Mark Steyn was a guest on “America Live with Megyn Kelly” on Friday. He had some harsh words for Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.

“This is the director of intelligence of the global superpower and he is going on one of the most historic days in the Middle East– he is going around the world announcing that the guy in charge of U.S. intelligence is an idiot”.

As reported by The Daily Caller -

Missing the warning signs of the Egyptian revolution is certain to subject the Obama administration to some criticism, and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper’s public comments aren’t helping the president.

On Friday’s “America Live with Megyn Kelly,” columnist Mark Steyn had some harsh words for Clapper, not only for the intelligence failures surrounding the Egyptian turmoil, but also for his comments that the Muslim Brotherhood as a “secular” organization.

“This is the director of intelligence of the global superpower and he is going on one of the most historic days in the Middle East– he is going around the world announcing that the guy in charge of U.S. intelligence is an idiot,” Steyn said. “A few weeks ago just before Christmas, he was oblivious to the biggest terror bust of the day.”

That terror bust he was referring to was in an interview Clapper conducted with ABC’s Diane Sawyer, which he said he was unaware of a London terror bust.

“He had no idea,” he continued. “And he looked like the deer in the [headlights]. And the trouble is, that’s the image of the United States as blundering tourists in a very dangerous region. They don’t know what’s going on. This guy has one of the most bloated, lavishly funded intelligence bureaucracies on the planet – the most bloated and lavishly funded and he’s an idiot. He can’t be allowed out in public. I mean, this is embarrassing for the superpower.”
.

And as Steyn explained, the same sort of aloofness seems to be at play here with not foreseeing the Egyptian and Tunisian situations.

“The way to look at it — you mentioned the CIA station chiefs a couple minutes ago, Megyn,” Steyn said. “Look at it this way — what do you think the CIA station chiefs were telling Washington, the CIA station chiefs in Cairo and Tunis?”

 

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  1. #1 February 12, 2011 at 8:10 pm

    Valerie commented:

    Pass from me on missing the start of the Jan25 Revolution in Egypt. It caught the Egyptians by surprise, too, although there was recognition of unrest on all sides.

    That said, this Administration overall did not favorably impress anybody in Egypt, and surely managed to alienate all sides.

  2. #2 February 12, 2011 at 8:13 pm

    Swifty commented:

    With unemployment far too high for far too long and this guy still has his job. Incredible.

  3. #3 February 12, 2011 at 8:14 pm

    NickDeringer commented:

    The Left has emboldened the enemies of America once again. Putin, Chavez, Kim Jung Ill, Akmadinnerjacket are all laughing at us.

    You don’t know it yet, Professor O’Barry, but you guys are creating one heck of a GOP campaign commercial.

  4. #4 February 12, 2011 at 8:17 pm

    Annaleesea commented:

    He’s the Clapper. Somebody just clap him off. The old lady would be great.! Please…..

  5. #5 February 12, 2011 at 8:17 pm

    bg commented:

    ++

    i heart Mark Steyn, he’s so knowledgeably.. 8)

    ==

  7. #8 February 12, 2011 at 8:33 pm

    Ginger commented:

    http://www.investigativeproject.org/2506/gov-christie-strange-relationship-with-radical

    Never… never trust a rino! Must read! Christie in NJ is a big disapointment!

  8. #9 February 12, 2011 at 8:35 pm

    bg commented:

    ++

    remarks from DNI Clapper false and dangerous

    much more re: Clapper’s Remarks On Muslim Brotherhood here..

    ==

  9. #10 February 12, 2011 at 8:40 pm

    Ellie Light commented:

    Clapper demonstrated his judgement and knowledge. He is as qualified as Obamao.

  10. #11 February 12, 2011 at 8:42 pm

    timwi commented:

    If anyone has time could you support Governor Walker in his attempt to rein in unions in Milwaukee. A number of lib. blogs have posted this poll on their websites and are trying to make it appear that people from Wisconsin do not support him.

    http://www.jsonline.com/polls/115922949.html

  11. #12 February 12, 2011 at 8:47 pm

    befuddled commented:

    the only things Mr. Clapper needs to know about is global warming and keeping tabs on returning vets, rednecks, Nascar fans, and white christian fundamentalists. as long as Clapper contains the Duggars to Arkansas and the Palins to Alaska, he has job security.

