Lonely President-Elect Ignores CIA Director
The L.A. Times reports on Barack Obama’s appearance on 60 Minutes:
President-elect Barack Obama said in an interview broadcast Sunday that he was assembling his national security team as quickly as possible because there potentially could be “times of vulnerability” to terrorist attacks during White House transition periods.
In a wide-ranging interview on the CBS News program “60 Minutes,” Obama also said that capturing or killing Osama bin Laden remained a “critical aspect” of the war on terrorism.
“He is not just a symbol,” Obama said. “He’s also the operational leader of an organization that is planning attacks against U.S. targets.”
The L.A. Times does not note — but the blog Mere Rhetoric does — that this assessment is directly contradicted by recent statements by CIA Director Michael Hayden on November 13:
Without directly referring to the CIA’s offensive blitz of unmanned missile attacks in the tribal areas of Pakistan, the CIA boss said the US had successfully isolated the al Qaeda leader bin Laden, referring to him in the present tense.
“He appears to be largely isolated from the day-to-day operations of the organization he leads,” Hayden said in a speech delivered to the Atlantic Council in Washington.
Hmmm. So he’s an operational leader who is largely isolated from the day-to-day operations. Got it.
Wouldn’t that have been nice for the L.A. Times to have shared with us?
But you can’t criticize the President-Elect. Doing that might interfere with that vaunted giddy sense of boosterism — you know, the one Big Media feels now, but suppressed in its typically professional fashion during the campaign.
P.S. I teared up a little bit on reading this sad line from the L.A. Times article:
He said he had already felt, like other presidents before him, that “there is a certain loneliness to the job.”
Or, you know, there will be. When he gets the job. In a little over two months.
Wow, if there is a certain loneliness to the Office of the President-Elect, just imagine how lonely the job of actually being the President will be!
If you’re ever feeling lonely, Senator — er, Mr. President-Elect — you can always hang out with the CIA Director. He might be able to fill you in on a few things. Or just shoot the breeze with you.
Because it’s Lonely At The Top.
He said he had already felt, like other presidents before him, that “there is a certain loneliness to the job.”
Not to worry Patterico, the new puppy should help with the loneliness.
daleyrocks (5d22c0) — 11/17/2008 @ 11:50 pmMaybe that’s why Michelle’s mama is moving into the White House — we know what happened the last time a Democratic President got lonely in the Oval Office.
L.N. Smithee (123231) — 11/18/2008 @ 12:14 amMaybe it’s just hard to see a CIA Director from behind Jamie Gorelick’s wall?
Adriane (b8ecd8) — 11/18/2008 @ 12:23 amL.N. – I think there are going to be a lot of opportunities to get some strange in that White House, IYKWIMAITTYD.
daleyrocks (5d22c0) — 11/18/2008 @ 12:58 am“He appears to be largely isolated from the day-to-day operations of the organization he leads,”
In about six months, this statement will describe both Obama and Osama.
Perfect Sense (9d1b08) — 11/18/2008 @ 4:51 amConsidering the CIA has never been right about anything, I credit Obama for ignoring them.
David (c27e97) — 11/18/2008 @ 6:41 amObama has largely been isolated from the day to day workings of the real world since his conception. Why should that change now?
tim (a3f1c9) — 11/18/2008 @ 6:45 amWhat if they find out that Obama’s not really a natural born American citizen? Then the fun starts!
Official Internet Data Office (777bfc) — 11/18/2008 @ 7:03 amQuit whining, Obama. It’s lonlier at the bottom. Failure is an orphan. ” Wealth maketh many friends; but the poor is separated from his neighbor.” Proverbs 19:4. If a little lonliness is the price to pay for being the most powerful man on planet earth, I don’t mind paying it.
love2008 (a54233) — 11/18/2008 @ 7:05 am9, you aren’t paying a thing Lovey. I’m sure Obama listens to you. Sure he does.
PCD (7fe637) — 11/18/2008 @ 7:10 amI actually credit Obama for taking anything the CIA claims with a healthy skepticism.
(echoing an earlier sentiment)
Techie (62bc5d) — 11/18/2008 @ 7:17 am“He is not just a symbol,” Obama said.
The Professor. Speaks. Did any of his Chicago students ever tell this guy to shut the hell up?
Vermont Neighbor (5ea336) — 11/18/2008 @ 8:34 amPURE COMEDY GOLD – – –
He said he had already felt, like other presidents before him, that “there is a certain loneliness to the job.”
