By now, the Obama “leadership” style should be blindingly apparent: Do nothing, lie in wait, and then counter-attack. Never present a plan if you can possibly help it, but deal exclusively in bromides and platitudes as you stake out the moral “high ground” and get ready to ambush the other guy. Think of it as the Permanent Insurgency campaign.
Meanwhile, have your media allies, talking parrots, and court lickspittles prepare the ground with standard-issue talking points — “The Tea Party Republicans are terrorists,” for example. In other words, do what former New York Times reporter and former car czar Steve Rattner and former Boston Globe columnist Mike Barnicle did this morning on Morning Joe:
That would be this Steve Rattner and this Mike Barnicle, by the way, just to illustrate the caliber of the president’s defenders.
Use the bully pulpit as a bludgeon against your political enemies. Make cheap, demagogic appeals to your dwindling base of supporters to do your lobbying work for you. Say the same thing over and over, no matter how much TV time you need to pre-empt.
Adamantly refuse to be pinned down about the specifics of anything, and have your platoon of Baghdad Bobs continue to insist (as good liberals always do) that up is down, black is white, and wishes are really horses, if not actual unicorns.
So the later Boehner walks into the trap, the quicker Harry Reid trumps him, and the sooner Obama can can declare for the umpteenth time that the time for talk is over, emerge as a hero — and get the debt-ceiling debate safely past the shoals of the next election, which is all he really cares about. Because, in case you hadn’t noticed, running for office is the only thing the Punahou Kid knows how to do.
Welcome to Miller’s Crossing. Up is down, black is white . . .
This is exactly how narcissistic, pathological, liars operate; they are never specific, when confronted with past, contradictory, evidence they claim they were "misunderstood" and have a list of accusations blaming others always at the ready.
I believe the "Looking Glass Syndrome" is actually a documented affect upon observers of such narcissists. I know it is exactly what I encountered with a pathological, lying, boss once. Since most people operate on an initial level of trust (particularly of authority) its easy to successfully lie. Its as if the liar is operating in a separate, parallel, universe where they dictate "reality".
Liars come to know they'll rarely be held accountable. In fact, its incredibly anti-social for someone to even confront a liar, publicly, isn't it? The accuser can even prove the lie and still make others feel uncomfortable in the process and open themselves up to very personal scrutiny for simply trying to uncover the truth.
Liars know they have this advantage and with a complicit media of proven liars such as Mike Barnicle behind you, what, exactly, is there to fear about telling virtually any lie?
If this guy is re-elected the country may go down the tubes. The damage he could cause with 5 more years...lord.
Unless we can win the Senate and hold the house.
What Rattner and Barnicle are complaining about in the Tea Party applies equally to the Democrats, House and Senate. They want a perfect deal, no negotiating.
They have permitted the perfect to become the enemy of the good.
I don't understand your point here. You're saying the Obama administration directed these two guys to go on MSNBC and use stupid metaphors, which people do on MSNBC/CNN/FOX every single day?
Nor do I understand your rhetorical strategy. You think their metaphors were over the top, so you loaded six purple paragraphs with over-the-top metaphors of your own, comparing the president to Saddam Hussein?
really ? Baghdad Bob was a joke because he got caught saying the Americans are nowhere near when tanks where basically driving in behind him ...
The joke of Baghdad Bob had nothing to do with Saddam H. ... it is a term used to describe someone who is disconected from reality not someone who was a mouth piece for Saddam ...
Sort of like, say, if I compared you to Pee Wee Herman. Does that mean you manipulate yourself in public theatres? Of course not. (What it means is below)
It is an analogy between Baghdad Bob's sycophancy, and that of the mainstream media.
Sycophancy is the relevant point of positive comparison.
With you and Pee Wee, it's your rhetorical styles.
I wonder what has more of an impact, electorally, Morning Joe or "The View".
The people who are watching Morning Joe are political junkies. Nothing that is said on that program is going to sway a single vote. The View, OTOH, is produced for EXACTLY the kinds of voters Obama needs: The disinterested voter.
I watched their "Hot Topics", round-table discussions every day this week just to see if they'd mention the Lee fiasco, or Obama's poll numbers released on Tuesday and how they'd describe the debt ceiling negotiations.
They didn't mention Rep. Lee's travails at all, big shock I know. They didn't mention Obama's cratering polls, again big shock. And, the only day they discussed the debt ceiling was the day that mousy pseudo-conservative Elizabeth wasn't there. It went as expected and not at all unlike what these Morning Joe clips reflect; Barack Obama is fighting the good fight against the extremist Republicans who want to eat your babies right after they bankrupt the country.
That's what the 3-4M women who watch The View every day get treated to. And, it's not any different on ANY of the morning (broadcast) news shows, perhaps worse. How much money does the Republican nominee have to spend to counter that kind of free publicity for Obama?
