By Caitlin Taylor

May 14, 2009 8:10am

The Note, 5/14/2009: Those Who Brung Him — Obama, Dems wrestle themselves on national security

By RICK KLEIN There’s such a thing as too much transparency. The harsh lessons of governance are such that instances arise where you can do no right. And situations emerge where you end up doing everybody wrong. President Obama’s reversal on the release of photographs of prisoner abuse has the immediate impact of enraging some friends, pleasing some non-friends, and leaving the political world wondering how it all could have gone down like this. In the broader context, it’s cast as a sign of political maturation, maybe even classic Obama pragmatism. This is what it’s like to be commander-in-chief — one of those tough choices where there’s no easy answer, and no shame in reversing yourself. But that doesn’t mean no consequences. This contributes to a growing sense that Team Obama has generally treated the left like air: It’s there and vital, and while you can’t live without it, it’s not liable to go anywhere. Stories like this burn critical oxygen. And it’s part of a volatile mix of national-security storylines: Toss in Gitmo, Afghanistan policy, the clamor for prosecutions, along with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and what she knew/what she did about harsh interrogations, and you’ve got a party that’s struggling with its new responsibilities. (And did Dick Cheney just win a round?) “President Obama yesterday chose secrecy over disclosure,” Scott Wilson writes in The Washington Post. “Civil liberties and human rights advocates said the reversal would serve to maintain the Bush administration’s legacy of secrecy.” The ACLU’s Amrit Singh: The Obama administration “has essentially become complicit with the torture that was rampant during the Bush years by being complicit in its coverup.” And can the administration wedge this one past the left? “The Obama administration is weighing plans to detain some terror suspects on U.S. soil — indefinitely and without trial — as part of a plan to retool military commission trials that were conducted for prisoners held in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba,” Evan Perez writes in The Wall Street Journal. “The proposal being floated with members of Congress is another indication of President Barack Obama’s struggles to establish his counter-terrorism policies, balancing security concerns against attempts to alter Bush-administration practices he has harshly criticized.” That announcement could come as soon as Thursday, ABC’s George Stephanopoulos reported on “Good Morning America.” “The president has showed he’s on the side of the troops,” Stephanopoulos said. “[Vice President Dick Cheney's] arguments have started to get some traction. And you are starting to see the president move more toward the military on this thicket of issues.” The photo release puts the president “on a confrontational course with his liberal base. But it is a showdown he is willing to risk — and may even view as politically necessary,” Peter Wallsten and Janet Hook write for the Los Angeles Times. “The move is a complete 180,” ABC’s Jake Tapper reports. “The bottom line, a source close to the President tells ABC News, is that he thinks these photographs — released at a very critical time in both Iraq and Afghanistan — would hand the terrorists an opportunity to inflame sentiment against the U.S.” Feeling it from all sides: “The president’s right flank is under fire as well,” Tapper reported on “GMA” Thursday. “Anti-abortion Notre Dame students are protesting the honorary degree their school is this Sunday giving the president, who supports abortion rights and lifted the ban on federally funding embryonic stem-cell research.” “Mr. Obama changed his mind after seeing the photographs and getting warnings from top Pentagon officials that the images, taken from the early years of the wars, would ‘further inflame anti-American opinion’ and endanger troops in two war zones,” Jeff Zeleny and Thom Shanker write in The New York Times. “Several left-leaning groups, which had been fierce critics of the Bush administration, said they were stunned by the decision.” It’s the “education of the new president on the complicated, combustible issue of torture,” Politico’s Ben Smith and Josh Gerstein write. “It also marked a growing recognition inside the White House of how explosive the question of torture has become — swamping his predecessor’s legacy, entangling the speaker of the House and threatening to overwhelm Obama’s agenda.” Talking Points Memo: “Obama Admin Falls Back On Bushism.” “You cannot show weakness in the face of this shamelessness,” Andrew Sullivan blogs. “Maybe it’s a long game and accountability is a dish best served cold and late. But what if there’s always a reason in an endless war of occupation of multiple countries not to serve it at all?” “Barack Obama just crumbled and will follow Cheney’s command,” Cenk Uygur writes for Huffington Post. Where it gets even trickier: “Congressional Democrats are voicing growing unease over the Obama administration’s national security policies, including the seemingly open-ended commitment in Afghanistan and the nettlesome question of what to do with prisoners held at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba,” David M. Herszenhorn writes in The New York Times. And Rep. John Murtha, D-Pa., speaks! “We keep asking for a plan” for Afghanistan, Murtha said. “I think the Democrats are nervous just because they haven’t seen a plan yet.” “Senate Democrats may be having second thoughts about giving President Barack Obama money to close down the military prison and terrorism detainee center at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba,” Roll Call’s Emily Pierce writes. “One senior Senate Democratic aide acknowledged that the majority might not have the votes to retain the funding once the bill hits the Senate floor next week.” Then there’s Pelosi, D-Calif., who takes questions on what she knew about waterboarding and other interrogation techniques at her 10:45 am ET press conference Thursday. “The intelligence briefings received by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in 2002 have developed into a recurring distraction for congressional Democrats,” per ABC News. “Instead of arguing over whether waterboarding and other techniques are legal, and whether they represent the right policies, Democrats are on the defensive as questions swirl over what one of the most prominent party leaders knew, and what she did about it.” Karl Rove calls out Pelosi in his Wall Street Journal column. Sub-head: “Nancy Pelosi was an accomplice to ‘torture.’ ” Rove writes: “It is disgraceful that Democrats who discovered their outrage years after the fact are now braying for disbarment of the government lawyers who justified EITs and the prosecution of Bush administration officials who authorized them. Mrs. Pelosi is hip-deep in dangerous waters, and they are rapidly rising.” The debate is a little broader than the one Democrats wanted: “A top adviser to former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and one-time director of the Sept. 11 commission Wednesday decried the Bush administration’s use of enhanced interrogation techniques, calling it a ‘mistake’ by officials and lawmakers from both political parties,” the Washington Times’ Kara Rowland writes. Philip Zelikow: “It was a collective failure in which a number of officials and members of Congress and staffers of both parties played a part.” On another day, in another context, the buzz might be out of Arizona State, where the president chose to embrace the controversy over his appearance. How’s this for a turn: “I come to embrace the notion that I haven’t done enough in my life,” the president said. “I heartily concur. I come to confirm that one’s title, even a title like president of the United States, says very little about how well one’s life has been led — and that no matter how much you’ve done, or how successful you’ve been, there’s always more to do, always more to learn, and always more to achieve.” “In his speech here to a stadium full of people who waited hours in temperatures hovering around 100 degrees, Mr. Obama said the degree controversy underscored that the nation needs ‘a fundamental change of perspective and attitude,’ one that values substance over appearance, character over celebrity and wise investments over ‘get rich quick schemes,’ ” The New York Times’ Peter Baker reports. “Obama sought to put to rest the degree controversy, repeatedly joking about it during his speech. The president said the great American story is young people following their passions and not doing it for money,” The Arizona Republic’s Dan Nowicki, Anne Ryman and Ronald J. Hansen report. President Obama on Thursday holds a noon ET town hall in New Mexico, to talk “credit card reform and the need for greater consumer protections. He will then take questions from the audience,” per The White House. Vice President Joe Biden speaks on board the USS Ronald Reagan in San Diego, and headlines an evening DNC fundraiser while in town. On healthcare — trying to move beyond illusions of momentum. “After Republicans heard from pollster Frank Luntz last week to help them craft their message on health care, Senate Democrats got a visit from David Axelrod, a Democratic consultant and senior adviser to President Obama,” CQ’s Drew Armstrong reports. “Axelrod was on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to help hone talking points that the Democrats’ health care overhaul would bring down costs, give more people access to coverage and allow people to keep their plan if they want.” Said Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind.: “I think there was some unease that we didn’t have a strategy. [Axelrod] was coming up to reassure the Senate that they do have a strategy.” About that stimulus update: “In his first quarterly report on the nation’s stimulus package, Vice President Joe Biden uses anecdotes to paint a glowing picture of an economy on the rebound. In reality, the picture is incomplete and the colors far more muted,” the AP’s Matt Apuzzo reports. “Capturing the full effect of the stimulus at this early stage is difficult, but the administration has set high bars for success. In championing those successes, however, the White House plays a little loose with the facts.” George Will leads a new line of attack: “The Obama administration’s agenda of maximizing dependency involves political favoritism cloaked in the raiment of ‘economic planning’ and ‘social justice’ that somehow produce results superior to what markets produce when freedom allows merit to manifest itself, and incompetence to fail. The administration’s central activity — the political allocation of wealth and opportunity — is not merely susceptible to corruption, it is corruption.” Thursday from Treasury, the administration’s housing plan gets an expansion with a 10:45 am ET press conference. An official tells ABC’s Matthew Jaffe: “With the Making Home Affordable program delivering much-needed relief to homeowners and to our economy just over two months after the release of program guidelines, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan will provide an update on the program’s impact on stemming the housing crisis and keeping families in their homes and will announce new expanded options for homeowners facing foreclosure. Thus far, more than 55,000 Home Affordable Modification offers have been extended to qualifying borrowers.” No Supreme Court pick yet, but the National Republican Trust PAC wants Republican senators to oppose it (probably): “He wants an ‘activist judge’ on the Court. It is up to you and your fellow Republican colleagues to stop such a nomination. I believe you will find, Sen. Hatch, your constituents will hold you accountable should you concede to the President’s nomination OF AN ACTIVIST JUDGE,” reads the letter to Republican senators sent Wednesday. “As you may recall, the National Republican Trust PAC held former Sen. Arlen Specter accountable after he voted in favor of the President’s stimulus package. The gentleman from Pennsylvania no longer resides within our political party.” Maybe soon? “President Obama told senators at a White House meeting yesterday that he would review names of potential Supreme Court nominees over the weekend, leading participants to believe an announcement could come within days, according to senior Senate aides who were briefed on the gathering,” Shailagh Murray reports in The Washington Post. In Minnesota, the drumbeat grows louder: “FBI agents in Minnesota have begun asking questions about the relationship between former U.S. Sen. Norm Coleman and a close friend and donor, according to a Minnesota source to whom the agents talked,” Dave Orrick and Rachel E. Stassen-Berger write in the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said the ‘main topic’ of the two agents’ questions surrounded an allegation that Bloomington financier Nasser Kazeminy paid for suits and other items Coleman and his wife shopped for at Neiman-Marcus in Minneapolis.” From the annals of unity: “Fourteen minutes after Gov. Charlie Crist announced his U.S. Senate bid, the national Republican party endorsed him over former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio,” Beth Reinhard writes for the Miami Herald. “But nationwide, there are scattered signs that the GOP is not completely united behind Crist, who campaigned alongside President Barack Obama in Fort Myers for the Democrat’s spending plan earlier this year.” 2012 rumblings: “Nevada Sen. John Ensign has added two stops to a scheduled trip to Iowa early next month, a move that will further stoke speculation that he has an eye on running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012,” Washingtonpost.com’s Chris Cillizza reports. “Ensign was already scheduled to be in Iowa on June 1 to give a speech in Sioux City as part of the American Future Fund’s Conservative lecture series. He will now also make a stop in Sioux Center to tour Trans Ova Genetics and will host a meet and greet at the Wells Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor on Le Mars, which, as any good political junkie knows, is the ice cream capital of the United States.” (Ensign, R-Nev., will be the featured guest on ABCNews.com’s “Top Line” Thursday, live at noon ET.) The Kicker: “But I do think we all learned an important lesson. I learned to never again pick another team over the Sun Devils in my NCAA bracket. It won’t happen again. President Crow and Board of Regents will soon learn all about being audited by the IRS.” — President Obama, at Arizona State. “What I find so remarkable is that these politically motivated attacks fail to show that what Carrie and I believe is also what President Obama and Secretary Clinton believe – marriage is between a man and a woman.” — Gov. Sarah Palin, R-Alaska, defending Carrie Prejean, while tweaking a few Democrats. Today on “Top Line,” ABCNews.com’s daily political Webcast: Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., and Sam Youngman of The Hill. Noon ET. Follow The Note on Twitter: http://twitter.com/thenote For up-to-the-minute political updates check out The Note’s blog . . . all day every day:

