Leon Panetta Archives

Leon Panetta, the former head of the CIA, went on CNN Thursday and referenced Donald Trump’s recent bazaar press conference. Panetta expressed worry over the apparent fantasy world Donald Trump wallows in, and the real world the rest of us live in.

“We are living in the world according to Trump,” Panetta said. “You know, it’s tough to gauge this president by a standard that has been set by past presidents. This is a president like no other president we’ve ever had and he wanders between the real world and the world according to Trump. I guess my concern is that at some point the president of the United States has to get very serious with the American people and with the press about the challenges we face and what this president is going to do to deal with those challenges. If he simply continues to engage in this kind of personal attack, counterattack to the press, this reality TV kind of presentation, what I worry about is that not enough time is going to be focused on the real crises and the real threats that the country faces.”

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The only ‘news’ from Fox News is the ‘News’ that comes after the word “Fox.” If that word wasn’t included in the name, then they would more appropriately be called ‘Fox Opinions’ instead.

Here is an example explaining why I make that statement. What “news” network would advice the Generals in any administration to “put their stars down and walk out?”

President Obama is not George Bush and should never be confused with Bush. George Bush had a reputation of being a numskull, incapable of formulating an independent thought, the marbles in his brain were the toys of Dick Cheney. Barack Obama on the other hand is the total opposite, and has been accused by some in his own circle as taking his time when making decisions. Getting all the information first and thinking things through completely.

Over the last few days, some former workers in the President’s circle have been making the rounds, promoting their books about their time in the administration and insights they gained while working with the president. And like any other smart book salesperson, these former White House workers are telling the media exactly what they want to hear – perceived faults of the president – in hopes of bringing more attention and publicity to their books.

Leon Panetta has been extremely critical, blaming the president for the rise of ISIS and being a vocal opponent to the president’s “no boots on the ground” strategy. The media loves hearing this stuff and Panetta is feeding off their love of Obama-hate. Talking about positive attributes of the President apparently makes bad television, so Panetta has been making the rounds, his criticisms getting repeated airplay on television, his book sales undoubtedly rising.

So needless to say, Fox News found “news” in Panetta’s claims and decided to share it with their loyal fans. Their discussion focused on Leon’s critical statements and the statements of couple other Generals on the president’s “no boots” strategy in fighting ISIS. They all want the president to put “boots on the ground” to fight ISIS in Iraq and Syria and his decision not to do so is upsetting to them.

One of the ferns on the Fox couch expressed how frustrated the Generals must have been, when they told the President to put boots on the ground and he refused..

“You know what’s curious about the books that come out, is it’s pretty clear that in this administration the president of the United States ultimately decides what to do. But we’ve heard from Gates, we’ve heard from Pinata, they’ve given him great advice and he doesn’t take it. You’ve got to figure if you’re them and you’re sitting in a meeting and you make the case – and Hillary Clinton had a book that came out too – you make the case why you should do certain thinks a certain way and he says ‘no, we’re not going to do it that way,’ you just got to figure they’re sitting around the table going, [hits himself in the forehead] ‘no, not again!'”

And then this piece of news from another guest was the response.

“Why would they sit around the table Steve, they should just lay their stars down and walk out!”

First, a congressman claimed he is advising generals in the Obama administration to quit, now Fox is doing the same. Could you imagine the size of the posse they would have sent to take you to the gallows if you, as a liberal, had suggested that the Generals in the Bush administration should have quit? Especially in a time of War?