–updated–
(Part of Obama’s statement today.)
Pres. Obama gave conservatives what they wanted in the words they wanted to hear. In fact, they could have scripted them.
Then he channeled a little Harry S. Truman. “Ultimately, the buck stops with me,” Obama said today.
The security review is now online, with the summary telling the story.
Pres. Obama’s demeanor, tone and message stronger than anything we’ve heard from him since this latest U.S. governmental, bureaucratic, dot connecting failure began ricocheting across Washington. He was also highly partisan.
“We will not succumb to a siege mentality,” he stated firmly, clearly sending a shot over Cheney’s bow. “We will never hand them that victory,” he continued. It’s “not time for partisanship, it’s time for citizenship,” a good line for its own sake, regardless that it will fall on deaf ears.
TM note: Due to a technical hiccup, parts of this post had to be reconstructed after posting.
Wonderful. But I’m afraid that politically speaking, this may be too little too late. The Republicans will make positive noises but they will still oppose him at ever turn. Most will say they are delighted that he finally woke up.
The Progressives, on the other hand have already lost too much faith and trust. He has done nothing yet to rebuild or reclaim that, and I don’t see that happening anytime soon.
I am hopeful that the Prom King has figured out, the hard way, that being POTUS is tough work and serious business. He’s smart enough to do this job right – I think. I hope he’s discovered that there are stands worth making for the benefit of the entire nation. Yes, it’s time for citizenship and recognition of and benefit to ALL citizens.
Oh good lord, I thought he sounded like he always does…he was fine during the press conference. The people crying to late and etc…or your usual pessimist crowd. At this point Obama can do nothing right in everyone eyes…Heck, he could save a baby from a burning building and still get blamed for being to slow to save the baby.
Like I said before Obama will continue to be Obama until 2012… Folks just need to learn to accept his governing style. Good or bad he is all we got until the end of his term in office. Now, back to my favorite Tv show on HGTV….LOL
Speaking of favorite TV shows, Marie205… COMPLETELY OFF TOPIC (but it is my own thread)… It’s rumored Jay is in and Conan is out!
Now back to topic…
Key word Marie is “sounded”. He doesn’t mean it.
I’m not so taken in anymore. I grant him that he is great at sensing the public mood and tapping into it. He can tell us EXACTLY what we want to hear, and the tone in which we want to hear it. He is better than anyone else at that. To crown it all he has an excellent speech writer.
Problem is after the speech is given, that’s the end of that and there is no follow through. He washes his hands of the whole business and leaves it to other people to resolve. He moves on.
Hmmmm….let’s review.
3 attacks within US borders not even a full year into President Obama’s term.
Segue to Hawaii -
2 yawners of press conferences….don’t bother me I’m on vacation.
One week later…..by god we are at war, at war with Al-Qaeda. What a tool. I don’t believe anything this man says.
Earlier today in the Oval Office…..Bill what should I say this afternoon, I’m in deep trouble. Bill – try to sound like Hillary. That will work.
Ouch.
Ouch indeed.
He did meet with President Clinton this morning. I found that very telling.
It was a “check-in,” though I don’t find it “telling.” WJC has had meetings w/ Obama before; ones much more highly publicized, though there’s little doubt it was timely.
http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2010/01/07/schedule-change-bill-clinton-to-check-in-on-obama/
The comments on the post above are harsh.
The title of the article says it all IMO.
Well, just consider who writes the titles.
Helen Thomas is a Jewel. She is one of the very few MSM reporters that I respect and trust. Ms Thomas asked John Brennan a question today which he answered by telling her that al Qaeda wanted to kill American’s and those who support America in “large numbers.” Ms. Thomas then asked Brennan “why” al Qeada wanted to kill American’s. Brennan repeated his previous answer word for word as though it was a recording and someone had hit the replay button. Helen pressed him, “But, why?” she asked again. At that point Gibbs stepped in and called on another reporter. Why, Mr. Brennan? Why do they want to kill us? Why? Peace
kris…I don’t believe darn thing is saying either…But, I find it very funny how everyone expects Obama to know all the answers at once…It was a break down of communication and he will correct it. People are actually angry he didn’t end his vacation and fly back to Washington to give yet another boring press conference.
