I wanted to add a few thoughts to Jonathan’s post, with which I entirely concur.
The CBS News/New York Times poll, if only because of the source, must be creating panic at Obama re-election headquarters. So afraid of the results are Team Obama that campaign officials are actually attacking the poll — whose sample of registered voters is weighted in favor of Democrats (36 percent Democrats, 30 percent Republicans, and 34 percent independents) – as “significantly biased” in favor of Republicans. Of course it is. And Republicans are the ones who are supposed to be members of a “faith-based community” instead of the “reality-based” one.
As bad as the results are — showing support for Romney among women to be higher than support for Obama among women — my hunch is that what’s really driving the president crazy is that 67 percent of Americans think Obama’s stand on same-sex marriage was done mostly for political reasons rather than principled ones.
President Obama, after all, has presented himself to us – and seems to fancy himself to be – a man of rare political integrity and courage. The narrative they would have us believe is that Obama is an individual driven by the highest and purist motivations. He doesn’t simply want our support; he wants our reverence, our respect, and our awe. It helps explain the cult-like nature of the 2008 campaign.
So for Obama to be seen as just another scheming politician must really grate at him.
The truth, of course, is Obama is just that. Even for a politician, his stands on same-sex marriage – he was for it, then against it, then neutral on it, before he once again came out in favor of it – have been transparently cynical. And for Vice President Biden of all people to receive credit for forcing Obama to embrace same-sex marriage has, as we know, enraged Obama’s top aides.
Obama’s mask continues to slip. He is nothing like the image he created (post-ideological, non-partisan, high-minded, inspirational, unifying). He is, it turns out, a very liberal, rather ruthless, and deeply cynical politician. The fact that he is these things doesn’t bother him in the least. But the fact that more and more Americans are aware he’s these things bothers him quite a lot.
Can we have a moritorium on the use of the word "cynical" or "deeply cynical" to describe Barack Obama? The first definition of "cynical" is (and I quote from a prominent online dictionary): " distrusting or disparaging the motives of others". Peter, in our world, that is not an insult, and in some ways is a compliment. Obama is far, far worse than a cynic. He is a liar. He is vainglorious. He puts himself above the country. But please don't compliment him or let him off the hook by calling him a cynic. n
So true. And what does the idea of Obama's "mask" slipping say about the intelligence of Americans that were initially fooled by him, and are now seeing the true Obama for the first time? n nDemagouges like Obama will come and go, but an informed electorate trumps all.
Exactly! The informed electorate sees right through the Emperor's new clothes. Funny how many of those children's stories have practical applications.
And, of course, there's something to say about people who dip their toe into the pool or reality and, with their own eyes, see how different it is than what Obama presents.
Amen. Why can't pundits use the more appropriate term "Machiavellian?" (even though I know that's technically unfair to Nicolas Machiavelli). I'm sick of using "cynical" because I'm convinced that many readers are using the wrong definition, not the one intended by the pundit.
Reasonable request. Your moratorium is granted.
Just like jimmy Carter. He was able to outmanover Teddy Kennedy but the electorate caught on to the type of person he is, something that has escaped President Carter all these years.
No one had to "outmaneuver" Toady Chappaquiddick Kennedy for the Presidential nomination, he did that himself – at Chappaquiddick. n nWho Carter outmaneuvered in '76 was the Republican party – by appearing – falsely – to be a mere simple country farmer. A SOUTHERN Democrat. He didn't LOOK Marxist in the campaign. n nThe Republicans looked like crooks, and Ford was a joke. Why should Americans vote for a "Republican" who was selected for them by the Democrats in Congress!
"…my hunch is that what’s really driving the president crazy is that 67 percent of Americans think Obama’s stand on same-sex marriage was done mostly for political reasons rather than principled ones." n nIt was done for political reasons – but that doesn't mean he doesn't believe in it. It was political reasons for which he did NOT support same sex "marriage" – knowing it to be a killer issue against Marxist Stalinist donkeys. nHe hates having to come out for it only for the money, he is scared folks will guess he is really queer, in spite of the "beard" named Michelle. nEven though he is so proud of being a Marxist Stalinist. n n Because everyone knows you cannot be a Marxist Stalinist and a Man at the same time.
The poll isn't "weighted in favor of Democrats," the reason 36% were Dems and only 30% were Republicans because there are WAY MORE DEMOCRATS THAN REPUBLICANS in this country. For all the talk you guys push about freedom and democracy, you're actually reviled by a plurality of Americans. Wake up.
Your childish lashing out aside, regarding the Republican/Democrat ratio (which, btw, is false), if we entertain this fiction for a moment, it really makes the results all the more damning! If O can't garner a decisive plurality, from a population weighted toward his own party, he's in even worse shape. n nIf you are going to cast out falsehoods, purely for political reasons (much like O's being against homosexual marriage, before he was for it), at least consider the consequences for your own side, first. The sound bite mocking Republicans might give you that sugar high, but the lows will linger.
You know who comes out on top of all this? Vice President Joe Biden. The VP does his thing, says what he wants, makes whatever mistakes he likes, and he's still sailing right along. n nWhile we argue as to where Obama stands, Biden is talking his talk and having a grand time. n nI think the vice-president has shown us that he's one politician who's having the time of his life. (Not that this is good for the country, but at least someone knows how to have fun.) n nYou go, Joe! n
Okay, enough already, Obama doesn't walk on water and has feet of the most flexible and muddy clay like most other politicians. Get over it. It's an easy point to make and gets us nowhere. Let's have from you more substantive discussion of policy differences, with facts and figures, rather than this constant harping on how much less Obama is than divine.
Uh, it is the media trying to portray the divine status. See the cover of Newsweek with the rainbow halo over Obama, the guy who causes tingles in Chris Matthews (who fared worse than he predicted Palin would on Jeopardy) leg. It is not just the mask slipping off, the clothes the Emperor has on the economy are exposed. nFour years ago, many millions of us voted for Obama to prove as a nation we were not racist ( I for one thought Doug Wilder should have been our first black president). Now many millions more will vote against him to prove we are not total idiots.
Actually you make a fair point.
Yeah now there is a winning idea, attack the polls that are being conducted about your re-election. How dare the American public not vote for Barry.
Yeah, but did the poll canvass names on several cemeteries who always vote Demokrat, and did it count Demokrat votes twice?