Patterico's Pontifications

11/18/2009

Obama ‘Furious’ at Afghanistan Leak

Filed under: Media Bias,Terrorism,War — DRJ @ 1:02 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

President Obama is in China and has granted 10 minute interview to several news organizations. In a CBS interview that Newsbusters describes as “running defense” for Obama, the President expressed anger at whoever released information about his Afghanistan deliberations:

“Rather than press the President on why he has failed to make a decision on Afghanistan, in the taped interview, [CBS newsman Chip] Reid explained: “I asked the President if he’s as angry as Defense Secretary Robert Gates about all of the leaks coming out of his administration about the Afghanistan deployment decision.” Obama replied: “I think I’m probably angrier than Bob Gates about it….For people to be releasing information during the course of deliberations, where we haven’t made final decisions yet, I think, is not appropriate.” Reid followed up: “Is it a firing offense?” Obama responded: “Absolutely.”

After the interview clip, co-host Maggie Rodriguez was glad to see the President putting his foot down: “Good to hear that he has a zero tolerance policy on the leaks. That is no joke.”

I hope the Administration goes after all unauthorized government leakers. My only request is that they do so chronologically … starting with the person or persons who leaked the existence of the SWIFT banking program to the New York Times.

— DRJ

34 Responses to “Obama ‘Furious’ at Afghanistan Leak”

  1. As if that will ever happen!! Good idea though.

    PatAZ (9d1bb3)

  2. Leaks about Bush = Good
    Leaks about Obama = Bad

    I don’t buy the outrage. It’s Kabuki. He knows who leaked, and probably authorized it.

    mojo (8096f2)

  3. “shocked, simply shocked!”

    Is this the prelude to a scape-goating? Or is this the ruse to get our attention off of the original (and more serious) offense, the “dilitherations” over Afganistan themselves?

    Like Joe Wilson’s, “That’s a lie!” Since he was right there is no recourse except to focus on his “uncivility”.

    It has just hit me why these folk don’t like the religious foundations of the likes of Bush and Palin. Judeo-Christian thought looks at the world as having a stable and logically consistent existence, not a world where the rules change due to one’s preferences. Gravity is gravity for all, whether you find it convenient or not. These folk try to reserve the right to alter the perception of truth, then claim that perception is reality.

    We could use more Democrats like Moynihan, again.

    MD in Philly (227f9c)

  4. The “urgency of now” doesn’t look kindly at you tugging on the One’s coattails and telling tales out of school when He doesn’t look down and pay attention to you, Mr. Leaker.

    But silly me the “urgency of now” applies only to Obamacare, not to anything like Afghanistan.

    chaos (9c54c6)

  5. Sometimes politicians’ acting as though they think we are that stupid gets really annoying. Its going to be a very long 3 1/4 years.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  6. what, did he think we wouldn’t note his lack of action without the leaks?

    Ear Leader is an empty suit on his best day, but then again, i don’t think he’s ever had one of those. day in and day out he’s nothing more than an over-hyped moron and a garden variety bullshit artist.

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  7. Believing that ‘we’ are stupid got them to where they are now.

    Robert N. (070cb0)

  8. Well, if the guy would get off his privileged derriere and make a decision, he wouldn’t have to worry about information leaks in the first place.

    Rochf (ae9c58)

  9. Don’t hold your breath waiting for that to happen, DRJ. I do not like leakers of classified/secret information. Had I leaked TS/SCI information when I was in the Air Force, my arse would have been in front of our security officer quicker than I could blink, and I would have been begging for an Article 15. But, to hear the Leftists whining about leaks is pretty rich in irony.

    JD (d606fc)

  10. I think the little president man is discovering that when it comes to decisions involving the military he’s simply not a respected voice.

    happyfeet (71f55e)

  11. The pressure is building on him to make a decision about Afghanistan and he doesn’t handle pressure well.

    Mike K (2cf494)

  12. Does he handle anything of consequence well, other than his overweening narcissism?

    Dmac (a964d5)

  13. What is TS/SCI information?

    happyfeet (71f55e)

  14. oh. google is my friend. Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information it says.

    happyfeet (71f55e)

  15. Oops. I don’t like talking about that kind of stuff, at least not in the jargon/acronym kind of way. Sorry.

    Barcky is an embarassment.

