- Homeland Security Chief Janet Napolitano
The Huffington Post took offense at an ABC News report that referred to Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano as “Big Sis.”
Well, it wasn’t really ABC that referred to her that way. It was Drudge. ABC was just mentioning the fact that “a conservative blogger” calls her that. Of course, that’s as legitimate as my writing something like this: Surprise was expressed as Dick Cheney survived another heart attack. Cheney, whom some liberal bloggers claim have no heart, has been suffering from heart disease since his 30s. Of course, I didn’t say that.
And, of course, in the ABC report, when they mention Joe Lieberman, they don’t snidely say, “Who many Democrats call a traitor” or “Whose whiny voice sounds like nails on a chalkboard.” Or when referring to Susan Collins, they don’t refer to her as a Senator that can’t be trusted to support either side in the health care debate.
Nope, the only snide reference is to Napolitano to imply that she is a lesbian. But I’m glad they did. Even though Napolitano has never confirmed or denied her sexual orientation, I feel much safer believing she is a lesbian. Even if she’s not. Which isn’t really my business because it has nothing to do with the way she does her job.
“What me Worry” Napolitano incomptence is the crucial issue-not her sexula orientation which is none of our business.
LGBT or whatever, she is unqualified and incompetent and should resign in disgrace due to the security lapses on her watch.
Just like Bush’s Homeland Security chiefs did because of lapses on theirs. Oh wait, there were never any attacks or attempts under the previous administration. I forgot that rewrite of history.
The fact that referring to someone as lesbian or gay is considered some sort of slight in the first place just shows the precarious place in which we find ourselves in this society in the 21st century.
Religious freaks, adulterers, thieves, warmongers, the list goes on. All considered fine, upstanding members of society worthy of adulation and respect.
She ought to put Drudge and the rest of these piss-ants on the no-fly list and subject them to random cavity searches each and every time they attempt to leave their homes.
Is “Big Sis” a lesbian reference?? To me, it’s just a variation on George Orwell’s “Big Brother.”
Majordude: Apparently that was the reference. But what was completely dumb was ABC’s reference to it at all. There’s nothing newsworthy about it.
David: WOW – Your response to Otto’s remarks are brilliant. Don’t defend Napolitano actions (or inaction) but point out Bush’s faults! I feel safer already! Thanks.
Actually, I’m still just confused about ABC.
But if we’re arguing about the job she’s doing – I’m not sure any one person heading the bureaucratic mess that is Homeland Security can singlehandedly stop every attempt at terrorism. She’s not perfect. Her predecessors weren’t perfect. But to accuse her because of one attempt at terrorism in the air that was stopped in addition to the subway bomber who was stopped and the guy here in Dallas who tried to blow up the building downtown and was stopped and ignore the successes and failures of the last administration is unfair. And yes, of course there were successes in the previous administration in stopping terrorist attacks. But there was also failure. A big one.
The ABC report makes no sense.
I don’t believe people were upset with the “failure” as they were with Napolitano’s immediate reponse to that failure. She got on the news programs shortly after Christmas and said (and I’m paraphrasing) “The system worked.” If she means that having a Dutch national on the plane and an inept terrorist, then “yes” the system worked. If she means the check in procedures, back ground checks, different gov’t agencies communicating, the air marshalls on the flight, etc., then “no” the system did not work. If Homeland Security is a bureaucratic mess, it is her job to correct it.
It is not so much that there were failures; there always have been (9/11, the Cole, the ’92 bombing of the WTC, OKC, and numerous others going as far back as Pearl Harbor) and there always will be. It is whether we can learn from them and try to prevent future tragedies. Napolitoano’s comments were those of some one either unwilling to admit there were mistakes and learn from them or of a person utterly unqualified to be the head of Homeland Security.