Comments on: National Security Returns

By: Pajamas Media » Is the Race Over?

Pajamas Media » Is the Race Over? — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 07:38:37 +0000

[...] other Joe has provided a second opening. Joe Biden declared that not only will Obama’s election invite international challenge, but that [...]

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:45:34 +0000

consevtards

By: Romeo

Romeo — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:04:42 +0000

Reportedly, Biden has already told the Israelis that they need to warm up to the fact that Iran will have nuclear arms. Can we say “worst VP in U.S. history”?

By: Gene44

Gene44 — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:23:19 +0000

Israel has openly stated that they cannot allow Iran to go nuclear armed. I suspect from piecing together the IAEA reports and diplomic talk that Israel will have to bomb Iran no later than March 2009. Then President Obama will inform Israel that the US will not supply them with any more weapons. So Israel does become wíped off the face of the earth as a nation and the Muslims control the country as they do not have the weapons to defend themselves from Hizbullah/Lebanon, Hamas/PLO, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.

The other alternative would be for Russia to again start to place nuclear missiles in Cuba or Venezula.

By: KeepOnTopic

KeepOnTopic — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 10:22:45 +0000

Here we have one second rate journo trying to parse the opinions of another discreditted GOP talking head in Kristol about a possible Biden gaffe – gimme a break already. If you take in the whole of Biden’s speech and what we know that Obama DOES do then you can work out what he is on about. Basically you will see the reserved and calculated Obama dealing with these folks effectively – no BOMB, BOMB, BOMB emotive rubbish from a GOP candidate patently unsuited for Presidency. Rather you will see Iron fist in velvet glove in true rope a dope fashion from Obama. Remember that it is possible to manage international relations in a positive manner, and it is not in Russia’s or China’s longterm interests to see the USA or Western Europe damaged or destroyed for example. How SAD too BAD – more fear drivell from GOP talking heads that lack any foreign affairs expertise. A tip for Jennifer – her post 52 – is just a hissy rant of all GOP propaganda that she can lay her hands on – it only detracts from her original article.

By: Mladen

Mladen — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:52:17 +0000

Hopefully Obama won’t do something stupid in fashion of Olmert’s Lebanon adventure. Like bombing Iran to prove that he is strong on national security.

By: Johannes Larsen, New Zealand

Johannes Larsen, New Zealand — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 08:08:55 +0000

Now “my friends”. I know that a few former presidents did not summon the right people or even did not summon any advisors before crucial decisions were taken. Funny enough they were all republican. Nixon, Reagan and double Bush. To me it looks clearly like McCain surely will be added to that quartet in the future in the unlikely event he ends up in the White House from January 20th.
If you look at how the campaigns and debates have been run and handled during this presidential campaign, it’s clear to everyone that it is Obama who has kept the cool, who has chosen a qualified running mate, who has enrolled the best and most professional team for his campaign and it is Obama who has named top class people to consult in crises situations like Iraq or financial meltdowns. Set aside all that Obama also clearly has the most mature and intelligent thought through programmes for domestic as well as foreign affairs.
So how the heck Mrs Rubin can come up with such an un-qualified bid on a serious article is a mystery. Is it possible for any US journalist NOT to take any statements out of context?

By: casey

casey — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 07:07:56 +0000

I am interested in truth. Truth acts as a variable with this country, swinging from left to right like a working pendulum every four to eight years or so. Politics is usually cyclical. The response to each candidate has to do with the important issue of the moment, and which politician takes command of that issue. The important aspect of this election, to me, is that we now have a candidate that deserves America’s attention, a candidate that transcends race, political rhetoric, and the immediacy of the moment. Now, only now, do we have a candidate steady, on-point, and consistent enough to transform this nation into an age where we might move beyond many of the epitaths and cynicism and stereotypes might be blown away by a hurricane of inclusion and fairness and understanding and compassion. My generation, for the first time, now has the chance to take our future in our own hands and scream “NO!” to the “politics as usual” slogan which dictates that we must percieve a candidate in a certain light. Now that the McCain campaign has lost with its stereotypical “Hate” machine created to sway swing voters into the arms of a ” safe” candidate one can only hope this country embraces the message of a man who says “ENOUGH” to McCain’s hate speech and stands up to the republican party and exposes the hatred imbeded within it’s mindless, hateful ranks.

