Patrick Ruffini aside, most of the wingnut attacks on Obama over yesterday’s attempted terrorist action center on word choice. RedState:
Even the White House is calling this an attempted terror attack.
Pete Hoekstra (via ThinkProgress):
Administration says attempted terrorist attack. No. It was a terrorist attack! Just not as successful as they (AQ) planned.
“It was great to see that the Attorney General said, `I know that we are at war,’” Rudy said. But he went on to lament that under current policy, we aren’t supposed to use the phrase “war on terror” anymore.
Just as clapping louder won the war in Iraq, using the words “terrorist attack” and “war” will keep Al Qaeda at bay.
Max
Have we moved Biden to an “undisclosed location” yet?
General Winfield Stuck
you think that I don’t even mean
a single word I say
it’s only words
and words are all I have
r€nato
remember when all those liberals blamed 9/11 on Bush in the immediate wake of those terror attacks?
…oh, right…
dmsilev
I won’t know what to think about this until Sarah Palin updates her Facebook profile or issues another tweet.
-dms
SGEW
“A very great part of the mischiefs that vex this world arises from words.”
– Edmund Burke
GregB
Burkean bells…..ring-a-ling….it’s terrrrist time in the city.
-G
Fulcanelli
“The beginning of wisdom is calling things by their right names” – Confucius
Tomlinson
I bet Obama goes swimming today, maybe even takes his kids to get some shave ice.
If this was Bush, he’d be in the middle of an armed fighter wing headed for cheyenne mountain while most of the national guard prepared to form an armed ring around it. The navy would be under orders to bomb some shit…just random shit, and the coast guard would be impounding anything within the 200 mile limit, including fish.
One is brave, one is cowardly.
Max
Spencer Ackerman has a good post. It’s similar to Ambers.
http://attackerman.firedoglake.com/2009/12/26/al-qaedas-desperate-bid-for-relevance-the-failed-plane-attack-afghanistan/#comments
EDIT – I see the PUMA’s and Hamsters are suggesting that Obama was involved in this to change the subject from Rahm. Oliver Stone’s got nothing on these people.
cleek
brave Republican rhetoricians are brave.
Annie
Ah….those wingnuts are such manly man. I for one feel so much safer knowing they can attack almost anything with their keyboards nestled tightly and strategically in their manly laps……
Irrelevant,YetPoignant
@Fulcanelli: The superior person is modest in their speech, but exceeds in their actions.
rachel
@Tomlinson:
In the middle of winter?
rachel
@Max: Nutpicking, much?
(Not that I’m a fan of FDL.)
BR
Brilliant analysis from a B-J comment from yesterday:
https://balloon-juice.com/?p=31769#comment-1503689
“Ummmm…perhaps the best thing to do is to point out the obvious.
The flight did not originate within the U.S.
So anyone with even two brain cells to rub together should be at a loss as to how someone getting onto a flight in another country would be a reflection on U.S. security or regulations, much less the U.S. president.
This is way too “forest for the trees” for our media to grasp, however, when option B is TERRA TERRA TERRA On the baby Jesus’ birthday, no less.”
MattR
Based on the fact this guy his the device in his crotch, I am looking forward to the new TSA regulations requiring everyone to fly wearing only their underwear.
Dr. Squid
@rachel:
In Hawaii.
Annie
@MattR:
Or having security grab your crotch as you go through the line……..
Dr. Squid
@MattR:
I’m waiting for the “no powders or liquids any time”. If this were 3 years ago, that would already be in place.
MattR
@Annie:
Depending on the guard, I may pay extra for that ;)
SGEW
Ok, let me get the story straight:
Guy travels from Nigeria to the Netherlands. Gets on a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit. And either a) isn’t searched, or b) a search was performed but failed to find his explosives/incendiaries.
A thought: they searched him and/or passed him through several layers of security that were looking for drugs, not explosives. I mean, Amsterdam to Detroit? But, of course, the contraband chemicals he was carrying were of the “blow everyone up/set self on fire” variety, and not the “whoa, look at the pretty colors” sort. So.
Priorities. Tsk.
Max
@rachel: I see, its only okay to point out absurdities when they are GOP or teabaggers.
Not allowed to point out the wack-jobs on the left.
Thanks for the lesson.
Annie
@Max:
Not allowed to point out the wack-jobs on the left.
Are there wack-jobs on the left?
r€nato
@BR:
Obama is black.
Obama was born in Africa.
The hijacker is an African.
Do I have to draw you a picture?
r€nato
@MattR:
you obviously get to sit next to much, much more attractive people than I do when flying.
BR
@r€nato:
Oh man, I didn’t even think of that xenophobic connection. Seriously.
I don’t know what that says about me, or maybe, about the media.
4tehlulz
@r€nato: yes, preferably using MS Paint.
SGEW
@r€nato: If you did draw a picture, it would be a pretty awful one, so don’t, plz. But “republicans of a certain type” would think it was hilarious, would send it around in mass emails (complete with JESUS KEY), and we’d soon see it at “tea parties,” on signs, held by children. Wonkette would frontpage it.
ericblair
@BR: So anyone with even two brain cells to rub together should be at a loss as to how someone getting onto a flight in another country would be a reflection on U.S. security or regulations, much less the U.S. president.
