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MARCH 29,  2015

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:55 P.M. ET: 

DOWN TO THE WIRE – The nuclear talks with Iran are scheduled to end tomorrow night.  There is still no guarantee of success.  In fact, Iran has taken a contrary turn that could scuttle the negotiations.  From The New York Times:  "LAUSANNE, Switzerland — With a negotiating deadline just two days away, Iranian officials on Sunday backed away from a critical element of a proposed nuclear agreement, saying they are no longer willing to ship their atomic fuel out of the country.  For months, Iran tentatively agreed that it would send a large portion of its stockpile of uranium to Russia, where it would not be accessible for use in any future weapons program. But on Sunday Iran’s deputy foreign minister made a surprise comment to Iranian reporters, ruling out an agreement that involved giving up a stockpile that Iran has spent years and billions of dollars to amass."  Why bother to negotiate?  We're talking about the lives of millions of people, and negotiating the agreement like a labor contract.  Iran's pullback is probably based on the feeling that Obama will cave, and Iran might be right.

SHE HAS SPOKEN – Hillary Clinton, whose convictions have a certain flexibility about them, has finally spoken out about the strains in American-Israeli relations.  The possible next president says that it's important to get the relationship back on track.  Such wisdom.  Such insight.  I wouldn't have even thought such an exciting thought without her help.  Someone should point out that she participated in Obama's wrecking of the American-Israeli relationship when she was secretary of state.  Will anyone in the press challenge her on that little detail?  Don't hold your breath.

O'MALLEY GETS AGGRESSIVE – The former Maryland governor is opening up on Hillary Clinton, and making it clear that if he gets into the presidential race he'll pull no punches.  From AP:  "Potential Democratic presidential candidate Martin O'Malley says the country needs new perspectives, and he's criticizing the prospects of another Clinton and Bush seeking the White House again.  The former Maryland governor tells ABC's 'This Week' that the presidency is 'not some crown to be passed between two families.'  He also questions whether former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton would take on special interests.  Clinton is a likely presidential candidate and would be the strong favorite for the Democratic nomination.  O'Malley says he'll decide this spring whether he'll run."  Unless he's successfully threatened by the Clinton gang, he's runnin'. 

March 29, 2015       Permalink

CARLY? – AT 10:36 A.M. ET:  Carly Fiorina, the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, pretty much announced for president today.  No one gives her much chance of gaining the top slot.  But vice president?  Well, you never know.  From The Hill:

Former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina said Sunday that she is almost certain she will run for the GOP nomination for president.

Fiorina told “Fox News Sunday” host Chris Wallace that there is a “very high” chance she will run, and followed it up by specifying that the probability is “higher than 90 percent.”

If she decides to run, Fiorina wants to wait until late April or early May to announce, she said.
“We need to make sure we have the right time in place, that we have the right support, that we have the right financial resources lined up, just as all the other candidates have done,” Fiorina said in an interview on the show.

Fiorina took the interview as a chance to take some shots at former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is expected to announce soon her candidacy in the 2016 race as a Democrat.

“There’s a competence issue now. Anyone in 2015 who says you can’t have two email accounts on a single device obviously doesn’t understand technology,” she said, referring to Clinton’s statement that she used a private email account to avoid carrying multiple smartphones.

When Wallace asked Fiorina to make the case for her nomination, the Republican, who ran for Senate in 2010, focused largely on her tenure at HP from 1999 to 2005.

“Because I have a deep understanding of how the economy actually works, having started as a secretary and become the chief executive of the largest technology company in the world,” she said.

COMMENT:  Being the only woman in an otherwise all-male lineup is an advantage.  It's also an advantage when a candidate presents herself as well as Carly Fiorina does.  I've seen her in action and she's terrific, standing head and shoulders above the conniving Clinton.

She has deficits.  Her time at HP was controversial and she was eventually forced out.  There inevitably will be the anonymous stories charging her with incompetence, cruel management and self-promotion.  And her experience, while admirable, is thin when it comes to public service.  Also, she has never won an election.

