Obama: The Buck Stops With Me (Except When it Doesn’t)
by Morgen Richmond
Politico reports (emphasis mine):
“As president, I have a solemn responsibility to protect our nation and our people, and when the system fails, it is my responsibility,” Obama said.
Obama said an intelligence review found that the U.S. government had the information needed to thwart the plot but failed to do so because of a series of compounding shortcomings, including that intelligence analysts didn’t focus heavily enough on information warning that al-Qaida in Yemen wanted to strike the United States…
Obama’s buck-stops-here message marks a change in tone from earlier statements in which Obama and other officials repeatedly noted that the watch-listing system that failed to flag the suspect, Umar AbdulMatallab, was put in place under the Bush administration.
You know I’d like to be able to commend the President for doing what his Administration should have done right out of the gate in accepting responsibility for this series of blatant security failures. But the cynical side of me suspects that this is an attempt to deflect attention away from the fact that the TSA and DHS under Janet Napolitano conducted a comprehensive review of the terrorist watch list system in 2009, and adamantly defended the status quo.
Yes, indeed they did. In a congressionally mandated report published by the Inspector General (OIG) of the DHS in July 2009. A report which was circulated widely within the executive branch agencies dealing with national security, including the desk of Janet Napolitano. A report which even elicited a direct response letter from Michael Leiter of the National Counterterrorism Center, proving that he too bought off on the report’s conclusions.
Many of the sections and key findings of the report are redacted, but what is clear from reading the TSA’s response to the OIG’s findings is that they had no intention of deviating from the status quo in using only the more limited No-Fly and Selectee lists for passenger screening. As opposed to screening passengers against the full list of possible terrorist suspects. In fact, the TSA’s response to the one tangible recommendation made by the OIG was that it “raised privacy and other concerns”, and that it was “highly unlikely” that the No Fly and Selectee lists would be revised based on the OIG’s recommendation. (See my original report on Verum Serum for additional details on the OIG report.)
What is also undeniable is that Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab would not have boarded that plane to Detroit if the TSA had screened him against the comprehensive terrorist database. This was actually a key recommendation of the 9/11 Commission Report, and concern over this was the reason Congress mandated that DHS conduct this review.
So back to the press conference at the end of the week. The Administration would have known that sooner or later news about this report would leak into the broader media. Especially if they continued in their ridiculous attempt to blame the Bush Administration for the multiple failures leading up to 12/25. So they wisely decided to stop pointing fingers.
Key senators, including Joe Lieberman and Dianne Feinstein have now called for the No-Fly list to be expanded to include all known terrorist suspects. The Administration apparently remains opposed to this idea, over efficiency and privacy concerns I suspect. Given what’s at stake, this is one of the few times I find myself sympathetic to the concerns of Dianne Feinstein and I hope she presses the Administration on this issue in the Senate hearings on this matter later this month.
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92 Comments
What does that mean, "The Buck Stops Here"? Does someone lose their job or does it mean, "Sticks and Stones…But Names Will Never Hurt Me". If nothing changes, if no one is punished, what doe it mean? Does it mean, lib service? I never really understood this statement.
He says the buck stops with him but we all know he doesn't mean it. He should resign and then we would believe he was doing something positive in protecting America.
my observations of obie are no different than my experiences of having lived in a ultra-'progressive' population. If they say something vague that can have an awful truth behind it – it's probably exactly that. If they say something somewhat specific that implies integrity and bindable – it's probably a blatant lie.
Barack Hussein Obama talks a good game but plays nasty. He can talk the talk but not bother to walk the walk. Yesterday he said it was not time for partisanship rather citizenship. He is too ignorant to understand that concept. Nothing but an overeducated idiot with NO moral values.
He and his group of children playing grown-up leaders exhibit more concern over such foolishness as not pre-empting "LOST" an entertainment show for the State of the Union address than they are about the terrorism issues and the economy. The only priorities that seem to prevail in the current administration seem to be centered on the egos with "LOOK AT ME, see what I can do!!" and let's have some party, fun, vacation time, mentalities. It is a sad, sad state of affairs when any POTUS and a Congress elevates their wants and goals over America's needs. Shame on both them for their actions and the citizens of this nation for being so profoundly gullible.
