The GOP Attack Machine Kicks Into Gear

The GOP Attack Machine Kicks Into Gear
by Jed L
Thu Jan 22, 2009 at 06:04:11 PM PST
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/1/21/214045/780/138/687364

It's as easy to see as 1-2-3:

1. Rush Limbaugh tells his radio audience that he wants Obama to fail.

2. Within four hours of Barack Obama's inauguration, FOX was pimping the Republican talking point that the Dow took the biggest dive of any inaugural day in history, mentioning it on at least ten separate occasions. (The talking point is technically true, but misleading. It ignores the fact that in percentage terms, the Dow dropped by about the same amount as it did on Ronald Reagan's inaugural day. More importantly, the drop had no more to do with Obama than the fact that on Wednesday, the Dow climbed by more points than it has on the first full day in office of any President in U.S. history.)

3. On Wednesday alone, Republicans stalled Secretary of State Clinton's confirmation until late in the day, lambasted Timothy Geithner for having screwed up his taxes a few years ago, even though he's subsequently paid back everything that was due, and blocked a vote on Eric Holder's nomination to be Attorney General.

President Obama has steadfastly extended his hand to these very same Republicans. He's tried in good faith to work with them. He's given them every opportunity to be a productive part of this government, even though they were battered in the November elections.

But so far, the GOP is refusing the President's olive branch. Instead of signing up to help turn this country around, they are playing the same old petty partisan games that led to their defeat in 2008.

They might be making the mistake of misinterpreting President Obama's gestures as signs of weakness. They might think that he doesn't have the heart for conflict.

If that's what they believe, and they insist on continuing on their destructive path, then they are making a grave mistake. They have no idea what's coming. If they thought 2008 was bad, just wait until 2010.

Smart Republicans understand that now is the time to jump on board the train. Trouble for the GOP is, not that many of them are all that smart.

After all, these are the same jokers who got us into this mess in the first place.