Patterico's Pontifications

3/28/2011

Open Thread: Obama About to Address Nation (Update: Transcript and My Thoughts)

Filed under: General — Aaron Worthing @ 4:31 pm



[Guest post by Aaron Worthing; if you have tips, please send them here. Or by Twitter @AaronWorthing.]

Not much going on here, but an open thread to discuss whatever Obama is about to say.

Update: It’s over and it was less than inspiring. There is no attempt to explain why he could wait for the U.N. but not Congress. There is no attempt to explain why this is different than bombing Iran (which he said Bush couldn’t do, without Congess’ consent). And on one hand he tells us that we should be proud to have led the international community (except we didn’t), but don’t worry we won’t be leading it much longer.

And by the way, isn’t that worse if we aren’t leading it? I mean notice he didn’t say that the other nations will be taking over the actual, you know, fighting. Just the leading. So presumably over 90% of the bombs being dropped will be dropped by us, but at the command of a foreign power. How on Earth is that a good thing, or better that we are in control?

Anyway, you can read the prepared remarks here.

Update (II): And more contradictions.  At one point he says:

“I made it clear that Gaddafi had lost the confidence of his people and the legitimacy to lead, and I said that he needed to step down from power.”

Which implies at some time Gaddafi was legitimate.  But he also says this:

“Because wherever people long to be free, they will find a friend in the United States.”

Seriously, huh?

[Posted and authored by Aaron Worthing.]

151 Responses to “Open Thread: Obama About to Address Nation (Update: Transcript and My Thoughts)”

  1. just want to highlight that this open thread exists.

    Aaron Worthing (73a7ea)

  2. ugh, once again, he says gaddafi lost the legitimacy to lead.

    no, he never HAD it to start with. wtf?

    Aaron Worthing (73a7ea)

  3. “it was not in our national interest to let that happen.”

    ugh, the issue is whether it is in our national interest to stop it.

    Aaron Worthing (73a7ea)

  4. Wow. He seems to be patting himself on the back. Claiming he has been consistent, has got a coalition together faster than they did in 1990 with Bosnia, he kept his word not to put ground troops, blah, blah, blah.

    Cost to taxpayers will be reduced significantly? He sounds like a car salesman’s last try, before the customer walks out.

    TimesDisliker (160f4f)

  5. we have a mandate from the un, and the rebels want it… but not congress… no mandate from them.

    Aaron Worthing (73a7ea)

  6. Obama is right; it is different from Iraq. Iraq was authorized by Congress. And we did get the bad guy.

    Bugg (9e308e)

  7. I’m waiting for the president to just say it straight up and out loud: Qaddafi is terrorist.

    Did I miss it?

    Dana (9f3823)

  8. Dana

    I didn’t hear it.

    Aaron Worthing (73a7ea)

  9. This clown really thinks that – no matter how ridiculous – all he has to do is say something and reality spins to match it.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  10. This was one of the most hollow, passionless speeches he’s ever given. I don’t think that even he believes a word he said.

    elissa (395208)

  11. Rarely have I ever hear a man talk so much and say so little…

    Scott Jacobs (d027b8)

  12. One thing lost on me; Obama’s professed love of NATO, and the presentation that NATO is some 3rd party. We are NATO, in leadership, force, manpower and weaoponry.

    Bugg (9e308e)

  13. Teleprompter ping pong – Catch the FEVAH!!!!!!

    daleyrocks (9b57b3)

  14. I mean, besides every other time I have heard Obama talk…

    Scott Jacobs (d027b8)

  15. Bugg, we’re also the UN, but details details…

    Scott Jacobs (d027b8)

  16. “NATO is some 3rd party. We are NATO, in leadership, force, manpower and weaoponry.”

    Bugg – Shhhhhh! Don’t tell anyone. That us taking a subordinate role talking point was total BS.

    daleyrocks (9b57b3)

  17. One of the most convoluted addresses by an American president in memory, given the lives and treasure at stake. A lecture by a professor; not a concise policy directive asserted the Chief Executive. Peppered with obtuse rationale, the delivery of this seminar lecture droned on like a History Channel special on the V-1 buzz bomb.

    America needs a ‘Captain Kirk’ at the helm. Instead, it has a ‘Mr. Spock’ on the bridge. And trekkies familiar with ‘classic Star Trek’ know how he handled matters with the downed ‘Galileo’… and why Spock was never bestowed command of the starship.

    DCSCA (9d1bb3)

  18. Libya is quite simply the gayest military action we’ve ever undertaken as a nation

    happyfeet (ab5779)

  19. Comparing him to Spock overrates several important capacities of Obama. For one thing, could you imagine O. ever laying down his life to save the lives of others?

    I have nothing substantive to say, other than Obama said more or less what he could be expected to say. But one odd thing struck me, because much of the time I had the mute button on and “listened” by reading the closed captioning:

    Obama was talking from one side of his mouth. The left side (viewer’s right) of his mouth moved much more and opened far more widely than the right side (viewer’s left); in fact, the right corner of his mouth barely moved.

