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Monday, January 05, 2009 |
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An Interview With Salon.com's Glenn Greenwald |
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Posted by:
Hugh Hewitt at
8:02 PM |
Today's program featured interviews on the Israel-Hamas war with the Shalem Center's Michael Oren and Martin Kramer from Israel (Oren is on active duty with the IDF), ThreatsWatch's Stephen Schippert and the Center for Security Policy's Frank Gaffney.
It also contained a long, five segment conversation with Salon.com's Glenn Greenwald, a critic of Israel (and most Israel supporters in America). Here's the transcript of that conversation:
HH: Pleased to welcome now to the Hugh Hewitt Show Glenn Greenwald. He’s a columnist for Salon.com, he’s also the author of many, many books. He’s a friend of our late, departed friend, Dean Barnett as well. Glenn, welcome to the program, good to have you on.
GG: Great to be here, Hugh.
HH: Glenn, you’ve been writing a lot about Israel-Gaza. I’m spending most of the show today talking to people like Michael Oren and others about Israel and Gaza. Summarize for the audience your opinion of what’s going on and the American reaction to it.
GG: Well, my focus is basically, since I’m American and not Israeli, on American policy towards Israel, and the fact that we don’t have nearly the interest in the dispute that the Israelis have with the Palestinians over who controls what West Bank hill, and what part of Gaza is controlled by the Israelis. And so the bulk of what I’ve been writing about is questioning why the United States involves itself in every dispute that the Israelis have as though we’re a partisan in that dispute. But beyond that, I think there’s real questions about whether what the Israelis are doing is both just and wise from their perspective.
HH: Let’s come back to that, but pause for a moment on Hamas. Do you think Hamas is a threat to the United States?
GG: No, I don’t think Hamas is remotely a threat to the United States. I think Saddam Hussein was more of a threat to the United States, and I don’t think he was a threat to the United States.
HH: Do you think Hamas is an extension of Iran?
GG: No, I don’t think Hamas is an extension of Iran.
Read More... |
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Monday, January 05, 2009 |
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Sweet Caroline Tanks |
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Posted by:
Amanda Carpenter at
7:52 PM |
It's safe to say Caroline Kennedy's senatorial roll-out was a disaster now.
Data from Public Policy Polling found that 44 percent of New York voters have a "lesser opinion" of her than they did before she announced her desire to fill Hillary Clinton's vacated Senate seat.
“When Caroline Kennedy was first mentioned as a possible Senate appointee there was a lot of enthusiasm among New York Democrats about her,” said Dean Debnam, President of Public Policy Polling. “Her reputation has taken a pretty clear hit over the last month, and if Governor Paterson does end up appointing her she’s going to have some work to do to overcome this bad first impression she’s made on New York voters.”
PPP's poll was conducted among 700 New York voters on January 3rd and 4th. More information on it is HERE.
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Monday, January 05, 2009 |
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NBC: Coulter Nay, Lewd Blogger OK |
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Posted by:
Amanda Carpenter at
6:21 PM |
Matt Drudge is running an exclusive story saying Ann Coulter has been "banned for life" from NBC.
According to his sources, the network spiked a "Today Show" book interview with Coulter in favor of the lewd, gossip blogger Perez Hilton who is best known for photoshopping sexual graffiti on celebrity photographs.
"I guess this ends the 'they just want to get ratings' argument about liberal media bias," says a statement on Coulter's website. She's scheduled for Fox and Friends at 8:15am tomorrow.
NBC is denying the "lifetime ban" Drudge reported, but doesn't have any explanation for booking the celebrity sex blogger over the New York Times best-selling author.
"We've had Ann Coulter on 'Today' many times, but because of the news in Washington and the Middle East, we decided to cancel her appearance tomorrow," NBC told TVNewser. "Understanding the media as well as she does, we are sure she knows this happens from time to time. We look forward to welcoming her back in the future."
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Monday, January 05, 2009 |
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Thoughts from the RNC Debate |
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Posted by:
Amanda Carpenter at
2:11 PM |
I just filed my story about the debate and wanted to share some thoughts with those of you who might be watching it online.
