President Obama's 'Smart Power' in Action?

A quick trip around Hannity's America...

Pulling Punches

It's "smart power" in action: You may remember that during the campaign, President Obama berated the Bush administration for ignoring growing threats in Pakistan and vowed to take the fight to the terrorists over there.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: We've got to deal with Pakistan because Al Qaeda and the Taliban have safe havens in Pakistan across the border in the northwest regions, and although under George Bush with the support of Senator McCain, we've been giving them $10 billion over the last seven years.

They have not done what needs to be done to get rid of those safe havens, and until we do Americans here at home are not going to be safe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Monday, the Pakistani government suspended a military offensive against Al Qaeda and agreed to impose Sharia law in the country's Northwest Frontier Province — a hotbed of terrorist activity — all in an effort to calm a Taliban insurgency.

The response from President Obama thus far? Deafening silence.

As this issue involves our national security, we certainly hope the president's promises about Pakistan were not just rhetoric.

Here We Go Again…

Back by popular demand is press secretary Robert Gibbs, who appeared on CBS's "Face the Nation" over the weekend to tell Bob Schieffer just how utterly bipartisan the effort to pass the pork bill was.

Congratulations once again, Mr. Gibbs, you are getting our Liberal Translation treatment:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT GIBBS, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: There were ideas around that table including a Web site that will track the transparency and accountability of the projects that are involved in this recovery and reinvestment plan.

LIBERAL TRANSLATION: Transparency, accountability, transparency, accountability — I wonder if I keep repeating these words, will they magically come true?

GIBBS: That was an idea that was offered up by one of the Republicans in the room, one of the House Republican leaders.

LIBERAL TRANSLATION: I like to call him "he who shall remain nameless."

GIBBS: And that's going to be something that we're going to do, so their suggestions have been taken seriously, Bob. We'll continue to reach out to them. It's an outreach plan that includes, as you said, more than just Wednesday night cocktails.

LIBERAL TRANSLATION: We're thinking Thursday morning mimosas and Friday night pizza parties may bring some of those crazy fiscal conservatives on board.

GIBBS: We're going to listen for their ideas. This president is willing to listen to anybody who's got an idea that will help get this economy moving and get people back to work.

LIBERAL TRANSLATION: Let's be serious — we only needed three Republicans to support this thing anyway. Cheers!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Hey Robert, did my invitation to the Wednesday night cocktail party get lost in the mail?

Welcome!

Tuesday night's Great Moment in Liberal Foreign Policy is brought to you by Hillary Clinton and North Korea. In her overseas debut as secretary of state, Clinton arrived in Japan on Monday for a series of meetings with Asian leaders. The Obama administration had been hopeful the secretary's first trip would be an opportunity to usher in their new approach to U.S. foreign policy.

Instead, the secretary's arrival was met by the same old pesky problems that the Bush administration had been dealing with in the real world for the past eight years: North Korea announced its intention to test a long-range missile. Officials believe that type of missile is nearing the operational stage could reach Alaska and potentially the west coast of the United States.

This threat from North Korea came one day after Secretary Clinton told reporters that the U.S. has "a great openness to working with them."

Madam Secretary, it appears that feeling of cooperation may not be mutual.

Not So Fast!

You've probably heard of vanity plates — those license plates you specially design? Well, as it turns out, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles doesn't like a lot of your creative ideas.

The Web site Ohio.com reports that the state has rejected 1, 574 plates in the last two years alone! They include "PACKNHT" (avoid a road rage incident with the guy who requested that one), "UEEDIOT", "SONOFA" and our personal favorite: "ENDGOVT"! Clearly Dennis Kucinich wasn't the one who applied for that plate.

And that was just a G-rated sampling.

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