Humiliation

A few months ago, a Republican operative made an observation that caused something of a political flap when he said, “Every day Donald Trump is emasculating Jeb Bush.” I recalled that observation [Thursday] morning as I watched the latest filleting of Barack Obama, and by extension, America, by Vladimir Putin.

During his presidency, Obama has regularly said to various segments of the U.S. electorate, “I have your back.” If only we were led by a president who had the entire nation’s back.

No enemy is too small or weak to receive an Obama surrender. No U.S. friend is safe from being abandoned by Obama/Biden/Kerry. No attack on vital U.S. interests, no foreign provocation, no aggression is sufficient to lead our president to find his backbone and defend our security and national interests.

Domestic political foes of Obama can take no pleasure in watching Russia’s strongman castrating our president. Obama’s retreat leaves America more exposed, our allies adrift, the barbarians emboldened, our future more dangerous and the next president’s options more limited.

Bibi Stares Down U.N.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered an incredibly powerful speech before the United Nations General Assembly [Thursday]. At one point, Netanyahu lambasted the delegates for remaining silent in the face of repeated promises by Iran’s supreme leader to destroy Israel.

He then proceeded to stare down the delegates — saying more in 45 seconds of silence than many world leaders said during their entire speeches! Watch it here.

The Stupid Party

House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who wants to become the next speaker and the public face of House Republicans, demonstrated yet again why the GOP so often earns the moniker “the Stupid Party.”

During an interview with Sean Hannity Tuesday, McCarthy was essentially asked what the GOP has accomplished. McCarthy answered:

“Everybody thought Hillary Clinton was unbeatable, right? But we put together a Benghazi special committee, a select committee. What are her numbers today? Her numbers are dropping. Why? Because she’s untrustable [sic]. But no one would have known any of that had happened had we not fought and made that happen.”

In the few seconds it took McCarthy to utter those words he undermined years of careful and deliberate work to try to find out how and why our government failed in Benghazi and cost the lives of four Americans. It enabled the liberal media to mock the committee’s work as a purely political exercise.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is scheduled to testify before the Benghazi committee later this month. McCarthy’s comments will be brought up over and over again — if the hearing even takes place. Democrats are demanding that the Benghazi committee be shut down. Nancy Pelosi is threatening to have her members boycott the committee.

Republicans are on defense. Speaker John Boehner was forced to issue a statement [Thursday] defending the Benghazi Select Committee. On CNN [Wednesday], Rep. Jason Chaffetz was pressed on McCarthy’s comments. Chaffetz said:

“That’s an absolutely inappropriate statement. That was not the reason we started [the Benghazi committee]. We started because there were four dead Americans and we didn’t have answers. … I think [McCarthy] should apologize.”

McCarthy should do more than just apologize. He should drop out of the race for speaker.

Big Government Is The Problem

McCarthy’s comments are so damaging because it fuels the growing cynicism and frustration of the American people. Yes, there is a lot of politics in government and a lot of corruption too. And it should be exposed and rooted out.

Remember the IRS Tea Party scandal? Remember the VA scandal? ISIS intelligence is being manipulated. Not to mention what is going on at the EPA.

Well, here’s the latest. Dozens of Secret Service agents reportedly tried to “embarrass” Rep. Chaffetz for his oversight work of the scandal-plagued agency by leaking his restricted personnel file to the media. Every agent involved in this smear against the chairman of the House Oversight Committee should be fired!

The federal bureaucracy is too big and totally out of control. Government reform should be a major issue, but comments like McCarthy’s completely undermine that message.