Failing to act decisively – or at all – when in possession of intelligence about Osama bin Laden is perhaps Bill Clinton’s biggest failure as president and his longest-lasting legacy. Now, writing about the U.S. missiles that killed Abu Laith al-Libi, an al Qaeda commander, MSNBC says: Having requested the Pakistani government’s official permission for…
Month: February 2008
Texas Two Step
The latest CNN poll shows that Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are now more-or-less tied in the Texas Democratic primary race. The two candidates are essentially tied on immigration, Iraq and the economy, but Clinton has an advantage on health care and abortion. Obama must then have the personal appeal, since he’s on the move,…
Sarkozy Champions Holocaust Remembrance
According to the NY Times, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has mandated that all 5th graders in France will learn the life story of a French child murdered in the Nazi Holocaust of WW II. “Nothing is more moving, for a child, than the story of a child his own age, who has the same games,…
Denmark On a Roll
First the Danes foiled a conspiracy to murder journalists and artists linked to the Mohammed cartoons. Then, to prove the power of free speech, Danish (and other) newspapers reprinted the images. Now Danish legislators have refused Iran’s demand that they condemn re-publication. A group of Danish lawmakers has canceled a trip to Iran because Tehran…
Terrorists Victims Now?
The Wall Street Journal took on apologists for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM) today, saying: These are not ordinary crimes. "For sure, I’m American enemies," said KSM in his broken English. "When we made any war against America we are jackals fighting in the nights. . . . the language of the war are killing." The…
Clinton Supporters Cry Sexism
The Big Tent Democrat says that Barack Obama "needs to apologize for this remark": I understand that Senator Clinton, periodically when she’s feeling down, launches attacks as a way of trying to boost her appeal. What on Earth for? Is the word "periodically" to be stricken from the vocabularies of Hillary’s opponents now? Ridiculous. I…
Of Criminals & Presidents
Dave Winer wonders: What if you were a criminal President? President Bush wants to give the phone companies immunity. Who would you like to give immunity to? What crimes are you willing to excuse? Interesting question. Here’s one answer: If I were a criminal president, my wife might be running to be the Democratic party’s…
Medical Discrimination
Wisconsin Congressman Steve Kagen has what he thinks is a noble goal in mind: ending price discrimination in the medical insurance marketplace. Why? As Kagen writes at the Huffington Post, charging people different prices for health insurance is unconstitutional. Kagen uses some strong rhetoric in attacking insurance companies: That’s why I’ve introduced the No Discrimination…
Freshman and Pork
Most of us know about the “Freshman 15“, a colloquialism that refers to the amount of weight many college freshmen gain during their first year in college as a result of not exercising proper dietary discipline (and gaining easy access to beer, no doubt). Given that Congress typically lacks even the most rudimentary sense of…
Switching Sides
Pete Abel says: Last week, I crossed party lines to vote for Obama in the Missouri primary. Last night, I noted that I’m increasingly likely to do the same in November. … Challenge me. Rebuke me. Never let me off the hook. Make me work for what I am starting to believe. Well, here goes,…