a danger to this country.
What happen??? Close Your eyes and Picture you torment when in Nov. you wake up to your nightmare....Obama will be Re elected...4 more years of twitches and tantrums for you! Now, go suck yer thumb in the corner, where U belong kid
I guess Obama took the shot. I guess Obama planned the raid. I guess Obama interrogated (which included water boarding) Al Zarkawi which ultimately led to intelligence that revealed the whereabouts of OBL. I guess Obama went through the months and months of SEAL training that it took the acquire the combat skills needed to complete the mission. I guess Obama invented the assault rifle that killed OBL. I guess Obama also trained the soldier that went whacko in Afghanistan and went on a killing spree that killed at least a dozen Afghani citizens. I guess Obama coordinated the burning of the Koran in Afghanistan as well.
If your going to take the political credit for killing OBL then you have to take all the criticism for plenty of failures. Its called being principled.
Yeah, Just like geezer Reagan ended the Cold War and attacked the Mighty Grenada. Moron!
Yes, the Commander in Chief does get credit for the killing of Bin Laden. He does get credit for successes as well as failures. He didn't have to plan it or pull the trigger, he simply had to give permission to execute it...
I never saw anything that said al Zarkawi gave any intelligence that lead to the killing of Bin Laden. Where did you read that?
ugh...is that like where you go to the principal's office to get paddled for being bad in class?
LOL
When Obama took office, George told him some great news. We know where he is and this is going to take some planning. It started long before Obama was president. Oh I forgot. He just snaps his fingers and everything is done right away. I't still a crime no matter how you cut it.
Obama took office in 2009...Bin Laden was killed in 2011....
DECApo
Killing someone who declared war on you is not a crime. Especially when that person uses violence to kill children, women and old people in their attack on you.
Grow up.
Then you declare war on that country not going into it to kill a person. They call that murder. Do some research.
Isn't killing somebody a form of torture? The hell you say!
Jack this is from Wikipedia on Al Zarqawi.
U.S. officials defend interrogation techniques
Dennis C. Blair, President Obama's new director of national intelligence wrote in a memo to his staff in April 2009 that "high value information came from interrogations in which [enhanced interrogation] methods were used."[126] Former Vice-President, Dick Cheney claims there are memos in existence which show the success of the enhanced interrogation techniques.[127] Cheney stated:
Additionally, four successive CIA directors echoed these sentiments, with the most recent, Michael V. Hayden, stating that he believed the methods "got the maximum amount of information" from prisoners, specifically Abu Zubaydah.[126] As noted, however, the belief that enhanced interrogation techniques were necessary to get actionable intel from Abu Zubaydah has been heavily contested. John McLaughlin, former acting CIA director, stated in 2006 "I totally disagree with the view that the capture of Abu Zubaydah was unimportant. Abu Zubaydah was woven through all of the intelligence prior to 9/11 that signaled a major attack was coming, and his capture yielded a great deal of important information."[128] In his memoir, former CIA Director George Tenet writes:
No mention here of Osama bin Laden...you strayed from your argument
Let me make sure I got this right. According to the twisted, warped, insane logic of Republicans, President Obama is not supposed to take credit for any of his accomplishments. Not even catching and killing Osama Bin Laden! Even in the face of 3 years of relentless, rabid, unpatriotic GOP opposition to everything he tried to do to fix their 40 years of screwups, Our President stands undeterred by GOP ignorance and evil. . And President Obama's track record is sterling when you consider his greatest opposition came from the treasonous right in America's GOP (the new Confederate Party). Here are some the Obama highlights just to jog everyone's memory:
If a Republican had done all of President Obama's accomplishments, the GOP would be chiseling his face on Mt Rushmore right now. But in response to this article, The GOP wants President Obama to bare 100% of the blame for all of the Republican failures of governance. They want to defeat him at all costs. Then take credit for all of President Obama's accomplishments. Then they will lead us over the cliff the next time around.
Now I Know you are pissing in the wind ...
I don't read fairy tales.
Johnny-You forget to mention how much all those bailouts cost us and out children, grandchildren, etc (if you can produce children) Let's talk about the deficit, Your savior has spent more than ALL the past presidents combined...Gas prices? Unemployment? The Auto companies should have went bankrupt like everyone else. He just wants to control everything, Healthcare? are you serious? 70% of us do not want it and it may be deemed unconstitutional real soon along with him interfering with Arizona State Laws. In liberal Massachusetts we elected Scott Brown to Senate in attempt to block Obamacare. Your list sucks and frankly so do You.
