Obama “Likely” to Speak About Flight 253
EmailABC News' Yunji de Nies Reports: White House sources tell ABC News the President will "likely" speak publicly about the alleged attempted terrorist attack on Flight 253 in the next few days. The President is on vacation in his native state of Hawaii – he has received regularly briefings on the incident and called for increased security for air travel, along with a full review of the terror watch list procedures. The White House is adamant that the President is actively engaged on the incident behind the scenes, receiving regular updates as information comes in. While on vacation Mr. Obama does not keep a public schedule, but he did spend much of the day golfing on Saturday and is spending Sunday with his family at the beach. He has been criticized because he has yet to address the American people directly. The White House believes it has responded appropriately – pointing out that the President's top spokesperson Robert appeared on several Sunday talk shows, including This Week along with Department of Homeland Security Chief Janet Napolitano. The President is walking a fine line. Responding immediately could perhaps increase the value of such attacks – even those that are unsuccessful – and encourage other would-be terrorists. President George W. Bush also waited to respond publicly after Richard Reid, the "shoe bomber," attempted to attack a plane by hiding explosives in his shoes in December of 2001. On ABC This Week, Jake Tapper asked former George W. Bush strategist Mathew Dowd if President Obama was doing the right thing by waiting. "Well yes," Dowd said, "Part of the problem here is that all the facts that you think are true at the beginning turn out not to be true as the days go on. Some of that stuff we've learned in the process of this, as, actually, we're learning some of the things we first heard, we didn't catch. Asked about the President's mood during what was supposed a "news-free" vacations, an aide said Mr. Obama is doing is best to "recharge his batteries" but stressed that the President is very concerned about what is going on in the world and is actively engaged at all levels.
Sen. DeMint: GOP Race Could Go Until Convention 
Obama Avoids Questions on Contraception Rule
Hopefully he’ll be announcing the departure, from public life, of Janet Napolitano.
Posted by: mesquito | December 27, 2009, 5:59 pm 5:59 pm
Likely to comment…in the next few days? Does he have to wait and find someone to give a shout out to?
We shouldn’t get too upset, though. Guy needs time to eat his waffles.
Posted by: Tinkerbell | December 27, 2009, 6:01 pm 6:01 pm
According to crappy nappy the system worked. If having a failure of a detonator is the system working we are screwed. Mr. I vote present better clean house or Americans will die due to the incompetence of this failed administration.
Posted by: Stephanas | December 27, 2009, 6:03 pm 6:03 pm
The President should use this vacation time to reflect on how he depleted all his political capital in less then one year.
He needs to reach deep inside and release GWB and start taking responsiblity for his outcomes.
Obama needs to start an “American Exceptionalism Journal” and force himself to write one good thing about this country everyday — Two if he can muster the strenghth.
Get some rest President “O”, the right wing is just getting started. It’s going to be a rough ride.
Posted by: carolynn | December 27, 2009, 6:07 pm 6:07 pm
If having a failure of a detonator is the system working we are screwed.
Posted by: Stephanas | Dec 27, 2009 6:03:10 PM
Yes. She is really spinning the failure but I would expect nothing less no matter who is in office.
The fact that he was able to set off a device that failed to complete it’s detonation is a total failure in national security.
I am very disappointed that the world is still trying to hurt us. I guess neither good cop nor bad cop works. So I guess strict levels of national security is the answer.
Posted by: Live! From DC! It's Saturday Night! | December 27, 2009, 6:11 pm 6:11 pm
How this guy ever got out of chicago is beyond me.
Posted by: DocinMPLS | December 27, 2009, 6:19 pm 6:19 pm
I am still waiting for our “President” to stand up for the people of Iran, words just words, as more people die in the streets today 12-27-09, “words” sometimes are only words if you don’t really believe them yourself.
Posted by: Joseph | December 27, 2009, 6:19 pm 6:19 pm
Napolitano should retire immediately.
And Obama’s asleep at the wheel, apparently. Glad he’s getting his workout and golf game in though – would hate for him to miss out on anything while he’s on vacation.
Posted by: Jim | December 27, 2009, 6:20 pm 6:20 pm
“Regular briefings” = Blackberry message.
