Newsweek's Conventional Wisdom for its July 7 dead tree edition gives an approving up arrow for Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), noting that he is "[s]urging in national polls" before adding the cautionary note to "beware looking like just another politician."
But the real CW in DC this past week, which saw the Supreme Court affirm the individual's right to keep and bear arms, is that Obama has flip-flopped on the Second Amendent, something the editors at Newsweek most certainly must know.
Obama's Matrix-like bullet dodging on gun rights pinged ABCNews.com's Political Radar. From that blog's June 26 post (emphasis mine):
ABC News' Teddy Davis and Alexa Ainsworth Report: With the Supreme Court poised to rule on Washington, D.C.'s, gun ban, the Obama campaign is disavowing what it calls an "inartful" statement to the Chicago Tribune last year in which an unnamed aide characterized Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., as believing that the DC ban was constitutional.
"That statement was obviously an inartful attempt to explain the Senator's consistent position," Obama spokesman Bill Burton tells ABC News.
The statement which Burton describes as an inaccurate representation of the senator's views was made to the Chicago Tribune on Nov. 20, 2007.
In a story entitled, "Court to Hear Gun Case," the Chicago Tribune's James Oliphant and Michael J. Higgins wrote ". . . the campaign of Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama said that he '...believes that we can recognize and respect the rights of law-abiding gun owners and the right of local communities to enact common sense laws to combat violence and save lives. Obama believes the D.C. handgun law is constitutional.'"
[...]
The Chicago Tribune clip from Nov. 20, 2007, is an inaccurate representation of Obama's views, according to Burton, because the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee has refrained from developing a position on whether the D.C. gun law runs afoul of the Second Amendment.
When Obama has been asked on multiple occasions to weigh in on the D.C. gun case he has regularly maintained that the Second Amendment provides an individual right while at the same time saying that right is not absolute and that the Constitution does not prevent local governments from enacting what Obama calls "common sense laws."
Nah, that doesn't sound like a typical politician at all.
The CW also gave an approving up arrow to Hillary Clinton for her ballyhooed appearance at the "unity" rally in Unity, New Hampshire. Such a cheesy maneuver were it done by Republicans might evoke guffaws from the mainstream media, but Newsweek lauded Clinton for moving on and backing Obama:
Scores graciousness points at Unity rally. Seems like she's finally moving on.
—Ken Shepherd is Managing Editor of NewsBusters
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
Bye-bye, Newsweek
June 30, 2008 - 11:33 ET by rammingspeedNewsweek is on its way out. They're taking their last shots before they become nothing more than silly tabloid, or being absorbed and out of business all together. That's on the record.
A few weeks ago Bill O'Reilly advised the staff at Newsweek to update their resumes. He was right.
Who reads Newsweek anymore?
June 30, 2008 - 12:30 ET by mitchfloridaIf Newsweek disappeared tomorrow, who would really notice, except for its employees?
It is basically a carbon copy of Time Magazine .. who needs both?
"...who would really notice...?"
June 30, 2008 - 16:50 ET by Chris NormanThousands of dental patients, bored to tears, in waiting rooms, across the country...
Not Me
July 1, 2008 - 07:54 ET by Tom PaineMy dentist subscribes to "The Economist"
When Obama has been asked
June 30, 2008 - 14:44 ET by Hunter12When Obama has been asked on multiple occasions to weigh in on the D.C. gun case he has regularly maintained that the Second Amendment provides an individual right while at the same time saying that right is not absolute and that the Constitution does not prevent local governments from enacting what Obama calls "common sense laws."
Translating BHO's words: "The Constittution is the Constitution and the law of the land at any time except when We Liberals can come up with a Better Idea, or during Election Cycles, when one must move to the Center of the Political Spectrum to Get Elected to the Office one is seeking. Do not Worry DC. I will be returning to my Home Position on the Left of the Spectrum once this Cycle has completed, Win or lose."
Every one will say the NRA is biased, and maybe so, but this site is cross-referenced to the actual voting records from Congress, so the votes are easily verified. Mr. Leopard, your spots are showing.
"An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last." - Sir Winston Churchill
Hi guys.... I suggest that
June 30, 2008 - 15:24 ET by liberal_bug_zapperHi guys.... I suggest that as a way to make people feel safe around guns again, that we on the right need to start OCing (Open Carrying) our sidearms. This is important to re-establish the right in peoples minds. Here is a map of the states where OC is legal. http://opencarry.org/opencarry.html
Be sure to know the laws before you open carry. I don't want anyone getting arrested. Now if you know the law, and they still arrest you.... it's called LAWSUIT!!! Sue them for a violation of your constitutional rights.
____________________________________________________
"A society that puts equality...ahead of freedom will end up with neither equality nor freedom." ~ Milton Friedman
As Yogi Berra would
June 30, 2008 - 16:12 ET by SMGalbraithAs Yogi Berra would say:
"There's one word for this: Jonathan Alter."