Calibrated Inebriation

Getty Images

Well, well, well....today's the day we head over at the White House, where everybody knows their names:

President Obama will welcome a well-known scholar and the police officer who arrested him to the White House on Thursday, in an effort to put to an end the racially charged controversy caused by the arrest near Harvard University earlier this month.

Obama, Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Sgt. James Crowley of the Cambridge, Mass., police are scheduled to gather over beers at a picnic table outside the Oval Office, joined by their families. The White House hopes the meeting will transform a public relations misstep for the nation's first African American president into a "teachable moment" for improving the nation's race relations.

Obama invited the two men to the White House on Friday, the same day he publicly expressed regret for saying July 22 at a nationally televised news conference that Cambridge police had "acted stupidly" by arresting Gates at his home. The remark ignited a backlash from conservative commentators and law enforcement officials, who accused Obama of speaking rashly and being anti-police.

That controversy caught the White House by surprise, and initially the president, a friend of Gates's, stuck by his words. But as objections continued to build, Obama discussed it briefly with friends while at his Chicago home on Thursday, a White House official said. Later, he also discussed the issue with his wife -- who was said to be as outraged by the arrest as he was -- before deciding to step back from his original stand. Obama told reporters that both Crowley and Gates, who reportedly berated the officer, overreacted.

~~~

While Obama has recalibrated his original statement, several civil rights activists say his instincts were nonetheless correct. "Unfortunately his comments were misunderstood or less than clear," said John Payton, president of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. "But I have not heard anyone who disagrees with the following statement: What happened in Skip Gates's house should not have happened. It's his home."

~~~

The informal meeting, where White House officials said Obama will drink a Bud Light, Crowley a Blue Moon and Gates a Red Stripe, will not attempt to address larger racial issues in more than a symbolic way.

