MSNBC Anchor Frets: Why Hasn’t Obama’s Election Ended Terrorism?

Photo of Rich Noyes.

File this one under “Deluded Expectations.” During MSNBC’s coverage of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, on Thursday, daytime anchor Alex Witt seemed frustrated that the election of Barack Obama 23 days earlier — and the accompanying “global outpouring of affection, respect, hope” — had not caused an end to terrorist violence.

Talking with correspondent John Yang, who was covering the Obama side of the story, Witt conceded that while “you certainly can’t expect things to change on a dime overnight....There had been such a global outpouring of affection, respect, hope, with the new administration coming in, that precisely these kinds of attacks, it was thought — at least hoped — would be dampered down. But in this case it looks like Barack Obama is getting a preview of things to come.”

Story Continues Below Ad ↓

It almost seems like a parody of liberals’ blind worship of Obama to actually expect that The One’s election would mean terrorists hanging up their bomb belts, peace around the world, lions lying down with lambs, and so forth. For his part, Yang delicately pointed out the more valid concern that “the enemies of the United States, those who don’t care for the United States no matter who’s leading it, would try and test the United States” during the transition from Bush to Obama.

Here’s the full exchange, that took place at about 2:55pm EST on Thursday, after Yang reported on how Obama was being fully briefed by the Bush administration on the terrorist attacks:
ALEX WITT: You know, John, and it’s interesting because there are many who had such an optimstic and hopeful opinion of things, and you certainly can’t expect things to change [snaps fingers] on a dime overnight, but there are many who suggested that with the outgoing Bush administration and the incoming Obama administration there would be something of a lull in terrorism attacks. There had been such a global outpouring of affection, respect, hope, with the new administration coming in, that precisely these kinds of attacks, it was thought — at least hoped — would be dampered down. But in this case it looks like Barack Obama is getting a preview of things to come.

JOHN YANG: He’s — it’s a rude awakening, a very, sort of, sober reminder of what he’s going to be facing in just a few weeks. And there is some concern also, there had been some concern, that during this period, during this, the transition period, between Election Day and Inauguration Day, that the enemies of the United States, those who don’t care for the United States no matter who’s leading it, would try and test the United States, would try to take advantage of this period, and I think that may be one thing that we’re seeing right now.

WITT: Okay, John Yang there in Chicago, following President-elect Barack Obama’s Thanksgiving Day dinner having been interrupted by all of this news from Mumbai. John, thank you very much.

Comments Policy

All comments are owned by whoever posted them and are subject to our terms of use. They should not be assumed to represent the views of NewsBusters.

Viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.

Delusional

I love some of the comments I've heard on TV or at work. People seem to think that now Comrade Glorious Supreme Leader Obama has been deigned by God to be the next ruler of the free world that they will get new jobs, drive new cars, get new TVs... They don't seem to think they will have to actually WORK for these luxuries. They just seem to think its a new day and CHANGE is coming.

Given that, I'd like to put in my order for a new Ferrari, a 70" Flat panel and a new house.

Some of the comments are

Some of the comments are stupid, but this is just jaw-dropping! 

I would say it even surpasses this

I wonder if Alex's middle name is Half-

I don't even know what else to say about it.  Words fail me. 

People seem to think...

People seem to think...:

"they will get new jobs, drive new cars, get new TVs"   I won't?

"they will have to actually WORK for these luxuries"  I will?

"they seem to think its a new day and CHANGE is coming"  It's not?

If that's the case then I'm moving to...to...er...to...

Uhm, I guess this is still the best d*mn country to live in. 

Hail to the new chief...er...chieftain. 

The Emperor Has No Clothes

It's about time the media began to realize it.

→ Emporer has no clothes

And following Biden's prophecy fulfillment of an "international crisis of epic proportions"  It will be all too evident Jesse Jackson's threat was an empty one aimed at a pair of nonexistant testicles.

  • LYDSEXICS UNTIE!

