Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Obama Campaign Speech Disguised as a Press Conference

President Obama gave a re-election campaign speech, er, press conference Wednesday morning to his adoring White House press corps. He stood in front of that hideous golden colored curtain that hangs behind him and even NPR called it a re-election campaign speech.

It was supposed to be some remarks about the debt ceiling negotiations and then some questions from his base voters- the White House press corps. Instead of being honest and forthright for once, unfortunately he did the predictable Obama speech. He was quick to bash the Republicans for not caving on tax hikes and exhorting money in the form of a Robin Hood plea - please, please, please successful business people, just give the government more of your profits so the Congress can continue spending us into oblivion.

No new ideas. Tax the "millionaires and billionaires", which is latest version of "those who make over $250,000, and just demand all of the profits from oil and gas companies. And, just raise the debt limit to anything he wants. C'mon. It's simple.

He is becoming quite the noticeable gaffe machine, though. He even got the age of his oldest child incorrect. Ironic coming from the egoist-in-chief that does PSAs on the importance of a father's participation in his child's life. He incorrectly stated with certainty that the tax rates for the richest among us are at the lowest of his life. Wrong. They are now about 35% but during Reagan years the rate was 28% and during the George HW Bush years it was 31% at the highest level. Barack Obama is very close to 50 years of age, so you do the math. This major gaffe was to justify taking more money from the upper level income earners.

He berated the amount of time Congress is in recess. Funny coming from the tone deaf President who is at a consecutive record number of golf weekend outings. And, of course the weekly White House parties with the swell entertainers and athletes where President and Mrs Obama enjoy unwinding. And, the announcement that the family Obama would be heading to Martha's Vineyard for the third summer in a row even though the debt ceiling problem is still unanswered. He was wrong again, of course. Senator Sessions (R-AL) called for the Senate to remain in session until the problem was solved, even through July 4th, if necessary.

No one tops Barack Obama in the use of the bully pulpit and the unprecedented way he does it against the opposition party. Usually he does it with legitimate facts. Now he just makes it up as he goes and the adoring press allows it. It will be like this through the election.

But, then, he has never really stopped campaigning anyway. He mocks and ridicules the Republicans and then is exasperated when they do not feel the love for him.

For the smartest man to ever sit in the Oval Office - as we were informed over and over again by the adoring press and their minions in the blogosphere - he sure is not much for common sense. Or class.

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