General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIs Obama the most obstructed / disrespected president in US History?
Just wondering what DUers think.
Also, if you say "yes" do you think that his being black (or bi-racial) has to do with that?
I'd appreciate to see what you have to say.
Thanks.
edhopper
(33,554 posts)as far as recent history goes.
Going back to the 19th Century, things were plain nasty.
el_bryanto
(11,804 posts)But at least half the states in the union didn't secede when he took office.
Bryant
unblock
(52,181 posts)but since then, obama's certainly high up there.
riverbendviewgal
(4,252 posts)And yes.
he has brought out a lot of Americans true colours. Ugly
TexasProgresive
(12,157 posts)My vote goes to Jimmy Carter who was obstructed / disrespected and disrespected by his own party in the house and senate.
leftofcool
(19,460 posts)HassleCat
(6,409 posts)I think the honor may go to Andrew Johnson, the VP who became president when Lincoln was killed. In the chaos following the Civil War, things were "interesting." They impeached him, much the same as they did Clinton, for purely political reasons. The Republicans would impeach Obama in a heartbeat if they could only find an excuse. They have to satisfy themselves with blocking all his nominees and holding them hostage to some right wing "principle." The blind hatred of Obama is stunning.
Prism
(5,815 posts)Actually, I'd almost argue American politics are growing tamer over time. In the late 18th and through most of the 19th Century, presidential politics were pretty vicious.
Nowadays. Eh. President Obama receives his fair share. It's indisputable there's a racial component involved.
But the worst ever? In all U.S. History? Really, not close. Here's a neat link about some of the presidential nastiness of the past:
http://www.neatorama.com/2008/01/28/5-nastiest-us-presidential-elections-in-history/
It almost seems like we were being governed by infants.
dawg
(10,622 posts)in my lifetime. And his race is a huge part of that.
The Republican establishment has reached a point, however, where they are going to treat *any* Democratic President this way.
still_one
(92,115 posts)okaawhatever
(9,461 posts)Republican office holders and party bosses did it because he is black. After all, they came after Clinton with everything they had, but their game was a lot weaker then. I do think that the non-bigoted politicians and party bosses knew their base was a bunch of bigots and leveraged that. They wouldn't have tried the scorched earth approach without knowing there would be no accountability for their actions.
Remember how Clinton's popularity went up after the impeachment hearings? I believe if President Obama were white they would still have tried to undermine him but it wouldn't have come in the form of a personal attack. They would be too concerned with voter backlash and sympathy for him.
Buzz Clik
(38,437 posts)I'd say yes in both cases.
JaneyVee
(19,877 posts)Doctor_J
(36,392 posts)republicans from his first day in office. The electorate in 2008 completely repudiated the republicans, wanted them neutralized. Obama decided to meet them 9/10 of the way, and his voters felt deceived and abandoned, and gave up on the party actually accomplishing anything. Once McConnell and boner realized that the democrats weren't going to act on the voters' mandate, it was easy for them to get their way on everything.
The obstruction would have been just as bad for Hillary.
Proud Liberal Dem
(24,402 posts)n/t
VOX
(22,976 posts)Birth certificate crap, "Kenyan," "Muslim," "Obongo," "You lie!," "African homosexual," "Black radical," "Socialist/Marxist/Communist/Fascist," grabbing guns, invading Texas, creating FEMA concentration camps, putting entire country under martial law, "Antichrist," dog-eater, drug addict, tramples Constitution on a daily basis, etc., etc.
The Internet, hate-radio talking heads/Fox-crap and social media have allowed right-wing lunatics to spew out venomous hatred in tonnage amounts and into mainstream sources --no other president has faced this magnitude of continuous daily attacks based on ethnicity, and designed to "otherize" and assassinate character.
Mr Dixon
(1,185 posts)Yes and Yes Hillary is going to catch it too if she wins, but there is a bright-side like some have stated that half the country's true colors have come to light. What will be interesting is how women will justify voting for the GOP when they no longer are able to deny how little Grump old people (GOP) are about womens issues. I have a prediction that the 1st Latino (man or woman) will be elected POTUS after Hillary has completed her two terms either way the DEMS own the White house.
rusty fender
(3,428 posts)before Obama as most disrespected presidents. It's very disrespectful to kill someone.
Coventina
(27,093 posts)Unsuccessful attempts were made on their lives.
BlueJazz
(25,348 posts)...congress where we (probably) ALL came from??
You would think that anybody with even a little education would realize that we're all from the same place.
Dems to Win
(2,161 posts)There was a list of a hundred people he had supposedly had killed being circulated, disrespectful reports from Clinton's Arkansas police guard and the Secret Service, and then Clinton's entire second term was dominated by the impeachment and trial. And there was a real frenzy against Hillary the whole time.
I recall Sen. Jesse Helms warning Clinton that he wouldn't be safe traveling to North Carolina.
I know that a lot of people think that Obama has had it worse, and I definitely see a lot of racist crap thrown at him, but I still think the craziness aimed at Bill and Hillary was the worst I've seen. Just my opinion.
Skittles
(153,138 posts)treestar
(82,383 posts)Though with a slight dash of Tea Party intransigence being what it is. It could have affected a white POTUS had one won in 2008. But the rabidness wouldn't have been there. They would not have threatened not to life the debt ceiling or caused a government shut down every time they could. I know they did it to Clinton, but not over and over again.
NaturalHigh
(12,778 posts)His personal life wasn't investigated for six years either.
MohRokTah
(15,429 posts)It started before he was ever elected with the racist Birther bullshit.