I guess things must not be going well with Joe Wilson's (and wife Valerie Plame's) movie. It was hyped bigtime over a year ago and now that Warner Bros project appears to have dropped out of sight. I sure know Wilson's book is way down in the DUMPS at #1,310,194 in Amazon. The paperback edition isn't doing much better at #266,321. This might explain Joe Wilson's over-the-top partisanship in favor of Hillary. 'Fess up, Joe. What did Hillary promise you? The Secretary of State slot if she is elected president? In any event, it is entertaining to watch Wilson viciously attack Obama as you can see in his HUffington Post BLOG titled "Smears and Tears: How Obama's National Security Week Turned Into the Mendacity of Hype." Yet another symptom that Rush Limbaugh's Operation Chaos is working beautifully. So let us now watch Joe Wilson attack Obama in Bolshevik Red while the commentary of your humble correspondent, enjoying the spectacle of Wilson desperately fighting to overturn his well deserved has-been status, is in the [brackets]:
Smears and Tears: How Obama's National Security Week Turned Into the Mendacity of Hype
[From an expert in mendacity.]
The past week marked the fifth anniversary of the Iraq War and the milestone of the 4,000th American soldier killed in that disastrous adventure. Commemorating and underscoring the urgent need for a new policy direction, Senator Clinton delivered a serious and detailed address clearly setting out her vision for and commitment to ending the conflict. Her approach includes a direct critique of the most glaring failures of the Bush administration: its unwillingness to use political pressure and intense international diplomacy to effect a resolution of the outstanding differences that have driven the region into a proxy war within Iraq with the United States manning and supporting combatants on all sides. For years American generals have been telling the administration, the Congress, and the public that Iraq is not a situation that lends itself to a military solution and will only be resolved politically. While the focus of American opprobrium has been on the Iraqi government for its failure to find those solutions, Senator Clinton, in her speech, is the first presidential candidate to spell out in a precise plan the elements required for an international effort, including co-opting and controlling the enablers of the ongoing violence in Iraq, to promote political reconciliation and reform.
[I guess the news about the success of the Surge has never reached Joe Wilson.]
My wife, former CIA agent, Valerie, and I accompanied Senator Clinton to Philadelphia the day after her speech. Valerie pointed out in her comments how, in the run up to the invasion, the administration lied to the Congress and the American people about the nature and the seriousness of the weapons of mass destruction threat posed by Saddam Hussein. The Bush administration's willful twisting of intelligence was crucial to manipulation of the press, the public and the Congress. Not until months later, after the invasion, did the facts of the administration's distortion of intelligence slowly begin to trickle out, partly as a result of my own efforts in a New York Times opinion piece in July 2003.
[Did Valerie Plame also finally admit to lying about how she had no role in sending hubby Wilson to Niger?]
Understandably, Senator Obama's speech on race relations overshadowed Senator Clinton's policy pronouncements. While laudable in intent, Senator Obama would never have made the speech had his relationship with fiery pastor Jeremiah Wright not become a public relations nightmare for him. Among other things, Wright preaches that the United States government unleashed the HIV virus in Africa to kill blacks. (Having worked in Africa for much of my adult life, including with one of the early AIDS researchers, Dr. Jonathan Mann, I can safely say that there is absolutely no evidence to sustain Wright's reckless charge.) Obama had no choice but to address his 20-year close relationship with a man he still considers, as he made clear in his speech, a mentor.
[Team Clinton will hit on that Rev. Wright connection again and again and again. Another product of Operation Chaos.]
In the immediate aftermath, the Obama campaign dispatched several foreign policy surrogates to blitz the airwaves, supposedly to offer alternatives to Clinton's recommendations. But that's not what happened. Instead, Hillary was subjected to yet another round of personal abuse, denigration and ridicule rather than a serious debate of the issues. The real subtext of the Obama campaign was to attack Hillary in order to distract from Obama's association with his anti-American preacher. National security went un-addressed. Rather than filling in his largely absent record, Obama had his surrogates engage in what can be termed the mendacity of hype.
[Back to Rev. Wright again. The favorite topic of the Clinton surrogates.]
Zbigniew Brzezinski, an otherwise serious person, made the extraordinarily silly comment belittling two-term Senator Clinton by comparing her experience to that of Mamie Eisenhower and his own travel agent after offering an analysis of the situation in Iraq and the path to a resolution that essentially mirrored the basic points Senator Clinton made in her speech. Brzezinski was not asked and did not explain why Obama early embraced him as an adviser and openly praised him, but recently has coldly distanced himself because of Brzezinski's controversial views on Israel.
