–updated–
The shaky Pakistani government of Asif Ali Zardari has expressed hopes for warm relations with Obama, but members of Obama’s new national security team have already telegraphed their intention to make firmer demands of Islamabad than the Bush administration, and to back up those demands with a threatened curtailment of the plentiful military aid that has been at the heart of U.S.-Pakistani ties for the past three decades. [...]
KABOOM.
Are you hearing me now?
Any questions on priorities? Not from me. The C.I.A. bombing campaign targeting militants in Pakistan will continue. Check.
Any problems with understanding Obama’s campaign promises on Pakistan? Nope. Answered.
Any criticism coming from this quadrant of the left dial on the strike? Not a chance. I’m in.
So for any neocons who believe President Obama isn’t serious about protecting America, please see the strike in Waziristan, which was likely authorized by our new president otherwise it wouldn’t have happened.
Oh, and about all that whining regarding Lynn and lobbying? Shut up.
William Lynn, President Barack Obama’s pick for deputy Defense secretary and a former Raytheon lobbyist, says he will sell his stock in the military contractor to free him from conflicts in the new administration. [...]
Seriously, everyone is overcompensating at this point, jumping on everything President Obama does or doesn’t do in a nanosecond. Advice to everyone: try the decaf. He’s just getting started.
“Seriously, everyone is overcompensating at this point, jumping on everything President Obama does or doesn’t do in a nanosecond. Advice to everyone: try the decaf. He’s just getting started.”
very true Taylor and at the same time there’s praise, some of it begrudging, about the moves that Obama has made so far. Closing Gitmo is causing a stir but McCain and others will back him up on that one.
repeated from earlier —
Okay – I should know better than to watch Sean “He kept us safe” Hannity now that Colmes is gone – but this is getting ridiculous.
“Bush kept us safe” ????
Are you out of your frikkin’ mind ?
For every year that man was in office —
NEARLY ONE THOUSAND AMERICANS DIED UNNECESSARILY !
(3000+ when he went on vacation instead of listening to repeated warnings – and 4000+ in totally unnecessary conflict)
Ok Taylor , Not to nitpick here but who is “Linn” … ?
Also, I am a very firm believer in the logic, “IF you can NOT follow the rules yourself, WHY create them in the first place …? “
NOBODY would have jumped the Prez’s bones as much as they are doing now if he himself has not set up a rule to decline employment to a department on his admin of any person who lobbied that particular department …
I mean, come on, IF you are going to make exceptions PUT that in the RULE …
ALSO, Gibbsy needs to find a better response to a question than, “I am NOT going to talk about that …”
ALSO, Politico’s Jonathan Martin needs to reconcile for himself the difference between a Press Conference and an informal meet and greet. Just because you are a journalist who gets invited to a dinner party does NOT mean you have to make me choke on my turkey due to being interrogated by you …
, Politico’s Jonathan Martin needs to reconcile for himself the difference between a
Press Conference and an informal meet and greet. Just because you are a journalist who gets
invited to a dinner party does NOT mean you have to make me choke on my turkey due to being
interrogated by you …
HillaryClinton4BarackObama | Homepage | 01.24.2009 – 02:39 am | #
LMAO!
This should be over “In the News”, but since we are talking about the media I thought people would read it here too.
http://mediamatters.org/items/200901230018?f=h_top
Betsy | 01.24.2009 – 11:27 am | #
Morning Betsy – glad to see someone is awake.
I watched alot of CNN the other day and have been reading many blog sites. I’m a little disconcerted that I read or hear so many negative comments about our new President. He hasn’t been on the job but for a few days and already the we’ve got people who are ready to send him to the stocks. Why we can’t give him a chance to implement some of his ideas is beyond me. He certainly hit the ground running and I am beginning to see the pattern of a “workaholic President and White House. It bothers me that the media never questioned GWB when he sent our troops into a pre-emptive war. You figure.
I know Jane. And now we have McCain criticizing him on Larry King.
The msm gave Bush a pass at every turn. The only reporter that I can remember going after the Bush admin was David Gregory. He seemed to always be a thorn in the Press Secretary’s side.
I watched alot of CNN the other day and have been reading many blog sites. I’m a little
disconcerted that I read or hear so many negative comments about our new President. He hasn’t
been on the job but for a few days and already the we’ve got people who are ready to send him
to the stocks. Why we can’t give him a chance to implement some of his ideas is beyond me. .
Jane Austen | 01.24.2009 – 11:46 am | #
They’re trying to make up for their dismal failure covering the run up to the war. Because Bush never gave press conferences he managed to manipulate the press…Obama is getting hit because of that.
They should be tough on Obama, as long as we’re honest that the press dropped the ball during the Bush years.
