Saturday, April 30, 2011

"The Motherf**ker with the Hair"



No, its not the new Broadway play starring Chris Rock and Bobby Cannevale. Rather, its the new horror show starring Mr. Dreadful Hair himself, Donald Trump.

The megalomaniac buffoon with the urine-colored mane, whose recent manic antics have made Charlie Sheen look sane (poetic, right?), took his Violent Torpedo of Bullshit Tour to Las Vegas Thursday and spoke before an audience of Tea Baggin' Troglodytes who cheered and applauded as His Royal Doucheness spewed more of his race-baiting rhetoric, this time about China:

"Listen you motherfuckers, we're gonna tax you 25%."

Nothing says White House like "motherfucker", right? Not that I thought for one minute that Trump was actually going to officially run for president, but it should now be clear, even to his most loyal batshit crazy supporters, that he's got about as much chance of announcing his candidacy as Sheen.

To be sure, what we've seen this week is a man whose ego is so boated, his head so massive, that it literally exploded in a fit of narcissistic mania. Trump's image and precious brand, let alone his business interests, will suffer as a result. I and others have called for a boycott of his TV show, casinos, hotels, condos and clothing line, and we're already starting to see the fallout from advertisers over his despicable vitriolic racist attacks on President Obama. Internet couponer Groupon announced it's pulling its ads from "The Celebrity Apprentice" website. I suspect, and hope, there'll be more to follow. Payback's a bitch.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Boycott Trump



As a big fat thank you for his relentless attacks on Barack Obama, for disrespecting the office of the presidency and for his despicable accusations regarding Obama's citizenship and college records, we should boycott anything and everything Donald Trump. It's time to send a clear message to this race-baiting, arrogant, self-aggrandizing fool that what he's been doing in his attempts to delegitimize Obama's presidency is not only irresponsible and reprehensible, but unpatriotic as well. For that there must be a price to pay. And what would hurt Trump most is a swift kick to his ego and his wallet.

So what I propose is this: if you've been offended by the unconscionable claims Mr. Dreadful Hair has made regarding Obama's birth certificate and his Columbia and Harvard degrees, stop watching Trump's reality show "The Apprentice." Let the show fail. Show him and NBC that it's not ok to do and say anything to attack our president, especially in such a manner intended to stoke the flames of hatred and racism.

Stop going to Trump's casinos in Atlantic City, which are listed here. There are plenty of other casinos which are owned and run by decent people who probably don't question Obama's citizenship or whether he's properly earned his degrees.

Stop buying Trump's Signature Collection clothing line. Do you really want the brand of ignorance and anti-Americanism stamped on your back now?

Stop staying at Trump Hotels in New York, Chicago, Las Vegas and Hawaii. There are so many respectable hotel chains who'd happily take your money while not claiming that President Obama's an illegal alien who cheated his way through college and grad school.

Take a stand, America, and let Donald Trump know that there are consequences to his shameful actions. Let's see how proud and honored we can really make him.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Obama Releases his Birth Certificate, and America Loses



April 27, 2011. Mark it down in your calendars as the day the racists and the crazies in America won. A day that should embarrass anyone with human decency and love of country. The day the office of the United States Presidency lost some of its respect and prestige. The day Barack Obama acquiesced to the radical Republican fringe lunatics and released his long-form birth certificate to conclusively prove his citizenship and hopefully put an end to the despicable campaign, led by Donald Trump, to deligitimize him.

It's a shame and a disgrace to our great nation that the Birther movement existed in the first place, as it is little more than a thinly veiled disguise for the obvious racism behind it. The ignorant, narrow-minded bigots fueling this campaign simply refuse to accept the outcome of the 2008 election; that there's a black family in the White House and a black man in the Oval Office. Anyone who thinks differently is incredibly naive and in denial. But what's more disheartening and quite frankly shocking than the movement itself is that Obama, while commanding three wars and battling a still-struggling economy, felt compelled to dignify these loons with the release of the document. If the president truly believes the Birthers will now be quieted, then, incredibly, he's the one in denial.

