William Broad and David Sanger, "Chemical Disarmament Won’t Be Easy": Surprise, Surprise, Surprise!

In a New York Times article entitled "Chemical Disarmament Won’t Be Easy" (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/24/science/decades-of-disarmament.html?_r=0), William Broad and David Sanger write:

"Four miles from the White House, Army specialists are digging very cautiously into an empty lot where a brick house once stood in one of the district’s toniest neighborhoods, on the edge of the American University campus.

A giant tent covers the site, alarms ready to sound if deadly poisons should leak. After decades of work, decontamination of the old burial ground for World War I chemical munitions is expected to be finished by late next year.

Next year, meanwhile, is also the deadline for Syria to eliminate its entire chemical arsenal, from one end of the country to another, under the American-Russian plan announced 10 days ago.

The disparity between the Syrian rush and the American slog underscores the difficulties facing that plan, even if Syria cooperates."

"Won't be easy"? In fact, elimination of Assad's entire chemical arsenal sometime next year even under optimum conditions (i.e. no civil war), maximum cooperation from both Assad and Putin, and no budgetary limitations is . . . impossible.

Meanwhile, as reported by William Bigelow of Breitbart (http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Journalism/2013/09/22/Crowley-Obama-s-Foreign-Policy-Either-Brilliant-Strategy-or-Sheer-Luck) two days ago:

"With the Middle East in flames and Vladimir Putin of Russia openly mocking Barack Obama, the host of CNN’s State of the Union can only see the President's foreign policy as a success.

Introducing the subjects she would cover, Candy Crowley asked rhetorically, 'And on the eve of the UN General Assembly, a look at the legacy of Barack Obama’s foreign policy: brilliant strategy or sheer luck?'

Later, Crowley asked, 'A couple of weeks ago, the U.S. seemed on the brink of a military strike against Syria. Now in a turn of events, there’s a chance of diplomatic breakthroughs with not only Syria but Iran. Does the president deserve credit or was he in the right place at the right time?'"

"Brilliant strategy or sheer luck"? Yeah, right.

This is the same Candy Crowley who recently asked House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (see: http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2013/09/15/Candy-Crowley-Who-Cares-if-Putin-Gained-From-Syrian-Deal):

"If it has a chance to get rid of chemical weapons, do we really care if Russian got the diplomatic edge?"

Answer to Crowley, CNN's chief Obama apologist: It has no chance.

Maureen Dowd, "Pampered Princes Fling Gorilla Dust": "What I Wouldn't Give for a Large Sock with Horse Manure in It!"

"What I wouldn't give for a large sock with horse manure in it!"

- Woody Allen as Alvy Singer in "Annie Hall," 1977

In her latest New York Times op-ed entitled "Pampered Princes Fling Gorilla Dust" (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/21/opinion/sunday/dowd-pampered-princes-fling-gorilla-dust.html), Maureen Dowd, the Queen of Snark, writes:

"Much was made of the alpha tone of the second presidential debate. But it was more like a parody of alpha, a couple of pampered, manicured Harvard princes kicking up 'gorilla dust,' as Ross Perot calls it. In a truly commanding performance, you don’t jab fingers, invade space, bark interruptions."

As we are informed by "A Way with Words" (http://www.waywordradio.org/gorilla_dust/), "gorilla dust" refers to "bluffing, posturing, or hollow attempts at intimidation." This, indeed, seems an apt description of the second Obama-Romney presidential debate.

Or was this spectacle more akin to the "sport" of professional wrestling, which is richly interlaced with thespian skills, and in which the would-be referee also takes part in the action?

Dowd seems unhappy with both candidates; however, she is unsparing in her criticism of her once beloved Barry:

"It has been said that Obama didn’t show up for [the first debate], but the reverse is true: the real Obama did show up, indulging in flashes of petulance, self-pity and passivity at a treacherous moment for himself, other Democratic candidates and all the people working their hearts out — and emptying their wallets out — for him.

. . . .

In some ways, the two rivals are alike: cold, deliberative fish, self-regarding elitists with upbringings out of the norm and trouble connecting at times, as when Obama echoed Jon Stewart’s word 'optimal' on 'The Daily Show' and sounded aloof about the tragedy in Libya: 'If four Americans get killed, it’s not optimal.' The mother of one of those Americans, Sean Smith, told The Daily Mail of London, 'It’s insensitive to say my son is not very optimal; he is also very dead.'"

And so, at a time of crisis and grave danger, Americans will soon be going to the polls and asked to choose between two men who neither mean what they say nor say what they mean.

Welcome to a twenty-first century black hole of narcissism destined to suck America through a vortex of greed and corruption, leaving only the desiccated bones of a once great nation. Today, it's all about "me." There is no longer any vestige of honesty, integrity, honor or sacrifice.

If only I could have moderated the second debate instead of Candy Crowley. Trust me: I would have come prepared with a large sock with horse manure in it.

Hofstra "Smackdown": At Least Obama and Romney Didn't Come Dressed in Leotards

Throughout the blogosphere there are references to the Hofstra "smackdown" between President Obama and Governor Romney. The definition of "smackdown"? According to Merriam-Webster (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smackdown):

"2: a contest in entertainment wrestling"

Ah yes, the bona fide "sport" of professional wrestling, richly interlaced with thespian skills, in which the would-be referee also takes part in the action.

The Hofstra debate was indeed a smackdown and took American democracy one rung lower. Thank goodness Obama and Romney did not come dressed in leotards.

And lest I forget, this brief reference to the cage match in Hempstead would not be complete without a special hat tip to Candy Crowley for injecting her thinly veiled partiality into this raunchy event.