First thoughts: All about Afghanistan

Posted: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:22 AM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: First Thoughts

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** All about Afghanistan: The next two days are all about Afghanistan for President Obama. Today, he huddles with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen at 11:30 am ET (pool spray at the bottom), and then Obama meets separately with Gates and Biden at 4:30 pm (closed press). The Biden-Gates meeting introduces Biden's skepticism into the Afghanistan conversation in a very intimate and serious setting. And what had been scheduled for TODAY -- a major meeting of the key players on Afghanistan strategy -- has been postponed a day and will now be held TOMORROW. Among those who will be at tomorrow’s meeting with Obama include Gens. Petraeus and McChrystal, Defense Secretary Gates, Secretary of State Clinton, Ambassador to Afghanistan Eikenberry, and Af/Pak envoy Holbrooke. It’s a BIG meeting -- all about strategy assessment, which is why it may have been postponed a day as today may have simply gotten too packed.

*** Finance Committee back at work: Turning to health care, the Senate Finance Committee returns to work today on its mark-up of its health-care bill. On the agenda today will be the committee’s vote on the public option amendments that Sens. Chuck Schumer and Jay Rockefeller are proposing. The big unknown is whether Olympia Snowe will introduce her version of a public option trigger.

*** The Club for (Democratic) Growth? Are Republicans/conservatives going to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory in NY-23, the congressional seat vacated by John McHugh (R)? The conservative Club for Growth has now endorsed Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman over the socially moderate/liberal GOP nominee Dede Scozzafava; former presidential candidate Fred Thompson also has endorsed Hoffman. Could Republicans splitting their votes between Hoffman and Scozzafava tip the race to the Democrat in the race, Bill Owens? We've said this before and we'll say it again: Outside of watching the Obama administration’s ups and downs, the most intriguing political story in America could very well be the infighting inside the Republican Party. Besides the Scozzafava-Hoffman split, we’re going to see several important GOP primaries next year over the heart and soul of the GOP -- Perry vs. Hutchison in Texas, Crist vs. Rubio in Florida, the challenge against Utah Sen. Bob Bennett, and even the primary challenge against John McCain.

*** Whitman’s crucial test: Meg Whitman, the former eBay CEO who’s running for California governor, now enters a crucial phase in her gubernatorial campaign. Either she survives an intense focus over the fact that she hasn’t voted in past California elections, including recent ones, or it ends up sinking her fledgling campaign. Now her chief primary opponent, Steve Poizner, has a TV ad hitting Whitman on her voting record (or lack thereof). And today, the Los Angeles Times pens this editorial: “[J]ust because she failed to vote doesn't mean she lacks the skills to do the job well. As a voter, Whitman might have been disengaged, but as CEO of one of California's largest tech companies, she surely was not. Still, it's surprising, and of some concern, that someone so seemingly uninterested in politics would suddenly want to govern what is perhaps the most ungovernable state in the union.”

*** “Going Rogue”: As Politico writes, Sarah Palin’s memoir is set to be entitled “Going Rogue” -- a reference to the complaints during the end of the presidential campaign that she wasn’t entirely a team player for the McCain campaign -- and that the book is now scheduled to be published earlier than expected, for Nov. 17. Sources tell NBC’s Norah O’Donnell that she was able to move up her schedule by writing furiously for months, something she couldn’t have done if she were still governor of Alaska. O’Donnell adds that Palin moved the whole family to San Diego for the month of August, so she could crash the book with her collaborator Lynn Vincent, editor of an evangelical magazine; that Palin traveled to New York City for the first half of September to work on the editing process; that she will address never-heard details about her life, her time as governor, and the historic campaign; and that HarperCollins has ordered a huge first print of 1.5 million books. By the way, Palin’s book will come out when the president is likely overseas… It would mark the second-straight major overseas trip for the president where Palin could be the national story.