Vermont Neighbor (5ea336) — 11/18/2008 @ 8:37 am( ).( ) for Dear Leader
There is no way Bush ever said anything this ripe. This tool just gets better and better, no matter how much the media tries to protect him.
He said he had already felt, like other presidents before him, that “there is a certain loneliness to the job.”
Vermont Neighbor (5ea336) — 11/18/2008 @ 8:42 am“…the fundemental loneliness ends, whenerver two can share a dream together…”
Another Drew (57c107) — 11/18/2008 @ 9:03 amOpps… whenever..
Another Drew (57c107) — 11/18/2008 @ 9:06 amMy question is: When Obama actualy takes office, Will “Hail to the Chief” be replaced by Handel’s “Messiah”?
Barsinister (6c0215) — 11/18/2008 @ 9:53 am^ Superfly .
Vermont Neighbor (5ea336) — 11/18/2008 @ 9:56 amWith words that are scary accurate …..
Darkest of night
With the moon shinin’ bright
There’s a set goin’ strong
Lotta things goin’ on
The man of the hour
Has an air of great power
The dudes have envied him for so long
Oooh, Superfly
You’re gonna make your fortune by and by
But if you lose, don’t ask no questions why
The only game you know is “Do or Die”
Ah-ha-ha
Hard to understand
What a hell of a man
This cat of the slum
Had a mind, wasn’t dumb
But a weakness was shown
‘Cause his hustle was wrong
His mind was his own
But the man lived alone
Oooh, Superfly
You’re gonna make your fortune by and by
But if you lose, don’t ask no questions why
The only game you know is “Do or Die”
Ah-ha-ha
The game he plays he plays for keeps
Hustlin’ cards on ghetto streets
Tryin’ ta get over
(That’s what he tryin’ to do, y’all)
Takin’ all that he can take
Gamblin’ with the odds of fate
Tryin’ ta get over
Tryin’ ta get over
Tryin’ ta get over
Tryin’ ta get over
Woo, Superfly
The aim of his role
Was to move a lot of blow
Ask him his dream
What does it mean
He wouldn’t know
“Can’t be like the rest”
Is the most he’ll confess
But the time’s running out
And there’s no happiness
Oooh, Superfly
You’re gonna make your fortune by and by
But if you lose, don’t ask no questions why
The only game you know is “Do or Die”
Ah-ha-ha
Superfly
Vermont Neighbor (5ea336) — 11/18/2008 @ 10:01 amSuperfly
Superfly
Superfly
The important thing, of course, is to punish bin Laden for the crimes he has already committed. Obama’s attack of Biden-like gaffe-itis can be forgiven . . . for now.
Icy Truth (aedb2f) — 11/18/2008 @ 12:30 pmMeet with the CIA director, why?
Clinton managed not to meet with his director for nearly two years, and I am sure Obama can outdo that.!
LogicalUS (742bd0) — 11/18/2008 @ 3:32 pmComment by LogicalUS — 11/18/2008 @ 3:32 pm
Yes, and Bubba’s avoidance of hard decisions turned out so well for us, didn’t it?
Another Drew (57c107) — 11/18/2008 @ 3:49 pm17- Isaac Hayes singing SHAFT…as in we will get the shaft and O! is the baddest mothereffer. Throw in those old standbys of Lennon’s Imagine and Kumbaya or War (what is it good for?).
madmax333 (0c6cfc) — 11/18/2008 @ 3:52 pmWhat could go wrong?
President Obama, Darfur’s a slam dunk!
daleyrocks (5d22c0) — 11/18/2008 @ 4:21 pmThe less Obama meets with the CIA, the less he’ll be lied to.
David (c27e97) — 11/18/2008 @ 5:02 pmThis is just very rich. After eight years of pillorying George W. Bush, here comes the mainstream media to remind us unwashed masses that the Presidency is a very difficult job which requires a lot of skills to keep everything balanced. When GWB advanced his agenda we had nothing but stories about how he was shunning Democrats and dividing-and-conquering various GOP factions. When BHO advances his agenda we will be hearing how recalcitrant Republicans and territorial Democrats are not cooperating with him.
JVW (89c289) — 11/18/2008 @ 5:28 pmGOP Cowboys: Very Bad!
Another Drew (57c107) — 11/18/2008 @ 5:38 pmLib Dems beloved by Media: Oh Happy Days!
Dang! My heart if breaking for our lonely president-elect. This is just not fair. I think we need to hold off on any criticism of him and his leftist illuminati practices until he eases into the office and gets a chance to get his feet wet…say in three our four years.
Jeff (49888f) — 11/19/2008 @ 11:05 am