TheDC Morning is being guest hosted today by The Daily Caller’s Jim Treacher. When you’re done reading, be sure to rate Jim’s performance here!
1.) Obama steps into the Wayback Machine — The President of the United States develops a taste for nation-building, after promising otherwise during his campaign. The opposition party is all over him for it. No, Marty McFly did not kidnap you and take you back to 2003. Everything old is… well, it’s still old. Except this time we’ve got The One in charge. Yay? CNN’s Ed Henry reports from Rio de Janeiro: “As the massive bombardment of Libya continued for a second day over 5,000 miles away from here, President Obama delivered a speech that did not mention any specifics about the U.S. role in the military action despite Republican demands for him to better define the mission. ‘We’ve seen the people of Libya take a courageous stand against a regime determined to brutalize its own citizens,’ Obama said in a 25-minute address that only briefly mentioned Libya…” Meanwhile, John Boehner is all like: “Before any further military commitments are made, the administration must do a better job of communicating to the American people and to Congress about our mission in Libya and how it will be achieved.” Jon Bon Jovi was right, folks: It’s all the same. Only the names’ll change.
2.) And now it’s time to play Name That Quote — Which famous golfer and part-time Commander-in-Chief said the following, back in 2002? “Now let me be clear — I suffer no illusions about Saddam Hussein. He is a brutal man. A ruthless man. A man who butchers his own people to secure his own power. He has repeatedly defied UN resolutions, thwarted UN inspection teams, developed chemical and biological weapons, and coveted nuclear capacity. He’s a bad guy. The world, and the Iraqi people, would be better off without him. But I also know that Saddam poses no imminent and direct threat to the United States, or to his neighbors, that the Iraqi economy is in shambles, that the Iraqi military a fraction of its former strength, and that in concert with the international community he can be contained until, in the way of all petty dictators, he falls away into the dustbin of history. I know that even a successful war against Iraq will require a US occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences. I know that an invasion of Iraq without a clear rationale and without strong international support will only fan the flames of the Middle East, and encourage the worst, rather than best, impulses of the Arab world, and strengthen the recruitment arm of al-Qaeda. I am not opposed to all wars. I’m opposed to dumb wars.” The answer is: OMIGOSH LOOK OVER THERE WHAT THE HECK IS THAT??? [runs away]
3.) Gaddafi stops talking for 5 minutes, possibly — The Associated Press reports from Tripoli: “A cruise missile blasted Moammar Gadhafi’s residential compound in an attack that carried as much symbolism as military effect, and fighter jets destroyed a line of tanks moving on the rebel capital. The U.S. said the international assault would hit any government forces attacking the opposition… The U.S. military said the bombardment so far — a rain of Tomahawk cruise missiles and precision bombs from American and European aircraft, including long-range stealth B-2 bombers — had hobbled Gadhafi’s air defenses. More missile strikes overnight did new damage to anti-aircraft sites, the Italian military said.” When was the last time the Italian military got to do anything? Thanks, Muammar. Moammar. However you spell it.
4.) When it comes to race-based decision-making, this lady is King — TheDC’s own Caroline May reports: “Attorney General Eric Holder may be the face of the Justice Department, but behind the scenes, a little-known assistant attorney general named Loretta King (no relation to Martin Luther King, Jr.) has been the driving force behind the DOJ’s recent, most questionable racially motivated decisions… ‘Some of the most outlandish policies of the Holder Justice Department over the last two years flow directly from Loretta King’s worldview,’ J. Christian Adams, who worked with King while serving as a voting rights attorney at the Justice Department, told The Daily Caller… In testimony before the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights about the New Black Panther case, former DOJ Voting Rights Section chief Christopher Coates explained that King ordered him to stop asking trial attorney applicants whether they would have a problem dealing with cases involving white victims.” She also ordered the dismissal of that case from Election Day ’08, where those Black Panthers were standing in front of a polling place in Philly wielding billy clubs and glaring at people. Details, details.
5.) Palin doesn’t give a flock — Say what you want about Sarah Palin, but she sure knows how to drive her haters crazy(er). According to The Hill, “Republicans would have been more successful in the 2008 presidential elections if she was at the top of the ticket, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin suggested Saturday. Speaking at the India Today Conclave in New Delhi, Palin was asked why the GOP ticket did not defeat then-Sen. Barack Obama (D). Palin said that Obama ran a strong campaign and effectively billed himself as a change candidate. Pressed by India Today editor Aroon Purie that she also represented change, Palin replied, ‘I wasn’t at the top of the ticket, remember?'” Palin says she wasn’t dissing ol’ whatsisname, and she still hasn’t decided if she’s running for anything in 2012. Although she also said, “Republicans have the fighting instinct of sheep sometimes.” When reached for comment, Romney and Huckabee looked up from their delicious, crunchy grass and replied: “Baaaaaaaaa.”
6.) Twitter turns 5 — That’s right, the worst thing that ever happened to your daily productivity is now old enough to start kindergarten. The official Twitter blog writes: “Five years ago this week, a small team of people started working on a prototype of the service that we now know as Twitter. On March 21, 2006, Jack Dorsey (@jack) sent the first Tweet.” And here’s what it said. Are you ready? Boy oh boy, this is exciting. It said… “inviting coworkers” Oh. Okay. Well, it’s no “Mr. Watson — come here — I want to see you,” but it’ll do.
VIDEO: It’s all the same. Only the names’ll change
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