The Debt Ceiling Debate: The Obama vs. Boehner speeches (Videos)

I just got through watching both Obama's and John Boehner's speeches. Again, I feel like vomiting over the whole foolish mess. With Obama's ridiculous lies about Social Security and Boehner's foolish entertainment of Democrat's disingenuous compromises, I am rapidly losing hope that America will dodge this bullet.

Of the two speeches, Obama's was clearly the worse. Obama's speech could have easily been spliced together from his past speeches over the last two years. It was the same old dog and pony show we have seen over and over again.

• Class warfare, complete with evil corporate jets - check.
• One sided shared sacrifice - check.
• Blame Bush - check.

and the list goes on and on.

No where in Obama's 15 minute speech did Obama offer a clear cut path plan of action. Instead, it was the usual dump it all in Congress' lap and then take to the podium to play the role of college professor. Of course in doing so, Obama made his usual massive contradictions. Like this gem:

[...]In the past, raising the debt ceiling was routine. Since the 1950s, Congress has always passed it, and every President has signed it. President Reagan did it 18 times. George W. Bush did it seven times. And we have to do it by next Tuesday, August 2nd, or else we won’t be able to pay all of our bills.

[...] But the new approach that Speaker Boehner unveiled today, which would temporarily extend the debt ceiling in exchange for spending cuts, would force us to once again face the threat of default just six months from now. In other words, it doesn’t solve the problem.

So, Reagan had to deal with 18 extensions of the debt ceiling over 8 year, which breaks down to less than 6 months intervals and the economy thrived under those conditions. However, a six month extension today would be catastrophe? This is why Obama is so disingenuous and phony.

Boehner is once again talking the talk but failing to walk the walk. Boehner would not be in the pressure cooker had he declared way back in November that the debt ceiling was not going to be raised. Had he taken that stance eight months ago, he would have had eight months to defuse all the liberal arguments, scare tactics and power plays. He would have been in the position of demanding Democrats start coming up with their cuts to go along with the Republican cuts. The markets would have known months ago that America was not raising its debt ceiling and that it was going to use the next eight months to seriously tackle the problem, rather than try to mash something together in less than a month.

The CBO's scoring of Boehner's plan clearly shows that Boehner is more concern about the political aspects of the debate than actually forcing real change. Pity for all of us.

Via: Memeorandum
Via: The Washington Post
Via: WhiteHouse.gov
Via: The Right Scoop
Via: Politico

The Debt Ceiling Debate - Liars and Losers on display

I have been watching the debt ceiling debate with absolute disgust. Seriously, I am on the verge of vomiting from the outright lies, distortions, political games and typical Washington foolishness. Never in my life have I witness such dysfunction!


First we have Obama who has now taken to flat out lying to the American people. Today on CBS News Obama was asked a straight forward question about whether or not Social Security checks would go out next month and here is what the Liar In Chief said:

CBS News: President Obama on Tuesday said he cannot guarantee that retirees will receive their Social Security checks August 3 if Democrats and Republicans in Washington do not reach an agreement on reducing the deficit in the coming weeks.

"I cannot guarantee that those checks go out on August 3rd if we haven't resolved this issue. Because there may simply not be the money in the coffers to do it," Mr. Obama said in an interview with CBS Evening News anchor Scott Pelley, according to excerpts released by CBS News.

This is a bold face lie, plain and simple. The Social Security Administration claims to have $2.5 trillion surplus. Monthly expenditures for Social Security is about $60 billion. How then on God's green Earth can Obama say with a straight face that he cannot guarantee seniors will receive their on August 3rd?

Obama should be shown the door immediately for lying to the American people like this and CBS News should have their licence revoked for not calling Obama out on such a lie. It is absolutely disgusting!

Aside from a lapdog media, Obama is comfortable lying to the public because he knows he is dealing with a bunch of loser Republicans. The Republican leadership is a bunch of losers because they immediately went down the road of agreeing to raise the debt ceiling from the get go.

Back in January when they took control of the House, Republicans were quick to agree with the left's lie that calamity would befall the world if the debt ceiling was not raise. Now we have Republican leadership willing to abdicate it constitutional authority of the purse strings to the president in order to avoid political heat.

