Obama Would Not Mind Being President of China

If Obama want to be president of China, the America people wouldn't mind. Obama would help America's greatness by shifting loyalties.

(Weekly Standard) Mr. Obama has told people that it would be so much easier to be the president of China. As one official put it, ‘No one is scrutinizing Hu Jintao’s words in Tahrir Square.’”

“Obama Seeks a Course of Pragmatism in the Middle East,” The New York Times, March 11, 2011.

Mr. Obama is right.

If you’re president of China, people around the world who are fighting for freedom don’t really expect you to help. If you’re president of China, you don’t have to put up with annoying off-year congressional elections, and then negotiate your budget with a bunch of gun-and-religion-clinging congressmen and senators. If you’re president of China, you can fund your national public radio to your heart’s content. And if you’re president of China, when you host a conference on bullying in schools, people take you seriously.

Unfortunately for him and us, Barack Obama is president of the United States. That job brings with it certain special responsibilities. It’s a tough job—maybe tougher than being president of China. But Barack Obama ran for president of the United States. Maybe he should start behaving as one.

Democrat Congressman Christopher Murphy Ended a One Sided Bromance with Justin Bieber

A 37-year old Democrat congressman ended a one-sided bromance with Justin Bieber. The thought is absolutely sick. There is no reason to invoke Justin Bieber with politics because the demographic group that Justin attracts can't vote. So, what is the true intent of Congressman Christopher Murphy having deep feelings over this kid? Hmmm....

(NewsMax) HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — For a short time, they seemed so simpatico: the idealistic congressman, the teenage singing sensation, their shared disappointment in the U.S. health care system.

Now, though, Connecticut Democrat Christopher Murphy and Justin Bieber, the famously coiffed Pied Piper of love-struck girls worldwide, have parted ways philosophically over the Biebs' opposition to abortion.

Their split is less puzzling to some observers than the fact that Murphy, 37, a three-term U.S. representative, even invoked the pop star as a voice of authority in the first place.

Like many of today's flare-and-fizzle connections, their one-sided bromance played out electronically with a few Twitter messages and hashtags, or short phrases and words used to categorize posts according to their topics.

Murphy, who authors his own tweets, wrote Thursday morning: "Bieber on health care" and added the hashtag, "(hash)mycaseofbieberfever," plus a link to Bieber's comments in a recent Rolling Stone interview.

The Canadian-born singer called the U.S. health care system "evil" for the medical debt it places on some patients. But in the same interview, Bieber also mentioned his opposition to abortion, which he considers to be "like killing a baby."

Less than an hour after his first tweet about Bieber's health care concerns, Murphy was back on Twitter. His chagrined comment: "Oh wait ... just heard what Biebs said about abortion. Ugh."

Thus ended the brief affinity, though it's unclear whether Bieber even knew about it, between launching a world tour, appearing at the recent Grammy Awards, guest-starring on "CSI" and promoting his new movie. A representative for him did not immediately respond to an e-mail Friday seeking comment.

Obama Not Satisfied that President Mubarak is Staying On

President Obama has no right to use $1.5 billion military aid as a bargaining chip to oust Mubarak as leader of Egypt. In fact, Obama has no right to meddle and dictate another sovereign country. Surprisingly, the Obama Administration realizes that he has limited influence upon the matter and needs to reflect his statement "respecting the rights of the people."

(My Way) WASHINGTON (AP) - Bristling with impatience, President Barack Obama on Thursday openly and sharply questioned whether Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's pledge to shift power to his vice president is an "immediate, meaningful or sufficient" sign of reform for a country in upheaval.

Without naming Mubarak, Obama issued a written statement that criticized the leader for not offering clarity to his people or a concrete path to democracy. He called on Egyptian government leaders to do so, declaring: "They have not yet seized that opportunity."

Obama's comments came after Mubarak, in a televised speech, refused to step down despite intense speculation that he was on the brink of ouster. He said he was delegating powers to Vice President Omar Suleiman, yet Mubarak remained president and defiantly said he would so until a successor was elected to replace him in September. Protesters were shocked, saddened and enraged.

At the White House, Obama scrambled with his national security team over how to respond to a speech that had left many surprised and even baffled. In his statement, Obama challenged Egypt's leaders to plainly explain what the new changes mean and how they would lead them to the freedoms or opportunities that have driven enormous crowds into the streets since late January.

Still, analysts and even U.S. officials themselves acknowledge the White House has limited power to shape what Egypt does.

Obama devoted most of statement to the familiar calls by his government for Egypt to respect the rights of its people and to immediately negotiate a path to free elections.

Richard N. Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, said Mubarak's speech left the fundamental situation in Egypt unchanged. "We cannot steer things," Haass said. "We have limited influence."