Archive for the ‘Foreign Policy’ Category
Wednesday, December 30th, 2009
Republicans have been treating Nigerian Abdulmutallab’s failed Christmas Day bombing of Flight 253 like a Christmas gift from Al Qaeda — something really juicy to exploit.
In fact, the Republicans’ partisan response to this attempted terrorism has been so shameless, even Politico noticed.
Republicans like Pete Hoekstra, James DeMint, Dan Burton, and many others have earned themselves a triple limerick by playing politics with national security:
Shameless Republicans On Christmas Attack
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Exploiting a terror attempt
Is surely beneath all contempt.
But that never would stop
Such a GOP op:
“Bash Obama! He failed to preempt.”
There is plenty of blame they should share
For that terrorist scare in the air.
We’ve no TSA head:
DeMint “held” him instead
Of a vote. It’s Republican guerre.
As for funding our air travel screening,
They vote no. Seems they’re pro-terror leaning.
Though their record is poor,
They keep spouting full-bore.
Please Republicans, spare us your preening.
NOTE: Here’s some unrelated, but timely, New Years Resolutions humor: It Is Hereby Resolved.
Tags: Abdulmutallab, Al Qaeda, Dan Burton, Detroit, James DeMint, National Security, Pete Hoekstra, Politico
Posted in Barack Obama, Blame Game, Dan Burton, Foreign Policy, GOP Humor, James DeMint, National Security Humor, Pete Hoekstra, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Public Safety, Republicans Humor, Terrorism, Transportation Safety, White House | 5 Comments »
Wednesday, November 18th, 2009
Fox News and all the usual wingnut suspects are simply horrified because President Obama, in a show of diplomatic courtesy, bowed to Emperor Akihito of Japan. This was a shocking and unprecedented show of weakness and subservience, according to sundry Obama bashers, including Karl Rove, Steve Doocy, and Dick Cheney.
It seems only Republican Presidents are allowed such bows (Richard Nixon to Japanese Emperor Hirohito, Dwight Eisenhower to Charles De Gaulle).
But as far as I’m concerned, President Obama can bow to as many foreign leaders as he likes. Although perhaps he should leave the Saudi Prince lip-kissing and hand-holding to George W. Bush.
And now it’s time for a limerick:
Bowing … And Scraping Bottom
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Kissing princes and hand-holding’s fine
For a Prez on the GOP line.
But a bow from Obama
To emp’rors — what drama!
Such nonsense, this sham wingnut-whine.
Tags: Diplomacy, Japan, Obama Bowing
Posted in Barack Obama, Diplomacy Humor, Foreign Policy, Fox News Humor, George Bush Satire, Hypocrisy Humor, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Wingnuts | 2 Comments »
Tuesday, September 23rd, 2008
While Congress is caught up in the Wall Street bail-out proposal, the presidential candidates are preparing for Friday’s foreign policy debate. What will McCain focus on … after boning up on Spain’s location? Working his surge-centric attack on Obama’s judgment into every answer, no matter what the question:
McCain’s Memory Purge
By Madeleine Begun kane
Please beware of McCain’s mem’ry purge.
He was wrong on Iraq, so this scourge
Proves his judgment was poor.
He cheer-led the war
Which did not get its start with the surge.[tags]Campaign Satire, Election Humor, Presidential Debates, Foreign Policy Humor, McCain Limerick, Iraq War, Judgment Humor, Surge Poem[/tags]
Posted in Campaign Humor, Debate Humor, Election Satire, Foreign Policy, GOP Humor, Iraq War Humor, John McCain, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor, White House | 1 Comment »
Thursday, August 14th, 2008
I’m starting to lose track of how many wars John McCain wants us embroiled in. He’s certainly singing a bellicose tune these days, and now you can join in with him to the melody of I’m Popeye The Sailor Man:
McCain’s Bellicose Tune (Sing to I’m Popeye The Sailor Man)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
I’m tougher than nails, I am.
I stand up for Uncle Sam.
The other guy’s weak,
While I’m still at my peak,
Cuz I’m tougher than nails, I am!
I’m one tough contender
Which hates all pretenders
Wot never has grown a pair.
I stiffs ‘em and bluffs ‘em
And always out-roughs ‘em.
Obama won’t get nowhere!
That foolhardy boy’s incurred my wrath.
It’s “Wham” and it’s “Bam,” un’erstan’?
It’s risky behavior
To challenge this Savior.
McCain is the White House Man!
