From the Dept of 'Now why am I not suprised?' – Press is now turning on Obama

Sorry, I got no pity for ’em:

Reporters say the White House is thin-skinned, controlling, eager to go over their heads and stingy with even basic information. All White Houses try to control the message. But this White House has pledged to be more open than its predecessors, and reporters feel it doesn’t live up to that pledge in several key areas:
— Day-to-day interaction with Obama is almost nonexistent, and he talks to the press corps far less often than Bill Clinton or even George W. Bush did. Clinton took questions nearly every weekday, on average. Obama barely does it once a week.
— The ferocity of pushback is intense. A routine press query can draw a string of vitriolic e-mails. A negative story can draw a profane high-decibel phone call or worse. Some reporters feel like they’ve been frozen out after crossing the White House.
— Except toward a few reporters, press secretary Robert Gibbs can be distant and difficult to reach — even though his job is to be one of the main conduits from president to press. “It’s an odd White House where it’s easier to get the White House chief of staff on the phone than the White House press secretary,” one top reporter said.
— And at the very moment many reporters feel shut out, one paper — The New York Times — enjoys a favoritism from Obama and his staff that makes competitors fume, with gift-wrapped scoops and loads of presidential face time.
“They seem to want to close the book on the highly secretive years of the Bush administration. However, in their relationship with the press, I think they’re doing what they think succeeded in helping Obama get elected,” said The New Yorker’s George Packer.
“I don’t think they need to be nice to reporters, but the White House seems to imagine that releasing information is like a tap that can be turned on and off at their whim,” Packer said.
via Why reporters are down on Obama – POLITICO.com

These idiots knew what they were getting when they elected Obama; so, I have no pity for them. You elect an guy with the ego the size of Texas, you deal with it. Don’t like his style of dealing with the press? You should have thought of that, BEFORE you went into the tank for him. This is what happens when you treat a black Harvard graduate like a novelty and then turn that man into your party’s personal Messiah.

Others: AmSpecBlog, Hot Air, Gawker, The Anchoress, Mediaite, Sister Toldjah, Hugh Hewitt’s TownHall Blog, Pundit & Pundette, Weekly Standard, Townhall.com,

Video: We Will Remember

(H/T HotAir)

Sign the Pledge at We Will Remember.

Stupid: General Motors plays a shell game

Here’s one for the “Stuck on Stupid” file that seems to be getting bigger and bigger by the day.

AP Headline: Gas in the tank: GM repays $8.1B in gov’t loans

Quote:

WASHINGTON – Fallen giant General Motors Co. accelerated toward recovery Wednesday, announcing the repayment of $8.1 billion in U.S. and Canadian government loans five years ahead of schedule.
The Obama administration crowed about the “turnaround” at GM and fellow bailout recipient Chrysler LLC, saying the government’s unpopular rescue of Detroit’s automakers is paying off.
Much of the improvement comes from GM slashing its debt load and workforce as part of its bankruptcy reorganization last year. But the automaker is a long way from regaining its old blue-chip status: It remains more than 70 percent government-owned and is still losing money — $3.4 billion in last year’s fourth quarter alone. And while its car and truck sales are up so far this year, that’s primarily due to lower-profit sales to car rental companies and other fleet buyers.
Chrysler, now run by Italy’s Fiat Group SpA, said Wednesday it lost almost $200 million in the first quarter. But it said it boosted its cash reserves by $1.5 billion, reducing the likelihood that it will need more government aid.
“This turnaround wasn’t an accident of history,” said White House economic adviser Larry Summers. “It was the result of considered and politically difficult decisions made by President Obama to provide GM and Chrysler — and indeed the auto industry — a lifeline, if they could demonstrate the will to reshape their businesses.”
Vice President Joe Biden said President Barack Obama “took a lot of heat” to keep GM alive. “And this has even exceeded our expectations.”

Everything is happy yappy and yippie skippy right?

Wrong.

Jamie Dupree dishes the straight dope on this little shell game: (H/T Q & O)

General Motors will make a big splash in the news today by announcing that the automaker will repay several billion dollars loans from the federal government earlier than expected. But it’s not really coming out of the GM wallet.

The issue came up yesterday at a hearing with the special watchdog on the Wall Street Bailout, Neil Barofsky, who was asked several times about the GM repayment by Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE), who was looking for answers on how much money the feds might make from the controversial Wall Street Bailout.

