Teddy Roosevelt on Barack Obama (Kansas City Star 1918)

[MiddleFingerMom]

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[nadinbrzezinski]

1. But, but, but TR *was* a Republican!

I kid, I kid...I use that quote often.

But some here will throw ugly words at you for quoting *gasp* a republican.

What are you? A paulist?

[Agnosticsherbet]

2. He was a lousy Republican that they never expected to be President.

and certainly one they would not elect now.

The real problem faced by those who criticize President Obama is personal loyalty of those who hear the criticism to Obama as a person and a reflex action gong back to the 2008 election where most of the criticisms mounted by the right was greeted as racism, and many of them were.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Alas we are being critical of policy

Personally I don't give a you know what over skin color.

[Agnosticsherbet]

5. If we did not call it Obama or Democrat, there would be far more agreement over the policies.

Personal loyalty and party loyalty often forces people through weird justification's for their point of view. "Obama isn't spying on us, he got a court to sign an order."

No one ever asks, "Who watches the watchers?" "Was it necessary to do that?" "Who can I trust to watch the watchers?"

When Bush was using the same programs under different names, nobody would have said that. People here were incensed at that room linked to Foggy Bottom. Everyone thought it was wrong.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

9. no. there are material differences between what Bush was doing and what NSA is now doing

I'm not saying I'm a fan of the NSA and what they are doing, but one could theoretically be against what Bush was doing and fine with what Obama is doing and not experiencing any cognitive dissonance.

[AZ Progressive]

7. Theodore was a Lincoln Republican though, a Progressive and a champion of the Progressive Movement.

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. Why do you think I inserted the sarcasm tag?

[Pretzel_Warrior]

4. a few things about that quote you might consider

Roosevelt had been president at turn of the century as a Republican, and a Democrat, Woodrow Wilson, was in power as president when Roosevelt made these remarks.



and now....how about the whole quote?

"The President is merely the most important among a large number of public servants. He should be supported or opposed exactly to the degree which is warranted by his good conduct or bad conduct, his efficiency or inefficiency in rendering loyal, able, and disinterested service to the Nation as a whole. Therefore it is absolutely necessary that there should be full liberty to tell the truth about his acts, and this means that it is exactly necessary to blame him when he does wrong as to praise him when he does right. Any other attitude in an American citizen is both base and servile. To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public. Nothing but the truth should be spoken about him or any one else. But it is even more important to tell the truth, pleasant or unpleasant, about him than about any one else."

Speaking truth is the thing of utmost importance--not false attribution or distortions either to the positive or the negative.

[UserNSAv32]

8. My standard is would I like it if a Pub did it?

If the POTUS, whom ever they are does, something I do not like I am pissed off if a Democratic President does it I am outraged.

We need to expect better from our leaders and stop settling.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

11. that's fine. just make sure you aren't listening to the echo chamber on either side

as you decide what to be outraged over.

[UserNSAv32]

13. The truth is very seldom in the news and I am a piss poor follower

so all outrage expressed is based upon reality and not spin and propaganda.

[NYC_SKP]

12. Check out that HUMUNGOUS world globe next to him. Also, looks like an iPad up on the shelf...

Just kidding around about the iPad, but that globe is to die for!