Althouse: "Just as nobody would trust John Mitchell to investigate Richard Nixon, nobody should trust a partisan Obama donor..."

March 23, 2014

"Just as nobody would trust John Mitchell to investigate Richard Nixon, nobody should trust a partisan Obama donor..."

"... to investigate the IRS’s political targeting of President Obama’s enemies. Sadly, 'in the discretion of the Attorney General,' Eric Holder has chosen to reject the bipartisan tradition of the Department of Justice of putting rule of law above political allegiance. Both Nixon Administration Attorney General Elliot Richardson and Clinton Administration Attorney General Janet Reno appointed special prosecutors whose integrity was beyond reproach; Eric Holder should do likewise. To date, nine months after a damning Inspector General report, nobody has been indicted, many of the victims have not even been interviewed, and Lois Lerner has twice pleaded the Fifth. And yet the Attorney General refuses to allow a genuine — and impartial — investigation."

That's Ted Cruz, waving the WORSE THAN NIXON sign.

54 comments:

SomeoneHasToSayIt said...: That's Ted Cruz, waving the WORSE THAN NIXON sign.

Is he only "waving a sign", or is he essentially correct?

I lived through the Nixon stuff. In comparison, the Obama administration is far worse. It's not even close.

Main lesson - don't put liberal Blacks in positions of power. They cannot be criticized, or held accountable - and that is very bad for the Republic.

Nice legacy, Barack!; 3/23/14, 9:04 AM
PB said...: We have devolved to a point where the Democrats believe so strongly in their cause that they'll never accept anyone outside of their circle as fair and impartial.; 3/23/14, 9:06 AM
Wince said...: Cruz there is saying Holder as bad as Mitchell, isn't he?

But Obama is worse than Nixon, because so few in the establishment media would ever appear on Obama's "Enemies List".; 3/23/14, 9:11 AM
I'm Full of Soup said...: Just think about this...the FBI was on the Bridgegate case the day after it broke. As far as we know, the FBI did not even bother to interview any of the IRS victims until many many months later.; 3/23/14, 9:14 AM
Bob Ellison said...: SomeoneHasToSayIt said "Main lesson - don't put liberal Blacks in positions of power."

Someone has to point out the racism intrinsic to your statement. If you wanted to come out with it, great. Run with racism. If you think you meant to say "liberals are stupid and ignorant", then I'm right with you.

But "Blacks" was racist.; 3/23/14, 9:32 AM
MadisonMan said...: And everyone under 40 says Who?; 3/23/14, 9:34 AM
bleh said...: Bob Ellison, that was my initial impression as well. But actually his point is about other people's racism, i.e., less is expected of blacks and criticism of blacks is often shouted down by accusations of racism. So Obama being black doesn't make him a bad president, it just makes it less likely that he is ever challenged or called to account for his mistakes. Thus, the press does his bidding, even more than they did the bidding for white liberals.; 3/23/14, 9:36 AM
Bruce Hayden said...: I think what is disheartening is that Obama and his Administration are much worse than Nixon's Administration, when it comes to internal corruption, abuse of government powers, etc. And, I suspect that part of the difference is that much of the press is still working to cover and protect Obama and his Administration, instead of providing any sort of investigation into wrongdoings.

So, of course, the Senate now apparently has the votes to pass a press shield law that would give special rights and protections to those covering up Dem abuses. And, yesterday we talked about the WaPo hit piece on the Koch brothers written by one of their people who is married to someone in the Obama Administration, and also works for a far left environmental advocacy group.

And, that may be part of it - that much of the press is now married to, and in bed with, the Administration. Instead of viewing themselves as protectors of society from power misuse in the government, they now seemingly view themselves as cheerleaders and protectors of Obama and his Administration.; 3/23/14, 9:41 AM
Kelly said...: Let's not forget the sainted Valerie Plame. If that one woman deserved a special Prosecutor to look into who leaked her name, surely the many victims of the IRS deserve no less.; 3/23/14, 9:41 AM
Bob Ellison said...: BDNYC, good points. Someone's post is short and more nuanced than I saw.; 3/23/14, 9:46 AM
Paul said...: Well, Banjo Obama IS worse than Tricky Dick Nixon ever was.

But maybe soon there will be enough Republican Congressmen and Senators to take the covers off of all of Obama's crimes.; 3/23/14, 9:55 AM
Anonymous said...: Actually it is much worse than Nixon.

Nixon's plumbers, a few political operatives, targeted specific political enemies. The IRS, a taxpayers funded govt. agency, targeted ordinary citizens who were trying to organize, infringing their Constitutional rights. The personal info they accessed and could abuse was never available to the plumbers.