Enter loser Mitch McConnell:

Desperate to get out of the political box they helped to create, Senate Republicans are actively pursuing a new plan under which the debt ceiling would grow in three increments over the remainder of this Congress unless lawmakers approve a veto-proof resolution of disapproval.

In effect lawmakers would be surrendering the very power of approval that the GOP has used to force the debt crisis now. But by taking the disapproval route, Republicans can shift the onus more onto the White House and Democrats since a two-thirds majority would be needed to stop any increase that President Barack Obama requests.

“It gives the president 100 percent of the responsibility for increasing the debt limit if he chooses not to have any spending reductions,” Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander, the Republican Conference chairman, told reporters Tuesday. [MORE]

Mitch McConnell must be the stupidest man on earth. If he thinks abdicating his constitutional responsibility to Obama will stop Obama. I have two words for McConnell ... "bully pulpit". Obama will, with the aid of a complicit media, use the bully pulpit to spin raising the debt ceiling endlessly by claiming all spending as much needed "investments" (e.g. we need to "invest" in high speed rail, we need to "invest" in new infrastructural, we need to "invest" in fill in the blank). The media will be all to happy to find statistics and economists who will back up the need for these "investments".

The reason why the debt ceiling debate has turned into a parade of liars and losers is because neither Republican nor Democrat has the guts to force Washington to live within its means. If Washington was forced to live "pay check to pay check" like so many Americans have to, it would quickly find that it would be forced to make real and drastic cuts to spending.
For the first time in history, Washington would have to do away with duplicate departments, failed programs, crazy projects, corporate welfare, subsides, non-essential military spending and of course congressional and executive perks. Furthermore, the American people would actually get to see exactly what the welfare state is costing them. Will Americans be willing to pay for lavish things like free presicription drugs for all seniors regardless of their income? Or will Americans be willing to give the children of illegal aliens a free college education instead or paying for infrastructure improvements? Faced with such stark choices, would Americans continue to be so passive about government spending?  I doubt it.

What I would not give to have one adult step into this fray and inject much needed commonsense into the debate.  Perhaps, Sarah Palin might come to the rescue with a scathing Facebook post.

Via: Memeorandum

Via: CBS News

Via: SSA.gov

Via: Politico

Netroots Nation, the left vent about Obama

There were several stories on Memeorandum yesterday about how progressives at Netroots Nation vented their displeasure about the Obama administration. In a nutshell the complaints are that the Obama administration has not been progressive enough (i.e. Obama hasn't given enough attention to a particular grievance group).

To be fair to Obama, the administration has done its fair share of Hippy Punching. Publicly Obama has dismissed some of the concerns of progressives, but behind the scenes he is working hard to make their dreams come true. Take ObamaCare for instance. Many progressives lament that there was no public option or that ObamaCare did not directly move America to a single payer system. However, if you look at how ObamaCare will effect the current system, it is clear that it was designed to destroy the current system and clear the path for single payer.

So why does Obama treat progressives so shabby in public? Simple, it is because he knows he owns them. Obama realizes that these hardcore progressives will always pull the lever for him no matter what. Because Democrats have done a good job ideologically enslaving their base. They accomplished this by getting these various groups to see the right a pure evil. Thus, it becomes impossible to vote for the right or to just sit back and let the right win. Under this kind of thinking, you only have one choice and that is to keep voting for Democrats no matter how much they lie and cheat you.

Witness Obama's latest slap in the face to gays. The gay bloggers are up in arms, but you know, I know and Obama knows they will be vote for more abuse come November 2012.
Via: Memeorandum
Via: AmericaBlog Gay

Via: NPR

Attack of The Machines: Obama blames ATMs for high unemployment

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Fox Nation: President Obama explained to NBC News that the reason companies aren't hiring is not because of his policies, it's because the economy is so automated. ... "There are some structural issues with our economy where a lot of businesses have learned to become much more efficient with a lot fewer workers. You see it when you go to a bank and you use an ATM, you don't go to a bank teller, or you go to the airport and you're using a kiosk instead of checking in at the gate."

