The American Spectator : Obama Plays Defense

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Obama Plays Defense

By Andrew Cline on 8.12.09 @ 6:10AM

A report from Townhall, New Hampshire, on an extraordinarily limp performance.

President Obama gave an extraordinary performance at his "town hall" meeting in Portsmouth, N.H., on Tuesday. There was no soaring oratory or fainting crowd (although it was a very friendly audience). Actually, overall, the affair was rather dull and unmemorable. What was extraordinary was seeing the president of the United States -- this president of the United States -- spend more than an hour limply defending himself against critics who were neither named nor present on the premises, but rather omnipresent in the very air.

Obama came to New Hampshire to stop the bleeding. His campaign for massive health care reform is dying of 1,000 bipartisan cuts, and the White House senses that time is running out. His diagnosis: Expose the critics as liars. It didn't work.

The president said that people were misrepresenting the Democrats' proposals. He said, "If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. If you like your health care plan, you can keep your health care plan. You won't be waiting in any lines." He went to great lengths to deny that much of anything would change for anyone who likes his or her existing health care plan.

And that's where he failed. At the same time he was promising most everyone in America that health care reform would mean zero noticeable changes in their health insurance, he was attacking the "status quo" and explaining that if reform passes, everything will change.

Only once did Obama refute a criticism by explaining what was actually in any of the bills being considered in Congress. He said the consultations on end-of-life care were not "death panels," but simply extensions of insurance coverage for physician consultations that people need to have toward the end of life. However, he didn't exactly rule out that they could result in bureaucrats pushing family members to pull the plug.

The rest of Obama's defense consisted of reiterating the same talking points he's spent months reciting. He repeated what his intentions were, but most critics aren't attacking his intentions, they're attacking what the results of specific legislation would be. To them, he dealt no crushing blow.

And he kept contradicting himself. For example, he noted that Medicare was in crisis and would soon be bankrupt, then cited it as a proof that government can do health care right.

"Our deficit will continue to grow because Medicare and Medicaid are on an unsustainable path. Medicare is slated to go into the red in about eight to 10 years. I don't know if people are aware of that. If I was a senior citizen, the thing I'd be worried about right now is Medicare starts running out of money because we haven't done anything to make sure that we're getting a good bang for our buck when it comes to health care," he said.

Moments later, he mocked critics who worry about a government takeover of health care, saying, "I do think it's important for particularly seniors who currently receive Medicare to understand that if we're able to get something right like Medicare, then there should be a little more confidence that maybe the government can have a role -- not the dominant role, but a role -- in making sure the people are treated fairly when it comes to insurance," he said.

A program that's going bankrupt within the decade is proof that "we're able to get something right"?

Shortly after that, he tried to reassure listeners that a public option plan would not put private insurers out of business.

"People say, well, how can a private company compete against the government? And my answer is that if the private insurance companies are providing a good bargain, and if the public option has to be self-sustaining -- meaning taxpayers aren't subsidizing it, but it has to run on charging premiums and providing good services and a good network of doctors, just like any other private insurer would do -- then I think private insurers should be able to compete. They do it all the time," he said.

"I mean, if you think about -- if you think about it, UPS and FedEx are doing just fine, right? No, they are. It's the Post Office that's always having problems."

It's hardly reassuring that the two examples Obama chose to demonstrate the competence of the federal government and prove his reform is no threat to private insurers were Medicare and the Postal Service, both of which are going bankrupt.

It is no surprise that there was no "Aha!" moment when a viewer would say, "So that's what he means! I get it now! I'm so relieved!" Obama gave no skeptics any reason to suddenly start believing him. If you weren't a believer before, you are very unlikely to have changed your mind after listening to the President in Portsmouth.

In addition, there were no assaults, and no one shouted down the president. The closest the media could come to creating a shocking moment was to note that someone showed up with a pistol strapped to his hip. That wasn't the brightest move, but New Hampshire is an open carry state, and it's not rare to see someone with a sidearm. No Nazi flag-waving or take-downs of little old ladies with "Hope" t-shirts meant no opportunity to accuse critics of being right-wing lunatics.

If health care reform is to pass Congress, Obama must do more than simply smile broadly and reassure us all that his intentions are pure. It's the details that are killing the plan. And to date the president has not convincingly demonstrated that his intentions will translate into his hoped-for results and not the nightmare critics envision.

topics:
Health Care, Obamacare

About the Author

Andrew Cline is editorial page editor of the New Hampshire Union Leader. His Twitter ID is Drewhampshire.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (58) | Leave a comment

Darin| 8.12.09 @ 7:04AM

Would a "public option" actually run like a business? With required reporting of profits and loss? If you believe that, I've got a bridge you might be interested to see.

Did Obama address tort reform? If the goal is really to address costs, that must be included. It's not because trial lawyers contribute heavily to Democrats, and you don't shoot your sugardaddy.

End of life "counseling" is all doubletalk. It would actually be run as a heavy-handed guilt trip that the elderly have a "responsibility to die" to curtail costs. The current population of elderly would view it as "taking one for the team" and agree. Especially when they find out they can't get the medical care they want/need in a timely manner. Anyone who can't see this can get in line for that bridge I mentioned earlier.