Gonna be fun

This is going to be kind of fun, watching all the people who think Obama is the Messiah.  They are going to be so disappointed and it is going to be fun to see.  And hopefully, conservatives will be there to gently say, "I told you so".

It really is incredible, though, that anyone actually, honestly believed that electing Obama would end terrorism.  I really cannot understand the kind of raw naivete and ignorance that requires. 

They are going to be in for quite a shock when they realize that terrorists actually don't just hate George Bush.  

pandemic of obliviousness

 "It really is incredible, though, that anyone actually, honestly
believed that electing Obama would <FILL IN THE BLANK>.  I really cannot
understand the kind of raw naivete and ignorance that requires." 

They are going to be in for quite a shock when they realize <FILL IN THE BLANK>."

seldumonde, that sums up the election.

As to the specific issue, I wonder if the shock will be enough to make them realize the remarkable fact that we've not had a domestic attack since 9-11 b/c the terrorists FEAR President Bush. 

It's Going to Get Worse

Obama and the democrats are the terrorists' new best friends. And, if we have another widespread terrorist attack that hurts or kills Americans, no matter if it's 3-1/2 years from now, it will be George Bush's fault.  

The terrorists are celebrating the stupidity that is the Obama media and the Obama worshippers.  


seldumonde..Perfect! But...

As far as when the s*%t hits the fan, and conservatives being there to, as you said, "...gently say, ' I told you so,' "...I won't being saying it gently...I'll be screaming it from the rooftops! LOL! 

"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever." President Ronald Reagan~ January 20, 1981

End terrorism? I expect it

End terrorism? I expect it to flourish during the next four years, unfortunately.

“There are no easy answers' but there are simple answers. We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right.” - Ronald Reagan (1964 Republican Convention)

When I read the title of this article

When I read the title of this article, I laughed so hard my sides hurt.  I've yet to see "That One" turn water into wine or raise Lazarus from the dead.  

What are these people thinking??  Oh, my mistake......they DON'T think.  

 

"If we conservatives moved to those seven non-existent States, the government couldn’t find us and tax us to death!" 

unfortunately

you are probably right, and the terror is not just going to come from crazy islamic militants.  look what russia and the rest of the communist bloc is doing.  you run on a platform of cut and run, your biggest donors are peace activist hippies left over from the 60s, and this is what you are going to get.

After bombing Libya, Reagan said:

Today we did what we had to do. They counted on America to be passive. They were wrong.

Wonder if they are going to be right about Obama.

 

hopey

I just love the blank stares and non-answers I get when I ask; What has he ever done?

Islamofascism

Islamofascism didn’t start on 1/20/01 and won’t end on 1/20/09.

That One's Interrupted Dinner

I love it! Innocent people are dying at the hands of That One's fellow Mooslims, and the media's concerned about his dinner being interrupted.

Did you notice...

... there was no concern for the interruption in Pres. Bush's dinner?  She was probably hoping that he choked on the wish bone or something.

Perfect Demotivator for the Obama Administration

http://www.despair.com/government.html

Alex Half-wit...

She should definitely consider changing her name to Half-wit or Dim-wit or Witless.  Every conservative I know has the common sense to know that these attacks will not stop until every one of the radical, islamic scum is eradicated.  Not one liberal I know has ever thought that way.  They see terrorism as something that did not exist before GWB took office.  Selective memory and BDS are a national disgrace, as is the democRAT party of today.

Not Only Terrorism

It's not only terrorism. The black community in and around Kansas City was euphoric on election day as if the election of Obama was going to automatically solve all social ills.

The day after the election, the carnage in the black neighborhoods continued where it left off. It's like they all believed that the election of this man was going to have some kind of magical effect. They totally bought into their own hype.

 

Boycott your local newspaper. Don't support the people that lie to us.

Even though the bar is set very low

This broad is too stupid for television.

WHAT'S SAD...

Scarlet, Alex Witt may be too stupid for tv, but what's kinda sad is she ain't even close to being the biggest idiot on BSNBC. She could do alright if she just read the teleprompter, but cable news requires the host interview guests & actually come off as knowing something. On that part, Witt is weak. But look at the bright side, David Shuster could have done this interview...

