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The Obama Watch
Obama’s Tudor Tutor
There’s a lot of Henry VII in our current president, not to mention the host of mini-Shakespeares covering for him.
Barack Obama routinely blames George W. Bush or Republicans in the House of Representatives for anything that goes wrong or might go wrong. Where did this trait come from? Was it Saul Alinsky, the community action radical? Or was it William Ayers, the onetime Weather Underground terrorist who was far more than the casual neighborhood acquaintance Obama claims he was? The answer is, neither. The real source of this Obama trait was Henry VII, King of England (1485-1509) and his Tudor successors, abetted by William Shakespeare.
The real story is now coming together with the scientific proof that a skeleton unearthed last year from a car park in the town of Leicester, England, is that of Richard III whose short reign (1483-85) ended with his death at the hands of Henry Tudor’s troops at the Battle of Bosworth Field. The ambitious Henry had Richard’s body mutilated and strung up in the town square, then ignominiously buried in an unmarked grave.
This marked the end of the Plantagenet kings of England and brought in the long rule of Tudor monarchs. To make sure his line succeeded, Henry steadily blamed all of the country’s problems on Richard. Not only that, he also accused him of murdering his two nephews, one of whom was next line after Richard’s brother, the late King Edward IV. Henry’s allies also insisted Richard had arranged for thugs to drown another of his brothers, the Duke of Clarence, in a barrel of wine.
While Henry never hesitated to blame Richard for any policy problems, he ignored the fact that Richard had been popular in many parts of the realm (divided in loyalty between the Houses of York and Lancaster in the War of the Roses) and that Richard’s coronation in July 1483 had been well attended. Would it have been if it had been widely believed he had murdered his nephews in the Tower of London?
Henry tried to get his country men to forget that Richard had done away with press censorship, created the right to bail for those awaiting criminal trial, and reformed the country’s finances. He also fought bravely in battles, despite a handicap.
Like Obama, Henry VII wanted his countrymen to think of his predecessor as a poor leader and creator of failed policies. One hopes that Obama’s efforts to demonize his own predecessor does not last as long at Henry’s did. Over 100 years later (and 45 years after the death of Henry’s son, Henry VIII), Shakespeare’s play Richard III had its premiere. In it, the late king was depicted as an evil, scheming hunchback (he had curvature of the spine, but was not a hunchback) who, indeed, saw to the murder of his brother and nephews — and probably his wife as well. Shakespeare’s command of facts was thin. In the play he even had Richard killing the Duke of Somerset at the battle of St. Albans, which was fought when Richard was two years old.
Shakespeare had succumbed to the flattery of latter-day Tudor flacks. The tales they told him were filled with intrigue and action. Thus, it is the bad Richard that comes down to us to this day.
Barack Obama seems to have learned the lessons of the Tudors well, trashing his predecessor and opponents non-stop and making free use of exaggeration, hyperbole, and untruths to make his points.
This is not the end, however. With the identification of Richard III’s skeleton, a proper burial is expected and his defenders are finally getting attention for their efforts to set his record straight. While Richard was killed in battle, George Bush simply retired from office and has wisely kept his own counsel about his successor.
In time, history and not a self-serving Chicago politician will be the real judge of his record.
About the Author
Peter Hannaford was closely associated for a number of years with the late President Reagan, beginning in the California Governor’s office. His latest book is Presidential Retreats.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (68) | Leave a comment
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Pecos Pete| 2.25.13 @ 7:07AM
King O I
R Martin| 2.25.13 @ 7:36AM
I smell an analogy brewing.
Von Mises Jr| 2.25.13 @ 9:51AM
It is a brew of Henry VII and Chicken Little Nursery School.
It is Bush's fault and "the sky is falling."
Al Adab| 2.25.13 @ 11:47AM
Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
TLP| 2.25.13 @ 12:48PM
Why is Christopher Colombus' Picture at the top of the page?
OP4| 2.25.13 @ 7:25AM
According to accounts, Richard was a real soldier - a well-trained swordsman and horseman. Shakespeare called him "misshapen" because his sword arm was larger than his left.
Henry Tudor was a fat coward - with a killer PR staff and lots of toadies willing to repeat the party line.
Robbins Mitchell| 2.25.13 @ 8:07AM
Henry VII was nothing of the sort....he was lean and mean...his younger Henry VII was the fat coward
OP4| 2.25.13 @ 9:42AM
Henry certainly didn't ride out to meet Richard in combat. When Richard charged his position, Henry allowed himself to be surrounded by bodyguards and cringed while a turncloak eventually killed Richard.
