Is it in Obama’s Political Makeup to Govern as a Divider?
Up until then-candidate Barack Obama’s celebrated (in the media) speech on race in Philadelphia following the revelation of the racist rants of his longtime pastor Jeremiah Wright, I saw the Democrat as a political leader able to unite the nation.
He has political gifts similar to those of the Gipper, a natural stage presence and a winning smile. But, not even a week in office, Obama showed instead the traits not of the greatest Republican president of the last century but of one of the two worst (while putting forward policies similar to those of the other member of that dishonorable duo).
If the president really wants to unite the nation, he needs learn from two liberal icons, each of whom flourished in the decade of his birth, Bobby Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey, the latter known in the Senate as the “Happy Warrior,” a title to which it seemed Obama once aspired. Both advocated a liberal program, neither did so by whining about his critics.
By contrast, Obama’s latest rants against his adversaries have caused one of his ideological confrères to dub him the Whiner-in-Chief. Perhaps, the Democrat aspires to be the cranky warrior, more obsessed than any of his predecessors of belittling the one who immediately preceded him.
He has become perhaps more bitter about critical news coverage than any of his predecessors even Nixon. As George Will put it, few presidents have had less reason to complain about news coverage than the incumbent. His predecessor received far worse (far, far worse) press on nearly every network than Obama receives on just the one his team singles out for scorn. And yet W didn’t let the criticism get to him.
What is it about Obama?
But, maybe needing to complain, needing to criticize is part of the Democrat’s modus operandi. Maybe that is why he flourished in the campaign. He succeeded by having someone to demonize.
Blogging law professor William A. Jacobson wonders “if Obama is incapable — psychologically, philosophically, intellectually — of stopping the campaign“:
Having no substantive achievement in his life other than his own political career, Obama’s claim to the throne was that he claimed the throne. Much like the proverbial dog chasing the car, now that Obama has caught the throne, he doesn’t know what to do with it.
And unlike the Gipper, many of whose political gifts he shares, he didn’t make the ideas of his political philosophy the issues of his campaign.
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I don’t get it. Do you mean he should have gone down to the Mississippi Delta and pretended he gave a crap? Or maybe he should have followed Teddy’s Alasks tour.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — October 26, 2009 @ 5:49 am - October 26, 2009
Alaska, rather.
Comment by ThatGayConservative — October 26, 2009 @ 5:50 am - October 26, 2009
he is a sock puppet. the people behind the scenes are the threads that holds this fabric together. the far left has had an agenda for many years and now we see it in full force.
if you are a believer, please pray for our country. i am not opposed to oposite points of view, i am aposed to marxist!
Comment by southernsue — October 26, 2009 @ 11:41 am - October 26, 2009
Campaign… it seems to be all he’s got.
Comment by Sonicfrog — October 26, 2009 @ 11:52 am - October 26, 2009
Insulting all Republicans last week – the sign of a true uniter – NOT!
Was talking to another conservative friend yesterday who remarked how proud he was of America for electing Obama, despite not agreeing with him politically.
And now Obama turns around and with his thin skin and lefty ideas is removing any feeling of unity from this nation.
Rush Limbaugh said it best, It’s not the black that bothers us, it’s the RED.
Comment by Leah — October 26, 2009 @ 12:01 pm - October 26, 2009
“I saw the Democrat as a political leader able to unite the nation”
Really? I saw him as a candidate who couldn’t even unite the Democrat party, much less the nation, as Hillary Clinton’s primary campaign dragged on and on and many of her supporters adopted the slogan “Party Unity My A**.”
Comment by Conservative Guy — October 26, 2009 @ 12:26 pm - October 26, 2009
If there is a gratification for Barack in the sneering assault on Fox and the Fox half of the nation we shall probably have to wait for the staffers’ books to see the evidence but tactically I find it obvious that this is a substanceless sop to the Hard Left. Barack expected that the forebearance from the Left on gay marriage etc that he enjoyed during the campaign was a permanent state of affairs. The idea that he would be expected to actually DO SOMETHING, and in pretty short order regardless of the short-term political pain he would suffer by his ideological allies has stung and stunned him more than anything else. But scratch a Lefty and you will find beneath the fatuous bromides that support their positions and a generic animosity scarcely to be believed. They have long wanted Barack or some politician to take their midnight bull-sessions out to the podium and declare to the nation as they perpetually declare to each other that anyone to the right of Walter Mondale is a beast to be ridden down and no more. The malign fictions of Fox and the Reps, including the reach-around caucus exemplified by McCain need only be exposed to the mob to have the mushy middle instantly transformed into a sea of Howard Zinns. Take the temperature of your Prog friends today if you dare. Certainly they are as shocked as Barack at the unavailing result of the War on Fox which they have longed for desperately. The War on the Chamber of Commerce, one tick below SPECTRE morally, is likewise damaging the attackers far more than the defenders. The CC mouthpiece actually states publicly that they will not lower themselves to the childish practices with which they contend! Hilarious!
As with so many other customary practices of the office he holds, Barack is mystified and contemptuous of the habits so well demonstrated by Bush. For all the complaints that anti-warriors were tarred as unpatriotic etc one will search in vain for Bush, Cheney or any high level Bushie doing so even tangentially. Barack complains that the simple facts of his policies and statements are recorded and replayed to his detriment. Bush was maligned daily by Democrats at all levels of gub and the press with absurd lies and sailed on undisturbed. Largely this is due to his temperment but Obama had best realize, and quickly, that there are practical benefits to remaining “above the fray” as they say. Because if you do not, as President, you find yourself besett by numberless and tireless swarms from all poles of the politcal world making decisive action nearly impossible. He is experiencing that now re Afghanistan and diverse other issues. Is he learning? Does he want to? Can he?
Comment by megapotamus — October 26, 2009 @ 1:28 pm - October 26, 2009
He’s an LGBT black man on the “down low”. Enough said, unless you wish to address the psychpathology. Otherwise, his behavior is completely normal for a neurotic male. To those who may misconstrue “normal”, neurotic behavior is abnormal.
Comment by RJLigier — October 26, 2009 @ 1:30 pm - October 26, 2009
Of course Obama is a divider. How much effort has he made to try to convince those who disagree with him on any issue? His effort to marginalize FOX NEWS and talk radio. He has no desire to reach across and convince others to try his liberal leftist way. He would instead look forward to engaging those who disagree he would look forward to fair and open debates. Instead he just bulls his way ahead, stomping on who ever he needs to. Uniter? Please.
Comment by Gene in Pennsylvania — October 26, 2009 @ 5:37 pm - October 26, 2009