“It’s good news in that they’re reducing their debt,” Barofsky said of the accelerated GM payments, “but they’re doing it by taking other available TARP money.”
In other words, GM is taking money from the Wall Street Bailout – the TARP money – and using that to pay off their loans ahead of schedule.
“It sounds like it’s kind of like taking money out of one pocket and putting in the other,” said Carper, who got a nod of agreement from Barofsky.
[….]

Most of Uncle Sam’s bailout money that was given to GM has now been turned into stock in the U.S. automaker.
“The assumption is that, over time, hopefully the value of the stock will appreciate,” said Carper.
Long term that could prove to be a money-making investment for the feds – or if things go the wrong way for General Motors – a big, fat loss for Uncle Sam.

As most of you know, my Father is a 31 year veteran of the General Motors company. I find this little idiotic shell game right here to be just plain immoral. I mean, how in the hell are you going to use money from the Government to pay off the Government? That is basically taking money out of one pocket and putting into another. That is not paying off your debt; that is nothing more than a shell game. The reason why this is so upsetting to me is; that it is just going to hurt my Father. Because sooner or later, this company is not going to be able to pay my Dad’s pension.

As the son of a General Motors worker, I want to see G.M. succeed; but I want to see them succeed the right way and honestly. Not by playing a dirty, underhanded shell game, and that my friends is what this is, a dirty shell game to fool the American people and the workers at G.M. into believing that they are on to the road to recovery, when in all honesty, they are not.

The American Taxpayers, The workers and retirees for General Motors; deserve better than this.

Shame on General Motors for their deceptive tactics and shame on the White House and Yes, the President for aiding and abetting in this little scam.

The real cute part is that not a word of this, has been said in the media, as to just HOW this loans are being paid back. That my friends is a damned human tragedy.

Others: Questions and Observations, Mish’s Global Economic …, TigerHawk, Sweetness & Light, JammieWearingFool and The TrogloPundit

Update: Not surprisingly, Ed Morrissey Agrees with me.

Michael Yon jumps the shark?

Seems so. (H/T Ace)

…and the MilBloggers are not happy….

Those talking about are…:

Greyhawk I & II

McChrystal’s crew has declared an information war on me. No complaints here. McChrystal’s attention is welcome. It indicates that my posts have hit steel further underlines that McChrystal is over his head. If McChrystal knew what he was doing, he would not be drawing attention to his staff. Will provide compelling… evidence in due course. Some of the officers on McChrystal’s staff are my biggest helpers.

Moonbat disorder, such a tragic illness. 🙄

UPDATED: Once again, AllahPundit is the voice of sanity on the right

First off, what AllahPundit is griping about is this:

In response to this, AllahPundit politely objects:

“When conflicts break out, one way or another, we get pulled into them.” True enough, and I don’t always “like” that we’re pulled into them. For example, I don’t “like” the fact that we have 30,000 U.S. troops stationed in South Korea as cannon fodder in case the lunatic to the north ever attacks Seoul. But I accept it because I understand it’s an effective deterrent that saves millions of lives. I don’t “like” the fact that we’re forced to take the lead on Iran even though their military capabilities are more of an immediate threat to Europe and the Sunnis, but I accept it because the stick we wield is so much bigger than everyone else’s that we’re most likely to bring them to heel. I don’t “like” the fact that American troops have spent the past seven years dodging — and, sometimes, not dodging — IEDs in Iraq, but I accept it because I think having a democracy in the region will eventually put pressure on local autocrats to liberalize and held deflate jihadism. Disagree with my position on any or all of those if you like, but I don’t see how it’s controversial or demeaning to suggest that the world’s policeman, like any policeman, doesn’t always enjoy his job. In fact, less than six months ago, Pew found for the first time in 45 years that those who believe the U.S. should mind its own business abroad outnumber those who don’t. I think that isolationist impulse is nutty and a de facto invitation to malign powers to expand their influence, but then so does The One — which, I take it, is why he ordered the surge in Afghanistan, is going slow on withdrawal from Iraq, is stepping up drone attacks in Pakistan, and is keeping the troops in Korea and elsewhere in place.
via Hot Air » Blog Archive » Obama’s getting a bad rap on the “superpower” comment.

