Haven't We Seen This Before?

In 1969, David Halberstram authored The Best and the Brightest an examination of how the United States inexorably became entwined in what would later be known as the Vietnam War. (To see how this all ended, I recommend Frank Snepp's Decent Interval.)

One of the key events that led to a greater American involvement was the decision to oust the leader of South Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem, in 1963. The fact that the Kennedy White House was involved in the coup came to light several years later. Nonetheless, the coup was less than perfect as Diem (along with his brother) were killed a day later.

I'll leave it to professional historians to determine if this helped or hindered what would eventually become a losing proposition -- but it certainly compelled the administration to play a greater role in Vietnamese affairs.

I'm reminded of this event, as reports indicate that President Obama demanded the resignation of Rick Wagoner, the chairman and chief executive officer of General Motors.

Apparently, the White House, thinks it has the smarts to help a failing company the way its predecessors -- forty-five years ago -- thought it could save a failing nation.

Granted, nobody died in this coup, but greater government intervention does seem to be around the corner. I'm not so sure that this generation's best and brightest know what they have gotten themselves into.

UPDATE: Someone beat me to the punch on the Diem comparison.

Ruminations

I wondered how guys like Rahm Emanuel and Richard Holbrooke could switch so easily from the world of government to high finance. Then it dawned on me -- they didn't do anything in high finance other than bring their Rolodex's.

Keith Olberman's numbers are on par with Fox's daytime numbers. He may want to switch his format and broadcast, well, how about news?

I long ceased to pick up a copy of the dead tree version of The New York Times. Why contribute to the salaries of those pinhead editoralists and op-ed writers? Well, I was surprised when I came across a copy not too long ago -- fairly thin with gaudy front page ads. Now with layoffs and paycuts, it's safe to say that the ship be sinking.

I came across this episode of Law & Order recently. I like the program but their understanding of all things military was awful. Goes to show what happens when you don't pay for a military advisor. Sometimes I get the feeling that's the way it is with Team Obama.

I read a Journolist thread on Mickey Kaus' site. Last time I was animated as those losers was when I was in grammar school. My question -- who is paying these guys?

Kudos to Chelsea Clinton and the Bush sisters for realizing that nobody cares what they think. Unfortunately, Meaghan McCain and Ron "Skipper" Reagan didn't get the memo. (Do you think that if either of them were conservatives in their own right that the media would give them the light of day?)

General Electric had a harsh "move up or move out" policy. Obviously, they got rid of it otherwise, how can Immelt and Zucker still have their jobs?

Your National Security Advisor at Work (Cont'd.)

A continuing series...

Ralph Peters details Team Obama's foreign policy gaffes. He doesn't name names but you'd have to think that the National Security Advisor is involved in these debacles.

The Patsy

About three-fourths through The Maltese Falcon, Humphrey Bogart's Sam Spade and Sydney Greenstreet's Kasper Gutman decide to join forces although each man was from different sides of the law. In fact, Spade suggests that Gutman's accomplice, Elisha Cook's Wilmer Cook take the rap on murdering Spade's partner to seal the deal -- to be the patsy. Gutman relents much to the displeasure of Cook. (Check the movie out to see how it ends.)

Such is the case with the U.S. Treasury. President Obama and Larry Summers, his director of the National Economic Council, are calling the shots on revitalizing (or destroying) the economy. Timmy Geithner is the patsy. They figured he probably had enough smarts and experience to get confirmed but enough weaknesses (to include an issue about not paying his taxes) to make him ineffective. (I don't know if Geithner saw it coming.)

So while O & S pump up big government with ever bigger steroids, er, spending, it's Geithner who is being set up for failure. He's the public face of the Administration on the economy and he's the one that has to play "stump the chump" with Congress, the media, and our allies. Obama isn't resigning and Summers isn't going anywhere -- so when a head has to roll -- it will be Geithner's.

Summers, who was a Treasury Secretary, doesn't want nor need too much attention in his current office. (I think his dull demeanor is an act when he hits the Sunday morning news programs.) As the economy continues to plunge south and as even more red ink will be spilled, it will be Geithner, not Summers, who will be called on to pay.

However, Timmy isn't going anywhere. As seen by the Administration's failure to fill the dozen and a half spots that require Senate ratification, it won't be easy getting another patsy. If Geithner couldn't bring himself to step down after it was made known that he studiously avoided paying taxes, it's not likely that he will resign willingly. He will have to be fired. So yesterday's screw up -- about being "open" to a worldwide currency other than the dollar -- will have little impact on Geithner's job security.

