The VP Vance to the resue - Update

Guardian: Reports in its 12pm post the following, "  JD Vance could lead Iran peace talks for US side in Pakistan if negotiations go ahead - sources  "

Let's Get Real:

The VP it is reported against the War with Iran, if Trump wants to TACO ( see previous post )it would be good to send Vance to Pakistan for talks with Iran.  If the US has to appease Iran, better for the VP to do it, he said YES to be Trump's VP, thus must have known how erratic Trump is on the World Stage. VP's are there to be the image of the Administration if things go wrong, there is always the chance they could get the Oval via death, Resignation or impeachment of POTUS.  Vance needs Trump's support in 2028, for his run for the Presidency, thus he has cover for Trump over Iran, those are dues to being VP.

Biden is Senile - Campaign 2024 - Candidates 2024/General Election 2024

BBC News - Live Blog: Reports the following in its 8.19pm post, " Biden labelled an 'elderly man' with a 'poor memory'....One of the reasons why investigators don’t think Joe Biden would ultimately be convicted of criminal charges for taking the documents is because he would “likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory”.  "

Lets Gets Real:

This evening has been political damaging for President Biden, the Special Counsel found that POTUS could not be bought to trial for the " wilfully retained and disclosed classified materials"  due to his poor memory, he could not recall the dates he was VP and did not recall when his own son died.  The Republicans and the right wing press, well Fox News will have a field day with this story.  If Biden is senile, he should hand the Presidency to his VP, that would be his legacy, the first African - American Female President, Now THAT WOULD BE A GOOD LEGACY.  All through the US the people will be asking, do WE TRUST BIDEN with the hand don the red button.  This week Biden has in the view of a CNN Anchor has seen DEAD PEOP0LE, forgetting the name of the President Of France, and naming a dead President of France, mixing up German Chancellors, really someone who likes Biden should have a word with him.  This Blog cannot support a senile old man for President, one well  might support Senator Manchin or RFK Junior, the US owes that to the Kennedy's due to the assassinations of JFK and RFK.  This is going to be a long campaign. 

 

Cruz on Trump - Election 2016

Telegraph: Reports on what Senator Cruz really thinks of Donald Trump, " Mr Cruz said: "This man is a pathological liar. He doesn’t know the difference between lies and truth. He is a narcissist on a level I don’t think this country has ever seen. The man is utterly amoral. Morality does not exist for him...Donald Trump is a serial philanderer and he boasts about it. This is not what America is. We are not a proud, boastful, self-centred, mean spirited, bullying, hateful nation. We are staring into the abyss. "

Lets Get Real:

One can now see why in a recent poll Francis Underwood of House of Cards was more popular than any of the real candidates for President.  This election 2016 has gone off the cliff, it says something that how ever the negatives for HRC are she is still the better candidate for President.   Just think voters if ITS President Trump, he could be a disaster, he wants to reset the relationship with Russia, break the leadership of US has in NATO, does not want to fight foolish wars, American interests first, these look perfect if your working in the Kremlin, it would give you leadership of Eastern Europe, the Daesh terror group could out last Trump, all the others threats as North Korea and Iran would come out of the woodwork.   Thus the US has to say NO to Trump.

Trump on Cruz and the JFK Assassination - Election 2016

BBC News: Reports " ..Mr Trump suggested Mr Cruz's father was connected to the man who killed President John F Kennedy. "

Lets Get Real:

The Election of 2016 is getting more like the old Twilight Zone every day, now the JFK assassination is part of the mix.   One can only hope  Senator Sanders ends his fight for the nomination and that HRC can start to think about the general election.  Let's recall the Donald is very RICH, he can fund his own campaign, thus HRC has to raise a lot of cash and fast otherwise Trump will buy the Presidency.   The US founding fathers must be turning in their graves, what has happened to the US.   One has to blame the Obama Presidency for this mess. 

