Obama Supporter Has Perfectly Improbable Explanation Absolving President From Blame For Scandals...The Onion Politics
- Today, after Lois Lerner, who runs the IRS's section on tax exemption, took the 5th Amendment rather than testify; I immediately recalled the film Blazing Saddles and the stinking badges quote. In short, she was not going to show the House Oversight Committee any smoking gun. Her testimony would have been important because there is one important and critical question that needs to be answered in this scandal. Namely, who directed the targeting of conservative groups and why? In addition, what role did top executives like Lerner have in this scandal? (In fact, the same question--who?---needs answering in the AP, Fox and Benghazi scandals too).
- This scandal also appears to have longer legs than the other scandals. As I wrote when the IRS scandal initially broke, the IRS touches every American. The IRS can be scary. Most people get nervous when the letter arrives in the mail with the IRS in the return address? In fact, the most recent Gallup Poll shows that 85% said the IRS story was important. On the other hand, over half of the respondents believe the IRS acted alone with only 37% believing the White House was directly involved.
- So the search for the smoking gun---if it exists---is important (If there is a smoking gun, it might be found in the minutes of the meeting Pres. Obama had with the head of the IRS union the day before the targeting of conservatives began---if we ever get our hands on the minutes of that meeting).
- Regardless of what happens, all these scandals should concern every American. If for anything--for the utter incompetence shown by all of these government agencies and representatives. Acting IRS Commission said he didn't know anything. Hillary said she didn't know anything about the attack on Benghazi. Eric Holder said he didn't know anything about the Fast + Furious scandal, although it was his Department and under his watch. And, of course, the president finds everything out from the media. Perhaps they should bring back The Know Nothing Party of the 1950's.
- As Michael Goodwin of the NY Post pointed out so well: "Leaks that make the president look strong and decisive don't lead to real investigations, even when they involve the release of classified information" He added, "The pattern is obvious: there are good leaks and bad leak---depending on whether they flatter or damage Obama."
- A word about the reporting on the Oklahoma tornadoes. No, I'm not referring to the erroneous initial reports of number of those who died. That can be understandable with the chaos and the downed communication systems. I'm referring to those who made erroneous statements about the severity of the tornado itself. We heard reports that it was the "worst tornado in history." That was repeated often. Yes, it was a severe tornado but did you know there have been almost 60 F-5 tornadoes in our recorded history? In fact, in March of 1925, there was the Tri-State tornado that lasted three and a half hours. A tornado in Hallam, Neb, in 2004 was measured at two-and-a-half miles wide. And then there was the Super Outbreak from April 4 to April 5 in 1974 for a duration of 18 hours (I remember it well) where 148 confirmed tornadoes that crossed 13 states covering 2600 miles. Seven F-5 tornadoes were confirmed that day.
- Even more disturbing than the hysterical reporting by the media was the reaction of some in the political class like Sen. Boxer and Sen. Whitehouse, both trying to blame the Oklahoma tornado on global warming. There's only one reason progressive democrats react this way after every tragedy: They exploit the tragedy to try to legislate more control over us.
"I'm waiting for Jay Carney to blame the scandals on Dennis Rodman." One of my Tweets today.
- "It turns out our 'paranoia' was nothing more than reality," said Jennifer Stefano of Americans for Prosperity. She was of course referring to the revelations last week of the IRS targeting conservative groups including the Tea Party.
- It also turns out---after the administration, Democrats and their enablers in the media tried to portray the Tea Party and those sharing their values as nuts---the Tea Party was right after all. One can no longer come to any other conclusion.
- What remains now are key questions that need to be answered in addition to the questions the administration has not answered whether referring to the targeting of the news media or Benghazi.
- For example, who actually directed the targeting of these conservative groups? Why did they target them? What role did executives play in these obvious scandals?
- We also know this yo-yo, acting IRS Commissioner Steven Miller, did not answer those questions. In fact, he followed the lead of Pres. Obama and others in his administration when he answered most questions posed to him as: "I don't know." (I lost count when he uttered that statement and similar ones at 25).
- Even more revealing is what we found out just days ago. Pres. Obama's counsel, Kathryn Ruemmler, was told about the IRS targeting these groups the week of April 22, 2013. (WSJ ) Remember, Pres. Obama said he found out about the targeting last Friday in the media. So are we now to believe the president's chief counsel did not tell Pres. Obama? If that's the case, we're witnessing an administration that is not only incompetent and perhaps even corrupt but also clueless (How can the president of the United States not know of so many things going on in the country he leads from behind?).
- And the threads in all of these scandals appear to be unraveling. For example, Michael Horowitz, the Inspector General, reported yesterday that the former US Attorney for Arizona leaked information to the media to retaliate against a federal agent who helped expose the Fast and Furious gun-running operation and scandal. NY Post
- But it does not end there. Sharyl Attkisson, a CBS investigative reporter who has been doing outstanding work regarding Benghazi, said her computers were compromised. She reported that to Politico yesterday.