It didn't end well for Wilmer Cook in the movie. I'm sure it will be just as bad for Timmy (sans the bloodshed, of course).

Your National Security Advisor At Work (Cont'd.)

A continuing series questioning General Jones' alleged toughness and smarts:

According to Gateway Pundit, Team Obama wrote a lovely note (they do a lot of letter writing over in the Oval Office nowadays) to former French President Jacques Chirac to say that he looks forward to working with him.

Unfortunately, Chirac is the former President of France.

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In other news, former ballet student and current hatchet man, Rahm Emanuel, has decided to conduct political get togethers in the Situation Room.

Did anybody think to ask the NSA as to whether this was appropriate? Or was, he, as the case seems to be -- simply ignored?

The stimulus to come...

The Falls Church News-Press (a left-leaning publication) paints a sad picture of the power of good intentions.

Several years back, Uncle Sugar offered four electric buses and funds to operate them through Falls Church, Va. Nothing like electric buses as a means of reducing mass transit's carbon footprint!

Needless to say but the electric buses didn't pan out -- they were too maintenance intensive. So they went with diesel.

Now the federal dollars are gone and the Falls Church city manager is trying to find a way to either fund the system (more taxes) or cut back on service. (As any drug pusher knows, once you get folks accustomed to the product, they realize that they can't do without it.)

I suspect that in the thousand plus pages of a mess known as the Reinvestment and Recovery Act -- there are plenty of other similar stimulating ideas. Unfortunately in an effort to solve today's problem they only beget tomorrow's problem.

Your National Security Advisor at Work (Cont'd.)

(A continuing series...)

According to press reports, President Obama, sent a video to Iran looking for a "new day" in the Washington - Tehran relationship.

I'm sure it's the feel good video of the season; especially in the West Wing.

However, in the mosques in Tehran, I'm figuring that they are looking at this as a sign of Obama's weakness.

Full speed on the nuclear program and keep re-supplying Hezbollah!

(It's a darn shame that most people aren't like us -- it would make things so much easier.)

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I'll cut the General some slack and assume he wasn't in the office when Team Obama thought that combat-wounded vets should pay for their medical treatment.

What's Going On?

Maybe I'm missing something here.

Among our political class:

• The President appears on a comedy show and in the process mocks the handicapped.
• The President and the Congress sign a stimulus bill that nobody has read -- perhaps only after the fact. (Something akin to a battle damage assessment?)
• The House of Representatives, in a show of faux-anger, passes a law taxing the AIG bonus babies at a 90% rate despite the fact that it's not likely to withstand Constitutional muster.

In our media world:

• MSNBC wastes valuable prime-time trying to delegitimize the Republican opposition.
• The Fox blow-hards invite guests simply to hear themselves talk. Why bother to send the invites -- just yak away? (It may be too much to ask either Fox or MSNBC to actually gather and report news?)
• The local Fox affiliate news program showed a bunch of anti-Iraq War protesters last night. The spokesman was someone out of high school who said the war couldn't be won. (You can't blame him though as the media has been silent about the war since it's been won and that's not news.)

Granted, I'm cherry picking my examples but I think the point is clear -- we're are living in a crisis but our political and media classes are simply not up to the task.

Ruminations

Call it the Snyder Curse, but ever since Dan Snyder assumed control of the Washington Redskins, they haven't been, well, contenders. They overpaid for Albert Haynesworth to fix their weak defensive line. Now it appears that Mr. Haynesworth may spend some time in the clink.


I don't know why MSNBC treats Keith Olberman as the 800 pound gorilla -- among the 25-54 demographic, he's third among the news cable shows at 8 PM EDST and dead last when he's repeated at 10 PM EDST. Not exactly a barn-burner. But I figure he's the reason why there isn't a new show with a new host at 10 PM -- he doesn't want the competition within (MS)NBC.


Sooner or later, Obama -- if he's serious about entitlement reform or opts to finally make a tough decision -- he's going to have to buck his party. However, as he folds repeatedly like a lawn chair to get their support for "gimmes" such as a budget and a stimulus -- he's setting himself up for failure. Come this fall, Congress will be looking at 2010 -- not what Obama thinks is best. He's burning valuable political capital now.


For reasons beyond my meager ability to understand, it seems that education, energy, and health care are woven into the current economic crisis. Well, what about the lack of a college football playoff? I can imagine President Obama, saying the following: "Unless we get a definitive national college football champion, the current financial crisis will persist. That's why, today, I have established a federal commission..."


Nobody wants to jump on a sinking ship, but you'd think that getting 18 or so financial whizzes to join the Treasury Department wouldn't be this difficult. My gut tells me that nobody wants to work for Timmy Geithner.


