Susan Rice, you ain’t no Condi

So on the Sunday shows, Susan Rice says the Benghazi attack was not pre-planned, but a spontaneous response to the Mohammad video.

Libyan and Egyptian officials claim the attacks were pre-planned, falling on the 11th anniversary of 9/11…in Egypt, the brother of an AQ leader was in the attack on the Egyptian embassy and they replaced the American flag with an AQ banner.

In Egypt, rampagers chanted “Obama! Obama! We are all Osama!” and in Afghanistan “Death to America!”

And yet, according to Susan Rice, we are loved in the Middle East and this was just a spontaneous protest to the video.

The Obama administration knew attacks were planned before 9/11/12 and did nothing about them. There was minimal security in Benghazi and in Tripoli, meaning no Marines and an unarmed British security firm, which was okay-ed by Secretary Clinton.

Obama Press Sec. Jay Carney last week: protest, not the work of extremists. Today: okay, maybe it could have been pre-planned.

Heads should roll for putting our Foreign Service operatives at risk and especially for the death of our Ambassador to Libya.

Comparing the Benches

So with the Republican National Conference over and the Democratic National Convention starting, one only has to look at the speakers to see who the rising stars (“the benches”) are for each party. Let’s put them in a depth chart

Republicans:

• First String: VA Gov. Bob McDonnell; WI Gov. Scott Walker; SC Gov. Nikki Haley; NJ Gov. Chris Christie; LA Gov. Bobby Jindal; SD Sen. John Thune; Former Sec. of State Condoleezza Rice; WI  Rep. Paul Ryan; FL Sen. Marco Rubio
• Second String: NH Sen. Kelly Ayotte; OK Gov. Mary Fallin; NV Gov. Brian Sandoval; KY Sen. Rand Paul; OH Sen. Rob Portman; PR Gov. Luis Fortuño; NM Gov. Susana Martinez; Former FL Gov. Jeb Bush; TX Sen. Ted Cruz
• Third String: ND Sen. John Hoeven; TN Rep. Marsha Blackburn; WA Rep. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers; Saratoga Springs Mayor Mia Love; OH Gov. John Kasich; Former MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty

Democrats

• First String: CO Gov. John Hickenlooper; Former VA Gov. Tim Kaine; MD Gov. Martin O’Malley; Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; MT Gov. Brian Schweitzer; MA Senate Candidate Elizabeth Warren
• Second String: Newark Mayor Corey Booker; San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro; Chicago Mayor Rahm Emmanuel; Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx; NC Sen. Kay Hagan; Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter; Vice President Joe Biden; MN Senator Amy Klobuchar; Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Vilagarossa
• Third String: WI Senate Candidate Tammy Baldwin; House of Representatives Candidate Joaquin Castro; MA Gov. Deval Patrick; Former OH Gov. Ted Strickland; Houston Mayor Annisse Parker

Ole Straddlin’ Madeleine Albright: Let’s Blame Bush Forever

At a foreign policy event in Missouri today, former Clinton Secretary of State Madeleine Albright was asked by a gentleman ‘So how long are you people going to blame the previous administration?” Assuming it was a campaign event (which I don’t believe it was), she responded, “FOREVER!”

I hope that’s the way the Democrats continue to go. No personality responsibility on their part, only President George W. Bush. This not a Bush recession, this is a Clinton-Bush-Congress recession. Clinton’s housing policies started this, Bush’s spending continue it, and Congress’ lack of restraint and inability to see the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac debacle coming finished it.

President Obama said after four year, it was his economy. Perhaps Ms. Albright should realize Bush isn’t on the ballot. Bush hasn’t been in office for four years and he hasn’t been out blaming other people since leaving office. Democrats have such a problem leaving office and staying out of the news (Jimmy Carter…Bill Clinton…). Let sleeping dogs lie and get on with it.

Albright also warned the crowd that if you liked all the people who served under Bush, they will be back under Mitt Romney. I’m so glad Madeleine Albright knows what personnel Mitt Romney is going to hire. I didn’t know she was privy to such information.

While I respect her for serving as the United States’ first female Secretary of State, she needs to know when her comments are not necessary.

Hill-Dog is Ready to Rumble

So a lot of chatter that Pres. Obama asked Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to take over the VP spot and have VP Joe Biden step down for “medical reasons” or just plain retire (Or did he? Rumors also that is was confidant and pain the ass Valerie Jarrett who asked her).

The Washington Examiner said she was approached and rejected the invitation two weeks ago.