    JD (d606fc)

  16. File in: It gets better and better….
    O/T but, you’ve got to see today’s BOTW
    http://online.wsj.com/article/best_of_the_web_today.html
    by James Taranto, and his first two items:
    1-He takes on Diversity in Academe…EB, I thought immediately of what you had commented here very recently.
    2-He contrasts and compares BHO’s statements today of knowing that KSM & Co would be found guilty and receive the death penalty to what Nixon said, and was beat-up on in the press for, about the Manson trial.

    AD - RtR/OS! (1397fe)

  17. “Barcky is an embarassment.”

    I prefer “Baracky” myself, but I’ll have you know that either way it means we’re both terrible racists!

    chaos (9c54c6)

  18. That is a given, chaos. Which reminds me that it has been like 3 whole days since I denounced and condemned all of you. Consider it done.

    JD (d606fc)

  19. JD…That’s what happens when you forget to read your own memo’s.

    AD - RtR/OS! (1397fe)

  20. I hope the Administration goes after all unauthorized government leakers.

    Releasing confidential or classified information that is harmful to Democrats or the liberal agenda: A “leak” from someone bordering on, or actually engaging in, treason.

    Releasing confidential or classified information that is harmful to Republicans or the conservative agenda: Whistle-blowing and patriotic bravery.

    Stashiu3 (44da70)

  21. Amen, Stash. You do not comment enough. How are you?

    JD (d606fc)

  22. If you think he’s mad now, just wait till they leak the details about the birth certificate. 🙂

    Official Internet Data Office (b3941f)

  23. Hi JD,

    I kind of stay behind the curtain most of the time now. Keeps me occupied and out of trouble… somewhat.

    Stashiu3 (44da70)

  24. That’s a shame – we need more commentary like the kind you offer. Hope you change your mind on this one.

    Dmac (a964d5)

  25. “Believing that ‘we’ are stupid got them to where they are now.”

    Robert N. – Only the people who voted for him, many of whom, particularly the independents are jumping ship (only 14% approval today!).

    daleyrocks (718861)

  26. Yeah, the ole double standard rears it’s ugly head, again and again and again.

    tyree (124934)

  27. Memo to POTUS
    Subject: Drips

    It’s a creaky old government. You get some leaks, you’re people get tempted to call some Plumbers. Mr. Krogh may still be in the WH roledex. G. Gordon Liddy is available for night work, too. Don’t go there.

    DCSCA (9d1bb3)

  28. We should have total press censorship when it comes to war reporting.

    Nobody should be allowed to say anything concerning the war or our planning, unless the government decides that it’s appropriate. And, both leakers and media outlets that publish leaks ought to be slapped down, and I mean slapped down hard.

    News stories that report something like the POTUS rejecting plans for Afghanistan ought to be suppressed unless the commander-in-chief (or an authorized subordinate) decides the information ought to be made public. Nobody needs to know that kind of stuff, and it could conceivably help the enemy.

    That’s the way it should be, and that’s the way it always should have been.

    Dave Surls (e0178d)

  29. “You get some leaks, you’re people get tempted to call some Plumbers.”

    Yup, and that’s what you should do. Nixon and his guys did EXACTLY the right thing.

    People like Daniel Ellsberg and his cohorts in the Democrat Party were engaging in espionage and treason, and so Nixon’s guys started spying on the leftscum.

    Good for them.

    Dave Surls (e0178d)

  30. (Tangential- there is a hypothesis that the plumbers were actually under Dean’s orders, not to spy on the left, but to spy on a prostitution ring, though I’m not sure they knew it. FWIW)

    MD in Philly (227f9c)

  31. “not to spy on the left, but to spy on a prostitution ring”

    What’s the difference?

    Dave Surls (654c08)

  32. I suspect the President is about as concerned about “leaks” as he is about closing Guantanamo.

    Anyone who pays attention today knows that leaks are about spin.

    I don’t think there’s been a legitimate “leak” since Watergate and those are iffy.

    Ag80 (3d1543)

  33. My only request is that they do so chronologically…

    Sorry, Dissent was the Highest Form of Patriotism through Jan 20, 2009. No longer…furious

    furious (71af32)

  34. Really? They actually needed to have a leak about the president’s decision making process?

    Question 1: How long ago did the president get McChrystal’s report?
    Answer: 3 months.

    Question 2: Has the president made a decision regarding the report?
    Answer: No.

    Deduction: The president is slow at making decisions regarding Afghanistan.

    Response: WHO LEAKED YOU THAT INFORMATION?!!!!! WE KILL THEM DEAD!!!!

    Hadlowe (060b5d)


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