The worst part of the NBC/MSNBC/CNBC news operation is that it has become totally corrupt from top to bottom & should have almost zero credability.

 

"...it's still We The People, Right?"  Megadeth 

The One to end Terrorism...

It's almost impossible to comprehend this kind of thinking, but it is exactly how we ended up with a Neo-phyte in the White House. I'll have to agree with the earlier comment that I believe we are about to see the worst Rise in Terrorism, since Jimmy Carter's forray into the World Stage.

Terrorists see America as Weak and Spoiled primarily because of How Liberal they believe us to be as a County. Now with a Liberal appeasement President, the Target on the USA just got some cross hairs to go with it....

http://www.withbias.net

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahah

Alex (half)Witt shows here true mentality. Was she sucking her thumb and twirling her hair when she made this increadibly naiive and immature statement? If not she should have been.

What's worse is that the MSM convinced many gulible sheeple who watch and read and listen to them that this was the case.

Hey, I got the wrong "CHANGE"!

Alan Keyes / Sarah Palin - 2012

Some people are so clueless

Some people are so clueless they're a danger to self and others. Witt is one. 

Limited Disclosure:  I used to belong to the Sierra Club untill they went crazier. Worse of all, I was bribed by Exxon with free New Orleans Saints glasses with fill ups in the 70's.

What The?!?!?!?!

     At first I thought that this news anchor must have been smoking some serious drug to come up with that idea.  Then I noticed that this anchor is on MSNBC, and it occured to me that those serious drugs are being piped in through their heat & air systems.  That's the only explanation for such daft observations.

Perfect Demotivator for the Obama Administration

http://www.despair.com/government.html

We need to

We need to put all these people in padded cells.  Give them some blunted scissors, crayons, and coloring books.  They are a danger to society and must be controlled!

 

"If we conservatives moved to those seven non-existent States, the government couldn’t find us and tax us to death!" 

Funny but sad

Alex shows us just how delusional liberal think can often be.  The messiah is in office so we can all hold hands and sing together!

"Don't expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong."
Calvin Coolidge

Witless

A rather Witt-less expectation! Sorry, coundn't help myself.

"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." Acts 16:31

I bit my tongue. To witt,

I bit my tongue. To witt, there were too many witty comments.

Limited Disclosure:  I used to belong to the Sierra Club untill they went crazier. Worse of all, I was bribed by Exxon with free New Orleans Saints glasses with fill ups in the 70's.

For those who did not know...

...the "M" in "MSNBC" stands for "moron".

LOL!

LOL!

The only way to end terrorism

is by electing someone who will do something to COMBAT it... Not just sit down and have talks. Believe me, the terrorists are overjoyed that this clown got elected.

REAL conservative in '12... PLEASE!!!

Okay...Now I've heard it all...

Did Alex Witt seriously believe that the election of Obama as president would actually change the insane murderous goals of terrorists? What an idiot!

I guess this dim bulb has forgotten that terrorists aren't busy only under Republican presidents...She apparently doesn't remember the USS Cole, the first World Trade Center bombing, and the US embassy bombing in Kenya, all of which took place under Clinton??? And let's not forget the Iranian hostage crisis under Carter...

This is just indicative of how completely ridiculous the left's image of Obama is and how ludicrously unrealistic their expectations of him are.

I guess they are all waiting anxiously for "The One" to walk on water at his inauguration, too. 

"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever." President Ronald Reagan~ January 20, 1981

That's a perfect example

of the selective memory that Jarhead referred to up above. Sick, yes. Disgusting? Yes. Am I surprised? Hell no.

REAL conservative in '12... PLEASE!!!

fonzie...No surprise here either...

Just complete frustration, and total disgust.

What fun we have to look forward to for the next four years, huh? 