    Since I hardly ever watch Obama on TV, or listen to him for that matter, I don’t know if this is usual with him, but it did strike me odd.

    kishnevi (437df2)

  20. Wait, did I just see DCSCA just run down The One?

    Scott Jacobs (d027b8)

  21. Nothing about the cost to American taxpayers, nothing about the near certainty that there will be some American force casualties, nothing about our already-stretched-to-the-limits military forces. Nothing to acknowledge or mitigate the seeming hypocrisy of this action versus his anti war stances as a candidate. Nothing to explain why the larger coalitions he mocked with respect to Afghanistan and Iraq were different and lesser than the glorious yet much smaller coalition he has put together for Libya. Nothing to explain what America’s strategic interest is in this campaign.

    He really does believe he is a snake charmer and can mesmerize the American public. I don’t think it’s working so well anymore, though. That was not a memorable speech by any measure and I suspect the poor speech writer did not have a very good time crafting it. (There was a half hour of airtime to fill but the president had nothing substantial to say– a speech writer’s nightmare.)

    elissa (395208)

  22. “Obama About to Address Nation”

    Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

    Dave Surls (6b6d8c)

  23. Sybok maybe, but not Spock, that was one of the top 5 worst in the series, surpassed only by Insurrection.

    narciso (b545d5)

  24. elissa, he also didn’t mention that the other countries he expects to take over don’t have anything NEAR the needed size of their air forces to be able to continue to project power.

    Scott Jacobs (d027b8)

  25. This was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal! […] America, this is our moment. This is our time. Our time to turn the page on the policies of the past. Our time to bring new energy and new ideas to the challenges we face. Our time to offer a new direction for the country we love.

    The journey will be difficult. The road will be long. I face this challenge with profound humility, and knowledge of my own limitations.

    This reads totally different now!

    Dustin (c16eca)

  26. maybe America’s effete Harvard-wanker president should have made a case for bombing before rashly rushing into an ill-considered and gay gay gay bombing campaign on behalf of an international community consisting of a handful of limp-wristed french people and a smattering of perverted Arab League guttertrash

    happyfeet (ab5779)

  27. Nothing about the cost to American taxpayers, nothing about the near certainty that there will be some American force casualties, nothing about our already-stretched-to-the-limits military forces.

    He did talk about the financial costs, although mostly by way of saying he was trying to limit them by handing things over to NATO; and similar, albeit less specific acknowledgments of the other points. And in among the fluff, there was discussion of our national interests vis a vis Libya. But of the other points, you are are correct; he said nothing. How could he? It would have meant owning up to his own hypocrisy and/or lies.

    kishnevi (437df2)

  28. Did anyone else hear Obama say that he would order unilateral military action whenever he considered it to be in our nation’s interests?

    I wasn’t paying close attention, but that’s what I thought he said. I’ll wait for a transcript to make sure.

    ropelight (e0c888)

  29. I listened long enough to hear his foray into the land of American exceptionalism and the role America has played in the World, recognized the hypocrisy as elissa commented, realized I was not surprised, then did something else, knowing that to listen to him is only to listen to him, it has no bearing on truth, what he really thinks, or what we will do tomorrow.

    MD in Philly (f0e1bd)

  30. I must have missed the part in his speeech about all the Americans murdered over the years by agents of the Libyan government and terrorist proxies of the Libyan government.

    I guess that’s what I get for falling asleep ten seconds after the Buffoon-in-Chief starts yammering.

    Dave Surls (6b6d8c)

  31. updated with his transcript. and my thoughts written with some time to reflect.

    Aaron Worthing (73a7ea)

  32. “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, protect the people of Libya, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

    Bet y’all missed the part about Libya last time you read that.

    Be honest now. No cheating. You didn’t know that was in there, didja?

    Dave Surls (6b6d8c)

  33. “Qaddafi’s attacks against civilians must stop. His forces must pull back.”

    Just out of curiosity, where are they supposed to pull back to? El Jefe is aware that they’re Libyans in Libya, isn’t he?

    Where are they supposed to pull back to? Poland? Peru? Polynesia? Peoria?

    Dave Surls (6b6d8c)

  34. Peoria?

    Please. I can get at Qaddafi if he’s in Peoria…

    Scott Jacobs (d027b8)

  35. The whys and wherefores of potus’s speeches, actions, non-actions and methods etc. are to explained not in terms of weakness, ineptitude, ignorance, experience and similar terms. In actuality, he is, in every facet of his command, carrying out the agenda designed by his masters who bought the presidency for this narcissistic, radical anti-American who possessed the likely predilections and background to move the Country along with western culture into chaos, decline and disintegration.

    SmartyMarty (8b29cb)

  36. Dana, thanks for the link. Here’s the passage I referenced:

    “Let me close by addressing what this action says about the use of America’s military power, and America’s broader leadership in the world, under my presidency.

    As Commander-in-Chief, I have no greater responsibility than keeping this country safe. And no decision weighs on me more than when to deploy our men and women in uniform. I have made it clear that I will never hesitate to use our military swiftly, decisively, and unilaterally when necessary to defend our people, our homeland, our allies, and our core interests…”

    Leaders in the House and Senate will likely have a few questions for Mr Obama on the proper roll of Congress as it relates to the unilateral use of American military forces.

    ropelight (e0c888)

  37. Lemme think how such criticism as yours was met not too many years ago.
    Ummmmmm,
    — Why do you hate America?
    — If you’re not with us, then you’re for the brutal dictator Gaddafi.
    — You mean Freedom Fries, not French Fries, buddy…..Oh, you mean to say the French are doing some major strafing and bombing in Libya? Well then, never mind. But I still likes my Freedom Fries.
    Oh, never mind. At least you’re being consistent in your disloyal opposition. If Obama cured all cancers, you’d complain that people were dying of heart disease because of his lack of effort. And so it goes.
    Yawn.

