A group of RNC members has invited FreedomWorks — now anointed as semi-official spokesman for the ‘Tea Party’ — to help vet possible challengers/successors to Michael Steele.
I’m really not sure what to make of it. But I’m extremely intrigued by this series of comments by former National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski on the NewsHour. I’m cutting out some cross-talk and comments by the other guest Stephen Hadley (who held the same position under President Bush) to focus on Brzezinski’s comments …
The real issue is, who is feeding Wikipedia on this issue — Wiki — Wiki — WikiLeaks on this issue? They’re getting a lot of information which seems trivial, inconsequential, but some of it seems surprisingly pointed.
JUDY WOODRUFF: Well, what are you referring to?
ZBIGNIEW BRZEZINSKI: Well, for example, there are references to a report by our officials that some Chinese leaders favor a reunified Korea under South Korea.
This is clearly designed to embarrass the Chinese and our relationship with them. The very pointed references to Arab leaders could have as their objective undermining their political credibility at home, because this kind of public identification of their hostility towards Iran could actually play against them at home.
I’m only partly kidding, and Begala has enough sense not to want the job. But the subset of Democratic operatives who understand that politics is hand-to-hand combat is exceedingly small. Paul Begala is not just one of them, he’s a charter member of the group. Unfortunately in the nearly 20 years (hard to believe) since Begala emerged on the national stage for helping to get Bill Clinton elected President, the number of Democrats who understand the rules of the game hasn’t grown that much and is still largely made up of Clinton-era types.
Here’s Begala on CNN last evening, lamenting Obama’s unilateral concession on a pay freeze for federal workers: Read More
Obama tasks Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and OMB Director Jack Lew to negotiate with congressional leaders on how to resolve Bush tax cuts impasse.
Incoming House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) says Congress should “keep an open mind” about a constitutional amendment being proposed in his home state of Virginia that would allow states to overturn any federal law by a vote of 2/3 of the states’ legislatures.
In offering his support, Cantor says:
The Repeal Amendment would provide a check on the ever-expanding federal government, protect against Congressional overreach, and get the government working for the people again, not the other way around. In order to return America to opportunity, responsibility, and success, we must reverse course and the Repeal Amendment is a step in that direction.
Where to even start?
Defense Secretary Bob Gates just called on Congress to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell before the end of the year — while asking that Congress give the military time to implement the change.
Asked by reporters how much time he would need, Gates conceded he didn’t know. But he indicated the the President would keep a close eye on the Pentagon and make sure it didn’t slow roll the implementation.
As expected, the Pentagon’s review of DADT found that repeal of the flawed policy would not have an adverse effect on unit morale or cohesion. But Gates’ unequivocal call for repeal by Congress was perhaps a surprise. The argument he made for repeal cuts particularly sharply for Republicans: if Congress doesn’t repeal DADT in orderly fashion, the federal courts may do it in a haphazard and disruptive way.
Gates message to Republicans in Congress was pick your poison: You can repeal this policy in a way that lets us implement it with minimal disruption or you can fail to act and the courts will act by “judicial fiat” forcing the Pentagon to react with no time to prepare, which Gates said was his “greatest fear.”
Bob Gates’ abilities as a masterful bureaucrat and Washington shapeshifter have rarely been on more public display than in his just-completed press conference. He was expected to unveil a Pentagon review of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell that would clear the way for repeal, but Gates took it a step further with a clarion call to Congress to repeal DADT before the end of the year or else the federal courts might do it by what he called “judicial fiat.”
It was classic Gates: a combination of finesse and sharp elbows. He framed the issue starkly: repeal DADT in an orderly way with enough time for me to implement it, and I can pull this off without jeopardizing our military readiness — or you can leave it to the courts which is “my greatest fear” and which guarantees a disruptive transition that could damage the military.
He offered the choice of stability v. unpredictability, an argument dear to Republican hearts. The topper: What could be worse to leaning congressional Republicans than abdicating their power and control to those dreaded activist judges?
With one big heave, Gates has thrown this issue back into Congress’ lap and tried to box in persuadable Republicans. It’s a remarkable move.
Okay, not exactly ‘You Lie!’ But moments after Sec Def Bob Gates called for Congress to repeal DADT this year, Reps. Joe Wilson (R) and Buck McKeon (R) sent out a statement calling for “comprehensive oversight” of the Pentagon’s study showing that repealing DADT won’t damage military readiness.
Wilson, you’ll remember, was immortalized for his “You Lie!” outburst during President Obama’s speech to a joint session of Congress last year. McKeon and Wilson will hold key committee chairs on the Armed Services Committee and Armed Services Military Personnel Subcommittee next year.