Libya

The Hillary Clinton “Bubble” For President Likely To Fade

Ronald 1 Comment

There has been so much speculation about Secretary of State Hillary Clinton being a candidate for President in 2016, with many ready to “crown” her without a primary race and a general election on the way to her becoming President.

Let’s begin by saying to just forget such a scenario, as no one is going to “drop dead” for Hillary! No one is going to decide to avoid running for President, whether on the Democratic side or the Republican side. Hillary, if she ran, would have severe competition, and it would not be pleasant or nice in any fashion!

But the odds are growing that Hillary will NOT run! She looks really tired, worn out, exhausted, and has aged dramatically, at age 65. To believe that after a year or two off, that she is ready emotionally for a rough two years campaigning like a “maniac”, as she did in 2008, is not living in the “real” world! And then to have four to eight years of constant stress at the age of 69 to 77 in the White House just does not seem very appealing.

After all, Hillary could make tons of money writing and lecturing, with very little criticism, and loads of praise and adulation. Who would not like that? And she is likely to become a grandmother through her daughter Chelsea, and would want time to adore her grandchildren without the burdens of office!

And beyond all that, the report condemning the State Department handling of the killing of Ambassador Chris Stevens in Benghazi, Libya, is an opportunity for criticism of her handling of the State Department, after so much adulation and praise from most sources. She has already been accused of avoiding testimony so far, with the report of her having suffered a concussion while sick with a stomach virus, with many wondering if such a report is true.

Hillary will face lots of attacks in the future for the Libya mess, and that will only add to her conviction that she has done enough for her country, and that it is better to retire and become an admired figure, out of the political fray.

So expect, eventually, that Hillary will decide NOT to run, and will open the field to others, much younger and a new generation, with maybe the exception of Vice President Joe Biden!

The Susan Rice Controversy: The Final Disgrace Of John McCain And Lindsey Graham!

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The announcement by Susan Rice, the United Nations Ambassador, that she is withdrawing her candidacy to be Secretary of State, due to the controversy over the Libyan terrorist attack in Benghazi, which killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three others on September 11, is a great tragedy.

It is the character assassination of a woman who has devoted her career to public service, and was only stating what was known on September 16, five days after the attack.

If anything, the CIA head, David Petraeus, now disgraced by an affair with his biographer, should be held accountable for this mess, but of course, he is so much idolized by many that he is given a free pass by politicians, and just allowed to resign, when he should be investigated for the danger he represented as our chief spy, allowing himself to be compromised!

It is not a question of whether Susan Rice is the best qualified person to be Secretary of State, as this author truly believes that Senator John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic Presidential nominee and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman, is the best person available.

But to trash the reputation of Susan Rice over something she was not responsible for is a human tragedy, and shows how far Republicans are willing to go to destroy others in their desire to damage President Obama, even after his second term victory!

Senator John McCain and Senator Lindsey Graham both had reasonable reputations before now, but what they have done is enough to destroy their historical image and their effectiveness for the rest of the time they might serve in the upper chamber!

They are two bitter men who have become negative forces, and are part of the problem of the Republican Party for the future!

If these two men have become destructive forces, that is a sign that the Republican Party is dying, and will soon be replaced by a new, moderate centrist party!

Abraham Lincoln, Theodore Roosevelt, and Dwight D. Eisenhower are all in deep mourning in the afterlife, wondering how their beloved party became so self destructive and hateful, and the dirty deeds of McCain and Graham will, likely, be two of the final nails in the coffin of the “Grand Old Party”!

And the best thing Barack Obama could do now is select Susan Rice to be National Security Adviser, a position not subject to the whims of the US Senate for confirmation! Prove that John McCain and Lindsey Graham have been upended by putting Rice in a position on an equal footing with the Secretary of State, and make the Republicans scream and yell in protest! It would be just desserts!

Best Team For America’s Future Security: John Kerry For Secretary Of State, And Chuck Hagel For Secretary Of Defense

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In the midst of the “Fiscal Cliff” battle, President Obama is also deep into Cabinet selection, and it was heartening to hear that former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel, a Republican who served in Vietnam and became an acknowledged expert on foreign policy in his years on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has been at the White House, and is a hot candidate for Secretary of Defense.