TLP| 2.25.13 @ 12:49PM
We need to tell Bloomberg what the younger Henry VII was eating, so he Ban It.
Egil| 2.25.13 @ 9:32AM
Henry VII was certainly not fat. Contemporary written descriptions attest to that, in addition to various portraits which do not seem to idealize him--the 1505 portrait that accompanies this article is an example.
And the recently-discovered skeleton that is believed to be of Richard III shows major back deformation, beyond what a sword arm would cause.
Maxwell| 2.25.13 @ 8:14AM
'In time, history and not a self-serving Chicago politician will be the real judge of his record.' With all due respect, that depends entirely on who are going to be the writers of history. From the looks of what this countries colleges are turning out, I'm not holding my breath, blue ain't my colour.
TLP| 2.25.13 @ 12:51PM
If you've actually SEEN a History Book, lately?
You'd do well to keep breathing.
Egil| 2.25.13 @ 9:13AM
Wow, this article is wildly speculative at best. There is still substantial evidence that Richard III was guilty of the murders of Edward V and others. The British historian A. L. Rowse demonstrated this, in addition to others. And to excuse Richard III because he was supposedly popular is a terrible argument--would Mr. Hannaford say that Obama is a great president if his approval ratings go above 50%, or because he was elected twice? The presumed discovery of Richard III's skeleton does not by any means disprove that he committed crimes of which he has been accused.
Unlike Obama, Henry VII was a man of impressive accomplishment. He managed to survive a very dangerous childhood and rallied enough support to bring an army to England, defeat Richard at Bosworth Field, and maintain his rule in the face of later military threats and other intrigues. Throughout his life, Henry had to walk a tightrope. This was the age of Machiavelli. A shrinking violet would not have lasted long on the throne except as a figurehead.
Henry was accused of stinginess and greed, yet he also laid a good foundation for England's economy. He also worked to counter the power of had nobility, which in part had wreaked havoc in England during the Wars of the Roses, and he supported John Cabot's first voyage to North America. Thank God for that! Otherwise North America might have ended up as either French or Spanish. Henry also is believed to have been a devoted husband and family man.
OP4| 2.25.13 @ 9:44AM
The evidence against Richard is circumstantial but damning. Do you think the Tudors would have left them alive if they had been found in the tower?
Al Adab| 2.25.13 @ 11:51AM
Read Richard III by Desmond Seward.
Why do we pay attention to English Kings? Did not the people kick the monarchists out of here twice?
TLP| 2.25.13 @ 12:54PM
Yeah, but they just Reelected one, last November.
Anthony| 2.25.13 @ 9:48AM
At least Henry VII had an English birth certificate, and could wield a sword.
Obozo's sword wielding prowess takes place not on the field of battle, but in Chicago bath houses.
Purp| 2.25.13 @ 10:24AM
Interesting on how you know of such things ... methinks you dost partake? Like them Merry Ol' gentlemen, do yee?
Al Adab| 2.25.13 @ 11:52AM
Henry was welsh. Current family is germanic. England has not had an English monarch since Harold.
markenoff| 2.25.13 @ 3:50PM
If by English you mean Anglo-Saxon then King Harold II Godwineson was the last English monarch. Not to be confused with Harald Harefoot, Canute's illegitimate son who was Viking or Harold Hardrada, King of Norway, who invaded England to support Harold II's brother Tostig.
Al Adab| 2.25.13 @ 3:59PM
Danke.
Anthony| 2.25.13 @ 12:00PM
Ah Purp, nice of you to join us today. Are you able to sit after your weekend of fun and frolic?
TLP| 2.25.13 @ 12:56PM
He wasn't actually "Wielding" any Swords, there.
It was more of a "Sword Swallowing" thing.
TLP| 2.25.13 @ 12:59PM
Google - Barack Obama Gay Bathhouse Story.
Go on, GOOGLE IT!
And, Purp...............I hear you guys did a Song, last night, about seeing women's boobies.
We wondered where you guys were last week.
Obviously, you were at Choir Practice.
Purp| 2.25.13 @ 4:38PM
You're still sick and so is your humor.
CJW| 2.25.13 @ 6:15PM
Purpie the Village Idiot posted:
1. "Hurricane Sandy and Chris Christie was the Lord's way of pressing his thumb on the scale to tilt in the direction of President Obama. It was His punishment of Republicans for their lying and trying to cheat (Voter Suppression) their way to political victory, while espousing faith, freedom and constitutional credentials."
2. purpie believes God killed over 100 persons and destroyed millions of dollars of property to help Obama win.
3. In Sept Purpie wrote that Amassador Stevens was at fault and caused his death.
4. Purpie also wrote that the unborn are biological entities not deserving of protection until God allows them to be born.
5. purpie believes that a 20% cut in the tax rate will INCREASE his 0% rate to 8%.
6. purpie also posted one of the female bloggers here should just lay back and enjoy the rape.
Purpie represents the Loon Left that should be mocked and ridiculed, and not engaged in conversation
Purp| 2.25.13 @ 10:20AM
"One hopes that Obama’s efforts to demonize his own predecessor does not last as long at Henry’s did." - Sorry, but it wasn't FDR's blaming of Hoover that we still remember Hoover as the man who presided over the start of the Great Depression - he is remembered as such, because it is true.
And, thus, it shall be so for George W Bush - the President who allowed 9/11 to occur, starting of 2 wars of choice when Special Ops would have sufficed, the man who couldn't get Bin Laden, and the President who presided over the the CRASH of 2008 and the TARP bailout.
Like it or not, this will be history lessons of the Bush Era - and you can throw in the Katrina disaster as a case in Presidential ignorance.
C. Vernon Crisler | 2.25.13 @ 10:39AM
Blaming Bush for 911? Wow. The wars were started as a retaliation against terrorism, and were continued by Obama, who had earlier criticized them.
The crash of 2008 happened while Bush was president, but the recession started in 2007 a year after Democrats took over most of the government.
Katrina also involved a hapless Democrat governor and mayor. Why do you leave out Democrat responsibility?
Purp| 2.25.13 @ 11:11AM
Yep, Bush let 9/11 happened ... if you knew more than what you see on Fixed News, you would know that. Ask Richard Clarke, Terrorism Chief under Clinton and Bush until 2004 - Bush ignored his warnings. And, that's just one person - there are many.
Democrats taking over the House and Senate in 2007 had nothing to do with the Bush Crash. It was too late for them to do anything - Bush was in charge, the Chief Executive in charge of Treasury and the SEC - not Congress.
One phrase for Katrina - "You're doing a heckuva job Brownie" - GW Bush praising FEMA director Brown for his superior achievements during Katrina - while 1800 people died. While the State of La and City of New Orleans bear some responsibility, only the Federal Government can bring the resources needed during a disaster - Hurricane Sandy ring a bell? - now THAT was a President in action, not viewing DVD's of the news reports of the day from his armchair.
Face it, Bush was inept, didn't know what to do about much of anything - oh, but a fun guy to have at a barbecue... yeah that was wonderful, huh?
markenoff| 2.25.13 @ 11:21AM
We all know that Bush blew up the levees so Halliburton could strip all the copper out of the Superdome and replace it with plastic? Remembert how high the price of copper was then? And thenBush sold the Superdome to Mercedes Benz, a European company and they use a whole different kind of electricity. That's why their was a power outage at the Superbowl. It was all Bush's fault!
TLP| 2.25.13 @ 1:06PM
That's just Stupid, markenoff.
Everyone knows that Bush Steered the Hurricane to New Orleans, using Magical Spells that he learned in The Skull and Bones Society, to kill Black People.
Get it right, will ya?
You sound ridiculous.
markenoff| 2.25.13 @ 3:51PM
Sorry, forget about Skull and Bones.
Purp| 2.25.13 @ 4:39PM
Your snark doesn't change that he was responsible and was stupid, inept and a disaster for our country.
CJW| 2.25.13 @ 6:14PM
Purpie the Village Idiot posted:
1. "Hurricane Sandy and Chris Christie was the Lord's way of pressing his thumb on the scale to tilt in the direction of President Obama. It was His punishment of Republicans for their lying and trying to cheat (Voter Suppression) their way to political victory, while espousing faith, freedom and constitutional credentials."
2. purpie believes God killed over 100 persons and destroyed millions of dollars of property to help Obama win.
3. In Sept Purpie wrote that Amassador Stevens was at fault and caused his death.
4. Purpie also wrote that the unborn are biological entities not deserving of protection until God allows them to be born.
5. purpie believes that a 20% cut in the tax rate will INCREASE his 0% rate to 8%.
6. purpie also posted one of the female bloggers here should just lay back and enjoy the rape.
Purpie represents the Loon Left that should be mocked and ridiculed, and not engaged in conversation
markenoff| 2.25.13 @ 11:30AM
Rewmeber how Bush was raping babies in the Superdome while bodies were stacked up like cordwood?
