Inkless Wells

Paul Wells on all the latest out of Ottawa—along with the occasional post about jazz. Follow Paul on Twitter: @InklessPW
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Categories: Capital Read, Inkless Wells

Stand back, gentlemen! Only science can settle this dispute! Lame online polling science!

by Paul Wells on Thursday, May 21, 2009 2:20pm - 29 Comments

And you know what the question’s going to be, don’t you.

Tags: Barack Obama, Dick Cheney

More by Paul Wells

Kevin Lafayette

Obama is definitely politicizing intelligence here. Everything he accused the Bush administration of doing, he has done or is doing. Remember when Obama said the dissent was patriotic? Good times.
http://carnewsandviews.com jwl

It is too early to say but who cares. I voted Obama because I think he’s sending out message that America is weak, not willing to fight, and the nutters around the world will think this is as good time as any to do bad things.

http://coyne kc

As opposed to America has gone insane, attacking on the slightest pretext. Better get some Nuclear weapons.
Kevin Lafayette

Examine the history, that will give you a good idea. Before Bush, there were a series of ever increasing terror attacks. The USS Cole, embassy bombings, a big attack on US interests every year or even more frequently. After Bush, we are what, 7, 8 years and counting with no major attacks on US interests? That should tell you right there who had it more right. That should also tell you whose example you should be following. I miss Bush already.

TJ Cook

Also, my awesome ability to deter lion attacks has kept my children from being eaten by lions.

Need proof? Not ONE lion attack on my children in over eight years.

QED

http://prairiewrangler.wordpress.com/ Olaf

TJ – If your children had a prior history of being attacked by lions in the previous 8 years than this rebuttal might make a lick of sense.

http://coyne kc

The US has been torturing or teaching others to torture long before Bush. It didn’t prevent any of those attacks you cite. Conveniently anytime anyone asks for evidence that torure has saved lives we’re told – that’s a secret. That excuse wont fly anymore.

madeyoulook

Conveniently anytime anyone asks for evidence that torure has saved lives we’re told – that’s a secret.

That’s a secret currently guarded by the current guardians of the secret. Conveniently.

Really people, if the line “torture doesn’t work” was actually true life would be so much easier for the people who keep spouting it.

It is precisely because “torture” / “enhanced interrogation” (choose your euphemism) does actually sometimes work that we are in this whole mess.

James Connors

You say . . .

“It is precisely because “torture” / “enhanced interrogation” (choose your euphemism) does actually sometimes work that we are in this whole mess.”

I say, could you please provide a citation that proves your assertion? Thanks.

Maureen

Exactly, Bill Clinton was too busy playing with interns and trying to be the bestest and most popular US President in the world that his administration didn’t pay attention. And yes I know, America brought this on themselves because they are “insert whatever you don’t like about America here” – every country has their own agenda and interests – that’s is not news. America is just more blunt about it than say, China or Russia or France.

srm

I was waiting for the CPC option of Michael Ignattief….
http://www.jackmitchell.ca Jack Mitchell

Is Mick Jagger American?
Bill Simpson

Well, the question is certainly lame.

“Caused” – does this include sins of omission and commission? And what “danger” are we talking about? And how do we define “safety”? Is this just about terrorism, or about all the wars and foreign relations problems that are in the world.

And did Cheny actually “cause” anything? Since his promotion of torture began after 9/11 occurred, and no further terrorist act has since been launched against the United States, none of these appear connected.

As for Obama, any danger that has arisen since he became president seems more about meddling with the automotive industry, banking etc., than the war and terrorism, but who can say at this juncture.

No doubt PW is pulling our leg with this sort of quiz, but since it will probably pop up on CNN or Fox, please god that someone actually have a go at the premises underneath this sort of journalistic cheap trick.
Reptile Yuks

Trick Question. It’s actually Bill Clinton.
Michael T

when Polls are claimed to be Science, it’s time to turn opf the lights folks.

Who wrote this, oh Wells, well good to consistent even you are wrong almost always I guess.

Jake

My cat’s breath smells like cat food.

Critical Reasoning

Gene Rayburn

That poll is the sign of the apocalypse

Blues Clair

What me likes about this poll, is that it als funktions as a bazic IQ test.

http://www.maple-leaf-forever.com Lord Bob

And a significant number of people are nodding with a smile and saying the stupid ones are whoever picks the opposite answer.

madeyoulook

No fair, my answer just ended up disappearing under “other.” I will attempt to recreate below:

Answer:
Spiderman (he almost ruined everything in the second movie, or was it the third, ah heck, it was all of them, wasn’t it…)
http://coyne kc

You know we can’t answer that question PW. It’s a matter of national security.
dh

Is Rush Limbaugh considered a political figure? He disseminates a dangerous combination of ignorance, arrogance, and corpulence. His show causes hypertension and neurological complications due to second-hand stupidity. Exposure to video of Rush has been known to cause auto-enucleation. A significant public health threat indeed.
Claude

Please read Cheney’s speech and tell me if you think there is value to his case or not. Or if he has changed your mind, in the slightest, one way or the other. Or re-inforced your view, one way or the other.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/05/21/cheney_obama_keeping_america_safe_96615.html

Kevin Lafayette

I read the speech yesterday. It is clear that Obama is in eternal campaign mode here, always looking for something to hurt the other guy with. Why declassify the method, but not the result? One wonders how he finds time to run a country.

Read this one too.
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NjZkNGZiODM0YjNmODNkMWFhZDU5Mzk2ZDMwNGRmMDQ=

It goes into the legalities. Under US law, torture is a crime of specific intent, and it seems pretty clear that you could not prove specific intent to torture in these CIA cases. Cheney has it right.

Paul Wells

It was all a mistake. All 83 times. Oops! Damn. Whoopsie! Again? Oops. Shit. Oops. Slip-up. Oops. Whoopsie-do! Oops. Damn. Oops….

Chuck VS Macleans

Dick Cheney rocks. Anyone who can shoot someone in the face , then have that person say sorry for being shot in the face, is cool in my book..
Orson Bean

Yeah, I think gangsters get away with that kind of stuff, & that’s about it.
Chuck VS Macleans

Dick, makes gangsters look like 3rd grade teachers, but I get your point.

And I realize the jook flew way over your head(I bet you think, Wes Anderson movies are bad).