Monica Crowley

Ciao, 2009!

2009 wasn't exactly an optimal year for America. We got a president who spent the first half of the year apologizing for the United States, and the full year slamming his predecessor every chance he got. Classy! We also got a $1.4 trillion deficit and a $14 trillion debt. We got a Democratic party ramming highly unpopular new taxes (cap and trade) and entitlements (health care) down our throats. The American people be damned! We got hundreds of billions in bailouts, terrorism against the homeland at its highest since 9-11, and unemployment at 10 percent. We got economic stinkbombs like the $787 billion stimulus, $1.6 trillion in omnibus spending loaded with pork, and health care payoffs to individual Senators so outrageous that the Founders are begging us from beyond the grave to challenge their constitutionality. We got Iran closer to a nuclear weapon, Russia playing us like a Stradivarius, Venezuela running wild, and China lecturing us on fiscal responsibility--and they're right. We got a president who lets days pass before he makes a statement on issues ranging from terrorist attacks to AIG bailouts, and who'd rather snorkel than address Americans' security concerns.

Good riddance to 2009. The only problem is we're stuck with the president for another 3 years and the Democrats in Congress for another one. The nightmare will eventually end; I just hope we survive until it does. And I mean that literally.

So while we kiss off 2009, let's look forward to change in 2010. Real change. Not "Greek columns" change. But honest, free market, and political change where we kiss off the bums who put us in this mess and welcome those who will reverse their horrors.

Enjoy the new year safely. We want you around, safe and sound, to relish the true change that is coming.

President Gym Rat

He cannot be serious. Unfortunately for us, he is.

The President interrupted his busy schedule of working out while on vacation to make a statement about the attempted terror attack aboard a Detroit-bound airplane on Christmas Day. The foiled attack happened 4 days ago. The Commander-in-Chief just got around to making some comments about it today, because, you know, boogie boarding is time-consuming.

And what comments they were. In his wimpiest voice, Obama said that "we will not rest until we find all who were involved and hold them accountable." Al Qaeda is shaking in their boots, no? He also said that this was an isolated event, when we know it was not: it was a coordinated al Qaeda terrorist attempt. Further, he called the attempted attack "a serious reminder of the dangers we face."

No mention of "war." No mention of "jihad." No mention of "Islamic terror." And that's because Obama doesn't believe we're in a war against Islamic terrorists who are engaged in a jihad against us. But they certainly believe it.

Meanwhile, the Commander-in-Chief makes his one statement about an attempt that could have killed 300 people on or above U.S. soil--4 days after the fact, and while not wearing a tie.

This latest presidential fiasco comes a day after his Homeland Security Secretary, Janet Napolitano, said about the foiled attempt, "The system worked." When even fellow Democrats expressed outrage, she backtracked the next day: "The system did not work."

Feel safe and secure with these incompetent boobs in charge?

The al Qaeda attempt to blow up an airplane was not the only national security emergency he spoke about today. The terrorist regime of Iran continues its brutal slaughter of its citizens, as fresh protests challenging the government erupt. This is a moment the United States has been waiting for for 30 years: the Iranian people want to be rid of the terrorist thugs who rule them with an iron Islamic fist, and they are willing to risk jail, torture, and even death to see it happen.

Where is the administration? Gone fishin'. In Hawaii. Here's what Obama said: "We will continue to bear witness to the extraordinary events that are taking place there. And I'm confident that history will be on the side of those who seek justice."

Only he's not one of them. Since the Iranian people began protesting in June, Obama has given them only the mildest words of support, and certainly no material support. He repeated the "bear witness" line again today, as if the President of the United States is a passive observer and not able to influence events. The Iranian people are pro-American and determined to have a responsive, decent government instead of the gang of terrorist murderers currently killing them. And our President is out body-surfing.

This dangerous lack of presidential leadership on national security can be summed up with an event last week. On Christmas Eve, Obama made a statement to the press about the "historic" health care reform that the Democrats had just rammed through the Senate. When he finished speaking, he started to walk away. A member of the press asked if he had a message for the troops for Christmas. Startled, he padded back to the podium and said weakly that he was going to call some of them.

They were an afterthought, mentioned after he talked about his own health care "triumph" and only after he was prompted to say something about them.