The US DHS does put specific security requirements on international flights to the US, including No Fly List screening, so this isn’t totally dumb. What does come out of this is: whatever we’ve agreed to do internationally, however intrusive, doesn’t actually work reliably, and it looks that No Fly List seems to be a lot better at stopping random two-year-olds than identifying actual threats.
I’m sure we’re in for another annoying round of Security Theater. Maybe everybody will need to stuff a lit match down their pants to see if their crotch explodes.
rachel
@Max: So if you promote some crazy-ass theory in a comment here at Balloon Juice, your theory is DougJ’s also? Uh-huh, right. Thanks for the lesson in “logic”.
MattR
@r€nato: Or I have really, really low standards.
aimai
Ah, yes, I was just having this conversation with the littlest aimai this morning. “Semantics at twenty paces” is the way I described it. Its the most aggressive form of meaningless action the Republicans can take in the war on terror. So we can be sure there will be tons more where that came from.
aimai
Corner Stone
@Max: I read all 39 comments at the link you provided. The only one that even comes close to a conspiracy of any kind is #4.
Which other ones offended you?
Max
@rachel: Um, I was mocking the crazies.
Mocking is an essential part of BJ. It’s on the fucking blogroll.
@Cornerstone – my ETA wasn’t related to the comments at Spencer’s site, I was commenting on comments I had seen at the usual suspect sites. Of which, I don’t consider Attackerman.
Jesus. Can’t understand how what I said is so controversial.
Corner Stone
@Max: Sorry, I didn’t make that connection. ISTM that you linked an article, then saw some comments to that same article that stoked you up. That was the only reason I bothered with the article in the first place.
If you’re just in general railing against the crazies who disagree with you, well that is indeed totally in keeping with BJ tradition.
lonelypedestrian
I swear conservatives really believe in magic. The proper combination of words (major combat operations have ended), spoken in the sacred vestments (flight suit), on hallowed ground (aircraft carrier) will cause our enemies to melt away.
No wonder they think Harry Potter books are dangerous.
Does Al Qaeda get more or less powerful everytime you say Al Qaeda? Conservatives want to know.
Max
@Corner Stone: Gotcha. Can see how that was confusing.
I should have been clearer.
So, to restate.
1. Spencer’s article was good.
2. Unrelated, and I won’t link to their sites… Conspiracy theories abound from anti-Obama folks on the left. PUMA!
jeffreyw
Pete Hoekstra today called for the government to take a close look at how terrorist ideas are spread via the new media. He also said that Youtube, in particular, should be more closely monitored.
Gravenstone
@jeffreyw:
Yeah, that’ll work a treat. I mean it’s easy to take control of the entire span of the intertrons and stuff. Sweet jeebus are these fucking morons ever going to grow up? Someone should ask Hoekstra if he has a nurse specifically tasked with changing his diapers, or if he’s a big boy and able to handle that task for himself?
jeffreyw
@Gravenstone: Damn, a good fart joke spoiled for the lack of a click through.
Gravenstone
Eh, hardly the first time I’ve charged off half cocked and ruined something.
gocart mozart
@jeffreyw:
and thus the kingdom was lost.
gocart mozart
Let’s see, bomb did not go off, nobody hurt, suspect arrested: What was the partial success? Does the terrorist get to keep his frequent flyer miles?
Nellcote
So why did McCain really go to Yemen a couple of months ago?
Ash Can
Fuck the new media, take a look at the old ones, starting with radio. I imagine the authorities already have their hands full with them. Which reminds me — we haven’t heard Glenn Beck call for armed insurrection lately, have we? Maybe someone got a bit of a talking-to.
Midnight Marauder
@Tomlinson:
The sad part is that there really is no hyperbole in your description of the difference between the two.
Mayken
@rachel: Maybe I’m being sarcasm impaired but: the high temp in Honolulu today will be 80 degrees. I was there right after Christmas last year and the water was quite warm as well. So, yeah, in winter. ;-)
DonBelacquaDelPurgatorio
This thread makes me imagine an Odd Uncle who stops by the insane asylum every morning to find out what the crazy people are talking about in the day room, and then comes over to tell me about it.
After one or two of these recountings, I would be bored and probably ask Odd Uncle not to come over any more after his visits to the asylum. It’s hard enough to think clearly about the state of the world without having to consider what the psychotics are saying every day.
I think I will put on some Brahms
New Yorker
Yes. The last time I was out of the states, I flew from Munich to London without any obnoxious security.
Then there was the flight from London to New York. Jesus H. Christ, I swear there was less security in the House and Senate office buildings. If the TSA wants to carefully sort through my dirty socks, be my guest. I’m not sure exactly how that’s supposed to work, however.
I just hope the next would-be al Qaeda bomber doesn’t try to use Coca-Cola or Coffee in his concoction, because you know how that will turn out: no beverages of any kind on your 5-hour flight from New York to San Francisco.
