Japan

Here and now is where broadcast news can shine with their reporters all over the world.
I am grateful to hear of what is going on in Japan and now around the world concerning the tsunamis and my thoughts and prayers are with Japan today.

Yes, the Army of Davids will also share news, but broadcasters – this is your time.
Tsunamis look terrifying to me and these two men on the bridge…? I hope the water didn’t go any higher for your sake.

UPDATE: The Anchoress has a lot of links for following this horrible story. 8.9. I can’t even imagine. And those images of water leave us all with memories of Boxing Day I’m certain.
Sadly most of the images/movies that are out there show moving cars or pedestrians as the waters come near. Strength to all of Japan and the rest of us as this day continues.

The Anchoress mentions the town of Kurihara – population 77,000 that has been completely destroyed.

UPDATE: Authorities are evacuating around one of Japan’s nuclear power plant.

The photo on Drudge right now is brutal.

Obama

It’s Friday, it’s supposed to be Friday Fun blog but there is too much seriousness going on.

I will post this though because in the midst of the lack of leadership on Libya we get this from our President in a kiss his tush story out of the NYTimes today about how this lack of leadership is actually pragmatism. If you read the story, keep a bucket next to you.

How Mr. Obama manages to do that while also balancing American interests is a question that officials acknowledge will plague this historic president for months to come. Mr. Obama has told people that it would be so much easier to be the president of China. As one official put it, “No one is scrutinizing Hu Jintao’s words in Tahrir Square.”

Poor, poor Obama. Let’s give him the presidency of China with its 1.3 billion people. Would he find it “easy” to deny rights? Would he find it “easy” to lock up his enemies? Would he find it “easy” to deal with no union deals for workers? etc, etc. Poor man having to deal with the US of A and all its disagreements and you know, freedom. What a jerk.

UPDATE: I forgot to add this gem. Lack of leadership results in this sort of slop being handed out by subordinates.

DNI James Clapper:

The Director of National Intelligence dropped a bomb – metaphorically — in the Senate on Thursday when he testified that Libyan rebels are not likely to oust Muammar Gaddafi and predicted that eventually “the regime will prevail.”

UPDATE:
Ed Morrissey thinks Bill Kristol does well with this:

If you’re president of China, people around the world who are fighting for freedom don’t really expect you to help. If you’re president of China, you don’t have to put up with annoying off-year congressional elections, and then negotiate your budget with a bunch of gun-and-religion-clinging congressmen and senators. If you’re president of China, you can fund your national public radio to your heart’s content. And if you’re president of China, when you host a conference on bullying in schools, people take you seriously.

I think Ed did just fine:

And since the “president” of China doesn’t give a damn about the freedom and liberty of his own people, no one really gives a damn what he thinks about the freedom and liberty of others. Most see that as a feature of being President of the United States, not a bug.