This election is not only about hope, but the prospect of a better future. Obama represents that, while McCain embodies that “Who is that boy?” rhetoric that has racists nipping at his heels, inciting the worst kind of rhetoric–racially motivated. So, Mr. McCain…why can’t you wrap it up and lose this mindless war with Islam. America is past racist, is past that mindless, idiot wind that plagues the streets of that “Real America” that Sarah Palin endorses. I SUBMIT THAT NOW, HERE, THIS MOMENT, IS OUR CHANCE TO CLAIM THAT THE REAL AMERICA THAT SARAH PALIN SUGGESTS IS HERS IS REALLY OURS. This strange, divisive, charicature of a reject is POISONING our system. She needs to pack it up and head on home to McCrap Alaska.

By: Calvin

Calvin — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 04:36:11 +0000

I’ve still not seen any examples of when McCain’s leadership was tested in a crisis. Given that in non-crisis situations (like this campaign), he’s consistently shown judgement inferior to Obama’s, I don’t see any reason to think he’d do better in a crisis.

By: Walt Culver

Walt Culver — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 04:10:28 +0000

Biden’s comment may not have been the most politically smooth of moves, but consider that 9/11 occurred 7 months after Bush’s inauguration, and he wasn’t prepared for it.

Woodward’s book notes that Bush was briefed by the CIA a few months before 9/11 that Al Qaida was planning something big, but sloughed it off, I guess, as either the CIA just covering its rear end, with nothing so terrible likely to happen, or believing that he could do nothing anyway to avert a vaguely defined attack.

Bush NEVER thought to call an emergency meeting of his military, intelligence, and diplomatic leaders in an all-hands effort to find out what it was and how to stop it. Probably his political advisors thought it would upset the country and make him look silly if it leaked — or if then-draconian steps were taken, such as checking airline passengers and their baggage — and there was nothing to it.

Politically smooth or not, Biden is as much as saying that we’ll be ready, even if the public is inconvenienced. Not so terrible a thing.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 03:39:05 +0000

No one can read the future. I’m Sure all those who are going to vote for McCain, may have voted for Bush. I’ll bet, you guys made the wrong decision back then , and again now with McCain. Why don’t you ask yourself, How on earth any president can be worse than George W Bush. I do not want another 4 years of Bush. My vote goes for Obama, no doubt.

By: jack carlson

jack carlson — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 03:28:03 +0000

Supporting Obama is likely to get us all killed. Why is this so difficult for some folks to see and so obvious to others?

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 03:18:53 +0000

So, Obama seems to be very popular right now. Can anybody seriously articulate why?

Ask yourself, is he popular just because he is a tremendous orator? Is he popular because he is different (a candidate of color running for the Presidency)? Is he popular because he uses words like “hope” and “change?”

What exactly is behind those words? What are the reasons why people feel hopeful? Is it just because people are tired of George W. Bush? Is that enough of a reason?

Can anybody give us any concrete reasons (and by concrete, I mean backed by facts, not feelings) why Barack Obama should be the next President of the United States of America? If anybody truly loves this nation, can you come up with those reasons? Can anybody provide convincing evidence that Obama will be a better president? For all our sakes, can anybody do that?

Seriously consider the answers to those questions. If Sen. Biden is correct, Sen. Obama may be nothing more than a straw man when push comes to shove. And with the enemies we have today, whoever becomes our next President had better be prepared to shove back hard if pushed.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 03:00:34 +0000

It’s funny how someone could take a comment out of context and make ridiculous claims such as this article by Jeniffer Rubins. I got some news for the conservatives. Obama is going to win this election despite all the last minute cheap shots by the republicans and it’s bankrupt media.

This unprecedented worldwide popularity wave for Obama is not an accident. Also this worldwide economic collapse ain’t no accident. Both of these factors are what we call, the Cycles of Nature for new beginnings, in other words, start of a new cycle, new era.

