When I saw that the president expressed some hopefulness that the Republicans will be easier to work with after the midterms, I just kind of laughed. I mean, there is absolutely no chance of that happening. None. And I can see how this one quote can be seen as undermining one of the Democrats’ best arguments during this campaign. If the Republicans are a viable alternative, and if voting for them will actually make them stop acting so insane, then maybe we should vote for them. But, having said that, can we give the man a break?
It’s one quote. It wasn’t supposed to be a part of some overarching message strategy. And don’t you think it would be problematic for the president to say that he won’t be able to produce anything if the elections go the way we all know they are going to go? Whether the Republicans seize control of one or both chambers, or they merely whittle down our majorities, it’s pretty clear that the president will have to trim his sails over the next two years. He’ll basically be riding a wild bucking horse, trying to keep it from careening into the creek and breaking its legs. And that’s if he can keep from being tossed off the horse completely, as Clinton almost experienced. Our country is screwed because we are not going to do well in these midterms.
Responsibility for that should be spread around widely, but we deserve our share because of our role in nitpicking the president to death. Complaining about him being off message is just the latest example of our obsession with being unhelpful. You know what the real problem is? The real problem is what the Republican candidates believe and pretend to believe. The real problem is that they are insane and/or paid to act insane. If the president loses an opportunity to make that point, it isn’t the end of the world. It’s like getting tackled three yards behind the line. The play didn’t work. It’s 2nd and 13, not time to punt.