First of all, ATMs replaced tellers like 20 years ago, so it is complete BS to say it is a factor of today's high unemployment. Second of all, isn't this the same guy who is saying we need to invest (i.e. waste more borrowed money) on new technology in order to "Win The Future" (WTF)? Did he think about what will happen to all those gas station attendants if his electric car wet dream comes true? Let me guess, he will just have a nice laugh about how Green Jobs weren't so green after all.

Get the hook, this clown is done.

Via: Memeorandum
Via: Fox Nation

Obama: My family would be fine with just 1 term

Associated Press: WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama says his wife and daughters aren't "invested" in him being president and would have been fine had he decided against running for re-election. But he says they believe in what he's doing for the country.

Asked about his family's reaction to his wanting another term, Obama said: "Michelle and the kids are wonderful in that if I said, `You know, guys, I want to do something different,' They'd be fine. They're not invested in daddy being president or my husband being president."

He says first lady Michelle Obama would be the first one to encourage him to do something "a little less stressful" if she no longer thought that what they were doing was worthwhile for the country. Obama's interview aired Tuesday on NBC's "Today" show.

I got a newsflash for Obama, his family isn't the only ones who would be cool with him being an OTP (One Term President). I think it is safe to say all those folks who are watching their home values shrink to nothing are cool with Obama being an OTP. All those unemployed speed bumps are probably down with some OTP. I am pretty sure the next two generations of Americans who are looking at a mountain of debt are probably way cool with OTP.

While Obama was selling that idea to the Today Show, Michelle Obama was telling a fundraiser in Southern California quite a different tale.

Politico: First lady Michelle Obama on Monday told a fundraiser in Southern California of the toll the presidency has taken on her husband Barack Obama.

"I see the sadness and worry that's creasing his face," she said to a crowd of about 500 at the Pasadena luncheon organized by the Southern California Women For Obama. She described his worth ethic as “tireless,” according to pool reports.

"He reads every word, every memo, so he is better prepared than the people briefing him," she said. "This man doesn't take a day off."

She said the next two years of campaigning would be difficult for the Obamas and their supporters. "It is not going to be easy, and it is going to be long," she said. "Now more than ever we need your help to finish what we started."

Doesn't take a day off? WTF? Unless homeboy carries a Kindle in his back pocket, I am pretty sure he ain't reading jack on those endless golf outings.

Unlike 2008, the Obama's cannot fill their resume with tons of empty rhetoric. Hope and Change has a record this time and it stinks to high heaven. Simply saying things and not having the media call you out, won't work this time. If I were Michelle, I would stop telling lies at fundraisers and start measuring drapes for their new home, because their OTP wish is about to come true.

Via: Memeorandum
Via: Associated Press
Via: Politico

Weinergate: Obama on Weiner "I would resign"

MSNBC: In an exclusive interview with TODAY’s Ann Curry that will air on Tuesday’s show, President Barack Obama said that if he were Democratic Congressman Anthony Weiner right now, he would resign in the wake of the scandal in which Weiner admitted to sending explicit photos of himself to women online.

“I can tell you that if it was me, I would resign,’’ Obama told Curry.

Weiner has been the talk of the nation since he was caught sending lewd photos of himself to various women on multiple social media platforms, prompting the head of the Democratic National Party to call for him to step down and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi to demand an ethics committee investigation.

“When you get to the point where, because of various personal distractions, you can't serve as effectively as you need to, at the time when people are worrying about jobs, and their mortgages, and paying the bills — then you should probably step back,’’ Obama said. [MORE]

If it weren't for the fact that Joe Biden is embarrassingly stupid, I would suggest that someone in the White House tweet a pic of Obama's junk. Not that I really believe a damn word coming out of Obama's mouth, but just in case he really would resign, it might be worth a shot.

All funniness aside, I think Anthony Weiner's days are now done. Pelosi and Wasserman-Schultz have come out against Weiner (for folks who are suppose to champion women, it sure took a long time for these gals to condemn Weiner) and now Obama has too. Democrats must realize that whatever traction they may have picked up with Mediscare, it is being squandered by the Weiner Show. Come on Anthony Weiner stick around a little longer, we need ya man!

Via: Memeorandum
Via: MSNBC
Via: New York Daily News

The thrill is gone: Obama fundraiser underwhelms

Politico: MIAMI, Fla. -- A low-dollar fundraiser here Monday felt like a throwback to the 2008 campaign. 

