President Bush is too classy (and the timing too urgent) to use the occasion to remind President Obama that maybe he’s not as bad as he’s made out to be by the Obama propaganda machine.
But I’m held back by neither constraint:
Yeah, you’d better hang your head in shame, after all the lies and crap you’ve thrown at this man, and the respectful way he’s responded.
And hey, President Clinton, nice of you to make it. Hope this didn’t cut short your campaign appearances for Martha Coakley. Something tells me, after you met her, you couldn’t wait to get the heck away from her. We know the feeling.
[I]s this aimed at turning down the heat that The One’s taken for his all-purpose Bush-blaming? Whatever the answer, the public rehabilitation continues tomorrow: Bush and Clinton will hit five different Sunday morning chat shows to push the new Haiti relief fund.
I gave money to Partners in Health, because Paul Farmer has had people on the ground for 20 years. But whatever you can do. If there were a way to give money to help Haiti, while supporting Bush and tweaking Obama, I’d do that.
(A little blurry, sorry, but that’s Rudy Giluiani’s chrome dome on the left. Maybe he can help settle this disagreement between the candidates over whether there are still terrorists in Afghanistan.)
Former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani said electing Republican Scott Brown to the seat held by Edward Kennedy would send a dramatic signal that voters believe the nation is going in the wrong direction in the fight on terrorism.
A feisty crowd of several hundred chanted “Rudy, Rudy” and “Go, Scott, Go” this morning in the North End as former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani campaigned for surging Republican Scott Brown in his bid for US Senate.
Giuliani assailed Democrat Martha Coakley for her stance on the treatment of terrorism suspects and her support of the national health care overhaul.
The crowd gathered on Commercial Street near a statue of Paul Revere, rallying for Brown, a state senator from Wrentham.
Paul Revere: nice touch. BTW, that’s in Boston’s North End, historically an Italian neighborhood. So Giuliani’s a nice touch, too.
President Bill Clinton will head to Massachusetts this Friday to stump for Democratic Senate candidate Martha Coakley, days before she takes on Republican opponent Scott Brown in an already tough special election fight.
Clinton will headline two rallies — the first in Worcester alongside Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), the second with Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) in Boston, the Democratic National Committee announced Thursday.
A man of my word, I said yesterday that if Bill Clinton, US special envoy to Haiti, actually spent a day campaigning in Massachusetts, given the horror of what’s happening down there, I would juxtapose the images:
I would ask if the man, the party, has no shame—but then I remember who I’m talking about.
I’ve resisted giving advice to the Coakley campaign, but this event is so egregious I have to speak out. Martha, do yourself and President Clinton a favor, and tell him to spend Friday in Port-au-Prince, not the Fairmont Copley in Boston.
Au contraire, Michel. Let’s give him a five-star Boston welcome. Crack open the champagne, break out the caviar—if our nation’s envoy to the tragically afflicted people of Haiti would rather party with Martha Coakley than minister to their needs, can you blame him? I practically get dysentery just thinking about the place.
And we’ll make sure we take lots of pictures of fat and happy Democrats to juxtapose against the poor and miserable orphans of Haiti.
Something like this:
But there’s one person who might not want to get too near this political earthquake zone:
Coakley’s campaign showed signs of panic as they scrambled to get a last-minute appearance by Obama to bolster their effort before Tuesday’s election.
…
Coakley said yesterday she hasn’t heard from the White House. “I welcome his support, but we’ve got a lot of support here in Massachusetts (and) I think he’s got a lot on his plate in Washington,” she said.
Obama press secretary Robert Gibbs said yesterday that the president had no plans to visit Massachusetts, even though he realizes “there’s a lot at stake in the election.”
Because they’re “thin-skinned” and can speak in an “ignorant” dialect when they want to.
Everybody knows about Harry Reid on President Obama (and he was a fan!).
Fewer may have heard of President Clinton’s remark:
“A few years ago, this guy would have been getting us coffee,” the former president told the liberal lion from Massachusetts, according to the gossipy new campaign book, “Game Change.”