Ash
@gocart mozart: Well actually, I think one other passenger was injured, taken to the burn unit at U of M.
Faux Noise
The right wing noise machine is ready to crank up to 11 any time they think the sky is falling, which happens of course on a daily basis, and some how is the fault of the Obama administration. Their version of reality
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/12/26/obama-focus-yemen/#comments
Whenever I see an R next to anything – I just assume it’s probably FAUX NOOZ/G(NO)P bullshit.
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/12/26/obama-focus-yemen/#comments
ericblair
@gocart mozart: Does the terrorist get to keep his frequent flyer miles?
He got hit with a $250 pants removal fee.
DonBelacquaDelPurgatorio
I just realized, somewhere there is a list of people to call for comment when there is a failed clothing ignition event on an airplane. And Rudy Giuliani is on that list.
What must it be like to be Rudy Giuliani, knowing that if somebody anywhere in the world tries to light his pants on fire on an airplane, his phone is going to ring? Does he fall asleep at night imagining the various things he might say when he gets that call?
Or, would he ask questions first. “What kind of pants were they? Were they Dockers, or just generic khakis? How far up the leg did the flame go?”
Things like that.
chrome agnomen
i sure miss the codpiece of power!
neal peart
Time to go fucking code blood red in your piss on the BushCo. Adult Depends Pantywetters Index. Obviously, Obama will never use the right words to please the bedwetters rhetorical demands. We need more will, dammit.
Corner Stone
@DonBelacquaDelPurgatorio: Sheeeit. No questions asked, “It’s obvious that (Democrat in question) is soft on terror, and his/her programs have led to this awful tragedy (or possible tragedy if the outcome was weak).
This is why we need, as a nation, to elect Republicans. So we can be safe from this kind of existential terror plot by our enemies, The Big Bad Wolf.”
/end statement
Corner Stone
@neal peart: I have my Green Lantern Ring of Power ready. Will you join me, brother?
Mr Furious
Nothing beats dropping your wife and two young children off for a plane flight to Detroit today.
Let me ask a question that occurred to me as I watched them go through security, and could hear the televisions in the waiting areas:
If you have to sit in the terminal for an hour waiting to take off, would you prefer to watch an endless loop of stupid-ass analysis of the botched terror attack on a plane, or might the airport think of switching the feed to TNT and an endless loop of “A Christmas Story.” Or fucking marathon of “Cake Boss.” I don’t much care.
Assholes.
MattR
@Mr Furious: That is pretty bad. Not as bad as that JetBlue flight a couple years ago that had issues with its landing gear and the passengers got to hear all about it on their in-flight TVs. But bad (and stupid).
Library Grape
Two guesses as to why wingnuts are insisting on calling this a “terrorist attack” rather than “attempted terrorist attack”…
If you guessed “Because they want to start in on ‘See! Obama had a terrorist attack on his watch’!!”, you are correct.
Although, by that logic, the failed show bomber attack was a terrorist attack on Bush’s watch so…
Arlene Machiavelli
We need a TSA ridiculous security measures prediction thread …
Anne Laurie
@ericblair:
I hope Saturday Night Live steals this idea. Haven’t watched SNL in years, but it’d be on YouTube. And maybe start some intelligent conversation.
Corner Stone
@neal peart: And neal? I fucking love you man but Danny Carey dusts your ass.
Just sayin’
RSA
That is, it was a failed terrorist attack. BFD.
joe from Lowell
Peter Hoeksta is actively working to increase the profile of an al Qaeda attack, and to increase the amount of fear it produces among Americans.
I guess it’s not treason if you’re too stupid to know that you’re helping the enemy.
joe from Lowell
An old lady is going to take her first airplane trip, and she’s nervous. She decides to bring her knitting, to give her something to do with her hands, and to keep her mind off of being afraid.
She walks up to the security check point, a little confused about what she’s supposed to do, and a TSA guy walks up to her. “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Stop right there. You can’t bring that on the plane.”
She’s confused, and a little deaf. “Excuse me, what? I can’t go on the plane?”
He points at her knitting: “You can’t bring that stuff on the plane.”
“You…you mean my knitting?”
“That’s right. It could be dangerous to other passengers.”
She’s really confused now. “But how could my knitting be dangerous to other passengers?”
“Well,” the TSA guy says, “You could knit an Afghan.”
Litlebritdifrnt
@New Yorker:
Until I got married and renewed my passport I routinely gave myself a couple of hours to get through security wherever I flew because I was a single female with a great deal of “questionable” stamps on her passport, ie., Hong Kong, Macau, Gibraltar, Morocco, Egypt, Bali, Singapore, Australia. Apparently despite my WRNS ID card (which I always showed with my passport) I was a “classic” example of a drug smuggler who was more than likely boarding the plane with half a ton of cocaine (or whatever) stuffed into various orifices. I spent many a happy hour in a small room, being spoken to by stern faced gentlemen. It got to the point where I was actually insulted if I wasn’t taken out of the line at the ticket desk and asked to “step over here for a moment”. Since I got married the fun has all gone.