Free Republic

WASHINGTON — President Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel had a poisonous relationship long before Mr. Netanyahu swept to victory on Tuesday night in elections watched minute-by-minute at the White House. But now that Mr. Netanyahu has won after aggressively campaigning against a Palestinian state and Mr. Obama’s potential nuclear deal with Iran, the question is whether the president and prime minister can ever repair their relationship — and whether Mr. Obama will even try. On Wednesday, part of the answer seemed to be that the president would not make the effort. In strikingly strong criticism, the White...

HELENE COOPER, NEW YORK TIMES: "I really do think at the end of the day, Larry, what you describe sounds like sort of the White House negotiating right now -- easily saying, 'Yeah, we can go over the fiscal cliff.' But at the end of the day, this is a president, he would have to own it. He may not think he has to own the recession; but if we go over that, he is going to have to own that. And that's something he definitely knows."

The Obama-loving media were out in force Sunday downplaying the significance of the White House's ever-changing position on the attacks on our consulate in Benghazi last month. After New York Times White House correspondent Helene Cooper called the death of four Americans "peripheral to what's going on right now" on Meet the Press, Time magazine's Joe Klein told Face the Nation viewers this matter "has been like the October mirage - it really isn't an issue" (video follows with transcript and commentary):Joe Klein: Benghazi Consulate Attack Controversy 'The October Mirage - It Really Isn't An Issue' JOE KLEIN, TIME MAGAZINE:...

The Obama White House is fearful of a Democratic primary challenge as Obama contemplates running for reelection in 2012, according to New York Times White House Correspondent Helene Cooper.Appearing on the Chris Matthews Show ths weekend, Cooper said Obama's advisers are concerned they'll face an intraparty challenge from the left as did President Jimmy Carter when Sen. Ted Kennedy took him on in 1980. A wounded Carter was soundly defeated later that Fall by Republican Ronald Reagan.One person who could lead a credible challenge from the left would be Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin. However he is set to go...