By: misanthropicus

misanthropicus — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 02:56:50 +0000

Merci, monsier Bidden!
Biden, involuntary Cassandra, rightfully predicted that (god forbid, in case Obama’s elected) we’ll soon be in a major conflict because outside forces will want to test/break Obama’s mettle – in other words, America will pay in lives and tragedy the liberals’ need for showing to themselves and the world how enligthened, open-minded and multicultural they are, by forcing upon this country a superficial, narcissistic buffoon as commander-in-chief.

By: Degrees of misogyny, bolting trading partners, initially inapparent rightness, fee schedule for press access to Obama and “street money” to “get out the vote” : NO QUARTER

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 02:56:22 +0000

[...] Over at Commentary, Jennifer Rubin talks about Biden’s gaffe regarding Obama’s “first test” as [...]

By: nmb341

nmb341 — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 02:39:51 +0000

I already voted for Obama (I don’t drive a pick up truck and I don’t love america when we do something stupid like torture people, I love america the other times) and I think Biden will be a good vp, but I have to say, Biden has to be one of the worst campaign gaffers in history. God bless, shut up! Please shut up! What is wrong with him! The “clean and neat” guy is winning! Shut up!!!!
I think it is over however, poor McCain couldn’t even get the comeback on Murtha right today. Also, what is wrong with him! Shut up!
BTW, red state people, give Obama a chance, I have tried to explain to my liberal posse that Bush is your president. By the some token, Obama will be yours. Shout out to the third graders!

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 02:07:58 +0000

People had better wake up and smell the coffee really quickly. WE CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE OBAMA BECOME PRESIDENT. He does not have the experience and judgement to make the right decisions. He has not served even a full term in the U.S Senate. He sat in a church for twenty two years and listened to Rev. Jeremiah Wright bad mouth our country. It was only after it became apparent that he was going to win the Democratic nomination, that he finally announced he disagreed. His has ties with William Ayers and fully supports the election fraud of ACORN to the tune of $829,000 in funding. He even served as their attorney. He has gotten over 200 million dollars in ILLEGAL campaign donations from overseas as well as allowing several U.S donors to exceed the federally allowed level of individual donations by as much as ten times the limit. He refuses to provide the names of a majority of his donors and the names he has provided have been largely made up. The F.B.I and Federal Election Commissions are actively investigating on both fronts. The F.B.I has raided eleven ACORN offices and found massive fraud. Our nation’s small businesses WILL NOT SURVIVE UNDER OBAMA”S massive redistribution of wealth plan. THERE IS NO WAY that you can tax five percent of wage earners to come up with the revenue to run the country. HE WILL HAVE TO RAISE TAXES ON EVERYONE TO PAY FOR ALL OF HIS NEW PROGRAMS. THINK ABOUT IT LONG AND HARD PEOPLE! McCain is the best man for the job in these dangerous times. Do we really want to take a chance on another 911 with Obama in the White House? It gives me nightmares just thinking about it. If we do get attacked again, we won’t have to worry about how bad the economy is. There won’t be anything left. THINK ABOUT BEFORE IT BEFORE YOU PULL THAT LEVER!

By: Mike S

Mike S — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 01:43:23 +0000

My, but the right-wing is getting desperate. None of the garbage that you throw at Obama (”socialist, Muslim, terrorist, joe the plumber, spread the wealth”)–none of it seems to stick. The American public has learned to not pay attention to Republican smears. Since your own charges don’t stick, you are stuck with twisting Democrat’s words to make your case.

Biden said the “brilliant 47 year old Senator/President” would be tested and would rise to the challenge. The Republican party has failed its test over the last 8 years. Let’s give someone else a try. Obama/Biden ‘08!

By: sinz52

sinz52 — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:48:40 +0000

If weakness is what causes our enemies to test our mettle, then what does it say about the Bush Administration that the worst terrorist attack in U.S. history (even exceeding the casualties of Pearl Harbor) took place in the first year of Bush’s watch?

When Bush was inaugurated, Osama bin Laden wasn’t sufficiently terrified of Bush that he called off all terrorist attacks on America. He had time to contact his operatives and tell them to abandon terrorist attacks on America. But he didn’t. Doesn’t that suggest that our enemies considered Bush just as weak?

Or maybe it just means that our enemies consider AMERICA, the entire nation, as weak, regardless of who the POTUS is. And that’s why they keep testing our mettle.

