Conservative Republicans walking fine line on McChrystal controversy. House Minority Whip’s statement after the jump … Read More
The outgoing chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, says Gen. Stanley McChrystal’s comments in Rolling Stone put him in the company of “reckless, renegade generals” like MacArthur and LeMay.
This is not the year I’d expect a Democrat to knock off a Republican incumbent in Texas. But maybe it could happen. We’ve now got our first non-Rasmussen poll of the Texas governor’s race (from PPP). And it shows a dead even race between Gov. Rick Perry (R) and former Houston Mayor Bill White.
Secretary Gates has released a statement rebuking Gen. McChrystal. As I noted earlier though I believe Gates behind the scenes reaction will be key to how all this plays out. Remember back in 2007 Gates fired then-head of Central Command, Adm. Fallon in remarkably similar circumstances. He’s spoken out of turn about President Bush in an article in Esquire. Does Gates decide McChrystal’s insubordination goes too far? Or will he help manage a brief ritual humiliation of McChrystal which has him back in place in Afghanistan in short order? Beside Obama, Gates is the real player here.
WaPo opinioner Jackson Diehl says McChrystal shouldn’t be apologizing for disrespecting President Obama but that President Obama should be apologizing for disrespecting McChrystal. Not sure which part of the military-civilian things Diehl doesn’t understand.
As a general matter, I think it’s naive to indulge any sense that Gen. McChrystal didn’t know just what he was doing and getting into with this Rolling Stone profile. He’s a pro. He knows how to play this game. And to think otherwise just doesn’t do him justice. However, there are a few points about what he knew specifically that I think should be addressed. Read More
As the Daily Show points out, at least BP CEO Tony Hayward only attended that yacht race and had the good sense to postpone the “manatee round-up” and cancel the “6th annual Hayward family dolphin hunt.” Watch.
A fresh round of lobbying from the big banks looks set to seriously water down the so-called Volcker Rule in the financial reform legislation. The word up on the Hill is that it’s all about Sen. Brown (R-MA) who holds the deciding 60th vote and wants the waterdown. But Sen. Levin (D-MI) the primary author of the key rule doesn’t buy that and seems to believe that other members of the Democratic caucus have been gotten to by the bank lobbying and actually want to see the Volcker Rule watered down too. Our Brian Beutler gets the story form Sen. Levin.
The local NBC affiliate in Vegas is literally going on the air begging Sharron Angle to allow them to interview her.