Posted on 01/23/2009 7:48:09 PM PST by thecodont
The political postscript to all the hugs, kisses, personal Oval Office desk drawer notes and backslaps between POTUS 43 and POTUS 44 isn't exactly a warm, Pete Seeger, sing-along scene.
I went to high school with Pete's Daughter, Mika; he was a great icon and true believer in harmony back then and still is, at a spry 90, leading a million-plus citizens in song last Sunday in DC.
But partisans from former and current administrations are striking a very different tone. The smell of fresh upholstery hasn't even worn off the new, improved White House website yet and already there's been ugly griping, whining, dissing, and rancor that almost makes the Caroline Kennedy whack-a-mole rumor fiasco seem tame.
On the not-Air Force One plane ride back to Texas Jan. 20th, some loyal George W. Bush aides cut loose over the clear smack Mr. Obama took at his predecessor throughout the inaugural speech.
"There were a few sharp elbows that really rankled and...(the incoming Prez was) not as magnanimous as the occasion called for," said whip smart down-home Texas W gal Karen Hughes, throwing her own elbow. President Obama "really missed an opportunity to be as big as the occasion." But she was just winding up. Some parts of the speech, she went on to say, were "fundamentally unfair and dishonest."
Mr. Bush's chief White House speechwriter said, "It was an ungracious inaugural."
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
“Mr. Bush’s chief White House speechwriter said, “It was an ungracious inaugural.””
And a boring and unmemorable one as well. Even liberal MSM types like David Gergen were calling it a dud.
“Mr. Obama’s Doberman, Rahm Emanuel, no stranger to unpadded fists himself, responded that his boss was just “turning the page.” Then he threw this hard left: “If they (the Bush folks) didn’t know that was the judgment of people, then their subscription to the newspapers was canceled over the last three years.”
Were these people (ALL of Obama’s adminsistration, INCLUDING OBAMA HIMSELF with his “I won” snark today) under the impression that they won with 100% of the vote?
I’m telling you, I’m really dissapointed we lost, but I’m praying to God at this point for karma to be real. Not just because I want what I think is best for this country, but because I want God to SMACK THESE PEOPLE DOWN.
The ego’s running this country are going to get us all killed.
Now I must go pray for the hatred in my heart for these men.
Phil Bronstein is a jack@$$ but he got part of his column correct...proud to say I canceled my SF Cron subscription a long time ago.
Obama was completely classless as was his supportes. I hope most people in the middle saw that and are as disgusted as I still am. Then the racist prayer should’ve really sent a chill over the white community in this country.
“And a boring and unmemorable one as well. Even liberal MSM types like David Gergen were calling it a dud.”
That’s because it wasn’t written to lift up the nation, it was written as a symbol of a kid sticking their tongue out to Bush and the rest of the Republicans.
Where is the picture of Rahm nose wagging someone like a 4 year old. That was the maturity level of the entire government and their supporters that day.
We have spoiled temper tantrum prone children running this damn country. Forgive my profanity.
I have many impressions of it (which I'll put in another post).
The speech was a disaster, and the audience didn't respond to it (rightly so). I think the audience was expecting the Free Stuff that he'd promised them and was growing bored and impatient.
I thought I despised Obama. That was until I just read those comments on that article.
No wonder this country has gone to hell in a handbasket.
“Then the racist prayer should’ve really sent a chill over the white community in this country.”
I have to tell you, as a 36 year old person, I don’t remember segregation. I have never experienced, nor have I ever been a part of it. The thought of black racists turning the racism around towards whites was always a “white racist paranoid delusion”, or so I’ve been told all my life. To assume that would happen when a black person got in power was racist in itself to think!
I now realize that isn’t so much of a stretch and I feel silly for actually believing and living Martin Luther King Jr’s “I have a dream speech”.
Just the kind of maturity we need in high positions in the White House.
Those who follow the Mayan calendar supposedly believe the world ends in 2012. Do you think we'll last that long? At this rate, I have some doubts.
I’m 12 years older than you so don’t remember it either but heaing some of the things I’ve heard in he past week I am truely stunned.
I believe in omens. When Pres Ford fell down while exiting a helicopter during his election run, I said I think he is going to lose. Hilary Clinton had a row of flags on a stage fall on her as she went on stage during her primary run. Prior to her stage appearance, technicians were traversing along the flags all morning and none of the flags fell. It fell when she traveled the same pathway to the podium. When that happened I said she will not be POTUS. Surely enough BO beat her in the primaries. BO begins his innaugral with a flubbed oath of office as he and SCJ Roberts fumbled over each other verbally. My instant reaction is BO will be a one term Prez. Time will tell.
Good honest article by Bronstein who probably won’t be invited to any Nob Hill cocktail parties ever again. On a side note, I read the piece and then made the horrible mistake of reading the comments. My eyes, heart and head hurt.
I did too. I don’t think there was one comment that did not call for the immediate arrest of Bush/Cheney or did not openly mock them. I must be incredibly naive — I was shocked by the level of vitriol and hatred.
Who was he directing this to?
I didn’t catch that. What did Barbara Boxer say?
Note to the Obama and Clinton and Carter folks who are taking those shots, and to filth like the SFGate commenters: When a guy who edited both the San Francisco Examiner and the San Francisco Chronicle and used to be married to Sharon Stone basically tells you you’re being ungracious asshats toward Dubya, when even a guy like that can’t make excuses for you, you should probably take it seriously.
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