The opposition is more SCARED of Barack Obama than they ever were of the Clintons.

[Bicoastal]

True, they hated Bill and Hillary, perhaps more, perhaps less, but they always knew they could attack Bill mercilessly on his moral failings and Hillary on her so-called "ambition." The Clintons were formidable opponents, but the Conservatives KNEW how to turn somewhat intelligent people against them: by portraying both of them as typically sleazy politicians. (Hence the "Slick Willy" meme and all the connotations that go with it.) But for the time being, they don't know WHAT to make of Barack Obama--because by the Republican definition, he's not typical at all.

I mean, did you ever head a talk radio call-in listener ever claim, with dead certainty, that Bill Clinton was an Al Qaeda Manchurian Candidate? Did any kook EVER maintain a bizarre theory that Bill Clinton was secretly born in a foreign country and bribed and/or threatened thousands of government employees to cover it up? Did they call him a Marxist-quoting Socialist one moment, and then call him the second coming of Adolf Hitler in the next breath? Republicans were spreading internet rumors that Obama was the ANTICHRIST, fergodsakes! Not just a bad guy, but the baddest figure in the history of civilization!

All of these wild speculations come from a very primal part of the human psyche: fear. It has nothing to do with toughness on Obama's part--he's no more partisan than Bill Clinton was in 1992, and he certainly isn't a scary guy. It all stems from the Conservative base's inability to comprehend the fact that a dark-skinned, city-dwelling man with a foreign-born parent managed to defeat the couple the GOP hated the most, and then BEAT THE PANTS OFF of their own pampered white country club war hero! (Or indeed, the inability to comprehend the idea that such an "exotic" man could be smarter and more talented than they themselves are.) So they conjure up rumors that border on the hysterical: that from time of his birth, this shadowy character with a muslim middle name was somehow able to get whatever he wanted by a lurid combination of playing the race card, physical intimidation, an knack for mass hypnotism, and, I dunno, magic? From a dim and cognitively limited Conservative perspective, this guy's success in life SHOULD be impossible. So how the hell is he President?

They fear him. They keep saying, "I don't know who this guy is." And whereas they understood how to "get," or at least "get to" Bill and Hillary, when it comes to Obama, they have no idea. For the time being, at least, they're terrified.

[Captain Hilts]

1. Obama has a Dem Congress backing him and an electorate more progressive than he is.

He's following a president that completely de-legitimized the Republican party. A lot of my Republican friends felt their party had to be punished.

It's as much about Bush as about Obama.

The times he and Clinton are in are completely different.

No comparison.

[Bicoastal]

4. Maybe not, but I'm making one anyway.

And I think it's no stretch to say that Conservatives will ALWAYS fear a black man in power more than they will a white man.

Whatever--it's not a contest or anything.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

13. AND THE VERY MOST THEY FEAR IS INTELLIGENCE

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: I AM SO HAPPY.

PLEASE SEND ME A HEART

[wyldwolf]

2. different times, different accusations

Clinton: hippie, commie, draft dodger, rapist, murderer. They went after his wife and his daughter
Obama: commie, magic negro, muslim, terrorist...


They were after Clinton while he was governor.


I guess time will tell how much more vile they get with Obama.

[Bicoastal]

9. I agree, time will tell. n/t

[Clio the Leo]

3. Yep and if their worst complaint is that the entire nation......

.... is TOO devoted to him. Puts a smile on your face doesn't it? Like this ---> :)

[angee_is_mad]

8. or fistbump

like this!!!:fistbump:

[firedupdem]

5. They can't figure it out...

They don't understand how his story is even possible. They are completely lost and flailing around trying to figure out how to regroup. Bush fucked the country over big time. But, but, but, our guy was never supposed to win! They are lost, and I'm loving it!

The country decided it was ready for change! They knew who could lead them in that direction and voted accordingly. :)

[RandomThoughts]

6. I see your point,

and also see that it is from themselves, many in the GOP our creating there own worlds, and that has nothing to do with President Obama.

They react with delusion and fear...

Maybe they are reaping what they sowed.

[Patchuli]

7. I think you are completely right

about that. I love seeing the 'cons freaking out! :popcorn:

Just as long as we never, ever turn our backs and get complacent again. They must never get back in power!

*edited for proper popcorn eating placement

[Paulaguyon]

10. Here we go with the "Hillary is ambitious" right-wing meme

As if wanting to be President in order to make America a better country makes one less ambitions than any other Democratic candidate that has ever run for President.

[Captain Hilts]

12. The poster has forgotten all the stories of the Clintons being murderers and HRC throwing lamps.

Gee whiz!

Yeah, the "Hillary is ambitious/arrogant" shit is pretty tiring. NO ONE gets to be president without being ambitious and arrogant.

[Bicoastal]

15. What are you getting annoyed at ME for? Two points.

1) Compared to nearly every other First Lady we've had, yeah, she WAS ambitious. And I don't consider it a bad thing at all, although THEY sure did. But I don't see how that can be considered a falsehood. At any rate, *I* didn't invent this meme.

