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Peggy Noonan

There’s no “I” in “kumbaya,” Mr. President

Here’s my conjecture: In part it’s because he seems to like the tension. He likes cliffs, which is why it’s always a cliff with him and never a deal. He likes the high-stakes, tottering air of crisis. Maybe it makes him feel his mastery and reminds him how cool he is, unrattled while he rattles others. He can take it. Can they?

He is a uniquely polarizing figure. A moderate U.S. senator said the other day: “One thing not said enough is he is the most divisive president in modern history. He doesn’t just divide the Congress, he divides the country.” The senator thinks Mr. Obama has “two whisperers in his head.” “The political whisperer says ‘Don’t compromise a bit, make Republicans look weak and bad.’ Another whisperer is not political, it’s, ‘Let’s do the right thing, work together and begin to right the ship.’” The president doesn’t listen much to the second whisperer.

Maybe he thinks bipartisan progress raises the Republicans almost to his level, and he doesn’t want to do that. They’re partisan hacks, they’re not big like him. Let them flail.

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Another whisperer is not political, it’s, ‘Let’s do the right thing, work together and begin to right the ship.’” The president doesn’t listen much to the second whisperer.

Yes, he does. I am so sick and tired of people thinking the problem with Obama is that he’s playing too much politics rather than working for the good of the country. Politics has absolutely nothing to do with it.

From Obama’s perspective, he IS sticking to principle. The problem is that he sincerely believes, with every fiber of his being, that all the major problems of this country can be traced back to our system’s flawed design, and that he needs to “fundamentally transform” (his words, not mine) the country to fix it. He wants to destroy the American system and rebuild an entirely different system in its place. That is what he truly believes is the solution.

Shump on January 4, 2013 at 10:35 AM

I think she just discovered that he doesn’t respect her the morning after.

abobo on January 4, 2013 at 10:39 AM

Whatever. Peggy voted for him in his first term, when any fool could see where he was headed. I don’t really care how eloquently she derides him now. Pseudo intellectual, putting as many words into as little thought as possible (stole that paraphrase from George Will).

samuelrylander on January 4, 2013 at 10:41 AM

Much better to have Obama as President than Palin as VP though. Right, Peggy?

besser tot als rot on January 4, 2013 at 10:41 AM

He is a uniquely polarizing figure. A moderate U.S. senator said the other day: “One thing not said enough is he is the most divisive president in modern history. He doesn’t just divide the Congress, he divides the country.”

Wow. Oh my. Really?? If only we’d known before the election.
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I wonder if said Senator was Lindsey Graham.

Paul-Cincy on January 4, 2013 at 10:42 AM

Peggy made a funny.

steebo77 on January 4, 2013 at 10:47 AM

Peggy’s inflatable ‘obama-love-doll’ has sprung a leak – but, she’s desperately searching for her patch kit as we speak.

Pork-Chop on January 4, 2013 at 10:50 AM

The senator thinks Mr. Obama has “two whisperers in his head.”

A third “whisperer”, the one he listens to, is just plain stupid and ignorant of all things fiscal…

Lincolnton Furniture Company closed abruptly Thursday just one year after it was hailed by President Barack Obama as an example of the recovering U.S. economy.

right2bright on January 4, 2013 at 10:52 AM

Wow. Oh my. Really?? If only we’d known before the election.
/
Paul-Cincy on January 4, 2013 at 10:42 AM

Exactly.

Drained Brain on January 4, 2013 at 10:53 AM

From Obama’s perspective, he IS sticking to principle. The problem is that he sincerely believes, with every fiber of his being, that all the major problems of this country can be traced back to our system’s flawed design, and that he needs to “fundamentally transform” (his words, not mine) the country to fix it. He wants to destroy the American system and rebuild an entirely different system in its place. That is what he truly believes is the solution.

Shump on January 4, 2013 at 10:35 AM

Well stated…anything else is just an excuse, head in the sand, that this guy doesn’t respect or “believe” in the classic American system. Financially, socially, politically.

right2bright on January 4, 2013 at 10:54 AM

Democrats are intentionally destroying the country.

You cannot run up so much debt and completely ignore it and pretend all is well.

Screw it. I’m buying my first gun.

GardenGnome on January 4, 2013 at 11:07 AM

bho just loves to plow up snakes and see how many will do anything against him! The constant distractions are seeing to it bho is going behind dc and the courts to get what he wants done even if eo is the way to do it? I don’t think bho likes anyone but bho and he seems to hardly tolerate mo/kids because he is hardly around them?
L

letget on January 4, 2013 at 11:08 AM

Linking to Medved and Noonan… must be hard up for material in the headlines today.

beatcanvas on January 4, 2013 at 11:34 AM