Possible 2012 Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, who is visiting Egypt, has come out on the side of propping up Mubarak and putting down the pro-democracy uprising. This essentially puts him on the same side as Israel but in opposition, so far, to the hard-core neocons, which is a very weird place to be in.
Possible 2012 Republican presidential candidate Sarah Palin has addressed the Egyptian issue and has firmly come out on the side of Sarah Palin. Thanks to a “media boycott” (i.e., Dana Milbank, in tongue-in-cheek mode), she trusts the media won’t blame her for it.
Possible 2012 presidential candidate Mitch Daniels was asked about Egypt by Laura Ingraham, and punted. “I don’t have a lot to say about it. I’m just a provincial governor out here.” No doubt President Obama’s political team is saving that sound byte for possible future use
I’ve been looking for positions on Egypt from other possible 2012 presidential candidates, but so far have not found anything for the following —
Mitt Romney
Newt Gingrich
Tim Pawlenty
Haley Barbour
If you do run across any positions on Egypt from any of the gentlemen listed above, do let me know.
Palin is a black hole vortex of self.. With incredibly more self absorption than any sponge ever raked from the ocean’s floor.
Since they can’t afford to be wrong, they won’t take any position until everything shakes out.
But you can bet when that happens, they’ll blame Obama and will have been on the right side all along.
I expect Haley Barbour to take whatever position the U.S. Chamber of Commerce tells him to take, which probably will be pro-Mubarak. But, yeah, the rest of them probably will hide in the weeds for a while, particularly since Israel and the neocons suddenly are at odds. Social conservatives like Huckabee can take whatever position Israel takes and not confuse his base much, but Romney and Pawlenty must be genuinely stymied.
I expect Haley Barbour to come out with a statement that Pharoah went after the Israelites over states’ rights, not slavery.
But, yeah, the rest of them probably will hide in the weeds for a while,
I hope they save a space in those weeds for Obama..Already the leadership that is forming with the protesters have called out to Obama..” come out, come out, where ever you are!” It seems fence sitting and being on both sides of the argument isn’t faring too well for Obama. Again I say…If Obama wants to do the right thing and buttress his rhetoric..He should kiss Hosni good-by..Adios Amigo, it’s been swell, but we’ve reached that fork in the road.
Swami — it could be argued that it’s kind of unseemly for a head of state openly to call for another head of state to be deposed by revolution, especially if the head of state is a long-time ally. Unfortunately, I suspect the Egyptian uprising will turn out to be a lose/lose for the U.S., no matter how it shakes out. It might have been good if the past several administrations, including Obama’s, had pushed Mubarak harder on the issue of democratic reform, but that’s water under the bridge. I’m not saying President Obama is necessarily covering himself in glory over this, but there’s not a hell of a lot he can do.
I m sure they are waiting rush limbaugh to tell them what to do,and then the republicans will tell Obama what to do, and then if it turns out wrong, Obama will get the blame.
Today Rush appears to have signaled that Mubarak should be propped up — I guess Rush was waiting to hear from Israel. Now let’s see who falls into line.
As for Sarah “The Whore of Babblin’ On,’ George Harrison and the rest of the gang must have visite Alaska back in the day:
All thru’ the day I me mine, I me mine, I me mine.
All thru’ the night I me mine, I me mine, I me mine.
Now they’re frightened of leaving it
Ev’ryone’s weaving it,
Coming on strong all the time,
All thru’ the day I me mine.
I-I-me-me mine,
I-I-me-me mine,
I-I-me-me mine,
I-I-me-me mine.
All I can hear I me mine, I me mine, I me mine.
Even those tears I me mine, I me mine, I me mine.
No-one’s frightened of playing it
Ev’ryone’s saying it,
Flowing more freely than wine,
All thru’ Your life, I me mine.
I-I-me-me mine,
I-I-me-me mine,
I-I-me-me mine,
I-I-me-me mine.
All I can hear I me mine, I me mine, I me mine.
Even those tears I me mine, I me mine, I me mine.
No-one’s frightened of playing it
Ev’ryone’s saying it,
Flowing more freely than wine,
All thru’ your life I me mine.
Sarah, if it wasn’t for that idiot Bill Kristol having a middle age hard-on for you, and that model for “Grumpy Old Men,’ picking you, you’d still be in Alaska doing whatever it is you might be doing if you stayed as Governor and didn’t have the opportunity to cash in and quit.
Sarah, you’re definitely not the ‘poet in my heart.’
Get over yourself!
Gulag, You gave me a headache! (but you’re right!)
One thing Obama should NOT do is treat politics in Egypt as if it was the 51st state. He said as much as he could – he came out in support of the Egyptian people and he let Muberek know that the US would abandon him is he tries to resolve the protests with a bloodbath.
If the US or the UN or the Arab League or some combination of those groups is INVITED to assist in forming a new representative government, then fine. Until then, the people of Egypt have to earn their freedom – and they are. The US should stand ready to assist after the process has reached a point where we ARE invited to help. And STFU until then.
The dust hasn’t settled in Egypt and so any opinions from even the most levelheaded people (much less ideologues) should be taken with a grain of salt. This is one time where I appreciate Obama’s hallmark restraint when it comes to world issues.
OT and good news, there was large protest of 800-1000 people at a Koch brothers’ retreat in SoCal. I’m really impressed that the brothers’ reputation is such that it can draw out such large numbers. And how did I miss the invitation…
I agree with moonbat above that the dust hasn’t settled – take opinions with a grain of salt.
I haven’t followed Repubs positions closely (see above) but it does seem Boehner was trying to strike a helpful note supporting the Administration’s efforts so far. That was proper. Everything is in the air, and no one knows where it’s landing. Doesn’t seem like the time or issue to snipe at each other.
At least Reverend Huckleberry has shown that he is stupid enough to expand the Iraq-Afghanistan war to the entire African continent. That alone ought to make him the next Republican presidential candidate. Cutting back the “pro-democracy” funding seems to me like a sign that we had reached the point of signalling to Hosni that we would not pay (even this relatively small amount) for what we were not getting.
Mitt has come out against Mubarak: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0211/48578.html
Pawlenty and Gingrich have called for a firmer line on Egypt! Whatever that means: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2011/02/01/pawlenty_gingrich_call_for_firmer_line_on_egypt_108719.html
Haley Barbour has said nothing so far
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