By: jeanrenoir

jeanrenoir — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:45:12 +0000

This is pathetic neocon clutching at straws. Biden was addressing wealthy, sophisticated Democratic contributors, and just stating the obvious. McCain would be “tested,” too. As I recall, the neocons’ one-time darling, W, was rather significantly “tested” on 9/11. Trying to twist Biden’s remarks to mean that he secretly lacks confidence in Obama’s abilities, and just couldn’t help blurting this out to big-time Democratic contributors is almost as ridiculous an attempt to distort reality as recent, equally flailing and hapless attempts by far-right Republicans to pretend that Obama is a “socialist” or “communist.” It’s an especially bitter pill, I know, for neocons, whose epicenter has been Commentary for over thirty years, to have to swallow the reality that Obama is about to crush McCain. It’s bitter because the neocons know that their indcredibly stupid, ill-conceived, and ineptly conducted proxy war for Likud in Iraq has literally destroyed both the Bush Presidency and the Republican Party, and thus the future of Likud’s influence on American presidential politics and foreign policy. It’s also bitter for the neocons to know that the Republican Party has no illusions about the role of the neocons’ crazed, Likud-inspired, foreign policy fantasies in Iraq in the destruction of Republican political power, on every level, in American in the past several years. So neocons are well aware that they will be as unacceptable in the Republican Party which emerges from the ashes of the Obama landslide as they already are in the Democratic Party Obama has replaced the Clintons in. Lieberman is going to have to be a powerless party of one. And you can forget bomb, bomb, bombing Iran for Likud, too. Obama’s foreign policy is much more likely to follow the Olmert line than the Netanyahu-Sharon vision, which has, of course, been so harmful to both Israel and America.

By: happywash

happywash — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 23:59:25 +0000

“Biden might have been accurate on the “have his mettle tested” forecast, but it is beyond bizarre that he would not have followed up with a robust defense of his running mate’s ability to rise to the challenge.” He did give a robust defense. “Steel in his spine.” The reason this won’t get traction the way you want it to is because you take the first part of the comment then pretend Biden said nothing else. Youtube and many other outlets will let people see the full comment. Another reason it won’t work? Colin Powell. Though the righties are smearing Powell, it doesn’t change the fact that Powell gives Obama serious foreign policy heft. Do I wish Biden hadn’t said it? Of course, but not because of the substance of the comment, but rather the way you desperate righties are trying to tiwst it. Seriously, you think Palin talking about this comment is going to get any traction? HA! And sorry that the media aren’t putting all of the ridiculous innuendos and smears against Obama on the front page. You actually should be thankful, considering no one’s talking about Liddy and the Alaska Independence Party either.

By: jwrabc

jwrabc — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 23:25:56 +0000

Everyone is acting as if Biden was “crazy like a fox” with his comments. How about just crazy? Read the whole Biden riff at that fundraiser. He is plum loco. The most dangerous of all top four candidates to be anywhere near the White House. A one-term vice president for sure. Obama will shuffle him off before the re-elect. And where is all the media scutiny on this?

By: Bill

Bill — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 23:21:30 +0000

The expression “Shake ‘n Bake” in the Army is a disparaging term that is frequently used to describe newly minted 2nd Lieutenants and NCOs’ who had little or no previous leadership knowledge or tactical operations in Army, prior to being promoted. A Shake ‘n Bake leader was one of the lesser-known evils to come out of the Vietnam War, and infect the Army. These individuals would attend a leadership school for up to 12 weeks and graduate as a Sergeant E5 or 2nd Lieutenant, they had zero experience, may have been slightly skilled, and all had an enormous ego. In combat the Shake ’n Bake graduates suffered a casualty rate of over five percent which was considered to be higher than the average. What is not known was the casualty rate of the soldiers under their command, which was a direct result of their lack of combat or nay other leadership experience under fire. The metaphor “Shake ‘n Bake” characterizes Senator Obama’s absolute lack of experience perfectly, no other representation is needed.

By: s mills

s mills — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 23:15:20 +0000

Anticipating events is the best way to prepare. Acknowledging that a new administration may need input from others is sensible. Ideologues don’t understand this. Pragmatists do. Bush II, driven by ideology, flipped Clinton priorities on Al Qaeda and Iraq and demoted the terrorist expert R. Clark. Bush did not anticipate and reality caught up with him in the form of 9/11. Whether McCain or Obama is President, a test by international troublemakers is likely and preparation is sensible. Thank you Joe Biden.

