And apropos of that headline, I thought you’d all enjoy this fascinating footnote about “God Bless America,” which many believe is our “de facto” anthem.

Much of the story is well known. How Irving Berlin wrote it during WW I, didn’t think much of it, stuck it in a trunk for two decades, until Kate Smith asked him if he had a song for the debut of her radio program in 1938. The rest, as they say..is history.

However, in the original 1918 lyrics, Berlin wrote:

“Stand beside her, and guide her,
to the right, with the light from above.”

With the rise of fascism in Europe, Berlin felt that the word “right” would have too political a context.

Berlin intended the song to be a prayer for our country; an invocation to God for his blessing and guidance. The words to the rarely sung introduction say it best:

“While the storm clouds gather, far across the sea;
Let us swear allegiance, to a land that’s free.
Let us all be grateful, for a land so fair.
As we raise our voices, in a solemn prayer.”

Take two minutes to enjoy the great Irish tenor, Ronan Tynan singing “God Bless America”

One last note: Woodie Guthrie, to no one’s surprise, absolutely HATED “God Bless America.” In 1940 he wrote a, well..”answer song”, titled “God Blessed America for Me.”

A short while later, it was retitled as “This Land is Your Land”

The same culture wars, the same divisions in our nation that we talk about on Red State every day, they were just as obvious, and as visceral, 75 years ago. Indeed, that’s when it first pretty much all started to change.

“Plus ca change, plus c’est la meme chose!”

The overwhelming majority of Americans wisely believe that the US should stay as far away from Syria as possible. The rebels, if they were to be successful, would turn Syria into another radical Islamist state, and a real threat to Israel. There is nothing that even remotely resembles a nascent democratic movement inside Syria.

In WW II, we supplied the Soviet Union, as they bled the Nazis war effort. We liberated Europe from one scourge, yet condemned it to 40 years of totalitarian oppression, and millions more to death at Stalin’s hands.

We aided Mao’s forces in China, hoping to tie down Japanese troops, while Mao devoted his efforts to weakening Chiang Kai-shek’s regime. a few years after that war, 35,000+ Americans would die in Korea.

In Afghanistan, during the Reagan administration, we armed the mujahideen, thanks to the efforts of Charlie Wilson, as they bled the Soviet army. Their sons, and grandsons, are now happily engaged in killing American troops.

I am not engaging here in the cheap spectator sport of Monday morning quarterbacking. Hindsight is ALWAYS perfect. Those actions, and policies, for the most part, were correct at the time. But there is one key difference with those wars, and the one we are engaged in today.

In the past, we had an identifiable enemy, a clearly defined nation, with borders and territory. Also, we had allies who were as committed as we were to the ultimate victory. Today we fight not a nation, but a radical Islamist movement that is bound by neither geography nor any convention as to decent behavior. And we have no allies to speak of. Many support our efforts to various degrees, but they look to us to provide the overwhelming majority of the forces, and the funding, to press the war effort.

Reports started to surface yesterday of comments that Bill Clinton made at a recent closed-door event, which were very critical of Obama’s actions with regard to Syria. Obviously an attempt to provide space for Hillary to differentiate herself as she gears up for a 2016 run, Clinton pointed out that some 100,000 have died in Syria since the fighting began.

So why doesn’t someone ask Bubba: What about Rwanda?

Over a million Rwandans were massacred during tribal wars, while Clinton refused to do anything. The nation’s supposed first “black” president stood by idly and twiddled his thumbs, and diddled a few women, as the genocide unfolded.

And this is the guy who now rails against Obama’s indecisiveness?

She eloquently told the House panel that tens of millions of Americans believe that government has “forgotten its place.”

So here’s a suggestion…actually two..

1. Invite her to speak at RedState 2013. She’ll rock the house.

2. Soon after, announce the formation of a committee to run her for the GOP senate nomination in 2016. It’s way past time for Shelby to retire..originally a Democrat, he’s been in DC waay to long. He’s not been effective in espousing, and supporting conservative principals. Yes, it’s a pre-emptive strike, but that’s how we start to take back our governemnt, and our nation.

