Matt Taibbi: President Obama's Last Stand

[babylonsister]

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/president-obamas-last-stand-w451241


President Obama's Last Stand

Even Obama's critics will soon have plenty of reasons to appreciate him

By Matt Taibbi
9 hours ago

snip//

That such an idiotic campaign may have launched Trump into the White House to succeed Obama is an incredibly bitter pill, but this story isn't exactly over yet. When Trump takes over he will immediately have to reckon with Obama's example, and this is a historical popularity contest His Orangeness seems doomed to lose.

From a personality standpoint, Obama is everything Trump isn't. He's in control of his emotions, thick-skinned, self-aware, ingratiating, strategic and temperamentally (if not politically) consistent. A striking quality of Obama as president is that he did his job without seeming to need to take credit for things all of the time, which kept the political price down on many of his decisions.

snip//

His performance this week testified greatly to this quality. He didn't have a lot to say about the election results, but what few lines he did speak conveyed a lot. This is a characteristic of strong people. Contrast this to Donald Trump, who vomits out great quantities of verbiage, taking so many positions at once that no one of them has much meaning after a while.

President-elect Trump will surely talk himself into a jackpot a dozen times before inauguration. Obama hasn't done it, really, since his infamous "guns and religion" speech. Eight years is an awfully long time to go without blinking.

Obama's parting message, about how he won Iowa, was a calm admonition to his own party to not give up on those sections of the country where the "demographics" don't suggest success.

This was an extraordinary statement to make in the wake of such a massive affirmation of racist and xenophobic attitudes. At one of our lowest moments, the person at the very center of this horrible maelstrom of hate was the one urging us not to give up. Obama's detractors may not hear this message now. But history will.

Donald Trump may have won the White House, but he will never be a man like his predecessor, whose personal example will now only shine more brightly with the passage of time. At a time when a lot of Americans feel like they have little to be proud of, we should think about our outgoing president, whose humanity and greatness are probably only just now coming into true focus.

[cilla4progress]

1. This has totally occurred to me as well

Glad to see it stated so articulately by the great Matt Taibbi.

Love this. Best thing I've read all day.

[sheshe2]

2. Thank you bsis.

Obama

[spanone]

3. K&R...

[guillaumeb]

4. Recommended. Yes, Iowa is an example many of us have forgotten.

Thank you for the reminder.

The Democrats need to embrace the "50 state" strategy again as they craft their message and regroup for 2018.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. The thing about Iowa

that IMHO was critical to note is that although he was born and raised in Hawai'i, Obama spent his adult years (including marriage and kids and as an elected official) in neighboring (Chicago) Illinois... And he gave nods to both states and they nodded back. He also leveraged his mother's and grandparents' birthplaces - Kansas.

Alternately, Clinton herself is a Midwesterner by birth, having actually been born and raised in Chicago and its suburbs, yet didn't seem to do much to firmly touch base with Illinois as her (former) "hometown" (outside of her mentions of what happened in the World Series), and by proximity, roll Iowa into a natural neighborly embrace.

I guess her having lived in so many states over the years deadened the connections to any single one outside of that of her most recent abode - NY.

[brer cat]

5. Truth!

Donald Trump may have won the White House, but he will never be a man like his predecessor...

[BeyondGeography]

6. When a mensch writes about a mensch

The best perspective I've read on Obama in years. A keeper.

[smirkymonkey]

7. Donald Trump will never be a fraction of the man that Barack Obama is and I think he

knows it. So do his supporters for that matter and that is precisely what makes them so angry.

[ailsagirl]

11. I think he's the polar opposite of President Obama

Rotten through and through

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

18. Sadly, I think you're wrong. Those people have a very distorted view

of what makes a great man.

And the way the RW propaganda machine made Hillary out to be some kind of monster and Trump some kind of hero reinforced that distortion.

Apparently, cheating and lying, yelling and blaming, sexual predatory behavior and downright nastiness is what the RW perceive as strong. Countless great works of literature and philosophy have shown the opposite to be true.

[FuzzyRabbit]

24. DnSK, I agree with your post.

Right wing values are upside down from the values I learned decades ago from my sweet mother and kind, fearless and manly father.

[malaise]

25. 1,000

Well said

[Pisces]

8. President Obama will be an example to all who follow him. I am proud that he was our President and

That my children had him for 8 years. It is beyond disgusting who is replacing him. Donald can't
Measure up to 1 toenail on Obama's foot.

[BeyondGeography]

9. And Michelle. What a couple

The kids noticed. My daughter was aged 12-20 for the Obamas. She can't believe what she's seeing but Taibbi makes such a great (and consoling) point about how this presidency will resonate.

[ailsagirl]

12. Hear, hear

Last edited Sat Nov 19, 2016, 07:27 PM - Edit history (1)

I still consider myself extraordinarily fortunate to have Obama as my president. In fact, I will always consider him my "one-and-only" president.

[bdamomma]

26. Exactly President Obama

is the only person who I call President now, now we have a freaking fascist who stole the office there is such a thing as karma.

This country is so divided and hateful and our allies will know too, very sad indeed.

[ailsagirl]

27. I know-- it's the worst

As far as PBO is concerned, I don't think he's just going to walk away from us-- he will still be involved and has many powerful allies. Aside from the dumb-ass repukes/racists/deplorables, he is universally esteemed and respected and truly wants the very best for us.

Wish we could have him for another 20 years!!

[Dustlawyer]

13. 1!!! With the two bookends Obama's got, anyone would look good!

Obama is the only one who could put up with the crap he has had to put up with and maintain his cool.

Many may look good bookended by W and Trumplethinskin, but only Obama and his whole family can look great!!!

[Augiedog]

14. "He may have won the White House but he will never be a man....." period, exclamation point.

[paleotn]

15. I am truly going to miss him...

...A President we can really be proud of. Haven't had many of them in my lifetime.

[tblue37]

16. DON'T read the comments on the article. They are truly disgusting! nt

[mountain grammy]

17. Howard Dean vs DWS

The difference between winning and losing.

[3catwoman3]

19. I am reminded of this line from the Joni Mitchell song Big Yellow Taxi -

"Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you got 'til it's gone."

We've known what we've had, but so many others have been so blinded by their biases that they have no idea what they have missed out on. And, unlike the drooling fools slavering over DFT, we know all too well exactly what we are getting now.

Paradise is about to be made into a parking lot for a gold-plated jackass.

[Nitram]

20. Right on the money, Matt!

[Ninga]

21. Stunning truth to power. Thank you Matt. This needs to

go viral...

[OKNancy]

22. So, is Taibbi now going to appreciate the President? He sure has spent a lot of time

in the past dissing Obama.

[SunSeeker]

23. Nice of Taibbi to appreciate Obama after it's too late.

Maybe if Taibbi had shown some appreciation for Obama’s accomplishments earlier, Trump would not have found such a receptive audience.