"The political world created whole new rules for Barack Obama" (heavy photos)

[ProSense]

"The political world created whole new rules for Barack Obama" by blackwaterdog

President Obama was schedule to participate in Memorial Day ceremony at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Elwood, Ill., but a huge storm canceled the event. When he returned in the evening to Washington, he addressed members of the military and their families in an improvised short event at Andrews Air Force base. None of this really matters, because he committed the unthinkable crime of skipping the ceremony at Arlington and chose to go to the - apparently not as sacred - "Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery" in Illinois.

This ridiculous manufactured controversy is hardly the first and surely not the last during Mr. Obama's presidency. Steve Benen had a terrific piece over the weekend, proving how "for a year and a half, the political world seems to have created whole new rules for Obama, which aren't applied to others -- and haven't even been applied to other presidents".

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[uponit7771]

1. It's because of his communistt 3rd arm

[Bitwit1234]

4. Hey didn't you know St. Reagan could do no wrong

If he had to the event in Chicago and it started to storm. Guess what he would have raised his arms and the rain and lightening would cease. Because he is St. Reagan.

[chrisa]

11. Only a commie would stand out in the rain like that!

UnAmurican! :)

[donheld]

2. Can't someone buy that man a raincoat?

[Clio the Leo]

3. It's kind of a twisted compliment....

... to whom those much is given, much is expected.

You see, SOME people didn't realize this was satire....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVFdAJRVm94

... it was, quite literally, their level of expectation.

"So just snap your fingers and fix the USA!"

[zipplewrath]

5. Sorry, the premise is false

False outrage is standard in the modern political age. It didn't get invented with Obama. I often get the impression that it is more common on the right. A quick trip into snopes reveals an incredible number of false stories of outrage propogated against democrats in general, and Obama specifically. He's being held to the same floating standards that all presidents are. Truth is, the left is generating relatively high standards for him, and the centrists are generating relatively low ones, all for the same reasons. It is even pointed out around here frequently that democrats often will "accept" actions and language from Obama that would have sent them flying with Bush.

[Jennicut]

6. The expectations on the right border on insanity. That is the honest truth.

If it rains on Memorial Day, it is Obama's fault. And so on.
The expectations on the left are at least reasonable.

[Admiral Loinpresser]

7. The past is prologue.

I don't know this Benen guy, but he is either engaging in hyperbole or is profoundly ignorant of recent history. Clinton and Gore both received much worse treatment. Even Dean and Kerry had a worse positive/negative spin ratio than Obama. For Clinton's treatment, read The Hunting of The President, by Joe Conason and Gene Lyons. For Gore's treatment see the archives of dailyhowler.com and search "War on Gore."

[Cha]

8. This Benen guy is Steve Benen and he's not ignorant

of any recent history..and neither are we.

Steve Benen has exactly layed it out..

WITHOUT PRECEDENT -- EXCEPT FOR ALL THE OTHER TIMES"

"..Obama's plans, in other words, are generating some criticism, but there's really not much new here. The president's Memorial Day schedule is a "story," despite being fairly routine.

Which, as it turns out, one of the defining trends of the political discourse over the last 16 months. Several months ago, Atrios noted, "When Dems are president, perfectly normally ways of doing things are rebranded as somehow odd."

Ain't that the truth.

* Teleprompters: This trend of characterizing routine developments as controversial started very early in the Obama presidency. Every modern president has used teleprompters, but Republicans and the media thought it was hilarious and wildly important when Obama did the same thing.

* Bowing: Several presidents have been photographed bowing to foreign heads of state, but Republicans and the media thought it was absolutely scandalous when Obama did the same thing when meeting leaders where bowing is customary.

* Talking to school kids: Presidents Reagan and H.W. Bush spoke to school children in national addresses, even taking a little time to push their political agendas. When Obama delivered a speech encouraging kids to do well in school, Republicans freaked out; Fox News compared the president to Saddam Hussein; and the New York Times literally ran a front-page story about it.

