Not a good week to be the President
Well it isn’t even Wednesday yet and already President Obama is having some serious migraines. First there were the Benghazi whistle blowers (and apparently there are even more waiting in the wings) whose testimony is both scathing and damning. Then there was the IRS scandal, in which the IRS targeted both conservative (specifically but not limited to the TEA party), and Jewish groups. NOW there is news out of the Associated Press that they had tons of their phone records seized in an apparent dragnet to find leaks. If he wasn’t already in hot water he sure is now, and the shuckin an jivin isn’t cutting the mustard that it used to. Many of the journalists and news services that the Obama administration could count on as go to guys are starting to ask very tough questions. Watching Jay Carney or the President’s most recent press briefings look down right uncomfortable.
Let’s deconstruct some of this real quick to see just how much trouble the President is in. Let’s start with the big one last week; Benghazi. At first glance it’s pretty straight forward, someone screwed up and people died. Ask any Joe that ever had a 2LT call for fire and they’ll tell you it happens a lot more than we’d like to admit. But there’s more to it than that. We know for instance that Tyrone Wood’s team from Global Response Staff (GRS) were clearly aware of the attack at the consulate in Benghazi at 2140, and were ordered ordered by higher not to go. They left anyway at 2205 local. We know that Glen Doherty’s team was actually in Tripoli, and had to bribe or even hijack a plane to go to Benghazi. We know that an SF LTC was ordered to stand down by higher (presumably AFRICOM) and said to the acting Chief of Mission “this is the first time the diplomats had more balls than the military.” We know that Ambassador Stevens and Sean Smith were overcome by a petroleum fire in their safe room after the compound was breached, and we know both were dead by the end of the night. The ride back to the CIA annex by Woods’ team was under fire and one of the vehicles had flat tires but nonetheless made it to the compound where they received sporadic fire all night. At some point during this Doherty’s team managed to make it into the compound before the final assault which included mortar rounds began. When it was over Woods and Doherty were dead.
What followed was undeniably a cover-up for political purposes. A really shitty video was blamed and the denials for support were covered up. UN ambassador Susan Rice became an unwitting pawn in this and went on all the Sunday talk shows with this truly ridiculous story, which we already knew was wrong. From all that we’ve been able to glean they knew within 24 hours that it was Ansar al-Sharia, and they knew that this was specifically a terrorist attack. White-wash or cover up, the American people were lied to, and they kept on lying to us. Even now they’re making like this is all politics. It begs the question if they’ve lied about this monumental goof, what else aren’t they telling the truth about.
And then there’s that IRS bit. See this is actually the most serious for the President and his team. Why? Well look at the first bullet point of Article 2 of the Nixon Articles of Impeachment. As Joe Biden might say “it’s a big F**king deal.” The fact that he even joked about it in 2009, is all the more disturbing. Asking a Jewish group “what you feel about Israel,” or asking a conservative group who their donors are is not only highly irregular, but flat out illegal. The key words being used for this scrutiny should have everyone’s jaw dropping. Giving undue scrutiny, or harassment to a group concerned our president is violating the constitution is extremely disturbing. More than that we’re now learning that this wasn’t just a few low level joe schmos, but high level people were aware of this program, and if they did not encourage it they certainly did nothing to stop it. Potentially the head of the IRS may have lied to congress in May of 2012. The president is trying to downplay it saying that investigation is needed, but there’s already been one, and it’s pretty clear what happened if not whose behind it.
Then there’s that little bit about the AP. Now as far as we know none of the phones were tapped, but as many as 300 reporters may have been effected. In the journalist world nothing, and I mean nothing will make them go on the attack like even the insinuation that someone’s spying on them. Keep in mind that this can not happen without the Attorney General, Eric Holder signing off on it. This was all done in secret, without anyone at AP’s knowledge, and is potentially violating the First Amendment. This is pretty important too, because if there has been one group covering for Obama more than anyone else, it has been the press. Stories that might be considered embarrassing to the Obama administration have for years not received the full attention of the press with a few notable exceptions. I truly think these days are over. Whatever else happens from here on out the Obama administration is going to have a lot of explaining to do.
So where does that leave us? Well Benghazi is most definitely not a “sideshow,” and despite what some say, help could have been given, if the administration acted immediately after the first attack, and could have helped to fend off the final attack. If there truly was no help available then why in the world were so many commands caught with their pants down when everyone on the ground clearly stated they needed more security not less? With The IRS scandal, well need I remind you that is an impeachable offense (not making this up). Will the president be impeached? Probably not, but it is possible. At the very least it will get congress off their asses and taking a close look at how the Gub’ment is being run. We might have a very real, and practical example of Big Government being so big it literally does not know what it’s doing, or we might have the truly dirtiest part of Chicago politics at play. Either one is not good for “We the People.” Lastly we have the AP scandal. While in itself this is perhaps a minor event in the era of the PATRIOT Act, do not be surprised if there’s serious push back on this one. Nothing chills a reporter’s bones like the federal government scaring away their souses, and potentially censoring them.
