January 21, 2013
"Today, on the national day set aside to honor Dr. King, an African American president will ceremonially begin his second term."
"Like presidents before him, he has had his ups and downs, mistakes and triumphs. There is, to be sure, an element of bigotry among some of his enemies, but in general it has had a kind of cowardly, subterranean quality to it. President Obama was assailed mostly for what his critics thought were wrong policies or judgments. In the end, as always, the final verdict was given at the polls; the president was reelected, and his inauguration will be celebrated today — not quite with the rapturous enthusiasm of four years ago but rather with something resembling blessed normality."
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
60 comments:
The final verdict is given by history, not the Polls.
I like how they glom together "critics" with "racists". I'd use a paintbrush analogy here but, well. You know.
That reads like a committee composition. The sentence you highlighted contradicts the one before it. Is someone at WaPo advocating a non-racialist approach toward political analysis?
I hope the Obama signature ill-will and nastiness is a passing phase, but I fear otherwise. And that makes me gloomy.
At least the WaPo is accepting that there might be one drop of honest criticism in the lily white racism heaped upon the president.
Jeeze, it makes me tired.
-XC
Substitute the name of any president elected to a second term for Obama. Except for the first sentence (which is the title of the post) and the word "rapturous," the whole paragraph could apply to George W. Bush.
There is, to be sure, an element of bigotry among some of his enemies, but in general it is had a kind of cowardly, subterranean quality to it
We must keep regurgitating that hackneyed, slanderous meme, yesss we must.
Like presidents before him, he has had his ups and downs, mistakes and triumphs.
Unfortunately, his triumphs have all been mistakes.
"There is, to be sure, an element of bigotry among some of his enemies..."
Like racial dog whistles that only Democrats can hear, and all of our new racist code words, such as "Constitution."
The most devisive, polarizing and racist political figure of the last 6 years has been Teh Won...
That's how he you know, Won.
I Won...You bitter Clingers
And before it even begins he has fulfilled his only campaign promise for his second term. He has raised taxes on the rich.
President Obama was assailed mostly for what his critics thought were wrong policies or judgments. In the end, as always, the final verdict was given at the polls
When the iceberg has been struck and the ship is sinking, people do not react simultaneously, or with equal measure. Some people quickly comprehend the magnitude and consequence of the situation, while others demand another Tom Collins.
What has a cowardly and not at all subterranean quality to it is the idea that criticism and racisism are the same thing. Same old same old for four more years.
They left out that Obama is the most unqualified, most unknowledgeable, most divisive, most unprepared, most inexperienced and a community organizer to boot.And in four years, the voters will care only if the candidate has competence.
When is disagreement with his policies raaaaacissssst?
Then I assert that people who suffered Bush Derangement Syndrome were also raaaaaacisssst.
Do you think MLK would approve of BHO? Publicly he would of course, for appearances. But privately?
I think he'd think he was a sniveling idiot who is complicit with the holocaust of all those African American babies through elective abortion.
And in four years, the voters will care only if the candidate has competence.
Are you kidding? If he could run for a third term, he would win in four years, no matter how much worse things get. The 2012 election dispelled any illusions that I had about the secret wisdom of the American electorate.
I think he'd think he was a sniveling idiot who is complicit with the holocaust of all those African American babies through elective abortion.
But of course he'd still vote for Obama.
WaPo sewer sez ...
There is, to be sure, an element of bigotry among some of his enemies,...
I'd say damned few of Obama's "critics" are racist. Seriously. Kudos, however, for using "some" instead of "most"...guess the glow is wearing off a bit.
The truth is they must maintain the aspect of racism and bigotry to a noticeable degree purported for anyone or group who opposes Obama and his minions. It is absolutely necessary for the continuing narrative of Obama.
Like Jamie Fox remarked about his recent film...he gets to kill a bunch of white people and how good is that?
The narrative must be sustained. Power can be lost to sanity without it.
Virtually everything I believed in and fought for one way or another in the 60's, as well as what Dr King struggled far harder for, is BUNK!
And in four years, the voters will care only if the candidate has competence.
Don't count on it. If they wanted competence, Romney would have won in a landslide.
At this point, who would really want the job? My belief is that the nation long ago crossed the point of no return, socially and economically. If we can't cut $100 billion in spending or return everyone to the prosperous Clinton era tax rates without destroying the economy then we are as good as finished.
"They left out that Obama is the most unqualified, most unknowledgeable, most divisive, most unprepared, most inexperienced...."