*** Rick Santorum heads to … Iowa: Here’s some more 2012 news: This Thursday, former Sen. Rick Santorum -- who lost his bid for re-election in the battleground state of Pennsylvania by a whopping 19 points, 59%-41% -- heads to Iowa to deliver the keynote at a conservative economic lecture series in Dubuque. Santorum holds a conference call at 10:30 am ET to preview his speech.

*** 2009 watch: Finally, Creigh Deeds is bringing in in his big gun, former Virginia Gov. (and current Sen.) Mark Warner. In a brand-new TV ad, Warner speaks to the camera about his support for Deeds. “The choice in this election for governor is really pretty simple,” Warner says. “Do we move Virginia forward by continuing the pro-business economic policies that I helped put in place, or do we go backwards with the failed economic approach that ruined our economy? Creigh Deeds knows keeping taxes low and controlling spending is the right way to keep Virginia ‘the best place to do business’. And I agree.” Deeds also will be getting the endorsement of another former governor today, according to Virginia sources: Republican Linwood Holton. Of course, this shouldn't be a surprise… Holton is outgoing Dem Gov. Tim Kaine's father-in-law. And as the Virginia Republican Party has become more conservative, Holton has become more supportive of Democrats.

Countdown to Election Day 2009: 35 days
Countdown to MA Special Primary: 70 days
Countdown to MA Special Election: 112 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 399 days

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Comments

Today’s going to be VERY interesting to say the least!

Looks like we’ll find out if Max Baucus works for Americans or insurance companies!

Loved Dr. Howard Dean on Countdown last night pointing out that the bill currently in the finance committee is one that ‘George Bush would love’!

Give them hell Howard! This bill is nothing more than another ‘freebie’ to the one’s that are already bending us OVER!

President Obama NEEDS to dump Rahm and put a REAL democrat in as COS… and I think you would be a FINE fit!

PASS HCR NOW!!! CO-OP = COPOUT!

____________________

Leftovers &Take Out:

Oh I go over to Fox forum once a week, it's good for a laugh or two. Besides I like to give them some facts and listen to them squirm, with their rants

He did, he accidently taped his hands together and taped his mouth and commited suicide.

It won't shut him up Feisty, some one copied his post for him and showed him how to click on paste, it's all he knows.
Mo (Sent Monday, September 28, 2009 2:09 PM)
________________

Hey Mo! I’m liking your style! Once every couple of months is more than enough of that frenzy of insanity aka Faux & Freaks!

According to NoJo All Blow the manufacturers of ‘hillbilly heroin’ is to blame!

Then again… one thing’s for certain and that is you can always count on her for ALL the answers… LOL! ;0) After all she is the #1 Obama hater here @ FR!

Can you say… bitter… party of one!

And on ‘Willing to Work’… a girl can hope now can’t she?

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:29 AM)

The Bottom Line:

With regard to Iran, it seems that everyone has a bottom line.

1) The US cannot commit land troops to Iran as we are already over extended in Afghanistan and Iraq. Opening a third war front is not in the cards, thus we will be seeking a diplomatic solution.

2) Russia, China, France, Germany, and England have no interest in sending in ground troops to Iran. They too are committed to economic sanctions.

3) Iran will not succumb to economic sanctions. Ahmadinejad and the Ayatollah Khamenei are hell-bent on building a nuclear facility capable of making nuclear weapons. The conservatives in Iran (like the US conservatives) have purged the moderates, so Iran will “stay the course” of building a nuclear facility.

4) Israel will not tolerate an Iranian nuclear facility and Israel will take it out before it can become active. They did it in Syria, and no matter how hard, they will destroy this one also.

It’s looking like the irresistible force is about to hit the immoveable object…Unless someone changes their bottom line. Negotiations can sway a bottom line, but rarely can negotiations make major shifts when one party is adamant. Ahmadinejad has hard-line conservative support and a history of terrorism against America. President Obama has said that when negotiating with Iran, it will take big carrots and big sticks.

