President Obama on Thursday claimed he is “not that partisan of a guy” as he mocked calls in the Republican Party for his impeachment.
The president spent much of his address in Austin, Texas, hammering congressional Republicans, saying they have "blocked or voted down every serious idea to strengthen the middle class."
“I’m just telling the truth now," Obama said. "I don't have to run for office again so I can just let her rip.”
He teed off on Republicans such as Sarah Palin who have suggested in recent days that he be impeached, and dismissed Speaker John Boehner's (R-Ohio) proposed lawsuit over his executive actions.
"'Sue him! Impeach him!' Really? For what? You're going to sue me for doing my job?" Obama said. "I mean think about that — you're going to use taxpayer money to sue me for doing my job, while you don't do your job? Huh."
The president said that the "best thing you can say" about Republicans this year is that they haven't forced a shutdown of the federal government.
"Of course it's only July, so who knows what they may cook up in the next couple of months," he added.
"I'm not that partisan of a guy," Obama said. "My favorite president is a Republican president."
Obama heralded the accomplishments of Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt and Dwight Eisenhower, saying the nation had "great" Republican leaders.
"Richard Nixon started the EPA!" Obama said.
He suggested Republicans had cynically chosen to abandon positions they believed in simply because he had embraced them.
"At least agree with me for the things you used to say you were for, before I was for them," Obama said, adding that "Ronald Reagan passed immigration, and you loved Ronald Reagan."
"It's lonely just me doing stuff," Obama said. "I'd love if the Republicans did stuff too."
The President is absolutely right, the very things he is being attacked for these days are the same things that the Republicans would be celebrating if there was a Republican in the White House.
Or maybe even simply a white President living there.
You know sometimes I think that the President needs somebody around all the time just to give him a big hug once in awhile and tell him he is doing a good job.
They say that the loneliest job in the world is to be President of the United States, but sometimes it seems that Obama is far more isolated than those that came before him.
And fuck the Republicans for putting him in that spot.
He handled himself extremely well and I'm so glad he's calling out the Rethugs.
ReplyDeleteThis has got the be saddest travesty for a US President that we may ever experience. This man has just been an ordinary honest guy who had a dream and determination and wanted to make a difference and made that sacrifice to run and make an oath of Office to serve.
ReplyDeleteHere too G., I sometimes wish I could reach out and hug him, like a sister would a brother. He's been so maligned and verbally abused thoughout this administration and very few men could this kind of treatment.
It's as though these Republicans have tried to make the man go insane. Basically a form of torture, by denying him what he needed, and then attacking him when plans fell through. He was damned if he did, and damned if he didn't.
This does not spell e-x-c-e-p-t-i-o-n-a-l-i-s-m. It's a travesty and it's been a source of torment for the nation these past 8 years. It's affected the atmosphere in a negative way.
Correction; meant 'these past 6 years'.
DeleteI think all the bullsh*t the gop as been spewing bothers us more than Obama. They want him to trip up but he is so much smarter than they are. Obama has an uncanny ability to focus on what is important and what needs to be done to move this country forward. The repubs are just shooting themselves in the foot (which seems appropriate with their loyalty to the nra).
DeleteI also want to hug him!
DeleteObama is fine. He's tireless, optimistic, full of life, unafraid, always thinking. I'm not worried about him at all.
Delete"I'm not that partisan of a guy," Obama said. "My favorite president is a Republican president."
ReplyDeletePERFECT!!! Got 'em right between the eyes with that one!
I think it a good idea that we ALL write letters of love, respect, thank you and appreciation to our wonderful President Obama. Know that I'm going to do it! I'm delighted I voted for him both times!
ReplyDeleteThese Republicans are nothing more than jackasses!
I agree, and will be writing tonight.
DeleteThought you might like this, Gryph:
ReplyDeletehttp://ozmud.wordpress.com/2014/07/11/palins-call-to-impeach-obama-creates-dramatic-rise-in-donations/
I'm sure his staff occasionally cringes at what he says, but I just love this new, improved, not-running-for-reelection President Obama!
ReplyDeleteIt must also be such a relief for him to be able to talk honestly about this country's problems and the crazy, lazy, obstructionist Republican party without having to worry about trying to win another election.
The truth hurts, doesn't it, you destructive, unAmerican Right Wing Nut Jobs?!?
I don't think that the White House staff "occasionally cringes at what [the President] says," I think they enjoy it. That Austin speech was brilliant, one of the best political speeches of all time.
DeleteBeaglemom
This is one of those instance's where I fell sorry for SP. Come on Sarah, how badly do you need to feel only having less than 3% of President Barack Obama's intelligence.