The buck may stop with him – but that only means if he runs out of people to throw under the bus below him or if he can't blame the guy that hasn't been President for a year.
This guy doesnt know anythiong about bucks, other than how many he can stuff in his pockets and those of his mastah Soros. After all, didnt the onescum say he was about “change”? the kind he doesnt want anyone to keep.
Oh I believe him and I bet he has policies in place that prevented the embassy from denying or revoking his muslim brother's visa. He has done everything he can to protect the terrorists. As Palin says "this is not a crime spree" comrade hussein bo-this is an act of war. We are at war with islam whether you speak the words or not. You are a disgrace and a threat to the republic of the United States of America
I wonder if it pained him to call out al Qaida as terrorists. Did he immediately pen a note of regret? Taking responsibility cannot be just words. If they do not fix the problem and deposit the trash at curbside then all the decrees (without honoring the public with a few answered questions BTW) will be simply something akin to mowing the weeds in the lawn.
But he had a stern voice and firm lip! That was not enough?
Lib service. That was funny. I wonder if that was a typo. I choose to believe it was a Freudian Finger Faux Pas.
The "Buck Stops Here" , so BO can redistribute them…
JOIN the TEA PARTY MOVEMENT and take back our country and constitution
I have to at least give the teleprompter credit for trying to serve up a speech calculated to make him sound good. Too bad that really only works when you're campaigning and not when you're actually leading. Actions (or the lack thereof) speak louder than even the most well-written words ever could.
We'll have to wait to see what repercussions such a statement as Barack's buck stopping with him really means. If there is another attack is it possible to effectively deflect after such a statement? Perhaps, it is, and our minds will be blown some more by this administration.
For the time being, it is effective politically. This is, also, the first time he has shown (technically) backbone, in my opinion. Although, it seems very strategical and orchestrated. Not at all like heart or guts. I think Obama is trying to set himself empirically as superior to George Bush, and amassing serious political risk. However, one must be aware of the ramifications of a person obsessed with superiority over what they feel is a far inferior opponent. It is revealing of the heart of the matter. But, Barack has put his cards on the table against the wiles of Islamic terrorists. Does he have a card up his sleeve?, is he rightfully confident, or, maybe, still trying to tamp down Bush as an ineffectual leader.
Obama cannot be held responsible because he is a black Democrat. Black Democrats are ALWAYS "victims". Maybe it is Bush's fault. Or Reagan's. Or Newt's. Maybe it is my fault.
This is an easy one to figure. It's an election year, so they have to "appear" like they care so that they can get some votes.. Nice try Barack.
“The buck stops here!” Wow, I’m better now Barry’s on the case.
Two weeks after the attack, BHO still has accepted zero questions from the press on the subject. Only short scripted remarks.The fact is, there are no rational explanations for his policies or performance. So he leaves his underlings like Gibbs and Brennan to twist in the wind. That's not accountability. It's not "buck stops here". Whatever mistakes Bush may have made, I seem to recall him standing and facing the heat from a hostile press under similar circumstances.
Obama Blames Bush for Saddling Him with "Massive Gum Litter Problem" http://optoons.blogspot.com/2009/10/obama-blames-...
President Obama sings a twist on "The Name Game" at news conference and the mainstream media reporters join in.
"It’s the blame game, racist / racist, racist bacist, bonana fanna fo facist / fee fy mo macist, racist!…….Bush / Bush / Bush Bo Bush Banana Fanan Fo Fush / Fee Fy mo mush, Bush! Now everybody! Limbaugh / Limbaugh……."
There are NO MORE 'bucks' to stop at him!! He has all but bankrupt this country, and his speech was too lame…he showed no emotion, except annoyance, that he had to come out yet again, and try to make himself look good!! Sorry Obama, but they WILL hit us again, after you let them get away with being charged with lesser crimes…THEN the buck will truly stop with you! YOUR resignation!!!
When I was watching the presser, the only thing that struck me was how beloved leader looked absolutely pissed. Pissed that someone else made him accept his role as President, that the buck does indeed stop with him.