In my personal humble opinion I think Obama is going to wish he hadn’t gotten reelected. His second term is not starting off great, and his Dodge Dip Dive Duck and Dodge routine isn’t working anymore. With Fast and Furious, a DOJ that suppressed a voter intimidation case, a DHS that refuses to enforce immigration, a total overhaul of health care that gives frightening powers to non-doctors, an AG that was held in contempt of congress (a first in history), A stagnant recovery, “Green Jobs” that are just a very expensive way to waste money, and a national debt that is not getting any better any time soon. . . Well to say that things are going to look pretty bad for his legacy is something of an understatement. The word Impeachable is actually not out of the realm of possibility sadly enough. Of course if that ever were to happen, Joe “fire a shotgun in the air” Biden will be our new president. I don’t know about you but I wouldn’t trust that man to run a latrine detail.
Category: "Your Tax Dollars At Work", Barack Obama/Joe Biden, Politics, Reality Check, Taxes
Last week I visited the CBS, NBC, and ABC News websites to see to what degree of prominence each was reporting the latest Benghazi hearing. I had to use a telescope to find a story. Today, the AP surveillance, Benghazi blow-up, and IRS illegalities are all over pages one and two. Progress is noted–and welcome.
Couldn’t have said it better myself, Doc.
I’d actually be more comfortable with Joe Biden in the Oval Office than the current resident. At least he’d be spending more time on actual presidential work than he would golfing, campaigning, vacationing, etc.
In other words, he’d be an actual President, rather than a boy-king and petty tyrant.
This should probably be titled “Not a good four years to be an American Citizen” because none of this will change anything. I hate to say it but this country has become too apathetic about such trivial matters like its rights and the constitution, and these will lose steam over time. And sadly, with Benghazi, it’s the GOP that will let this happen. They keep focusing on the wrong thing, these talking points. I know WHY they are doing it, but John Q Public is too detached from understanding why this is important, and this allows the SNL gang and their ilk to mock the whole thing.
Instead, they need to make it much more obvious that the real issue is that no one came to help. I’m just not seeing that emphasized ENOUGH by the congressmen and senators when they are making the rounds on tv. To me, as an active service member this is HUGE! Why the hell would I stick my neck out if no one, including ol Marty Dempsey, isn’t willing to support me. The bold face lying is just so prevalent and I just want to see someone call bullshit on it in a no nonsense way. The American People need to see that passion too.
Idk, my two cents. I’m just so afraid this opportunity to regain so much lost ground will be pissed away by focusing on the wrong stuff.
@3. I agree but for different reasons. Biden is too stupid to spell agenda, let alone have one. He wants to be respected, something that has always eluded him. He would benefit greatly from obama’s becoming mincemeat and would strive, for these reasons, to run a more neutral, much less oppressive government. His hope for election to the presidency would depend upon it. I can get with Hair Plug, shotgun and all.
As long as their getting their free phones, food stamps, and stories about the guy’s wife, Obama voters won’t care what he does.
Doc, it’s great to see you back here and I have enjoyed reading your stuff. You done good.
On topic; I know it would be bad to have “Shotgun” Joe as President, however, being stupid isn’t as dangerous as being corrupt to your bones coupled with thin skin and narcissism in the extreme. Obama is more dangerous than Biden, because his ambition coupled with his dirty politics outweighs Joe’s being stupid. Plus, Joe would never get elected as President due to being tied to Obama and his penchant for going after the 2nd Amendment (also, like Ford was always tied to Nixon, which meant he didn’t have a chance in ’76).
Yeah, well, I’m seeing a pattern to these migraines; specifically, they’re all self-induced. And in that case, no sympathy for these assclowns.
Guess what would have happened if the media had, you know, actually done their jobs?
@6 -Did you ever stop to think that those free phones were meant as a way of tracking those people? No? What better way could you go about monitoring people than by giving them a freebie like that?
I was disturbed by the lack of interest in Bodaprez’s demeanor and tone of voice when he said in his statement yesterday that the IRS thing was ‘outrageous’. The use of ‘if in fact’ means that he is not involved in any of it. He’s disconnected from it.
He’s still denying that his administration knew what was actually going on at the Benghazi embassy. Oh, yeah, only 37% of people surveyed now accept the White House’s explanation of what happened at Benghazi. Like I said, he has no involvement in it (wrong, he was/is in charge) and he’s disconnected from it (again, wrong, he was/is in charge).
I do believe there is a lot more to come. I might post that video of the sewer exploding again.
Double, double, toil and trouble
Fire burn and cauldron bubble… heeheeheee!
I suspect the AP is not “outstanding in their field”.
