http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/noonan/ en-us Sun, 7 Mar 2010 23:44:50 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2466126/posts From Obama lover to this?The New York Times today adds yet another installment in my series "what went wrong" with the Obama presidency by focusing the blame on chief strategist David Axelrod. Good old David, who just loves Obama a little too much is under fire for not doing a better job directing the President. Axelrod's response was combative and so typical of the denial of reality which grips the Obama White House: In an interview in his office, Mr. Axelrod was often defiant, saying he did not give a “flying” expletive “about what the peanut gallery thinks” and did... Flopping Aces http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2466126/posts#comment Sun, 7 Mar 2010 23:44:50 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2465660/posts It is now exactly a year since President Obama unveiled his health care push and his decision to devote his inaugural year to it—his branding year, his first, vivid year. What a disaster it has been. At best it was a waste of history’s time, a struggle that will not in the end yield something big and helpful but will in fact make future progress more difficult. At worst it may... --snip-- Does anyone believe this? Does anyone who knows the ways of government, the compulsions of Congress, and how history has played out in the past, believe this? Even... Wall Street Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2465660/posts#comment Sat, 6 Mar 2010 21:16:12 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2450006/posts There is, I think, an amazing political fact right now that is hiding in plain sight and is rich with implications. It was there in President Obama's Jan. 25, pre-State of the Union interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer, who was pressing him about his political predicaments. "I'd rather be a really good one-term president than a mediocre two-term president," he said. "And I—and I believe that." Now this is the sort of thing presidents say, and often believe they believe, but at the end of the day they all want two terms. Except that Mr. Obama shows every sign of... Wall Street Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2450006/posts#comment Fri, 12 Feb 2010 17:43:52 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415724/posts Cannon to the left of him, cannon to the right of him, cannon in front of him volley and thunder. That's our president's position on the political battlefield now, taking it from all sides. And the odd thing, the unique thing in terms of modern political history, is that no one really defends him, no one holds high his flag. When was the last time you put on the radio or TV and heard someone say "Open line Friday—we're talking about what it is we like best about Barack Obama!" When did you last see a cable talking head say,... Wall Street Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2415724/posts#comment Sun, 27 Dec 2009 14:51:22 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2397143/posts From journalist Elizabeth Drew, a veteran and often sympathetic chronicler of Democratic figures, a fiery denunciation of—and warning for—the White House. In a piece in Politico on the firing of White House counsel Greg Craig, Ms. Drew reports that while the president was in Asia last week, "a critical mass of influential people who once held big hopes for his presidency began to wonder whether they had misjudged the man." They once held "an unromantically high opinion of Obama," and were key to his rise, but now they are concluding that the president isn't "the person of integrity or even... Wall Street Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2397143/posts#comment Mon, 30 Nov 2009 21:48:27 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2395837/posts This week, two points in an emerging pointillist picture of a White House leaking support—not the support of voters, though polls there show steady decline, but in two core constituencies, Washington's Democratic-journalistic establishment, and what might still be called the foreign-policy establishment. From journalist Elizabeth Drew, a veteran and often sympathetic chronicler of Democratic figures, a fiery denunciation of—and warning for—the White House. In a piece in Politico on the firing of White House counsel Greg Craig, Ms. Drew reports that while the president was in Asia last week, "a critical mass of influential people who once held big hopes... WSJ http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2395837/posts#comment Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:28:50 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2395426/posts This week, two points in an emerging pointillist picture of a White House leaking support—not the support of voters, though polls there show steady decline, but in two core constituencies, Washington's Democratic-journalistic establishment, and what might still be called the foreign-policy establishment. From journalist Elizabeth Drew, a veteran and often sympathetic chronicler of Democratic figures, a fiery denunciation of—and warning for—the White House. In a piece in Politico on the firing of White House counsel Greg Craig, Ms. Drew reports that while the president was in Asia last week, "a critical mass of influential people who once held big hopes... The Wall Street Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2395426/posts#comment Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:40:22 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2395266/posts This week, two points in an emerging pointillist picture of a White House leaking support—not the support of voters, though polls there show steady decline, but in two core constituencies, Washington's Democratic-journalistic establishment, and what might still be called the foreign-policy establishment. From journalist Elizabeth Drew, a veteran and often sympathetic chronicler of Democratic figures, a