# Don't you think Obama is making a huge mistake in pissing off all the wrong people? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 14, 2013, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-you-think-obama-is-making-a-huge-mistake-in-pissing-off-all-the-wrong-people/658296 "2013-05-14T04:33:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2013, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-you-think-obama-is-making-a-huge-mistake-in-pissing-off-all-the-wrong-people/658296/1 "2013-05-14T04:33:02Z")
. . . and I don’t mean Republicans. They’re a given, I suppose, and provably ineffectual without unforced errors. No, I mean the fact that Obama and company are at least trending toward: (1) [Throwing Hillary under the bus](http://dailycaller.com/2012/10/12/author-ed-klein-as-benghazi-blame-nears-hillary-clintons-grow-furious/). Having the Clintons in his camp for the past four years has lulled Obama into forgetting what formidable adversaries they can be, when they feel their interests are at stake. (2) [Turning the press against him](http://apnews.myway.com/article/20130513/DA68MMQ82.html). They might be willing to play along with Jay Carney’s channeling of Baghdad Bob vis-a-vis Benghazi and the IRS, but having the Justice Department systematically comb through phone records of the world’s largest press service, and the personal phone records of its reporters? Whoah, Nelly. How many of those affected reporters and editors do you think were inspired to enter their profession by watching Redford and Hoffman in _All The Presidents’ Men_. (3) And perhaps deadliest of all, consistently attempting to [pin blame on the CIA](http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/oct/28/curl-dont-mess-cia/?page=all) for missteps in Benghazi and the “talking points” afterward. That could be . . . a very bad idea. So OK, the Republicans are buffoons, hurdy hurdy hur, yuk yuk yuk. But in reacting to their utterly predictable attacks on recent issues, wouldn’t you guys in Obama country hope that somebody might take the big O aside and belatedly explain a few facts of Washington life to him? ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2013, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-you-think-obama-is-making-a-huge-mistake-in-pissing-off-all-the-wrong-people/658296/2 "2013-05-14T05:59:46Z")
I notice conservatives never sat down and had this kind of loud public discussion about the mistakes being made by the Bush administration. I guess it’s just a reflection of the generous and selfless nature of the right wing that they only offer this kind of help to a Democratic president. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2013, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-you-think-obama-is-making-a-huge-mistake-in-pissing-off-all-the-wrong-people/658296/3 "2013-05-14T06:06:08Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > But in reacting to their utterly predictable attacks on recent issues, wouldn’t you guys in Obama country hope that somebody might take the big O aside and belatedly explain a few facts of Washington life to him? What would be the point of that? Not like he’s ever going to run for office again. As long as he doesn’t get himself impeached, which seems highly unlikely, there’s not much lasting damage he can do to his party. His legislative agenda is a non-starter until the mid-terms, and hopefully thereafter. Damaging Hillary can help clear the way for other candidates that have a better chance at actually winning. Pissing off the media puts heat on him, but not the party. The CIA is slightly less popular than the clap in DC circles. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2013, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-you-think-obama-is-making-a-huge-mistake-in-pissing-off-all-the-wrong-people/658296/4 "2013-05-14T06:34:44Z")
**Oakminster** has good points here. Precisely how is Mr. Obama damaging the Democratic Party? Certainly he is much more authoritarian than I thought he was going to be, but given his opponents, he appeared to be the lesser of two evils. Perhaps, just perhaps, the public will become more savvy about all of this and vote for people who are not just the lesser evil, but a positive good. Hah. Sorry. Didn’t mean to make everyone roll their eyes. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2013, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-you-think-obama-is-making-a-huge-mistake-in-pissing-off-all-the-wrong-people/658296/5 "2013-05-14T06:59:40Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > (2) [Turning the press against him](http://apnews.myway.com/article/20130513/DA68MMQ82.html). They might be willing to play along with Jay Carney’s channeling of Baghdad Bob vis-a-vis Benghazi and the IRS, but **having the Justice Department systematically comb through phone records of the world’s largest press service, and the personal phone records of its reporters? Whoah, Nelly**. How many of those affected reporters and editors do you think were inspired to enter their profession by watching Redford and Hoffman in _All The Presidents’ Men_. (bolding mine) I read an article on the AP website about the phone records thing, but I must have missed the part where it was definitively stated that it was done at the specific behest of President Obama. Could you show me that part, please? In fact, the story running on the AP says that they are under investigation by the U.S. Attorney:[ > [@AP News](#): > > Officials have previously