Jonathan Tobin, Commentary
In Arab Spring, Obama Finds Harsh Test
On September - 25 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Cooper & Worth, New York Times
President Hosni Mubarak did not even wait for President Obama's words to be translated before he shot back. "You don't understand this part of the world," the Egyptian leader broke in. "You're young."Mr. Obama, during a tense telephone call the evening of Feb. 1, 2011, had just told Mr. Mubarak that his speech, broadcast to hundreds of thousands of protesters in Tahrir Square in Cairo, had not gone far enough. Mr. Mubarak had to step down, the president said.Â
President Hosni Mubarak did not even wait for President Obama's words to be translated before he shot back. "You don't understand this part of the world," the Egyptian leader broke in. "You're young."Mr. Obama, during a tense telephone call the evening of Feb. 1, 2011, had just told Mr. Mubarak that his speech, broadcast to hundreds of thousands of protesters in Tahrir Square in Cairo, had not gone far enough. Mr. Mubarak had to step down, the president said.Â
Is China Burning?
On September - 24 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Gordon Chang, Forbes
Chinese streets were quiet today after anti-Japan protests, many of them violent, rocked more than a 100 cities last week. Large demonstrations continued through Tuesday, the 81st anniversary of Japan's invasion of Manchuria.The disturbances, triggered by a territorial dispute over the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, are commonly described as the worst anti-Japan riots to hit the country since at least 2005, and they may have even been more destructive than that.
Chinese streets were quiet today after anti-Japan protests, many of them violent, rocked more than a 100 cities last week. Large demonstrations continued through Tuesday, the 81st anniversary of Japan's invasion of Manchuria.The disturbances, triggered by a territorial dispute over the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea, are commonly described as the worst anti-Japan riots to hit the country since at least 2005, and they may have even been more destructive than that.
Ohio the Most Enigmatic Swing State
On September - 24 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Caitlin Huey-Burns, RealClearPolitics
Mitt Romney and his campaign bus will roll through the Buckeye State early this week, but given the state of the race in Ohio he might be wise to park it here until Election Day – weekending, perhaps, in neighboring battlegrounds.No Republican has won the White House without carrying Ohio, and polling in other key states suggests it is unlikely Romney will be the first. On the other hand, the last Democrat to win the presidency without this Midwest swing state was John F. Kennedy. President Obama doesn’t seem willing to try and break that pattern either: He has been to...
Mitt Romney and his campaign bus will roll through the Buckeye State early this week, but given the state of the race in Ohio he might be wise to park it here until Election Day – weekending, perhaps, in neighboring battlegrounds.No Republican has won the White House without carrying Ohio, and polling in other key states suggests it is unlikely Romney will be the first. On the other hand, the last Democrat to win the presidency without this Midwest swing state was John F. Kennedy. President Obama doesn’t seem willing to try and break that pattern either: He has been to...
Time to Retire the American Dream
On September - 24 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Robert Samuelson, Washington Post
It's time to retire the American Dream -- or at least give it a long vacation. We ought to drop it from our national conversation. This would be a hardship for politicians and pundits, who use "the American Dream" as a rhetorical workhorse embodying goals embraced by almost all Americans. That's the problem. The American Dream has become so expansive in its meaning that it stifles honest debate and harms some of the very people it is intended to help.Who can oppose the American Dream? No one. It captures our faith in progress, opportunity and striving. It reflects hopes...
It's time to retire the American Dream -- or at least give it a long vacation. We ought to drop it from our national conversation. This would be a hardship for politicians and pundits, who use "the American Dream" as a rhetorical workhorse embodying goals embraced by almost all Americans. That's the problem. The American Dream has become so expansive in its meaning that it stifles honest debate and harms some of the very people it is intended to help.Who can oppose the American Dream? No one. It captures our faith in progress, opportunity and striving. It reflects hopes...
Romney in Better Shape Than Media Believes
On September - 23 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Rick Wilson, NY Daily News
Morsi Spells Out Terms for U.S.-Arab Ties
On September - 23 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Kirkpatrick & Erlanger, NYT
CAIRO — On the eve of his first trip to the United States as Egypt’s new Islamist president, Mohamed Morsi said the United States needed to fundamentally change its approach to the Arab world, showing greater respect for its values and helping build a Palestinian state, if it hoped to overcome decades of pent-up anger. Follow @nytimesworld for international breaking news and headlines. Twitter List: Reporters and Editors A former leader of the Muslim Brotherhood and Egypt’s first democratically elected president, Mr. Morsi sought in a 90-minute interview...
