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Obama finally stated that he will announce a new Afghan policy..."in a few weeks". So, see you next year?
The press is (finally) reporting that Obama's foreign policy team(s) are "coming down to Earth". This was inevitable. After declaring hosts of things would be "different" than what the Bush administration had done the Obama administration has quietly continued to implement Bush policies on numerous fronts (while still declaring to be doing things "differently").
And in the area of foreign policy we find that Obama is again a lot like Bush. 41 even more so than 43!
Obama's strategy (if one can call it that) appears to be a mix of dithering and passive-aggressive attempts to "charm" the other side into agreeing with him. For example, Hillary Clinton breezed into the Middle East proudly proclaiming Obama's support for Israel, apparently convinced that Obama's charm (and her own, of course) would cause the various opponents of Israel to simply shrug and say "gee, when you put it that way, how can we say no?"
The frosty response they got instead has caused them to publicly backtrack from their emphatic support for Israel. Which is a shame because it is about the only thing they had maintained an emphatic pose about all year!
In Pakistan Hillary Clinton expresses astonishment that no one in the government seems to know what is going on. Clearly our past difficulties in the region where all Bush's fault, so it was merely a matter of showing up and declaring that the best and the brightest were on the job now for that region to fall neatly into order, right? Or...Hillary finds out that we are working, at best, with a tenuous grip on the few moderates in the Pakistani government who are at odds with the Taliban allies in their own government. (Recall that the Pakistani ISI created the Taliban!) Good luck hoping that situation will change soon!
I expect the coming year will be a lot like the last year. A lot of declarations about doing things "differently" than Bush while quietly continuing his policies and hoping that someone, somewhere catches Obama fever and hands him the foreign policy equivalent of his unearned Nobel Peace Prize.
In the mean time, we can always gaze back upon the "good old days" of the Reagan years, when the US could successfully maneuver nations into doing our bidding with the only kind of realpolitik that counts: an impressive military which can back up our reasonable "requests" for help.
Current Mood : busy 
Tags : bush administration, foreign policy, hillary clinton, obama administration
Location : Home
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As soon as I heard about Bill's mission I knew that Hillary was not going to be pleased.
KINSHASA, Congo – U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's temper flared on Monday when a Congolese university student asked for her husband's thinking on an international matter.
"My husband is not secretary of state. I am," an obviously annoyed Clinton replied sharply.
She's realizing that Obama is successfully marginalizing her. I predict a post-mid-term election resignation!
Current Mood : amused 
Tags : barack obama, bill clinton, hillary clinton
Location : Home
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Unlike his endless dithering over Iran and its elections, President Obama swiftly proclaimed his support for one side in the Honduras "is it a coup or counter-coup?" affair.
Unfortunately for Obama he came down on the wrong side of liberty.
The Honduran military moved to oust a President who was channeling Hugo Chavez (or Fidel Castro or just about any other socialist strong man) and attempting to use an illegal referendum to lend an air of legitimacy to his attempt to become "President for life".
This move was at odds with the Honduran courts, congress and even the sitting President's own political party.
So the military moved in and invited Manuel Zelaya to leave the country. (As in, not kill him!) They then oversaw the swearing in of the Speaker of the Honduran Parliament as interim President until the November elections.
Gee, sounds like a massive killing-fields meant to perpetuate an authoritarian regime. No, wait, that's Iran.
Obama is even at odds with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who said the action was "not a coup".
Looks like Obama needs even more on the job training!
Current Mood : amused
Tags : barack obama, hillary clinton, honduras, obama administration
Location : Home
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She would be unwise to accept the position. It removes her as a political obstacle to Obama in the Senate and makes her important only as long as Obama wants her to be. And once the day comes where he decides to "go in a different direction" she's out of her Senate seat with nowhere to go.
Current Mood : sleepy 
Tags : hillary clinton, obama administration
Location : Home
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Hillary's argument—that as the second-best Democrat she is the best person to defeat a Republican—reveals some of the internal thought processes of certain Democrats.
Those certain Democrats would be the ones who play the myriad special interests within the party against each other in order to maintain their grip on power.
You see, it was supposed to be a year in which a "minority" won the nomination and demonstrated the great compassion Democrats have for the downtrodden. But a funny thing has happened on the way to the coronation nomination. The wrong minority is winning.
Wrong because Obama does not represent the real power within the Democratic Party. Instead he represent all the people who follow the party because they think what the party says is actually what the party stands for.
So the people who have been manipulating minorities against each other for the past few decades have received a rude awakening: the minorities have stated quite clearly that they don't want a half-measure when it comes to this election. If the party pretends to desire someone who is both everyman and a victim then someone from a powerful political family cannot truly be that person. Especially when that powerful political family has already been in the White House.
The super delegates were supposed to be the way the Democrats kept something like this from happening. By providing the illusion of voters deciding who the nominee would be they kept the rank and file happy. Unfortunately for the Democrat insiders, the voters have stuck with their candidate despite not-so-subtle attempts to divide and conquer his supporters.