I carry a giant stick.
I’m fast with a verbal kick.
Don’t vote for that lad
Or I’ll really get mad.
Beware of my giant stick!
Obama is just a wuss,
A sweet-talking fraidy-puss.
He looks kind of foreign,
Perhaps Ecuador’an.
Don’t vote for that callow wuss![tags]McCain Song Parody, Campaign Satire, Election Humor, White House Song, Obama Song Parody[/tags]
Posted in Barack Obama, Campaign Humor, Election Satire, Foreign Policy, GOP Humor, John McCain, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor, Song Parodies, White House | 3 Comments »
Wednesday, March 19th, 2008
The left blogosphere has been packed with stories about John “Foreign Policy Maven” McCain’s serial gaffes, in which he confused Islam’s Sunni and Shiite sects while trying to prove Iran supports al-Qaeda in Iraq. His gaffes were so bad, even über-loyalist Joe Lieberman was forced to correct him.
So, can we expect major media columnists and talking heads to question McCain’s foreign policy prowess? A small handful of fair-minded, insightful columnists like the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Dick Polman can be counted on at moments like this. But in the main, I wouldn’t hold your breath.
And that brings me to my latest limerick:
Ode To “Foreign Policy Maven” McCain
By Madeleine Begun Kane
John McCain’s expertise ain’t legit:
Sunni? Shiite? He doesn’t know shit.
So the man should be toast.
But the press let’s him coast
Cuz he’s great in a barbecue pit.
(For more humor on this topic, check out Joe Lieberman Has To Remind McCain He’s Not In Vietnam, by Don Davis.)[tags]Senator John McCain, Foreign Policy Expertise, Sunni, Shiite, Islam, McCain Barbecue, McCain Gaffes, al-Qaeda, Iran, Campaign Satire, Election Humor, Media Humor[/tags]
Posted in Campaign Humor, Election Satire, Foreign Policy, GOP Humor, Iraq War Humor, Joe Lieberman, John McCain, Media Satire, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, White House | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, October 31st, 2007
So Karen Hughes has resigned from her job to “promote America’s values and confront ideological support for terrorism around the world.” Hmmm. Could she have been involuntarily slated for an assignment in Iraq? Probably not, but it’s an amusing fantasy. In any event, it’s haiku time:
Heckofa Job, Karen!
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Karen Hughes resigned
From her boost-our-image job.
Mission accomplished?
(You can find more of my Karen Hughes humor here and here.)[tags]Karen Hughes Humor, U.S. Image Problems, American Values, U.S. Dept of State[/tags]
Posted in Foreign Policy, Karen Hughes, News Haiku & Senryu, Political Haiku & Senryu, Political Verse, Politics Satire, State Department | No Comments »
Saturday, October 27th, 2007
Condi Rice’s testimony this past week, in which she belligerently defended the State Department’s work in Iraq, was her first appearance before a Democratically-controlled House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. True to form, she blamed everything but the Bush’s many administration failures for the problems in Iraq:
Rice stated that the overthrow of Saddam Hussein and the liberation of Iraq were worth the money and sacrifice of life. She blamed the current chaos in Iraq on the previous regime, stating the stabilizing Iraq “has been harder than we thought because we didn’t realize how broken the country was under Saddam Hussein.”
Regarding problems with contractor oversight, Rice also shirked blame, repeatedly using a fifty-dollar word that few people even know:
In response to charges that private security firms were not held accountable for their aggressive behavior, Rice dodged responsibility by repeatedly referring to a “lacuna” or a gap in the law that prevented the contractors from being prosecuted.
Condi has inspired me to write some more-serious-than-usual verse:
Pondering Condi
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Rice shrugs off blame
For wartime’s toll.
Poor oversight?
Rice claims a hole—
A legal “lacuna”
Impedes control
Of contractor actions
On Iraq patrol.
Must fill that lacuna—
She touts that goal.
But who will fill
The lacuna in her soul?
On a lighter note, you might enjoy the Condi song parody I wrote way back when.[tags]Condi Rice, Rice Testimony, State Department Failures, Condoleezza Rice[/tags]
Posted in Condi Rice Humor, Foreign Policy, Henry Waxman, Iraq War Humor, Political Verse, State Department | 13 Comments »
Monday, October 22nd, 2007
Here’s how I’d sum up Attorney General nominee Mike Mukasey’s Senate Judiciary Committee testimony about torture, waterboarding, and the U.S. Constitution:
Torture: Bad
Tortured Language: Good[tags]Michael Mukasey, Attorney General Nominee, Torture & Waterboarding Satire[/tags]
Posted in Constitution Humor, Foreign Policy, GOP Humor, Justice Department, Law Satire, Michael Mukasey, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor, Torture Humor | No Comments »
Wednesday, October 17th, 2007
I live in New York City, so I’m pretty familiar with the pros and cons of Rudy Giuliani. And yes, there are pros. What pros? Well, Rudy does love opera.