Abortion would be included unless it is specifically excluded. That's why the Hyde Amendment was needed - to end Medicaid funding for abortions in 1976.

roomen| 2.3.10 @ 10:02AM

good comment for you.
roomeyda
healthy zone

Roy in NH| 8.12.09 @ 7:14AM

Excellent article on the NH 'Town Hall Parody'. If Mr. Cline is really an editor for the NH Union Leader, it's a pity he can't assure such descriptive and accurate reporting on that event in the paper itself. The UL story filed by the allegedly on-the-scene reporter differs significantly from Mr. Cline's report. It is little wonder the UL circulation is sinking in the state.

guest| 2.3.10 @ 10:03AM

obama is the best president of america.
online blog
dunia maya

Roy in NH| 8.12.09 @ 7:15AM

roomen| 2.3.10 @ 10:04AM

your articles very good . nice.
kumpulan bisnis
roomen

Tenn Slim| 8.12.09 @ 8:02AM

All
The very presence of a United States President doing a gig like this indicates the weakness of the OBNA. If this had been Pres. Bush, you would have seen parseing of his speech, outrage at any simple misstep in grammer, etc.
OBNA has put forth a President that is dedicated to responding to directions from the Prgressive Media controlers in the East Wing. OSI operatives, Soros Funders, all now realize how bad a deal thier money bought.
Without further castigation. It is simply clear that the OBNA does not, and never has had, the ability to lead this nation. We elected a set of inept bullies, bent on thier own power grabs, and to H.. with the consequences.
Semper Fi
end

Robert Rosencrans| 8.12.09 @ 8:08AM

Obama went to New Hampshire to peddle a pig in a poke and ended up looking like a pig in a poke.

ZIONIST threat is real| 8.12.09 @ 8:16AM

Zionists Threaten To Kill
California College Paper Editor
Independent Media Center
www.stlimc.org
7-10-3

Frank Jinkins| 8.12.09 @ 8:18AM

I agree with Slim. It's sad and pathetic to see the President of the United States (well, the guy currently pretending to be that) reduced to a micro-managing policy wonk, on the road yet again trying to sell health insurance. Using his best folksy drawl, while annoyingly referring to both opponent and supporter as "folks", he's too impressed by his own smoothness to even realize his verbal blunders. Ya know, there's a little place up there called 'the Oval Office'. You ever been there, ever sat in that big chair, or does the place give you the creeps?

jack| 8.12.09 @ 8:30AM

Lets get right to the point. The guy is an imbecile. A stone cold imbecile. Never forget proper tire inflation as an energy policy that was the tell that Obama is just not very smart. He really believed proper tire inflation could offset the loss of offshore drilling. Yesterday he proved again that without his teleprompter he has no idea what to say or how to say it. Is he a product of racial quotas? I dont know, but if this is the best Harvard can do,we have real problems as a country.
How can he defend something no one has read and has not even been produced yet? He is trying to used his imagined charisma to sell us a bridge. The problem is he has never had a real job,never managed,never authored a single bill,he has no idea what he is doing.

Pete| 8.12.09 @ 9:00AM

I remember looking the WWII film footage of Hitler speak in front of large crowds, people cheering, crying, and wondered how the heck all those people could be so trusting.
I don't have to turn on the History Channel anymore to watch a nation slowly put into chains by one man, now it's CNN, MSNBC, ABC, CBS and watch Obama repeat history. (ok two, Soros)

PapaSwamp| 8.12.09 @ 9:24AM

Too bad he had to bus in 'random' questioners from Mass. to make it 'appear' he had support in NH.
http://michellemalkin.com/2009/08/11/little-girl-at-obama-town-hall-has-not-so-random-political-connections/

loulou| 8.12.09 @ 9:40AM

jack:
You're right, Dear Leader IS an imbecile. How many other affirmative actionites did Harvard Law push through? Without Mr. TelePrompTer, Obama manages to make even Joe Biden seem to be of normal intelligence.

What does this say about all the Hope 'n Change cult members?

Jack Olson| 8.12.09 @ 10:00AM

Michelle Obama, attorney, got a public relations job with a Chicago hospital while her husband was a state legislator. When he got elected to the U.S. Senate, they tripled her salary to $300,000. When he got elected President and she left the job for the White House, they abolished the job. Was paying her that sky-high salary a wise use of their money? Maybe so, if her job was lobbying government for more money. Paying Mrs. Obama hundreds of thousands is highly profitable if she brings in millions.

Meanwhile, her husband, promised he wouldn't exceed federal campaign spending limits as a candidate--and then did so--and promised that he wouldn't hire lobbyists for his staff--and then did so. What that tells me is that under Obamacare the hospitals with the best political connections will get the most money and the pressure groups with the most money will get the political connections. I don't know how President Obama can expect anybody to believe anything else when that is exactly what happened in his own household.