…
After Kennedy sided with Obama, Clinton reportedly griped, “the only reason you are endorsing him is because he’s black. Let’s just be clear.”
And I haven’t heard a denial.
He’s never exactly been a fan:
Of course, the two did kiss and make up eventually:
“He’s saying he’s not going to reach out, that Obama has to come to him. One person told me that Bill said Obama would have to quote kiss my ass close quote, if he wants his support.
“You can’t talk like that about Obama - he’s the nominee of your party, not some house boy you can order around.
“Hillary’s just getting on with it and so should Bill.”
Evidently, “house boy” is exactly what Bill thought of Barack.
“My husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right? We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. I don’t understand it.”
But that’s all in the past. I’m sure Democrats aren’t like that any more. I guess we’ll have to wait for reporters to publish more books, because nobody will actually write it in the paper.
“You cannot go to a 7-11 or Dunkin Donuts unless you have a slight Indian Accent.” - Senator Joe Biden
Mahatma Gandhi “ran a gas station down in Saint Louis.” - Senator Hillary Clinton
“You’d find these potentates from down in Africa, you know, rather than eating each other, they’d just come up and get a good square meal in Geneva.” - Fritz Hollings (D, S.C.)
“In the days of slavery, there were those slaves who lived on the plantation and [there] were those slaves that lived in the house. You got the privilege of living in the house if you served the master … exactly the way the master intended to have you serve him. Colin Powell’s committed to come into the house of the master. When Colin Powell dares to suggest something other than what the master wants to hear, he will be turned back out to pasture.” - Harry Belafonte
(On Clarence Thomas) “A handkerchief-head, chicken-and-biscuit-eating Uncle Tom.”
- Spike Lee
“He’s married to a white woman. He wants to be white. He wants a colorless society. He has no ethnic pride. He doesn’t want to be black.” - California State Senator Diane Watson’s on Ward Connerly’s interracial marriage
“Rather I should die a thousand times, and see Old Glory trampled in the dirt never to rise again, than to see this beloved land of ours become degraded by race mongrels, a throwback to the blackest specimen from the wilds.”
…
“I am a former kleagle of the Ku Klux Klan in Raleigh County and the adjoining counties of the state …. The Klan is needed today as never before and I am anxious to see its rebirth here in West Virginia …. It is necessary that the order be promoted immediately and in every state of the Union. Will you please inform me as to the possibilities of rebuilding the Klan in the Realm of W. Va …. I hope that you will find it convenient to answer my letter in regards to future possibilities.”
– Former Klansman and current US Senator Robert Byrd, a man who is referred to by many Democrats as the “conscience of the Senate”, in a letter written in 1946, after he quit the KKK.
“I’ll have those n***ers voting Democratic for the next 200 years.”
– Lyndon B. Johnson to two governors on Air Force One according Ronald Kessler’s Book, “Inside The White House”
As good a place as any to stop, though there are many, many more to go. But the “plantation” mentality of the party has been in place from the start of the Great Society and before. (Need I remind anyone that George Wallace was a Democrat?)
Time and space do not allow me to explore the further statements from the likes of Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and Jeremiah Wright. Democrats, liberals, whatever are obsessed with race—and it ain’t pretty (if that’s not too “Negro” for you).
[A]s Hillary bungled Caroline, Bill’s handling of Ted was even worse. The day after Iowa, he phoned Kennedy and pressed for an endorsement, making the case for his wife. But Bill then went on, belittling Obama in a manner that deeply offended Kennedy. Recounting the conversation later to a friend, Teddy fumed that Clinton had said, A few years ago, this guy would have been getting us coffee.
Like this, Mr. President?
“I like my coffee the way I like my servants, black and sweet.”
And remember Vice President Biden’s appraisal of the man:
Chris Matthews recently described the Republicans as “the party of the Confederacy”—but I wonder if the Confederacy, for all its crimes and exploitations, wasn’t more honest in its dealings with African Americans. Is the Democratic Party now any different from a plantation, with President Obama as merely the HNIC (see the Urban Dictionary or the film Stand and Deliver for a translation—and I don’t mean Hockey Night in Canada)? And who reacts more strongly when they get “uppity”?
