Sorry, Mr.Obama, The Jokes Aren't Funny Anymore

Opposing Views

On March 12, The New York Times turned the clock back five years to an overlooked moment that may have been the beginning of Donald Trump's bid for the White House. It was the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, the annual event that reminds regular Americans just how cozy the press is with the government it's supposed to cover in an adversarial manner. In 2011, many of the journalists in the room were still star-struck, still convinced that President Barack Obama was the transformative figure who'd end political divisiveness and usher in the era of Hope and Change.

Wearing a bow tie and a mischievous grin, Obama took a warm-up dig at Mitt Romney -- his eventual opponent in the 2012 race -- before spending the next four minutes mocking Donald Trump, who was sitting in the audience.

"Say what you will about Mr. Trump," Obama said, "he certainly would bring some change to the White House."

Then the president pointed toward a projector screen, showing a crudely Photoshopped White House with a garish vertical extension topped by Trump's name and bright purple neon. That joke followed earlier jabs about Trump's "birther" skepticism.

"No one is happier, no one is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than The Donald," Obama said, "and that's because he can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter, like, 'Did we fake the moon landing?' 'What really happened in Roswell?' And 'Where are Biggie and Tupac?'"

The journalists in the room laughed as if Obama were Louis CK, and Trump smiled and waved as the crowd looked for a reaction.

As the Times notes, Obama is still laughing, and still taking digs at the Republican front-runner. But as Trump stands on the verge of a major party nomination for the presidency, his campaign is no longer the joke most people thought it was. Obama himself might be the one responsible for turning the idea of a Trump presidency from a joke to a serious goal for the real estate magnate, who by all accounts craves approval and credibility.

Obama might be the last person snickering, and that's probably not going to do him -- or Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton -- any favors if the president hits the campaign trail as often for Hillary as he says he will.

Indeed, Obama seems to enjoy belittling Republican rhetoric on national security and terrorism, which is not a good look for him on days like today, when the Islamic State reminded the world it can still strike prime civilian targets with impunity. The March 22 attacks proved ISIS hasn't been crippled by renewed vigilance, not when the fundamentalist group can hit an airport and a subway station in one of Europe's major capitals.

If Obama keeps on joking, he runs the risk of hurting the eventual Democratic nominee more than helping. It's not far-fetched to imagine campaign ads tying Clinton to Obama, with a voiceover of the latter making jokes about terrorism over footage of blood-soaked women and children stumbling out of ruined airport terminals.

The decision-makers and strategists who run the Democratic party should remind Obama that he's the president, not a comedian. The time for joking is over.

Click Here for an Opposing View on this Subject 

Last Tango in Argentina

Barack Cuts the Rug with Unidentified Argentine Leg Humper During State Dinner in Buenos Aires

Bound and determined to wear out Air Force One before leaving office, the most traveled First Family in American History make the most of their 2nd term lame duck fun and frolic "Hey,We Haven't Been There Yet" World Touring while they're still on the taxpayer's dime. 

Bobby Jindal Throws Hat Into The Ring for VP

The one time darling of the GOP, former Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, who failed miserably in his bid for president has announced that he’s standing in support of Donald Trump.  Jindal, who was at one time extremely critical of Trump as "Bombastic" and "Off Kilter' as a presidential candidate, has now had an epiphany, so to speak, and has hitched his tarnish wagon of political hopes to the stallion D.J.Trump who seems to be running away with the race.

Our popular Governor was re-elected to a second term in a landslide, but immediately began running for president soon thereafter, increasing state spending and bloating a state budget with things like creative hiring practices of state consultants and increasing state employee roles to make Louisiana employment numbers look better then the national average. Jindal left the state with a swollen 29 Billion dollar budget, and $1.8 billion in the Red. (just as comparison to a  state with similar population numbers, Oklahoma's state budget is 6 Billion).  After turning his attention solely to bolstering his resume as a stanch conservative to impress the primary voter base, and not with the business of the betterment of his state in mind, he left office two months ago as the least popular governor in the country.