ReplyDeleteI will NEVER feel sorry for her nor her ilk. She has played her hand to the detriment of our country. The gun sights, Arizona, no apologies whatseover after Gabby Giffirds went on record to asked her not to. BOOM, She bought Tawd a long gun in honor of Sandy Hook "because she could." That's nothing compared to what she does behind the scenes.
DeleteMy prez was so willing to actually deal with these clowns. They knew the fix was in, don't help Obama. 3 or 4 lost years when he still hoped for non partisan govt growth. The bear is loose! love it.
ReplyDeleteSarah knows you have to do your photo-opin' right in front of the turkey slaughter. Cretin.
ReplyDeleteI love this comment: "Obama is too chicken to go to the border and catch a disease, but the rest of us are dispensible"
ReplyDeleteI guess the scam is blown, the president didn't want to catch anything from them disease riddled brown furners.
This Canadian loves your president and his beautiful family. It's great to hear President Obama taking it to the obstructionists. History will be on his side.
ReplyDeleteThank you,, thank you, thank you.
DeleteBarack Obama has erased a lot of my prior racism to the point where I now love and respect him as President and head of wonderful family.
ReplyDeleteThat's fantastic. I'm so glad you came to this point.
DeletePerhaps that's why Bear gets loose every once in a while. To escape the crazy that is the Washington political bubble.
ReplyDeleteYeah... FUCK Republicans...fuck them right in the voting booth!
ReplyDeleteStill waiting for their esteemed Governor to go down to a detention center and meet some of these folks. I mean, he insisted, "It's what Governors do!"
ReplyDeleteJust shows her college was a waste of time. Me thinks her school merry go rounds was because she ran out of guys to fuck so off to a new school she goes.
ReplyDeleteBreaking: Republicans Who Shut Down The Government To Delay Obamacare, Now Suing Obama For Delaying Obamacare
ReplyDeleteIn a Desperate Last Gasp John Boehner Will Sue Obama Over Obamacare
President Obama said the real reason why Boehner is suing is because Republicans don’t like him. The news that Boehner is suing over the ACA confirms that the president was correct.
This lawsuit is a last ditch attempt to turn public opinion against the ACA, a plea to fire up Republican voters, and a possible path to the impeachment of Obama. On all this counts, it is already a failure. Obamacare is getting more popular. Democrats are raising record sums of money off of the lawsuit threat, and Boehner and company will likely be laughed out of court.
http://www.politicususa.com/2014/07/10/desperate-gasp-john-boehner-sue-obama-obamacare.html
Boehner has revealed the exact reason for which he is suing President Obama. The reason? President Obama allegedly exceeded his authority by delaying the employer mandate
http://aattp.org/breaking-republicans-who-shut-down-the-government-to-delay-obamacare-now-suing-obama-for-delaying-obamacare/
Uninsured Rate In America Now The Lowest ON RECORD Thanks To Obamacare
http://aattp.org/breaking-uninsured-rate-in-america-now-the-lowest-on-record-thanks-to-obamacare/
'Please proceed, GOP'.
I think this is a riot. Boehner has had the House vote to overturn the ACA over 40 times now. What a madman he is. And not one jobs bill (the basis for the lawsuit last week) have been allowed to come to the floor since January 2010 when the GOP took over. Just a disgraceful bunch of greedy bastards. Let's get rid of all of them in Novermber. Let's give President Obama a Democratic Congress, both House and Senate.
DeleteBeaglemom
You go, Prez, we're right behind you
ReplyDeleteOT but an observation
ReplyDeleteRepublican Congresspersons and Senators sure are being very quiet as gay marriage continues to sweep the country. Not much of a whimper from the thumpers!,
Ooooooh you guys, the Republicans are so mad! They took to Twitter to hit back at Senate Democrats, blaming them for the gridlock that shores up their obstructionism and useless legislation passing itself off as pro-jobs. If only the U.S. Senate (then the President, then the Tea Party, then the Koch's) would just get out of their way, they'd have America righted again also too.
ReplyDeleteHey Bristol!!!!!??!!
ReplyDeleteWhat's this about???
http://bristolsextape.blogspot.com
If the president needs a hug, I'm sure we would line up from Alaska to D.C. to be in that group.
ReplyDeleteAgreed!
DeleteI agree. His presentation was awesome...an epic take down of the rethugs in pRick Pervy's playground. I will be writing a letter to thank him.
ReplyDeleteI honestly think he needs to be commended for even caring at this point, what the GOP thinks or does, but he's head and shoulders above them and still at least tries.
ReplyDeleteExcellent Post, Gryphen. Being President is difficult and isolating for all of them, but even moreso for President Obama. The only reason I can see isn't ideological alone, it's that he's the first African American President in History.
