Several weeks ago, Innocent Bystanders' resident chart wizard, geoff (and fellow missile defense dude), started comparing actual monthly unemployment numbers to the prime fear-inducing illustration Obama wielded during the stimulus debate.
As seen in his economic team's chart, Obama argued that without the massive stimulus, unemployment would be much worse. The blue data is Obama's, the red data is reality:
Geoff's chart went viral within the righty blogosphere a few weeks ago (with the April unemployment announcement), and is now hitting the mainstream with FactCheck.org at Newsweek.
Granted, it lacked that extra special theatrical touch of a military interceptor screaming after it in hot pursuit, but you know, it's better to keep everyone guessing. DHS having the mysteriously sinister airliner linger like a bird of prey as it hunts for the choice target amps up the panic in its own special way.
The early Spock's only real vice was sardonic ire (often directed at McCoy). But this was also one of his most appealing qualities -- because Spock, as Jenkins gleefully asserts, is "someone who can bitch slap you with his brain." It’s an ability shared by Obama -- who, unlike Spock, doesn't employ that superpower recreationally. His brilliance isn't a defense (or defended by sarcasm). While Obama embodies Spock's passion for reason, he adds the element of warmth.
Obama has bitch slapped this geek with brilliance!
"Star Trek" fans who bonded with Spock already understood what those of us who followed Obama learned early on: that witnessing a powerful intellect can be deeply satisfying on an emotional level. We got a similar hit from Martin Luther King Jr. and the Kennedys, of course, and from Bill Clinton. But while Clinton's administration was smart, Obama's seems futuristic.
"Bill Clinton promised a Cabinet that looked like America," Henry Jenkins said in a recent conversation. "Obama gave us one that looks like the Enterprise crew. In a matter-of-fact way, he's embraced diversity at every level. No Klingons yet -- but the administration is new."
Did he say "no Klingons"? BaQa!
Calm down --- Salon just gave me official permission to compare an Obama to a Star Trek character. So there. Live long and prosper, Obama fanboys.
The traditionally revered concept of Justice proves to be just as disposable to Arlen Specter as moldy old Loyalty:
Asked whether he cared about a shortage of Jewish Republicans in the Senate, [Democrat] Specter replied: “I sure do. There’s still time for the Minnesota courts to do justice and declare [Republican] Norm Coleman the winner.”
Realizing he was rooting for his ex-team, Specter spun:
But questioned outside the Senate chamber Tuesday, Specter said the comment was a mistake.
“In the swirl of moving from one caucus to another, I have to get used to my new teammates,” he said. “I’m ordinarily pretty correct in what I say. I’ve made a career of being precise. I conclusively misspoke.”
The Senate dealt a blow tonight to Sen. Arlen Specter's hold on seniority in several key committees, a week after the Pennsylvanian's party switch placed Democrats on the precipice of a 60-seat majority.
In a unanimous voice vote, the Senate approved a resolution that added Specter to the Democratic side of the dais on the five committees on which he serves, an expected move that gives Democrats larger margins on key panels such as Judiciary and Appropriations.
But Democrats placed Specter in one of the two most junior slots on each of the five committees for the remainder of this Congress, which goes through December 2010. Democrats have suggested that they will consider revisiting Specter's seniority claim at the committee level only after the midterm elections next year.
After boastful claims of hauling home the pork, a politician's next best selling point to consituents is "I have the seniority to get things done for you."
Democrats sent a more practical message with this vote. Specter needed to retain his seniority in order to make the argument that electing him would keep Pennsylvania in a position of power in Congress. The caucus has made it much easier for a Democratic primary challenger to beat Specter by taking that advantage away from him. It’s practically a signal flare to Joe Sestak, approving of his run against Specter.
In related news, historians recently confirmed that Reagan covertly sold Carter's official White House pet rock collection to the Iranians in return for some killer parachute pants.
Could this photo op mission have any particular connection to a new movie due out this year?
Could that connection explain the WHMO's eagerness to get some current glamour shots of BHO's A/C, escorted by the descendants of the Tuskegee Airmen, while flathatting over "the target formerly known as Ground Zero"?
Just imagine the powerful, beautiful imagery of these aircraft during this mission, accompanied by a stirring soundtrack, playing over the closing credits, or released as publicity stills or fundraising fodder - "Yes, America, sleep well...BHO's got you covered."
Well, minus the terrified, fleeing citizens on the ground, of course. Ooops. Caldera, you take this one.
"Mission Accomplished", indeed.
Naw, I'll bet I'm wrong. Coincidences, all...surely.
At first, I would've said "naw" as well. But given Obama's affinity for audacious and symbolic campaign stagecraft...
UPDATE: Welcome, American Thinker. Tom links back, and regardless of whether this stunt is related to George Lucas' upcoming movie Red Tails, he's correct on this point: Well - this will never be admitted.