This author has long raved about the credentials of Hagel, and suggested him for the cabinet in the first term, and it now seems more likely that he might become the head of the Pentagon when Leon Panetta leaves soon.

This would be continuing the tradition of past Democratic Presidents to decide to choose reputable Republicans for the Defense Department, and it even goes back to when it was called the War Department before 1947.

The historical record shows Franklin D. Roosevelt having Henry Stimson, former Secretary of State under Herbert Hoover, as his Secretary of War, along with Frank Knox, who had been the Republican Vice Presidential nominee in 1936, being named Secretary of the Navy, both in 1940, when Great Britain was being attacked by the German Air Force in World War II, and the threat to America was seen as dire by many as a result.

John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson utilized Robert McNamara as Secretary of Defense in the 1960’s.

Bill Clinton had former Maine Senator William Cohen, a responsible and reputable Republican Senator, as his Secretary of Defense in the second term, and he received kudos for his performance.

And Robert Gates, George W. Bush’s second Secretary of Defense, became Barack Obama’s first Secretary of Defense, and did a wonderful job for more than two years.

So the reasoning to pick Hagel is clearly there, but to make the foreign policy-defense team complete, the President also needs to choose Massachusetts Senator John Kerry, a Vietnam War veteran too, and 2004 Democratic Party Presidential nominee, to replace Hillary Clinton at the State Department, after 28 years of service in the US Senate, and chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Kerry has had a distinguished career, and would be an excellent choice, and the team of Kerry and Hagel would be sensational.

In a time of trouble and turmoil, America needs its strongest team on national security, and Kerry and Hagel fit the bill, without any question or doubt.

Susan Rice, the UN Ambassador, is also outstanding in many ways, but quite frankly, is not on the same level as Kerry, and her nomination would cause unnecessary turmoil over the issue of Libya, a sad commentary, but a distraction which should not be allowed to continue by choosing her, when Kerry is really a better choice!

So, Mr. President, pick John Kerry for State and Chuck Hagel for Defense, and America will be very well served at Foggy Bottom and the Pentagon!

Susan Rice: Perplexing Problem For Barack Obama

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If UN Ambassador Susan Rice is chosen to be Secretary of State, with the Libya controversy still boiling, due to Senators John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Kelly Ayotte, and Susan Collins having problems with her, Barack Obama could have a major headache at a time when he needs to choose his battles.

But if Obama decided to pick John Kerry instead, it will look as if he is caving in to GOP opposition, particularly after his very strong defense of Rice in a press conference.

So Obama has pluses and minuses in this Susan Rice matter, and it will be interesting to see what path he takes.

The Susan Rice Controversy: Much Ado Over Nothing, And Making John McCain, Lindsey Graham And Kelly Ayotte Look Ridiculous!

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The continuing controversy over UN Ambassador Susan Rice and her statements on Sunday talk shows about the events in Benghazi, Libya, which led to the death of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three others on September 11, has been blown so out of proportion that it borders on the ridiculous at this point!

A Fox News Channel and Mitt Romney inspired incident, it has led Senator John McCain to look like a total fool; Senator Lindsey Graham to look as if he is seeking for an issue to hold off Tea Party opposition to his reelection in South Carolina in 2014; and Senator Kelly Ayotte to come across as a freshman woman Senator who is hitching on the issue to make herself noticed, but in an embarrassing way that will trivialize her hope to become a national figure, after she was passed over by Mitt Romney to be his running mate for Vice President. Meanwhile, Senator Joe Lieberman, usually part of the “gang of three”, but now retiring, has decided NOT to join this cry for Rice’s head, showing some real intelligence as he leaves the Senate, but with Ayotte replacing him, to her degradation!

For anyone to be held so accountable for what he or she says on Sunday talk shows as Susan Rice is being held, is totally off the wall, and by that standard, Dick Cheney would have been impeached and removed from the Vice Presidency; Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell would have been drummed out of office, or in the case of Rice, denied the chance to be Secretary of State; and McCain and Graham themselves would be forced out of the Senate for past incorrect, inaccurate, or stupid comments!

Susan Rice is perfectly qualified to be Secretary of State, and instead has been pilloried in a manner unbecoming her distinction, her education and academic accomplishments, and her distinguished public career. Her education and brilliance, when compared to the measly such accomplishments of McCain, Graham, and Ayotte, makes them all look more like the jealous competitors for academic excellence who decide to downgrade their successful competitor by spreading innuendo, rumors, character assassination, and ridicule, because they have nothing else to offer.

