Venerable host Bob Schieffer hosted Stephen Hadley has his first guest. Schieffer had already watched Hadley on other shows and opened the show in an unusually nasty temperament. Schieffer can usually keep his inner “Democrat” under control while on the air but not today. Today, Schieffer consistently either asked questions impregnated with the assumption of failure in Iraq or simply uttered the same premise as a declaratory statement.
Schieffer made it clear, right through his anti-war homily at the end of the show, that the current burr under his saddle was the Iraqi Parliament’s decision to vacation this summer. Rather bugs me too, but I don’t think that recessing parliament to literally and metaphorically cool down is a sign of failure in Iraq. It also does not bug me enough to want to lose the war.
Hadley corrected Schieffer by and pointed to the bottoms up political solutions that are arising in the areas where we are clearing Al Qaeda. Hadley argued political reconciliation is not possible in areas where Al Qaeda can disrupt the process. Hadley could use a little of the Democrat inclination to drama; he might describe the bombing and beheading techniques Al Qaeda employs to disrupt the political process.
The conversation turned to surge. Hadley said the Administration was not going to accept Congressional proposals about Iraq until September. Hadley reminded Schieffer that the nation adopted a schedule and plan in May of this year. Hadley said that the Administration that it will reevaluate the offensive in September as it has planned and that it is pointless to reconsider only four weeks in.
Schieffer simply disputed Hadley’s conclusion that the surge offense is militarily winning on the battlefield, without the pretense of a question. Hadley responded by pointing to he areas of military and political progress he discussed on the other programs. Schieffer presented no factual basis for the disagreement he just made the advocacy statements and a dig at the Iraqi Parliament.
Republican Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn) was the second guest. Alexander described his proposal to adopt Baker-Hamilton as a solution to the problems in Iraq. However, like all the proponents of leaving any troops, Sen. Alexander could not describe how the future combat missions would be different on the ground from those in which the military is currently engaged. More proof that Congress, especially the Senate, is not the venue for making military policy. What do you know; those dead white guys, whose failings form the core of most high school and college history curricula, turned out to be right again when they vested Commander in Chief powers in one person-POTUS.
Schieffer made it clear, right through his anti-war homily at the end of the show, that the current burr under his saddle was the Iraqi Parliament’s decision to vacation this summer. Rather bugs me too, but I don’t think that recessing parliament to literally and metaphorically cool down is a sign of failure in Iraq. It also does not bug me enough to want to lose the war.
Hadley corrected Schieffer by and pointed to the bottoms up political solutions that are arising in the areas where we are clearing Al Qaeda. Hadley argued political reconciliation is not possible in areas where Al Qaeda can disrupt the process. Hadley could use a little of the Democrat inclination to drama; he might describe the bombing and beheading techniques Al Qaeda employs to disrupt the political process.
The conversation turned to surge. Hadley said the Administration was not going to accept Congressional proposals about Iraq until September. Hadley reminded Schieffer that the nation adopted a schedule and plan in May of this year. Hadley said that the Administration that it will reevaluate the offensive in September as it has planned and that it is pointless to reconsider only four weeks in.
Schieffer simply disputed Hadley’s conclusion that the surge offense is militarily winning on the battlefield, without the pretense of a question. Hadley responded by pointing to he areas of military and political progress he discussed on the other programs. Schieffer presented no factual basis for the disagreement he just made the advocacy statements and a dig at the Iraqi Parliament.
Republican Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn) was the second guest. Alexander described his proposal to adopt Baker-Hamilton as a solution to the problems in Iraq. However, like all the proponents of leaving any troops, Sen. Alexander could not describe how the future combat missions would be different on the ground from those in which the military is currently engaged. More proof that Congress, especially the Senate, is not the venue for making military policy. What do you know; those dead white guys, whose failings form the core of most high school and college history curricula, turned out to be right again when they vested Commander in Chief powers in one person-POTUS.
10 comments:
So long as Bush is CINC and we still have idiotic ROE, Iraq is going to be a disaster.
Bush has demonstrated that he does not have the guts to do what will need to be done or the intelligence to identfy evil.
Friday, July 13, 2007
By a 39% to 20% margin, American adults believe that the three major broadcast networks deliver news with a bias in favor of liberals. A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that just 25% believe that ABC, CBS, and NBC deliver the news without any bias.
Similar results are found for CNN and National Public Radio (NPR). By a margin of 33% to 16%, Americans say that CNN has a liberal bias. The nation’s adults say the same about NPR by a 27% to 14% margin.
There is one major exception to the belief that media outlets have a liberal bias—Fox News. Thirty-one percent (31%) of Americans say it has a bias that favors conservatives while 15% say it has a liberal bias.
When it comes to delivering news without bias, 37% believe NPR accomplishes that goal. Thirty-six percent (36%) say the same for Fox and 32% believe it’s true of CNN.
As noted earlier, just 25% believe the major broadcast networks deliver news in an unbiased manner. Results for other media outlets will be released over the next week.
July 16, 2007
New Florida Poll
Posted by TOM BEVAN
ARG is out with a new '08 poll in Florida. On the Democratic side, Obama looks to have made gains but Clinton maintains a substantial lead:
Democrats
Clinton 45 (nc vs. last poll in May)
Obama 25 (+8)
Edwards 9 (-6)
Richardson 3 (nc)
Undecided 11 (-3)
Clinton's lead in the RCP Average for Florida stands at 16.0%.
On the Republican side, Fred Thompson has closed the gap with Giuliani considerably in the ARG survey while McCain has dropped well behind:
Republicans
Giuliani 33 (+2 vs. last poll in May)
Thompson 27 (+14)
Romney 12 (+1)
McCain 7 (-11)
Gingrich 3 (-5)
Undecided 13 (nc)
Overall, Giuliani leads in the RCP Average for Florida is down to 7.2 points.
Mrs. RF says I have a crush on Obama too. It's kind of true. Luckily, it's ok with us godless, evil liberals.
Speaking of godless and evil, have you folks seen the new Romney ad? The porn/water thing. What are your thoughts? Is that really what R primary voters are most concerned about and want the prez to focus on?
rf, haven't seen the newest Romney ad. how does he link porn and water?
i sure don't get the hillary popularity, other than just a belief that she can win, which i think is just crazy.
she's the one D that i think will find it almost impossible to win. her negatives go through the roof, and her charm does not increase with familiarity-at least not statistically.
I want a liberal to SPECIFICALLY tell me what it is that Obama says that they like. Waiting for specifics.
Sporer,
A good question. How do you combine porn and water? Well, Romney did it. I find the ad truly bizarre. Almost as weird as the Gravel stuff. You should see it.
I have to agree with you on Hillary.
I like Obama’s speech on the stupidity of the Iraq War, given in the fall of 2002. How prescient! I want a president with such good judgment. I like the fact that he goes to Detroit and tells the auto industry and unions what they need to hear, not to pander. I like the fact that he goes to a teachers’ union and tells them we need to demand accountability from them in exchange for more pay. Real bravery for a D. I like the fact that on racial politics he is more like Juan Williams & Bill Cosby rather than Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. A vision the African-American community and we as a country desperately need. I like the fact that he shows respect for R’s even when he does not agree with them. More than any other candidate (now that Mark Warner is out; also revealing my dream ticket of Obama/Warner), he may actually be a uniter. I’m not holding my breath on the last one, though. I don’t know if anyone can be a uniter in our badly poisoned political atmosphere.
rf - a rather wise democrat.
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