Category: White House

Bush’s Last Presser

I watched part of it. But I found it painful to watch. Obviously the man is not much of a public speaker. Here he does a bunch of Monday morning quarterbacking and just some plain ol’ “Oops! I made a few mistakes”. Still it is an end of an era. (Thank God!) However, I will be the first to admit, I will not miss the man, at all. I’m just glad it is over, finally!

The Video:

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I also noticed he mentioned that he had made some mistakes; Mission Accomplished, Social Security Reform, which thankfully did not happen, seeing how the markets went. He did however continue to defend his terrible handling of Katrina:

Bush defended his widely-criticized decision not to visit Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005.

Bush said that if he “landed Air Force One in New Orleans or Baton Rouge” shortly after the hurricane, “law enforcement would have been pulled away from the mission.” The media, Bush claimed, would have then asked how he could have “possibly have flown Air Force One into Baton Rouge” when “police officers that were needed to expedite traffic out of New Orleans were taken off the task to look after you?

Of course, that was not the issue, the issue is how long it took to get supplies down there and how it took to get the people out of that Sports Arena down there. To this day he does not see that. Also it was the fact of how it seemed no one was in charge. Not that I am surprised. As they say, you can’t fix stupid. I also noticed that he never did acknowledge that Iraq was a major misstep, but then again, we are dealing with an Neo-Conservative here, one can only expect so much.

I’m just glad not to have to write about the bastard any longer. Tongue

Update: I just realized that I made a rather humorous grammar error. I changed the “was” to an “is” in the first paragraph. Ha! Wishful thinking or Freudian slip! Ooops!

Note Worthy Article

The John Birch Society writes a note worthy article on Loen Panetta.

Quotable Quote:

Even the most unbiased of observers may legitimately ask: Why on Earth is an individual who helped negotiate the turnover of the Long Beach Naval Shipyard to the communist Chinese, thereby creating the threat to U.S. national security described in the Washington Times article by Rowan Scarborough and inserted into the Congressional Record by Rep. Solomon, being considered for a top position at one of our nation’s most critical intelligence agencies?

Notice that Scarborough observed: “The Clinton administration seems to be going out of its way to help the most serious threat to American security, the so-called People’s Republic of China.”

With so many Clinton administration staffers — including Leon Panetta — being recycled by Mr. Obama, can this administration be any different?

Indeed the answer there is; No.

US Rejects Aid to Israeli Raid on Iranian Nuke Site

This is quite the interesting read.

Via the NYT:

President Bush deflected a secret request by Israel last year for specialized bunker-busting bombs it wanted for an attack on Iran’s main nuclear complex and told the Israelis that he had authorized new covert action intended to sabotage Iran’s suspected effort to develop nuclear weapons, according to senior American and foreign officials.

White House officials never conclusively determined whether Israel had decided to go ahead with the strike before the United States protested, or whether Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel was trying to goad the White House into more decisive action before Mr. Bush left office. But the Bush administration was particularly alarmed by an Israeli request to fly over Iraq to reach Iran’s major nuclear complex at Natanz, where the country’s only known uranium enrichment plant is located.

The White House denied that request outright, American officials said, and the Israelis backed off their plans, at least temporarily. But the tense exchanges also prompted the White House to step up intelligence-sharing with Israel and brief Israeli officials on new American efforts to subtly sabotage Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, a major covert program that Mr. Bush is about to hand off to President-elect Barack Obama.

This account of the expanded American covert program and the Bush administration’s efforts to dissuade Israel from an aerial attack on Iran emerged in interviews over the past 15 months with current and former American officials, outside experts, international nuclear inspectors and European and Israeli officials. None would speak on the record because of the great secrecy surrounding the intelligence developed on Iran.

For some reason or another, I feel like the New York Times has just sold the United States right to secrecy up the river by revealing this. But on the other hand, I can see why Bush would do something like this. Bush was already mired in the war in Iraq. He knew our presence in Iraq was already causing tension in the middle east and knew also that sending these sort of bombs over to Israel to be used in Iran would just add to that tension. I give Bush a point here, he may have just done the right thing, but just telling Israel “no go” on these type of weapons. As it could have caused more problems that it might have fixed.

