Via Commentary, I found this observation by ABC's Jan Crawford spot on about the Obama's administration's constant yapping about anything and everything. The context is the White House's response to Chief Justice John Roberts' comments yesterday about President Obama's calling out the Supreme Court's recent ruling on a campaign finance case that may allow corporations a more direct rout to influencing elections.
Roberts said that the president's scathing critique of that ruling during the SOTU address was inappropriate. Here's what he said:
U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts said Tuesday the scene at President Obama's State of the Union address was "very troubling" and the annual speech has "degenerated to a political pep rally."Obama chided the court, with the justices seated before him in their black robes, for its decision on a campaign finance case.
Responding to a University of Alabama law student's question, Roberts said anyone was free to criticize the court, and some have an obligation to do so because of their positions.
"So I have no problems with that," he said. "On the other hand, there is the issue of the setting, the circumstances and the decorum.
"The image of having the members of one branch of government standing up, literally surrounding the Supreme Court, cheering and hollering while the court - according the requirements of protocol - has to sit there expressionless, I think is very troubling."
The thin skinned Obama White House melted under this sugar coated rebuke and unleashed a Gibbs tirade to swat this pesky fly. ABC's Crawford was quick to pick up on the pique:
For the life of me, I just don't get why the White House continues to try to pick a fight with the Supreme Court. I've suggested before that perhaps it's a sign President Obama intends to tap an outsider when John Paul Stevens retires, so he can beat the drum that the Court is out of touch with everyday Americans.Whether the White House has a short-term or long-term strategy or no strategy at all, it's flat-out absurd and ill-advised for the administration to think it should always have the last word. It's like my 6-year-old: "I don't LIKE your idea. I like MY idea."
Once again, a minor kerfluffle highlights a major weakness in this White House. They can't engage on the issues or lead legislatively because they are stuck with the only thing they know how to do: campaign. As Jennifer Rubin notes, the knee jerk response of the Obama message machine again creates the predictable result - they are hoist on their own petard.
This is par for the course at this White House. It's the perpetual rat-tat-tat, the quintessential campaign quick-response mode. There is no respect for the Chief Justice or the Court as an institution, nor for the point the Chief Justice was making: that it's unseemly for the Court to appear and to get dragged into partisan brawls. In their partisan vitriol, the Obami, of course, proved the Chief Justice's case. But then, self-awareness was never the White House's strong suit.
Is this the partisan political wagon Democratic congressmen want to tie their fortunes to in the 2010 midterms? Surely there are Democratic campaign consultants out there whispering in a low voice to some Democratic members of Congress something like this: "Just let go and back slowly away from them. When you are safely out of the District RUN, don't walk home, and start acting like you never knew Barack Obama."



Comments (22)
The Obama Administration ca... (Below threshold)1. Posted by Patrick | March 10, 2010 7:20 PM | Score: 17 (19 votes cast)
The Obama Administration can't let anything go can they? They were lucky Roberts took that long to respond to Obama's spineless cheap shot during his SOTU speech. He knew the SCOTUS justices had to just sit there while members of his own party whooped it up in their usual disgusting and tasteless style but now they have to have the last word yet again? Man I hate these people more everyday - it is hard to believe that is possible.
I don't remember pettiness being part of what they campaigned on but if you truly were paying close attention and not allowing yourself to become entranced by Obama's rhetorical BS you could see this coming. Smoking the hopium was what all his supporters were doing rather than really listening. I could see the partisanship just oozing from his pores as he blamed everybody but people on his side of the aisle for all the nation's ills.
1. Posted by Patrick | March 10, 2010 7:20 PM |
Score: 17 (19 votes cast)
Posted on March 10, 2010 19:20
2. Posted by epador | March 10, 2010 7:54 PM | Score: 13 (13 votes cast)
It would be interesting to see this Chief Justice looking down on an impeached President during his Senate trial.
OK, I know its just a fantasy, but one of those "priceless" MasterCard moments for sure.
2. Posted by epador | March 10, 2010 7:54 PM |
Score: 13 (13 votes cast)
Posted on March 10, 2010 19:54
3. Posted by iwogisdead | March 10, 2010 7:59 PM | Score: 14 (14 votes cast)
I sorta think that Obama would like to see the U.S. Congress turn into a brawl, beating up people you disagree with, like happens in South Korea and Taiwan. This is what happens when the President grows up in Jakarta and has little or no connection to American traditions.
3. Posted by iwogisdead | March 10, 2010 7:59 PM |
Score: 14 (14 votes cast)
Posted on March 10, 2010 19:59
4. Posted by davidt | March 10, 2010 8:48 PM | Score: 11 (11 votes cast)
Why does Obama want to pick a fight with the Supreme Court?
It's simple.
The Supreme Court is not currently controlled by the Democrat Party as are the Administration and Congress.
Obama wants to bully them into submission.
