Obama just had what was possibly the most insulting press event I’ve ever seen from a President — I’ll post the video when available, it will infuriate you.
He spiked the football, overtly insulted Republicans and Congress, and laughed that he is on the verge of getting what he wants. Either he wants to nix any deal, or he’s actually just enjoying his victory but is emotionally incapable of being presidential about it.
Everything you ever wanted to know about our dysfunctional government was on display.
Until the video is available, here are some tweets: (video added)
So Obama just said this was just the START of higher taxes, is not willing to cut, & dissed the GOP. He WANTS the cliff. #SameAsItEverWas
— Monica Crowley (@MonicaCrowley) December 31, 2012
Shorter Obama: I rolled the Repubs on upper-income tax rates and will kick their ass on the coming debt ceiling/entitlements fight.
— Ryan Lizza (@RyanLizza) December 31, 2012
Obama’s jaunty pre-deal White House event could also be a Machiavellian strategy to make sure the deal collapses and the GOP gets the blame.
— adam nagourney (@adamnagourney) December 31, 2012
On New Year’s eve, a campaign-style event? This is WH’s way of warning GOP, January will bring more P.R. hammering if they don’t cut deal
— Chuck Todd (@chucktodd) December 31, 2012
Obama takes an early victory lap: “Obviously the agreement that is being discussed would raise those rates, & raise them permanently.”
— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) December 31, 2012
This Obama event strikes me as a half victory lap
— Luke Russert (@LukeRussert) December 31, 2012
Does Obama not want a deal? Because taunting Republicans is a good way to not get a deal.
— Francesca Chambers (@fran_chambers) December 31, 2012
Is it really a good strategy to give a speech bashing Congress while trying to work with Congress?
— Elise Foley (@elisefoley) December 31, 2012
How exactly did Obama just help conclude a deal? Smacked of dancing in the end zone while giving the finger to House GOPers.
— Toby Harnden (@tobyharnden) December 31, 2012
If Obama’s goal was to harm the process and make going over the cliff more likely, he’s succeeding.
— Doug Heye (@DougHeye) December 31, 2012
#Obama is the Partisan in Chief. That speech was bizarre
— Tim Stanley (@timothy_stanley) December 31, 2012
Not sure a partisan pep rally helped. Maybe POTUS is trying to nudge liberal Ds who are upset.
— Larry Sabato (@LarrySabato) December 31, 2012
What is this? A roast?
— Andrew Kaczynski (@BuzzFeedAndrew) December 31, 2012
Seriously, this is a strange message. Does his base really need to hear him tweak and tease the GOP? Or is this just self-indulgence?
— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahNRO) December 31, 2012
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Comments
Let’s call it like it is shall we?
POTUS – jackass
Chuck Todd et al – jackass kissing jackasses with the possible exception of David Shuster who is an “assinine with 2 s’s” jackass kissing jackass.
How long before JayBoy resigns and Chuck U Todd is named Press Secretary? I think that Andrea Mitchell, Laurence O’Donnell and the Rev. Al are too old for the job!
Mr. President,
Your “First-class temperament” is showing.
David Brooks and Peggy Noonan are in the hospital in adjoining rooms to Hillary. They’re suffering swooning spells.
David Brooks actually made an attempt at humor on TV yesterday when he was telling us all what we should think about Obama’s interview with David Gregory on Meet The Press.
Brooks said of Obama, “he governs like he’s a visitor from a morally superior society”.
No word if Brooks remains impressed with Obama’s pant crease.
Brooks seems like a likable chap … who is just too consumed with being liked by the other side.
The pant crease episode was Andrew-Sullivan-grade bizarre. How neither he nor the editors didn’t think better of that is one of the great mysteries. He sometimes writes like Peggy Noonan exhales dramatically when interviewed. Too, too much.
He doesn’t want a deal. The tax hikes are permanent, and the spending cuts can be evaded if they aren’t enforced, and guess who will be doing to enforcing, and anything that goes wrong will be blamed on the Republicans. He sees the whole thing as a win-win-win for him.
We follow the laws, and we don’t expect him to. How could he not win under those rules?
And to think, this peacock with a fondness toward islam, was elected twice.
You forgot the ‘narcissist’ part.
I think that’s covered under peacock.
God invented the DVR for people like me who CAN’T STAND listening at the President, so I’m having a fine day, watching hours of Father Knows Best without being “bothered” by annoying Obama snipes or tweets from twerps like Luke Russert and Chuck Todd. Now, back to The Anderson’s, Jim is just home from the office and Margaret is cooking dinner…..