    Larry Reilly (0e1b2d)

  38. The difference, Larry, is that Bush sought and got Congressional approval first.

    Scott Jacobs (d027b8)

  39. If you take a long-term political philosophy view of the situation, Gaddafi was never legitimate and it would have nigh impossible for him to become legitimate.

    From the point of view of realpolitik, however, he was (more-or-less, for better or for worse, as good as, insert cliché here) legitimate in 2006.

    From the link,

    Ambassador Welch captured the essence of the Libyan model when he said, “Diplomacy in this case has produced results.” Expanding on the theme, he argued, “Today’s announcement demonstrated that when countries make a decision to adhere to international norms and behavior, they will reap concrete benefits. Libya serves as an important model as we push for changes in policy by other countries such as Iran and North Korea.”

    Fritz (ac48cc)

  40. Sounds like he’s welcoming him into the brotherhood of nations:

    Because of American leadership and resolve, the world is changing for the better. Last month, the leader of Libya voluntarily pledged to disclose and dismantle all of his regime’s weapons of mass destruction programs, including a uranium enrichment project for nuclear weapons. Colonel Qadhafi correctly judged that his country would be better off, and far more secure, without weapons of mass murder. Nine months of intense negotiations involving the United States and Great Britain succeeded with Libya, while 12 years of diplomacy with Iraq did not. And one reason is clear: For diplomacy to be effective, words must be credible — and no one can now doubt the word of America.

    Fritz (ac48cc)

  41. like He always say
    let Him be perfectly clear
    I weep for country

    ColonelHaiku (e3004d)

  42. Scott, I am sure Larry fully expected and looked forward to getting a quick trigger war starter president 44 when he voted in 2008 for the vocal anti-war candidate Obama. (sarc)

    elissa (395208)

  43. same Obama who
    poured taxpayer funds into
    Colonel’s charities

    ColonelHaiku (e3004d)

  44. Larry

    sheesh, Larry, kill enough straw men. i never said any of those things. and i also never said bush could go to war without congressional authorization.

    Aaron Worthing (73a7ea)

  45. don’t know where he now
    sure knew when Queen Latifah
    held her last yard sale!

    ColonelHaiku (e3004d)

  46. Larry crazy like
    his half-brother ted baxter
    Bill O’Reilly

    ColonelHaiku (e3004d)

  47. Does it surprise anyone that Larry claims to be a JournoList?

    JÐ (29e1cd)

  48. DCSCA — after apparently being inspired by the inclusion of Stranahan in this blog — has finally seen fit to voice an actual objective, considered opinion for once.

    Weird.

    Icy Texan (5a9fe7)

  49. Mawy the ad hom spewing — no actual opinions of his own AT ALL — troll said exactly ONE correct thing within his latest spew . . .

    “Yawn.”

    Icy Texan (5a9fe7)

  50. It’s really hard to write about this subject with Ed Schultz on the MiSiNfoBullshiteCrusade saying things like “I think it was a 10” and “Obama hit it out of the park” and (OMG!) “that’s a leader!”

    Icy Texan (5a9fe7)

  51. kishnevi wrote:
    could you imagine O. ever laying down his life to save the lives of others?
    — Well how could he? Remember, “We are the ones we have waited for!” Even with all of his talk about ‘collective solutions,’ could you EVER imagine him saying, “the needs of the many outweigh those of the few, or the one“?

    Obama was talking from one side of his mouth. The left side
    — Well, duh!!!

    Icy Texan (5a9fe7)

  52. I don’t see Obama carrying this through to a conclusion. I think it is at least 50/50 that Gaddafi survives and is still in power. He has a lot of gold stored up and that buys a lot of mercenaries.

    Mike K (8f3f19)

  53. “At least you’re being consistent in your disloyal opposition.”

    Never have been loyal to Obambi or the Dems…never will be.

    However, if they can be used as a tool to destroy K-daffy and the Libyan regime, any tool will do, I reckon.

    Set a tyrant to kill a tyrant as the saying goes.

    Dave Surls (33383c)

  54. It’s amazing how — here at the BEGINNING of the current operation — the lefties (at least those that aren’t bitching about not being consulted prior to action) are falling all over themselves to declare ‘mission accomplished’.

    Icy Texan (5a9fe7)

  55. The Obama Doctrine: make the US military prance around like fairies with a bunch of french people; give speech.

    happyfeet (ab5779)

  56. Is Obama now done visiting the United States for a while?

    daleyrocks (9b57b3)

  57. Who are you gonna believe?

    Obama said tonight: “…nine days ago, after CONSULTING the bipartisan leadership of CONGRESS, I authorized military action to stop the killing and enforce U.N. Security Council Resolution 1973”

    –BUT—

    via HotAir Jim Inhofe (R-OK), the 2nd ranking member of Armed Services Committee & member of the Foreign Relations Committee, says (tonight) “that he was never consulted by the White House on the action, and after checking with both Democrats and Republicans on those committees, isn’t sure anyone was consulted. Inhofe accused Obama of reversing his stance on intervention in order to take credit for leadership of the coalition, and suggested that Obama waited until Congress was in recess to pull the trigger.”

