By Larry Johnson
closeAuthor: Larry Johnson
Name: Larry Johnson
Email: larry_johnson@earthlink.net
Site: http://NoQuarterUSA.net
About: Larry C. Johnson is a former analyst at the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, who moved subsequently in 1989 to the U.S. Department of State, where he served four years as the deputy director for transportation security, antiterrorism assistance training, and special operations in the State Department's Office of Counterterrorism. He left government service in October 1993 and set up a consulting business. He currently is the co-owner and CEO of BERG Associates, LLC (Business Exposure Reduction Group) and is an expert in the fields of terrorism, aviation security, and crisis and risk management, and money laundering investigations. Johnson is the founder and main author of No Quarter, a weblog that addresses issues of terrorism and intelligence and politics. NoQuarterUSA was nominated as Best Political Blog of 2008.[1] He has worked as a private consultant on issues of international terrorism and security for the U.S. Government and private companies. Johnson has appeared as a consultant and commentator in many major newspapers and news programs.[2]
Contents [hide]
1 Background
2 Views
2.1 1996
2.2 1998
2.3 1999
2.4 2000
2.5 2001
2.6 2003
2.6.1 Plame affair
2.7 2008
3 Notes
4 References
5 External links
[edit]Background
Larry Johnson moved to Washington, D.C. in 1979 to begin work on a Ph.D. at the American University. Although he completed successfully all coursework and comprehensive exams, he did not write a dissertation. In 1978 and in 1983-85 he worked in Latin America on community development projects as a community organizer. Returning to the United States in 1985 he joined the Central Intelligence Agency, thanks in part to a letter of recommendation from Republican Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT) that helped to "open doors" for him at the Agency.[3] Johnson entered on duty at the CIA in September 1985 and was a classmate of Valerie Plame. Every member of that class was undercover. After a year in the Career Trainee program, which included a stint with the Afghan Task Force, Johnson was assigned as an analyst in the Middle America Caribbean Division in the Latin American Affairs Office of the Directorate of Intelligence. He received two Exceptional Performance awards and was promoted ultimately to Senior Regional Analyst for Central America.
Johnson remained undercover in the CIA until October 1989, when he resigned from the CIA and started a new job in the Office of Counter Terrorism at the Department of State. Johnson played an instrumental role in launching the Terrorism Rewards program international advertising campaign (working with Diplomatic Security officers Brad Smith and Michael Parks). [4] Johnson also was involved in a variety of crisis management response operations, including the release of hostages from Lebanon and liaison with the Pan Am 103 families. He left government service in October 1993 and started his own business as a consultant.
After leaving government service, Johnson became a frequent guest on many major television news shows when a question of terrorism came up. He was first interviewed by CNN following the capture of Carlos the Jackal. Johnson subsequently appeared on CNN, ABC's Nightline, CBS, the BBC, MSNBC, the Jim Lehrer News Hour, NBC, and NPR. In December of 1999, for example, Johnson was hired by NBC to serve as its terrorist expert for the Y2000 and was in Time Square with Tom Brokaw and Katie Couric ("a lot of fun and the best way to see in the New Year"). Johnson also was hired in January 2002 as a Fox News Analyst and remained under contract until February 2003.
Since 1994 a significant focus of Johnson's consulting work has been with the U.S. military special operations forces in scripting and conducting military counter terrorism exercises. He traveled under orders from the U.S. military to Iraq in May 2006 to work on a short term project.
A registered Republican who supported President Bush in 2000, Johnson became a strong critic of the Bush administration in May 2003 for its conduct of the war in Iraq and, a few months later, for its role in the outing of CIA operative Valerie Plame.[5] He was also featured in the 2004 political documentary Outfoxed: Rupert Murdoch's War on Journalism. Since Robert Novak's controversial disclosure of Valerie Plame as a CIA operative in July 2003, Johnson has contributed to public discourse on intelligence matters, often sparking further controversy. He has been interviewed by both the mass media and the alternative media and published commentaries on a variety of issues, including the Plame affair, the controversy concerning Mary McCarthy, and the resignation of Porter Goss as Director of Central Intelligence.
[edit]Views
This article or section may contain an inappropriate mixture of prose and timeline.
Please help convert this timeline into prose or, if necessary, a list.
[edit]1996
In 1996, Johnson noted that terrorism worldwide was on the decline. "Terrorist incidents [both internationally and in the US] have fallen to levels not seen since the 1970s. Whether measured by the number of incidents, the number of fatalities, or the number of groups, raw statistics demonstrate that the level of terrorist violence has declined since the mid-1980s. In fact, the evidence suggests terrorism was more widespread and deadly 10 years ago."[6]
He also wrote an op-ed piece for the New York Times suggesting that the newer and more deadly terrorist threat to the U.S. was embodied by "networks of terrorists, mostly foreign, working within its borders." Exemplifying this threat was Ramzi Yousef, one of the masterminds behind the 1993 attack on the World Trade Center. In the article, Johnson suggests that enhanced cooperation between intelligence agencies, particularly the FBI and CIA, is mandatory to meet the growing threat of terror networks.[7]
[edit]1998
In 1998, Johnson argued that while overall terrorism was declining, the threat from bin Laden and al-Qaeda should be the focus of American counterterrorism policy:
The nature of the threat posed by Bin Ladin is highlighted by my final chart, number 7. Osama Bin Ladin and individuals associated with him have killed and wounded more Americans than any other group. This chart also illustrates that groups such as Hamas and the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) prior to 1998 have killed more foreigners in the anti-US terrorist attacks. If we take into account the bombings of the US Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, Osama's status as the most lethal terrorist is certain.[8]
In addition, he told USA Today that bin Laden had participated in "virtually every major attack of terrorism against the United States" in the 1990s. Johnson underlined the threat posed by bin Laden, saying that he was possessed by "hatred and craziness." If left unanswered, "he would continue to terrorize Americans around the world. He has no compunction about killing women and children. He's a complete egalitarian in his murderous attitude."[9]
[edit]1999
In an interview with PBS's Frontline for its 1999 program, Hunting bin Laden, Johnson discussed Osama bin Laden.[10] According to Johnson, Americans had "tended to make Osama bin Laden sort of a superman in Muslim garb." "Actually," he continues, "Osama bin Laden, in my view, represents more of a symptom of a problem, and the problem is this: the Saudi Arabian government, not just Osama bin Laden but many people in Saudi Arabia, have been sending money to radical Islamic groups for years." Johnson continued:
When you look at who's killed Americans in the last 10 years, the individuals he's supported and backed--I'm basing that upon the initial information that's been released in the indictments and conversations with others in the intelligence communities--Osama bin Laden has been the one killing Americans. No other terrorist group in the world has been out killing Americans except for Osama bin Laden.... Osama bin Laden remains out there as the one really targeting us. So, we recognize that he's the threat. He's serious about wanting to kill Americans, but as long as he's in Afghanistan, as long as he doesn't have access to a cell phone, as long as he can't just hop on a plane and travel wherever he wants without fear of being arrested, his ability to plan and conduct terrorist operations is extremely limited. We have to recognize [that] he would like to do a lot of damage. He would like to kill Americans, but wanting to is different from being able to, having the full capabilities in place.[11]
In the interview, Johnson doubted the ability of members of bin Laden's organization to plan and put their lives on the line:
There's not another Ali or Mustafa out there at this point and Osama bin Laden in my view has not been a very effective organizer or leader. He talks a great game and puts out terrific threats as far as stirring the passions in the United States and maybe firing up the imaginations of some young Muslims throughout the world. But when push comes to shove, can he get a group of people who are together who will say: we are going to plan an operation, we're going to put our lives on the line, we're going to go out and try and kill people and we don't care what the consequence is? It hasn't happened.[12]
Frontline asked:
[Is it] ... fair to say what you're saying is that the president of the United States, his national security advisor, his deputy national security advisor for counter-terrorism, are basically blowing smoke [about the danger posed by bin Laden] and his followers]?
