Columnist Pat Buchanan said President Obama’s “reluctance to intervene on foreign policy is good” and his “fundamental idea” is poorly applied, but is right on Friday’s “McLaughlin Group.” Buchanan argued President Obama’s foreign policy legacy is “a combination, I — his reluctance to intervene is good, but Libya is a disaster. He shouldn’t have put the red line down. And there — so I think, overall, I don’t give him high marks. But I do — his fundamental idea that we go in, we go together, and we get out and come home is right, but I think the application of it’s been very poor.” Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
Clarence Page: ISIS Problem Happened Because Obama ‘Underestimated’ Them
Chicago Tribune Editorial Board member Clarence Page stated that the problems with ISIS came about because President Obama “underestimated their ability to grow as they have, and their aggressiveness” on Friday’s “McLaughlin Group.” Page said, “[T]he problem with ISIS came about because he [Obama] underestimated their ability to grow as they have, and their aggressiveness. We learned those hard lessons. But he’s turned the table on ISIS. They’ve lost ground more recently. They’ve become less organized. But it’s still going to be a long hard slog.” Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
Clift: I Wouldn’t Put US ‘Naturally Above’ China and Africa on Corruption and Cronyism
The Daily Beast’s Eleanor Clift said that she wouldn’t “put the US naturally above every other country”, including African nations and China on cronyism and corruption on Friday’s “McLaughlin Group.” After fellow panelist Tom Rogan said, “President Obama is focused on rule of law in Africa, as that develops, and China has the same kind of cronyism problems. I think this is a great example of why people should look to the United States for a rules-based international system that serves –.” Clift cut in to argue, “What about the special interests and the control they have in the best Congress money can buy? I’m not going to put the US naturally above every other country. We have our problems, too.” Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
Clift: ‘Lot of Hypocrisy’ on Trade Issue, Including From Obama, ‘Suspicion’ Hillary Would Evolve on TPP If Elected
The Daily Beast’s Eleanor Clift stated that there’s “a lot hypocrisy” on trade, including from President Obama, and there’s “suspicion” that Democratic presidential candidate former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would “evolve” on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) if she became president on Friday’s “McLaughlin Group.” Clift said, “There’s a lot of hypocrisy on this issue. In ’08, Barack Obama said that he would renegotiate NAFTA when he got into the White House, never went near it. And I think there’s a lot of suspicion that Hillary Clinton, while she is opposed to the TPP, for the moment, if she should become the president, you know, she might evolve on that particular issue.” Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
Growing Islamist Threat Feeds as Much on Multiculturalism as on Obama’s Neutrality
Every sign points to an aggressive escalation of ISIS-inspired violence against European cities and American citizens, not to mention the American homeland, yet President Obama sees “no existential threat” from radical Islam.
Public Support for Border Wall Drops to 38 Percent
Just 38 percent of American voters say they support building a wall across the border with Mexico, according to a new survey from Pew Research. This is a considerable drop since September, when almost half of voters, 46 percent, said they supported bu…
Blue Collar Voters: Trade Is Killing Us
In blue collar communities in Wisconsin and across the industrial Midwest, that economic angst, coupled with some sense of betrayal, helps explain the roiling politics of 2016.
Crowdfunding Launched for Programming Conference After SJW Backlash Chases Away Sponsors
Funds pour in to defend political diversity in tech.