I give AP credit; he is absolutely right. Sometimes, it just sucks to have to be the leader of the free world. I mean, the United States, not Obama. This is filed under the “Stuck on Stupid” business, that my Blog’s subtitle refers to. Unfortunately, on the far right; there is this effort, a foolhardy one, but none the less, an effort; to castigate President Obama —- No matter what he does. I refer to it as that “Sean Hannity bullcrap.” I mean, I respect Hannity, most of the time. But I cannot stand watching that show; because all his show is about — is bashing Obama, no matter what he does.

I mean, say what you want, but, Obama might be a socialist, Obama might be a wealth redistributor; but, like it or not, Obama does have his rather pointed head on straight when it comes to Foreign Policy and when it comes to Islamic Terrorism. I mean, as AP alluded to in his article, the President could be like Ron Paul. (Shudder!) I am; as I am sure AP is, very grateful that President Obama has his head on straight about the middle east and the danger that Islamic Terrorism poses for this Nation. President Obama might not handle things the way that Bush did; but this does not mean that he does not see and want to deal with the danger.

For this, I am willing to give President Obama a pass in this department. But, only in this department.

Another thing I will say is this; where I see the most Anti-Obama rhetoric, when it comes to terrorism, is from certain protected ethnic classes on the right. (I think you can figure out, what I mean….) This, I believe is fueled by this idiotic notion, that Obama is some sort of secret Muslim. This sort of thing is, in this white man’s opinion, absolutely idiotic. I mean, how ironic is it, that the same class of people, who were subjected to horrific atrocities by a German madman, are now themselves engaging in the same bigoted behavior? Quite, I would say. I will not mention any names, but I think you can guess to which players I allude.

Again, just more of that stuck on stupid, that I refer to…

Thanks to AP for, once again, being “The skinny guy, at fat camp.”

Update: There’s always a smart ass in the crowd. 😉

Justice: Goldman Sachs sued by the SEC for the Meltdown of 2008

Finally, some justice to these bastards:

Via the NYT:

Goldman Sachs, which emerged relatively unscathed from the financial crisis, was accused of securities fraud in a civil suit filed Friday by the Securities and Exchange Commission, which claims the bank created and sold a mortgage investment that was secretly devised to fail.
The move marks the first time that regulators have taken action against a Wall Street deal that helped investors capitalize on the collapse of the housing market. Goldman itself profited by betting against the very mortgage investments that it sold to its customers.
The suit also named Fabrice Tourre, a vice president at Goldman who helped create and sell the investment.
In a statement, Goldman called the S.E.C. accusations “completely unfounded in law and fact” and said the firm would “vigorously contest them and defend the firm and its reputation.”
The instrument in the S.E.C. case, called Abacus 2007-AC1, was one of 25 deals that Goldman created so the bank and select clients could bet against the housing market. Those deals, which were the subject of an article in The New York Times in December, initially protected Goldman from losses when the mortgage market disintegrated and later yielded profits for the bank.
As the Abacus deal plunged in value, Goldman and a prominent hedge fund made money on their negative bets, while European investors like IKB and ABN Amro lost more than $1 billion, the S.E.C. said.
According to the complaint, Goldman created Abacus 2007-AC1 in February 2007, at the request of John A. Paulson, a prominent hedge fund manager who earned an estimated $3.7 billion in 2007 by correctly wagering that the housing bubble would burst.
Goldman let Mr. Paulson select mortgage bonds that he wanted to bet against — the ones he believed were most likely to lose value — and packaged those bonds into Abacus 2007-AC1, according to the S.E.C. complaint. Goldman then sold the Abacus deal to investors like foreign banks, pension funds, insurance companies and other hedge funds.
But the deck was stacked against the Abacus investors, the complaint contends, because the investment was filled with bonds chosen by Mr. Paulson, who is not named in the suit, as likely to default. Goldman told investors in Abacus marketing materials reviewed by The Times that the bonds would be chosen by an independent manager.
“The product was new and complex, but the deception and conflicts are old and simple,” Robert Khuzami, the director of the S.E.C.’s division of enforcement, said in a statement. “Goldman wrongly permitted a client that was betting against the mortgage market to heavily influence which mortgage securities to include in an investment portfolio, while telling other investors that the securities were selected by an independent, objective third party.”

In response Goldman Sachs says:

The SEC’s charges are completely unfounded in law and fact and we will vigorously contest them and defend the firm and its reputation.

