Posted on 01/15/2011 6:50:21 AM PST by Sub-Driver
Obama reiterates calls for parties to play nice in weekly address By Julian Pecquet - 01/15/11 06:00 AM ET
President Obama in his weekly address built on his Tucson memorial service plea for both parties to work together to meet the nation's challenges as the House resumes work this coming week.
The president said the reaction to last weekend's shooting that left six people dead and injured Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) and 12 others was a reminder that "we are one American family, 300 million strong."
"As business resumes," he said, "I look forward to working together in that same spirit of common cause with members of Congress from both parties - because before we are Democrats or Republicans, we are Americans."
Obama has earned plaudits for his calls for more restraint in the nation's political discourse. His challenger in the 2008 presidential race, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), praised the president as a "patriot" who "comforted and inspired the country" by calling for greater civility in the nation's political discourse.
"I disagree with many of the president's policies, but I believe he is a patriot sincerely intent on using his time in office to advance our country's cause," McCain wrote in a Washington Post editorial on Friday. "I reject accusations that his policies and beliefs make him unworthy to lead America or opposed to its founding ideals. And I reject accusations that Americans who vigorously oppose his policies are less intelligent, compassionate or just than those who support them."
Last weekend's shooting capped two years of increasingly bitter debate since Obama's election, culminating with inflated healthcare reform rhetoric about non-existent "death panels" and calls to "Bury Obamacare with Kennedy." The left hasn't been blameless in the escalation, quickly jumping on the chance to try to link McCain running mate Sarah Palin to Giffords' shooting before all the facts were known.
Obama in his address called for both sides to temper their comments just as they did when they rose on the floor of Congress this past week to honor Giffords and pray for her recovery.
"One by one," Obama said, "representatives from all parts of the country and all points of view rose in common cause to honor Gabby and the other victims, and to reflect on our shared hopes for this country.
"As shrill and discordant as our politics can be at times, it was a moment that reminded us of who we really are - and how much we depend on one another."
Obama went on to call for both parties to work together to face the "great challenges" facing the country: growing the economy, shoring up the budget and bringing down the deficit.
Already, there are some signs that lawmakers might be a little nicer to one another following their common brush with tragedy. Sen. Mark Udall (D-Colo.) on Wednesday led a call for an end to the tradition of self-segregated seating by party during Obama's coming State of the Union address, and McCain and House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) are among the Republicans who have since embraced the idea.
Buzz off, you bolshevik bozo.
Guess Obama missed the part about the First Amendment when he was in law school. Also the discussion about freedom of assembly. Also the part about ethics-exercise of one’s own judgment.
From the guy who did as much as anyone in recent memory to stir partisan anger.
“As business resumes,” he said, “I look forward to working together in that same spirit of common cause with members of Congress from both parties - because before we are Democrats or Republicans, we are Americans.”
So Obama plans to join the House majority and American majority and support repeal of Obamacare?
Nuff said.
Did he retract the many inflammatory comments he made himself? Knives to a gun fight, etc, etc.
“Common cause” means communism
Obozo needs to talk to his own.
Day late, dollar short, and I don’t believe a single word.
It’s just not the “Chicago Way” after all.
After a full week of wholesale accusations, innuendo, and libelous smears from Skippy’s buddies on the left, NOW he wants to play nice and look presidential?!
This Tucson “memorial” was just a convenient excuse to kick off his 2012 campaign. Free shirts and all.
And I thought McCaim was smarter than that. Disgusting.
“I came to Louisiana to find out whose ass to kick.”
'I hope Rush’s kidneys fail'
--"comedian" Wanda Sykes
________________________________________________
Wanda Sykes: “I hope his kidneys fail, how about that? ... He needs a good waterboarding, that’s what he needs.”
Obama joined the crowd in laughing at the crack about Limbaugh’s “kidneys”....”:
McCain works for the DNC.
nobama is a fool (albeit a wealthy and powerful fool).
“we are one American family, 300 million strong”
Pretty funny stuff coming from the crowd that has been dividing and labeling us for 4 decades in order to play us off against each other.
In other words, Obama has a thin skin and doesn’t want to be criticized. Until he directly calls out some in his own party and some in the media who have been maliciously blaming others for the tragedy in Tucson, I really don’t care what he has to say. He can stuff it.
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