* Czars: For a half-century, presidents have relied on so-called "czars" for various policy areas. By one count, George W. Bush had 36 czar positions filled by 46 people during his two terms. No one cared. Obama's use of czars became the subject of months of media scrutiny, and even congressional hearings in response to Republican apoplexy.

* Oval Office attire: Several modern presidents have been seen in the Oval Office without wearing a suit jacket. When Obama did it, Republicans ran to the press to complain, and the media actually published pieces on the subject.

* Criticizing partisan media: White House complaints about unfair media coverage are as old as the republic. When the Obama White House noted what is plainly true about Fox News -- it's a Republican outlet -- the media went a little berserk, with the Washington Post and NPR characterizing the administration's criticism as "Nixonian."

* Reconciliation: Republican policymakers have relied on reconciliation to get around filibusters for decades. When Obama recommended the same tactic for health care, the GOP pretended it was an outrageous assault on the political process, and the media pretended Republicans' cries were legitimate.

* Industry bailouts: Government bailouts of struggling American industries and major companies have been common for decades. When Obama rescued GM, it was used as an example of his purported desire to a communist dictator.

* Campaign intervention: Every president has had a hand in campaign activities, with several presidents offering jobs to candidates to get them out of various races. When the Obama White House intervened in Pennsylvania's Democratic Senate primary -- offering a House member an unpaid advisory gig -- the media found it fascinating and Republicans called for the FBI and a special prosecutor to intervene.

* Memorial Day: Many presidents have not appeared at Arlington on Memorial Day. When Obama does it, there's a "controversy."

I'm all in favor of holding presidents to high standards. They have enormous power and leadership responsibilities, and it stands to reason that much will be expected of them. I enthusiastically endorse demanding the most of our leaders.

But for a year and a half, the political world seems to have created whole new rules for Obama, which aren't applied to others -- and haven't even been applied to other presidents.

This week's flaps over Sestak and Memorial Day plans only reinforce how truly ridiculous the phenomenon has become."

—Steve Benen 11:00 AM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (33)
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com /
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2010_05/024030.php#more

All right here in black and white..mediawhoredom on parade.

[Admiral Loinpresser]

9. OK, this Steve Benen guy

is engaging in hyperbole then. During Obama's general election campaign, he got relatively better coverage than any Dem in many presidential cycles, perhaps going back to Carter in '76. I thoroughly enjoyed it. At long last the MSM had decided that the Dem was the "cool kid."

Here's something which struck me as hyperbole:

"But for a year and a half, the political world seems to have created whole new rules for Obama, which aren't applied to others -- and haven't even been applied to other presidents."

This indicates to me that somehow Obama is having it worse than previous Dems when he has generally had it better.

As examples, Chris Matthews used to do interviews on how Bill Clinton was a murderer (I'm not making that up):

http://www.dailyhowler.com/dh092603.shtml

And the MSM conspiracy in collusion with right wingers and political enemies from Arkansas is well documented in Fools for Scandal. The NYT invented the Whitewater hoax (at least insofar as the Clintons were associated with it). They never retracted their false reporting.

And the War on Gore is legendary. They constantly made shit up about him (I mean that literally). The SCMSM lied about Gore and booed him (actually happened). See archives of http://www.dailyhowler.com/

The kind of stuff that Benen cites is maddening, unprofessional and is a disservice to the country, as well as additional evidence of the deep dysfunction in the press corps.

But having said that, in *relative* terms this stuff seems like snarky patty cake compared to the nonstop lying and character assassination practiced by MSM on Clinton and Gore. My take anyway.

[Cha]

10. Yes, the other Dems had it bad too but

that does not negate the evidence layed out that the corporatemediawhores have been ragging on the President for the last 16 months.

I know how the "media" was swarmy on the President during the primaries and the General..I was there.

And, yes, the corporatemedia was ugly to Clinton and Gore too.

[Admiral Loinpresser]

12. Agreed.

I got on my high horse a little, sorry. In his own way Obama has dealt with some weird shit even during the campaign, presumably mainly due to his skin color. If he were of European-only ancestry, the Teabaggers may never have gotten off the ground.