Inside the Beltway: The president takes it to prime time

NEWS AND OPINION:

A vast audience, eager anchors, controlled circumstances: A presidential speech on prime time TV can be an unparalleled showcase for White House policy — unless the speech is delivered on the eve of the 13th anniversary of 9/11, before an intense audience in a nervous season, just two months before a pivotal midterm election. Pundits and analysts will be poised when President Obama steps before the cameras Wednesday night to reassure the nation that he now has a viable strategy to deal with the Islamic State, and can protect the homeland without spending another trillion dollars or so. This intensely presidential role will demand fact-driven authenticity and candor rather than soaring rhetoric.

Mr. Obama faces a jittery nation, but one in touch with its inner hawk. A Washington Post/ABC News poll finds 90 percent of Americans say the Islamic State is a serious threat to the U.S., while seven out of 10 now support airstrikes on Iraq and 65 percent would support strikes on Syria.

A CNN/ORC poll also finds 90 percent of the respondents deem the Islamic State fighters a serious threat to the U.S. Another 60 percent support aggressive action against the militants, but only if other nations participate; 67 percent think Mr. Obama does not have a “clear plan” to deal with it all.

“Americans are significantly less reluctant to use military force than they were a year ago, and the number who say that terrorism is the country’s most important problem has quadrupled, making it second only to the economy on the list of top problems in the public’s mind,” says CNN polling director Keating Holland.

WHAT SOME PINE FOR

“Here’s what I’d like to see — a president who’d read something from the Old Testament once a week, broadcast from the Oval Office. Something along the lines of this: ’To those of you who are cutting the heads off our citizens, let me read you something from our Bible,’” muses talk radio host Michael Savage.

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“And the sun stood still and the moon stayed, until the nation had avenged themselves of their enemies,” Mr. Savage continues, quoting from the Book of Joshua. “And I promise you we will. That would be fantastic. It would reinvigorate the nation. People would have hope again.”

PATRIOT’S DELIGHT

Here’s proof that not everything is melancholy or alarming this week: Three cheers for the National Park Service, which managed to assemble 6,609 appropriately-clad children into a “living” American flag at Fort McHenry National Monument in Baltimore to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the writing of “The Star Spangled Banner.” The herculean 90-minute task was completed at high noon Tuesday, the flag formation spanned 50,384 square feet — that’s 188 feet by 268 feet — entirely made up of enthusiastic local students from the fourth to eight grades, who donned red, white or blue cover-ups and meandered their way into the largest living flag on record.

And double huzzah to organizers for including Myrtle Sanders in the pageant. She was part of the 1914 living-flag formation as a three-month-old infant during the National Anthem’s centennial celebration at Fort McHenry. Hail to you, Myrtle.

“It was breathtaking to witness these students and their teachers become part of history of Fort McHenry while learning about two of our nation’s greatest symbols of freedom and democracy — the American flag and the National Anthem,” says Tina Cappetta, the site’s superintendent.

CHRISTIEPALOOZA

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Damn the political complexities, and full fundraising straight ahead. Even a jittery nation and a presidential prime-time speech can’t stop a big fundraiser. Mitt Romney journeys to New Jersey on Wednesday for a combination birthday party-fundraising extravaganza for Gov. Chris Christie, who has just turned 52. A thousand people are expected, with some tickets priced as high as $25,000, for the sold-out event in East Brunswick. Mr. Christie has good feelings about Mr. Romney as well.

“He’s a good man, I like him a lot. I respect him,” Mr. Christie told a town hall meeting in Camden on Tuesday,

LIBERTARIAN NON-PALOOZA

The nation’s third party would like to dampen down the current warrior fever.

“The U.S. government has been intervening in the Middle East for more than half a century under the pretext of achieving peace. But things just keep getting worse. We must stop stoking conflicts that tear countries apart, stop dropping bombs, and stay out of the region,” declares Nicholas Sarwark, the thirty-something chairman of the Libertarian National Committee. “Any attempt by the United States and other foreigners to intervene in the area undermines the ability of natives who oppose the Islamic State to mount sustainable opposition. It also helps the IS recruit supporters and puts the world at greater risk of terrorist attacks.”

Mr. Sarwark adds that there are 30 Libertarian candidates vying for federal office nationwide, due on the ballot on Nov. 4.

THE SECURITY-MINDED AT THE READY

Lawmakers are making a legislative stand on Wednesday as evidence that somebody in Congress is doing something. A hearing titled “One Flight Away: An examination of the threat posed by ISIS terrorists with Western passports” gets consideration before the House Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security, with Chairwoman Candice Miller, Michigan Republican, sketching out the dangers before a host of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials.

“Reports indicate that as many as 3,000 of the brutal jihadist militants currently fighting in Iraq and Syria hold European passports, which allow visa-free travel to the United States,” she observes.

And due for mark-up in the House Judiciary Committee is the “Protecting the Homeland Act,” which would continue a ban that prohibits Libyans from studying nuclear science or attending flight or aircraft maintenance schools in the U.S. — for all the obvious reasons. The Department of Homeland Security, seeking to better relations with Libya, repealed the rule two months ago.

At the helm to help reinstate it are three Republicans: Reps. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina, Bob Goodlatte of Virginia, and Jason Chaffetz of Utah, all chairman of security-minded subcommittees.

“Considering the deteriorating situation in Libya, it is hard to understand why DHS is moving ahead with repealing this 30-year-old rule. We still have not heard from the administration why this policy is going to improve national security,” Mr. Gowdy says.

POLL DU JOUR

• 71 percent of Americans say it is “absolutely certain” they will vote in the midterm elections; 79 percent of Republicans, 69 percent of independents and 66 percent of Democrats agree.

• 67 percent overall say they are “inclined to look around” rather than re-elect their current representatives; 64 percent of Republicans, 76 percent of independents and 58 percent of Democrats agree.

• 45 percent overall say the Republican Party will take over the Senate; 69 percent of Republicans, 49 percent of independents and 25 percent of Democrats agree.

• 40 percent say such a switch “will make no difference;” 29 percent of Republicans, 51 percent of independents and 34 percent of Democrats agree.

• 32 percent say the switch would be a “good thing;” 67 percent of Republicans, 28 percent of independents and 15 percent of Democrats agree.

• 25 percent say the switch would be a “bad thing;” 3 percent of Republicans, 19 percent of independents and 48 percent of Democrats agree.

Source: A Washington Post/ABC News poll of 1,001 U.S. adults conducted Sept. 4-7.

• Huzzahs and hesitant observations to jharper@washingtontimes.com.