The arrogance of Barack Obama

[oviedodem]

I have watched and listened to Obama being called "arrogant" from the day he started his run for office. All morning I listened to how Obama was arrogant and discourteous to the senators yesterday. Arrogant here, arrogant there, arrogant arrogant. His wife his arrogant, his mother-in-law is arroagant, arrogant for using a telepromter, putting his foot on the desk. Well to all that say so I have a big

FU!!

For 16 years I have watched sn arrogant president and arrogant congressman parade around DC. NEVER in that time did I hear that word thrown around with such ease like it is now. Bush and his cronies extreme arrogance so much so that he could not even admit he made mistakes or declaring "Mission Accomplished" with a big banner. Even Bill Clinton showed his arrogance in dealing with the Lewinsky situation; obviously not the level of Bush. The arrogance of how these RICH congressman throw their head in the air while we suffer and they profit. Not even the greedy bankers or insurance companies execs are being called arrogant as often as the president has. When the bankers were going to D.C. in their private jets all I hear was "It doesn't look good"; not arrogant though.

Of course I know exactly what they are referring to but he dare not say it or any democrat say it lest they will be destroyed by our "leftist" media. You could tell yesterday just by the looks on the republican senators faces the utter contempt they have for the man.
It must be painful for minorities, women, and the GLBT community to bit their toungue but, I think one of these days someone in a postion of power needs to say FU right on tv to some of these people; who cares the outcome.

Maybe Obama on his last day in office whether 2012 or 2016 should say on his last SOTU; FU to all the republicans, tea-baggers, birthers and anyone else who gave him grief like this over his tenure.

[Captain Hilts]

1. He IS arrogant. So is Hillary. Bill. W. MObama, the entire US Senate...

they're ALL arrogant.

DC is chock full of folks voted "Most likely to succeed." And they're arrogant.

[Cha]

3. Don't agree.

[oviedodem]

4. Your right, but that is almost expected. He is the only one that has that

word attached to him relentlessly from the day he started running for president.

[Captain Hilts]

16. Hillary was plastered with it during the primaries too. And it was true for her and Obama. That's

one of the reasons they're so good.

No one, NO ONE was ever as arrogant as FDR. Next to him, the others all fade away...except for MacArthur.

[dflprincess]

6. I agree with you that most politicians are arrogant

but the word has never been tossed around the way it has been with Obama - and the only reason it's being used so much is because even the dumbest Republican knows that "uppity" would be way too obvious about what they're really thinking.

[Captain Hilts]

11. TRUE that Republicans don't get this label. But Bill and 'Hill have had their

turns with it, so now it's his.

Yes, it's unfair. A lot of good folks are arrogant.

You can be arrogant without being Gen. Montgomery.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

23. Bill had the amazing ability to be both an arrogant elitist and an uneducated hillbilly in RW eyes.

I was a kid through his presidency but I do remember that.

[Captain Hilts]

28. It was pretty confusing. I remember R's efforts to paint him as a hillbilly. nt

[SemiCharmedQuark]

30. I remember it as a prevailing theme. Specifically I remember an episode of the Critic where

Duke Phillips is talking about his Hall of Presidents and how he replaced his Bill Clinton robot with one of the robotic bears from the Bear Country Hillbilly Jamboree and nobody noticing. (The Critic also portrayed Reagan as a senile old fool who didn't do anything but "goof off and eat candy" during his presidency so I don't think it was RW, I think they were just reflecting the meme of the day).

[cascadiance]

37. Even though Bill was actually a Rhodes Scholar too...

Republicans are all about labeling and oversimplifying problems to extremes that fuel things like racism, etc. That IS the problem. Now I can disagree with the way that Bill Clinton and Barack Obama have governed, but if we oversimplify the dialogue so much that all that gets heard is "that I'm unhappy with Obama" instead of focusing on what I'm unhappy with, then we are all manipulated into a corner.

The key is how to not be a cheerleader that might avoid that "herding" manipulation and still feel like we can be a part of correcting problems with this president's policy.

[Captain Hilts]

41. I couldn't have said it better. nt

[Paladin]

63. Republicans Certainly Don't Get That Label From You.

You've got lots of Democratic targets, but not much in the way of criticism for Republicans. I wish you were an exception, but you're getting more and more company by the day, here at DU.......

[Inuca]

8. Arrogant not = being aware of one's worth

Really, I am not playing with words.

[Captain Hilts]

12. Someone once said to Eleanor Roosevelt that FDR was the most self-centered...

and selfish man he'd ever met. Eleanor responded "yeah, but you HAVE to be to be president."

She'd seen it twice.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

13. I think you have to be arrogant to think you're the best person to run the country.

Arrogance is kind of a requirement for all people running for President from George W. Bush to Ralph Nader to Dennis Kucinch to Bill Clinton to Hillary Clinton to Barack Obama. That said, I agree with the OP that the word has never been tossed around as easily as it is now. The last time I remember it being used so was for Bill Clinton in regards to his affair.

