++The Center for Public Integrity has released a report that documents 935 wrong statements issued or said about the Iraq War by the George W. Bush Administration.
++David Corn is at it again at Mother Jones about the CIA claiming that the W Administration lied repeatedly about Iraq and Saddam Hussein. Mike Morell, former CIA acting director, said that the most flamboyant statements by the Bush Administration bare no resemblance to the intelligence that was on hand. Like the connection with Al Qaeda, terrorism or even WMDs.
++But the neoconservatives led by Eliot Cohen,Bill Kristol and Ms. Pletka at AEI claim all this is "Gotcha" journalism and what we should be focusing on now is what to do with the present situation in Iraq.
++It seems to me that hundreds of thousands of lives lost,more American lives than in 9/11,trillions of dollars spent is worth debating.
++Bill Kristol says that the real issue is that we won by 2008 and Obama threw it all away. Say what? He says criticism now of the Iraq War is political correctness.
++Peter Beinert would like to remind us that Israel had nothing to do with it. He quite rightly reminds us that Ariel Sharon briefed George W. Bush and told him he would be destabilizing the whole Middle East if he invaded Iraq. And he did.
++Just remember--Saddam Hussein offered to leave Iraq if he could keep $1 billion for himself.
Showing posts with label David Corn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label David Corn. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Further Reactions to West Point Speech
++ Andrew Sullivan says that it wasn't "dovish" but conservative in the manner of George H.W. Bush and Ike.
++The New York Times didn't like that it didn't soar.
++Ed Klein at Time magazine sort of like it for its realism.
++The Hill published a story how the imperial papers didn't like it and the House Committee on Armed Services duly circulated this to its email list.
++David Corn thought "meh" . He's only got two years left and can't create a grand strategic design anyway with the world we have.
++Robert Parry thought it moved the ball forward but President Obama is still hamstrung by the neo-conservatives and has to give them too much.
++The New York Times didn't like that it didn't soar.
++Ed Klein at Time magazine sort of like it for its realism.
++The Hill published a story how the imperial papers didn't like it and the House Committee on Armed Services duly circulated this to its email list.
++David Corn thought "meh" . He's only got two years left and can't create a grand strategic design anyway with the world we have.
++Robert Parry thought it moved the ball forward but President Obama is still hamstrung by the neo-conservatives and has to give them too much.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
That's Why He's President and You're Not
++Andrew Sullivan called it his True Grit speech and cited Obama's eloquent ending about Cory Remsberg's difficult recovery from his tragic wounds from Afghanistan as a metaphor for the struggle of America and the President today. Josh Marshall liked the speech and thought the President had a snap and an upbeat message well delivered. Eugene Robinson said it was Obama's finest State of the Union. Ed Kilgore at Washington Monthly thought it resembled some of Clinton's laundry list speeches but caught himself and noted that Stan Greenberg for Democracy Corps had a focus group on the speech and that Obama's support of women in the work place made the dials go off the charts in favorables. Kilgore's point was that Obama needed to bring back single women for the 2014 elections.
++Josh Marshall was right, the speechwriting was first-rate. The Libretto did become an opera with Obama's delivery and pacing.
++The Charlie Rose who had Doris Kearns, James Fellows and Mark Halperin on to respond. All thought it was an excellent speech and Fellow called it Reaganesque.
++The speech had clearly been poll-tested. All Obama's proposals have overwhelming support of the American people. Some writers think he outlined clearly the direction for the Democrats in 2014 and afterwards the Democrats showed unusual unity in support. John Lewis said the President still stood tall and had the courage to fight on.
++David Corn said he should have explained why he was going to take executive action and lay the blame on Republicans. A commentator wrote that the lack of strong partisanship except with an occasional jab was what was needed because the country is fed up with political rhetoric.
++The most interesting effect was that in a town of total bummers the President reminded us of optimism and positive thinking. The contrast between him and Congress is shocking. This is a man who had a bounce in his step and a clear vision about how to move the country along. It was actually refreshing to see that he wasn't dragged down into the snake pit like everyone else. Yes, there were many things he has said before but ,in Andrew Sullivan's words, you have to admire his persistence. If the United States recovers from its doldrums by the end of his term,President Obama is going to reap the lion's share of the credit.
++CNN has 76% responding positive to the speech with the usual 22% believing it is negative.
++Democratic Underground had 69% give the President an A and 23% a B.
++The Daily Kos had 49% give him an A and 33% a B for the speech.