Nixon can never be trusted again, neither can the IRS. Nixon's life was ruined, his plumbers in jail, they were punished, then they died, closing their book. Can you say the same thing about the IRS? Where can they get back their trust from the naïve American taxpayers? Do they give a sh*t? Would they rather be like the KGBs, always watching and undermining their political enemies, the American taxpayers?; 3/23/14, 10:02 AM
Tim said...: Yes, Obama is worse than Nixon. Obama and his entire entourage of cronies and race hustlers should be the subject of scathing headlines and nightly news investigators( if we had any anymore). Nixon had the grace to see what the country was going through and stepped down. I hope there is something to rebuild in three more years.; 3/23/14, 10:08 AM
SomeoneHasToSayIt said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 3/23/14, 10:18 AM
SomeoneHasToSayIt said...: Bob Ellison said...

SomeoneHasToSayIt said "Main lesson - don't put liberal Blacks in positions of power."

Someone has to point out the racism intrinsic to your statement. If you wanted to come out with it, great. Run with racism. If you think you meant to say "liberals are stupid and ignorant", then I'm right with you.

But "Blacks" was racist.

Did I say "Blacks", or did I say "liberal" Blacks?

This is a typical liberal debating trick. Leaving out absolutely critical modifying adjectives.

Example: claiming Conservatives are against immigration, when they are in fact against illegal immigration.

The adjective makes all the difference.

As to my comment, there would be no end to the criticism and holding accountable of a President Herman Cain, or a President Ben Carson. There was plenty of criticism of Sec of State Condoleezza Rice, but not of Susan Rice.

So my observation stands, and is 100% correct, as should be easily seen by anyone who thinks about it for even a single objective moment.

It is dangerous to the Republic to elect liberals, but especially so liberal Blacks, and we should refrain from doing so until the Press becomes more objective, which is not likely in my lifetime.

Obama and Holder know they have a free hand, and unfortunately, the content of their character makes that a very dangerous and damaging thing indeed.; 3/23/14, 10:20 AM
Rusty said...: Oh we're way past Nixon here. We're zoomin up on banana republic.; 3/23/14, 10:20 AM
Bob Ellison said...: SomeoneHasToSayIt, I bow down to the lucidity of your arguments. I got it wrong the first time around, and commented on that.

"This is a typical...trick" is a problem. Writing and speaking are attempts at communication, and sometimes we fail. I failed to pick up on what you were saying the first time.

Was the failure mine, or yours? Probably both of us are culpable.

Anyway, I agree with you, and you are 100% correct, as you say. I bow down and will sin no more forever, as long as I have a single objective moment.; 3/23/14, 10:22 AM
cubanbob said...: If only Obama & Co. were as bad as Nixon. DC would be far less corrupt.; 3/23/14, 10:33 AM
chickelit said...: Althouse wrote: That's Ted Cruz, waving the WORSE THAN NIXON sign.

No Althouse, that's Ted Cruz, waving the OBAMA IS LIKE NIXON tag -- just like you do.; 3/23/14, 10:49 AM
SomeoneHasToSayIt said...: To Bob Ellison: you are forgiven, my son. Ha.

I saw your first reply, but left the 'liberal trick' comment in my reply, not against you, but since it is a despicable and frequent liberal trick, it can't be called out often enough.

Progressives became ascendant because we let them, by our inaction, take control of the language, and thus the thoughts of the "barely paying attention" voters, who are legion.

Leaving out crucial adjectives, painting their own positions in ridiculously misleading favorable euphemisms, while slandering our positions - we let it go on far too long, and the mess we are in now is the result.

As an Army of One, I intend to call it our as often as I can, though I might occasionally jump the gun, as in your case.; 3/23/14, 10:50 AM
Mark O said...: Can anyone here compare the damage of Nixon's lies to that caused by Obama's lies?

Nixon more than deserved impeachment and banishment. Obama?; 3/23/14, 11:02 AM
SomeoneHasToSayIt said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 3/23/14, 11:06 AM
SomeoneHasToSayIt said...: Blogger Mark O said...

Can anyone here compare the damage of Nixon's lies to that caused by Obama's lies?

Nixon more than deserved impeachment and banishment. Obama?

I can't think of any direct damage done by Nixon's lies, other than create a climate where Liberals got more power. But that was an unintended consequence caused by voter idiocy.

Also, Nixon was not impeached, though Bill Clinton was.; 3/23/14, 11:07 AM
garage mahal said...: Obama is worse than Nixon, but we won't impeach him. Bawk bawk bawk!; 3/23/14, 11:08 AM
Big Mike said...: No question that Holder is worse than Mitchell. The only remaining question is whether he's worse than Wilson's Palmer.; 3/23/14, 11:17 AM
cubanbob said...: Can anyone here compare the damage of Nixon's lies to that caused by Obama's lies?