4. Posted by davidt | March 10, 2010 8:48 PM |
Score: 11 (11 votes cast)
Posted on March 10, 2010 20:48
5. Posted by davidt | March 10, 2010 8:55 PM | Score: 8 (8 votes cast)
Also, if Obama can establish an adversarial relationship between the Supreme Court and the Administration, especially with the help of his toadies in the media, then he can use that adversarial relationship as an excuse if and/or when the Supreme Court rules against him.
5. Posted by davidt | March 10, 2010 8:55 PM |
Score: 8 (8 votes cast)
Posted on March 10, 2010 20:55
6. Posted by 914 | March 10, 2010 9:07 PM | Score: 9 (9 votes cast)
"OT: Anyone seen BryanD?"
NEWSFLASH!! You are BryanD in drag!
6. Posted by 914 | March 10, 2010 9:07 PM |
Score: 9 (9 votes cast)
Posted on March 10, 2010 21:07
7. Posted by Jay Tea | March 10, 2010 9:08 PM | Score: 13 (17 votes cast)
OT: Anyone seen BryanD?
(Checking bottom of shoe) Found him!
J.
7. Posted by Jay Tea | March 10, 2010 9:08 PM |
Score: 13 (17 votes cast)
Posted on March 10, 2010 21:08
8. Posted by DSkinner | March 10, 2010 9:26 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Not mine, but Obama's so thin-skinned you expect to see a reservoir tip.
8. Posted by DSkinner | March 10, 2010 9:26 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on March 10, 2010 21:26
9. Posted by HughS | March 10, 2010 9:26 PM | Score: 11 (13 votes cast)
Steve Green
Your unctuous baiting is reaching Dean Wormer levels...find another blog to indulge your hysterics.
9. Posted by HughS | March 10, 2010 9:26 PM |
Score: 11 (13 votes cast)
Posted on March 10, 2010 21:26
10. Posted by GarandFan | March 10, 2010 9:57 PM | Score: 9 (11 votes cast)
President Thin Skin has never been accused of having "class", just the lack of it.
Does anyone wonder why he's called Baghdad Bob?
"The president has long been committed to reducing the undue influence of special interests and their lobbyists over government.
Hey Bobby! Then what the hell is Andy Stern doing at the White House every couple of days?
10. Posted by GarandFan | March 10, 2010 9:57 PM |
Score: 9 (11 votes cast)
Posted on March 10, 2010 21:57
11. Posted by bobdog | March 11, 2010 1:40 AM | Score: 10 (10 votes cast)
You can tell a lot about the Obama White House by who its enemies be. It's a long list. At various times, Obama has scapegoated George Bush, Sarah Palin, extreme right-wing news outlets like Fox and Drudge, the CIA, any and all Republicans, the Supreme Court, evil bankers, evil rich people, evil insurance companies and their obscene profits, evil pharmaceutical companies, evil oil companies, evil auto company executives, evil non-union employers, evil foreign auto company executives, evil airline executives, evil coal companies, evil gun manufacturers, evil sport fishermen. And those are just the ones I can run off as fast as I can type. A little reflection would produce a much longer list.
There's always somebody. It's always somebody else to blame, and Obama is always the solution. Think about that for a minute. Have we ever had a president that built his entire presidency on casting blame and creating enemies to hate?
Somebody once wrote that liberals build their careers on the petty grievences of the left. It seems to me that in one of the greatest mistakes of American political history in my lifetime, we have given control of almost our entire government to people who do exactly that.
You know, for a president so enamoured with his own place in the history books (not to mention his own reflection in the mirror), you would think he would at least make an effort to get at least something right, if for no other reason than to outdo Jimmy Carter when the history books are written 20 years from now.
I frankly don't think Obama is capable of leading the entire country, and that's the way history will judge him. He runs his administration and his entire congressional agenda like he was elected Mayor of Chicago, if not the great despots of the 20th century.
It would be pathetic except for the damage he's causing to what used to be the strongest economy in the world.
11. Posted by bobdog | March 11, 2010 1:40 AM |
Score: 10 (10 votes cast)
Posted on March 11, 2010 01:40
12. Posted by klrtz1 | March 11, 2010 6:41 AM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Steve Green want to change the subject. So brilliant and so NEW. Liberal trolls are just too predictable. Like they're reading from a list or something.
I vote for banning Steve Green just to see what name Wizbang gets assigned next.
12. Posted by klrtz1 | March 11, 2010 6:41 AM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on March 11, 2010 06:41
13. Posted by Roy | March 11, 2010 9:03 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
I hear Rahm isn't wearing his Pull-ups today.
13. Posted by Roy | March 11, 2010 9:03 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on March 11, 2010 09:03
14. Posted by olsoljer | March 11, 2010 9:59 AM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
This jug eared jackass is committing political terrorism with assistance of piglosi, and that old fop hairy. Ignoring the will of the people and subverting the constitution. Why are they not charged as domestic terrorists?