++Joan Welsh at Salon said we all missed the story. The story last night was the utter disarray in the GOP. Ms. Morris didn't flop it and Sweeney Todd like her response. But she claimed the GOP had lots of plans for the economy but never mentioned on concrete idea. She prayed for all of us. Rand Paul gave a libertarian response which basically called for the elimination of government, lowering taxes and ending the social welfare net as the solution to the country's problems. Mike Lee said that a new generation of "reformers" aka the Tea Party are in Washington but failed to say how they would reform the town.
++Brian Beutler at Salon basically said the Right was now reviled and offers up nothing.
++As with most things Obama,the bland ideas if taken together and adopted would profoundly alter the country for the better. In the next year, it will be interesting to see where the most mundane ideas go.
++The Obama Derangement Syndrom continued last night. Steven Stockman, the missing congressman from Texas, showed up only to walk out in protest of Obama violating the constitution aka using executive orders. Rand Paul said he would sue Obama again like they did for recess appointments. A Tennesee congress critter tweeted he was the socialist Commander in Chief. A Kansas congressman lamented there was no mention of Benghazi and that Obama used the military--aka Corey Remsberg--for political purposes and is weakening the military by withdrawing from Afghanistan and trying to close Gitmo. The GOP congresscritters took the time to be photographed with Father Duck of the Duck Dynasty.
++Ms. Lindsey Graham responded that Obama was not aware that the earth is going to blow up.
++There were many highlights from the President's speech which I may get around to. But he was the only adult in the room last night and it was good to see he hasn't been worn down by the Bummers.
++Josh Marshall was right, the speechwriting was first-rate. The Libretto did become an opera with Obama's delivery and pacing.
++The Charlie Rose who had Doris Kearns, James Fellows and Mark Halperin on to respond. All thought it was an excellent speech and Fellow called it Reaganesque.
++The speech had clearly been poll-tested. All Obama's proposals have overwhelming support of the American people. Some writers think he outlined clearly the direction for the Democrats in 2014 and afterwards the Democrats showed unusual unity in support. John Lewis said the President still stood tall and had the courage to fight on.
++David Corn said he should have explained why he was going to take executive action and lay the blame on Republicans. A commentator wrote that the lack of strong partisanship except with an occasional jab was what was needed because the country is fed up with political rhetoric.
++The most interesting effect was that in a town of total bummers the President reminded us of optimism and positive thinking. The contrast between him and Congress is shocking. This is a man who had a bounce in his step and a clear vision about how to move the country along. It was actually refreshing to see that he wasn't dragged down into the snake pit like everyone else. Yes, there were many things he has said before but ,in Andrew Sullivan's words, you have to admire his persistence. If the United States recovers from its doldrums by the end of his term,President Obama is going to reap the lion's share of the credit.
++CNN has 76% responding positive to the speech with the usual 22% believing it is negative.
++Democratic Underground had 69% give the President an A and 23% a B.
++The Daily Kos had 49% give him an A and 33% a B for the speech.
++Joan Welsh at Salon said we all missed the story. The story last night was the utter disarray in the GOP. Ms. Morris didn't flop it and Sweeney Todd like her response. But she claimed the GOP had lots of plans for the economy but never mentioned on concrete idea. She prayed for all of us. Rand Paul gave a libertarian response which basically called for the elimination of government, lowering taxes and ending the social welfare net as the solution to the country's problems. Mike Lee said that a new generation of "reformers" aka the Tea Party are in Washington but failed to say how they would reform the town.
++Brian Beutler at Salon basically said the Right was now reviled and offers up nothing.
++As with most things Obama,the bland ideas if taken together and adopted would profoundly alter the country for the better. In the next year, it will be interesting to see where the most mundane ideas go.
++The Obama Derangement Syndrom continued last night. Steven Stockman, the missing congressman from Texas, showed up only to walk out in protest of Obama violating the constitution aka using executive orders. Rand Paul said he would sue Obama again like they did for recess appointments. A Tennesee congress critter tweeted he was the socialist Commander in Chief. A Kansas congressman lamented there was no mention of Benghazi and that Obama used the military--aka Corey Remsberg--for political purposes and is weakening the military by withdrawing from Afghanistan and trying to close Gitmo. The GOP congresscritters took the time to be photographed with Father Duck of the Duck Dynasty.
++Ms. Lindsey Graham responded that Obama was not aware that the earth is going to blow up.
++There were many highlights from the President's speech which I may get around to. But he was the only adult in the room last night and it was good to see he hasn't been worn down by the Bummers.
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