Fore!
Posted by: Stoon | December 27, 2009, 6:22 pm 6:22 pm
It is clear that the honeyed words of the past year have not worked against those people who are dead set on killing Americans.
Hopefully this incident will be a wakeup call for the Obama administration to recognise the reality of Islamic terrorism, although refusing to let this attempt at mass murder on US soil interfere with his vacation doesn’t inspire much confidence.
As for the Homeland Security chief, if she doesn’t get her head out of the sand soon, she needs to be replaced.
Posted by: Paul UK | December 27, 2009, 6:26 pm 6:26 pm
It’s time for this administration to get serious about the terrorist threat we’re facing. We happened to get ‘lucky’ this time around thanks to a few brave souls. That cannot be our strategy moving forward. Ms. Napolitano please go back to Arizona. Let’s get Ridge back or someone competent.
Posted by: Pedro | December 27, 2009, 6:28 pm 6:28 pm
So when the passengers have to physically restrain a terrorist on a flight the system “worked.” Were it not for a defective detonator this would have been a disaster. Napolitano is way in the weeds on this. How about we coordinate those databases and take a pro-active approach instead of waiting on a hero to emerge from coach.
Posted by: Gardale Hatley | December 27, 2009, 6:34 pm 6:34 pm
Napolitano was wrong to say the system worked. However, I think the president is correct to underplay the incident rather than make a big public statement immediately. He does need to speak, however, soon, to reassure folks that the administration is on the ball.
BTW, Hawaii is not his “native state”– he was not born there, nor were his parents. Yes, he considers it his home state, I suppose, because he did live there through much of his childhood.
Posted by: moderate | December 27, 2009, 6:38 pm 6:38 pm
Hey DocinMPLS:I wouldn’t talk about getting out of Chicago when you scandahoovians saddled us with that Wayzata carpetbagger Franken.UFF DA!I hope United Health is treatin’ you OK.
Posted by: Nephron | December 27, 2009, 6:42 pm 6:42 pm
BTW, Hawaii is not his “native state”– he was not born there
____________________________________
Obama was born in Hawaii – unless you’ve got documents showing he was born somewhere else.
Posted by: tierra | December 27, 2009, 6:44 pm 6:44 pm
Obama is so inept, weak, and irrelevant that his own staff didn’t bother to tell him about a terrorist attack for three hours.
Understandable since he is marketed as a figurehead, charmer, campaigner.
Obama’s idea of leadership is to delegate everything, then he will come out and read a moving speech at the appropriate time.
I bet Rahm Emanuel was informed right away.
Posted by: mick | December 27, 2009, 6:45 pm 6:45 pm
Let’s get Ridge back or someone competent.
_____________________________________
You might remember this is the second failed detonation of this type of material that was ‘handled’ by passengers.
The so-called ‘shoe bomber’ made it through security and attempted the same thing – on the Bush watch AFTER 9/11.
Ridge was in charge of the Office of Homeland Security.
Posted by: tierra | December 27, 2009, 6:51 pm 6:51 pm
Posted by: mick | Dec 27, 2009 6:45:11 PM
Nonsense.
Posted by: tierra | December 27, 2009, 6:52 pm 6:52 pm
Napolitano was an idiot for saying that the system worked. It didn’t work.
When people like Napolitano live in denial, it is a very dangerous situation for us all.
Posted by: Paul UK | December 27, 2009, 6:55 pm 6:55 pm
According to some of the media on the left Obama has a brilliant strategy.
Continue to play golf, give no response to the attacks–that will show the terrorist that this latest attack was no big deal.
Show the terrorist how calm and cool he is.
I wonder how the 270 people on the plane feel about that brilliant strategy. Sounds like Obama voting present again.
Posted by: hank | December 27, 2009, 6:56 pm 6:56 pm
“The system worked.”
Posted by: Huh? | December 27, 2009, 7:00 pm 7:00 pm
I am infuriated by Napolitano’s comments. No, the system did not work. The people took action and increasingly we are on our own because Western governments seem to care more about the rectitude of their policy than our actual lives.
Posted by: tokyobk | December 27, 2009, 7:03 pm 7:03 pm
For those of you who apparently can’t read . ..