When asked in New Hampshire Wednesday about the release of Obama's long-form birth certificate (the short form is the official version in Hawaii and which the president released 2 1/2 years ago), Trump signaled that the controversy is far from over:

"I have done a great service to the American people...I'm really proud of myself. I was able to get something accomplished that no one else was able to get accomplished..." and that he still needs to "look at it" to determine if its genuine. Trump then ignored requests by reporters, including CNN's John King in a later interview, to review a copy of the document. He chose to sign autographs instead. And what's he so proud of, that he orchestrated a smear that was proven utterly unfounded?

To be sure, Trump does not want this conspiracy theory to go away, even when presented with the document which should have resulted in one simple response: 'Great, it''s over. Now let's move on to much more pressing matters facing the country today'...and followed by an apology. But that would mean he'd have to now start answering to voters, the media and his GOP counterparts in addressing Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, the Middle East crisis, the economy, jobs, housing, Medicare/Medicaid and other critical subjects instead of relentlessly and shamelessly attacking Obama while stoking the fires of hatred. Do you honestly think Trump's reprehensible rhetoric will now stop? If you do, I have a timeshare in Syria to sell you.

So what's next for Trump? Besides a likely continuance of this Birther crap, expect an amped-up attack on Obama's college credentials. And don't be surprised if Obama's Christianity comes into question again as well. No, Trump's scam won't end, because he simply can't be wrong. His outsize ego won't allow him that human quality. This narcissistic blowhard will continue to spin the release of the document as his victory, much in the same way the Bushies spun the absence of WMD in Iraq as proof that they once existed and were therefore obviously moved or destroyed.

I hate to say it, but on April 27, 2011 Donald Trump, the King of the Racist Crazies, won while Obama and America lost. While some will claim the opposite, the truth is, Trump succeeded in getting the President of the United States to respond to his outlandishly offensive accusations. The office should be above that.

I'd also say it's time to turn up the heat on Trump. Let's demand to see his his tax returns, college records and birth certificate. It's time we learn just how rich he really is, or not. I suspect that Fred Trump's kid, who was born on 3rd base and thinks he hit a triple, might not be as wealthy as he portrays himself. It's time for him to put up or shut up.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

What Do Donald Trump and Charlie Sheen Have in Common?



Dear Mr Trump:
Have you gone mad? Your behavior lately is very disturbing. It seems as though your brain has crossed a very critical line between common decency and insanity. And it's becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between you and Charlie Sheen. You're the Manic Episode Twins.

Can we please have the old Donald Trump back? You know, the pompous, arrogant, showboating, self-promotion whore with the alien hair and ego so large that it makes you say things like "I would get beautiful women even if I had no money" (I'm still chuckling at that one). Where is the highly annoying but harmless buffoon who simply craves attention but is rational, intelligent, patriotic, pro-choice and a former supporter of many of President Obama's policies ? Where did that guy go?

What we have today instead is the new-and-not-improved Donald Trump who's barreling down the road to the White House at 120 MPH, crazy yellow hair flappin' in the wind, screaming all sorts of hyperbolic, irrational and despicable slurs out the window at the president.

First is was the Birther nonsense, with your shameful race-baiting attacks concerning Obama's citizenship. Though I never thought it possible, this
relentless campaign has made you even more of an unlikeable creep than ever before.

And now comes your latest missive, demanding to see Obama's Columbia and Harvard records because you have reason to believe (100% unfounded, of course) that there's some funny business with his degrees.

"I heard he was a terrible student, terrible," Trump said Monday in an Associated Press interview. "How does a bad student go to Columbia and then to Harvard? I'm thinking about it, I'm certainly looking into it. Let him show his records...we don't know anything about this guy."

Really? We don't know anything about Barack Obama? Not from his two books detailing his character, philosophies and life? Not from his years at Columbia and Harvard, where he was the first black editor of the prestigious Law Review? Not from his years as a community organizer? A law professor? Or from his time in the Illinois State Senate? The U.S. Senate? President? Through his Nobel Peace Prize? Tell us, Mr. Dreadful Hair, what exactly do you not know about Barack Obama?