2) I'm NOT saying that because conservatives fear Obama more than they do The Clintons, Barack Obama is a more effective president. I have no idea--he hasn't been in office nearly long enough. And at any rate, it's not a contest.

I just feel that the fearful attitude they have toward Obama, buffeted by outlandish rumors that FAR outweigh lamps being thrown, is way more intense than what I remember from 1992. Hell, they've been trying for MONTHS to throw him out of office by claiming he isn't American--and it seems like more of their ilk get suckered into it every day. Do you have any idea how paranoid you have to be to believe a noncitizen could possibly be elected President in this day and age? Plus the antichrist thing trumps all, IMHO.

[Captain Hilts]

17. When Clinton first got in I lived in DC and R's were trying to convince people - no kidding - that

the Clintons were stupid hillbillies. Really, they were really trying that one.

Michelle will get the 'ambitious' crap thrown at her, just Eleanor did and Rosalyn did and Nancy R did, actually. "We didn't elect her!" I can hear it already.

The fringe right will throw all sorts of crap. They'll make up whatever they have to make up about any president.

But I'll note that a lot of folks on this board didn't think it would happen to Obama. "I don't want to revisit the Clinton Wars of the '90s." I said at the time the Rs will go after the Dem candidate no matter who it is.

Clinton was elected in a year in which the numbers of Republicans in Congress went UP. The country was a lot more conservative then. GWB hadn't come along to poison most people's opinion of Republican presidents.

I was in political polling for eight years and I am still stunned by how bad GWB's polling numbers were. Amazing. Even Mitch McConnell has been running away from him.

Different times.

[inna]

11. K&R! nt

[saracat]

14. Really? This is quite a broad assumption about a man who has only been in office a short time!

And exactly what is wrong with being ambitious and why wouldn't Obama be attacked for ambition as well? And why couldn't Obama be attacked for some of his "failings" ?
This strikes me as negative post disguised as left handed praise for Obama.And apparently the OP doesn't recognize that the opposition never did "get" Clinton and he was in office 8 years. And they "still" fear him!

[Captain Hilts]

16. Folks think Obama got to be president without being ambitious. Really. nt

[Bicoastal]

19. Not me! How many times must I explain this to you? Geez. n/t

[Captain Hilts]

20. I know that's not what you're saying. It's okay.

Idiots of all stripes slurp shit about Dem presidents.

Most United Statesians don't know the Clintons - and Obamas - go to church damn near every weekend. They think Reagan went regularly, when, in fact, he did NOT.

People believe crap.

[Bicoastal]

21. So I changed the wording of that part slightly.

Maybe now it'll be clearer.

[Bicoastal]

18. You've interpreted this entire thing as a slam against the Clintons when it honestly and truly isn't

I'm not attacking Hillary Clinton for "ambition." THEY did. You KNOW they did. PLEASE do not shoot the messenger.

Another point: you've ALSO interpreted this entire thing as a claim that Obama is a better president than Bill or a better candidate than Hillary. It is not. Fear is not and has never been a reliable barometer for a president's effectiveness.

However, they DO fear him immensely. I believe they fear him more than the Clintons. That's ALL I'm saying.

I think we all have to get our heads out of the primaries.

[saracat]

26. My head isn't in the primaries. I just remember my history and

the impeachment proceedings, whitewater and Ken Starr were all a result of the GOP's "fear " of Bill Clinton. I do not believe the GOP "fears " Obama but they do "fear" a movement.

[bonito]

22. I like it!

He's down to earth, bull shit aside, to the point, not fooling anybody, and nobody's fooling him.
He's for the common man that's without a plan, sees the bigger picture and gives a damn.
He's always near, without the fear that was so dear, to those before him.

Yea, I'll support this man.

[OHdem10]

23. Just as Regan was popular with the people, therefore the Democrats

often caved and voted eith him.

Same idea, the GOP do not attack Obama because he is popular
with the people. However they are a true opposition party
do not cave --instead go after the Democrats especially Pelos
and Reid. Attack the left with subtle implications for Obama.

They do not fear Obama, they fear the people if they set them off.

The Democrats are their target until and if Obama loses some of
his lustre.

[anonymous171]

24. They were never scared of Bill Clinton. They hated him, but they were never frightened by him. nt

[saracat]

25. Yeah they were. That was why they tried to get rid of him.

And they admitted they were terrified of his ability to connect with people! Gingrinch once stated that it was terrifying to see him go before the people and reach out. He has absolutely no peer in that department and oddly , he is the "comeback kid" and time will never diminish his ability.

[Marsala]

27. They're just a bunch of weenies. They would have been scared of Gore and Kerry, too

Seriously, how could any American be scared of Gore or Kerry? But they would have managed it.

[demo dutch]

28. They should be scared approval ratings for GOP dropped from 23 to 18%