“President George W. Bush also waited to respond publicly after Richard Reid, the “show (sic) bomber,” attempted to attack a plane by hiding explosives in his shoes in December of 2001. On ABC This Week, Jake Tapper asked former George W. Bush strategist Mathew Dowd if President Obama was doing the right thing by waiting.
“Well yes,” Dowd said, “Part of the problem here is that all the facts that you think are true at the beginning turn out not to be true as the days go on. Some of that stuff we’ve learned in the process of this, as, actually, we’re learning some of the things we first heard, we didn’t catch.”
Posted by: tierra | December 27, 2009, 7:06 pm 7:06 pm
Ridge was in charge of the Office of Homeland Security.
——————————–
Ridge didn’t take charge of DHS until 2003. DHS was only formed for a few weeks before Reid made his failed attempt. Also, Reid was an unknown quantity to US intelligence at the time of the bombing attempt, unlike this latest jihadist who was on the radar screen.
Obama’s administration failed to take action, to include placing him on the no-fly list, failing to revoke his multiple-entry Visa and failing to prevent him from entering the US. Epic fail on Obama’s part.
Posted by: LandofLincoln | December 27, 2009, 7:12 pm 7:12 pm
It’s time for this administration to get serious about the terrorist threat we’re facing.
…
Really? So, I guess that means they weren’t “serious” at all when they made arrests of terrorist suspects in Colorado, New York, Illinois, and Texas this fall (for example see Najibullah Zazi), or ordered targeted strikes against terrorist networks that resulted in the deaths of Al Qaeda and Pakistani Taliban leaders, people like Osama bin Laden’s son Saad, Pakistani Taliban Commander Baitullah Mehsud and just this month, Saleh al-Somali.
And I suppose we should give a big never mind to that escalation of troops in Afghanistan, right? Because, after all, if we’re partisan or anti-Obama, we know this admin doesn’t take terrorism and national security seriously, right?
And, you know what? Let’s just blow off the fact that Yemeni security forces carried out airstrikes and ground raids against suspected al Qaeda hide-outs (during the past two weeks) “with what American officials described as ‘intelligence and firepower’ supplied by the United States. We can just pretend that neither Obama nor John Brennan cited Yemen as a key concern, even though there are transcripts proving they did.
How ridiculous.
Frankly, I like the way the President is playing it, by NOT giving the terrorists a symbolic victory when there IS no victory– if you don’t get it, I suggest taking a peek at Marc Ambinder’s blog post today. Here’s a snip to google” It’s strategy.Here’s the theory: a two-bit mook is sent by Al Qaeda to do a dastardly deed. He winds up neutering himself. Literally. Authorities respond appropriately…”
As this blog post explains, Bush did the same thing in regards to Richard Reid.
Napolitano has never been all that great on these shows, but I prefer her confidence over Hoekstra’s hyperpartisan blame the admin tactics, exploiting an attack that didn’t work for his idea of political gain. (He’s a doofus: see Political Animal, HOEKSTRA, THE HUMAN SIEVE; and TPM, Lacking Evidence, Hoekstra Blames Obama Admin. For Fort Hood)
…
Posted by: There is no Planet B | December 27, 2009, 7:14 pm 7:14 pm
“For those of you who apparently can’t read . ..”
Hey, tierra, you still have those awesome copy and paste skills going, I see.
Perhaps it hasn’t occurred to you that people can read the quoted passage … but *disagree* with it?
Or is Mathew Dowd to be taken as unassailable truth by virtue of the fact that in this instance he happens to be defending Pres. B+?
Posted by: PD | December 27, 2009, 7:15 pm 7:15 pm
More mixed messages from the clowns in the Obama Administration.
Napolitano: The system worked.
Gibbs: Obama is ordering a review of the system.
The chaos continues.
Posted by: kyle | December 27, 2009, 7:18 pm 7:18 pm
The people took action and increasingly we are on our own
….
What happened to the Atlas Shrugged-clutching self determination types? Surely, they don’t want a bigger government to enforce rules which might cost money and interfere with our liberty in some way?
OR DO THEY?
I applaud the heroism of the passengers. And if you want a look at the probability of a terrorist boarding a plan you’re on, check out Nate Silver’s blog.
