We wish David Brooks would just say it: While praising Obama, he doesn’t put blame for decline in ci

[applegrove]

We wish David Brooks would just say it: While praising Obama, he doesn’t put blame for decline in civility where it belongs — on his beloved GOP

by Sean Illing at Salon

http://www.salon.com/2016/02/09/we_wish_david_brooks_would_just_say_it_while_praising_obama_he_doesnt_put_blame_for_decline_in_civility_where_it_belongs_on_his_beloved_gop/

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“As this primary season has gone along, a strange sensation has come over me: I miss Barack Obama. Now, obviously I disagree with a lot of Obama’s policy decisions. I’ve been disappointed by aspects of his presidency…But over the course of this campaign it feels as if there’s been a decline in behavioral standards across the board. Many of the traits of character and leadership that Obama possesses, and that may we have taken too much for granted, have suddenly gone missing.”

Brooks goes on to praise Obama’s integrity, humanity, and the “soundness of his decision-making process.” “Obama’s basic approach,” he writes, “is to promote his values as much as he can within the limits of his situation.” This is another way of calling Obama a prudent president, which is undeniably true.

The service Brooks provides is to illustrate how disconnected the current Republican candidates are from terrestial reality. Ted Cruz has called Obama “the most radical president this nation’s ever seen.” Rubio can’t speak for 10 seconds without repeating his refrain about Obama wanting to “systematically” undermine the constitution and destroy “many of the things that made America special.” Trump says Obama is “probably the worst president in the history of our country.” These are the three frontrunners in the Republican race, and their accounts of Obama’s presidency are as unhinged as they are inaccurate.

As is custom, Brooks doesn’t quite follow his reason to its obvious conclusion. What he can’t or won’t say is that he’s really talking about the Republicans, not the Democrats. “Obama radiates an ethos of integrity, humanity, good manners and elegance that I’m beginning to miss,” Brooks writes. Does he watch the Republican and Democratic debates? Does he not notice a difference in tone and manners? There is no comparison between the parties in terms of the kind of rhetoric being used.



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