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User Comments

The base needs to realize that things change once you become president. This is no longer about red meat campaign rhetoric, but sober decision-making.

Posted by: matt | May 14, 2009, 8:15 am 8:15 am

Posted by: waysie | May 14, 2009, 8:37 am 8:37 am

i did not vote for the president but good for him. he made the right decision on this one.he’s making sure our troops are safe and that all americans will be safe.hats off to the president.

Posted by: natale from mass. | May 14, 2009, 8:40 am 8:40 am

All this article says to me is. “THE LIBERALS ARE MAD AND POUTING”.They did not get their way. Maybe they can have another chance for a witch hunt later on. I do not agree with anything Mr Obama says. However on this subject of not releasing the photos, I know he made the right decision.

Posted by: Lara | May 14, 2009, 8:54 am 8:54 am

It seems everything this administration does is a contradiction of something it has already done or promised to do. It also seems none of its leaders recognize their own complicity and culpability in the problems they now face. They only know how to point their political fingers at someone, anyone else. How we got to this place in our history is about the only bipartisan effort that’s undeniable. The whole Washington crowd just needs to be replaced with other than self serving lawyers. Anyone else getting tired of smokescreen issues being pushed to the forefront as we plummet headstrongly into unprecedented national debt and impending national self destruction accordingly by the party of “me”? The loss of homes, jobs, family fortunes, military superiority and the respect of the world because of our misleadership are the real issues that need to be confronted. But NO! We want to further embarrass ourselves in the interest of internal political posturing.

Posted by: mmonroeliveson | May 14, 2009, 9:06 am 9:06 am

Is anyone happy anymore? BO walks in changes things and leaves. Leaving a mess wherever he goes. He “fixes” one problem and creates two.

Posted by: feelingtogetherness | May 14, 2009, 9:08 am 9:08 am

Is silky still out there or did he finally see the light?

Posted by: feelingtogetherness | May 14, 2009, 9:09 am 9:09 am

Way to go , you’re doing a heck of
a job Obama.

Posted by: Bushwacker | May 14, 2009, 9:15 am 9:15 am

“leaving the political world wondering how it all could have gone down like this”
The media has the attention span of a gnat. Torture, gitmo and prisoner abuse photos happened during the Bush administration, as a direct result of their mismanagement. Now Obama’s role is to deal with the aftermath in the safest way possible. How come I, and the majority of Americans, can see the difference and the media pundits can’t?
Journalists like Rick Klein seem determined to make torture an Obama “issue,” when he has stated we will not torture during his administration, and he’ll trying to wrap up the Bush fiasco the best way possible. Sometimes I think the political journalists are the most useless people in America.

Posted by: Amy B Maine | May 14, 2009, 9:21 am 9:21 am

severblue: So your saying Carter and Clinton never criticized Bush or W. or Reagan? BO has done nothing but blast W and cheney. Rick Klein is listing many things that have happening that bring up a larger point, the failure of this President so far. I’m a conservative and I am not happy with W’s spending either but this President seems to think it’s OK now. sorry for the rambling.

Posted by: feelingtogetherness | May 14, 2009, 9:23 am 9:23 am

DUH, Obama has finally figured out that it is easy to talk the talk but actually walking the walk is a whole different game. His choice was simple. 1. Appease the left extremist that got him elected. 2. protect our troops. I salute him for making the right choice but why did he even head down the wrong road to begin with? DUH

Posted by: billy bob | May 14, 2009, 9:24 am 9:24 am

This is another classic example of saying and doing whatever to get elected. American people should know better to wake up and open eyes widely when voting for a president.

Posted by: Dan | May 14, 2009, 9:25 am 9:25 am

Bushwacker; How so? We’ve spent a lot of money but what else has changed other than rhetoric? Yeah, I already know your response. It will take along time to clean up the mess he inherited. BS! You can’t ride that horse much longer and things aren’t improving. 3000,000 more foreclosure notices went out yesterday, the price of gasoline has gone up 40 cents/gal over the last month, another half million people were laid off over the last month, and the trade deficit grew last month. How about those figures? So he’s doing a great job relative to what?