fiery denunciation of—and warning for—the White House. In a piece in Politico on the firing of White House counsel Greg Craig, Ms. Drew reports that while the president was in Asia last week, "a critical mass of influential people who once held big hopes... Wall Street Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2395266/posts#comment Fri, 27 Nov 2009 06:53:47 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2385497/posts The president has been taking time thinking about Afghanistan. I cannot see why this is bad. If he's really thinking, he's not dithering—thought can be harder than action, weighing plans as hard as choosing and executing one. A question of such consequence deserves pondering. A president ought to summon and hear counsel before committing or removing American troops. Wall Street Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2385497/posts#comment Fri, 13 Nov 2009 14:09:19 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2381907/posts Americans feel increasingly disheartened, and our leaders don't even notice.___ The new economic statistics put growth at a healthy 3.5% for the third quarter. We should be dancing in the streets. No one is, because no one has any faith in these numbers. Waves of money are sloshing through the system, creating a false rising tide that lifts all boats for the moment. The tide will recede. The boats aren't rising, they're bobbing, and will settle. No one believes the bad time is over. No one thinks we're entering a new age of abundance. No one thinks it will ever... Wall Street Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2381907/posts#comment Mon, 9 Nov 2009 03:48:24 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2375402/posts In response to the NY-23 news, Rush Limbaugh tells me: “Hmmm... I thought the Era of Reagan was over? Who was it that said that? Oh yeah, the smart people on our side who told us the only way we could win was with moderate/liberal candidates like Scozzafava. Hmmm...” National Review Online http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2375402/posts#comment Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:02:11 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2375130/posts OCTOBER 30, 2009 We're Governed by Callous Children Americans feel increasingly disheartened, and our leaders don't even notice. By PEGGY NOONAN The new economic statistics put growth at a healthy 3.5% for the third quarter. We should be dancing in the streets. No one is, because no one has any faith in these numbers. Waves of money are sloshing through the system, creating a false rising tide that lifts all boats for the moment. The tide will recede. The boats aren't rising, they're bobbing, and will settle. No one believes the bad time is over. No one thinks we're entering... Wall St. Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2375130/posts#comment Sat, 31 Oct 2009 04:30:47 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2374345/posts The new economic statistics put growth at a healthy 3.5% for the third quarter. We should be dancing in the streets. No one is, because no one has any faith in these numbers. ... No one thinks we're entering a new age of abundance. No one thinks it will ever be the same as before 2008. * * * The biggest threat to America right now is not government spending, huge deficits, foreign ownership of our debt, world terrorism, two wars, potential epidemics or nuts with nukes. The biggest long-term threat is that people are becoming and have become disheartened,... WSJ http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2374345/posts#comment Fri, 30 Oct 2009 08:42:42 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2369142/posts At a certain point, a president must own a presidency. For George W. Bush that point came eight months in, when 9/11 happened. From that point on, the presidency—all his decisions, all the credit and blame for them—was his. The American people didn't hold him responsible for what led up to 9/11, but they held him responsible for everything after it. This is part of the reason the image of him standing on the rubble of the twin towers, bullhorn in hand, on Sept.14, 2001, became an iconic one. It said: I'm owning it. Mr. Bush surely knew from the... Wall Street Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2369142/posts#comment Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:58:53 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2364876/posts We are a nation fully settled by government. The terrain ahead is both crowded and costly. People who oppose a health-care overhaul are not in love with insurance companies. They're not even in love with the status quo. Everyone knows the jerry-built system of the past half-century has weak points. They just don't think the current plan will shore them up. They think the plan would create new weak points and widen old ones. They think this because they have brains. But even that doesn't get to the real subtext of the opposition. Yes, the timing is wrong—we have other,... WSJ http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2364876/posts#comment Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:54:45 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2360012/posts It is absurd and it is embarrassing. It would even be infuriating if it were not such a declaration of emptiness. The Norwegian Nobel Committee has embarrassed itself and cheapened a great award that had real meaning. It was a good thing, the Nobel Peace Prize. Every year the giving of it was a matter of note throughout the world, almost a matter of state. It was serious. It mattered... The Wall Street Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2360012/posts#comment Sun, 11 Oct 2009 15:28:34 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2359948/posts Three-steps-from-crazy-cat-lady WSJ columnist Peggy Noonan is teaching at Harvard. Our spies report: "Peggy's a ridiculous, hilarious person to speaking with any authority on anything at all." They've provided us with her awesome quotes. We're presenting them emoticon-contextualized them for you... Gawker.