From On High The President Surveys World

IBD Editorials ^ | June 12, 2009 | CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER

[Kaslin]

When President Obama returned from his first European trip, I observed that while over there he had been "acting the philosopher-king who hovers above the fray mediating" between America and the world.

Now that Obama has returned from his "Muslim world" pilgrimage, even the left agrees. "Obama's standing above the country, above — above the world. He's sort of God," Newsweek's Evan Thomas said to a concurring Chris Matthews, reflecting on Obama's lofty perception of himself as the great transcender.

Not that Obama considers himself divine. (He sees himself as merely messianic, or, at worst, apostolic.) But he does position himself as hovering above mere mortals, mere country, to gaze benignly on the darkling plain beneath him where ignorant armies clash by night, blind to the common humanity that only he can see.

Traveling the world, he brings the gospel of understanding and godly forbearance. We have all sinned against each other. We must now look beyond that and walk together to the sunny uplands of comity and understanding. He shall guide you. Thus:

(A) He told Iran that, on the one hand, America once helped overthrow an Iranian government, while on the other hand "Iran has played a role in acts of hostage-taking and violence against U.S. troops and civilians." (Played a role?!) We have both sinned; let us bury the past and begin anew.

(B) On religious tolerance, he gently referenced the Christians of Lebanon and Egypt, then lamented that the "divisions between Sunni and Shia have led to tragic violence" (note the use of the passive voice). He then criticized (in the active voice) Western religious intolerance for regulating the wearing of the hijab — after citing America for making it difficult for Muslims to give to charity.

[AliVeritas]

Thanks Kas.

[antceecee]

“Distorting history is not truth-telling, but the telling of soft lies. Creating false equivalencies is not moral leadership, but moral abdication. And hovering above it all, above country and history, is a sign not of transcendence but of a disturbing ambivalence toward one’s own country.”

Easy to be ambivalent for Obama... this is not truly his country.

[fhayek]

Obama is the worst kind of fool. He is selling out his country in the vague hope that barbarians will act civilized.

[doc1019]

this is not truly his country.

It is now … to do with as he wishes for the next four years. ;-)

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIsou0IRIQU

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

thanks for the thread.

Krauthammer is my FAVORITE! I LOVE WATCHING HIM ON FOX nEWS.
He has now taken over Brit Hume’s role to B-slap Juan williams.

[potlatch]

AND now he plans to bulldoze shrinking cities - one way or another...

 

[beefree]

B-slap Juan williams

ha ha, I’m glad someone is doing it

[smokingfrog]

[Starboard]

Obama is the worst kind of fool. He is selling out his country in the vague hope that barbarians will act civilized.

Obama is like Jimmy Carter on steroids. His naivete is astounding and dangerous. Like Carter, he's in over his head, but just dosen't know it.

[Dick Bachert]

“People get the government they deserve.” Joseph deMaistre.

And when people become THIS freaking STUPID and inattentive to their freedoms, THIS is the PRESIDENT they deserve.

[devolve]

.

Excellent potlatch

[doc1019]

Always been my contention that the original fathers of our country were extremely intelligent and the IQ of our political representatives has been going down at a constant rate. Present political situation stands by my political hypostasis.

[joesjane]

I respectfully disagree, I wish he was just a fool. I don’t this the USA is his country, I don’t think what he is doing is just a string of foolish mistakes or even that he wants to bring socialism to the USA, I think he hates our country and that makes him very dangerous.

[potlatch]

Thank you, much work in that.

[Aquinasfan]

I remember reading Krauthammer (in the ‘70s?). I couldn’t tell then if he was a conservative or liberal. He seems to have come into his own lately with some great columns.

[Starboard]

I agree with you that he and his policies are dangerous. However, I believe he’s a fool to the extent that his ambitious plan to to re-make the country is going to backfire on him (granted, we’ll all be hurt in the process). In just five short months Obama is already spending the country into insolvency and sending mixed signals to the world about America’s foreign policy. If you’ll recall the inept Carter era (or rather ‘error’) things got out of hand both economically and overseas. The same types of failures will occur with Obama. Regards.

[devolve]

.

Your .gifs get better and better

[joesjane]

I don't think he plans to be re-elected, he has a balls to the wall scorched earth pace and I think he is trying to do as much damage as possible. I hold each and every voter who voted for him or did not vote personally responsible.