Agenda: Focusing on terrorism & WMD

Pat, Boston, MA — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:27:19 GMT

It's December. I wonder who's going to be Time Magazine's Person of the Year. Barack Obama? David Plouffe/David Axelrod? We the people?

Howard Fineman's reflections of GWB's presidency on Keith's program last night was amazing simply because of Howard's dignified honesty when speaking of a man he said he has known for 20 years. George W. Bush. Mr. Fineman didn't sound like a reporter who was taking much joy in what he was saying, but nevertheless, he was honest when speaking of the president. It was a stunning segment on Countdown.

So let's add GWB to the long list of people who have come into our lives for a moment in time and then when their time was up, they exited the stage. What we the people are always left with are our own private thoughts and emotions about whoever it is that is leaving us. And we get to then ponder for the rest of our lives the impact they had on us for the time they were with us.

Nixon, LBJ, Joe McCarthy, Hollywood Ten, Martin Luther King, Truman, FDR, Lincoln, Founding Fathers. These are extremely interesting persons to read about.

Also interesting historical figures who are a great read are the founders of the Hollywood studio system, who were Jewish immigrants who fled to America from eastern Europe for opportunity and economic stability in the 1900's. They arrived with few belongings and little money, all searching for the American Dream. They started off in New York but eventually moved to Los Angeles and Hollywood. They saw America as a land of hope and freedom; films of this period are a reflection of the American Dream.

And of course, there are the actors themselves. I don't think I ever saw a poor performance on screen by Van Heflin, Bette Davis, Frederick March, Charles Laughton, James Cagney, Claude Rains, Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman.

And how can you not read about the great sports legends of our past - Jackie Robinson, Shoeless Joe, Cobb, Ruth, Mays, Unitas, Brown, Chamberlain, Russell. They were unbelievable athletes – and interesting because of their barriers, interesting because of their ultimate successes - or just plain interesting in spite of their failings.

All of these people contributed something, for good or for bad in some way.

Failure. We have all had it. More often than we would like to admit. But we were taught by our parents, by our teachers, or by just reading, that you should never give up. You should never accept defeat as a way of life. Just learn from it and move on.

President George W. Bush - No agenda. No anything. And because of that, I will have zero interest in reading about him. He's not someone I will ever think twice about once he's gone. A real rarity for me. He left me as empty as he himself is. He is our President. And he gave up. A long long time ago. As Howard Fineman so eloquently put it last night, President Bush never understood government and how it was supposed to work for us.

Wouldn’t it be a kick if a journalist went out to Hollywood and solved the William Desmond Taylor mystery? He was a silent movie director who was murdered in 1922 in his home in Hollywood. The case has never been solved. But plenty of suspects, including a few silent film actresses who may have had a jealousy problem with the Director.

Agenda: Focusing on terrorism & WMD

Eric, Salinas, CA — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:29:16 GMT

I'm glad that VP Elect Biden is getting some action from the media. It sure will be good to have competent people coming in to make our country safe after the utter failure of the current crowd of buffoons to get Osama bin Laden. The central front in the war on Al Qaeda is in Afghanistan and Pakistan as we see now how bad a failure the bushleague clowns were at fighting the war.

It will also be good to rebuild our infrastructure which has been crumbling under the rule of the cheapskates who kept whining about more tax cuts that was nothing but stealing from future generations.

Agenda: Focusing on terrorism & WMD

cindy, Las Vegas, Nv — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:34:53 GMT

jEEZ - I'm soooo glad Obama is the Pres who will be dealing with this mess. So nice to see someone as Commander in Chief with a brain. I don't care what anyone says, JR can't leave soon enough. It makes me ill to see the damage he is will to lay on Americans in his last 48 days in office. The man has no morals, values, heart, the list goes on and on. If I Only Had A Brain will be his legacy!!!!!!!!

Agenda: Focusing on terrorism & WMD

cindy, Las Vegas, Nv — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:41:37 GMT

Well said Pat and Eric. I couldn't agree more. Hopefully Americans will remember the Bush years, so as not to repeat. I can remember watching JFK's funeral, 8 years old and crying. Never has there been a person who has been nominated for Potus in my life who has brought hope back like Obama. My 14 yr old son had the opportunity to meet Mr Obama and was greatly impressed. It's his future that's important to me. YES WE DID!!!!!

Agenda: Focusing on terrorism & WMD

Michael Furlong, Long Island NY — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:57:25 GMT

I feel unsafe with Obama as president. I feel we will be attacked again, because he'll end the wire taps Bush put in place that has kept us safe for the last 7 years.

Agenda: Focusing on terrorism & WMD

Davey Jones, CT — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:04:43 GMT

Pat, Boston: It's December. I wonder who's going to be Time Magazine's Person of the Year. Barack Obama? David Plouffe/David Axelrod? We the people?

Barack Obama has Time's POTY wrapped up for the next several decades. Time's love affair with Obama won't end for quite some time. Obama will also need room on his trophy shelf for a Nobel Peace prize, an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and MTV's Coolest Guy in the World award. Obama will also guest-host Soul Train now and then.

Agenda: Focusing on terrorism & WMD

Free American Tehachapi Ca. — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:10:49 GMT

Looks like Biden has worked his way out of the basement, they must have him on meds.

Agenda: Focusing on terrorism & WMD

Free American Tehachapi Ca. — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:10:50 GMT

Looks like Biden has worked his way out of the basement, they must have him on meds.