Brinksmanship can be risky because it is so unpredictable. Will that nuclear facility be dismantled? I doubt it; not by Iranians. Will Israel take out that nuclear plant? Very likely.

If Israel were to destroy the nuclear plant, will that lead to WW III? I don’t think so. Iran isn’t worth the cost of a full-scale global war. Russia and China will just…watch.

Brinksmanship is very risky.

Ron Indiana (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:30 AM)

Obama's score card is not a good one. He meant what he said when he called Afghanistan a "war of necessity" -- and now is not necessarily so sure. He meant what he said about the public option in his health care plan -- and then again maybe not. He would not prosecute CIA agents for getting rough with detainees -- and then again maybe he would. Obama gave Congress an August deadline for passage of health care legislation, he said "Now, if there are no deadlines, nothing gets done in this town ..." -- and then let it pass. When Obama said in Pittsburgh that Iran is "going to have to come clean and they are going to have to make a choice," it had the sound of an ultimatum. But what happens when Ahmadinejad spits in Obama's face? Just like everything else Obama has done, he'll cave, and his little followers will make more and more excuses for Obama. So what does Obama do now? He flies to Copenhagen for yet another photo-op.Tha man hasn't a clue.

Lynn Wheatly (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:33 AM)

Rick Sanitarium needs to go back under the rock and primodial pond scum he came from and spare us all!

Juan,Ft Lauderdale,Fl (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:33 AM)

Democrats in the next month will lose two governorships, raise the debt ceiling by over a trillion dollars (which bookends nicely with the trillion they added in February), get the runaround from the Iranians, and lose the health care debate. Quite the track record. At least Chicago might get the Olympics.

Dem Dems (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:34 AM)

RETHINK AFGHANISTAN
we can use those resources and bodies here to help compete in a global economy
Btw: It's great to have a President who can think Bush couldn't

Beverly in Chicago (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:34 AM)

As Politico writes, Sarah Palin’s memoir is set to be entitled “Going Rogue
___________________

My… my… isn’t she just so MAVERICKY! A better title would have been ‘Gidget & the Geezer’!

Rumor has it… the book is 400 pages… given the Ditzy Diva’s grasp of the English language… it’s more than likely just one continual sentence…

Time to stock up those church basements and make it a bestseller!

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:34 AM)

'Creigh Deeds knows keeping taxes low and controlling spending is the right way to keep Virginia ‘the best place to do business’

Unfortunately, Deeds announced last week he intends to raise taxes for transportation. Poor timing for your ad, Sen Warner. And I'm betting WaPo makes a very big deal of the Kaine father-in-law endorsement, while they virtually ignored the Wilder non-endorsement.

Virginian (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:38 AM)

OBAMA --- A FAILED LEADERSHIP ....

RASMUSSEN POLL: Support for Health Care Plan Falls to New Low; ... 41% Favor ... 56% Oppose ...

Liberal Dems seek access for illegals...

OBAMA CANNOT GOVERN EFFECTIVELY WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE!

Only a dictator can govern without popular support!

OBAMA --- A FAILED PRESIDENCY ? (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:38 AM)

Could Republicans splitting their votes between Hoffman and Scozzafava tip the race to the Democrat in the race, Bill Owens? We've said this before and we'll say it again: Outside of watching the Obama administration’s ups and downs, the most intriguing political story in America could very well be the infighting inside the Republican Party.
*************************************************
How right you are FR
Republicans do vote,splitting, lying, distorting, and polarizing Americans. Only because they are a bunch of losers.

Beverly in Chicago (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:38 AM)

Where will the idiot Palin's book be found in the book stores? Under comedy? Does the hillbilly know that people will read this book to laugh at how stupid she is? Or does she not care as long as she makes the money?

newdayDAWNING (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:39 AM)

Dear Sarah …. Lipstick On A Pig …. Oops I did it again

Sarah Palin’s book "Going Rogue: An American Life" is to be released Nov. 17.

