Krauthammer on Dangerous Putin versus silly Obama

How silly the US must look to Putin and Arabs. These major shifts and crises in the world and this shallow, silly juvenile president wants to play golf, then invite gays and transgendered representatives to greet the Pope.

Charles Krauthammer: Putin’s gambit, Obama’s puzzlement

"Once again, President Obama and his foreign policy team are stumped. Why is Vladimir Putin pouring troops and weaponry into Syria? After all, as Secretary of State John Kerry has thrice told his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, it is only making things worse.

"But worse for whom? For the additional thousands of civilians who will die or flee as a result of the inevitably intensified fighting. True, and I’m sure Lavrov is as moved by their plight as by the 8,000 killed in Russia’s splendid little Ukrainian adventure.

Kerry and Obama are serially surprised because they cannot fathom the hard men in the Kremlin. Yet Putin’s objectives in Syria are blindingly obvious:" . . .

Watch Obama blame his foreign policy failures on Hillary

Someone beside Bush? We'll see in due time.

Obama Throws Hillary Under the Bus

                     

"The central mission of Barack Obama’s White House in the waning days of his administration is to communicate to the public that none of this is his fault. Their search for figures toward which this administration can shift blame for the suboptimal state of affairs is growing increasingly frantic, self-sabotaging, and reflective of an undisciplined political operation in the midst of a spiraling crisis.

"Given the increasingly dire state of geopolitical affairs, securing exonerations for Obama’s conduct is a particularly urgent imperative on the foreign policy front. The resurrection of the Islamist militant threat in the Middle East is perhaps the most glaring failure of this administration. The largely pacified Iraq that Barack Obama inherited is a boiling cauldron and bloody sectarian warfare. Even the most stalwart member of the president’s thinning clique of apologists would today concede that the withdrawal of every last American solider from Iraq in 2011 was shortsighted. They contend, however, that the president had no choice. . ."

Stephanopoulos once again shown to be a Democrat hack.

This is "VOX"...with a V

Two lessons for George Stephanopoulos: 1. Never rely on Vox, and …
"Fresh off her excellent debate appearance Wednesday night, Carly Fiorina made an appearance on Good Morning America with George Stephanopoulos who tried to back her into a corner over comments she made about the horrific Planned Parenthood videos.

"Just as he did last spring with Clinton Cash author Peter Schweizer, Stephanopoulos came off looking like a hack.

"Scott Whitlock of NewsBusters has the story:

Carly Fiorina Nails Stephanopoulos on Planned Parenthood: Watch the Tapes
Former Democratic activist turned journalist George Stephanopoulos on Thursday went after Carly Fiorina for attacking Planned Parenthood during Wednesday’s presidential debate. The Good Morning America co-host grilled, “Another powerful moment last night was when you talked about those Planned Parenthood tapes. But analysts who’ve watched all 12-plus hours say the scene you’ve described, that harrowing scene you described, actually isn’t in those tapes.”

He wondered, “did you misspeak?” Fiorina shot back at the man who secretly donated $75,000 to the Clintons: “I don’t know whether you’ve watched the tapes, George….Certainly none of the Democrats who are still defending Planned Parenthood have watched those tapes.”

Obama and the Pope: siding with oppressive governments against their victims

Just as Obama sided with the Ayatollahs who killed Iranian young people.

Pope plans to duck dissidents in Cuba, spawning criticism
"Pope Francis plans to meet with Cuba's president and its priests, its young and its sick, its churchgoers and its seminarians as he travels around the island starting Saturday. But not its dissidents.

"The absence on Francis' agenda of any meeting with the political opposition has sparked bitter critiques from dissidents who say they feel let down by an institution they believe should help push for greater freedom in Cuba.
. . .
"Papal observers say it's likely Francis will speak strongly to Cubans about the need for greater freedom in their country and may speak to President Raul Castro in private about the same topic. But in shying from meetings with dissidents, the pope is hewing largely to the Cuban Catholic Church's strategy of advocating for change within bounds laid out by the communist state rather than pushing the system to change as John Paul II did in Eastern Europe. There is no one Cuban officials consider more out of bounds than the country's dissidents, whom they call mercenaries paid by the U.S. government and Cuban-American interest groups in Miami."

Some afterthoughts on the Republican debate

Report from the Reagan Library at the debate

. . . "As I drove up to the debate I first encountered about 100 demonstrators. When asked why they were there they did not respond.  Then I asked what was their purpose of demonstrating; they said, “We are just here.” The United Service Workers West had signs supporting anchor babies, and “There is no hope without the Latino vote.”  Later I found out that they did not answer any questions because they were asked to be there by their supervisor and should have instead been at work." . . .