Well, not that it would ever happen, but this Canadian and most everyone I know, would be Honored to even stand within 100 feet of Mr.Obama, You people in the usa don't even understand how lucky you are and the respect we have for him, Mr. Obama truly is a leader..
ReplyDeleteNot quite true, 8:23.
DeleteMost of us here at IM - minus the trolls,of course - respect him greatly and admire him and try to support him in many ways.
It's the RWNJ's that have problem with him - especially those in Congress on the repube side of the aisle.
I would love to stand within 100 feet of President Obama and I'm an American! Many of us, actually most of us if we're honest about it, think he's doing a great job, especially in light of what he is up against every single day. And not from some fierce foreign enemy but from fellow Americans who simply hate our system of government and want it to end and refuse to accept the fact that we, the people, chose President Obama twice to be our leader. That's what the GOP is all about anymore. Pure sedition.
DeleteBeaglemom
I LOVE this man and call it out, Mr. President. You beat them at every turn now. They never wanted to work with you from the start and only wanted to destroy the first Black president. I see your Mark Wahlberg and raise you a Charlie Sheen for the doofus crowd. Winning? LOL No, you are, Mr. President. I LOVE to watch you in action.
ReplyDeleteShe doesn't even have O'Reilly in her corner on this one.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mediaite.com/tv/oreilly-goldberg-pan-palins-beyond-terrible-impeachment-plan/
I can't say it enough...I LOVE OUR PRESIDENT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA! I just love that he's telling it like it is! They hate him even more for that. Keep it up Sarah Palin & John Boner! yay You're the best things that ever happened to Democrats! LOUDER Sarah, we can't hear you!
ReplyDeleteTo Obama's credit:
ReplyDelete1. He got Osama while GWB didn't think about him.
2. He took over with our economy in shambles and it is slowly coming back.
3. When Bush was in office, the Dow was around 8-9,000. The other day, it hit 17,000, an all time record. (Even if you don't have stock, your pension fund is invested there).
4. More people have medical insurance than before ACA.
5. It was GWB who signed the bill the covers the unaccompanied minors who cross our borders.
6. It was GWB who invaded a country that did not attack us.
7. It was GWB who lied about WMD.
8. It was GWB who kept the cost of the two wars off the books, driving up our debt.
9. Why didn't anyone think about impeaching GWB? Oh, President Cheney, Mr. Insurance Policy. Thanks, but no thanks.
10. Do the Republicans realize that they will be looking at President Biden for two years, and that will give him a major leg up in 2016. While Hillary may have some old issues that follow her around, Biden will have a presidential record. They will never have a chance at the White House.
11. After they impeached Clinton, the Democrats got more votes in the next election.
12. After Sarah called for Obama's impeachment, they raised 3 million dollars in one day, thanks to Sista Sarah.
13. Do you think they would be calling President Obama such rude names and acting so with such disrespect if he was white?
14. Sarah doesn't like the idea of a lawsuit, saying that you don't bring a lawsuit to a gun fight.She doesn't want to impeach Obama. If she's talking about a gun fight, she wants to kill him. She is just reloading and taking aim aain.
15. Her op ed on Fox is the work of an immature high school girl who writes exactly the way she speaks. It only has one theme and one main point, "Sarah hates President Obama." If he is actually impeached, she won't have any one to hate, and her life will be empty. She can't possibly live without hate.
Oh boy..."The Hill". Right wing nut job site. I'm almost offended if it wasn't for you Gryph.
ReplyDeletePresident Obama's speech in Austin was absolutely brilliant. And it infuriated Boehner. The latest reason for the "lawsuit" is that some parts of the ACA are not being enforced. Now Boehner has had the House vote over 40 to overturn the ACA and now he's worried about its enforcement! Last week the "lawsuit" was over jobs but someone must have mentioned to Boehner that his GOP colleagues have failed to bring any jobs bills to the floor of the House since taking over in 2010. Is Boehner completely crazy or just drunk all of the time? He must think that people pay no attention to what he and his buddies in the House are doing, or not doing. Anyway, kudos to President Obama for really telling it like it is in Austin, Texas!
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom
I think Mr. Obama ought to outright call for his own impeachment and demand that Palin chair the committee. That ought'a fix her little red wagon.
ReplyDeleteObama can, and should, be impeached. However, the corrupt Democrats in the Senate would block conviction. Therefore, I believe the people themselves should take the initiative and remove Obama from office by following the process outlined in chapter 19 of John Locke’s “Second Treatise of Government.” I outline the reasons why Obama should be removed from office and Locke’s prescription for putting the old form of government, i.e., our constitutional republic, into new hands in a short book, which can be downloaded at www.chapter19.us/whatthen.pdf
ReplyDelete