Watching Barack Obama in a press conference discussing the tax deal, it feels like we’re watching his presidency lose all coherence.
In his opening statement, Obama talked about how much he wanted to fight on this issue, but then he says he’s going to sign it because it’s the best possible option under the circumstances. One moment he’s insisting that the country can’t afford to extend the high-end tax cuts, the next he’s dismissing continued opposition on the part of Democrats as “fighting a political fight.” He’s trying to assure Democrats that he didn’t sell them out and opposes tax cuts for the wealthy as much as they do, and at the same time, persuade them to vote for a deal that he just said he opposes so much.
“My first job is to make sure the economy is rolling and that people are creating jobs out there,” Obama says, days after unemployment went up from 9.6 percent to 9.8 percent. Later he said that there is no danger of a double-dip recession, a statement that seems less certain after the most recent jump.
Then he referred to the GOP as “hostage takers” and said, “In this case, the hostage was the American people.”
“We were not operating from a position of political weakness,” he insists. But a moment later, discussing Republicans, Obama says, “They would have a stronger position next year than they do currently.” If time is not on your side, are you really operating from a position of political strength?
Then he cited “what everybody in this room was writing” during the health-care debate, before emphasizing that he didn’t pay attention to the day-to-day conventional wisdom of the White House press corps. You probably think I’m kidding. I’m not.
“We’ve had two years of emergency. Two years of emergency economic action.”
He's unraveling because he's teleprompterless.
The emperor really does have no clothes and it's truly amazing and sickening that the smart press corps can't or won't see it.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhat he's really saying is "SPLUNGE!" Ask any Monty Python fan what that means. I think "splunge" every time he opens his mouth these days. He started saying "splunge" with the oil spill, where he was involved and in charge of everything, but not at all responsible for anything. SPLUNGE!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYIKES, that was a good old fashioned train wreck. Angry, defensive, dismissive. THIS is the tone he wants to use to get things done? Whining about not getting good coverage or enough credit for Health Care? Lines in the sand? Politics of the moment debacle. He's that hot about less than 24 hours of whining from the left? One more example of how unready for prime time this President is. Depressing and scary, actually.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI liked the classy way he referred to Republicans as hostage-takers and bomb-throwers. What great leadership and respect he demonstrates toward his political opponents.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAm I the only person who is hoping Biden finds a use for the 25th Amendment?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI agree with Anonymous. That was a disgusting display of partisan blame! Over and over he does this. I'm an Independent and even I am tired of his constant BLAME the REPUBLICANS game! Like Jon Stewart said, "don't make me feel sorry for them"
And he has! Since 08 primaries he's made me flee screaming from the DONKEY party! It was hijacked.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf Obama has to debate Palin in 2012, his head will explode.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis is what happens when your world view implodes and you realize that not everything works like you thought it would. Sad to see but for the Democrats this can only be good. They can continue their journey into fantasy land and never win serious election again or they can modify their world view in a way to benefit everyone of us again. Either option is not bad.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI hope someone is just saving up the digital video files from this, Pelosi's various nitwit post-election statements, Charlie Rangel's arrogant refusal to accept censure and Barney Frank's "victory" speech in which he scolded the voters for making him work for re-election for a change, instead of just making him Congressmen for life by acclimation. The Democrats are shooting campaign commercials for the RNC, NRSC, NRCC, whoever the eventual nominee is in 2012. Not to mention four hundred and seventy or so GOP candidates going for House or Senate seats. I think the GOP strategy should be to thank the president for his willingness to compromise, publicy and repeatedly. That should drive the Left even further around the bend. Remember Napoleon's maxim: "Never interfere with an enemy who is in the process of destroying himself."
Regards,
Joe
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseHe was a University Instructor. He thought being President meant being the National Instructor. He was to Instruct. We were to listen and perform our assignments. With 60 Senators and eleventy-hundred Reps. in the House he could do that. Now it's all changed. University-land has gone bye-bye. And He.Can't.Handle.The.Truth.
