A recently submitted letter to the editor of the Washington Times sums up the frustration quite well.  I reproduce it here in full:

Eight months have passed, and three central questions were asked — and they  remain unanswered. Why were requests for more security at the facility ignored?  Why were the American people told that the attack was caused by an Internet video, despite agreement by the CIA, the State Department and those on the  ground in Libya that a terrorist attack took place?  When will the killers of four Americans be brought to justice?http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/may/14/justice-for-benghazi-victims-now/#ixzz2THX0SJ3O

Perhaps the most important question for those who suffer is the last.

Here is his opening line in the editorial he penned shortly after making his announcement (http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/editorials/2013/03/15/gay-couples-also-deserve-chance-to-get-married.html): 

I have come to believe that if two people are prepared to make a lifetime commitment to love and care for each other in good times and in bad, the government shouldn’t deny them the opportunity to get married. 

Thin gruel for a weak mind. Marriage is just a matter of two people committing to each other for life.  Two siblings are now candidates for marriage.  Two good friends too.  A mother and daughter have been married all this time and no one knew it!  In the Senator’s mind (or is it feelings?) marriage is whatever he says it is apparently. 

And of course, there is no particular magic to the number two.  The Senator has no compunction offering airy statistics to support his equally airy conclusion when he suggests that a declining divorce rate over the past 10 years is proof that homosexuals are better partners in “marriage.”  (How about other factors Senator such as the devastating economy or maybe even that people are finally realizing marriage is the original blessing between man and woman as a response to the insanity of those promoting homosexual marriage?)  Returning to the magic number 2 Senator, how about looking at actual history, where we see that polygamy has been practiced in various cultures at different times?  Given your well-intentioned definition of marriage how can you exclude 3 people from the “joy and stability” of marriage?  Pro-sodomy based marriage people like to ignore this argument and dismiss it as the slippery slope that no one is going to fall down, but you Senator claiming the mantle of conservatism how do you respond?   

Hot Air’s Allahpundit apparently agrees on some level with the Senator but does not give an explanation here:  http://hotair.com/archives/2013/03/15/rob-portman-ive-changed-my-mind-and-support-gay-marriage-now/.  No conservative who cherishes the fundamentals of a healthy society can embrace sodomy-based marriage.  No conservative denies the fundamental reality of the complementary nature of man and woman and the unique roles each has in the upbringing of children.  But that truth does not stop this Senator from declaring the conservative high ground!

British Prime Minister David Cameron has said he supports allowing gay couples to marry because he is a conservative, not in spite of it. I feel the same way. We conservatives believe in personal liberty and minimal government interference in people’s lives. We also consider the family unit to be the fundamental building block of society. We should encourage people to make long-term commitments to each other and build families, so as to foster strong, stable communities and promote personal responsibility.

So now conservatives must give up the notion that man is really different from woman, and father from mother!  Hear that CPAC?  Better conservative minds have now seen the utopia where man and man can lie down together and not be called an abomination but an expression of freedom and, indeed, a picture of married bliss.  Amazing that this idea has never been embraced anywhere at anytime, but our real conservative leaders such as the Senator, have come to the underlying truth to all conservative thought:  personal license.  Yes, the Senator used the word liberty, but it is no more or less than license, that is, liberty without any moral restraint. 

Euphemisms?  The corruption of the delightful word “gay” to include those who lead a life which is decidely not gay is only first in a string of euphemisms employed to justify the homosexual marriage movement.  An accurate word for those who enter into the life of the homosexual is forlorn for they have abandoned the truth of their bodies in the quest of sexual gratification.  That quest leads them to darkness, emptiness, disease and death.  Forlorn is perhaps too mild a word.    

The Knights are still a part of this blog, but the name will change with the change of the good Governor’s career path and the diminishment of vile attacks upon her.   Our motto is the same, which is to attack all forms of misogyny, but our name should change to reflect a broader vision.  Pelinore, the Knight King of Arthur’s roundtable, is a suitable replacement as it retains our connection to chivalry (which we view as the equivalent of defending woman) but bespeaks a larger interest and role in that odd field known as the minor leagues of conservative blogging.  That may be a class of one, but we are proud to occupy that field as the champion of chivalry and conservatism. 

Why Pelinore?  When this blog was formed, the other reknowned names of the Round Table were already taken, e.g., Galahad, Lancelot.  Pelinore is a legendary figure who bests King Arthur at the tournament and even breaks Excalibur.  He is wizened with age.  He is a King in his own right and one of great battle prowess.  His decision to become a Knight of Arthur and submit to Arthur’s kingship shows his humility and willingness to put aside his pride for the good of his country.  That is all we seek to do here — protect the fairest lady in the land, our America.

