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Noonan: Obama in Trouble
Pictures of Obama bowing to the Japanese emperor will become an iconic image of his "amateurish" presidency unless he can "right his ship," writes Peggy Noonan in The Wall Street Journal. Obama's support in both the Democratic-journalist establishment and the foreign-policy establishment is eroding, writes Noonan, basing her observation in part on a "fiery denunciation" of the administration by the "often sympathetic" journalist Elizabeth Drew. The columnist also draws evidence from The Daily Beast's Leslie Gelb, who wrote on the site last week that Obama's Asia trip had been a failure and his Afghanistan review "inexcusably clumsy." Noonan agrees with Gelb that Obama should listen to "the voices of experience" of those who have managed American foreign policy successfully in past, but goes on to bemoan the dearth of "wise men." In any event, Obama should be worried: "You can get tagged, typed and pegged in your first year," she writes. "The first year is when indelible impressions are made and iconic photos emerge."
wolverine1987
Noonan should be paid attention by left and right. Although she was a Reagan speechwriter, she is uncommonly thoughtful and not divisive in any way. She said plenty of good things about Obama during the campaign and even dismissed Palin as a candidate in a very strong way. Attempts to portray her as a republican hack would only show that person's ignorance.
NCLady
You say that she dismissed Palin as a candidate in a very strong way. I say that she was caught on a hot mike along with Mike Murphy dismissing Palin. In the open, she supported Palin.
wolverine1987
You're mistaken. She wrote a column specifically saying she wasn't a repsectable candidate in future.
diamondgirl
Noonan never supported Palin, she made her look like and @ss on MSNBC all the time and on George S show on Sunday's. I don't know what you shows you saw.
As far as "voices of experience" who the hell do you trust these days, except maybe, and I stress maybe Colin Powell
The real reason the Left is running away from Obama, is his Numbers, they will only defend him until they just can't anymore. What a loyal bunch! This same group will praise him again if the numbers go back up.
MaliciousDisorder
Leave the lady alone, she's only making money, No ethics or principals required
Plantagenet
Obama has already revealed and defined his public character for Americans.
Obama is an incompetent ditherer.
Maezeppa
She's a twit and probably an alcoholic.
crymeariver
LMAO
sailforth1
Uh, Peggy, are you dreaming? When have we ever had "voices of experience" who successfully managed American foreign policy? I can count the foreign policy successes of the last 50 years on one hand (and no, Reagan did not successfully bring down the Berlin wall and single handedly defeat communism, contrary to popular belief). What we have managed to do in the last 50 years is alienate the rest of the world, meddle in other countries affairs, create distrust among allies, and generally make fools of ourselves. Here we finally have a President who doesn't look down his nose at the rest of the world, recognizes the new global order (while the rest of the country refuses to acknowledge it) and actually conducts himself with simple manners and tactfulness. And gets slammed for it. It's going to take a lot of effort, thoughtfulness, and a keen strategy to change the perceptions (and realities) of America's sordid foreign policy actions of the past. One should look at history to recognize the mistakes of the past but also look forward to recognize the potential of the future. You need to question the direction of the train you're riding. I think you're going backwards.
wolverine1987
Uh, your problem then isn't with Noonan, but with the democrats who are criticizing Obama, who she simply cites, without adding any charges of her own. There are numerous problems and an outright lack of intellectual seriousness with your statements, but those are topics you should address with Gelb and Drew, not Noonan.
sailforth1
Read the article again Wolfman. Specifically these three words "Noonan agrees with Gelb....". Since you can't read (apparently) then you can't comment on the "intellectual seriousness" of my comments. You couldn't intellectualize a concept if it hit you in the ass!
confused
Unlike Ms Noonan, I want to live in a country where showing respect isn't seen as a sign of weakness. Although I disagree with some of our President's actions, I can see where he's coming from and that's still a refreshing occurrence.
isabella
Showing respect isn't a sign of weakness. Obsequious behavior is.
Where is Obama coming from? Sadly, it seems, from a disturbed childhood including desertion by his natural father and estrangement from his stepfather. His need for approval from foreign (male) leaders might be one result of these experiences, but it makes him the subject of derision in Asia. The loss of face resulting from his deep bow to the Japanese emperor is remarkable.
edenscape24
what a pathetic way to view the world...it's unfortunate our past Presidents lacked the self confidence to engage the world from off the high horse
isabella
Reply to edenscape24: "what a pathetic way to view the world". Whose way? "Face" is important in all cultures,none more so than Japanese.
Asia is already astonished by what is seen as the US's profligate spending and irresponsible response to the economic crisis, when they are accustomed to the US leading the world. President Obama seems ashamed of himself and his country in a world where millions of people can only dream of the opportunity to live there.
Then he bows to the emperor of a country whose savage WW2 deeds are embedded deep in the psyches of the people of Asia and the Pacific. Japan owes its post war existence to the generosity of the United States. An American president should understand this history and behave with the dignity his office deserves.
