NETANYAHU AND OBAMA
TALK IRAN: TWO POLICIES,
ONE CONFERENCE
(PHOTO: NLD.COM.VN)
Monday night marked the close of AIPAC’s annual conference held in Washington DC, a three-day meeting journalists watched closely for signs of what President Obama or Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu might do next about the perceived threat of Iran’s nuclear program.
Israel has voiced increasing concern that Iran is developing a nuclear weapon and it is believed that its government was responsible for the January car bombing of Iranian scientist Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan.
Last week, it was expected that upon meeting Obama, Netanyahu would urge the President to threaten Iran with military action. But on Sunday, in a speech to AIPAC conference attendees, Obama cautioned against hawkish rhetoric, arguing that it would only serve to encourage Iran in its quest for nuclear weapons. The next day, at a meeting with Israel’s Prime Minister, Obama emphasized his support for the Jewish state while expressing an interest in using diplomacy to thwart Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
On the final night of the AIPAC meeting, Netanyahu maintained his hardline stance against Iran, saying that time to react to its nuclear program was limited. Invoking the belief held by many Israeli politicians that Iran poses an existential threat to the Jewish state, Netanyahu told audience members that “We leave all options on the table…The Jewish state will not allow those seeking our destruction to possess the means to achieve that goal.” His speech came on the heels of reports that Israel might attack Iran without providing US officials with an advance warning.
It remains uncertain what impact last weekend’s parliamentary election in Iran will have. But for the time being, it appears that an attack on Iran is possible. The US Air Force has drafted plans detailing how it might wage war against the Islamic Republic, while in February Israel agreed to a 1.6 billion dollar deal to sell arms to Azerbaijan, which shares a border with Iran.
TLDR
CALIFORNIA’S SAME-SEX
MARRIAGE SAGA CONTINUES
PROP 8 OVERTURNED
(CARTOON: WASHINGTON POST)
SAN FRANCISCO’S 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals declared Proposition 8 unconstitutional on Tuesday, marking the latest turn in what has been a nearly a decade-long effort by state activists to make same-marriage legal in the state.
Click to read my original story on TheNextGreatGeneration.com
WHAT WAS COLBERT
THINKING WHEN HE STUMPED
FOR HERMAN CAIN?
(PHOTO: MSNBC.COM)
A SPOTLIGHT WAS cast on Newt Gingrich on January 21, when he trounced Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum in the South Carolina primary. The race’s results indicated to pundits that Romney’s path to the White House was by no means certain and Karl Rove agreed, having remarked, “This thing is going to go on and on and on. Republicans want it to go on.”
But Gingrich was not the only candidate who made a comeback that night: Herman Cain, who exited the race in December, won 1% of the Republican votes. Cain’s defunct campaign was bolstered the fact that his name remained on the ballot when voters went to the polls. The former Godfather’s Pizza executive was also aided by an unlikely figure: TV comedian Stephen Colbert.
Colbert, a South Carolina native, signaled his allegiance to Cain on a recent episode of his show, telling viewers, “Anybody who shares my values can show it by voting for Herman Cain.” On January 20, Colbert went a step further in showing his support for Cain, appearing alongside him on a stage in Charleston, South Carolina, where he and the ex-businessman entertained a crowd. Cain even had a chance to sing, sharing with audience members his own rendition of a Diana Ross song.
This election season, as in 2008, Colbert has made no secret of his presidential ambitions. But unlike four years ago — when he partnered with Doritos to launch a mock presidential bid — the master of improvisation has made a considerable splash in the Republican primaries, thanks to new laws that make it easier for political candidates to raise money.
At the close of 2010, a Supreme Court decision — Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commision — indicated that there would no longer be any limit to the amount of money that could be spent on electing a candidate, so long as these funds are collected by organizations with no ties to the candidates they endorse. Colbert has used these laws to his advantage, by forming the Super PAC “Americans for a better Tomorrow, Tomorrow,” unofficially referred to as the “Colbert Super PAC.”
Colbert ultimately gave up his role in the Super PAC, leaving Jon Stewart in control, as candidates are not permitted to operate Super PACs themselves. Since then, the organization has humorously referred to itself as the “Definitely not coordinating with Stephen Colbert Super PAC.” Joking aside, the Super PAC has had a real impact in the political arena, having aired its own Romney attack ad in South Carolina.
Washington Post reporter Chris Cilliza blogged that Colbert’s name became a popular web search keyword nationally and in South Carolina following excitement surrounding his involvement in politics, and even statisticians have vouched for Colbert’s political appeal, having identified a so called “Colbert Bump,” in which politicians benefit from appearing alongside the comedian.
(GRAPH: WASHINGTONPOST.COM)
But in spite of some reported interest in a satirical Colbert candidacy, it seems unlikely that the comedian would ever decide to run a real campaign. Colbert has already decided to axe his presidential exploratory committee, and if he decides to run for political office in the near future, Colbert would likely have to alienate some of his fan base, as well as end his show, which enjoys strong ratings.
It appears that Colbert’s Super PAC is essentially a clever joke, imitating the hundreds of other organizations just like it shaping the 2012 Presidential election. Beyond his silly antics, and the media hoopla accompanying it, there are signs that what Colbert has actually done is offer a stern warning against the increasing role of money in politics.
“If corporations are people, then I’m a people person,” Colbert told his audience at the Cain rally. ”I’m the Martin Luther King of corporate civil rights. I’m the Lockheed Martin Luther Burger King, you might say.”
