Right Turn by Jennifer Rubin - The Washington Post

Morning Bits

By Jennifer Rubin

When do you think George W. Bush will get his due for his AIDS initiative? "The United States President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is a historically impressive achievement. It will rank among the handful of the most important things George W. Bush did as president. And it's an excellent example of a federal government program that works and has advanced tremendous human good -- the kind of effort conservatives, some of whom have a tendency simply to denigrate government, should proudly champion and seek to replicate." Liberals still despise Bush, and many conservatives were never comfortable with "compassionate conservatism," but maybe history will be kinder.

When do you think paleoconservatives will get a clue how horrid they sound to the average voter? "The subsidizing of expensive medications (the biggest part of our AIDS-relief effort, though not all of it) in fact has long-term consequences more likely to be negative than positive. The high incidence of AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa is caused by customary practices there. What is needed is for people to change those customary practices." Oy.

When do you think the State Department will get around to a performance assessment. Elliott Abrams writes, "The WikiLeaks cables so far released also show how U.S. ambassadors vary in quality. Ambassador James Jeffrey's analysis of Turkey's new foreign policy is sharp and well written. Ambassador Hugo Llorens's message from Honduras about the June 2009 overthrow of President Manuel Zelaya reveals how the Obama administration blundered into backing an ally of Hugo Chavez against the Honduran people's unified desire to throw the bum out."

When do you think the Democrats will knock it off with the gamesmanship? "Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said Wednesday a House vote on extending only middle income tax cuts would not undermine bipartisan negotiations on a broader compromise for the most contentious issue of the lame-duck congressional session." January, I think.

When you do think conservatives will learn that "woe is me" anti-elitism is so 2008? Mike Huckabee whines: "This whole idea that somehow I'm not capable because I grew up duck hunting and deer hunting as opposed to maybe riding on the side of the saddle -- I'm sorry, but I feel like I represent a real part of America." I think girls ride on the side of the saddle, but, anyhooo, did someone say duck hunters couldn't be president?

When do you think silly talk about a primary challenge to Obama will die down? Ed Kilgore is right: "Sure, some progressives have been raging at Obama as of late. But anyone credibly threatening to topple Obama would have to pry away a significant chunk of Obama's support among African Americans--and in case you haven't noticed, Obama is the first black president." Blunt, but correct.

When do you think Democrats will acknowledge they have more than a "messaging" problem? "In November, 36.0% of American Adults identified themselves as Republicans; 34.7% considered themselves Democrats, and 29.3% were not affiliated with either major party. That's the largest number of Republicans since February 2005 and the first time ever that Rasmussen Reports polling has found more people identifying as Republicans than Democrats.