I have learned of certain unfortunate comments made by Senator Reid regarding President Barack Obama and have spoken with Senator Reid about those comments. While there is no question that Senator Reid did not select the best word choice in this instance, these comments should not distract America from its continued focus on securing healthcare or creating jobs for its people. Nor should they detract from the unquestionable leadership role Senator Reid has played on these issues or in the area of civil rights. Senator Reid’s door has always been open on hearing from the civil rights community on these issues and I look forward to continue to work with Senator Reid wherever possible to improve the lives of Americans everywhere.
Good to know we have a “get out of jail free” card for the next time we refer to a person’s skin color or ethnic accent as qualities to consider when choosing a president. Of course, it would be our first time.
PPS: Does President Obama break out into a cold sweat every time he caucuses with his own party? I would. Those folks are crazy-a** mother[bleepers].
The Vast Right Wing Conspiracy is back—and I have to say, it’s grown by at least one.
The last time they trotted out the VRWC, it was to cover up Bill’s dalliance with a blue dress.
What is it this time? I bet they could find President Obama’s DNA all over ACORN, if they cared to look.
Anyhow, how vast could it be? With all TV stations (save Fox), all major magazines and newspapers (save the WSJ), all public broadcasting (all) solidly on the left, that leaves the AM radio band and only part of the Internet to offer dissenting (read: patriotic) points of view. If President Clinton is singling out our modest contributions to the VRWC, we’re blushing. But he shouldn’t have.
STEPHANOPOULOS: But have your — have some of your allies made it easier for — handed your opponents some ammunition, like ACORN, for example…
OBAMA: Well, look, the — you know, I think that — are there folks in the Democratic camp or on the left who haven’t — haven’t always operated in ways that I’d appreciate? Absolutely.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Congress said they should cut off all funding for ACORN.
OBAMA: Is — is — is…
STEPHANOPOULOS: … all funding for ACORN. Are you for that?
OBAMA: Is that true on the other side, as well? Of course that’s true.
STEPHANOPOULOS: How about the funding for ACORN?
OBAMA: You know, it’s — frankly, it’s not really something I’ve followed closely. I didn’t even know that ACORN was getting a whole lot of federal money.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Both the Senate and the House have voted to cut it off.
OBAMA: You know, what I know is, is that what I saw on that video was certainly inappropriate and deserves to be investigated.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So you’re not committing to — to cut off the federal funding?
OBAMA: George, this is not the biggest issue facing the country. It’s not something I’m paying a lot of attention to.
“Is — is — is…” What is it with Democratic presidents and the conjugation of the verb “to be”?
“It depends on what the meaning of the word ‘is’ is. If the–if he–if ‘is’ means is and never has been, that is not–that is one thing. If it means there is none, that was a completely true statement….Now, if someone had asked me on that day, are you having any kind of sexual relations with Ms. Lewinsky, that is, asked me a question in the present tense, I would have said no. And it would have been completely true.”
Bill was getting conjugation from Monica under the desk in the Oral Office. President Obama expects nothing less from the adoring acolytes in the media. At least Stephanopoulos used his purty mouth to ask a pertinent question.
We noted yesterday the curious leaking of the backstage backstabbing around our pathetically apathetic policy toward Iran after its stolen election, and found it entirely it plausible that Madame Secretary had let be known her displeasure and contempt.
In a slap at President Barack Obama, former President Bill Clinton will headline a fundraiser for a New York congresswoman challenging White House-backed Sen. Kristen Gillibrand in the state’s Democratic primary.
Clinton has not endorsed in the race, but his efforts to help Rep. Carolyn Maloney could be seen as a snub to Gillibrand and the Obama White House. Matt McKenna, a spokesman for Clinton, said he will be attending a July 20 fundraiser in New York.
The White House has played an active role in clearing the field for Gillibrand, who was appointed earlier this year to fill the seat vacated when Obama tapped Hillary Rodham Clinton to be his secretary of state. Obama asked Rep. Steve Israel not to challenge Gillibrand, a request he honored. Just days ago, Vice President Joe Biden called Maloney to discuss the race, a clear sign that the White House didn’t want a primary fight next year.
