Spinning To Defend President Obama’s Decision
[guest post by Dana]
As we know, the president is refusing to visit the southern border while in Texas this week because he would rather rub shoulders with glamorous stars at a high-priced fundraiser in the Lone Star state than witness firsthand the plight of thousands.
With that shameful decision, it is up to his staff to deflect and smooth over accusations and criticism that he does not care enough about the self-declared “humanitarian crisis” to see it firsthand.
Ceclia Muñoz, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, did her best to defend what is fairly indefensible. Note, too, that Muñoz refers to the border situation, not as the previously termed “humanitarian crisis”, but rather as the “urgent” humanitarian crisis. Urgent, and yet clearly *not* so urgent to the president.
And, on an interesting side note , let’s not forget this about Cecilia Muñoz…
Muñoz is the former Vice President for the Office of Research, Advocacy, and Legislation for the National Council of La Raza (NCLR). She was appointed as the Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs in the Obama administration in 2009, and then in 2012, she became the President’s Domestic Policy Advisor and the Director of the Domestic Policy Council.
Prior to Muñoz joining the Obama administration, La Raza received $4.1 million in federal funds. When President Obama brought her aboard in 2009, he issued a special “ethics waiver” since it violated his lobbyist ban. In 2011, it was reported by Judicial Watch that between 2009 and 2010, the funding increased from $4.1 million to $11 million — more than doubling and nearly tripling.
During 2010, La Raza also received $2.5 million in funds from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for reasons such as housing counseling. The Department of Education doled out $800,000, and the Center for Disease Control gave nearly a quarter of a million.
In other words, LaRaza funding more than doubled since Munoz joined this administration. There’s more at the link.
–Dana
Update: Sen. John Cornyn spoke to reporters this morning about the president’s non-visit to the border.
Sen. John Cornyn called it “mystifying” that President Obama is coming to Texas later today without taking time to visit the border or any facility related to the crisis of migrant minors.
“Why in the world would the president create the impression that he has so little regard for and so little interest in this crisis?” Cornyn said this morning on a regular call with Texas reporters.
He speculated that Obama has become insulated, as presidents sometimes do, and the problem when you live in a bubble, he said, is that “sometimes you do some things that are self-defeating in the long run.”
Only that lack of perspective, said Cornyn – the deputy GOP leader in the Senate – can explain the president’s “amazingly stubborn refusal” to visit the border, a decision that signals “that in effect he doesn’t care.”
“There’s a lot he could learn,” he said.
A teachable moment, indeed, to those willing to learn.
La Raza is a racist organization, the likes of which the KKK only ever dreamed of being.
redc1c4 (abd49e) — 7/9/2014 @ 11:08 amEntirely putting aside Cecilia Muñoz’ background and her obvious crony connections, she is one pizz poor spokeswoman. Geesh. Even Alex Wagner wasn’t buying it.
elissa (b62c4b) — 7/9/2014 @ 11:15 amPara bailar Obama
Se necessita
Mas de un poco desgracia
El no es Presidente
El no es Presidente
Es maricon, es maricon
Para bailar Obama
nk (dbc370) — 7/9/2014 @ 11:23 amI’ve updated the post with another Republican’s response to the non-visit.
Dana (4dbf62) — 7/9/2014 @ 11:50 amWhere is Special Snowflake Soledad O’Brien when you need her?
daleyrocks (bf33e9) — 7/9/2014 @ 11:54 amit’s pretty obvious food stamp wants this to be a chronic protracted problem and one that’s perceived as a Team R problem so he’s not going to take visible ownership of it
these urchins are a political resource for food stamp to exploit, so it’s kind of rude for people to presume he’s doing it wrong when his strategic agenda requires him to be disciplined and measured with respect to his level of engagement at this point in the “crisis”
happyfeet (8ce051) — 7/9/2014 @ 11:56 amAfter the next few scandals, when this is back in the headlines for a day or two, prezzy lackluster will remind us how he was in Texas during the crisis.
mg (31009b) — 7/9/2014 @ 12:02 pmCan’t really blame him or his aides/gophers or the secret service for not wanting to contract TB or scabies, though, Dana. After all, he’s not just anybody expendable like the rest of us–he is the Leader of the Free World. I’ve given it some serious thought and to be honest, I don’t care whether he visits the border and detention centers with a BS photo op or not.
