Oddly, the GOP invited Obama to come in and speak, after a first year spent continually vilifying him as a Kenyan version of Hitler. How would Obama respond to this somewhat hostile crowd? The results were, shall we say, interesting.
This whole exchange reminds me of a story my brother used to tell me. When he was in college, he did some training at a local boxing gym. Also working out at the gym was one-time heavyweight champion, "Terrible" Tim Witherspoon. Even by the mid-90's, Spoon was already washed up, and considered a walking punchline by all the others who worked out there. One day, some local guy who spars with Spoon brings his wife and kids down to the gym, and is gassing them (and everyone around) up, telling them, he's "about to beat the champ". This "local" looked at Witherspoon, old, flabby, and out of shape, and assumed he'd make an example of "the champ" in front of his lady and kids. Long story short, Witherspoon beat the man to a bloody, unconscious pulp in front of his family.[1] Washed-up, or not, a champ is still a champ.
GOP, meet "the champ".
"You betta listen to your corner, and watch for the hook."[2]
In every facet of this exchange, Obama completely, and thoroughly outclassed his GOP inquisitors. Period. For every pointless talking point, Obama had a thorough, well reasoned, well articulated, and slightly arrogant response. It was like watching a college professor debate an overzealous freshman. It was the Obama I voted for, yet barely recognize nowadays. This was the guy we've be waiting on since last January 20th.
It was the Obama I can now firmly say I'm again supporting.
I needed him to turn the corner on the way he frames issues and dictates the narrative. Between the SOTU, this exchange, and Saturday's Weekly Address, it's clear the man now has a better idea of what he's dealing with, and how he needs to deal with it. Whether or not he keeps this up remains to be seen, but I like what I'm finally seeing.
This was as thorough an ass-whipping as I've seen on TV since, well, since that UVa/UNC game last night. Yeah, it was that bad. If you haven't watched this in its unedited entirety, you really, really should. Things got so bad, Fox News reportedly pulled the plug on the live broadcast to protect the home team.
I know what you're really thinkin' though: could these same GOPers who just called him the anti-Christ resist the magnetic Magic Negro pull and not leave without an autograph or photo-op? Why, of course not. Democrat, or Republican, nobody can resist the allure of The Beige One.
North Carolina Rep. Virginia Foxx criticized President Obama after his address to House Republicans but had no qualms about walking away with a souvenir.Here's the Tweet. Wow. Just... Wow.
"Pres gave us another lecture. Our guys asked great questions. Need independent fact checker for his comments. Got autograph," the Republican congresswoman tweeted Friday afternoon at the House Republican retreat.
A follow up tweet she sent shortly after read, "Am concerned that Pres thinks health care bill is centrist. He did not accept the scalpel and it is a great tool."
Stay classy, Rep. Foxx. Stay classy.Uhmmm, seriously, how else are we supposed to read this? I can't take the GOP seriously after this nonsense. How else do you explain its members taking Obama to task with a bunch of talking point inquiries, then getting in a receiving line to shake hands, get autographs, and have him take pictures with their children? Who the heck brings their spouse and children to a freakin' political retreat, unless you want your family to see you "take out" your political nemesis in person?
Yep, that ended about as well as the dude who challenged Tim Witherspoon.
Question: Did Obama finally put the GOP in its place? Is his recent change of tone and style a sign of things to come, or merely a reaction in a time of crisis? Did the GOP win any points in this whole exchange or was it was one-sided as it looked? Is Obama the ultimate ungracious guest for stompin' on the GOP's couch, or did they simply underestimate his gangsta?!? Could you beat Tim Witherspoon?
Foxx slams Obama, gets autograph [CNN]
[1] Cause let's face it, is there anything more demoralizing and soul crushing for a man than the thought of getting his a$$ whipped in front of his lady and kids? I don't even like losing a game of Wii Bowling in front of my family. I could only imagine what this poor sap felt like on the ride home, after he popped all that sh*t, and his baby moms had to pick him up off the canvas.
[2] Name that tune.