Uh, you're forgetting about George W. Bush.
Of course, this is not to imply that I favor Obama. He is as dangerous and disastrous a president as Bush was, if not more so, as so many of his supporters blind themselves to what he is really about, (namely, the same thing Bush was about: serving the agenda of the American Empire, and of the wealthy institutions who rule it).
Palladian said ...
The 2012 election dispelled any illusions that I had about the secret wisdom of the American electorate.
Absolutely. A photographer captured the gathering crowd in the early moring hours for today's ceremonial inauguration.
Doesn't matter that much to me who's president.
Don't have any particular stake in Obama or any animosity toward him.
Absolutely. A photographer captured the gathering crowd in the early moring hours for today's ceremonial inauguration.
What, no black sheep??
Just lie back and think of Engla...er, America, as Obama & Co. rolls over you because to raise the slightest objection would be RACISSS and we all know suicide is preferable to that. Remember, no ugly thoughts, people!
Palladian asked ...
What, no black sheep??
Whoa! I tried, but I couldn't find any in the casmpaign crowd.
I think more racists voted for Obama than against.
Not bad for a anti-colonialist Mau Mau Kenyan!
Looking forward to many more terms from B. Soetero Hussein Obama.
And before it even begins he has fulfilled his only campaign promise for his second term. He has raised taxes on the rich.
But not on the very rich.
Looking forward to many more terms from B. Soetero Hussein Obama.
Fascinating is the liberal admiration for Presidents-for-Life.
Palladian / Colonel Angus:
I may not show it here much, but I am an optimist. I believe young taxpayers will start to get informed and they will turn against the Dems.
"Uh, you're forgetting about George W. Bush."
-- Bush and Obama both match the minimum qualifications required to be president, per the Constitution.
We've yet to see Obama's transcript, as opposed to Bush's. We know Bush was average to above average in school, well read, and competent enough to fly fighter jets. To even claim that Bush is un-knowledgeable is either ignorance or an attempt to pander to the left.
Bush didn't need a mass killing of school children to resolve to make an appointment to the ATF. He's more prepared.
Bush had very high approval ratings and was able to get through compromise legislation with Kennedy. Not divisive.
Bush was governor and ran businesses, however poorly. Obama is a government soul who couldn't even bother to vote during much of his term in Illinois and couldn't be bothered to complete his first term as Senator. Bush was clearly more experienced.
Don't believe in drivel because it makes you feel good.
"Fascinating is the liberal admiration for Presidents-for-Life."
Surrogate daddy.
I believe young taxpayers will start to get informed and they will turn against the Dems.
Doubtful since that demographic has always been firmly entrenched on the liberal side. Like minorities, they will continue to believe the Democrat claptrap that if we just keep milking the 'rich' all will be good with the world.
It's no different than the poverty thread where liberals truly believe confiscating the earnings of the 100 top rich would end poverty . It won't end anything but perhaps a few years of poverty after which time the money is spent, they back to being poor. The liberal solution of course is confiscate more money.
Liberal youths are motivated by feelings, not actual solutions because solutions require tough decisions that may not be fair, and require hardship and those things don't feel good. That's been the liberal MO for decades and isn't likely to change.
We know Bush was average to above average in school,"
yes
"well read,"
we don't know any such thing, his claims to the contrary notwithstanding.
"and competent enough to fly fighter jets."
Just barely. He scored the lowest possible passing grade on his pilot aptitude test.
"To even claim that Bush is un-knowledgeable is either ignorance or an attempt to pander to the left."
Rather, to claim him as "knowledgeable" is to assert that which has not been demonstrated.
I don't claim Bush is stupid, but he has never shown himself to be knowledgeable about those things one might consider necessary for a qualified president to be knowledgeable about.
Garage sez ...
Not bad for a anti-colonialist Mau Mau Kenyan!
Except for the simple fact Obama's purported ancestry is Luo not Kikuyu. Kikuyu are the ethnic group of the Mau Mau, and subsequently Jomo Kenyatta.
The Mau Mau rebellion or uprising ended with a resounding defeat, but did succeed in murdering savagely around 15,000 or so Africans and only a couple hundred non-Africans.
So, no, I rather doubt Obama would appreciate being referred to as Mau Mau in any form.
they will turn against the Dems.
They might.
Of course, by then the Gone Obsolete Party will be completely gone and the new party the young will turn to will be left of the dems.
