To hear GOP tell it, Obama already a bust
Republicans trying to pin stock market woes on him
Just after the election last week, as the market continued to wobble like Ari Gold on mushrooms in the desert, I received a number of e-mails like this:
"So this is the big CHANGE you were all talking about? Obama gets elected president, and the market tanks. Yeah, that's some change all right."
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Fortunately, Rush Limbaugh was on the air, urging his listeners to support the new president and issuing a call for calm, rational debate on the issues.
Just kidding. As James Rainey of the L.A. Times reported, Limbaugh bellowed, "The Obama recession is in full swing, ladies and gentlemen. Stocks are dying, which is a precursor of things to come. This is an Obama recession. Might turn into a depression."
He can't possibly believe that when he turns off the mike and goes home. Can he?
At the liberal ThinkProgress site, there's a story and clip compilation, "Fox News Blames Obama for Stock Market Fall." A sampling:
"Fox and Friends" -- "The market not reacting very well to the election of Barack Obama."
Fred Barnes: "We've seen the stock market go down over 800 points the last two days, there's great uncertainty out there about [Obama's] policies, we've talked about it here, is he going to be as liberal as his record was."
Dick Morris: "The other thing I predicted . . . [was] that the stock market would go crazy after he was elected, not just because he's a radical, not because he's a Democrat, but because he's going to raise the capital gains tax."
Folks. This isn't a cartoon where life changes overnight. Obama's not even in office yet, and you're going to blame him for what's happening on Wall Street? Really?
Predictably, there was instant criticism from Republicans after Obama named Rahm Emanuel as White House chief of staff. (Of course, Dems would have done the same thing had McCain won.)
The Republican National Committee said the choice is akin to "a broken promise," and added, "Our nation will be ill-served if Obama runs the White House the way 'Rahmbo' ran the Democratic Congress." House Minority Leader John Boehner added, "This is an ironic choice for a president-elect who has promised to change Washington, make politics more civil, and govern from the center."
Sean Hannity, who's not a Republican official but plays one on TV, labeled Emanuel a "left-wing radical." Limbaugh called Emanuel and Obama "good old-fashioned Chicago thug[s]."
Who'd the Republicans expect Obama to anoint as chief of staff -- Rudy Giuliani? If "Maverick" McCain had been elected, he would have gone with a tough and trusted ally for the post. Probably would have been one of those Republicans, too, dontcha think?
No matter how much one talks of change, you still have to assemble a team of savvy experts who know how to navigate Washington -- or you're not going to change anything beyond the curtains and the flatware in the White House.
Then there's the matter of the Nancy Reagan joke, or as the news site NewsBusters put it, "Obama Uses Press Conf to Mock 87-year-old Widow."
(NewsBusters proudly calls itself "the leader in documenting, exposing and neutralizing liberal media bias."
A few of the comments below the NewsBusters story:
"Just like a thug to go 'hate' on First Lady Nancy."
"The One is rapidly turning into The One Who Can't. He is going to fail so miserably. . . . I can't wait."
"Maybe Barry thought he was on an 'SNL' skit. Looking at the stooges behind him, I could REALLY believe for a moment it's from 'SNL.' "
"Has anyone else noted the table manners of Obama and Michelle? I hope someone teaches them how to behave at a dinner table."
"Whoever is REALLY running this country the next four years it sure as hell won't be Obama -- he's just the storefront manican [sic]. . .I'm guessing we REALLY just elected Oprah as POTUS."
OK, we all know that anonymous comment areas on Web sites are often the sewers of the Internet, where cowardly rats spew their insane venom, knowing they won't be held accountable. We shouldn't be surprised by this any more than we'd be shocked to find drawings of genitalia and dirty limericks on a bathroom stall.
Still. It'd be nice if some folks would just take a deep breath here. It's been less than a week since Obama was elected, and some of you are already so worked up that if you keep it up at this pace, your heads are going to explode before Inauguration Day.