While the president had some difficulty trying to convince the Chinese government to act civilized, that's nothing compared to what he's facing when he returns home Thursday. Fort Hood, Afghanistan, the health care chaos, and now Khalid Sheikh Mohammed being tried in New York City have all put the president on the defensive.
A new Quinnipiac poll shows his approval rating has dropped below 50 percent for the first time. But Mr. Obama is shrewd, and so he made himself available for some interviews while in Asia.
Fox News correspondent Major Garrett pinned the president down on whether Obamacare would compel taxpayers to fund abortions. That's the so-called Stupak amendment.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MAJOR GARRETT, FOX NEWS CORRESPONDENT: Will you sign legislation on health care that includes the Stupak language?
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: You know, I think that there is a balance to be achieved that is consistent with the Hyde amendment, what existed before we reformed health care. I believe in the basic idea that federal dollars shouldn't pay for abortions, but I also think we should not restrict women's choices.
GARRETT: Does the Stupak language strike that balance?
OBAMA: Not yet.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
The problem is the president wants it both ways. He knows forcing pro-life taxpayers to fund abortion is wrong. Every fair-minded person knows that.
Yet the president falls back on the liberal line that women should have the choice to give birth, but that has nothing to do with other people paying for that birth or the termination of a pregnancy. The Constitution does not compel American taxpayers to abort babies. Mr. Obama should wise up.
The other hot issue is Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other Al Qaeda thugs being tried in New York City. All the polls show Americans overwhelmingly reject that, believing the military should handle the terror killers. But Mr. Obama is holding firm:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you understand why it is offensive to some for this terrorist to get all of the legal privileges of an American citizen?
OBAMA: I don't think it will be offensive at all when he's convicted and when the death penalty is applied to him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Wow, the president just convicted these guys. I think that may be unconstitutional.
The point is the terrorists should be convicted because they've admitted what they've done. There's no need for a show trial; there's no need to give them a propaganda outlet. Again, the president needs to wise up.
Even though Mr. Obama has been in office less than a year, his image is beginning to tarnish. We've been fair to the president here, but common sense must rule, not far-left ideology. The president has always struck me as a practical man, but recently his decision-making has been dubious to say the least.
And that's "The Memo."
Pinheads & Patriots
Our pal Clint Eastwood is approaching 80 years old, if you can believe it, and has some strong opinions about America.
Speaking to GQ magazine, Mr. Eastwood says: "It seems like our country's in kind of a morbid mood, because of the recession or whatever. We're becoming more juvenile as a nation. The guys who won World War II and that whole generation have disappeared, and now we have a bunch of teenage twits."
We feel that's dead-on, so Clint remains a patriot.
On the pinhead front, Bob Dylan has recorded a Christmas album, which includes a Christmas video.
Click here to watch a clip of the video!
Did you ever think you'd see that? Is Mr. Dylan a pinhead? Up to you.
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