We have no way of knowing that everyone is not lying to us about how well read and smart Obama is either. If we're simply going to dismiss everyone's claims about Bush -- who, by the way, is married to a librarian, if you'll recall, and who we have several people quoted as mentioning how much he read -- then this is a silly thing for you to have even engaged on since you don't care about the facts of the matter.
I don't claim Bush is stupid, but he has never shown himself to be knowledgeable about those things one might consider necessary for a qualified president to be knowledgeable about.
I think I'd rather not know what Cookie thinks "a qualified president" ought to be knowledgeable about!
We have no way of knowing that everyone is not lying to us about how well read and smart Obama is either.
On the contrary, Obama has said enough ignorant things over the last four years that provides enough evidence that he's probably of average intelligence at best.
Of course, by then the Gone Obsolete Party will be completely gone and the new party the young will turn to will be left of the dems.
Nothing lasts forever, goverments and free societies in the least.
What these brilliant well intentioned youth forget is that today's debt is tomorrow's taxes. The taxes they will be paint. Jesus what a bunch idiots they are.
Some people quickly comprehend the magnitude and consequence of the situation, while others demand another Tom Collins.
Some people quickly comprehend the magnitude and consequence of the situation and demand another Tom Collins.
That's how I feel.
$16T in debt, Americans overseas being murdered on what is becoming a regular basis, 23.8% real unemployment, and collapse of the rule of law are "blessed normality"?
Palladian said...
And in four years, the voters will care only if the candidate has competence.
Are you kidding? If he could run for a third term, he would win in four years, no matter how much worse things get. The 2012 election dispelled any illusions that I had about the secret wisdom of the American electorate.
May I suggest a tour through the works of Henry Louis Mencken?
A Half African-American will being his next term ...
If we're being specific.
And in four years, the voters will care only if the candidate has competence.
I'm afraid no one knows what competence is anymore.
He alienated his mild supporters, demonized his opposition all his first term and before that in his campaign, and through his second and most vicious campaign against Romney/Republicans, that more than half the country is indifferent to his inauguration. His second campaign against Romney was the most ludicrous at defining his opponent in a cut throat way and the low information voters lapped it up because they are too lazy. Who wants a thug for the president?! Yeah whatever! is the mood.
What, no black sheep??
------------
One is enough!
I have never claimed and have never seen any evidence Obama is particularly knowledgeable, either.
One thing I know: Musicals about Obama are better than ones I've seen about Bush.
We've been here before, but we are all just too young to remember it. But now it's easier to see now FDR got himself reelected three times. Create a dumbed-down dependency-class, and they will vote for you robotically in perpetuity. And in droves.
Cookie is an honest man.
Cookie is an honest man.
I wonder why all the truth is coming out now.. Obama is not that great -- yeah, we already knew it.
Cookie is an honest man.
So are a lot of whack jobs!
That doesn't mean he's any less a whack job.
To quote Iowahawk the Twitterer,
"Most of the media coverage of the inauguration is tongue-in-cheek. Their tongues, his cheeks."
I heart Cookie. (Those of us hangin' out in the lower left quadrant with Gandhi have to stick together :)
G Joubert said...
We've been here before, but we are all just too young to remember it. But now it's easier to see now FDR got himself reelected three times. Create a dumbed-down dependency-class, and they will vote for you robotically in perpetuity. And in droves.
Yeah, and some great demagoguery doesn't hurt either. From FDR's 1936 Madison Square Garden speech during his campaign for a second term:
For twelve years this Nation was afflicted with hear-nothing, see-nothing, do-nothing Government. The Nation looked to Government but the Government looked away. Nine mocking years with the golden calf and three long years of the scourge! Nine crazy years at the ticker and three long years in the breadlines! Nine mad years of mirage and three long years of despair! Powerful influences strive today to restore that kind of government with its doctrine that that Government is best which is most indifferent.
For nearly four years you have had an Administration which instead of twirling its thumbs has rolled up its sleeves. We will keep our sleeves rolled up.
We had to struggle with the old enemies of peace—business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, war profiteering.
They had begun to consider the Government of the United States as a mere appendage to their own affairs. We know now that Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob.
Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me—and I welcome their hatred.
I should like to have it said of my first Administration that in it the forces of selfishness and of lust for power met their match. I should like to have it said of my second Administration that in it these forces met their master.
Whoopty shit
Wake me when a qualified Jew or Italian or other ethnic gets the job.
Post a Comment