. . . "After this encounter I went to the pressroom, waiting for the debate to begin, and saw only half of them standing for the National Anthem. " . . .Read more of this fascinating account from someone who was there.

Each candidate's performance discussed and rated:
Second Debate Grades: Carly Fiorina Soars, Jeb Bush Tanks
. . . "The debate may not have clarified the potential nominee – but it certainly clarified who won’t be a factor in the coming weeks.
" . . .Tapper, in the interest of ratings, felt the need to begin the debate with half an hour of Vince McMahon-style “bumfight” provocations, thus focusing the American public on sophomoric attack after sophomoric attack. Only after 45 minutes of such nonsense did the debate settle into some semblance of policy discussion." . . .

. . . ""Carson backed off his position that we can’t deport 11 million illegal immigrants; he vacillated on minimum wage. Where does Ben Carson stand? Nobody knows. Carson appeared uncomfortable, bewildered, unprepared. And the vacuum he presents is no longer a viable, lasting option for dissatisfied Trump supporters."

GOP's Deep Bench Shines In Second Debate As Trump Stumbles
. . . "From Marco Rubio's firm grasp of foreign affairs to the re-energized repartees of Jeb Bush on matters personal and professional, from Chris Christie's full-throated demonstration of why he's succeeded in a dark-blue New Jersey to Carly Fiorina's razor-sharp responses on, well, you name it — we saw an outstanding display of principled and well-articulated views."
. . .
"The strength of the GOP field served to highlight a serious weakness of Donald Trump. While Rubio, Bush, Fiorina and the others explained the current dangers in the world in impressive detail, Trump fumbled."

Donald Trump should be scared of Marco Rubio
. . . "Sen. Marco Rubio, whose campaign trail attack on Trump prompted Tapper's questions, pounced.
"You should ask him questions in detail about the foreign policy issues our president will confront, because you had better be able to lead our country on the first day," Rubio said to Tapper. "Not six months from now, not a year from now, on the first day in office, our president could very well confront a national security crisis. You can't predict it. Sometimes you cannot control it."
Trump's response — "I am not sitting in the United States Senate. I'm a businessman" — was basically no response at all. It was a devastating indictment of the Donald's qualifications to be president, one well-pitched to a party that's become increasingly anxious about world affairs since the rise of ISIS." . . .   Well, this is Vox after all.

On the CNN Reagan Library Republican debates

Unlike Trump, Rand Paul Actually Made Some Sensible Points During the Debate

"The Kentucky senator cut through the “childish, silly back-and-forth” to present reasonable alternatives on foreign policy, drug reform, and mass incarceration."

Candidates Use Second G.O.P. Debate to Taunt Donald Trump . . . "While moderators at the CNN debate tried repeatedly to pit one Republican after another against Mr. Trump, the candidates fought to break out of that dynamic, with Carly Fiorina emerging as an especially tenacious combatant who provided some of the few moments where Mr. Trump looked uncomfortable." . . .

Left Coast Rebel

Who Won the Second Republican Presidential Debate?   "The GOP rivals squared off at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, and a surprising victor emerged."

Takeaway from the Second Debates: GOP is Personality, Not Ideology Centered

'Donald Trump Met His Match in Carly Fiorina' "19 political insiders pick the debate’s winners and losers"

Is the GOP Establishment Ready to Dump Bush?

Did Rand Paul help his cause?

#GOPDebate UNBIASED Breakdown – Winners, Losers and MAJOR surprise!

National Review Online had much to say about Carly Fiorina and the debate: Below are just a few of many.


Why Debates Matter   "On Wednesday evening, a consensus formed quickly: Florida senator Marco Rubio and former Hewlett Packard CEO Carly Fiorina had emerged victorious."

Carly Fiorina Dares Clinton and Obama to Watch Planned Parenthood Videos

Carly’s Night  . . . "One hopes for his sake that there is someone around [Trump] who can approach him tomorrow and say, “Sir, I regret to inform you that you actually have to know something to run for president and that I have no choice to recommend that you read a policy briefing or two.” By the end of the three hours of his usual array of insults and airy, seat-of-the-pants answers, he felt a little tired and diminished, but who knows how it will affect his standing?" 