Knowing that the mere utterance of those words will be coming back to haunt him for the rest of his days as CIC.
Knowing that now he will be under scrutiny for this attack, and whatever comes after.
Knowing that it will be time to put on his big boy pants, and start to do the job he was hired to do by an public, ignorant of the fact he is an empty sack.
Pissed knowing that the finely crafted words and pallor tricks have run out way too soon for him to continue his master's plans.
He looked just pissed.
I couldn't be happier for him.
Janet Napolitano's incompetence is breathtaking, so how serious is the Empty Suit when she wasn't summarily fired? And, Hillary, presiding over the incompetent State Deptartment, where has she been hiding?
Obama is a second class poseur surrounded by second class lackies.
The buck stops here????? Does that mean Obama can be held accountable? Does that mean we can fire him for doing a terrible job? I very seriously doubt it. He will go on blaming Bush and the Lame Stream Media will continue to extol, praise and glorify him.
We The People created this mess so it is up to We The People to undo it.
Like the song says, "Its to bad about me" Steely Dan's 'Two against nature'
@Lew01: "Does it mean, lib service?" Was this a typo and you meant "lip service"? Works either way! LOL!
You're being very generous with your assessment this morning. I would not have even given them the tribute of second class because they have NO class and NO knowledge of how to run a country. Their main agenda is to take our money and eventually run.
we should bring impeachment proceedings anyway…why wait…it's time this child was taught an adult lesson…there are consequences for stupid actions….
I thought I was embarrassed with Carter and Clinton as POTUS. This guy takes the cake.
Ok, it was not a slip, but now I am laughing. also.
What must it be like to be Obama? I can tell it just irritates the hell out of him to answer to the little "people" of this nation. He can't be coming down from Mount Olympus every day to mingle with us mere mortals and it's really becoming a pain in his ass. Someone (not me) elected him president but I think he fancies the position to be just a bit more. This "blame Bush" stuff is becoming tedious and unbecoming. Hey, either you can do the job or you can't. Me thinks the latter.
If Obama surrounded himself with competent and effective people, they could make him look good! When you associate with losers…you take on that image! One person can not do it all or know it all…that's why elections are so important. Competent leaders in Congress as well as in the WH could save Obama, but he can not save himself without good people around him. I guess HE WILL FAIL since he keeps the same old losers!
With inflation shouldn't it be more than a buck?
No chit.
You can shoot me now.
There is no inflation..not according to Social Security and retirement funds!!! What a bunch of crap!!!
And Nancy Pelosi is after Joe Biden. We are screwed.
"The 'buck' stops here", says the chump in chief. So does the bus. Get on it.
Ronin551
I hate to say it but you are right, it is better to have Pres Obama then Pres Biden.. Besides it would take Congress to open impeachment procedings and that would never happen with the libs in charge..
TBH Pres Obama is not in charge anyway Nancy and Harry are!!!
The buck stops here. (BUT BUSH STOLE IT BEFORE IT GOT HERE).
This is why I can't even listen to him anymore.
Nothing more to say.
Resign, you incompetent poseur.
I would take bumbling Biden over the "messiah" any day. At least he doesn't think he's the smartest man on earth. He might even appoint some real experts as his advisers.
Brennan looked like a kiss-ass in his speech. Probably would not take any initiative unless it was first approved by Obama. Doofus or oaf came to mind when I heard him blather.
Who's buck? Yeah, right. (sarc) Sure. (dripping w/sarc)
I can't wait to see the Democrats running for the hills to keep Obummer from stumping for them back home for the mid-terms. This should be a hoot.
Buck rhymes with duck. Like in lame.
Obama: The buck stops here, except when its Bush's fault, which of course is 99.9 percent of the time.
Hey it worked for Janet Reno…"I take full responsibility for what happened in Waco" – Libs take responsibility as long as there are no consequences.
how long did it takeobama to say the buck stops with him ? how long does it take him to respond to palin or cheney. some of us know who the real enemy is too bad b.o. isnt in that group.
A military coup would remove them all.
