Perhaps Obama should be asking his supporters about that National Day of Renewal and Reconciliation
One of the 1st acts President Obama has undertaken is to declare today – yep, that’s right now – a “National Day of Renewal and Reconciliation.” I’m curious what his supporters perceive that to mean and what they expect everyone to do to achieve it. I’m guessing he wasn’t calling for people to jeer President Bush this afternoon as he entered the inauguration dias at the Capitol.
So, what’s it supposed to be, O ye supporters of The One? Reconcile, like Obama says? Or do we start treating you guys as you’ve treated us for the past 8 years? It’d be nice to see a little class displayed as our immediate past President exits public life. You know, a little recognition that he managed to keep the country safe against an ongoing terrorist threat, that little thing about his AIDS program so respected and appreciated by the nations of Africa, that sort of thing? And if you can’t say anything nice, how about just sitting quietly and let the man leave in peace?
Too much to ask, apparently.
Comments
Comment from Ric James
Time January 21, 2009 at 12:56
That’s a hilarious attempted defense of 8 years of being called Nazis and worse than the Khmer Rouge, of years of accusations of “lying us into a war” without a single shred of evidence. You want spin? Look no further than your own words. Provocation works two ways.
And it’s also funny that I feel you mean exactly the same thing by “reconciliation” – that I’m just supposed to forget the last 8 years, shut up, and do whatever you and Obama think I should be doing. If you’d actually take the time to read the blogging done by we on the right (“fellow neocons”? You obviously don’t know the history of who the neocons are or you’d never make that statement.) you’d see plenty of writing on the mistakes made by the Bush Administration and some of that right here.
Partner in spawning the atmosphere of hateful rhetoric? I’ll tell you what, I’ll even admit to that if you’ll admit to the identity of who I’m partnered with: you. You and the other people who couldn’t let a single thing this past administration did be lauded as the right thing to do. It wasn’t enough to disagree, you had to paint him as deliberately evil. Then, anything I or any supporter of the past administration said in defense of any of those actions was howled down with hurled insults. “Jackbooted legions” ring a bell?
So come on, meet me halfway. That’s what reconciliation is, isn’t it? Or is this to be another of those turn your back moments with a dismissive wave of the hand and a “take a hike” attitude? I also want to build something worthy. I think it would be better built together but that only happens when both sides are willing. I am. Are you?
Comment from The Bulletproof Monk
Time January 21, 2009 at 20:31
He’s not. None of them are. They’re so entrenched with misdirected anger fueled by purposeful deceit by a biased media. I’ve never seen so much hurrah over someone who has ZERO accomplishment.
I’m open to Obama making the right decisions, but I have ZERO confidence in the nutjobs who think he’s right up there with Lincoln …despite having zero in his actual accomplishments.
He talks a good game(when it’s practiced and scripted)but he hasn’t given us anything that would facilitate a thinking person to celebrate an accomplishment in any measure.
Bush Derangement Syndrome is funny as hell to watch, though.
Comment from Bob James
Time January 21, 2009 at 10:15
So I presume you’d like to us to remind you of how you treated us for the last 8 years. Of the sneering accusations of being an enemy sympathizer, or of being unpatriotic because we dissented. Of having our representatives *literally* locked out of legislative committee meetings to which they’d been appointed and had a right to attend. Of the fact that you neocons “create your reality”, of the introduction of torture as an acceptable means to an end. Now that your party is out of power, you suddenly develop a “public conscience” role, and are sounding like you’ve been the wounded party all along. Well, the reaction that you’re seeing was not just dreamed up one day at a liberal convention. It was provoked. Spin that any way you want.
It seems you want the “reconciliation” to mean “forget the last 8 years”, and all those who are damned glad to see the Bush administration go to just shut up. Well, in the spirit of reconciliation, these are the last words I will write, anywhere, talking about these things. I’m moving on, to try to build something worthy. You spend your time on whatever you want. Just remember in your blogging that you, your fellow neocons, the Bush Administration and the GOP are not faultless, and that you were a more-than-willing partner in creating the atmosphere that’s spawned the hateful rhetoric you’re so busy decrying.