But Bobby Jindal is no fool. A Rhodes Scholar and son of Indian immigrants, he sees himself a well versed and softer spoken compliment to Donald Trumps brashness, to be used as a deflection of the media and the left's mantra of Trump being anti-immigrant and racist. Jindal says now he believes Trump’s success is a “death knell” for the Republican establishment, the one he himself rode to victory twice. 

"The reality is, you can do the math. He has done very, very well. It is exactly what is wrong with the GOP establishment and it ignoring the will of the voters."

Believe me when I say, Bobby Jindal has just actively thrown into the ring his hat for VP.  

How Ironic: The Day Obama Claims to Bury The Last Remnant of The Cold War, ISIS Attacks the Capital of Europe

During his speech in Havana, President Obama proclaimed, "I have come here to bury the last remnant of the Cold War  The juxtaposition of Obama speaking with the chaos in Brussels demonstrated just how disconnected he is with the real world. The disconnection was further reinforced with his presence at a MLB exhibition game between the Cuban National Team and the Tampa Bay Rays complete with bromancing Derek Jeter and doing the wave with Raul Castro. I suppose we should be thankful that Havana isn't abundant with golf courses.

This trip to Cuba & his legitimization of the Castros speaks a great deal about Obama's priorities. This is bad enough as an exercise in vanity, but's even worse when ISIS is actively murdering civilians on American soil and on the soil of our allies & all Obama can say is that ISIS isn't Islamic. For better or for worse, it's the sort of thing that makes people turn to Donald Trump. - Aaron Goldstein, The Spectacle  

When You Become the Prey, There is No Co-existence

Explosions Reported at Brussels Airport: "Multiple Casualties" - Explosions at Brussels Metro Stations

2:55am cst.

Airport spokeswoman says two blasts in departures hall.

AP Reports Suicide Bomber - "POSSIBLE TERRORISM". Ya Think!

Encouraging & Discouraging Signs of Trump Foreign Policy.

by Larry Johnson

I would not get too wrapped up with the identities and history of the people being named as Trump’s foreign policy advisors. I think he was being totally honest in admitting that he is his number one advisor. And tonight we have seen the good and the bad of Donald Trump.

Let’s start with the “good.” He did something today that I find remarkable and promising. He called for a change in the U.S. relationship with NATO.

Donald Trump outlined an unabashedly noninterventionist approach to world affairs Monday, telling The Washington Post’s editorial board that he questions the need for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which has formed the backbone of Western security policies since the Cold War: 

“Ukraine is a country that affects us far less than it affects other countries in NATO, and yet we’re doing all of the lifting,” Trump said. “They’re not doing anything. And I say: ‘Why is it that Germany’s not dealing with NATO on Ukraine? Why is it that other countries that are in the vicinity of Ukraine, why aren’t they dealing? Why are we always the one that’s leading, potentially the third world war with Russia.’ “

Trump said that U.S. involvement in NATO may need to be significantly diminished in the coming years, breaking with nearly seven decades of consensus in Washington. “We certainly can’t afford to do this anymore,” Trump said, adding later, “NATO is costing us a fortune, and yes, we’re protecting Europe with NATO, but we’re spending a lot of money.”

You should be clear about one thing–this is the view of Donald Trump. It is not a position he has acquired by listening to some advisor. 

Trump understands as his fundamental position that the United States cannot be running around the world intervening willy nilly. This position scares the hell out of a lot of people and corporations in Washington, DC who have become fabulously wealthy by making money off of wars overseas. It is despicable and evil. Trump, to his credit, is throwing the bullshit flag.

Trump is absolutely right about NATO. It is an anachronism. It is akin to insisting that every car must be equipped with a buggy whip. The countries of Europe need to accept responsibility for their own defense. We are not nor should we be their parent or protector. They should be partners.

U.S. policy should be refocused on building partnerships with countries on clearly identified bilateral benefits. I’m listening to Kasich insist that NATO is vital to our ability to fight ISIS. Is he delusional? Where are the NATO boots on the ground battling ISIS? Where are the NATO airstrikes pounding the ISIS positions? It is this kind of old thinking and stupidity that Trump is blowing up. Good on him.

Now for the bad news......    

READ MORE