I am NOT a lawyer, and no expert on these matters, but I thought I would attempt to distill the salient arguments for and against each approach, to invite discussion.

Allow House committees to continue their investigations:

At present, 5 House committees are investigating the various Obama scandals. I do feel that Issa is doing a superb job, and learned much from the Fast & Furious hearings. I believe that he, and the other c hairs, know much more than they are at present divulging…i.e. I believe they already know who issued the STAND DOWN order, and from where it originated much further up the chain of command.

Multiple, ongoing hearings could cause a sense of “scandal-fatigue” in the public. There is also bound to be considerable overlap among the various committees, and having the same witnesses appear before several committees could be counterproductive…and of course, allow the Democrats to claim that it is all a political witch-hunt. Also, the committees are limited in their ability to compel witness testimony and documents from the administration.

If Issa and others already know the answers to the as-yet-unasked questions, then they should continue, as long as the carefully coordinate among the various committees. However, they MUST find a way around the 5 minute limit for questioning..maybe they should give up this approach…it’s impossible to develop a serious line of questioning, and to get at the truth, in that time constraint. Who among us doesn’t want to see Trey Gowdy have 30 minutes of uninterrupted questioning of Lois Lerner?

Form a Special Select House committee:

Let me say up front that I’m not very well versed in how this works. I gather that one super-committee would supersede all the others, and would have far greater ability to get at witnesses and documents. However, I believe that they would need the concurrence of House Democrats to take this course, and at what cost? Right now, it’s obvious that the Democrats on Issa’s committee aren’t the sharpest tools in the shed, by far, and that will only help the GOP.

Also, since we are dealing with three separate scandals, if they were all investigated by one committee, that would tend to get them all jumbled up and confused in the public perception.

Appoint a Special Prosecutor:

I’m almost tempted to say that ANYTHING that Lindsay Graham is FOR, I’m AGAINST. Given that, I do see multiple problems with a special prosecutor:

1. Holder would need to appoint the prosecutor.
2.Do we have ONE for all three scandals, or multiple special prosecutors.
3. Here’s my biggest problem with an SP. Right now, the scandals are front and center, and the administration is forced to confront them every minute. They can’t ignore it. It occupies most of their time, and the Obama agenda is stymied.

Appoint a Special Prosecutor, and all you will hear, ad nauseum, from EVERYONE in the administration, from Obama on down, is, “while the investigation is underway, I can’t comment about any of this.” It will disappear from the public perception.

Apologies in advance for any factual misstatements. Please correct.

Well, since it appears that the administration has violated several of our “inalienable rights,” and that the MSM is always caterwauling about the need for openness, they should insist, nay, DEMAND that these meeting be open; indeed that C-span should broadcast them live.

Remember all the demands that the Supreme Court allow live broadcasts from inside the court? Well what’s more important than a debate about freedom of the press?

Roger Ailes..if you request it..they can’t refuse. Here’s your opportunity..

I like you. I really do. I’ve long admired your intellect, your historical perspective on current events, your superb gifts as a writer. And the bow-ties. And of course, your passion for baseball, the one truly great American past-time. I know that you occasionally ( or perhaps more often than that) exasperate many of my fellow conservatives, but I’m inclined to cut you some slack when you stray off the reservation.

So, George, as an admitted fan…..can we talk?

For years, I’ve recorded “This Week” for ONLY one reason: to hear what you have to say. And for the most part, it’s been worth fast-forwarding through everything else. But George, after viewing the last few weeks “in toto,” as a fan, I have to tell you; it’s way past time to leave “This Week.”

It is painful to watch you, as part of a panel, sit across from political-hack-turned-faux-journalist George Stephanopoulos, as he choreographs the talking-head symphony. It resembles a kindergarten “show and tell” class.

“Look panel,” says George S. “Here we have the latest scandal involving the Obama administration. But Democrats accuse House Republicans of playing politics and over-reaching? George Will, is there anything to these Democrat charges? And you have 15 seconds to comment, George.”