"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever." President Ronald Reagan~ January 20, 1981

Right PS,

Only history will tell what a horrible mistake the uninformed voters made by electing this guy. I can only HOPE (pun intended) that once reality smacks our President-Elect in the face, people will realize what they have done, and vote accordingly in 2012. Democracy is a wonderful thing, but sometimes it really sucks! LOL

A REAL conservative in '12... PLEASE!!!

fonzie...Right you are...And I think...

reality has already begun to smack Obama in the face...Look at who he is appointing to his cabinet. For a guy who ran on a theme of "Change," his government, so far, sure looks like Clinton redux.

I think Obama knows that there is no way right now that he can put into place the financial and economic plans that he campaigned on, considering the state that the economy is in. Knowing that, and perhaps he has acknowledged to himself (what many of us on the right knew all along), that he is in way over his head, and needs people with previous experience to help him with what he faces come January 20th.

As for his backtracking on an Iraq pull-out, I can't decide if he always planned to reverse course from what he campaigned on, or if as time went on in the campaign, he finally realized how destructive and foolhardy a too early and abrupt withdrawal from Iraq would be. Who knows. 

Whatever he does, we're stuck with him for the next four years. Like you said "Democracy is a wonderful thing, but sometimes it really sucks!"

This is one of those times.   

"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever." President Ronald Reagan~ January 20, 1981

No doubt...

By bringing back Rahm Emanuel and Hillary itself, ahem, HER self, Obama is showing his true colors. Now who will notice? None that haven't already (i.e. us). But you hit it right on the head. His inexperience will be his demise. Even the MSM are backpedalling, saying not to paint him a hero before we know anything about him. Well people here at NB know a lot about him (and he's no hero to us!), and the people to whom the MSM are preaching with comments like that only know what they know because of what they heard from the same exact place! So far the one good thing he's done was deciding to keep Robert Gates around. I think he will help make sure the mission is carried out in Iraq. To me, that, in and of itself, says that Obama really did realize a pullout would be dangerous and irresponsible. Whether or not he wants to admit it may be a different story altogether. :-)

REAL conservative in '12... PLEASE!!!

fonzie...Exactly! I am sure though...

that those on the far left are having a conniption fit right about now. Their "Great Leader," their anti-war candidate, their great, shining hope, has or is in the process of reneging on many of the promises that he made while campaigning. To coin a phrase, "It is to laugh!!!"

On the bright side though, as you said, Obama is keeping Gates on (thank God), and he has made General James Jones his National Security Advisor, so it does seem apparent that he has "gotten religion," at least for now, as far as defense and national security are concerned.

However, I remain mystified by his choice of Janet Napolitano as Homeland Security Secretary. Beyond the fact that she is the governor of a border state, she has no tangible experience in security related issues. I think she was given this post as a "thank you" for her early and vigorous support for Obama during the campaign...Just a guess. 

It's gonna be interesting...

"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever." President Ronald Reagan~ January 20, 1981

I think you are being optimistic.

Unless the O man totally and royally screws up we have him for 8 not 4 years.

This Witt twit could be my poster girl for the typical lib traits of delusional and magical thinking (the messiah is going to say a few magic words wave his wand and presto chango no terrrorism). It is like these folks are still 6 years old emotionally. 

Change: When the winds of change blow hard enough, the most trivial of things can become deadly projectiles. From a Poster

Shame On Drudge

It goes without saying that "Disco Barry" is unprepared to wage war on terrorism and that the mainstream press is somewhat at a loss to comprehend that while America may be having a masturbatory love affair with the Obamaman, the rest of the world is still embroiled in this war against terrorism. It existed before George Bush took office and will continue to be waged long after he and Obama are gone. It's not just about us.

But I was disappointed with Drudge Report's red letter headlines from this morning about 20,000 troops being deployed over the next 3 years here at home to beef up our own security measures. From the wording of Drudge's headlines you'd think all 20,000 were shipping out today in some mass frenzy to clamp down on civil liberties: Every time you see the words "passe comitatis" the freaking Alex Jones Info Wars idiots naturally conclude that this is the end of freedom as we know it.