Joe The UPS Driver | 8.12.09 @ 10:00AM

"It's the Post Office that's always having problems"............Well,,,okay. Now explain to me again why only government can solve these problems. AND, we haven't even begun to discuss the irony of a big government liberal praising big business!

genghis| 8.12.09 @ 11:25AM

It is beyond belief that this president continues to deny that his ultimate goal is single payer, nationalized health care. It is amazing that he keeps repeating this mantra in the face of his many recorded comments to the contrary. The 'truth' is what is convenient at the moment. In this, he and Bubba are one and the same. Funny, the Left constantly called Bush, among other things, arrogant. Obama is a few miles past arrogant. His supreme opinion of himself precludes any possibility of dialogue.

Tom Bruner| 8.12.09 @ 11:52AM

Sometimes it's helpful to see things from a different point-of-view. Consider the numerous high-level officials in the administration who have spoken to the opportunity presented by crisis. Now consider that in suggesting that USPS and Medicare are examples of successful programs. The only logical construct is that they are successful because they are going bankrupt - and so crises in the making, and so opportunities for further political opportunism.

You didn't think they meant that crisis presented an opportunity for us as a People, did you?

Rocco| 8.12.09 @ 12:40PM

I heard snippets of this so-called town hall yesterday on the local NPR station (just to hear it from their end). This event was so damned staged from start to finish that it made me damn near puke, listening to the puff-ball questions that some of the radio commentators labeled as "tough." What a frickin' laugh! All we needed for icing on the cake would be a massive mural of "Dear Leader", unveiled to the sound of the best music the Red Army Chorus could muster, and hundreds of children singing his praises, a la North Korea. This pretender really thinks we are a bunch of idiots!

louis tully| 8.12.09 @ 1:00PM

Jack @830, you are right, except for this: "I dont know, but if this is the best Harvard can do,we have real problems as a country." Harvard is not at all representative of the country, and you shouldn't ascribe their failures to the rest of us.

bobmontgomery| 8.12.09 @ 1:26PM

Limp is charitable. Pathetic is more like it. During the meeting, at the 'I deny the Death Panels moment', Obama actually said, pleadingly, "Come on, guys!" This is the leader of the free world.

JerseyJ| 8.12.09 @ 1:37PM

Teleprompter-in-chief says ... "if the public option has to be self-sustaining -- meaning taxpayers aren't subsidizing it, but it has to run on charging premiums and providing good services and a good network of doctors, just like any other private insurer would do -- then I think private insurers should be able to compete. "

So someone tell me ... if the public "option" must run the same way a private insurer does by charging premiums in order to pay for care, how exactly will this help people who can't afford insurance now?

Amateur hour continues with ... "I mean, if you think about -- if you think about it, UPS and FedEx are doing just fine, right? No, they are. It's the Post Office that's always having problems."

Aside from the fact that he stuck his teleprompter in his mouth and furthered the argument the governement can't run things more efficiently than private business, the point he was trying to make (that there are systems where private industry competes with the government) is still invalid.

The Post Office doesn't set the rules for UPS & FedEx. They don't tell them what size packages they must accept, how much they can charge, where they can deliver them and they don't force everyone to pay to ship a package whether they have a package to ship or not.

Does this guy make this stuff up as he goes along?

Now excuse me ... I have to go talk to my doctor about my missing foot.

Stan Redmond| 8.12.09 @ 1:39PM

"Who are you gonna believe? Your lying eyes reading this 1300 page bill or what I tell you?" -Barrak Obama's speech boiled down to one phrase.

Each day when I think he can't get any more sinister he opens his mouth again. He really is an evil man. Human life to him and his cronies has no meaning. Too old too bad, you don't get that surgery. You will all be subject to a "ruthlessly pragmatic" group of bureaucrats for every part of your life.

angry liberal| 8.12.09 @ 2:21PM

Obama may be struggling a bit to communicate his message on health care, but at least he's actually participating in a debate, rather than devolving into incoherent racist rants and slander like some right-wingers: http://thestimulist.com/listen-up-lou-dobbs-socialist-and-the-n-word/

Willie| 8.12.09 @ 2:32PM

Angry liberal: You Won, don't you remember? Why so angry, moron?

It's no debate when the the audience is stacked with moronic, brown nosing liberals. You liberal losers are a joke and your regime is going DOWN!

HOORAY!!

TParty4USA| 8.12.09 @ 2:32PM

Subtext of Obamapitch:

"Post offices are really, really complex so it is much more difficult for the government to do a good job running them. Nationalized health services, on the other hand, will be a walk in the park by comparison. Just picture yourself in New York, in the middle of Central Park, at midnight and you can surely agree."

"Oh, and about that old video of me saying I want a single-payer health insurance system for all of Americans -- surely you can understand I was just saying whatever I had to say to win that election back then. Check out the audience in that old video -- SEIU, a huge contributor ($60+ million) to my campaign. Thanks, guys! And don't you guys worry, either, when I now deny wanting single-payer health coverage. We'll get it in time, but not unless we snooker all the rubes clinging to their private insurance because they don't really know whats best for them."

