Friday, June 13, 2008

JIM JOHNSON, OBAMA STANDARDS AND WHY CLINTON VOTERS ARE SAYING "I TOLD YOU SO".


In his first official act since becoming the likely Democratic nominee the first thing Obama did was put a man in charge of vetting vice presidential candidates, Jim Johnson, who had to resign within days because of questions about loans he received from companies involved in the U.S. housing crisis.

Most people see this as not just a political and PR disaster but more proof of how bad Obama's judgement really is --the same bad judgement he has shown throughout his political career when he has had to show any judgment at all. It is also proof of how low his standards not to mention his competence really are.

This is the candidate whose campaign theme was bringing change to Washington. But the only change Obama has brought so far is his loose change. The first time he gets to appoint anyone to do anything the candidate of change appoints a long time Washington D.C. insider who has been around the Washington political scene for decades who then has to resign within days because of reports of shady loan deals. This is who Obama chose to do the vetting of his Vice Presidential candidates.

This is the likely Democratic nominee who claimed Clinton represented the old politics of the past, and that he was the change candidate. But he is revealing more and more that he is the snake oil salesman many thought he was from the beginning.

What we saw with the Johnson episode was not rejecting the politics of the past but an episode from Obama's politics of the past. The same politics, lack of judgment, low standards and lack of a moral compass that had him involved with Rezko, (who has now been convicted of fraud), Jeremiah Wright, and Obama's facile serial lying about the church that he said "wasn't particularly controversial", the sermons he said he never knew about except that he did but was never there to hear them except that he was, that he wouldn't disown Wright or his church any more than he'd disown his own grandmother and don't forget the vacation land in Florida he wants to sell you where you can be neighbors with Keith Olbermann and Bill Richardson.

So maybe it wasn't simply incompetence on Obama's part. Maybe Johnson was vetted well enough after all and Obama is so used to consorting with shady people he didn't care. Or even worse didn't notice. Either way things have not gotten off to a good start for Obama and his candidacy.

Now that the whole country, Nancy Pelosi,Howard Dean, and those brave political Neanderthals known as super delegates are getting a good look at just how incompetent and unqualified Obama is, now that his precocious high school level speeches designed to impress the easily impressed have no audience and he actually has to do something, I'm sure the entire side of the DNC that engineered this political disaster in the making are squirming and eyeing each other out of the corners of their eyes not daring to say a word while Clinton voters are having a good laugh, sitting back with their popcorn and enjoying every minute of this fiasco while saying "I told you so". And everyone will have their popcorn ready and waiting for the next Obama disaster to strike which it most surely will.

But is this really coming as a surprise? Dean and Pelosi and super delegates all chose to ignore Obama's serial lying concerning Wright and his church and his relationship there which showed from day one just how bad his judgement was. And so did most of the news media. They were all wrapped up in the idea of the "the first black president" even if he had no accomplishments, no character, no judgment no convictions beyond his own political ambition and never did a thing in his life to prove he had the ability to do any of the things he said he could do. The only conviction that he's ever been associated with is Rezko's.

Like those of us who knew Iraq was a huge mistake, we knew Obama was a mistake from the beginning.And we saw the same kind of spinelessness that kept the press from nailing Bush on Iraq at work with Obama because the press runs in a herd and they run on fear and their biggest fear is to be out there on their own when they prefer the safety of saying and doing what everyone else is saying and doing.

In Bush's case the press was afraid of being called unpatriotic. Katie Couric told of getting calls from the administration that she found intimidating and she actually thinks that feeling intimidated is an excuse for her caving in and buckling under to the pressure. In the case of Obama, the intimidation is being afraid of being called racist, or, not properly supportive enough of "the first black candidate for President:" even if he does say things like --

"On this Memorial Day, as our nation honors its unbroken line of fallen heroes, and I see many of them in the audience today..."

Not exactly Colin Powell. This is more than just a gaffe.That one sentence tells you all you need to know about Obama -- how truly empty he is. He is so used to just spewing nonsense, wrapping it some glossy wrapping paper and getting away with it that he himself isn't even paying attention to what he is saying anymore. This is from the candidate who said " words matter".

It is not possible for anyone much less a candidate for President, who has an ounce of sincerity to utter a sentence like that.And on Memorial Day no less. This is also the candidate who told a Chicago journalist at his book signing when he was still in the Illinois state legislature, "Maybe I ought to go back to the senate and actually do something".

It also tells you all you need to know about the press' standards, which aren't that different from Obama standards, since most of them also let it pass. Maybe because it was as much a reflection of their own inept judgement or their discomfort at realizing that they were taken in by a snake oil salesman, as much as anything else. Remember this was the candidate whose speech in Philadelphia they found "Lincolnesque".