There was the same old soundtrack – including “City of Blinding Lights” by U2, the president’s 2008 anthem -- the enthusiastic organizers and the abundant appeals for supporters to rally behind President Obama. 

The one missing element? Overflowing crowds. 

Granted, it was a fundraiser, not a free rally. But the empty seats were hard to miss. 

The top level of the 2,200-seat concert hall at the Adrienne Arsht Center for Performing Arts was entirely empty, as were the seats along the side of the second and third levels. 

"The expectation was 900," a Democratic official said, and more than 980 tickets were sold.

Tickets for the Gen 44 event started at $44, the official said. 

Are you buying that excuse?  If they were only expecting 900 why the heck did they get a hall for 2,200? Perhaps it is just more wasteful spending from this administration. Sarah Palin would have had no problem filling 2,200 seats at twice the price.  Something for the left to think about.

Whatever the case maybe, the magic of Hope and Change is dead and bury.  Obama's record is starting to stink up the joint.  It is only at short matter of time before public opinion solidifies and he is pronounced a universal failure.   

Via: Politico

Video: Obama jokes about "shovel ready" projects

The Blaze: Shovel-ready jobs were supposed to be a staple of Obama’s Recovery Act. It was a big justification for spending the money involved in the legislation. But soon after using the phrase to sell his recovery plan, word started leaking out there there was no such thing as a shovel-ready job. Obama himselfadmitted that.

So maybe it’s not surprising that today, Obama once again backpedaled on the shovel-ready mantra. Fox Nation reports:

President Obama’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness met today in Durham, NC at Cree Inc., a company that manufactures energy-efficient LED lighting. One of the Council’s recommendations to President Obama was to streamline the federal permit process for construction and infrastructure projects. It was explained to Obama that the permitting process can delay projects for “months to years … and in many cases even cause projects to be abandoned … I’m sure that when you implemented the Recovery Act your staff briefed you on many of these challenges.” At this point, Obama smiled and interjected, “Shovel-ready was not as … uh .. shovel-ready as we expected.” The Council, led by GE’s Jeffrey Immelt, erupted in laughter.

Hee Haw! Just think, that little knee slapper only cost your children a cool $1 trillion! Considering how vulnerable Obama is on the jobs front, he should not be laughing. Heck, even Mitt Romney can score a winner with this ad on "speed bumps on the road to recovery".

Via: The Blaze
Via: The Right Scoop

Here we go again with the "unexpected" jobless claims theme

Bloomberg: U.S. initial jobless claims unexpectedly rose last week, a sign that the labor market is struggling to gain traction.

Jobless claims increased by 1,000 to 427,000 in the week ended June 4, Labor Department figures showed today in Washington. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg News projected a drop in claims to 419,000, according to the median forecast. The number of people on unemployment benefit rolls and those receiving extended payments decreased.

Some employers are cutting staff as demand slows because of elevated energy prices, falling house prices and tight credit. The economy generated the fewest jobs in May in eight months and theunemployment rate rose, a report showed last week.

“The labor market is obviously struggling,” Michael Feroli, chief U.S. economist at JPMorgan Chase & Co. in New York, said before the report. “I expect claims to stabilize and eventually come down.”

It was the ninth consecutive week that claims were above 400,000. They reached a two-year low of 375,000 in February.

The median forecast was based on a survey of 49 economists. Estimates ranged from 400,000 to 430,000. The Labor Department revised the prior week’s figure to 426,000 from the 422,000 initially reported.

Payrolls grew by 54,000 workers last month after increasing by 232,000 in April, Labor Department data showed last week. The jobless rate rose to 9.1 percent from 9 percent.

Once the Obama administration is nothing more than a bad aftertaste in America's mouth, I will welcome the day when we no longer hear the word "unexpected". Whenever this administration gets bad economic news, the media uses the word "unexpected" to cover for Obama's failed policies.

What I do not understand about this strategy is that it goes against the media's well crafted meme that Obama is an intellectual heavyweight. How can such a "brilliant" president constantly be caught off guard with so much "unexpected" bad news.