“As recently as a couple of weeks ago, the White House was putting out feelers to see if Hillary Clinton was interested in replacing Joe Biden on the ticket,” Klein told Secrets. “Bill Clinton, I’m told, was urging his wife to accept the number two spot if it was formally offered. Bill sees the vice presidency as the perfect launching pad for Hillary to run for president in 2016.”

Two vice presidents for the price of one!!

But this idea has a lot of pros and cons and could destroy the Democratic Party or give it a huge boost for years to come. Let’s discuss:

Pros

• Secretary Clinton is POPULAR. Head cheerleader popular. Like, oh my god. Talk about a boost to Obama’s iffy re-elect chances.
• If she’s added and Obama-Clinton wins in 2012, you immediately have a top-tier candidate for 2016. She does (and always will, so will Bill) have ambitions about her being President. This lays the groundwork and she’s immediately the top of the pack in ’16 (take that, Elizabeth Warren!)
• If she is added and Obama-Clinton wins in 2012 AND it is a successful second term for Obama, guess who gets a lot of the credit? Vice President Hillary Clinton. Which would probably put her as the odds-on favorite to beat whoever the GOP runs in 2016 (take that, Chris Christie!)

Cons

• She hurts the ticket. The Democratic Party is torn apart by the dumping of Biden and makes Obama out to look like he’s scared shitless (which he is…I mean, Seamus…chains…tax returns…)! This tanks his chances for re-elect because no incumbent President has dumped his VP while running for a second term since 1944.
• She’s added to the ticket and they lost. Now she’s a loser. She can still run in ’16, but guess what…Elizabeth Warren, Andrew Cuomo, and Martin O’Malley are nipping at her heels and ready to blame her for the ’12 loss. Cannibalism is the funnest part of politics!
• She’s added to the ticket and they win, but Obama’s second term is worse than his first. She’s still the favorite to win the Democratic nomination (most likely), but she’s looking to get demolished  by whomever the GOP runs (Christie, Ryan, Rubio, whatever….she could lose to Palin if the conditions are right).

Not sure the pros outweigh the cons in this case. And neither did she. Her best bet is to retire as Secretary of State and start laying the groundwork for a 2016 run regardless of what happens. She can run to succeed Obama (most likely successor) or she can run to challenge the incumbent President Mitt Romney.

Klein has sources deep in the Clinton camp and he said that they said she is eager for a rest followed by a makeover. “She clearly is exhausted. She needs to lose weight and get her energy back for a four-year slog.”

So pull out those placards and bumper stickers and a sharpie folks. Hillary ’16??

Morning Dump, August 16th

Good morning everyone. Now that you’ve had your coffee, sit upon your throne and let’s get to work:

Global News

• Ecuador grants asylum to Julian Assange. Right…thank you for intervening Ecuador, but i is not necessary. The same country who declared it’s own debt illegitimate and files lawsuits against journalists wants to protect a journalist? Okay…moving on…
• Egyptian President Morsi has disempowered the military and is drafting a new Constitution. I say good for Egypt, regardless of whether they become an Islamist State or not. The people voted for Morsi, he is the President, and the military should not been able to do much about it. There is hope among Americans and Europeans he will lead Egypt further into democratization.

U.S. News

• Is Biden off the ticket? The Weekly Standard is reporting that at 10:45 ET, President Obama, Vice President Biden, and Secretary Clinton have a closed-to-press meeting in the Oval Office, followed by a private lunch between President Obama and VP Biden at 12:30 ET, also closed to the press. Could this be Obama having a “come to Jesus” talk with VP Biden that it is time to “retire for medical reasons” after his week of bad gaffes/press? FWIW, both former Gov. Sarah Palin and Sen. John McCain have called for him to removed…not that their opinions is anything more than a “bucket of warm spit” to Pres. Obama, to quote VP John Nance Garner.
• Is Iowa on board with Obama? After a campaign trip to the Hawkeye State, the Des Moines Register reports Iowa residents believe Pres. Obama has to run on his record.

 

“An incumbent has to run on his record,” said Timothy Hagle, a political science professor at the University of Iowa. “Obama tried to deflect the poor results of his programs by first noting that he inherited the problem. But most people no longer care whose fault it was. They just want it fixed.”

• Is Ryan a drag with Hispanic voters? Politico looks at the reasons why Rep. Paul Ryan might be a hindrance to Hispanic outreach for the Romney campaign. Most notably: he is part of a very unpopular Republican Congress and his stance on the Cuban embargo.

Texas News

• Protesting the Feeding Ordinance: CM Helena Brown (Batshit Cray) joined protestors in serving meals to Houston’s homeless in violation of a new city ordinance that requires organizations get written consent from the city before feeding the homeless. Necessary of not?

And that’s your dump for the day. Senate Predictions coming up after lunch.