Oh come on. Really? George, do you need this?

But it was this past Sunday that really crystallized it for me, George. Let’s go to the videotape. (And I hope you do review tapes of your appearances). Here you are, calmly, dispassionately attempting, in a few seconds, to dispense reason and logic, and perched next to you, like some evil bobble-head, we have Katrina vanden Heuvel, squinting, grimacing and clenching her hands as she struggles mightily with the overwhelming desire to reach over and rip your face off.

And then there are the many times when some other member of the panel is uttering something that is just incredibly stupid, and the camera decides to sneak a shot of you, George, rolling your eyes. It’s almost as good as when Brit Hume rolls his eyes at most anything that comes out of Juan Williams’ mouth. I must admit, George, that you have developed your eye-rolling technique to a near-art form, but to what end?

George, I fully get it: the check from ABC is nice. But surely, at this point in your very successful career, you don’t really need the cash, and besides, assorted taxes probably take about 50% of whatever they pay you.

Now you may well believe that it’s your well-paid duty to attempt to present a lone conservative viewpoint on a show that is heavily stacked with Democrats/liberals/progressives….But it doesn’t work, George. All you’re doing is demeaning yourself. You know:

Lie down with dogs, get fleas.

Wallow in the mud with the pigs, get dirty..

No need to belabor the point, George, you get the idea..

So, George, ’tis most definitely time to depart from “This Week.”

I would commend to you the (revised) words of Malcolm, from Macbeth:

“Nothing in his (talking-head) career could become him like the leaving it.”

But George, I don’t want you to go gently into that MSM night. You have much to much to offer. So, here’s an idea. It’s obvious that a blog is just not your thing. But a podcast would definitely work. 30 minutes, an hour..once a week..just your thoughts..possibly with a guest.

Think “Firing Line.”

It would work, George, it really would. You’d be awesome.

Thanks for listening, George.

Among those who practice the public relations-propaganda black arts, a “hang out” is a misdirection technique that releases previously unknown, and damaging information ( usually with an accompanying apology and a promise to “never, never” do it again) in order to deflect attention away from something that is much worse and far more harmful.

The phrase achieved near-iconic status when this transcript of a secret Nixon Oval Office tape was released:

NIXON: You think, you think we want to, want to go this route now? And the….let it hang out , so to speak?

DEAN: Well, it’s…it isn’t really that….

HALDEMAN: It’s a limited hang out.

DEAN: It’s a limited hang out.

ERLICHMAN: It’s a modified limited hang out.

NIXON: Well, it’s only the questions of the thing hanging out publicly or privately

It’s quite easy (indeed, it almost writes itself) to imagine a similar Oval Office conversation between Obama, Hillary, Valerie Jarrett, and Jay Carney……

OBAMA: You think, you think…we want to push this IRS story now? Give the press something else to chew on besides Benghazi?

CARNEY: Duh?

JARRETT: It’s a limited hang out.

CARNEY: DUH???

JARRETT: It’s a limited hang out.

CARNEY: DUH???

JARRETT: It’s a modified limited hang out.

CARNEY: OH!! DUH!!!!

OBAMA: Well. it’s only the questions of the thing hanging out publicly or privately, and if I have to miss a tee time.

HILLARY: Geez! Will you guys PLEASE STOP talking about your johnsons hanging out there. It’s MY ASS on the line here, and I’ve got the biggest one, and the most to lose if this blows up in our faces.

But far more fascinating is the lady herself. It appears that her only allegiance is to whomever is in power, and signs her paychecks.

Here’s the link to her biography on Wikipedia.

But here’s the key stats:

In the Clinton administration, she served as Chief of Staff to Deputy Sec. of State Strobe Talbott. His ties to the Clintons go way back to their days at Yale.

In the Bush administration, she served as the principal deputy foreign policy adviser to Dick Cheney (yes, that’s right..Dick Cheney!!!) and then as our ambassador to NATO.