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 23:12:18 +0000

The only fear I smell is the fear of Republicans facing the oncoming landslide. By this time next year, most of the injustices of the last 8 years will be rectified (except for the 4000 dead, 60,000 wounded, and 1 trillion dollars).

By: Michael H Serafin

Michael H Serafin — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 23:02:49 +0000

I am not an Obama supporter but I think Biden, in his stupid way, could well be warning the LEFT wing base that Obama will not capitulate to enemies of the US. That he could act with extreme force and might even bring back the draft! Obama is not stupid. He probably already knows how dangerous the world will be and has more than likely decided how he will react. I could be dead wrong but for the sake of this country I hope I am right. If he tries a Jimmie Carter crap-o-la response he will be a short term president, yes? So he has to be W-in-action (that’s George W Bush) when faced with the same dangers our current president is.

By the way, I want to thank George W Bush for keeping me and my family safe from the vicious killers who would stike us at the first opportunity. His policies keep America safe.

By: Romeo

Romeo — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:59:48 +0000

Jennifer, you’re forgetting that the Democrats will have Joe Biden there to guide Obama through those wascawwy foreign policy crises. Joe will be able to tell Obama things like “Pakistan has missiles that can reach the Mediterranean” and “France and we drove Hezbollah from Lebanon”.

I feel safer already!

By: LOL

LOL — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:38:05 +0000

So deluded….

By: jake1492

jake1492 — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:19:00 +0000

To Nobama,
Your response is rather rich… considering that it has been the leaders you have supported who have neglected to deal with Russia and China due to their obsession with Iraq.

By: Dolmance

Dolmance — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:18:20 +0000

Any adult with more than one brain cell knows the next president is going to be tested. Why do you think we’re voting for Obama?

Obama said something very telling back at the Democratic Convention – he said, “John McCain says he’ll go to the gates of Hell and back to get Osama Bin Laden, but he won’t go to Pakistan.”

McCain chides Obama for, “announcing he’ll go into Pakistan,” when what he should have reiterated that when an enemy attacks and kills 3000 of American citizens, that we’ll go wherever we have to – and the Pakistani people better understand that OR ELSE.

Iraq has been a side show that has allowed the murderers of 3000 American citizens to live in relative comfort, with no consequences and no fear of attack. The Marines have personally witnessed Al Qaida killers being resupplied by Pakistani helicopters during a fire fight. That’s unacceptable and I want a President who lets Pakistan know they’ll cease to exist as a viable state if they don’t get their act together.

As far as fighting a war is concerned, John McCain has shown that he’ll be as lousy a President as George Bush.

By: jake1492

jake1492 — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:16:40 +0000

As ususal… the author twists what was said. Biden did NOT say (as the author says he did) that “Obama’s response would be weak”. He said “That the response is the right one won’t necessarily be immediately apparent”.

You sir…. are being dishonest.

By: Nobama

Nobama — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:15:20 +0000

I have no doubt that Obama will fail to assist Israel. Obama will likewise fail to act to curb Russia aggression against the Ukraine and Chinese aggression against Taiwan. Obama will pull our troops from Iraq and let Iran/Al Qaeda fill the vacuum. Obama will also sit idly by as Iran builds nukes. The world is going to go to hell very quickly if Obama is elected president.

By: Dan

Dan — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:11:38 +0000

“Lynn Says:
October 21st, 2008 at 5:30 PM
John Says:
October 21st, 2008 at 4:07 PM
“Words don’t mean much.. Look George Bush and the right have used words for eight
years, and it has not made safer.. to the contrary we are at more risk now.”

We haven’t been attacked in seven years – like him or not, he has kept us safe.”

And This Rock protects us all from tigers!

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:00:27 +0000

Biden didn’t say Obama would be wrong. He said it wouldn’t be apparent to us initially that he was right. That pretty clearly suggests that we will later realize that he was right. In addition, Biden uses “we,” as in “we’re right.” This clearly implies that the decision will be one he is also involved in. Try using whay Biden actually said, rather than Kristol’s not-very-good interpretation of what Biden said, when discussing the implications of what Biden said.

