The Two Obamas

There is the Obama who the voters are rejecting, who has worn out his welcome;

and

There is the Obama, his worshipfullness, who "is just too talented to do what ordinary people do".

Which Obama is your Obama ?

When Peggy Noonan’s On . . .

November 5, 2010 3:54 P.M.

By Mike Potemra

She is on. Here’s her comment on President Obama’s Wednesday press conference: “Viewers would have found it disappointing if there had been any viewers.” She continues: “The president is speaking, in effect, to an empty room. From my notes five minutes in: ‘This wet blanket, this occupier of the least interesting corner of the faculty lounge, this joy-free zone, this inert gas.’”

A related note: About three years ago, I heard President Bush make the argument for one or another of his policies, something foreign-policy-related, and his case on it seemed to me quite persuasive. A couple of days later, to my great disappointment, the poll results came in: the same lopsided rejection of the policy that existed before Bush spoke. Puzzled, I asked a prominent conservative intellectual of my acquaintance what could account for the American people’s failure to grasp what seemed to me so sensible. He answered: “It’s not so much that they are rejecting Bush’s argument, as that they’ve simply stopped listening to him.”

It took Bush six years to reach that point. Obama has worn out his welcome practically overnight.

O POTUS, Our POTUS

November 5, 2010 3:21 P.M.

By Kathryn Jean Lopez

In “The ego factor: Can Obama change?“ Politico today runs a priceless quote from Valerie Jarrett that should be from The Onion but actually comes from David Remnick’s book on Obama:

I think Barack knew that he had God-given talents that were extraordinary. He knows exactly how smart he is. … He knows how perceptive he is. He knows what a good reader of people he is. And he knows that he has the ability — the extraordinary, uncanny ability — to take a thousand different perspectives, digest them and make sense out of them, and I think that he has never really been challenged intellectually. … So, what I sensed in him was not just a restless spirit but somebody with such extraordinary talents that had to be really taxed in order for him to be happy. … He’s been bored to death his whole life. He’s just too talented to do what ordinary people do.

Election Aftermath: Obama Does Not Get It

Many interesting articles contrasting the historic turnover in this election, vs. the tone deafness of Obama (and Pelosi for that matter). Could be a precursor for some huge battles over healthcare, spending, debt and other policies.

Michael Goodwin Asks: Will we now see an ideologue or a pragmatist?

He will be a pragmatist only to the extent it helps him push his ideology. If he gets a free hand again, it's off to the radical races.Ma

Any hope he is a chastened president, ready to work for the majority of Americans instead of against them, is another illusion.

He told us so himself. Asked if he still thinks the health-care takeover was the right policy, he said the process was an "ugly mess," but insisted firmly, "The outcome was a good one."

There you have it. The signature policy he produced is "good," despite being unpopular, despite driving up costs and taxes, despite hindering job growth, and despite forcing companies to drop coverage or seek exemptions. Any more "good" like that and the USA will be down for the count.

Here are some interesting articles on the subject:

Byron York: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/Obama_-new-GOP-lawmakers-are-on-collision-course--1454988-106709123.html

Rich Lowry: The Shellacking That Hubris Brought

http://www.jewishworldreview.com/1110/lowry110510.php3

Michael Goodwin: Obama Gets It, He Just Rejects It

http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/good-274388-despite-scared.html

NY Post Editorial: A Prez in Denial

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/editorials/prez_in_denial_j7BA51tO7tyOgSJa8SwoEK

George Will: They Still Don't Get it

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/they_still_don_get_it_FOYTzeKRorV8LVVJtJhP2N

Dick Morris: Triangulation Is Not an Option

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/this_time_triangulation_not_an_option_Ll4ow8MJ3p5PH4UJiLeAYM

Election Day After - Obama / Pelosi / Reid Repudiated

Republicans pick up around 60 House seats and reclaim majority.

In the Senate, results are not completely in, but it looks like a pickup to 47, 48 or even 49 seats.

A convincing repudiation of Obama's 2 years and the 4 years of Democratic control of Congress.

However, there were some lowlights, as some of the worst of the worst in Congress got re-elected, such as:

Harry Reid in NV (saved by unions, Harrah's and the national dems who pulled out all stops to defeat a weak Tea Party candidate).

Pelosi - re-elected but no longer speaker.

Rangel - re-elected by large margin - but loses his coveted Ways and Means chair and still faces ethics charges.

Barney Frank - as repulsive a figure as there is. What is wrong with MA voters ??
(and CA voters for that matter).

Here's a little vintage Barney, who doesn't get or doesn't care about the message delivered:

Want to See the Worst Victory Speech Ever?

November 3, 2010 9:23 A.M.

By Michael Graham

From our friend Barney Frank. Having won by about 14 points, he spends ten minutes trashing Sean Bielat, the media, and everyone else. He’s outraged that he had to run a race at all. He calls the Bielat campaign “beneath the dignity of a democracy” or words to that effect. This from a guy who ran millions of dollars in attack ads, repeatedly insulted Bielat, and shouted down his own constituents.

If you want to know what’s really going through the mind of Democratic incumbents this morning, just listen to Barney Frank release his inner arrogant liberal.

No More Tingles for Chris Matthews ....

Even Chris Matthews (!) is out trashing Obama ... "elitist", etc. WOW !

This is a MUST WATCH

Midterm Elections, Obama & Iran

"U.S. Midterm Elections, Obama and Iran

is republished with permission of STRATFOR.

More Bad News for Obama ...

He just doesn't get it; or doesn't want to get it:

Obama: Voters just aren't thinking clearly http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/250097/obamas-latest-explanation-impending-november-losses-daniel-foster

Obama: Confronted again by disappointed and angry former supporters
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/250024/student-protester-obama-shortchanging-pepfar-brian-bolduc

ObamaCare: Impact on Boeing employees
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/250195/thank-you-obamacare-continued-kathryn-jean-lopez

Obama knew he was lying about claims regarding "shovel ready" projects and jobs
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/250141/obama-told-david-brooks-there-was-no-such-thing-shovel-ready-daniel-foster

Mideast policy failures:
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/250146/ahmadinejad-hezbollah-and-democrats-joel-c-rosenberg


Man, this is tiring ...

Obama Enemy # 1 - John Boehner ? Good luck w/ that !

Are they kidding ? Is that the best they can do ? Whatever happened to Rush Limbaugh !

LOL.

"They have put all their chips on one man: Congressman John Boehner”

September 15, 2010 6:28 P.M.
By Katherine Connell

A sinister group of “special interests” and “third-party organizations” has been funneling millions of dollars into “nasty TV ads and shadowy robo-calls” all to one purpose: to elevate John Boehner to a menacing position of power. If Organizing for America’s latest fundraising appeal is any indication, Democratic strategists continue to believe that the harrowing prospect of John Boehner as speaker of the House will be enough to turn the electoral tide in their direction this fall:

Subj: John Boehner

The special interests in Washington are not happy, and it’s because of something you did.
Since President Obama moved into the White House, this movement has stripped them of their influence, proving we could take on the lobbyists and corporate cash with good, old-fashioned organizing.

Now these groups are vowing to get payback in the fall elections — and they have put all their chips on one man: Congressman John Boehner….

It’s easy to see why these special interests picked John Boehner. This is a guy who first made national news 14 years ago when he was caught handing out checks from tobacco lobbyists on the House floor.

John Boehner said he did nothing wrong — he was simply helping out his lobbyist friends.
And, in all of the fights we’ve waged together these past 20 months, he’s been these special interests’ right-hand man.

He teamed up with financial lobbyists to do everything he could to stall Wall Street reform and even took time before the vote on health reform to scream “Hell no!” over and over again from the podium.

If John Boehner is handed the Speaker’s gavel, all that is wrong with Washington is back in business. Their plans are simple — unravel what this movement has done and stand in the way of the rest of President Obama’s agenda….

With just 48 days to go until the election, this movement is the only thing standing in John Boehner’s way….

Thanks,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

Someone’s putting all their chips on John Boehner here, but it isn’t nefarious right-wing “special interests.” If “standing in John Boehner’s way” is going to be the Democratic rallying cry this November, there won’t be much chance of closing the enthusiasm gap.

Sen. Jim DeMint ... a man of principle ?

in the Senate ?

DeMint: ‘I’d Rather Lose Fighting for the Right Cause’
September 15, 2010 4:16 P.M.
By Daniel Foster

Sen. Jim DeMint (R., S.C.) is now one of the most powerful forces in the Republican party, whether his colleagues in the Senate Republican leadership like it or not. And based on quotes like this, I’m going to guess the answer is “not.”

To ABC’s Jonathan Karl:

I asked Senator DeMint if he’ll have any regrets if come November 3rd he realizes Republicans blew their chance at winning a majority because some of the candidates he supported lost.

“No. I’ve been in the majority with Republicans who didn’t have principles and we embarrassed ourselves and lost credibility in front of the country. Frankly, I’m at a point where I’d rather lose fighting for the right cause then win fighting for the wrong cause,” he told me.

And to Alex Leary at the St. Petersburg Times:

“The GOP would not have a chance to take the majority in the House or the Senate if it weren’t for the tea party. To think that we could be where we are if we had Arlen Specter and Charlie Crist leading our ticket is just foolishness.”

That’s proved out by the fact that DeMint has picked primary winners with far greater success than the NRSC — which may explain why after an initial chill, Cornyn and co. have decided that they’d rather eat the resources spent on an O’Donnell loss than sit on the sidelines and watch DeMint and his PAC guide her to another upset.

UPDATE: Later on in the Karl interview, DeMint answers the 40/60 question:

“I’ve said I’d rather have 40 Marco Rubios than 60 Arlen Specters and the reason for that is if you want 60 Republicans, you’ve got to have at least 40 to start with who stand on principle. And if we can show America this election the clear contrast between the Pelosi-Reid-Obama agenda and more of a constitutionally limited government, if our candidates have that clear contrast, I think they’re going to win in every state.

“We’re going to have an earthquake election if we put the right candidates and I think that’s what we saw in Delaware last night. Christine O’Donnell has been maligned by everyone from the right to the left but people in Delaware love our country and they don’t want it to go bankrupt. They’re going see this contrast because now republicans are offering a contrast with the democrats who are going to continue this radical agenda with the President. I think the people in Delaware are smart and you’re going to see Christine O’Donnell win that election.”