Frank Rich: Obama Is The Rodney Dangerfield Of 2010

New York Times:

President Obama, the Rodney Dangerfield of 2010, gets no respect for averting another Great Depression, for saving 3.3 million jobs with stimulus spending, or for salvaging GM and Chrysler from the junkyard. And none of these good deeds, no matter how substantial, will go unpunished if the projected Democratic bloodbath materializes on Election Day. Some are even going unremembered. For Obama, the ultimate indignity is the Times/CBS News poll in September showing that only 8 percent of Americans know that he gave 95 percent of American taxpayers a tax cut.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[blueavnues]

03:49 PM on 10/25/2010

Liberals don't deserve Obama! I hope he gives them one term and gets out!

[CitizenA1]

10:55 AM on 10/25/2010

Stop blaming republicans. Liberals (especially hp) have hopped on the Obama hate train, then sood on the sidelines shocked at the baaaaaaad things conservatives are doing. Obama gets all of he blame and none of the credit from people who don't understand the political process.

[Austintatious]

11:56 AM on 10/25/2010

Horsepuckey!

Save your "hate train" comments for the Republicans, where they would be appropriate.

The liberals you complain of have this problem. They are inclined to feel that the truth really matters, and dealing with the truth about this president is a difficult but necessary thing for them. So many liberals are extremely disappointed in Barack Obama because they figured out that he's a fraud, that he never really intended to fight for the American people as he said he would, that he's a corporation man, all the way.

It ain't hate. It's just that they expected the man to keep his word, that they're disappointed and that they're moving on, as they should.

If you'd take off those rose colored glasses you're wearing, you'd know the truth about the man, as well. And you'd understand that he's rightfully earned that Rodney Dangerfield label.

[blueavnues]

03:47 PM on 10/25/2010

I've said it before..where it concerns the first black POTUS Liberals are no better than rethugs. At least the Bush backers stayed with their guy until his terms were completed. liberals gave Obama 20 months and gave up. Libs will be remembered for who and what they've always been...WEAK!! PASSIVE!!

[AudreyinGA]

10:32 AM on 10/25/2010

If President Obama were a dictator, more things could get done faster without a vote
from the House and the Senate. Is that what you angry, disappointed, sorry people
want? No democracy? No voting? WTF?

[SempeConfucious]

09:51 AM on 10/25/2010

No comparison - Rodney spent his own money. No respect was part of his act; for Obama it is an earned result.

[cabinetmaker]

10:06 AM on 10/25/2010

they look alike

[MrsFonebone]

09:48 AM on 10/25/2010

The difference is, Rodney was brilliant at his job--and charming and humble.
Really, Frank, "tax cuts" as an accomplishment? Ours was about 30 bucks a month.

[Austintatious]

09:37 AM on 10/25/2010

Politicians on the right have disrespected and abused him largely because he's allowed them to; because he's acted the patsy. From day one, there was only one way for Obama to deal with the Republicans. That was to continue to hit them, politically, as hard as he could, right between the eyes, letting up only if and when they chose to acted responsibly. That was the only way to deal with the Republicans, for it was clear that they were never going to cooperate with Obama, let alone, treat him respectfully, unless he demanded it and backed up that demand with an iron fist wielded from the bully pulpit of the presidency. Obama's failure to inflict political pain on the Republicans may be the greatest reason why they've been so successful in their opposition.

Secondly, Obama's failed to keep the respect of those who most enthusiastically supported his candidacy. Breaking campaign promises on important issues, one after another, is not likely to retain their respect or support. Presidential policy favoring Wall Street and other big money, at the expense of America's middle class and its poor is not calculated to earn the respect or support of average Americans. Continuing the Bush policy of mortgaging America's future for unnecessary military occupations on the other side of the world, as average Americans struggle financially, hasn't helped.

Rich's Rodney Dangerfield analogy is appropriate. Indeed, it's one thing that this president HAS earned.

[SempeConfucious]

09:54 AM on 10/25/2010

"Politicians on the right have disrespected and abused him largely because he's allowed them to"...Ahh, ya. His socialist policies make it easy! He is so far to the left, there is little anyone with an understanding of our principles and philosophies of freedom would rebel against this guy lobbying to be Emperor.

