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Best wishes to our readers for a very merry Christmas.

DECEMBER 25,  2011

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 9:35 P.M. ET:

ROMNEY ROMPS IN N.H. – The Iowa caucuses are a week from Tuesday.  Then, one week later comes the renowned (for some reason) New Hampshire primary.  A new University of New Hampshire poll shows that Mitt Romney has beaten back the challenges from Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul, and now commands 39% of the vote, compared with 17% each for Gingrich and Paul. 

IRANIAN MILITARY WARMS TO IRAQ – In a move that surely will dishearten Americans, the chief of Iran's armed forces says that his country is ready to expand its security and military relationship with Iraq.  This comes only a week after President Obama pulled all American troops out of Iraq, leaving the country completely vulnerable.  If Iran now develops substantial influence in Iraq, which is quite possible, Obama's absolute withdrawal will be seen by many as a colossal failure, and a betrayal of American sacrifice.  But to others it will simply prove that the Iraqi situation is hopeless.  We lose either way, but "lose" is not an obscene word in this administration's vocabulary.

WE WONDER WHY – The New York Times reports much handwringing in Hollywood over a lackluster year, with results lower than 2010.  All kinds of reasons are given.  Competition from the internet, less disposable income, too many movies of one type, etc., etc.  I have another idea:  Maybe Hollywood should do something radical, like putting out more good movies with good stories that appeal across generations, and maybe the industry should charge less for tickets.  Isn't that what they did during something called "the golden age of Hollywood"?  But what did they know?

December 25, 2011       Permalink

COMEDOWN – AT 11:42 A.M. ET:  Typical.  This embarrassing story was dumped on Christmas eve, to get the minimum attention possible.  From Bloomberg:   

President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign returned campaign contributions from Jon S. Corzine, former chairman and chief executive officer of MF Global Holdings Ltd., according to a Democratic official.

Obama for America and the Democratic National Committee refunded the money from the former New Jersey governor out of an abundance of caution, said the official, who requested anonymity. Republicans have criticized the president for keeping contributions from the head of a firm that collapsed and filed for bankruptcy.

Corzine, 64, and his wife, Sharon Elghanayan, each contributed $30,800 to the Democratic National Committee and $5,000 to Obama’s campaign, the maximum amounts that individuals are allowed to give, said the official. Corzine, who testified before a congressional panel about MF Global’s bankruptcy and $1.2 billion in missing customer funds, has been one of Obama’s top fundraisers this election cycle. In April, Corzine hosted a fundraiser for Obama at his Manhattan home.

Corzine was one of 41 donors who bundled more than $500,000 this year for Obama’s re-election effort, according to documents released by the campaign Oct. 14. So-called bundlers arrange for contributions from other people and funnel the money to campaigns.

COMMENT:  Probably a smart move, especially as Corzine might well wind up with serious charges against him.  But the story sure does puncture the image of the Democrats being "the party of the people."  Yeah, some very rich people who feel our pain.

But look, Obama is returning $70,000.   That's a little drop in his hugely funded campaign.  Don't worry for him.

December 25, 2011       Permalink

QUOTE OF THE DAY – AT 11:03 A.M. ET:  From a well-written review of a new book on Russia expert George Kennan by former Washington Post foreign correspondent Susan B. Glasser:

Indeed, the tradition of getting Russia wrong has a distinguished Washington lineage, and one that I witnessed while covering the rise of Putin for The Washington Post in the early 2000s. In those years, Putin was reconsolidating power in the Kremlin, taking over independent media, jailing or banishing potential political opponents, shutting down elections for governor and putting into place a new security-state apparatus from such remnants of the Soviet police state as had survived the 1990s. Yet back in Washington, there were those who persisted in believing for years that Putin was not exactly as he seemed. Remember when George W. Bush looked into his “soul” in 2001? He wasn’t the only one. We encountered many, both at senior levels in the U.S. government and among the Westerners in Moscow, who were so eager to do business with a resurgent Kremlin that they were willing to rewrite the facts. The White House today faces a similar challenge as President Obama, who made a point of a “reset” in relations after the frosty U.S.-Russia standoff of the late Bush years, now leaves it to his secretary of state to lecture Putin on democracy. Will the administration read the Kremlin right this time?

COMMENT:  Ah, what a great question.  There is a line going around the Washington journalistic establishment – I heard it expressed vividly on a talk show this past week – that President Obama's greatest accomplishments have been in foreign policy.  I find that ludicrous.  And one reason for my disbelief is the botching of our "reset" of relations with Moscow.  We did all the resetting, they did all the obstructing.