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2359948/posts#comment Sun, 11 Oct 2009 13:26:19 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2353028/posts A few days ago, I was sent a link to a screed by MSNBC's left-wing anchorman Ed Schultz, in which he explained opposition to the president's health-care reform. "The Republicans lie. They want to see you dead. ... They kind of like it when that woman has cancer and they don't have anything for us." Next, a link to the syndicated show of right-wing radio talker Alex Jones ... "They'd love to kill 10,000 Americans," and, "The republic is falling right now." This, increasingly, is the sound of our political conversation. It is not new to call this kind of... The Wall Street Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2353028/posts#comment Fri, 2 Oct 2009 01:43:27 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2320937/posts Looking back, this must have been the White House health-care strategy: Health care as a subject is extraordinarily sticky, messy and confusing. It's inherently complicated, and it's personal. There are land mines all over the place. Don't make the mistake the Clintons made and create a plan that gets picked apart, shot down, and injures the standing of the president. Instead, push it off on Congress. Let them come up with a dozen plans. It will keep them busy. It will convince them yet again of their importance and autonomy. It will allow them to vent, and perhaps even exhaust,... The Wall Street Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2320937/posts#comment Fri, 21 Aug 2009 02:24:00 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2317503/posts >-snip-< What a disaster this health-care debate is. It strains, stresses and pierces, it unnecessarily agitates and is doomed to be the cause of further agitation. Who doubts the final bill will be something between a pig in a poke and three-card Monte? Which is too bad, because our health-care system actually needs to be made better. *** There are smart and experienced people who say whatever the mess right now, the president will get a bill of some sort because he has the brute numeric majority. A rising number say no, this thing has roused such ire he won't... http://online.wsj.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2317503/posts#comment Sun, 16 Aug 2009 22:38:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2317275/posts When George W. Bush did town halls like that—full of people who'd applaud if he said tomorrow we bring democracy to Saturn—it was considered a mark of manipulation and insecurity. The first question was from a Democratic state representative from Dover named Peter Schmidt. He began, "One of the things you've been doing in your campaign to change the situation is you've been striving for bipartisanship." "Right," the president purred. They were really holding his feet to the fire. "My question is," Mr. Schmidt continued, "if the Republicans actively refuse to participate in a reasonable way with reasonable proposals, isn't... WSJ http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2317275/posts#comment Sun, 16 Aug 2009 15:33:28 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2315954/posts Don't strain the system. Don't add to the national stress level. Don't pierce when you can envelop. Don't show even understandable indignation when you can show legitimate regard. Realize that the ties that bind still bind but have grown dryer and more worn with time. They need to be strengthened, not strained. Govern knowing we are a big, strong, mighty nation, a colossus that is, however, like all highly complex, highly wired organisms, fragile, even at places quite delicate. Don't overburden or overexcite the system. America used to have fringes, one over here and the other over there. The fringes... Wall Street Journal Opinion http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2315954/posts#comment Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:38:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2310409/posts We have entered uncharted territory in the fight over national health care. There’s a new tone in the debate, and it’s ugly. At the moment the Democrats are looking like something they haven’t looked like in years, and that is: desperate. They must know at this point they should not have pushed a national health-care plan. A Democratic operative the other day called it “Hillary’s revenge.” When Mrs. Clinton started losing to Barack Obama in the primaries 18 months ago, she began to give new and sharper emphasis to her health-care plan. Mr. Obama responded by talking about his health-care... WSJ http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2310409/posts#comment Fri, 7 Aug 2009 12:24:37 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2305986/posts The wishy washy "reaganism/conservatism" of P. Noonan began long ago before Obama. Here is what she wrote about Reagan after the Reagan/Mondale Debate in 1984. After this comment, as you know, The Gipper has been elected in the biggest landslide since George Washington ran unopposed in 1792. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2305986/posts#comment Sat, 1 Aug 2009 16:15:16 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2300866/posts Dame Peggy is now hoping that “Common Sense May Sink Obamacare.” This is why she gets the big bucks: | This is big, what’s happening. President Obama | appears to have misstepped on a major initiative | defining issue. He has misjudged the nation’s mood… Oh, has he now? Maybe a few other people did too? Like–perhaps yourself–you ego-bloated twit? I have news for you, Peggy…[Pardon me, I don't usually do this, but I feel a sudden need to switch to all caps and channel Mark Levin....THERE] …HEY PEGGY, COMMON SENSE WOULD HAVE SUNK THIS FRAUDULENT JACKASS BACK WHEN HE... Amused Cynic http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2300866/posts#comment Sat, 25 Jul 2009 15:18:08 GMT