The truth is there is no speed-bump in the road to recovery, there is a very solid brick wall and it is called Obama.

Via: Memeorandum
Via: Bloomberg

Via: The Washington Times

Obama's Osama bounce goes bye-bye

Washington Post: The public opinion boost President Obama received after the killing of Osama bin Laden has dissipated, and Americans’ disapproval of how he is handling the nation’s economy and the deficit has reached new highs, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

The survey portrays a broadly pessimistic mood in the country this spring as higher gasoline prices, sliding home values and a disappointing employment picture have raised fresh concerns about the pace of the economic recovery.

By 2 to 1, Americans say the country is pretty seriously on the wrong track, and nine in 10 continue to rate the economy in negative terms. Nearly six in 10 say the economy has not started to recover, regardless of what official statistics may say, and most of those who say it has improved rate the recovery as weak. [MORE]

No one should be surprised by Obama losing his Osama bounce. No one can eat a dead Osama, no one can fill their tank with a dead Osama and no one can pay their bills with a dead Osama. It is all about the economy and this WaPo/ABC News poll shows Americans are not feeling Obama on all matters of the economy.

Overall, about six in 10 of those surveyed give Obama negative marks on the economy and the deficit. Significantly, nearly half strongly disapprove of his performance in these two crucial areas. Nearly two-thirds of political independents disapprove of the president’s handling of the economy, including — for the first time — a slim majority who do so strongly.

In another indicator of rapidly shifting views on economic issues, 45 percent trust congressional Republicans over the president when it comes to dealing with the economy, an 11-point improvement for the GOP since March. Still, nearly as many, 42 percent, side with Obama on this issue.

The president has sought to point to progress on the economy, particularly in the automobile industry, and to argue that the policies he put in place at the beginning of his term are working. But the combined effects of weak economic indicators and dissatisfaction among the public are adding to the political pressures on the White House as the president’s advisers look toward what could be a difficult 2012 reelection campaign.

Talked up individual economic indicators and talk about how much worse things might have been, won't save Obama from a reelection defeat if the public doesn't feel significant improvements in the economy. Obama has less than a year and a half to bring this economy back. Failure to do so will certainly spell the end of the Obama administration and usher in a Republican president.

That brings us to the second part of the WaPo/ABC News poll. The poll shows Mitt Romney taking a slight lead over Obama (49/46). All other GOP contenders are behind. This part of the poll, I pretty much dismiss. It is just too early to take these match up polls seriously. Case in point, Newt Gingrich does second best against Obama at 44% to Obama's 50%. Given Gingrich's early meltdown these numbers should be far worse. The reason they are not is because most Americans are not focused on 2012 yet. Once the primaries and debates start in earnest, I expect these numbers to change dramatically.

Via: Memeorandum
Via: Washington Post

Obama gives up on daily economic briefings

If you ever had the feeling that Obama isn't on the ball when it comes to the economy, this might just be the reason.

The Hill: At some point during the first two years of his administration, President Obama stopped receiving the daily economic briefing that he requested when he took office.

Former White House press secretary Robert Gibbs announced at his own first daily briefing reporters that Obama asked for the daily economic briefing, described then as comparable to the daily intelligence briefing the president gets every morning.

“The president asked that this be added every day to his schedule,” Gibbs said at the time. Gibbs added that Obama believed it is “important that each day he receive the most up to date information as it relates to the economy.”

But at some point, the daily economic briefings stopped showing up on Obama's daily schedule.

White House officials said the meetings slowly petered out, but Obama still receives a daily economic briefing on paper. [MORE]

I always had the impression that Obama was following a pre-made plan when guiding the nation. If you recall Obama's plans for America during the 2008 elections, you will find not much has changed since then. Never mind that the economy has gone through all sorts of contortions, Obama still had his plan for fixing healthcare, education and energy. These big bucks plans of Obama did not always jive with the economic realities at hand, but he followed them anyway.

Perhaps a master blueprint is the reason why he does not need daily economic briefings. It seems to me that any sane individual who is pushing top down control of the economy, would want to follow every subtle change. At any rate, Obama's handling of the economy has been an abysmal failure.