She should be welcomed to the race.  I think she'll be an asset and draw more viewers to the debates.  And the contrast with Hillary will be very pleasing to see.

March 29, 2015       Permalink

DEFECTOR – QUOTE OF THE DAY – AT 8:41 A.M. ET:  We told you last night that there is a defector from the Iranian delegation to the nuclear talks.  He gives us this morning a stunning quote, and, in a way, a warning about Barack Obama.  From the Weekly Standard:   

An Iranian journalist writing about the nuclear negotiations between the United States and Iran has defected. In an interview Amir Hossein Motaghi, has some harsh words for his native Iran. He also has a damning indictment of America's role in the nuclear negotiations.

“The U.S. negotiating team are mainly there to speak on Iran’s behalf with other members of the 5+1 countries and convince them of a deal," Motaghi told a TV station after just defecting from the Iranian delegation while abroad for the nuclear talks. The P 5 + 1 is made up of United States, United Kingdom, Russia, China, France, plus Germany.

COMMENT:   We try to be very careful here, so we note that this is only one person.  As someone with intelligence experience, I also want to note that defector reports must be looked at very carefully.  The defector may have personal motives, or the defector might actually be a plant.

That said, what makes this man's quote so devastating is that we have long suspected exactly what he is suggesting, that Barack Hussein Obama Jr., who is controlling our side in the talks, is pro-Iranian, is a friend of the regime, and wants to replace Israel with Iran as our major ally in the region.  Virtually all of Obama's policies in the Mideast point in that direction. 

Remember that, when the Iranian people revolted against the ghastly regime in 2009, it took Hussein Obama four days to make it to a microphone to say some kind words about democracy.  It was a disgraceful performance by an American president, but, naturally, the media gave him a pass. 

This is a major story.  If it can be shown decisively that Obama is working against his own country's interests, that could be considered an impeachable offense.  I don't know if impeachment would occur – it is a risky proposition for the Republicans, and the issue of race hovers over this presidency – but I increasingly feel that it is a course that must be considered by true patriots.

March 29, 2015      Permalink

CRISIS POINT – AT 8:22 A.M. ET:  The nuclear talks with Iran have reached a crisis stage.  The deadline is Tuesday.  John Kerry has canceled a trip to Washington to honor the late Edward Kennedy to remain in Switzerland.  There apparently are still serious gaps.  From AP and Times of Israel:

Amid signs of trouble in the Iran nuclear negotiations, US Secretary of State John Kerry canceled plans Sunday to return to the United States for an event honoring his late Senate colleague Edward Kennedy in order to remain at the ongoing talks in Switzerland.

The State Department said Kerry had been looking forward to participating in the dedication of the Kennedy Institute in Boston with the family of the late Massachusetts senator on Sunday and Monday but that “given the ongoing nuclear negotiations in Switzerland, the secretary regrets he will not be able to share this special time with them in person.” Kerry served in the Senate with Kennedy for nearly 25 years and the two were close friends.

Kerry’s decision to stay comes as the talks appear to have hit obstacles ahead of a March 31 target for the outline of a final deal to be negotiated by the end of June. Officials have spoken of the hurdles in general terms, citing Iranian resistance to limits on research and development and demands for more speedy and broad relief from international sanctions.

With just three days to go, negotiators were meeting multiple times in various formats. Kerry has been in discussions with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in the Swiss town of Lausanne since Thursday. The foreign ministers of France and Germany arrived on Saturday and the foreign ministers of Britain, China and Russia are due to arrive on Sunday.

The State Department said late Saturday that “serious but difficult work” remained for negotiators and that the pace of discussions expected to intensify as “we assess if an understanding is possible.”

COMMENT:  It's a farce.  It really is.  Iran tells the world its nuclear program is peaceful.  If that's so, why are these talks going down to the wire?  Why is Iran resisting on critical points?  Why, indeed, is Iran developing ICBM's, whose only purpose is delivering nuclear warheads?

