The Inauguration Left Me Cold - The American Spectator | USA News and Politics
The Inauguration Left Me Cold
by

Monday
Brrrr. It is cold out here in Washington, DC. Other things being equal, I would like to stay in bed. But things are not equal. Fox News wants me to watch the parade and comment on Mr. Obama’s inaugural speech. I forced myself to watch the speech. I did not like it. It was as non-eloquent as a speech could be. He focused on climate change, a subject dear to the hearts of his fans — and more power to them. But since we don’t know for sure what causes climate change, nor how much climate change there has been, nor how to cut down on CO2 emissions on a worldwide basis, I am not sure what he has in mind.

Look, I love the earth as much as anyone. I would sacrifice literally anything to protect it from burning up. But I don’t want climate change to be used as an all purpose cudgel to beat up anyone Mr. Obama wants to beat up for any reason he wishes. We just don’t know what’s going on and until we do, I hate to give up our freedoms over it. And, no, I do not trust scientists who are doing empire building with their arguments pro and con.

I also dislike his having only the vaguest words to say about the debt, a genuine crisis.

Most strange of all, this city is an armed camp for fear of a terrorist attack. Yet Mr. Obama did not even say the words “terror” or “terrorism.” What’s up with that. We are at war with the terrorists and the President doesn’t mention it. Huh?

Well, I talked about that a bit on TV after I had frozen for a long time waiting to go on.

I did get to see Mr. Obama and his bride walk by. Then Joe Biden and his wife, whom the announcer kept calling “Doctor Biden.” I wonder what she is a doctor of. Being middle-aged and sexy, I would say.

The best things about the day, BY FAR, were the happy faces of the black people on the streets. Fine with me. Great. They have suffered terribly and if it makes them happy to have a half-black President, they are well entitled to it. Most of them have probably done a lot more for this country than I have.

Later on, wifey and I put on our glad rags and headed for the Commander’s Ball, the main event. But security kept our car TEN BLOCKS AWAY, so we could not go. It was just too cold to walk that far just to be in an auditorium with 44,000 other people. To think that this shindig was so badly organized that invited guests could not get even close to it… scary thoughts about how government works. Alex was “crushed.” I was relieved.

Wednesday
Now I am in Greenville, SC. I flew down last night. I am here helping our son and his family move here. I had a great dinner at Trattoria Giorgio across from my fine hotel, the Westin Poinsett, last night. Today I had a super luncheon at Nosedive, a cafe in my hotel.

People here look calm and happy and sane. I like it here very much. This town is a gem.

Oh, I forgot to add this part. This morning, I watched Mrs. Clinton testify before a Senate committee about the disaster in Benghazi. It was a dismaying sight.

Mrs. Clinton seemed to me to be making several points:

1.) It wasn’t her fault because it was all handled by people lower down the command ladder than she was. But that’s nonsense. She was in charge before the murders. And she was in charge after the murders and knew Mr. Obama’s team was lying about who did the killing and why.

2.) She cannot be blamed because she felt terrible about the killings and cried. This is not an excuse worthy of a high official of government. She is supposed to be a tough, sensible grown-up about her duties. If she can escape responsibility by crying, what’s next? Saying it wasn’t her fault because her father made her feel bad because she was a girl and not a boy? Blaming her health? What is she smoking or drinking if she thinks that the fact that she cried about the murders in Benghazi lets her off the hook? I once heard her say to Mr. Obama that “hope” is not a plan. Neither is crying instead of doing.

3.) Anyone who attacks her has political and not patriotic motives. But her management of the situation was a disgrace. Senator Rand Paul was precisely right. She should have been fired and more aptly, should have resigned over the lies about the murders. Her behavior in covering up for the killers was political and not patriotic,

It is terrifying that a woman of that level of irresponsibility is seriously in the running for President and will probably win in 2016.

O tempora! O mores!

Ben Stein
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Ben Stein is a writer, actor, economist, and lawyer living in Beverly Hills and Malibu. He writes “Ben Stein’s Diary” for every issue of The American Spectator.
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