But nothing to worry about because the GOP "Go-Along-to-Get-Along" elite inside the Beltway are preparing the ground for a conservative resurgence in 2012 by surrendering on the debt ceiling!
I'd call them RINO but Jonah is right that's unfair. Obama doesn't have the monopoly on disdain for the rubes who occupy fly-over country, can see the coming crisis, and instinctively understand the solution.
I see the glee here and on Bill Kristol's Weekly Standard about Obama's declining polls. By all means poke fun of the Punahou Kid, its a pleasure to read, but never underestimate him. He's no Al Gore.
that describes the Obama strategy to a tee ... he never defends any territory, waits for others to move then pounces on the slightest flaw to declare them unreasonable all the while never having put out his more reasonable alternative ...
he simply has never had to defend anything his entire political career since he basically never did anything to defend prior to winning the Presidency ...
Now he has to defend his record ... which he will quickly point out is not "his" record but the mess left over from Bush ... good work if you can get it but after the first year it becomes less and less believable ...
Obama had one thing going for him in 2008 ... His word ... his promises ...
Now that everyone in America (and I mean everyone, liberals included) has seen that he is a shamless liar what can he do ?
When all you have is your word and people know you are a liar what do you have to fall back on ? Your record ?
Thanks for the analysis; we have been way too easy on this guy. When the left (and others) went on and on about Michelle Bachmann's (well-controlled) headaches, the first thought that came to my mind was that if voters are really worried about 'Presidential health,' perhaps they should focus not on Bachmann, but on a fellow who seems aloof, self-righteous, self-absorbed and strangely grandiose: Lord Obama - who busily creates more problems than he solves, and does not seem to care.
Talking parrots, lickspittles, Baghdad Bobs: Taking the high road here are you Michael. Of course the teapartiers aren't terrorists. You can reason with terrorists.
We learned to be so nice from our dear regressive opponents.
Thank us for sparing you the constant meme that you wanna kill people. We're a little more mature than you in that regard.
We think your socialism DOES kill people, but we just think you're way too stupid and out of touch with reality to realize it, even after hundreds of years.
Yes, you can reason with a terrorist. You can choose where you want their bullets to go -- in your mouth or in your temple.
And you are not really being facetious, because leftists prove daily they have more respect for Islamist terrorists than they do for anything fundamentally American.
When a conservative produces a movie celebrating the assassination of Obama, let us know?
Till then, slither back into the toolbox you fell out of.
Of couse the TP's aren't terrorist. Leftist surrender to terrorists, while they fight with every drop of sweat people who don't want the country to go broke(r).
Nice job, Michael Walsh.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYep. Very true.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIt's all in "Rules for Radicals" by Saul Alinsky.
No one has ever been so loyal to that handbook from within public office.
And this is the guy that we're supposed to negotiate and compromise with?
Rather, Alinsky him to pieces.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"up is down, black is white"....
Sounds like the Looking Glass, eh?
This is exactly how narcissistic, pathological, liars operate; they are never specific, when confronted with past, contradictory, evidence they claim they were "misunderstood" and have a list of accusations blaming others always at the ready.
I believe the "Looking Glass Syndrome" is actually a documented affect upon observers of such narcissists. I know it is exactly what I encountered with a pathological, lying, boss once. Since most people operate on an initial level of trust (particularly of authority) its easy to successfully lie. Its as if the liar is operating in a separate, parallel, universe where they dictate "reality".
Liars come to know they'll rarely be held accountable. In fact, its incredibly anti-social for someone to even confront a liar, publicly, isn't it? The accuser can even prove the lie and still make others feel uncomfortable in the process and open themselves up to very personal scrutiny for simply trying to uncover the truth.
Liars know they have this advantage and with a complicit media of proven liars such as Mike Barnicle behind you, what, exactly, is there to fear about telling virtually any lie?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIf this guy is re-elected the country may go down the tubes. The damage he could cause with 5 more years...lord.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseUnless we can win the Senate and hold the house.
What Rattner and Barnicle are complaining about in the Tea Party applies equally to the Democrats, House and Senate. They want a perfect deal, no negotiating.
They have permitted the perfect to become the enemy of the good.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI don't understand your point here. You're saying the Obama administration directed these two guys to go on MSNBC and use stupid metaphors, which people do on MSNBC/CNN/FOX every single day?
Nor do I understand your rhetorical strategy. You think their metaphors were over the top, so you loaded six purple paragraphs with over-the-top metaphors of your own, comparing the president to Saddam Hussein?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSaddam Hussein ?
the term insurgency was in use long before you ever heard the name Saddam Hussein ... so no he was not comparing oBAMA to Saddam Hussein ...
