Here is how Salon chose to preface this article: Sidney Blumenthal is joining the Hillary Clinton campaign as a senior advisor, and this is his last column for Salon. Take the time to read it, but I want to key in on the first three paragraphs:
Under crisis conditions of an extraordinary magnitude political leadership of the highest level will be required in the next presidency. The damage is broad, deep and spreading, apparent not only in international disorder and violence, the unprecedented decline of U.S. prestige, and the flouting of our security and economic interests but also in the hollowing out of the federal government’s departments and agencies, and their growing incapacity to fulfill their functions, from FEMA to the Department of Justice.
The more rigid the current president is in responding to the chaos he has fostered, the more the Republicans still supporting him rally around him as a pillar of strength. His flat learning curve, refusal to admit error and redoubling of mistakes are regarded as tests of his strong character. Whatever his low poll ratings of the moment, his stubborn adherence to failure is admired as evidence of his potency.
The patently perverse notion that weakness is strength is the basis of Bush’s remaining credibility within his party. His abuse of presidential power is seen as his great asset rather than understood as his enduring weakness. But when the president assumes all the responsibility, he also receives all the blame, which becomes unitary and unilateral. Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson stated the constitutional principle in the 1952 Youngstown Steel case: “When the President takes measures incompatible with the expressed or implied will of Congress, his power is at its lowest ebb. Presidential claim to a power at once so conclusive and preclusive must be scrutinized with caution, for what is at stake is the equilibrium established by our constitutional system.”
This from a man that served under Bill Clinton. The policy regarding terrorism was Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Since George Bush took office, we have seen Europe elect leaders that are pro-America, pro-democracy. We are popular.
As JWF points out Sydney is working for a woman who ” cannot answer a simple question and abandons principles at the drop of a hat.” We can not afford to turn a blind eye to terrorism, and wave the white flag when things get tough. All the poll numbers in the world didn’t help those people on 9/11/2001.
I think this country can and will do better than another Clinton in office!
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