Obama’s Thunderdome strategy
When he won, the rationalization was that it was all a shrewd if brutal campaign strategy. But it kept coming. What is striking about the Obama technique is that it’s not so much criticism as something closer to political obliteration, driving his opposition out of the political arena altogether.
After the inaugural speech, Obama communications director Dan Pfeiffer said that Democrats don’t have “an opposition party worthy of the opportunity.” Even among the president’s supporters, one is hard put now to find anyone who doesn’t recognize that Mr. Obama’s original appeal to hope and change has given way to search and destroy. …
Speaking last Saturday, Rep. Paul Ryan said that for Barack Obama to achieve his goals, “he needs to delegitimize the Republican Party.” Annihilate, delegitimize—it’s the same thing. The good news is that John Boehner and Paul Ryan recognize that their relationship with this White House is not as partners in anything. They are prey.
Blowback
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Who run Freebie Town?
Bishop on January 31, 2013 at 9:17 AM
So does Boehner keep trying to negotiate anything with Obama?
Bitter Clinger on January 31, 2013 at 9:20 AM
.
To stall until he finds Master-Blaster’s weakness.
LincolntheHun on January 31, 2013 at 9:28 AM
It’s only bold if you succeed, BO. And he’s succeeded at exactly two things in his life – his last two campaigns – that qualify as significant undertakings in the real world. And exactly nothing that would have been possible if he were three shades lighter.
Liberals have been telling themselves loudly that his incompetence did not matter because as long as he could get reelected he would be a good President ipso facto. Well, you got him reelected. He still can’t govern.
HitNRun on January 31, 2013 at 9:29 AM
We’ve adopted the governing style of a Third-world Banana Republic. And this is what the Legacy Media and Democrat voters lust for.
Progress!
visions on January 31, 2013 at 9:31 AM
He has two weaknesses: Get in front of the press and 1) call him out on every lie he tells, and 2) ridicule him mercilessly.
The Rogue Tomato on January 31, 2013 at 9:31 AM
Read the entire article. The important part is toward the end.
The assault on talk radio and FNC is about to begin again, this time in earnest.
petefrt on January 31, 2013 at 9:32 AM
So don’t play along. Hold to your principles and refuse to cave in. If Obama decides to act like a defacto dictator and govern via executive orders, we can use that against him in the midterms in and against whomever the Dems offer up in 2016.
Doughboy on January 31, 2013 at 9:36 AM
“The crocodile will eat me last!” Most of the GOP sellouts would just rather be on the “winning” side and probably agree more than they disagree with Obama’s philosophy and policies. Hard to oppose something you like, after all.
To know what Obama is planning, just read the works of his political and intellectual mentor, Ayers.
Doomberg on January 31, 2013 at 9:37 AM
Fine, I ain’t a fan of FNC or talk radio. But, I am a firm believer in Niemoller. Lets draw the line and take our sides.
cozmo on January 31, 2013 at 9:39 AM
As you say, if unchecked, the progression doesn’t stop until it reaches criminalization of speech, then thought. Constitutional conservatives would eventually be officially regarded as enemies of the state.
petefrt on January 31, 2013 at 9:50 AM
Since Obama has signed up to the UN ban on private guns, it won’t be long now.
OldEnglish on January 31, 2013 at 9:50 AM
Two people enter. One man-boy king narcissistic lying poseur, the most divisive President in modern memory, leaves.
He did write his book “Dreams from my Father”, which was half autobiography/hagiography (can it be both?) and half made up narrative about how tough he had it growing up black. He originally pitched the book idea as a book on race (just like Michelle Robinson’s senior thesis was on race too), and after it became an autobiography, he had to inject a bunch of phony personal stories about being black in America to maintain the narrative. But, writing a fictionalized autobiography, that’s not too hard. It’s just “being Obama”.
Being Obama is easy. Presidenting is hard.
Paul-Cincy on January 31, 2013 at 10:00 AM
Henninger’s article is pretty strong stuff, coming from the WSJ.
A few days ago, a caller asked Rush whether it was time to get worried/scared yet. Indeed, Rush has sounded increasingly worried lately. But he said no, not yet.
petefrt on January 31, 2013 at 10:03 AM
The liberal/Democratic attitude of “the ends justify the means”. As conservatives, we know this is wrong, immoral. The means become the ends. You tell yourself you’re just going to lie on this one thing, you’re just going to cheat once, and be done with it. No, it never stops. The lying and cheating becomes your method. Look at Ted Kennedy and Joe Biden and their cheating in college. As conservatives, we know better. The truth matters. The ends don’t justify the means. The means are who you are, your values, and you can’t rationalize that away. You can’t run from that.
Paul-Cincy on January 31, 2013 at 10:06 AM
These are Progressives. They are feeling confident enough to drop some of the pretense of decency. Sooner or later “Thunderdome” and “annihilation” won’t be figurative. If anyone thinks it would end with deligitimization they are nuts, or ignorant of Progressive history. It’s just the set-up.
forest on January 31, 2013 at 10:10 AM
This was exactly my sentiment too. Obama has in my mind forever tainted the phrase “2nd inaugural address”. Sober, thinking people need to call Obama out at every turn. I don’t know if it will matter. For the Left, politics has become an “Ultimate Fighting” cage match. And when the Right points out the unsustainable entitlements and yearly deficits, the Left claims we’re trying to gouge out their eyes. When we’re just trying to have an honest debate.
Paul-Cincy on January 31, 2013 at 10:17 AM
Recognizing that Obama’s pedigree is Marcusian is tantamount to admitting he (and his progressive wing) is the enemy of First Amendment free speech.
Maybe the WSJ is beginning to see its liberty is at risk too.
petefrt on January 31, 2013 at 10:42 AM
It’s hard to beat Obama in Thunderdome when he has the entire media on his side.
blink on January 31, 2013 at 10:45 AM
The media are Obama’s essential tools in delegitimizing opposition to his plans for a progressive socialist Paradise. The so-called “Fourth Estate”, the watchdogs for the people, have reduced themselves to complicity in political depravity.
novaculus on January 31, 2013 at 2:56 PM
Right. Delegitimize, demonize, criminalize. Here it comes.
petefrt on January 31, 2013 at 3:30 PM