The Ohio Supreme Court handed down a decision today in McFee v. Nursing Care Management of America, Inc. that holds that, "...it's not gender discrimination for employers to require a minimum tenure for employees to take an extended leave for any purpose, pregnancy included." (See this Columbus Dispatch blog post.) What's the problem? Kellie Copeland, executive director … [Read more...] about The Mama Grizzly Test: Ohio’s Top Court Denies Leave For Mama Grizzlies-To-Be
Macho Gone Mad
For someone who served under Patton in World War II and lived through the MacArthur mess over Korea, the text of McChrystal's self-immolation in Rolling Stone still comes as a mild shock--a hard-to-believe-it's-not-parody of macho gone mad in an era when top generals have learned to be as smooth as Petraeus, who sold Bush's Iraq Surge without getting his hair mussed by the … [Read more...] about Macho Gone Mad
The Wound McChrystal Opened
WASHINGTON -- Gen. Stanley McChrystal put President Obama in an impossible position. That is why he had to go. A general’s tasks involve executing policies made by the commander in chief, plotting strategy and winning wars -- not playing politics in the media to get at civilian rivals inside the government. What McChrystal did required Obama to change generals … [Read more...] about The Wound McChrystal Opened
Did Obama Thread Military and Political Needles by Replacing McChrystal with Petraeus?
Did President Barack Obama thread the military and political needles by replacing Gen. Stanley McChrystal with Gen. David Patraeus? It certainly looks that way -- for now. As we noted earlier, Obama's decision on whether or not to boot McChrystal after Rolling Stone ran a profile of him in which the General and his associates at various times dissed Obama, other civilian … [Read more...] about Did Obama Thread Military and Political Needles by Replacing McChrystal with Petraeus?
Screw The Generals, It’s The Foot Soldiers’ Lives That Count
The frenzy whether Gen. Stanley McChrystal will resign, be fired or retained as commander of Afghanistan military forces for disparaging remarks about his civilian counterparts is misplaced. The focus should be on the foot soldiers carrying out the counterinsurgency mission with rules of engagement that are "handcuffing" their efforts to defeat the enemy. Indulge me for … [Read more...] about Screw The Generals, It’s The Foot Soldiers’ Lives That Count
I wouldn’t want McChrystal’s job
Perhaps the only silver lining in this cloud is bipartisanship. Yesterday, Bill Kristol said McChrystal should go. John McCain pretty much said the same. I can't imagine Petraeus really wants this job. It reminds of when Rumsfeld resigned and it seemed that no one in their right mind would want to become the next Secretary of Defense. (One attraction at the time was the … [Read more...] about I wouldn’t want McChrystal’s job
McChrystal Is Out—Petraeus to Take Over
In this post, we asked the question, "Obama's meeting with McChrystal over--What now?" President Obama, in a nationally televised address from the White House Rose Garden with General Petraeus, Vice President Biden, Secretary Gates, at his side, has just answered the question. General Stanley McChrystal has been relieved of his command in Afghanistan. He will be … [Read more...] about McChrystal Is Out—Petraeus to Take Over
Live Video Feed: Obama Announces McChrystal Relived of Command
Here's a live video feed of President Barack Obama's announcement that he's relieving General Stanley McChrystal of his command: JOIN THE LIVE CHATVISIT WHITEHOUSE.GOV … [Read more...] about Live Video Feed: Obama Announces McChrystal Relived of Command
MSNBC: McChrystal Relieved of Command
Update via MSNBC email - AP source: Obama chooses Gen. David Petraeus to replace McChrystal as top Afghan commander. According to MSNBC TV, Gen. McChrystal has been relieved of command. Obama to relieve McChrystal of command. Sources tell NBC News that the president has decided to replace him. … [Read more...] about MSNBC: McChrystal Relieved of Command
Joe Barton Unapologizes for Apology for Apology
If I was a Democratic strategist I would take this story and the Tweet it contains and use it through campaign 2010. If the GOP truly wanted to distance themself from Joe Barton's apology to BP and pressured him to distance himself from his own apology then it failed. The Washington Post's Dave Weigel: Hours after getting a respite from House Republicans, Rep. Joe … [Read more...] about Joe Barton Unapologizes for Apology for Apology
Mr. President: This is what I think you should do about McChrystal
Mr. President, if I were you, I would head to the White House press briefing room and make something like the following statement, without notes or teleprompter. The flap caused by General McChrystal's and his staff's comments to Rolling Stone are consequential enough for you and the country to say something like what follows: I have relieved General Stanley McChrystal of … [Read more...] about Mr. President: This is what I think you should do about McChrystal
Obama To Speak At 1:30pm Eastern
Word just breaking that President Obama will speak to the nation regarding the status of General McChrystal as commander in Afghanistan. Obama has canceled his schedule for the afternoon so it looks likely that McChrystal is out. … [Read more...] about Obama To Speak At 1:30pm Eastern
US Advances In World Cup
If you'd written it for a Hollywood movie I suspect the studio bosses would have rejected it as unrealistic. With the clock literally running down and the game tied 0-0, the US scores the winning goal to advance to the 2nd round. They also won their group for the first time since 1930. Of course US football/soccer is still young compared to the rest of the world so the … [Read more...] about US Advances In World Cup
McChrystal Problem Saluting
Mort Zuckerman Gets It Wrong
Last Friday, Canadian-American billionaire Mort Zuckerman posted an opinion piece at his U.S. News and World Report in which he claims -- right in the headline -- that the "world sees Obama as incompetent and amateur" in the area of foreign policy. In an attempt to support his claim, he cites criticism of Obama on a single issue (nuclear weapons) from French President … [Read more...] about Mort Zuckerman Gets It Wrong
McChrystal and Obama’s Lose-Lose Fire or Not Situation
To fire General Stanley McChrystal or not to fire General Stanley McChrystal? That is President Barack Obama's question -- and big, fat dilemma. Do we now need more evidence that smug punditry written with certitude actually has a short shelf-life, polls are snapshots in time, and partisan scenarios about the future will miss key factors that are invisible (until they … [Read more...] about McChrystal and Obama’s Lose-Lose Fire or Not Situation
Breaking: Obama’s Meeting with McChrystal Over–What Now? (UPDATES)
The BBC reports that General McChrystal has just left the White House after meeting President Obama over the general's and his staff's disparaging comments about the president, vice-president and members of the president's national security team. The meeting, according to the BBC, lasted about 30 minutes. To read more, please click here. ADDED: The BBC also … [Read more...] about Breaking: Obama’s Meeting with McChrystal Over–What Now? (UPDATES)
General McChrystal
This copyrighted cartoon is licensed is licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about General McChrystal
In U.S. and Germany, Shared Derision Over World Cup Referees: Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Germany
Is there a problem with the officiating at the FIFA World Cup? After the Americans were inexplicably denied the winning goal against Slovenia by a Malian referee and Germany lost against Serbia due to the peculiarities of a Spanish official, Thomas Hummel of Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung sheds some light on whether there's more to the controversy than just the usual … [Read more...] about In U.S. and Germany, Shared Derision Over World Cup Referees: Sueddeutsche Zeitung, Germany
Haley, Marshall Win, Utah Pending
Today is primary day again and we have some results to report. In South Carolina Nicky Haley has won the runoff and is probably on her way to being the first female Governor of the Palmetto State. In North Carolina the Senate race will be Marshall (D) versus Burr (R). Marshall led in the initial primary but had to fight a runoff which he seems to be winning easily. At … [Read more...] about Haley, Marshall Win, Utah Pending