Monthly Archives: August 2009

August 21, 2009 — Paul Mirengoff

A Recklessness Born of Arrogance

Mike Allen and Jim Vandehei of Politico wonder whether President Obama’s “big-bang” approach to his first year in office might have been misguided. The term big-bang refers here to the administration’s attempt to push through major reforms on a variety of fronts — energy, financial regulation and health care — in a condensed time period. The approach also goes by the name “doing too much too fast.” Allen and Vandehei »
August 21, 2009 — John Hinderaker

They Just Don’t Get It

As Scott noted earlier today, Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has appointed Ahmad Vahidi as defense minister. Vahidi is wanted by Interpol in connection with the 1994 bombing of a synagogue in Argentina that killed 85 people. You might think that’s a scandal; Ahmadinejad thinks it’s a qualification for high office. The New York Times considers the nomination unfortunate: The man nominated to serve as Iran’s defense minister is wanted by Interpol »
August 21, 2009 — John Hinderaker

Letting Terrorists Go

Like most Americans, I was disgusted by Scotland’s release of PanAm 103 bomber Abdel Baset al-Megrahi. (Not all were outraged, of course; as always, there is a “Free al-Megrahi!” contingent.) But, as wrong as the whole thing felt, I couldn’t figure out anything to write about it. Andy McCarthy had the most interesting commentary, I think, even though I don’t entirely agree with it: There was precious outrage in some »
August 21, 2009 — Paul Mirengoff

What won’t they learn?

Our friends at the American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) have put together a terrific site called WhatWillTheyLearn.com. It allows you to find out for any college whether it requires students to take courses in the following areas: composition, literature, foreign language, U.S. history or government, mathematics, science, and economics. When my children were applying to college, I spent considerable time reading college guide books. I don’t recall any »
August 21, 2009 — John Hinderaker

“Wee-Weed Up”: An Explanation

In his press briefing today, Robert Gibbs was asked what President Obama was talking about when he referred to Washington being “wee-weed up.” I’m not sure the exchange was either very illuminating or very edifying, but here it is: QUESTION: Robert, can you shed any more light — you mentioned a couple of days ago that there might be some events during the scheduled vacation, some conference calls (OFF-MIKE) and, »
August 21, 2009 — John Hinderaker

Friday Night News Dump

As Barack Obama headed out for a vacation on Martha’s Vineyard, the Office of Management and Budget leaked the news that the administration’s ten-year estimate of budget deficits is being raised from $7 trillion to $9 trillion: The White House next week will revise the 10-year budget deficit from $7.1 trillion to $9 trillion. Officials at the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) confirmed the enormous debt revision »
August 21, 2009 — Paul Mirengoff

Did terrorist defense lawyers “out” covert CIA personnel to their terrorist clients

The Justice Department has questioned attorneys who represent Gitmo detainees about the practice of showing photographs of CIA personnel, including covert officers, to detainees charged with organizing the 9/11 attacks. The investigation reportedly pertains to three lawyers who are said to have shown their clients the photos in an effort to identify CIA officers and contractors who interrogated these terrorists. The photos were taken by researchers hired by a joint »
August 21, 2009 — Scott Johnson

Obama’s political theory: An update

This past June I deduced that Barack Obama governed on the basis of an operative political theory that the American people are incredibly dumb. He continues to provide evidence that this is his theory every day that the health care debate continues, and he may yet be proved right. In his weekly column, Rich Lowry develops the thesis that the administration is now relying on the sheer dimwitted gullibility of »
August 21, 2009 — John Hinderaker

No Bottom In Sight for Obama

In a Zogby poll out today, President Obama’s approval rating has plummeted to a “record low” of 45 percent. Among independents Obama’s approval rating has fallen to 37.5%, compared with 59% disapproval. How long will it be before we see stories about how Congressional Democrats are trying to distance themselves from an unpopular President? »
August 21, 2009 — Scott Johnson

An apt promotion in Iran

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has named several cabinet ministers to serve under him during his second term in office as Iran’s president. Eli Lake reports that Ahmadinejad has named one Ahmad Vahidi to serve as Iran’s defense minister. Among other things, Vahidi is one of the most wanted terrorists sought by Interpol in connection with the deadly 1994 attack on a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires that killed 85 and injured »
August 21, 2009 — Scott Johnson

Look out for the union label

in the new issue of the Claremont Review of Books (subscribe here), William Voegeli addresses the liberal support for labor unions in the age of Obama. Expressing the old-fashioned view that labor unions operate as “cartels” redistributing wealth from companies’ owners and customers to union members and officers, Voegeli covers a lot of ground in “Look out for the union label.” The unions’ operation as cartels gives rise to the »
August 20, 2009 — John Hinderaker

“Enough Already”

Byron York has been writing about the left’s abandonment of its antiwar stance now that Barack Obama is President. It seems that the media, like the left wing of the Democratic Party, have lost all interest in the antiwar movement now that it is no longer a vehicle to return the Democrats to power. Cindy Sheehan is one of the few lonely antiwar protesters who continue to soldier on now »
August 20, 2009 — Paul Mirengoff

Obama works his magic in Israel

President Obama’s health care policy is in trouble; his Middle East “peace” policy is in shambles. The Washington Post confirms what’s been obvious for months — Obama’s insistence on a total settlement freeze has undermined his popularity among Israelis, caused the nation to rally around Prime Minister Netanyahu, and removed the U.S. (at least for now) as a serious force in the so-called peace process. The magnitude of these “accomplishments” »
August 20, 2009 — Scott Johnson

Sinners, repent

Charles Hurt reports in today’s New York Post: Repeatedly invoking the Bible, President Obama yesterday told religious leaders that health-care critics are “bearing false witness” against his plan. The fire-and-brimstone president declared holy war in a telephone call with thousands of religious leaders around the country as he sought to breathe life into his plan for a system overhaul. Lord, save us: He said the reforms aim to carry out »
August 20, 2009 — Scott Johnson

Iran’s Great Purge

The powers-that-be in Iran are engaged in an enormity that harks back to the Stalin era. Iranian prosecutors are conducting a mass trial of Iranians charged with political offenses. As reported this past Sunday by the AP’s Nasser Karimi, the 135 defendants are charged with plotting a “soft revolution” against the Islamic theocracy during the postelection protests. The charges also include rioting, attacking military and government buildings, having links with »
August 19, 2009 — John Hinderaker

Obama’s Decline In Historical Context

At The Corner, Peter Wehner cites data from an email by Nicholas Thompson, vice president of the Tarrance Group. Thompson analyzed data from the Gallup poll on Presidential approval ratings from the Eisenhower administration to the present: Obama’s approval is down 14 points from his initial rating — tying President Clinton for the biggest drop since the Eisenhower era. For those interested, here’s how different presidents match up when comparing »
August 19, 2009 — Paul Mirengoff

Did the ideological left’s ideological leftism catch Obama by surprise?

The Obama administration claims to be surprised that the Democratic party’s left wing is up in arms about the possibility that the president will abandon the “public option” portion of the health care reform package. It’s difficult to take this claim seriously. For the left, a government takeover of the health care industry was always going to be a top priority. The public option is the gateway to such a »