DON'T MESS WITH CHENEY - AT 8:24 P.M. ET:  That's the advice given to President Obama by British terror expert Con Coughlin, in today's Telegraph.  Coughlin is appalled by the release of the CIA interrogation documents, and the surrounding mess:

Just as I predicted last week, President Barack Obama's misguided decision to release sensitive CIA files has opened a can of worms which now has former vice-president Dick Cheney on his case.

I never bought Mr Obama's claim that his decision to release the former Bush administration's legal opinions justifying the use of robust interrogation methods was aimed at bringing "transparency."  This was political point-scoring, pure and simple, and now his naive decision to play politics with the reputation of the CIA is causing him unnecessary grief.

And...

We know that at least two major terrorist attacks against the UK were avoided thanks to vital intelligence provided to MI6 and MI5 by the CIA. ..

...Are interrogation methods like waterboarding justified if they save lives, or should we respect the detainees' human rights, thereby enabling the terror attacks to take place and claim innocent lives? I know which option I'd go for.

And...

...Of more concern to me is the damage all this political in-fighting in Washington is doing to the morale of the CIA...

...Certainly, in this atmosphere of mutual recrimination it would be a brave intelligence officer indeed who volunteered to put his neck out in defence of his country's interests.

COMMENT:  Who'd even want the job?  The damage from the left is becoming serious, and the president must begin to realize it.

April 21, 2009   Permalink

MORE POLL SLIPPAGE FOR OBAMA - AT 7:40 P.M. ET:  We always caution that a poll is a snapshot in time, and no one poll should be seen as the final word.  However, Obama's slippage in the Rasmussen daily tracker does continue, although slowly.  His worst numbers came today.  Some 54% approve of the president's performance, whereas 45% disapprove.  Margins of error can produce variations in daily results, but the trend is downward.  On January 21st, the day after inauguration, the numbers were 65-30.  A month later they were 57-41.  On March 21st they were 55-44, a gap of eleven.  Now the gap is nine points.

Rasmussen's presidential approval index - the gap between those who strongly approve and strongly disapprove - shows a similar pattern.  Day after inauguration, 28 points; a month later, 10 points; March 21st, four points; today, two points.

There were intermediate polls between those dates that showed normal variations.  And we should point out that polls by other organizations show a higher approval for Mr. Obama.  But Rasmussen has a solid record, and polls daily.  If Mr. Obama is indeed at 54%, there should be some concern in the White House.  An international defeat, or more devastation in the economy, could push the president closer to that 50% mark, with its psychological and political implications.

April 21, 2009