Initial printing is 1.5 million. It will probably be in its second printing by year end.

Just in time for Christmas so be ready to see her on all the talk shows.

We will see more of her between Thanksgiving and Christmas than we did Obama in September.

I have to wonder if she will be on Letterman.

Dennis, Columbus, Ohio (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:39 AM)

>> The Biden-Gates meeting introduces Biden's skepticism into the Afghanistan conversation in a very intimate and serious setting. <<

Recall that General Biden wanted Iraq split up in to 3 pieces, wanted to send $200 million to Iran to show them "America is not bent on destruction", and called the Iranians "Arabs" when in fact they are Persians.

Maybe it's better to have Joe go clean out Cheney's secret location.

Sam Webster, Maryland (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:39 AM)

FR:" It’s a BIG meeting -- all about strategy assessment, which is why it may have been postponed a day as today may have simply gotten too packed."
**************

Why couldn't Obama meet yesterday or today on the incredibly important issue of Afghanistan? Oh, that's right, he must be fine tuning his presentation for the 2016 Olympics in Chicago. Nice priorities, Barry.

Pat H. Detroit, MI (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:39 AM)

Who would have thung it that republicans in N.Y. actually has a moderate social/liberal to choose from instead of the rubber-stamped right-wing religious nuts that controls their party.

Juan,Ft Lauderdale,Fl (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:40 AM)

Obama has talked away America's exceptionally. Now he's flushing away the exceptionality of the office of the President. The Olympics Barry? That's almost as bad as going on Letterman or Leno. Oh, wait. The Olympics is women's work Barry, let Michelle and Oprah take care of that deal. Best you stayed home and signed a few more Executive Orders.

DR Stanhouse, Tulsa OK (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:40 AM)

What will it take?

A face book poll on the assassination of the President was pulled by Face book and is under investigation by the Secrete Service. A Census worker found bounded with duct tape on his hands and feet found in the Daniel Boone National Forrest with the word “fed” scrawled on his chest.

Elected lawmakers are lying to constituents and participating in “so called” forums taunting lies to people of low information of government death panels’ ands concentration camps.

I want to know when it ends. What types of catastrophic events need to happen before irresponsible lawmakers get into serious trouble for inciting violence and causing more loss of lives?

It is irresponsible behavior to say the least and destructive to our nations national security. It feeds and breathes hates and despair. Republicans lawmakers are disrespectful of the office of the Presidency and are urging their constituents to be the same.

You lost the election because you were not good Stewards with the taxpayer’s finances. You changed laws that benefited thieves; you were amongst a bevy of predators serving in the prior administrations cabinet. And sadly…you’ve lived in the filth of that administration’s guidelines that you’ve grown accustomed to unlawful deceptive conduct that you find it hard to separate fact from fiction.

You complain that the President is doing too much because you are afraid of him succeeding at cleaning up your mess. In fact you are so afraid that you have been too busy lying and creating despair that you haven’t had time to earn your pay. Get to work, you’re on our dime.

Anita, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:42 AM)

*** Homophobic Rick Santorum needs to head to a hospital. The Values Vomit is gagging him.
After that, a sensitivity class should be his next stop.

Beverly in Chicago (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:44 AM)

Odds are that we won;t know any more about what reform will eventually look like at the end of today. Finance is only one small, relatively unimportant stop. The big deals will be made in House/Senate talks.

http://www.political-buzz.com/

matt (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:44 AM)

As Politico writes, Sarah Palin’s memoir is set to be entitled “Going Rogue”
-----------------------------------------

Maybe if Sarah has a good ghost writer, she can win a "Best Fiction" award. I wanna hear more scary stories about Death Panels and stuff!