Trump, how could you steep so unfathomably low? Is your ego so bloated and your appetite for the spotlight so insatiable that you'll say anything to tear down and delegitimize Obama no matter how hurtful, untrue and disgusting your accusations? Don't you ever wonder why you get booed at Knicks games or when you walk down the street? I've personally witnessed that. A normal person would be embarrassed and humiliated. You don't seem to give a shit. It's like you have ice water running through your veins. You personify the mantra, 'there's no such thing as bad publicity.'

You are acting like a very bad, mean, nasty man. An insecure man with something to prove. A crazy man. Like Charlie Sheen crazy. Neither of you seems to know right from wrong these days, and you're both on very self-destructive paths.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Donald Trump Doesn't Know Reality From Reality TV



Donald Trump ought to be ashamed of himself. The apparent front runner for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination has given new birth to the wacko "Birther" movement and is reprehensibly stoking the flames of racism in America. The man who claims "I have a great relationship with the blacks" is doing everything in his power to piss off blacks as he despicably tries to tear down and delegitimize the only president they've ever had (and, just who are "the blacks" anyway? That he could even choose these words to make his point shows a supreme lack of judgment and perhaps something more telling).

By demanding at every turn to see Obama's birth certificate--despite his citizenship having been confirmed by Hawaii's Governor and other state officials countless times--Trump is playing a very dangerous race card and is masterfully avoiding having to talk about jobs, the economy and every other critical issue facing voters today. And not surprisingly, his reward for doing so is his leading position in the polls among all other GOP presidential hopefuls, including the supposed front-runner Mitt Romney.

But let's be very clear about one thing: Trump has absolutely no desire or intention of becoming president. His ego is too grandiose, and his appetite for money too rapacious, to forfeit the self-serving spoils of his capitalistic kingdom to serve the little people for a mere peon's wages while having to answer to anyone other than himself. No, public servant is not what Donald Trump aspires to on any conceivable level.

So what Trump's campaign boils down to is a charade. It's a game he's playing, which is serving to feed that massive Id of his while affording him an even greater soapbox from which he can regurgitate his narrow-minded, inane bile.

But this is no game. The 2012 election is very serious business, and Trump is making a mockery of it. The nation struggles to fight three wars and put 14-million people back to work while reducing its tremendous debt. But Trump's a one-trick pony. Obama's lineage is the only thing he'll talk about, and he'll figure out a way to dwell on it regardless of the question. Ask him 'what time it is' and he'll tell you 'it's time for Obama to show his birth certificate.'

Trump's personal attack on Obama has been relentless and full of sweeping accusations: "He's been a horrible president. I always said the worst president was Jimmy Carter. Guess what? Jimmy Carter goes to second place. Barack Obama has been the worst president ever. In the history of this country, Barack Obama is number one." Really? Worse than James Buchanan? Warren G. Harding? Richard M. Nixon? Perhaps what Trump really means, what he really wants to say, what he may deep down think a majority of Tea Baggers believe, is that Obama is not the worst president per se, but certainly the darkest. And that's precisely the lowest common denominator that he's playing to.

Trump is clearly a man who cannot distinguish reality TV from reality. He's a first-rate carnival barker who craves attention and injects himself into every public story possible. The New York Mets are in trouble? Trump announces he'll buy the team, only to disappear after the headlines do. Controversial Muslim Community Center near Ground Zero? Trump announces he'll buy the building, yet disappears again once the news fades. Tavern on the Green bankrupt? Trump briefly to the rescue again. Announcing his candidacy for president simply follows this narcissistic, exploitative pattern. And there's no human being with a more fitting name. The man is simply a self-aggrandising publicity addict who must out-trump even himself with each new disingenuous announcement. Trump sees a camera and microphone the way most men see a woman. It's what he lusts after.