    Sharp Right Turn (9cec11)

  58. bumble said this was about American “values” but bumble isn’t trying to promote democracy at all at all or even civil rights… he’s just saying that America’s (very expensive) military makes a handy dandy humanitarian ladies’ auxiliary for our international partners to use – partners like the UN and the Arab League and also the French people what fought so hard for Mr. Saddam’s right to gas his people like vermin.

    If our cowardly douchebag president wanted to do something humanitarian he would have given a speech about how Americans need to reach into their hearts and wallets for our Japanese friends and allies what are suffering very badly and he would have had his precious humanitarian huggy wuggy Army Navy Air Force Marines doing a hell of a lot more for Japan and a hell of a lot faster.

    The man is a disgrace to an America what herself ain’t exactly a prize anymores.

    Disgusting.

    happyfeet (ab5779)

  59. He did that, while picking his brackets, which worked out wonderfully, btw (sarc)

    narciso (b545d5)

  60. What happyfeet said …. Ditto

    JÐ (2da347)

  61. That BS artist had the effin’ nerve to say that we have to stand with governments that are ultimately responsive to the aspirations of their people…Unless, you know, the government is here in the US, and that “aspiration” conflicts with Obama’s statist agenda…

    This entire speech made my guts grind. In the first part, he essentially patted himself on the back for “taking the lead”; like we’re all idiots and don’t remember it was Sarkozy first called for action. Then, in the middle he contradicted himself by going on about letting “our partners” in this vast international coalition “bear the burden of responsibility”. Then, in the end, he patted himself on the back some more, for being such a great humanitarian, and of course, for being the anti-Boooooosh!, and for his promise not actually expiring, as is usually the case; that promise being that the entire operation would be handed off to NATO; MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

    Regarding that last pronouncement, as one who’s been on the pointy end of these kind of operations, I can assure you that NATO led action, and unilateral US efforts, are equivalent on an operational level.

    Oh, and not to mention the strong implication that he needn’t consult with Congress since, you know, he had such an awesome international consensus and UN mandate…

    Look for the US to continue to provide a high percentage of the precision strike sorties and TLAM attacks.

    The only silver lining, is that anyone who actually gave 30 minutes of their life to watch the palaverer-in-chief’s performance had to be impressed with the speech’s disjointed content, Obama’s lackluster delivery, and his painfully apparent discomfort.

    He doesn’t deserve the honor of being C-in-C.

    Bob Reed (5f2db5)

  62. This is an interesting breakdown of three bad precedents the President set:

    First, he has all but told Iran that he will take no action to prevent it from becoming a nuclear power, unless it takes to abusing its own people, and that the U.S. will not act unilaterally against the regime in Tehran.

    Second, he has for the first time in American history suggested that American troops will be put under a foreign command. (Given that all prior NATO military actions were led by an American command, he can, of course follow in this tradition. If he does, however, what will have been the point of tasking this mission off to NATO?)

    Third, Obama substituted the hope of “multinationalism” for the reality of the constitutional requirement that Congress lend its approval in some way to this military engagement on behalf of the people in whose name they serve. The “briefing” his administration gave Congress was anything but true “consultation.” Moreover, Obama gave other nations a greater say over where U.S. forces are engaged than he gave Congress.

    My question would be, were these intentional precedents he set, or were they due to ignorance or lack of due diligence in reading carefully through the speech and examining all unintended consequences, etc?

    Dana (9f3823)

  63. ==Americans need to reach into their hearts and wallets for our Japanese friends and allies what are suffering very badly==

    I don’t know how it happened, but I seem to have missed the multi-hour, prime time, all-network, celebrity telethon for helping out Japan’s victims.

    elissa (395208)

  64. What would Sen. Obama have said if it was a Bush speech?

    Arizona Bob (911aa5)

  65. …or were they due to ignorance...

    Occam’s razor suggests with that WH crew we should always just go with ignorance, Dana.

    elissa (395208)

  66. *sigh*

    That’s very disheartening, elissa.

    Dana (9f3823)

  67. Another possibility in his precedent setting is that it was very intentional as each one seems to neatly fit in with what we know of his political philosophies. Not the ones he necessarily espouses but rather the ones that his actions reveal.

    Dana (9f3823)

  68. Dana–my guess is on the first one (regarding Iran), no one thought it through far enough to realize the implications regarding Iran, and the other two–they probably think those are GOOD things.

    The above of course, is simply my guess.

    kishnevi (437df2)

  69. Bill Ayers needs to write another inspirational book for Barcky, ASAP.

    daleyrocks (9b57b3)

  70. Here is what I heard

    Obama, “it is a good war because it is my war. Nuff said.”

    Torquemada (2a42d3)

  71. Funny if Bush decided to send the military into libya to obliterate Qaddaffi Larry O’braindead would call him a war criminal.

    DohBiden (984d23)

  72. my guess is on the first one (regarding Iran), no one thought it through far enough to realize the implications regarding Iran

    …and yet, kishnevi, we saw Iran abuse it’s people last year and in spite of the protester’s pleas for intervention and help from the West, our President did nothing for 10 days and then only gave a vapid limp speech. So whether they go full nuclear and/or abuse their people, we’ll be sitting on the sidelines. Watching. And wishing them well.

