Taking the Case to the Peeps

Obama was back to the podium today to filibuster questions from chosen reporters. It's clear he considers this his second seminal moment--aside from the health care ramrod--to enact his Joe the Plumber philosophy on America by punishing the rich and vanquishing his enemies (GOP). He continued to paint the solution as easy--just tax the people who don't need their money (it belongs to the government dammit)--and by the way, most Republicans are in favor of the plan (whatever it is)!

This is what he meant when he threatened Cantor about 'taking it to the people'. It's part of his special talent. It's why he's there.

Back in reality Krauthammer brilliantly points out today just how flip-floppish the president has been on the debt issue to this point. Clearly the latest volley of pressers is based more on opportunism than anything else--seeing a heretofore political goal unobtainable of being able to roll the GOP by dividing the Tea Party from the mainliners. If he cared about debt he wouldn't have submitted a bloated budget just months ago (and please don't ask about it).

One reporter managed to follow up a filibuster by asking O why he's suddenly taking a stand on raising the debt ceiling and in turn threatening seniors and the credit rating of the nation when they've been fairly common for years. In answering he gave away some of his goal by admitting he wants the debate to illuminate the ineptitude in "Congress" because they are engaged in petty posturing instead of doing their jobs to help the American people. In other words, the Tea Party is stopping them. Such is of course stratospheric hypocrisy but he gets away with it using the same straight face he used when misrepresenting his mother's cancer fight with insurance companies (don't ask him about that, either).

Which is part and parcel of the threat issued to Cantor.

Neither Cantor nor Boehner nor McConnell can go out and speak the way Obama can. They just don't have the charisma, the flair with language and the Alinsky-like ability to twist the truth for the cause. Consider this talent when contemplating any currently known GOP challenger for 2012. Will he be beatable even if unemployment rates spikes into the double digits? Or will the only one who could stand with Obama toe to toe finally get himself in the race?