Posted by: mmonroeliveson | May 14, 2009, 9:30 am 9:30 am

Sorry, misstroked. That was supposed to be 300,000 home foreclosure notices.

Posted by: mmonroeliveson | May 14, 2009, 9:31 am 9:31 am

Good decision, atleast for now…

Posted by: Ha! | May 14, 2009, 9:32 am 9:32 am

PS I watched the Jon Stewart show last night. He interviewed the ambassador from Pakistan. I learned more about the middleeast in five minutes of listening to a comedian question an official than I have learned watching This Week, Meet The Press or Face the Nation. Reading today’s Note, I realized what the difference is. Political “journalists” are hellbent on creating soap operas pitting left vs right, Cheney vs Obama, etc. Jon Stewart digs for facts, for understanding “why can’t Pakistan defeat the terrorists with in their borders?” “what can America do to defeat the Taliban?” You know, important stuff. Not, “is Pelosi mad at Obama?”

Posted by: Amy B Maine | May 14, 2009, 9:34 am 9:34 am

Check your mirror Amy.

Posted by: mmonroeliveson | May 14, 2009, 9:34 am 9:34 am

Pelosi is corrupt. Looks like the Dems have buyers remorse.
Obama is all about socialism and big government and won’t stop with the agenda until it is complete. Americans will be slapped into reality one of these days.
This country is a mess.. and thanks to all of you who put us in
the hands of the idiot you elected.

Posted by: mjl | May 14, 2009, 9:39 am 9:39 am

It’s amazing how many excuses the left is coming up with. We just spent almost a trillion dollars and things are still going down. I know most of the money is no out yet but stimulate means to do it now not a year from now. thats why it was passed so fast. It was so importaant nobody even read it. Somethings got too give soon. I think it will be his approval rating.

Posted by: feelingtogetherness? | May 14, 2009, 9:41 am 9:41 am

Good choice. POLOSI needs to step down for the liying she is doing.

Posted by: Jim Rod | May 14, 2009, 9:41 am 9:41 am

I agree with the President on this, we don’t need to air more pictures. The ACLU has enough photos to weave their conspiracies about who did what.
The bigger issue is the egg that will eventually land on the democrats faces when Pelosi gets called in to testify what and when she knew about the interrogation techniques being used, as the senior leader. The briefings she attended back in 02′ are documented and she will be hard pressed to say she didn’t know at the time.
This story has the potential to be her Waterloo, stay tuned.

Posted by: vnvet69 | May 14, 2009, 9:45 am 9:45 am

I am A democrat I support President Obama I think he did the Right thing In not releasing The Photos we dont need that Blasted all over the TV We know what Cheney and Bush did Releasing the Photos does no good But add fuel to the Fire GET OVER IT LOONEY LEFT!

Posted by: Angie in Pa | May 14, 2009, 10:02 am 10:02 am

in due time BO will be like carter….pubs will be back in 2012…

Posted by: frquarter | May 14, 2009, 10:02 am 10:02 am

Consider this. Obama was willinging to reverse his decision even if some say he is giving in to Cheney and the Bush administration. Why would he do that? To me that says the images are probably worse than he and we expected. So bad that if the rest of the world saw them, it would create a flood of hatred for our beloved America, and what we stand for. This is how bad the Bush administation let things get out of hand. It’s images of torture. This is why Cheney is trying to keep the world from seeing what they did. But you can’t keep things like this hidden forever. Someday the world will see the images of torture and then those who approved these acts will be judged.

Posted by: RPTEXAS | May 14, 2009, 10:06 am 10:06 am

These kinds of “news” items look suspiciously like a GOP ploy to convince people the Democrats are losing power. A wedge item that the GOP can use. Divide and conquor. Unfortunatly, so far the GOP has only been able to offer the same old devisive rhetoric and the people are still sore from the last 8 years of such abuse.
Posted by: waysie
_________________________________
That’s strange, waysie, since ABC news is a LIBERAL news site. They campaigned for Obama more fervently than any other news station.
Perhaps the liberals ARE losing power and influence.
Your party can’t even get along with one another, as demostrated by the demolition derby you had during the primary season between Obama and Hillary.
McCain was actually ahead in the polls after his convention. The only reason Obama won was because the recession started two weeks before the election.
You know what the say, waysie, a house divided among itself can not stand.

Posted by: marco | May 14, 2009, 10:12 am 10:12 am

amwomaninMI Thats right, shoot the messenger. You dems just cannot stand it when simeone tells the truth about the anointed one. Pleeeeease

Posted by: billy bob | May 14, 2009, 10:15 am 10:15 am

Amy, did you watch Colbert too. The $1000 omlet pizza and sundae bit was an excellent reflection of what is wrong with the rich. On the story here, I’m glad there is some dissent within the party. I’m a moderate. Dissent means he must be doing something right. I’m not sure what the stink is about these photos, and I have no doubt that they will someday be released, just not while we have troops in the danger zone. This was a wise call, and I’m sure a difficult one to make. THAT is the difference between this president and the last. He sees that his course is not the best and he changes course. If our last president had been that wise, we would not have gone to Iraq at all, and would be about done in Afganistan. Suck it up right and left wingers. The correct path will run in between you.

