Betzee said...

Betzee at 07:27 PM JST - 3rd July

What Michelle Obama was commenting on was "feeling proud of seeing citizens once again engaged in politics." You can support her husband's candidacy or not, but lack of citizen engagement is not a good thing whatever your own political opinions.

The same people who cried McCain's "100 years in Iraq"…

Posted in Americans cool to Michelle Obama, don't know Cindy McCain at 07:27 PM JST - 3rd July
Betzee at 07:21 PM JST - 3rd July

I do like Laura Bush, she's has proven herself to be a very strong willed and outstanding lady.

She also came to Michelle Obama's defense, stating "I'm sure she meant 'more proud.'" Cindy McCain, by contrast, stated "I'm always proud of my country." While she's entitled to her opinion,…

Posted in Americans cool to Michelle Obama, don't know Cindy McCain at 07:21 PM JST - 3rd July
Betzee at 07:04 PM JST - 3rd July

In fact the McCain has lurched to the right while Obama tries to grap the center, each abandoning long-held positions in a bid to garner enough votes to win the general election. In other words, the same script that has been followed by the respective parties since as far back…

Posted in Obama vows not to question anyone's patriotism at 07:04 PM JST - 3rd July
Betzee at 06:48 PM JST - 3rd July

but has experienced a lot less violence

Oops, a lot more violence in Mindanao than Indonesia! The former has a travel advisory in effect. The JI training camps have been moved to the Philippines owing to Indonesia's success in infiltrating the movement.

Posted in Indonesia arrests 9 suspected JI members at 06:48 PM JST - 3rd July
Betzee at 06:42 PM JST - 3rd July

I meant "quite good" of course (and had the Bali bombings in 2001 when thry occurred in 2002).

To arrive at that conclusion you need a comparison which would be the Mindanao, the Muslim part of the Philippines which is very close to Indonesia and Malaysia but has experienced a…

Posted in Indonesia arrests 9 suspected JI members at 06:42 PM JST - 3rd July
Betzee at 07:55 AM JST - 3rd July

I try to avoid judging women who become first ladies regardless of what I think of their husbands. They become the target of society's contradictory expectations for women/wives and ya can't please everyone.

Betty Ford was a personal favorite of mine and I respected her husband for never muzzling her…

Posted in Americans cool to Michelle Obama, don't know Cindy McCain at 07:55 AM JST - 3rd July
Betzee at 07:07 AM JST - 3rd July

Indonesia has eschewed the use of torture with quite results since the 2001 bombings.

Posted in Indonesia arrests 9 suspected JI members at 07:07 AM JST - 3rd July
Betzee at 04:50 AM JST - 3rd July

Questioning the patriotism of domestic political adversaries has been used to advance a partisan policy agenda. Have doubts about invading Iraq? Well that means you're soft on terrorism which automatically casts doubt on your patriotism.

Balk at approving one emergency appropriation after another to fund the ongoing occupation of Iraq?…

Posted in Obama vows not to question anyone's patriotism at 04:50 AM JST - 3rd July
Betzee at 03:15 AM JST - 3rd July

I don't recall, didn't he?

He complained that GWB portrayed him as indifferent to veterans (based on some vote). He never addressed what happened to his family. Perhaps this was politically wise; Ed Muskie's career was finished after he choked up in response to nasty comments about his wife in…

Posted in Obama vows not to question anyone's patriotism at 03:15 AM JST - 3rd July
Betzee at 09:45 PM JST - 2nd July

I'd be convinced Obama's [sic] patriotisn is more than just "speechifying" if he'd release his birth certificate.

I know of no other democracy where people's patriotism is so regularly challenged. This is the bread-and-butter of dictatorships.

Setting such "patriotic hoops" (release your birth certificate!) reflects the inability of those imposing…

Posted in Obama vows not to question anyone's patriotism at 09:45 PM JST - 2nd July