CAIRO — On the eve of his first trip to the United States as Egypt’s new Islamist president, Mohamed Morsi said the United States needed to fundamentally change its approach to the Arab world, showing greater respect for its values and helping build a Palestinian state, if it hoped to overcome decades of pent-up anger. Follow @nytimesworld for international breaking news and headlines. Twitter List: Reporters and Editors A former leader of the Muslim Brotherhood and Egypt’s first democratically elected president, Mr. Morsi sought in a 90-minute interview...
Rising Uncertainty Over Fed’s Effectiveness
On September - 22 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Gillian Tett, Financial Times
Obama’s Dishonest, Divisive Campaign
On September - 22 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Mort Zuckerman, US News & WR
The problem for Mitt Romney right now is that he has put his entire candidacy at risk to the point where he may not even qualify for the dismissive equation of Barack Obama that Marco Rubio formulated for the Republican faithful: "Our problem is not that he's a bad person. Our problem is that he's a bad president." Is Romney also "not a bad person, just a bad candidate"? With his "47 percent" remarks at a Republican fundraiser in May, he has given his opponent evidence to initiate a new line of attack.Voters can forgive a candidate who stumbles in the...
The problem for Mitt Romney right now is that he has put his entire candidacy at risk to the point where he may not even qualify for the dismissive equation of Barack Obama that Marco Rubio formulated for the Republican faithful: "Our problem is not that he's a bad person. Our problem is that he's a bad president." Is Romney also "not a bad person, just a bad candidate"? With his "47 percent" remarks at a Republican fundraiser in May, he has given his opponent evidence to initiate a new line of attack.Voters can forgive a candidate who stumbles in the...
Just Say What You Stand For, Romney
On September - 22 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Dana Milbank, Washington Post
The best political minds at Romney headquarters have come up with an antidote to the candidate’s floundering presidential bid: “More Mitt” — putting more of him in front of more voters more often.
The best political minds at Romney headquarters have come up with an antidote to the candidate’s floundering presidential bid: “More Mitt” — putting more of him in front of more voters more often.
Mitt Romney’s Vast Charitable Giving
On September - 22 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
John Podhoretz, New York Post
We learned yesterday that last year Mitt Romney paid $1.9 million in taxes on an income of $14 million — and gave $4 million to charity.The year before, he made $21.6 million, paid $3 million in taxes and gave $3 million to charity.So, to recap: Mitt Romney has, in the past two years, paid almost $5 million in taxes while giving away $7 million. And, as he said, he has paid the taxes he was supposed to pay according to the laws of the United States, which is all that is required — legally, morally and practically — of anyone.
We learned yesterday that last year Mitt Romney paid $1.9 million in taxes on an income of $14 million — and gave $4 million to charity.The year before, he made $21.6 million, paid $3 million in taxes and gave $3 million to charity.So, to recap: Mitt Romney has, in the past two years, paid almost $5 million in taxes while giving away $7 million. And, as he said, he has paid the taxes he was supposed to pay according to the laws of the United States, which is all that is required — legally, morally and practically — of anyone.
Is the White House Lying About Libya?
On September - 21 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Larry Kudlow, CNBC
Larry Kudlow is hearing from his beltway sources that the President may have put politics ahead of national security in the wake of the Libya attacks that killed four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens. Kudlow, Rep. Peter King (R-NY) and other skeptics charge the administration deceived the nation when it said the attacks had not been planned in advance.
Larry Kudlow is hearing from his beltway sources that the President may have put politics ahead of national security in the wake of the Libya attacks that killed four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens. Kudlow, Rep. Peter King (R-NY) and other skeptics charge the administration deceived the nation when it said the attacks had not been planned in advance.
The Gang That Can’t Even Lie Straight
On September - 21 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
John Podhoretz, New York Post
Obama Has No Clue on Middle East Madness
On September - 20 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Victor Davis Hanson, NRO
Last week, Muslim mobs took to the streets to murder the American ambassador in Libya and three of his staffers. American embassies were attacked from Egypt to Yemen.Embarrassed White House press secretary Jay Carney and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice insisted that these assaults were just reactions to an insensitive video that disparaged Islam and was circulating on the Internet. As embassies burned, we were assured that there was no animosity directed at America in general, or at this administration and its foreign policy in particular.
Last week, Muslim mobs took to the streets to murder the American ambassador in Libya and three of his staffers. American embassies were attacked from Egypt to Yemen.Embarrassed White House press secretary Jay Carney and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice insisted that these assaults were just reactions to an insensitive video that disparaged Islam and was circulating on the Internet. As embassies burned, we were assured that there was no animosity directed at America in general, or at this administration and its foreign policy in particular.
