Larry and Herman

In this interview between Lawrence O'Donnell and Herman Cain, Mr O'Donnell asked some interesting questions of Mr Cain. Some of the questions were exceptionally leading, including accusing Mr Cain of "sitting out" of the Civil Rights Movement and dodging military service in Vietnam. Many have focused on the former, but I would like to focus on the latter. Fast forward the clip to 5:35 where Mr O'Donnell asks Cain about the commander in chief role.

"Can you explain how you avoided military service during the Vietnam War and during the draft and why you should be Commander-in-Chief if you did successfully avoid military service during the war that came during what would have been your war years? How you be-eh-eh-eh after avoiding the Vietnam War, why should you be Commander-in-Chief?"

Have you ever heard a more biased question from a journalist (I use that term loosely)? It is one thing to ask why a person didn't serve in the military and I think that is a fair and just question. Any person who is running for president should be properly vetted in every area, especially when it comes to decisions regarding war. However, it is another thing entirely to accuse someone of "avoiding" the war as O'Donnell did of Cain. First of all, Cain explains that he worked for the Department of the Navy in an area called "exterior ballistics." He stated he worked on the "rocket assisted projectile" and his local draft board in Atlanta told him he was more valuable to the Navy working as a mathematician than he would in active service in the military. Just think how rare that skill set is and how difficult it would be to replace mathematicians during the war. Secondly, Cain said he was registered for the draft, but he was never called up. It is a difficult case to make that he was "avoiding" the Vietnam War and O'Donnell should be ashamed for asking the question in such a way.

He then compared Cain to John Kerry who volunteered service in during the Vietnam War. I do not want to diminish Kerry's service or courage to volunteer during wartime. Nor do I want to minimize lives lost during the Vietnam War. That being said, Kerry was graduated with a degree in Political Science (something we have in common). Political Science is a dime-a-dozen degree as I have had the great pleasure of experiencing first hand. Kerry could very well have been more useful on those Swift Boats he led into enemy territory during the war than somewhere in the United States. That being said, advanced mathematics is more rare and specialized degree and its applications are of the utmost importance in the military. The deployment of the rockets Mr Cain worked on undoubtedly saved a great number of American soldiers. Should we shame him for being more valuable at home than over seas? Mr Cain is no draft dodger and Mr O'Donnell should apologize for that interview.

If a conservative leaning pundit had an interview session with President Obama on par with Mr O'Donnell's interview with Mr Cain they would instantly be labeled racist. Look at some of the reactions from Bill O'Reilly's interview with President Obama before the Super Bowl. O'Donnell is a liberal, however, and he is applauded for asking tough questions to the black candidate. It seems tough questions to candidates really only go one way, lest risking being labeled a racist.

The politicization of prime time cable news has certainly done more harm than good for America. People like Lawrence O'Donnell, Sean Hannity, and Ed Shultz have their own agendas when reporting the news and interviewing people for their shows. It makes me yearn for the days of Tim Russert where everyone who went on Meet The Press knew they were going to get a fair interview with unbiased, tough questions.

The Death of Anwar al-Awlaki (and the precedent it sets)

On September 30, 2011, a a predator drone hellfire missile attack in Yemen killed a top official of Al-Qaeda official, Anwar al-Awlaki. America is certainly war-weary and every significant blow to the terrorist organization brings us one step closer to ending this threat. Normally, this news would bring emotions of relief and resolution to the American public, and maybe it did. That being said, the death of this man has raised some eyebrows because he is an American citizen, not a foreign national which has been the case in all other air strikes.

Born in 1971 in New Mexico, al-Awlaki has degrees from Colorado State University and San Diego State University. He left the United States shortly after the September 11 attacks and spent a few years in the United Kingdom before moving to Yemen in 2004. He has been dubbed "The Bin Laden" of the Internet due to his success in radicalizing Muslims over the internet. Information suggests he had connections to the Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan, the "underwear bomber" Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, and the attempted Times Square bomber, Faisal Shahzad. The man was certainly a threat to American national security, and threatened innocent men, women, and children across the globe.

That being said, the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States states:

"No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger, nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb, nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation."

This Amendment, a part of the Bill of Rights, guarantees that an American citizen can not be executed for alleged crimes unless the crimes are proven in a court of law (among other things). In other words, every American citizen is entitled to due process. This sacred promise protects citizens from being put to the sword without being able to present evidence in support of their defense, and to have a trial by a competent jury. Mr al-Awlaki was not given that chance. Due to a secret Justice Department memo, the "justification" for circumventing the Constitution was given to the President to carry out this strike and eventual death of an American citizen. This, of course, comes from the same administration who railed against the previous administration for using Justice Department memos finding legality in "advanced interrogation techniques." If these techniques were illegal in the eyes of the current administration, certainly the murder of an American citizen should be considered illegal as well.

I raise this point because most would agree that it certainly is a dangerous precedent to allow the President to be judge, jury, and executioner in respect with American citizens. Am I glad al-Awlaki no longer presents a threat to the American public? Of course. However, no person, not even the President of the United States, should be given that power to kill any member of the citizenry. Due process is a right given to every citizen of the of the United States and should not be circumvented, no matter the circumstances. The American Public should now allow this sort of abuse of the Constitution else risk further abuses on our individual rights.

Perry's Malaise

On track to even surpass Rudy Giuliani's campaign for president in 2008, Rick Perry campaign could rewrite history books - not in a positive way. The Giuliani campaign left many in political circles scratching their collective heads with his Florida or bust strategy he used in that campaign. Largely ignoring the key states of Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada, Giuliani put all of his eggs into campaigning in Florida where he felt he would show strongly. A win there, he thought, would give him the momentum needed to win big on Super Tuesday, where many of the remaining delegates for the Republican Convention would be won. However, it seems dismal showings in the key aforementioned states swayed would be voters to other candidates. John McCain won the state with 36% of the vote. Giuliani finished a distant third with 14.6% of the vote behind both McCain and Mitt Romney.

I bring up this disaster of a campaign to shed light on what is happening in the Perry camp. When he entered the race, the collective right sighed with relief that this "staunch conservative" ally had thrown his hat into the proverbial ring. Perry, who has had success lowering taxes, driving job growth, has been a foil to President Obama. He was everything was everything the right was looking for. However, once he became a perceived front runner, he also opened himself to ever mounting criticism. His record has been attacked successfully by his opponents in his bid to fill the White House. Perry's debate performances has been disappointing at best to some of his supporters, and laughable to many others. Just look at the Florida debate on September 22 and his feeble attempt to attack Mitt Romney. As a viewer, I literally felt embarrassed for him during his drawn out, incoherent, bumbling "attack". The Florida Straw poll was on September 24, just two days after the debate. Perry finished second to Herman Cain in the poll. Second place wouldn't be considered too bad for candidates in a poll, however, Perry lost by 22 points to Mr Cain.

Perry, who in some polls at the beginning of September had as much as a 19 point lead has seen that lead drop to a mere 3.5 points at the end of the month. His pitiful debate performance compounded by numerous attacks made by his opponents has certainly weakened his brand. His wife has attributed poor debate performance to Mr Perry being "tired". Does the American Public really want a President who begins rambling, incoherent monologues when he is "tired"? If the Perry campaign doesn't adjust, and quickly, Perry could be out of the race quicker than he was in it.