Betsy | 01.24.2009 – 11:59 am | #
GeoT | 01.24.2009 – 12:02 pm | #
What bothers me most about the Republicans is that they’d rather be part of the problem than the solution. It’s as though they are inflexible on anything that the Dems might put out there instead of coming together to solve the problems this country face. If they haven’t been reading the news this country could end up the creek without a paddle. If they want Obama to fail then this country and the people will fail. That’s not so hard to compute, is it?
Jane, they are so angry that they lost, they can’t seem to “get it” that it’s time to put the partisanship aside and start working for the people.
But there are people that loved Bush that seem to think the country is now doomed.
Perfect example of that is when my husband went out to the base pharmacy to fill a prescription. He was sitting there waiting and talking to two other retirees and they were saying that we are doomed. He told them that they needed to watch and see. He then told them he would talk to them in three years.
They are so brainwashed. It’s amazing.
Betsy | 01.24.2009 – 12:28 pm | #
Over the years I’ve always felt that the Republicans had tunnel vision and couldn’t see what exactly ailed this country. Evidently the retirees you and your husband talked to don’t understand that GWB brought this country to the edge and could have doomed us had we not had a change in administrations. I just don’t see the Republican Party changing anytime soon and that could very well doom them and quite possibly (if in the next 20 years a Republican president is voted in)doom this country to oblivion. They stick to the same ideology not realizing that their ideology is past its time. We need to look at things in a different way so we can meet the future head on.
The sad part is these retirees do not understand that it is the Bush admin that wants them to pay a co-pay for their health insurance. They went into the military with the understanding that they would have free medical for the rest of their lives. And unless Obama can stop it, it looks like now they will have to pay a co-pay.
Also, like a friend of ours, who is also retired military, they think that the republicans are the only party that will help the military. How quickly they forget Pat Shroeder when she was in office. She always supported a pay raise for the military.
HillaryClinton4BarackObama | Homepage | 01.24.2009 – 02:39 am | #
Politico’s reporting is slanted right in the most part. J. Martin carried McCain’s water through the election, and now has to try to make a point with Obama. Who was obviously coming down to the pool, just to introduce himself, and learn everyone’s name. It was, as you said, a meet and greet, not a turkey shoot. LOL
More and more, when I flip by Faux News, I see reporters from Politico featured, bashing our new President. Not to mention, there whole line of manufactured stories, written to fan the flames between Hillary and Barack supporters.
During the primaries and GE, thet also came under criticism from Black progressives, for not having a single reporter or staff member of color on their staff. Which in this day and age, is highly unusual. I see they have an Af-Am lady reporting now, so maybe they got the message.
You know, those of you who are not happy with Fox and others criticizing our President might do better to get your news and analysis from more credible sources. You would have been very happy watching Washington Week and Bill Moyers Journal.
I never doubted he’d focus on Afghanastan. I’m not sure how we’ll pay for it or if we’re prepared for yet another war, but there’s no surprise.
It’s my understanding that SOD Gates requested William Lynn. Gates must have demonstrated the urgent request for this man to Obama for this person to get the wavier. IMHO
The Republicans, and some Dems that are just never happy, are always going to gripe but I just picture them as neutered/spayed puppies that haven’t gotten the message from their brain that something has changed. Just enjoy the show while they keep dry humping away. I have a feeling that Obama is going to keep on doing what he thinks is best based on facts (what a freeking concept) since that is what we hired him to do.
As for little Johnny Martin? LOL I have a feeling that after this little show? He may find himself in the same boat as Fox News with Obama and let’s hope he does not hold his breath waiting to be called on at a press conference…..causes one to wonder if his parents were breeding for stupid?
Grissom, what good do you derive from the attack on Pakistan?
Just curious.
I personally saw him state this in the primary and GE, and I watched as everyone I respected said, “That’s crazy.” Kerry jumped in and said, “He didn’t mean it.”
Kerry now is on the sidelines, hoping he’ll squeak out the next reelection.
*haha
And Obama did attack Pakistan within his first week.
AND….McCain and Hillary were both on the money.
They headlines are all about the women and children killed.
Welcome to Afghanastan. It’s going to be nasty.
So how does this please you? More important, why?
For the record, just as with Bush, I’m opposed to Obama’s position on this.
I’m opposed to another major offense.
I was opposed to Iraq.
(yes, I know this a very-late comment)
Excuse me for being stubbornly optimistic about Obama – but I think this was actually an extremely brilliant move.
It was a quick ‘message’ that may have been imperative to send. Perhaps what it said was, “I may talk about ‘communication’ and ‘appeasement’ – but I am also not a wimp. I am not afraid to kick ass if I feel it necessary.”
If that was the ‘message’ – it was certainly received – and if it was just that – it won’t repeat itself soon.
*sigh*
Obama kicked ass, for sure.
Why?
Not sure. What did we gain from this?