We all know they screwed up and he admit to that in his press conference by accepting the blame…What more else do people want him to do at this point?!!! I don’t remember Bush ever accepting blame for anything or any Republican. I’m really starting to feel sorry for Obama who seems to attract idol like followers that allow no mistakes. I was never a huge fan of his and now I’m left feeling this guy is getting blamed for stuff he didn’t cause. Oh, well once Obama is replaced I’m sure the public will have a saint in office next….it’s seems you must be 100% perfect in order to please everyone.
Speaking of 100% perfect. Obama said “We are at war AGAINST al Qaeda.” It might seem like a small word to some (although there was a massive response against some poor jurnalist who gave an attribution to Hillary which wasn’t EXACTLY correct) but it is not. “Against” means something very different than “with” if you think about it. But more about who we are at war with and why later. Peace
I liked that he did not run back to DC. I like that he did a through review. I like that he said we are not going to have a seige mentality.I think I understand the tone and pace of his responses.Do we want to act terrorized? I do not like his capitulization to Cheney stating that we are at war.
I wish the whole country would put Cheney on extinction an old behaviorist tecnique. Completely ignore the behavior as if it does not exist,eventually it goes away.
Has there been some news accounts complaining that Obama didn’t end his “vacation?”
“MArie205
I don’t remember Bush ever accepting blame for anything or any Republican. I’m really starting to feel sorry for Obama who seems to attract idol like followers that allow no mistakes.”
Huh? I think Obama was elected because he (and no other Democratic candidate) was Bush. It really doesn’t matter if Bush accepted responsibility – the American people expect responsibility – thus the election of a Democratic ticket. The idol like followers are the great number of the folks who assured his selection as the candidate of the Democratic Party….and his election as POTUS.
Even a saint would never please everyone. But YOU and your posts seem to reflect precisely the adulatory and myopic followers who brought Obama to office.
No reason to feel sorry for Obama – he got what he wanted, when he wanted it and at little investment in real work from him. Just a good dog and pony show. We know he’s good at that – I’d like to see him kick his game up a notch.
The US is at war with al Qaeda. Why? Because the huge US intelligence bureaucracy failed to do its job. A recent report said the U.S. government had enough information to potentially disrupt the Christmas Day plot. The US declares war because it failed. Go figure.
Put another way, if this guy had been kept off the plane on Xmas there would be no crisis, no press conferences, no speeches. The government screwed up and failed to do its job, but the president hasn’t fired anybody, he just declares war on al Qaeda. I call it passing the buck, not stopping it. He should have declared war on the business-as-usual intelligence community, which has added yet another chapter to its long record of failure.
We have met the enemy and he is us, you might say. Thank you Pogo.
ahh…the wisdom of Pogo!
Of all the current movements Ron Paul and his followers seem to be the most anti-war. He rails against the military industrial complex often. He is against a secret FED too. He makes sense often and then he veers off into severe libertarianism combined with prolife which is contrarian to me.
The 9/11 Commission members are furious at Obama for treating the War on Terrorism as another PR stunt (frankly, the only thing he’s good at). It’s here
BluePuppy…that is the opinion of ONE guy not the entire commission.
djjl…uhmmmm…I’m independent voter and only vote for Obama in 2008 for one purpose only “TO STOP PALIN”. My vote was pretty much simple
I couldn’t stand the thought of that woman being one step closer to the White House then Hillary Clinton. If any woman deserves to be President it’s Hillary who has worked her behind off for eight years first as our former First Lady, senator and now sectary of state.
And Plus, have you seen McCain these days the man is getting more senile by the hour. So, my vote was not wasted between Obama and McCain/Palin ticket I made the right choice. I was never a follower of Obama. I find those who are now taken his Presidency to high extreme to ex-obsessed fans. I do know people who can’t accept criticism of Obama at all and I’m not one of them…In fact I keep pointing out the man have issues. But, the constant pointing out his flaws will get us no where at this point. That’s why I have accepted this just way he will be until…we get a new face in his place by 2012. In the mean time I plan on enjoying my life to it’s fullest and not waste it worrying about if the Dems will lose the house & senate this year ( if they lose it, so what they get what they deserve).
If Obama doesn’t win 2012 my life will still go on and most of the problems of the world will too. That is how I look at things right now….life is to short to be angry over what politicians always do “screwing us over” they have been doing that for a 100 years now.
