Anti-War Protestors on Defensive After Arkansas Recruiting Center Shooting

Can anyone explain why a shooting by someone opposed to abortion others opposed to abortion "on defensive" . . .





. . . but a shooting by someone opposed to the war doesn't put others opposed to the war on the defensive, even when the headline acknowledges a political motive?

Obama Advisor: Fundamentals of our Economy Are Strong

Ok, a follow-up to yesterday's post. Yesterday, OpinionPolitics pointed out that some of Obama's language sounded much like McCain's upbeat language on the economy during the campaign, in spite of the fact that the economy is actually doing worse than it was during the campaign.

But now, Obama economic advisor Christina Romer, upon being asked this morning on Meet the Press whether the fundamentals of the economy are sound, responded with almost the same wording that McCain used:

Of course they are sound.

—Christina Romer, March 15, 2009

I think a quote from Senator Obama might be appropriate here:

[W]hat economy are you talking about?"

—Barack Obama, September 15, 2008

OpinionPolitics agrees that the fundamentals are strong, but if they're strong now, they were definitely strong when McCain made his much-criticized assessment during the campaign.

Obama: The Fundemantals of Our Economy Are Strong

"[T]he fundamentals of our economy are strong, but these are very, very difficult times."

—John McCain, September 15, 2008

"He doesn't get what's happening between the mountain in Sedona where he lives and the corridors of Washington where he works. . . . Why else would he say, today, of all days—just a few hours ago—that the fundamentals of the economy are still strong? Senator—what economy are you talking about?"

—Barack Obama, September 15, 2008

Now, does anyone believe the economy has gotten any better since last fall? For reference, the Dow closed at $10,917.51 that day (it has dropped 34% since then, even with the recent "surge").

Well, one person does.

"We’ve got the most dynamic free market economy on earth."

—Barack Obama, March 14, 2009

OpinionPolitics agrees that we have the most dynamic free market economy on earth, but that can only be true if the fundamentals of our economy are strong. That is true today, but it was also true (even more true, actually) on September 15, 2008.

Sarah Palin -- PublicTrustAbuser

It took the 9/11 Commission almost two years to complete a study and make ten earth-shattering recommendations (you know, like "identify and prioritize actual or potential terrorist sanctuaries" [yes, that's a real one--check out page 367]). Of course, they were only trying to prevent future terrorist attacks (ok, well that's actually arguable, but anyway . . .). The Sarah Palin investigation, on the other hand, they're trying to prevent another power hungry governor from ever abusing her power to have a police officer fired for threatening to kill people and tazering 10-year-old kids, so of course that investigation was so important that it was completed in a matter of less than two months! Of course, it had nothing to do with the upcoming election.

The most bizarre finding is that Palin violated the public trust--and Alaska law--because she tried to "benefit a personal or financial interest through official action." (page 8) Because we all know that protecting your father and nephew from a nut-case state trooper is a "personal interest." I suppose that under this theory having security personnel follow you around would be in your own interest too, and a violation of the public trust.

McCain Disses Obama

Doesn't he realize that Obama is "the one," and not "that one"?

You Know a Candidate Is in Trouble . . .

. . . when the post-mortems are already being written. From Howard Fineman:

But if I were an Obama partisan I would be worried that his mistakes have a common thread - pride.

Obama seems to want to do things on his own, and on his own terms. It’s understandable. Obama has his own crowd – from Chicago, from Harvard, and from a new cadre of wealthy, Ivy-educated movers and shakers.

Who's the Pig Here?

Who was it that said "words mean something"? Because I have a feeling we're gonna hear a lot of excuses in the next couple of days.

It looks like Barack Obama will be knocked off message for yet another news cycle because of another verbal gaffe resulting from the fact that he hasn't learned that by fighting against Sarah Palin, he can do nothing but harm his own candidacy. From the ABC News Political Punch:

LEBANON, Va. -- "That's not change," Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., said of what Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is offering.

"You know, you can put lipstick on a pig," Obama said, "but it's still a pig."

The crowd rose and applauded, some of them no doubt thinking he may have been alluding to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's ad lib during her vice presidential nomination acceptance speech last week, "What's the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Lipstick."

With his foot firmly implanted in his mouth, he continued with what OpinionPolitics would call a "backhanded compliment." After mentioning Palin a few seconds later, the crowd booed, and Obama attempted to stop them:

No, she's new. She hasn’t been on the scene, you know, she’s got five kids and my hat goes off to anybody who’s looking after five. I’ve got two and they tire Michelle and me out!

By stating that his two children "tire" him out, Obama is, for the first time, raising the issue that keeps popping up on liberal blogs--whether Palin can serve as Vice President while also raising her children. If you don't agree, ask yourself whether you've ever heard Obama compliment President Bush (or any other male politician) for rasing a family.

Words do mean something, and it's context that gives those words meaning. When one of the most-quoted lines from someone's nomination speech involves lipstick, and in a race where liberal bloggers continue to question whether Palin would be able to serve as Vice President while also raising five kids, these words do mean something--that Barack Obama has problems respecting women.

Gee, what's a good word for someone who thinks men are better than women and holds women in low regard? Male chauvanist . . .