Fiorina: I Wouldn’t Talk to Russia, I’d Rebuild Missile Defense in Poland
"Responding to Donald Trump saying “I will get along” with Vladimir Putin, Carly Fiorina said tonight, “Having met Vladimir Putin, I wouldn’t talk to him at all; we talked way too much.' ” . . .

Bernie Sanders and socialism

Can Bernie Keep Socialism Alive?
"Before Bernie Sanders was the hot challenger to Hillary Clinton, before he was even an oddball Vermont congressman from Brooklyn, the proud socialist made a documentary film—and a long-playing record—about Eugene Victor Debs.

"The 20th century’s most renowned American socialist, Debs has long been a hero to leftists and radicals of many persuasions. Numerous children were named after him; so were a radio station, a town in Minnesota and a couple of beers. In Sanders’ quaint, low-budget 1979 documentary, Eugene V. Debs—issued by the now-defunct American People’s Historical Society of 295½ Maple Street in Burlington—Debs is given the full Howard Zinn
treatment, depicted as a fighter on behalf of exploited workers, a fearless critic of ruthless corporate power and a martyr to free speech." . . .
Rest of the article here

. . . "In the end, the most radical ideas espoused by Debs and his fellow socialists—the abolition of capitalism and its replacement with a planned economy—never came to pass. But more targeted reforms they advocated proved popular and became national policy. It’s here that we find one final answer to the “Why no socialism?” question: While our two-party system has rarely made room for long-lasting third parties, it has proven flexible enough to incorporate those parties’ best ideas. Reforms such as ending child labor, making taxation progressive and funding public works were championed by socialists but quickly came to be understood as liberal ones."

Note to Bernie Sanders: The God of the Bible Is NOT a Socialist  . . . "Sobering thoughts, aren’t they? And most any sentient person would agree that the plight of the poor and indigent in this country demands action. But the difference lies in how Bernie Sanders plans to remedy this phenomenon and how the God of the Bible commands His followers to care for the less fortunate.

"Sanders outlines his plans to deal with “income and wealth inequality” on his website. The 13 points would stagger your imagination, but here are a few of the points:" . . .

A fine mess you have us in, Debbie!

DWS=DNC
Protest time! Democrats Turn on Democrats Over 2016 Debate Rules
. . . "Unfortunately for [Debbie Wasserman Schultz], her fellow Democrats are actively working against her plan. Both Martin O’Malley and Bernie Sanders have spoken out against the limited debate timeline; DNC Vice Chairs Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D., Hawaii) and R.T. Rybak put out a joint statement asking DWS to revoke the limiting rules. O’Malley has doubled down on his already-heated criticism of the DNC by encouraging his fellow Democrats to join the protest:

“A group called ‘Allow Debate’ has scheduled a protest outside the DNC headquarters, and we want to help them out,” O’Malley’s digital director, Madeleine Ellis, said in an e-mail to supporters Wednesday, in which she shares the DNC’s address and says “afterwards you can join us to watch the next Republican debate at a bar nearby.”
…
O’Malley used much of his address to a DNC gathering two weeks ago in Minneapolis to blast the process as “rigged,” suggesting the party’s leadership is trying to limit the exposure of front-runner Hillary Rodham Clinton. He has since made the cry for more debates part of his stump speech as he travels around the country.

"Bernie Sanders hasn’t been quiet, either:" . . .

Facebook is working on a "Dislike" button

MSN News

. . . "The company's co-founder and chief Mark Zuckerberg revealed the ongoing tests during a question and answer session on Tuesday.

" 'People have asked about the 'dislike' button for many years, and probably hundreds of people have asked about this, and today is a special day because today is the day that I actually get to say we are working on it, and are very close to shipping a test of it," he said.

"The CEO said the company has been working on the feature for some time because "we don't want to turn Facebook into a forum where people are voting up or down on people's posts.' "

Ann Coulter seems to realize that to share Trump's anger over immigration is not necessarily to want him as President of the US

http://comicallyincorrect.com/2015/07/08/donald-trump/

DONALD TRUMP: THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO LIKE HIM ARE THE VOTERS
 . . . "Today, the fight in the Republican Party isn't over abortion, guns or the Sandinistas; the dividing line is immigration. Will we continue to be the United States, or will we become another failed Latin American state?

"On this, it's Donald Trump (and the people) vs. everyone else.

"  Trump announced his presidential campaign by talking about Mexican rapists. Immigration is the only policy paper he's put out so far -- and he's been crushing the polls. He got his one sustained standing ovation from 20,000 cheering fans in Dallas Monday night when he talked about stopping illegal immigration.