TLP| 2.25.13 @ 1:08PM
You spelled "Remember", "Superman", and "Corduroy" wrong.
markenoff| 2.25.13 @ 3:51PM
Had to give you something to correct.
markenoff| 2.25.13 @ 11:37AM
Bush was responsible for Benghazi 2012 also.
TLP| 2.25.13 @ 1:03PM
Richard Clarke held that same job in The Rapist's Administration.
Yet, apparently, he never told The Rapist about Terrorism, or Bin Laden.
Right?
TLP| 2.25.13 @ 1:09PM
That was for Choir Boy Purp.
Purp| 2.25.13 @ 4:40PM
Yep he did idiot... and we tried and missed killing Bin Laden .. or didn't you hear that on Drudge?
spike59| 2.26.13 @ 5:55AM
"we"...? purpie, the only thing YOU'VE tried to kill was the bag of Cheetos your mommy tossed down the basement stairs in exchange for rubbing that 'special place' of hers that you don't tell daddy about, and vice-versa
Crassus| 2.25.13 @ 3:51PM
Bush was also responsible for the Sandy Hook Massacre because he repealed the ban on assault weapons. Bush also caused Hurricane Sandy in a misguided attempt to get Chris Christie off his fat ass to lose some weight.
Purp| 2.25.13 @ 4:41PM
Doesn't change what he actually was responsible for, now does it? Misdirection doesn't work with anyone with any brains at all.
CJW| 2.25.13 @ 6:15PM
Purpie the Village Idiot posted:
1. "Hurricane Sandy and Chris Christie was the Lord's way of pressing his thumb on the scale to tilt in the direction of President Obama. It was His punishment of Republicans for their lying and trying to cheat (Voter Suppression) their way to political victory, while espousing faith, freedom and constitutional credentials."
2. purpie believes God killed over 100 persons and destroyed millions of dollars of property to help Obama win.
3. In Sept Purpie wrote that Amassador Stevens was at fault and caused his death.
4. Purpie also wrote that the unborn are biological entities not deserving of protection until God allows them to be born.
5. purpie believes that a 20% cut in the tax rate will INCREASE his 0% rate to 8%.
6. purpie also posted one of the female bloggers here should just lay back and enjoy the rape.
Purpie represents the Loon Left that should be mocked and ridiculed, and not engaged in conversation
markenoff| 2.25.13 @ 11:19AM
And he's a hunchback.
markenoff| 2.25.13 @ 11:23AM
Bush always knew where Osama was. He was paying him to live in Pakistan and keep quiet so Bush could go to war in Iraq to avenge the failed assasination attempt on his dad. Once Obama came to power he led the SEALs into Pakistan and personally shot Osama. He deserves the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Crassus| 2.25.13 @ 3:55PM
It wouldn't surprise me if they actually gave Obummer a Medal of Honor for his actions leading up to the killing of Bin Laden. From your lips to the devil's ears.
markenoff| 2.25.13 @ 11:27AM
Bush caused the housing crash by forcing mortgagers to give mortgages to people who had no way of paying back the mortgages just because of their skin color. Angelo Mozilo of Countrywide Mortgage tried to stand with some fearless members of COngress (the "Friends of Angelo") against the Bush juggernaut but they failed leading to the financial crisis. It's all right here: http://oversight.house.gov/wp-.....Angelo.pdf
Purp| 2.25.13 @ 4:42PM
No, but he was in charge of the agencies monitoring the health of the financial system and did nothing so his rich boyfriends could screw the rest of us.
BackToBasics| 2.25.13 @ 10:25AM
Most people, even the rulers, years ago had to have a certain toughness just to survive. Very few of America's modern leaders of either party have had to overcome the obstacles life offered hundreds of years ago. If they had I think their policies would not be so reckless and have zero regard for the future well-being of our country.
Egil| 2.25.13 @ 10:37AM
Good point, BackToBasics. You can see that toughness and prudence in many of the American presidents, including a few in the 20th century.
And at least Henry VII was a patriot, unlike our current president. Mr. Hannaford picked an awfully bad analogy.
BackToBasics| 2.25.13 @ 6:19PM
Egil, agree about many of the past presidents who were at least tempered through some truly difficult times. Those of the spoiled set of presidents, leaders and people in America today are throwing the country away. Many don't care and many more don't even know it is happening.