  12. #13 February 12, 2011 at 8:47 pm

    bg commented:

    ++

    Ginger #8

    DENIAL is not just a river in Egypt..

    so many politicians have fallen for Obama’s
    “Cure-All Plan it’s downright mind-blowing..

    ==

  13. #14 February 12, 2011 at 8:51 pm

    Ginger commented:

    bg…… we have a lot of evil bastards in this country. Palin is the only one I truly trust! I am praying Col West is enother!

    Romney is being pushed! He is a one world order!

  14. #15 February 12, 2011 at 8:53 pm

    nadadhimmi commented:

    People are beginning to realize the Obama regime is actively and purposefully undermining American security and safety. Not even Obama and his minions are this stupid. My 12 yr old son is laughing at their actions. I’m not. Their actions are those of traitors. They are destroying this country with great and determined intent. It may still take a while for the Average person to grasp the fact that our President actually, truly, deeply hates the USA and wants to punish us. It’s a hard thing to admit, but it’s coming on a mass scale and it will be the end of the Progressive and may see Obama tried and imprisoned.

  15. #16 February 12, 2011 at 8:56 pm

    tommy mc donnell commented:

    they must had to search awful hard to find this group of idiots. one administration could not get this many incompetents by accident.

  16. #17 February 12, 2011 at 8:58 pm

    Ginger commented:

    bg……Don’t those stupid people understand that covering up and defending islam is only going to get them killed and their loved ones? The Swiss bank scandle said that there is over forty senators that are on the list of the hidden swiss accounts! I am really believing that they have sold their souls to the devil for money and power!

    TERM LIMITS!

  17. #18 February 12, 2011 at 9:09 pm

    befuddled commented:

    if huckabee, romney, and the rest couldn’t even beat out the leftist media hand-picked “centrist” candidate McCain, why the hell are we even entertaining another bloodbath against the obama. they had their chance and blew it. at least the democrats are smart enough not to have Kerry, Al Gore,and Clinton vying for another nomination.

    the only thing i am excited about is who will be the republican vice presidential nominee? although we don’t have a clear, solid presidential nominee, we do have a lot of appealing candidates for VP–anyone from Rubio to Huckabee would destroy Biden and solidify a presidential contender. the equivalent argument would be waiting to see the movie adaptation of a good novel.

  18. #19 February 12, 2011 at 9:31 pm

    MAJ Mike commented:

    Even for someone with two minor academic degrees from a small regional south Texas university, that’s not a difficult analysis to make. That group of ass-clowns are the product of an elite Ivy League university group-think. Granted, intell is frequently gleaned from open sources such as newspapers and other informational media, but Jeebus the Director of National Intelligence can tap any source other than newspapers for his briefing info!?! The gross incompetence of the current administration is beyond belief.

  19. #20 February 12, 2011 at 9:52 pm

    retire05 commented:

    Y’all are missing the point, entirely. The nation elected a man who sees no exceptualism in his own country. And he has appointed to high positions those who do not, either. Obama chose those who he knew would not get in his way.

    And no, Ginger, Romney is not a OneWorlder, but Obama is.

    We are moving back into the days of Woodrow Wilson, where the Constitution is thought to be outdated and that we must operate from a “collective” mind. But not just a U.S. collective mind, but collective in the view that no one nation should supercede another.

    The cult of personality took the election in November, 2008. No one wanted to look at the man behind the curtain. They wanted to believe that he was the Wizard, who could cure all their social ills. And our useless media, with their educations from far left and radically liberal journalism schools, helped him get elected by now pulling back the curtain.

    Clapper is simply symbolic of this administration who is fixated on “transforming” this nation into a Saul Alinsky model. Why do you think Obama picked Hillary? Could it have something to do with Hillary’s life long friendship with Saul Alinsky, the man she wrote her senior thesis on? Could it be, for all her talk, Hillary is like minded to Obama? Yes, and yes.

    I am not an alarmist. In all my years on this earth, I have never feared that my nation was in peril of losing what made it great. I am now, and I have been since the GOP picked John McCain as their candidate.