Other reporters probably are checking their six’s for sign.
I award you 10 points for getting a “Dodgeball” referance into a post about politics.
It’s about time there was some ass kicking instead of ass kissing.
Twist–or to put it another way, right now the administration is about as useful (or popular) as a cock-flavored lollipop.
@12–there’s no ass kicking going on here. Look at the AP’s own headline from yesterday. As Gutfeld noted yesterday, had this been before 2008, it would have read, “Bush administration did wiretaps, blah blah blah…and eats live kittens.” These are the same people who got the redass from the POSSIBILITY of wiretaps on potential terrorist phones here in the US by getting warrants through the FISA courts.
Believe me, they’re still covering his ass. But to have left this story unreported would have stripped away any pretense of journalistic integrity or standards. Hell, even whores have SOME standards.
Sparky, I think whores have HIGHER standards. 😉
If you look up “useful idiot” in the dictionary, one of the definitions says “See Associated Press.” Unfortunately, there are plenty more “news” organizations that will continue to defend 0bama until AP, like a battered wife, forgives him.
Certainly agree that this has not been a good week for him, to which I can only say, “It’s about time that you feel some of the misery that you have caused the rest of us with your idyllic socialist Utopia agenda you are ramming down our throats.”
After January 2015, shit just might get real.
I wish I had confidence that these recent events would in fact open some actual honest investigation into what happened in these 3 instances and 4th what happened in the fast and furious case.
If it could be done devoid of the partisan politicking even better, people are dead in 2 of these 4 instances after government failed to act appropriately and in the other 2 instances clear violations of personal rights under the constitution have taken place. I don’t want my government republican or democrat to have the ability to abuse its’ power in such an Orwellian fashion.
Without an honest, straightforward investigation into these issues nothing useful will happen. Certainly finding responsibility is important, but so is changing the mindset that is prevalent at many of these bureaucracies. They are supposed to exist to serve the general welfare, not be a hindrance to the personal liberties of the American people. Both parties have been less than genuine in that regard, it would be nice to have some rules and oversight in place to prevent future impropriety.
and don’t forget
http://www.fiscalconservatives.com/videos/rt8SB11DRds.html
I hate like hell to say this and hate even more to feel this way, but this is going to blow over. Obama is going to walk away from all of this. The press is like a silly school girl with it’s first boyfriend. He can do whatever he wants, and no matter how bad it is, the press takes him back. The press created him, they got him elected. Now he is cheating on them, but they are going to take him back.
And once he skates out of this, he is going to continue, with the knowledge that he is not accountable for anything.
@19: Yes, it would be nice to have some rules in place so this kind of thing doesn’t happen again, however, the ones making the rules usually exclude themselves from such things to begin with. THAT’s the 800 lb. Gorilla in the room.
When Nixon resigned, so did his VP, Agnew, and then we had Gerald Ford. Impeaching him may be nigh on impossible because of the potential of race riots. I remember getting chilled to the bone seeing the threats on twitter on the run up to the election.
Dad was a KC-135 pilot and when he heard Mr. Hicks testimony that there not being any refueling available for the F16s, there was a lot said in his silence. That lie seems to have gone no where though.
I don’t think this week is going to go away quietly.
Many forces are pushing hard to fight for the limelight here and it is finally getting out. Trying to shine this on as just politics now is going to fall on the public’s deaf ears with all but the lowest information voters…
And the Lord knows there are millions of them in the US…
The fact that Patraeus is mad as hell and looking for some payback is going to be the icing on the cake for Benghazi…
Certainly going to be interesting to watch the little pukes squirm like a pivot in a mud hole the second week of basic !!!
@23. Hey Deb. Agnew was gone before Nixon resigned. Agnew was indicted on corruption charges stemming from his days as the county executive for Baltimore county, Maryland. He later pleaded no contest to a single bribery charge and, as part of the deal, agreed to resign as VP. Gerald Ford replaced Agnew as VP and, later, when Nixon resigned, Ford became President.
Excellent write up Doc. I’m tucking this one in my arsenal to use against Libs.
This time MAY very well be different. The great Obama facade has been breached. All those who held their noses and provided the united front are likely to start focusing on their own ambitions. let the games begin:
plugs + h. munster vs hildebeast
hildebeast, h. munster, big sis vs obama
Somehow or another the immortal words of the LT in Full Metal Jacket hold true here…
“It’s a great big shit sandwich and we’re all gonna have to take a bite !!!”
@25 ahh, thank you for the insights, I did not know that. I’m indulging in some sort of consolation thinking that Biden might go away too.
Right now in the West Wing, Jay Carney is asking Valerie Jarrett, “Does this mean Ann Margaret’s NOT coming?”
Broomhilda Clinton WON’T go down without taking a bunch of others with her!!
What’s next? Or should I say ‘who’?