If a Republican created the never ending ever growing debt crises that Obama created, you all would be screaming at the top of your lungs about what a bad thing it is and how it will destroy this country.
How do I know this, it already been done.
What is even funnier is that Obama made an impassioned speech before the Senate 2006 about raising the debt ceiling and how dangerous it was for this country.
So how many times has Obama appeared before Congress to get the debt ceiling raised in the last 12 months? Do you have any idea just how high he managed to get it raised. $15.7 trilllion and that will only keep his government operating till the end of the year.
Not bad consider that in 2006 Obama claimed a $9 trillion debt ceiling was a danger to this country.
One would have to be extremely naive to think that this is anywhere near over just because the old scum bag Osama is dead.
Um yes, you obviously haven't been to any military post/base lately. I personally see it every day, today is an orange day fyi.
Keep empathizing your success Mr President. Soon the Koch Bros/Karl Rove Super Pacs will be lying about your accomplishments and saying bin Laden is still alive.
Pickle-Sniffing Liberals. I have one word for You...WATERBOARDING...Biden may say it's 3 words- Nevertheless. Without the CIA "torturing" the captured terrorists....caught under Bush, The CIA and military intelligence, who actually found him not Obama, would not have found him. Obama showed up for a photo up that day after playing a round of golf. It's funny how bleeding hear liberals who oppose waterboarding are so happy that the savior had found Bin Laden and pulled the trigger himself. OK so Obama killed Osama- even if i did give him credit please tell me what else he has done in the 3.5 years he has been the president. Romney in a landslide.
So if I watch dumb FUX NEWS and listen to dumb FUX radio will I be an ignorant fool too?
oh boy! now if only Romney will have a beer with us...
Romney doesn't drink, Obama drinks to try to look cool or when he is holding beer summits on his lawn after "commenting" on the Cambridge Police. Funny how he can comment on that and saying how Trayvon looks like him, then when asked about the secret service and GSA...."I can't comment on those until a full investigation is done" Your savior is nothing but a celebrity and totally incompetent.
Yeah, that's it stick with the new dumb FUX line, Obama's a celebrity and everybody loves him...
But our guy Romney is a businessman and will make sure rich people like him will save us by lowering taxes on wealthy individuals and corporations, deregulating everything, and beating up the old, the poor, the young and the sick... whether we like him or not...
Yeah newbook, do you know why Obamacare does not kick in until after 2012? You don't have to be a genius. Gov't healthcare is going to be a disaster. You already hear the savior say in regards to a question about their mother: "Maybe she'd be better off with the pain medicine instead of the surgery" You will see. You think the evil republicans are killing the elderly? Just the opposite. Your loved one's fate will be decided by a group of gov't workers like the ones that work at the DMV...I can't wait. You're right Mitt is a businessman, what is Obama. A community organizer in a @!$%# city, State senator, and 3 years experience as a US Senator. I'm not impressed.
Everyone loves Obama? take a look at his ratings?
Idiots like you deserve Romney and all of the hail your dictator will reign on the country. Let's forget Obama. He just tried to clean up the garbage and carnage left behind by the incompetent boobs elected by incompetent boobs like you. How about you tell us anything positive Reagan did? Or Bush 1? Or Bush ? Nothing but endless, fraudalent wars, recessions nearing depressions, collapse of the middle class and misery. Not to forget the endless, racist race baiting to feed the thirsty, racist, Archie Bunker hordes like yourself. There is a side of me that wants Romney to win and crash this whole stupid, hateful mess created by idiots like you. But I stop myself right at the door when I realize how many truly innocent and wonderful Americans would suffer needlessly. Your ilk, modern Republicanism/Confederacy and Romney are spiritual decendants of every evil regime that has infested this planet before imploding into oblivion! And it's really interesting how the hateful Right hypocritically wraps itself in the robes of Christianity (Mormonism?) and righteousness while justifying their disdain, brutality and hatred for their fellow Man. While it's obvious to anyone who really studied the life and acts of Jesus that he would condemn everything you stand for. Just as he did with the Conservative right of his days on earth! You and your movement are of your true father. The Devil! That's why you do and promote devlish deeds, causes and ideologies.
What would Reagan do indeed?! Probably blubber incomprehensible nonsense like he did. And continue to lead everyone astray. Ole 666 simply did his job. Count the letters in his name. Ronald Wilson Reagan from 666 Diablo (Devil) Canyon Drive. Right outside of Los Angeles (the Angels) CA. Too much for ya to digest, Beelzebub?!
osama only thought he would destroy America, but obama will show him. 0 2012!