14. Posted by olsoljer | March 11, 2010 9:59 AM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on March 11, 2010 09:59
15. Posted by infidel
| March 11, 2010 12:12 PM | Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Yeah, this little punk has almost no skin he's so intolerant of opposing views...... of course he's afraid of them which is why he stacks "town hall meetings" with programmed union thugs and the like.
Acorn, union thugs and weasels like Emanual not a little turned on by aggressive tactics? How about that thug Charlie Rangel? I'll bet most on the looney left think he's a hero. BUT, when it comes to the majority of the electorate not wanting a Politburo style campaign ramming a detestable threat to our liberty up our butts WE'RE out of line.
I'm sure when the cities were burning down over civil rights most on the left were toasting marshmellows off the smoldering remains. So, if they pass this incomprehensable socialist nightmare against our will the retribution will be intense and it will be the fault of Obamabi, Pelosi and Reed......that's the American way. Not Soviet style thugocracy.
This little spoiled effete radical doesn't understand our traditions and doesn't care.
He deserves to be hated ....then again he might hate himself. Why else would he continue with the cancer sticks and the heavy drinking? Maybe that's it......he's so self destructive that he's one of those freaks and sociopaths that has to bring down everyone with him.
15. Posted by infidel
| March 11, 2010 12:12 PM |
Score: 3 (3 votes cast)
Posted on March 11, 2010 12:12
16. Posted by Jim Addison | March 11, 2010 2:40 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
The Obamatrons are in perpetual campaign attack mode because they know nothing else. Virtually none of them have any experience in the private sector - or even records of successful achievement in the public sector. They are unqualified for anything other than campaigning, so that is what they do.
16. Posted by Jim Addison | March 11, 2010 2:40 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on March 11, 2010 14:40
17. Posted by infidel
| March 11, 2010 2:57 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
"Virtually none of them have any experience in the private sector - or even records of successful achievement in the public sector."
In fact Jim, the lowest percentage of private sector experience by a cabinet had been JFK's with about 27 percent......until now. These Obama freaks bullying America while sucking at the teat of the productive citizens have about, get ready, 7 per cent experience in the private sector.
17. Posted by infidel
| March 11, 2010 2:57 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on March 11, 2010 14:57
18. Posted by infidel
| March 11, 2010 3:31 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
For the record Stevo, I don't like Beck. See, conservatives are less robotic than you jack booted progressive types.
Just give us some facts that dispute the 7 per cent figure and not some propagandistic sophist metaphor (ie....talking points and lies) that the truth inverting tyrant has trained his puppies to bully the folks with.
http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2009/11/a_dearth_of_private_sector_exp.html
18. Posted by infidel
| March 11, 2010 3:31 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on March 11, 2010 15:31
19. Posted by infidel
| March 11, 2010 3:57 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Hey Steve, I didn't see your link until,after I posted, but even the writer of your article stated these graphs are inexact sciences so maybe we're both caught between the truth and exageration..
Disputing this graph and others aside, there is a virtual war on al;l things private sector from these freaks, and The One is the most hostile. The average percentage of profit made by insurance companies is 2.9 per cent and yet Obambi is whipping up the union stooges with an all out assault on the industry. That makes him a demagogue.
Trying to be fair here and I did read your article, but exit question.....will YOU believe everything the tyrant wannabe says about the insurance industry?
19. Posted by infidel
| March 11, 2010 3:57 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on March 11, 2010 15:57
20. Posted by Marc | March 11, 2010 5:23 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
a green - Hey "soon-to-be banned-nitwit" (with luck) this from your own link "We'll acknowledge that rating someone's degree of private-sector experience is an inexact science, and it's true that Beck accurately relayed the information contained in Cembalest's chart."
Got any other stupidity to place on display?
20. Posted by Marc | March 11, 2010 5:23 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on March 11, 2010 17:23
21. Posted by Jay Tea | March 11, 2010 5:29 PM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Mr. Green:
First up, I'm nowhere near banning you. So put that aside.
Next, Obama's attack on the Court was when he used the State of the Union address to bitch-slap them, to their faces, in a forum where he KNEW he would not be contradicted or called on his flat-out lies of the facts of the case in question. Obama showed his utter unfitness for the titles of "professor of Constitutional Law" and "civil human being" when he did that.
Roberts is right. If the only purpose of the Court attending (as a courtesy and show of respect for the Constittution and the other two branches) means they get insulted and jeered and harassed, they might as well not show up. After all, they aren't required to be there.
And I hope they do pass on next year's SOTU.
J.
21. Posted by Jay Tea | March 11, 2010 5:29 PM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on March 11, 2010 17:29
22. Posted by Jake | March 11, 2010 8:37 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I love this site. Only in this bastion of partisan hackery would a headline like: "Obama White House Attacks Chief Justice Roberts" be used to sum up a story about how Chief Justice Roberts called out the WH.
Way to stick to your anti-Obama-at-any-turn rhetoric!
22. Posted by Jake | March 11, 2010 8:37 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on March 11, 2010 20:37