[Austintatious]

10:31 AM on 10/25/2010

One of the more remarkable fabrications coming from the political right is their continued clamoring about Obama's socialistic agenda, like this one, when nothing could be farther from reality. Their continuing accusation that Obama is a flaming liberal and a socialist, when he so clearly is not, simply demonstrates just how disconnected from reality they are or simply choose to be.

Obama is a corporatist, plain and simple. With Obama, it's big business and big money first, and average Americans last. To understand this, one must get past what the man is saying and look more closely at what he's supporting and doing. The proof is in the corporatist pudding, his healthcare and financial "reform" legislation perhaps the perfect examples. It's corporate welfare and legalized corporate gambling, paid for on the backs of middle class Americans. Whatever it is, it sure ain't socialism. The irony, of course, is how similar Obama's policies are to the agenda of the political right. They just won't admit it.

No, we've got to tell the truth about this one. These folks who keep claiming Obama's a socialist, well, they're either remarkably ignorant of the facts or they're just plain ly.ing.

[Nichole Boultas]

09:35 AM on 10/25/2010

I think I can agree with that No Respect line...I feel like no one in Congress has been giving him any. And I think that's just wrong. Whether or not you agree with him shouldn't really be an issue

[cabinetmaker]

10:07 AM on 10/25/2010

maybe he didn't earn any

sure didn't do anything to earn respect before being elected

[blueavnues]

03:53 PM on 10/25/2010

No Liberals don't deserve Obama, period!

[ReMarker]

09:29 AM on 10/25/2010

Obama gets no respect and many Americans don't deserve any.

Americans (and the people of the world) are NOT currently getting a reasonable or a historical amount benefit from America being "America".

Republicans and I know WHY.

Enough Americans to swing elections (about 1/3) are wishy washy, do not have an accurate historical perspective of America, or an accurate view American politics. These afflictions are generally refered to as voter's "short memories" because these particular kinds of voters can be easily influenced.

Things are worse than they should/could be because Republican politicians and operatives are willing to allow America to self-distruct in their (Republican politicians and operatives) pursuit of power and riches.

I believe America must be strong for our benefit and the benefit of the world.

Because America exists, the whole world is better. A vote for Teapublicans is a vote against America and America's benefit to us and the world.

If only Americans would avoid taking our country and its influence on the world for grated and know we must spend some time thinking about how our country governs and the people we elect to help America be and stay strong.

Good luck fellow Americans. It seems we will need it.

[SwimUpstream]

09:27 AM on 10/25/2010

Rodney made me laugh and never lied to me. Can't say the same for Obama

[StuManChu]

09:24 AM on 10/25/2010

That's showing Rodney "no respect".

[FredKnowsBest]

09:21 AM on 10/25/2010

Did anyone happen to see 60 minutes.

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6987699n

This is why he gets no respect.

"When you take into account the underemployed as well as the unemployed, the national rate hits 17% and California a staggering 22%."

[goldiggerrr]

09:10 AM on 10/25/2010

Goal Achieved. Mission Accomplished!

Create a thread such as this, depicting the President as a goofy dufus (even though he's the smartest President we've had in decades) and Wa - La!!
You've got yourself another couple of thousand dollars from the clicking trolls who don't know any better and are willing to click & post on anything against the President. Even if it doesn't make any sense and was written by someone who was never a supporter in the first place.

You trolls are stupid.

[rainlillie de]

08:35 AM on 10/25/2010

Palin is the Roseanne of politics. Actually maybe not, Roseanne has more class.

[random100]

09:32 AM on 10/25/2010

And brains.

[rainlillie de]

08:30 AM on 10/25/2010

Say what you want about Obama, there isn't one person on the other side who can match his intellect. I'll take a smart president any day, over an air head who can deliver a good zinger.

[justbeingme201]

09:01 AM on 10/25/2010

I agree!

[StuManChu]

09:25 AM on 10/25/2010

The guy reads a mean teleprompter.

[whitegayrepublican]

09:38 AM on 10/25/2010

better than shouting them down and appearing ANGRY like the so called rich populist movement. Give me a freakin break

[rocknrollinhoneybadger]

08:28 AM on 10/25/2010

Rodney Dangerfield was greatness. Obama, not so much.