Houston (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:49 AM)

Sarah Palin’s memoir is set to be entitled “Going Rogue”
************************************************
May I suggest a better title...
"Whenever I quit... "

Beverly in Chicago (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:50 AM)

Sarah is laughing all the way to the bank. She put the coup de grace on McCain's floundering campaign knowing that a book deal later would make her millions whether she became VP or not. Once the dog & pony show was over and the bodies were all buried her celebrity status was assured. Next, she bailed on the people of Alaska who were only a means to an end to begin with. A new opportunity had arisen and Palin is the ultimate opportunist! Dump the leeches and make millions on a book deal and she's laughing all the way to the bank. Don't laugh to loudly First Dude...You're next and the curb is already calling. She is the celeb and you are just the old ball and chain who still expects her to swallow. The kids? Aww, they aren't worried. She is tied to them by law until they are 18 so she wont be dumping them and I'm sure they know it. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't be surprised if she pays them just to keep their mouths shut. The retarded baby on the other hand may see some neglect since beauty pageant palin can't be bothered with her 'campaign prop' now that she's a "star". And, considering the trailer trash that hangs out with that family (of not quite trailer trash) the nanny is likely to be a biker, tattooed, whiskey drinkin', Marlboro smokin' druggy who she met through Bristol's baby daddy.

BamaBoy (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:52 AM)

*** All about Afghanistan: The next two days are all about Afghanistan for President Obama. Today, he huddles with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen at 11:30 am ET (pool spray at the bottom), and then Obama meets separately with Gates and Biden at 4:30 pm (closed press).
--------------------------

As it should be. We're not the only people that "watch" the news and have access to the internet. Bush didn't tell you anything and this administration has been as transparent as national security would and should allow it to be.
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*** Finance Committee back at work: Turning to health care, the Senate Finance Committee returns to work today on its mark-up of its health-care bill. On the agenda today will be the committee’s vote on the public option amendments that Sens. Chuck Schumer and Jay Rockefeller are proposing. The big unknown is whether Olympia Snowe will introduce her version of a public option trigger.
--------------------

The trigger has already been pulled. We need action and we are watching. We ned public option.

Anita, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:53 AM)

[[ Either she [Whitman] survives an intense focus over the fact that she hasn’t voted in past California elections, including recent ones, or it ends up sinking her fledgling campaign. ]]

This one is easy. Whitman just has to say there was nobody to really vote for, and she would be right.

Emil Johnstone (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:54 AM)

Well, Well Rick Santorum, the hollier than thou, poor excuse for a human being who accuse the gay american citizens of having sex with dogs. He is all "class" isn't he? And now I bet he wants to run for president? He is probably like his fellow repub Larry Craig, "soiciting sex in an airport mensroom

gepa (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:55 AM)

too funny you reported on Meg Whitman, as I put this together yesterday:

Hey, Mark Murray:

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/28/california.tech.politics.whitman/index.html

“…A straw poll taken at the California Republican Party convention on Sunday found Whitman trailing Poizner considerably. Poizner won an overwhelming 78 percent of support in the poll; Whitman came in second with the support of 14 percent of those polled…”

As I suspected, last week, Mr. Bounds has an extremely uphill battle.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I see someone left the keys to the asylum within reach of Fred Phelps and his merry band of idiots:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/28/westboro-baptist-church-p_0_n_302211.html

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Clara Kansas City, MO (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:56 AM)

The Rethuglican strategy of hating everything that the Dems support but having no solutions will sink them faster than the Titanic. I can't think of a more unpatriotic, none-problem-solving, whinning and complaining bunch of jerks in the history of this country.

All the Rethugs have "gone rogue" as far as I'm concerned and have thrown their own country under the bus in order to advance their party. Ugh!

J. Ellis, Virginia (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:56 AM)

OBAMA CANNOT GOVERN EFFECTIVELY WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE!

Only a dictator can govern without popular support!

OBAMA --- A FAILED PRESIDENCY ? (Sent Tuesday, September 29,

*********************************************
Only an idiot would call the President of a free nation a dictator. If it's so much of a dictatorship.
May I suggest you leave this nation after all, it's your choice. A real dictator would not let you in or out of his nation.