Johnson responded:
They're grossly exaggerating the problem. They are hyping it. They shouldn't be talking about rising terrorism. Instead of saying "terrorism's rising," it's not. "Terrorism is spreading," it's not. "More people are dying from terrorism," not the case. But what they should be saying is, "There's one individual out there that really doesn't like us, and he's made it his mission in life to kill Americans, and we've gotta deal with him." But we need to have a voice of reason in that process instead of putting ourselves out crying wolf, because this is essentially what's taking place right now. They call it the administration that cries wolf.[12]
[edit]2000
Johnson co-authored an article in 2000 with Milt Bearden which focused on the threat posed by al-Qaeda specifically, rather than terrorism trends in general. Beardon and Johnson note that new information emerging about the bombings at Kenya and Tanzania in 1998 points to the threat posed by Imad Mugniyah and Osama Bin Laden will require "a coordinated policy that will employ a full range of covert, clandestine, diplomatic, and military operations," concluding:
The Clinton Administration has shot its bolt on the terrorist problem with small effect, and no last minute show of force will change the record. A new administration can start afresh with a more sharply defined set of terrorism goals – Mughniyeh and bin Laden and their protectors for starters – and bring the full, coordinated force of American diplomatic, military, and intelligence capabilities to bear on the problem.[13]
[edit]2001
After Johnson's testimony to the special forum at the U.S. Senate, Gary J. Schmitt, executive director and CEO of the Project for the New American Century, refers in the Daily Standard (blog) to an op-ed piece Johnson wrote two months prior to the 9/11 attacks, claiming that Johnson argued that the US had little to fear from terrorism.[14]
In an editorial entitled "The Declining Terrorist Threat," published in the New York Times on 10 July 2001, Johnson says:
Judging from news reports and the portrayal of villains in our popular entertainment, Americans are bedeviled by fantasies about terrorism. They seem to believe that terrorism is the greatest threat to the United States and that it is becoming more widespread and lethal. They are likely to think that the United States is the most popular target of terrorists. And they almost certainly have the impression that extremist Islamic groups cause most terrorism.... None of these beliefs are based in fact.... While terrorism is not vanquished, in a world where thousands of nuclear warheads are still aimed across the continents, terrorism is not the biggest security challenge confronting the United States, and it should not be portrayed that way.[15]
Ten days after the 9/11 attacks, after quoting the above passage, Timothy Noah concludes a post in his "Chatterbox" feature at Slate: "Johnson's analysis, we now see, was bold, persuasive, and 100 percent wrong."[16] Johnson defended himself against such attacks:
The rightwing is resurrecting an op-ed I wrote in July 2001. I stand by the full article. It is still relevant today. I am accused, incorrectly, of ignoring the threat of terrorism. In fact, I correctly noted that the real threat emanated from Bin Laden and Islamic extremism. President Bush, for his part, ignored the CIA warning in August 2001 that Al Qaeda was posed to strike inside the United States.[17]
After September 11, Johnson appeared several times on FOX News to address the question of military action against terrorism. On 14 November, he defended the FBI's proposal to interview 5,000 students in the U.S. suspected of having information relevant to the September 11 investigations:
I think they should talk to everyone that they feel they have a need to talk to. I mean, look, this is war. This is not a legal proceeding. This isn't the O.J. Simpson trial. The folks that attacked us -- they murdered Americans. And we've got to recognize that in wartime, we should do things differently.[18]
[edit]2003
In January 2003, Johnson wrote an analysis of the relationship between the upcoming U.S. invasion of Iraq and the threat of transnational terrorism. According to Johnson, Bremer's response was to tell him that "it didn't matter what Saddam did or didn't do, we were going to war."[19] The paper warned that an invasion would "do little to destroy the infrastructure of radical Islamic terrorism responsible for the 9-11 attacks." Noting that Saddam Hussein's regime has been a longtime supporter of regional terrorist organizations such as the PLO, Johnson examines contacts between Saddam Hussein and transnational terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda:
There is no doubt that Iraq is a state sponsor of terrorism—i.e., a country that provides financial support, safe haven, training, or weapons and explosives to groups or individuals that carry out terrorist attacks. . . . According to Central Intelligence Agency data, there is no credible evidence implicating Iraq in any mass casualty terrorist attacks since 1991. . . .
Johnson notes that the period immediately leading up to 2003 saw a rise of activity surrounding terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, suggesting that "Iraq is willing to help a movement that it would otherwise oppose on ideological grounds. Nonetheless," Johnson concludes, "it is important to understand that Iraqi entreaties to Al Qaeda, are most likely intended as a tactic to bolster Iraq’s ability to fight off a U.S. invasion rather than a deep-seated theological and ideological commitment to the terrorist agenda of Bin Laden.[20]
In that analysis Johnson also warns that the U.S.-led invasion was likely to backfire:
In fact there is a serious risk that a U.S. led war against Iraq may crystallize the diffused anger in the Arab and Muslim world — a heretofore unattained goal of bin Laden and his followers — and persuade more Muslim youths to take up the terrorist banner against America and her citizens.... If we decide to invade Iraq we must be prepared for the contingency that our attack will inspire young Muslims to pursue jihad against the West in general and the United States in particular. Just as the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan rallied many Muslims, especially young adults to the cause of jihad, a U.S. attack may enable Islamic extremists to attract new followers.[20]
Johnson also gave interviews on the topic of what to do with captured al-Qaeda leaders; while he did not condone torture, he suggested that a "sleep deprivation and reward system" might be useful for getting information from Khalid Sheikh Mohammed:
I don't see a constitutional right to have eight hours of sleep. You shouldn't subject someone to freezing but they don't get to wear mink coats, either.[21]
In May 2003, Johnson joined members of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS) in condemning the manipulation of intelligence for political purposes:
It is a misuse and abuse of intelligence. The president was being misled. He was ill served by the folks who are supposed to protect him on this. Whether this was witting or unwitting, I don't know, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.[22]
[edit]Plame affair
After Robert Novak wrote a column identifying the wife of former ambassador Joseph C. Wilson as a CIA officer, the media invited Johnson to comment on the ensuing scandal because he had been a member of the same Career Trainee class with Valerie Plame Wilson. For example, in October 2003, he appeared on Democracy Now to discuss the Plame affair. He told interviewer Amy Goodman that Valerie Wilson's cover should have been respected whether she was an "analyst" or a "cleaning lady": "if she's undercover she's undercover, period. If the media allows themselves to get distracted with those kinds of curve balls, they ignore the issue."[23]
He told a Senate Democratic Policy Committee in October 2003, "My classmates and I have been betrayed. Together, we have kept the secrets of each other's identities a secret for 18 years. Each and every one of us have kept that secret, whether we were in the CIA, in other government service or in the private sector. But this issue is not just about a blown cover. It is about the destruction of the very essence, the core of human intelligence collection activities: plausible deniability, apparently, for partisan domestic political reasons."[24]
Johnson testified at a special joint hearing of Congressional and Senate Democrats on 22 July 2005 about the consequences arising from the Plame affair.[25]
[edit]2008
In 2008, Johnson emerged as a staunch supporter of Hillary Clinton and a strong critic of Barack Obama. Larry Johnson's blog, NoQuarterUSA, became a rally point for Clinton supporters wary of Barack Obama's qualifications to be president. Supporters of Barack Obama insist that a story that first appeared on Johnson's blog--a report that Republican operatives have a tape of Michelle Obama making racially insenstive comments about caucasians--has been "refuted" Barack Obama's Fight the Smears website.[26]. However, Johnson never claimed to have the tape and reported that the Republican operatives controlling it intended to release the tape sometime after the Democratic Convention in August 2008. On October 21, however, he asserted that the operative in possession of the tape had been instructed by the McCain campaign not to release it.[27]
[edit]Notes
^ http://2008.weblogawards.org/polls/best-political-coverage/
^ Larry C. Johnson, "About Me," No Quarter (personal blog).
^ "Former CIA Official Larry Johnson Delivers Democratic Radio Address," transcript posted on official Democratic National Committee's website for The Democratic Party, July 23, 2005], accessed November 21, 2006.
^ Interview with Larry Johnson, confirmed by his supervisor
^ "Ex-CIA official Blasts Bush on Leak of Operative's Name: Democrats' Radio Address Focuses on White House Aides' Role," CNN July 23, 2005, accessed November 21, 2006.
^ Gail Russell Chaddock, "Why Terrorists Pick On the French," Christian Science Monitor (5 December 1996) p. 1.
^ Larry Johnson, "Terrorists Among Us," New York Times (20 August 1996) p. A19.
^ Terrorism Today
^ Lee Michael Katz, "The Hunt for Bin Laden," USA Today (21 August 1998) p. 1A.
^ See Transcript of original interview with Larry C. Johnson, as broadcast on Frontline in 1999. Cf. "Interview: Larry C. Johnson," for Hunting bin Laden, transcript of interview broadcast on Frontline subsequently on 13 April 2001. See also dedicated PBS webpages for media links: Iraq and the War on Terror, Frontline PBS, online featured programs, accessed 19 November 2006.
^ frontline: hunting bin laden: interviews: larry c. johnson | PBS
^ a b [1].
^ As posted in [2].
^ Gary Schmitt, [ 07/25/2005 "Meet Larry Johnson: The CIA official Turned Democratic Spokesman Has a Pre-9/11 Mindset," Daily Standard (blog), July 25, 2005, accessed November 20, 2006.
^ *Larry C. Johnson, "The Declining Terrorist Threat," The New York Times 10 July 2001: A19.
^ Timothy Noah, "(Not Exactly a) Whopper of the Week: Larry C. Johnson," Chatterbox: Gossip, speculation, and scuttlebutt about politics (blog), hosted by Slate September 21, 2001, accessed November 20, 2006. Note the full context of this quotation:
It is, to be sure, a little bit cheap (and slightly at odds with the usual parameters of this feature) to criticize someone for making an erroneous prediction, particularly after a tragedy. Chatterbox is especially reluctant to tag Johnson because Johnson's op-ed was argued forcefully, backed up meticulously with factual data, and bravely at odds with conventional wisdom at the time of its publication. Add in that Johnson now makes his living as a consultant to corporations about terrorism, and therefore had everything to gain by exaggerating the dangers terrorism poses, and the guy practically looks like a hero. Chatterbox, who two decades ago was an editor for the New York Times op-ed page, would have published Johnson's piece had he still been an editor there this past July. In his capacity at Slate, Chatterbox might well have written up Johnson's prediction, and perhaps even endorsed it.
But boy, is he glad he didn't! Johnson's analysis, we now see, was bold, persuasive, and 100 percent wrong. Sadly, a mistake this embarrassing cannot be ignored. As a fellow skeptic, Chatterbox in all sincerity wishes Johnson better luck next time.
^ Larry C. Johnson, "Johnson vs. President Bush," re-posted and updated by SusanHu at DailyKos (blog) July 25, 2005.
^ FOX News Interview with John Garrett (14 November 2001) Transcript #111405cb.260.
^ [3].
^ a b Larry C. Johnson, "Setting the Record Straight on Iraqi Terrorism," posted in Booman Tribune: A Progressive Community (personal blog) 27 January 2003. accessed 19 November 2006.
^ Qtd. in Toby Harnden, "CIA 'pressure' on al-Qa'eda chief," The London Telegraph 5 March 2003: 16.
^ Qtd. in Nicolas D. Kristof, "Save Our Spooks," The New York Times 30 May 2003:A6.
^ Democracy Now (3 October 2003)[4]
^ U.S. Senate, Democratic Policy Committee Meeting on the CIA Operative Leak, (24 October 2003).
^ Letter to the Senate.[Needs full source citation; see "References" section.]
^ Tumulty, Karen (2008-06-12). "Will Obama's Anti-Rumor Plan Work?", Time Magazine. Retrieved on 20 June 2008.:"a story that apparently first made a big splash on the Internet in late May in a post by pro-Hillary Clinton blogger Larry Johnson"
^ Whitey Tape, API, Phil Berg, and Andy MartinSee Authors Posts (926) on July 27, 2008 at 5:25 PM in Barack Obama, Censorship, Current Affairs
Boy the fur is flying over Obama’s first trip to Europe and his refusal to visit wounded warriors because he could not get a political payoff. John McCain, who has had his own troubles in the past of using U.S. troops as political props, wasted no time bashing Obama for refusing to visit hospitalized soldiers in Germany. According to the Associated Press:
Mr. Obama was flying from London to Chicago on Saturday when the McCain campaign issued a statement from Joe Repya, a retired Army colonel who said Mr. Obama had broken a commitment to visit the wounded Americans, “instead flitting from one European capital to the next.”
“Several explanations were offered, none was convincing and each was at odds with the statements of American military leaders in Germany and Washington,” Mr. Repya said. “For a young man so apt at playing president, Barack Obama badly misjudged the important demands of the office he seeks. Visits with world leaders and speeches to cheering Europeans shouldn’t be a substitute for comforting injured American heroes.”
In turn, Obama campaign spokesman Tommy Vietor said Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain both believed that troops should be honored and noted that the Illinois senator had visited troops in Iraq and Afghanistan last week and had made numerous trips to Washington’s Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Mr. Obama still didn’t want injured soldiers “pulled into the back-and-forth of a political campaign,” Mr. Vietor said in a statement.
Oh sure. Barack wasn’t using the troops as a political prop when he was shooting hoops. Right?
Which brings us to the letter from a young Captain apparently attached to the Utah National Guard. Jeffrey Porter, who authored the following letter, is in trouble. Officers are not supposed to take a political position. I believe he is telling the truth but his chain of command has stepped in and are denying his version. I believe Captain Porter was telling what he saw without intending it to become part of the political debate. I held off until now posting the letter because I wanted to be sure it was authentic. I have confirmation from friends in theater that it is legit. Here is Captain Porter giving his take on Barack’s visit:
Hello everyone,
As you know I am not a very political person. I just wanted to pass along that Senator Obama came to Bagram Afghanistan for about an hour on his visit to ‘The War Zone’. I wanted to share with you what happened.
He got off the plane and got into a bullet proof vehicle, got to the area to meet with the Major General (2 Star) who is the commander here at Bagram.
As the Soldiers were lined up to shake his hand he blew them off and didn’t say a word as he went into the conference room to meet the General. As he finished, the vehicles took him to the ClamShell (pretty much a big top tent that military personnel can play basketball or work out in with weights) so he could take his publicity pictures playing basketball. He again shunned the opportunity to talk to Soldiers to thank them for their service
So really he was just here to make a showing for the American’s back home that he is their candidate for President. I think that if you are going to make an effort to come all the way over here you would thank those that are providing the freedom that they are providing for you.
I swear we got more thanks from the NBA Basketball Players or the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders than from one of the Senators, who wants to be the President of the United States . I just don’t understand how anyone would want him to be our Commander-and- Chief. It was almost that he was scared to be around those that provide the freedom for him and our great country.
If this is blunt and to the point I am sorry but I wanted you all to know what caliber of person he really is. What you see in the news is all fake.
In service,
CPT Jeffrey S. Porter
Battle Captain
TF Wasatch
American Soldier
This soldier will pay a price for telling the truth. America will pay a price if it does not wake up and realize that Barack is the consummate opportunist and is a typical politician when it comes to using troops as part of his campaign.
His decision to blow off the troops recovering from their wounds will dog him the rest of this campaign. Well it should.
UPDATED: After the Obama campaign’s screaming snit with DOD officials, we are now informed that Captain Porter “RECANTED” his letter. JESUS CHRIST!!! We are acting like old style Stalinists or Maoists. Don’t remember? Back during the Cold War it was commonplace for “counter revolutionaries” to be paraded in public and recant/denounce things they had previously written or said. Here is poor Captain Porter, who by virtue of his place in the military, has no option but to follow orders (unless he wants to go to the stockade). Read the so-called “recant” very carefully:
But the Military Times newspaper reported on Friday that Porter is now asking those who received a copy of the e-mail to delete it and is asking bloggers who posted his letter to take it down from their sites.
“Some of the information that was put out in my e-mail was wrong,” Porter wrote, according to the Times, which is published by Gannett. “This e-mail was meant only for my family.”
The Obama campaign reacted quickly to the e-mail, posting on its Web site photos, videos and media accounts of Obama meeting with U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
As I noted above, Captain Porter had no idea that his letter would go viral. However, the only “error” in his letter is that it got wide circulation. Captain Porter is a solid young man who had the “audacity” to offer his view of what was really going on behind the carefully staged scenes to portray Obama as a guy loved by the troops. Leave it to the lefties in the Obama tent to press for a soldier to “recant.”
Snopes sez it’s not true -
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/afghanistan.asp
and apparently Capt. Porter “recanted” his email.
That was quick. I’m sure his commander “suggested” he recant.
It doesn’t say he recanted, that he just meant the email for his family.
Did you see the fake email though from someone who claims to have clearance. That one seems fake to me. Didn’t even sign his name. I could have written it for all anyone knows.
Poor guy. Especially if he did mean it for his family. I remember seeing the email on this site, and I think it was the neice that put it out on the internet.
The fact that Obama snubbed the wounded soldiers in Germany just adds credence to the email. Even if it weren’t true about Afghanistan, it was true about Germany.
There is definitly a pattern, isn’t there?
He is pimping out whom ever he can, (the German people, giving them beer and a rock concert) if he can’t, he just walks away (the wounded American solders in Germany)
Under the bus with whomever doesn’t serve his purpuse. And they are weasels in giving “plausable” explanations. (for whomever buys them)
Why didn’t he become a rockstar singer or comedian, he would be much less harmful.
Isn’t it interesting that at least twice now, he has set up a rock concert just prior to his speaking…designed to ensure huge audiences.
We are supposed to believe that the great one caused those large crowd to come just to hear him speak. Is there nothing that is not manufactured about this creature?
Since the media and most of the blogs won’t ask these questions, it’s important for us to get these questions, these facts out there.
It could have been worse. Obama could have gone to that hospital in Germany and slapped a soldier.
Selma Got Me Born - LIAR, your parents felt safe enough to have you in 1961 - Selma had no effect on your birth, as Selma was in 1965.
2.) Father Was A Goat Herder - LIAR, he was a privileged, well educated youth, who went on to work with the Kenyan Government.
3.) Father Was A Proud Freedom Fighter - LIAR, he was part of one of the most corrupt and violent governments Kenya has ever had
4.) My Family Has Strong Ties To African Freedom - LIAR, your cousin Raila Odinga has created mass violence in attempting to overturn a legitimate election in 2007, in Kenya. It is the first widespread violence in decades.
5.) My Grandmother Has Always Been A Christian - LIAR, she does her daily Salat prayers at 5am according to her own interviews. Not to mention, Christianity wouldn’t allow her to have been one of 14 wives to 1 man.
6.) My Name is African Swahili - LIAR, your name is Arabic and ‘Baraka’ (from which Barack came) means ‘blessed’ in that language. Hussein is also Arabic and so is Obama.
7.) I Never Practiced Islam - LIAR, you practiced it daily at school, where you were registered as a Muslim and kept that faith for 31 years,until your wife made you change, so you could run for office.
8.) My School In Indonesia Was Christian - LIAR, you were registered as Muslim there and got in trouble in Koranic Studies for making faces (check your own book).
9.) I Was Fluent In Indonesian - LIAR, not one teacher says you could speak the language.
10.) Because I Lived In Indonesia, I Have More Foreign Experience - LIAR, you were there from the ages of 6 to 10, and couldn’t even speak the language. What did you learn, how to study the Koran and watch cartoons.
11.) I Am Stronger On Foreign Affairs - LIAR, except for Africa (surprise) and the Middle East (bigger surprise), you have never been anywhere else on the planet and thus have NO experience with our closest allies.
12.) I Blame My Early Drug Use On Ethnic Confusion - LIAR, you were quite content in high school to be Barry Obama, no mention of Kenya and no mention of struggle to identify - your classmates said you were just fine.
13.)An Ebony Article Moved Me To Run For Office - LIAR, Ebony has yet to find the article you mention in your book. It doesn’t, and never did, exist.
14.) A Life Magazine Article Changed My Outlook On Life - LIAR, Life has yet to find the article you mention in your book. It doesn’t, and never did, exist.
15.) I Won’t Run On A National Ticket In ‘08 - LIAR, here you are, despite saying, live on TV, that you would not have enough experience by then, and you are all about having experience first.
16.) Present Votes Are Common In Illinois - LIAR, they are common for YOU, but not many others have 130 NO VOTES.
17.) Oops, I Misvoted - LIAR, only when caught by church groups and democrats, did you beg to change your misvote.
18.) I Was A Professor Of Law - LIAR, you were a senior lecturer ON LEAVE.
19.) I Was A Constitutional Lawyer - LIAR, you were a senior lecturer ON LEAVE.
20.) Without Me, There Would Be No Ethics Bill - LIAR, you didn’t write it,introduce it, change it, or create it.
21.) The Ethics Bill Was Hard To Pass - LIAR, it took just 14 days from start to finish.
22.) I Wrote A Tough Nuclear Bill - LIAR, your bill was rejected by your own party for its pandering and lack of all regulation - mainly because of your Nuclear Donor, Exelon, from which David Axelrod came.
23.) I Have Released My State Records - LIAR, as of March, 2008, state bills you sponsored or voted for have yet to be released, exposing all the special interests pork hidden within.
24.) I Took On The Asbestos Altgeld Gardens Mess - LIAR, you were part of a large group of people who remedied Altgeld Gardens. You failed to mention anyone else but yourself, in your books.
25.) My Economics Bill Will Help America - LIAR, your 111 economic policies were just combined into a proposal which lost 99-0, and even YOU voted against your own bill.
26.) I Have Been A Bold Leader In Illinois - LIAR, even your own supporters claim to have not seen BOLD action on your part.
27.) I Passed 26 Of My Own Bills In One Year - LIAR, they were not YOUR bills, but rather handed to you, after their creation by a fellow Senator, to assist you in a future bid for higher office.
28.) No One Contacted Canada About NAFTA - LIAR, the Candian Government issued the names and a memo of the conversation your campaign had with them.
29.) I Am Tough On Terrorism - LIAR, you missed the Iran Resolution vote on terrorism and your good friend Ali Abunimah supports the destruction of Israel.
30.) I Am Not Acting As President Yet - LIAR, after the NAFTA Memo, a dead terrorist in the FARC, in Colombia, was found with a letter stating how you and he were working together on getting FARC recognized officially.
31.) I Didn’t Run Ads In Florida - LIAR, you allowed national ads to run 8-12 times per day for two weeks - and you still lost.
32.) I Won Michigan - LIAR, no you didn’t.
33.) I won Nevada - LIAR, no you did not.
34.) I Want All Votes To Count - LIAR, you said let the delegates decide.
35.) I Want Americans To Decide - LIAR, you prefer caucuses that limit the vote, confuse the voters, force a public vote, and only operate during small windows of time.
36.) I passed 900 Bills in the State Senate - LIAR, you passed 26, most of which you didn’t write yourself.
37.) My Campaign Was Extorted By A Friend - LIAR, that friend is threatening to sue if you do not stop saying this. Obama has stopped saying this.
38.) I Believe In Fairness, Not Tactics - LIAR, you used tactics to eliminate Alice Palmer from running against you.
39.) I Don’t Take PAC Money - LIAR, you take loads of it.
40.) I don’t Have Lobbysists - LIAR, you have over 47 lobbyists, and counting.
41.) My Campaign Had Nothing To Do With The 1984 Ad - LIAR, your own campaign worker made the ad on his Apple in one afternoon.
42.) My Campaign Never Took Over MySpace - LIAR, Tom, who started MySpace issued a warning about this advertising to MySpace clients.
43.) I Inspire People With My Words - LIAR, you inspire people with other people’s words.
44.) I Have Passed Bills In The U.S. Senate - LIAR, you have passed A BILL in the U.S. Senate - for Africa, which shows YOUR priorities.
45.) I Have Always Been Against Iraq - LIAR, you weren’t in office to vote against it AND you have voted to fund it every single time, unlike Kucinich, who seems to be out gutting you Obama. You also seem to be stepping back from your departure date - AGAIN.
46.) I Have Always Supported Universal Health Care - LIAR, your plan leaves us all to pay the 15,000,000 who don’t have to buy it.
47.) I Only Found Out About My Investment Conflicts Via Mail - LIAR, both companies you site as having sent you letters about this conflict have no record of any such letter ever being created or sent.
48.) I Am As Patriotic As Anyone - LIAR, you won’t wear a flag pin and you don’t put your hand over your heart during the Anthem.
49.) My Wife Didn’t Mean What She Said About Pride In Country - LIAR, your wife’s words follow lock-step in the vein of Wright and Farrahkan, in relation to their contempt and hatred of America.
50.) Wal-Mart Is A Company I Wouldn’t Support - LIAR, your wife has received nearly a quater of a million dollars through Treehouse, which is connected to Wal-Mart.
51.) Treehouse Is A Small Company - LIAR, the CEO of Treehouse last year, made more than the CEO of Wal-Mart, according to public records.
52.) University Of Chicago Hospital Pay Is Fair - LIAR, your wife’s pay raise was nearly 150% her already bloated rate and the hospital is a Non-Profit Hospital, which made $100,000,000 in the last 3 years. They overcharge blacks VS whites for services, and overcharge everyone in general by 538%!
53.)I Barely Know Rezko - Only 5 Billed Hours - LIAR, you have known him for 17 years, and decided to do a real estate deal with him during a time when he was proven to be under investigation. Despite this, you divided your property and had them take off $300K before the mortgage problems started. Then Rezko’s wife buys the lot beside it that you can’t afford, saving you $625,000.
54.) My Donations Have Been Checked Thoroughly - LIAR, you only gave back Hsu ($72K) and Rezko (first $66K, then when caught lying $86K, then when caught lying again $150K and now caught lying YET AGAIN OBAMA, it’s $250k) their money when publically called on their involvement in your campaigns.
55.) My Church Is Like Any Other Christian Church - LIAR, your church is so extreme, the pastor who married you, Rev. Wright, just got done blaming the US for 9/11 and named Louis Farrahkan their person of the year.
56.) I Disagree With My Church All The Time - LIAR, you still have yet to repudiate Wright, who married you and your wife, and you still donate large sums of money to assist the church in furthering its message - hatred and revenge. You donated in 2006 alone, $22,500 to the church that you so terribly disagree with. That is nearly $500 PER WEEK - that sure is disagreement, Senator Obama.
57.) I Have Clean Connections Despite Rezko - LIAR, you are not only connected to Exelon and Rezko, you are also connected to Hillary PAC supporter Mr. Hsu, AND an Iraqi Billionaire of ill repute, Nadhmi Auchi, who ripped off people in the Food For Oil, Iraqi deal. Seems Mr. Auchi may have helped Obama buy his million dollar property long before Obama had millions of dollars. Wonder what favors Mr. Auchi expects, when Obama leaves Iraq free to be taken over by special interests such as him.
58.) I never heard sermons like Rev. Wright’s, that have been in videos all day, You Tube - LIAR! 3 days later during your Mea Culpa BS speech you said “Did I hear controversial statements while I sat in that church? Yes I did.”
59.) The Passport Invasion is a conspiracy to find dirt on me! - LIAR. Your own Campaign Foreign Policy Advisor is the CEO of the company that looked into your records. PS - You had them look into yours to hide the fact you looked into Clinton’s and McCain’s more than a year before!
60.) Rev. Meeks has nothing to do with my campaigning - LIAR. Rev. Meeks appeared in ads for your Senate Campaign, donated to you, and helped raise money, then AND NOW. PS - He also seems to despise America.
61.) My wife didn’t mean America is ignorant, she was just using a phrase - LIAR. Again, MicHELLe’s comments perfectly sync with Wright’s, Meeks’, and Farrakhans, both in language, anger, and direction.
62.) I am very Anti-Terror - LIAR. [03/30/2008] One of your good pals is long time radical and terrorist William Ayers, with whom you have been seen in the last 12 months and who has helped the now jailed khalidi, Professor at Columbia who invited Ahmadinejad to the University, to raise money for Palestinian terrorism attacks against Israel. PS - Your church published a pro Hamas Manifesto - guess you weren’t there on THAT Sunday either? How lucky for you.
63.) I have the best plan to cure the Mortgage Crisis - LIAR. [03/30/2008] You and your campaign buddy Penny SubPrime Bank Collapse Prizker have had your little fingers full of subprime cash - Obama has taken $1,180,103 from the top issuers of subprime loans: Obama received $266,907 from Lehman, $5395 from GMAC, $150,850 from Credit Suisse First Boston, $11,250 from Countrywide, $9052 from Washington Mutual, $161,850 from Citigroup, $4600 from CBASS, $170,050 from Morgan Stanley, $1150 from Centex, and last but certainly NOT LEAST - Obama received $351,900 from Goldman Sachs. I am sure that cash all came from folks who knew the subprime loan they had was a dream, eh?
64) I played greater role in crafting liberal stands on gun control, the death penalty and abortion - LIAR - [03/31/2008] It was found that Obama — the day after sitting for the interview — filed an amended version of the questionnaire, which appears to contain Obama’s own handwritten notes added to one answer. Read Obama had greater role on liberal survey
65) I did NOT play the race card: - LIAR - [03/31/2008] Obama was the first to play the race card. According to Phialdelphia Inquirer, Quietly, the storm over the hateful views expressed by Sen. Barack Obama’s pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, has blown away the most insidious myth of the Democratic primary campaign. Obama and his surrogates have charged that Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has deliberately and cleverly played the race card in order to label Obama the “black” candidate. Read more here
66) I did not take money from oil companies: - LIAR - [03/31/2008]
THE FACTS: True enough, Obama does not take money from oil companies. No candidate does. It is illegal for corporations to give money to politicians. Corporations, however, do have political action committees that collect voluntary donations from employees and then donate them to candidates. Obama doesn’t take money from PACs. He also doesn’t take money from lobbyists.
But he does accept money from executives and other employees of oil companies and two of his fundraisers are oil company executives. As of Feb. 29, Obama’s presidential campaign had received nearly $214,000 from oil and gas industry employees and their families, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics. Clinton had received nearly $307,000 from industry workers and their families and Republican Sen. John McCain, the likely GOP presidential nominee, received nearly $394,000, according to the center’s totals.
Two of Obama’s fundraisers are Robert Cavnar, the chairman and chief executive of Houston-based Mission Resources Corp., and George Kaiser, the president and CEO of Tulsa-based Kaiser-Francis Oil Co. Source: Associated press via Yahoo News
67) “I don’t think my church is actually particularly controversial,” Obama said at a community meeting in Nelsonville, Ohio, earlier this month. - LIAR - But yesterday, he told a different story. “Did I ever hear him make remarks that could be considered controversial while I sat in church? Yes,” he said in his speech yesterday in Philadelphia.
68) Look at my education record in Illinois - LIAR - In reality, Obama never really championed the local councils. He supported them behind the scenes and only eventually came out publicly on their behalf. When he did weigh in, he came down on the wrong side of the debate—against protecting principals from unwarranted dismissals and in favor of keeping councils independent, no matter what. In the end, the resolution of the conflict between the two sides didn’t alleviate anyone’s concerns. Instead, it prolonged a turf battle that seems to have dragged down academic progress in the years since. Read more here http://www.slate.com/id/2188010?wpisrc=newsletter
Well done. I sincerely appreciate your hard work gathering these facts. This article should be on the front page of every major newspaper in America.
Yea, Scranton. I used to live up the line.
Wow, great list. This is very useful.
Again, Obama’s List of Lies was compiled by Shallow Hall at http://www.savagepolitics.com
Savage Politics is also a good site for articles that expose Obama.
That is an excellent site Mimi….thanks for the link
It’s also a site so viciously racist that Clinton decided she couldn’t advertise there for help with her debt relief.
Tell that to Mimi…Debbie….Go Ahead…I dare ya!
You are a worthless and untalented little troll…Now Waddle back to GAZA….
Wow, tish! Thanks for this great summary on why Obama should NOT be POTUS. I’m going to print this out (with your permission) and give it to anyone who asks me why I won’t support him.
Great list of Obama’s LIES!
And - throughout 2007 and 2008 Obama went around the country spinning a tale about the Kennedys bringing his father to America!
It was ALL a BIG LIE! - easily exposed by the Washington Post in March with tons of documentation. Never mentioned by other media and press!!
And the Kennedys also went along with the LIE.
http://www.talkleft.com/story/2008/3/30/13655/6958
JoseyJ
Thanks for the link!
Please take a look at this article- and PLEASE forward it to others-including blog sites-
http://www.beyondchron.org/articles/The_Obama_Craze_Count_Me_Out_5413.html
No matter who you vote for in November-please read this. It is one of the BEST analyses of Sen Obama’s deceptive and frightening voting records while he was in the legisl;ature.
Sen Obama DOES NOT care for American citizens- he cares for corporations. His legislation is hollow and VERY deceptive to the average voter. The name of the act sounds impressive but once you analyse the contents of teh legislation-and his voting record- the truth about sen obama comes out. PLEASE forward this link to others-people need to disucss. We can still influence the delegates.
send this to all of mccains people and just for the heck of it send to howard, brazille and the dnc..
Excellent! I’m sending this to everyone I know.
Tish, this is excellent.
I know the facts you include in your blog are accurate-I remember reading most of this information in reputable publications-however I did not save links to most of these stories.If you have links to these points- PLEASE repost (Larry-Susan-I hope its okay to do that)AND include source link(s) to each point.
I do not question anything that yo have written here-however-for independent journalists that may want to follow through on what you have written here- can you please include LINKS to your sources of information. If you do this, it makes the job of citizen journalists and independent journalists and serious bloggers easier when they post. Also, there are many Obama supporters out there who really truly believed in this guy- it is important that the facts (along with sources of tehse facts) are presented to these individuals in a respectful, well-documented manner. The truth needs to get out-including links to opinions and comments definetely helps with regards to enhancing credibility of facts presented.
Many msm journalists want to help us out but they too are being kept distracted and overworked by their employers. We need to help them to help us to get the truth out.
All fellow bloggers- please include links to your sources of information.Many people hired by Obama camp to blog in effort to distract, discredit, and delay citizens who want to get truth out- (including characterizing PUMAs and Denver Group members as militant hysterical crazy radicals who are only hell bent on el;ecting a female president). We need to include links so that when we pass on info to other blog sites- it will back up credibility-making us much less prone to slanderous attacks.Thank you all very much-I love this site-MUCH EXCELLENT research-Thank you all…
now let’s see you “review” mccain’s record.
no?
didn’t think so.
That site seems to be in the tank for Obama.
I don’t understand their attempts at trying to say it isn’t true.
It says Obama wasn’t there, didn’t play hoops, yada yada. Then it says Porter wasn’t there. Then it says Obama met with the troops. Then it says Porter takes back what he wrote.
It sure seems like there was a lot of disputing of *facts* for an email that is a fake.
But, they never prove Porter is a fake.
He wrote is and now they are spin spin spinning it.
Oh, and as for them showing pics of Obama meeting with the troops - well yes. Of course he did, when there were CAMERAS there.
I reread snopes, and realized they are saying that Obama did not blow off the troops, not that the email is a fake.
So….they try to prove that Porter was lying, because Obama held some staged events for the photographers? And that is proof?
My money is on Porter. Why would he create a false story to email home to his famiy? uh huh.
I agree. But Obama wouldn’t meet with the injured troops because no cameras were allowed.
His supporters are already making excuses for his behavior. They’re already into WORM mode.
No other presidential candidate received this much of a free pass for gaffes, ignorance, and hubris.
Oh wait. One has. George W. Bush.
GWB also lavished food, accommodations, and attention on the press.
They loved him for it and failed to look at his lack of experience and his record. It’s deja vu all over again.
clearly you visited the snopes page, but you cling desperately to the final thread you have, which is that “porter exists.”
i don’t think anyone disputed that “porter exists.” it is clear from official and unofficial comments and reports, including porter as well, that porter’s original “complaint” were simply untrue. he certainly believed they were true at the time but that does not make it so.
the video of obama making the hoop? that was taken in kuwait, NOT afghanistan which is where porter claims obama “blew off” troops for a basketball photo op. so porter’s claim is not only off by degree, it us utterly baseless.
the fact that you cling so tightly to a falsehood which has been thoroughly debunked demonstrates what a sad and angry person you are.
your time and life would be better served if you spent half the time you spend now being outraged about made up crap figuring out what government policies have you behind the eightball and who’s responsible for them being what they are and who seems most likely to change them.
If what Porter says isn’t true I BET YOU there would be pictures and video of Obama thanking the troops.
Where are these? NONE. Just playing ball…
I believe Porter’s account and so will the American poeple (that is if the media does its job).
Andy,
The answer might be in chasing down where the above handshake photo was really taken. Close-ups with no discernible background could come from anywhere.
More supporting evidence for the photo and somebody get our new civilian, Mr. Porter a friggin’ job.
That so-called Captain you quote can’t even write in correct English. Obviously he is a phony, perhaps another Obama troll!