Yeah, sure the accusations are unfounded. If I were a Goldman employee; I would be looking for a new job pronto.

From the SEC Press Release:

The SEC’s complaint alleges that after participating in the portfolio selection, Paulson & Co. effectively shorted the RMBS portfolio it helped select by entering into credit default swaps (CDS) with Goldman Sachs to buy protection on specific layers of the ABACUS capital structure. Given that financial short interest, Paulson & Co. had an economic incentive to select RMBS that it expected to experience credit events in the near future. Goldman Sachs did not disclose Paulson & Co.’s short position or its role in the collateral selection process in the term sheet, flip book, offering memorandum, or other marketing materials provided to investors.
The SEC alleges that Goldman Sachs Vice President Fabrice Tourre was principally responsible for ABACUS 2007-AC1. Tourre structured the transaction, prepared the marketing materials, and communicated directly with investors. Tourre allegedly knew of Paulson & Co.’s undisclosed short interest and role in the collateral selection process. In addition, he misled ACA into believing that Paulson & Co. invested approximately $200 million in the equity of ABACUS, indicating that Paulson & Co.’s interests in the collateral selection process were closely aligned with ACA’s interests. In reality, however, their interests were sharply conflicting.
According to the SEC’s complaint, the deal closed on April 26, 2007, and Paulson & Co. paid Goldman Sachs approximately $15 million for structuring and marketing ABACUS. By Oct. 24, 2007, 83 percent of the RMBS in the ABACUS portfolio had been downgraded and 17 percent were on negative watch. By Jan. 29, 2008, 99 percent of the portfolio had been downgraded.
Investors in the liabilities of ABACUS are alleged to have lost more than $1 billion.
The SEC’s complaint charges Goldman Sachs and Tourre with violations of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and Exchange Act Rule 10b-5. The Commission seeks injunctive relief, disgorgement of profits, prejudgment interest, and financial penalties.

Allow me to humbly submit that I hope that these bastards get exactly what is coming to them. I mean, these guy literally gambled as the stock market and by proxy; our economy went straight into the toilet. Many people that I know; like my parents, lost a good deal of money on this stuff. Not only that, after the credit crises hit; G.M. ended up having to shed a bunch of expenses; and as a result, my parents lost their optical and dental insurance. That came as a indirect result of this Wall Street mess. So, as far as I am concerned; throw the book at these bastards.

Capitalism is one thing, heartless greed is another; and these bastards crossed that line, big time. 😡

Movie: Just in case anyone has forgotten

Just remember, Ron Paul believes in negotiating with these bastards. Therefore, he is a terrorist supporter. So are Democrats.

If there was any sort of doubt that Ron Paul is a loon

He has removed it:

Video of the Loon:

VIA TPMDC:

Near the end of the third day of this year’s Southern Republican Leadership Conference, it was time for Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) to take the stage. Paul, fresh off his victory in the CPAC straw poll, gave a characteristically fired-up speech that took on the views of the Republican party establishment.
“The question has been raised about whether or not our president is a socialist,” Paul said. “I am sure there are some people here who believe it. But in the technical sense, in the economic definition of a what a socialist is, no, he’s not a socialist.”
“He’s a corporatist,” Paul continued. “And unfortunately we have corporatists inside the Republican party and that means you take care of corporations and corporations take over and run the country.”
Paul said examples of President Obama’s “corporatism” were evident in the heath care reform bill he signed into law last month. He said the mandate in the bill put the power over health care in the hands of corporations rather than private citizens. But he said the bill wasn’t the only place where corporatism is creeping into Washington.

Perfect example of Ron Paul’s idiotic tin-foil hat stupidity. Yes, I know also about his straw poll defeat to Mittens. To be be quite, and brutally honest; I cannot stand Mitt Romney. To me, Mitt Romney is the perfect example of the arrogant, rich-boy attitude that permeates some of the G.O.P. — A perfect example is Mitt Romney’s treatment of John McCain during the 2008 election debates. I thought Romney snickering at McCain was childish and unbecoming of someone of Romney’s background. Not to mention Romney’s Mormonism, which is a BIG ISSUE with me. However, seeing Ron Paul’s background. past and present associations; I will happily take a Mitt Romney victory any day of the damned week.