Posted by: hahawrong | May 14, 2009, 10:16 am 10:16 am

The title of this article is crap. Journalists should REPORT and INVESTIGATE – not CREATE the news. I don’t know a single person, dem or repub, who is upset that President Obama did not release the photos. I also don’t know a single person who cares about what Pelosi knew or when. The President is the Commander in Chief – not the Speaker of the House. We’re not mindless sheep – swallowing everything printed.

Posted by: Nichole | May 14, 2009, 10:23 am 10:23 am

The Great Thing about President Obama is he Doesnt Run the Country on IDEALOGY Unlike Bush catering to The far religous Right, President Obama runs a Middle Ground And thats Great and He thinks things Through Unlike Bush who acted Irrationally Iraq,Tarp etc
I Agree with HAHA WRONG Get over Far right and Far Left LOONIES!

Posted by: Angie in Pa | May 14, 2009, 10:24 am 10:24 am

So ,some of you Sunday generals could do better?
Just shut up go and mow your yard or take your kids to soccer practice, this man knows his job MUCH better than any of you dimwits realize and he has the intellect to pull it off ,unlike 99.95 % of the moronic American public.
He has the toughest job on the planet ,and if you think you can do better personally ,why don’t you go for it?
Excuses? I mean , if he is so incompetent how did he get to where he is? His dad was never president (like some) and he does not come from some long time political family like the Kennedys ,neither is he from the ranks of the wealthy and powerful.
He made himself into the first minority president of the united states of America ,largely due to a lifetime of hard work and perseverance.
You may not agree with Mr Obama ,but his accomplishments thus far in his life are certainly ones most people would hope for their children to be able to achieve ,e.g. attend a prestigious college ,marry a nice woman and have some cute kids, become a Senator , then be elected President.
I think a lot of people are just green with envy (and it shows).
In any event , i believe he is the best medicine this country has had in many years. Kudos to you Mr President! Thanks!

Posted by: Pres lov | May 14, 2009, 10:27 am 10:27 am

The Dems really dont know what to say, I think most are confused now that it is comming out that their messiah is really just a person with little experience and is making huge mistakes.

Posted by: billy bob | May 14, 2009, 10:34 am 10:34 am

Are we to prosecute our nation? What “we” did under the Bush/Cheney debacles?
The struggle to understand the American values we lost will take us time…with bickering.

Posted by: newz4i | May 14, 2009, 10:38 am 10:38 am

We now see, how absolutely ignorant Obama is
Bring on Nancy Pelosi and bring her to justice

Posted by: ? | May 14, 2009, 10:44 am 10:44 am

I told a lot of people that Obama will listen to the indpendents of this country not the Liberals or Conservatives. Keep up the Good President Obama.

Posted by: Josh from South Carolina | May 14, 2009, 10:44 am 10:44 am

Pelosi was briefed on the enhanced interrogations. But how reliable and complete was that? Did she in fact see those photos? If the people who conducted the briefing are the same ones who say there was no torture, Pelosi is not necessarily on the hook.

Posted by: Jose C | May 14, 2009, 10:59 am 10:59 am

Oh what a web we weave when we first set out to decieve.

Posted by: billy bob | May 14, 2009, 11:01 am 11:01 am

Posted by: i_dream_of_a_jeannie | May 14, 2009, 11:02 am 11:02 am

Obama won. Get over it!

Posted by: Jenn | May 14, 2009, 11:14 am 11:14 am

You got what you voted for. Quit bitching.

Posted by: LongT | May 14, 2009, 11:21 am 11:21 am

“We were not — I repeat — were not told that waterboarding or any of these other enhanced interrogation methods were used,” said Pelosi, D-Calif.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved
————————————–
I would say that is a pretty forceful denial ,in public. Probably true as well.
She and the rest of the Democrats will go on to make the Republican wanna be attention shifters look like the idiot naysayer obstructionists they really are (again).

Posted by: Dean | May 14, 2009, 11:29 am 11:29 am

I presume you are being sarcastic , but yes Amy . If you spell something wrong on this blog a little red underline will appear to show there is an error.
But you have to spell things wrong in the first place to see it ! ;)

Posted by: Bart | May 14, 2009, 11:35 am 11:35 am

You got what you voted for. Quit bitching.
Posted by: LongT | May 14, 2009 11:21:49 AM
==================================
I’m not bitching ,I’m loving it !
From the (neutered) Republican crying/moaning/hair-pulling (which is the best part by far) to the new US membership on the UN human rights council ,closing gitmo , the new credit card policies, the new banking regulations etc etc…Mr Obama and his policies are not perfect ,but I highly approve of most of them so far.
I’M LOVING IT ,ARE YOU?

Posted by: FHG | May 14, 2009, 11:47 am 11:47 am

Dean; With over 40 years of political awareness under my belt from a centrist point of view, I can say with authority that the party of idiotic naysayer obstructionists is whichever party is in the minority at any given time. Some times even the party in control has idiotic naysayer obstructionists within itself. That’s politics. Everyone is elected to direct federal funding home to their state. Everyone is concerned with re-election above all else. The good of the nation overall is therefore a back burner issue. It’s also the reason politicians say and do whatever is politically convenient at the moment without regard for the truth or what position they took yesterday. Politicians lips are driven by poll results and little else.