Via: The Hill

Just Say No: Rep Jeff Landry (LA) turns down invitation to White House

The Hill: A freshman GOP lawmaker rejected an invitation to the White House on Wednesday, saying he didn't want to be “lectured” by President Obama.

“I have respectfully declined the president’s invitation to the White House today,” Rep. Jeff Landry (La.) said in a statement. “I don’t intend to spend my morning being lectured to by a president whose failed policies have put our children and grandchildren in a huge burden of debt.” [...]

Landry said he would not sit down with Obama to negotiate on a deficit reduction compromise until Obama produces his own budget plan.

“Until the president produces a responsible deficit reduction plan, I’m not going to the White House to negotiate with myself. Our conference has put out for months where we would start the process,” Landry continued. [...]

Landry also criticized Obama for neglecting to meet with the Louisiana delegation about a drilling moratorium off the Gulf of Mexico.

“The President has done nothing, just like he has for the people of the Gulf Coast,” Landry said.

“For months, the Louisiana delegation has sent the president numerous requests to meet with him or his chief of staff concerning the de facto moratorium issued in the Gulf of Mexico, a de facto moratorium that has driven gas prices up and now threatens to derail economic recovery; the president hasn’t even had the courtesy to write us a note back.”

Landry said the meeting was just “political grandstanding” on Obama’s part.

“I refuse to partake in his political grandstanding that will ultimately do nothing for debt reduction and job creation,” Landry said.

Kudos! It is about time some Republican stopped playing political games with serious issues. Obama has no serious plan for debt reduction or deficit spending. Yet, the GOP leadership cannot fall over themselves fast enough to compromise their position away. How different things would be if John Boehner has spunk like this? At least there is one fellow man enough to say, I ain't playin'.

Via: Memeorandum
Via: The Hill

Bull, Baby Bull: Obama to open Alaska petroleum reserve to new drilling

 

LA Times: Reporting from Washington— President Obama will open Alaska's national petroleum reserve to new drilling, as part of a broad plan aimed at blunting criticism that he is not doing enough to address rising energy prices.

The plan, unveiled in Obama's weekly radio address Saturday, also would fast-track environmental assessment of petroleum exploration in some portions of the Atlantic and extend the leases of oil companies whose work in the Gulf of Mexico and the Arctic Ocean was interrupted by the drilling moratorium after last year's BP oil spill.

The measures come as high gasoline prices and the resulting popular anger threaten the fragile economic recovery and, possibly, the president's reelection chances in 2012. Congressional Republicans and some Democrats have been clamoring for increased domestic production in response to the rising prices, which economists say vary with global demand. [MORE]

If you think Obama is channeling his inner Sarah Palin and has now embraced her Drill, Baby Drill philosophy, guess again. This is just more of Obama's naked political ambition. If it weren't for the fact that high gas prices will sink his election chances, Obama would say anything like this.

Since we know that oil cannot be extracted from any of the places Obama mentioned before election day, this is just more cheap talk. If Obama is reelected in 2012 (God forbid), he will go back on his word faster than he failed to close Gitmo safe in the knowledge that no drilling actually occurred.

The time for America to increase its own oil production is dangerously overdue and playing reelection games with this issue is just plain cruel.

Via: Memeorandum
Via: The LA Times

If at first you don't succeed...: Obama to renew Muslim outreach

The Wall Street Journal: WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama is preparing a fresh outreach to the Muslim world in coming days, senior U.S. officials say, one that will ask those in the Middle East and beyond to reject Islamic militancy in the wake of Osama bin Laden's death and embrace a new era of relations with the U.S.

Mr. Obama is preparing to deliver that message in a wide-ranging speech, perhaps as early as next week, these officials say. The president intends to argue that bin Laden's death, paired with popular uprisings sweeping North Africa and the Middle East, signal that the time has come to an end when al Qaeda could claim to speak for Muslim aspirations. [MORE]

Here we go again with reaching out to the Muslim world. From day one in office Obama has tried to reach out to the Muslim world. Heck, Obama even turned NASA into a Muslim outreach program, but to date we have yet to see any results. 

Yes, there has been uprising in the Middle East, but no where in those uprising can we definitely point to anything that is leading to a Western style democracy. There is ample evidence that extremists are gaining footholds.

