Byron York
Washington Examiner
9/8/2010
In his economic speech in Cleveland, President Obama mentioned House Minority Leader John Boehner by name seven times — a striking change from the president’s speech in Milwaukee Monday in which he referred to Boehner only as “the man who thinks he’s going to be Speaker.” With the Democrats’ hold on the House of Representatives in deep jeopardy, the president has apparently decided to make the campaign in part a personal showdown between himself and Boehner. It’s a risky strategy, one that elevates a House minority leader to an eye-to-eye level with the President of the United States. And by personalizing the conflict with Boehner, it also casts the coming elections as a referendum on Obama’s performance at a time when Democrats would prefer a series of more local contests.
In the Cleveland speech, Obama referred to Boehner’s recent economic address, also delivered in Cleveland, by saying, “There were no new policies from Mr. Boehner.” On another occasion, the president referred to helping small businesses buy equipment, adding, “To most of you, this is just common sense. But not to Mr. Boehner…In fact, when Mr. Boehner was here in Cleveland, he attacked us…” Later, Obama referred to infrastructure spending and said, “Mr. Boehner and Republicans in Congress said no to these projects…Mr. Boehner has so far said no to infrastructure.” And still later, the president said, “So let me be clear to Mr. Boehner and everyone else: we should not hold middle class tax cuts hostage any longer.” And finally Obama says that when Republicans, “including Mr. Boehner” ran Congress, the number of earmarks went up. On other occasions, Obama referred to “the Republican leader of the House.”
Boehner is the only living political figure mentioned in the speech…
The article continues at the Washington Examiner
H/T Gay Patriot, who writes “There is something almost amusing is watching this ostensibly post-partisan president lash out against Republicans in a manner which makes Richard Nixon look bi-partisan (which, come to think of it, in matters legislative, he pretty much was)…”
Update: Read also, “Obama Shows Annoyance at Republicans Over Tax Proposals,” at Time.com