Nixon more than deserved impeachment and banishment. Obama?"

You obviously have been asleep for the last four years.

As for Nixon, if he were to be resurrected today and came out as a Democrat with his views on domestic policies and foreign affairs he would be hands down the most electable Democrat for president in 2016.; 3/23/14, 11:23 AM
Anonymous said...: "Just as nobody would trust Joni Mitchell to investigate Richard Nixon..." They paved Watergate and put up a parking lot.; 3/23/14, 11:42 AM
Michael said...: Look, it is just politics when your president looks you in the eye and tells you a bald faced lie.

You can keep your plan if you like it.

Period.; 3/23/14, 11:54 AM
William said...: Nixon's immediate predecessor, Lyndon Johnson, set a pretty high bar for mendacity, corruption, and grandiose schemes ineptly administered. Yet historians always take the trouble to note that he passed Medicare and the Civil Rights Act, and for these good deeds all his sins are forgiven. Liberals should note that Nixon passed the EPA and initiated affirmative action measures. In the way that liberals now take ownership of Abraham Lincoln, liberals should now admit Nixon to their pantheon of great American Presidents.; 3/23/14, 12:02 PM
Stephen Taylor said...: My wife and I are so proud of Senator Cruz, and the small part we played in helping get him elected. I can truly say that he seems to believe in everything he says, and that his actions support his public statements in every particular. The House and the Senate need many more just like him.; 3/23/14, 12:22 PM
SteveR said...: Obama should be evaluated based on what he promised to do and the current climate. There's a lot of things different from 1972, comparing him to Nixon is misdirection.; 3/23/14, 12:36 PM
Clyde said...: WORSE THAN NIXON? Well, duh!; 3/23/14, 1:23 PM
Jupiter said...: "Someone has to point out the racism intrinsic to your statement."

Because whether a statement is "racist", is more important than whether it is true or false.; 3/23/14, 1:41 PM
cubanbob said...: SteveR said...
Obama should be evaluated based on what he promised to do and the current climate. There's a lot of things different from 1972, comparing him to Nixon is misdirection.

3/23/14, 12:36 PM"

How is it misdirection when compared to Nixon Obama looks to be even worse than Nixon?; 3/23/14, 1:45 PM
Hagar said...: Obama should be evaluated based on what he promised to do and the current climate.

Right! So how does "the climate" now compare to "the climate" in January 2009?

(And I am not referring to "climate change" in the AGW sense.); 3/23/14, 2:01 PM
gk1 said...: If Valerie Palme deserved a special prosecutor so does this IRS persecution of tea party groups. It's not anymore complicated than this. And no, lickspittles like Holder can not be trusted to investigate something of this gravity. Unitl such time, look to see this open sore fester and the republican's run on a plank of punitive starving the IRS of funding. Liberals are deluded if they think this will go away on its own.; 3/23/14, 2:53 PM
Cedarford said...: In a way, I hope the Obamites continue to try to bury the IRS investigation.
For much of the American public, who will be voting in the upcoming Senate and House races - NOTHING generates the fear of the IRS turned loose to investigate, fine, and imprison people because they are targeted for their political beliefs. Even moderates and liberals have concern that unless it is stopped, they too will be targeted when power changes hands.
Republicans should run on this, and also make it clear that while they consider it unacceptable if they take power, the best deterrent is to investigate and prosecute if the evidence bears out - Lerner and all the Obamites that pulled her strings. And of course who at Justice quashed the Benghazi investigation.

Heck, run on demand that Obama never pardon Eric Holder for abuses of power. Even liberals and moderates think the guy is dirty..; 3/23/14, 3:32 PM
SteveR said...: How is it misdirection when compared to Nixon Obama looks to be even worse than Nixon?

Exactly, compare Obama to his own standards set in 2008. Nixon never set himself up as a messiah.; 3/23/14, 3:46 PM
SteveR said...: Right! So how does "the climate" now compare to "the climate" in January 2009?

He has failed to live up to his promises and he has been given a pass by many. A great opportunity wasted, not that I expected him to be anything but the failure he's been. "Hope and Change" was really just Chicago style politics. In that regard he's way worse than Nixon.; 3/23/14, 3:59 PM
The Godfather said...: I hold no brief for Tricky Dick, but he "inherited" a war that Kennedy (D) started, and Johnson (D) expanded and screwed up, and Nixon ended it on terms that provided a fair chance for a successful peace. When the North Vietnamese broke the treaty, Congress (D) refused to protect the interests of our ally.