The links between President Johnson and President Reagan - Reagan Years

The New York Times: Reviews Landslide by Jonathan Darman, the article notes the following, " What makes Mr. Darman’s book so compelling is his focus on the roughly 1,000 days between Kennedy’s assassination and the midterm elections in 1966, which not only encapsulated the rise and fall of Johnson but also the emergence of Reagan as a national political figure "

Lets Get Real:

Two Presidents, one great the other seen as a failure, if you had asked  about them in the early 1960s the reverse argument would have been made, Reagan's film career was coming to a close, while Johnson become President on the death of President Kennedy.     The Johnson record on the domestic front is impressive, the Great Society and his various civil rights reforms.   Then we come to his FALL, that was the Vietnam War and the failure of of the US to win, it can be argued that Vietnam bought down  Johnson and Nixon, the voters do not like losers, Nixon was not helped by Watergate.    Thus in most polls Johnson shares the same low numbers as Nixon.    Then we come to election of Reagan in 1966 and backlash against the liberal reform in various sectors of civic society.   Reagan was a dark horse candidate for President in 1968,  but he lost to Nixon, then he challenged President Ford, and lost by only a few votes.   Then Reagan was saved by the disaster that was the Carter Presidency, which gave us the revolution in Iran and Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.   The 1st Reagan term, saw tax cuts and the increase in defence spending and Reagan calling the USSR an EVIL EMPIRE.     The Reagan found a Soviet Leader he could work with, they almost came close to the removal of ALL nuclear weapons, thus we see the end of the Cold War.   Reagan or Kennedy as still seen as the great US Presidents by the public.   Will have a read of the Darman book when it comes to the UK. 

The Best President since WW2 - 2nd Term Blues

CNN - Politics: Reports on its poll of the best and worst Presidents since World War 2, the poll found that, " According to the poll, Ronald Reagan (at 35%) tops the list of the best president since WWII, with 18% saying Bill Clinton was best, followed by John F. Kennedy at 15%.. "

Lets Get Real:

Of course this blog agrees with the opinion as stated in the poll that Reagan was the BEST President since WW2,  IF Reagan or Kennedy asked you to do something you followed through, with the rest of the Presidents since WW2 you would require a paper order, and signed, its about trust at the end of the day.  Both Reagan and Kennedy had their flaws, but they made you feel that anything was possible, a feeling that the US had been reborn, that great leaders were asking for your help, this blog would make the argument that LBJ would have made the cut with the exception of Vietnam.   One has to be fair we live in the media age, so you see the images of Reagan and Kennedy all the time, those that governed before the age of TV would argue that the US population have a short memory, but with Reagan and Kennedy they would have been popular without TV, they were the greats. 

JFK Day - 22 November 1963

JFK Library and Museum: Visit the Presidential Library and Museum of John F. Kennedy.  Of all days it would be worth a look. 

BBC News: A short Profile of President Kennedy and his time in Office. 

The White House: A short profile of President Kennedy.

National Security Archive: The role of President Kennedy in the demise of President Diem of South Vietnam, the long article with various of new sources states the following, " Continued investigation of the presidency of John F. Kennedy further strengthens the view that the origins of U.S. support for the coup which overthrew South Vietnamese president Ngo Dinh Diem 50 years ago today traces directly to President Kennedy, not to a "cabal" of top officials in his administration. ".

Lets Get Real:

One should always know the difference between myth and fact, the above links and sources will allow the reader to make up his or her mind about the Kennedy Years in power. 

Obama Administration SPLIT over Syria - 2nd Term Blues

The New York Times: Reports the following from the Obama White House, " ..a sharply divided Obama administration on Thursday began weighing potential military responses to President Bashar al-Assad’s forces. ".

