Obama, George, Bill, Dave, Chuck… but no Rush
13 January 2009 11:38 am by Taylor Marsh
Somehow this just doesn’t move me in the least. Given what Obama said and promised, why wouldn’t he meet with the conservative male heirarchy of wingnut pundit land?
The president-elect arrived at the Chevy Chase, Md., home of syndicated columnist George Will shortly after 6:30 p.m., according to a press pool report. Greeting him at the residence were other luminaries of the conservative commentariat, including the Weekly Standard’s William Kristol, New York Times columnist David Brooks, and Charles Krauthammer of the Washington Post.
Of course Bill, Dave, Chuck and George would not include a woman in their all male smooze BUT WAIT… new reporting offers than Peggy Noonan was the token chick. Kathleen Parker should definitely have been on the list, especially considering she helped to bring out Sarah Palin’s negatives, much to the chagrin of some conservatives.
That Rush would ever be invited to this confab is a joke. He only talks to himself.
When someone is opposing you, disarm them. Charm them. Give them your ear. Let them get to know you so that the person they’re critiquing isn’t some far off detached subject. It’s much harder to slam someone when you’ve met them. Besides, Obama knows he’s got the liberal punditocracy no matter what he does.
Access is the ultimate aphrodisiac.
Sam Stein wrote:
I’m sure he will get some flak for this but this is who he is.
Sorry Sam Stein didn’t write that. It was yours truly.
“When someone is opposing you, disarm them. Charm them. Give them your ear.”
I like your simple summation Taylor, right on the money.
Oh, and there are reports Rush was seen peeping in a side window, drooling :=)
Sorry for going off topic but i just saw this on Rep Kucinich website.
January 9, 2009
“In Gaza, the United Nations gave the Israeli army the coordinates of a UN school, and the school was then hit by Israeli tank fire, killing about forty. The UN put flags on emergency vehicles, coordinating the movements of those vehicles with the Israeli military, and the vehicles came under attack, killing emergency workers. The Israeli army evacuated 100 Palestinians to shelter, and then bombed the shelter, killing thirty people.
“Emergency workers have been blocked by the Israeli army from reaching hundreds of injured persons. Today’s Washington Post: 100 survivors rescued in Gaza from roads blocked from Israelis. Relief agencies fear more are trapped, days after neighborhood was shelled.
http://kucinich.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=108339
Isreal bombarded a CEMETARY IN GAZA TODAY.
I’ve seen monstrous attacks and henious terrorist attacks but the viciousness of the israelis is DIABOLICAL.
I have seen enough cowardice and immorality from the leaders of my country that i lost all hope. I hate my gov, both republicans and democrats. I pray to God that JUSTICE BE SERVED FOR THE DEATH of HUNDREDS of innocent people , ICLUDING 400 CHILDREN.
why they hate us we will ask
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-why-do-they-hate-the-west-so-much-we-will-ask-1230046.html
I hate my gov, both republicans and democrats.
why they hate us we will ask
dundee19 | 01.14.2009 – 09:40 am | #
you hate, they hate…
Disarming through charm, I think, may be only a minor part of Obama’s rationale. After he went on Bill-O, Bill-O was a tad more respectful — for a few days. Now Bill-O’s back to his blow-hard, stupid attacks. So Barack knows that conversing with the enemy doesn’t miraculously convert them.
But… it helps diminish a broad line of attack. It generally makes it much harder for opponents to dismiss him as simply ideological.
Reminds me of his promises to meet with Iran, etc. Critics say such talks would be absurd, because we already know the outcome. Obama says the point of such meetings is not necessarily to persuade enemies to do what we want. The point is that AFTER putting in a good-faith effort to open lines of communication, we’re much better positioned to take necessary steps with clear moral authority and international buy-in.
dundee19, my advice is not to despair. I believe Obama and Clinton will work extremely hard to bring peace to the region. But I do have a question. I was encouraged some recent reports that Obama was considering low-level contacts with Hamas, maybe as part of a multilateral approach. See here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/jan/08/barack-obama-gaza-hamas
But Clinton was unequivocal in her testimony yesterday about not negotiating with Hamas. In her words, it was an “absolute”: no negotiation until attacks stop, Hamas recognizes Israel’s right to exist etc. No way Hillary is that categorical unless she and Obama explicitly discussed and agreed on that apporach. And that sentiment echoes Obama’s statements during the primary: http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0408/Carter_and_Hamas.html
So now I’m utterly confused.
So now I’m utterly confused.
ogenec | 01.14.2009 – 10:39 am | #
Sorry, just had a thought. Obama and Clinton are both excellent lawyers, maybe I should think like one. Clinton ruled out “negotiations” with Hamas. Obama sources say he is prepared to initiate “contacts” with Hamas. Perhaps the way to “square the circle” is to say that low-level contacts with Hamas are not the same as direct, bilateral negotiations?
That must be it
Taylor…don’t you think Peggy Noonan attended since the dinner was at her house?Funny that she was not mentioned. Sometimes she and George Will are on ABC’s Sunday show together and no mentioned is made of the fact that they are married.
mention…
LOL LL, that would make a lot of sense. I am sure that she was the hostess. Maybe?
Betsy~ It will be interesting to see if any of their tones change towards Obama. Nonoon seems like she is just on the verge of a swoon. She loves to swoon.