[Great. Keep labeling Obama as anti-Israel. It will help him NOT in the general election. Another result of Operation Chaos.]
Nor did Brzezinski address the bloody issue of mercenary forces like Blackwater, which Obama states should be allowed to remain part of our military force in Iraq -- a position challenged by Senator Clinton, who has called for phasing them out. In place of practical policies, Brzezinski offered his vague "sense" that Obama is a person who understands change before it takes place and is therefore capable of making "transcendental" decisions, whatever that might mean. For a man with a reputation as tough-minded, Brzezinski retreated into cloudy abstraction in his defense of Obama, who, according to the Senator, he, Brzezinksi, knows hardly at all.
[I'm not sure that Obama can even spell "Brzezinksi."]
Senator John Kerry, another Obama surrogate, offered the startling observation that Obama is better equipped than anyone else to bridge the divide between the U.S. and the Muslim world and end Islamic extremism and terorrism -- "because he's a black man." There is absolutely no empirical evidence to sustain that claim, the notion that a single individual, even one with a resume filled with appropriate experience, would be able to halt terrorism because of the color of his skin. It is patently absurd. But Kerry presented nothing to back up his astounding racial reasoning. And the Obama campaign was remarkably silent on Kerry's racialization of the foreign policy discussion.
[John Kerry has Obama's back.]
Next, Governor Bill Richardson, who campaigned on his resume as a foreign policy practitioner, "agonized," he explained, before putting his faith in a "once in a lifetime leader" and endorsed Obama, repudiating his own rationale of experience as a prerequisite for being President. Rather than state why he believes Obama has superior national security credentials and positions, he opted to complain instead about James Carville comparing him to Judas Iscariot. Since Richardson made foreign policy the centerpiece of his campaign -- a direct consequence of President Bill Clinton's appointments -- and of the salience of foreign policy as an issue in the election, he owed an explanation of how Obama's foreign policy would make us stronger and more secure that Clinton's. But, preferring to defend himself against the charge of having betrayed the Clintons he neglected to discuss such policy.
[Check out this great VIDEO of Richardson and Obama being interviewed together. Huevos Rancheros!]
Then, there was retired Air Force General, Merrill "Tony" McPeak, whose media appearance last week consisted of making the outrageous charge that Bill Clinton was using "McCarthy-like tactics" simply because he mentioned, in the event of a Hillary-McCain match-up, that Hillary and McCain are good patriots and that the campaign should be devoted to a substantive debate of the issues. Even the right wing National Review's Kathleen Parker, who was at the event, felt compelled to correct the record. "Bill Clinton was saying that Hillary and McCain are both good patriots who love their country, not that all those unmentioned are something else."
[Huevos Rancheros! Sorry. I just couldn't get that phrase out of my mind.]
Bill Clinton, of course, was not using "McCarthy-like tactics," but the Obama campaign was eager to smear him. Which was guilty of "McCarthy-like tactics"? Attack the character of your adversaries; demean them; turn them into caricatures; while lying about someone, claim they are liars.
[That sounds like a game plan fresh out of the Clinton War Room.]
Finally, the Obama campaign pushed a compliant press corps, all too eager to do its bidding rather than maintain its standards of objectivity and skepticism, into hyping a mini-pseudo-scandal: whether Hillary "misspoke" about being under sniper fire when she paid a visit to Tuzla in Bosnia in 1996. In fact, the then-First Lady was told the plane was diving to land to avoid possible sniper fire. Whether there was or not is irrelevant. Anybody who has been involved in these situations, as I have, knows this. The threat was apparently real enough for U.S. military on the ground, the pilot and her security detail to engage in evasive procedures. That should have been the end of the matter. But the cable TV talking heads nattered the Obama campaign talking points endlessly.
[A dangerous situation in Tuzla. Hillary was forced to delay eating her plate of huevos rancheros.]
Obama's week of rolling out national security surrogates and talking points was not a pretty sight and turned out to have almost nothing to do with bolstering his thin credentials. His distracting efforts were a clear attempt to deflect attention from them, in fact. In response to Hillary's detailed, substantive speech on Iraq, Obama replied with ad hominem insults. Instead of presenting his own plan, his campaign indulged in character assassination.
[May I have ad hominey grits with my huevos rancheros?]