"I hope what is essentially a photo op will trigger a broader policy response," said Wade Henderson, executive director of the Leadership Council on Civil Rights. "And it's Congress's role to take that on."

~~~

Even as the two men agreed to meet again at the White House, Gates has remained consistent in his position that, when he was arrested July 16 for disorderly conduct (a charge that was later dropped), racial profiling occurred. And Crowley has remained consistent in his position that it did not.

Here's a thought: Get the three of these men punch drunk....then let's see what really comes out of them.

Obama's Teachable Moment

U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, September 11, 2007.
REUTERS/Molly Riley

GIBBS: About an ongoing discussion racial issues in this country, I think because of who he is as president and because its obvious these issues are still very raw in our society, I think he believes that he can help bring these type of teachable moments to the forefront, allow our dialogue to take over and communicate better with each other and make society a little bit better because of it.

The tape of the 911 call was released. Something I'm sure President Obama was hoping wouldn't happen, and whose effect he wished to deflect through charm and beer diplomacy. But unless professor Gates apologizes and president Obama apologizes, the teachable moment is lost to them. And progress in race relations will be retarded, thanks to these two knee-jerkers.

Apparently Crowley, Gates, and the "post-racial" president Obama will have their beer at the White House, 6am Thursday. Maybe they can invite Whalen as well, given how her name's been slandered through the mud with charges of racism.

So what was the teachable moment, here? Anyone? I want to hear what you, the reader, learned from all this.

(Don't forget to calibrate your words carefully, now....)

Cross-posted at Flopping Aces

The Uncertain Future of Iraq

“Just 20 percent of our people are good. 80 percent are bad. You should know that….We’re Arabs. But first we are selfish and greedy.”
-”Sayid”

Calibrated Sunday Funnies

More posted at Flopping Aces

MSM: "Let's criticize the Bush team for what they debated"

Rabid Cheney Derangement Syndrome

The President Acted Stupidly

Obama conceded his words had been ill-chosen, but he stopped short of a public apology.

Obama should live up to his image as a post-racial president and different kind of politician and apologize. He said he didn't have all the facts in, yet stupidly offered his presidential opinion, anyway.

Obama said of the racial controversy. "I want to make clear that in my choice of words, I think I unfortunately gave an impression that I was maligning the Cambridge Police Department and Sgt. Crowley specifically. And I could've calibrated those words differently."The president did not back down from his contention that police had overreacted by arresting the Harvard professor for disorderly conduct after coming to his home to investigate a possible break-in.

This is what happens when you hang out and bring your family to a racist church for 20 years.

Instead of doubling down with calibration, he really should just flatout apologize and admit he was wrong to weigh in. Yet, he is what he is, and can't help being who he is.

"The fact that this has garnered so much attention, I think, is testimony to the fact that these are issues that are still very sensitive here in America," Obama said.

Thanks, in part, to those carrying chips on their shoulders and reading racism into everything.

I've been engaged in a debate on my earlier post that you might be curious to check out.

Feeding a Heavy Dose of Bulls**t to the American Public

and doing so with a straight face.

One of my favorite lines:


“This isn’t about me. I have great health insurance, and so does every Member of Congress."


And what a docile press corp...

Taliban Releases Propaganda Video of Captured U.S. Soldier

The identity of the soldier captured earlier this month by the Taliban has been released, following a new propaganda video:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Pentagon Sunday identified the soldier captured in Afghanistan on July 3 as 23-year-old private Bowe Bergdahl of Ketchum, Idaho.

The U.S. Defense Department said in a statement that Bergdahl was a member of the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, Fort Richardson, Alaska.

His status was changed two weeks ago from "whereabouts unknown" to "missing-captured."

The Jawa Report has the unsettling video posted up.

It's against international law to use and humiliate captured soldiers for propaganda purposes. Carol Bengle Gilbert:

One of the major issues the Bowe Bergdahl video raises is whether his statements express his genuine sentiments or whether he is being used for propaganda purposes by his Taliban captors.

Bowe Bergdahl was asked at one point during the video where he has a message for his people. Bowe Bergdahl replied:

"To my fellow Americans who have loved ones over here, who know what it's like to miss them, you have the power to make our government bring them home. Please, please bring us home so that we can be back where we belong and not over here, wasting our time and our lives and our precious life that we could be using back in our own country.

Please bring us home. It is America and American people who have that power."

During this speech, Bowe Bergdahl looked into the camera, unlike his demeanor when spoke of missing his family with eyes downcast. Was Bowe Bergdahl trying to tell the U.S. government something? During his speech, Bowe Bergdahl's fingers on both hands were alternately moving in and out.
Bowe Bergdahl Video Call for Troop Withdrawal: Propaganda or Genuine Sentiment?
Was this a signal or mere nerves? Bergdahl did express fear that he would never make it home to see his loved ones earlier in the video. And in one close up shot, worry lines were visible on his forehead.

In one scene, when the camera zoomed out, there appeared to be a pen and paper off to Bowe Bergdahl's left side. Did this paper contain a script for him?

It's hard to know what the Bowe Bergdahl video really means. The video and audio tracks appear to be misaligned, raising additional questions of interpretation.

CJ writes:
Read more »

Change we do not want

Photo found at American Power (I like the sign, not the use of a kid holding it).

Check out Amy Proctor's post where she links to Doug Ross' "by the numbers".

How health care 'reforms' will mess with your coverage By Betsy Mccaughey

Read:

Obama follows Romney/Kennedy’s MA healthcare over cliff as bankrupt MA cuts care to *legal* immigrants, hospitals sue


Rank-and-file House Democrats resist health care reform plan

Obama losing some support among nervous Dems

Director of Cong. Budget Office: Federal Spending is “Unsustainable”

EXPOSE’ … Obama’s “cartoon horror movie” to destroy US economy revealed in “single cel” trailers

Dems Health Care Plan FORCING You to Join Gov’t System


While the nation was busy with Sotomayor…. health care destruction advancing under cover of media darkness

Also posting:
Bloviating Zeppelin
Tom's Place with Reagan speaking out against Socialized healthcare

Sunday Funnies

More at Flopping Aces

Will Travel, Have Gun

What does a Missouri Car Dealer and precedented presidential visit to Africa have in common?

Time for a little CNN smackdown.

Don Lemon seems to want to perpetuate the worldwide Obama euphoria and media-generated image-making. However...

Watch CNN's Lemon get his Obama tire deflated:



Transcript:

