There’s no alternative to Bush

http://www.spectator.co.uk/article.php?table=&section=&issue=2006-01-14&id=7182 ^ | Mark Steyn

[mal]

Just because Ted Kennedy is busy working on a children’s book about a lovable anthropomorphised character called Splash (that’s the name of his Portuguese water dog, not his car) doesn’t mean he’s not playing his usual incisive role on the Senate judicial committee. Last week he attacked Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito for having been ‘influenced by the Goldwater presidency’. This week he was back from his alternative universe and more concerned with actual presidencies. ‘Undeterred by the public outcry,’ he fumed, ‘the President vows to continue spying on American citizens.’

What ‘public outcry’? Senator Kennedy is referring to the latest scandal du jour: the National Security Agency has been conducting ‘warrantless surveillance’ of communications between al-Qa’eda types overseas and their contacts in the US. And though the polls on the subject vary a bit, all have produced majorities in favour of the administration. That’s to say, if I’m getting calls in New Hampshire from Abu Musab al-Zarkawi, the American people see nothing wrong with the NSA eavesdropping on such calls. Back in President Goldwater’s day, there might have been a public outcry. But there isn’t now. As George W. Bush put it, with disarming straightforwardness, ‘If somebody from al-Qa’eda is calling you, we’d like to know why.’

[US admirer]

President Chirac warned on Tuesday that it would be a ‘grave error’ for Iran and North Korea to ignore the international community. But, honestly, would it? They know, even if Chirac doesn’t, that there is no ‘international community’. It would be a ‘grave error’ to ignore America and (in the case of Iran) Israel, but the rest you can pretty much ignore with impunity. Unless Chirac’s threatening to call in US-led military action, they’ve got nothing to worry about.

I love it.

[Brian Allen]

<< Ted Kennedy is busy ... about a ... character called Splash (that’s the name of his Portuguese water dog, not his car) >>

Could have stopped Right there, Mr Steyn.

Have you got these clowns figgered?

Or have you got these clowns figgered?

Or what, eh?

[Thanks for the ping, Pokes]

[MaryFromMichigan]

Thanks, Pokey!
If there was a 10 Commandments of Freeperdom, one would have to be:
"Thou shalt not excerpt Mark Steyn, but keep him wholly."

:)

[hattend]

THANKS!!!

[nothingnew]

Thanks Pokey...

FMCDH(BITS)

[Smile-n-Win]

"...Ve kant lead, ve're hafing a reshime tchange in Tchermany..."

ROFLMBO!

[TX Bluebonnet]

That big splash you hear isn’t Ted Kennedy’s dog doing a promotional stunt for the book but yet another Democrat dead horse belly-flopping into the Potomac.

snicker

[gcruse]

Ah, thanks, Pokey. Steyn's spear-chucking has been comparatively mild the last few columns, so it's good to feel the underfoot rumble of metaphors on the move once more.

[Billthedrill]

Rumsfeld's exchange with the editor of Der Spiegel is the funniest thing I've read in weeks. Did that actually make print?

[baseballmom]

Thanks so much, Pokey. Another Steyn winner.

The Rummy/Der Speigel exchange is just too priceless. LOL

I love that guy.

[LibWhacker]

Thank you. What happened to that other guy who used to rush to post only the first sentence or two of every Steyn article? Haven't seen him in a while.

[Irish_Thatcherite]

Thanks for posting the full text!!

Why does Steyn always have to write for subscription only papers?

[MNJohnnie]

nominee Samuel Alito for having been ‘influenced by the Goldwater presidency’.

Can you imagine the hysteria in the Junk Media if a Republican said this?????

[pollyannaish]

‘I’m not talking about sanctions,’ repeated Rumsfeld. ‘You’ve got the lead. Well, lead!’

‘You mean the Europeans?’ said the bewildered German, still not getting it.

‘Sure. My goodness, Iran is your neighbour,’ said Rumsfeld. ‘We don’t have to do everything!’

Man I love Rummy. That is just too funny.

[mylife]

Actually, it’s the poor old Democrats who are missing the point. Whether or not the President is required to go through the FISA court (and I don’t believe he is) is an arcane point of law. In the broader political narrative, the shorthand of the story is that for the umpteenth time the Dems are keener to extend lavish legal protection to America’s enemies than to hunt them down and kill them. Every time you switch on the news, some bigshot Democrat like Ted Kennedy is effectively proposing yet another generous addition to the al-Qa’eda Bill of Rights.

THanks for the ping Pokey

[mylife]

If you arent a Steyn fan you will be.

I thought youd like this article

[irv]

Nothing to do with Iraq in any of those cases — except that Iraq is a useful test for how clearly you comprehend the historical moment. And, as with Ted Kennedy and the Democrats, if you don’t get Iraq, it’s unlikely you’ll get the other currents coursing through the geopolitical scene.

I usually focus in on Steyn's jokes, because he's so good at them. But this bit here is one of the most insightful pieces of analysis I've seen in a long time, even from him.

Read it again.

[GOPJ]

Is he really that stupid?Or is it arrogance?

Yes & yes.

[Ruth A.]

Thank you for a full post!

the shorthand of the story is that for the umpteenth time the Dems are keener to extend lavish legal protection to America’s enemies than to hunt them down and kill them.

Steyn's shorthand is as good as his longhand.

[Ruth A.]

It reminds me of sKerry when he got wet while windsurfing.