All three Senators should apologize profusely to Susan Rice, stop their bull “feathers”, and get down to serious business serving their constituents, and stop seeking the limelight. And if Kelly Ayotte, the only one with serious long term potential, wishes to be seen seriously, she had better abandon these two Senators past their prime, and stake out her own identity, or become totally irrelevant, and a “joke” in Senate circles!

Secretary Of State John Kerry Or Secretary Of State Susan Rice? Kerry Should Be Favored!

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With all of the hullabaloo over Senator John McCain’s derogatory comments about United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice in regards to the September 11 Libyan ambassador death controversy, a momentum has built up in the Obama Administration to double down on Rice, and decide to nominate her to be Hillary Clinton’s replacement as Secretary of State.

Susan Rice is certainly qualified for the position, and would do a fine job in the State Department. She has excellent qualifications, and educational and scholarly credentials to back her up for the nomination.

But what this struggle between John McCain and Barack Obama has done is minimize the possibility that the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and 2004 Democratic Presidential nominee, Senator John Kerry, might gain the position.

Kerry has has a long, distinguished career in the Senate, and had he been President, he would have had to deal with all of the many international matters that would have arisen. He has been a forceful spokesmen on foreign affairs for many years, and having been an anti war advocate in the past, SHOULD be seen as a positive factor, unlike conservative commentator Bill Kristol’s assertion on Fox News Channel yesterday that Kerry’s past anti war stands should disqualify him for the position. Kerry truly deserves this position, and would not be the first losing Presidential candidate to become Secretary of State, joining a long list who have served in the State Department after losing the Presidency, including

HENRY CLAY
JOHN C CALHOUN
DANIEL WEBSTER
LEWIS CASS
JAMES G BLAINE
WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN
CHARLES EVANS HUGHES

Also, there have been former Presidential contenders, who failed to win the nomination, who have later served as Secretary of State, including:

WILLIAM SEWARD
EDMUND MUSKIE
HILLARY CLINTON

So TEN former Presidential seekers have gone on to serve as Secretary of State, and anyone with knowledge of American diplomatic history KNOWS that they are among the very best people we have had in that position, particularly the case with Clay, Calhoun, Webster, Blaine, Hughes, Seward, and Clinton. So if seven out of the ten have made a major impact, that is an excellent argument for John Kerry as Secretary of State!

John McCain Losing All Respect And Credibility Over Benghazi–Susan Rice Controversy

Ronald 3 Comments

Senator John McCain of Arizona, the 2008 GOP Presidential nominee, once was treated with great respect, but it is apparent that he is now on a tirade against the Obama Administration in a way that reflects on him in a horrible manner.

McCain has totally politicized the tragedy of the death of Ambassador Chris Stevens, along with three others, in Benghazi, Libya, at the American Consulate in that city on September 11.

The fact that United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice, in an interview on a Sunday talk show, gave information from the Central Intelligence Agency that turned out to be inaccurate, has been used as a weapon by McCain, Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, New York Congressman Peter King, and many other Republicans as an excuse to question Susan Rice’s qualifications to be a potential Secretary of State in the second term of Barack Obama, with McCain claiming that Rice is not very smart, and ridiculing her credentials in a very dismissive manner.

President Obama has come to her defense, and has made it clear that he might elevate Rice to the State Department, and has clearly expressed his disgust with McCain, Graham and others for their personal attack on a good public servant, who was simply reporting what the CIA head, David Petraeus, had told her the weekend after the tragic event.

McCain has said he would personally block her nomination to be Secretary of State, so there may be a confrontation in the making.

This massively insulting and stupid behavior by McCain brings a few ideas to mind.

1. Is McCain still showing resentment and envy because Barack Obama defeated him in 2008?

2. Does McCain realize how ridiculous he sounds, regarding Rice’s not being smart and having a lack of qualifications, when he had the temerity to give us Sarah Palin as his Vice Presidential running mate, creating the fear of this supremely unqualified woman being a heartbeat away from the Presidency, and still defends his terrible choice to this day?