By: Mark

Mark — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 21:57:45 +0000

Aren’t straws getting pretty scarce by now? Must be. You people have been grasping at them for weeks. Good Lord. We are seeing a campaign in its final, agonizing death throes. John McCain should’ve learned a few of Hillary Clinton’s lessons. A little discipline by the campaign and this race would be dead even. Instead, McCain flails about with Ayers, socialism, and now this. I thought he’d found his footing at the end of last week. Nope.

By: Lynn

Lynn — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 21:30:17 +0000

John Says:
October 21st, 2008 at 4:07 PM
“Words don’t mean much.. Look George Bush and the right have used words for eight
years, and it has not made safer.. to the contrary we are at more risk now.”

We haven’t been attacked in seven years – like him or not, he has kept us safe.

By: John Marshall

John Marshall — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 21:12:06 +0000

Biden is thinking about Israel. Obama is going to offer Israel as a sacrificial lamb to radical Islam, which means all of the Middle East and elsewhere. The firsts steps will be baby steps. He will ask/command Israel to make important accommodations with Hamas. Later, he will make it clear that Israel is on its own. This is to buy time. It is not the final solution.

I believe that the USA should accept all Israeli Jews as refugees. What would be better for Christmas than a million Jewish refugees in the Big Apple.

In addition, Obama will re-institute the Draft. He will do so because he is not a fool but a liar. He knows that we are in an existential struggle with radical Islam and that our existing military cannot possibly meet the challenges we face.

There will be anti-Obama riots in DC no later than summer 09.

By: It’s National Security Stupid! : The New Nixon: News and Commentary about the President, his Times, and his Legacy

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 21:09:50 +0000

[...] Rubin on Sen. Biden’s gaffe and forcing the central debate of campaign season back to national security: It has been a long time since national security was [...]

By: Willythekorn

Willythekorn — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 21:03:44 +0000

Are you suggesting the bad guys of the world are NOT going to test McCain should he become President? What tree did you just fall out of? Every President gets tested sooner or later, usually sooner Since I don’t believe you’re stupid, I assume you’re just being disingenuous.

So how would McCain react to being tested? Now here is a question that yields some interesting possibilities:

1. Suspend the Presidency while he makes a big show of activity.
2. Come out with five different responses in three hours.
3. Nuke Paris to show those SOBs (whoever and wherever they are) that we mean business.
4. Say one thing while Sarah Palin says another and his Secretary of State says yet another.
5. Brag about how he ranked in the bottom 5% at the Academy and refuse to take the test.
6. Bomb, bomb, bomb.

JFK wasn’t especially experienced when he took office, and indeed he got his head handed to him by Kruschev in Vienna in 1961. But JFK returned the favor with interest during the Cuban Missile Crisis and essentially ended Kruschev’s reign.

Experience in a President matters less than brains, organization, and the ability to choose and listen to good advisors. Obama eats Mcain’s lunch in every one of these areas.

By: Rainmaker

Rainmaker — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 21:01:44 +0000

I meant to cut out the word “THE” there so make it 7 words.

By: Pam M.

Pam M. — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 21:00:36 +0000

After John McCain’s “We are all Georgians now” response I began to fear McCain’s reactions to foreign policy confrontations! His temperament leads him to make poor judgments. Obama’s bachelor’s degree is in international affairs. His chapter on U.S. foreign policy in The Audacity of Hope shows a deep understanding of the issues confronting our nation and the world. Also, his level-headed decision-making process reminds me of JFK’s deliberative and clever response to the Cuban Missile Crises. Obama is the one to trust on foriegn policy. Joe Biden even said that our enemies will find he is made of steel!

By: Rainmaker

Rainmaker — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 21:00:13 +0000

Joe Biden’s words don’t even come close to the 6 most crucial words spoken in this campaign: “THE FUNDAMENTALS OF THE ECONOMY ARE SOUND.” These words totally sealed the fate of this year’s election. McCain, may he R.I.P.!