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOk. And Baghdad Bob?
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abusereally ? Baghdad Bob was a joke because he got caught saying the Americans are nowhere near when tanks where basically driving in behind him ...
The joke of Baghdad Bob had nothing to do with Saddam H. ... it is a term used to describe someone who is disconected from reality not someone who was a mouth piece for Saddam ...
nice try though ...
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse> "The nickname for Saddam's mouthpiece has nothing to do with Saddam. Nice try though."
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNo, it doesn't.
Sort of like, say, if I compared you to Pee Wee Herman. Does that mean you manipulate yourself in public theatres? Of course not. (What it means is below)
It is an analogy between Baghdad Bob's sycophancy, and that of the mainstream media.
Sycophancy is the relevant point of positive comparison.
With you and Pee Wee, it's your rhetorical styles.
See how analogies work, now?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseI wonder what has more of an impact, electorally, Morning Joe or "The View".
The people who are watching Morning Joe are political junkies. Nothing that is said on that program is going to sway a single vote. The View, OTOH, is produced for EXACTLY the kinds of voters Obama needs: The disinterested voter.
I watched their "Hot Topics", round-table discussions every day this week just to see if they'd mention the Lee fiasco, or Obama's poll numbers released on Tuesday and how they'd describe the debt ceiling negotiations.
They didn't mention Rep. Lee's travails at all, big shock I know. They didn't mention Obama's cratering polls, again big shock. And, the only day they discussed the debt ceiling was the day that mousy pseudo-conservative Elizabeth wasn't there. It went as expected and not at all unlike what these Morning Joe clips reflect; Barack Obama is fighting the good fight against the extremist Republicans who want to eat your babies right after they bankrupt the country.
That's what the 3-4M women who watch The View every day get treated to. And, it's not any different on ANY of the morning (broadcast) news shows, perhaps worse. How much money does the Republican nominee have to spend to counter that kind of free publicity for Obama?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseBut nothing to worry about because the GOP "Go-Along-to-Get-Along" elite inside the Beltway are preparing the ground for a conservative resurgence in 2012 by surrendering on the debt ceiling!
I'd call them RINO but Jonah is right that's unfair. Obama doesn't have the monopoly on disdain for the rubes who occupy fly-over country, can see the coming crisis, and instinctively understand the solution.
I see the glee here and on Bill Kristol's Weekly Standard about Obama's declining polls. By all means poke fun of the Punahou Kid, its a pleasure to read, but never underestimate him. He's no Al Gore.
Thanks for great writing!
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abusethat describes the Obama strategy to a tee ... he never defends any territory, waits for others to move then pounces on the slightest flaw to declare them unreasonable all the while never having put out his more reasonable alternative ...
he simply has never had to defend anything his entire political career since he basically never did anything to defend prior to winning the Presidency ...
Now he has to defend his record ... which he will quickly point out is not "his" record but the mess left over from Bush ... good work if you can get it but after the first year it becomes less and less believable ...
Obama had one thing going for him in 2008 ... His word ... his promises ...
Now that everyone in America (and I mean everyone, liberals included) has seen that he is a shamless liar what can he do ?
When all you have is your word and people know you are a liar what do you have to fall back on ? Your record ?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIt's the Chicago way.
Thanks for the analysis; we have been way too easy on this guy. When the left (and others) went on and on about Michelle Bachmann's (well-controlled) headaches, the first thought that came to my mind was that if voters are really worried about 'Presidential health,' perhaps they should focus not on Bachmann, but on a fellow who seems aloof, self-righteous, self-absorbed and strangely grandiose: Lord Obama - who busily creates more problems than he solves, and does not seem to care.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseTalking parrots, lickspittles, Baghdad Bobs: Taking the high road here are you Michael. Of course the teapartiers aren't terrorists. You can reason with terrorists.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuseouch ... with a sharp wit like that you must have to be careful around children ...
although only a democrat or liberal would try to reason with a terrorist ... a tea party type would just prefer to martyr them ...
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWe learned to be so nice from our dear regressive opponents.
Thank us for sparing you the constant meme that you wanna kill people. We're a little more mature than you in that regard.
We think your socialism DOES kill people, but we just think you're way too stupid and out of touch with reality to realize it, even after hundreds of years.
Yes, you can reason with a terrorist. You can choose where you want their bullets to go -- in your mouth or in your temple.
And you are not really being facetious, because leftists prove daily they have more respect for Islamist terrorists than they do for anything fundamentally American.
When a conservative produces a movie celebrating the assassination of Obama, let us know?
Till then, slither back into the toolbox you fell out of.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseOf couse the TP's aren't terrorist. Leftist surrender to terrorists, while they fight with every drop of sweat people who don't want the country to go broke(r).
Don't forget to call them racist too, you chump.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse