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July 26: 7 Best Moments From Sunday Talk
Hillary Clinton dismisses Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Paul Krugman and Nancy Pelosi share (guardedly) optimistic outlooks for the economy, and Bill Kristol fires back at Obama’s “stupidly” comment. All this and more in this week’s Sunday talk roundup.
Hillary Clinton to Iran: Your Nuclear Efforts Are “Futile”
On Sunday's Meet the Press, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ratcheted up her tough talk on Iran, vowing that America will do everything in its power to prevent the country from going nuclear. Maybe they need a time out, too?
Krugman: The End (of the Recession) Is Near
Is the recession over? Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman seems to think so…with a few caveats. As Krugman explained on This Week, the economy will improve but the job market will get worse. Yay?
Axelrod Won’t Waste Time Pondering Palin
With Sarah Palin finally exiting office on Sunday, most pundits are probably eager to weigh in. So why is White House adviser David Axelrod so evasive? He tells John King on State of the Union that he and his political friends don’t spend their free time thinking about the future of the former governor of Alaska. If that’s true, it separates them from most political wonks.
Pelosi: The “Good Times” Are Coming!
On CNN’s State of the Union, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was brimming with optimism, saying she doesn’t think we need a second stimulus package because the “good times” are right around the corner. And we already have a second stimulus…the health-care bill. Despite the controversy and delays, she’s also confident that the bill will pass when it hits the floor.
DeMint: Obama Is “Out of Control”
Last week, Sen. Jim DeMint made headlines in an interview where he said health reform will be Obama’s Waterloo. This Sunday, he was back with more fiery remarks on This Week with George Stephanopoulos, saying his attacks are not personal (he even likes Obama, honest!). But he then proceeded to call the president “out of control,” accusing him of creating panic, making “false promises,” and leading a “stampede” of spending.
Another President Clinton? Not Likely.
When pressed by David Gregory on Meet the Press, Hillary Clinton pretty much ruled out another run for the office, but said she hopes to see some other Democratic woman in the White House in her lifetime. (Read: Not Palin.)
Kristol Blasts “Arrogant” Obama
President Obama has all but apologized publicly for his comments last week in which he said the Cambridge police and Sgt. James Crowley had “acted stupidly” in the arrest of Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and he even floated the idea of sharing a beer with the two men in the White House. But on Fox News Sunday, Bill Kristol still dug into Obama, calling him “an arrogant man” who can’t admit when he is wrong, and who “feels entitled to pass judgment” on people.
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Peter Beinart, senior political writer for The Daily Beast, is associate professor of journalism and political science at City University of New York and a senior fellow at the New America Foundation. His new book, The Icarus Syndrome: A History of American Hubris, will be published by HarperCollins in June. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
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IJamesB
I love that Bill Kristol has nothing more to throw at Obama than the unsubstantiated, unprovable opinion that "He's an arrogant man"
Awesome. That's all they have to say.
On the other hand, I'd really like to know exactly what WASN'T STUPID about the cop arresting a man in his own home.
At what point was the cop so overwhelmed by an older man yelling that he needed to detain him?
I really don't care how out of line "Skip" was or wasn't, if you're unable to resolve conflicts without arresting or detaining someone than you're not a very capable police officer.
Arresting people is not the goal. Serving and protecting people is.
How did the cop's action NOT stupidly interfere with the police force's ability to do that job?
It certainly didn't make anyone respect them more.
I think most people thought what Obama said: "They acted stupidly"
Not necessarily right or wrong. Just stupid.
Also, look how awesomely uncomfortable everyone else on the panel is while Bill is speaking--hilarious.
Eykis121
I concur completely.
Tomorrow and Tuesday ought to be interesting. Rethugs can bring out their racists again before the Sotomayor confirmation. After Tuesday, they will have another sex and money scandal.
North49
There is plenty more to say about President Obama - all you have to do is a little research on the topic. But don't limit your research to only those ideas with which you agree. Why would the President play the race card as often as he has, basically since the election campaign, and it continues even with this Gates affair?
Are you implying that "Harvard scholars" are, or should be beyond the law? That they deserve special treatment that would not be given other citizens of the country who come face to face with a police officer responding to a 911 call? I suppose the bureaucracy of the Boston police department requires some official record describing the nature of the call and the manner in which the call was resolved - and what the hell is the POTUS doing getting involved directly in this case anyway?
BasPos
The Cambridge DA already decided that the police were "stupid" by not seeking an indictment, four hours after Gates was arrested.
rowland
Bas - More likely, the Cambridge DA dropped the charges to avoid the publicity rather than the merits of the case. Imagine you're the DA. Gates has telephoned Obama, Governor Patrick, and Mayor Simmons (all black people). You think he saw what happened to Officer Crowley and thought to go ahead and prosecute?
Look, I'll bet Officer Crowley and others are as sick of being presumed a racist just because they're white cops as Gates and other minorities are of being presumed a criminal because they're black. The friction point here came because both men were irritated with one another and only the cop had the authority to arrest. Had Gates had the authority to arrest Crowley for racial profiling, he would have. In fact, he's now attempting to try him in the court of public opinion.
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AlanD2
North49 and rowland: So you think it is okay for Crowley to arrest Gates, despite no laws being broken, just because he (Crowley ) is irritated?
I would hope that the responsibilities of a law-enforcement officer would include putting aside one's personal feelings when on duty.
Cymatic
I find it funny that many of the people attacking Obama right now are the same people who support NRA and an extreme version of "your house is your castle". If it had been an old white man, most of these same people would be up in arms over the invasion of his home. If it was my (white) grandfather being rude after showing his I.D. and the officer not immediately leaving with a quick apology I would be mad.
They dropped the case, because to indict a man in HIS OWN HOME without a WARRANT would break a number of important LAWS that are enshrined in the constitution. This is the same exact story of wrongful arrest that led to the Americans kicking the British out and creating the constitution. Imagine this same story but replace gates with a settler, and the police officer with a representative of the king. Most rednecks are supportive of a view of property right that viewed as extreme (trespassers will be shot on sight!) yet, these people can flip flip their politics around when it's an old black man instead of a white man or woman. As for expecting deference and such, Gates was on his own turf. It's like a judge expecting deference at the supermarket - he doesn't have ANY authority there - that's why the case was dropped.
Carole65
Bill Kristol's comments are like beating a dead horse. And Bill Kristol is just as arrogant as the President, and my husband, for that matter. However, in reading the police report online, which, so far, hasn't been refuted, Prof. Gates' reaction to the police investigation of a break-in to his house was more atypical than usual. Jet lag, or no jet lag, I would have been very thankful that the police responded. How many complaints have we heard of non-police response, and it's called racial?
AlanD2
Carole65: I would say "And Bill Kristol is just as arrogant as he accuses the President of being...", since I do not believe that Obama is nearly as arrogant as Kristol (and most other conservative talking heads, for that matter).
fk4711
I Agree. I cannot find anyone more arrogant than Bill Crystal. How many times he made totally wrong predictions? He is still saying he thinks it's right to go the war in Iraq, and I don't hear him apologize to us. I am always amazed by these talking head who can sit there accuse others and never reflect on their own stupidity. May be a bit of "self-reflection" as Lindsay Graham prescribed to judge Sotomayor is called for. And a bit of humility won't hurt either, Bill. You've been relaying on your father's refracted light for too long. Say something intelligent, constructive, and make sense for a change. Art you not suppose to be the Neo-Con "brain" of the GOP?
tromiti
If a police officer asks for proof of who I am when he pulls me over for a traffic violation, I give him my license and registration. Why did Gates feel he didn't have to prove who he was the FIRST time the officer asked for identification?
AlanD2
tromiti: He may well have done it the first time he was asked, depending on whose story you believe.
And if you think that police officers are always truthful, just remember that a police officer is five times more likely to wind up in prison that the average American citizen.
piktor
Words matter. Had Pres. Obama said "fatefully" or "inevitably" or some other indeterminate pronoun he would have been in the clear. The word he used put him on a collision course with police actions that followed procedure. Obama has Prof. Gates as witness, the police sargeant had other police officers at the scene as witnesses. Pres. Obama realised his mistake and corrected it with grace and speed.
There is no hint of arrogance in Mr. Obama's words and actions. It all ended with a cool invite for beers at the WH with the good professor and the good police sargeant.
Eykis121
Like most Rethugs these days, Kristol projects onto POTUS his own faults and failures, not President Obama's.
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rumcola
Ah! So you admit he is from Chicago and not Hawaii! The whole "Obama is from Kenya" canard is really designed to hide the fact that he is from Chicago....
AlanD2
When Obama starts two or three wars, authorizes the torture of prisoners, spies on all American citizens in violation of the Constitution, and allows Joe Biden to run the country, perhaps I will believe he is as bad as Bush.
Bunx05
You are on talking restriction.
Cymatic
actually people said - went to Harvard on scholarship. Graduated Magna Cum Laude (with honors). Headed the prestigious law review. Knows the constitution well enough to TEACH it to the top school in America. Like it not, this guy is really smart. Connections can get a rich son of important people passing grades (give him B's and we'll build a new annex!), however, Obama wasn't rich and he graduated at the top. Stop trying to pretend that he's being "dressed up" - he's the real deal.
The left didn't like the politics of Condoleeza (I've got an oil tanker named after me) Rice, but they at least admitted that she had earned her bonafides. She's really smart, so are a lot of people on both sides of the political fence. As for being a "thug", that is ridiculous, you offer no proof or even logic to back your baseless accusation.
marthalynn
You are absolutely right, IJamesB. Obama isn't the arrogant one, it was Sgt. Crowly. "How dare a black man be rude to him"? I don't care how rude Gates was, he was in his own home and acting appropriately asking for the badge number, etc. Who of us wouldn't have done the same thing? How does being RUDE to a police officer warrant a arrest; especially in your own home? There was no crime and I hope Gates sues. We can then see Crowly and his blue brotherhood for what they are....Just supporting anything an officer does....they're always right.
BasPos
I especially liked the police union lawyer who opined that they "disagreed" with the DA. As though that would make any difference. Don't those guys watch "Law and Order?"
;-)
devilsadvocate
Did the other black and Hispanic police officers who assisted in the arrest think the same as Crowley, as implied by marthalynn?
Bunx05
Note that none of them have spoken (or been allowed to speak) thorughout this situation. Also of note, none of the other officers actually went into the house.
AlanD2
Did anyone notice another Cambridge cop's vanity license plate: "WHY-TEE"?
And they wonder why they are suspected of racism?
Carole65
Still think Hillary would like to be President, but she made a very good point about our process.
smitisan
Finally, a post that's not about Bill Kristol and Obama's comment, a subject that should have been over the day after. Let's get the trolls back under the bridge where they belong.
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tromiti
Nancy has the BEST plastic surgeon on the face of the planet.
devilsadvocate
"face of the planet"....no pun intended, right?!
Botox can only do so much.
Dingoangst
While I'm no fan of censorship, certainly there comes a time when a person has proved to be wrong all the time, is an absolute idiot, and has no opinion of any value, that we can ignore his mindless opinions. Bill Kristol fits all those and more. Stop quoting him. He is not smart.
Avocado876
Hasn't Bill Kristol become utterly irrelevant at this point? What I can't figure out is why he's still invited to speak on Sunday morning talk shows at all. Even on Fox. We did things the Kristol way for eight years (we weren't as aggressive as he'd like for us to have been with regard to Iraq, Iran, but still -- and let me repeat that: we weren't aggressive ENOUGH for him -- we did things his way in the way) and it was a grand failure. Neoconservatism, whose spokesman he is perhaps more than anyone else, failed. So, again: why are we listing to this inexplicably arrogant man?
Carole65
Because we can!!
GoodDogg
Bill Kristalin is projecting again. Pot calling kettle....
AlanD2
I'm not. I turned off Fox News long ago!
rsbsail
I have some news for you: Kristol isn't trying to convince liberal democrats to come over to the conservative side. I think he is appealling to those in the middle of the political spectrum. He may be utterly irrelevant to you, but not to the moderates and conservatives.
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quick2no
Obama is "arrogant"? Bill Kristol has resorted to name-calling. Wow. He's supposed to be a foundation member of the Weekly Standard Intelligentsia. Aren't they famous for their eloquent rhetoric. But after all, he's talking to the FAUX news crowd - . Hey, remember he's the one who found Palin in Alaska while on a Weekly Standard cruise and got sucked in by her superficial charms and then convinced McCain to consider her for VP. How stupid is that? Or 'arrogant' would be a better word that he would assume and then manipulate his choice for VP to the detriment of everything "intellectual" on his side of the fence. I see he's resorted to panelling on FAUX new - guess since he got kicked off the NY times, he had no where to go but down.
artbeefine
Everyone should know that all Presidents are arrogant and have huge egos! So what? Is this the best criticism Kristol can come up with? Especially after Obama came out and publicly said he was wrong? (which he's done before, by the way) Personal attacks on a candidate's or President's personality must work with some people in order to get them to "the other side" because ultra conservatives have used this tactic for years. And, really, is this journalism? Faux news indeed.
altlic
Jim DeMint: "My goal is to protect the right of every American to make their own health care decisions".
Maybe it's because I grew up in the U.K. In my humble opinion Americans are obsessed with personal freedoms that are paradoxically enslaving them. Americans are being buried alive by the promise of endless choices to be made. And who are the cheerleaders for more choice? Big corporations and their mouthpieces - the politicians. They have hypnotized everyone into believing that choosing a particular brand of soda, or car, or health insurance policy, is going to give you more personal freedom. As Bill Maher rightly says - some things should not be for profit.
Meanwhile the rich get richer and the American middle class is being squeezed out of existence.
Bunx05
I agree with you 100%. We love our freedoms, but we've lost sight of what true freedom is. Personally, I don't need soda as long as everyone has clean water to drink. We as citizens and consumers and choose to spend our money on better things. We can clean up our streets, create jobs and make sure that all of our neighbors are taken care of.
We've become so afraid of change, that we've actually begun to fight it in the cases where it will help us. This may only be my way of thinking, I'd rather spend tax dollars providing healthcare, finding cures for diseases and generating clean fuel alternatives than bombing a developing nation that on its best day could never truly pose a threat to us.
I don't fault anyone for their beliefs or their ideas, but I cannot believe there isn't some common ground that will provide our citizens the freedom they deserve along with a government that provides for its people.
sadie101
Femisex has a post up today that points out an egregious error David Gregory made on MTP. He said Clinton had the support of the establishment in her bid for potus.
FemiSex: HUH????? All the Establishment support? Does Gregory mean the DNC? Howard Dean? Ted Kennedy? Tom Daschle? Carl Levin? John Kerry? Nancy Pelosi? Harry Reid? Oh, yes Perhaps Gregory meant the Media Establishment-LOL!
I practically coughed up a hairball when I heard Gregory spit that out!
Who the Hell does Gregory think he's kidding? I guess he thought perhaps the Lipstick Feminists would buy it. The Establishment served Obama up on their silver plate, precisely to ward OFF Hillary Clinton
Thank you.
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