The interviews also indicate that Mr. Bush was convinced by top administration officials, led by Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, that any overt attack on Iran would probably prove ineffective, lead to the expulsion of international inspectors and drive Iran’s nuclear effort further out of view. Mr. Bush and his aides also discussed the possibility that an airstrike could ignite a broad Middle East war in which America’s 140,000 troops in Iraq would inevitably become involved.

Instead, Mr. Bush embraced more intensive covert operations actions aimed at Iran, the interviews show, having concluded that the sanctions imposed by the United States and its allies were failing to slow the uranium enrichment efforts. Those covert operations, and the question of whether Israel will settle for something less than a conventional attack on Iran, pose immediate and wrenching decisions for Mr. Obama.

The covert American program, started in early 2008, includes renewed American efforts to penetrate Iran’s nuclear supply chain abroad, along with new efforts, some of them experimental, to undermine electrical systems, computer systems and other networks on which Iran relies. It is aimed at delaying the day that Iran can produce the weapons-grade fuel and designs it needs to produce a workable nuclear weapon.

Knowledge of the program has been closely held, yet inside the Bush administration some officials are skeptical about its chances of success, arguing that past efforts to undermine Iran’s nuclear program have been detected by the Iranians and have only delayed, not derailed, their drive to unlock the secrets of uranium enrichment.

[…]

Early in his presidency, Mr. Obama must decide whether the covert actions begun by Mr. Bush are worth the risks of disrupting what he has pledged will be a more active diplomatic effort to engage with Iran.

Either course could carry risks for Mr. Obama. An inherited intelligence or military mission that went wrong could backfire, as happened to President Kennedy with the Bay of Pigs operation in Cuba. But a decision to pull back on operations aimed at Iran could leave Mr. Obama vulnerable to charges that he is allowing Iran to speed ahead toward a nuclear capacity, one that could change the contours of power in the Middle East.

Which proves what I have said time and again, our Government is not stupid, we know what we can get away with and what we cannot. Bush was not going to send our troops into a bloodbath. So, I give Bush credit here, he averted a major problem. However, I do see that Obama is going to have his work cut out for him in the White House. Iran is not going to go away quietly. If anything, with the gas market collapsing, Iran might just get a bit worse during Obama tenure. I just hope that, unlike Kennedy; Obama makes the right call on this issues, because if he does not, The United States could have some serious problems on its hands.

I strongly encourage you to go over to the NYT and read the rest of that report. It is quite the interesting read. Some would take away from it, that Bush was showing deference to the Arabs, but I think that it is much more than just that; in the sense that Bush knew that he would be getting in over his head. This is why he refused the Israelis permission to do flyovers and target Iranian targets.

Others: Associated Press, The Muqata, Israel Matzav, The Moderate Voice, RBO, Power Line, Hot Air, Israpundit, The Raw Story, Jihad Watch, Lawyers, Guns and Money, Weekly Standard, Balloon Juice and THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS

The Obligatory Obama's Movin' on up Parody video posting

Don’t like at me, I didn’t create it. Spotted over at the comments section in a posting at HotAir.

But I did know it was coming.

I will say one thing, that whomever created this was, most likely, black, and liberal. Because little or nothing was made of it. Had it been released, by say, HotAir, RedState or even Townhall; the Liberal outrage would be deafening. 😮

Bambi's Mother-In-Law to live in the White House

I bet ol’ Bambi is just tickled pink over this one here.

Via the New York Times Blog, the Caucus:

It’s official: Marian Robinson, the 71-year-old mother-in-law of President-elect Barack Obama, will be moving into the White House, transition officials said on Friday.

In fact, Mrs. Robinson is already in town, helping to smooth the family’s personal transition as Mr. Obama, his wife, Michelle, and their two daughters prepare for new lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

“She is here to help them get up and running,’’ said Katie McCormick Lelyveld, a spokeswoman for Mrs. Obama. “She will determine in the coming months whether or not she wants to stay in D.C. permanently.”

