Last I knew, Conrad Black was in prison, where he belongs. Yet, here he is committing crimes against syntax and using words like ‘pelagic’ and ‘Pelosified’ in the pages of the National Review. He offers us wisdom, such as this:
After the rise and decapitation of each non-Mitt, the frustrations of the average reasonable Republican or independent who loves America and is horrified by the most incompetent administration since that of James Buchanan (who at least had the decency not to seek reelection) seem to have become explosive and irrational.
Of all the criticisms I’ve seen leveled against the Obama administration, the only one less credible than ‘incompetent’ is ‘corrupt.’ This, after all, is the administration that administered a flawed TARP program to near-profitability, that rescued a bankrupt auto industry that is now thriving, that brought us seamlessly out of the quagmire of Iraq, that actually managed to pass a comprehensive health care bill, that has overseen 21 straight months of economic growth, that led the effort to remove Moammar Gaddafi from power without incurring any coalition casualties, and that finally located and hunted down Usama bin-Laden. If they have sometimes committed acts of political malpractice and at times made a blunder or two, no one can reasonably look at their body of work and call it incompetent.
In fact, it is the competence of the Obama administration that justifies, more than anything else, their reelection. After witnessing the countless acts of incompetence of the Bush administration, people didn’t care about ideology anymore. They just wanted people in charge who could respond to a natural disaster. They’ve got that now, and they won’t be handing power over to a clown like Newt Gingrich. Conrad Black is right about that. That’s about the only thing he is right about. Although, I join him in the fervent hope that the Republicans will have a brokered convention.
Well said.
Slightly off-topic, but I look forward to a post about what a strong “closer” Obama is:
2007 – Came from behind to win Iowa and had both the strategy and the money and organization to win a long campaign to the nomination.
2008 – Came from behind (after the Republican convention “bounce”) to decisively defeat McCain (including on foreign and military policy, a presumed area of strength for McCain)
2009 – Snatched victory from “defeat” by the Pentagon when he negotiated an accelerated surge-and-withdrawal strategy with the full, public support of Petraeus, et al.
2010 – Repeal of DADT, extended payroll tax cuts and UI benefits, food safety legislation and New START Treaty ratification.
2011 – Less than one year after the “Tea Party 112th Congress” took office, divided and routed the Republicans on tax cut legislation.
Anyone else detect a pattern here?
I think we have a winner.
Thanks for the post.
Don’t forget beating the odds and all the voices right and left (I’m looking at you, Barney Frank) who claimed comprehensive healthcare reform was dead after Scott Brown’s election, and passing the damn bill.
That’s really unbelievable, when you think about it.
Rahm wanted him to drop it, too. Say what you will about him, Rahm’s not the panicky sort.
Not to mention the “don’t throw me in the briar patch” moments:
*the “More Perfect Union” speech that ended the Rev. Wright controversy;
*the “John McCain excels in ‘town hall’ settings” talk in October 2008;
*accepting the House Republicans’ invitation to answer questions at their Baltimore retreat in January 2010; http://projects.washingtonpost.com/obama-speeches/speech/173/