However, because I am realist; allow me to throw a wet blanket on this little victory. Straw polls are one thing, actual winnability and true Conservative victories in actual elections are another. As the 2008 Primaries proved, Mitt Romney just does not have the winnability in a primary. Heck, the only state that actually gave him any sort of percentage was Utah; and we all know why that is the case. Not to mention, does anyone actually remember, Romney-Care? Barack Obama’s biggest talking point is the fact that Obama-care is, in fact, based upon the Romney-care model.

The point is that Mitt Romney is a Liberal Republican, if he did actually win the primary and I highly doubt he ever would; the Republicans and Independent Conservatives would simply stay home and not vote or would cast votes for a third party.

There are some who believe that Sarah Palin is the perfect solution. Well, allow me to throw a wet blanket on that one too. There are many who believe, including myself, that Palin would never make it out of the Primary. I happen to agree with that. While she might be pretty, most people, with any kind of sense and who are not Palin-bots; believe that Sarah Palin just does not have the proper experience to be President. But, dear God, if you say this to one of her fan-boys, you are accused of being a sexist, a woman hater and so on. Which does sound like the liberal left, does it not? Gender-baiting in the G.O.P.? I thought I had seen it all. 🙄

Be that as it may; the mid-terms are going to be an interesting time, and I can assure you, 2012, is going to be even better. I cannot wait.

Not all Conservatives love Karl Rove or the Republican Party

Transcript is found here.

BREAKING NEWS: Air Marshalls stop attempted 'Shoe Bomber' on flight from D.C. to Denver

Oh Boy, here we go again…. 😯

(H/T Ace of Spades HQ)

The Report from ABC NEWS, The story is yet to break National News or they’re working on it:

Federal air marshals subdued a man who authorities say attempted to “light his shoes on fire” on a United flight from Washington Reagan to Denver Wednesday night, federal law enforcement officials told ABC News.
Authorities say an explosive team is on the way to the airport, and that while the presence of explosives has not yet been confirmed, they believe it was an attempted “shoe bomb.”
The suspect was identified by authorities as a diplomat in the Qatar embassy in Washington, Mohammed al Modadi. The FBI said the man had full diplomat immunity as the 3rd secretary and vice-consul.
Authorities said two jet fighters were scrambled from Buckley Air Force Base to accompany United flight 663, a Boeing 757, as it flew the final 40 miles to Denver where it landed safely.
Authorities said the man, identified as from Qatar, was restrained by the air marshals who were on the flight.
The United jet was reportedly being directed to a remote location at the Denver airport.
A spokesman for the FBI in Denver declined to comment.

This is not good at all. This could cause some serious problems for Obama’s strategy on the war on terror.

Update: Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN story alerts up. Update #2: all have stories up now.

MSNBC (ugh!) is now reporting, that this dude was in the bathroom, and was smoking in the can. When someone, not sure whom, asked him what he was doing. He replied, “Well, I was setting my shoes on fire…” Apparently, the douche nozzle was kidding around. Well, the only one laughing was him! 😮 Anyhow, looks like this idiot is going back Qutar. MSNBC is giving the name of the person. I will print it, when it comes up. Update #3: Mohammed al-Modadi is his name. (H/T AP)

Gabe over at Ace reports:

ABOVE THE POST UPDATE (11:00): According to CNN, another diplomat is saying that this is a misunderstanding. The story is that the man was smoking in the lavatory and when challenged by an air marshal, he mouthed off sarcastically “I was trying to light my shoe on fire.”
So they nabbed him and scrambled the jets.

D’oh! 🙄

Um, Just a thought… But, terrorism ain’t funny. 😡

Update #4: Josh Marshall wonders:

I mean, are we really to believe that this guy took his having diplomatic immunity as free rein to crack a joke about need to light his shoe bomb? I’m curious whether under international law a diplomat can be expelled from a host country simply for being a raging c@#k.

Heh. Good question. 😛

Update #5: AllahPundit Snarks:

What we may be looking at here is the scariest smoke break in aviation history.

Ha! I wonder if AllahPundit will represent him in Court, if he sues the United States Government for false arrest? If he does, somebody better let Liz Cheney know, after all, we have to know who’s defending terrorists; whether real or wanna-be smart asses. 😉 I mean, that is the McCarthyism way, is it not? 😀

Update #6: Our Assclown of the day can be seen here. He is on the right. (H/T to Wizbang for the find…)