It would be beyond wise for Obama to examine what the payoff has been for his first round of Muslim outreach before he embarks on a new one.

Via: Memeorandum
Via: The Wall Street Journal
Via: Bild.de
Via: Gateway Pundit

Bush declines Ground Zero invitatio

Politico: Former President George W. Bush has turned down President Barack Obama’s invitation to join him at ground zero on Thursday, citing his desire to avoid the media glare.

"President Bush appreciated the invite, but has chosen in his post-presidency to remain largely out of the spotlight,” Bush spokesman David Sherzer told POLITICO in an email Tuesday night. “He continues to celebrate with all Americans this important victory in the war on terror.”

Obama — who has sharply criticized Bush for neglecting the hunt for bin Laden by invading Iraq — made the offer to Bush shortly after he decided on his New York trip, according to two people familiar with the situation. [MORE]

I wonder if Bush is being a classy guy or is he being politically astute in this decision?

On one hand, it is classy to allow Obama the full spotlight he has earned. Despite not catching Osama, much of what Bush did to keep us safe after 9/11 played an important role in finding Osama. Plus, there are still strong memories linking Bush to Ground Zero. Thus for Bush to attend, there is some possibility for him to steal a little of Obama's thunder.

On the other hand it would be politically wise not to attend, given that Obama has not missed a single opportunity to blame Bush and throw him under the bus for everything under the sun. Furthermore, Obama has been known to slam his invited guests (e.g. Paul Ryan during Obama's deficit speech). There is good reason for Bush to believe that his attendance was required only to serve as a visual punching bag for Obama.

Whatever the case maybe, we won't know for sure until Obama is out of office, because Bush follows the unofficial rule of past presidents not criticizing the current president.

Via: Memeorandum
Via: Politico

The politics of Obama's victory over Osama

Now that Osama Bin Ladin has been killed under Obama's watch, people are starting to wonder how this will effect Obama's political prospects for 2012.  In the immediate future it is pretty obvious that Obama will get a bump in the polls, as well as he should. From all accounts Obama chose the more gutsy plan of sending in Navy Seals rather than a Tomahawk cruise missile.  The payoff is that we have proof Osama is dead.


Despite the benefits and the good will, I think the ladies of The View are way off in thinking that Obama has 2012 in the bag now.  The bump Obama will receive from bagging Osama won't last all the way to November 2012.  As Will Jacobson from Legal Insurrection points out 2012 is all about the economy and big government. So long as gasoline, food prices and the threat of higher taxes loom, Obama's 2012 prospects will remain shaky.


The only way I see Osama's death translating into guaranteed votes for Obama in 2012, is if we suffer another attack and Obama makes a credible case that he is the one who will get us justice.  Other than that, Obama can only use the killing of Osama to deflect Republican criticism that he is weak when it comes to fighting terrorism.


For Republican's challenging Obama in 2012, the need to sharpen their attacks and messages on the economy has become even more crucial.  They must also not get too far ahead of themselves in praising Obama's success. If they do, they risk taking the War On Terror completely off the table in 2012.


Via: Memeorandum
Via: Five Thirty Five blog
Via: NewsBusters
Via: Legal Insurrection

BOOM, there it is! Obama releases long form birth certificate

President Obama's Long Form Birth Certificate

View more documents from White House

Well, here is the much talked about and anxiously awaited long form birth certificate. Will this end the birther theory? Heck no. Why? Because conspiracy theories never die. The time to have killed the birther theory was two years ago when the issue started to percolate. One of the main reasons why the birther theory will live on, is because there really is no good answer to the very simple question "what took so long"? Based on that alone, birthers will look for all kinds of new evidence. Already, there is a "layer theory" forming.

I think Obama kept the birther issue going on for so long, is because it was politically advantageous to him. He, with the help of the media, was able to discredit anyone who asked questions about the birth certificate. Had the media simply been curious as to why Obama wouldn't do a simple thing like releasing the document, the nation might have been spared the whole birther thing and the rise of Donald Trump.

