RUTHFULLY YOURS

Today’s memorable line comes from Powerline’s Scott Johnson [I somehow first attributed the piece to Scott’s colleague John Hinderaker: my apologies], commenting on Obama’s speech about the U.S. role in Afghanistan.  Responding to the President’s declaration ^[1] that “it is time to focus on nation building here at home,” John says ^[2]:

nation building at home will begin with the departure of Obama from office.

Nail’s head, meet hammer.  What more needs to be said?

One or two things, as it turns out, and Scott says them.  The President’s speech writers were working overtime to affix wings to his words (plus free air-sickness bag). U.S. casualties in Afghanistan have increased five-fold under Obama ^[3], but pay no attention to that man behind the curtain ^[4]!

Over the last decade, we have spent a trillion dollars on war, at a time of rising debt and hard economic times. Now, we must invest in America’s greatest resource — our people. We must unleash innovation that creates new jobs and industries [How’s that workin’ out, Prez?], while living within our means [Obama: home of the whopper]. We must rebuild our infrastructure and find new and clean sources of energy [actually, we need cheap and abundant sources of energy . . .] And most of all, after a decade of passionate debate, we must recapture the common purpose that we shared at the beginning of this time of war. For our nation draws strength from our differences [really?], and when our union is strong no hill is too steep, no horizon is beyond our reach.

When you finish with that air-sickness bag, attend to Scott’s comment:

That’s some centered course you’ve got there, pal. In your brilliant efforts abroad, you have managed to produce a months-long stalemate with a fourth-rate Third World dictator. If you haven’t yet become a laughingstock, you are nevertheless doing a fine job helping the United States to become one.

Speaking of unintended humor, the promotion of “green jobs” really doesn’t belong in this speech. It may be time to rewrite Samuel Johnson to say that “green jobs” are the last refuge of a scoundrel.

“ ‘green jobs’ are the last refuge of a scoundrel.” Another line of the day!