A New York radio station changed formats this week from "mainstream" rock to Top 40. I was traumatized when this happened when I was a teenager. Nowadays, does anyone listen to the local radio?

Your National Security Advisor at Work

Apparently, the President has decided to focus (when not in pseudo-campaign mode) on domestic issues. As a result, he -- not unlike President Clinton -- has let the "experts" handle foreign policy.

For starters, it looks like the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) selected Chas Freeman to be the chief of the National Intelligence Council (NIC). Mr. Freeman has since declined the job.

Nonetheless, the NIC produces the authoritative National Intelligence Estimates which guides U.S. foreign policy. It seemed that Mr. Freeman had some explaining to do with regard to his "outlier" views on key issues. No doubt, Admiral (Ret'd.) Blair will take some well-deserved grief for the selection.

However, shouldn't the national security advisor been part of the selection process? If he was ignored (or not part of the input) doesn't it suggest that his views are, well, unimportant? If he did have input, what does it say about his judgment? From my soda-straw perspective, it looks like lose-lose.

Moreover, who put the idea in the President's head about "moderate" Taliban? After seven plus years, those Taliban who wanted to come over -- probably have. Those who joined after their ejection into the mountainous hinterlands are likely to be hard core. (All bets are off should Obama go to the mountains -- with his teleprompter -- and talk to the Taliban.)

Then (I can go on but three examples should suffice) what was the anticipated end state when dealing with the Russians regarding Iran? The actual result had us looking as if we let the Poles and the Czechs twist in the wind with no Russian change in policy. Moreover, it has downgraded the critical missile defense system to a bargaining chip. Who was dumb enough to think that the Russians were going to take a bite on that offer?

General (Ret'd.) James Jones hasn't been getting much press as the president's national security advisor. However, given these recent debacles , maybe he should.

Ruminations

Lost in the brouhaha in the White House vs. Rush battle is the fact that George Stephanopoulos participated in daily conference calls with the White House chief of staff and other Clinton-era operatives. Maybe, I'm old school, but I think it was wrong for these events to be held with a network anchor. However, if you do need a media representative, shouldn't they have partnered with Keith Olberman?

Joe Biden convenes secret meetings with a powerful interest group. I'm holding my breath for the Congressional inquiry.

Too bad the White House doesn't have anybody on staff who knows the protocols of dealing with European heads of government. If they did, then Obama's gift to Gordon Brown wouldn't have been so insulting. Further proof that General (Ret'd.) Jones is window dressing.

If Obama is so insistent that we don't torture, why does he insist that Robert Gibbs be his press secretary? C'mon, there are only so many "umh's" a person can tolerate without breaking.

Just when I thought that Joe Biden was the second coming of Dan Quayle, it dawned on me that he's actually the return of Spiro T. Agnew.

Larry King thought he was funny last night when he remarked that those who voted against the stimulus bill hadn't read it either. There's no shame in retirement, Larry.

The jobless crisis claimed another victim this week -- a State Department Russian translator.

UPDATE: Further proof that General Jones is a potted plant.

Timmy's Travails

Six weeks into the administration -- and Timmy Geithner is still flying solo at the Treasury Department. The Department has 17 positions that require Senate confirmation. So far, no names have been ponied up.

Apparently, it's not for a want of trying. According to the AP, a prospective deputy decided to take a pass when offered the job.

However, the bright spot (everything is relative these days) is the fact that he has a 50-member advisory board.

When you have 50 guys and gals giving you advice -- you're not getting smarter -- you're getting confused. (I'd be curious to know how many of them are erstwhile lobbyists.)

One blogger is perplexed.

He needn't be.

The key to understanding is that this administration, with respect to domestic affairs, prefers to to micro-manage. (Hillary got her secretaryship to take her out of the 2012 race and even Team Obama knew their limitations when it came to defense.)

Geithner, eager to have his signature on the currency and willing to embarass himself about his tax-dodging, took the job. It seems that subordinate position holders aren't willing to accept a title without commensurate authority.

Proximity is power. Larry Summers is decamped somewhere in the White House. He has the President's ear. He develops the policies -- for better or worse -- and the folks over at Treasury are expected to carry it out. Who -- with 15-20 years experience in financial matters -- wants to do the job a glorified college intern? After six weeks the answer is clear -- nobody.

Treasury will not be the only department to have this problem. The czars and czarinas at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue will be the power brokers. They won't be simply "coordinating." They will be barking out orders that begin with, "The President wants..."