Posted by: There is no Planet B | December 27, 2009, 7:18 pm 7:18 pm
Or is Mathew Dowd to be taken as unassailable truth by virtue of the fact that in this instance he happens to be defending Pres. B+?
________________________________
Just comparing the behavior of two Presidents vs. a poster’s whining opinion.
Posted by: tierra | December 27, 2009, 7:19 pm 7:19 pm
“What happened to the Atlas Shrugged-clutching self determination types? Surely, they don’t want a bigger government to enforce rules which might cost money and interfere with our liberty in some way?”
Given that there are supposed to be security procedures in place that we are already paying for, it would be nice to get something for our money. Why do we have watch lists, for example, if we’re not going to use them? That’s not an argument for increased government, it’s a complaint about incompetence of existing government.
Posted by: PD | December 27, 2009, 7:24 pm 7:24 pm
Obama was born in Hawaii – unless you’ve got documents showing he was born somewhere else.
Posted by: tierra | Dec 27, 2009 6:44:23 PM
….
So now birthers are claiming they’re “moderates”?
Yowza.
Posted by: There is no Planet B | December 27, 2009, 7:27 pm 7:27 pm
“President George W. Bush also waited to respond publicly after Richard Reid…
Posted by: tierra |
Just do what W did. What could go wrong?
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | December 27, 2009, 7:28 pm 7:28 pm
Watch lists cannot make us any safer. Surly minimum wage screeners cannot make us any safer. “Security Theater” is merely designed to make people feel safer, not actually be safer.
The only things that have made air travel safer since 9.11 are 1) fortifying cockpit doors, and 2) passengers attacking hijacker/bombers
Posted by: Flash Override | December 27, 2009, 7:29 pm 7:29 pm
Ridge was in charge of the Office of Homeland Security.
——————————–
Ridge didn’t take charge of DHS until 2003. DHS was only formed for a few weeks before Reid made his failed attempt
______________________________________
Nonsense. The Office of Homeland Security was created on Sept 20, 2001, Ridge accepted the position of head of this office on that same day and resigned his Governor’s postion on October 5 to begin his new position.
The ‘shoe bomber’ struck on December 22.
So the Bush administration failed to identify or intercept this terrorist – and it was also good luck, and the intervention of flight crew and passengers that prevented a major tragedy – not the astuteness of the Bush administration.
p.s. – “Land of Lincoln” you’re confused (and wrong) because the Office of Homeland Security split into a Cabinet-level Department, the Department of Homeland Security, and the White House Homeland Security Advisory Council in January 2003 and after the passage of the Homeland Security Act of 2002.
The Office of Homeland Security and Ridge’s appointment September 20, 2001.
Posted by: tierra | December 27, 2009, 7:29 pm 7:29 pm
Just do what W did. What could go wrong?________________________________
Just comparing the behavior of two Presidents vs. a poster’s whining opinion.
Posted by: tierra | December 27, 2009, 7:31 pm 7:31 pm
“Just comparing the behavior of two Presidents vs. a poster’s whining opinion.”
Whining?
Would it likewise be “whining” when a certain someone claims that people are trying to “smear” Obama by telling “lies” about him, merely because they disagree with him?
Posted by: PD | December 27, 2009, 7:33 pm 7:33 pm
Obama is a one term POTUS. You can take that to the bank. A clean sweep of house is needed to protect us all. These guys don’t have a clue. You know Janet talked to the head man before she said “the system worked”. That’s how these folks view things and that ain’t good. Watch tomorrow…the MSM will be spinning just like Janet. chris will be spinning just like a top. Come 2010 and 2012 look for America to realize their error. The Dem’s will not get back in power for decades. Let’s hope NO one get’s hurt before 2012. Even a blind hog can find an acorn…every once an awhile.
Posted by: Loadmaster | December 27, 2009, 7:38 pm 7:38 pm
A clean sweep of house is needed to protect us all.
________________________________
More fear mongering from the right wing – it’s all they’ve got folks and all they’ve had for years now.
The exact same kind of attack happened on George Bush’s watch AFTER 9/11.