I laughed it off when Senator Menendez referred to the us as Hostage Takers & Terrorists. The President of The United States of America just did it, live, on national TV. That I am never going to forget.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseJim, don't be so congratulatory just yet. Obama gained more than he should have today. I will not go so far as to call this a GOP defeat, but it was a missed opportunity for the GOP.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseDid any you catch the out and out lies he told? The worst was when he said that the republicans wanted to kill the child tax credit. Is he on crack? He must be because the CTC was a part of the Contract With America after the first shellacking in 1994.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAs if his hostage analogy wasn't good enough, the President went on to explain it. He doesn't just think he's the smartest guy in the room, he thinks he's the only smart guy in the room.
I couldn't help myself and watched Count Down last night. Olby was furious and devoted a Special Komment to slamming the President. It was priceless.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseChauncey Gardner in the flesh
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWe have a president who has never grown out of his role as a hyper-partisan political operative.
He is the president of his side, his clients and of the various groups that he uses as show-and-tell props for the enactment of his agenda.
To the other half-plus of America, he sees himself as a benevolent conqueror at best and a hostile enemy at worst. All he does in his speeches is articulate this fact - actually, with a candor that in other contexts would be quite refreshing from a politician.
From his quips of older vintage, "I won [so suck it up]" to the more recent ones about "negotiating with hostage-takers" his ideas are in plain view for all but the most stubborn to see.
And speaking of the most stubborn, his "presidency" will be hopefully remembered in conjunction with the lowest point in mainstream-media negligence and willful blindness.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI'm certainly not brilliant, but I was one of those voters who, truthfully, saw through this guy from the very beginning. What I regret is that he hadn't been on my radar earlier. The Leftist media had been promoting him for some time, calling him an up and comer, the new political star some time before the '08 election.
I recall my union member brother, responding to my flat statement that Obama "scared me", called me by name and said in a patronizing tone, "Don't be afraid, he's wonderful man." Makes me shudder to recall that. My brother is a hard left mentality. I love him dearly, but I cannot explain his willingness to fall for Obama's gobbledygook.
What is even more difficult to understand is, if I, an independent voter, was able to identify his politically dangerous threat and profoundly obvious narcissism, how come so many other independents were lulled to warm fuzzies, even tears, by him? It's ghastly! The results, rather, consequences of his election are even more ghastly.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhat can I say? Am I surprised with the derision which the President continues to employ? No. Republicans get the word out that "no higher taxes for incomes over .... means small businesses that create the majority of jobs in this country will not be laying off come the Jan. first. Alot of small businesses file their taxes as individuals, not corp and it would affect alot of Americans if taxes went up. Hello - this needs to be continually drummed out Loud and Clear!! I read an article either on NRO or WStandard that promoted the idea that Reps should for now just pass the tax law for the middle class and wait til after the first of the year for the other. Well, I thought that sounded reasonable at first, and then later that day, it hit me, well, alot of "middle class" people would probably get laid off if that were to happen, so back to square one and that's why the Reps are insistent on all levels. Rep leaders, please get the message out there - a concise, coherent message to be said over and over between now and the end of this Congress by all those being interviewed on National TV. I hope all Dems and Reps come to their senses and pass it before Christmas break.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThymaplanet,
I think the factors at play (besides the timing of the recession, housing bust, etc.) were two.
1 - Many *wanted* to believe that the first serious black candidate would turn into the first serious black president. Thus, the desire for collective racial catharsis trumped a serious scrutiny of the man.
2 - We were told by the media (including some purportedly in the conservative camp) that he was just pandering to his base to get elected. And with factor 1 weighing as much as it did, the path of least resistance was to jump on the bandwagon and cheer the man on.
The sad truth is that politics is seldom a matter of intellectual sobriety when it comes to voting and investing one's emotions in a candidate (guilty as charged with GWB).
In Obama's case, there were too many additional overtones - race, charisma, a total MSM blackout on his past - to make the matter worse.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAs my friend says to his 9 year old, "Don't blame others for your bad behavior".
Portle44: Love the Chauncy Gardner remark!
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseConfidence is a good thing in a leader, but over-confidence is unbecoming, arrogant and exposes vulnerabilities. It happens to folks that are told, from the time they are young, that they are bright, charming and better than thier peers. Somewhere there needs to be a source of humility to balance a life; for many, it is a belief in God; for others: sincere modesty; for many it is a family that "raised 'em right."
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