Thursday, March 15, 2007

Obama Palestine pile-on continues

Obama Palestine pile-on continues

The Lobby continues to bash Barack for implying the Palestinians have it kinda tough:

Des Moines Democrat Paulee Lipsman said she was concerned by the idea of relaxing restrictions while the Palestinian government was controlled by a group considered terrorists by the U.S. government.


Which is not what Obama said, but let's continue:

'I think there's a great deal of empathy for the Palestinian people, but they need to change their government,' said Lipsman, who is Jewish and a former Democratic National Committee member. 'And the only way the U.S. and other countries have to make that clear is to withhold funding.'


Those with long memories will note that Lipsman was co-chair of former Democrat Joe Lieberman's Iowa campaign in 2003-04. She's also top staffer at the Iowa House Democratic Caucus; one may also recall that House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy was a Liebermaniac in `03. The firepower here adds to my suspicion that this is being pushed by other camps.

Non-disclaimer: I'm still firmly undecided. These last couple rants are an issue thing, not an Obama thing.

I'll grant that the Palestinians are often their own worst enemy. Had there been a Gandhi in their midst in 1947, they'd have their country by now. But hey have a right to choose their own lousy government. In fact that gives them a lot in common with Americans. And the "destroy Israel" rhetoric is for domestic consumption. The Palestinians have rocks; the Israelis have freakin' nukes.




Speaking of things being pushed by other camps, The Overrated One gets what's lurking behind the Matt McCoy indictment:

We now have the specter of a politically ambitious, evangelical Republican with ties to the religious right going after a gay Democrat.

Does this seem fair? Even if Whitaker has the goods on a south-side political kingpin like McCoy, there will always be those who wonder whether his actions are driven more by his desire to ferret out public corruption, his own political ambition or a dislike for McCoy's sexual orientation.


"There will always be those who wonder." I love those little "objective" disclaimers like "some say." Some might say that's a... song cue!



I still have to finish that long-delayed list of Most Blatant Beatle Ripoffs By Oasis. But I can't choose whether Number One should be Liam Gallagher naming his son Lennon, or the band hiring Zak Starkey as the drummer.

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