Paul Revere by Cyrus Dallin, North End, Boston

~~~

~~~

Saturday, October 11, 2014

"On The Cover of Rolling Stone"




The howls from certain people on the right will be heard on Neptune, I'm sure.  But that doesn't change what Rolling Stone magazine and Nobel Prize winning economist (and one of Mr. Obama's critics), Paul Krugman have to say about Mr. Obama's presidency.

It is true President Obama's popularity poll numbers are not good at this time, but that's not indicative of his entire presidency, it indicates the mood of the country at this point, and nothing else.  Like all presidents, Mr. Obama has made mistakes and has regretted them, and not all of his supporters, including this blogger, agree with all of his policies.  There is no doubt, however, that as  representative of what conservatives consider "family values," this president has been an excellent role model as a husband and father.  

One thing that separates us from the rabble, whose default position is outrage on anything and everything he does, is that we can talk rationally about why we disagree with his policies, while the rabble offers nothing but poisonous rumors and lies. 




"David H. Donald, noted biographer of Lincoln, relates that when he met John F. Kennedy in 1961, Kennedy voiced his deep dissatisfaction and resentment with historians who had rated some of his predecessors. Kennedy said, 'No one has a right to grade a President—even poor James Buchanan—who has not sat in his chair, examined the mail and information that came across his desk, and learned why he made his decisions.' 

Historian and political scientist Julian E. Zelizer argues that traditional presidential rankings do not explain much concerning actual presidential history, and that they are "weak mechanisms for evaluating what has taken place in the White House."  SOURCE


One of the most successful presidents in American history? We don't know that yet. Meanwhile, this is an antidote to all the vile, and sometimes racially charged hatred directed at this man, and his wife, since he took office.  Historians will judge Mr. Obama's presidency, which has two more years to go, not the howling malcontents whose heads explode whenever he breathes and exhales.




Rolling Stone Names President Obama ‘One of the Most Successful Presidents in American History’




10 comments:

Ducky's here said...

I'm sure many want to hold him completely to blame for the rise of ISIL but we may wish to go back to the earlier days of the Syrian civil war when Assad was convinced to destroy his chem weapons.

Now what if those weapons had been commandeered by ISIS?
Hard to say what Romney would be up to right now but it's a stretch to think the situation would not be more severe.

Ducky's here said...

Have to say though that given his disgraceful record on the environment, trying to tout that aspect of his presidency (a failed aspect) smacks of a puff piece.

Dervish Sanders said...

George W bush is completely to blame for ISIS/ISL. And it's largely Republican obstructionism that the ignorant public is blaming Obama for. Although I'm sure that Octo's friend (should he comment) will disagree. This has been the Republican strategy from the start! Although they were sure that their plan of creating as much pain for Americans as possible would get Romney elected (number one priority of making Obama a one-term president). But when that failed they decided to keep up the pain for the American people so the next president would be a Republican. Looks like they're going to take the Senate. Might get the presidency in 2016 too... Who knows with an electorate this dumb?

Les Carpenter said...

Actions of presidents past often have long reach into the future, either for good or ill.. Such it has been since George Washington.

And so it shall continue.

Les Carpenter said...

dervish sanders' obsession with President George W.Bush and his disrespect for him is couriosly troubling. Further, his extreme and distasteful partisanship defines the left's responsibilty for the current state of rancor between conservatives and liberals.

I have MUCH more I could say about dervish sanders and his character but I'll leave that to honorable liberals to handle.

Flying Junior said...

Thanks for the heads up. I still have the original Rolling Stone with Obama on the cover when he was elected in 2008 in mint condition. I think another magazine purchase is in order.

skudrunner said...

Maybe Panetta and feinstein will get a copy and change their attitude about incompetence.

Of course this was written by an unbiased author

Shaw Kenawe said...

Well everyone is biased, skud. Including you. ;-)

Dervish Sanders said...

I find it troubling that someone would suggest that gwb deserves respect. Troubling that RN would agree with my comment and then chastise me for it. Basically he says "yes, but we should ignore this". We should not ignore gwb's "mistakes". He is gone, although we should guard against these dangerous neo-connish ideas from creeping back it. But only these people with their bad foreign policy ideas... as well as those who think obstructing to make the other side look bad (the current Republican congress). RN is full of it in saying I represent "extreme and distasteful partisanship". I strongly oppose this type of bad behavior.

Dervish Sanders said...

I should add that the evidence clearly shows that it is the GOP that is EXCLUSIVELY responsible for the "extreme and distasteful partisanship" that is preventing things from being accomplished in Washington. Obstruction RN says he supports (with his latest commentary).

As for "extreme and distasteful partisanship" among bloggers, there have been a number of occasions on RN's blog where I agreed with him and made a point of saying so. Including support for voter-funded elections that would result in politicians that represented their constituents instead of the special interests that funded their campaigns (and paid for political ads in their favor).

If that kind of reform was put into effect it would be easier to get rid of some of these entrenched politicians who have been there forever. And would be a much better solution than term-limiting (which could simply replace one special-interest-beholden person for another). And it could get more 3rd party independent types elected as well (as they are the ones with less money behind them). And I say this would be a good thing.