In some ways, Mrs. Robinson’s decision to move – at least temporarily — is no real surprise. During the presidential campaign, Mrs. Robinson was a family mainstay, caring for the Obama girls, Sasha and Malia, while their parents were on the road.

She took them to school, to piano lesson and dance lessons, cooked their meals, ran their baths and got them to bed on time. She was a critical part of the family’s effort to keep the girls’ lives as normal as possible in the midst of extraordinary times.

But Mrs. Robinson is also deeply rooted in Chicago. She still lives in the house where Michelle Obama grew up. And she has often expressed ambivalence about the notion of moving to Washington.

“I’ve never lived outside of Chicago, so I don’t know,’’ said Mrs. Robinson, hesitating a bit as she considered last year whether she was willing to move into the White House. “In the end, in the end, I’ll do whatever. I might fuss a little, but I’ll be there.”

I do believe some music here would be most helpful…

Now Me and Jack Moss are think along the same lines. Who is paying for all of this? Most likely, you and me. 🙄

I also wonder about his half brother and aunt? (you know the one who’s here illegally?) I mean seeing liberals want amnesty illegal immigrants anyhow, what’s the difference?  🙄

It’s going to be a long four to six years.

Update: AllahPundit over at HotAir also has a humorus take on it as well. 😀 😛

Others: The Moderate Voice, TBogg, Papamoka Straight Talk, CBS News, Political Machine, Macsmind, Hot Air, TIME.com and Riehl World View

The Faces of an era that cannot end too soon.

bush-oral-history-0902-01

The Gang of Idiots

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The Clueless Leader

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The Executive turned behinds the scenes power broker

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The insolent and grossly incompetent old man

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The token negro

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The Resident Tool

Vanity Fair gives these group of idiots the proper send off that they deserve. Unlike some of the morons of the Neo-Conservative Right, I will not sit here and act like the last 8 years did not happen. If this past President did anything at all. It was the fact that because his, and his administration’s gross incompetence, that I am writing today. 8 years ago, I could have given two flips about Politics and the Washington D.C. crowd. The only time that I even remotely cared about politics was either on or near election day.

Bush and his idiotic nonsense cured that, I’m more political aware and active than anyone even remotely near me. I follow it like a rabid dog. I will continue to do so, until I feel that I can safely leave it to the experts. I am hoping that somehow, by some sort of magical fate, that I am able to work myself into a syndicated column or something to that effect.

Admittedly, at first, I made some serious missteps, thinking I was a hardcore liberal; Which I am not, nor could I ever be, considering my background. I did finally figure out my place in the political world, and it sure as hell is not in the same realm as the Neo-Conservative idiots like Bush and Co.

Thankfully, I am comfortable with the title of Paleo-Conservative or the old right. Which suits me fine. I am not an Ron Paul bot. I did read his latest book. I am a agreement with much that is within that Book. I think some of his ideas could be implemented in moderation.  However, for America to implement it too fast would cause other problems, like rapid deflation, which could make things only worse.

I think I can speak for those who have suffered, and believe me, I’ve done my share of suffering; through the last eight years of gross incompetence… that George W. Bush and his group of Neo-Conservative thug goons cannot leave the damned White House fast enough.

Thank God it is just about over!

Others: danieldrezner.com, No More Mister Nice Blog

Hamilton Nolan – Liberal Asshole of the Week

I hate to be the resident Conservative Flag pole runner upper… But for Pete sakes man… The stuff is just flippin’ wrong.

Seen over a Gawker.com which was written by a  Hamilton Nolan, a suspected child molester: (of which I’ve made my appearence there..and for the record, the posting was up less than 4-6 hours… not 12)

Brief and sinister. Sure, Bush had Fox news yakker Tony Snow as his press secretary, but Tony Snow was an out-and-out smiling conservative asshole even before he got to the White House. All this time America trusted Jay Carney to give them the real unbiased news on the campaign, right there in the trusted pages of Time, an it turns out he was privately on Biden’s team the entire time! Will America ever trust the media again?

