Critic Attacks New Gitmo Policy

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:

Commanding Critic

The former commander of the U.S.S. Cole — which was attacked by terrorists off the coast of Yemen in 2000 — has slammed President Obama's orders to close the Guantanamo detention center and re-evaluate its prisoners.

Retired Navy Commander Kirk Lippold says, "We shouldn't make policy decisions based on human rights and legal advocacy groups. We should consider what is best for the American people, which is not to jeopardize those who are fighting the War on Terror or even more adversely impact the families who have already suffered losses as a result of the war."

Lippold also reacted to Thursday's decision by a military judge to reject the administration's request to delay next week's arraignment of the man charged with orchestrating the Cole bombing. In an interview with McClatchy Newspapers, he called it "a victory for the 17 families of the sailors who lost their lives."

Thanks, But No Thanks

NBC, which will broadcast Sunday's Super Bowl, has rejected an anti-abortion commercial portraying President Obama as a fetus in the womb. It shows an ultrasound of an unborn baby while a caption reads, "The child's future is a broken home. He will be abandoned by his father. His single mother will struggle to raise him."

The ad —- which was done by CatholicVote.org, which is a subsidiary of the Chicago-based Catholic group Fidelis, that submitted the ad —- says despite hardships, the child will become the first African-American president and "Life — imagine the potential."

The president of Fidelis, Brian Burch, tells The Washington Times that NBC officials said they do not want to run any political or advocacy ads during the game. But the advocacy group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals was told one of its ads could run if some changes were made.

Birch says, "They were willing to air an ad by PETA if they would simply tone down the sexual suggestiveness. Our ad is far less provocative and hardly controversial by comparison."

Putin on a Show

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has some implied criticism of the U.S. government's intervention in its economy. He told the World Economic Forum: "Some are tempted to expand state economic intervention to the greatest possible extent. The concentration of surplus assets in the hands of the state is a negative aspect of anti-crisis measures in virtually every nation."

But when Putin was president of Russia, he presided over a transfer of power from the private sector to the state -— a point that former U.S. President Bill Clinton was quick to note at the forum. He said to laughter, "This is the first I've heard of Prime Minister Putin coming out for free enterprise. I hope it works for him."

— FOX News Channel's Zachary Kenworthy contributed to this report.