I agree with those who say it would be better for the talks to collapse than have a bad deal.

March 29,  2015     Permalink

MARCH 28,  2015

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:56 P.M. ET:

ARMY WARNS TROOPS – From the Washington Times:  "The U.S. Army has issued a worldwide urgent 'security awareness message' to soldiers on how to protect their social media accounts, and their homes, from attacks by the Islamic State terrorists or other extremists.  The message lists over a dozen safety steps, including making sure personnel check the door peephole before letting someone in their homes, fortifying doors, holding family meetings on security and toning down social media postings so terrorists do not know personal connections or daily comings and goings.  The Army issued the warning on Friday in reaction to the Islamic State, also called ISIL and ISIS, publishing the names of 100 U.S. military personnel as targets for assassination."  And yet the Pentagon still lists the terror attack at Fort Hood as "workplace violence."

QUESTIONS ABOUT HILLARY'S HILLARY – From Fox:  "Senate Republicans are renewing efforts to learn why Huma Abedin, a top assistant to then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, was allowed to keep working at the agency under a special, part-time status while also being employed at a politically-connected consulting firm.  The new requests are being made by Iowa GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, following revelations that both women used a private Internet server and email accounts for State Department correspondence.  Grassley says the earlier requests to the department have been largely ignored, so the new ones have gone to the department’s inspector general and to Secretary of State John Kerry, seeking their involvement."  Abedin has been close to Clinton for years.  She's married to disgraced former Congressman Anthony Weiner.  She is also said to have connections to the Muslim Brotherhood.  I want to know how much influence she has.

DEFECTION – From London's Telegraph:  "A close media aide to Hassan Rouhani, the Iranian president, has sought political asylum in Switzerland after travelling to Lausanne to cover the nuclear talks between Tehran and the West.  Amir Hossein Motaghi, who managed public relations for Mr Rouhani during his 2013 election campaign, was said by Iranian news agencies to have quit his job at the Iran Student Correspondents Association (ISCA).  He then appeared on an opposition television channel based in London to say he no longer saw any 'sense' in his profession as a journalist as he could only write what he was told.  'There are a number of people attending on the Iranian side at the negotiations who are said to be journalists reporting on the negotiations,' he told Irane Farda television. 'But they are not journalists and their main job is to make sure that all the news fed back to Iran goes through their channels.'"  Let's see if our mainstream news organizations show the slightest interest in this man.  Don't hold your breath.

March 28,  2015     Permalink

NOT TOO STERLING – AT 12:52 P.M. ET:  This went under the radar, or whatever the mainstream media calls story selection, but it's important.  The nation's economic growth, which appeared pretty healthy some months ago, is slowing dramatically again.  From CNS: 

CNSNews.com) - The U.S economy slowed in the fourth quarter of 2014 as real gross domestic product (GDP) expanded at an annual rate of 2.2 percent, according to the “third” estimate released by the Commerce Department and the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).

Real GDP is adjusted for inflation and represents “the value of the production of goods and services in the BEA. “In the second estimate, the increase in real GDP was also 2.2 percent.”

Wall Street Journal economists predicted an upward revision of 2.4 percent growth.

The fourth quarter real GDP of 2.2 percent, which includes performance from October, November and December of 2014, was lower than the third quarter real GDP estimate of 5.0 percent, which included months July, August and September. It was also lower than the second quarter estimate of 4.6 percent.

COMMENT:  Pretty anemic.  Maybe that's why Americans don't sense the "recovery" that the Obamans have been talking about. 

March 28, 2015       Permalink

RUBIO TO ANNOUNCE? – That's the knowledgeable speculation circulating today.  It appears April 13th may be the day.  From the Miami Herald: 

Marco Rubio has reserved the Freedom Tower in downtown Miami for an undisclosed event April 13, which appears to be a potential, if not likely, spot for Florida’s junior senator to announce his candidacy for president.

