"How To Politicize a Hurricane" - RWNJ PowerlineBlog freaks out over "Obama takes charge"

[jefferson_dem]

:eyes: ... :popcorn:

H/T: Media Matters' Eric Boehlert - http://twitter.com/#!/EricBoehlert

How To Politicize a Hurricane

It remains to be seen whether Irene turns out to be the Comet Kohoutek of hurricanes, but President Obama is taking no chances. He posed for a photo-op today, pretending to have something to do with the potentially-severe weather event. AFP headlined: “Obama takes charge at hurricane command center.”



<SNIP>

I’m sure it’s a relief to everyone on the East Coast to know that Obama is personally directing hurricane response efforts. Never mind that he isn’t competent to organize a Little League baseball team; today’s charade obviously is a corollary of the Hurricane Katrina fiasco, in which America’s mass media committed group malpractice, somehow managing to blame the inevitable consequences of a severe weather event, magnified by incompetent local authorities in New Orleans, on the Bush administration. Obama is setting the stage to receive praise, rather than blame, no matter what actually happens between now and when Hurricane Irene blows itself out.

This is one more step in the degradation of American politics. One hundred years ago, people understood that the president had nothing to do with hurricanes. Now, the president is expected to pretend to have control over more or less everything. This has something to do with the inexorable expansion of federal power, and also something to do with the dumbing-down of the American people.

If the baleful effects of Hurricane Irene actually turned on the personal efforts of Barack Obama, God help us. But of course they don’t. I can think offhand of one instance where a chief executive contributed positively to disaster relief. It happened in my home state of South Dakota; there was flooding somewhere–the Missouri River, I suppose–and then-Governor Bill Janklow showed up to help tote sandbags. Janklow had his faults, but along with being a top-notch lawyer and a generally excellent governor, he also was a man who was fully capable of hauling sandbags. I don’t expect Barack Obama to make any similarly tangible contribution.

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2011/08/how-to-politicize-a-hurricane.php

[baldguy]

1. Lesson 1 of Republican politics: Politicize Everything.

Especially when if they ran on their actual policies & record of achievement they wouldn't just lose the next election - they'd be hanged.

[Cirque du So-What]

2. Sour grapes, wingnutz! Suck on 'em - HARD!

'Positive contribution to disaster relief' doesn't consist of toting sandbags, numbnutz! Part of leadership is putting the right people in the right place at the right time...NOT dispensing 'plum appointments' to political flacks who have no business being in a position of power over anything...right, 'heckuva job, Brownie?'

The 'sour grapes' refers to their disappointment that there won't be a horrific body count to be laid at the feet of the Obama administration. They will never live down the Katrina debacle, and their futile attempts at deflection are laden with FAIL.

[n2doc]

3. He's the President! Get over it already!

He's SUPPOSED to lead!

[GoCubsGo]

6. Yet, they accuse him of not leading from the other sides of their mouths.

Damned if he does. Damned if he doesn't.

[sellitman]

4. What vile disgusting people these Right Wingers are.

A pox on them.

[Bluzmann57]

5. It doesn't matter

If was just hanging out, like the last guy did for Katrina (remember that one rwers?) they'd gripe. He's showing concern and leadership, so they gripe. The hell with 'em all. We REALLY need to lose these assholes in the bottom of the ocean or someplace.
And if I recall, Janklow ran a stop sign killing a motorcyclist and got little or no jail time for that. So does this righty really want to bring him into the conversation? A man who can't drive and kills people?

[Yavin4]

7. And If He'd Stayed in Martha's Vineyard, They Would Complain About That

All they offer is stupidity and vitriol.

[Peacetrain]

8. You just can't make it up... the howling at his taking a breath of air

knows no ends. I wonder if they ever stop and look in the mirror and wonder how they got to the place they are mentally

[lunatica]

9. No matter what he does foam at the mouth and criticize him!

Right on cue.

[yellowcanine]

10. The wingnuts need to chill. Obama didn't write the "taking charge" headline.

And you can be sure if he hadn't checked in on FEMA the same people would have been screaming about Obama not doing his job as President.

[Old and In the Way]

11. Powerline? Home of the Assrocket?

Here's what John Hindraker had to say about President Catastrophe back in 2006-

"It must be very strange to be President Bush. A man of extraordinary vision and brilliance approaching to genius, he can't get anyone to notice. He is like a great painter or musician who is ahead of his time, and who unveils one masterpiece after another to a reception that, when not bored, is hostile."

I don't think I'm going to be too worried about what the braintrust there has to say about Obama...