There are two months to go before the convention. Clinton has only suspended her campaign not ended it. There is still time for Howard Dean to come to his senses assuming he has any left and make sure Hillary Clinton's name is on the ballot.Then let the process play out and see if after a few more bad decisions from Obama which are surely to come, super delegates are willing to make the same mistake twice. After what we've seen at Obama's first official attempt at doing anything, they might not.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bill Richardson is also getting his h a BIG THUD"for his disloyalty and arrogance:

http://tinyurl.com/4mogb7

I guess people are saying NO DEAL to Bill Richardson!

All is not happy in Bill Richardson land of disenchantment…

“Bill Richardson’s Star is Falling with a BIG THUD (Not on VP Shortlist, State Legislators FED UP with Him)”

Anonymous said...

Sorry for the editing mess..

Bill Richardson’s Star is Falling with a BIG THUD

I guess people are saying NO DEAL to Bill Richardson!

All is not happy in Bill Richardson land of disenchantment…

“Bill Richardson’s Star is Falling with a BIG THUD (Not on VP Shortlist, State Legislators FED UP with Him)”
http://tinyurl.com/4mogb7

Anonymous said...

It is almost laughable that Obama is so worried about "vetting" the V.P. candidates when he himself was never "vetted". Why the double standard? If he got by without any vetting, why should we bother to vet anyone else? One assumes the president is more important than the Vice President, who may never actually serve. In my opinion, this makes Obama and the media seem even more stupid and incompetent (if that is possible) for letting Obama get away with this mockery. When will someone insist Obama tell us the "truth" about who he is, his radical ties, shady associations, and other things any normal Presidential candidate should have gone through but somehow Obama got a pass on?

Anonymous said...

Not to mention all the downstate Dems in red districts who are running away from BO so fast all you can see is the dust of their trial.

Tom, thanks again for another powerful and incisive article. I can't believe you aren't sindicated in major papers and look forward to all of your postings.

Anonymous said...

Trail, not trial. Argh!

Anonymous said...

Marc,

Wow!!!

Your writing is the best!

It's not only wise but fun to read...like what is the next great line that says what we've been thinking but couldn't put into words.

(one of many example: "his precocious high school level speeches designed to impress the easily impressed")

It was actually scary to find the powers-that-be so impressed with that pedestrian speech!

(And I wanted to scream when "they" Compared his race speech to MLK, jr.'s speeches (which I've had a chance to hear on audio tapes (available for purchase)...


Was like comparing Micky Mouse to Shakespeare
(Ok, Walt Disney to Shakespeare...but you know what I mean)

Please keep writing!!!! And yeah...hope you get syndicated!

Want the whole world to hear what you're saying!

In a letter of support...I actually underrated your major major major major talent!!!! and ability to touch hearts/minds AND spark action!

Anonymous said...

In case you didn't have a chance to see this...

NYT:Media Charged With Sexism in Clinton Coverage

"But many in the news media — with a few exceptions, including Katie Couric, the anchor of the “CBS Evening News” — see little need for reconsidering their coverage or changing their approach going forward. Rather, they say, as the Clinton campaign fell behind, it exploited a few glaring examples of sexist coverage to whip up a backlash and to try to create momentum for Mrs. Clinton."

TRANSLATION: The MSM STILL doesn't get it...and seems to need education in that matter...(as in feedback, AND more!)

A must-read article for anyone whose blood was boiling over misogynist media coverage...and dared to hope they learned something...and now can discover THEY DIDN'T!!!!!!!


http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/13/us...=1&oref=slogin


ALSO agree for need to find way to speak with a strong clear voice/action to motivate change needed!

Anonymous said...

One of the best analyses I have seen this year. Let's hope the media and the Dem Party reads it before it is too late.

NYSmike said...

Out of curiousity I made a visit to HuffBO to see the reaction of the Kool-Aid drinkers to an article about BO now moving to the center for the general election. I wasn't surprised at all. They basically ignored the fact that he lied to them/us during the primary season by telling voters what they want to hear rather than what they need to hear. Their reaction is that 1. they've always viewed him as center-left, 2. he has to move to the center for the general and
3. it's ok if he does whatever to get elected. They are so forgiving that this man who ran as the anti-politician is using old-time political tricks and that his campaign staff is FILLED with people from Bill Clinton's administration (Washington insiders). So...is this what is meant by change?

Anonymous said...

Yeah, nice try, Hillary dittoheads. Are Chris Dodd, Donna Shalala, Kent Conrad, etc., all "corrupt" too, because they got loans under the same program as Johnson? I get offer sof "VIP" no-interest balance transfers every day. Does that mean I'm disqualified from Obama's search committee?

This comes under the heading of "is that all you got?" God, Hillary's closest strategist was working for the Columbian government and she didn't even know it! She is a doofus and a loser. You never even got a chance to see all the Bosnian sniper fire commercials McCain had ready to go. Fortunately for all of us!

Anonymous said...

"I get offer sof "VIP" no-interest balance transfers every day. Does that mean I'm disqualified from Obama's search committee?"

Obviously Obama thinks so but maybe you can still make a donation. He's going to need every cent he can get.

Also the loans he received was from the company whose bad loans were instrumental in the housing crisis. But it was a good try for the agent of change.

