caught somewhere between real life, simple faith, & raw emotion
Presidential Contradictions
[UPDATE: As of today 11/1/10–the day before elections–the President is back-pedaling on this saying he should have used the term “opponents” instead. Duh.]
As a Christian, integrity is important to me. It’s something that I think Jesus modeled and held high. So I try to make it part of my life. It’s not easy, but one way is that I try to flush out compromise and contradictions–as I talk about in my post An Authorized Approach To Christianity.
Now, there are mid-elections next week. That means candidates are speaking, running campaign ads, and making mass calls to often rail their opponents. One common tactic is to show cracks in the other person’s integrity.
Even the President is campaigning and doing that. Now, I can’t imagine being President. It must be the hardest job in the world, but there are some things you just shouldn’t say.
I will never forget when President Bush stood on that aircraft carrier and said, “Mission Accomplished!” when it wasn’t.
I’ll never understand why President Bush said, “I’ve abandoned free-market principles to save the free-market system.” That’s like saying you have to cheat on your wife in order to save your marriage.
I will also never understand what President Obama has said. While campaigning in a recent interview he called his opponents his enemies. Below is the transcript and you can even listen to it here.
“If Latinos sit out the election instead of saying, ‘We’re going to punish our enemies and we’re gonna reward our friends who stand with us on issues that are important to us,’ if they don’t see that kind of upsurge in voting in this election, then I think it’s going to be harder and that’s why I think it’s so important that people focus on voting on November 2.”
PUNISH OUR ENEMIES. Really?
I’ve never heard a US president say that. Nixon got all kinds of heat for having an Enemies List of the media. But to me, President Obama takes it a step further. This seems to also imply anyone who won’t vote for his agenda is his enemy. That’s just dirty. And that’s not putting away the ‘politics of old’ or uniting anyone.
What I also find insulting, is the assumption that the Hispanic audience listening (and all others by proxy) agree with him. Is that a bit condescending? If not, you’re an enemy (or enemigo) I guess.
So because I have a limited view of government, in recent years I have been called racist, primitive, and now an enemy of the President by the President himself.
I just think there are some lines the President shouldn’t cross. Things like this are below the office. But what do I know? I’m just a guy who’s going to replace some rotten wood today.
6 comments
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Well said, Jason.
Er, “gentle carpenter”. *grin*
Actually, President Bush never stood on the deck of an aircraft carrier and said “Mission Accomplished”. Bush had nothing to do with that banner; it was something the carrier personnel did, indicating the accomplishment of the mission of the carrier group. The words of the President’s speech on the deck of that aircraft carrier contained no message of “mission accomplished”; quite to the contrary, actually.
If you really want to look at presidential contradictions (nay, hypocrisy), compare Obama’s statements regarding the Senate filibuster rules in 2005 versus today.
Thank you for the clarification. My point is still valid. Thanks for the comment.
This is from a Yahoo article on the Obama appearance on The Daily Show:
“Obama repeatedly expressed his frustration with Washington during the segment, railing against Republican obstruction and the culture of Congress.
He even endorsed the idea of changing Senate rules that require 60 Senators to vote to end a filibuster and approve legislation. “I would love not to have a 60 vote requirement,” Obama said. He later added that he considers the D.C. culture “not always real healthy.”
Translation, he wants more control and power, he wants to be un-opposed, I guess controlling the Senate and the House isn’t enough for him.
Make no mistake, gentle carpenter, you are his enemy, when a word like that should be used on Al Qaeda, he won’t, when a word like that should be used on Iran, he won’t, when a word like that should be used on North Korea, he won’t.
He is the biggest coward, like most tyrants, according to Plato, his authority is limited by his bounds, and he makes anyone contrary to him, his enemy.
I would have liked to see him use the word, opponents, but, it gives me pause, with your shenanigans with the first lady, do you think you are on his personal enemies list, and what might a tyrant do to someone he considers an “enemy”?
We live in interesting times, my friend.
Good points. And “gentle carpenter”. That made me crack-up for several minutes…amigo.
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