Beverly in Chicago (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:56 AM)

Afghanistan...

Win it, or bring everyone home, and close the borders...

Use the money to feed OUR people...

Southside FF, Illinois (OIF 2006-07) (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:57 AM)

Bring Back Governor moonbeam

Meg Whitman cared about California public policy so much.... She DIDN'T EVEN VOTE

Jerry Brown for Governor
Not Perfect, but a Good Maqn

'...*** Whitman’s crucial test: Meg Whitman, the former eBay CEO who’s running for California governor, now enters a crucial phase in her gubernatorial campaign. Either she survives an intense focus over the fact that she hasn’t voted in past California elections, including recent ones..'

We're in a budget melt down and little Meg wants to CUT TAXES !!

Good idea, it worked for Bush, right ???

MSierra, SF (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:57 AM)

Red Headed Broad wrote "As Politico writes, Sarah Palin’s memoir is set to be entitled “Going Rogue
___________________

My… my… isn’t she just so MAVERICKY! A better title would have been ‘Gidget & the Geezer’! "
**************************

I love how you Libs keep harping on Palin. She must be getting to you. While we are are on former VP candidates, How about a comment on your boy John Edwards and the soap opera of his love child and mistresses while his wife is stricken with cancer? What a scum bag. But I'll bet you all will find some way to defend him. If Palin was going through the same kind of mess, it would be FR's lead story every day.

Pat H. Detroit, MI (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:58 AM)

Danelle Younger, Florida (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:58 AM)

We will see more of her between Thanksgiving and Christmas than we did Obama in September.

Dennis, Columbus, Ohio (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:39 AM)
___________________

Good point... But the even bigger question is... will she be posing for the cameras in front of the guy grinding up those poor turkeys again?

Thanks to the 'trauma tart' we had ham last year!

Yech!

Feisty Redhead Roselle, IL (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:59 AM)

Anita, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:42 AM)

Very well said. The Rethugs have nothing to lose, so they will lose everything, and very soon.

J. Ellis, Virginia (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 9:59 AM)

President Obama NEEDS to dump Rahm and put a REAL democrat in as COS… and I think you would be a FINE fit!
**********************************************
Feisty
Couldn't agree with you more. Clinton demoted him into a tiny little cubby hole in the WH. It's a poor rat that has only one hole Rahm doesn't deserve any.

Beverly in Chicago (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 10:01 AM)

Health care, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, the poor economy. All the critical issues of the day, but what do the liberals what to talk about? Sarah Palin.

I guess when you have no clue on what is important, you go after something that is not important.

Sudden Sam (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 10:01 AM)

The Gunny and I were having a conversation about me reupping at a firebase in the Highlands me on my second tour he on his third."Chief we have been here so long and the mission has changed so many times and ways that we are left with our only mission being survival for us and our people. If something happens to you here a lot of guys with lettace on thier chests are going to say a lot of good things over you but I don't think the mission that we are left with is going to make me feel real good if I'm the one that has to look in your mothers eyes when I hand her your flag.Best you go on home son."Rotated out two months later and left Uncle Sam service two months later.Best advice I ever got. I go down to the Wall ocassionally to share a beer with the Gunny.Mr. President before you make a decision on this matter please call in the highest ranking enlisted people from each service and get thier take on what you are trying to do and whether or not they can make it happen for you.You'll get a straighter answer and it won't take them half as long to give it to you. Please listen to them and if they tell you are wasting people let's don't get into this saving face chest thumping thing. Just as in years past there has been enough losses covering checks that some dummy wrote with his hummingbird behind.

Independent Redneck Va. (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 10:02 AM)

The Club for Growth does more harm to the GOP than good. The radical right is in a wing-nut frenzy and it should scare even their own party members. Fred Thompson is in wing-nut territory lately with some of his outrageous comments and that has been a surprise to me. Of course, I only know what I saw of him in Iowa--lazy.