- By the way, yesterday another yo-yo, Dem. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, blamed the OK tornadoes on global warming. You need to know---in 1975---Newsweek blamed outbreaks of tornadoes on GLOBAL COOLING. Newsweek, April 28, 1975
I was outside for a little bit yesterday. I was sweating like Pres. Obama at a press conference...Leno.
The last joke has been seized by the Department of Justice...Leno
The Fable Every Journalist Should Become Acquainted With:
A scorpion once asked a frog to carry him across the river. But the frog was scared the scorpion would sting him on the trip and both would drown. But the frog agreed and began carrying the scorpion on his back while wading across the river. Half-way across the river, the scorpion stung the frog. When the frog asked the scorpion why he stung it, the scorpion replied it's just his nature.
Be it for me to defend the presstitute media but after hearing the news today that the feds targeted yet another reporter; it really came as no big surprise to me, nor should it come as a surprise to anyone else.
Fox News reporter, James Rosen (and two other Fox staff members), was targeted for some alleged leaks to him from State Department security advisor Stephen Kim. What's even more troubling is Rosen's personal emails were reportedly targeted as well as his phone records. This, of course, is reminiscent of what DOJ did to the Associated Press.
From what I've heard and read so far, it's not a crime for reporters to classified information with the exception of rare circumstances. In addition, the Code of Federal Regulations placed restrictions on the government from the seizure of media records. First Amendment attorney Charles Tobin told the Washington Post this is a very dangerous road for the government to go down.
Even the Huffington Post, in their piece today---"DOJ Targeting Of Fox News Reporter James Rosen Risks Criminalizing Journalism." The piece points out that Rosen was named a criminal co-conspirator by the Justice Department for simply doing his job as a reporter. Fox News VP Michael Clemente said Fox will unequivocally defend Rosen.
This story is just developing so we'll see how it unravels---if it does--in the next few days.
But regardless of what happens, it reminded me of the fable of the scorpion and the frog. In this case, the frog is the media. After five years of covering for Mr. Obama, it appears they too are getting stung. And, as even USA Today reported last week, the quest to plug leaks yields a torrent of abuse by the government. In fact, they began their opinion piece with this: "Another day, another excessive use of government power by the Obama administration."
Americans should also be concerned about these reports. It appears this administration is doing a frontal assault on the First Amendment. It's flagrant intrusion on records, phone calls (including cellphones) and emails is chilling. For example, who will want to speak to reporters now if the sources feel the phone calls and emails of the reporters are monitored by the government?
Right now, there does not appear to be any direct link to Pres. Obama that suggests he ordered these attacks on the media (including the IRS attacks on only conservative groups). But will these developments spur them to try to connect the dots? Again, only time will tell. One thing is clear: the appearance of the abuse of power stinks to high heaven. Just ask the frog.
"What didn't I know and when didn't I know it." Political cartoon by Gorell about Pres. Obama
"...He is not unconnected, he is not a bystander. This is his administration. Those are executive agencies. He runs the IRS and the Justice Department...A president sets the mood, a tone...If he is arrogant, arrogance spreads. If he is too partisan, that spreads too." Peggy Noonan on the Obama administration scandals.
- Allow me to make an important point before I begin. While the Obama administration's--via the Justice Department---gathering the phone records of the Associated Press (AP) is certainly an excessive use of government power, the fact is the AP and many others in the media didn't express the same kind of outrage when they knew conservatives and other Americans were targeted by the government. It wasn't until they were targeted that they started whining. That's what happens when the frog asks the scorpion for a ride across the river.
- For example, where was the outrage from the presstitutes in 2009 when the government targeted returning veterans from war implying---because of their reintegration into the community---could lead to potential emergence of terrorist groups or lone wolf extremists. In her report entitled, "Right Wing Extremism: Current Economic and Political Climate Fueling Resurgence in Radicalization and Recruitment," she wrote: "Returning veterans possess combat skills and experience that are attractive to right wing extremists." And that was quite mild compared to other remarks in that report.
- Throughout the 2012 campaign, we witnessed similar attacks on pro-lifers, specific people of faith, conservative news networks, the Tea Party (recall the pejorative "tea baggers" used by Democrats and their surrogates), donors to the Romney campaign, the Catholic Church, and conservative women.
- So now, in the last year and recent weeks, we now know the intimidation and abuse of power appears to be the MO for this administration. We know the administration used the IRS to intimidate conservatives. But it's clear it was more than intimidation. It was abuse of power. Regarding the conservative groups, how can one justify the IRS requesting names of volunteers, donors (some of those donors like Frank Vandersllot, Hal Scherz and Frank Graham, son of Billy Graham, were also targeted), minutes of meetings, political affiliations, Facebook postings, and much more? One cannot. And most of this took place leading up to the 2012 election.
A lot of critics are comparing Pres. Obama to Nixon, which is unfair. Nixon's unemployment rate was only 5%...Leno
- After listening to Obama administrators testifying before Congress in the last several weeks (especially this guy Miller today, the acting IRS administrator); one has to ask how such incompetent boobs got hired in the first place.