Imagine a different scenario in which the President did not immediately return to campaigning after his tour of the ravaged areas and his Christie-hug moment.  Imagine a President who said something like this:  “This country is more important than a particular election.  People are hurting all over the North East and in desperate need of help.  As commander in chief I am directing the military to provide immediate and overwhelming assistance to those affected.”  Then imagine Obama actually spending some time in a command HQ having his top brass etc. carry out these orders.

Now that action would have had the potential to change many peoples’ views about him.

But that is an alternate reality in which the President cares about the North East more than just a given Blue swath of states for his re-election.  A reality where he took his job to heart even to the point of possibly risking his re-election. A reality where he, not Mitt Romney, was the happy warrior, confident in the successes of his tenure and in the future.  A reality in which he recognized that politics is the art of the possible, and where doing the right thing, even if common wisdom would say otherwise, may even be more beneficial than slavish loyalty to campaign rallies.

That is not our reality.

And so the President who could have pushed back the Romney-tide that is sure to wash over the nation tomorrow, will sit on his hands tomorrow evening watching the election results whilst the North East suffers and probably somewhat grudgingly votes for him again.

Let’s welcome a new direction.  Let’s welcome Mitt Romney as the next President.

Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rate for blacks increased to 14.3
percent in October[.]

Do black Americans really need anymore proof that this President cares little about their plight?  When was the last time as President he specifically addressed or commented on the horrible unemployment burden in the black community?  See prior thoughts on this here:  http://pelinore.wordpress.com/2012/10/16/if-you-say-liar-he-may-say-great-uncle-tom/.

And just wait for the fabricators to spin this as something positive for Obama even though the rate went up and, more importantly:

In October, the number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more)
was little changed at 5.0 million. These individuals accounted for 40.6 percent of
the unemployed. (See table A-12.)

Here is a good analysis of the other data in the BLS report particularly how the U-6 number, at an embarrassing 14.6%, is the real number to look at when trying to predict what un and underemployed people are going to do at the ballot box.  http://hotair.com/archives/2012/11/02/jobs-report-171k-jobs-added-jobless-rate-rises-to-7-9/ .

http://www.ifreshnews.com/the-jobless-rate-in-the-united-states-increases/710

The Benghazi attack and subsequent murder of the Ambassador was in fact coordinated between the attackers and certain U.S. operatives. The death of the other American stationed at the consulate was expected collateral damage. The deaths of the two former Seals were not planned as these men were not assigned to protect the Ambassador. They had a different mission. They too became collateral casualties, though unexpected ones. They had been told to stand down. The Ambassador was assigned to carry out certain tasks. The Ambassador’s situation had become precarious, and the belief that he would imminently leak vital information, detrimental to the U.S. or the Administration was the reason for the attack; the video was provided as a convenient surrogate motive and the Cairo mob attack was coordinated as necessary.

Thus the decision to remove the site security team located in Libya a little over a month before the attack, thus the window-dressing when State engaged an inadequate contractor to provide security for the consulate, thus the refusal to improve security despite repeated requests from the Ambassador and the Tripoli mission even on the day of the attack, thus the failure of the President to attend intelligence briefings in the days leading up to 9/11/12, thus the refusal to provide assistance to the besieged Americans during the course of the attack despite real-time information from drone surveillance, consulate cameras and direct communications from the Americans in the consulate and despite the proximity of adequate and overwhelming military assets, thus the President’s failure to convene the counterterrorism task force, thus the declaration by some Libyans to praise God because the Ambassador was still alive, thus the Administration’s initial narrative that a video-enraged mob carried out the attack, thus the embarrassing retractions and restatements when information was leaked about the nature of the attack, thus the bizarre behavior of the President, the Vice President and the Secretary of State when meeting with the father of Ty Woods, thus the utter inaction in conducting forensic investigations of the consulate in the wake of the attack, thus the utter disinterest in detaining one of the reputed leaders ot the attack, thus the President’s decision now to deflect, defer and distract serious questions on the subject and voluntarily entertain such questions only from entertainers.