    Dana (9f3823)

  73. Scott over at Powerline has summed up Barry’s performance over both the past week and this evening:

    “He is at once pathetic and dangerous.”

    elissa (395208)

  74. Just read happyfeet’s comment and elissa’s about Japan..

    Posted them at Althouse with a hyper-link back to Patterico.

    madawaskan (fd190b)

  75. There just really isn’t anything to add. It’s awful.

    madawaskan (fd190b)

  76. Obama’s plan to help the Muslim Brotherhood rise to power across the muslim world while feigning humanitarian motives is brilliant. Lex Luthor would be proud.

    ShameDispenser (d4485e)

  77. Biden stated at a public event that he would have George Bush impeached if Bush retaliated against Iran without Congressional authorization if Iran attacked US troops in Iraq.

    Let me repeat that. Joe Biden stated, that if George Bush acted, after Iran attacked US troops, against Iran, without first begging for Congressional approval, he (Joe Biden) would have Bush impeached. (Forgetting that impeachements are athe business of the House of Represtitives, not the Senate, but what does Biden know of the Constitution anyway.)

    Luckily for Obama Biden is busy locking reporters in closets at fund raising events.

    Have Blue (854a6e)

  78. _______________________________________

    So presumably over 90% of the bombs being dropped will be dropped by us, but at the command of a foreign power.

    I know it’s mostly sarcasm to say the following, but there also is some logic to it: Keeping Obama as far removed as possible from where important issues, situations and decisions exist or have to be made — keeping him out on the golf course or vacationing with the wife and kids — actually is a good thing.

    I encourage the current occupant of the White House to travel, party and play — to avoid the duties of the presidency — to his heart’s content. The less he is around, the less harm he’ll do to this nation.

    Mark (411533)

  79. “– Why do you hate America?”

    You should probably direct that question to the guy who attended a church who’s unofficial motto was “Goddamn America”.

    Another interesting thing about the Great Black Dope’s former church, is that they used to brag that they were a “congregation with a non-negotiable commitment to Africa.”

    Interesting combination. Goddamn America and a non-negotiable commitment to Africa.

    Especially interesting when you consider what we’re doing right now…in Africa.

    Dave Surls (5c7053)

  80. Not only does he vote “Present”, but at the parking-lot scrum, he’s a coat-holder.

    It will be a long time before this Hope & Change is forgiven.

    AD-RtR/OS! (ec57d6)

  81. That’s different Dave, it’s not in Black Africa, but in Arab Africa.
    Of course, the Good Reverend (like his friend Calypso Louie) was heavily subsidized by the Goat-Herder of Tripoli.

    AD-RtR/OS! (ec57d6)

  82. I made it clear that Obama had lost the confidence of his people and the legitimacy to lead, and I said that he needed to step down from power

    Patrick (cd1c15)

  83. Superbe journée à tous,

    Premièrement, donnez-moi la chance de vous montrer ma gratitude pour chacune des très “à propos” informations que j’ai lues sur cet cool site.

    Je ne suis pas convaincue d’être au meilleur section mais je n’en ai pas trouvé de meilleur.

    Je proviens de Sidney, ca . J’ai 38 ans et j’éduque 6 agréables enfants qui sont tous âgés entre 8 ou 16 ans (1 est adopté). J’adore beaucoup les animaux domestiques et j’essaie de leur présenter les articles qui leur rendent l’existance plus heureuse .

    Je vous remercie à l’avance pour toutes les excellentes débats qui viendront et je vous remercie surtout de votre compassion pour mon français moins que parfait: ma langue de naissance est l’arabe et je tempte d’éviter les erreurs mais c’est très ardu !

    A une autre fois

    Arthru

    yjmanulh1 (3d824a)

  84. If Obama is such a great leader, why do so many people question where he is leading them?

    Leaders inspire allegiance. They do not have to demand it.

    Amphipolis (b120ce)

  85. “I made it clear that Gaddafi had lost the confidence of his people and the legitimacy to lead, and I said that he needed to step down from power.”

    So, if Obama has lost the confidence of his people and, as we all know, is not and has never been a leader, will he step down?

    Pat (64e8d0)

  86. My jaw dropped when I heard him say that he had consulted Congress. When did that happen? When he was in Brazil? I thought Congress has been complaining that he hasn’t consulted them. Does he even know what it means to consult Congress?

    Rochf (f3fbb0)

  87. A bit of a non-sequitor, but I can’t help notice the piccy’s of the speech up at HotAir. They used to use that awesome narrow depth-of-focus one that put the gold presidential seal behind his head like a fuzzy halo. Now they’ve got him in a darkish suit, between darkish tilted flags. Looks like star-spangled demon bat-wings.

    No, didn’t watch the speech. You catch what’s NOT said much better if you avoid the sonorous voice and irritating over-dramatic pauses and read the transcript. What a bunch of marlarky.

    Reasons for going in? Great, good, glad we did. Reasons he couldn’t get congressional approval while dithering for 2 weeks? Reason he thinks we’re “leading” when he waited until the situation became a no-win for the rebels? Reasoning for setting U.S. law regarding Presidential War Powers authority behind the “approval” of the international community? Reason for saying he’s all for our ‘moral imparitive’ to take part in humanitarian intervention…but only if everyone else, you know, asks first? Reason he says we can’t handle another Iraq (regime change goal) but somehow we’re not going to be retreating in a power vacuum…like he wanted to do in Iraq…that will make things even worse? End-game criteria if we aren’t backing regime change? For frack’s sake, at least have the balls to say you WANT a regime to change, even if it isn’t “our” responsibility to plan and force it.

