President Barack Obama hasn’t been scoring well with well-known TV and newspaper commentators. Over the past couple of months Obama’s “soft hand” politics has made him the butt of jokes and the target of tough commentaries — not only from the right-wing, but also from liberals.
“President Obama needs a little of George Bush in him.”
Those were the words from Bill Maher on Saturday when he was interviewed on Canada’s CBC show “The Hour.”
In his interview Maher was being asked by the show’s host, George Stroumboulopoulos, about his favorite people and moments during his career. When Maher was asked what was the worst thing in his opinion about Barack Obama, Maher said that Obama was “too nice” and that he could learn something from the Bush-Cheney administration.
“I hate to say this but he needs a little George Bush in him. He is too nice,” Maher said. “He needs to drag this country to the places where it needs to be dragged to. You know when they asked Dick Cheney that most people were against the war in Iraq, he said ‘So?’”
Maher has been one of the many network personalities who has complained about Obama’s peacemaker style. With lack of bipartisanship in Congress on proposals to reform health care, the criticism over Obama’s compromising efforts with uncooperative Republicans and the insurance industry greatly intensified.
Maher has been unapologetic at calling out the administration’s weak leadership. Last month he said on his show that Obama needs to start “throwing punches” like Muhammad Ali.
Other TV personalities that have also criticized Obama’s weak offense including PBS’s Bill Moyers. In early September Moyers said during his commentary on healthcare reform that America needed a “fighter.”
The New York Times’ Paul Krugman has also written about Obama’s people-pleasing problem. This is what Krugman wrote on his column on August 20:
It’s hard to avoid the sense that Mr. Obama has wasted months trying to appease people who can’t be appeased, and who take every concession as a sign that he can be rolled.
The White House is playing an important role this week. Senator Harry Reid is working closely with Obama’s Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel on a final healthcare bill to bring to the Senate floor. Pressure has amounted from the public demanding a government-run health care option. Obama’s leadership on this issue is something all liberals will be watching. Stay tuned for more commentaries.
Watch Bill Maher’s interview on “The Hour”
Even my moderate and conservative friends are confused by Obama’s “weak” stances on his overall agenda. Perhaps Cornel West hit the nail on the head: Obama needs a social movement in the streets to get him to really act….
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This post was mentioned on Reddit by altpron: This is why the whole thing is so pointless/funny.
A conservative says, “Obama is the most liberal President we have had.. he is a socialist/communist”.
A liberal says, “Obama is the most conservative…