    We do not need a Romney, or a Huckabee. We need an Allen West. We need a candidate in 2012 that would walk though hell with a bucket of gas for this nation. We need a Sarah Palin, who can deflect the slings and arrows of radical Islam and the Progressive left as she has with the Progressives who try to destroy her only for her to come back even stronger.

    We need to support those who are willing to speak out. Jim Hoft, Andrew Brietbart, et al, who will no longer allow the Lamestream media to continue their con jobs on the American public. And most of all, we need to hit the streets. To find candidates that will not just do the Potomac two-step, like Lindsey Graham and John McCain, but who will really turn back the clock 100 years where we once again abide by our Constitution and be the nation that our Founders gave us.

  20. #21 February 12, 2011 at 10:10 pm

    HowExceptional commented:

    This is like blaming some official for the US failing to make the World Cup final. When has the CIA ever predicted a legitimate and successful revolutionary movement?

    More to the point, if you don’t think this was a surprise to Egyptians too, that their 30 years of oppression was going to be overthrown in 2 weeks, you’re looking pretty clueless yourself. Plus you’ve got a whole lot of last months winning lottery numbers to go buy Captain Hindsight. Away!

  21. #22 February 12, 2011 at 10:13 pm

    HowExceptional commented:

    “The cult of personality took the election in November, 2008…
    …We need a Sarah Palin”

    LMAO. Yeah, way to shoot off that extra leg of yours pal.

  22. #23 February 12, 2011 at 10:14 pm

    Chisum commented:

    Awww, how sweet! An Obama apologist.

  23. #24 February 12, 2011 at 10:20 pm

    Ginger commented:

    retire05…agree! And as I have been saying we need someone with fire in their belly and love for country. We have got to get Allen West to run. Let people see what we see in this man. Which ever Palin/West or West/Palin I believe is our next true leaders. Sorry but the rest of them I just do not trust!

    btw…Jim Hoft comes to mind as our next senator in Missouri to kick the witch McCaskill OUT! Having Jim to represent us in Missouri would make us proud.

  24. #25 February 12, 2011 at 10:44 pm

    Sandy commented:

    Mark Steyn is right. Now the demonstrations are spreading — who would have thunk it —
    EVERYBODY BUT OBAMA AND CLAPPER.

  25. #26 February 12, 2011 at 11:00 pm

    Big L commented:

    I think John Bolton would be a great President. Right now we need a strong Pres and a great VP. and a strong Cabinet, not czar but cabinet. I realize he has not run before. but he makes sense in a dangerous world. And yes, I think to have SArah Palin to articulate our values as Americans would be great.
    Anyone listen to the Gov Of UTAH? He is GOP and pretty good.

  26. #27 February 12, 2011 at 11:03 pm

    Valerie commented:

    A better recommendation for dealing with people who want to get out from under dictators.

    http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/the-egypt-revolution-a-new-berlin-wall/

    Andras Simonyi is a former Hungarian ambassador to NATO and the United States.

  27. #28 February 12, 2011 at 11:13 pm

    Sandy commented:

    http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/mubarak-slammed-u-s-in-phone-call-with-israeli-mk-before-resignation-1.342831

    This is really worth reading. I just wish one of the TV networks had interviewed Mubarak before he resigned. I guess it would have upset Obama to be confronted with the reality of the situation he created. Therefore, the media did what they always do these days — stand in front of a live picture of thousands of people without any explanation of what’s going on.

  28. #29 February 12, 2011 at 11:22 pm

    Sandy commented:

    I would like to see Gingrich be our next President. Just listening to him speak on Hannity or Greta makes me feel that real change is possible even with the mess we’re in now. They say the test of a line is time. Well Gingrich has been in the trenches so when he says something I believe it.

    I just pray we don’t elect any more shooting stars–they burn out too quickly.

  29. #30 February 12, 2011 at 11:33 pm

    donh commented:

    The clapper has turned the CIA head into a CHIA head…. He should be working at the dollar store…. http://marion.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Chia-head.jpg

  30. #31 February 13, 2011 at 12:40 am

    vargas commented:

    Always love what Mark has to say!

  31. #32 February 13, 2011 at 1:51 am

    jorgen commented:

    Intelligence Director James Clapper supplements Obozo as he is a bozo too. The difference is that he is not the result of affirmative action: he was once competent.

