Daily Archives: June 4, 2009

Gingrich takes back racism comment; Limbaugh won’t

June 4, 200911:51 a.m.

gingrich3To his credit, Newt Gingrich (in photo) said he went too far in calling U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor a racist based on her statement about “a wise Latina woman.” Gingrich wrote: “The word ‘racist’ should not have been applied to Judge Sotomayor as a person, even if her words themselves are unacceptable (a fact which both President Obama and his press secretary, Robert Gibbs, have since admitted).” The issue that concerns him is not racial identity politics but whether everyone is equal before the law, he said.
Meanwhile, Rush Limbaugh, who also called Sotomayor a racist, has no regrets. “I’m not retracting it,” Limbaugh said on his program Wednesday, though he indicated that he might support Sotomayor if she opposed abortion rights. So apparently it’s OK to be a racist if you’re right on abortion.

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Supreme Court | Comments (24)

Cheney oversaw torture briefings, lobbied Roberts

June 4, 20096:02 a.m.

cheney7Here’s something that the CIA neglected to disclose: Former Vice President Dick Cheney personally oversaw at least four briefings about “enhanced interrogation techniques” with senior members of Congress, the Washington Post reported. One of those meetings in 2005 appears to have persuaded Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., to oppose a congressional investigation of the techniques, which Roberts previously had suggested that he supported.

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Kansas delegation, Terrorism | Comments (19)

Open thread 6/4

June 4, 20096:01 a.m.

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By The Editors | Filed under Open thread | Comments (146)

Obama speech could be empowering, disturbing

June 4, 20096:00 a.m.

ObamaThere is plenty of skepticism about President Obama’s speech today at Cairo University. But columnist and best-selling author Thomas Friedman said not to underestimate the potential long-term positive impact of Obama’s visit. “When young Arabs and Muslims see an American president who looks like them, has a name like theirs, has Muslims in his family and comes into their world and speaks the truth, it will be empowering and disturbing at the same time,” Friedman wrote. “People will be asking: ‘Why is this guy who looks like everyone on the street here the head of the free world and we can’t even touch freedom?’”

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Foreign affairs, President Obama | Comments (109)