I think he meant "the dinar" stops with him.
I'd take Biden any day over Mussolini Redux.
Just to remind everyone – Pelosi is ONLY third if both die. Legal action won't make her President – we would have to have an appointment.
If Bobo resigns or gets impeached, Biden will take over and a new VP will be appointed or picked. Unless that pick is actually Pelosi – she will keep her same job.
Obama is going to be found and convicted before his 4 years are up.
We all know he was involved in selling his Senate seat. If i were Blogo I would live inside an armored vehicle until I got a blank check pardon for keeping quiet.
Apparently, It was Rahm the Ballerina who had many conversations with Blago about the senate seat. It appears that it was slumlord Valerie Jarrett who was originally designated for that seat.
I wonder if that is what they meant by us being shocked by this report, The
anoited one actully took blame for something and didnt blame it on anyone else
He has Liberal Democrat leadership skills, which means he has none. When he said the "buck stops with me" it resonated with hallowness, just more rhetoric. When Obama tries to communicate to questiuons and answers like hes giving a speech, with all the stupid speechified pharsings and whatnot, its pathetic in my opinion. I just want clear answers to a reporters questions not a speech, what a windbag of rhetoric, but libs love it
Obama was talking about the stimulous money and how the money is his and he will give it only to unions
Wow… The buck stops here…. that really makes me feel safe. How about you?
Here they are, the Top 10 "Most Wanted", Corrupt Politicians of 2009:
http://www.judicialwatch.org/news/2009/dec/judici...
Here they are, the Top 10 "Most Wanted", Corrupt Politicians of 2009:
http://www.judicialwatch.org/news/2009/dec/judici...
The only reason he shouldn't resign is that we would end up with Joe Biden as president. That would actually be worse.
Seems the liberal media is still holding on to their BHO is JFK mantra and the past week's comparison of O's use of the 'The Buck Stops Here' as Kennedy-esque seems more of the same.
With O's favorability numbers sinking in an election year, it will be telling if the liberal venues increasingly reach for not only, the JFK parallel spin, but also FDR, Lincoln, and even Reagan. Telling, as even these venues seem to think BO cannot credibly stand on his own — even after an eventful first year.
Carl Rove said it best, and unfortunately correctly, recently when he said that this clown is more concerned about inflecting his "world view" on us than protecting American lives from terrorist attacks. Commissar Obama will NOT deviate from his "we are all citizens of the world" view of collectivism and target likely terrorists from flying with our wives and children on airliners. May God have mercy on our souls. If there is just one more terrorist attack on our soil I just hope we have enough outrage to begin impeachment proceedings.
What must it be like to be Obama? I can tell it just irritates the hell out of him to answer to the little "people" of this nation. He can't be coming down from Mount Olympus every day to mingle with us mere mortals and it's really becoming a pain in his ass. Someone (not me) elected him president but I think he fancies the position to be just a bit more. This "blame Bush" stuff is becoming tedious and unbecoming. Hey, either you can do the job or you can't. Me thinks the latter.
If Obama surrounded himself with competent and effective people, they could make him look good! When you associate with losers…you take on that image! One person can not do it all or know it all…that's why elections are so important. Competent leaders in Congress as well as in the WH could save Obama, but he can not save himself without good people around him. I guess HE WILL FAIL since he keeps the same old losers!
As much as I would like to see him impeached, it is not a "high crime or misdemeanor" to be incompetent. Furthermore, it would place Joe Biden next in line and Nancy Pelosi is after that. As bad as it is, we are better off with BO than either of those clowns.
It didn't bother him one bit to cut into Glenn Back's program!! Thank God Fox runs it again at night!!!
JCH,
If it's your fault, please fire Obummer immediately.
If we get lucky in November that third in line might just change.
I am so looking forward to seeing Nancy Pelosi do the Whack-a-Mole thing again at this years State of the Union Address. Hopefully it will be her last in that prominent position.
He said it's not time for partisanship, but citizenship. Funny, but I was thinking it was a time for leadership. But I suppose when you come from the mindset of collectivism, "leadership" is just a word that doesn't compute.