Posted by: mmonroeliveson | May 14, 2009, 12:01 pm 12:01 pm

i am ashamed of how america has plunged itself into the sewer. sewer accusations, men thinking by emotion and not rational. the only effective thing that bush and cheney and co. have accomplished is to have broken the country into two parts. it is no longer one nation under….! america’s love and respect has been demolished by gangs whom spew brutal verbage towards their fellow citizens without any constructive developements in sight. YOUR NATION IS CRUMBLING and must are just doing what they can to help the process and to give momentum to pushing into a brink along with all of the other fallen empires. any peoples of any nation will not/can not ever sustain its wealth, strength or virtue as this nation exists today. as of yet little blame can be placed on Obama… thats coward, scapegoating and the easy route. THE BLAME FOR THE CONDITION OF THIS NATION REST SOLEY ON THE SHOULDERS OF US, WE THE PEOPLE! any argument against that fact is to deny that america is a democratic nation at all!!!!

Posted by: travesty nation | May 14, 2009, 12:12 pm 12:12 pm

If President Obama isn’t irritating both sides, he’s doing something wrong. We hired him to run the country as best as he could, generally (not slavishly) representing the Democratic position on issues. He is doing so, in spectactular fashion. Look what he’s done or will have done this year, at the current rate: stopped the country from crashing into a depression, begun to seriously address climate change, begun to seriously address the health insurance crisis, and begun to repair our image abroad. And this is in Year One. The guy packs the energy level of Bush over eight years into the first four months. Unbelievable. And he has time to spend quality with his lovely wife and adorable kids. Seriously. Those who complain, left or right, get used to it. They’re going to be naming airports and schools after this President for decades to come.

Posted by: Hastingspete | May 14, 2009, 12:19 pm 12:19 pm

When it comes down to decision making I’ll take Obama every time at this point. Obama took a position on the release of the photos, received strong concerns from the Commanders in the field to the effect that more photo releases could actually jeopardize lives and strengthen opposition positions, so Obama reversed himself in favor of the strong recommendations of his Commanders.
SO WHAT!!!
Sounds like a person with a functioning brain is in charge for a change.

Posted by: Chuck | May 14, 2009, 12:23 pm 12:23 pm

You hit the nail on the head, mmonroe. Every politician has a slogan, sound bite or catch-phrase he or she hopes will catapult them above the competition. Obama had all 3 and inspired almost 10M more people to vote for him than his opponent ($59M still voted for McCain, by the way). Are you and I the only ones old enough to have learned that you only listen to half of what any politician says, believe even less of anything promised, and ignore the Fourth Estate altogether???

Posted by: older&wiser | May 14, 2009, 12:25 pm 12:25 pm

Older and wiser ,and mmonroe.
Your points sound like a broken record .
Everything you said is pretty obvious , the only thing to wonder about then is picking the lesser of obvious evils.
Pretty simple , I got that at about age 12 or so ,if not earlier. But thanks for the insight(s).
As politicians go , Mr Obama is as good as it gets for the nation and it’s citizenry. And that’s that.
You got better? Who? McCain? Palin , “Shotgun” Cheney ,Rush L ? C’mon really?
Do the Republicans have a fiscal policy and/or omnibus budget that is less than a blatant joke show of smoke mirrors and lies ?
Be prepared to show and explain with reliable generally accepted facts in detail some preferable reasonable sustainable alternatives to his well defined (for once finally ) agenda otherwise shhh , relax and let the President lead .

Posted by: FHG | May 14, 2009, 12:46 pm 12:46 pm

i think the safest thing we can do for our troops is to bring them home. that way they won’t be laying their lives down in the field while their government is sabotaging them by using “enhanced interrogation methods” on their enemy and having to hide that fact from the american people.

Posted by: Paul Wall | May 14, 2009, 12:49 pm 12:49 pm

less than a blatant joke show of smoke mirrors and lies ?
————————
should have been …”more than a blatant joke show of smoke mirrors and lies ? ”
Oops!

Posted by: FHG | May 14, 2009, 12:50 pm 12:50 pm

The political wasteland has always been a criminal enterprise… Are we just now waking up to this? What do you expect from these Dem/Rep/ “pigs” but mere “grunts” at our outrage. As long as we give them the authority to run roughshod over our nation, they will take it and charge you and your children for the privledge… When will we EVER learn???

Posted by: hmn | May 14, 2009, 12:57 pm 12:57 pm

I remember the Republicans alternative budget proposal they cooked up in about 3 days or so.
It got ridiculed (and ignored) because IT WAS A COMPLETE JOKE!
It was not even worthy of debate at the lowest level . No reasonable alternatives means pipe down Republicans.
And “moderates” (mostly disgruntled/disenfranchised Republicans ) you are not welcome in the Democratic party , please go back to your Republican roots ,we really don’t want or need any more PUMA or “Blue Dog” Democrats.
Btw, your ugly stripes are showing badly.

Posted by: t | May 14, 2009, 12:58 pm 12:58 pm

When will we EVER learn???
Posted by: hmn | May 14, 2009 12:57:25 PM
————————–
You apparently never will.
So,what is/are your preferred alternative solution(s)?
?????

Posted by: Dean | May 14, 2009, 1:02 pm 1:02 pm

Hard call on the photos.
Truth/honesty calls for their release but reality and common sense dictate otherwise.
Seeing as how the grunt soldiers were only carrying out orders from above , and that they themselves are the ones who will likely be blamed and thus compromised in their ability to be trusted soldiers as well as “peace keepers” ,I can see how and why Mr Obama made this reversal ,and I congratulate him and heartily chastise the Democrats who are clamoring for the pictures to be released with their partisan yelps/rhetoric .
I am a life-long Democrat ,but releasing these photos would almost certainly do more harm than good . Again ,I am so glad we have elected this intelligent judicious man as our leader, what a great decision Mr President!

