All I can say is Thank God for the British Press!

IF Barack Obama wins the election next week, America and the world will be taking a huge step into the unknown.

There will be great things about an Obama victory. Above all, America-haters around the world will be forced to see that the United States is an extraordinarily open society. A black leader in any European state is unimaginable.

But there are troubling aspects to Obama’s effortless cruise to Presidency.

First is that it is accompanied by an almost messianic belief in the man, at home and abroad.

After so much unrealistic hope must come a great fall. Disappointment, if not disillusion, is inevitable, particularly in today’s economic meltdown.

Second, most of the great American papers and major TV networks have abandoned objectivity in this election.

To put it unkindly, they have been in the bag for Obama for months.

The media are vicious about the Republican candidate John McCain and even more so about his running mate Sarah Palin. But Obama is above criticism. They have spent far less time than they should on examining his record. Obama is polished and attractive. But he also displays a remarkable arrogance.

In fact, he is the most untested and most inexperienced politician ever to get so close to the US presidency.

But the Press have skated over his thin CV in the Democratic Party political machine and also over the disagreeable nature of many of his friends, particularly the America-hating pastor of 20 years, Jeremiah Wright.

Wrong

Abroad, his positions have often been been plain wrong and dangerous.

Between 2004-2007, his constant demand for US troop withdrawal from Iraq would have led to catastrophic genocide. He opposed Bush’s 2007 surge of troops in Iraq and has only recently, grudgingly, admitted that the surge has been a great success.

Thanks to American blood and treasure, Iraq now has the nearest thing to democracy in the Arab world. It is imperfect and fragile and needs continued American support. Little in Obama’s statements suggests he understands this.

Equally dangerous is his promise to sit down without preconditions with Iran’s President Ahmadinejad, who declares Israel a “stinking corpse” and seeks to destroy it.

French officials, who tried to talk with Iran for years under President Chirac, snort derisively at such naive folly.

Despite all the evidence that America is essential to global stability let alone progress, the rhetoric from Obama and his supporters suggests that he wishes to pull America back from the world stage. This would lead to catastrophe.

Quite apart from existing threats, there is now the risk of economic chaos.

After the economic crash of the early 1930s, America was isolationist and no other country was able to stop the march of the European dictators with, as we know, terrible consequences.

Today there are similar dangers of economic meltdown and a rise in the number of failed states. That danger will increase if America withdraws.

It was a Democrat Secretary Of State, Madeleine Albright, who said that America is “the indispensable country”.

One can only hope that if he wins on November 4, President-elect Obama will quickly come to understand that.

When Leaders Get Messiah Complexes

Thursday, October 23, 2008

By Col. Oliver North

Washington, D.C. — On Wednesday this week, I was an unwilling eyewitness to a dramatic political event and it made me wonder where we are headed as a nation. More on that in a moment. First, a little background.

There is no doubt that leadership matters. The study of human history provides evidence that empires — even entire civilizations — rise and fall on the ideas, virtues and skills of great leaders. From Mesopotamia to the European continent, those who chronicled the triumphs and failures of great leaders in the Western world measured success based on military prowess and territory conquered. Herodotus detailed how the Persian Empire, built by Darius, eventually succumbed to Alexander the Great in the 5th Century B.C. That vision of leadership began to change in what is now Israel.

Old Testament prophets described a Messiah — in Aramaic, měshīhā — a leader — a savior who would deliver the Jewish people from their travails. For more than two millennia, Christians have believed that the Messiah is Jesus of Nazareth and that at the appointed time he will come again in triumph. Unfortunately, in the modern era there have many other leaders who perceived that they had messianic qualities that only they could provide.

Napoleon, in the aftermath of the bloody French Revolution, described himself as "essential" to the future of France – and was appointed dictator. The aftermath was a disaster for his countrymen and much of Europe.

Adolf Hitler was elected by the German people and then given absolute power because he claimed that only he could "preserve the Aryan race." The result was a global conflagration that resulted in the death of more than 25 million.

More recently — from Idi Amin in Uganda, to Pol Pot in Cambodia, Kim Jung Il in Korea and Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe — all have "led" their people to perdition after describing themselves as the only men capable of leading their populations through difficult times. Yet, all their people were ultimately worse off.

It is notable that until the 20th century, the American people managed to avoid selecting leaders who held messianic self-esteem. Neither George Washington nor Abraham Lincoln — arguably two of this nation's greatest leaders through the toughest crises in our history — described themselves in such terms. In fact, the record of what they said and wrote is replete with humility.

Not until Franklin Delano Roosevelt decided in 1940 that our country needed his "seasoned leadership," did any U.S. president even contemplate a third successive term in office. While FDR rose to become a great wartime leader, there is also little doubt that he amassed far more power in the office of chief executive than any of his predecessors. Roosevelt's authority was so great that his successor, Harry Truman, the modest man from Missouri, saw fit to endorse a constitutional amendment limiting presidents to two terms.

Given America's history of limiting executive power in government — if by no other means than term limits — it is interesting to note how much hope some people now vest in such office. And it's not just the presidency.