Dan| 8.12.09 @ 3:12PM

According to the media Obama entered through the back door to avoid all the protesters out front.

Stephen H | 8.12.09 @ 4:27PM

So, it's just another self sustaining, not taxpayer funded, health plan to keep the existing companies honest? To give people a choice? I understand we have something in the neighborhood of 1300 private insurance options nationwide right now. How is one more going to improve the situation? And please, can we have someone to keep the president honest? Nothing will change / everything will change? You can keep your coverage until you can't keep your coverage? How about if we just change presidents? Seem like a cheaper deal to me.

defeated pigs| 8.12.09 @ 5:21PM

Americans are taking to town hall meetings across the country to vent frustration at the $11 trillion federal deficit, the health care fight and just about anything else that happens to spark their outrage.

Why the vicious tone? Some of the nation’s rowdiest town hallers say it feels therapeutic — and that at least they were accomplishing something. But according to anger management experts, the relief that screaming matches offer is only temporary.

“It’s like taking speed or amphetamine or a big Starbucks. It gives you energy and temporary confidence,” said Compassion Power founder and anger expert Steven Stosney, who points out that primates and human beings, especially men, were designed to roar at the sign of danger. “But it’s meant to warn, threaten and intimidate a saber toothed tiger, not express opinions about health care reform.”

defeated pigs| 8.12.09 @ 5:22PM

Death Squads! Bunch of freaking looney tunes up in here.

defeated pigs| 8.12.09 @ 5:27PM

Darin, does that bridge lead to no where and is located in Alaska?

American| 8.12.09 @ 5:36PM

Obama hates america. How can I say that? Well if you wanted to destroy this country and did not have a huge military how would you do it? It would have to be done from inside. EVERY action he has taken is putting us closer to destriction. This piece of trash is a terriost trying to hand over our country to our enemies. He is a LIAR and a SOCIALIST and will destroy us if we do not stop him. Hitler gave great speeches as well.

I give Up| 8.12.09 @ 5:48PM

Obama is Hitler, the anti-christ, a socialist, stupid, and a racist terrorist... I love the internet - any idiot with a keyboard can get his or her opinion published no matter how utterly stupid it is. When this is the level of discourse no one can have a conversation much less a debate. Arguing with fools only makes us look stupid!

Todd| 8.12.09 @ 5:57PM

Don't exaggerate, Obama is only a stupid racist socialist who has been friends with a known former terrorist. Tell me what point he was trying to make about the Post Office? The government does a terrible job yet we should entrust him to take over the health care system? That he didn't mean it before when he said on videotape he was in favor of a single payer system but that it would take some time to get rid of private insurance? If you could just explain that to me, i would appreciate it.

American| 8.12.09 @ 5:58PM

To "I give up" do not give up get educated about who this man is. Once you do the research form your own thoughts. I think the truth can only take you in one direction. Obama was a member of the Socialist Party of Chicago in 1993 until it folded up. He attended a "church" where (for 22 years)the pastor cussed out this county on a regular basis. He announced he was going to run for public office in the home of a man who bombed the capital and pentagon. Now look at what he doing taking over companies, banks and insurance companies. There are already laws set up to handle these problems, they have worked for decades now. Our Health care system is the best in the world. It is not perfect and could use a tune-up. to hear this piece of trash talk if we do not go to a public system in 30 days we are all doomed. If this man was charged with being a Socialist I know I could get a conviction.

Len| 8.12.09 @ 7:05PM

Posters like "I give up" are such a source of amusement by failing to notice the irony in their comments. The keener mind needs no explanation, but for IGU, let's see "any idiot with a keyboard". LMAO.

The Zionist gaining| 8.12.09 @ 7:06PM

THE ANTI-CHRIST

In our study of prophecy we lay much stress on the "Second Corning of Christ," forgetting that there are two other comings of "individuals" that are just as momentous as Christ's coming. The first is that of the Antichrist, and the other is that of Satan.

In both the Old and New Testament we are told of a "Mysterious and Terrible Personage" that shall be revealed in the "Last Times." He is described under different names and aliases, and it is only by a careful examination and comparison of these names, and the Person they describe that we see that they refer to one and the same individual. These names are-

In the Old Testament.
Ezekiel 28

"Prince of Tyrus" and "King of Tyrus"

Daniel 7,8,9,11

"The Little Horn.", "A King of Fierce Countenance.", "The Prince that Shall Come.", "The Wilful King."

In the New Testament.
2 Thessalonians 2,

"The Man of Sin.", "Son of Perdition.", "That Wicked."

1 John 2:18,

"Antichrist"

Revelation 13

"The Beast."

Jesus also made a prophetic reference to him. John 5: 43 when the Jews rejected Jesus is their Messiah, when the Antichrist comes they will accept him.

43. I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not; if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

His Personality.