” Imhotep says:
07 January 2010 at 7:49 pm
Speaking of 100% perfect. Obama said “We are at war AGAINST al Qaeda.” It might seem like a small word to some (although there was a massive response against some poor jurnalist who gave an attribution to Hillary which wasn’t EXACTLY correct) but it is not. “Against” means something very different than “with” if you think about it. But more about who we are at war with and why later. ”
Every day in every way imhopless shows him/her/itself to be a bigger wankjob!
my question remains – Have I missed the news pieces that opined that Obama should have ended the vacation and run back to Washington?
Please note what I said that you seem to be responding to:
“But YOU and your posts seem to reflect precisely the adulatory and myopic followers who brought Obama to office.”
I didn’t say you supported Obama or when – I said the rationale of your posts seems flawed IMO.
Lady Lake…..wrong
Imhotep says:
07 January 2010 at 7:49 pm
That’s my fault, Imhotep, as I’ve had some tech hiccups tonight. I’m hoping the admin will catch up, as I’ve corrected the quote and it just needs to *finally* show up. (It was correct from the get go on my YouTube channel, for what that’s worth.) I apologize.
Also to democratz, who had a comment held. Same problem w/ admin. Should be okay’d now.
Carry on, folks…
Another intelligence screw-up that Obama has passed the buck on: Less than a month after major Nidal Hasan allegedly killed 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas, the Pentagon’s top intelligence officer sent the White House a report detailing an earlier failure to connect the dots. It reads like a dress rehearsal for the Detroit bomber case, reports CBS News chief national security correspondent David Martin.. .
“None of the e-mails [18 e-mails Major Hasan exchanged with radical Yemeni cleric Awlaki] specifically mentioned Hasan’s plans for a shooting rampage at Fort Hood, but because he was a member of the military the FBI showed them to a Pentagon investigator with the note “comm” written on it. To the FBI that meant “commissioned officer.” The Pentagon investigator thought it meant “communication.”
As a result, there were no red flags that an army officer was e-mailing a radical cleric suspected of being a talent spotter for al Qaeda.”
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/01/07/eveningnews/main6069298.shtml
By the way, Leon Panetta, the political appointee who heads the CIA, and Stephen Kappes, CIA deputy director, also didn’t return from their vacations after the Xmas incident. Panetta didn’t even come back to Circus Central (Washington) when seven CIA agents were killed on December 30 in the new central front of the war on terror, Afghanistan. Why interrupt your vacation, when the commander-in-chief is a proven patsy for the Repubs?
I wish folks would post links for comments.
You got it.
The US government was on remote control — a “drone government”.
“CIA, Counterterrorism Execs Managed Bomb Crisis from Afar”
Obama — returned from Hawaii Jan 4
Panetta, CIA — Jan 2/3
Kappes, CIA Deputy — Dec 30
Leiter, Counterterorism Director, started his 6-day vacation on Dec 26
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2010/01/07/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry6069399.shtml
Hey, you clowns, we are “at war”, aren’t we?
Here’s three guys who actually were at war, and who left us while you bozos were cavorting on vacation:
*Staff Sgt. David H. Gutierrez, 35, of San Francisco, Ca., died Dec. 25 at Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his dismounted patrol with an improvised explosive device in Howz-e Madad. photo
* Spc. Jason M. Johnston, 24, of Albion, N.Y., died Dec. 26 in Arghandab, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when insurgents attacked his unit with an improvised explosive device.photo
*Staff Sgt. Ronald J. Spino, 45, of Waterbury, Conn., died Dec. 29 in Bala Morghab, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when he was shot while unloading supplies.photo
I don’t give Obama kudos very often–I really don’t trust him at all. But I actually saw the clip of his remarks in full just a while ago, and I thought he did a GREAT job! He was firm, clear, and seemed authentic and genuine in his comments about not seeking to focus blame but seeking to change the system to make it better for security sake. I liked it very much. He addressed Cheney’s charges, and forcefully took the responsibility as he should do, as CinC.
I give him a big thumbs up on the comments.
Noogan
I pretty much agree with you. It’s hard to because I am so fully angered by his conduct of his Administration and his kowtowing to the moneyed interests who, imo, brought him to where he is today -POTUS.