Hillary is $20 million in debt and going deeper. Someone...anyone...should tell her it is time to stop digging. Even an infamous Clinton campaign surprise can't save her now.
Democrats should be thankful that Republicans are just as divided and their prospective nominee is too politically inept to take advantage of the Democrat divisions.
Current Mood : sick 
Tags : 2008 election, hillary clinton
Location : The floor
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It's a good strategy. I approve.
Once he starts talking about running mates and what kind of person he'd pick for cabinet posts Hillary will be placed in an almost untenable position. She's behind in both elected delegates and super delegates and Obama has won more contests than she has.
The longer he allows the debate to remain focused on who is winning the longer Hillary has to—if you'll pardon the expression—pull a Clinton. ;)
Current Mood : relaxed
Tags : 2008 election, barack obama, hillary clinton
Location : The living room
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Hillary is being tabbed the winner of the Pennsylvania contest by Fox News.
Good news for those of us who are enjoying the protracted contest!
I have to say I agree with Hillary's supporters when they say that if Barack can't win the Ohio-New York corridor in the primaries he will be the weaker candidate to win those states in the fall.
Current Mood : happy
Tags : 2008 election, barack obama, hillary clinton, pennsylvania
Location : Home
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She's going to "end the war on science".
So does that mean she's going to stop pimping for the Church of Climate Change or that she's going to surrender in that war as well as the one in Iraq?
Current Mood : busy
Tags : hillary clinton, science
Location : Home
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Hillary has been caught in yet another lie. Among the many embroidered tales she has been telling on the campaign was one about a poor unwed Ohio mother who worked in a pizza parlor and died—along with her unborn child—because she had no insurance and a hospital refused to treat her.
The thing is while the person involved, Trina Bachtel, did die (and her baby was stillborn) it wasn't because she lacked for insurance or because a hospital refuse to treat her. She had insurance and she was never denied care at a hospital.
The excuses are the usual: Hillary heard it from someone who heard it from someone who had a friend who heard it.... That Hillary never bothered to fact check the story says it all. Because it fit neatly into her preconceived notions and agenda she readily accepted and repeated the story as fact.
Because I live in Ohio and used to work in a hospital I could tell this story was bullshit from the start. Unfortunately it is not easy for people in other parts of the country, especially those who only hear the MSM version of events, to know whether someone like that could be denied treatment at a hospital in Ohio.
The question remains: if Hillary has to lie about the current state of affairs in order to push her agenda for socialized medicine, how necessary is her "cure"?
Current Mood : determined 
Tags : 2008 election, health care, hillary clinton, lies
Location : Home
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Her end of the Democrat in-fighting, distortion and all-around foolishness, that is.
This time she pulled an Al Gore and embellished a perfectly fine story about her going to Bosnia into a death-defying event.
Why? Apparently being around violence makes one a better candidate for President. Considering that Senator McCain was actually in a real war if I have to question the efficacy of that strategy when it comes to the general election. Being "around" gunfire is certainly no match for being a combat pilot who was shot down and served years as a P.O.W.
So now it is Obama's turn to mess up again. I can hardly wait to see what his camp will come up with!
Current Mood : amused
Tags : 2008 election, hillary clinton
Location : Not Bosnia
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The more the Democrats fight with each other can call each other "Judas" the less McCain has to worry about.
At this rate he can just keep raking in the campaign cash and sit tight until the final daggers are inserted during the Democrat nominating convention.
Personally, I'm having fun watching the Clinton machine alienate one of the most loyal voting blocks in the Democrat Party as it wrenches the nomination away from Barack.
Hillary is an awful campaigner and a divided party will only help McCain win in the fall.
Current Mood : amused
Tags : 2008 election, barack obama, hillary clinton, john mccain
Location : Not Belgium
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:D
But the exit polls showed her comfortably ahead so I voted for Fred Thompson instead. Plus I got to vote against a local candidate who needs to be defeated.
I saw that Obama's lawyers got their stronghold precincts held open way past the state deadline for voting. Isn't it interesting that the left can find people who will stand in line for hours and hours late into the night to vote but can't find five minutes to obtain a state issued ID for voting purposes?
Oh yeah, McCain secured the Republican nomination. Zzzzzzz. Truly the sound of one hand clapping. Rumor has it that Huckabee has finally called it quits. Hooray for winner take all...?
Hopefully Hillary and Barack will continue to bash each other right through their convention. I keep waiting for Barack to come back with a "3:15 AM" phone commercial but alas, none has been forthcoming. (And no, his little "anti war" internet video doesn't count.)
Current Mood : tired
Tags : barack obama, hillary clinton, john mccain
Location : Home
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Barack Obama and John McCain swept their respective Potomac primaries, winning in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia.
The wins are more decisive for McCain as the contests are winner take all on the Republican side. This puts him within easy striking distance of the 1191 delegates needed to secure the nomination which he may win in the March 4th primaries that include Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas.
For Obama it means that he is winning head-to-head contests with Hillary (with impressive margins tonight) and only trailing in delegates because Hillary has secured more "super" delegates that are not awarded in state contests. That's a dilemma for Democrats. There are no "super" delegates to save a candidate in a general election.