Petronius| 2.25.13 @ 11:34AM
Comparing Obama to the first Tudor pales in comparison to Axe-amining him along side the first Stewart. Charles I bankrupted the Kingdom and lost the Civil Warre to Cromwell's New Model Army and was Beheaded on 29, January, 1649 for His Tyranny. He violated both His Coronation Oath and Magna Carta. Oddly enough, John Cooke who prosecuted the King is credited as the Father of Our Fifth Amendment to Our Bill of Rights.
As our estate and Nation deteriorate, nothing could please me more than a Cromwellian figure who would storm the Capitol and take out the trash. Quoting Richard Harris in that film: "You're no better sitting in Parliament than you are at running a brothel!" Are you reading this out there P. J. O'Rourke?
TLP| 2.25.13 @ 1:11PM
I compare him to a Two Door.
The Edsal.
Who Knows?| 2.25.13 @ 2:23PM
Edsel.
Egil| 2.25.13 @ 2:29PM
Equating Sir Thomas More with the likes of Chris Matthews and Dana Milbank?! I think not, Mr. Hannaford.
Crassus| 2.25.13 @ 3:57PM
Why not? Thomas More was a Tudor toadie until he finally had enough of Henry VIII.
Egil| 2.25.13 @ 4:56PM
I haven't seen a lot of convincing evidence that More was wrong in his basic historical judgments about Richard III and Henry VII.
Petronius| 2.26.13 @ 1:19PM
Sir Thomas More studied at the feet of Bishop Morton, who was the Chancellor to Henry VII. He was Morton's chief Clerk before ascending to the Bar.
And I must correct myself to my post above. Charles I was the second Stewart Monarch.
Who Knows?| 2.25.13 @ 2:42PM
The victors write history.
Given that these days it’s the MSM who are winning, and IMHO our actual rulers---the “leaders” of the Democratic Party come and go---I wouldn’t put any store on much change about what people believe about Bush and Obama.
After all, here we are, coming up on 50 years since JFK was gunned down.
We all know what a popular figure he NOW is, too. But, how many people know about how he became elected?
In his first election, his poppa paid a ringer with the same name as his opponent to run, to split the vote. JFK won!
In 1960, LBJ stuffed the ballot boxes in Texas, stealing that state, and in Chicago, mayor Daley did the same. Nixon actually won that election, but the thieves JFK & LBJ were sworn into office.
What a coup! The USA is a banana republic, but you’ll never read THAT in any history books that make it into the public schools. Oh no—JFK and his “beautiful” wife, that was all about Camelot!
Yes---JFK did come a lot, but hey: who’ll ever know about THAT, or give a spit about it in the FUTURE?
And gee---I haven’t even touched on all the crap that stemmed from JFK and LBJ being president, from the Bay of Pigs to Vietnam.
There are many ways to “kill” your political enemy.
markenoff| 2.25.13 @ 3:53PM
Camelot! Camelot! Camelot!
(It's only a model)
(Shh)
markenoff| 2.25.13 @ 3:54PM
Sorry. I spelled camel toe wrong
SUBVET| 2.25.13 @ 4:13PM
You spell it......catchers mitt.
hrgfue | 2.25.13 @ 7:55PM
Kickoff to you with the online store 2013
wombat1| 2.25.13 @ 9:41PM
I, too, am one of those who believes that the mere election, let alone the reelection, of Barack Obama is to the health of the United States what the Yucatán meteor was to the ecosystem of the dinosaurs.
Having said that, I really do think it's time to step back and take a deep breath. True enough that Shakespeare was a propagandist for the Tudor dynasty- what else could he be, in an era when single word from the monarch could be the end of you?
But lionizing Richard the Third in order to somehow drag down The Obama is extreme, even by the convoluted, freaked out Red Bull standards of today.
The incontrovertible fact remains that the two little princes passed into Richard's custody, and were never seen again. In the reign of Charles I, the skeletons of two young boys were discovered under a staircase in the Tower of London. Men have been hanged on far narrower evidence.
And I seriously, seriously doubt that a narcissist outcast raised by the likes of Bill Ayers, with a professional hatred of Western culture and everything it stands for, would even consider taking a lesson from anything in the line of English monarchs.
Nope, what we are working on now is an American Stalin, whose true model is the Oriental despotisms of by gone centuries.
Do what our government is doing- by lots and lots of hollow points in government issued calibers.
Something tells me we're gonna need it.
homme nike air max BW | 2.26.13 @ 3:00AM
Would it have been if it had been widely believed he had murdered his nephews in the Tower of London? www.shoxinfr.com/nike-shox-nz-c-5.html
Marie| 2.27.13 @ 7:36PM
Well said, Mr. Hannaford.