  32. #34 February 13, 2011 at 5:39 am

    squeaky commented:

    OT but it’s good for a Sunday morning snicker……..when a member of the all-important club isn’t really all that important.
    http://www.ontheredcarpet.com/Ashton-Kutcher:-George-WBush-snubbed-me-at-the-Super-Bowl/7955228

  34. #36 February 13, 2011 at 7:52 am

    bg commented:

    ++

    Breaking News: via AJ-E

    Egyptian Military dissolves Parliament, suspended the Constitution.

    elections in September..

    ==

  35. #37 February 13, 2011 at 7:59 am

    bg commented:

    ++

    re: #7 & #36

    in case you missed it, Egypt will honor it’s Treaty with Israel..

    ==

  36. #38 February 13, 2011 at 8:02 am

    bg commented:

    ++

    re: #37

    cabinet installed by Mubarak will stay put..

    ==

  37. #39 February 13, 2011 at 8:41 am

    Big L commented:

    I heard that 12 out of 14 cabinet positins are frmr generals in Egypt. anyone hear that.
    All this coverage that is bogus drives the ObamaNOCare unconstitutionality off the front pages. If GWB had done this the US govt would have fallen. But no onecovers that the Judge wiped out Obama NoCare and sibelius and therest keep on implementing it.
    Also the jobs data is not bein covered.
    The shafting of he oil drilling in the gulf is not bein covered.
    Fema is not doing anything about Snowmageddon.That is not covered.
    All the parties and the trips of Obie and family are not being covered.
    This stage play is being set up by Axel, Jarrett and Daley to suck the air out of the news day.

  38. #40 February 13, 2011 at 9:20 am

    bg commented:

    ++

    Big L #39

    barely listen to AJ news, don’t listen to US news much either, sorry..

    ==

  39. #41 February 13, 2011 at 10:58 am

    Joanne commented:

    Mark Steyn rocks.

  40. #42 February 13, 2011 at 12:56 pm

    Mark commented:

    Replace Jimmy the Clap with Janet Incompetano. Dip into the pool of heavy hitters in your administration, Comrade Obama. We are laughing at you, jug eared clown, and in two years will toss your do-mommy ass out.

  41. #45 February 14, 2011 at 3:31 am

    HowExceptional commented:

    “Awww, how sweet! An Obama apologist.”

    In 2000, some guys the CIA was monitoring left a jihadist conference and entered the US to start training on commercial aircraft, without the CIA notifying the INS, FBI or anyone else. That didn’t even happen when the CIA was warning that a massive attack was imminent.
    That’s either GW Bush’s fault or it isn’t. Either that involves the President or it doesn’t.

    Unless of course you think it the POTUS’s job to call the CIA every day of the week to instruct them not to suck as much as they have every other day of past 6 decades.

    Could you even attempt a thought a little more creative than ‘OMG he must luv Obama’? What are you, 6 years old?

  42. #46 February 14, 2011 at 5:57 am

    bg commented:

    ++

    BDS trill alert @ #43

    BDS troll alert @ #43

    BDS troll alert @ #43

    ==

  43. #47 February 14, 2011 at 6:13 am

    Chisum commented:

    Could you even attempt a thought a little more creative than ‘OMG he must luv Obama’? What are you, 6 years old?

    Can’t you get anything right? I said you were an Obama apologist. And you are.

    You also have a raging case of BDS as BG pointed out.

    Two accurate statements.

    Which are two more than you have written in all your comments.

    Moron.

  44. #48 February 14, 2011 at 2:43 pm

    HowExceptional commented:

    “Can’t you get anything right? I said you were an Obama apologist. And you are.”

    Yes, you did. In reference to me pointing out the CIA has never achieved this, no matter who was in office and in relation to something that doesn’t involve the President.

    Your brain somehow has advanced to “OMG he must luv Obama AND hate Bush!”
    Yeah…. great work kid. Have a cookie.

  45. #49 February 14, 2011 at 2:57 pm

    Chisum commented:

    How Unexceptional of you,

    Wrong again. I said that you are an Obama apologist and that you have a raging case of BDS.

    Quick! Change your name….again. The one you’re using is wildly inaccurate.

    Try ‘Loser”.

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