Outgoing Sec. of State Clinton talks about Benghazi-gate and living in an "evidence-based world."
Remember when the NRA supported universal background checks?
The Newtown, CT school board wants police officers on campus.
The head of the Marine Corps on skepticism among the infantry about women in combat.
Why a key military post is not held by an American.
The Romney campaign's quiet, post-election donation to the American Red Cross.
The new version of the "Don't Say 'Gay'" bill.
RIP, Mayor Ed Koch.
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Morning Rachel, love to watch you right after your buddy Ed. Mentioning the passing of Ed Koch keep in mind that he was a WW2 Veteran who served in 2 of the worst battle of WW2: Battle of Hurtgen Forest and the Battle of the Bulge.
Ed Koch, closet case, stood on the sidelines during the AIDs crisis and defender of Israel, died in his negligee this morning. Good things come to those who wait.
... as long as they don't put the sign in the cemetery:
DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT PARKING HERE.
Evidently it's the NRA against the world ... and dead people.
The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight
http://wp.me/p5dEo-51Q
That "Marine Corps" link is all SNAFU
Of course it is. That's the kind of morning I'm having. Thanks for the catch. It's fixed.
Turning to a more pleasant topic (and yes, I understand it's too soon to be serious about this, but it was brought up already): on a recent opinion broadcast on MSNBC, the question was raised about what Vice President Biden would do if Hillary Clinton entered the 2016 Democratic race (as she denies, for now, any desire to do, but ...). I have an unusual, but feasible, idea how to benefit from both their talents without a bitter contest (or possibly after a low-key, civil contest such as our Republican friends cannot seem to have).
I first read the text of Amendment XXII, which limits the terms of Presidents to a total of 10 years: up to two years completing another President's term plus two complete terms of one's own, or more than two years completing another President's term, plus one complete term of one's own. Since the Amendment took effect, Lyndon Johnson, who served the last 14 months of John Kennedy's term and was elected in 1964 on his own, was eligible (and expected) to run again in 1968 but chose not to; and Gerald Ford, who served 27 months of Richard Nixon's second term, failed to be elected on his own even once.
But, the Amendment says nothing about limiting the terms of Vice President, and does not even mention that office. Therefore, there is no limit to the number of terms to which a Vice President could be elected.
Further, although it has not happened recently, there is no reason a sitting Vice President could not be the running mate of a new candidate for President in the same party, and thus serve as Vice President under more than one President! And it did happen, twice in the Antebellum era.
Thomas Jefferson's first term, with his political opponent Aaron Burr as VP, led to Amendment XII to eliminate the second-place-gets-VP system, and was in effect for the election of 1804, in which Jefferson was re-elected with George Clinton as his running mate. Jefferson followed the tradition set by Washington and Adams, which would later be enacted into Amendment XXII, and retired after two terms.
His successor, James Madison, also chose George Clinton as a running mate, so that Clinton served from 1805 to 1813 as VP, under two Presidents (Madison ran again in 1812 and was re-elected, but chose the "ghost we love to hate" Elbridge Gerry as his running mate, so the Madison-Gerry administration took office in 1813; Gerry died in 1814 and Madison finished his second term without a VP).
In the tumultuous 1824 election, John Quincy Adams and John C. Calhoun won the White House and served one term together. Their rival from 1824, Andrew Jackson, won in 1828, but ran with Calhoun, so that Calhoun served almost two terms under two Presidents (Calhoun resigned in 1832 before the campaign started, so Jackson chose Martin Van Buren as his second running mate; Van Buren took over in 1837).
So, let's float the idea of Joe Biden becoming the "utility VP" for the Democrats, and urge Hillary to offer, and Joe to accept, the chance to become the first VP to serve 3 or 4 terms AS Vice President. Hillary will appeal to women of all ethnic and income levels (except right-wing Stepford wives, of course), while Joe will appeal to the "Reagan Democrats" among working-class men. Then in 2024, he will still be young and vigorous enough to serve as President for two terms, and have 16 years of VP incumbency, and (presumably) Hillary's endorsement!
re: Clinton and Benghazi: Did the AP misquote her, or did she state herself incorrectly? It seems she meant "convinced" instead of "confused", unless she's saying her critics can't be confused because they know very well what reality is, but refuse to "live in an evidence-based world".