It's really tough when Obama's losing his base. Who's next... barfo? http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ghGthxqnYMWcICCnEkjH5ayqPamQD9G38G8O0 Fidel Castro claims Obama lives in fantasy world By WILL WEISSERT (AP) – 2 days ago HAVANA — Fidel Castro speculated Wednesday that a nuclear strike on Iran might help President Barack Obama win a second term in the White House and also suggested the United States could attack North Korea. The former leader of Cuba, who has not been seen in public for nearly four years, also portrayed the U.S. president as a victim of fantasies planted in his mind by sinister advisers. The column published by Cuban state media floated the idea that a nuclear attack on Iran — perhaps even without U.S. authorization — might help Obama win re-election in 2012. "Could Obama enjoy the emotions of a second presidential election without having the Pentagon or the State of Israel, whose conduct does not in the least obey the decisions of the United States, use nuclear weapons against Iran?" he asked. "How would life on our planet be after that?" It's a question he did not answer, nor did he elaborate. Castro also referred to "the current danger North Korea could be attacked by the United States" because of "the recent incident that happened in that country's waters" — apparently a reference to allegations that North Korea attacked and sank a South Korean warship, killing 46 sailors. Castro, 83, said China might be able to block such an attack by using its veto in the U.N. Security Council, implying that Washington was likely to seek that body's authorization before a move against North Korea. The government of North Korea has denied involvement in the torpedo attack near the countries' sea border in March. During a visit to Seoul last month, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the North should face international consequences for the sinking. Castro often has praised Obama in recent years, but painted him as a pawn of the global capitalist machine on Wednesday. "President Obama can give hundreds of speeches, trying to reconcile contradictions that are irreconcilable ... dreaming of the magic of his well-articulated phrases," he wrote. But Castro said Obama "makes concessions to personalities and groups totally lacking in ethics and draws fantasy worlds that only fit in his head and that unscrupulous advisers, knowing his tendencies, plant in his mind."
Obama won't get Castro's vote? That's gratitude for you, after Obama opened up voting in US elections to citizens of all other nations.
I'm still trying to think of a single thing Obama could say or do that would make this situation better. Not because he's inept, ineffectual, etc., but because it's not in any government agency's wheelhouse to stop the flow of an underwater oil gusher. It's kind of outside even the 99% coverage of corner cases. It's not like he's holding back hundreds of Governmental Oil Spill Experts from helping. I don't know why some blame Obama for trusting big business to take care of its own troubles without interference from the big bad government. Now, imagine that the oil spill is a financial crisis, and BP is a bank...
BTW, I love Castro's statement there. Boiled down, I read it as: "Sorry you're so idealistic, son, but in AMERICA it takes a war monger to win an election. Better find a new country to declare war on to get the jingoistic masses in a froth of enthusiam."
I was going to ask why no one's brought up the news yet that a cap it significantly decreasing the amount of oil escaping from the source when I saw that BP can't seem to do anything right, if you believe some media sources. Fox News article says Then I read this report that says it failed to work, because it only got 42000 gallons on Thursday So on Thursday, BP was collecting 40k gallons (out of an estimated 420,000 gallons per day leaking). Today they report that they got 250,000 gallons Saturday (using the same estimates, thats around 65%) and 441,000 gallons yesterday (Hayward's "Vast Majority") and append the title "Cap fails to prevent oil spill". Kind of sad, actually.
During Carter's presidency, they counted the days of the hostage crisis in Iran. These days, they count the days of the oil spill uncontrolled. Meanwhile Obama hangs with Sir Paul and attends lavish parties a couple of times a week. Tone deaf.
I wonder how long that photographer spent framing and focusing that picture while that poor bird flopped around in agony. Ten bucks says he left the bird to die.
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19016-gulf-leak-biggest-spill-may-not-be-biggest-disaster.html An interesting explanation of the various factors that contribute to the impact of oil spills.