Just look up "If I wanted America to fail".
Do you mean that Obama is going to destroy America even more than Osama thought he would? What a strange statement.
Na. he's just pointing out that Obama will destroy this country with his never ending ever growing debt crises.
The terrorists are laughing hard and long. Obama has done more damage to the US then they could ever imagine doing in their wildest dreams.
Tim W.: Not to worry. Your welfare check is in the mail.
I happen to work for a living. That's why I'll never support Obama. Ever.
Flush the obama down the toilet in 2012!
I take 3 obama's a day........... :)
Respect the Office, flush the obama.
Steve: How can we do it, when you have the toilet stopped up?
poop is brown too
Hey Johnny B: Get the facts straight. Obama did not save Wall Street, we the taxpayers did!
The jury is still out on Egypt!
Ronnie took a shot at Kadaffy by going "Down Town" with some jets, lucky for kadaffy, he wasn't home...but we didn't hear a word from him for thee years!
"The Great Recession" isn't over fool, look around!!
Saved the auto industry? We the taxpayers saved GM and Chrysler!
Reformed the banking industry? Gimme a break, you tried to get a home loan recently? It was the democrats that started the "Home loan Debacle" to begin with!
You are a poster boy for the Democrats!! But Please! Talk that trash to someone else, like another Democrat!
Tom
Not yet. Crysler is on the verge of filing bankruptcy. GM has plants sitting idle because of over stock.
They are not alone in companies that are in fincial trouble with Obama's so called recovery.
But Obama did created a never ending ever growing debt crises that will more than likely destroy our economy and our country.
He certainly deserves the credit for it.
Be sure and hold the handle down, obama's a "floater"!
By the way Mr. President, If you can't take a little critisim, don't log on here! Oh wait, you can violate the constitution and probably have the CIA, FBI, and the Secret Service come get me! Oh wait, the Secret Service has a curfew now...so I guess the won't show up!
Tom
You're not out of the woods yet. Under the Military funding Bill Obama signed on December 31, 2011, Obama can send the military in to pick you up and hold you indefinitely.
And just think, you won't have any Constitutional protections like if the CIA or The FBI or even the Secret Service would have to provide to you if they were the ones who picked you up.
For many many years Americans, in general, have strove to ignore the horrific legacy of its racist past. If you ask the average African American how he feels about racism in America, he will probably tell you that things are mostly ok. Indeed, many great changes have been made. Very proud of themselves many Whites and Blacks should be.
However, when incidences like Trayvon-Zimmerman or Rodney King rears its ugly head, many ordinary folk once again begin soul searching to reconcile within themselves the past and the future of race relations in America. Old racial scars reopen. Is this "color monster" really behind us, we silently ask ourselves? After all these year.
Afterall, we have a black man as President. Surely African Americans now finally have their much sought after respect. Yep. Freedom and respect for all! Ok, so let the party begin. --Wait!! ...Not so fast. Wishful thinking can be like a cheating lover. Eyes and ears may tell the true story. But, the mind is the last one to know.
Here we have the first Black president and still there are those in power who will never, ever relenquish the past. Sometimes insensitivity can be the highest and sneakiest form of racism. Are we in a time warp, or what??!!
Kansas House Speaker Mike O’Neal was under fire after asking Republican House members to pray for President Barack Obama’s death. O’Neal made the request via an email he forwarded to GOP colleagues in the House. In an email sent in December, O’Neal asked his fellow Republicans to pray Psalm 109, which contains the following lines:
Let his days be few; and let another take his office.
Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow
THEN HE FORWARDED A MESSAGE OF HIS OWN ALONG WITH THIS PRAYER. At last — I can honestly voice a Biblical prayer for our president! Look it up — it is word for word! Let us all bow our heads and pray. Brothers and Sisters, can I get an AMEN? AMEN!!!!!!"
THIS IS NOT SOME BACKWATER UNEDUCATED CAUCASIAN. THIS IS A MAN OF MUCH INTELLIGENCE AND INFLUENCE. WHY THEN?
AND THEN THIS...Marilyn Davenport, member of the Orange County California Republican central committee resigned after she forwarded an email in which Pres. Barrack Obama's face was superimposed on a chimp's body. AND THIS IS FUNNY?... HEAVEN'S FORBID ANYONE PLAYS THE RACE CARD.