Current Mood : busy
Tags : 2008 election, barack obama, hillary clinton, john mccain, mike huckabee
Location : Home
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Wow, Barack Obama is starting to really pull away from Hillary! He has already been declared the winner there and his margin is impressive. In a move that demonstrates just how clear the victory is, Hillary has already moved on to Texas, which doesn't vote until March 4th!
On the Republican side Huckabee and McCain are neck and neck. This is a bad sign for McCain who would like to be perceived as having locked up the nomination. As I mentioned before, he's seeing a lot of "anyone but McCain...even if that's Huckabee" voting out there. If he thought one speech at CPAC would allay the fears of conservatives who mistrust him, he was mistaken.
Here's some free advice, John: tell people precisely what your economic, foreign and domestic policies would entail. We want to know if you are going to go "green" and saddle the US with a carbon tax or other onerous regulations. We want to know if campaign finance "reform" was just the tip of the incumbent protection act iceberg. When you said that spending cuts were the reason you objected to Bush era tax cut plans then pledge that spending will be cut every year while you are in office. Tell us who you think would make great Supreme Court justices.
Give us some "straight talk" on what your administration would be like!
Current Mood : busy
Tags : 2008 election, barack obama, hillary clinton, john mccain, mike huckabee, virginia
Location : Home
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Barack Obama swept Hillary out the door in four contests ranging from Washington state to the Virgin Islands.
WASHINGTON - Sen. Barack Obama swept the Louisiana primary and caucuses in Nebraska and Washington state Saturday night, slicing into Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's slender delegate lead in their historic race for the Democratic presidential nomination.
The Illinois senator also won caucuses in the Virgin Islands, completing his best night of the campaign.
"Today, voters from the West Coast to the Gulf Coast to the heart of America stood up to say 'yes we can'" Obama told a cheering audience of Democrats at a party dinner in Richmond, Va.
I think Hillary's little "I'm broke!" sham backfired!
Current Mood : sleepy
Tags : 2008 election, barack obama, hillary clinton
Location : Home
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I will update throughout the evening.
As of 8PM McCain is winning some early victories in states like IL and CT while Romney has won in MA. Huckabee has apparently taken WV. I'm not sure why anyone is surprised about that. West Virginia is Arkansas with shoes. :D
8:15 McCain is projected as the winner in New Jersey.
Obama is projected to win IL and GA. Hillary Clinton in OK. Hillary is also expected to get at least 10 "super" (at large) delegates at this point. TN is leaning Clinton at this point.
8:30 Hillary and Huckabee are projected to win in AR. No surprises there! Hillary has been tabbed to win TN now as well.
8:40 McCain takes DE. Huckabee wins in AL.
8:50 Hillary is projected to win in MA.
9:00 Hillary is tabbed to win NY. AZ too close to call for both parties. This is a surprise since AZ is McCain's home state. John...call Al Gore and have him remind you that you can't win without your home state!
9:05 Obama takes DE.
9:10 Fox News calls NJ for Hillary.
9:25 It's Obama in Bama.
9:30 McCain in NY and Obama in KS.
9:45 Romney will undoubtedly win Utah, but if he doesn't win CA he's toast. Winner take all does that!
9:55 McCain is OK in OK. Obama is spudrific in ID.
10:00 Obama joins Romney at the top of UT. Huckabee is surprisingly strong in GA, MO and TN.
10:15 Obama takes CT.
10:20 Obama takes MN.
10:30 Romney wins ND.
10:35 TN, GA (Boortz brigades?) for Huckabee, AZ for McCain (finally).
Note: as of now both Romney and Huckabee have declared they are continuing with their campaigns. So do I still vote Thompson? :D
10:55 Hillary said she will bring the troops home from Iraq on the first day of her administration and that she is not going to let the truth get in the way of her goals. (!) Does she know the cameras are on?
11:10 Romney wins in MT.
11:12 Obama wins in CO.
11:30 Huckabee and McCain still tied in MO with 88% reporting. Hillary has a slight lead in MO.
11:45 So...why did Hillary and Barack both feel the need to bring up the storms that hit parts of the country tonight? If your home was destroyed by a tornado and your loved ones killed...would that make you feel better? Talk about hijacking a tragedy for your own needs!
12:00 Hillary wins AZ. California won't be decided until far too late for me to detail here. :P
Current Mood : busy
Tags : 2008 election, barack obama, hillary clinton, john mccain, mike huckabee, mitt romney
Location : Home
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Hillary let slip one of her most cherished dreams: the desire to make it illegal to oppose her policies.
WASHINGTON - Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton said Sunday she might be willing to have workers' wages garnisheed if they refuse to buy health insurance to achieve coverage for all Americans.
It is all part of the New Slavery liberals have been working on since they realized they had lost the civil rights battle more than 40 years ago. They will replace physical chains with economic chains and they don't really care who gets snared in their trap.
Current Mood : determined
Tags : 2008 election, hillary clinton, slavery
Location : Home
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Previous entries