Romney Tells Truth, Sets Up Clash Over Govt
On September - 19 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Michael Goodwin, NY Post
Under the prevailing definition of a gaffe - accidentally telling the truth - Mitt Romney is guilty, guilty, guilty. The only surprise is that he knew the truth all along and kept it to himself.A tape from a May fund-raiser is rocking the campaign because Romney was “caught” accurately outlining our political polarization.As a defining principle, the almost-half the nation backing President Obama wants government to do more. The other half backs Romney because it knows the government already does too much.
Under the prevailing definition of a gaffe - accidentally telling the truth - Mitt Romney is guilty, guilty, guilty. The only surprise is that he knew the truth all along and kept it to himself.A tape from a May fund-raiser is rocking the campaign because Romney was “caught” accurately outlining our political polarization.As a defining principle, the almost-half the nation backing President Obama wants government to do more. The other half backs Romney because it knows the government already does too much.
Egypt Is Looking More Like Post-1979 Iran
On September - 19 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Michael Totten, World Affairs
Cairo has issued international arrest warrants for eight Americans"”seven of them Coptic Christians from Egypt"”who are allegedly involved with the anti-Mohammad video everyone's rioting over. The prosecutor's office also issued a warrant for Terry Jones, the Koran-burning nutjob in Florida, just because, and says if convicted the defendants may get the death penalty.Mahmoud Salem (aka "Sandmonkey") was interviewed on CNN yesterday. He says the new Muslim Brotherhood government is much more oppressive than the Mubarak regime....
Cairo has issued international arrest warrants for eight Americans"”seven of them Coptic Christians from Egypt"”who are allegedly involved with the anti-Mohammad video everyone's rioting over. The prosecutor's office also issued a warrant for Terry Jones, the Koran-burning nutjob in Florida, just because, and says if convicted the defendants may get the death penalty.Mahmoud Salem (aka "Sandmonkey") was interviewed on CNN yesterday. He says the new Muslim Brotherhood government is much more oppressive than the Mubarak regime....
A Movie Is Not to Blame for Attacks on U.S.
On September - 18 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Margaret Wente, Globe & Mail
I nearly drove into a tree when I heard liberal commentators on the radio blaming a crude anti-Islamic video for the widespread outbreak of violent street protests by angry Muslims. "We have to remember that speech has consequences," one of them warned. The protests spread to more than a dozen countries, including Somalia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and even downtown Sydney in Australia, where a young child held up a sign that said, "Behead all those who insult the Prophet."But I was stunned when the U.S. administration blamed the video, too. "What sparked the recent...
I nearly drove into a tree when I heard liberal commentators on the radio blaming a crude anti-Islamic video for the widespread outbreak of violent street protests by angry Muslims. "We have to remember that speech has consequences," one of them warned. The protests spread to more than a dozen countries, including Somalia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and even downtown Sydney in Australia, where a young child held up a sign that said, "Behead all those who insult the Prophet."But I was stunned when the U.S. administration blamed the video, too. "What sparked the recent...
How Child Molesters Get Away With It
On September - 17 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Malcolm Gladwell, The New Yorker
In a 2001 book, “Identifying Child Molesters,” the psychologist Carla van Dam tells the story of a young Canadian elementary-school teacher she calls Jeffrey Clay. Clay taught physical education. He was well liked by his students, and often he asked boys in his class to stay after school, to do homework and help him with chores. One day, just before winter break, three of the boys made a confession to their parents. Mr. Clay had touched them under their pants.The parents went to the principal. He confronted Clay, who denied everything. The principal knew Clay and was...
In a 2001 book, “Identifying Child Molesters,” the psychologist Carla van Dam tells the story of a young Canadian elementary-school teacher she calls Jeffrey Clay. Clay taught physical education. He was well liked by his students, and often he asked boys in his class to stay after school, to do homework and help him with chores. One day, just before winter break, three of the boys made a confession to their parents. Mr. Clay had touched them under their pants.The parents went to the principal. He confronted Clay, who denied everything. The principal knew Clay and was...
Chicago Teachers Union Is Out of Control
On September - 17 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Mark Brown, Chicago Sun-Times
Some people just don’t know when to leave well enough alone.Apparently, such people comprise a majority of the Chicago Teachers Union’s House of Delegates.Memo to Teachers:You did as well as you’re going to do, folks. Declare victory and get back in the classroom. Immediately.
Some people just don’t know when to leave well enough alone.Apparently, such people comprise a majority of the Chicago Teachers Union’s House of Delegates.Memo to Teachers:You did as well as you’re going to do, folks. Declare victory and get back in the classroom. Immediately.