1960 OR 2012? YOU TELL ME: Atwater City Councilman Gary Frago had sent at least a half-dozen e-mails to city staff and other prominent community members containing racist jokes aimed at President Barack Obama, his wife and black people in general. Some compared Obama to O.J. Simpson while others suggested that "@!$%# rigs" should now be called "presidential solutions." Perhaps the most overboard e-mail was sent on Jan. 15. It read: "Breaking News Playboy just offered Sarah Palin $1 million to pose nude in the January issue. Michelle Obama got the same offer from National Geographic."
SO TELL US WHY AFRICAN AMERICANS SHOULD NOT BE CONCERNED WITH THIS RACIAL UNDERCURRENT OF TOTAL DISRESPECT TOWARDS A MAN BECAUSE OF HIS COLOR? WHOSE PLAYING THE RACE CARD? SHOULD WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS JUST A COINCIDENCE? IS THE OLD JIM CROW MENTALITY LURKING UP AND DOWN THE HALLOWED HALLS OF OUR GOVERNMENT?
HMMM...NO?. THEN WHAT IS THIS? A prominent South Carolina Republican killed his Facebook page Sunday after being caught likening the First Lady to an escaped gorilla. Commenting on a report posted to Facebook about a gorilla escape at a zoo in Columbia, S.C., Friday, longtime GOP activist Rusty DePass wrote, "I'm sure it's just one of Michelle's ancestors - probably harmless." TSK, TSK, TSK. ALWAYS WITH THE RACIAL INHUMAN-ANIMAL INNUENDOS. 1960s or 2012? YOU TELL ME.
TRAILER PARK TRASH, RIGHT. NOT HARDLY. THESE PEOPLE ARE HIGHLY EDUCATED AMERICAN CITIZENS. THEY ARE OUR LEADERS. IF AFRICAN AMERICAN CAN NOT GAIN RESPECT FROM ACHIEVING THE TOP JOB IN THE LALND, THEN WHICH JOB IS SACRED OR IMMUNE FROM RACIAL ATTITUDES AND REDICULE? UH, HUH....MINORITIES HAVE BEEN DOWN THIS ROAD BEFORE.
WELL, I COULD BE WRONG. SO MAYBE I SHOULD JUST IGNORE THIS: On Sunday night, Dr. David McKalip forwarded to fellow members of a Google list serv affiliated with the Tea Party movement the image of an african witch doctor with Obama's face superimposed on the witch doctors' body. David wrote on the picture as he forwarded it to other very influential people, "Funny stuff."
Tea Party activist, McKalip isn’t just some random right winger. He’s a Florida neurosurgeon who serves as a member of the American Medical Association’s House of Delegates. He’s also an energetic conservative opponent of health-care reform. McKalip founded the anti-reform group Doctors for patient Freedom as well as what seems to be a now defunct group called Cut Taxes Now.
Last month he joined GOP congressmen Tom Price and Phil Gingrey, among others, for a virtual town hall to warn about the coming "government takeover of medicine." When pressed on what was funny about an image that plays on racist stereotypes about Africans, McKalip declined to say, instead offering to talk about why he opposes Obama’s health-care proposals. I have a busy day," he said eventually, before ending the call. SHOULD AMERICAN BLACKS BE ALARMED OVER THIS SORT OF SECRET RACIST UNDERGROUND ON THE PC? AFTERALL, IT'S ONLY A JOKE....RIGHT?
WELL, LET'S LAUGH AT THIS: Right wing group Chaffey Community Republican Women led by a housewife named Diane Fedele, thought it would be a good image to include in their Republican newsletter a picture of Obama bucks with watermelons fried chicken and pork ribs circling the face of Obama on a Jackass. Ms. Fedele had stated that she didn't notice the watermelon, ribs, and KFC chicken images in the picture and just thought it looked like food.
This image was created to take to task a minority of Republicans that are racist and paranoid about someone with a different skin color. HMMM.... OO-K. I SEE. SO YOU TELL ME. 1960s or 2012?
MANY MINORITIES IN AMERICA ARE PONDERING THE ORIGIN OF THIS MASS PROLIFERATION OF RACIST JOKES AND INSENSITIVITY DUMPED ON A MAN WHO SHOULD BE GIVEN THE UTMOST RESPECT. BUSH WAS TEASED BUT HIS RACE DID NOT COME INTO QUESTION. HE WAS STILL CONSIDERED AN AMERICAN. HE WAS STILL CONSIDERED HUMAN. OBAMA IS SEEMS TO LIE SOMEWHERE BETWEEN CHEETA AND PLANET OF THE APES.