If yesterday's terror strike White House-ordered photo-op did not sufficiently illustrate the Obama Administration's post-post-9/11 attitude, perhaps today's follow up on Today will. Be sure to catch Robert Gibbs' buffoonish reaction to the news:
Elsewhere on NBC, Nightly News anchor Brian Williams blogs about Obama's asymetric PR stunt. Unsurprisingly, Williams' first impression was that our heroic president was in danger a la Harrison Ford:
What's worse, people who were close to the "fly-over" were even more troubled -- as some of them recognized the world-famous livery -- the paint scheme on the fuselage: it was Air Force One. The real one. The fighter jet was real.Was the President on board? Was he in jeopardy? Could this really be happening in the sky over New York?
Later, Williams calls for heads to roll:
This was dangerously mishandled. As I said the other evening at a gathering of New York City firefighters: even after all these years, among many New Yorkers, 9/11 still feels like it was about 10 minutes ago. The pit is still there, though it's now a construction zone. The losses don't go away. No one is bringing my neighbor back to me. I will drive by his house on my way home from work tonight, and he won't be there. We still look up at the sky (in ways we never did before) when we hear low-flying aircraft, and we still worry. Lower Manhattan is no place for an unnanounced low-altitude jumbo jet-and-fighter-jet flyover.
Someone should pay for this.
We are, Brian. We are.
UPDATE: Welcome, Instapundit. Also, Rusty doesn't recall seeing Brian Williams in his class on the post-modern presidency and how our Executive has morphed into superhero. Saaaaay, speaking of Obama and Hollywood...
It wasn't an attack, or even a drill -- it was a government sponsored photo op.
The Pentagon did tell local authorities about the startling fly-over that sent a Boeing 747 and a F-16 fighter screaming over New York's scarred skyline, but officials said they couldn't share the information with the public. They couldn't even share the information with the mayor.
Mayor Bloomberg said he was "furious" and criticized both the feds and his own administration for failing to issue a simple warning to the public in a city that is still somewhat traumatized by the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
"The good news is it was nothing more than an inconsiderate, badly conceived and insensitive photo op with the taxpayers' money," Bloomberg said.
"It's completely asinine after 9/11 to do that," said Keith Mercantine, who witnessed the chaos in Jersey City. "I saw ambulances out here with pregnant women."
Who ordered the insensitive torture of NYC's terrorized residents? The Obama White House.
Joe Holland first saw the men who killed his son as he walked into a courtroom in a heavily fortified corner of Cuba.
He heard them boast about what they had done, how they engineered the attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people on Sept. 11, 2001.
Despite the years of delays, the allegations the men were tortured, despite other failed prosecutions and the debate about the fairness of the military commissions, Holland felt satisfied that justice was being done.
"They are saying they are murderers," Holland thought. "Let's get it over with."
That was Jan. 19, the day before Barack Obama was sworn in as president. The next day, court recessed for the inauguration. It did not resume.
On his second full day in office, President Obama signed an order halting the trials for 120 days and he promised to close the controversial prison at Guantanamo Bay, which for many had become a tainted symbol of a long and unpopular war.
UPDATE: Welcome, Protein Wisdom, Gateway Pundit, memeorandum, Driscoll and Instapundit. Glenn points us to the comments of the above YouTube and in the video description we are told that this was the second fly-by of the stalking jumbo jet, you know, like it was carefully choosing a target or something. No wonder they were terrified.
UPDATE: More photos at Gawker. And some insightful comments at the WSJ, including this gleeful jewel from an Obama supporter --- did someone say "torture"?
12:42 am April 28, 2009
All you banksters are hilarious.
Here’s what actually happened.
Some of your bosses have been trying to play hardball with Obama.
They — and you — just got a wakeup call: a friendly reminder who wears the pants around here, and who HOPES they can find a CHANGE of pants right about now.
And you know what the best part is? No one will ever believe that’s all this was — a friendly reminder that all you guys have is money (if that — these days it’s all just 1s and 0s)…but power? Power’s being able to fly 2 fighter jets and air force one right past the executive offices of some of the most “powerful” offices in the land just to take some awesome photos of the masters of the universe gripped with mortal terror.
And even if someone did believe this is what happened — the O man showing you who’s who and what’s what — you think anyone other than you cares? Can you think of any group of people more reviled and less sympathetic than the last banksters still standing?
When you've been exterminated and terrorized by an uninterrupted succession of National Socialists and Soviet Socialists from 1939 to 1989, it's not hard to view historically ignorant marketing with a somewhat jaundiced eye:
Poland's equality minister, Elzbieta Radziszewska, wants to expand a Polish law prohibiting the production of fascist and totalitarian propaganda so that it includes clothing and anything else that could carry an image related to an authoritarian system.
Anybody found guilty could face a two-year prison sentence.
...
"Communism was a terrible, murderous system that claimed millions of lives," said Professor Wojciech Roszkowski, a leading Polish historian and member of the European parliament.
"It was very similar to National Socialism, and there is no reason to treat those two systems, and their symbols, differently. Their glorification should be prohibited."
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