Anonymous said...

Wow, the Team Obama Keyboard Kommandos waste NO time running around the internets huffing and puffing to defend their lad against meanies who dare to tell a few truths! If anyone's a "dittohead" it's the Obama trolls who infect websites that don't favor their chosen one--they're like cockroaches--annoying, disease laden, unwelcome and unwanted. But they change names and keep coming, because they've sucked back a gallon or more of that koolaid!

Bottom line: If the guy did nothing wrong, why did he resign in such a hurry, and run like someone had poked him with a red hot poker?

Trying to shift the focus by talking about the Democrat who isn't the "presumtive--God Help Us--nominee" doesn't work to distract from the issue here--that Obama's friends are SLEAZY, and they reflect on him.

We told you so.

Anonymous said...

We can always hope that some over there at the DNC is not toking from the Hopium bong but I doubt that's going to happen. Especially since they're all moving to Chicago now so the thugs can watch them.

I think our only hope is a major revolt in Denver.

Anonymous said...

IMPORTANT MESSAGE

THE DETROIT FREE PRESS SAID YESTERDAY THAT THE GOV OF MI HAD CONFERENCE CALL WITH OBAMA…HE IS GOING TO GIVE FL AND MI FULL VOTE AT CONVENTION…ONLY….I READ ON HILLARY CLINTON FORUM THE DNC SENT OUT A LETTER THAT THERE WILL BE NO ROLL CALL AT CONVENTION, HILLARY DELEGATES WILL NOT GET A VOTE, YOU CAN ONLY VOTE FOR OBAMS…..YOU MUST WRITE YOUR CONGRESSMAN, ESPECIALLY DEMOCRATS, TELL THEM IF THEY DON’T PUBLICALLY SAY THEY ARE NOT SUPPORTING OBAMA THEY WILL NOT GET OUT VOTE…WE WILL CLEAN HOUSE OF THE DEMOCRATS. THIS WILL SCARE THE HELL OF THEM …IF THEY DON’T DO IT…WE ARE VOTIING STRAIGHT REP TICKET TO BE SAFE AND TO INSURE WE CAN STOP OBAMA, THIS MAN IS AN EXTREME DANGER TO OUR OCUNTRY. REUTERS JUST SAID IN NEWSPAPER ARTICLE THAT MCCAIN HAD BEST ECONOMIC POLICY…OBAMA’S BIRTH CERTIFICATE IS SAID TO BE A FAKE, WE DO NOT EVEN KNOW IF HE IS LEGAL TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT…THE VIDEOS SHOWING UP ON YOUTUBE NOW ARE DISGUSTING…GO TO YOU TUBE AND WATCH PASTOR MANNINGS NEW VIDEO..YOU WILL SEE WHAT I MEAN…WRITE YOUR NEWSPAPERS IN EVERY STATE…I HEAR OBAMA IS GOING AFTER WESTERN STATES ESPECIALLY..OBAMA’S CAMPAIGN IS ALL MIND CONTROL AND WE HAVE TO FIGHT BACK,,RENDELL PA GOV TOLD OBAMA ..IT ISN’T ABOUT THE PEOPLE IT’S ABOUT THE CHECKS……WATCH THIS VIDEO …I AM SENDING LINK
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UViRBx7MQvg

WATCH THIS NOW

Anonymous said...

Brilliant as usual Marc. You have a real talent with words and clear thinking. I still laugh when I think about your Lola article.

I'm enjoying my 'told you so' popcorn. I miss our Lola.

Anonymous said...

I believe many of us have been living in a dream world and are just finding out what the Democratic Party is all about. In truth, there is no difference between the two parties. In their heads, all our politicians think about is money, power, and them.

I am an Independent, and I will be voting McCain because he seems to tick off both Repubs and Dems. He is his own man, and I think he truly loves this country.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure Obama and the DNC are trembling in their boots at the 300 or so of you in this PUMA echo chamber. You guys keep posting the same muddled claptrap over and over on No Quarter, hillaryis44, Puma PAC, and blogs like these. What you don't realize is that, with the exception of playing novelty act for Neil Cavuto, you guys have no influence, no power, and no credibility. You've become the laughing stock of online politics. So keep on with your delusions of grandeur...it's providing a great deal of entertainment for those of us who live in reality.

Anonymous said...

"you guys have no influence, no power, and no credibility"

Then why are you so worried? sounds like you'll need a respirator if you dont calm down.

Anonymous said...

It's been fun to visit a site that exhibits so much spirited upper-middle class revolt. Good luck in Denver! It'll be odd to see a march and rally at a Dem convention that promotes throwing out election results and installing the pre-race favorite as the nominee. Very cynical, very Republican lite, very--dare we say--Clintonian. I like it.

Anonymous said...

" It'll be odd to see a march and rally at a Dem convention that promotes throwing out election results "

Its actually respecting the election results that are going to be insisted and if thats the case, there will be a different nominee and you will have to work out your own inner racial conflcits yourself instead of thinking you can vote them away.