Lets Get Real:

Well folks if this blog is reading this article you can be sure that the Assad Regime will be reading it with joy, Obama as stated in previous posts is following a ritual, he says something must be done, needs more information, talks about UN ACTION, then NOTHING.   The OCD President, the split in the Obama Administration recalls when President Kennedy came back in August 1963 and found his Administration was falling apart over Vietnam; in that case it was to late, at Deputy level the Kennedy Administration had given the okay for the Generals in South Vietnam to get rid of the Government; lets hope the Oval has better control of the diplomatic cables.   Thus folks after a few days since the use of WMD, what has the West done, NOTHING, it will do NOTHING, that is what you get when you elect a Harvard lawyer as President, does recall President Wilson, he was slow in to WW1 and messed up the ending.   Those that will suffer in the days,weeks, months ahead will be the poor people of Syria. 

Amash Amendment Defeated - 2nd Term Blues

Guardian: Reports on the fate of the Amash Amendment in the Republican House, " First major challenge to NSA's bulk collection of phone records defeated by only 217 votes to 205 in House of Representatives ".

Lets Get Real:

The vote was interesting folks, the vote divided Parties, on the hawk side was the Obama Oval and Conservative Republicans, while liberal or moderate Republicans joined Democrats in opposing the spaying on US Citizens.   Those that watched 9/11 will never forget that day, but it is like those that were around on November 22 1963, the day that President Kennedy was Assassinated, to them that was the DAY that changed the US, while those that were born after 1963 can place the Kennedy assassination in context, did the change from Kennedy to Johnson really change US policy in Vietnam, many Kennedy supporters have argued so, while those that see Kennedy in the cold light of day and with time argue that LBJ was carrying on the Kennedy policy, what IF's are for counter factual history.  What can be said of President Johnson is that he put his Presidency on the line for Civil Rights and the Great Society, with the best will in the World one can not see Kennedy passing Civil Rights, he was far to cautious, and wanted Southern votes in 64 and to support his brother later on, time has away of showing the truth to those that were not around at fixed times of history, historians have a point of view, that is to be expected, but honest historians give you objective history as far as they can, they give you what was going on and the results, not what they want to have happened, and what COULD have happened.   Thus in time 9/11 will become part of history, such as the Pearl Harbour in 1941, the Kennedy Assassination of 63, but to those that lived through those hours, it will never be far away, it defines us as much as the Cold War. 

Obama's Berlin Speech - Review

Telegraph: Here is a review of President Obama's Berlin Speech, following in the steps of President Kennedy and President Reagan, the article notes the following, " Barack Obama bombs in Berlin: a weak, underwhelming address from a floundering president ".

Lets Get Real:

Thus folks the Obama " Star Show " is over, 2nd terms never go well, just ask Nixon, Reagan, Clinton and Bush 43, but the BIG BUT when talking about Obama's speech is the fact that Reagan had gone through Iran - Contra in late 1986, and then a Congress started hearings, that did not stop Reagan from being Leader of the West, he demanded that President Gorbachev, " .....if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall! "*  The 2nd Obama Term is going through its scandals, from Libya to the IRS, and a few other in between, the Obama of 2013 is not the Obama of 2008, a weak President is a weak leader, the US needs another Reagan in 2017. 

* “  Remarks on East-West Relations at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin June 12, 1987.” The Public Papers of President Ronald W. Reagan.  Ronald Reagan Presidential Library.

LBJ by Robert Caro - Review by Bill Clinton

The New York Times: Has a interesting review of the 4th volume in the biography of LBJ by Robert Caro, the review by President Clinton is favourable of both Caro and LBJ.

