Posted on 05/21/2013 7:43:39 AM PDT by Kaslin
No, this is not Watergate or Iran-Contra. Nor is it like the sex scandal that got Bill Clinton impeached.
The AP, IRS and Benghazi matters represent a scandal not of presidential wrongdoing, but of presidential indolence, indifference and incompetence in discharging the duties of chief executive.
The Barack Obama revealed to us in recent days is something rare in our history: a spectator president, clueless about what is going on in his own household, who reacts to revelations like some stunned bystander.
Consider. Because of a grave national security leak, President Obama's Department of Justice seized two months of records from 20 telephones used by The Associated Press. An unprecedented seizure.
Yet the president was left completely in the dark. And though he rushed to defend the seizure, he claims he was uninvolved.
While the AP issue does not appear to have legs -- we know what was done and why -- it has badly damaged this president. For his own Justice Department treated the press, which has an exalted opinion of itself and its role, with the same contempt as the IRS treated the Tea Party.
The episode has damaged a crucial presidential asset. For this Washington press corps had provided this president with a protective coverage of his follies and failings unseen since the White House press of half a century ago covered up the prowlings of JFK.
The Benghazi issue is of far greater gravity. Still, Obama's sins here as well seem to be those of omission, not commission.
The president was apparently completely in the dark about the urgent requests from Benghazi for more security. Obama was also apparently completely out of the loop during the seven-hour crisis of Sept. 11-12, when Ambassador Stevens was assassinated, calls for help from Benghazi were denied and two heroic ex-Navy SEALs died fighting to defend U.S. personnel from the roof of that CIA installation.
No one seems to know where Obama was that night.
The following week, as the State Department, CIA and National Security Council all worked the "talking points" to make it appear that this preplanned terrorist atrocity was a spontaneous event triggered by an anti-Islamic video, Obama knew nothing of the discussions.
Thus, almost a week after the massacre, U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice was put on six networks to move the line that we could not have better prepared for what would happen in Benghazi because it was all a spontaneous event triggered by a YouTube video.
Rice's version was untrue, but consistent with Obama's campaign message: "Bin Laden is dead, and al-Qaeda is on the run."
Yet if Rice's credibility was crippled by what she was sent out to parrot, a week after she got the egg all over her face, Obama was himself peddling the same line at the United Nations. Obama, it seems, may have been the last man to know the cover story had collapsed.
As for the IRS's targeting of Tea Party applications for tax-exempt status, this bureaucratic misconduct began as far back as 2010, when the Tea Party was a national sensation.
Yet, despite Tea Party protests to members of Congress, who made inquiries of the IRS, the discrimination against groups with "Tea Party" and "Patriot" in their names continued, and was extended to groups whose proclaimed mission was to defend the Bill of Rights and the Constitution.
Literally for years this went on. Investigations were begun by the IRS, and the results reported to the Treasury Department.
But nothing was made public before the election of 2012.
This weekend we learned that the White House counsel was told this April about the IRS misconduct and the investigations, but she did not inform President Obama. He learned about it from news reports.
What we have here, it appears, is a government out of control and a president clueless about what is going on in that government.
And that is the best case. For it is difficult to believe the IRS could conduct a full-court press on Obama's opponents, that IRS higher-ups knew about it, years ago, and that Treasury knew about it before the election -- but the White House was kept in the dark about a scandal that could have derailed the Obama campaign.
But whatever Obama knew, he and his allies in Congress bear moral responsibility for denying these Tea Party folks for years their right to participate fully in the politics of their country.
For years, Obama, Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and other Democrats have slandered and slurred Tea Party people as enemies of progress -- smears echoed by their mainstream press allies.
Should we then be surprised that IRS bureaucrats, hearing this, thought they were doing what was right for America by slow-walking applications for tax exemptions from these same Tea Party folks?
Who demonized the Tea Party people? Who created the climate of contempt? Whoever did gave moral sanction to those IRS agents.
And the Spectator President is right in the vanguard.