Oh, How quaint, insult a dead man. Now, if he were a Liberal and some Conservative had said something like this. It would be front page news. But because it is a Conservative, it is perfectly fine. 🙄

In case anyone has forgotten, Tony Snow died with cancer.  He left a loving wife and 3 kids; 2 sons and a daughter.

Here’s the idiots picture:

Hamilton Nolan - Liberal asshole of the week
Hamilton Nolan - Liberal asshole of the week

According to this, this hosebag piece of liberal shit worked for PR Week before going to gawker.

Here’s the asshole’s e-mail address, let this asshat know what you really think: hamilton@gawker.com

Ana Marie Cox sure did create a fucking monster, when she created that shit rag of a Blog.

The Automotive Bailouts: The Other Side of the Story

I have been sitting here, trying to keep out of this. But I have sat and looked at the Republican and Neo–Conservative Spin on this Story and I’m sick of it. 😡

So, I am giving you, the other side of the story, from the horses mouth; without commentary from me.

I did not ask that you agree, I simply ask that you listen and hear this man out. Now I am almost sure, that the Blogs, that I have linked to, will remove my trackback, like the Neo-Con Fascists that they are. I mean, it is all about controlling the message with those guys.  🙄

Here we go:

Part 1:

Part 2:

Media Q & A:

Media Q & A Part 2:

Media Q & A Part 3:

There you have it. The other side of the story. You decide.

(Source UAW.ORG)

Guest Voice: "WHERE ARE DOBSON AND PCC NOW?" By Chuck Baldwin

I ask my non-Christian friends to bear with me on this column. As one will quickly see, this column is addressed to my fellow Christian conservatives.

Regular readers of this column know that one of my chief frustrations is the way Christian conservatives (otherwise known as the “Religious Right”) are so easily deceived by Republican politicians. The all-time classic illustration of this foible is the way the Religious Right was (and is) so enamored with President George W. Bush. No matter what Bush did: no matter how egregiously unconstitutional, no matter how utterly stupid, no matter how blatantly evil his actions were, Christian conservatives (almost universally) either robotically accepted and approved what he did, or blindly looked the other way. It was maddening!

It was as if Christian conservatives lost all ability to reason; it was as if they lost all discernment and discretion. Because George W. Bush claimed to be a Christian, and because he was a Republican, he could do no wrong. To this very day, the only group of people who yet approves of Bush’s Presidency is the Religious Right. Everyone else on the planet realizes that George W. Bush’s Presidency will go down in history has one of the all-time worst.

George Bush took a prosperous and robust economy, and led America to the verge of a second Great Depression. He has taken a (relatively) free and independent republic to the brink of becoming a globalist Police State. He has pushed the envelope of executive power; he has trampled individual liberty; he has made a mockery of justice; and he has made America the laughingstock of the world. In addition, Bush has misused and abused our nation’s bravest and finest by his illegal and inexcusable invasion of Iraq. No matter. The Religious Right still loves him. Why? Because he is a “Christian” Republican.

Since 2000, James Dobson, Pensacola Christian College (PCC), and their peers around the country have had an eight-year lovefest with George W. Bush. Life-size cardboard posters of Bush have stood in their bookstores for eight long, laborious years. Grade school children in their Christian schools have been subjected to Bush propaganda for eight tedious, tiresome years. To them, G.W. Bush ranks somewhere between Moses and the Almighty. And nothing Bush said or did seemed to matter.

I said all of that to call attention to a recent interview Cynthia McFadden had with President Bush on ABC’s Nightline this past Monday. During the interview, McFadden asked Bush if the Bible was literally true.

Now, acceptance of the Bible’s literalness is one of conservative Christianity’s most sacred doctrines. There is not a professor at PCC (or any other conservative Christian college or university) that would keep his or her job for a nano-second, if he or she even questioned the veracity of the Scriptures. Right? You know it’s true! Most conservative Christians would even go so far as to say that one cannot be a born-again Christian who does not believe that the Bible is the infallible Word of God.