Posted by: Billing | May 14, 2009, 1:26 pm 1:26 pm

FHG; I have offered alternatives that neither the Republican nor Democrat legislators will ever adopt because of their professions and their nature. Lawyer politicians want to make laws that restrict our freedom and spend more money than they have. Tort reform is the number one issue that needs to be addressed. Lawsuits are the primary driving force behind the increased costs of doctor visits and procedures, hospital visits, ambulance rides, healthcare insurance, malpractice insurance, prescriptions. All these service providers must perform precautionary procedures, administer unnecessary tests, and in general take extra precautions to hedge against the rising propensity for lawsuits against the good Samaritans amidst this crazy mixed up world of money grubbers. Tort reform needs to be addressed before healthcare reform. With tort reform accomplished the need for healthcare reform might dwindle in importance. Existing unfunded but paid-in entitlements like social security and medicare need to be fixed before taking on additional government/taxpayer liability. In general our inefficient federal government needs to be decentralized. Power should be restored to the states where the money is needed and where it started out before going to Washington only to be gobbled up by a huge bureaucracy before finding its way back to the states where it started but at only a trickle compared to the amount of money that went to Washington. Businesses need to keep their profits and workers need to have control of the money they earned. Limit lawsuits, downsize government, balance the budget, decrease taxes. How’s that for meaningful and time proven common sense suggestions that are supported by our Constitution?

Posted by: mmonroeliveson | May 14, 2009, 1:43 pm 1:43 pm

I tend to agree with Amy watching Jon or interpreting Stephen is more revealing that watching the pundits on who seem more like watching Insider or some such “just gossip” show and they love to add that narcissistic flavor of “being in the know”.
As far as the shift, remember this is a court request and perhaps the military are concerned — as far as the public, it seems that we have really seen enough!

Posted by: paulet | May 14, 2009, 1:54 pm 1:54 pm

Mmonroe ,by tort reform you mean (like a good republican) limiting professional and/or corporate liability (and thus responsibility) ?
Sounds a lot like Bush/Reagan type theory to me , kind of like trickle-down (aka “voodoo”) economics ,which is PRECISELY the main reason we are where we are today . Tort reform might be needed ,but is is not nearly the main problem.
Blaming the wrong thing ,as usual.
Very convenient for Republicans ,or just anti-obama types.
That’s what you’re proposing ,in a nut shell. The health care system is broken and the current method of bringing forth legitimate claims against it you want neutered and marginalized. Right…
Guess what? Been there ,done that.
Negative. Go tell that b/s to someone from 1825 ,this is 2009 . Anti-federalism was cool then , but when you/your state need government ( = taxpayer $$ from where ever ) supplied swine flu vaccine you will think twice I bet.
Maybe you should move to Texas , I hear they may secede (one can only hope/pray).

Posted by: Uh huh | May 14, 2009, 2:56 pm 2:56 pm

feelingtogetherness | May 14, 2009 9:23:53 AM
… “the failure of this President so far.” …
_________________
What PARALLEL UNIVERSE are you living in? This President Barack Obama has a Job Approval Rating of 62%. That’s twice his Disapproval Rating of 31% – and the Spread has been widening over the last 2 weeks.
Posted by:

Posted by: bobj72 | May 14, 2009, 4:35 pm 4:35 pm

mmonroeliveson | May 14, 2009 9:30:13 AM
… “Yeah, I already know your response. It will take along time to clean up the mess he inherited. BS! You can’t ride that horse much longer and things aren’t improving.” …
_____________
If it makes you more confortable, go ahead put the load on his back – he’s got broad shoulders… He can handle it! But it really does make you “Undercover Right Winger’s” look like rats escaping the sinking GOP Ship. “Such Loyalty!”

Posted by: bobj72 | May 14, 2009, 4:44 pm 4:44 pm

frquarter | May 14, 2009 10:02:16 AM
… “pubs will be back in 2012…”
________________
Probably about the same time as the Studebaker.

Posted by: bobj72 | May 14, 2009, 4:48 pm 4:48 pm

billy bob | May 14, 2009 10:34:56 AM
…”I think most are confused now that it is comming out that their messiah is really just a person with little experience and is making huge mistakes.” ..
____________
I Really do understand your Motivation and Your Emotion on the matter. But your personal assessment Lacks Merit, is trite in its ‘name calling’ and it’s “Inconsistent with the Facts!”

Posted by: bobj72 | May 14, 2009, 5:04 pm 5:04 pm

billy bob | May 14, 2009 11:01:33 AM
… “Oh what a web we weave when we first set out to decieve.” …
______________
Finally……. a CONFESSION. Anyone care to administer penance?