said in public testimony that the U.S. attorney in Washington is conducting a criminal investigation into who may have provided information contained in a May 7, 2012, AP story about a foiled terror plot. The story disclosed details of a CIA operation in Yemen that stopped an al-Qaida plot in the spring of 2012 to detonate a bomb on an airplane bound for the United States. > > In testimony in February, CIA Director John Brennan noted that the FBI had questioned him about whether he was AP’s source, which he denied. He called the release of the information to the media about the terror plot an “unauthorized and dangerous disclosure of classified information.” > > Prosecutors have sought phone records from reporters before, but the seizure of records from such a wide array of AP offices, including general AP switchboards numbers and an office-wide shared fax line, is unusual. ]([http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US\_AP\_PHONE\_RECORDS\_SUBPOENA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-05-13-23-46-11](http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_AP_PHONE_RECORDS_SUBPOENA?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2013-05-13-23-46-11)) BTW, what image did you mean to convey when you used the phrase “systematically comb through phone records”? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2013, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-you-think-obama-is-making-a-huge-mistake-in-pissing-off-all-the-wrong-people/658296/6 "2013-05-14T16:54:32Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > BTW, what image did you mean to convey when you used the phrase “systematically comb through phone records”? [This?](http://www.flickr.com/photos/joachim_s_mueller/2310267499/) ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2013, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-you-think-obama-is-making-a-huge-mistake-in-pissing-off-all-the-wrong-people/658296/7 "2013-05-14T17:25:48Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > (3) And perhaps deadliest of all, consistently attempting to [pin blame on the CIA](http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/oct/28/curl-dont-mess-cia/?page=all) for missteps in Benghazi and the “talking points” afterward. That could be . . . a very bad idea. Why? The CIA ain’t exactly popular. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2013, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-you-think-obama-is-making-a-huge-mistake-in-pissing-off-all-the-wrong-people/658296/8 "2013-05-14T17:55:34Z")
Yeah, if Obama keeps this up, Congressmen might start filibustering legislation they agree with just to stop him from getting credit for it. Oh, wait. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2013, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-you-think-obama-is-making-a-huge-mistake-in-pissing-off-all-the-wrong-people/658296/9 "2013-05-14T17:59:51Z")
Obama hasn’t thrown Hillary under the bus- and there’s no reason to believe he will. She’s very popular- it’s far wiser of him to maintain their alliance then to attack her. This sounds like Daily Caller concern trolling. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2013, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-you-think-obama-is-making-a-huge-mistake-in-pissing-off-all-the-wrong-people/658296/10 "2013-05-14T18:10:09Z")
He can do whatever the hell he wants. He’s gotten his 2nd term, he’s not such a fool as to be worth impeaching, and no matter what effect he has on the Democratic Party, the most sensible voice in the loyal opposition comes out of the freaking governor of _Louisiana_ (IMHO, of course). The Republican party only has another year to get its shit together and produce an actual platform and a candidate who doesn’t slather on the greasepaint if it is to be taken seriously. They can’t. The 2016 election is the Democrats’ to lose. Which is really sad. I’m leftist enough, but no matter which side you cotton to it’s good to have a viable opposition just to keep your people on their toes. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2013, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-you-think-obama-is-making-a-huge-mistake-in-pissing-off-all-the-wrong-people/658296/11 "2013-05-14T18:12:00Z")
> [@](#): > > . . . and I don’t mean Republicans. They’re a given, I suppose, and provably ineffectual without unforced errors. No, I mean the fact that Obama and company are at least trending toward: > > (1) Throwing Hillary under the bus. Having the Clintons in his camp for the past four years has lulled Obama into forgetting what formidable adversaries they can be, when they feel their interests are at stake. Ok, I refuse to go any further if your first cite is a seven-month-old story from the Daily Caller, which basically summarizes a conversation the reporter had with Ed Freaking Klein. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-you-think-obama-is-making-a-huge-mistake-in-pissing-off-all-the-wrong-people/658296/12 "2013-05-14T20:34:50Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Ok, I refuse to go any further if your first cite is a seven-month-old story from the Daily Caller, which basically summarizes a conversation the reporter had with Ed Freaking Klein. Yep. This was a big WTF for me too. I guess when you’re really pissed at someone, you help them get elected. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2013, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-you-think-obama-is-making-a-huge-mistake-in-pissing-off-all-the-wrong-people/658296/13 "2013-05-14T23:06:22Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I notice conservatives never sat down and had this kind of loud public discussion about the mistakes being made by the Bush administration. I guess it’s just a reflection of the generous and selfless nature of the right wing that they only offer this kind of help to a Democratic president. Well, they believe that Bush Jr. did not make any mistakes. Of any kind. Ever. Much like any other Republican president. So there is no need to have any discussion about it. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2013, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-you-think-obama-is-making-a-huge-mistake-in-pissing-off-all-the-wrong-people/658296/14 "2013-05-14T23:23:04Z")