When the leader of the party asks for something, he usually gets it—but the Clintons do not acknowledge President Obama as the leader of the party. To them, he is a usurper. And aqs a former president himself, Bill is big enough to never let him forget it.
Ordinarily, the fact that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton isn’t joining President Obama on his trip to Moscow next week wouldn’t be worth a second glance. The secretary of state doesn’t always join the president on big overseas trips, and she did just injure her arm.
But then you recall this story from a few days ago . . .
[Iran backstabbing speculation]
It’s supremely unlikely those leaks came from Obama’s people; for them, there’s no upside to a story that implies, “the secretary of state thinks the president is wimping out.”
We saw some foreign-policy disagreements during the primary, and now the secretary’s traditional role as the point person on all events, crises, and issues beyond our borders is being hemmed in by various special envoys and czars. Yesterday, the White House announced Vice President Biden would be overseeing progress in Iraq.
Is she tiring of him? Is he tiring of her? Or is this just the usual sand in the gears?
[Aside on czars: Assist to Rush for pointing out how undemocratic they are. No congressional hearings as for cabinet secretaries, just pure power. And Obama’s admin is infested with them.]
I suspect that she may be tiring of him more than the other way around. As Jim notes, Hillary has options right now; she can run for governor in New York, or she can try another run at the Senate, if she doesn’t mind bumping Gillibrand out of her old seat. Obama has curtailed her reach since she took the job, promoting UN Ambassador Susan Rice to a Cabinet-level position and appointing czars to bypass Hillary in other areas.
Obama needs Hillary more than the other way around, especially as his economic policies start to tank. He needs a strong connection back to the DLC Democrats, which Hillary provides. He also needs a fall person on foreign affairs when things get bad. If there’s a split, it will damage Obama much more than Hillary, and it would set her up for a run at him in a 2012 primary, which may be her goal if Obama falls apart at the midterms.
Right wing wet dreams, or a serious rift? Maybe a bit of both, for now, but I’d bet a million Zimbabwean dollars that Hillary didn’t take the job to share it with the likes of Joe Biden, the czar of all the Iraqs. (See, Joe thought Iraq should be split into three nations, and now he’s czar, so, you see—never mind.)
And I’d wager a Chrysler dealership that Obama doesn’t trust her farther than he can throw the USS John C. Stennis.
My bother was always fond of saying “Opinions are like a**holes. Everybody’s got one.” But he forgot the second part: “And everyone thinks everyone else’s stinks.”
I suppose I didn’t need to share that with you, but the corollary to that aphorism is that everybody has an opinion on Iran, and some of them stink more than others:
I would imagine the State Department is still baffled as to why the regime in Teheran felt it necessary to steal the election to a degree unprecedented in the 30-year history of the Islamic republic. It’s not so long ago that Bill Clinton was saying stuff like this:
Iran today is, in a sense, the only country where progressive ideas enjoy a vast constituency. It is there that the ideas that I subscribe to are defended by a majority… In every single election, the guys I identify with got two thirds to 70 per cent of the vote. There is no other country in the world I can say that about, certainly not my own.
It will take us a while to figure out why the enforcers of a long exhausted Islamic revolution behaved as they did.
…
Our concerns are largely irrelevant: Obama? They don’t care about his speeches. The nukes? They’ll happen regardless, with wide support. This election was stolen for reasons of internal survival and long-term regional strategy by a regime confident enough to snub not just a US government promoting impotence as moral virtue but those allies in Europe who regularly jet in to offer cooing paeans to the vibracy of Iranian democracy.
I blame President Obama, naturally. Who better to have taught the mullahs how to steal an election? Get others thrown off the ballot, let the dead vote—repeatedly—but don’t pay for a landslide when a squeaker will do.
President Clinton may have been talking about the Iranian people, and he may have been right, but to speak about Iran in any sense that does not address the mullahs who actually run the place is disingenuous, dishonest, delusional. Kind of like his Democratic predecessor in the White House and his Democratic successor.
