Commander-in-Chief: Book Depicts Cranky Obama On Baghdad Visit

Buzzfeed   "Michael Hastings' new book, The Operators, jabs at what could be a vulnerable spot for the Obama Administration, the president's relationship with the troops.

"The book describes a visit to Baghdad:"

After the talk, out of earshot from the soldiers and diplomats, he starts to complain. He starts to act very un-Obamalike, according to a U.S. embassy official who helped organize the trip in Baghdad.
He’s asked to go out to take a few more pictures with soldiers and embassy staffers. He’s asked to sign copies of his book. “He didn’t want to take pictures with any more soldiers; he was complaining about it,” a State Department official tells me. “Look, I was excited to meet him. I wanted to like him. Let’s just say the scales fell from my eyes after I did. These are people over here who’ve been fighting the war, or working every day for the war effort, and he didn’t want to take f--king pictures with them?"

 Rolling Stone, of all magazines, has this to say about the book  "To Hastings’ astonishment, McChrystal and staff had plenty to say about the White House and its handling of the war – none of it complimentary, much of it contemptuous, and almost all of it on the record. Hastings reported their unvarnished comments in "The Runaway General," an explosive and award-winning Rolling Stone article that unleashed a global media storm and led President Obama to order McChrystal back to Washington, where he fired the general on the spot.

Allen West on Obama’s Dismantling of the Military  "Coupled with Obama’s announcement that he will flagrantly violate the law to provide our Russian rivals with nuclear military secrets, this neutering of the military illustrates exactly the foreign policy you would expect from a pupil of anti-American Marxists Frank Marshall Davis, Bill Ayers, and Jeremiah Wright."

Charles Krauthammer: Ron Paul’s achievement

Charles Krauthammer  "Paul won’t quit before the Republican convention in Tampa. He probably will not do well in South Carolina or Florida, but with volunteers even in the more neglected caucus states, he will be relentlessly collecting delegates until Tampa. His goal is to have the second-most delegates, a position of leverage from which to influence the platform and demand a prime-time speaking slot — before deigning to support the nominee at the end. The early days of the convention, otherwise devoid of drama, could very well be all about Paul."
....
"Paul is 76. He knows he’ll never enter the promised land. But he’s clearing the path for son Rand, his better placed (Senate vs. House), more moderate, more articulate successor."

Controversial Ron Paul Cartoon  "This was in response to the news of racists(sp)  diatribes appearing in newsletter printed by Ron Paul more than 20 years ago. Paul has denied writing these, but refuses to say who might have, or explain how they ended up in his newsletters.
The cartoon obviously toched a nerve for Ron Paul supporters and non-supporters alike. We asked what you thought of the cartoon, and boy, did you tell us! Here’s a sampling:" More...

Obama’s “Razist” Lobbyist Moves Up

Michelle Malkin  "Under Munoz, The Race advised the Mexican government on how to lobby for illegal alien amnesty in the United States. Mexico’s Institute for Mexicans Residing Abroad rewarded her with its Ohtli Prize for her service to the country. Their country, not ours."....
"Who has benefited from Munoz’s Beltway lobbying? No, not the American middle class. The biggest beneficiary has been La Raza’s coffers. According to analysts at nonpartisan Judicial Watch in Washington, The Race raked in $4.1 million in federal subsidies in 2009 and more than $11 million in 2010. Much of that money came straight from the Obama stimulus boondoggle, and much of it went to mortgage counseling."

Liberal Media; Doing What They Do Best

drawfortruth

In ‘Right to Work’ Battle, Narrative Trumps Fact on NPR; Some helpful numbers you'll never hear from government-funded radio.
"...A National Public Radio anchor, discussing assorted issues being considered by prospective voters in the New Hampshire primary, described a proposed “right-to-work” law as one that would enable employees to benefit from collective bargaining agreements without having to pay dues to the unions negotiating for them."....
"NPR could have contrasted “right-to-work” states with “forced unionism” states, as proponents of the former might put it. But that contrast was not presented; rather, the premise of the NPR narrative — that workers always benefit from union membership — is not questioned in the stories I sampled. Perhaps it should have been noted that this premise is open to serious question."


Will PBS's Supposedly 'Harsh' Clinton Documentary Equal Its Nasty Take on Reagan?  

However tough this documentary proves to be, will it equal the nasty assertions in the "American Experience" piece on Ronald Reagan? That particular program (which aired in 1998) attacked, "Cuts in social programs created a homeless population that grew to exceed that of Atlanta. AIDS became an epidemic in the 1980s, nearly 50,000 died. Reagan largely ignored it."