Lets Get Real:

It might surprise readers of this blog but this blog has a soft spot for LBJ, a master politician to his soul, some doubted he had one! What makes LBJ interesting is he was a uber liberal, in the period that needed a uber liberal in the White House. The Great Society and War on Poverty was needed to help those Americans that the system had failed. The US economy was booming thus the liberal polices of LBJ could be funded. The major black mark on LBJ is Vietnam, it was not his War, the escalation in Southern Vietnam had started under President Kennedy, and in the time of the LBJ escalation it was supported by a majority of Americans and the US Congress. The flaw in LBJ’s thinking was the fact that he thought he could deal with the leadership of North Vietnam, that was a mistake, they knew they could wait out LBJ, the Tet offensive of 1968 finished the idea in the minds of Americans that they were winning in the Southern Vietnam, although the Viet Cong had been defeated that impression lasted that the US could not win. In 1968 Nixon won, in essence liberals had to wait for Presidnet Obama for another uber liberal in the White House. The question is will 2012 be 1964, when LBJ won big, or 1968 when Nixon won a narrow win of the Democratic Candidate. The sad fact today folks is the fact that no Democrat runs wanting to be the next LBJ, it can be argued that LBJ the politician has been shunned for to long by the Democrats.

2nd Kennedy Shooter - RFK

Daily Mail: Reports that a eyewitness to the assassination of Senator Robert Kennedy has stated that there was 2nd shooter that night in California.

Lets Get Real:

Nina Rhodes-Hughes was there that night, and has stated that the FBI changed her story. Folks like the JFK assassination its one of the great Ifs of history, had the assassination attempt not happen or had Kennedy lived would US history have been different. One can postulate that RFK would have beaten Nixon in 1968 as President Kennedy had beaten Nixon in 1960. But and, and this is a big BUT folks, LBJ at the end tried to help the Democratic Nominee in 1968, it was a close result in Nixon’s favour, one can argue that LBJ would have done all he could have done to make sure Nixon won in 1968 if RKF had been the nominee, they hated each other with a fury unmatched in modern US politics. The worse fear that LBJ had was that he would be considered the man between the Kennedy’s, thus it can also be argued that Nixon with the underhanded help of LBJ might have won with a bigger victory. As to the new statement on the assassination, if there had been a 2nd gunman the story would have come out, it’s a get out of jail car in many respects either for the information or coming forward with the proof. Although this blog does not dismiss the statement it would need more evidence, thus far none, thus it was s sole killer.

Did Castor KNOW? JFK and Dallas

Sunday Mail: Reports that Cuban leader Fidel Castro was aware that President Kennedy was going to be killed in Dallas, Texas in 1963. The source a Cuban Intelligence Officer was told by Castor to listen to news from Texas on the day of the killing, the Officer later defected to the US. Does this blog think its TRUE, its hard to say folks, the Kennedy Assassination has so many connections, it was Oswald working for the Mob, the Russians, the Cubans, the CIA, etc, take your pick. At the end of the after looking at the various theories, this blog has come down to one, Oswald was the shooter, he was a nut, as to connections, there might have been very lose connections to either the Mob or Cuba, but its like looking through at a cracked and murky glass folks, you see links were you want, its always 22 November 1963 in Dallas, Texas.