DON LEMON, ANCHOR CNN NEWSROOM: Nkepile, I was watching you yesterday on the "Situation Room" with Wolf Blitzer when President Obama was arriving, and they were doing the dancing, and all of the people who were running up to him. For a western leader, I know when presidents come over there, they are usually warmly received. But for a western leader, have you ever seen anything like this? Is this unprecedented?

NKEPILE MABUSE, CORRESPONDENT: It's not unprecedented. When President Bush was here, you will remember, in February, there were people who were drumming, there were dances, and President Bush joined some of them. So, it's not unprecedented. This is a truly African welcome that is given to anybody whether they are from Africa or anywhere else in the world, Don.

LEMON: So, they welcome everyone. It doesn't matter. That's just part of how the people do it, right?

MABUSE: Indeed, Don.

Here's Wizbang:

As President Obama makes his way to Africa with some forceful policy goals Reuters is asking if Obama is Africa's savior. Umm, no. That would be George W. Bush.

I posted on George Bush's contribution to the continent of Africa.


Have gun, will travel....or is it the other way around? (Hat tip: Ed Rasimus)


Missouri car dealer offers free AK-47's with the purchase of a new truck:

Mark Muller, owner of Max Motors in Butler, says he knows people will be bothered by the promotion.

But not to worry, Muller is not handing out free guns. Instead, he will give buyers a voucher to use at a gun store after they obtain a license to carry a concealed weapon.

The AK-47 is an upgrade on a previous promotion in which Muller gave away vouchers for the price of a Caltec pistol.

The retail value of an AK-47 is $450, but Muller says customers can spend their voucher on the gun of their choice.

Check out the major pwnage:






Cross-posted at Flopping Aces

Walter Cronkite...the beginning of the end for "objective" journalism

It may be politically correct and the courteous thing to do, to mourn the passing of Walter Cronkite and celebrate the good things and not dwell on the negatives.

However, I won't be shedding tears over his passing when he sheds none for his role in the Vietnam BATTLE. Lee Cary:

In January 2006, Cronkite said his statement on Vietnam was his proudest moment. When asked then if he would give the same advice on Iraq, Cronkite didn’t hesitate to say “Yes.”

Read more...

A Foot in the Mouth

U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Sonia Sotomayor wears a boot on her broken ankle during the third day of her U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee confirmation hearings on Capitol Hill in Washington July 15, 2009.

REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Why spin? Dems have the numbers to confirm her. Just be honest....what a novel concept; especially for a judge and nominee for Supreme Court Justice.

Sunday Funnies

More Sunday Funnies at Flopping Aces

Former Interrogator Says Saddam Did Have Ties to Al-Qaeda

The FBI released the transcripts of Saddam's interrogation under the Freedom of Information Act. But there's nothing new that the mainstream media's been reporting on that hadn't already been printed in Ron Kessler's The Terrorist Watch, and the 60 Minutes interview with George Piro over a year ago, which read verbatim what was already covered in Kessler's book.

What strikes me as appalling, is how public perception has been shaped in regards to the decision to remove Saddam from power and the public's confusion over how Iraq relates to 9/11, and how the links between Saddam and al Qaeda is not the same argument as Saddam and 9/11. The former became part of the case for war, not the latter (in terms of accusing Saddam as having a hand in orchestrating 9/11- an accusation that President Bush never made).

Scott just posted a new and important piece by Mark Eichenlaub. Please take the time to read the whole thing.

The mantra "Bush lied, people died" and the media narrative about "no wmds" (which misses a big part of the picture) and "false pretenses" should not stand. It's this public misperception that helped shaped voters' decision to back "regime change" in the White House and usher in Democrat children to replace the adults.

Caption This

Hat tip: Mike's America

Can you explain this photo?

An athlete performs tricks on a trampoline as Air Canada unveils their new Boeing 777 painted in a 2010 Olympic Winter Games motive in Vancouver, British Columbia July 8, 2009. The plane decked out in Olympic sport scenes will be used on international routes to Europe and Asia.
REUTERS/Andy Clark

I'm Offended by the Intolerance of Feigned Indignation

I guess CodePink's not fooled

Yes, we still have our troops on the outskirts of Iraq.

So where are the effigies of Obama being burned?





Kind of obscene for the little girl to be carrying that sign, don't'cha think?

Cross-posted at Flopping Aces

Opposition due to partisanship, not patriotism

Bush Policy “Hold Gitmo Prisoners Indefinitely” = Bad; Obama Policy “Hold Gitmo Prisoners Indefinitely” = Good

America's Loss

A thought worth thinking about:

My nephew, Brian Bradshaw, was killed by an explosive device in Afghanistan on June 25, the same day that Michael Jackson died. Mr. Jackson received days of wall-to-wall coverage in the media. Where was the coverage of my nephew or the other soldiers who died that week? There were several of them, and our family crossed paths with the family of another fallen soldier at Dover Air Force Base, where the bodies come “home.” Only the media in Brian's hometown [in Washington State] and where he was stationed before his deployment [Alaska] covered his death.

I understand Michael Jackson's influence is tremendous; that he's touched millions of lives. That he should be judged on the whole complexity of his life, and not remembered solely on allegations of child molestation. If he's done any harm in the world, he also did an enormous amount of good, which included generous donations to charity.

I wasn't a big fan of his music. And I certainly thought he was bizarre. I have great difficulty looking at anyone who has had as much plastic surgery as he had without my stomach churning.

But there's something disconcerting with this level of attention. Jackson's death not only eclipsed the deaths of Ed McMahon and Farrah Fawcett in fan-driven media coverage, but it also bumped the aftermath of the Iranian election off item #1 in the news.

There's also something extremely weird about our human condition, where entertainment celebrities are held to exalted worship while soldiers who are fighting and dying to defend our way of life remain faceless and nameless as far as media coverage is concerned.

Of course, interest level drives the ratings; so we can fault our own selves as much as blame the media for not driving the news stories worth knowing.

Also, check out American Power regarding the circus atmosphere and cost to the city of LA (isn't the state of California bankrupt, already?).

*UPDATE*

CJ posted this Glenn Beck segment:

Sunday Funnies

More at Flopping Aces

Happy Independence Day

Scott of Flopping Aces put this up two years ago:




And if you're here, looking for a longer post to read, try this (for new readers who weren't here a year ago). It's a little background on me.

SchoolHouse Rock- Fireworks

Patting myself on the back....because someone has to

Han Solo: "You know, sometimes I amaze even myself."
Princess Leia: "That doesn't sound too hard. .... "

I rock.

Yes, I do.

96.5% of public high school kids would not pass U.S. citizenship test

Good grief:

only 3.5 percent of traditional public high school students would be able to pass a U.S. citizenship test— bombing out on questions such as who was America's first president, who wrote the Declaration of Independence and what do we call the first 10 amendments to the Constitution

