Year: 2008

Let’s just say…I’m less than enthusiastic about this passage from a speech John McCain delivered today to the World Affairs Council in Los Angeles.

One of those responsibilities is to be a good and reliable ally to our fellow democracies. We cannot build an enduring peace based on freedom by ourselves, and we do not want to. We have to strengthen our global alliances as the core of a new global compact — a League of Democracies — that can harness the vast influence of the more than one hundred democratic nations around the world to advance our values and defend our shared interests.

At the heart of this new compact must be mutual respect and trust. Recall the words of our founders in the Declaration of Independence, that we pay “decent respect to the opinions of mankind.” Our great power does not mean we can do whatever we want whenever we want, nor should we assume we have all the wisdom and knowledge necessary to succeed. We need to listen to the views and respect the collective will of our democratic allies. When we believe international action is necessary, whether military, economic, or diplomatic, we will try to persuade our friends that we are right. But we, in return, must be willing to be persuaded by them.

Why does this sound like John Kerry’s “passing the global test”. Remember that? If you don’t, here it is.

“No president, through all of American history, has ever ceded — and nor would I — the right to preempt in any way necessary, to protect the United States of America,” the Democrat told moderator Jim Lehrer during the debate.

“But if and when you do it, you’ve got to do it in a way that passes the, the test, that passes the global test where your countrymen, your people, understand fully why you’re doing what you’re doing, and you can prove to the world that you did it for legitimate reasons.”

This definitely isn’t the John McCain we heard during CPAC. It does sound more like the John McCain for Independents and moderate Democrats. It sounds like the John McCain for Amnesty candidate.

Worried yet?

If we elect this John McCain, Chavez will have nothing to worry about.

Technorati Tags:
Amnesty, John Kerry, John McCain, War, Policy, Pacifist

A blog at the Washington Post asks the following question:< ?p>

Considering her active involvement in her mother’s campaign, is it fair game to ask Chelsea Clinton about the Lewinsky scandal?

The question came up because of what occurred yesterday in Indianapolis. Chelsea was asked by someone in the audience if her mothers credibility was hurt by the Monica Lewinsky matter. She answered flatly, “I don’t think that’s any of your business.”

That’s not a very “Clintonian” response, but some slack can be cut due to her relative Q&A inexperience. The fact is, she could have talked about how the whole thing strengthened her family, brought them closer together, blah blah blah. It would have been a lie of course, but it would have been effective. The media would have played the sound bite again and again. Unfortunately, Chelsea’s response just illustrates how sensitive the whole issue remains for her and her family.

But, back to the question of fairness. The answer of course, it is absolutely fair game to ask Chelsea this question. All the rules changed when the Clinton’s agreed to let her campaign for Hillary. And when you represent the campaign, all questions should be expected, even the most personal ones. She can answer any way she wants. There shouldn’t be any code of conduct amongst the media anymore as it relates to Chelsea. She’s not a child anymore. She’s an adult, a public personality, and a surrogate for the campaign.

Technorati Tags:
Bill Clinton, Chelsea Clinton, Hillary Clinton

For those keeping track of the whereabouts of Mike Gravel, no doubt you’ve seen the BREAKING NEWS that the long-shot presidential candidate has told supporters he’s leaving the Democratic party and joining the Libertarians.

Gravel, a former Democratic senator from Alaska, said in an e-mail that the Democratic Party “no longer represents my vision for our great country.”

“It is a party that continues to sustain war, the military-industrial complex and imperialism — all of which I find anathema to my views,” he said in the e-mail in which he also asked supporters for campaign donations.

Gravel, 77, has been excluded from recent Democratic debates because he failed to meet fundraising or polling thresholds.

“I look forward to advancing my presidential candidacy within the Libertarian Party, which is considerably closer to my values, my foreign policy views and my domestic views,” he said.

Zzzzzzzzzzz…

Oh, uh, did someone say something? I just dozed off there for a bit.

Technorati Tags:
Democrats, DNC, Mike Gravel, Libertarians

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has implied that high level uncommitted Democrats are ready to tell Hillary “it’s over”.

Question: Do you still think the Democratic race can be resolved before the convention?

Reid: Easy.

Q: How is that?

Reid: It will be done.

Q: It just will?

Reid: Yep.

Q: Magically?

Reid: No, it will be done. I had a conversation with Governor Dean (Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean) today. Things are being done.

OK, so it will be done, but when? I don’t trust Reid much at all so I don’t have a lot of confidence that he’s manly enough to make this happen on his own. Remember, most Democrats fear Bill and Hillary. While it may be easy to say things behind their back, it’s another thing altogether when they look one another face-to-face. And even then, I doubt anyone has the permission to look Hillary square in the eye. I do think Nancy Pelosi has the guts, and in the end she might just pull the trigger for Reid and the other DNC skirts.

For now though, this is all scuttlebutt and nothing more.

Technorati Tags:
2008 Election, Harry Reid, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, DNC

Technorati Tags:
Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, TNR, Denver

On March 17th, Hillary Clinton delivered a speech at George Washington University. Her message included this little tidbit:

“I remember landing under sniper fire. There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base.”

Michael Dobbs, writer of “The Fact Checker” for the Washington Post follows up with this:

As a reporter who visited Bosnia soon after the December 1995 Dayton Peace agreement, I can attest that the physical risks were minimal during this period, particularly at a heavily fortified U.S. Air Force base, such as Tuzla. Contrary to the claims of Hillary Clinton and former Army secretary Togo West, Bosnia was not “too dangerous” a place for President Clinton to visit in early 1996. In fact, the first Clinton to visit the Tuzla Air Force base was not Hillary, but Bill, on January 13, 1996.

Had Hillary Clinton’s plane come “under sniper fire” in March 1996, we would certainly have heard about it long before now. Numerous reporters, including the Washington Post’s John Pomfret, covered her trip. A review of nearly 100 news accounts of her visit shows that not a single newspaper or television station reported any security threat to the First Lady. “As a former AP wire service hack, I can safely say that it would have been in my lead had anything like that happened,” said Pomfret.

Why is Hillary propagating a lie that is so easily verifiable? She’s doing it because she’s desperate. She’s doing it knowing there is precious little time to worry about facts. It’s far easier to embellish her record during a stump speech and dismiss the factual deficiencies later. She must do this if she continues to push the narrative that she gained significant commander-in-chief experience while she was First Lady. Facts won’t bear this out, but fantasy might. She’s counting on her supporters to live in her fantasy.

Want proof of Hillary’s lies? Let’s go to the video…

UPDATE: Clinton campaign in ‘lockdown‘ mode.

Technorati Tags:
Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Bosnia

Threats are no good unless they carry weight. This one is coming in pretty light.

Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska said long-held disagreements with the Bush administration’s handling of the Iraq War may prevent him from endorsing fellow Republican Senator John McCain’s presidential bid.

“When I endorse someone, or when I work for someone, or commit to someone, I want to be behind that person in every way I can,” Hagel, who supports a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, said today on ABC’s “This Week.” “John and I have some pretty fundamental disagreements over the future of foreign policy.”

The fact that Hagel won’t endorse should actually improve McCain’s stature amongst Conservatives.

Technorati Tags:
John McCain, Chuck Hagel, RHINO