If that's not a recipe for disaster, then it should be in the cookbook.

Expect a rounding up of the usual suspects -- mostly hacks -- to fill in the Treasury Department. Based on the recent performance of the stock market, it's not as if the economy was an administration priority anyway.

Tea Party Crasher

Are you looking for an intellectual argument that undercuts the premise behind the Tea Parties (i.e., spending money we don't have for various bailouts)? If so, don't waste your time here.

Unless, you think "grow up" passes for an argument.

Gyrating

About ten years all one needed was a computer, a modem, an online trading account, and a business magazine (or a copy of The Wall Street Journal) and one was in business as a day trader.

I had a friend who did it -- more of a hobby than anything else. On a good day, he would make up to $40. That's right, forty bucks.

I always thought it was too much work for what seemed to be an iffy ROI at best.

Fortunately, our President has figured the same thing out. As he boldly proclaimed yesterday:

"What I am looking for is not the day-to-day gyrations of the stock market ... but the long-term...''

Most folks though, are investors. They are in for the long haul -- whether it's for retirement, a rainy day, or their children's education. They aren't looking at the daily "gyrations." But it's only the obstinate or foolish who can't see the market sinking.

Perhaps it was the tax-dodger, who told Obama, in Cheney-esque fashion, that the stimulus, the budget, and the various bailouts will have them them greeted as liberators on Wall Street.

Then again, maybe not.

Obama is not a stupid man. If he was concerned about the investor-class he would do something about it. His advice to buy more stocks rings false when he continues to burden business with additional "feel-good" regulations; a union-first mentality; and one big tax bill.

Maybe it's time to start thinking that a $40 score is worth it.

All the News that Fits

Chandra Levy's alleged killer is an illegal alien.

The New York Daily News didn't think you needed to know that.

If All You Have Is A Hammer...

...then everything looks like a nail.

Rahm Emanuel, President Obama's chief of staff, has done a bang up job of late. He's ensured that Obama's high profile appointments have had spotless records, he's kept Congressional earmarks to a minimum, his previous experience as an investment banker has had a calming effect on the market and he's ensured that his boss hasn't been tainted by any of that notorious Chicago corruption. (I'll take a pass on discussing how the stimulus and the budget were written in a post-partisan manner.)

By any calculus, Emanuel, has had a tough month. Put it another way, he's been a failure.

However, there is one thing that Emanuel can do -- he can mix it up. Unfortunately for him, there is no special prosecutor after Obama, the GOP has pretty much given the chief executive a wide berth, and Big Media continues to be solicitous.

So, what to you do? You go to the Bill Clinton playbook and go after someone.

In this case, they're going after Rush Limbaugh.

I was at CPAC on Saturday night and I heard Rush's (lengthy) monologue about the President. Nobody is denying his desire that he wants the President's policies to fail. I'm not going to do Rush's bidding here -- he can do that well by himself. But if you read the speech, you'll know where he's coming from.

Here is what I find interesting. If Emanuel could do his job, he'd be working on the problems I listed above. (Obama is still in the midst of a honeymoon after all.) But he can't. His heart and his head are in the gutter. So he gets his puppet, Robert Gibbs (who still has his job, remarkably) to link Rush with the Republican Party. I was surprised that Rush's patriotism wasn't called into question.

I've heard of hatchet men, but Emanuel is the hammering man and not much else.

UPDATE: More evidence that Emanuel in an attack-hack.

So Long Playboy?

Much has been made of the fact that a Sunday edition of the New York Times costs more than a share in the New York Times Company.

They're not the only ones with that problem. As I write this, Playboy Enterprises is selling at a $1.41 a share. I'm not sure of the cover price of the magazine -- their website shows this month's cover without a pricetag -- but I'm sure that it's on sale for a bit more than that.

To make matters worse, they've been losing money like a Wall Street investment bank.

Alas, a business model based on nude pictures of B-stars, fading A-stars, starlets, and the fleetingly notorious -- was bound to fail with the proliferation of the Internet. (Why pay for naked photos when you can get the for free on your PC?) For example, I like to think that I'm a hip and happening guy, but I don't have a clue as to who this month's cover model is. Typical.

I remember back in high school when a friend showed me and a few other friends his stash of Playboys. After getting an eyeful from the photos, I would take a look at the articles. (Really.) I'd ask myself -- who would want to read this stuff? The ads were more interesting.

What's really amazes me is that Hugh Hefner -- what is he pushing 80? -- is still the personification of the magazine. He certainly knew how to monetize female flesh but his time, like leisure suits and bell bottoms, is long gone. Who wants to emulate him? (A guy in his 90s?)