The unwillingness on behalf of the candidates to directly attack current RNC Chairman Robert "Mike" Duncan for his management of the 2008 presidential election dismays me.
In big-time college and NFL football, coaches get fired after a bad season. Everyone seems to think, and will tell you on background, it should be the same in politics. No one wants to stay it out loud on stage though. At least for today.
Update: Townhall got a big shout-out from Ken Blackwell at the debate. When asked what his favorite website is he said "Townhall.com." In fact, Blackwell mentioned Townhall.com three times by my count.
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Monday, January 05, 2009 |
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PURPOSE OF GAZA OPERATIONS: PROTECTION, NOT PUNISHMENT |
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Posted by:
Michael Medved at
1:28 PM |
At the beginning of Israeli operations against Hamas, the New York Times ran a deeply dishonest headline. “Israeli Air Raids to Punish Hamas Kill 200 in Gaza,” said America’s “Journal of Record.” In fact, the purpose of the Israeli strike wasn’t punishment– it was protection. Israel made clear its single goal in going after Hamas: to put an end to the literally thousands of rocket attacks on Israeli civilians. “Punishment” and “revenge” were beside the point – and in no sense is the current struggle part of a “cycle of violence.” The rocket attacks by Hamas weren’t a response to violence, but rather an answer to withdrawal--Israel’s controversial 2005 decision to put a unilateral end to Israeli occupation of Gaza. Concessions actually produce a more reliably violent response from Islamic terrorists than do decisive military actions.
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Monday, January 05, 2009 |
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Spotted |
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Posted by:
Amanda Carpenter at
12:42 PM |
Long, long lines at in Washington's "Metro Center" metro stop of people waiting to purchase an commemorative Barack Obama Inaugural metro card for $10 each.
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Monday, January 05, 2009 |
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Where to Watch the RNC Debate Online |
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Posted by:
Amanda Carpenter at
11:17 AM |
FYI: CSPAN will be live-streaming the RNC Chairman debate HERE.
If you don't like the quality of that stream, Americans for Tax Reform is hosting their own stream, too. You can get that HERE.
You can probably get in on some live-chatter on the RNC Chair Twitter feed HERE, too if you're into that kinda thing.
I'm heading out to go cover it. I'll blog something if it's very newsworthy, and post some pics but otherwise will be posting a summary for the homepage immediately after.
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Monday, January 05, 2009 |
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Stalling Sen. Franken |
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Posted by:
Amanda Carpenter at
10:18 AM |
A top GOP senator is making the case that Al Franken cannot be immediately seated by Senate if the Minnesota Canvassing board declares Franken the winner over Republican incumbent Norm Coleman later today.
It appears Republicans could stall Franken for at least a week, which would give Coleman time to advance legal arguments against the board's decision, by employing arcane Senate rules.
National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman John Cornyn told Fox News that "The Senate's rules require an election certificate that can't be issued until after 7 days after the canvassing board certifies the recount."
Cornyn said Senate Republicans could also refer the board's ruling to the Senate Rules Committee, much like Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said he would do to prevent Roland Burris from filling President-elect Barack Obama's vacated Senate seat.
The Rules Committee, filled by 19 senators, could take up to 90 days to make a recommendation on the fate of either senator.
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Monday, January 05, 2009 |
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Obama's "Neighborhood Ball" |
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Posted by:
Amanda Carpenter at
9:56 AM |
Barack Obama wants to make a good impression with his new neighbors in the District.
"This is an Inauguration for all Americans," said President-elect Obama in a statement. "I wanted to make sure that we had an event that would be open to our new neighborhood here in Washington, D.C., and also neighborhoods across the country. Michelle and I look forward to joining our fellow Americans across the country during
this very special event."
Tickets for the event will be given to DC residents at free or "affordable" prices, according to his transition team. It will also include elements of webcasting and text messaging to include supporters outside the Beltway.
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Monday, January 05, 2009 |
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The Most Important Story By Far |
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Posted by:
Hugh Hewitt at
9:38 AM |
I'll be very sorry to see Al Franken be declared a winner today, though of course there's at least one more round to go in the courts.