It's unfortunate this president and his entire advisory staff lack the education and experience that would have prevented this gaffe.
edenscape24
so is it disrespectful when they bow to each other or are you just completely ignorant of other cultures? Asia isn't shocked in the least by our borrowing, they are more than happy to collect from us, only lately are they afraid they might not get paid back and that is because the previous administration BANKRUPTED the country. Americas strength is not in arrogantly self affirming our place in the world through threats and shallow gestures...it is by being strong enough to deal with others as equals and to admit when we make mistakes. And since when do we hold all ancestors guilty for sins commited years ago...how petty. The Obama bow is just a bow, a common gesture among the people he was hosted by...the Right wing proves daily how insecure and simple minded they are...fortunately for them, so are the people that follow them...again, pathetic really.
crymeariver
isabella: Asia is already astonished by what is seen as the US's profligate spending and irresponsible response to the economic crisis
--------------------------
Sorry to break the news to you Isabella darling but China agrees with the stimulus program. They actually spent over 4 TIMES more in government stimulus as we did in order to get their GDP up to 8.0. So if anything, we didn't spend ENOUGH!
But don't let the facts get in the way of your hate for all things Obama.
isabella
Reply to edensdcape 24:
"Generally speaking, an inferior bows longer, more deeply and more frequently than a superior. A superior addressing an inferior will generally only nod the head slightly, while some superiors may not bow at all and an inferior will bend forward slightly from the waist." Wikipedia.
President Obama bowed from the waist at a 90 degree angle. Clearly he didn't brush up on Japanese etiquette. Neither did you.
edenscape24
and you brushed up by reading wikipedia? are you even an adult?
isabella
Reply to edenscape24.
I didn't need to consult Wikipedia. You did. I referred you to a reference source you should be able to cope with. Perhaps not.
MaliciousDisorder
Still confused I see, stop living in a universe of lies and you'll see the light.
edenscape24
I'll just throw a few out there because I haven't got all day to devout to the unmasking of another propped up Village pseudo-journalist and purveyor of conventional wisdom that hardly ever turns out right; Noonan harped about the Pulitzer like a dope, pretended that NY 23 didn't happen, claimed an Obama speech looked like a Nuremberg rally, advanced the Pelosi Nazi smear, accused Democrats of being ugly in the health debate while ignoring the blatant racism and uneducated mob mentality of the tea bag brigade, claimed Bush kept us safe in what has become one of the more ridiculous and difficult to prove assertions of the last eight years and now wants to continue to be shocked that Obama bowed in a traditional show of mutual respect...so uh, Wolvie, where's the ignorance? A hack is a hack Bub.
wolverine1987
Ah, another sign that my statement in the first comment was prescient. The writers you respect respect Noonan, and your ignorance and lack of perspective is unmasked here. Writers on the right and left have all been proved wrong in their past by events, but there is a difference between being right in a specific argument and being intellectually respectable. Rush on the right, and say, Krugman on the left, are both EQUALLY idiotic, and you have demonstrated with that lack of perspective that you are in the blind, know nothing partisan alley. Good luck.
edenscape24
wow wolvie, all those words and yet you said nothing...why don't you try and dispute a few of my points or is that too much for you?
edenscape24
based on your replies so far you must be either a weatherman or a psychic...I've never seen such empty generalizations passed on as argument...an inch deep and not even a foot wide, but thanks for playing, I have a $4.95 Palin book for you as a parting gift
wolverine1987
Because the point of my original post, which you either willfully or ignorantly ignored, was not to defend Noonan or any writer, right or left, it was to say that she was a thoughtful writer who is taken seriously by the right and left. To respond to that point with a catalog of where she's been "wrong" in the past is to entirely miss the point. We can debate about NY 23 or the "Pulitzer" when I actually write a comment about those issues.
AlanD2
wolverine1987: How many economic Nobel prizes has Rush won lately?
Krugman knows what he is talking about, which is a lot more than you can say about Rush. Or you, for that matter.
edenscape24
oh, so since the Village takes her seriously (of which you provide zero proof) my actual fact based examples of her being a partisan shill is somehow negated...gotta be fun arguing fact against opinion huh? sorry wolvie, your argument is thin and you still haven't said a thing this morning
edenscape24
or would you rather discuss the shallow nature of modern day media critics...or are you waiting for Glenn Beck to tell you what to say next Wolvie?
edenscape24
the best part of the Village is they let you know important stuff...like Republicans disagree with Obama as do their supporters...and the sky is blue, grass is green etc.
briansays
Cant beat somebody with nobody
And right now the Reps have no one of stature that they would nominate preferring instead to be run by religious fanatics that resemble the Taliban and assorted general paranoids and fanatics along with the toxic residue of neocons and supply side economists with a Marie Antoinette value system
Given this he should be able to rally the mob for another 4 years even though unpopular just like GWB did in 2004
Jaygim
Neocons and Neolibs fall from the same tree -- and it's a green one.
winston1
AlanD--Cville and Bobj72 I answered your questions in the previous day cheat's. Subject"Obama shut out lobbyist".
bobj72
"winston1"; You are aware "connie 47" has Formally Charged you on 11.26.09 with PLAGIARISM specific to 76 CONSECUTIVE WORDS you "cut and pasted" from an online National Review article. Do you intend to fromally respond to the Charge, with the admission that you Sought Recognition of an "ORIGINAL THOUGHT" created by Someone Other Than You???