Agenda: Focusing on terrorism & WMD

MUMBAI WAS A MESSAGE TO OBAMA .... — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:12:08 GMT

MUMBAI WAS A MESSAGE FOR OBAMA …

UNFORTUNATELY — ALMOST EVERYTHING OBAMA SAID DURING THE CAMPAIGN ABOUT THE WORLD AND HIS APPROACH TO FOREIGN POLICY WAS ‘DEAD WRONG.’

NOW OBAMA WILL HAVE TO PAY THE PIPER!

HE IS LUCKY HE WILL HAVE A SECRETARY OF STATE WHO KNOWS THAT THERE ARE GOOD GUYS & BAD GUYS IN THIS WORLD — AND THAT THE BAD GUYS WILL NOT SIT DOWN AND HAVE TEA WITH US — THEY WILL SNEAK UP ON US AND TRY TO KILL US!

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Agenda: Focusing on terrorism & WMD

Clara Kansas City, MO — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:12:40 GMT

Pat, Boston -
I so enjoy reading your posts, and you are so right - about countdown and Fineman and your assessment of Bush #43.

This clip with Charlie Gibson that looped on MSNBC yesterday (and this am) where he manages to misconstrue "if the intelligence had been correct" as being a JUSTIFICATION for war. Well, it is simply stunning how someone so dumb was ever elected twice.

Well, okay-technically he wasn't elected twice. No need to dwell.

Agenda: Focusing on terrorism & WMD

Ron Indiana — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:14:39 GMT

Pat, Boston, Ma, You are well read and far less judgmental than I. Keep writing.

Today I had my driver's license renewed. When taking my picture, I could not smile to show teeth and hair had to be above my eyebrows. They are now doing high-tech magic with our photos. It must be about keeping the country safe. What a strange new world.

Agenda: Focusing on terrorism & WMD

marty,columbia,s.c. — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:24:39 GMT

Govenors- Rick Sanford S.C. Will someone either
Keith Olberman or Rachael Maddow take a look at the esteem Govenor from S.C. He would rather cut food stamps and medicade than eat when he is hungry. He is a evil man intent on only making life easier for the wealthy, (him and his friends). His sole purpose as Govenor has been to bring school voucher and or tax credits for private schools, This while our public schools in the low country here are called THE CORRIDOR. I see he is making a move to go on to National politics, just look at the stats on S.C. this
guy is just like Bush. Forget him, hes trash.
marty
OF SHAME.

Agenda: Focusing on terrorism & WMD

Richard Lee Harmon Cincinnati Ohio — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:32:35 GMT

It is time to look forward and come up with solutions not keep telling us about Bush being the problem for everything. It is important to do a ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS so we can learn from them. But it is also important to be factual with this information.

Agenda: Focusing on terrorism & WMD

Indie Woman in Denver — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:36:33 GMT

I'm really excited about the possibilities for the next 4 (or 8) years in our country. When the PE actually sits down with the state's governors (except for a few partisan hold-outs) and LISTENS to their ideas about what we need to do to fix the economy -- what a concept! The only people Bush ever listened to were Karl Rove, Dick Cheney, and his yes-men. I won't miss the Bush years even a little bit.

Agenda: Focusing on terrorism & WMD

eagle1776 — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:51:46 GMT

A special office to focus on terrorism. Isn't that similar to Bush's War Czar position? Maybe this, unlike the War Czar, will actually do something.

Agenda: Focusing on terrorism & WMD

Diane from Illinois — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 15:55:42 GMT

Has anyone else noticed that Joe Biden has been by Obama's side since the election? Barack said when he chose him that he wanted a VP that would be involved in all his decisions and he has kept that promise. I believe they will work well together and help our country. I am so proud that our citizens elected them. I look forward to the improvement beginning Jan. 20th. A re-birth of our great nation.

Agenda: Focusing on terrorism & WMD

Rock,Janesville,Wisconsin — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:36:30 GMT

The war on terror began, continues, and needs to end in Afganistan. The training, and funding began a long time ago by the "two-faced" political forces in Pakistan. The Government of Pakistan, is involved in terror around the world with the help of Iran. The Government of India is fed up, and Pakistan will be paying a high price very soon. The source of WMD's will be coming out of Pakistan. If it has not already! The terrorist attacks in India are proof that. Pakistan has no problem supporting this type of policy. That is fact!

Agenda: Focusing on terrorism & WMD

Indie Woman in Denver — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:49:05 GMT

"I feel unsafe with Obama as president."
-- gentleman from Long Island NY

And you DIDN'T feel unsafe with Bush at the helm? I sure did, and feel even more so during this time between the election and the inauguration. You sound like that crazy old lady in one of McCain's town halls right before the election, the one where he took the mic from her and proceeded to defend Obama (for the first time).

Agenda: Focusing on terrorism & WMD

Dennis, Columbus, Ohio — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 18:19:40 GMT

I feel unsafe with Obama as president. I feel we will be attacked again, because he'll end the wire taps Bush put in place that has kept us safe for the last 7 years.
Michael Furlong, Long Island NY (Sent Wednesday, December 03, 2008 9:57 AM)
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You should, not because Obama will be president but for the fact that they will try again and again regardless of who may be President. They hate us, our freedom of religon and speach, and want us dead.

Wire Taps were not put in place untill well after the 9/11/01 attacks. I have yet to hear a report stating that a wire tap helped stop another attack. Have you?