Senator Obama and his campaign should get back to defending his policy positions and record rather than diminish a good person and an accomplished public servant. They know better.
[And I know better than to interfere with your Operation Chaos inspired attacks on Barack Obama. And now to hear from the HUffies before I consume a plate of huevos rancheros...]
This makes me sad. I used to respect Joseph Wilson, but I'm losing more respect for him with every piece of his I read that lauds Hillary and attacks Barack.
[The left is now being forced to see the real Joe Wilson thanks to Operation Chaos.]
It is evident, although still hoping for a last second win, Clnton is laying the groundwork for a 2012 run by using the quoted "Tanya Harding option". Cripple Obama in the general election to help McCain win.
[Hee! Hee! Thank you, Hillary!]
Sadly, it appears Hillary would rather ruin the party than simply help out her country. ... That sounds harsher than I want it to, but it is the way she is being perceived. With her skills backing up Obama, or even vice-versa, now that would have been a team. But now that she clearly can NOT win without hi-jinks, her current scorched earth approach are making such options mighty scarce.
[Just don't scorch my huevos rancheros.]
I admire Wilson for standing up to Bush and Co . But is saddens me that he had become part of the Clinton attack machine. I don't know what he has been offered but it must be sweet.
[I'm thinking the Secretary of State slot.]
Joe I find it ironic that you come out with a hit job piece using Reverend Wright in part of your attack. I would hope you would show more character after being smeared by the Bush Administration. Talk about policy and how it will affect us but don't bring mudsling Republican tactics to your arguement. Like the Clintons, I have now lost respect for you also. Kind of makes me wonder if my past support was a mistake.
[It was.]
And one more thing: Why are all Hillary supporters completely clueless on issues regarding foreign and domestic policy? I think the majority of Hillary voters spend more time reading The Davinci Code than anything really substantive.
[Da Vinci Code. Most boring movie ever until the Plame-Wilson movie...if it is ever made.]
as for the Judas remark. I don't know of course but I believe that there was a very pointed message for Richardson that would be known between them. Perhaps he had already been offered and accepted a position in the cabinet if Hillary won and when he got a better deal he turned. That is kind of a betrayal I'd say. Of course I don't know but watching Carvill sticking to his remmark just gave me that feeling.
[An egg is a premature chicken.]
It's embarrassing to see Joe Wilson use what happened to his wife to nakedly shill for Hillary. It makes all three of them look bad. I imagine that's precisely why Arianna continues to allow Joe to do it; he seems to be blissfully unaware he's in a hole and can't stop digging.
[Joe Wilson is standing at the highway underpass with a sign that says: "Will Shill For Work."]
Jesus Christ, Joe! Stop it!
[Don't stop, Joe!]
Every time you post a pro-Hillary article here, you further destroy your own reputation. You brandish bias like it's a virtue. Your selective recollection and misrepresentation of the facts are even worse than Wolfson's. At least with him, everyone knows it's his JOB to twist reality to make his boss look good. He's not putting his own personal credibility on the line when he lies, because everyone knows it's just part of the job. Hillary's reputation takes a hit, not his. When you post comments like this, you are allegedly doing so as a concerned individual. It's YOUR credibility that is at stake when you post. YOU are the one who has to suffer the consequences.
[Keep destroying your reputation!]
So, just stop it!
[Don't stop, Joe!]
You used to be a hero to me, but now your "kitchen sink" smears against Obama have destroyed all of the goodwill you had built up with your opposition to the war.
[Don't toss my huevos rancheros into the kitchen sink.]
Must be hard out there for a pimp... As we continue to see Joe Wilson pimp out not only himself but his wife's issues with the Bush administration in service of the Madam, Hillary Clinton. It is sad to watch someone who COULD still be of service to country being tainted by association with the Clintons (Valerie Plame) and disgusting to watch someone who provide other service to the country and to his party, decide to abandon all scruples and squandor his personal credibility by becoming a thug in service of Hillary Rodham Clinton. Sadly for Wilson, he does not realize this is not about government jobs, but the respect of the people he onced served. Our respect is gone, never to return. Growing up, I was often admonished to be careful of the company I kept and more importantly, what I had to do to keep them. Joe's mama must have forgotten to deliver that lesson.
[Folks, this disenchantment with Joe Wilson by the left goes on for at least 19 pages at the HUffington POst. You are welcome to enter this goldmine of material and post the best of the nuggets. As for me, I am too hungry for huevos rancheros to continue.]