Quite a list here of who he's meeting with and learning from, and those supposedly "sensible Republicans" are far outnumbered by the usual warmongering criminal ones -- but all is not lost: he's actually read 2 whole books by non-warmongers! (but not spoken to them or met with them or asked them for advice)

A World of Issues Waiting, Obama and His Foreign Policy Squad Brush Up --

... Besides reaching out to Mr. Scowcroft, Mr. Obama has also called former Secretary of State George P. Shultz, a Reagan administration official who is known in some foreign policy circles as the father of the Bush doctrine because of his advocacy of preventive war. It is unclear what the two men talked about.

Let's all sit down at the table, shall we? Did Shooter see god after that bomb went off?

Really, I just can't. As CJill says, "branding isn't a substitute for reality-based foreign policy."

I guess the arrogance still shocks me. It boggles my mind that anyone could think that by placing a story about the rape, torture and murder of innocent civilians in the "business pages" that story is somehow less "impactful" and forgettable. Perhaps I'm wrong, but it seems to me that people tend to remember that kind of horror, no matter how many Disney movies they see.

Boo waxes eloquently about some cabinet shuffling going on at the White House, and all I can say is that I really don't have an opinion or theory, because as has been the case so often in the last six years, it's clear we don't have "all the information" necessary to make a sound conclusion. Except this: historically, moving high level staff around in the manner of Bush these last few years is a sign of chaos, confusion, rudderlessness and lack of direction. I read a book about Nixon's last days some time ago, and this story reminded me a bit of that, as well as of Hitler's last days, in which he would scream at his generals and move invisible armies around the map, demanding that everyone in his cabinet follow through on his plans for "victory."

I was pissed off last night, having been reminded by my Betters in the Democratic establishment that I am of the Little People, and thus have no say in the decision making process. Which is fine, I guess, I've never really sought power. But I sincerely wish our Betters would occasionally recall, we Little People, in addition to caring about things like equality, the Rule of Law, sound fiscal policy, etc, because we have to, are very often right about the "big problems," as they used to call that program at one of my alma maters.

It's always fun to learn the ways of a strange new people, and it could be said that's what I'm doing here in DC. Part of the learning curve always includes making a faux pas or two, and I made one today. However, I am in no way sorry I did, for it taught me more than anything all week.

As I noted in this post, I was at the Center for American Progress to hear a panel of folks talk about the bureaucratic process and the spin up to the war with Iran. I'm disappointed to say it, but I didn't really learn anything new. The highlights include a few points that Corrente readers will be familiar with, and which reinforce the picture we've been developing about the Bush administration and their warmongering, incompetent, arrogant ways. The panel of experts agreed that the war will come after the election, and mainly because of the cabal out of Cheney's office.

Halperin, a very well qualified and long time Distric insider, spoke at length about the Army and the Air Force, and made an argument worth repeating. Essentially, he thinks it's useful to view military support for the war as a result of rivalries between the two forces.

Two spooky October Surprise posts for ya:

Phoenix Woman:

About Iran: General Wesley Clark said that Bush is painting himself into a corner on Iran. The General feels that the only chance to stop a strike on Iran is the election of a Democratic Congress in November, assuming BushCo does not manage to start dropping the bombs before the election. The only good news about Iran is that Clark feels there are clear divisions in the Administration, with Rice showing some misgivings about striking, and CheneyCo wanting war with Iran ASAP. The bad news is that with RiceCo wavering, and CheneyCo chomping at the bit, a strike is simply a matter of "when, not if."

The transcript:

[BUSH] The terrorists attacked us and killed 3,000 of our citizens before we started the freedom agenda in the Middle East. They were …

Q: What did Iraqi have to do with that?

BUSH: What did Iraq have to do with what?

Q: The attacks upon the World Trade Center.

Bush: Nothing.

Right. OK, got that part.   Read more…