The Apostolic Church believed that Antichrist was to be a "person," the embodiment of human blasphemy and wickedness, but toward the close of the Twelfth Century many began to look upon the Pope as Antichrist, and this view has been largely advocated by Protestant commentators. The arguments in favour of this view are ingenious and plausible, but they are hard to reconcile with the Word of God. This view makes Antichrist a "System" rather than a Person, and would see in the "Papal System" the Antichrist. But this is disproved by the Word of God. The Papal System although it plays a major part in bringing the Anti-Christ to power, is NOT the Anti-Christ.

The Apostle John says in 1 John 2:22 and 1 John 4:3;

22. Who is a liar, but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is Antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
3. Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in THE FLESH (His Deity) is not of God; and this is that spirit of Antichrist.

Judaism has denied that "Jesus is the Christ," and Unitarianism that He has "come in the flesh," but the Papacy never. The Church of Rome has always confessed "I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord."

All Protestant commentators insist that the "Papal System" is described in Revelation 17: 4, 5.

4. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5. And upon her forehead was a name written, mystery, Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth.

This is undoubtedly true, but this "Woman," the "Mother of Harlots," is represented as riding upon a "Beast," universally admitted to be the Antichrist. If the "Beast" is the Antichrist, the "Woman" cannot be, and that they are separate and do not signify the same thing is clear.

Again the Antichrist, as the "Man of Sin" is described in Daniel 11:36,37 and 2 Thessalonians 2:4 as follows;

36. And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done.
37. Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.
4. Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

However false and impious the claims of the Papacy, it always recognises its subordination to God, and the Pope's highest claim is that he is the "Vicar of Christ." Following on we must also look at Revelation 13:3-4.

3. And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast.
4. And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

The Papal System worships the Virgin and the Saints, but it is not true that it worships the Devil. Now look at Revelation 14:9-11.

5. If any man worship the Beast and His Image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall; drink of the wine of the Wrath of God.....and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone;......and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever…and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the Beast and His Image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

If the Papal System is the Antichrist, it follows from the above that all its worshippers, instead of being saved, are doomed to eternal torment. Again, the Lord, who destroys Antichrist at His Coming, comes to Jerusalem, not to Rome, the seat of the Papal System.

While there are many things in the history of the Church of Rome, and in the conduct of her Popes that foreshadow the Antichrist, yet it is clear from the preceding scriptures that the Papal System is not the Antichrist, and that these scriptures can only be fulfilled in the person of some Individual yet to appear.

The Antichrist is not a Rival or Counterfeit Christ, he is an Opposing Christ. This is clearly seen when we compare him with Christ in a series of Contrasts.

Christ came from Above. John 6: 38
Antichrist comes from the earth. Revelation 13: 1.

Christ came in His Father's name. John 5: 43
Antichrist comes in his own name. John 5: 43.

Christ Humbled Himself. Phil. 2: 8
Antichrist Exalts himself. 2 Thessalonians 2: 4.

Christ Despised. Isaiah 53: 3; Luke 23: 18
Antichrist Admired. Revelation 13: 3, 4.

Christ Exalted. Philippians 2: 9
Antichrist cast Down to Hell. Isaiah 14: 14, 15; Rev. 19: 20.

Christ to do His Father's will. John 6: 38
Antichrist to do his Own will. Daniel 11: 36.

Christ came to save. Luke 19: 10
Antichrist comes to Destroy. Daniel 8: 24.

Christ is the Good Shepherd. John 10: 4-15
Antichrist is the Idol (evil) Shepherd. Zechariah 11: 16,17.

Christ is the "True Vine." John 15:1
Antichrist is the "Vine of the Earth." Revelation 14:18.

Christ is the "Truth." John 14: 6
Antichrist is the "Lie." 2 Thessalonians 2:11.

Christ is the "Holy One." Mark 1: 24
Antichrist is the "Wicked One." 2 Thessalonians 2: 8, (R.V. says Lawless)

Christ is the "Man of Sorrows." Isaiah 53: 3
Antichrist is the "Man of Sin." 2 Thessalonians 2: 3.

Christ is the "Son of God." Luke 1: 35
Antichrist is the "Son of Perdition." 2 Thessalonians 2: 3.

Christ, "The Mystery of Godliness," is God manifest in the flesh. 1 Timothy 3: 16
Antichrist, "The Mystery of Iniquity," will be Satan manifest in the flesh. 2 Thessalonians 2:7.

Communism in America| 8.12.09 @ 7:35PM

chief of Soviet Security in the Spanish Civil War. He supervised the massacre of Catholic priests and peasants in Spain.

Yona Yakir: general, Soviet Red Army, member of the Central Committee.

Dimitri Shmidt: general, Soviet Red Army.

Yakov ("Yankel") Kreiser: general, Soviet Red Army.

Miron Vovsi: general, Soviet Red Army.

David Dragonsky: general, Soviet Red Army, Hero of the Soviet Union.

Grigori Shtern: general, Soviet Red Army.

Mikhail Chazkelevich: general, Soviet Red Army.

Shimon Kirvoshein: general, Soviet Red Army.

Arseni Raskin: deputy-commander, Soviet Red Army.

Haim Fomin, commander of Brest-Litovsk, Soviet Red Army. At least one hundred Soviet generals were Jewish (cf. Canadian Jewish News, April 19, 1989).