3. Also, McCain’s increasingly erratic behavior, and his growing anger and rage, and irrational stands on many issues, can make one wonder if he is starting to lose it mentally, and is in early stages of Alzheimers Disease. It makes one thankful he did not win the Presidency four years ago, and also makes one remember the thought at that time that his well known temper tantrums could be a sign of mental illness, caused by his imprisonment and torture in North Vietnam forty years ago during the Vietnam War.

The point is that there is a case that can be made that John McCain has passed his prime, and should consider resigning, due to his advanced age and weird behavior!

Two Issues On Each Side Of Presidential Campaign Will Decide The Election

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As we look back on the Presidential campaign of 2012, it is clear that the election being decided within hours will be based on two issues that affected each side, and occurring within the past two months.

If Mitt Romney wins, it will be because of:

The attack on the Libyan Consulate in Benghazi,which has caused grief for President Obama.

The lackadaisical performance of Barack Obama in the first Presidential debate.

If Barack Obama wins, it will be because of:

Romney’s “47 Percent” speech in Boca Raton, Florida, revealed in September.

Hurricane Sandy last week, and Obama’s reaction to it, including the “bromance” of Obama with Republican New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and the Romney campaign’s criticism of Christie.

Much will be written about the campaign, but these factors, arising in the last two months, will be seen as key factors in what occurs!

Two September 11ths—One Unifying, One Politicizing

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On September 11, 2001, the greatest attack on American soil took place, and the nation united around George W. Bush. Only much later were there political debates surrounding that tragedy.

Eleven year later, on September 11, we saw the horrible attack on our consulate in Benghazi, Libya, with the resulting death of four Americans, including our Ambassador Chris Stevens. Instead of uniting around this tragedy, which as bad as it was, is far less of a tragedy than the killing of 3,000 Americans in 2001, instead the opposition Republicans have utilized it as a way to weaken the image of Barack Obama in an area that he has a reputation of great success—foreign policy!

If it were not for this unfortunate attack, the Republican Party and Mitt Romney would have no leg to stand on in the foreign policy debate tonight in Boca Raton, Florida.

As it is, polls show that President Obama has favorable ratings in foreign policy, and the hope is that tonight, Obama will show the inadequacies of Mitt Romney to be our Commander in Chief in charge of foreign policy for the next four years!

The Growing Bond Between Barack Obama And Bill And Hillary Clinton

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It is hard to believe that in 2007-2008, Barack Obama was involved in a heated “war” with Hillary and Bill Clinton, as Hillary sought the Democratic Presidential nomination, her husband became intimately involved, and bad words and thoughts and accusations reigned on a regular basis between the rivals.

But then, Barack Obama made the smartest move of his Presidency, selecting Hillary to be his Secretary of State, taking a page from Abraham Lincoln, who picked his leading rival in 1860, Senator William Seward of New York, to be his Secretary of State.

So a political leader from Illinois selected a political rival from New York in both circumstances, and now we can say that in both cases, it made a dramatic difference in the success of the Lincoln and Obama Presidencies!

Seward was massively important to Lincoln in the trials of the Civil War, in conducting diplomacy with Great Britain and France to keep them out of the Civil War.

Hillary Clinton has been very important as an equally loyal supporter of Barack Obama, sharing the burdens of foreign policy with the President, and becoming closer to him as a result.

And then last week, Bill Clinton, who seemed to hate Barack Obama in 2007-2008, made the most effective speech possible to help Barack Obama, at the Democratic National Convention, and now Obama has gained in every public opinion poll imaginable, and just as that occurs, the crisis in the Middle East has joined the President and Hillary together emotionally and physically as they have dealt with the crisis, and presided today over the return of the four victims to the United States in a dignified way.

Obama and Hillary Clinton are dealing together with the issues involved in the Middle East, as well as the irresponsible Republican Party opposition, in a very dignified and sophisticated manner.

The performance of Hillary Clinton makes her more than ever someone who must be considered for President in 2016, even though she professes weariness, and desire to retire from politics completely next year.

But if she changes her mind about running to succeed Obama, one has to wonder how Obama would deal with the obvious conflict that might result. That is, should Obama be loyal to her candidacy, or instead be loyal to his honorable, committed team mate, Vice President Joe Biden?

This may be the ultimate quandary for President Obama in 2015 and 2016, depending on events!