This Deadly Stupid Administration

Now that you can see a narrative which might support another silly truther movement, it is clear that this Administration’s incompetence is not only stupid but deadly. Respected pundits explain these actions as consistent with an Administration that needs to preserve the story of the success of the Arab Spring and this President’s role in bringing it about. Thus it did not want to take any actions contrary to that theory, and when events forced them to see the emptiness of that theory, they were paralyzed. Thus, the decision to reduce security and refuse requests for additional security were seen as inconsistent with a Libya which was growing more peaceful and responsible by the day. Thus, when our Americans were under attack by those same Libyans, the Administration was paralyzed and unable to act contrary to the theory. The youtube rationale which prompted the Cairo demonstrations was seen as a precious lifeline that could save the theory because that video was produced by an American national who had no connection to the Government and whose free speech could not (unfortunately) be restricted. In other words, so long as people believed the attacks were due to someone outside the power of the Government, the President’s foreign policy could still be seen as a success.

These are all plausible explanations, though they still leave serious questions which ask us to ignore our righteous indignation that a President could sit on his hands doing nothing and tell others to do nothing while our people were being murdered. Hot Air discusses here the statements by a former Pacific Fleet chief in which he raises with much more weight than this blog these and other important questions. http://hotair.com/archives/2012/10/30/former-pacific-fleet-chief-we-need-full-disclosure-on-benghazi-now/.

Whatever we learn, if we learn, one thing is true, Tyrone S. Woods and Glen A. Doherty acted as true Americans, rushing into danger without care for their own well-being, without concern for a theory, but with the very real life and blood of our fellow citizens.

(Credit:  Getty Images)

Update:  The American Catholic has a very good and detailed account of the bravery of these Navy Seals here:  http://the-american-catholic.com/2012/10/30/a-matter-of-honor/.

Update:  Hot Air reports on a discussion between Vince Flynn, the talented spy novelist, and Hugh Hewitt.  http://hotair.com/greenroom/archives/2012/11/21/the-million-dollar-question-on-benghazi-no-one-is-asking/.  Let’s just say that while Trutherism is hogwash, the motivation to find the truth is genuine among many Americans, and here with the way Flynn puts the story together it is tempting to think someone wanted the Ambassador out of the way.  How long has it been now and no real information on all the details?  How long can this failure of a President continue to say “what I knew and when I knew is still under investigation”?  Hey, if you believe he fried his short-term memory on weed and other substances maybe you can cut him some slack for not remembering his own life.

Enter the Green Revolution of 2009. Even the mullahs were worried about those historic demonstrations. This was not a small group of irritated students but a massive uprising of the young and educated.  This was an historic opportunity for freedom in that most-oppressive of nations.  The Iranian freedom fighters were our patriotic brothers and sisters because they sought the same thing our founding fathers did:  freedom from abusive and tryannical rule.  They raised their voices, risked their bodies, suffered and yet kept shouting out for freedom, freedom, freedom.  That shout carried to our shores and should have been met with a robust masculine embrace and cry that we stand with you brothers and sisters.  And that cry should have been backed by resources through covert supply lines, with the booming Voice of America, with calls for an emergency meeting in the United Nations.  This was our chance to solve the problem of oppression and the looming problem of a nuclear, irresponsible Iran.  And what happened?  A silence that will echo for years.  Silence from the man who was supposed to be the one.  Silence and hesitation from the man who moved millions with all over the world with his powerful words and the wonder of his candidacy and success.  And now we are faced with the nigh impossible task of persuading a country to quit that which it deems its right.  Your silence Mr. Obama.  What will it become? 

http://www.freedomtwentyfive.com/2012/02/the-rise-and-fall-of-tucker-max-part-1/.

Now it appears that there may be competing October surprises.  From the left, at 71 years, standing at 5 foot something, frosted hair, and trademark red couture, Gloria Allred.  On the right, at 66 years, a towering 6′ 3″, faux comb-over and crisp business suit, Donald Trump.  Speculation is rife as to what these may be.  

The Examiner suggests that Ms. Allred is trying to get sealed court testimony unsealed and certain gag orders lifted,  http://www.examiner.com/article/october-surprise-gloria-allred-s-after-romney-s-sealed-testimony-and-gag-order.   These may or may not relate to a divorce proceeding the Governor testified in or something about abortion counseling.  Who knows what The Donald has up his sleeve.  Hot Air is skeptical it will be something quite as important as Mr. Trump claims, which is a prudent comment especially given the superlative hyperboles employed by the real estate magnate in the build-up.   http://hotair.com/archives/2012/10/23/whos-up-from-some-wednesday-october-surprises-from-trump-and-gloria-allred/.   Maybe Mr. Trump has taken it upon himself to negate Allred’s surprise with his own?  And so the two cancel out in a noise of competing soundbites, blog screed and Chris Matthew’s rants. 