If it was good enough for Tricky Dick its good enough for the Kenyan Kommie.
The smartest president in history does not seem to be aware of anything,
More frightening tha an incomptitent detached president (small p intentional) is the rogue media that helped get him elected and contined to cover for him.
They are a bigger fraud than Obama.
I tend to agree with Jon Stewart on this one - “he’s either Richard Nixon or Mr. Magoo”.
DO NOT FORGET that O's 2008 PR person----Anita "Mao" Dunn--- said AFTER the election that the O Team "allowed" the media to know only what THEY wanted them to know.
Ohaha was tightly scripted on the campaign trail---saying only cute things that would get him elected----revealing none of his anti-America hatred. The Chi/mob Dunn/Axelrod/Enmanuel/Jarrett allowed NO probing questions and up-close interviews.
TESTED FOCUS GROUP PHRASEOLOGY Ohaha was coached well......genially saying on the campaign trail that he wanted to be "another Reagan." Ohaha slipped only once---telling Joe the Plumber he would "redistribute the wealth" (a classic Communist phrase).
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Hillary and Bill had ominous pics of Obama in Muslim garb--but Teddy Kennedy warned them not to use them.
OBOMBA CELEBRATED HIS HERITAGE ON A TRIP TO KENYA AT AGE 23-24 Hillary/Bill had these pics during the primary---but Teddy Kennedy warned them not to use them.
(right) Obama's brother Malik holds up photo.
The belatedly-alert media must be prodded to ask the questions NOW that they should have asked THEN---when Ohaha first surfaced as a candidate. Who is this guy in the WH?
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Dumping impeachment is good advice----if conservatives are running things---we screw up his agenda---and wont need to waste our time and resources impeaching this guy.
AS FREEPER GRAMPADAVE INSIGHTFULLY POSTED: Take over both the house and $inate and keep Obozo in office as a living reason for sane Americans to get rid of Rats in Congress and across the country. Tell the rats we want to keep Herr Obozo in office while we remove his fellow rats. If they/the rats want him out of office because he is killing their party, they can do it.
“I tend to agree with Jon Stewart on this one - “he’s either Richard Nixon or Mr. Magoo”.”
I think we are being overly kind to Obama here.
I think the left is going to wish Obama was ONLY as bad as Nixon. All Nixon did was lie to help out a buddy.
Running guns to Mexico. Using the IRS to attack political enemies. Sebelius strongarming companies she was regulating to donate to Democrats to escape getting hammered by Obamacare. Dead ambassadors. Mass murdering Muslims collecting a quarter million in salary awaiting trial. The list goes on and on.
He is EASILY the worst US President, and the most effective Communist politician, in the history of the United States.
Because, in the end, you didn’t build that.
Sorry, Patrick, but if you really think O is just a “spectator” to all the scandals that ... benefit primarily himself, are consistent with his radical political philosophy, are conducted under his leadership, and (in some instances) could only be undertaken with his personal direction or authorization....
your head is in a hole in the ground.
I hope you realize you forgot something
Do you really think he is as smart as he wants people to believe?
The presidential puppet is only the most visible target.
I suggest people look at who’s holding his strings. The Soros influence is a given, but I suspect ValJar is the one doing most of the manipulation.
no, but I believe his is still very smart and that those in charge (behind the curtain, er.... teleprompter) are doing most of these ‘scandals’ deliberately to advance their (IslamoCommie) political agenda
all the pieces fit together this way and it is the simplest explanation, too
Not that Pat cares, but it is officially considered racist to accuse a black man of "indolence." You're only allowed to call white people that now.
I guess truth must hurt, because he is lazy and skin color has nothing to do with it.
More like a Spooktator
When you are any kind of chief executive, “i didn’t know” is not a valid excuse, unless your constituency is made up of 3rd graders.
It's standard procedure for gangs and the mob - the Chicago way.
Provide no incriminating evidence, be 100% uncooperative and force law enforcement to prove absolutely everything. Maybe they'll make a mistake and I'll get off.
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