elissa (b62c4b) — 7/9/2014 @ 12:06 pmIf he went down their to watch are newest americans the children wade across the rio grande and be welcomed by the president you would complain about that! We out vote you so who cares! Every day we get stronger you get weaker! 5,000 minority kids turn 18(voting age every day0 and they are american citizens add the dreamers and its more and everyone of them hating conservative racists!
vota (6a2bfe) — 7/9/2014 @ 12:45 pmSeek mental health care. It’s got to be free for someone of your limited ability. BTW, it’s “our newest Americans”, not “are newest americans”!
Hadoop (f7d5ba) — 7/9/2014 @ 12:51 pmSen. John Cornyn: Why in the world would the president create the impression that he has so little regard for and so little interest in this crisis?”
Because he’s not trying to attract any more attention to this. Duh.
Getting himself photographed will tend to make this the top story on the network evening news..
Now you may object and say how can that be true – it already is – but this happened toorecently – only this week – for Obama and company to pick up on it, or to think it will stay the main story on the news regardless of what he does.
In any case, he doesn’t want to contribute to this getting any more attention.
It’s not like he has any good things to say. This is the 3rd rail of politics.
Sammy Finkelman (cd2969) — 7/9/2014 @ 1:08 pmThis almost summarizes the current clown show being conducted by the Obama administration… http://home.roymgriffis.com/wp/todays-truesbury
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 7/9/2014 @ 1:19 pmThis leading from behind thing isn’t working too well for him. Most Americans know the debt we face, and don’t simply want to hand out another few billion with no apparent end in sight. I’ve harped on this enough. He can probably keep this charade going until he leaves office, but I doubt he’s going to like his approval ratings by the end of his term.
Hadoop (f7d5ba) — 7/9/2014 @ 1:35 pmFirst, they do nothing.
Then they do the wrong things.
Then they ask for more money to do more of the wrong things.
Then they blame it on the Republicans for holding out for doing the right thing.
Kevin M (b357ee) — 7/9/2014 @ 1:36 pmThat last is pretty much the administrations raison d’etre.
Kevin M (b357ee) — 7/9/2014 @ 1:38 pmSometimes after doing nothing they ask for more money to do more nothing, before going on to doing the wrong thing.
Kevin M (b357ee) — 7/9/2014 @ 1:39 pmour favorite troll owes me a new irony meter
and, it’s “every one” genius, not “everyone”… habla ingles, puto?
redc1c4 (abd49e) — 7/9/2014 @ 2:12 pmHadoop (f7d5ba) — 7/9/2014 @ 1:35 pm
This leading from behind thing isn’t working too well for him. Most Americans know the debt we face, and don’t simply want to hand out another few billion with no apparent end in sight.
What with many repoublicans being opposed to not “paying” for this, and some Democrats opposed to the idea (of more prison beds and changing any rules) in principle, the bill(s) will probably fail, at least during the summer. If it passed, it actually wouldn’t change much, because it is behind the curve, and because it actually changes very little about the rules.
I’ve harped on this enough. He can probably keep this charade going until he leaves office, but I doubt he’s going to like his approval ratings by the end of his term.
It depends whether or not people agree there’s a general bad result. He can comfort himself with the thought that the ratings of Republicans in Congress are lower.
Sammy Finkelman (d22d64) — 7/9/2014 @ 4:29 pmObama got quoted on teh CBS Evening news saying the same thing that it is reported tester did.
Gov Perry blamed not doing what the reopublicans wanted. CBS quoted some letetr he wrote 2 years ago.
Neither position was explained.
Sammy Finkelman (d22d64) — 7/9/2014 @ 4:34 pmSammy,
Stop with the nonsense.
Elephant Stone (6a6f37) — 7/9/2014 @ 4:37 pmCongress as a whole has low ratings.
But that approval rating has numerous factors. Many conservatives and libertarians believe Congress does too much, so they give Congress a bad rating. Many liberals believe that Congress does too little, so they give Congress a bad rating. And many low information voters don’t know jack sh*t, but they still give Congress a bad rating.