By: Al

Al — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 20:55:35 +0000

Crisis in the Middle East is likely spot on. In the debates Obama studiously avoided saying he would support Israel. Put that together with his Islamic heritage and Syrian and Iranian expat friends and I’ll bet he thinks he can broker peace in the Middle East.

By: Robert

Robert — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 20:53:02 +0000

I wish Palin had hammered Biden on his own assertions, from the primaries, that Obama is not ready to be president. Biden gave her a great opening when he said that, as vice-president, he would be right there in the Oval Office giving Obama advice. That’s it. In Biden’s mind, he’s really gonna be the president. He will be telling Obama what to do. That is the only logical way for Biden to explain his flip-flop on Obama’s readiness. After all, What did Obama do in the interim to make himself suddenly fit for the job? Only one thing. He picked Biden as his running mate. He didn’t start saying anything different or doing anything different. THere is only one difference between the Obama of the primaries and the Obama since the convention…he’s now joined at the hip with Joe Biden. In Biden’s mind, he’s the one running for president, and the American people have already passed judgment on him as a president at least twice, with a resounding “no”. The flip-flop really destroys Biden’s credibility on the issue of who is and isn’t ready for the job.

By: KeithinDenver

KeithinDenver — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 20:52:29 +0000

“Maybe what Biden’s trying to do, with his usual grace, is pivot from campaigning to governing. His point is that just as McCain “doesn’t get it,” so too Obama’s supporters might not always “get it” in the future when Obama makes decisions or manages crises as president. In other words, not only does the wit and wisdom of Obama surpass the comprehension of mere Republicans, it also surpasses that of his supporters as well — in fact, it surpasses that of anyone who doesn’t see its wisdom. Obama’s supporters need to resist the sin of presumption whereby their awareness of their superiority, as shown by their preference for Obama, might tempt them to think that they can critically assess Obama himself.”

Please tell me this wasn’t an attempt at satire, because it is so, so spot-on. I have never seen the feelings of the left crystallized so well, nor the prejudices of the right so keenly elucidated.

Thank you!

By: Keith

Keith — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 20:49:38 +0000

What it means, Ms. Rubin, that instead of doing something that feels right and later turns out to be a ghastly, horrible mistake (invading Iraq after 9-11), Barack Obama and Joe Biden will actually do the real right thing (invade and occupy Afghanistan and hunt down Osama Bin Laden and return Afghanistan to sovereignty and dignity) and be confident in the outcome. You and the other hawks at Commentary, AEI, Heritage and Hoover will not like it, but at least it won’t result in the Democratic brand becoming an international pariah like the Republican one. And eventually you will realize we were right all along.

By: Dexter

Dexter — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 20:47:13 +0000

I think what the McCain supporters are missing is that, thanks to his recurring cancer, he’s not going to survive another four years. If by some GOP miracle he is elected in November, you can count on Palin being president sooner rather than later.

If THAT doesn’t scare the hell out of everyone on both sides, then you’re not paying attention.

She makes Obama look like FDR.

By: TruthHurts

TruthHurts — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 20:45:26 +0000

It’s interesting that we’re reading this commentary on the “test around the corner”…Boy are the Neocons perked for this undisputed “truth” spoken from the “gaffe machine” who this very website chided for “three letter word, JOBS” a few days ago…Looking at the Pew Research Poll that’s out today, I agree that “National Security” would be a helpful conversation switch….There’s only one problem with this reasoning: Few Americans will care (well, outside of the “Fox News All Stars” and Ms Rubin)….Why would I say this??…It’s because we just HAD a “test” in which the Republican candidate did not uh, “ace”…It’s a fact that the Economic malaise and “wrong direction” majority don’t register much on the Neocon meter…Of course, this very same “meter” which is currently responsible for “propping up” the President’s approval ratings above single digits….It’s true that no one’s sure how a President Obama would handle a “major test”…The flip side is that EVERYONE has seen how McCain handled the Credit Crisis….Yes, I’m sure the gang here DO want to “turn the page”….Unfortunately, the next President may be required to multi-task but the Public can only handle one “catastrophy” at a time…But hey, here’s a little military jargon to pump up the “bomb Iran” crowd: T minus 14 days and counting.

By: Bob

Bob — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 20:42:21 +0000

It’s called honest talking, something Republicans are not used to.

Voted for Obama in Texas today!