And as ornery, self-centered, and first amendment-hating as Rudy was during his New York City Mayor years, he never struck me as being insane. Yet his current outsized hawkishness does seem … well … crazy. So I can’t help wondering whether Rudy’s crazed warmongering is real or a ruse. (Not that I want to find out, of course.)
Pondering Rudy (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Rudy acts like a war-loving crank.
Is his hawkishness feigned, else he’ll tank
As Republicans see
That he doesn’t agree
With most of the GOP plank?[tags]Rudy Giuliani Humor, GOP Hawks, New York City Mayors[/tags]
Posted in Campaign Humor, Election Satire, Foreign Policy, GOP Humor, Iraq War Humor, New York Mayors, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor, Rudy Giuliani, White House | 6 Comments »
Wednesday, October 10th, 2007
Can you imagine the reaction if a Democratic candidate made a Mitt Romney type consult the lawyers before launching a war remark? Republicans wouldn’t be guilty of a double standard, would they?
First Kill All The Lawyers (Republican Policy)
First Consult All The Lawyers (Mitt Romney Policy)
First Kill All The Democrat Lawyers (Revised Republican Policy)
(You can find more of my legal humor here.) [tags]Mitt Romney, Legal Humor, Republicans & Lawyers, GOP & Attorneys, Debate Humor, GOP Hypocrisy[/tags]
Posted in Campaign Humor, Debate Humor, Election Satire, Foreign Policy, GOP Humor, Law Satire, Mitt Romney Humor, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor, Uncategorized, White House | 1 Comment »
Monday, September 10th, 2007
I had to laugh when I heard about Brit Hume’s exclusive Fox interview with General David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker “about the state of the Iraq war and their testimony to Congress.” What’s the matter — wasn’t Hannity available?
Petraeus and Crocker Face Hume Humiliation (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Gen. Petraeus and Crocker on Fox
(Not exactly the school of hard knocks)
Where they weave and they spin
And avow “We must win,”
While Brit Hume bows and kisses their socks.
And now a quick haiku about the purported Iraq violence reduction:
Reducing violence
In Iraq is quite easy:
Redefine violence.
(You can find more of my Petraeus humor here and my previous Brit Hume humor here.)
=========
And now some links, for your reading (and viewing) pleasure:
* ‘Old Navy” Stores Looted, After Hiring Rumsfeld as CEO
* About.com’s Political Humor on Bush’s Gaffes
* Hit it: morrrrrre…than the greatest polls the worrrrrld has known…
* Digby’s Overplaying Their Hand
* Exclusive! — The Patraeus testimony In advance! (Dick Polman)
* Larry Johnson on Dave Petraeus and Iraq Kabuki
* The Very Polite Matt Bai On Giuliani
* Blog Carnival of Observations On Life
* Sunday Funnies
* Carnival of Principled Government
Tags: Ambassador Ryan Crocker, Brit Hume Humor, Fox News Satire, General David Petraeus, Hannity, Iraq Surge, Iraq War Humor, Iraq War Violence, Petraeus Congressional Testimony
Posted in Brit Hume, Foreign Policy, General Petraeus, Iraq War Humor, Media Satire, Political Haiku & Senryu, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire | 4 Comments »
Thursday, August 23rd, 2007
Can we ever get rid of Bush’s spinmeister cronies? Apparently not. Sure, they eventually quit. But they stubbornly refuse to stay quit.
Remember when Karen Hughes resigned amidst all sorts of hoopla? Well, she stayed away for roughly a nanosecond and she’s currently with the State Department, “leading efforts to promote America’s values.”
And now the dishonorable Ari Fleischer has resurfaced and, once again, he’s flacking George Bush’s needless war, via the White House front group Freedom’s Watch.
I thought I’d celebrate Ari’s comeback with a limerick:
Why I No Longer Get Excited When Bush Cronies Quit
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Bush spinmeisters keep coming back:
First Karen returned. What a hack!
Now Ari is here,
Spreading war lies and fear.