Posted by: tierra | December 27, 2009, 7:52 pm 7:52 pm
“That was when my fellow passenger Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab decided to ignite his explosives 19 rows ahead of me.
“I had been traveling for more than a day, starting in Kampala, Uganda, where I’ve been creating a solar lighting company called Village Energy, and living what I thought, up until that point, was a fairly adventurous life.”
_________________________________
I knew it! The whole thing was caused by a global warming / green energy fanatic’s presence.
Posted by: tierra | December 27, 2009, 7:56 pm 7:56 pm
“The system worked”…just what system is she referring to? That isn’t the system I want if that is her best response.
Posted by: zanne | December 27, 2009, 8:00 pm 8:00 pm
Damn stay on the golf course and shut the **** up!
Posted by: Mario | December 27, 2009, 8:07 pm 8:07 pm
If I could make a small recommendation to the democrat’s and obama specifically, if they want to come together as a country, united against terorism, they could stop the gratuitous shots against Bush 24/7. You leave yourselves no margin of error when things happen on YOUR watch. We should make that OUR watch, but the partisan chicanery going on by both parties has made this country a dangerous place to live.
Posted by: gk1 | December 27, 2009, 8:16 pm 8:16 pm
If I could make a small recommendation to the democrat’s and obama specifically, if they want to come together as a country, united against terorism, they could stop the gratuitous shots against Bush 24/7.
_______________________________________
If I could make a small recommendation to the Republican’s and the right wing – stop the gratuitous shots against Obama and the Democrats 24/7. If they want to come together as a county united against terrorism.
Posted by: tierra | December 27, 2009, 8:21 pm 8:21 pm
We should make that OUR watch, but the partisan chicanery going on by both parties has made this country a dangerous place to live.
Posted by: gk1 |
I second that. This on-his-watch stuff is frequently juvenile and always partisans. Meanwhile, the bought and paid for crooks in Washington are robbing us blind and those who are incapable of seeing the corruption on their side of the aisle are part of the problem.
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | December 27, 2009, 8:30 pm 8:30 pm
So criticism of those politicians who happen to be in office is just as gratuitous as criticism of Bush, who is no longer in office?
Yeah, that makes sense.
Posted by: PD | December 27, 2009, 8:32 pm 8:32 pm
“More fear mongering from the right wing – it’s all they’ve got folks and all they’ve had for years now.”
Have you listened to B+ Obama lately, such as a couple of days before the Senate vote on the health “care” bill, speaking on the need to pass the bill? His remarks, though brief, were heavily larded with words like “crisis” to create the effect of what a disaster for the country failure to pass the bill would be.
No fear mongering there.
Posted by: PD | December 27, 2009, 8:36 pm 8:36 pm
Posted by: PD | Dec 27, 2009 8:36:27 PM
Yes, but the Republican right has done almost nothing but fear mongering and smears against Democrats for years. They don’t seem to have anything else going for them.
Posted by: tierra | December 27, 2009, 8:47 pm 8:47 pm
Posted by: whatsgoingonhere? | Dec 27, 2009 8:59:30 PM
Oh come now! Bush didn’t do everything wrong . . . and its important to acknowledge that when it comes up. We’re often reminded of the large amounts of money he gave to African AIDS . . . and the other things.
Posted by: tierra | December 27, 2009, 9:05 pm 9:05 pm
Yes, but the Republican right has done almost nothing but fear mongering and smears against Democrats for years. They don’t seem to have anything else going for them.
Posted by: tierra |
Exhibit A
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | December 27, 2009, 9:06 pm 9:06 pm
So criticism of those politicians who happen to be in office is just as gratuitous as criticism of Bush, who is no longer in office?
Yeah, that makes sense.
Posted by: PD |
That’s certainly not my point. I criticize this congress every day but I remember how lousy the Republicans were when they were in the majority too.
To elaborate, consider the banking crisis. We know how to solve the problem. For 80 years we had Glass-Steagall. No meltdown. We repeal it and 8 years later the country is brought to its knees. Re-enacting Glass-Steagall is as close to a no brainer as it gets. Where is Congress? In the back pocket of the banks that’s where.
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | December 27, 2009, 9:15 pm 9:15 pm
“That’s certainly not my point.”
