NY Times: Repugs suddenly backing off harsh anti-Obama rhetoric

[gauguin57]

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/09/us/politics/09memo.html?_r=1&hp=&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print

November 9, 2008
Washington Memo
Harsh Words About Obama? Never Mind Now
By JIM RUTENBERG
NY Times

That whole anti-American, friend-to-the-terrorists thing about President-elect Barack Obama? Never mind.

… There is a great tradition of paint-peeling political hyperbole during presidential campaign years. And there is an equally great tradition of backing off from it all afterward, though with varying degrees of deftness. … But given the intensity of some of the charges that have been made in the past few months, and the historic nature of Mr. Obama’s election, the exercise this year has been particularly whiplash-inducing, with its extreme before-and-after contrasts.

… The presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin said she was hard-pressed to find a similar moment when the tone had changed so drastically, and so quickly, among so many people of such prominence.

“I don’t think that’s happened very often,” Ms. Goodwin said. “The best answer I can give you is they don’t want to be on the wrong side of history, and they recognize how the country saw this election, and how people feel that they’re living in a time of great historic moment.”

Others in the professional political class were not so sure. Some wondered whether simple pragmatism was the explanation. …

[Phredicles]

1. Maybe they know how much they'll be blamed if anything happens to

our very popular president-elect.

[TheDonkey]

2. The rethuglicans realize they are on the brink of extinction.

[BrklynLiberal]

3. "simple pragmatism was the explanation". DUH. I would guess they are

trying to save what little they have left of their asses...

[defendandprotect]

4. In one way ...the right wing got caught at its nasty games ...

and the frogs woke up --!!!

[creeksneakers2]

5. Obama promised a new type of politics

I was more than skeptical but just maybe Obama is leading politics to a better place. Candidates that went negative this year were hurt by it.

[NYC Liberal]

6. I for one am not going to forget the invectives that came from those McCain/Palin rallies. Ever.

They went beyond "paint-peeling political hyperbole" this year. From calling him a terrorist to letting supporters at their rallies to yell "KILL HIM!" without a word of condemnation, it was a very very ugly campaign.

Fuck them.

[Cali_Democrat]

7. So Bill O'Reilly still thinks Obama is a mystery?

I swear...the guy has been running for president for so long now and Bill-O thinks he's a mystery?

Bullshit....Bill-O will still be saying that in 2016 when Obama's 2nd term comes to an end.

[Berry Cool]

8. I believe Mr. Obama is a beneficiary of the Extreme Election Makeover.

Before the election, he was a radically left-wing terrorist paller-arounder who could not possibly be entrusted to run this great country. But after all those votes came in for him, he was magically transformed into a center rightist who won precisely BECAUSE he is so darned conservative.

It's incredible!!!!!