Well, what was George Bush’s response to McFadden’s question? He said, “You know. Probably not. . . . No, I’m not a literalist.” Notice, Bush twice denied the veracity of the Scriptures.

Now, Bush has no reason to “fudge” his answers, right? He has no more elections to face. No more, “He’s got to say this to get elected,” which was the flippant explanation given by the Religious Right to excuse Bush’s numerous apostate positions during the past eight years.

So, George W. Bush clearly stated that he does not believe the Bible is God’s Holy, inspired Word. Will Dobson and PCC still say that Bush is “one of us”?

Then, as Bush attempted to give a Christian testimony, he told McFadden, “It is hard for me to justify or prove the mystery of the Almighty in my life. All I can just tell you is that I got back into religion and I quit drinking shortly thereafter . . . .”

What kind of Christian testimony is this: “I got back into religion”? I doubt that this kind of testimony would grant membership in the Campus Church (which is not even a genuine New Testament church, you understand) at PCC or in virtually any conservative Christian church.

I am confident, however, that Bush’s statements will do nothing to diminish his god-like status with James Dobson and the rest of the Religious Right in America. For eight long and bloody years, Christian conservatives have been selling their convictions, doctrines, and even their consciences to George W. Bush. I will even go so far as to say that, in many respects, millions of Christians have turned President Bush into an idol. Many of them would forsake their pastor, their friends, and even their own family before they would forsake George W. Bush and the Republican Party.

Of course, none of this would have happened had Christians–and especially Christian pastors–not lost touch with their American heritage. Had they maintained a studied understanding of constitutional government, and of the principles of Natural Law upon which it rests, they would not have become dupes for Bush and his fellow neocons.

I doubt very much whether Thomas Jefferson was a born-again Christian (after all, he, like Bush, expressed doubt regarding the Bible’s literalness), but he fully understood–and embraced–the “Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God” and was more than willing to inculcate those principles into our country’s most sacred document: our Declaration of Independence. As such, Jefferson will be forever regarded as one of America’s greatest Founding Fathers and Presidents. Believe me, America was far better off with Thomas Jefferson than with George W. Bush!

So, where are Dobson and PCC now? Will any of them utter a word of rebuke to their “Christian” President for his apostasy? No, they won’t. (As a comparison, contemporary pastors most certainly did rebuke Jefferson for his public statements questioning Christ’s divinity, even though he was a Founding Father and author of the Declaration of Independence.) Of course, Barack Obama will not escape the public repudiation of Dobson and Company. Why? He is a Democrat. You see, it’s not principle; it’s partisan politics that matters, after all.

While we are asking questions, when will our fellow Christians and pastors finally open their history books? When will they read the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence? And when will they open their minds and hearts–even a crack–to the possibility that they might have been duped, and that there is more to being elected to the office of President besides being a “Christian” Republican? Probably never.

In four more years, there will doubtless be another “Christian” Republican for the Religious Right to fawn over. Where he or she stands on the Constitution won’t matter; neither will it matter whether this newest “Christian” Republican has any commitment to national sovereignty, the Bill of Rights, or to fundamental freedoms. All that will matter is that he or she professes to be a Christian, and has an “R” behind their name. And, quite frankly, this last election proved that even a Christian profession is not necessary. All that is required is the “R” behind the name.

(Via NewsWithViews.com)

President George W. Bush – "I’m Not A Bible ‘Literalist’"

A rather stunning admission from someone who basically courted the religious right rather heavily. He basically sat down with interview with ABC. (Friendly Territory? Nah. Ergo Palin…)

Something tells me, that if Bush would have admitted this before he was elected in 2000 or reelected in 2004. He would have never made past the primary process. Not a Bible Literalist? 😮 Basically the Bible doesn’t mean what it says? That’s big. Calling Robert Schuller!