[Captain Hilts]

14. Absolutely! It's what keeps you going! Like being a surgeon or fighter pilot you HAVE

to think of yourself as the Virgin Birth.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

20. When you are campaigning and people invariably ask you "Do you REALLY think you're best for the U.S.

You can't say "well, I think I'm OK". You have to unequivocally say "Yes"

[butterfly77]

34. WRONG!

[Captain Hilts]

35. RIGHT!

[Whisp]

47. what you see if confidence, not arrogance

the two seem to get confused.
the others you mention don't fare well under a surprise attack as well because they don't have the confidence Obama has - he simply can feel confident because he doesn't have a wealth of lies in his past to bluster over.

[Cha]

2. I heard the republicons were actually rude

to the President ..so I don't know who's trying to fool the public here?

I know..corporatemediaWHORES.

[oviedodem]

5. Don't just focus on yesterday, think further back

[Cha]

7. Okay..the republicons are always rude.

[randr]

9. Arrogance is piling 6 copies of a report on your desk

and pretending that 1 of them is too much for you to read.

[MorningGlow]

10. To the repukes...

anyone who doesn't do EXACTLY what they say is "arrogant".

[Catshrink]

15. It's code for uppity.

From the clips I heard, the Senators interrupting the President were disrespectful of him and his office. They are the arrogant ones. I think Obama deliberately restrained himself from interrupting and talking over them to avoid these very charges. It really doesn't matter what he said, they'd say the same thing.

[housewolf]

17. "Arrogance" is a code word for "uppity"

And we all know what n-word commonly follows "uppity"

[Captain Hilts]

22. No, it's not. It's used in politics a lot. If you're not 'folksy', you're 'arrogant'. nt

[SemiCharmedQuark]

25. I think what is chapping people's asses is the fact that Bush was the most arrogant SOB ever and he

was called "strong" and "folksy" but it seems like the prevailing media only calls Dems arrogant.

[Captain Hilts]

27. YESSSSSSSSSSSSS! Bush was 'comfortable in his own skin', not arrogant. nt

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

52. Used all the time.

:eyes:


Name the last "arrogant" Republican....

[housewolf]

54. Unfortunately, our eyes and ears are poorly attuned to conservative code-speak

They've made a science of code-speak. Many words in common parlance mean something different to them when they speak to each other, be it in person or over the media. The reason it's so effective for them is that it goes straight over the heads of most of us.

I know that "arrogant" is frequently applied to politicians and those in power regardless of their sex or race. It was one of the left's most frequent criticisms of GWB. When I pay attention to the context in which the right is using the word and I think about synonyms for "arrogant", the word "uppity" is right there... Code-speak is one of the ways people hide their bigotry.

[poverlay]

18. GRAVITAS ... we know it when we see it. ... The Republicans tend to mock it....n/t

[Beacool]

19. Hey, if the shoe fits....................

Statements like "I won" and "I am the president" are not helpful when trying to achieve some level of consensus with the other side, even if they may be true.

On the other hand, Washington is full of overconfident, arrogant people. It comes with the territory.

:shrug:

As for his feet on the desk, I didn't like it when Bush did it either. That desk is NOT the president's personal property. The Resolute desk is an antique and should be treated with respect. I wish that every president would keep his damn feet off it.

;(

[SemiCharmedQuark]

21. I am *shocked* that you chime in to agree with the Republican attacks on Obama. Shocked.

Let it go. It's been 2 years.

[Beacool]

26. Republican attacks?

Obama has been called arrogant for ages, and not always by Republicans. Even some of his friends explained it in 2007 by saying that it's not arrogance, but self confidence. Well, there's such a thing as being too self confident.

;)

[oviedodem]

39. This would come from a clintonite after Bill was receiving a ..... from under said desk

[Beacool]

42. Still bringing up Bill's sex life?

Please........

:eyes:

[CBR]

61. Blowjob or Feet on the Desk... tough call?!?

I could care less about either but please get real.

[Voltaire]

46. Aw BULLSHIT

If those republican COCKSUCKERS would show the President some respect, he wouldn't have to remind their sorry asses who and what he is.

[Whisp]

48. don't make me say how the oval office was someone's personal property

there for a while..

good lord woman, Laughing meet Stock.

[Beacool]

49. Technically, it's a little room off the Oval Office.

:7

[Whisp]

59. and 'technically' putting your feet up on a desk isn't such a hot fucking deal compared. nt

[MrMickeysMom]

55. Oh, for Christ sakes, how can any of this matter?

I saw the photos of the prez feet (Bush) and the one so many knuckle draggers sent around as an e-mail lately with Obama's feet. I noticed that in either picture, the feet were placed so as not to mar the desk.

I can't stand Bush, but if any of this even matters, well, I'll be damned.

And, "I won" reminds someone who needs it they obviously forgot that HE DID.

[Beacool]

57. It was brought up by the OP.

Does it matter? Not much, but that desk has a special history and there's no need for these men to put their feet on it.

People who are truly in command never need to remind others of their power, it is self evident. There's no need for a CEO to remind employees that he's in charge, everyone knows it. Same in the military.