As stated, just because Meg Whitman failed to vote doesn't mean she's not capable of the job BUT how interested in California could she be if she didn't think it worth the effort to vote previously.

Palin's book written by someone else I hope since her ability to string sentences into a coherant thought is minimal at best. Like Bush writing a book--with a little help from a lot of his friends. Not wasting my money on either but both will sell to the GOP base.

Santorum in Iowa. He'll not survive the caucus.

From yesterday:

Ron--Ditto on those Hawkeyes. Great game. I was getting discouraged when poof, blocked kick and go ahead score!

T. James Rogers, Memphis. True, medicare is in trouble but much of that trouble relates to the "unfunded" GOP prescription drug program. You can't add billions to the medicare expense budget without funding it and not expect it to have an impact on the trust fund. One other thought, every president has speech writers including republicans, just think of William Safire, Peggy Noonan, etc. It was Peggy Noonan, not Reagan, who wrote the morning in America lines. But you fail to recognize that Pres Obama has written two best selling books WITHOUT anyone's help, and he also writes portions of many of his speeches.

To whomever commented about Social Security heading toward deficit failed to note rest of story. Yes, there will be estimated $10 billion in 2010 and $9 billion in 2011. These deficits are due to huge job losses and a sudden spike in early retirement claims from laid off seniors. Lost jobs meant a decline in SS payroll taxes which coupled with increased retirement claims means the SS trust will be paying out more than it receives. There remains a $2.5 Trillion dollar surplus in the Social Security trust but the estimated deficits will reflect as budget deficits for those years.

Jody, Iowa (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 10:02 AM)

As many have said, myself included, Afghanistan is really about Pakistan. Afghanistan is not, and may never be a coherent, well governed national state. It is still the conglomerate of tribal areas it has been for centuries. Democracy may well be a pipe dream. Former Pakistan dictator Musharrif now is pleading for American forces to stay. This well could be President Obama's most important foreign policy decision of his presidency and he is doing the right thing by getting together with his team over the next two days to get all the facts assembled. Good luck and God speed, I for one am scared to death.

Speaking of death, the Iran situation has drawn a familiar name. Scott Ritter, the UN weapon's inspector who opposed the more well known David Kay by saying Saddam Hussein had no WMD in Iraq is involved in the new inspections. I have much more faith in Ritter in this critical situation. Let's hope he and his team get the cooperation they need, but I doubt the powers that be in Iran will help any more than absolutely necessary.

President Obama, you have brought together a tremendous team in your administration. One of President Carter's major flaws was trying to do it all alone. Take a break and let some of the others carry the ball for awhile, at least in the public forums. We need you fresh and strong for those moments of crisis that are bound to occur. Just my two cents worth...

Tim Stocken, Highland Lakes, NJ (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 10:04 AM)

Sarah Palin’s memoir is set to be entitled “Going Rogue”
************************************************
May I suggest a better title...
"Whenever I quit... "

Beverly in Chicago

Obama's memoir will be titled "I Had A Lot To Do - But I Got Nothing Done."

Quincy Russell (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 10:05 AM)

Sarah Palin...

Going rogue. I seem to recall that skit on SNL. Tina Fey did an excellent job calling that woman’s intent. I wonder if she got permission from them to entitle her book. For the month of August she moved her family to San Diego. Did Todd accompany them, or are they sill together. Anyway, I wouldn't spend a dime on that book. It'll only be more lies. She’s just trying to make more money and media shouldn't cover her ass. Did she appear on media outlets that mattered? No, so why give her "free" publicity.

Anita, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 10:06 AM)

One other comment on the Social Security Trust--it also ran deficits in the 1980's when the unemployment rate was high.

Jody, Iowa (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 10:07 AM)

Are Meth Labs society's failing? Or another shining example of capitalism?
Clara Kansas City, MO

Obama is for socialized meth labs. Barack has appointed a Czar to work out the details.