At the time, MRC President Brent Bozell wrote about the Regan biography and said of the above, "Almost all of that is baloney." He added of PBS's spin:

Obama Appreciation, Tea Party Bashing on the Cover of the Sunday Book Review  "...Kinsley called him “the thinking person’s Michael Moore,” but quibbled with Frank’s harsh attacks on President Obama, a man of "courage" who has provided America with so much, like "health care reform." "


Times Uses GOP Sniping to Label 'Greedy Titan' Mitt Romney


New York Times political reporter Jodi Kantor ... on her new book on the Obamas and especially First Lady Michelle Obama.  As Bill McGowan quoted her in his book, “Gray Lady Down” :

Kantor referred to Wright’s “assertions of widespread white racism and his scorching remarks about American government,” but left out the “God damn America,” and instead of reporting that Wright believed and preached that the U.S. government invented AIDS as a tool of racial euthanasia, she merely said that “Like conservative Christians, he speaks of AIDS as a moral crisis.” Of the controversial 9/11 remarks, she simply wrote that “On the Sunday after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Mr. Wright said the attacks were a consequence of violent American policies.”

Soros-Funded Group Behind Course for Journalists That Downplays 'Jihad' "A new course on Islam designed for journalists tries to minimize the impact and importance of ''jihad'' by comparing it to the number of murders in America each year. That same course claims ''right-wing activists'' tried to tie American Muslims to terrorism and doesn't mention examples of Islamic attacks on press freedom."

Charles Krauthammer Says Liberals Have No New Ideas (Video)

Heritage  "Syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer is one of America’s foremost political commentators. He is among the sharpest critics of the Obama administration and liberalism.

"The Daily Caller’s Ginni Thomas spoke to Krauthammer about the state of affairs in America, the social contract and the left’s domination of cultural institutions. In the video above, Krauthammer outlines why modern liberalism is lacking new ideas to solve the country’s myriad of problems.

"Two years ago this month Krauthammer spoke at Heritage about President Obama’s approach to foreign policy."

Video at the link; it refused to imbed.

Baptism by Fire:The networks were uninterested in Obama's Rev. Wright connection, but have gotten religion and are using it to target conservative candidates.

Media Research Center Network  "Media preoccupation with the GOP candidates' faith is the exact opposite of how they covered (or didn't) candidate Obama's 20-year attendance at the church of a racist, anti-American pastor who subscribed to "black liberation theology," or Obama's half-Muslim heritage."
....
 "Questions about Barack Obama's pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, surfaced in early in March 2007 and were covered on Fox News and in newspapers, but it took an entire year for any of the networks to mention Wright. Out of 11 mentions of Obama's religion, not one challenged, criticized or took his statements at anything other than face value."
Jesus Lite and Victimology at Obama’s Still-Racist Trinity Church


Breakpoint: Seven are arrested in New York for protesting a discriminatory ban against churches  "The protest was part of an ongoing effort to overturn the city's ban against religious groups' use of public schools for worship services, scheduled to go into effect on Feb. 12."  More here. 

California Lawmaker: Let Boys Be Girls…And Girls Be Boys.

Big Government "Forget about the National Enquirer, TMZ.com or any other lurid tabloid publication. No need for MAD Magazine or Al Goldstein’s “Screw” Magazine anymore. If you really want to be entertained just go to http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/  and read some of the laws that are being proposed by the far left assemblymen and women who populate the halls of our state capital in Sacramento."....
"Translation: If John, who “identifies” himself as Jane, wants to play on the girls JV volleyball team as a girl then he must be permitted to do so. In addition, the bill would also require opposite-sex access to “sex-segregated facilities” such as locker rooms and bathrooms. We all know that would present no potential problems…right? Wrong."....

"In a state where schools are already suffering the consequences of laws and policies that promote dysfunction and chaos, enacting this proposal will be like tossing gasoline on a campfire. Policing and implementing this proposal would be the nail in the coffin for many school districts that do not have the resources…economic or otherwise…to do so.

The fact that a bill of this nature is even being considered is a strong indication that the political pathology that infected Sacramento a long time ago is still alive and well. Boys need to stay boys and girls need to stay girls, at least until they graduate high school."

U.S. Falls in Index of Economic Freedom

Wall Street Journal "How about the U.S., historically the country more responsible than any other for leading the march of freedom? Under President Barack Obama, it has moved to the back of the band. Its economic freedom score has dropped to 76.3 in 2012 from 81.2 in 2007 (on a scale of 0-100). Government expenditures have grown to a level equivalent to over 40% of GDP, and total public debt exceeds the size of the economy."....
"The 2012 results show the torch of leadership in advancing freedom passing to other regions. Whether this is a long-term trend remains to be seen, but it is clear that if America and Europe do not soon regain trust in the principles of economic freedom on which their historical successes have been built, their people, and perhaps those of the world as a whole, are in for dark days ahead."
Mr. Feulner is president of the Heritage Foundation and co-editor of the 2012 Index of Economic Freedom. 

