The Tony Snow Show, Thursday, February 23, 2006

FoxRadio/Tony Snow | 2/23/2006 | Tony Snow

[Seattle Conservative]

When you speak w Karl, PLEASE relay some of the following to him:

1. As you said, the WH needs to get out in-front of issues and get on the offense and quit playing defense.

2. Scott McClellan seems like a nice guy, but as many of us on FR have said for months, he is not what the Prez needs as the main communicator of info. The Prez needs someone who is polite, but stands up better to the WH Press Corpse, perhaps w a little humor like Ari. Scott's deer-in the headlights look doesn't help. The Pres needs someone who will put the press in their place.

3. The Prez has the bully-pulpit and he should start using it more - - they should look at old tapes of Pres Regan (and even Bubba) - GWB may never be the great communicator RWR was, but he can get out in front of issues and take them directly to the American people.

4. It appears they need to hire new people in the PR office, because IMHO, who they have now, isn't doing a very good job.

5. Get someone in their communications office to monitor FR. If they only read the Tony Snow Thread and the Sunday Morning Talk Show threads and listened what was being said, they'd be waaaaay ahead of the game.

6. Get the congresscritters involved more - -they appear to have HUGH egos and feel the need to oversee the executive branch - bring them in BEFORE something hits and get them onboard. Make sure they have the facts and a couple of succinct talking points that can be repeated.

Thanks for your GREAT work Tony!

[conservativecorner]

We could use more of this from our own President. His mushy talk regarding the cartoons was sickening. At least the Aussies have taken his place to speak the truth.


Ultimatum to Muslims

By MALCOLM FARR

February 24, 2006

PETER Costello last night condemned "mushy multiculturalism" and told Muslims who could not tolerate others to leave Australia.

The Treasurer said the citizenship pledge of loyalty and respect for law should be a "big flashing warning sign" for those Muslims.

Mr Costello departed from economic matters to address Muslim protests following the publication of cartoons depicting the prophet Mohammed.

He said those offended "must recognise this does not justify violence against newspapers, or countries that allow newspapers to publish them".

His comment reinforced the stand of Prime Minister John Howard, who this week criticised Muslims who were "utterly antagonistic to our society".




Mr Costello said Australia was a secular nation and law was set by Parliament under the Constitution.

"There are countries that apply religious or sharia law – Saudi Arabia and Iran come to mind," Mr Costello told the Sydney Institute.

"If a person wants to live under sharia law these are countries where they might feel at ease. But not Australia."

Calling for enforcement of the values pledged in the citizenship oath, Mr Costello recalled a ceremony he had attended this year at which people from 36 countries became Australians.

He said a state MP told the audience citizenship did not mean having to give up culture or language or religion or opinions, or love of their native country.

"The longer he went on about how important it was not to give up anything to become an Australian the more it seemed to me that, in his view, becoming an Australian didn't seem to mean much at all – other than getting a new passport," he said.

He called that view "confused, mushy, misguided multiculturalism" which underestimated those taking out citizenship.

"They are conscious that this is not a trivial event. It is a big decision. Becoming a citizen of another country changes their identity," he said.

Mr Costello said the citizenship oath tried to capture the essence of what it meant to be an Australian, and the values of loyalty, democratic beliefs, respect for liberties and obeying laws.

"Before entering a mosque, visitors are asked to take off their shoes. This is a sign of respect. If you have a strong objection to walking around in your socks, don't enter the mosque.

"Before becoming an Australian you will be asked to subscribe to certain values. If you have strong objections to those values, don't come to Australia."

Mr Costello said hardline Muslims born here represented "citizens who are apparently so alienated that they do not support what their own country stands for".

[defconw]

Don't go to far, you'll miss Karl.

[Hound of the Baskervilles]

"This dustup over the ports is a once in a lifetime gift from the R's to the D's. It has given Schumer et al a way to save their sorry asses both physically and politically....."

Yes! It's like a ripe plum thrown in the Dem's lap. They can pander to their underinformed consituents in a big way. Trouble is, so is the GOP. I just hope and pray that the public sees through the fog or this cheap political trick could turn into a real disaster for this country.

[Unrepentant VN Vet]

"That is a symptom of our times."

....and also the source of my major complaint with the zombie media: The turkeys are so busy pushing the latest story line, they wouldn't recognize a fact if it jumped up and bit 'em on the arse.

I really don't give a rip if my newspaper's staff is entirely tie-dyed, card carrying screaming communists or charter members of the John Birch Society; They start presenting their personal opinions at the expense of going out and gathering FACT, and I'll drop them both like a bad habit.

Which, BTW, is something that I've practiced over the years from coast to coast.

[LibertyLee]

Great post.

[Seattle Conservative]

p.s. maybe this should be discussed in a private discussion rather than 'on air'.

[FOXFANVOX]

Some good choices, Ali

. My opinion is that Scott McClellan needs to be replaced as a spokesman for the White House. He appears to easily intimidated and too uninformed; he does NOT instill confidence in me.

[LibertyLee]

Thanks, I'm not. Tony in my right ear is far more edifying than Carl Levin, the Bloviator from Michigan.

[sofaman]

Karl Rove was on Hannity yesterday, and was anything but convincing. I know, I know, I'm one of the "hair-on-fire" guys...

[Bahbah]

Karl Rove was on Hannity yesterday, and was anything but convincing.

You are right, sofadude. I am praying that he has done some work on this since then. We shall see.

[FOXFANVOX]

8 )

[Primetimedonna]

Morning sofaman!

Hopefully Karl brought a fire extinguisher with him and can take care of that hair on fire problem!

[A Citizen Reporter]

TS: "Some republicans have been caught with their integrity around their ankles."

Which is exactly why I see so much caterwauling on FR about the terrible WH PR machine.

What I hear is, "This WH never tells us what we are supposed to be saying, and now we look like fools!" It always comes back to the same tired argument.

[AliVeritas]

Indeed it is a rude awakening to find Americans are not able to do this themselves (thanks dems).

The main thing for me before anything else is our security problems that have to be straightened out.

There aren't many choices here as far as the deal... Maersk (Danes) only ship to their own ports here for exports to us. China's better?, doesn't matter... they didn't want it. If we had a company that could do it, different story.

As far as holding up shipments, the unions do a great job of that themselves... The unions didn't even want barcodes to track shipments for the love of James Earl Jones.

We might as well stop taking the oil too. They're not our only source though... oops, Venezuela...

I wish there were more options.

[defconw]

Well Carl Levin is a..... searching for an adjective. Well he's not the brightest bulb on the tree. Is it me, or if someone has actually done their homework, they would not have to sit there and read some boring statement written by some kid on the staff?

[LibertyLee]

Even supporting the deal, I agree with you. I was listening in my car on the way home. I think Karl can answer for the PR aspects as opposed to the security aspects of the deal. Unless he's gotten a cram course overnight, which is always possible, he knows media, not security. Part of the problem was that Sean didn't throw him a line he could get a hook into. I think Tony will do better.

[Peach]

Doesn't Levin understand that Congress crafted the legislation which governs how these deals are negotiated? I.e., Secretly.

[defconw]

Sean though cut him off and wouldn't let him talk. BOR had an attorney on last night and she was interesting but BOR kept cutting her off.

[Bahbah]

Can you believe Levin! This shows Presidential disdain for congress, it's a violation of checks and balances. FGS, it was done in accordance with their own law.