Upon a full night's reflection, I still can't shake the thought that the over-the-top reaction of Obama and his fellow Democratic officeholders to the president's speech yesterday was a perfect example of how age-old expressions become age-old: because they capture essential truths so well. In this case, the expressions I am thinking of are:
Methinks thou dost protest too much
and
If the shoe fits, wear it.
Look, it is absolutely clear that President Bush never mentioned Obama's name. The fact that Obama and his "Praise be to Obama" chorus (Biden, Pelois, etc.) reacted so strongly shows that they KNOW that the description of "appeaser" applies to him anyway, and that he is quite vulnerable on this count. Without their heated response, the general public would not have directly associated Obama with Bush's remarks -- but now most voters paying attention will have an indelible impression in their minds that Obama = Appeaser. As well they should. Obama's calls for direct talks with Ahmadinejad are spectacularly irresponsible.
And, to John McCain's credit, McCain called him out on the subject yesterday. I listened to the bloggers' call, and McCain's tone and strength -- i.e. strong words, pointed words, but well modulated voice, serious and sober rather than nasty and cheap-shotty -- on the subject were both quite impressive. As quoted accuratedly by Phil, McCain said:
"My question ... to Senator Obama is, what do you want to talk about with him? President Ahmadinejad's statement that Israel is a 'stinking corpse'? That they want to wipe Israel
off the map? That they continue to supply these terrible, most lethal,
explosive devices that are killing young Americans? What do you want to
talk to him about?"
And: "It's the highest degree of naivete and inexperience that would
indicate that anyone would want to sit down in face to face talks with
the Iranians, including their president, who just a few days ago
pronounced Israel a 'stinking corpse'."
McCain also noted, quite accurately, that (and here my quotes are probably exact, but may have a word or two off because he was talking faster than I could type: "I feel in the strongest terms that if you sat down across the table from these state sponsors or terrorism, you would give them enhanced prestige." That's exactly the point: Giving them prestige they do not deserve only strengthens them in their murderous grip on power.
For a guy who really ticks me off, McCain can sure show some excellent leadership at times! As for Obama..... well, Joe Biden's expletive about Bush's remarks were aimed at the wrong man. it is Obama's position that is bull****.
topics:
John McCain, Joe Biden, Iran, Israel, NATO