I'm a believer that this recession/depression is a paradigm shifter. A lot will be "destroyed" -- newspapers, banks, automobile manufacturers -- and a lot will be "created." (Who knows what but something will arise from the ashes.)

I can't help but think that Playboy will be part of the former. It won't survive.

There's probably more to be made by hoarding old copies of the magazine than in holding their shares.

Ruminations

There are days when Tom Friedman has nothing in the tank. Today is one of those days.


At what point does dementia come into the conversation about Mike Lupica's apparent obsession with steroids? We get it: steroids are bad and the players who use them are evil. Does he have any other arrows in his quiver?


You have to hand it to Obama -- he's brought change. He's got the middle class out protesting. I just hope it continues.


I caught Rush Limbaugh's "national address" yesterday at the CPAC gathering. Good stuff. But what's with the Johnny Cash outfit?


The most dangerous place in the Bronx is between state senator Jeff Klein and a camera. The most undeveloped place in the Bronx is between his ears. It's one thing for Uncle Sugar to punish those who make over $250K -- there is little recourse. When state governments do it, then people move.


On that topic, the ultimate in terms of big pay/little work gigs is working in the most dysfunctional state government -- New York's legislature. Klein fits right in.


Bill Simmons at ESPN paints a bleak picture of the NBA. Go figure. After six weeks, you know who's going to the playoffs; they're just playing for seeding for the virtual second season. And it shows in those lackluster December - March games. Who's going to pay to see that? Especially in this economy.


If agents could be charged for malpractice, Scott Boras would then have to get a lawyer. He's totally botched the negotiations for Manny Ramirez. (Manny, alas, is too dumb to notice.)


I caught Keith Olberman bashing Bush last week. For a second, I thought it was a repeat. After all hasn't he been out of office for a whole month now? I guess if you can't say anything good Obama, well. . .

Where to, Al?

I came across an old photo of Al Sharpton. His haircut is better and his threads are more stylish but the shtick remains the same.

At present, Al is protesting a New York Post cartoon that may have (as with art – it’s in the eye of the beholder) likened President Obama to a chimpanzee. News Corp., the NYP’s parent company, has apologized. (For what it’s worth – and I’m unsure as to who he was speaking for, other than himself – Al Sharpton refused the apology.)

It’s hard to fathom what Al Sharpton considers an outrage given his role in the Tawana Brawley hoax, the incident at Freddy’s Fashion Mart, and being an FBI snitch. I have a hard time reconciling a cartoon with those debacles.

But wherever there is a grievance, Al will be on hand. It’s an easy gig. The story is already out there – all he has to do is just append himself to it. With a smidgen of self-indignation and a bit of bluster, Al finds himself in the news. In today’s media, a good visual with a simple story line (us. vs. them) can get a few minutes on the local news.

Since the barriers to the business are so low – there is always the threat of competition – Al, who may have better things to do with his time, has to consistently hit the streets. The last thing he needs is some fresh face who – heaven forbid – may want to find some common ground with the competing parties.

One would think that Al would be beyond that sort of thing. He has a radio gig and that would be enough for some. Moreover, he’s dodged a whole slew of charges and has remained out of the hoosegow. That has to count for something.

But Al’s center of gravity is being in the public eye. If he ever lost that, he will lose everything. For all I know, Al may be feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and housing the homeless. But it’s putting himself in the eye of a storm that makes him notorious. Otherwise, he’s just an ordinary race-baiter with a nice suit.

More importantly, we’re a culture that celebrates the achievements of African-Americans – whether it’s Tiger, Oprah, LeBron, Denzel, Halle, or even a guy named Barack. (And that’s just for those who can go by one name.) A couple of decades ago, it was easy to rail against the Man. Nowadays, far less so. (When Jesse Jackson cried the night that Obama was elected, he was also marking the death of a then lucrative business model – nationwide grievance collection and reparation. Like the wind, it’s gone.)

But where can Al go from here? He can’t run a campaign much less get elected to any position. Moreover, if he ever were elected, Al, like Stephon Marbury, can't play defense. Even he's aware of his limitations. His background makes him too radioactive to be appointed to anything. (Furthermore, Al is more of an improviser than a planner or a manager.)

So, Al, as he crosses middle age to his golden years, is left to do what he does best – getting himself in the middle of a contentious issue.

And, as usual, Al isn’t there to remediate the injury, No it’s always about Al. He’s not getting any younger, so these stories won’t be any fresher, and they certainly won’t be prettier.

But at least he has a good tailor and a better barber.