People do rate their own members higher than Congress. And Congress as a whole having a low rating is partially due to not doing anything.
I believe even specific members have low national ratings. I should chec. The question has been asked about Boehner.
Sammy Finkelman (cd2969) — 7/9/2014 @ 5:05 pmOff topic:
http://www.seraphicpress.com/gaza-again/
For the second day in a row, Scott Pelley of the CBS Evening News got the same basic facts wrong. He’s heard one or two facts and connected the dots wrong.
Gaza was occupied by Egypt 1948-1956 and 1957-1967 but later Egypt didn’t want to take t back.
The elections Hamas won were to the PA Parliament – they have had power in Gaza since a coup in 2007.
Sammy Finkelman (cd2969) — 7/9/2014 @ 5:08 pmillegal alien
mg (31009b) — 7/9/2014 @ 5:13 pmcerveza cumbre
Sammy,
The point is, you just tried to say that Obama’s sinking approval ratings might be offset by “THE REPUBLICAN Congress'” approval rating.
Elephant Stone (6a6f37) — 7/9/2014 @ 5:15 pmAnd I’m telling you that you’re comparing apples to a jackass.
In Obama’s mind, the mind of a spoiled grandma’s baby, “Grandma, the people don’t like me” “It’s ok sweetums, they like Congress less”, it might make a difference on what he does? Nah, he’ll just go play golf no matter what.
nk (dbc370) — 7/9/2014 @ 5:20 pm“…LaRaza funding more than doubled since Munoz joined this administration.”
Now that is the Chicago Way!!!! Shades of Michelle getting a $300k/yr do-nothing-job right after BO was elected to the US Senate. Democrats, they take care of thier own.
Ipso Fatso (10964d) — 7/9/2014 @ 5:25 pmThis link is to a fantastic article and it goes a little bit at what Sammy was saying about Pelley @22–chronic media ignorance. I think one must honestly consider than quite often the media peeps are way worse than being partisan hacks, spinners, and sycophants. They often really do not know what they are talking about even in their supposed areas of expertise, and even worse have absolutely no interest in finding out or expanding their knowledge.
http://thefederalist.com/2014/07/09/media-ignorance-becoming-serious-problem/
elissa (b62c4b) — 7/9/2014 @ 5:26 pmelissa,
About Scott Pelley just not knowing stuff…
Elephant Stone (6a6f37) — 7/9/2014 @ 5:30 pmit’s as Reagan famously said; The trouble with our Liberal friends is not that they’re ignorant; it’s just that they know so much that isn’t so.
http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2014/07/barack-obama-to-press-i-dont-need-to-go-to-border-im-not-interested-in-photo-ops-video/
narciso (24b824) — 7/9/2014 @ 5:31 pmYes. His aversion to photo ops has been obvious from day one.
elissa (b62c4b) — 7/9/2014 @ 5:33 pmSocarides said the decision means Obama’s campaign rhetoric now will match his governing. During the presidential campaign, Obama was on record opposing DOMA.
Tom Loeza (a28d29) — 7/9/2014 @ 5:36 pmhttp://www.truthrevolt.org/videos/bill-whittle-where-do-you-live-mark-zuckerberg
mg (31009b) — 7/9/2014 @ 5:37 pmthis guy makes my leg tingle.
elissa, can’t you just let the man eat his waffle?
askeptic (efcf22) — 7/9/2014 @ 5:49 pmIf we could just get Mr. Whittle to wear a tie, we could elect him President, because President’s have to project a certain gravitas.
askeptic (efcf22) — 7/9/2014 @ 5:59 pmAnd along those lines, I wouldn’t mind a Whittle/Hanson ticket in ’16 (Bill, you’re still a FL resident right?).
askeptic (efcf22) — 7/9/2014 @ 6:00 pm==I wouldn’t mind a Whittle/Hanson ticket in ’16==
Agreed. But those two guys are way too smart for that.
elissa (b62c4b) — 7/9/2014 @ 6:03 pmI am willing to bet that the House’s favorability and the Senate’s favorability are both higher than Congress’.