Once Upon A Secret by Mimi Alford

Have just finished the autobiography of Mimi Alford, a girlfriend of President John F. Kennedy from 1962 in till his death in 1963. I quote my previous comments on this book , “ This story will not add glory to the myth that was Camelot, quite the reverse, it will just confirm in modern terms that Kennedy was a sex addict, also how much the Washington Press covered up for him during his Presidency. On the other hand when Americans are asked who was the greatest President, its always between Kennedy and Reagan, both have their merit, but Reagan was the greatest for his eight years as President, while Kennedy was great for not invading Cuba in 1962 and doing a secret deal with the USSR to trade missiles in Turkey for those in Cuba. ..Lets just say Kennedy was very liberal when it comes to personal relationships, the article shows a President with no boundaries about personal actions and leading others astray. What is it about women and powerful men and the Oval Office, at least JFK just smoked a Cuban Cigar. ” After reading the book one has to say its very well written, what jumped out for this reader was the fact that Mrs Alford was set up to be the next girlfriend for JFK, after the Director of the FBI told the President that he had to stop seeing a girlfriend, Judith Campbell Exner due to the fact that she was also the girlfriend of the Head of the Chicago Mob, there needed to be a replacement, thus Mrs Alford. The FBI warning if this blog recalls was at the end of the March of 1962, and in June of 62 there came Mrs Alford. The lead up is like connecting the dots, the three most shocking parts of the book have been well told, that JFK was the first sexual relationship for Mrs Alford, lets say JFK was not gallant or ungallant, Mrs Alford seems unable to make a judgement, she was there, we have to take her verdict on the episode. The we come to the White House pool episode, this showed the very dark sexual nature of JFK, to have Mrs Alford perform oral sex on his close aide Dave Powers and then suggesting later that Mrs Alford perform that on his brother Senator Edward Kennedy. Its one thing to read a biography that has sexual allegations, its quite another to have one of President Kennedy’s girlfriends give you a blow by blow account in many respects of their relationship. It is a must read book on the personal side of Kennedy. This blog has never accepted the idea that there is a difference between the public and private side of a politician, it tends to come from Liberals, they have to justify FDR, JFK and Bill Clinton, its not like they win that often. The JFK in Mrs Alford book has charm, but is a sex addict, with a very dark nature, it was not Camelot folks; the affair damaged Mrs Alford for years, the myth of Camelot died many years ago, this book should place a stake through it once and for all.
　
　

Dallas Proof ? - JFK Assassination

Daily Mail: Reports that modern technology has shown an image that purports to be of Lee Harvey Oswald at the Shooters spot at the time of the killing on 22/11/63. Folks having looked at the picture, its not something this blog would go to Court on, but then the assassination of JFK has very much overshadowed his entire Presidency. Lets be honest folks JFK is the most overrated President in US history, his greatness comes from one action, the secret deal he did with the USSR over Cuba, the Russians would take out their missiles and the US under the counter would take their missiles out of Turkey. Lets postulate that JFK sold out Turkey, and more damaging told the USSR that if they told the press about the deal it was off, this was more politics that anything. Then we come to two issues, Vietnam and Kennedy’s woman, it has been argued for years that Kennedy would not have gotten in to land war in Asia, that it was all the fault of LBJ. This blog does not buy that folks, Kennedy had to draw a line somewhere in the sand when it came to the USSR, the Kennedy Administration had allowed Berlin Wall to go up, it had not gotten rid of Castor, thus it could not afford to lose another Country to the Communist threat, thus South Vietnam. Lets recall it was JFK’s people around LBJ, the new President didn’t want Vietnam, but his tough policy was supported by all Kennedy’s people. The Attorney General Robert Kennedy didn’t resign over Vietnam. Thus the Vietnam War failures is a also a Kennedy failure. Then we come to Kennedy’s women, JFK's girlfriend was also the girlfriend of the Chief of the Chicago mob, the mob was under CIA contract trying to kill Casto, JFK could faced have a blackmail threat. Also as it has been alleged that JKF’s father bough off the mob to help in son in 1960. One can postulate that if Kennedy had lived the 2nd term would have seen scandal, Kennedy lived his life on the edge, but he was still a great President in his own way, just not in the same league as Reagan.

JFK and Dallas, What IF ?

Guardian: A great review for Stephen King’s new book, 11.22.63, on the affect of preventing that dark day. As this blog is a great science fiction fan and in to time travel, the death of President Kennedy has been a stable of that world for years, there was the Twilight Zone Episode, a History Professor change history, bad results, there was Quantum Leap, that had Sam change history but to the history we already knew, that day in November was even darker, ( spoilers in case you have not seen the episode ), then there was a TV film with the actor from Airplane, in which a History Professor goes back to Dallas, changes History, tells LBJ all the bad things that happen, expecting LBJ to change policy, reverse happens, LBJ doubles down on Vietnam. Then old Big Ears, the 9th Doctor ( Time Lord - Doctor Who ) turns up to watch the death of a President. Also Red Dwarf folks, in a way a very moving episode, that allowed JFK to be a hero, a liberal hero, very odd. But am curious folks, and thus will buy the book, I blame the Doctor.

