BULLY BOY PRESS & CEDRIC'S BIG MIX -- THE KOOL-AID TABLE
NO ONE WANTS TO BE SEEN WITH FADED CELEBRITY IN CHIEF BARRY O. THEY'LL TAKE HIS MONEY BUT THAT'S ALL.
"HOW DID I BECOME THE FAT GIRL?" A FRUSTRATED BARRY O ASKED THESE REPORTERS TODAY?
"SUDDENLY, I'M THE FAT GIRL AND NO ONE WANTS TO BE SEEN WITH ME! THEY'LL TAKE MY MONEY, THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO BE SEEN WITH ME! I'M NOT FAT! AM I? I'M GOING TO GO PURGE AGAIN TO GET DOWN TO 87 POUNDS. THEN NO ONE WILL CALL ME FAT!"
There seems to be some confusion over this part of yesterday's snapshot:
Former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has taken public many criticisms that he made in real time privately to the administration. They can't deny these charges, so the administration has tried to attack Leon. I know Leon and I like him. I also know and like Vice President Joe Biden. But . . .
I don't think Joe's ever said anything as idiotic as what Jason Ditz quotes him as saying:
Vice President Joe Biden was quick to criticize Panetta, although not on the content of his hawkish comments. Rather, Biden said it was “inappropriate” for Panetta to criticize Obama at all, on anything, until after 2016, and that he should “at least give the guy a chance to get out of office.”
A friend was joking over the weekend that "Uncle Joe" should run for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination with the slogan Free Flow Joe to note that Joe lacks any filter or self-censorship.
And he's said many dumb things but to insist that Leon or anyone is unable to criticize Barack for two more years is so deeply stupid and so deeply offensive that Joe, who doesn't have a real shot at the presidential nomination, should go ahead now and announce he won't be seeking it.
I like John Kerry and I supported his 2004 run. When he had an incident that was just too destructive, I noted here he should give up plans to seek a second run in 2008. Joe's remarks are the same type of offensive. You really can't come back from that. It doesn't go away and it undermines you at every step.
That's far from Joe's only problem remarks of late. As Alsumaria reported, Joe spent the weekend working the phones with the UAE and Turkey after he publicly declared that the two governments supported terrorism.
A number of e-mails maintain that I stated (stated, not wrote, the snapshots are dictated) Joe had blown his shot at the presidency due to his remarks about the UAE and Turkey.
That's not what I said.
That error was glaring because you don't say what Joe said -- whether it's true or not -- about Middle East countries who are assisting you with your 'plan' to destroy the Islamic State -- especially when you're trying to shore up support in the region.
At today's State Dept press briefing, spokesperson Jen Psaki noted:
Okay. I have two items for all of you at the top. General Allen and Ambassador McGurk are in Amman today, where they met with tribal leaders and sheikhs who have bravely resisted ISIL in Iraq. General Allen and Ambassador McGurk praised their courage and affirmed that those who stand against ISIL will continue to be supported by the international coalition. They also discussed our support for Prime Minister Abadi’s vision of a united Iraq and a united Iraqi National Guard that both empowers local populations to protect their communities and incorporates those forces within the formal national security structure.
Tomorrow, General Allen and Ambassador McGurk will meet with the King of Jordan and other Jordanian Government officials. They will also travel tomorrow to Cairo and then will be in Ankara October 9th and 10th. And we’ll have, of course, further readouts of their meetings there as the week continues.
Joe's remarks threw a monkey wrench into the efforts of reaching out to other MidEast countries.
The remarks were poorly timed and diplomatic efforts had to come to a sudden stop in order to address the situation Joe created.
I stated Joe's criticism of Leon Panetta was the problem.
Joe can be as stupid as he wants to be but while he's the Vice President of the United States, he needs to defend the Constitution -- in fact, he took an oath to do so.
Free speech is not aided by Joe's ridiculous and undemocratic barriers.
And that's not an open society or democracy -- one in which people must wait until an elected official is out of office for him or her to face any criticism.
Leon Panetta does not just have a legal right to speak out, he has a duty to as a member of a democracy. And open society only exists when people can speak freely.
Anyone -- including Joe -- can disagree with what Leon says.
But if Leon feels it's important to democracy, he has a duty to speak out.
Joe makes many silly comments -- he also makes his share of wise ones -- but that wasn't the problem with the issue Jason Ditz was reporting on.
The problem was that Joe Biden argued Leon should be quiet until Barack was out of office.
That goes against the Constitution, it goes against free speech, it goes against democracy and open societies. Someone who expresses that sort of belief -- a fleeting one or a firmly held one, it doesn't matter -- should not run for the US presidency.
I know there are many things going on in the world and that Joe says his share of stupid things; however, I am surprised that the media failed to pick up on the statements, specifically the undemocratic nature of them.
Joe's not the only one saying stupid things. Democratic member of the House of Representative Dutch Ruppersberger has added his voice to the cry for more war and US boots (officially) on the ground in Iraq. Peter Sullivan (The Hill) reports the House Intelligence Committee's Ranking Member appeared on Erin Burnett's CNN program last night and noted he was open to (more) US troops on the ground in Iraq. He observed, "We have boots on the ground right now but they're not out there fighting." Ruppersberger apparently wants them to be but frets that this would be announced ahead of their entering combat because, he says, "The only thing I'm concerned about, you don't tell the enemy what you're going to do."
Uh, yeah, you do.
You declare a war, Dutch.
Do you not know how it works, are you that stupid?
Maybe you are.
It's one thing not to offer battle plans to the enemy or 'enemy.'
But saying, "X will lead to combat" -- or saying "We are declaring war" -- those are basic statements.
Again, a war is supposed to start with a declaration.
Maybe Dutch should stop flapping his gums and brush up on the US Constitution?
One of the reasons declaring war is not hidden?
Because in a democracy citizens are supposed to weigh in.
In a democracy, citizens are over the officials. The officials work for the citizens.
Dutch seems to struggle with that concept. It's a shame people in his district can't give him two years off via the November election so he could take some time to learn about civic participation and other elements of an open society.
The bombing of Iraq is disturbing, the ongoing illegal war is disturbing.
But so are undemocratic statements made by elected officials who betray the Constitution with their guttural
expressed remarks that embrace totalitarianism and deception.
US President Barack Obama has no plan. By Dutch and Joe's 'educated' opinions, I should be silent about that.
No, I'm an American citizen and I can offer my opinion and should. And so should all voices in a democracy.
RECOMMENDED: "Iraq snapshot"