Trump was recently asked if he'll show his financials. "When Obama shows his birth certificate," he snapped. Yet recently he bragged about his wealth and said he would show everything:"I look very much forward to showing my financials, because they are huge. Far bigger than anyone knows. Far bigger than anyone would understand." But perhaps those very financials aren't as impressive as he boasts, and to the contrary, might offer a glimpse into why there are multiple bankruptcies on his corporate resume. Just sayin'...



To be sure, what Trump wants and what Trump is getting from this illegitimate presidential flirtation is free press, for himself and for his empire, which he's vehemently denied doing despite his clear attempts at self-promotion: ..."The fact is, a lot of people in the polls don't vote for me, because they think I'm just having a good time. They think that I'm promoting "Celebrity Apprentice" which I'm absolutely not. And you just told me how good the ratings are in "Celebrity Apprentice." I don't need this...I am thinking of saying on the live finale of "The Apprentice" on May 22 that in a few days I will be making an announcement about my decision."

Of the sitting president he so shamelessly vilifies, Trump said: "I want him to do well. ... I love this country, but this country is going to hell. ... The world laughs at us. They won't be laughing if I'm elected president." Sorry Donald, they're already laughing at you, and you haven't even officially stepped into the ring yet.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Newsflash: What Comes Out of a Politician's Mouth is Not to Be Considered "Factual!"


In a speech last week on the Senate floor as the deadline to avoid a government shutdown neared, Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) argued the case for ending federal funding of Planned Parenthood:

"Everybody goes to clinics, to hospitals, to doctors, and so on. Some people go to Planned Parenthood. But you don’t have to go to Planned Parenthood to get your cholesterol or your blood pressure checked. If you want an abortion, you go to Planned Parenthood, and that’s well over 90 percent of what Planned Parenthood does."

The problem with Kyl's point is that it's entirely wrong. Abortions account for just 3% of Planned Parenthood's overall activities, most of which involve performing critical cancer screenings, HIV tests, family planning and general health care for millions of women. But what's 87 percentage points among friends, right?

When this fact was pointed out to Kyl, his office issued the most astonishing BS ever to hit DC: the Senator's 90% figure "was not intended to be a factual statement but rather to illustrate that Planned Parenthood, an organization that receives millions in taxpayer dollars, does subsidize abortions."

I'm not sure what's more unbelievable: that they're attempting to wave off this humiliating misstep this way, or that they're disingenuously continuing to claim that federal funds are used to pay for abortions at Planned Parenthood, or anywhere else for that matter. The Hyde Amendment of 1976 clearly prohibits such funding, and Republicans, especially Kyl, know that.

In the days since Kyl's now-infamous gaffe he's been criticized and mocked within political circles and the media. In Thursday's NY Times, columnist Gail Collins writes that Kyl's colossal error and then lame attempt to explain it will be the most significant thing he's remembered for after he retires next year. She might be right, much like future Hall of Famer Bill Buckner, the Golden Glove former first baseman for the Boston Red Sox, will forever be remembered for allowing the Mets' Mookie Wilson's grounder to pass through his legs in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series. History can be a cruel mutha sometimes.

But here's the thing: is anyone really surprised by Kyl's remarks? By his gargantuan inaccuracy? By his whitewashing of it all? Given how the political landscape has been so duplicitously manicured for the past forty years or so, is it really that shocking that a politician would blatantly lie and then feebly attempt to cover it up? Honestly, what's all the fuss about?

Perhaps I'm just different from most folks. Maybe I just expect all politicians to lie and deny. So when they do, rather than be upset I'm actually happy...for they've not let me down.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

An Open Letter to Hillary Clinton


Dear Madam Secretary:
I'm gonna cut right to the chase. Everyone knows you've always wanted to be president. You campaigned ferociously in 2008, and I faithfully supported you, as did 18-million other Democrats. In fact, you garnered more popular votes (48%) than your rival Barack Obama (47%), who beat you by amassing more delegates. So now you're faced with a huge dilemma: enter the 2012 race or wait until 2016. I think I speak for millions of Democrats in saying your time is now.