And we all know about her most recent gig, as mouthpiece for Hillary at the State Dept.

Truly, the mind boggles. What was Cheney thinking? There was no other person suitable for that position? You’re kidding, right? Here’s an idea. Can we pull up the list of resident scholars at AEI or Heritage at the time she got the job? See who was available for that important, and prestigious slot. I mean, after all, everyone inside the Beltway knew that Cheney was really running the country.

Wait, just wait, it gets even better?

Three days ago, Dick Cheney, her former boss, told House Republicans that they should subpoena Hillary Clinton, her former boss. Oops!!

Poor Victoria. Whatever’s a girl to do????

But gotta give the lady her props. She may well be the consummate DC insider, and the symbol of all that is wrong with America today, as our self-appointed ruling class perpetuates themselves.

Hercules cleaned the Augean stables. I doubt that even he could drain the DC cesspool.

The article opens with a peek at a class at Sci Academy, a charter school, and the progress its students are making. It then begins a broader assessment of New Orleans since the hurricane; what’s working, and what isn’t.

There are several quotes from New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, and a plug for his sister, Senator Marty Landrieu. Even celebrity chef Emeril (“Bam”) Lagasse is cited.

But you know who isn’t mentioned? Not once. Nary a peep. Why, it’s Bobby Jindal, who just happens to be the governor of the state, and is the one individual most responsible for all the good things, the positive changes, that have occurred in the city and the state post-Katrina.

But it’s really not fair to accuse Kushner, and the editors of NJ of any sort of unbalanced, biased, or even just lousy reporting. After all, in the true spirit of bipartisan, objective reporting, they also omitted not one mention of former Mayor Ray Nagin, now indicted on 21 counts of corruption, and former governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, who could be the poster child for incompetent public servants.

To date, the MSM has not shown any interest in pursuing the story. The House is going to hold additional hearings, possibly subpoena some of the survivors, and this may be what finally cracks the story wide open.

However, it’s the OTHER story which is just barely beginning to percolate below the surface. At her testimony before Congress, Hillary Clinton proved conclusively that she is either a) a pathological liar or b)dumb as a rock, and most definitely far too stupid to be president. It’s really that cut and dried; it’s one or the other.

So, if the Benghazigate investigation gains traction, will the Obama administration attempt the ultimate Hail Mary to save itself, and toss Hillary under the bus, and blame it all on her, and the failures inside HER State Dept?

The answer here, is yes, silly, obviously…. do you even have to ask?

There is no love lost between the Clintons and the Obamas. He snatched the 2008 nomination right out of her hands, and she played a very dirty game during the primaries. But after winning, Democrats again did what they always do best: share the spoils, put on a happy face for the public, pretend there’s nothing to see, and go about the business of ruining the country and perpetuating a Democrat majority.

The political calculus is obvious. If Benghazigate grabs the public interest, and the blame sticks to Obama, then the Democrats are finished in the 2014 elections, and Obama won’t be able to do anything except play golf for the last two years of his term. And for a narcissist obsessed with his legacy, that’s simply unacceptable. But far more important, it would so damage the Democrat brand, that no Democrat, even Hillary, could be elected in 2016.

So Hillary will be sacrificed. It won’t be pretty, and she (and Bill) won’t go quietly. It will be an epic battle: “The Last Stand of the Clintonistas.” And they might well win. But most Democrats will fall in behind Obama, and lay the blame off on Hillary and her (then) State Dept administration.

And that means that the 2016 Democrat nomination will be wide open. And that’s why today, every time there’s a big article in the MSM about the inevitability of Hillary in 2016, right next to it there’s a little blurb about a Cuomo, or an O’Malley, or a Villagarossa, and what they’re doing (or rather, NOT doing about 2016). They too can read the tea leaves.

Note: Until a few days ago, Deval Patrick would have been on the short list, but Boston has ended any dreams he might have harbored. Not the bombing, but the news that the entire family was on public assistance..to the tune of several hundred thousand dollars. That’s going to be Patrick’s “Willie Horton” moment..