Opinions on the Republican fratricide

http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/

http://conservativedailynews.com/2012/01/11/newt-attacks-back/

DNC Web Video Hits Romney For "Fire" Comment  "This DNC video shows Mitt Romney saying "I like being able to fire people" and then plays clips from popular movies and television programs of being people being fired." 
 Perhaps other Republican challengers can use this video for themselves as well.  Nice going, Republicans.


In Praise of Newt  "Wow Newt!  I guess any publicity is good publicity, eh?  You really "stuck it to the man" Newt!  Just like Jack Kemp would do, right? Newt rolled up his happy warrior sleeves and set up his OWS tent to mindlessly dismantle the "establishment."  Great job Newt!  What's next Newt, defecating on a South Carolina police car?"


Romney’s Profitable Past  "... Gingrich, Rick Perry, and Jon Huntsman seem to be engaged in a perverse contest to be the Republican presidential candidate to say the most asinine thing about Mitt Romney’s tenure at Bain Capital, the private-equity firm at which he served as chief executive, helped turn around a number of failing businesses, and, in the process, produced magnificent profits for his investors and for himself. Mitt Romney ran a firm that invested in struggling businesses, made money, and never asked for a bailout — and Romney’s rivals apparently expect Republican voters to regard that as a liability.

By the Republican-hating Pat Oliphant

Obama: ‘Everything that we fought for is now at stake in this election’

Sun-Times Media "“If you’re willing to work even harder in this election than you did in the last election, I promise you, change will come. God bless you Chicago, I love you!” "
....

"Even though this is his first visit to his campaign headquarters, Illinois Republicans charge that most of his administration’s key decisions are made at the Prudential Building — and not the White House.

http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/

"“There hasn’t been a decision out of the White House in three weeks that’s not political,” said Illinois Republican party Chairman Pat Brady."  Via Drudge.

Obama in Chicago: 1 day, $2 million, 3 fundraisers  The final event of the night, was held at the residence of Stuart Taylor, managing partner of The Taylor Group, a private equity firm. Over 140 people reportedly attended paying $7,500 for a ticket.

"It's all my neighbors!" Obama said as he walked into the event, according to White House pool reports."

Would those neighbors include Bill Ayres?

Exit the moderates . . . and weep for the economy  "The announcement that Bill Daley will step down as President Obama’s chief of staff is further proof that as the 2012 election approaches, Obama is embracing his inner leftist on anything touching the economy. The administration has moved so far left that even one of the country’s most prominent Democrats can’t fit in."  H/T to Neal Boortz.

Ann Coulter asks: Who Wouldn't Enjoy Firing These People?

Ann Coulter  "Romney's statement about being able to fire people was an arrow directed straight to the heart of Obamacare. (By the way, arrows to the heart are not covered by Obamacare.)"
....

"I want individuals to have their own insurance. That means the insurance company will have an incentive to keep you healthy. It also means if you don't like what they do, you can fire them. I like being able to fire people who provide services to me. You know, if someone doesn't give me a good service that I need, I want to say I'm going to go get someone else to provide that service to me."

....
 "Obamacare employees will spend their days surfing pornography, instead of approving your heart operation. They can steal from you and even physically assault you. And they can never be fired.

"That's one gargantuan difference with "Romneycare" right there: If you don't like what your insurer is doing in Massachusetts, you can get a new one.

"Now, wouldn't you like to be able to fire people who provide services to you?"

GOP Should Just Say No To Biased Debates

Nice Deb  "Brent Bozell is in high dudgeon over these atrocious debates – as well he should be:"

The only thing that can be said in defense of that horrible decision was turning to NBC the next morning and seeing “moderator” David Gregory be even more slanted in his questioning. ABC slanted the ideological questions in their debate by a ratio of 6 questions from the left to each 1 from the right. The NBC ratio was 8 to 1.
Why must the Republicans keep handing over their debate stage in the primary season to the people who desperately want them all to bumble, stumble and fall on their faces on national TV?

floydreports.com

 "I’ve been wondering the same thing. It’s a Republican primary. Why would our candidates agree to hold their debates on hostile ground? Don’t they have a say in the matter? Why not say no to ABC, CNN, NBC, and CBS if they can’t hold a debate in a fair, unbiased manner? Perhaps they think that it would be spun that they are too afraid to answer tough questions. But the ideological questions weren’t tough – they were just stupid – contraception and gay marriage are not the top issues of the day. The questions were  designed to make Republicans look foolish, or outside the mainstream."