That’s okay, because I wasn’t replying to your post.
Posted by: PD | December 27, 2009, 9:22 pm 9:22 pm
those who are incapable of seeing the corruption on their side of the aisle are part of the problem.
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | Dec 27, 2009 8:30:56 PM
Who is corrupt on the right side of the aisle, specifically? How would you rate the performance of Republicans in the Congress and Senate for 2009? What could they have done differently to curry your favor? Can you name senators and reps on both sides of the aisle that you think are good at their jobs– or do they all need to go?
I’m an Obama supporter and partisan but you seem to claim you’re above all that partisan stuff. All talk? You seem to spend most of your time representing for Republicans.
Posted by: There is no Planet B | December 27, 2009, 9:46 pm 9:46 pm
NO, we don’t need a clean sweep. Throw the bums out, sure– start with Napolitano, throw in some key Congresspeople, like Dodd, Boxer, Reid, Pelosi, Murtha, and on and on.
But some in Congress have been particularly strong on terrorism and national defense, and doing great work on other key issues as well. I would want to hang onto John McCain, Joe Lieberman, and Eric Cantor, myself. There are others who belong on both lists (staying and going), but to simplistically say we should throw them all out is not the way forward, imho.
Posted by: moderate | December 27, 2009, 9:58 pm 9:58 pm
This was the same explosive Tom Ridge saw used in the December 2001 attack by the infamous ‘shoe bomber’. Ridge had years to put safeguards in place to ensure this type of explosive couldn’t be carried onto planes – he obviously failed didn’t he?
Posted by: tierra | December 27, 2009, 10:05 pm 10:05 pm
I’m an Obama supporter and partisan but you seem to claim you’re above all that partisan stuff. All talk? You seem to spend most of your time representing for Republicans.
Posted by: There is no Planet B |
Let me be clear. I don’t claim to be above anything.
I think you confuse bashing Democrats with “representing for Republicans”. Isn’t that the kind of with-us-or-against-us approach that you people ripped W for?
I don’t like government. I think it creates way more problems than it solves. So naturally I am not going to like Democrats. I don’t see many less gov’t types in Washington these days so I am largely unrepresented. I’d be happy to throw em all out or have term limits. I’d make an exception for anyone who would pledge to support re-enacting Glass-Steagall.
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | December 27, 2009, 10:37 pm 10:37 pm
This was the same explosive Tom Ridge saw used in the December 2001 attack by the infamous ‘shoe bomber’. Ridge had years to put safeguards in place to ensure this type of explosive couldn’t be carried onto planes – he obviously failed didn’t he?
Posted by: tierra |
Is that right? Which of our 57 states do you think Amsterdam is in?
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | December 27, 2009, 11:22 pm 11:22 pm
I think you confuse bashing Democrats with “representing for Republicans”.
…
Ah. That explains it. I seem to recall you defending various Republicans but maybe that was just to bash a Democrat over the head.
…
Isn’t that the kind of with-us-or-against-us approach that you people ripped W for?
…
By “you people” do you mean Democrats? I didn’t rip him for that, but I don’t follow the pack, so to speak, so I may have missed that.I ripped Bush for breaking promises on science (stem cell, climate change), crummy environmental policy, starting the Iraq War, messing up the Iraq War till Petraeus and Gates took over, paying for the war on credit from China, chest-thumping and saber-rattling, torture, rising poverty, income decline, and tax cuts without cuts in spending. I made a few jokes about misunderestimating him a well– but I liked some things about him, too.
I take it you probably didn’t like him much at all since he expanded government. If you’re consistent.
Posted by: There is no Planet B | December 27, 2009, 11:31 pm 11:31 pm
I take it you probably didn’t like him much at all since he expanded government. If you’re consistent.
Posted by: There is no Planet B |
I use to say W (and the congress he refused to veto) spent money like a Democrat but that was before Porkulus I. It was not a good eight years.
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | December 27, 2009, 11:45 pm 11:45 pm
Likely!!! When he stops hiding behind the Marines in Hawaii it means they have come up with a plausible deniability!