Obviously calling princess Barry a condescending arrogant prick is now offensive to condescending arrogant pricks.
The only humanoids who behave this way are suck-ass tyrants like Hugo “Bat Boy” Chavez. I hope the same fate strikes princess Barry.
When you get into work make your first task that of filling out a new W-4 that states you paid no taxes therefore no taxes should be withheld.
I read the four-page WaPo “Deal!” article linked by Drudge and didn’t see a single reference to any spending cuts. Boehner and McConnell DID agree to tax the rich, though. It sure sounds like those two caved completely. Gee, that would be a real shocker, wouldn’t it? /sarc
Hopefully the Tea Party caucus in the House will stop this pathetic charade.
Listening to Obama talk is an 8th Amendment violation.
[shaking head in disbelief] I’m an amatuer studier of history. Usually when a leader gets this arrogant, especially with fellow politicians of opposing opinions, there can be an Ides of March moment. [crossing my fingers]
Of course they caved. Was there ever any doubt that they wouldn’t? As for hoping that someone in the house will stop this pathetic charade, we can forget that because none of our elected representatives will risk his/her neck to do what is right. Happy ??? New Year.
Why wouldn’t he do this? We know his psychology, and we know that he knows that he can do this with impunity. So why not? He’d be foolish not to, and acting against self-interest and the things he values. This is how power works, that is, power untethered from our familiar moral precepts.
Until the cost of doing this is made greater than the reward, he will continue to do it. And what Republican counter-force will ever impose itself to that degree?
Obama owns the media, the schools, the social infrastructure — pretty much the entire formal culture. The Left has worked very hard for decades to build this reality. As the consummate agent of the Left within the system, he is now simply acting out the will of the Left, exercising the power at his disposal.
Perversely, I’m guessing that those around him in Washington, even in the GOP, find this strutting behavior kind of impressive, even enthralling. I don’t think Obama outrages the GOP leaders at all — not like he does us.
You may be right. Every time I see Boehner and Obama together, Boehner reminds me of a pre-teen girl gazing on the latest pop-star heart-throb.
http://www.kcci.com/image/view/-/17663514/highRes/2/-/maxh/480/maxw/640/-/vro9v4/-/Boehner–Obama-jpg.jpg
How about we get more money from the rich by shutting down deductions? President 0bama doesn’t like that because it reduces chances for corruption, and he wants to punish the rich. “The rich need to pay more.” is endless.
The current tax code has encouraged the creation of “non-profits” organizations which avoid taxes. When a charity spends a sizable percentage of their revenue on administrative salaries, they aren’t so charitable. Here is my modest suggestion: state governors and administrators of non-profits aren’t allowed more in salary and benefits than $400K, the President’s salary. Let’s drive the leeches out of non-profits and back where we can tax them. Additionally any state which receives Federal funds would need to limit compensation to the Governor, and all state employees, to no more than the President’s salary. Sign the petition at Petition to Limit Non-profits and Governor’s Compensation at the President’s Salary
“Seriously, this is a strange message. Does his base really need to hear him tweak and tease the GOP? Or is this just self-indulgence?”
Honestly, Jonah — you wrote a book about the Left!
His base loves this! As for the rest of us, what does he care? Most will hear the laundered version from the MSM anyway. As for the Right, let them eat it.
Obama looks, acts and talks like a man who COULD NOT CARE LESS about the fiscal cliff. Such disinterest in any circumstance is totally, exhilaratingly liberating, and especially so around clutches of people who CARE ENORMOUSLY to the point of fear.
He wants ONE DEAL to fix everything, including spending. His numbers, like those ObamaCare numbers, are a complex construction of horse-feathers, bullsh!t, pie-in-the-sky and chicken entrails.
He talks of raising taxes on 98% of Americans. I call bullsh!t on that. 47% pay no taxes.
I wonder why he never mentions a budget for the Federal Government? Maybe the Republicans should tell him that they will not agree to another continuing resolution. Ever.
Once again… the only way to stop the mob rule in this country and return one house of Congress back to the states is the Repeal the 17th Amendment. Guys like Rubio, Cruz, Paul and others need to get behind this. The Tea Party needs to make it objective number 1.
And you know Republicans will say, “Thank you, sir. May I have another.”
I’m surprised that Obama didn’t tell the middle-class citizens standing around him to bend over. Clearly that was his Lean-Forward intention.
Why the questioning of Comrade Ozero’s behaviour?
Very simply, he is a communist/muslim who hates America, our Judean-Christian values & morals and totally rejects the Constitution.