[MrMickeysMom]

58. So, the picture was meant to be a message?

I don't think so... I was thinking of the body language between the cabinet and prez.

On the other hand, if it was meant to be a message to the public, then I'll take the one where John John is hiding under it playing hide and seek any day.

[ginnyinWI]

24. "Arrogant" in Webster's Dictionary:

"1. exaggerating or disposed to exaggerate one's own worth or importance in an overbearing manner."

Nope that's not Obama. I think he's got his self-worth just about right. He knows what he knows and who he is. What to they want, a shy, cowering President? Do they want an Uncle Tom? Guess so.

Speaking of the above definition, there are a ton of Repubs who would fit that description.

[saracat]

29. Oh please. I wish he were more "arrogant" maybe then we could get real HCR

and he would demand it and drop the bipartisan BS. The problem is the endless capitulation and negotiation. The president isn't "arrogant" enough! And like being pregnant, you can't be just a little bit arrogant.You can't speak sternly to the GOP one day and give them what they want the next.He should make his demands forcefully in the name of the American people and take names and kick assess until those demands are met.The President needs more arrogance and more follow through and that goes for dealing with those rotten blue dogs as well.

[OHdem10]

31. If you are a Liberal, especially if you attended Eastern Seaboard

Schools. God Help us, if you are a Liberal and attended
Harvard or Yale.

John Kerry had been in the Senate for eons it seems.
The day he began to campaign---Oh My Gosh, the "gaggle
of geese started honking the Republican Talking Point.
The man is arrogant, the man is arrogant, he is arrogant

IMO, the GOP have an inferiority complex big enough
to stop a train in its tracks. Therefore they have developed
some compensating behaviors. One is denigrating education
which I consider harmful to this country.


The reality is we do not have Democrats who are so sure
of their ideas or opinions they are arrogant.
They develop a HCIR Plan. Baucus bent himself into
a pretzel and wasted months courting the GOP only to
get rebuffed. The GOP never intended to help with
the Bill. Obama, the "arrogant" has spent the year
trying to reach out to Republicans and got no where

The latest accusation of arrogance is re the "Summit".

The GOP have not had a Democrat very calmly and cooly
stand his ground and defend his side of the argument.
When you are accustom to bullying and not having democrats
fight back explaining thoroughly their position and intelligently;
you, the bully have to try to distract from the fact that
you got stood up to and pushed down, start a smear
campaign. The old Liberals are arrogant. You hope the
lazy geese will pick up and start honking your tune.
Since they are paid by your corporate buddies, a little
pressure can be applied I suppose.

This game is as old as the hills.

The new definition of arrogance is standing up to the
Republicans and giving them better than they send.

There was nothing arrogant about Obama in this instance.
I watched it continuously on C-Span. No chatter trying
to tell me what to think.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

33. I will never EVER forgive the media for allowing the meme that John Kerry-WAR HERO was somehow a

coward and George W. Bush who didn't see a single day of combat was some kind of super soldier to prevail.

[Captain Hilts]

36. I'm STILL trying to wrap my brain around that one. nt

[NJmaverick]

32. K&R

[JuniperLea]

38. "Uppity" drew too many negative attacks on them...

They passed out a new memo... with his new personality description.

That's all they have. They can't attack him on policy, he blocks their lies... that's it... the smacking down of lies is now "arrogance" in their book too.

[Turbineguy]

40. As one of my colleagues used to say:

"That man has EARNED his arrogance!"

[NYC_SKP]

43. Arrogant is code for "black", among those who say that. n/t K and R

[Captain Hilts]

44. Why were people saying it about Bill and then Hillary too? nt

[NYC_SKP]

56. Oh come on!

Bill was "the first black president"!

Remember?

:P

[CLANG]

45. Arrogant = smarter than me and rubbing it it, too!! WHAAAA!!

I loves me an arrogant presodent!

[freddie mertz]

50. This is jut stupid and/or racist code word stuff.

Yes, he can be imperious. So what?

He is the president, and all of them, by definition, have been alpha-types of one sport of another.

[maryf]

51. Sticks and stones are what we should be worried about...

Like the issues, Iraq, Afghanistan, Corporate profit mongering, what is he doing about these things that are that different from the arrogant last administration?? Personality traits are inconsequential...

[Enthusiast]

53. Obama is anything but arrogant. nt

[eridani]

60. Why don't they just say "uppity" so we know for sure what they mean? n/t

[BR_Parkway]

62. You know, to wake up one morning and say "I should lead the US"

takes a certain amount of arrogance in the first place - same with those who run for pretty much any office.

What these folks really want to scream is that he's "uppity" but that's no longer acceptable in society.

[ginnyinWI]

64. well, arrogant means you act like you are better than you really are.

Since they think he's dumb and incompetent, any time he acts as though he's not dumb and incompetent, to them he's arrogant. They think it's the height of arrogance for anyone who is African American to run for President in the first place.

I think you need a really healthy ego to run for office, but that doesn't mean you are arrogant.