Democrats, especially the progressive Obamacons who were the president's most loyal supporters on his road to the White House, are extremely frustrated and angry with him and his administration. They were promised and expected "change you can believe in" and instead got "change that never came." They were told to "hope" and now they're being told how awesome it is that we have "the largest spending cuts in history" as if that is a fulfilled campaign promise. They thought they were buying a new model of Democratic leadership and were instead sold a used version of centrism and ideological abandonment. And now they want change, alright, and it's in the form of someone else.

For Democrats, it's no longer "change we can believe in," but "a candidate we can believe in." Democrats want someone who has a vision for America. Someone who knows what he or she believes in. Someone who is ready to fight like an animal to push that agenda through. Someone who isn't afraid of Republicans.

The world has changed drastically since 2008. Our nation's economy still struggles, as do the 14-million people who are unemployed. The global economy is no better. Oil and gas prices are at record levels, as is America's budget deficit. While corporate profits are sky high, consumer confidence is anemic. We're now embroiled in three wars, and there's unprecedented volatility in the Middle East and elsewhere. And now we have a Republican-controlled House of Representatives that seeks to decimate funding for Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, Planned Parenthood, the Environmental Protection Agency, energy, the arts, education, scientific research, fuel efficiency, technology innovation and other critical programs and investments in our nation's future....while they preserve substantial subsidies to corporations and tax cuts for the rich. Now more than ever we need a president who can protect America's interests abroad while protecting the elderly, the children, the sick, the poor, the environment and culture here at home. We need a passionate, effective leader.

To be sure, many Democrats have lost faith in Obama's ability to be that leader. Campaign promise after campaign promise has been broken, and the president's decisions seem more designed to ensure his re-election--by making independents happy--than by delivering on his promises to those who put him in office the first time around. Even Republicans are surprised to see the supposed "most liberal president in history" embrace the center so comfortably. The only real thing this president seems to stand for is his own legacy. That's why he wasted a year of precious political capital on health care reform (in which he caved under pressure and abandoned its central element, the public option) instead of job growth and the economy, and is now bragging about budget cuts.

In the process, Obama's turned off those he will need most in 2012. Progressives. Seniors. Blacks. Young people. Gays. Teachers. Union workers. Artists. All those once-loyal Obamacons who gave their hearts, their souls, their money, their time and ran to the polls to give him the delegates he needed to occupy the Oval Office. Millions of them will run no more for Obama. They've grown dejected and disillusioned, as evidenced by the president's low approval ratings which average in the mid-40's. All of this could spell disaster for Obama, and the party, in 2012.

But they're not ready to give up hope just yet, Secretary Clinton. Not ready to give up on the Democratic Party. There's at least 18-million people out there who'd passionately support you yet again. And the truth is, there are many of those 17-million Obama voters who'd shift their votes to you in a heartbeat should you challenge him in next year's primaries. If you run, Democrats will run right behind you.

Secretary Clinton, fate is knocking on your door. Your time has come. And that time is 2012, not 2016. If a weakened Obama should lose to a Republican next year, and that incumbent Republican benefits from a strengthening economy and jobs market, 2016 may be a fait accompli for the GOP. That would mean 2020, when you'd be 72, would be your next real opportunity. While I think being the first woman president would be an amazing historical feat to accomplish--just as Obama became our first black president--I don't think being the oldest elected president is as appealing to you or to voters.

Your best shot at the White House is now. And it's when your party, and your country, need you most. I understand and appreciate that it's not customary for a top politician, especially such a high-profile cabinet member, to run against her party's sitting president. But this is about country. It's about doing what's right for Democrats and the agenda we so desperately need to protect from further erosion and Obama sell-outs. Hillary, America needs you. Please consider our urgent call for 2012. Thank you on behalf of Americans everywhere.

Andy Ostroy
Editor & Publisher
The Ostroy Report
New York, NY

Friday, April 08, 2011

The GOP's Pro-Abortion Stand


As evidenced by the budget showdown that took place last week in Washington, the Republican Party is doing everything in its power to ensure that there are more abortions than ever in the years to come. In its effort to slash billions in what it calls "government waste," the GOP's been fighting to end funding to Planned Parenthood on the duplicitous grounds that federal money should not be used to pay for the controversial procedure. What their fiery rhetoric doesn't include is the fact that no federal monies have been spent on abortions since the Hyde Amendment was passed in 1976 prohibiting such funding. So when House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (VA) goes on television, as he did on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace, and says that the fight over Planned Parenthood is because federal funds shouldn't be used for abortions, he's outright lying. This debate is not about abortion, but birth control. It's the Republicans' war on women.