Comrade Ozero’s #1 goal is the destruction and overthrow of America and “transformatin” into his utopian Communist state.
In that light, he is acting “normally”.
Yet Obama isnt driven by ideology he said yesterday.
Guess what Mr Obama? Normal people dont find it funny when they stick their hand in someone else’s wallet and help themselves.
There is nothing amusing about tax increases on others.
Unless you have the mentality of a thug.
When I refer to president Obama I never capitalize the “P” as a matter of principle; when referring to him as a Prick, I always do, as a matter of fact.
Putz works too.
Looks like its Over-the-cliff time
______________________________________________________
House Republican leaders advised their members Monday afternoon that the House would not vote on legislation to prevent tax hikes and spending cuts until Tuesday at the earliest.
http://thehill.com/homenews/house/275039-nation-heading-over-fiscal-cliff-at-least-for-few-hours
Why SHOULDN’T a radical leftist like Obama treat the GOP like @#$%, knowing full well his soiled bottom will continue to be wiped by the Democrat media, and that the GOP leaders will eat the soiled rags?
We change the GOP leadership and we change the game. Otherwise, enjoy the soiled rags.
If there was any doubt that my President doesn’t like me, this video just eliminated it.
Am I wrong for wanting the people who voted for this vile, disgusting, despicable piece of filth to suffer? Let’s go over the cliff and let the greedy morons who voted him in office pay for their actions.
Stalin Obama to you comrade. I’m off to my dacha for some golf.
In your face, Republicans
Obama just had what was possibly the most insulting press event I’ve ever seen from a President — I’ll post the video when available, it will infuriate you.
I haven’t watched the video yet. There will be plenty of chances to get infuriated.
That said, it strikes me that Obama may be talking trash, and conservatives seem to be falling for it hook, line, and sinker.
Suggestion: call him on it. As a first-cut example,
Mr. President, for the good of the American people we are working with you to reconcile our major philosophical differences. Trash talking is better suited to pick-up basketball games than to very serious negotiations.
The Left would absolutely freak out because raaaacism and a few people might be authentically offended, but overall the gains seem worth the risks. Having a minority Republican deliver the message with a light touch might be the way to go.
I’d expect this sort of behavior out of some left-wing blogger. Unfortunately, I’ve come to expect this type of behavior out of President Obama.
President Nutroots.
Wonderful.
Imagine a Speaker who would say this today:
“The president is acting like a clown. If the president insists on acting like a clown, we’re going to treat him like a clown.”
On the other hand, what bunker — stocked with liquor — is Boehner hiding in right now?
How anyone can remotely tolerate — let alone, accept — Boehner as Speaker baffles me.
Yawn. Just theater. Bad theater.
These are just Obama’s coming attractions. We have 4 years to go.
You won’t be yawning then.
Headline 2014: Republican congress raises record taxes and even more spending, Obama criticizes.
Reublican House runs cover for Democratic Senate. Announces that it will not pass any Senate bill even if one manages to escape the Senate. Senate no longer under any pressure to perform.
January 1st, 2013
The automatic tax increase that went into effect at midnight will be reduced by House Republicans for middle-class Americans. The rich will not benefit from this vote.
Nevertheless, the Republicans managed to keep their no tax increase pledge while garnering a 1.7% reduction in spending.
Obama pissed me off enough to go ahead and register on Legal Insurrection. Don’t get me wrong Professor Jacobson–your blog is brilliant–but I tend to lurk on blogs where I have to register to comment.
But in this case, I really, really, needed to say “Go Fuck Yourself Obama”! Why oh why does he do these things? What little pea brained piss ant prevaricating premise in Obama’s psyche demand that he pull this sorta shit?
http://gopagan.blogspot.com/2012/12/an-utterly-graceless-insulting-speech.html
[…] Spikes The “Fiscal Cliff” Football: What a way to bring in the New Year. Republicans better find their spine or Obama and the Democrats will just keep railroading them […]
Ok guys I restrained myself for hours.
The title of the thread should be …
On Your Face Republicans.
Obama is a simpleton, and it’s easy to over think his message. In this case he simply is trash talking, mistaking a national crisis of financial integrity for a pick-up basketball game. The real problem isn’t Obama, as ridiculous as he is, or even the other evil Democrats– it’s that Republicans keep playing along.
Voters (and Democrat politicians) apparently think we can have big government and spend endless amounts of money without raising taxes, since the Fed can just print money on demand and “the Chinese”, or whomever, will buy our debt.
Republicans will never get lower spending without higher taxes, so lets go ahead and raise ’em.
That’ll turn a lot of low-information voters into fanatical Republicans.