Note that all of OP’s “Just asking question” points are related to the GOP’s new bugbear, Bengasi, which is a pitcher’s mound being made into Everest. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2013, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-you-think-obama-is-making-a-huge-mistake-in-pissing-off-all-the-wrong-people/658296/15 "2013-05-14T23:26:40Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > What would be the point of that? Not like he’s ever going to run for office again. As long as he doesn’t get himself impeached, which seems highly unlikely, there’s not much lasting damage he can do to his party. His legislative agenda is a non-starter until the mid-terms, and hopefully thereafter. **Damaging Hillary can help clear the way for other candidates that have a better chance at actually winning.** Pissing off the media puts heat on him, but not the party. The CIA is slightly less popular than the clap in DC circles. (bolding mine) This just kills me. Yeah, keep telling yourself Hil has no chance. That’s about as savvy as (R)s proved to be about the last presidential election. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2013, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-you-think-obama-is-making-a-huge-mistake-in-pissing-off-all-the-wrong-people/658296/16 "2013-05-14T23:28:01Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Well, they believe that Bush Jr. did not make any mistakes. > > Of any kind. > > Ever. > > Much like any other Republican president. > > So there is no need to have any discussion about it. It’s always interesting to see the fantasy portrait you guys hold in your minds of your putative enemies, the [eeeeevil](http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/thou-shalt-not-speak-ill-of-bush/), [monolithic](http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/righteous-anger-conservative-case-against-george-w-bush) conservatives, they’re [all alike](http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/22/politics/22buchanan.html), oh noes! (And that’s just for GWB. If you think the conservatives were in love with his father GHWB, you really are bordering on political illiteracy.) ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2013, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-you-think-obama-is-making-a-huge-mistake-in-pissing-off-all-the-wrong-people/658296/17 "2013-05-15T00:00:17Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > It’s always interesting to see the fantasy portrait you guys hold in your minds of your putative enemies, the [eeeeevil](http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/thou-shalt-not-speak-ill-of-bush/), [monolithic](http://www.cato.org/publications/commentary/righteous-anger-conservative-case-against-george-w-bush) conservatives, they’re [all alike](http://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/22/politics/22buchanan.html), oh noes! This reminds me of the time my friend turned to me and said, “You know what your problem is? You’re the sort of person who has to _label_ everyone.” ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2013, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-you-think-obama-is-making-a-huge-mistake-in-pissing-off-all-the-wrong-people/658296/18 "2013-05-15T00:13:06Z")
So does this mean that as long as I can point out at least three liberals who don’t like Obama’s policies on stuff like drones, we can FINALLY forever eliminate the meme that liberals worship Obama? If so, I volunteer to find them. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2013, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-you-think-obama-is-making-a-huge-mistake-in-pissing-off-all-the-wrong-people/658296/19 "2013-05-15T00:26:09Z")
:shrug: Knock yourself out; don’t know what that has to do with the topic at hand, though. ---
**Author:** ![brownie55](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f14d63/32.png) [@brownie55](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brownie55)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2013, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-you-think-obama-is-making-a-huge-mistake-in-pissing-off-all-the-wrong-people/658296/20 "2013-05-15T01:28:06Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > So does this mean that as long as I can point out at least three liberals who don’t like Obama’s policies on stuff like drones, we can FINALLY forever eliminate the meme that liberals worship Obama? > > If so, I volunteer to find them. You think that conservatives reelected him? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dont-you-think-obama-is-making-a-huge-mistake-in-pissing-off-all-the-wrong-people/658296.md?page=2)