I was annoyed on Morning Joe this morning. No mention of HRC’s brillance. Just worry about evil Bill and his terrible fundraising for poor people.
Joe is getting to be a real pain in the neck. But I don’t get up early enough to watch him. He comes on at 4 or 5 a.m. here.
Actually I don’t think George Will is married to Peggy Noonan. Peggy Noonan lives (I think) in NYC, and is famously unmarried.
Here’s Wiki for George Will:
Will has three children with his first wife, Madeleine. One of these children, Jon, was born in 1972 with Down syndrome, which Will has written about in his column on occasion. [15] [16] In 1991, Will married Mari Maseng, a former Reagan presidential speechwriter and former communications director for Robert Dole. They have one child, a son named David, and live in the Washington D.C. area.
(So his wife *is* a former Reagan speechwriter, just not Peggy Noonan)
Taylor…don’t you think Peggy Noonan attended since the dinner was at her house?Funny that she
was not mentioned. Sometimes she and George Will are on ABC’s Sunday show together and no
mentioned is made of the fact that they are married.
Lake Lady | 01.14.2009 – 10:54 am | #
are you saying George Will and Peggy Noonan are married? I had no idea.
how about some other odd couples in politics? (besides Carville and Matlin)
Campbell Brown of CNN
and
Dan Senor (chief spokesperson for the Coalition Provisional Authority in Iraq)
I was annoyed on Morning Joe this morning. No mention of HRC’s brillance. Just worry about evil
Bill and his terrible fundraising for poor people.
Lake Lady | 01.14.2009 – 11:22 am | #
Joe is getting to be a real pain in the neck. But I don’t get up early enough to watch him.
He comes on at 4 or 5 a.m. here.
Betsy | 01.14.2009 – 11:45 am | #
He blamed his on air “F You” on Ambien… he’s been extra nasty recently… he’s a big fan of torture and he’s not happy with the plans to outlaw it by Obama.
(So his wife *is* a former Reagan speechwriter, just not Peggy Noonan)
Z Mulls | Homepage | 01.14.2009 – 11:49 am | #
she did name her son “Will”… interesting :=)
Alan Colmes
and
Dr. Jocelyn Elise Crowley (sister of conservative Monica Crowley)
GeoT
I know one always likes to have an “out” for personal mistakes – the “f” bomb from Joe. But, Ambien really can have some nasty side effects for some.
He blamed his on air “F You” on Ambien… he’s been extra nasty recently… he’s a big fan
of torture and he’s not happy with the plans to outlaw it by Obama.
GeoT
Now that the election is over I watch CNN or the weather in the morning. I watched Morning Joe during the election on occasion for the opinions, but Joe himself is developing into a real cretin. I saw the torture thing recently and he was a complete ass. He doesn’t even bother listening to opposing viewpoints.
Yeah, what’s with “Morning Joe” lately? It’s hard to watch, with Scarborough having become a real bore.
new thread…
I know one always likes to have an “out” for personal mistakes – the “f” bomb from Joe. But,
Ambien really can have some nasty side effects for some.
djjl | 01.14.2009 – 11:59 am | #
so I’ve heard… maybe it just magnifies is natural traits.
Now that the election is over I watch CNN or the weather in the morning. I watched Morning
Joe during the election on occasion for the opinions, but Joe himself is developing into a real
cretin. I saw the torture thing recently and he was a complete ass. He doesn’t even bother
listening to opposing viewpoints.
DaveB | 01.14.2009 – 12:07 pm | #
I agree, CNN is the only one left that even resembles real news reporting.
djjl:
I heard the commercial for Ambien and they warn about “sleep driving” can you imagine?
see Patrick Kennedy:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/05/04/politics/main1590041.shtml
GeoT
That is what happened with Patrick Kennedy. take a look at this:
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Story?id=1927026&page=2
“Ambien is categorized in our program as a central nervous system depressant and just the same types of effects that are encountered with alcohol.”
GeoT
I was prescribed Ambien several years ago and took it for a very short time. I got a dose of the less pleasant side effects.
Doctors also have reported a few instances of “sleepdriving,” when Ambien users got out of their bed, into their car, and drove, but were asleep the entire time.
Experts say certain groups are more at risk of dangerous drowsiness — women, people taking high doses of Ambien, and those who combine Ambien with other medications for anxiety, depression or other disorders. “
Experts say certain groups are more at risk of dangerous drowsiness — women, people taking high doses of Ambien, and those who combine Ambien with other medications for anxiety, depression or other disorders. “
djjl | 01.14.2009 – 12:28 pm | #
I’m back to the warm milk :=)
I’m back to the warm milk :=)
GeoT | 01.14.2009 – 12:30 pm | #
I discovered a nice little walk, warm bath, milk and a pleasant book worked with no bad side effects.
Rush is on my radio, alas, when I’m runniing chores in the morning. 640 comes through clear in my area. That’s the only reason.
So I hear bits and pieces.
Or I can pick up O’Reilly.
Anyway, I did agree with Rush on a few issues this past year. But I don’t get him at all on the latest about the racism about the Burris affair. He said, “Reid obviously doesn’t want a Black man in the senate.”
That is just way stupid talk.
So…….Rush goes for the headline, whatever it is for the day.
He’s just an entertainer.
I pity our President Elect – having to endure these clowns. Talk about losing your appetite!
Just Peggy Noonan by herself would be enough to enduse nausea.