Did you feel at times that Obama was too nice?

[SHRED]

I mean with the Repugs who were doing everything they could to destroy him.

I have my fingers crossed that Hillary will be a bit more stern with those fools.
She certainly has the political experience to run circles around them.

...

[underthematrix]

1. No. President Obama is African American

and he knows he has to be careful what he says and how he says it. The times when he spoken like Trayvon Martin could've been my son, the news media and that special group went batchit crazy. So no, it's not about being nice. It's about understanding the landscape on which he operates.

[Dem2]

3. I explained this same point to somebody today

Hillary, on the other hand, will not have these same restrictions and I have a feeling she's not going to put up with as much of their shit (assuming she wins.)

[HipChick]

12. Thank you...do folks really not understand this point?

[a kennedy]

33. and if I recall, it "all" started with the terrorist fist bump.....remember?? eom

[underthematrix]

39. LOL! yes I do.

[demosincebirth]

2. He should have called each one of then out with their do nothing congress

[TheMastersNemesis]

4. Obama Was More Than Too Nice. He Was Too Cooperative In Some Ways.

Obama bent over backwards to be bipartisan with people who really wanted to murder him. I admire his patience and cool grace despite the constant attacks. However, I believe even though strong is attempts to compromise let the GOP play him as being weak. And they really took advantage of him in that way.

There is a time to get nasty and confrontive. And we have been well past that time even in the first term. Some like Linden Johnson would have come out swinging and been merciless. He would have been in open war against what is happening with the Supreme Court.

[heaven05]

32. america has too many

negative depictions of AA males in it's vocabulary for Obama to have shown natural anger that a white male POTUS wouldd get a pass on.. After 7+ years of watching people here and elsewhere lamenting that our current POTUS was/is too nice with those racist snakes that have obstructed him at every turn and on EVERY ISSUE I realize now that if President Obama had come off angry at the specific and targeted treatment of him and his family by a racist media, Senate members, House members and a racist portion of citizenry(spell that trump supporter) he would have been characterized and lambasted as "the angry black man" among many other descriptions. You know that appellation used when a black man or woman dares to show anger at injustice(s) that are rife in this society and specifically targeted against melanin enhanced people.

The media would infer that he's unfit, the pundits, both left and right would damn him, the former because he let the snakes get to him, the latter because he dared show anger at obvious racism, ignorance and stupidity that he has had to deal with for the last 7+ years..

So I call bullshit at this late date when a question about this President, with such a classy demeanor and even temperament rises. He could win neither way just because he is a black male in a society that has created a much maligned image of those who happen to be AA and especially male. I call the response to black anger, The Nat Turner Syndrome. The MSM has not damned trumps temperment in any manner that rivals the response to Obamas comments after the murder of Trayvon Martin. Why? Just because white male anger is normal and expected. Shows he has a pair. Right?

I can't wait for his book. I hope he sets the record straight for the naysayers who question his responses or non responses to the racist hate, bigotry and ignorance levied against our First Family. Why didn't he come out shooting....right? He would be subject to impeachment proceeddings till he got out of office.

[TheMastersNemesis]

37. ObamaWas In A No Win Situation. I Realize That.

However he took some positions like supporting "chained CPI" on Social Security when the inflation factor was already fudged. He also supported charters and should have apposed them. He did not defend public employee unions either. And did not defend teachers. He could have gone after the GOP in other ways he did not.

I don't buy bipartisanship with maniacs. The "grand bargain" baloney played into GOP hands. And his support of TPP is a complete loser and compromises Democrats.

[heaven05]

38. I put those

things you mention, like TPP, teachers unions, chained CPI, which can be remedied still, off as an attempt at political compromise to further larger goals like ACA, like gay rights, which the repugs wouldn't work with him on either until they realized they would lose votes. How could he have gone after the GOP in a manner that would have been successful when 'bluedogs' wouldn't support him. Not a fucking word out of the mouths of people like Reid and Pelosi, the DNC, on the real reason's why there was no movement in our "do nothing congress" for the last 7+ years. "Obstructionism" is an iconic word now and you know damn well what damage it has done to all of us. I hope they support Hillary better.

Besides being a great POTUS, Barack Obama had to try to find a way around the legislative dam that held back a torrent of democratic Party proposals. He is a politician and the game is unique in the sense that the search for compromise is the only way to success on anything proposed legislatively. He has been far from perfect because all politicians havec flaws and shortcomings. Yet he, by his class and demeanor, has presented himself to the world and has shown that America can still produce great leaders who care about those they govern.