The Talk of China
On September - 16 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Thomas Friedman, New York Times
STORY NO. 1 For most of the last two weeks, Xi Jinping, the man tapped to become China’s new Communist Party leader, was totally out of sight. That’s right. The man designated to become China’s next leader — in October or early November — had disappeared and only resurfaced on Saturday in two photos taken while he was visiting an agricultural college. They were posted online by the official Xinhua news agency. With the Chinese government refusing to comment on his whereabouts or explain his absence, rumors here were flying. Had he fallen ill?...
STORY NO. 1 For most of the last two weeks, Xi Jinping, the man tapped to become China’s new Communist Party leader, was totally out of sight. That’s right. The man designated to become China’s next leader — in October or early November — had disappeared and only resurfaced on Saturday in two photos taken while he was visiting an agricultural college. They were posted online by the official Xinhua news agency. With the Chinese government refusing to comment on his whereabouts or explain his absence, rumors here were flying. Had he fallen ill?...
How Obama Campaign Will Defend the Economy
On September - 15 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Greg Sargent, Wash Post
The Obama campaign is out with a new Spanish-language ad in Florida, Ohio and Virgina that is noteworthy because it hints at the template the campaign will use as it defends his economic performance in the home stretch of the campaign. Here's a translation of the script:Let's talk facts. When President Obama took office our economy was on the verge of disaster. Hundreds of thousands of Americans lost their jobs every month.Â
The Obama campaign is out with a new Spanish-language ad in Florida, Ohio and Virgina that is noteworthy because it hints at the template the campaign will use as it defends his economic performance in the home stretch of the campaign. Here's a translation of the script:Let's talk facts. When President Obama took office our economy was on the verge of disaster. Hundreds of thousands of Americans lost their jobs every month.Â
Obama, Clinton Honor Fallen Americans
On September - 15 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Alexis Simendinger, RCP
As anti-American and anti-Western violence spread in the Middle East on Friday, President Obama said the United States will maintain its missions abroad to support democratic rule and would seek justice after the deaths of four U.S. diplomats killed in Libya this week. The deadly attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi was described by some senators Friday as a well-armed and organized assault rather than spontaneous mob violence.Obama joined Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during a somber ceremony at Joint Base Andrews (formerly Andrews Air Force Base) in Maryland as the remains of...
As anti-American and anti-Western violence spread in the Middle East on Friday, President Obama said the United States will maintain its missions abroad to support democratic rule and would seek justice after the deaths of four U.S. diplomats killed in Libya this week. The deadly attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi was described by some senators Friday as a well-armed and organized assault rather than spontaneous mob violence.Obama joined Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during a somber ceremony at Joint Base Andrews (formerly Andrews Air Force Base) in Maryland as the remains of...
With Obama Policy Crumbling, WH Blames Video
On September - 15 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Byron York, Examiner
With anti-American demonstrations exploding across the Muslim world, the White House is insisting that the deadly attack on U.S. diplomats in Libya and violent protests targeting U.S. facilities in Egypt and several other countries are entirely the result of an anti-Islamic video on YouTube.“This is a fairly volatile situation and it is in response not to United States policy, not to obviously the administration, not to the American people,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said Friday. “It is in response to a video, a film that we have judged to be...
With anti-American demonstrations exploding across the Muslim world, the White House is insisting that the deadly attack on U.S. diplomats in Libya and violent protests targeting U.S. facilities in Egypt and several other countries are entirely the result of an anti-Islamic video on YouTube.“This is a fairly volatile situation and it is in response not to United States policy, not to obviously the administration, not to the American people,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said Friday. “It is in response to a video, a film that we have judged to be...
It’s Hard to See Path to Victory for Romney
On September - 15 - 2012 ADD COMMENTS
Charles Blow, New York Times
Elections often turn on character moments and the slopes of lines.They are about who a candidate reveals himself to be under pressure more than who he says he is on stage. And they are about the direction of change when the time comes to vote for change — or to forswear it in favor of continuity.Taking that into account, at this moment, President Obama’s chances of being re-elected look stronger than they have in months. The Romney campaign seems to be coming off the tracks with no clear vision for how to get back on.
Elections often turn on character moments and the slopes of lines.They are about who a candidate reveals himself to be under pressure more than who he says he is on stage. And they are about the direction of change when the time comes to vote for change — or to forswear it in favor of continuity.Taking that into account, at this moment, President Obama’s chances of being re-elected look stronger than they have in months. The Romney campaign seems to be coming off the tracks with no clear vision for how to get back on.
