You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Home Front: Culture Wars
Obama has become Nixon
2014-11-07
In a sense, this is the last piece of the puzzle to click into place for the president’s Nixonian transformation.
Nixonian punchlist
  • Spy on reporters.Check
  • Bomb a country without authorization from Congress.Check
  • Issue dubious claims of executive privilege to conceal embarrassments or prevent scandals.Check
  • Withdraw from -- and lose -- a war he didn’t start.Check
  • Corrupt the IRS, using it against political opponentsCheck
  • Imperial Presidency (executive orders)Check
  • [Domestic enemies list]Check
  • [Domestic use of spy agencies (The NSA]Check

One of the last things on the list was to insist that the silent majority of Americans is really on his side. "To everyone who voted," President Obama said in his press conference on Wednesday, "I hear you. To the two-thirds of voters who chose not to participate yesterday, I hear you, too." Check.

Of course, Nixon's "silent majority" actually voted. Obama's, not so much.
Posted by:OldSpook

#14  Mr. Obama is an extremely interesting study, the result of a lifetime of being told how wonderful he was. He has never had a moment of painful introspection and now has people to do that for him. And they all tell him how wonderful he is. But the American public gave a no-ambiguity evaluation this Tuesday past.

And now he's pissed but with the constraints, hopefully, of a loyally opposing Senate.

If, IMHO, you think the past 6-years have been a ride, just wait. We are soon to see the results of a King first realizing he is not clothed.
Posted by: Glavick Sninerong5546   2014-11-07 21:44  

#13  RJS, that's a comparison that I've been making since 2009.

I've always thought that this would be Nixonian character wrapped in Carter's incompetence and class. I "hoped" that I was wrong, but if anything it has been worse.

I still can't believe that he was elected AGAIN in 2012, hence my fatalistic pessimism for the future.
Posted by: AlanC   2014-11-07 18:11  

#12  A pimple on Nixon's a$$, maybe.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2014-11-07 16:25  

#11  Well there are differences between Hussein and Milhouse. Foreign policy competence for one thing. Press carrying water for another -- compare press treatment of Obama to Nixon, its laughable if it weren't such a public disaster.
Posted by: OldSpook   2014-11-07 15:31  

#10  The media will pile on Obama a few days after he leaves office. The leftist will be falling over themselves to make a name for themselves by knocking him down after the fact. It is what they do.
Posted by: airandee   2014-11-07 14:34  

#9  The corruption of Nixon wrapped in the incompetance of Carter. He really is in a class all by himself.
Posted by: rjschwarz   2014-11-07 14:32  

#8  Obama makes Nixon look like a Boy Scout.

I look at it this way: Nixon had the decency to resign. Clinton didn't. Obama wouldn't.
Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305   2014-11-07 13:51  

#7  When Mr. Obama faces the same level of vituperation and ridicule from the Left and the media (but I repeat myself) that Nixon did, then we'll talk comparison.
Posted by: Pappy   2014-11-07 13:18  

#6  * Failure to uphold the Constitution, moreover, attempts to circumvent the Constitution
* Use of other agencies, in addition to the IRS to intimidate or punish individuals and organizations (EPA, Bureau of Land Management, etc.)
* Trying to find ways to circumvent Congress
* Mounting Fast and Furious which resulted in the death of an American citizens and a number of Mexican citizens

Far surpassed Nixon.
Posted by: JohnQC   2014-11-07 12:45  

#5  Nixon, for all his faults, loved America. Champ really doesn't.
Posted by: Glinenter Chairong6073   2014-11-07 10:58  

#4  Zero passed Nixon years ago and has continued his downward trajectory.

Just let me know when he wants to put the SS in Duchy of Fenwick uniforms; or will he go for the Black Panther beret look?
Posted by: AlanC   2014-11-07 10:53  

#3  Please don't compare him to Nixon or Carter. Jeez, Obama is in a class of his own - with no transcript available either.
Posted by: Woodrow Thud3213   2014-11-07 10:12  

#2  On the other hand, Nixon actually got some shit done and improved some things before he resigned.
Posted by: DarthVader   2014-11-07 10:03  

#1  On the other hand, Nixon was a competent politician.
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia   2014-11-07 10:01  

00:00