Barack Obama's Finest Hour Yet

[babylonsister]

Must See TV: Barack Obama's Finest Hour Yet

by Charles Lemos, Fri Jan 29, 2010 at 07:48:00 PM EST


The President today attended the GOP House Caucus' Annual Retreat in Baltimore. The President's remarks and the subsequent question and answer were carried live on the national cable channels though Fox News cut away mid-stream. It was riveting and perhaps will prove a pivotal point in American politics. It is to the credit of the GOP leadership that they opened the event to the media. It served the national interest.

Some had characterized the event as Daniel walking into the lion's den. If so, Daniel mauled himself some lions, off teleprompter no less. Perhaps declawed is a better word. It was a feast for Democrats and hopefully for the nation to behold the President, armed with only his wits, in total and complete command but today's event need not be necessarily famine for the GOP either. Clearly, today's event demonstrates that a frank, candid and civil exchange of views is possible.

Furthermore, if they were not awed by the President's talents and penchant for detail, then simply they are not political animals. At its core, it was the most clear and poignant call to leave behind the slash and burn politics of the past and instead engage in a constructive dialogue in the interests of good governance.

The event ran a little more than an hour with the President taking questions from Representative Mike Pence of Indiana, Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, Representative Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Representative Jason Chaffetz of Utah, Representative Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Representative Dr. Tom Price of Georgia, Representative Tom Roskan of Illinois (who served with the President in the state legislature in Springfield), and Representative Jeb Hensarling of Texas. It is really must watch television, underscoring the fact that whatever the failings of leadership over the past year, Barack Obama possesses talents that few others do.

Marc Ambinder of The Atlantic writes:

Accepting the invitation to speak at the House GOP retreat may turn out to be the smartest decision the White House has made in months. Debating a law professor is kind of foolish: the Republican House Caucus has managed to turn Obama's weakness -- his penchant for nuance -- into a strength. Plenty of Republicans asked good and probing questions, but Mike Pence, among others, found their arguments simply demolished by the president.

Arguments may have been demolished but the edifice of state was constructed or perhaps at the very least a foundation was laid to move forward in the national interest. I'd daresay this was Barack Obama's finest hour yet. Let's hope that there is more of this to come.

Transcript at link~

http://mydd.com/2010/1/29/must-see-tv-barack-obamas-finest-hour-yet

[donheld]

1. And maybe the Repuglicans darkest hour yet?