The GOP's position makes absolutely no sense. For decades, conservatives have decried abortion, yet remain vehemently against sex education and family planning. They're steeped in religious ideology and insist on playing morality cop, sanctimoniously telling the rest of us what we should do with our bodies and in our bedrooms. MSNBC's Chris Matthews incredulously asked Friday night on his "Hardball" program, "How did they get on this bus?" The truth us, they never got off the bus. In fact, they were born on that bus. And no matter how deep of a political grave their values dogma historically digs them, they keep coming back to the hole. They simply can't help themselves. As Matthews said about the Planned Parenthood fight, "It's Schiavo-country," referring to the 1990's legal and Congressional battle over life-support which severely hurt the GOP and effectively killed the political careers of former GOP Senators Bill Frist and Rick Santorum.

To be sure, to end funding for Planned Parenthood is to stop providing critical health care to millions of needy women. Through 800 nationwide locations, the organization provides cancer screening, HIV and STD tests, contraceptives, education and empowerment. Planned Parenthood estimates it prevents over 620,000 unintended pregnancies and 220,000 abortions each year. Seventy-five percent of its clients are at or below the poverty line. Abortions account for just 3% of its overall activities.

But while rich Republican hypocrites rabidly strive to strip the poor and middle classes of their right to choose, they'll be the first to take little Muffy for an abortion the nanosecond there's a bun in the oven. And it'll continue to be justified with, "She's got too promising a life ahead of her to throw it away on a baby" and "It's the boy's fault."

It's a damned shame that in 2012 we're still arguing about abortion, and that funding for health care, family planning, education, the environment, seniors and the arts is considered "government waste." Congratulations 2010 voters. I hope you got what you wanted with your new Republican pals.

Tuesday, April 05, 2011

MSNBC's Morning "Dysfunctional" Joe



I am a big fan of MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program. The three main on-air personalities, host Joe Scarborough, Willie Geist and Mika Brzezinski, generally have engaging panelists as they cover, with humor, the ever-changing political landscape in a non-partisan manner. But there's something about the show that's been bugging me for a long time now, and that's how Brzezinski is treated, or shall I say mistreated.

The daughter of former U.S. National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski is often demeaned, condescended to and bullied by the typically all-male panel, who summarily dismiss and disrespect her and her opinions as if she was a '50's suburban housewife. They mock her, interrupt her, talk over her, and even shout her down. The biggest brute of all is Scarborough, who orders her around like an intern and frequently looks at her with disdain, as if she's just uttered the most idiotic thing imaginable. And throughout all this Brzezinsky rolls her eyes, winces, frowns, pouts, gasps, sighs and smiles demurely as she tolerates this overtly chauvinistic behavior while desperately fighting to speak. That her producers likely also require her to flirt with them all, especially Scarborough, only serves to objectify and marginalize her even more.

Now don't get me wrong. I personally think Mika is terrific. She's a brilliant, accomplished 20-year news veteran with spot-on views and lots of integrity (as evidenced by her refusal in the 2007 video above to report on Paris Hilton). But her exasperated "boy's will be boys" girly-girl persona does an extreme disservice to her and to women news broadcasters everywhere. She either needs to grow some cajones and demand the respect and airtime she deserves or let her contract run out and get her own show somewhere. She's way too smart and talented to be subjected to this blatant sexism, and relegated to being Scarborough's bimbo.

Saturday, April 02, 2011

Leaving Obama




If Michelle Manning's frustration and disappointment is any indication of what's in store for President Barack Obama in 2012, he may be in very serious trouble. Obama, who made his re-election bid official in a video message released Monday morning, is struggling to retain his most loyal supporters. And Michelle was one of his fiercest devotees.