Generals who were not themselves Jewish often had Jewish wives. Among these were Marshal Voroshilov, Marshal Bulganin, Marshal Peresypkin and General Pavel Sudoplatov (Sudoplatov assassinated hundreds of Christian leaders including Ukranian Catholic Archbishop Teodor Romzha). This Jewish wife "insurance policy" extended to Politburo members such as Andrei Andreyev and Leonoid Brezhnev.

Sergei Eisenstein: director of communist propaganda films which depicted Christian peasants (kulaks) as hideous, money-grabbing parasites. The kulaks were subsequently massacred. (Cf. for example Eisenstein's Bezhin Meadow).

KOMZET: commission for the settlement of Jewish Communists on land seized from murdered Christians in Ukraine; funded by Jewish-American financier Julius Rosenwald.

Ilya Ehrenburg, Minister of Soviet Propaganda and disseminator of anti-German hate material dating from the 1930s. Ehrenburg instigated the Soviet Red Army rape and murder of German civilians. Referring to German women, Ehrenburg gloated to the advancing Red Army troops, "that blonde hag is in for a bad time."

In a leaflet addressed to Soviet troops, Ehrenburg wrote: "...the Germans are not human beings...nothing gives us so much joy as German corpses."(Anatol Goldberg, Ilya Ehrenburg, p. 197). Goldberg concedes that Ehrenburg, "...had always disliked the Germans...now that there was a war on he turned his old prejudice into an asset."(Ibid., p. 193).
Another publication distributed to the Red Army, this time as the soldiers approached Danzig, was described by a historian: "Millions of leaflets were air-dropped on the troops with a message composed by the propagandist Ilya Ehrenburg and signed by Stalin: 'Soldiers of the Red Army! Kill the Germans! Kill all Germans! Kill! Kill! Kill!" (Christopher Duffy, Red Storm on the Reich).
The Soviet leadership acknowledged that Ehrenburg sought the extermination of the entire German people (cf. Pravda, April 14, 1945. [Pravda was also published in a Yiddish edition, Einikeyt). Ehrenburg won the Order of Lenin and the Stalin Prize. He willed his papers to the Israeli Yad Vashem 'Holocaust' Museum.

Solomon Mikhoels: commissar of Soviet propaganda.

Soviet film propagandists:

Mark Donsky,

Leonid Lukov, Y

uli Reisman,

Vasily Grossman,

Yevgeny Gabrilovich,

Boris Volchok

and Lillian Hellman (old movies written by her continue to be broadcast on American telelvision).

Soviet propagandist: Yevgeny Khaldei who staged the photo of the raising of the hammer and sickle flag over the Reichstag in Berlin, May 2, 1945. Afterward, a special plane was waiting to fly Khaldei, Stalin's top Tass photographer, to a Moscow lab, where his photo was further doctored (loot displayed on one of the Soviet soldier's wrists was removed in the negative and Khaldei added clouds and smoke to the scene for dramatic effect (see photo of Khaldei and his beloved flag at left). Khaldei continued to work as a premier Soviet propagandist until his retirement from Pravda in 1972. His Communist propaganda is proudly on display at the Jewish Museum of New York and the Jewish Museum of San Francisco. N.Y. Times writer Vicki Goldberg exulted in the raising of the blood-drenched Soviet flag, emblem of the slaughter of millions of peasants and Christians; describing it as, "...a national (and worldwide) symbol of triumph, justice and revenge." (Jan. 31, 1997, p. B-26).

Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee (JAC): new form of the Bolshevik YEVKOM, Stalin's recruiting conduit for funding money, supplies and political influence for Soviet Russia from world Jewry as well as the dissemination of gas chamber atrocity propaganda (cf. The Black Book).

Nikolai Bukharin: Lenin's chief theorist.

Samuel Agursky: commissar.

Karl Radek: member, Central Committee.

Mikhail Gruzenberg (Borodin) commissar.

A.A. Yoffe: commissar.

David Ryazanov: advisor to Lenin.

Lev Grigorievich Levin: physician, poisoner of Stalin's enemies.

Lev Rosenfeld (Kamenev): member of the Central Committee.

Ivan Maisky: Soviet Ambassador to Britain. Itzik Solomonovich Feffer: commissar, Soviet Secret Police.

Abraham Sutskever: Soviet terrorist-partisan.

Mark Osipovich Reizen: Soviet propagandist, winner of three Stalin Prizes.

Lev Leopold Trepper: Soviet espionage officer.

Bela Kun (Kohen): supreme dictator of Hungary in 1919. Kun was later Stalin's chief terrorist in the Crimea.

Zakharovich Mekhlis: top executioner for Stalin.

Henrykas Zimanas: leader of Lithuanian communist terrorists, butcher of Christians

jordan 6 rings| 8.12.09 @ 8:28PM

The UL story filed by the allegedly on-the-scene reporter differs significantly from Mr. Cline's report. It is little wonder the UL circulation is sinking in the state.

