Presidencies in the Future

How are we going to deal with future presidents of the nation – no matter the party? Has a new standard been set by the way Republicans have treated President Obama?
by Charlie Leck

I am extraordinarily sad about the way the opposition party has treated President Obama during the last five-plus years. In my lifetime I have not seen the likes of it – not even when President Clinton was going through his lowest stage during the Lewinski affair investigation; or when it became clear that President Nixon had condoned criminal behavior. There was a tradition that the opposition party would at least extend some semblance of respect to the office of the president.

I am an Obama man and, therefore, I am deeply mystified by this behavior within the Republican Party and its odd-extension-organization, the Tea Party. The Republicans, because of their mysterious and strong dislike of President Obama, have put the nation through six of the worst years in our nation’s history (I’m not kidding about this and I’ve thought it through carefully!).

Bouncing out of the deep depression that we fell into during the presidency of George W. Bush, our economy had the opportunity to roar and fire-up and soar to the benefit of each and every American. The Republican Party and the Tea Party, however, would not allow this – not during the time that President Obama was in the White House!

Remember how adamant the Republicans were about making sure that President Obama was a “one-term-president.” They were crazed about this and it came out time and time again in their speeches during Obama’s first term. Congresswoman Michel Bachmann made it the center-point of her last two terms and her effort to win a presidential endorsement. She was dedicated to a campaign that would not allow President Obama to win a second term.

Republicans were willing to let the nation languor in a deep depression rather than see Obama get any credit for our economic recovery.

I have been intrigued with presidential politics since the second term of Dwight David Eisenhower. What was unmistakable to me was the degree of respect that the opposition party always showed to the OFFICE of the presidency – if not to the president himself! It was an American tradition.

The first stutter I saw in this sense of respect for the office was brought about by the intriguing Watergate scandal during Richard Nixon’s presidency. It is the first time I can remember “the people” thinking about the president with exceptional disrespect.

“I am not a crook,” President Nixon said loudly to the American people. The people looked at each other in embarrassment. They understood the need for respect. This was, of course, the office of the most powerful and important government leader in the free-world.

The people wore the same embarrassment when it became clear that President Clinton had used one of his office interns as a sexual play thing.

The opposition party has treated President Obama as if he were guilty of misbehavior that is even worse than that of those two presidents. It is absolutely outrageous.

Is there a reason for this terrible behavior by the Republican Party and its affiliate, the Tea Party? It is a bit scary to ask that question. An even more important question is this: Has a new, low standard been set for the way an opposition party will relate to the President of the United States?

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