Posted by: bobj72 | May 14, 2009, 5:10 pm 5:10 pm

I strongly agree with the statement … We are Americans… We don’t torture. It does not matter whether torture worked or did not work. The point is the Constitution was violated & International laws were broken.
We do not torture, and torture is a crime, not a method. If you want to work for a government and want to torture someone, you need to find another country. Government employees take an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution. If you are a government official and torture someone, you have failed your oath to defend the U.S. Constitution and you have broken the law. We do not need or want people working in our government that conducted torture.
There is no way anyone can respect the CIA if it rewards torture interrogators with their job. Abscense of morality in any government agency will not result in respect, ether now or in the future. This controversy is not about legal opinions & the CIA its about the CYA mentality of the Bush Administration.
At the Nuremberg trials in 1946, the U.S., England, and France decided that just taking orders is not excuse for torture. Concentration Camp commander’s defended their actions as just taking orders. No doubt Nazi lawyers declared their actions both necessary and legal under German Third Reicht Law. At Nuremberg in 1946, the decision by the U.S., France, and England was unanimous, that a person is responsible for their own actions. No orders or shadow legality is a defense against a complete loss of morality. The trials at Nuremberg set the standard. Just taking orders does not give anyone, not even an American, the right to torture another person . We do not want our country to have Nazi morality standards.
I hope we still have today as much moral strength as our fathers that fought WWII to save our country and save our Constitution. If government officials today trash our Constitution to gain immediate ends, then we have lost any meaningful difference between our enemies and ourselves.
We are America, and We don’t torture. Our Constitution and our morality are worth far more than any information obtained from torture. The ends do not justify the means.
We are Americans, and We don’t torture. NO IF ANDS OR BUTS ABOUT IT ! See title 18 sec. 241 & 242 if you do torture, this is what you can expect from the law.
Title 18, U.S.C., Section 241
Conspiracy Against Rights
This statute makes it unlawful for two or more persons to conspire to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate any person of any state, territory or district in the free exercise or enjoyment of any right or privilege secured to him/her by the Constitution or the laws of the United States, (or because of his/her having exercised the same).
It further makes it unlawful for two or more persons to go in disguise on the highway or on the premises of another with the intent to prevent or hinder his/her free exercise or enjoyment of any rights so secured.
Punishment varies from a fine or imprisonment of up to ten years, or both; and if death results, or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for any term of years, or for life, or may be sentenced to death.
——————————————————————————–
Title 18, U.S.C., Section 242
Deprivation of Rights Under Color of Law
This statute makes it a crime for any person acting under color of law, statute, ordinance, regulation, or custom to willfully deprive or cause to be deprived from any person those rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution and laws of the U.S.
This law further prohibits a person acting under color of law, statute, ordinance, regulation or custom to willfully subject or cause to be subjected any person to different punishments, pains, or penalties, than those prescribed for punishment of citizens on account of such person being an alien or by reason of his/her color or race.
Acts under “color of any law” include acts not only done by federal, state, or local officials within the bounds or limits of their lawful authority, but also acts done without and beyond the bounds of their lawful authority; provided that, in order for unlawful acts of any official to be done under “color of any law,” the unlawful acts must be done while such official is purporting or pretending to act in the performance of his/her official duties. This definition includes, in addition to law enforcement officials, individuals such as Mayors, Council persons, Judges, Nursing Home Proprietors, Security Guards, etc., persons who are bound by laws, statutes ordinances, or customs.
Punishment varies from a fine or imprisonment of up to one year, or both, and if bodily injury results or if such acts include the use, attempted use, or threatened use of a dangerous weapon, explosives, or fire shall be fined or imprisoned up to ten years or both, and if death results, or if such acts include kidnapping or an attempt to kidnap, aggravated sexual abuse or an attempt to commit aggravated sexual abuse, or an attempt to kill, shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned for any term of years or for life, or both, or may be sentenced to death.

Posted by: gezzerman | May 15, 2009, 5:41 am 5:41 am

The GOP has successfully created “The Master Distraction”, making PELOSI the subject of the discussion, rather than COMMITTING TORTURE!!! Which subject affects Our Standing in the International community? The GOP is LITERALLY lol. Saw Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO) smiling throughout his interview this AM on MSNBC! (I had NEVER seen him smile before.)

Posted by: bobj72 | May 15, 2009, 8:40 am 8:40 am

This is a Travesty; PERSECUTING Pelosi, rather than PROSECUTING Those who committed the Illegal ACTS of Torture!!! (IF…. she lied (which is doubtful) What would she gain from it??? Reputation?) A Classic case of “Putting the Eye-Witness in Jail and Releasing the “Actual, Known Murderer” who committed the crime!”

Posted by: bobj72 | May 15, 2009, 9:28 am 9:28 am

I don’t see what this is remotely surprising. Liberal nonsense does not now, and never has, worked in the real world. Obama’s idealistic campaign silliness, designed to energize a naive voter base, has slammed head on into the cold, hard, gray stone wall of reality. No surprise to anyone, reality is winning. Obama, being many things, but not an idiot, recognizes that fighting this simple reality is futile. For example, Obama would like to get the hell out of Iraq before it becomes his war. Not being a blathering idiot he realizes releasing the insurgents held at gitmo so his forces can fight them again, probably isn’t the best way to end on a happy note and get the hell out. Consequently the poor misunderstood little terrorists are not going anywhere soon. Most of his supporters are a little slower on the uptake. Again not surprising given that they cheered while he gave about 1.5 trillion of their tax dollars to incompetent bankers and CEO’s, a class that liberals are supposed to despise. Cheer up liberals. Your party has accomplished something since taking control of congress in 06: In just two votes they have managed to hand over more money to poor deprived bankers and CEO’s than Bush managed to spend in Iraq and Afghanistan put together in two terms. You must be so proud.

Posted by: Steve | May 26, 2009, 10:59 pm 10:59 pm

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The Note, 5/14/2009: Those Who Brung Him — Obama, Dems wrestle themselves on national security

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