I happened to be chatting the other day with a guy who was draft bait in the last years of the Viet Nam war, and was seriously planning to move to Canada, when Nixon ended the draft. I didn't ask (because I'm a good host), So you thank God every day for Richard Nixon? But he should have.; 3/23/14, 5:11 PM
Skeptical Voter said...: Oh come on EDH. Most of the establishment media would appear on the Obama fellator's list.; 3/23/14, 5:35 PM
Anonymous said...: Well, let's see, Obama used and is using the IRS as a weapon against people he doesn't like, and appointed a racist AG who runs a "Civil Rights" Department that runs on the "principle" that if you're "white", you don't have any civil rights.

He routinely ignores the law for political reasons, arbitrarily changing even laws he supposed supports in unlawful ways.

The only way you could think Obama isn't worse than Nixon, is if you're a partisan first, and an American second.; 3/23/14, 5:55 PM
richard mcenroe said...: None of the IRS victims I know personally have EVER been visited by the FBI, including the ones who testified on television.

Not. One.; 3/23/14, 7:26 PM
richard mcenroe said...: Hey, Bob, can you name one major piece of legislation that originated in the Congressional Black Caucus, above the level of naming government buildings?; 3/23/14, 7:27 PM
richard mcenroe said...: OBAMALAND! The game where EVERY Democrat player is Bebe Rebozo!; 3/23/14, 7:28 PM
garage mahal said...: Well, let's see, Obama used and is using the IRS as a weapon against people he doesn't like

The Tea Party and Progressives! With ya buddy.; 3/23/14, 7:28 PM
Real American said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 3/23/14, 8:50 PM
Fen said...: Nixon wasn't that corrupt by today's standards. Clinton would have burned the tapes that were incriminating. Obama would have burnt them and blamed Bush for it.

Of the 3, Nixon was more honorable.; 3/23/14, 9:04 PM
Humperdink said...: Garage, your mocking of the IRS scandal makes you look foolish. There was a time when I viewed you as an honest liberal. Reputation is a terrible thing to waste and you squandered yours.; 3/24/14, 7:16 AM
Matt Sablan said...: On the bright side, whatever website is keeping that silly promises kept/broken record can mark, "Promise kept!" next to where Obama promised to audit his enemies.; 3/24/14, 7:22 AM
chickelit said...: Humperdink said...
Garage, your mocking of the IRS scandal makes you look foolish. There was a time when I viewed you as an honest liberal. Reputation is a terrible thing to waste and you squandered yours.

Garage doesn't care about integrity and reputation. He's a big contrarian fixture on Althouse, man.

That's his internet gig.; 3/24/14, 8:45 AM
Todd said...: Worst than Nixon? Hell Obama is worst than Carter.

Carter must thank God every night that Obama was elected!; 3/24/14, 3:50 PM
Unknown said...: The Democratic party is a collection of single issue voters - almost by definition corrupt since each issue-group really doesn't care about anything else and will therefore ignore or trade anything to advance the cause. Until Nixon, the Democratic party was hands down, historically and permanently racist. IMHO, what Nixon really did wrong was court and win racist southern democrats. From Nixon's political strategist Kevin Phillips:

"From now on, the Republicans are never going to get more than 10 to 20 percent of the Negro vote and they don't need any more than that...but Republicans would be shortsighted if they weakened enforcement of the Voting Rights Act. The more Negroes who register as Democrats in the South, the sooner the Negrophobe whites will quit the Democrats and become Republicans. That's where the votes are. Without that prodding from the blacks, the whites will backslide into their old comfortable arrangement with the local Democrats."

White guilt is not about slavery, it's about naked racism exploited by the GOP, and we are all paying for it with our freedom because an ineffectual man (but reasonably good orator) leading a corrupt system has been let into power based on the color of his skin and not his character. He doesn't really care about anything except his issue, racism. A black kid attacks and is subsequently killed by a white (kind of) man, racism. Blacks get suspended more from schools than whites, racism. Non profit organizations fight his agenda, well since all he really cares about is fixing racism they must be racist. Make your own list.

The fact is, the GOP deliberately and consciously adopted racism. The fix is to consciously and deliberately disassociate from racism until the connection is permanently lost. (I've read about but don't remember an apology in 2005, but it needs to be hammered again and again until the GOP is no longer associated with racism.) I don't mean pander, pay reparations (a.k.a. white guilt) or give up what's right, just make sure actions aren't perceived as resulting from an embrace of racism. It can be done, it needs to be done. Every time until it replaces the old meme.; 3/24/14, 4:25 PM
Gary Rosen said...: "And of course who at Justice quashed the Benghazi investigation."

Gee, Fudd, whatever happened to your mocking of those killed in Benghazi, sarcastically deriding their "heroism"? Next thing you know you'll be trying to make everyone forget how you whitewashed every ass-raping child molester from Polanski to Sandusky.; 3/25/14, 1:29 AM