- Almost every one of these nitwits has been trying to pass of abuses of power as simple mistakes. So all of the IRS intimidation, the AP scandal and Benghazi have been just one big, fat OOPS? Well, believe it or not---that's what they want us to believe. They must be targeting the infamous "low information voters" and Obama apologists because any other rational human being would recognize these are what they are: intrusive overreach of government and an assault on the Constitution.
- The fact is all of this is "targeted" abuse and harassment contrary to what the administration is saying. And one of its goals was to suppress donors donating to conservative groups prior to the election (any wonder why this is all breaking now instead of prior to the election? It's been going on for over 3 years).
Memo to Low Level Federal Employees: When you see the Obama bus approaching, run like hell. My Tweet yesterday
- "Remember in the old days when President Obama's biggest embarrassment was Joe Biden?" joked Jay Leno.
- In February of this year and April of last year, I wrote two pieces focusing on the Obama administration's bully tactics. In both of those posts, I criticized the intimidation of White House against faith-based organizations and the attacks on Obama critics. At that time, even Lanny Davis, a long-time Democrat operative, complained of threats he had received to articles he had written critical of the administration. In fact, even Bob Woodward was on the receiving end of intimidation when he referred to the sequestration as "madness." Following Woodward's revelation, other reporters came forward to say the same thing happened to them. Some of my readers thought I was a tad too critical. I believe recent developments regarding the thug tactics used by the IRS and the government intrusion on the Associated Press vindicated my claims. It's now clear. As Rubio said today, this administration is replete with a "culture of intimidation."
- "The crowd almost certainly was a mix of individuals from across many sectors of Libyan society. That being said, we do know that Islamic extremists with ties to al-Qaeda participated in the attack." That was one of the emails produced by the CIA regarding the attack on our consulate in Benghazi.
- The following is the revised email: "The investigation is on-going as to who is responsible for the violence, although the crowd almost certainly was a mix of individuals. That being said, there are indications that Islamic extremists participated in the violent demonstration."
- The scrubbing is obvious. Reference to al-Qaeda was deleted. In addition, the word "attack" was changed to "demonstration."
- We now also know that then CIA Director David Petraeus objected to the revised talking points.
- With Obama and Holder continuing not to take any responsibility for anything, it does remind one of Sgt. Schultz from the old TV show, "Hogan Heroes" when he often said: "I know nothing."
- In light of what we now know about the IRS attacking ONLY conservative groups, perhaps the resignation of the acting IRS commissioner comes at a good time. He actually wrote this last week: "Mistakes were made, but they were in no way due to any political or partisan motivation." Have you stopped laughing your ass of yet? There is also information contradicting that lame statement.
- From the NY Post's editorial today: "Pity the AP didn't show similar vigor when conservatives were hollering about their own mistreatment by overreaching government officials." In fact, over the last three years, the AP only reported on this abuse a handful of times.
Sasha Obama Suspicious After Doing A Little Digging Around On Benghazi...The Onion
- Last week, I wrote a piece about how Obama's "Leading From Behind" leaves a leaderless nation. At that time, I didn't go far enough. With the current reports about the apparent abuse of power by this administration as they relate to the IRS and AP revelations, it's clear that "leading from behind" also results in rogue behavior by subordinates. We've not only seen this behavior countless times from the corruption of state and local governments, rogue police behavior in some police departments (LA + NOPD) and rogue behavior on Wall Street. Most of these stemming from poor leadership at the top.
- At this point in time, there is no clear evidence that Pres. Obama ordered any of these actions (IRS targeting ONLY conservative groups and the Justice Department's intrusive actions into reporters working at AP as well as the Benghazi cover up). But even if ("if," the administration's favorite word these days) the president had no knowledge of these conspicuous abusive actions, it's becoming increasingly clear there is an atmosphere of incompetence, corruption and arrogance (something I've written about often).
- And this is not only my opinion. In USA TODAY's editorial, in their piece entitled, "Quest To Plug Leaks Yields Torrent Of Abuse," they ended it with the following:" This administration needs some hard thinking about abuse of power." That sentence makes it clear they also believe there's been an abusive of power in the administration (Of course, this comes after years of protecting this administration. They are late to the dance, but, fortunately, they have a lot of ink).
- Just as disturbing is the lack of any accountability and transparency by this administration. Although they now will be forced to be held more accountable, don't count on it continuing.
- So it now appears the damn has broken (after years of the presstitutes being asleep), but the outcome is still not clear. What we do know is what Michael Goodwin wrote today: "For those of us not shocked by the inevitable, there is a vindication but no satisfaction. Each example of Obama's chickens coming home to roost just makes more obvious how much damage he's already done." Goodwin ends his piece with this: "We'll need a lot of sunshine to disinfect this rot."
- By the way, I also contend all of the news we've been hearing about sexual harassment and abuse of women in the military, is also a symptom of poor leadership by the Commander in Chief. Sexual assaults increased by 35% from 2010 to 2012.
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