Drudge was correct to relay the stories but should have been more prudent about how he was alerting his visitors to the information. If you don't actually read the linked stories -- and we all know that not everybody does -- you'd think the troop transports would be rumbling up your block sometime tomorrow afternoon, when in fact this is a long term deployment taking place over the next 3 years. By relaying the information the way he did all he really achieved was to play into the media hype machine, something he has been doing as of late that I find to be annoying. Kudos to him however for the way that he has kept the world up to date on the Mumbai situation, which otherwise would be the defining story of the moment. That it isn't reflects very poorly on the American press' insistence that the world revolves around us and that this is just a problem for others to have to worry about.

1st mortage payment due today

 . . . and what about that idiot who thought she didn't have to pay for gas or her mortgage if she supported Obama?

Her first mortgage payment after the election is due today.

I wonder if she's sitting home smiling, confident her Messiah is taking care of everything?

 

LOL!!!!!

LOL!!!!!

Morons...

The media and Obama supporters who truly thought his Muslim heritage would HELP us are indeed morons. It has done just the opposite. Obama was last thing we needed on the war on terror. His Muslim background will hinder us, we will be seen as week pieces of garbage in the Islamic extremist world.

I knew a man named Girgis (rest his sole) who lived in Sudan when it was a colony of Great Britain. He was an orthodox  Christian who fled his country when it was turned over to the Muslims. He sold everything he had and left.  He fled to escape the carnage the Muslims brought.  Women were raped by police officers (His wife nearly became one of those women). Grocery stores that were once filled with products were bare from extreme Islamic law that dictated what could be sold. (Not even diapers for their grandkids could be found). His restaurant ruined, could no longer get basic things, not even a can of coke.

Along with the destruction of the economy and the destruction of any  influence of western civilization was also the destruction of their own people. Former Muslims who had turned to Christianity were beheaded! He told me the story of a airline pilot who was dragged of the jet as it sat on the tarmac and beheaded before the passengers because he converted to Christian.

A Muslim that converts is considered no longer a human being in the eyes of extremist. In the eyes of Bin Ladin and his whack job followers the USA (land of infidels) have just elected a MONKEY into office. We would have been further ahead if we elected an atheist. For that atheist would just be an infidel--not a monkey to behead.

The terrorist see this election as a huge weakness in America. We are now being laughed at by the extremist. Taken down a notch, no longer the infidel. To them we are now a land of useless monkeys who deserve to die.

Of course it will only get worse now!!!!

 

 

 

Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

They'll do more than laugh at us.

     Whether or not Obama was a practicing muslim is neither here nor there.  The fact is his father was a muslim and by muslim law the offsprings of a muslim father are also muslim.  By Obama not practicing Islam, he is considered an apostate which is punishable by death.  He has had a bullseye on his head since the last ballot was cast.

Perfect Demotivator for the Obama Administration

http://www.despair.com/government.html

Alex Witt

Can I use the word "numbnuts" to describe this guy Alex Witt?  If not, I apologize and understand that you must delete this post.

If so, it is just inconceivable to me that someone such as Witt could be so gullible as to believe this garbage (some of which 0bama himself put out) that "this is the day the seas start receding" and all that other trash.

0bama is a fraud, and the people who follow him belong in Guyana.  I understand there is a former town down there that is available for stupid people who put all their faith in individuals who claim they will solve the world's problems.  And they serve great Kool-Aid.

Yes, but . . .

Can I use the word "numbnuts" to describe this guy Alex Witt?

I believe 'Alex' is a moronette.

Alex is short for Alexidiot.

Alex Witt

Oh, sorry, I didn't realize Alex was a She.

Please don't tell me she is also a blonde.  That would be too much of a stereotype.

Before I posted this, I decided to Google her (sounds dirty, doesn't it?) and saw that she is indeed a blonde (but only her hairdresser knows for sure...).

Enuf said.

Just look up

All you had to do was look up at the photo at the top of the article. She's the nitwit (Nit Witt?) on the left, appropriately enough.