Kevin M (b357ee) — 7/9/2014 @ 6:30 pmfor months now he’s been all swagger swagger
“i don’t need me no congress,” food stamp told everybody
now he’s whining like a little bitch
help me congress help me help me please please please please please
this quote from today is food stamp’s idea of decisiveness in a crisis
“We intend to do the right thing by these children,” he said. “Their parents need to know that this is an incredibly dangerous situation, and it is unlikely that their children will be able to stay.”
At this point I’m truly a little embarrassed for him.
happyfeet (8ce051) — 7/9/2014 @ 6:34 pmhe’s just not cut out for this president thing
happyfeet (8ce051) — 7/9/2014 @ 6:34 pmI’ll bet the next ghostwritten Obama memoir will be a doozy, feets.
elissa (b62c4b) — 7/9/2014 @ 6:38 pmBlame Bush
a memoir
happyfeet (8ce051) — 7/9/2014 @ 6:40 pmPresidente Obama, the only thing you are “intimately aware of” is your digestive tract… time to extract your cranium from your Strada Chocolada.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 7/9/2014 @ 6:44 pmI’m stealing that, happyfeet, but since I’ll be using it on Obamites I’ll change it slightly so they’ll get it, “Blame Bush, A Memoir of the Presidency of Barack Hussein Obama”.
nk (dbc370) — 7/9/2014 @ 7:00 pmthat’s it perfectly
happyfeet (8ce051) — 7/9/2014 @ 7:11 pmObama is so grotesque and malevolent that the current controversy at the border actually makes the previous controversies involving the IRS and Bowe Bergdahl, much less Iraq/Egypt/Syria/Ukraine, much less Benghazi, etc, etc, now seem like so much background noise. That shows just how corrosive and corrupt Jeremiah Wright’s pal really are.
The fact enough Americans allowed this to transpire by putting a huge pile of excrement into the White House — on two occasions — says a lot about just how defiled this nation has become.
Mark (cb6333) — 7/9/2014 @ 7:21 pmNo the border crisis does not make the IRS scandal look like so much background noise. How did you manage to come up with that theory?
elissa (886016) — 7/9/2014 @ 7:26 pmelissa @27, transcript and audio at the link. It really is a must hear/read.
http://www.hughhewitt.com/meet-young-journalists-series-huffington-posts-zach-carter/
Steve57 (cd4182) — 7/9/2014 @ 7:57 pm#47, Steve, A few threads ago you decided that we needed to respectfully disagree over the issue of the source of the incompetence and failure that characterizes HteWon’s administration. I considered their ignorance to be the primary cause of their miscalculations, and I think you attributed their buggling to more sinister motives, perhaps leavened with a dark knowledge of history. I didn’t think I could provide any rebuttal worthy of the argument until you provided us with Mr. Carter’s interview by Hugh Hewitt. Carter sounds like any number of administration officials although his is still in the training wheel circuit for those seeking appointment to high government office. Fortunately, he is young and foolish, and was willing to engage Hewitt, which makes for fascinating reading. This may doom his chances for Secretary of the Navy this year, but in a year or two this will all be forgotten. And Hagel can’t last too much longer, so the sky’s the limit.
Living through these fiascos does give one a better understanding of how WWI happened. Mark Twain had it right about our political class.
Le Tour has been entertaining! Their are still many familiar names, but so many old favorites apparently never existed. Orwellian.
bobathome (5ccbd8) — 7/9/2014 @ 10:02 pmElephant Stone (6a6f37) — 7/9/2014 @ 5:15 pm
The point is, you just tried to say that Obama’s sinking approval ratings might be offset by “THE REPUBLICAN Congress’” approval rating.
And I’m telling you that you’re comparing apples to a jackass.
I think another problem is that the question is always what kind of a job someone is doing.
Congress could be doing a bad job but because some particular members are obstructing it, or some much more than others, and it may not indicate afeeling that any particular person is incompetent.
And Kevin is right – the rating of Congress as a whole might be worse than of either house.
Another problem with such a poll is that it always reflects what’s going on recently (because of the present tense) except near elections when the poll may give you a more long term view. President Bush the Elder’s job approval rating shot up into the 90s at the time of the victory in Gulf War I in 1991, but it didn’t reflect an overall opinion about his presidency, as Bill Clinton understood.