Right now the Russians are trying to block any new, serious sanctions on Iran or Syria, which feature two of the worst regimes in the world.  And the Russians have succeeded in our modifying missile defense for Eastern Europe, while we got nothing in return.

Russia is building its strength again.  And, despite mass demonstrations against him in the streets of Moscow, Putin will probably regain the Russian presidency and make Russia even more anti-American than it is today.  Yet, too many Americans are averting their eyes.  And the president, now on one more Hawaiian vacation, is the chief averter. 

A price will be paid.

December 25, 2011        Permalink

TERROR IN NIGERIA – AT 10:45 A.M. ET:  Last night we commented on the condition of Christians in Muslim countries.  Today we have a terrible example, via AP:

LAGOS, Nigeria — An explosion ripped through a Catholic church during Christmas Mass near Nigeria’s capital Sunday, killing at least 25 people there, officials said. A radical Muslim sect claimed the attack and another bombing near a church in the restive city of Jos, as explosions also struck the nation’s northeast.

The Christmas Day attacks show the growing national ambition of the sect known as Boko Haram, which is responsible for at least 495 killings this year alone, according to an Associated Press count. The assaults come a year after a series of Christmas Eve bombings in Jos claimed by the militants left at least 32 dead and 74 wounded.

The first explosion on Sunday struck St. Theresa Catholic Church in Madalla, a town in Niger state close to the capital, Abuja, authorities said. Rescue workers recovered at least 25 bodies from the church and officials continued to tally those wounded in various hospitals, said Slaku Luguard, a coordinator with Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency.

COMMENT:  You'd think that events like this would evoke an uproar in Western, predominantly Christian nations, especially the United States.  But multiculturalism and political correctness have stilled too many voices, and some organizations, like the National Council of Churches, are still stuck in their leftist politics.

Islamism is growing rapidly in Africa.  Expect more attacks, a disturbing prospect to contemplate on Christmas day.

December 25,  2011     Permalink 

DECEMBER 24,  2011

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:01 P.M. ET:

A MENACE DEFUSED – The Transportation Security Administration has insured our national survival by confiscating a cupcake at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas.  A woman on a Christmas trip was returning to Boston with the WMD when stopped by an alert security agent who noticed that the whipped topping could be an explosive.  The cupcake was immediately seized and, we assume, was wrestled to the ground.  The TSA is investigating the incident.  The store where the offending weapon was bought has offered to replace it with another cupcake.

ISLAMISTS ROMP IN EGYPT – The official election committee in Egypt has announced that Islamists have won two thirds of the second round in Egypt's parliamentary elections.  One impact of this vote will be, on this Christmas Eve, to increase the fear of Egypt's Christians, who are ten percent of the country's population, and who see their protections possibly eroding.  Already, in the wake of the ridiculously titled "Arab spring" in Egypt, there have been attacks on churches.  And Christians in Syria and Iraq are also living in fear.

A HELPFUL JOURNALISTIC GESTURE – Fars, the official Iranian news agency, is starting a cartoon contest to spread the word of the Occupy Wall Street movement in the United States.  The agency, which represents the mullahs' idea of freedom of the press, feels that good cartoons can amplify the Occupy movement's belief in the end of free enterprise.  We know all our readers will want to participate, so get your cartoon submissions in soon.

December 24, 2011       Permalink

WHERE OBAMA STANDS – AT 11:12 A.M. ET:  There has been much talk in the last week that President Obama is gaining in the polls, at the expense of Republicans, who have not had one of their better weeks.  Is it true? 

It appears to be somewhat true, but, if I were the president, I wouldn't order the White House to be repainted for a second term just yet. 

Gallup has the president's approval at 44% and his disapproval at 48%.  This is a bit closer than we've seen recently, but remember that in July of this year, Gallup had approval and disapproval as essentially equal.  So, while the president does better than in the most recent months, he does worse than his standing at mid-year.

Rasmussen reports the following:

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Friday shows that 25% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as president. Thirty-eight percent (38%) Strongly Disapprove, giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -13.

Yes, that shows a pretty strong uptick for the president in that measurement.  As recently as December 20th the number was -18. 

Rasmussen also reports:

Overall, 47% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the president's job performance. Fifty-one percent (51%) at least somewhat disapprove.

Again, a noticeable uptick.  On December 1st the president's approval stood at 43% and his disapproval stood at 56%.

COMMENT:  So, it really can't be denied that the president's numbers have improved in recent weeks.  It appears that this boost was caused by the Republican debacle over extending the payroll tax deduction. 