Guess they don’t really leave; they just pack.
=========
And now some links, for your reading (and viewing) pleasure:
* The Buzzflash Media Putz of the Week
* Don Davis’s Bush Explains His ‘Domino’ Theory of Vietnam
* skippy has lots of fun at Mitt Romney’s expense
* Norm at OneGoodMove has the Daily Show’s Samantha Bee commenting on Bush’s vacation record
* Digby on Michael McConnell and retroactive immunity for private companies
* All Hat No Cattle presents Bush’s History
* Carnival of Satire
* Carnival of the Decline of Democracy [tags]Freedom’s Watch, White House Front Group Bush Spinmeisters, Ari Fleischer, Karen Hughes, Bush Spokesman Humor, Bush Flacks, Bush Cronies[/tags]
Posted in Ari Fleischer, Foreign Policy, Freedom's Watch, GOP Humor, George Bush Satire, Iraq War Humor, Karen Hughes, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor, White House | 2 Comments »
Wednesday, August 22nd, 2007
Have you seen this photo of Russian President Vladimir Putin? Boy, that Pootie-Poot is majorly buff! And something tells me that George Dubya Bush is seriously jealous. After all, he sure as hell isn’t built like this.
That brings me to my latest poll:
{democracy:10}
Update: How come so many presidential physiques are in the news? Apparently French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s naked “poignees d’amour (love handles)” were retouched by the French magazine Paris Match – tightened to make him look more svelte. [tags]Vladimir Putin, Pootie-Poot, Buff Russian President, Putin Humor, Putin Satire, Dubya Humor, Gym Rats, Bush Putin Poll[/tags]
Posted in Foreign Policy, George Bush Satire, Politics Satire, Polls, Vladimir Putin | 2 Comments »
Friday, August 17th, 2007
Do you think the long-awaited General David H. Petraeus’s Iraq surge report will “see” as much “tangible progress” as Petraeus claimed to see in the election-influencing op ed he wrote for the Washington Post back on September 26, 2004?
Will it be a “clear-eyed report from a top general” accurately assessing military progress? A report that even approaches the honest document Bush promised in order to buy himself a lot more time?
Hahahahaha!
Anyone who nurtured even the slightest fantasy that the Petraeus assessment would be the real deal, now must surely know otherwise:
Despite Bush’s repeated statements that the report will reflect evaluations by Petraeus and Ryan Crocker, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, administration officials said it would actually be written by the White House, with inputs from officials throughout the government.
And though Petraeus and Crocker will present their recommendations on Capitol Hill, legislation passed by Congress leaves it to the president to decide how to interpret the report’s data.
So why is Petraeus sacrificing what little remains of his integrity by letting the White House author his report? Yes, you guessed it — it’s time for another poll:
{democracy:9}
(You can catch up with my previous polls here. And check out Petraeus’ Report To Be Cribbed From … ‘Monarch Notes’.)[tags]General David Petraeus, Petraeus Iraq Surge Report, George Bush, Tangible Progress, Petraeus Poll[/tags]
Posted in Foreign Policy, GOP Humor, General Petraeus, George Bush Satire, Iraq War Humor, Politics Satire, Polls, Republicans Humor, White House | 3 Comments »
Frankly My Dear Gaffney, You’re Nuts!
Saturday, February 27th, 2010Right-wing activist Frank Gaffney is at it again. His latest tin-foil hat paranoia involves the Missile Defense Agency’s website logo which, according to Gaffney, is part of a “nefarious” pro-Islam, submission to Shariah plot. As Gaffney sees it, the logo evokes all sorts of evil stuff:
The alleged plot is ever-so-slightly undermined, however, by the timing of the logo’s design — a full year before Obama’s presidential election.
So it’s back to the conspiracy drawing board for Frank Gaffney. I guess I’ll celebrate with a limerick:
Frankly My Dear Gaffney, You’re Nuts
By Madeleine Begun Kane
At Obama Frank Gaffney takes aim.
A “nefarious” plot is his claim.
What’s his latest complaint?
Logo’s “Islam”-like taint.
What a shame that Bush-Cheney’s to blame.
Tags: Conspiracy Theories, Frank Gaffney, Islam, MDA Logo, Missile Defense Agency, Nefarious Plots, Right-Wing Paranoia, Shariah
Posted in Barack Obama, Foreign Policy, Frank Gaffney, National Security Humor, Political Commentary, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, White House, Wingnuts | 1 Comment »