A LAME EXCUSE of; "Joe Biden did it too" is greatly insufficient for such a Gross Violation of literary ethics. You may be interested that your Violation of Pagiarism has Civil and possibly Criminal implications.
At minimum, you need to Publicly make an admission of Guilt, make an effort to contact the Original National Review Author of the 76 WORDS you Illegally Presented as your own and Request Forgiveness from the Author.
After you have completed these steps, you should again make contact with us here at TDB informing us of the outcome. As you know we are the Victims of the embarrassing ruse you imposed upon us.
cbeenthere
bobj-
Winston later claimed he/she was in a hurry. You and connie have her on the run, keep it up.
winston1
bobj72 SHUT UP! As for commie I mean connie she rrdicules everybody and is alway's makling accusations.
winston1
Remember obama "First impressions count". Your screwed!
AlanD2
Not nearly as screwed as your grammar, Winnie.
Let me suggest a remedial English class again...
winston1
AlanD We all can't be as great as you! Alan with your immature coments like "You watch Fox" "You watch Glen Beck" Grow up. Your coments have the intelligence of a pre-k idiot.
AlanD2
Cute, Winnie! A little pissed off, are you?
I wish I had had my current vocabulary, etc., when I was in pre-kindergarten. (Actually, the schools in my town didn't even have kindergarten when I was growing up 60 years ago, but you know what I mean.)
By the way, I doubt you would be watching so much Fox News if you grew up a bit yourself.
Downriver
I would feel a lot better about Noonan's article had she previously said anything about Bush holding hands and making out with the leader of the country from which 15 off the 19 9/11 hijackers originated..
Garvagh
Downriver - - Most of the so-called "Saudi" hijackers were in fact of Yemeni origin.
crymeariver
They were citizens of Saudia Arabia and financed by funds from Saudia Arabia. They only reason we didn't attack Saudia Arabia is because Bush is BFFs with the Saudis so we attacked a country completely unrelated to 9/11. We might as well have attacked Australia.
TaterSalad
Obama has to get this Acorn thing investigated and out in the open because people just don't trust him anymore!
http://biggovernment.com/2009/11/27/whatever-became-of-acorns-internal-i nvestigation/
EGHolder
ACORN = community organizers.
OBAMA - community organizer
All peas in the same pod.
edenscape24
ACORN = small potatoes
HALIBURTON = screwed the US and the troops out of billions
it's called perspective folks
cbeenthere
You are exactly correct edenscape, and Haliburton falls under the same bill that has deprived Acorn of its' funding, if only a courageous Congress would address it, but they are too cowardly.
Mauiboy
I say make the Haliburton folks take a shower in one of their installations.
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n--Y--JAsMomLAAlanD2
COMMUNITY ACORNS !!
crymeariver
ACORNS FOREVER!
stjam8
A good article on, Acorn,in Editor & Publisher, " Have the Media Falsely Framed Acorn?
edenscape24
I'll take the Acorn thing seriously when we investigate Haliburton since they screwed us out of 100 times more money than Acorn is even accused of doing.
flyoverland
So, you libs are in charge. If Halliburton is guilty, why aren't you charging them?
edenscape24
mainly because its all the same koolaid, just a different flavor, all the politicians are sorta crooked and slimy. I have no idea why the so called libs went along with the acorn stripping and didn't make a peep about Halliburton. then again even if they did the media would play dumb and the party of no would just do another wordless fillibuster so I'm not sure there is even a point in doing it. the corporations run this country.
diamondgirl
I would love to see any conviction, investigation or pending law suite regarding Halliburton and how they screw us out of $$$$$$.
Now I am not saying they didnt do it, because the press said they did, but where is the proof?
My other question how does one thing have to do with the other?
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n--Y--JAsMomLAcrymeariver
Because Democrats in Congress are spineless.
dickenacraman
Peggy Noonan always comes off as a stuffy Mother Superior patiently explaining things to the children with an exasperating, condescending tone which drives me up the wall.
cbeenthere
I agree.
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n--Y--JAsMomLATaterSalad
Marxism is getting Obama in trouble.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xBlTdsnOh8&feature=player_embedded
edenscape24
hold on, wait a minute, is it Marxism, Communism, Socialism, Nazism, or Liberalism this week that everyone needs to be afraid of? I haven't watched FOX yet this morning to find out what I need to cower over
tolatetocry
Noonan sold her soul for free drinks at the Obama WH. As did, Kathleen Parker. No going home now, girls.
crymeariver
That's right, purify away. You guys are still at 20%, half of that has got to be RINOS. You really should purify down to your 10% true believers. Good luck :)
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