You know the adage I guess....." can't please all the people, all the time", no matter who you may be. I agree though, it has been a frustrating thing for me to see such a competent man not be able to help ALL americans because of racist, ignorant leaders like McConnell and Ryan who lacked the ability to judge past skin color. I hope his book is a barn burner that takes the gloves off.

Tuesday we will get a leader that will prove once and for all in her upcoming battle(s) with the hateful ignorant mysogynists that she's up to that battle and will put many chauvanistic aho*** in their place, completely.

Obama has done the same with the stereotypes surrounding his race and black males. Blown the racists out of the water and let us see how many of these clowns are present in all levels of our society, beginning with the 'new fuhrer' of the RW and his basket of rabid, hateful followers.

[Lotusflower70]

5. Impressive restraint

I was always amazed by the remarkable restraint he had when the Republicans were doing everything they could to provoke him. As far as too nice is concerned, he was just too dignified to sink to their level. And that was a better approach. He handles himself well.

[loyalsister]

18. For sure!

He has been letting loose lately. The last video embedded in this article is great because of the way he is spitting the words out and you can see that he's seriously pissed.
He has shown incredible restraint throughout his entire presidency. I think it was classy and graceful. He has been the adult in the room the whole time.

Barack Obama's Sweet Revenge Tour
Republicans created a toxic political climate that made his presidency hell. Now it's payback time.

"Obama seems determined to spend the last two weeks of the election laying waste to every Republican who ever crossed him."

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/10/barack-obama-revenge-tour-darrell-issa

[brettdale]

7. agree with Op

agree

[Skittles]

10. yes

he wasted far too much time trying to play nice with people who were NEVER going to act human

[rusty quoin]

11. Of course he was too nice for two years.

[True Dough]

13. I will always recall his frustration over inadequate gun control measures

He voiced it after several mass shootings and, while clearly moved by the needless deaths, he acknowledged that it was getting to be routine for him to recite the same platitudes without being in a position to take real action to stem the shootings. There's really not much more he could do without some cooperation from Republicans, which he was never going to get. And the gun lobby and enough Americans didn't want to make it a priority item on the agenda.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

16. Good Lord, yes.

He honestly thought that Republicans were reasonable people who understood compromise. Unfortunately, they were neither reasonable nor at all understanding of the concept of compromise.

The latest thing with the vacant Supreme Court seat is an excellent example. Why in the world he's not out there every single day pointing out that the Republicans are refusing to do their jobs is beyond me.

[MFM008]

17. Yes

.

[lovemydog]

20. No. He got so much accomplished by

being himself.

[Hekate]

21. No

[world wide wally]

22. That is my biggest complaint about him

He actually believed he was dealing with reasonable people.
He was like the person in that Al Wilson song Trump likes to quote about the snake.

[betsuni]

24. No, it couldn't be helped. But it would be fun if he did this before leaving:

[BeyondGeography]

26. He made some political miscalculations but being too nice wasn't one of them

He wasted too much time at the start of his presidency on bipartisanship, and at times he was basically talking with himself in the hope that Republicans would come to their senses and do what was best for the country, but that was about his political aims and what he felt was best for the country, not nicely-niceness.

[safeinOhio]

27. Jackie Robinson of Presidents

History will be very kind to him too.

[grantcart]

28. No I felt that he offered the country an exit

From hate, intellectual dishonesty and civility and the opposition blocked the exit. Usually we deserve the leaders we get, not this time.

Dr. King didn't liberate AA, they already were well aware of what was going on, he gave Whites and exit from the cycle of fear and hate and a lot of folks took it.

Our Constitution divides power so you can only get so much done with out some cooperation with the minority power. We win the 4 year cycle but lose the office year elections. The only way we can progress is to win an off year election and scare Republicans with extinction. Every Republican Congressperson who wins on Tuesday believes that they can coast in 2 years.

[GreenEyedLefty]

35. I don't think "nice" is how I would describe it.

Obama is probably one of the smartest and most savvy politicians of our lifetime. He is the kind of person who prefers to take the high road and let others show their asses. When I think of someone who is "nice," I think of someone who allows others to run roughshod over them. Taking the high road is not the same as being a door mat.

History will show that he is one of our best presidents, while his Congressional opponents will be forever known as do-nothing Know Nothings.

I also think he is operating in a climate of deep-seated racism, where everything he does is scrutinized and criticized. His critics will go down in history as small minded bigots.

[SHRED]

42. Love the responses here

Thanks!