Speaking of Trump, I do fear that the release will put more wind in his sails. Already Trump has now started asking for college records. Some folks on the right, be they birthers or not, might get a little awestruck, because Trump stood his ground against the naysayers. As a result Trump effectively got Obama to do someone no one else could get him to do. To those folks I say; admire Trump's tenacity, but understand fully that Trump is not a conservative. Supporting Trump is at best supporting a eclectic bag of principles or at worst is supporting a complete poser. Buyer beware.

Via: Memeorandum
Via: The White House Blog
Via: The Daily Dish
Via: National Review
Via: Instapundit
Via: Real Clear Politics

Hope and Change goes bust: NYT/CBS Poll - Nation's mood at lowest levels in 2 years

The New York Times: Americans are more pessimistic about the nation’s economic outlook and overall direction than they have been at any time since President Obama’s first two months in office, when the country was still officially ensnared in the Great Recession, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.

Amid rising gas prices, stubborn unemployment and a cacophonous debate in Washington over the federal government’s ability to meet its future obligations, the poll presents stark evidence that the slow, if unsteady, gains in public confidence earlier this year that a recovery was under way are now all but gone.

Capturing what appears to be an abrupt change in attitude, the survey shows that the number of Americans who think the economy is getting worse has jumped 13 percentage points in just one month. Though there have been encouraging signs of renewed growth since last fall, many economists are having second thoughts, warning that the pace of expansion might not be fast enough to create significant numbers of new jobs. [MORE]

Click here to see the devastatingly bad numbers in the poll.

The only thing anyone should find surprising about this poll is that it comes from the New York Times and CBS News, two organizations that are well known for carrying Obama's water.

What is not surprising is the nation's sour mood. Two years ago, Obama and the Democrats were elected on the promise of Hope and Change. They were suppose to usher in a new dawn in America after Republicans abandoned their core principles and failed miserably. Two years later all of American's core concerns have gone unanswered.

It is almost as though Washington, in its new bloated form, is tending to what is best for Washington and screw the people who they are suppose to represent. On crucial issue after crucial issue Obama has voted present.

• Jobs - no action.
• Debt - no action.
• The economy - no action.
• The wars - no action.

For all the nation's crucial issues, Obama's answer is always the same, form a committee, summit or task force to get the issue off the front burner.

Republicans have not been much of a success either. For two years, they promised to adhere to the will of the people and force a sharp course correction. After a landslide election in November, only a handful of these Republicans seem willing to keep those promises. The rest, lead by the GOP leadership, seems to want to go back to same old ways of doing business. Basically, compromising with Democrats on bad ideas and then coming away with less than half a loaf.

What America sorely needs is a leader. A leader who understands the priorities and needs of the electorate and will then do the hard work needed to turn things around. Anyone, who can step forward from the left, right or center who address the nations concerns with a true vision while showing some real competence will probably find him or herself in the White House come January 2013.

Via: Memeorandum
Via: The New York Times
Via: The New York Times

Thou Shall Not Interrupt Obama's BS! Video - Obama gets testy with Texas reporter

WAFF: After the interview, Obama pointed out that he doesn't like an interviewer challenging his comments.

"Let me finish my answers the next time we do an interview, all right?" he said.

WAAAAHH! What a crybaby. Obama could never cut it as a Republican, where the media always interrupts, misconstrue your words and try their damnedest to paint you as an idiot or a villain. Obama has own quite accustomed to the royal red carpet treatment from the media. With precious few exceptions, the media never calls out Obama on his obvious flip-flops, lies or distortions. They rarely ask follow up questions to Obama's sloppy long winded answers.

However as far as Obama getting a real media grilling goes, Bret Baier is still the all time champ in my eyes.

Via: Memeorandum
Via: WAFF

Video: Paul Ryan calls out Obama's deficit speech

The Blaze: “Exploiting people’s emotions of fear, envy, and anxiety, is not hope–it’s not change. It’s partisanship. We don’t need partisanship. We don’t need demagoguery. We need solutions”

Ryan also said, “What we heard today was not fiscal leadership from our commander in chief. What we heard today was a political broadside from our campaigner-in-chief.”

“Rather than building bridges, he’s poisoning wells,” the Wisconsin congressman said.

The boyish looking man is sounding ten times more grown up than the president. Anyone want to be that Obama will not go face to face with Ryan on this issue?

Via: The Blaze