And I'm intrigued by the talk of a massive tax cut in the stimulus package. The president-elect surprised us with his national security selections, and perhaps he will with his economic program as well. When he meets with GOP Leaders McConnell and Boehner today, they should push the tax cuts and a strong spending surge for nuclear power. A package they could support would be good for the country.
The departure of Bill Richardson makes you wonder how long it will be to a Patrick Fitzgerald in the Enchantment State calls a press conference.
But as interesting and important as all these stories are, the pale in comparison to the battle in Gaza to topple Hamas.
Hamas is an al Qeada-like terrorist organization, and though manned by Sunnis, it operates as the proxy of the radical mullahs of Iran. As long as it controls Gaza i poses a threat not just to Israel but to Egypt and the wider region, as well as the future of all Palestinians. Bill Kristol is correct today to note in his New York Times' column:
An Israeli success in Gaza would be a victory in the war on terror — and in the broader struggle for the future of the Middle East. Hamas is only one manifestation of the rise, over the past few decades, of a terror-friendly and almost death-cult-like form of Islamic extremism. The combination of such terror movements with a terror-sponsoring and nuclear-weapons-seeking Iranian state (aided by its sidekick Syria) has produced a new kind of threat to Israel.
But not just to Israel. To everyone in the Middle East — very much including Muslims — who aren’t interested in living under the sway of extremist regimes. And to any nation, like the United States, that is a target of Islamic terror. So there are sound reasons why the United States — whether led by George W. Bush or Barack Obama — will stand with Israel as it fights. Every civilian casualty in Gaza is a terrible thing, but terrorists work to maximize civilian casualties, and Israel cannot allow Hamas to create a zone within which it is invulnerable to attack. Now that it is launched, Israel must stay as long as necessary to uproot Hamas and provide at least an opportunity for the people of Gaza to join with the people of the West Bank in some sort of near-normal state not constantly thirsting for war with Israel.
The stakes are thus huge, though apparently only little understood by most of the networks. The coverage of the battle against Hamas is startlingly void of any characterization of Hamas, as though Hamas was a state actor and not a terrorist group. Israel's battle against Hamas is exactly the battle America wages against al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan, except that Hamas' outrages against Israel are more recent in time, and continue to this day.
The left --see Simon Tisdall's column in The Guardian-- is angry that the president-elect hasn't come out forcefully criticizing Israel. This is astonishing, as the president-elect, if he does anything before taking office, must confirm that the United States stands with its closest ally in the region. Surely the incoming Secretaryof State will make that clear in her first week in office, and if the left screams, so be it.
The longtime enemies of Israel in the West confuse their old grievances against the Jewish state with today's challenges. Hamas is not Fatah, and Iran is not Egypt of 1973. Whatever one thinks of the fence, of the Lebanon invasion of 1983, of the refusal to divide Jerusalem etc, the nature of Hezbollah to the north, Hamas to the south, and especially Iran over the horizon oblige Israel's critics to give up their canards and deal with the fact that you cannot negotiate with entities that want your total destruction. Any commentary that doesn't acknowledge the nature of Hamas is as dishonest as it is ignorant of the reality facing Israel today, one which the new president should acknowledge as soon as he enters office -if not sooner.
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Sunday, January 04, 2009 |
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Re: Gov Kaine to Chair DNC |
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Posted by:
Matt Lewis at
6:33 PM |
Virginia is an odd state, in that the governor cannot succeed himself. As such, this gives Kaine something to do after his term expires. Keep in mind, he was an early supporter of Obama, and was on the veep short list, so he is due a good favor.
The notion that his election would help Democrats in Virginia is concerning. One thing is for certain; if Terry McAuliffe is elected governor of the Commonwealth, you will know Obama's victory in Virginia wasn't a fluke -- and that Virginia has, indeed, morphed into something other than the old Virginia.
I recently watched a documentary about the 2004 Ohio elections, called "So Goes the Nation." McAuliffe's interviews were filmed -- no kidding, here -- in the back of a Limo. He also had the audacity to say that if George H.W. Bush had not been elected president, that Ronald Reagan would probably have gone to jail. If that guy gets elected governor of Virginia, all hope may be lost...
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