JKT (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 10:07 AM)

PS. On Meg Whitman, let's watch the non - hypocritical wing of the Repubs calmly accept Meg's reasoning for NOT voting. They were so tolerant and accepting of Caroline Kennedy's non voting in New York. I am sure we won't witness ANY double speak or blatant misrepresentation of fact.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Okay, I am laughing at the title of Palin's book. Only because any time I think of "Going Rogue" I am reminded of the Home Shopping Network spoof on Saturday Night Live with Tina Fey saying, "Okay everybody, keep your voices down 'cuz I'm going Rogue right now. We've got these t-shirts now; but don't wear them until after Tuesday..." Do you think she undersood that was sattire? Do you really want the title of your ground breaking book to be likened to a sattirical spoof of you?

I guess in Palin World, this is a win-win. For the rest of us, it's a laugh-laugh.

Clara Kansas City, MO (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 10:08 AM)

All about Afghanistan? More like all about Copenhagen. That is where Obama is heading, for the urgent need to get the olympics for Chicago.

It's no wonder Nicholas Sarkozy holds him in contempt.

Anybody else see the real news? You know, the stuff they print in newspapers, rather than the cheerleading here on First Read? The AP has a story on what really happened last week.

It seems that Sarkozy and the Brits wanted Obama to confront the Iranians the day before the G20-while he was at the U.N. They surmised that it would be the perfect time and place to rally the world against Iran's nuclear weapons program.

Unfortunately, an Obama administration spokesperson told Sarkozy that Obama'didn't want to spoil the image of success" of Obama's debut at the U.N-that it would undermine the message calling for a world without nuclear weapons.

Now, consider this in light of his statements last July at the G8 meeting in Italy-when he gave Iran a September 10 deadline for 'a serious offer to negotiate".

Iran blew past the deadline. The consequence? Obama moved the deadline to December.

So,now that the Iranians have test fired missiles capable of reaching Europe and Israel, Obama has responded forcefully-he's going to Copenhagen.

Maybe you lefties should get a grip on reality. It is obvious to the world at large that Obama does not fully understand that he is the president-he thinks he just plays one on T.V.

It would be amusing if it weren't so horrifying.

no joe, no bo, nj (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 10:09 AM)

Afghanistan is quickly becoming Obama's Waterloo. Like he needed yet another one after health care reform, cap and trade, cash4clunkers, stimulus bill, . . . . .

Danny B., Texas (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 10:10 AM)

And as the Virginia Republican Party has become more conservative, Holton has become more supportive of Democrats.

This describes, not only Mr. Holton, but America in general.

eagle1776 (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 10:13 AM)

Does anyone over the age of 2 honestly believe that Obama would be going to Copenhagen if he didn't already have word that Chicago was the chosen city?

Elizabeth, Short Pump VA (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 10:14 AM)

FR--CongressDaily’s Carrie Dann reports that the top House Republican overseeing the census -- North Carolina Rep. Patrick McHenry -- is enlisting his GOP colleagues “to maximize participation in the decennial count by constituents who may be reluctant to disclose information to government officials.” This effort comes after the apparent murder of a Census worker in Kentucky (although it is still unclear whether his death was due to his work with the Census), as well as critical comments about the census by some GOP members, including Rep. Michele Bachmann.
--------------

This is from an earlier thread. This is what I am concerned about. This woman needs to be investigated and expelled because of her babbling of lies. What will it take? How many more lives will it take before action is taken?

And yes I do believe that the Census worker was murdered by government haters sparked by the lies of August recess. Numerous commentators on MSNBC voiced concern about what was being said and crowd reaction to what lawmakers were saying.

I ask again…what other tragedy will it take that will put and end to the nonsense.

Anita, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 10:14 AM)

Beverly in Chicago (Sent Tuesday, September 29, 2009 10:17 AM)

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