Posted by: Kala | December 27, 2009, 11:58 pm 11:58 pm
This was the same explosive Tom Ridge saw used in the December 2001 attack by the infamous ‘shoe bomber’. Ridge had years to put safeguards in place to ensure this type of explosive couldn’t be carried onto planes – he obviously failed didn’t he?
——————————
Is that right? Which of our 57 states do you think Amsterdam is in?
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | Dec 27, 2009 11:22:32 PM
_____________________________________
Oh yeah, why would Tom Ridge bother putting any security in place for planes leaving other countries with the United States as a destination?
How stupid of me to think he might have thought of that.
Posted by: tierra | December 27, 2009, 11:58 pm 11:58 pm
I’d make an exception for anyone who would pledge to support re-enacting Glass-Steagall
.Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn
with all the craziness in DC, by both sides, I am also stunned that financial reform is not among the most immediate objectives..
Posted by: Oh Yeah | December 28, 2009, 12:52 am 12:52 am
btw:
Hoekstra has one of the more ridiculous track records of any member of Congress in recent memory…a partisan clown who held a press conference in 2006 to announce, “We have found weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.”
amazing to me that hacks like Hoekstra are in any way involved in security matters at any level of government… and to be fair, there are Dems that also fit this description..
we deserve the consequences of who we elect
Posted by: Oh Yeah | December 28, 2009, 1:02 am 1:02 am
Likely!!! When he stops hiding behind the Marines in Hawaii it means they have come up with a plausible deniability!
Posted by: Kala
fear not, air strikes are underway against Amsterdam, their marajuana supplies have been seized, … all major rolling operations have ended
Posted by: Don't Tase Me Bro | December 28, 2009, 1:13 am 1:13 am
If Bush had waited this long the media and the Dems would be outraged.
Posted by: Yehudit | December 28, 2009, 1:58 am 1:58 am
If Bush had waited this long the media and the Dems would be outraged.
Posted by: Yehudit | Dec 28, 2009 1:58:54 AM
_________________________________
It’s sometimes worth reading the news articles (above) . ..
“President George W. Bush also waited to respond publicly after Richard Reid, the “shoe bomber,” attempted to attack a plane by hiding explosives in his shoes in December of 2001.”
Posted by: tierra | December 28, 2009, 3:08 am 3:08 am
“Present”
Posted by: Greg | December 28, 2009, 5:10 am 5:10 am
You can bet no one will criticize Obama for not speaking publicly WITHOUT making sure to mention Bush and Katrina.
I would just like to see the same consistency out of the press-but we know that isn’t going to happen.
Posted by: ironchefofmunchies | December 28, 2009, 12:31 pm 12:31 pm
All I can say is I do not feel safe anymore for our country with this administration in office.The so called leader play party boy can not make decision what to so and how to do anything.Its sad sad days ahead with this man in office.
Posted by: Joeray | December 28, 2009, 12:40 pm 12:40 pm
“The so called leader play party boy . . .”
_________________________________
I no longer feel safe in this country with people using the english language in this way . ..
Posted by: tierra | December 28, 2009, 3:01 pm 3:01 pm
WHERE is the press???
When President Bush took 5-7 minutes (according to the investigation) before responding to 9/11, he was ROUNDLY criticized by the press.
Obama has said NOTHING for THREE DAYS because he’s on vacation! This is OUTRAGEOUS!
You folks in the press wonder why we think you’re biased? It’s because you keep demonstrating that you are! You should be raking the absent-president over the coals.
Posted by: Mark | December 28, 2009, 6:43 pm 6:43 pm
When President Bush took 5-7 minutes (according to the investigation) before responding to 9/11, he was ROUNDLY criticized by the press.
Posted by: Mark | Dec 28, 2009 6:43:11 PM
___________________________________
Mark there is little comparison. By the time Bush was told a 2nd plane had slammed into the World Trade Center, the United States was clearly under attack. Bush needed to be ‘in command’ as Commander in Chief – not reading a goat story to school kids.
This recent situation was completely different – one isolated incident that was not successful. It most closely resembles the ‘shoe bomber’ attempt in December of 2001. In that case, the President (Bush) did not address the issue for several days as well.
Posted by: tierra | December 28, 2009, 7:47 pm 7:47 pm