Anyone got a dollar they can lend me? No one in Washington seems to have one.
This is his first reference to "a buck". Fot the last two years, he's been talking about "CHANGE". Think he was referring to "two bits". Inflation has hit O'Bummer's politics.
Biden is not a socialist. He may not have a brain but look at what Obama's brain is full of. I certainly would take Biden over Obama.
Obama is a Muslim and his loyalties lay with the Muslims; not America.
WELL hussein, you f**ked the pooch now what?
I have a solemn responsibility to protect our nation and our people…
WOW! That gives me a warm fuzzy… NOT!
This worthless liberal idiot has never done anything except organize a community (whatever that is) and vote present. How the hell is he going to protect anyone? What a joke!
Obama, Reid, Pelosi, Rangle, Fwank, and on and on, You liberal Democrat morons can really pick em!
Bush = Strong dollar
Bush = Booming economy
Bush = Low unemployment
Bush = Few bank closures
Bush = No terrorist attacks after 9/11
Hmmmm… What are we blaming Bush for again?
I think he uses "Al Qaeda" because he can't bring himself to utter the word, "Islamofascists." AQ is just a part of Islamofascism. He's trying to get the public to dwell on a narrow focus.
They won't let him field questions because he has an uncanny knack for putting his foot in his mouth.
DemoRat Presidents always say "the buck stops here." Yet strangely enough, they never take the next logical step which that statement implies, and submit their immediate resignations.
Amen.
Ah, I thought he said "the suck bops here". Never mind. Getting late. <g>. Anyway, I have no idea what that would mean. Nevertheless, it makes about as much sense as his actual words if you consider his, y'know…actions.
Hey Barack, can you loan me a dollar? No? Don't have one? Than how about 100 billion dollars? Thanks, AIG.
At least Joe Biden lies with clarity
I think you would be interested in this article: http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/president-22760...
if you have a spare moment…
You mis-heard Obonehead. He never said, "THE BUCK STOPS WITH ME."
What he did say was, " what THE *UCK STOPS WITH ME? the blame? hell with that!"
There was just a problem with the microphone.
Amazing, isn't it? The facade of accountability and responsibility from an individual who has absolutely no concept of either. Did his Chief of Staff come up with this?
A play on the sign Truman had on his desk "the buck stops here" was misreported and should have been "the bus stops here…. anyone against my liberal agenda gets thrown under it!
Obama: The Buck Stops With Me (Except When it Doesn’t) by Morgen Richmond: Great Article!
However, that has been true with all our "human" politicians(e.g. George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Woodrow Wilson, FDR, Johnson, Nixon, etc., etc.)! I believe that this government is as good as government gets too! But, it's about to come undone!
Our day is coming, just not in Man's era!
A guide for executive decision makers…..the story of the three envelopes.
First, unfortunate incident, open envelope # 1, read the instructions which tell you to blame it on your predacessor,
Second, unfortunate incident, open envelope # 2, read the instructions which tells you to acce[t and admit that the unfortunate incident occurred on your watch, and that your are taking action to ensure that nothing like this will occur again;
Third, unfortunate incident, open envelope # 3, read the instructions which tells you to prepare three new envelopes and resign.
OBAMA IS PERFECT EXAMPLE WHY AMERICA WANTS A "NATURAL BORN CITIZEN" FOR PRESIDENT!
It is Obama that is pushing for leniency and mercy for his "TERRORIST MUSLIM BROTHERS" Barack Obama, right before the eyes of all Americans, is setting the perfect example of why the Founding Fathers wanted a NATURAL BORN CITIZEN with a strong allegiance to the United States of America by having a mother and father who both were U.S. citizens, for president! This clown as president and "COMMANDER in CHIEF" does not know which country he is supposed to be devoted too! He is conflicted! America can not have a president and Commander in Chief that is militarily conflicted…he can't recognize who the enemy is!
Great Article! You nailed it Morgan!!
I couldn't help but notice in Obama's latest teleprompter tirade that he said he wasn't going to point the figure of blame — and then spent the next two minutes doing exactly that!
Liar, liar, pants on fire.
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