    Bah. Demon wings aren’t nearly indicative enough of the level of this one’s situational moral turpitude.

    rtrski (b47753)

  88. I agree with Mark that it may be a good thing in this case if the foreign power leading the US Military can create a coherent and smart plan. Obama won’t do that. Unfortunately, I suspect the war will be run by a European committee and also be a lot less politically connected to US Casualties than an American would be.

    So basically we can only hope for great honor in that Canadian Colonel or French committee or whoever winds up in control of this mess.

    My jaw dropped when I heard him say that he had consulted Congress. When did that happen?

    He’s vague on purpose. If he had actually held a meeting with congress to ‘consult’, we’d know more details. I guess he phoned a few of his democrat pals. This falls so far short of Congress taking a vote that it’s laughable.

    I demand oversight hearings yesterday from the constitution subcommittees of either house and the military oversight committees. And I think they should try to get senior administration officials to testify. It would be great to have Obama explain his own comment on Bush lacking the power to bomb Iran without congressional authorization, and Biden to explain impeaching him for the same. These people completely understand the constitutional issue, and then pretended it didn’t exist when they broke it.

    And again, it seems like they broke it for a stupid reason. Had they known what they were doing 2 weeks in the future, this would have been avoided. It’s not like they ran into a constitutional crisis because of a huge disaster and unyielding partisanship, but rather because they are screw-ups.

    Dustin (c16eca)

  89. Incompetence vs. Malice – lots of discussion around conservative sites. With inadequate info to resolve, my guess is perhaps 10% of conservatives would say -> Malice. If 50% of the public doesn’t pay attention, let’s call it <5%.

    In risk assessment, if a risk is possible, and could lead to serious exposure or consequences, it is analyzed, even if the likelihood is remote.

    I don't know if Øbama is malevolent to the US, is a Trojan Horse or Manchurian Candidate, but it doesn't look impossible to me.

    jodetoad (7720fb)

  90. I was thinking about what Obama is good for. It’s easier to say what he’s bad for: he’s bad for the economy; he’s bad for national security; he’s just generally bad for the country. What’s he good for: well, he’s good for the Waygu beef industry and maybe the oil industry to the extent Air Force One uses a lot of oil. He’s not so good for the oil industry for the rest of us.

    In fact, he’s not even a good speaker anymore. I hope we can survive the rest of this poor excuse for a Presidency.

    Rochf (f3fbb0)

  91. I don’t know if Øbama is malevolent to the US, is a Trojan Horse or Manchurian Candidate, but it doesn’t look impossible to me.

    If he’s capable of Cloward Piven logic, he is capable of expanding the war on terror in the absolutely most stupid way he can in hopes it makes it difficult for his successor to continue the war.

    A war that costs a lot and leaves Qaddafi in power, and even motivates him to start killing Americans again, would be the perfect narrative for some. For a long time, people suggested if we invaded Iraq we would face atrocities from Saddam (such as his WMD program the left warned us about). But Bush stayed the course (because he had to in order for the enterprise to work) and we don’t have to worry about Saddam.

    What better way to obscure the lesson of Iraq than to create a different icon of the war on terror? One way to make sure is to keep the GOP from fixing the effort via congressional oversight. Now it’s going to be very difficult for the USA to correct this war if the French or Turkish screw it up.

    But even with all that said, my guess is that Obama is actually just screwing up because of lack of concern over these matters, rather than malice.

    Dustin (c16eca)

  92. Does it bother anybody else that we are obviously being lied to?

    Unless the story has changed, AGAIN, we were just enforcing a no fly zone. We weren’t coordinating with the rebels or providing them with air support.

    And I thought, “Well, what good is that? Qaddafi can just starve the people of Benghazi of food and water, plus cut off their power. He still holds all the cards.”

    But now the rebels have retaken Ajdabiyah and Brega. There’s no way they could have done that with just small arms. We must be supporting them, despite the statements to the contrary.

    So, great. We’re now the Muslim Brotherhood’s and Al Qaeda’s air wing.

    Steve (49173f)

  93. Dude, the gov’t has SAID that they have attack tank and other armor assets.

    First it was “we’ll wait and see”, then “He must go” to “We have a no-fly zone” to “And we’re attacking ground forces to support the rebels” to “but at least no ground-forces” to “Except for the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit from Lejeune“.

    Why anyone believes anything that comes outta this jerk’s mouth is beyond me.

    Scott Jacobs (176843)

  94. Because, Scott, there are among us many who cannot abide the reality of a world without Unicorns and Pixie-dust.

    AD-RtR/OS! (b8ab92)

  95. This is a great blog! Happyfeet thinks the whole world is “gay”! Happy articulates, with strong overtones,how “gay” everything is.

    Methinks you protest to strongly.. Look up “reaction formation”. Its’ one of those eight primary defense mechanisms.

    Spritz Pearls (80cc24)

  96. Found this bit this evening:
    http://leaveitlay.blogspot.com/2011/03/oh-looky-there-more-living-water-stuff.html

    I don’t believe that the President believed a word he was saying in his little speech last night… and if he believes that he believed them, he’s dieing inside….