A Rubio adviser stressed nothing has been nailed down for any kind of announcement, but the timing makes sense: Likely presidential candidate Rand Paul is expected to make things official April 7, followed by a five-day, five-state announcement tour, so Rubio presumably would not want to share the spotlight during that period.

All-but-announced candidate Jeb Bush appears to be in no rush to shift more formally into campaign mode, but Texas Sen. Ted Cruz made his announcement this week, and Democrat Hillary Clinton is expected to make her campaign announcement in April as well, though nothing has been set.

Rubio, 43, has been preparing for a potential presidential run for at least a year. While behind in most early polls, he has generated considerable buzz as a top-tier contender who offers the party a fresh face, foreign policy experience, charisma and substance.

The Freedom Tower is apparently one of several venues under consideration by Marco Rubio, but it could be an ideal postcard setting to kick off a presidential campaign promoting the promise and greatness of America by the son of Cuban immigrants.

COMMENT:  I believe that Rubio is one of the two guys to watch, the other being Scott Walker.  But Walker has stumbled badly coming out of the gate.  His record in Wisconsin is fine, but he isn't as familiar with national issues as he should be.  He's got to polish up.

Rubio is extremely attractive.  He knows the issues hands-down, speaks fluently and on his feet, has a good voting record, and has youthful vigor.  He has had his stumbles on immigration, but so has Jeb Bush.  There is no such thing as a perfect candidate.  But I believe Rubio is the most attractive candidate running, and would defeat the aging, lying, Hillary Clinton.  And I believe in winning.  There are no silver medals in politics.

March 28, 2015       Permalink 

THE CRUNCH – AT 11:14 A.M. ET:  Nuclear negotiations with Iran enter their final stage today.  Tuesday is the presumed deadline for finishing a preliminary agreement.  We're getting all kinds of conflicting reports, with some saying the parties are very close, others saying not so close.  The French have been the toughest negotiators on our side, making up for wilful American weakness.  From France 24: 

Tense negotiations on reaching a deal with Iran over its nuclear programme entered a crucial phase on Saturday as France's top diplomat flew in to join talks in Lausanne.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, seen as the most hawkish representative of the so-called P5+1 group of Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States overseeing the talks, was the first European minister to arrive in the Swiss city, joining US Secretary of State John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif.

"I am coming here with the desire to move towards a robust agreement," Fabius told reporters in Lausanne. "We have made progress on certain issues but not enough on others."

The stakes could not be higher. Global powers are chasing a deal to rein in Iran's nuclear ambitions which have poisoned international relations for 12 years, and seal 18 months of closed-door, painstaking talks which have criss-crossed the globe and involved hundreds of experts.

The negotiating parties have set themselves a deadline of March 31 to agree a “framework” deal with Iran over its nuclear programme, which Tehran insists is only for civilian energy needs but the West fears could lead to the development of nuclear weapons.

They will then have until June 30 to reach a final agreement, which will aim to seal off Iran's pathways to a nuclear weapon in exchange for the easing of a labyrinth of international sanctions which have excluded the Islamic republic from lucrative oil markets and crippled its economy.

Kerry and Zarif have met multiple times since the dragging talks resumed in earnest in 2013. But the road to a deal has been strewn with hurdles, and even with a deadline just days away, Iran and the US Friday were still insisting the other side had to make concessions.

"We have tough negotiations and we have differences and we have to solve them," Zarif told reporters.

COMMENT:  The great fear, expressed even by our allies, is that Obama will order Kerry to cave in on major points just to get a piece of paper.  I hope I'm wrong on that. 

Should it be a bad deal, or should there be no deal, Congress will be prepared to pass legislation giving itself a major role on the Iran nuclear issue.  Obama has vowed to veto it, and, I'm sorry to say, his veto will probably be upheld.  The Congressional Black Caucus, ever loyal to "the first," is already working to block a veto override.  But the passage of legislation itself will send a sharp message to this useless president.

March 28,  2015     Permalink