Bob Barr defends Obama

[liberalpragmatist]

Bob Barr has made a rather interesting turn over the past few years, especially considering he was a supreme right-wing nut during the Clinton years.

Still, good on him for speaking out on this:

> http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2010/01/07/2167711.aspx

Yes — the not-so-bright, would-be terrorist from Nigeria got though international and domestic security mechanisms supposed to have stopped him long before the jerk lit his underwear afire before landing in Detroit. And yes — the incident happened during the administration of President Barack Obama. But the sniping at the president by Republicans, including former Vice President Cheney, and by conservative radio and TV commentators, borders on — if not passing into — asinine.

The criticism has included such childishness as blasting Obama for waiting a few days before making a national speech on the incident. For heaven’s sake, the president was briefed on the incident from the moment it occured; he made statements almost immediately indicating his concern and that he was being regularly briefed; he took time to gather the facts and meet with his national security team; and then he appeared publicly to give a rational, measured, but hard-hitting response. And for this, a former vice president criticizes him.

Partisanship truly has pervasively infected our political system when a reasonable, measured, factual, timely and substantive response by a president to a single security incident — the roots of which clearly indicate long-simmering problems that predated his tenure in office — is publicly blasted as irresponsible. In point of fact, those levelling such counterproductive attacks are the ones engaging in irresponsible behavior.

[napi21]

1. Bob is quite diff. since is left the Pubs and became an Ind.

I still disagree with him on many issues, but at least sometimes he is actually rational and his statements make sense.

[impik]

2. Wasn't he the one trying to impeach Clinton, or do i mix him with someone else?

[grytpype]

3. Oh, yes.

[pnwmom]

4. No, he was among the impeachment crowd. n/t

[tinrobot]

6. That was him...

He's since left the Republican party. He was the Libertarian candidate for president in 2008.

[Orsino]

10. Since before Clinton was elected, if memory serves. n/t

[pnwmom]

5. Amazing. A reasonable Republican response. n/t

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

12. He's not a Republican anymore. He left the party and I believe became

a Libertarian.

[pnwmom]

13. You're right. I forgot. So he doesn't have to toe that party line.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

17. And Ron Paul would have more credibility if he left the Republican Party

but he doesn't have the balls to do so!

[Clio the Leo]

7. I dont know about the rest of you guys, but first place *I* heard that it was a terrorist attack...

..... was from the White House in the early afternoon on Christmas day.

It's my understanding that not only do they have telephones in Hawaii, but they also allow giant Security advisers named Jim Jones to enter. :)

So this whole notion that SOME are pushing that the President took too long to respond is BS.

[BeyondGeography]

8. He left the theater a while ago and has often been sensible

Wonder how many more there are like him who know it's a total pile of shit and just play along for the career. Probably more than we think.

[slackmaster]

9. For some reason I read that as "Bob Barker defends Obama"

[Captain Hilts]

14. Bob Barker defends whales. nt

[Ter]

11. Barr is just like Ron Paul

He hates the unPatriot Act and will never call for more laws that go against liberty. But on other issues, make no mistake, they both are on the far-right.

[Hippo_Tron]

15. Yea he's not really in a position to be criticizing people for partisanship

But I'll admit he has changed his views a lot in the past few years.

[Cha]

16. I don't care who he is..I agree with his

statement and for whatever reason..Bob Barr has decided on this to put country over stupid politicizing that the assholes like cheney are so fond of.