Of course Porter has to cover his tail, thus the, as you put it, recant! The question is: why did he write it in the first place if it wasn’t correct?
Your post has the word phony written all over it. Try somewhere else, troll.
Hijacker Onramp hog.
Yes he will pay a steep price. There goes his career and any chance of promotion.
I’ve seen these political dog and pony shows before. I think he’s telling the truth.
I feel sorry for him. He’s ruined.
Isn’t this still America? I cannot understand how close we are to total lockdown ala Marxist countries over one unqualified candidate. I can’t wait until he is gone from the national political landscape. He makes my ears bleed.
While I understand your sentiments, the terms marxist, oligarchist, communist, fascist are distinctions lacking any meaningful difference in today’s world.
Oblahblah isn’t a marxist; he’s on the dole from large multinational corporations, which transcend political systems and would probably be more akin to fascist anyway.
Remember, too, that it was a self-proclaimed conservative who brought us the “Last-Refuge-of-Scoundrels” Act, aka Patriot and has been systematically destroying the Constitution.
I dislike Oblahblah intensely because he is , in my opinion, a manipulative douche bag, is monumentally unqualified to be president, and is a pathological liar.
Hmmm….You say Fascistmisto…..and I say Marxistnista….and You say Tomahto….and I say Tomato….
UH? Can you say Cheney Energy bill? Who voted FOR it? DING DING DING!!!!! We have our first winner of the morning ladies and gentlemen. Come on down. And. The bonus dollars if you can name who backtracked on his FISA support!
Uh, um, I voted for that bill, um, because um I um, work with Republicans, but I’m a liberal. The er, um, FISA, I supported, because I am Brazile and Rove’s lovechild. Now where’s my bonus, or are you going to raise the bar higher?
” I am Obama Clone # 42…..all the actions of previous Clones re hereby declared as Null and Void….Due to an undetected flawin the early models….Please direct all future inquiries to Commissar Donna Brazeal at New Party HQ….and Ya’ll have a nice day….”
While I understand your sentiments, the terms marxist, oligarchist, communist, fascist are distinctions lacking any meaningful difference in today’s world.
Oblahblahmccain isn’t a marxist; he’s on the dole from large multinational corporations, which transcend political systems and would probably be more akin to fascist anyway.Remember, too, that it was a self-proclaimed conservative who brought us the “Last-Refuge-of-Scoundrels” Act, aka Patriot and has been systematically destroying the Constitution.
I dislike
Oblahblahmccain intensely because he is , in my opinion, a manipulative douche bag, is monumentally unqualified to be president, and is a pathological liar.there, that’s better.
Memo to Beebop :
After the Ritual for Installation for Dear Leader is finalized in Jan. 09 the New Party for a New America will be sponsoring a National Contest to rename the Country as the Party feels that the old name does not reflect our real history and reenforces Imperialistic Eurocentric stereotypes that tend to divide the country…..It’s all about UNITY. A concept near and dear to our Leader.
Jump on board as soon as you can….Prizes will be announced soon. Oprah is Chairperson of the Committee.
Sincerely,
Commissar Donna Brazeal. The New Party for a New America
If the Obama regime could get away with it renaming the country would be a tossup between “Obamaland” and “Trinity United Christian Country”.
I dunno…LOL….I’ll bet it will be in the new and trendy TEXTSPEAK…
as our current lingua franca is….so HO-HUM…old hat…way too over 25 and of course the obligatory noninclusive, eurocentric and imperialistic.
Besides rulz of grammar and spelling are sooooo….TEDIOUS
Don’t forget, we will also be giving the “WHITE HOUSE” a new name. Can’t have the ole mighty one and his wife living in a place with such a racist name.
NOJOKEOBAMA
LOL…( GULP )…..Hmmm…GRRRRR……well done
I just don’t see how any respectful person could feel good about themselves for defending Obama over this. You can spin just about anything these days and people will fall for it. But this is beyond spin, no matter how hard they try.
The biggest difference with McCain using the troops for political coverage is that he actually served. I’m not saying it’s right…I’m just saying….
How on earth they (BO’s supporters) can get away with saying “obama didn’t want to politicize the troops” when there’s no reporters there? They say that it will be talked about regardless. I would not have criticized Obama in the least if he would have went quietly to see the troops. As a matter of fact, I would have been pleasantly surprised!
But when I look at the bigger picture, I am happy for the troops that he didn’t go…they’re better off without him.
You’re right a real CiC will be there when there are no cameras.
If it wasn’t for the photo-op then why didn’t Obama go anyway?
How true. And when a real commander in chief, FDR, couldn’t be there his wife represented him! Eleanor Roosevelt was a frequent flyer during WWII. (There’s a reason why Senator Clinton said Eleanor Roosevelt was one of her mentors.) Couldn’t you see Mrs. Not-Proud-Of-Her-Country representing Obama in those icky visits to those no photo op military hospitals.
What a fustercluck that would be.
Definitely send dogs. Four legged dogs.
I could see her representing my country - it would be very welcome! and, she would not need a ‘handler’ to make sure her hair and clothes were right every day like HRC has to have. Michelle has style! and brains and she doesn’t need to clobber us over the head with it!
No, she’d need 10 handlers.
Yup, that’s why the campaign has asked her to spend more time with her children and STFU until after the convention. She’s one ugly loose canon. And she wears furs. Nuff said.
After her make over of course, right before her performance on the view, the new softer nicer michelle, right
In one of the most recent explanations they seem to have accidentally told the truth. He could not bring his campaign staff with him to the hospital, but could bring Senate staff. He did not have any Senate staff with him on the trip.
This is problematic in two ways. He did not want to go to the hospital alone. Why? Does he have staff with him in the room when talking to heads of state, or does he just need staff talking to wounded military personnel. Is is appropriate to drag campaign staff into foreign government meetings. Secondly they claimed this was not a political campaign trip. If he took no Senate staff it most certainly was a campaign trip and only a campaign trip even when he was with Reed and Hagel. He cannot use campaign staff on Senate business.
I want a refund.
Even bush visited the troops without cameras. Does this mean that bush is a better CIC than Obama would be?
guess what…Obama visited the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan without the press…only the military photographers were present!!! The military most certainly made a big deal of his going to visit the troops in Germany and accused him of taking political advantage. So he said screw it, I won’t get into this - either way he is cooked and there is absolutely NOTHING he can do to satisfy any of you - so why do you nitpick over the details. just don’t vote for him! that’s your best revenge, no?
there you go, blame the military again
snot the mucilage troll