Does anyone really believe that the media missed something about the Governor?  Does anyone really believe that there is another gotcha secret video that Team O hasn’t thrown up yet?  We won’t ever obtain many Obama records that are sealed or confidential and potentially relevant to his character, but at this point those aren’t necessary anymore.  We have his record and that is enough to judge his character.  That and his conduct in the debates. 

The only surprise about these surprises is that they won’t change the course of the election.  They will be the proverbial flash in the pan.  The electorate is ready and wearied of attacks and sick of media bias.  Anything at this point will be perceived for exactly what it is.  Given the precarious situation of the President’s campaign, look for the flash to be coming from the left and only appear larger because of the gigantic magnifying lens that the media will bring to it.

By the way, if you are interested in getting one of those hairhats for Halloween, here it is:  http://www.amazon.com/Flair-Hair-Brown-Frosted-Visor/dp/B003KZDFYK.

Mr. Trump has released his surpise here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgOq9pBkY0I&feature=youtu.be&hd=1.  This is actually a clever, let’s call it, marketing ploy.  It is not anything new.  Rather it is to put a spotlight on the continuing issue of the nontransparency of the most transparent President ever.  Trump offers the President $5 million to be donated to the charity of Obama’s choice if the President releases all college and passport records.  So no nothing new, but for those who might be on the fence with their vote this non-surprise will still be in play through October 31 which is when The Donald’s offer will expire. 

[Gov. Romney] mentioned that we have fewer ships than we did in 1916. Well we also have fewer horses and bayonets, because the nature of our military’s changed.  We have these things called aircraft carriers where planes land on them. We have these ships that go under water, nuclear submarines.

Breitbart has an incredibly good factual takedown of this statement, noting that bayonets are standard issue to Marines and that Army infantry are being trained in the bayonet as an auxiliary melee weapon.  http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2012/10/22/During-Debate-Obama-Was-Wrong-on-Bayonets-Horses-Naval-Ships-and-Submarines.  Here is a picture of an American and British military assault rifle avec bayonet:

These were used to great effect in the intense city fighting in Iraq.  http://sadefensejournal.com/wp/?p=391.  UPDATE:  Bayonet manufacturer, smartly named Bayonet, Inc., weighed in on the debate reinforcing the notion that this is a critical close quarter weapon:  http://www.tmz.com/2012/10/23/barack-obama-bayonet-company-relevant-debate/.

Regarding horses, the definitive classic of the Taliban takedown in 2001 is titled Horse Soldiers.  Our special ops forces rode horses into the battles that broke the women-hating bastards’ backs.  Most importantly, Breitbart also notes that the Navy requested a ship force of 313 vessels at the beginning of the Obama presidency and links to the Navy’s Strategic Business Plan for 2009-2013.  http://www.navsea.navy.mil/Media/Magazine_SBP.pdf  (see page 3):

We are accountable to the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) to deliver, modernize and maintain a 313-ship Navy that meets the requirements of our national security plan. If we continue to operate with a “business asusual” approach, this goal will not be achieved; we must change.

Putting aside the inaccuracy of Obama’s statements, the most damaging aspect of this statement was the President’s obvious intent to ridicule his opponent.  It had the opposite effect.  Can you imagine as president making such a statement on such a stage before a national and international audience?  It showed him to be a crass person, stooping to immature sniping to make points.  It showed the President to be defensive to the extreme.  Putting that together with his failure to endorse American worldwide naval power exposed him as not just a leader who shouts from behind or a leader who is constantly playing catchup (e.g., sanctions against Iran) but more importantly, a leader who does not want America to be the leader of the free world.  That is not good for us.  That is the most damaging aspect of his foreign policy.  For America to maintain its top economic status (which is what the entire world cares about), it has to be in a position to trade throughout the world, and the better the trading partner, the better our trading will be.  Only a supreme American naval power can assure that we have the markets for our goods around the free world. 

Last debate:  Draw.

This debate:  Romney for vision and composure.  Obama for childish antics.  I bet the undecided voter will pick vision over antics. 

Overall:  Romney 2 and draw.  Obama, draw.  Romney wins the series.  Hot Air agrees:  http://hotair.com/archives/2012/10/23/romney-wins-the-debate-season-and-the-key-test-for-a-challenger/.

Hot Air agrees regarding the backfire of the Obama insult and discusses a supportive CBS focus group here: http://hotair.com/archives/2012/10/23/video-cbs-focus-group-in-ohio-picks-romney-the-winner/.  Also see http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/timstanley/100186053/romney-won-the-presidential-debate-by-looking-presidential-obama-had-a-painful-case-of-bidens-smile/ (making the same point about the Navy insult).