Ryan Streeter
In his news briefing this afternoon, Obama said that the Republicans are like “hostage takers” and that he only negotiates with hostage takers if he fears that the “hostage” will be harmed. In this case, “The hostage was the American people.”
So let’s get this straight:
The President of the United States just characterized the opposing party in a way that comes eerily close to comparing them to terrorists.
And by making poor use of a metaphor, he sent a message to real hostage takers (such as real terrorists) that he would negotiate with them if he feared they were going to harm their hostages.
I don’t want to make too much of the metaphors, however, but his remarks appear to be part of a calculated “stick to my guns” wartime tone in which he has also described the American people as “collateral damage” in Washington’s partisan warfare. In a time of war this type of rhetoric is especially cheap and inappropriate.
What is most surprising about the comments is how they came at a time when the President was giving a speech aimed at showing how he was rising above partisan politics to provide tax relief for Americans.
Obama has repeatedly shown that he parked the elevated tone of his campaign at the door of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in January 2009. Today’s comments mark a low point in his recurring habit.
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