By the way, has anyone thought to ask Joe Biden if Mumbai is the test he referred to last month? I'll bet he's been told to lay low and to avoid any public comments about it for fear of inviting more of the same.

This kind of ranks up there...

...with the female eye candy anchor on CNN who on Thanksgiving Day asked a terrorist expert why the (apparent Islamic) terrorists had attacked the Jewish Center in Mumbai.

Duh.  I wonder.

*sigh*

somewhere there is a village missing its idiot.......

→ Village idiot

It takes a village to raise another idiot.

  • LYDSEXICS UNTIE!

Thanks cool.

Thanks cool.

At least she was willing to

At least she was willing to admit what a mindless twit she is on live TV.

Hubris???

Philly kid

 Wow...just think a new President makes the terrorist go away...what hubris...these animals will attack anyone at anytime...here's news for the media...it wasn't about George...and it won't be about President Obama...and this attack in India won't be the last attack before the Inaugural...These guys are sending the world a message and they want to send America a message..and that message is we're still here and we want to hurt you and anyone else that doesn't agree with us...that message includes Goerge Bush and Barack Obama. Anyone who thinks that any President can meet with our enemies and have a moment where each declares its a wonderful world and the mean SOB's who want to kill you will fold up their flag and go home are only kidding themselves. Get ready for an ugly 4 years America...as far as the terroist are concerned nothing has changed.

→ Obama ending terrorism?

Doth Satan cast out Satan?

His Sec of State's husband pardoned several terrorists.  Obama is close friends with at least two domestic terrorists.

Obama encourages terrorism, both foreign and domestic.

  • LYDSEXICS UNTIE!

Well.....I have now realized......

people are REALLY that STUPID!!!!  What a deluded, foggy, hazy, sheep like, moronic, pathetic, assinine lack of a brain this sorry excuse for a reporter posses.

"If a man does his best, what else is there"?

General George S. Patton Jr.

ANOTHER MSOBAMA REPORTER SHOULD BE EMBARRASSED

because of her ridiculous statement. Does she really think Islamo-Fascist killers are sitting in caves over in Pakistan or wherever and rethinking their "we hate ALL Jews and Americans" ideology just because The One is dark colored and carries the middle name Hussein? God, help us! Terrorists like Osama bin Laden was a wealthy man and turned into a evil terrorist because he HATES WESTERN VALUES AND ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING TO DO WITH JEWS! This is coming from a woman but that idiot blonde is the reason behind the dumb blonde jokes. I'm once again disgusted.

that ain't all they are not going to like

Kenneth J Roberts

Not only will the terrorist attacks continue they will escalate and be worse then before . the namby pamby people that elected Obama is in for a rude awakening and soon .  they will soon see they have elected another Bill Clinton who will try his best to ignore what is happening in the world around him as if nothing is wrong.Look for more loss of freedom after January 20th 2009 ,it is coming .

PMSNBC has more letters than viewers

Why do you think she is known in the industry as Alex TWITT!

why be so surprised?

This newswhore is exactly what she's supposed to be and is doing exactly what she's supposed to do: keeping the sheeple stupid and pacified.

Don't understand? Start here:

 http://willowtown.com/promo/quotes.htm

MSNBC AND TERRORISM

SSo Alex"nit" Witt has been in hibernation the past 30 years regarding Islamic jihadism, and Fox has the morons on screen.  Obama has surrounded himself with Clinton retreads and Alex believes all will be well.  Guess what, Al Queda, as stated policy doesn't negoiate with anyone, not even Himself. Refer to the90's for terrorism policy.  A redo we're going to get, like it or not.

It's the dinner

It's the dinner comment that's getting to me after having read it again.  As if That One is too exalted to interrupt during a liesure activity for "all this news."   Almost 200 people DEAD from Islamoterrorism, you PRAT!  You're concerned about the gravy having to be microwaved??  

My unending thanks to NB for posting this, even though, like another poster said, words fail me.  Jesus help us.    

 

Hoped? Expected

I fully expect terrorism to increase under Obama.,