Justin Roether| 8.12.09 @ 9:12PM

I'm amazed how differently this was viewed in MSNBC's perspective. Although I disagree with some of the outbursts of those who wish to challenge his plans I do agree with many of the arguments. We must keep our composure during this fight and especially while expressing ourselves in front of the press. Give the mainstream nothing to use detract from what is really happening. Please!!

blunted| 8.12.09 @ 9:59PM

How come righties don't go to work but are instead screaming at Town hall meetings? Screaming about how the gov is taking their money and they don't even work. Trailer parks from here to the Mississippi are empty while Town Halls are filled with angry red neck inbreeds. It's crazy.

Todd| 8.12.09 @ 10:21PM

that was so blantently obvious it was staged. It fooled no one. Even completely staged start to finsih, they screw it up. As if no one would know that little girl and her mother was a plant. Why were Mass. residnets at a townhall meeting for New hampshire residents?

He couldn't even find enough NH home grown plants to fill his audience, he had to go out of state.

Conrad Spiracy| 8.12.09 @ 10:51PM

>> Only once did Obama refute a criticism by explaining what was actually in any of the bills being considered in Congress. He said the consultations on end-of-life care were not "death panels," but simply extensions of insurance coverage for physician consultations that people need to have toward the end of life. However, he didn't exactly rule out that they could result in bureaucrats pushing family members to pull the plug.

Conrad Spiracy| 8.12.09 @ 10:52PM

WHAT'S GOING ON W/AMSPEC TRUNCATING COMMENTS?????

Conrad Spiracy| 8.12.09 @ 10:56PM

Continuation:
This is me, talking in my "Dad voice."

THIS HAS ALREADY OCCURRED. Under a Republican Administration and Congress, but with a decidedly liberal dominated Supreme Court. How soon we forget.

Just one of many easily referenced sources:
http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=43463

This case still enrages me to this day. Government sanctioned murder (not found in the Constitution) instead of the carrying out of the death penalty (clearly sanctioned by the Constitution).

Just Google "Terri Schiavo" for more.

Con Spiracy

Dont Worship Me| 8.12.09 @ 11:15PM

"President Obama gave an extraordinary performance at his "town hall" meeting in Portsmouth, N.H., on Tuesday."

Thank you, Now get on your knees.

never cease to be amazed| 8.12.09 @ 11:53PM

I just wish that all those paranoid lunatics screaming at these townhall meetings contract an illness and have their health insurance cancelled, or lose their jobs and coverage. Unless they personally experience the disfunction of what has evolved into our current health care system, they will never get it.

I also suggest they walk home after their disruptive behaviour rather than use those roads funded by our taxes and managed by the evil collective (aka government.)

GG| 8.13.09 @ 1:34AM

The England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed the 29-year-old is back in hospital for further treatment but is due to be released on Wednesday.
Pietersen was operated on after his movement became increasingly restricted through the first two Ashes Tests.
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The surgery already meant he would miss the final three matches of the series.
"Pietersen will be discharged from hospital tomorrow after experiencing a complication of the wound made during surgery on his injured right Achilles two and a half weeks ago," the ECB said in a statement on Tuesday.
"He was seen by a wound care specialist and will receive a course of antibiotics in order to exclude infection.
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"Medical advice is that a complication can occur post surgery and in this case resulted despite Kevin closely following specialist advice on management of the wound."
The injury first surfaced on England's tour of West Indies in March.
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However, Pietersen's recovery was slowed when he strained the tendon again while playing for the Bangalore Royal Challengers in the Indian Premier League in April.
The Hampshire right-hander then missed the one-day series when West Indies made a return visit in May.
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Despite clearly struggling at the crease, he averaged 38.25 from four innings at Cardiff and Lord's in the current Ashes series.
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The ECB originally estimated Pietersen would be absent for six weeks and he has been named in England's initial 30-man squad for the ICC Champions Trophy, which begins in South Africa on 22 September.

Mighty Righty| 8.13.09 @ 4:37AM

I NEVER CEASE TO BE AMAZED at the viciousness of 'TOLERANT' liberals. You are the ugliest, meanest scum suckers to crawl the earth.

Get a job and buy your own insurance, bloodsucker.

drudge ette obama| 8.13.09 @ 5:34AM

Well, both UPS and FedEx are off their 5 year highs and have trimmed their workforce. But they haven't been taken over by Obama (yet).

Obama screws up Billie Jean King's stats - she thinks it is cute. Cute? If he screws something that simple up, what will he when he takes over our health care? Get your colonoscopies, people. While you can.

mark in boston| 8.13.09 @ 3:02PM

Love the way you use "limp" to descibe the Presidents visit to NH. Excellent use of unecessarily emotional wordage. Impressive.

I suppose I should not be shocked, but I really am surprised at the mindless hate and vitriol I see online about the President. Where were those people when George W Bush was spending us into the poorhouse and destroying our economy?

Otherwise, your article states, "but New Hampshire is an open carry state, and it's not rare to see someone with a sidearm." Hey, I don't know where you are in NH, but I've gone there many times over many years, including hunting season and I have NEVER seen an open carry pistol on display, EVER.

