Posted on 02/23/2015 12:06:57 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
One of the least interesting news manias of the week has been former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani discussing his opinion that President Obama doesn't really love America (or you, or me, or him).
Obama has been the very living embodiment of American government power for the past 7 years, and not too reluctant to use it against enemies, and just random citizens, both foreign and domestic—whether it comes to foreign policy, spending, taxing, regulating, and arresting. Thus, I doubt any alleged lack of love for the U.S. of A matters in any way that Giuliani or the people delighted to hear him say it might think.
If this supposed lack of love for America merely means an occasional intelligent ability to question the probity and morality of certain of the U.S. government's actions in the past or present, it could be about the best thing about our president.
That being said, and what Giuliani said being said, it's a pretty silly thing to dominate the commentary cycle as it has. People on either side jumped on this sentence spoken by a former mayor like the prize horse that was going to take them across some political finish line, gleeful that supposedly vitally important hidden truths widely believed by America's talk-radio listening right populists were coming from someone of the apparent serious heft of Giuliani.
Or, alternately, gleeful as the supposed dark racism and other-ism and sheer mindless Obamahate that motivates the right is exposed.
Caring that much either way seems a waste of time, but Americans do like a chance to revisit the vitally important topic of how just awful their political opponents are, those America-hating or patriotism-questioning bastards surrounding us.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) wants to win over not-traditionally-Republican votes in his hoped-for run for president in the general election in 2016. It's interesting to watch him gingerly stake out territory distinct from what the average intelligent independent voter leery of the GOP might think of as the grosser aspects of Republicanism, the sort of questions of tone, spirit, and tactic that can turn people off more than some specifics of policy.
So Paul told a Kentucky news station, as Mediaite reports, that:
“I think it’s a mistake to question people’s motives. It’s one thing to disagree on policy.”
Paul said he’s not interested in questioning whether Obama’s a “good American or a bad American,” because while he may blame the president’s foreign policy for making the U.S. less safe, he’s not going to question whether Obama’s “well-intentioned.”
Like Guiliani's Obama, Rand Paul might not love you and he might not love me. And whether this sort of reasonableness will do Paul any good with voters generally skeptical about the GOP who might find it hard to see past, for example, his stands on issues such as abortion, taxing the rich, and cutting spending remains to be seen. But right now it's nice to see Paul not taking the silly road when taking that silly road might make things easier with his own Party's core voters.
Back in 2009 I questioned Obama's self-appointed role as "President of Everything," an article that was anthologized in Best American Political Writing 2009.
It’s a mistake for Rand Paul to think a Bush/Paul ticket is going to exist or win in 2016.
*SIGH*
Rand Paul is a walking canker sore.
since when is it a mistake to speak the truth?
He’s right. NEVER get into that fight.
It devolves into “Did!” “Did Not!” and you both look like idiots. And only Democrats can afford to look like idiots at election time (they have media cover).
Best thing you can do is try to ask questions that make voters ask whether or not your opponent loves America.
Kentucky Governor to Rand Paul: Pick One Office to Run for in 2016
http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2015/02/21/kentucky-governor-to-rand-paul-pick-one-office-to-run-for-in-2016/
I had really hoped Giuliani’s comments represented a tipping point for honest discussion about Obama in the GOP. The GOP is pathetic.
I am promoting Rudy Giulianni as the republican nominee for Vice President. He is a wonderful leader and so correct in his opinion that obamma does not love America!!
A mistake is assuming Liberal Paul is a conservative.
Exactly the reason The One gets away with all the crap he does because morons like Paul kiss his ass. Like Rudy was saying, the Presidency is NOT a dictatorship, this country is NOT run by one man. If that one man is going against the interests of this country we have every right to confront him about it not to mention remove the mofo which should have been done years ago.
I like that idea. A good VP needs to be a bulldog. Go Rudy!
This dude has turned into a walking disaster area. I was excited he could bring a healthy new libertarian streak to our broken party, but instead he’s joined the over-opinionated boo-birds with McCain, Graham and the other losers who do nothing productive and have decided their sole job is to criticize anyone who challenges the leftists.
Really? Like we are going to offend the Liberals and they won't vote for us or something?
I do not see a downside in publicly questioning Obama's Patriotism. Isn't this the same guy who wouldn't display respect for the flag at ceremonies and such?
No, I don't see a down side in questioning his Patriotism, his Religion, his Veracity his Competence or his Parentage. This guy is the worst disaster that has ever hit us.
If the establishment manages to force Jeb on us in 2016, I am going to vote for the Democrat. Nothing less than scorched earth will get these people to figure things out.
It’s a mistake for Rand Paul to think he’ll ever suck up enough for the good ol’ boys to really let him inside the circle.
What you just said, +1.
There’s nothing for them to figure out. They’re on the same team. As long as they can block conservatives, that’s their purpose.
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