We are among many others who have said that Obama might not win the November election as much as the Republicans might lose it.  Losing elections is a Republican specialty.  Obama could have been defeated in 2008 with a far better Republican campaign, although press bias made it a distinctly uphill battle for John McCain. 

At this point the president is gaining.   His amen corner in the press will help him wherever it can.  But even these new numbers are not reassuring for the White House.  The president, averaging the two polls we've cited, stands at about 45% in approval, not enough for reelection. 

Republicans, without a third-party challenge, can win in November.  They can even win the Senate and retain the House, with shrewd programs and more capable politics than we've seen in the last two weeks.  Their own ineptitude is a dark cloud, and another dark cloud, coming from the direction of Ron Paul and Donald Trump, is that possible third-party challenge.  That's what helped to destroy George H.W. Bush in 1992, and it can happen again.

December 24, 2011      Permalink

BIZARRE IN VIRGINIA – AT 10:34 A.M. ET:  We reported last night that Rick Perry failed to make the primary ballot in Virginia bccause he didn't submit enough valid signatures.  Now we can say the same for Newt Gingrich, who has not made the cut either.

Virginia, a critical swing state, votes March 6th, on Super Tuesday.  This is a major setback for Gingrich, who actually is the Republican frontrunner in Virginia polls.  A late poll has him five points ahead of Mitt Romney.  I've never before seen a situation where a frontrunner in a state cannot get on the ballot.

What I find frightening is that, aside from Mitt Romney, whose organization made sure he had enough signatures to qualify, the only other Republican on the ballot will be Ron Paul, whose craziness and indifference to Republican Party principles are starting to be publicized.  This man is no Republican, and Republicans are even fearful that, if denied the nomination, he may run as a third-party candidate and destroy Republican chances in November.

Paul did not support the Republican ticket in 2008.  He has a fanatical following, as did segregationist Governor George Wallace of Alabama when he roiled American politics in the late 60s and early 70s.  On March 6th, in the great Commonwealth of Virginia, where I personally have close family, we will see the sordid spectacle of Mitt Romney and Ron Paul facing each other, with far more responsible, and loyal, Republicans left out.

Not good.

December 24, 2011       Permalink 

PUTIN PRESSURED – AT 10:17 A.M. ET:  It is really quite extraordinary to see what is happening in Russia.  As Vladimir Putin tries to regain the Russian presidency, hordes of Russians are pushing back.  At least for now, their demonstrations are permitted, giving us a remarkable moment in Russian democracy.  From Reuters:

(Reuters) - Tens of thousands of flag-waving and chanting protesters called on Saturday for a disputed parliamentary election to be rerun and an end to Vladimir Putin's rule, increasing pressure on the Russian leader as he tries to win back the presidency.

The protesters shouted "Russia without Putin" and "New elections, New elections" as one speaker after another called for an end to Putin's 12-year domination of the country at the second big opposition rally in two weeks in central Moscow.

"Do you want Putin to return to the presidency?" novelist Boris Akunin asked from a large stage. Whistling and jeering, protesters chanted: "No!"

Witnesses said at least as many people turned out as at the last big Moscow rally on December 10 to protest against alleged vote-rigging in the December 4 election won by Putin's United Russia.

Police said at least 28,000 attended the rally on Prospekt Sakharova (Sakharov Avenue), named after Soviet-era dissident Andrei Sakharov. But one of the organizers, liberal politician Vladimir Ryzhkov, put the crowd size at 120,000 people and some climbed lamp-posts or trees to get a better view.

The big turnout is likely to encourage organizers to believe they can keep up the momentum of the biggest opposition demonstrations since Putin rose to power in 1999, although the prime minister seems intent on riding out the protests.

"I see enough people to take the Kremlin and the White House (government headquarters) right now!" anti-corruption blogger Alexei Navalny, who has emerged as the most inspirational of the opposition leaders, said to loud cheers.

"But we are a peaceful force, we won't do it - yet! But if the crooks and thieves continue trying to deceive us and lie to us, we will take (power) ourselves. It is ours!"

COMMENT:  Please notice the indifference from the Obama administration, which came to office promising to "reset" relations with Russia, presumably sullied by the more muscular foreign policy of George W. Bush. 

Right now Russia is doing all it can to frustrate any Western attempt to pressure the pro-Russian regimes in Iran and Syria.  The "reset" button has apparently popped out again.  And yet, last night I saw serious reporters on public television announce that foreign policy was the strong point of the Obama administration.  The fantasy continues.

December 24,  2011     Permalink