From the NRO:
Tonight the president engaged in demogoguery of the worst kind, when he claimed that last week's Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. FEC, "open[ed] the floodgates for special interests — including foreign corporations — to spend without limit in our elections. Well I don't think American elections should be bankrolled by America's most powerful interests, or worse, by foreign entities."
The president's statement is false.
The Court held that 2 U.S.C. Section 441a, which prohibits all corporate political spending, is unconstitutional. Foreign nationals, specifically defined to include foreign corporations, are prohibiting from making "a contribution or donation of money or ather thing of value, or to make an express or implied promise to make a contribution or donation, in connection with a Federal, State or local election" under 2 U.S.C. Section 441e, which was not at issue in the case. Foreign corporations are also prohibited, under 2 U.S.C. 441e, from making any contribution or donation to any committee of any political party, and they prohibited from making any "expenditure, independent expenditure, or disbursement for an electioneering communication... ."
This is either blithering ignorance of the law, or demogoguery of the worst kind.
— Bradley A. Smith is Josiah H. Blackmore II/Shirley M. Nault Designated Professor of Law at Capital University Law School
From Drew over at Ace of Spades:
There was simply too much to put in one post (and no, I won't be going through all of it) but the Iraq part, all two paragraphs of it, were despicable. Not so much for what he said but what he left out.
As we take the fight to al Qaeda, we are responsibly leaving Iraq to its people. As a candidate, I promised that I would end this war, and that is what I am doing as President. We will have all of our combat troops out of Iraq by the end of this August. We will support the Iraqi government as they hold elections, and continue to partner with the Iraqi people to promote regional peace and prosperity. But make no mistake: this war is ending, and all of our troops are coming home.
Tonight, all of our men and women in uniform — in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world – must know that they have our respect, our gratitude, and our full support. And just as they must have the resources they need in war, we all have a responsibility to support them when they come home. That is why we made the largest increase in investments for veterans in decades. That is why we are building a 21st century VA. And that is why Michelle has joined with Jill Biden to forge a national commitment to support military families.
The 5 times he used the name Iraq in those paragraphs were the only mentions in the whole speech. What words didn't he use? Victory. Freedom. Or anything that recognized the fruits of the incredible sacrifices millions of men and women in our military and their families made to make it possible.
You see, the war is just "ending". Kind of like a movie or something. Times up, the lights come on, you don't have to go home but you can't stay here.
As I tweeted last night during the speech: "According to Obama the Iraq war is over. Any word on who won?"
Oh and this 'ending'? Yeah, he inherited that from Bush too but you don't hear him mention that do you?
I doubt W. cares much about what this childish little man says or thinks about him. Bush signed up for the big leagues and if Obama can't do anything but bitch about him, well, that's part of the deal. Besides, Bush only looks better by comparison. But for a serving Commander in Chief to fail to acknowledge the victory of American troops is beyond shameful, it's unpardonable and even un-American.
From John Hanlon at TownHall:
The text below is from a partial CNN.com transcript of Obama's first State of the Union address. These are comical words coming from an administration that has, in the past, waged political war with Rush Limbaugh, Fox News and others. If President Obama does not want perpetual campaigns waged against political opponents, he should have instructed his administration not to do that a long time ago....
But what frustrates the American people is a Washington where every day is Election Day. We cannot wage a perpetual campaign where the only goal is to see who can get the most embarrassing headlines about their opponent -- a belief that if you lose, I win
From Vodka Pundit (Stephen Green) at PJM:
6:28PM High-speed trains! Green jobs! I’ve learned nothing! Applaud your impending demise!
6:29PM Business to Obama: Stop helping already. Please. We’re begging you.
6:30PM “I want a jobs bill on my desk without delay.” And the Congress that has spent a year not passing health care or cap & trade says, “We’ll get riiiiiight on that.”
6:31PM “How long should we wait?” Last I heard, about 75 minutes.
6:32PM Washington has told us to wait? Where was he when America invented damn near every single thing in the last couple centuries? Name a big Chinese or Indian consumer product that isn’t a copy. We’re not in second place — unless Washington spends another year like the last one.
6:33PM “I’m not interested in punishing banks.” He just wants to take money from them and tell them what to do. “This hurts me more than it hurts you… ”
6:34PM “If the bill… doesn’t mean the test of real reform… I’ll sign it anyway because it’s been a year and I’m looking bad here, folks. Please.”
6:34PM Obama cures cancer!
From Michelle Malkin:
Hey, President Obama, how about your pal SEIU president Andy Stern’s illegal lobbying activities at 1600 Pennsylvania? Let the sun shine in.
How about Alston and Bird lobbyist Tom Daschle’s undue influence in your Oval Office? Drain the swamp.
***
9:07pm Eastern. Instead of drinking, I’m going to do a push-up every time O says “I,” “change,” “jobs,” “investment,” or “clear.”
Obama arrives. There are more forced smiles in the room than at a Miss World beauty pageant.
Obama clunkifies Tom Paine: “These are the times that tested the courage of our convictions.”
He blames failures of Washington DC. “Numbing weight of politics.”
Has someone clued him into the fact that HE is Washington DC. HE is the numbing weight.
O: “We all hated the bank bailout…it was as popular as a root canal.” Biden grinning from ear to ear. Quickly moves on to rationalizing the bank bailout. “I supported the last administration’s efforts…we made it more transparent…we recovered most of the money.”
Except for the money that Geithner allowed AIG to fork over to its counterparties in secret, of course.
Obama lambastes Wall Street for a few minutes more, then pats himself on the back for cutting taxes. Not mentioned: Massive tobacco tax hikes to pay for SCHIP expansion.
From Glenn Reynolds at Instapundit:
A.P. FACT-CHECKS OBAMA
“President Barack Obama, who once considered government spending freezes a hatchet job, told Americans on Wednesday it’s now part of his solution to the exploding deficit. He didn’t explain what had changed.” Read the whole thing.
FROM JUSTICE ALITO, a “you lie” moment? “POLITICO’s Kasie Hunt, who’s in the House chamber, reports that Justice Samuel Alito mouthed the words ‘not true’ when President Barack Obama criticized the Supreme Court’s campaign finance decision.” Drudge is calling Obama’s criticism “intimidation,” but apparently, they weren’t so intimidated. As I said before, Obama’s behavior wasn’t very Presidential, and it wasn’t very wise.
UPDATE: Brad Smith: “The president’s statement is false.”
No, actually, you don’t, and Alito didn’t. And that will step on Obama’s press tonight and tomorrow, turning his demagoguery into a negative for him. That’s why Presidents usually act Presidential. Not so much because it’s dignified. But because it’s smart. That’s something that Obama, with his limited experience on the national stage, hasn’t figured out yet.
MORE: Video.
Plus, from Dan Riehl, “If this becomes the narrative it hurts Obama and distracts from any thing he may have wanted to accomplish with the address.”
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