UK, France and Italy = Military Advisers to Libya

BBC News: Reports that the UK is to be supported by France and Italy, they are also sending military advisers. The more London, Paris and Rome have at stake in Libya the more chance of boots on the ground, by JFK’s death in 1963 the US had sixteen thousand military advisers in South Vietnam, from there it really was a small step to a full scale war in South Vietnam. Lets hope the MOD has a plan ready for a War in Libya, one cant really see any other end, the West can not allow Colonel Gaddafi to remain in power.

Reagan by Eugene Jarecki

The New York Times: Reviews the Documentary on Ronald Reagan by Eugene Jarecki. Having seen the documentary of late it is quite fair, also it has some great footage of Reagan that this Reagan buff has not seen, interesting to see Reagan with Truman, also when Reagan was Governor of California having a public argument, raise voices, not your usual image of Reagan. One has to say Reagan was great, if you think about it, Reagan left office in 1989, he died after a long illness in 2004, but if you came from Mars you would think he was still leading the Republicans, the Republicans Candidates for 2012 want to be the son or daughter of Reagan and the left wing media cant seem to leave the Gipper alone. It is fair to say that even JFK after his death in 1963 didn’t get this much press coverage years later, yes before you start what about the books, well those books tend to cover the death of the President and which conspiracy angle you support, also the JFK legacy took a dive with the news of his affairs while in office and the CIA attempts to kill Castro. Also this blog would argue, selling out Turkey over the Cuban Missile Crisis didn’t help. Thus since 1945 there have been really only the following great Presidents, Truman, JFK and Reagan, will Obama be the next great, so far this blog is not rushing to place any bets.

US Senate Tribute to Ronald Reagan

The Hill: Reports on tributes to Ronald Reagan by both Republicans and Democrats. After the death of JFK, the Vietnam War, the political scandal of Watergate and the end of the Nixon Presidency, and the failure of the Carter Presidency the US got lucky, it elected Ronald Reagan, the Reagan Agenda cut taxes, increased military spending, cut government spending, on the international front, Reagan did not lose inch of ground the USSR. The Reagan Presidency saw the West push back the USSR in Afghanistan and in Southern America. Due to the Reagan Presidency the USSR gained a new leader in Gorbachev, with Gorbachev as a partner President Reagan ended the Cold War, with a few months of his leaving office in 1989 the Berlin Wall came down, in many respects Reagan gave freedom to Eastern Europe without a shot being fired by the US. Thus Reagan was a great President.

Karzai and Diem = Afghanistan/South Vietnam

WSJ: Reports on the growing tensions between the Kabul Regime of President Karzai and the Obama White House. In essence Kabul is very much like political workings of Chicago, the home town of President Obama, corruption is the norm, and President Karzai does not like the fact that the Obama White House wants less corruption and more effective government in Afghanistan. The case has an historical example, Diem of South Vietnam also become an irritant to the Kennedy White House, thus the infamous August 1963 green light for the coup that lead to the death of Diem and the rolling in of the US Marines in 1965. In the modern case there is a major difference, Karzai has just been re-elected for a second term, corruption took place but it is agreed that Karzai would have won the second round, it just that the second round would have cost the lives of more NATO soldiers, for a victory that was guaranteed Also the Obama White House has green light two surges in Afghanistan since 2009, this is Obama's War, very much like Vietnam become LBJ's War. In stark truth Karzai is the only game in town, if Obama gets rids of President Karzai one way or another the war and the running of Afghanistan become one, thus more problems for Obama. The War in Afghanistan was the good war in the eyes of liberal Democrats, now that the death rate is going up the liberals in the Democratic Party are showing their usual yellow streak, but to give POTUS his due he has not backed off Afghanistan, thus his recent visit, as stated it wont be health care reform that brings down Obama it will be Afghanistan, Obama is the heir to LBJ.