    This from an Episcopalian priest whose views put her comfortably to the left of most people.

    kishnevi (827a72)

  97. kishnevi, did she really write “dieing”?

    Icy Texan (c28aa6)

  98. Spritz Pearls, happyfeet is NOT gay.

    He wants to DO Sarah Palin, NOT dress like her.

    Icy Texan (c28aa6)

  99. Spritz is kind of a dlck.

    JD (3dfbdf)

  100. those eight primary defense mechanisms.

    guns, swords, ninjitsu, artillery, directed energy weapons, V0 ballistic kevlar, depleted uranium, and conflating stupid things with gayness for cheap laughs

    Dustin (c16eca)

  101. JD is a hilltard!

    Spritz Pearls (80cc24)

  102. Kish–do you read that priest’s site often? I’m curious as to why you think she said that specific thing? I can guess that she is anti war and is disappointed and shocked– but is she overtly criticizing him, or is she somehow trying to justify his words in the sense that someone else must have made him say it?

    elissa (a32b69)

  103. Weather is beautiful in maui…

    Spritz Pearls (80cc24)

  104. Spritz Pearls – Is that a pearl necklace you’re wearing?

    daleyrocks (9b57b3)

  105. Daley, pleeeease control the potty-mouth!

    Spritz Pearls (80cc24)

  106. “Because wherever people long to be free, they will find a friend in the United States.”

    Seriously, huh?

    This is an absolutely true statement.

    Because they WILL find a friend in the US.

    As long as they aren’t looking in the current administration.

    Ya just gots tah learn ta read ‘twixt and ‘tween the lines, me boyo.

    These are lefties. They CAN lie with a straight face, but they CAN lie with omission and misdirection just as effectively.

    Smock Puppet (c9dcd8)

  107. Maybe so, that don’t make em’ gay. Just sayin.

    Spritz Pearls (80cc24)

  108. Happy may be right, The gay thing seemed a bit played. So played.

    Spritz Pearls (80cc24)

  109. Methinks it doth protest too much!

    (Hint: Yelverton)

    Icy Texan (c28aa6)

  110. How bout that ncaa tournament, can you say SHOCKA!

    Spritz Pearls (80cc24)

  111. I think he means lame, since pikachu is not homophobic, for an administration so angst ridden, one would think they’ve forgotten, the parallel to the ‘Mother of all Quagmires’

    narciso (b545d5)

  112. I’m pretty sure happyfeet is immune both to trolls and to basically any criticism. Especially the ‘you offended me’ criticism. I mean… he called Palin a cooze.

    Anyway, troll, you’re lame. Be funnier.

    Dustin (c16eca)

  113. Sounds good to me “NPD”, I’m not a political animal. I’m sure you’re far more astute than I, concerning this matter.

    Spritz Pearls (80cc24)

  114. This is the best “broiled lobster” I’ve had the pleasure of consuming. Crustacea is some good victuals!

    Spritz Pearls (80cc24)

  115. ‘the prayer for the soldiers of an endless war’ on the sidebar to that link, should have been a clue,

    narciso (b545d5)

  116. Narcissistic Personality Disorder? Oh, for Narciso?

    Again, troll, be funnier. Good grief, your handle is infantile.

    Dustin (c16eca)

  117. *sigh*

    Icy Texan (c28aa6)

  118. Not talkin’ to you dustbin. Why don’t you go play on the freeway…

    Spritz Pearls (80cc24)

  119. Chris Hooten used to ‘spritz pearls’ in his mom’s basement.

    Icy Texan (c28aa6)

  120. And evidently still does.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  121. To paraphrase Malone, from the Untouchables, ‘here’s how you get Kadaffi, he fires a SAM you fire a tomahawk,’ You target his main bases, and supporters, now this operation, seems similar to the one that MI-6 tried in ’95-96, using AQ cut outs.

    narciso (b545d5)

  122. “Because wherever people long to be free, they will find a friend in the United States.”

    Gotsta have music with that.

    daleyrocks (9b57b3)

  123. Strum away, “daley” it’s music to my ears. Freedom. I love the sound, thats’ why I’m proud to be an American!

    Spritz Pearls (80cc24)

  124. Why don’t you go play on the freeway…

    Joe Biden was driving along I-405 one day when I got a phone call from Janet Neopolitano with a homeland kinetic security alert, code fuchsia.

    “Joe, you should have used a security detail for your trip… anyway, be careful. Some maniac is driving the wrong way down the interstate.”

    “Janet, hell, it’s not just one car… there are hundreds of them. I shoulda gone by train!”

    “Joe, my popped collars are kickass.”

    “Janet, this is why Dustin doesn’t play in the freeway.”

    “Joe, this has nothing to do with Obama’s speech on Libya, and if there were a moderator, Dustin would probably be in trouble, plus, I can see you naked with my x-ray scanner.”

    Dustin (c16eca)

  125. Gaddafi! what a joke. He’s the dictator of a sandlot for almost three decades and he won’t even promote homself above colonel. I guess he’s not WINNING!

    Spritz Pearls (80cc24)

  126. Priceless Dustin. Clever post.

    Spritz Pearls (80cc24)

  127. Didn’t watch the speech. Went divin’

    Spritz Pearls (80cc24)

  128. Is this performance art?

    JÐ (2da347)

  129. To paraphrase Malone, from the Untouchables, ‘here’s how you get Kadaffi, he fires a SAM you fire a tomahawk,’ You target his main bases, and supporters, now this operation, seems similar to the one that MI-6 tried in ’95-96, using AQ cut outs.