THESE TYPE OF RACIAL JOKES CARRY WITH THEM A DEVALUING ELEMENT THAT CLAWS AT THE SOULS OF A PEOPLE. OUR PRESIDENT, RIGHT BEFORE OUR EYES AND EARS IS BEING SYSTEMATICALLY REDUCED TO NO MORE THAN A 1960, AFRICAN SLAVE CHARACTER WHO IS LABLED AS A RACIST, MARXIST, HITLER-LIKE, ANGRY, MUSLIM, ARROGANT BLACK MAN. WOW....THE PRESIDENT. ....WHAT A COUNTRY.
Peter the Painter
Please paint me a picture of Obama standing on the Senate floor and giving the impassioned speech on the dangers of raising the debt ceiling.
From Sen. Obama’s Floor Speech, March 20, 2006:
The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. Government can’t pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies. … Increasing America’s debt weakens us domestically and internationally. Leadership means that “the buck stops here.” Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better.
At the time, Senator Obama was urging Congress not to tolerate an increase that would bring the debt ceiling to $9 trillion.
Make quite a picture won't it that we stand next to the ones of Obama standing before congress and begging that the debt ceiling be raised.
When Presidents make promises (they all do) about what they will do after they get in office, they most often do not fully anticipate the partisan hurdles that have a tendency to handcuff their policy making. Some presidents deliberately lie...until they get in office (READ MY LIPS; NO NEW TAXES!)
The debt ceiling would not have had to be raised if not for the mountain of debt Bush buried us under before he left office. Obama had no choice but to borrow more money to answer the desperate cries of the American people. And don't you forget that.
I implore you not to rehash old auguments that have already long since been answered here. You know as well as I that every president has raised the debt ceiling. Some more than others. What was unprecedented was the underhanded gamesmanship the tea party played with the American people. Unless you were out of town, everybody know the whole sad story.
Oh BooHoo…
The Republican Party under George Bush and Dick Cheney starting as of March 2003 wanted to or went after and attacked everybody except the master mind behind the World Trade Center Twin Tower’s tragedy. Namely Osama bin-Laden… and now they want to cry foul only because they know full well they can’t share in the credits… else they’d be more than happy to point out how they too were instrumental in the final out come… aka bin-Laden Feeds the Fish
Why is barrack (muslim?) hussein (muslim?) Obama (muslim?) destroying our country?
Because Obama doesn't believe in the Constitution. After becoming a Constitutional scholar, he said it has out lived its usefulness.
That is why he is issuing so many Executive Orders to manipulate his way around Constitutional checks and balances.
There are at least 10 indicators that have come from Obama's word and actions that indicate Obama is laying the ground work for a military take over of our Constitutional government.
What happened----- LOLOLOLOL ROFLMFAO!!! Are you SERIOUS????????
I mean, dont you KNOW that it's talk like that, and other far worse lies, that are likely going to result in an Obama win that might well be bigger than 2008, that will give the House back to the DEMS, and possibly give us a GOP-proof senate????
Do you have ANY IDEA just how pissed off the country is at the GOP.......... AGAIN???? This time it just might result in a revolt within the GOP.
PS: Would you have preferred the US government DEFAULT on it's debt obligations??? Obama's point in his Senate speech was to STOP THE SPENDING and bring down the deficit!!
Oh peeeeze... REMEMBER when AND on Who's Watch 911 happened!! The the Evil doers went after the weak link of the "axis of evil" Maybe to impress papa, maybe to gain Oil control for Halliburton, what ever the reasons...THAT IS what started the downward spiral of this once great nation. Not Obama. Not Bush Sr., Not Clinton, Not Ronnie R.....But BUSH AND CHENEY! That is why so many former GOP members ARE changing party lines. (me included) I am ASHAMED of them all. (GOP/TEAS) That is the answer most thinking Americans have come up with.
I was a democrat for over 45 years until Obama proclaimed himself a failure as a leader and created a never ending ever growing debt crises he said was a danger to our economy and our country.
He's the one who proclaimed he's a failure in his own words. What fool would support a man who proclaims himself a failure as a leader.
W M D : BAD
Catching Osama bin Laden : GOOD
797: SADLY...A VERY DUMB COMMENT..BUT NOT A SURPRISE CONSIDERING THE POSTER