Hydraulic Valve| 8.13.09 @ 10:10PM

only government can solve these problems.

Cow Rie| 8.14.09 @ 1:26AM

And this is why the Obama Joker posters, if place in the right areas can do some good.

Some moderate-conservatives are nervous of the Obama Joker Socialist poster that is making the rounds. But it's perfect for Obama. It is a dose of Alinsky back at Obama and here is why.

Obama is a media creation, the media eyecandy for the left. To have his image as the Joker points out that this guy is NOT pretty. It "marks" him. Right now Obama's credibility is just beginning to sink. And this is why we need to keep at him. Linking him with Pelosi is another good tactic. She is ignorant, hateful and her hands are all over the Obama legistlative push. Brand Obama with Pelosi too.

The Obama Joker poster is great political satire. It is creepy and it draws people into it. And it brands Obama, mildly in my opinion, as a Socialist. Some argue it is silly, that the Joker was a Batman movie symbol of anarchy and chaos.

But even Alinsky believed in some chaos to get control. And just like Rahm Emanuel, Obama's Chief of Staff said "Never let a crisis go to waste". The Joker fits these guys perfectly.

So go show the Obama Joker poster. Don't post it on government or private property. They will play the race card because they have nothing else. The Obama Joker bothers them.

Be discrete. But get the message out. Obama is a Socialist Joker, and they do use chaos and fear to gin up support of their policies ( global warming, evil bankers and insurers, no health care, soon it will be swine flu).

If you want the Obama Joker pic, e-mail me at Cowrie666@aol.com. I'll send you one.

It is time to "change" the Obama brand to what is really is. Creepy socialism.

Cow Rie

bobc| 8.14.09 @ 8:49AM

You cannot defend something, when you don't know what is in it!

He has allowed Pelosi and Reid to handle Cap & Trade and this. He is putting trust in people that have no trust from the public!

Once a co-worker said of Obama, "...he never does his job, he always keeps his feet upon his desk and writes his book."

I'd say his feet are still up!

Dr. Jason Campagna| 8.16.09 @ 3:54AM

Mr. Obama may mean well, but his policies as articulated and planned are a Trojan Horse of sorts for very concerning things. Light, as a supreme court justice once said, is the best disinfectant. Many doctors, a great many, do not agree with the AMA and do not support HCR as articulated. Our comments and discussion can be found at www.takebackmedicine.org

hsr0601| 8.16.09 @ 1:30PM

Good News !

A staff writer at The New Yorker and some experts have examined Medicare data from the successful hospitals of 10 regions, and they have found evidence that more effective, lower-cost care is possible. Thankfully, the provisions in the reform include more expansive policies than they have.

Please be 'sure' to visit http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/13/opinion/13gawande.html?hp for credible evidences !

Some have followed the Mayo model with salaried doctors employed, Other regions, too, have found ways to protect patients against the pursuit of revenues over patient.
And a cardiac surgeon of them said they had adopted electronic systems, examined the data and found that a shocking portion of tests were almost certainly unnecessary, possibly harmful.

According to analysis, their quality scores are well above average. Yet they spend more than $1,500 (16 percent) less per Medicare patient than the national average and have a slower real annual growth rate (3 percent versus 3.5 percent nationwide).

Surprisingly, 16 % of about $550 billion (the total of medicare cost per year) is around $88 billion per year, except for Medicaid (total cost of around $500 billion per year), medicare 'alone' can save $880 billion over the next decade.

In addition, under the reform package, along with the already allocated $583 billion, the wastes involving so called "doughnut hole" , the unnecessary subsidies for insurers, abuse, exorbitant costs by the tragic ER visits etc are weeded out, the concern over revenue (below) might be a thing of the past.

(( Net Medicare and Medicaid savings of $465 billion + the $583 billion revenue package = $1048 billion - the previously estimated $1.042 trillion cost of reform = $6 billion surplus - $245 billion (the 10-year cost of adjusting Medicare reimbursement rates so physicians don’t face big annual pay cuts) = the estimated deficit of $239 billion ))

In modernized society, the business lacking IT system is unthinkable just like pre-electricity period, nevertheless, the last thing to expect is happening now in the sector requiring the best accuracy in respect to dealing with human lives. Apparently the errors by no e-medical records have spawned the crushing lawsuits (Medical malpractice lawsuits cost at least $150 billion per year), and these costs have led to the unnecessary tests, treatments, even more profits so far. And in different parts of the U.S., patients get two to three times as much care for the same disease, with the same result.

Thank You !

mendjaya| 2.3.10 @ 12:30PM

that's great post..thank you
whega

Poptropica | 4.8.10 @ 8:16PM

Since its launch in September, 2007, Poptropica has been the fastest-growing online virtual world for kids. Each month, more than 6 million children around the globe explore the vibrant and constantly expanding game world. Chances are that your child or one of her friends is an avid player.

But what's the game all about, exactly? As a parent, what do you need to know about this increasingly popular phenomenon? Let's start with the basics.