Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Republicans Doctor Obama Photo for Propaganda Purposes

I have always thought the photo in the video below of Obama smoking, which has been used on anti-Obama sites since the campaign, was a real photo. It's an unflattering photo but it never bothered me--until now.

Now that I've learned it is a doctored photo, I hope the republicans go down in flames on healthcare.

A Financial Times columnist Niall Ferguson writes:
President Barack Obama reminds me of Felix the Cat. One of the best-loved cartoon characters of the 1920s, Felix was not only black. He was also very, very lucky. And that pretty much sums up the 44th president of the US as he takes a well-earned summer break after just over six months in the world’s biggest and toughest job. FT
What is wrong with these people? The stream of hate rhetoric is constant. Republicans seem to only represent the fringe. I'm not seeing any mainstream republican voices coming through. I know there are decent republicans in the mix but I can't hear them.

Rahm says the evidence is in--republicans don't seem to want to work on reform:
Given hardening Republican opposition to Congressional health care proposals, Democrats now say they see little chance of the minority’s cooperation in approving any overhaul, and are increasingly focused on drawing support for a final plan from within their own ranks.

Top Democrats said Tuesday that their go-it-alone view was being shaped by what they saw as Republicans’ purposely strident tone against health care legislation during this month’s Congressional recess, as well as remarks by leading Republicans that current proposals were flawed beyond repair.

Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, said the heated opposition was evidence that Republicans had made a political calculation to draw a line against any health care changes, the latest in a string of major administration proposals that Republicans have opposed.

“The Republican leadership,” Mr. Emanuel said, “has made a strategic decision that defeating President Obama’s health care proposal is more important for their political goals than solving the health insurance problems that Americans face every day.” NYT