Obama Calls Out Republicans

President Barack Obama's September 9th health care address to Congress was notable not for his oratory - which was superb - but for his manner. Obama shelved his professorial demeanor and displayed the cool determination that has characterized his best speeches. As he threw down the gauntlet to his Republican detractors, "We will call you out," the GOP responded with a startling display of churlish behavior.

Time and again, when Obama's political fortunes have waned, he's come up with a rousing speech to motivate the Democratic faithful. That's what happened September 9th. Liberals - who only a few days earlier were ready to dump Obama and launch a new "Kucinich for President" campaign - were clapping their hands, stomping their feet, and shouting "Barack's da man."

Obama challenged Congress to enact health care reform: "We did not come here to fear the future. We came here to shape it." But his speech contained little new information. The President elaborated upon his three goals. First, "provide more security and stability to those who have health insurance ... provide insurance to those who don't." Second, provide "quality, affordable choices" to everyone - even those who are currently deemed "uninsurable" or who are to poor to afford health care. And third, make the $900 billion plan deficit neutral, "I will not sign a plan that adds one dime to our deficits."

For most liberals, the substantive highlight of the President's speech was his reaffirmation of support for the public option: "An additional step we can take to keep insurance companies honest is by making a not-for-profit public option available in the insurance exchange." While indicating he was open to negotiation on the details of the public option, Obama warned: "I will not back down on the basic principle that if Americans can't find affordable coverage, we will provide you with a choice."

Obama addressed the misinformation spread by Republicans:

The best example is the claim, made not just by radio and cable talk show hosts, but prominent politicians, that we plan to set up panels of bureaucrats with the power to kill off senior citizens. Such a charge would be laughable if it weren't so cynical and irresponsible. It is a lie, plain and simple.

After repeating his call for bipartisanship and promising to listen to competing ideas, the President warned: "I will not waste time with those who have made the calculation that it's better politics to kill this plan than improve it. I will not stand by while the special interests use the same old tactics to keep things exactly the way they are. If you misrepresent what's in the plan, we will call you out. And I will not accept the status quo as a solution. Not this time. Not now."

Liberals, who had been waiting for Obama to get angry and fight back, were heartened by his promise: "We will call you out."

Over the past few years, expectations for Congressional Republican behavior have steadily deteriorated. Political observers now remember the Nixon and Reagan eras as positive examples of bipartisanship, even though at the time GOP tactics seemed savagely partisan and mean spirited.

Nonetheless, Obama repeated his call for bipartisanship: "The time for bickering is over. The time for games has passed." Invoking the memory of Teddy Kennedy, Obama praised his "large-heartedness - that concern and regard for the plight of others" and mentioned Republican senators who had worked with Kennedy on significant bipartisan legislation: Orrin Hatch, John McCain, and Chuck Grassley. Sadly, those days seem a historical relic. Rather than reach across the aisle, Republicans are now content to hurl insults and teabags.

On September 9th, Republican members of the House and Senate acted like petulant fraternity boys forced to attend Sunday mass. At one point, GOP Representative Joe Wilson of South Carolina shouted, "You lie!" at Obama. TV cameras caught GOP Whip, Eric Cantor, working his BlackBerry, and other Republicans making faces or laughing derisively. When the President defended Medicare - perhaps the most popular social program - Republicans fumed.

Last October 7th, Obama won the second presidential debate because he displayed presidential temperament. While Obama was speaking, cameras caught GOP candidate John McCain scowling and wandering around his podium like a disgruntled troll. At the time, many of us dismissed McCain's inappropriate behavior as a personality disorder, a consequence of his incarceration as a POW or perhaps early onset senile dementia.

It turns out that McCain's conduct was symptomatic of a behavior problem that inflicts many Republicans. Rather than listen to reason and negotiate in good faith, Republican members of Congress choose to spread misinformation and make derisive comments. Rather than lead, the GOP prefers to bully.

On September 9th, Barack Obama once again won the temperament debate. He displayed presidential character, the leadership required to reform America's dysfunctional health care system. When he promised, "We will call you out," Obama acknowledged that the only way to handle bullies is to speak the truth and force them to back down.

Comments

[Barbara Schuckers]

The only thing Obama knows how to do is give a speech, of course that's only with his handy teleprompter. Where is he today? Not in Washington where tens of thousands of people are trying to tell him to control his gov't. No...He is bobing around in Minnesota where he is giving another speech on health care. He should be in Washington listening to the people who give him his paycheck. Once again, the celebrity marches on. Does he ever leave the jet parked? Guess he doesn't care what that costs the taxpayers. "Change we will live to regret".

[ccairnes]

The revealing thing about the "You Lie" was the choice of words that came to Wilson's tiny mind so spontaneously. He didn't say, "That's a Lie", which separates the person from the act. "Oh, that thing coming out of your mouth, that's a lie." And Wilson didn't call the President a, "Liar", like it was a title or something. What he did was reduce the President of the United State to a pronoun. It was "You..." verb.

I think the President is doing right to accept the fool's apology and not let him achieve the underlying goal of making the discussion about Barack Obama instead of about health care reform legislation or health insurance reform, or what ever they're calling it this week. The strategy of the tea-set people is making it all about Barack Obama and shaking in their little boots as Barack Obama, the heart of darkness in an evil world, is the source of all their problems. Fraternities are too good for these boys. More like high school drama queens.

[max hp]

It's time the chief realised that he is going to get NOTHING from the repugnant's.

Nothing but grief.

It's time to go after what you REALLY WANT and quit the pussyfooting.

[wanttruth]

Good column. I agree.

[AlaskanWannaB]

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[luziannagirl]

You got it, Bob Burnett.

Bullies often back down when met with a fearless, yet measured and just response.

Bullies draw their strength from their audience, which usually has a "better side" . I think President Obama's stern yet fair demeanor and sense of decorum appeals to that better side.

I'm just hoping enough of a better side still exists in those who consider themselves conservative.