~~~

The results come as teachers focus less on the memorization of discrete facts, given that information is so readily available at the stroke of a key, and more on the application of knowledge.

Ladner said that philosophy "is entirely wrongheaded. It's very much like learning to compose music. You have to learn your scales before you compose a symphony — and you need some foundation of facts before you can do higher-level thinking."
But John Wright, the head of the state teachers union, the Arizona Education Association, dismissed the report as a "gotcha piece of writing."

"I think there's already an ongoing discussion of standards and assessment, but it is not informed by this kind of survey," he said, adding that for all of its shock value, he didn't find it very analytical.

Ronald Marx, the dean of the University of Arizona's College of Education, said he wasn't pleased to hear the findings but said he was more concerned than alarmed.
"You don't develop a deep understanding of how government works by knowing the name of the first 10 amendments to the Constitution," he said.

I understand the point about mere memorization of facts; however, if you don't know the most basic, rudimentary facts, like what are the two major political parties (less than half answered correctly), should those of voting age really be participating in the election of our future leaders? I mean, sure it's the right of every citizen; but when you can't even pass the basics of a citizenship test.....

The Honeymoon's Coming to an End

Can't believe it's happening, but Helen Thomas' approval rating with me just went up one decimal point:



If the liberal press smells blood- and I think blood is in the air as time wears on- they will jump at the shark-bait and attack.