Surprise! Right Wingers Claiming Bombing Attempt on NWA Flight 253 Was Obama's Fault

Surprise!  The right wing is trying to blame President Obama for the attempted terror attack on Christmas day of US bound Northwest Airlines flight 253. Do they have no shame? Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI) said today that it is fair to blame the Obama administration for the attempted bombing.  He insists that that the Obama administration is trying to "downplay" threats.  Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), a frequent critic Obama, called the unionization of airport security workers the "the top priority now of the administration" and said that closing the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba will not "appease" extremist groups. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL) also said that "This is a jolt for us. This is a wake up call."  In other words, the sky is falling, the sky is falling.  Let's show them that their tactics are working, we're scared!  Ever since Obama's been in office, Republicans have been looking for ways to pin his name into a terror attack dialog.  First it was the Fort Hood shootings and now this. No matter how hard they try, they will never be able erase the fact that Republican George W. Bush was at the helm when the worst terror attack ever on U.S. soil occured. I honestly think they want something to happen to use as a step towards getting back into power because they view themselves as the "national security experts."  They really seem to think people only remember there were no large scale attacks for the last 7 years, 3 months on U.S. soil during the Cheney/Bush years. It's no wonder that Dana Perino thinks it's ok to make outrageous claims on Hannity's show. They choose to forget the most critical part and assume everyone else does too!  I’m sure the right wing talking heads will go nuts over this failed attempt tomorrow. The right wingers all over the internet are ablaze in excitement comparing this to 9/11. That alone is disgusting considering what actually happened that day.  This is more along the lines of the 'Shoe Bomber' in 2002.  President Obama is in Hawaii on vacation, so that’ll be a big target for the righty talkers and their simple-minded listeners. They’ll be bitching that he was playing golf or was at the beach. They won’t have any answers about what difference it would have made where he was, but they’ll focus in on his vacation.     Mark my words.

The fact that Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab failed in his attempt and was overtaken by passengers and crew will go largely unreported or used merely as a side note. The Wingnuts will exclaim what could have happened, making their minions feel that it did happen. They are going to focus on how to tie an Obama failure to this. Could it have been a disaster? Of course it could’ve been. Fortunately it wasn’t and reviews and changes to U.S. bound planes are already underway. It’s not like Obama changed any airline safety rules that Bush had in place that could’ve increased the likelihood of this attempt. Yes, things were missed; generally suspicion occurs when someone pays cash for a ticket and boards without luggage. The fact that the would-be bomber's father, a Nigerian banker had written to the US embassy to tell them his son had become radicalized should’ve immediately led Abdulmutallab to the no fly list. However, it must be noted that this plane did not originate on U.S. soil.  It originated in Nigeria with a stop in Amsterdam and on to Detroit.  Blaming Obama or any other U.S. official is nonsense.

The political grandstanding of Republicans knows no boundaries. Hoekstra is also ranting how “This administration has totally clamped down on information-sharing with Congress”. He’s upset and is claiming congress isn’t being kept abreast of potential threats. This coming from the guy known for leaking classified information! He recently tipped off a radical cleric that he was under surveillance after the Fort Hood shootings. His showboating noted that the man’s email was being read by U.S. intelligence agencies. The CIA, the FBI, the NSA, the White House — nobody else had reported this cleric was e-mailing Major Malik Nadal Hasan. Good ol’ Pete let him know though. Idiot, and he’s the ranking Republican on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.  Hey Pete, if they're really not sharing, it's probably because of you!

This morning Rep. Peter King (R-NY), and Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC), got into a disagreement on CBS' "Face The Nation."  King wants Obama out there telling people to be scared and feel threatened. He wants our President reminding people how deadly this enemy is. Clyburn, who I agree with on this subject countered with:

"I think that the president, in his response, is doing exactly as he should do, I think that in so many instances these terrorists get more benefit from the reaction they cause than from the action they take. And so I believe that for the president to be very measured in reactions -- in his reactions, not elevating this thing to the point that it would be satisfactory to terrorists, is exactly the way to do it."

Right on Mr. Clyburn!

The real irony for me is changing our way of life by living in fear is exactly what the terrorists want, and it’s what conservatives are gift-wrapping for them! It cracks me up that the conservatives who act like the tough guys are actually the scaredy cats! The supposedly wimpy liberals in NY, D.C., Boston, Chicago, LA - the places most likely to be targeted because of their financial, political and cultural importance, are generally the most rational and calm. Thumbing your nose at radicals by acting in a 'business as usual' state instead of succumbing to threats and cowering in fear will dampen their goals. I’m dumbfounded as to why someone in Alabama or South Carolina or any other Hee Haw state who's scared of terrorists should be. The blue states with the most to lose have people willing to stand up to these criminals. Who really has the backbone? I've been critical and disappointed with some of Obama's other decisions thus far, but at this critical time I'm thankful for a calm leader.  I'm grateful McPalin are not in charge.  This is time for cool reflection, not immediate reaction.   Thank you President Obama.