E Tu MSNBC? Chris Matthews, Obama Honeymoon Ends with Gulf Oil – “No Executive Command” – Fox, O’Reilly Defends!

USA Officially Enters The Twilight Zone -image foundation stone blog - Barack Obama photo Portland art

MSNBC political pundits, in reviewing the President’s address to the nation last night, were uncharacteristically harsh in their assessment of Obama’s “performance”. This change in tone from a network known in Conservative and Moderate circles as “in the tank” for the Obama administration, included a tirade of sorts by the top Obama cheerleaders (Chris Matthews and Keith Olberman), which included invoking a Carter comparison (whereby Carter actually comes out on top).

Transcript from Real Clear Politics

“Olbermann: "It was a great speech if you were on another planet for the last 57 days."

Matthews compared Obama to Carter.

Olbermann: "Nothing specific at all was said."

Matthews: "No direction."

Howard Fineman: "He wasn't specific enough."

Olbermann: "I don't think he aimed low, I don't think he aimed at all. It's startling."

Howard Fineman: Obama should be acting like a "commander-in-chief."

Matthews: Ludicrous that he keeps saying [Secretary of Energy] Chu has a Nobel prize. "I'll barf if he does it one more time."

Matthews: "A lot of meritocracy, a lot of blue ribbon talk."

Matthews: "I don't sense executive command."

Over at Fox News, where one would think a total thrashing would take place, Bill O’Reilly gave the President the Benefit of the doubt. In a segment with pundits Alan Colmes and Monica Crowley, O’Reilly acknowledges things may have been done differently, however, points out that no-one knows how to stop the oil spill. He includes Governor Sarah Palin in that segment, where she outlined options in dealing with the clean-up, but was harangued by O’Reilly as far as a continual question: “Do you know how to stop the oil spill?” Palin, whose patience was clearly running thin, gave him a thin lipped glare, and went onto outline what should have been done in dealing with BP executives. That segment is also shown below for those who are unaware of the former Alaska Governors’ ability to deal with Oil Executives and her extensive knowledge of the industry.

Palin, carefully parses her words when basically trashing the “government” over the clean-up, and outlines what she might have done differently – she does go into political rhetoric regarding Obama’s “never let a crisis go to waste” and his subsequent call for “Cap and Tax”, which would add more economic burdens than the general public can handle at this point.

The polls will tell, currently the President, has a job approval rating (according to Rasmussen Reports of 24% strongly approve, with 41% strongly disapproving, the overall adjusted to account for those who are leaning one way or the other but not fully committed to approving or disapproving of his performance, gives the President a 45% approval. As this scenario in the Gulf plays out, along with a myriad of other issues facing American’s (unemployment, the economy, border issues and illegal immigration), may drive that number downward to unseen depths. The question now remains, which phoenix will rise from the ashes to take the mantel of the Presidency and fix this mess in 2012
Comparing the two networks and videos, is akin to watching Rod Serling at his best. The Obama administration has officially entered the Twilight Zone.


MSNBC Video



Fox News Video O'Reilly Colmes


Fox News O'Reilly - Palin


For those unfamiliar:
Rod Serling - We have officially entered the Twilight Zone of American Politics.

Deep Division in Democrat Party 2010 Elections – Polls: 48% Democrats Likely to Vote GOP in the Fall – 65% Feel Congressional Overhaul in Order.

A blog article from April 21, at Public Policy Polling, revealed a poll taken on political party loyalty going into the 2010 general election. Polling showed that 54% of Republicans feel their party is headed in the right direction, the balance that were either undecided or not happy with the direction of the party, plan to vote for a GOP candidate. Conversely, 83% of Democrats polled are happy with the direction of their party – the kicker – 48% plan on voting GOP. The article, by Tom Jensen, concludes:

"So despite the fact that there are far more GOP voters mad at their party than Democrats, the number of angry Democrats planning to vote Republican is actually larger than the number of angry Republicans planning to vote Democratic. It's just one more thing the party is going to have to cope with for this fall.”

This is in line with a recent Rasmussen Reports survey released Friday that concludes 65% of voters believe the country would be better off with a Congressional overhaul. Booting the incumbent appears to be a trend going into the fall election, with the repeal of the Health Care Bill and economy primary in voters’ minds. – 41% of those polled believe a person chosen at random from a phonebook would do a better job on the economy than those currently holding Congressional seats.

Rasmussen polling reportedly trends Conservative, while Public Policy Polling is reportedly more liberal. What this suggests is that most of the voting public, regardless of party affiliation, are unhappy with the current Congress, with Democrats more willing to change affiliation than republicans, combined with Independents (addressed in Rasmussen Reports) trending towards the GOP. While still extremely early in terms of political polling to predict November outcomes (primaries will be help up through September depending upon the State or Commonwealth), trending showing disgust with Congress has continued to remain fairly steady the past year. Factors such as a weak incumbent, the state of the economy overall and by individual state, will tell in polls beginning in September.

Amherst Massachusetts jumps on Arizona Boycott Bandwagon

The college town of Amherst, MA the boycott of Arizona follows a long tradition of lunacy photo: greatrealtyusa.com

The small college town of Amherst, Massachusetts, is at it again – the Board of Selectmen approved a boycott of Arizona with the following stipulations: they will not buy goods or services in Arizona, official travel to Arizona is prohibited, and the town cannot do business with transportation companies headquartered in Arizona. Amherst is politically left of center - and was one of the few hamlets in the Bay State that voted overwhelmingly for Democrat Martha Coakley in the Special Senate Election that saw Republican Scott Brown elected to the “people's seat”.

The fact that the town’s primary income is derived from colleges and students, makes this decision by the Board of Selectman, of little surprise and or consequence. This is the same Amherst where in 2004, the high school ditched a production of “West Side Story” in 1999because it was too racists and might offend (source UK Guardian), and in 2004, the same high school decided the best play for that particular age group would be the Vagina Monologue .

The town is home to the main campus of the University of Massachusetts (affectionately known as “Zoo Mass” by parents whose offspring have considered attending), Amherst College, and Hampshire College (an alternative college) in South Amherst. It is, what it is, a hotbed of commonly held liberal believes in the ugly white American, anti-corporatism and the imperialism of the United States. The select board (as noted on the official Amherst web site) includes: Stephanie O’Keeffee, Alisa Brewer, Aaron Kayden, Diana Stein, and James Wald all of whom will not be visiting Arizona anytime soon, nor will they be flying United Airlines, as it is based in Arizona.

The article by the Springfield Republican, begins with cheerleading Amherst's decision: Joining a growing list of communities across the state and country, Amherst will no longer knowingly engage in business with the state of Arizona because of its recently enacted immigration law.”


Springfield Republican Readers who differ on the Amherst Arizona Boycott

That recently enacted law, mirrors the current Federal Law on the books and goes one step further to protect the rights of those “illegal immigrants” who are murdering, robbing and otherwise preventing the citizens of Arizona to live peacefully.
The comments section of this particular article speaks to the disparity between the people of Massachusetts and the Republican and the sleepy hollow of Amherst. With the article receiving 186 comments (a high number of comments for this particular news site), this blogs favorite follows:

“Just another meaningless political gesture by guilt-ridden neurotic white people.
Hey! That's what Amherst is all about!”

That says it all.