After all, he needed to bust outta town, get to Hawaii, and pump iron. Nothing--not al Qaeda, not a new Iranian revolution--would stop the gym rat.

The McLaughlin Group

This weekend and next weekend, we will be presenting our 2009 Awards. Please tune in, and visit www.McLaughlin.com for more information.

Christmas, 2009

"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

"And lo, the angel of the Lord came down upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord."

Tracking Santa

It's Christmas Eve. For the next day or two, forget about the health care monstrosity the Democrats in the Senate just passed on a straight party-line vote. Santa is on the move! And the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) is tracking Santa as he flies around the globe today and tonight, visiting children of all ages!

To track Santa, please visit www.NORADSanta.org . From there, you can watch as Santa moves around the world. You can also track him via NORAD on Facebook and Twitter.

Happy Christmas Eve! May it be peaceful and joyful.

Hosting for Bill O'Reilly---TONIGHT!

I will be hosting "The O'Reilly Factor" TONIGHT! Please join me on the Fox News Channel at 8pm and 11pm ET. What a way to kick off Christmas!

'Twas the Night Before Christmas, 2009

I have composed a special Christmas poem for the nation. Here it is, in my "Washington Times" column today:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/dec/23/twas-the-night-before-christmas-2009/

Take THAT, Arlen Specter!

Party-switching goes both ways. Today, freshman Democratic Congressman Parker Griffith of Alabama announced that he will be giving his party the old heave-ho and becoming a Republican.

Yes, it's only one seat out of 435, and yes, the Democrats still have a super-majority in the House. But. Several Democrats have already announced their retirements, and many expect a virtual tsunami of similar moves by other House Dems. Given that the GOP is now running a stunning 4 points ahead of the Democratic party in generic ballot polling, and given that more than 60% of the American people hate their signature policy---Obamacare---it's no wonder that so many Democrats are running for the hills.

And let's not forget that so many of them in the Senate took straight-out bribes to vote for the incoherent mess they're calling "health care reform." Now the American people hate the bill AND the Democrats pushing it.

Democrats: Profiles in courage, aren't they?

Here's the thing about Congressman Griffith: he's a medical doctor. He's a radiation oncologist who founded a cancer research center. On health care, he knows what he's talking about, unlike say, Dr. Pelosi, Dr. Reid, or Dr. Obama. While the Democrats might not worry about losing a single member, they ought to worry about what Dr. Griffith is going to say about their health care nightmare. Something like, say, the truth.

The GOP will welcome Dr. Griffith with open arms, as they will any other Democrat/Independent who wants to follow suit and come to the light.

"Candy-Gram for Joe Lieberman!"

Harry Reid: Senate Madam

Senate Majority Harry Reid has often told the story about how he grew up in Nevada: raised by prostitutes in what Reid has described as a "whorehouse."

After watching his behavior this week, it's clear that the lessons of his youth weren't lost on him.

True to whorehouse form, the Democratic Senate voted under the cover of darkness at 1am last night to advance their health care monstrosity. My grandma used to say that nothing good happens after midnight (fun, yes; good, no). Indeed.

There are now two places in America where prostitution is legal: Nevada, and the U.S. Senate. With every passing day, we hear of a new Democrat who sold his/her vote for cash: Mary Landrieu got $300 billion; Chris Dodd got $100 billion; Carl Levin carved out an exemption for non-profit insurers in his state; Ben Nelson got the rest of us to foot the bill for Medicaid for his state...forever.

An astonishing 60 to 70% of the American people oppose this hellhole of a bill, but the Democrats seem intent on flying this suicide mission. One anonymous (of course) White House staffer even predicted Obama would get a poll bounce out of signing this revolting disgrace. Sure he'll get a bounce....if he signed it on an airplane hitting turbulence.

The Democrats don't care about you or your health care. They only care about themselves. By passing this sucker, they are greasing the skids for their own demise: not only do the American people hate this bill, but now, having seen it done with this kind of corruption, they hate it even more. And they hate the sell-out weasels inflicting it on them.

Harry Reid, like his fellow Senate prostitutes, will be out of the government employ next year. At least Reid has the whole "whorehouse" thing to fall back on.

The McLaughlin Group

Please join us this weekend for "The McLaughlin Group." Check your local listings for time and channel, or visit www.McLaughlin.com for more information.