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Category: Obama
In another address on the matter, former Democratic Congressman and president of the Center for Middle East Peace, Robert Wexler said that President Obama’s policy on Israel shows, “an unflinching commitment” and assured the audience that “The president directly intervened to make sure this amendment happened,” and had the Jerusalem language added back to the platform.
That “unflinching commitment” must have been yet unknown to White House spokesman Jay Carney when, prior to the Convention, at a White House press briefing on July 26, he refused to acknowledge that Jerusalem was considered the Capital of Israel. This was subsequently reported on by media, and the video posted to Youtube of his dodging of the question is indelible evidence of the President’s less than certain policy on Israel.
The facts almost no longer matter, as churches and civil rights activists from coast to coast organize “hoodie” days and marches to show solidarity and empathy for young Trayvon Martin. If Zimmerman did indeed shoot the teenager for racist or other malicious reasons, when the truth is finally known, he will be properly vilified and sentenced. If, however, the facts prove that he at the very least acted in accordance with Florida’s probably well intentioned, but poorly planned, “stand your ground” Statute 776.013 (3), Mr. Zimmerman will find himself even more vilified by an even angrier public that cannot understand how a hoodie and a pack of Skittles posed a mortal threat to a seemingly large man at 250 pounds, in comparison to the 140 pound young man.
One thing is sure. If Blankfein were a crisis communications client of mine, I might advise him to soften his image a bit. It may have made the difference between the Times op-ed running or not. Here’s a true story that might set a different tone. In the gym where he works out, Blankfein was sitting clothed in little else than his towel reading a newspaper. Another gym rat, riled up about some financial news ran toward him ranting and yelling, “do they know who I am?” – apparently having something to do with the news he thought Blankfein was reading. The two men did not know one another, yet angry guy persisted to explain himself to Blankfein saying, “do you know who the (expletive) I am?”
While the war against the Syrian people rages on, Iran’s fingerprints were found in some failed attempts to kill Israeli diplomats around the world; in India, Thailand and Georgia. Although they deny it, the Iranian plot was exposed when the terrorists were caught in Thailand with Iranian passports in hand. That one blew his leg off trying to lob a grenade at Thai police only proves incompetence, not detachment.
The point that Mr. Gingrich was evidently trying to make was that those who want to focus on Mitt Romney should know that Romney’s agenda is more in tune to what Jewish Democrats pay attention to and not what right-leaning Conservatives want to talk about. Betting that the media would give that “cheap-shot” of a campaign call the attention it didn’t deserve, Mr. Gingrich was painting his opponent as a lesser Republican than he. That’s the argument that Mr. Gingrich is hoping to win with – that he is the true Conservative. The former Speaker knew well when that call went out that the state would fall to Mr. Romney, but used it for national attention on his candidacy.
The President’s security and military assurances might imply a harsh acceptance of the present and future. Is it easier to arm a nation and prepare it for a battle than it is to resolve the root cause of the threat in the first place? Not to make a perfect comparison, , but when Mayor Rudolph Giuliani saw some of New York City’s more dangerous neighborhoods, he did not put guns in the hands of the decent people living there, but eliminated the dangers, locked up the criminals and took the streets back. The same strategies are being deployed in cities like Newark, Compton and others across the country, where law enforcement and public leaders seek to eradicate crime and eliminate the root causes of the danger.
Lew makes for an interesting choice for Mr. Obama, as he is one who has the respect of both sides. He comes with impressive credentials stemming from his days working for Democratic Congressman Joe Moakley and the late House Speaker Tip O’Neill. More recently, he was an executive at Citicorp where he ran a group that made alternative investments, such as hedge funds, credit swaps and other creative financial mechanisms that people such as the President say has hurt the economy.
Juda Engelmayer's Blog 