New York City, where FOX News Channel is headquartered, has a public law limiting the mayor to a tenure of two terms. Despite this ordinance, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, citing the current "economic crisis," insists that he should have a third stint in office. Though he was once a believer in term limits he now claims that, "Given the enormous challenges we face, I don't want to walk away from a city I feel I can help lead through these tough times."

That's messianic thinking. But apparently the Big Apple isn't the only place it's happening.

During Wednesday afternoon's rush hour, I was making my way home on the "Dulles Greenway" when a phalanx of police motorcycles and cruisers stopped all traffic and ordered us to pull our vehicles off the highway onto the shoulders. Over a loudspeaker we were told to stay put until the Obama campaign convoy passed, on the way to a rally in Leesburg, Virginia.

Instantly, hundreds of people were out of their cars. Directly in front of me a group of supporters — evident by their bumper-stickers — jumped out with cameras, cell-phones and banners. They began chanting: "The Messiah! He's coming! Obama is coming!" The shouting only intensified as the candidate and his entourage — motorcycles, police cars, black Secret Service Suburbans and busses — roared past us.

What I found so disturbing was seeing so many of my countrymen who apparently think — or believe — or hope — that the next president of the United States will save us from ourselves. Senator Obama has said we can not, "Wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for." He would do well to remember that unfulfilled expectations are the greatest cause of anger on the planet. That's true whether it is between a husband and wife, students and teacher, employers and employees, or leaders and the led. He might also recall that humility is a virtue that has distinguished our greatest leaders.

What all this means to the future of this republic, I don't know. I'm a military historian, not a prophet. But I do know the first name of the Messiah. It's not Mike. And it isn't Barack, either.

Joe Biden doesn't like anything but pro-Democrat fluff questions. Try to ask him a direct question on an issue that has concerned Americans and he laughs it off, blames the anchorwoman, whoever wrote the questions, etc.

Then the Dems respond by severing ties with the station because they were so rough on Biden.

Are these yahoos for real? They can't handle the simple questions from a TV station - so do they expect the big boys throughout the rest of the world to treat them with kid gloves also? No wonder certain other world leaders are so hot to get these wankers into office -- they know they can steamroll right over them.

A couple weeks ago I received a call from the Dallas County Republican Party asking if I would be a judge at my local precinct. My first thoughts were, "Me? Are you serious?" Seems the lady was quite serious because I was the only Republican they could find in my precinct and they legally have to have someone representing each party at the polls on election day. I asked, "I'm the ONLY Republican in Deep Ellum? There's tattoo parlors and biker bars within blocks of me; I know there are other Republicans around here!" Yes...but they aren't in the volunteer database for them to easily call upon. I said that I suppose I could be a judge and thought to myself that it might be something to add to the list of activities I've experienced in life.

So yesterday I received the paperwork from the county with the details on what I was to do, training class to take, how much I would get paid, etc.

I was at a shoot today and shared the info that I had been asked to be a judge in my local precinct for the upcoming election and those around me said, "You? Are you serious? Have they met you? Oh dear God!" I wasn't quite sure how to take those responses but it essentially boils down to the fact that I can be stubborn and opinionated and I like Uzi's so I'm going to support the party that isn't interested in jacking with the Second Amendment.

To be working in the entertainment industry, I'm quite surprised by the number of people that have already voted and voted for McCain/Palin - these people include straight, gay, men, women, white and black. Actually, one of the most outspoken critics I've ever heard go off on Obama is a black man that is disturbingly good with spouting off facts and statistics (he's also a biker).

This election might be quite interesting indeed.

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On another note that is anti-Obama, FoxNews has an amusing breakdown of gaffes that the liberal media has chosen to overlook:

As Mrs. Gump used to say, “stupid is as stupid does”. So let’s level the playing field and list some of the stupidest things said by Barack Obama that are underreported in the media.

Obama said he campaigned in 57 states. America only has 50 states.

Obama said Kentucky is closer to Arkansas than his home state of Illinois. Kentucky borders Illinois, but not Arkansas.

Obama asked the UN Security Council to condemn Russia. Russia has veto power over the UN Security Council.

Obama said we have too few interpreters in Afghanistan, because they are all in Iraq. In Iraq and Afghanistan the citizens speak different languages.

Obama said Kennedy talked to Khrushchev to get missiles out of Cuba. They talked in 1961. The missiles went there in 1962.

Obama said his uncle in the American military liberated Auschwitz. The Russians liberated Auschwitz.

Obama blamed Bush for the rise of Hugo Chavez. Chavez was elected 2 years before Bush.

Obama said the treatment for child asthma is: Give them a Breathalyzer.

Obama claimed 10,000 people died in a Kansas hurricane. The real number was 12.

Obama said our nation honors “fallen heroes, and I see many of them standing here today.” Fallen heroes are dead so he must have seen ghosts.

Obama referred to the town of “Sunrise” as “Sunshine” and Sioux Falls as “Sioux City.”

Get the picture?