 " But James B. Stewart gasses on in The New York Times about Trump's "name-calling, personal attacks and one-liners that have vaulted him to the top of the polls." In the entire article, Stewart never mentions immigration.

"  Perhaps some minority of people will vote for Trump because of his personality. But I notice that it's his position on immigration that gets thousands of people leaping to their feet.

" The media will talk about anything but Trump's specific, detailed policies on immigration -- all while claiming he doesn't have any "policy details." The very fact that the entire media -- including most of the conservative commentariat -- obdurately refuse to acknowledge the popularity of Trump's immigration plans is exactly why Trump is exploding in the polls.

" Trump isn't trying to imitate anyone. He's leading on the seminal issue of our time while the rest of the field practices looking optimistic in front of the mirror. "

Guess who wants Germany to end the Octoberfest tradition

CREEPING SHARIA: Muslims File Petition To End This German Tradition

"Oktoberfest is an annual, world renowned festival in Munich that celebrates the German culture. Featuring beer, brats, dancing and beautiful girls, locals and tourists flood into the 16 day festival bringing huge revenue into the economy and fun for all ages. Everyone has an amazing time and the country makes millions – so what could possibly go wrong?

"This is what makes my blood boil. Prepare for your head to spin. Intolerant Muslims have filed a petition to put an end to Oktoberfest. As Obama is doing is doing in America, Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel is flooding Germany with Muslims.  And instead of learning the culture of the generous people that have welcomed them into their country and supported them financially, Muslims are demanding that Germany end their celebrations.

“ 'We tried to ignore the event, but there too many Un-Islamic acts done at the Oktoberfest, such as alcohol consumption, public nudity etc.” Can you imagine the audacity? To my friends in Germany: Turn it up! We in America have numerous Oktoberfests and we will plan on getting loud, dancing and celebrating in your honor!

"Chancellor Merkel has proclaimed Islam “belongs to Germany” (sound familiar?). Germany has the largest Muslim population in Western Europe with 3.5 million Muslims. However, 80% of them do not have German citizenship. With thousands more now flooding in from Syria, men often patrol the streets in an attempt to enforce Sharia Law on the citizens. In addition, Muslims are known to attack Christians for their faith. For example, on Christmas 2014, in the German city of Mönchengladbach-Rheydt, Muslims attacked Catholics attending mass. They forced their way into the St. Mary’s Church by shouting “F*cking Christians” and randomly assaulting victims at their place of worship."  Read more

Perhaps if we told the Islamists that the Nazis celebrated Octoberfest...

Obama's foreign policy pro and con: Council on Foreign Relations

What Obama 
Gets Right;  Keep Calm and Carry the Liberal Order On
Author: Gideon Rose, Editor, Foreign Affairs, and Peter G. Peterson Chair, Foreign Affairs
September/October 2015        

"How should one judge a president’s handling of foreign policy? Some focus on what happens in a few lonely moments of crisis, casting the nation’s leader as Horatius at the bridge or Casey at the bat. But a better analogy would be a member of a relay team or a middle relief pitcher: somebody who takes over from a predecessor, does a hard job for a while, and then passes things on to the next guy.

"In baseball, there are special statistics used to judge such players, the hold and the blown save, which essentially tally whether the pitcher’s team keeps or loses the lead while he’s in the game. Looked at in such a light, Barack Obama has done pretty well. Having inherited two wars and a global economic crisis from the George W. Bush administration—the foreign policy equivalent of runners on base with no outs—Obama has extricated the country from some old problems, avoided getting trapped in some new ones, and made some solid pickups on the side." . . .

What Obama 
Gets Wrong   No Retreat, No Surrender
. . . "Nevertheless, every president should be judged on a few fundamentals—his ability to deliver what he promised, weaken the country’s foes and strengthen its friends, elaborate a concept of the American interest that is persuasive and true, and pass on a world heading in the right direction. Obama rates well on none of these. Start with the promises, of which Obama made plenty when he came to office. The prison at Guantánamo Bay was to be shut within a year. Relations with Russia would be “reset.” The United States’ good name would be restored in such places as Cairo, Istanbul, and Damascus. Israeli settlement expansion would end, and peace with the Palestinians would be forged. Much of this was to be achieved, so it seemed, through the sheer moral force of Obama’s personality and the compelling logic of his ideas. Yet none of it occurred. Obama became the president who, to use one of Rose’s baseball metaphors, called his shot only to strike out." . . .
By Bret Stephens