Dreadfully Boneheaded

Today we learned that Gen. Stanley McChrystal, gave a rather revealing and controversial interview to Rolling Stone magazine. In it he was highly critical of the President, the Vice President and other administration officials. We can debate the merits of his complaints, which I will get to later, but aside from that, was this a wise decision? It is no secret of tensions between him and Obama but going on the record in this way, is quite unprecedented. Military are known for publicly supporting the Commander-in-Chief, even if they disagree privately. It is hard to imagine that he could stay on in light of these comments, among them claiming that Obama seemed uncomfortable in the presence of military brass when he met with McChrystal and others not long after taking office. Another gem was when asked about Joe Biden, he responded along the lines of "what did you say? bite me?" This is most certainly beneath someone of McChrystal's stature and as I am writing this, it is reported that he offered a verbal resignation to Defense Secretary Robert Gates. He will meet with Obama tomorrow. I am sure he had legitimate frustrations and concerns but this was hardly the way to voice them. We need someone overseeing Iraq and Afghanistan who is serious and can get the job done. This article does nothing but to portray McChrystal as childish and immature.

These Boots Are Made For Shaking Down

"We will keep our boot on the throat of BP..."

Ken Salazar said it, Robert Gibbs echoed it from the podium in the briefing room. The Thug in Chief has now exerted his considerable power to make sure that BP lives up to its obligation to pay those who have been damaged by this horrific oil spill. I am not going to defend BP. It appears they were negligent and their response has certainly left much to be desired. But for the government to not only force them to do this (BP, I believe, was going to anyway) and then take the administration of the fund from BP and have an "independent" third party run it, is outrageous. BP should pay but that money does not need to be under government control. Is that really better than BP handling the funds? The overseer is none other than Ken Fineberg, the Pay Czar. How is this guy objective or independent? This whole thing has been a disaster, literally and metaphorically. Bobby Jindal can't get the resources he needs, Obama will not waive the Jones Act and rejected in writing help from the Dutch and the Brits. How arrogant and his speech the other night was nothing more than a veiled attempt to push climate change. Rahm Emmanuel is probably speaking into an ear piece "remember, man, don't let it go to waste". Instead of telling the world what we are going to do, Obama, yet again, blathered on with platitudes. He has to know he is in trouble, when James Carville, thrill up my leg Matthews and Maureen Dowd criticize him. But, unlike most presidents before him, Obama is as politically tone deaf as an out of tune piano. He is so blinded by ideology that it matters very little what this country truly needs or wants.