Sammy Finkelman (cd2969) — 7/9/2014 @ 10:55 pmI’ve never doubted their ignorance. How any ties have I ridiculed Obama’s historically illiterate Cairo speech? They’ve never demonstrated any real knowledge of history, dark or otherwise.
Where I see the more sinister motives come into play is in their firm commitment to remaining ignorant of history, nor to learn from their mistakes.
Also, in the serial lying and the contempt Obama displays for the law and the Constitution.
Steve57 (cd4182) — 7/9/2014 @ 11:23 pmif he did that, we’d never see another post from him…
you know, you may have a damn good idea there. 😎
redc1c4 (abd49e) — 7/10/2014 @ 1:29 am#50, Steve, We can agree to agree! Thinking about Carter’s discussion with Hewitt, one gets a better sense the “benefits” of a degree from the University of Virginia in philosophy and political science. The methodology appears to be to find unpleasant outcomes that are the responsibility of a political opponent. Next, fantasize the character imperfections of that opponent and then ascribe all the problems to that persons’ imagined faults. Having peered into the mind of your opponent and found it wanting, it is no longer necessary to study anything else. The problem is the opponent. QED! The really good students are eventually able to weave scattered bits of common knowledge into their condemnation of the target as local color that gives their screed life. Notice how HteWon avoids this by denying responsibility for anything. No need to examine his character, he didn’t do anything! He is immune from analysis by our betters in academia.
The classes that Carter took must have been a riot. “Now students, just repeat after me: George Bush is a drunk and an idiot.” Three hundred eager students repeat in unison “George Bush is a drunk and an idiot!”, but tentatively and not with true passion. Instructor then scolds the class and tells them to go back to the dorms and practice. There will be chance to do better next session.
bobathome (5ccbd8) — 7/10/2014 @ 8:15 amI have no doubt that Cecilia Munoz and her buddies in the Reconquista lobby have orchestrated this whole “crisis” and do not plan to let it go to waste.
Patricia (5fc097) — 7/10/2014 @ 9:00 amI have no problem with Obama not visiting the border, my issue is the inconsistency between his vicious attack on Bush for not visiting New Orleans when the reasons not to visit there were all the same as with Obama today.
If he apologized publically for making a cheap political point, then… but that ain’t gonna happen.
MD in Philly (f9371b) — 7/10/2014 @ 9:29 amOh come on now. Does Cornyn really believe that if Obama were to go to the border area or tour a holding facility that he’s going to change his approach?
Blacque Jacques Shellacque (51809b) — 7/10/2014 @ 12:12 pmWhy isn’t FEMA handling the problem? They are fully funded.
Why, when there is a humanitarian disaster on our border, doesn’t the President order FEMA to provide housing, food and medical assistance to the thousands needing assistance? Instead he asks for billions in increased funding to those who have allowed the disaster to happen in the first place. In no way has he mandated the border to be closed, he simply asks for more funds to handle the ongoing disaster which will grow worse with open borders.
This is Obama’s disaster. If he would only enforce the laws, the problem will stop.
Corky Boyd (4bf9a8) — 7/10/2014 @ 4:29 pmCan someone ask FEMA to clean up Obama ?
Elephant Stone (6a6f37) — 7/10/2014 @ 4:33 pmAfter all, he’s the natural disaster.
#56,Corky, Good question. My guess is that HteWon doesn’t want FEMA involved because he needs military base security to keep the children hidden from the press and Congress. But that doesn’t mean FEMA and the ordinary methods provided by our government aren’t appropriate. They just aren’t expedient at this point.
bobathome (4c87a1) — 7/10/2014 @ 5:13 pmMy problem with him not visiting the border is that I don’t believe his refusal is due to anything other than *not* wishing to be met with protesters and frustrated citizenry who are fed up by the inaction of this administration to secure the borders that directly impact them. What a horrible photo-op that would be. (Not that his predecessor was much better, however, Obama is the president now and the buck stops with him).
Dana (4dbf62) — 7/10/2014 @ 5:20 pm