    Comment by narciso

    LOL.

    I can see Sean Connery explaining the Chicago way.

    Malone: You said you wanted to get Qaddafi. Do you really wanna get him? You see what I’m saying is, what are you prepared to do?

    Obama: Anything and everything in my power that Turkey, Russia, China, Al Qaida, and France are cool with.

    Malone: And *then* what are you prepared to do? If you open the can on these worms you must be prepared to return the the United States and preempt Dancing with the Stars because they’re not gonna give up the fight until one of you is dead.

    Obama: How do you do it then?

    Malone: You wanna know how you do it? Here’s how, they pull a gun, you pull a knife. He sends one of yours to the morgue, you send one of his to the hospital. He attacks al qaida affiliated rebels, you place the USAF under foreign command as the new Al Qaida air wing, while avoiding any coherent strategy, and renewing a conflict with a man who has killed your people in the past. That’s the University of Chicago way, and that’s how you get Qaddafi! Now do you want to do that? Are you ready to do that?

    Obama: I have sworn not to directly attack this man even with an extreme theory of my legal powers at my disposal, but I can talk my way out of any problem, and I will do so.

    Malone: Well, the Lord loves a cloward. Do you know what a blood oath is, Mr. Obama?

    Obama: :/

    Malone: Umm… trying to psych you up… um… You once said your lifelong ambition was to grow up, graduate from Harvard, and be the first black president. Two out of three ain’t bad.

    Obama: 🙂

    Dustin (c16eca)

  130. Now that was masterful Dustin,

    narciso (b545d5)

  131. Elissa–she’s criticizing Obama.

    Icy T.–she spelled it that way. However, the esteemed blogmaster here and his equally esteemed underblogger do the same sort of thing on a regular basis, so it’s best to pass it by in silence.

    Although one would think an Episcopalian priest would know that Jeremy Taylor wrote The Art of Holy Dying, not The Art of Holy Dieing

    Spritzy darling–I think you’ve had enough gin and soda for one night.

    kishnevi (bf7388)

  132. equally esteemed underblogger

    He needs to add that to his ‘guest post by:’ title ASAP.

    Dustin (c16eca)

  133. My friend, my friend, these are tough decisions the CIC has to make. He’s doin’ a good job, and he’s got Al Qaida on the RUN!

    Spritz Pearls (80cc24)

  134. He’s doin’ a good job, and he’s got Al Qaida on the RUN!

    Thanks. All I asked was some decent humor. That’s legitimately clever.

    Dustin (c16eca)

  135. I was being serious Dustin, global politics is a tough gig for even the most adroit foreign policy negotiater. Jimmy Carter used to average four hours of sleep a night during his presidency!

    Spritz Pearls (80cc24)

  136. Well, he’s got Al Qaida on the run… towards control of a country that recently had a nuclear weapons program.

    Yes, you’re right… the job Obama begged us for is not very easy to do. We should keep that in mind next time someone with no experience tells us they can do it far better than anyone has ever done it.

    Dustin (c16eca)

  137. “Jimmy Carter used to average four hours of sleep a night during his presidency!”

    Spritz Pearls – We still haven’t recovered fro the damage Carter did. He should have slept more, the anti-semitic, racist, lying, dirtbag.

    daleyrocks (9b57b3)

  138. Most grass roots politicians have little if any political experience prior to assuming the post of CIC. Its’ “on the job training”, and it ain’t easy!

    Spritz Pearls (80cc24)

  139. Well, your troll tactics appear to be benefiting from OJT.

    Dustin (c16eca)

  140. How come the left had no problem outing CIA agents but they do now? How come the left wanted us to mind our own buisness when bush was in office but not now?

    DohBiden (984d23)

  141. excuse me the left had a problem with outing CIA officials while bush was in office.

    DohBiden (984d23)

  142. I’m no bleeding heart liberal, my friend. I’m a staunch conservative democrat, much like my hero, Harry S. Now he made “tough decisions”, in light of world conflagration. All trolling aside, my friend…

    Spritz Pearls (80cc24)

  143. No, they only cared about Plame, not the Milan team, or the ghost planes, or the names and even
    family members of the interrogators

    narciso (b545d5)

  144. JD, it’s a performance all right, but it might not be ‘art’.

    kishnevi, I’ve been nice to you for three weeks now — no need to play the “it’s best to pass it by in silence” card now.

    Icy Texan (c28aa6)

  145. I’m a staunch conservative democrat, much like my hero, Harry S.

    Truman was a better president, not to mention 1990s WA Sheriff, than practically any other democrat in American history.

    Dustin (c16eca)

  146. This is for lack of a better description, the Wallace presidency we missed out in ’45, yay.

    narciso (b545d5)

  147. There are mayors, and even Girl Scout Troop leaders, who are better leaders than Obama. Maybe his new slogan should be “Less dithering, more bombing”.

    Rochf (f3fbb0)

  148. Given reports of Al Qaeda involvement among the Libyan rebels, I suppose if Osama Bin Laden turned up among their ranks, Obama would still have to continue supporting them for “humanitarian” reasons.

    daleyrocks (9b57b3)


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