Fred Barnes: Moxie in the Executive (How not to be a lame duck)

The Weekly Standard ^ | December 11, 2006 | Fred Barnes

[bruinbirdman]

He could make like Clinton at the end. Many, many executive orders.

yitbos

[org.whodat]

Barnes is a butt wipe and I don't know why he should be advising anyone on anything.

[KantianBurke]

Fred Barnes - the only difference between him and Armstrong Williams? Williams is a smart enough whore to get paid for his shilling.

[Prince Caspian]

Nearly everyone consistently underestimates the power of boldness. There is a power there that is irresistable in its momentum toward winning. It covers a multitude of sins. Be audacious. Don't apologize. Move quickly. Don't get bogged down. Keep your opponents off balance. You will suddenly find lots of "friends" who want to be on a winning team in the hope of taking part of the credit.

[Omega Man II]

Playing it bold is precisely what Harry Truman did after the Republicans took Congress in 1946. It helped lead him to re-election two years later. Of course, things went downhill for him once re-elected.

[glorgau]

As Bush is leaving office in January 2009, he could implement the military option and take out all of Iran's nuclear facilities.

Or he could make enormous numbers of questionable pardons. Oops, wrong President. ;-)

[CBart95]

Freddie Barnes is just "too smart", even for his ownself.
As a result, he's his biggest fan.

Youngsters can't see what Freddie has conned himself into thinking he is. And that's: a "Washington Insider/Living Political Legend"

...which he is not.

It's remarkable that he and other "Inside the Beltway" types are'nt held more accountable for their off the mark predictions.

[FixitGuy]

Bold action may be the only option left.

With so many "know nothings" carping about political correctness, denying the right to reasonable interrogation, and willing to give away our freedom, we have very, very few options left.It's frightening to think that so many want us to cozy up to Iran & Syria.

What makes any sane person think that these two countries want a democracy in between them?

[FixitGuy]

Bold action may be the only option left.

With so many "know nothings" carping about political correctness, denying the right to reasonable interrogation, and willing to give away our freedom, we have very, very few options left.It's frightening to think that so many want us to cozy up to Iran & Syria.

What makes any sane person think that these two countries want a democracy in between them?

[FixitGuy]

Sorry for the double post.

[jobim]

Are the replies of org.whodat and KantianBurke supposed to be intelligent? Informative? Mature? What about the issues Barnes presents?

[KantianBurke]

Our replies indicate as to what level of seriousness ANYTHING Barnes writes should be treated with - nada. He's a pompous fool who has condoned any and every anti conservative inclination of the Bush Administration. John Derbshire (if I recall correctly) considers him nothing more than a Bush policy mouthpiece.

[org.whodat]

Hi Fred, how's the maid?

[org.whodat]

First read post 13, Then consider, the option Barnes gave on Iran before Bush leaves office. If the the man, bush, had that kind of balls he would have taken out irans lap dog Sadar long ago and we wouldn't be in the current fix in Iraq.

[old-ager]

> org.whodat and KantianBurke

They're total idiots.

[AZLiberty]

* Apply the Kennedy model to North Korea. Columnist Charles Krauthammer urged the president to repeat the warning that President Kennedy gave to the Soviets after they installed missiles in Cuba aimed at the United States. "It shall be the policy of this nation to regard any nuclear missile launched from Cuba against any nation in the Western Hemisphere as an attack by the Soviet Union on the United States, requiring a full retaliatory response upon the Soviet Union," Kennedy declared in 1962. Bush could update this with Kim Jong Il, telling him if a rogue nuke hits the United States or its allies, the United States will hit North Korea. That should deter him.

I don't see that this is the Kennedy model. The analogous move in this situation would be to threaten China, who most benefits from North Korea's threatening position.

[samtheman]

> org.whodat and KantianBurke

They're total idiots.

That's the way I see it.

[AmericaUnited]

God Speed & Lets Roll!!!!

[samtheman]

I agree with the entire list of suggestions presented here.