Back in 2008, a very pregnant Michelle, who's little brother was fighting in Iraq, protested the war and rallied hard for Obama. She took part in out-of-state get-out-the-vote campaigns. She produced the above video at her own $8,000 expense. And she sent the maximum contribution allowed by law. She was one of those people who were ridiculed as Obamacons. She took the Kool-Aid pitcher right up to her face and guzzled until she was drunk on "Change We Can Believe In." No doubt about it, Michelle was hard-core.

And then something happened after the election. There was change, alright, but not the kind that Michelle, and millions like her, expected. The president they loved and fought for was letting them down. He hadn't ended the war, as promised. He escalated the war in Afghanistan. Dropped health care reform's public option. Didn't support gay marriage. Took forever to repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell. Folded like a $2 lawn chair on repealing the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy. They grew angrier as he seemed to care more about placating Republicans than the die-hard progressives who put him in office. And now they're upset that he's gotten the United States embroiled in a third war, in Libya. For the Obamacons, this is not how "Hope" was supposed to look.

Michelle explains why she can no longer support and accept the inevitability of a second Obama term:

"I can't anymore. I worked too hard for him. I gave too much. I stood out in the freezing rain on Super Tuesday in Union Square holding a sign seven months pregnant begging for votes all day. I knocked on doors in Pennsylvania for two days begging for votes while I was nursing my new newborn baby, taking breaks to pump milk with a portable breast pump and a cooler in my car every three hours. I was a maxed out donor. I made two videos I put up on YouTube at my own production expense. He owes me. He needs to at least keep his promises, and he hasn't. I haven't wanted to say anything so as not to betray my party, but I am an American first, and a Democrat second, and keeping my mouth shut is wrong. We need another option in 2012. I'm afraid Mr. Obama is a one term president, and the sooner we recognize that and start working on Plan B, the better off we will be when the time comes. Pretending he's doing a good job isn't helping anyone, and I'm afraid the "give him time" grace period is over. It's reelection time already. I want another option."

To be sure, defections like Michelle's could be devastating to Obama's re-election bid. His approval rating continues to be stuck in the low-mid 40's, if you believe recent polls like Gallup. And half of those surveyed don't want him re-elected. Yet his advisers say that time is on his side. That the economy will improve enough to win over a majority of voters. That may be true. But the opposite may be true as well. Unemployment remains unacceptably high near 9%, and about 14-million Americans are still searching for work. The budget deficit is at a record high, and the economy, while recovering, isn't recovering fast enough. The military engagements in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya won't help him either. People are fed up. They're dissatisfied with the political system and the politicians who've failed them. The Michelles of the party gave their heart to a new lover. Someone who promised an entirely new kind of relationship. They put their trust and faith in Obama, and there's no mistaking that he broke those hearts.

Democrats should be scared. They should start praying that someone like New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie doesn't enter the race. He 's wildly popular among moderates and independents, and many believe he'd trounce Obama. And while all eyes seem focused on human Ambien pills like Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, don't be surprised to see a dark horse like Sen. Scott Brown (MA) toss his truck into the ring. He'd be quite the formidable opponent for Obama. Considering the aggressive, calculating and often ruthless campaign tactics of the GOP, 2012, for all of the reasons stated above, could be a truly horrible year for Obama.

Given this fertile landscape, would someone like Hillary Clinton recognize this reality, and opportunity, and run against her boss? One thing's for sure: Michelle Manning would drop Obama and throw her mighty weight around the Secretary of State in a nanosecond. And so would millions of others. Considering that Clinton actually won the popular vote in the 2008 Democrat primaries, is this such a far-fetched scenario? The conventional wisdom places Hillary atop the 2016 Democratic ticket. But, if Obama were to lose next year, her chances of toppling a potentially popular Republican incumbent in 2016, especially given a very likely, and strong, economic recovery these next few years, would be extremely diminished. As politically incorrect as it may seem, going head-to-head against Obama in 2012 may just be the strategically better bet for her.