Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 06:38 pm
President Obama called out Republicans for being afraid of the media and orphans, as he took the cowardly GOP to task during a meeting with reporters in the Philippines.
While meeting with reporters in the Philippines, President Obama said:
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I cannot think of a more potent recruitment tool for ISIL than some of the rhetoric coming out of here in the course of this debate. ISIL seeks to exploit the idea that there’s war between Islam and the West, and when you start seeing individuals in positions of responsibility suggesting Christians are more worthy of protection than Muslims are in a war-torn land that feeds the ISIL narrative. It’s counter productive. And it needs to stop. And I would add these are the same folks who suggested they’re so tough that just talk to Putin or staring down ISIL (will work) .. but they’re scared of widows and orphans coming into the United States of America as part of our tradition of compassion. First they were worried the press was too tough on them in the debates; now they’re worried about 3-year old orphans. That doesn’t sound very tough to me.
They’ve been playing on fear to score political points or to advance their campaigns and it’s irresponsible. It needs to stop because the world is watching. I was proud after the attacks in Boston took place and we did not resort to fear and panic. Boston Strong. People went to the ball game that same week and sang the national anthem. And went back to the stores and went back to the streets. That’s how you defeat ISIL, not by trying to divide the country or suggest our tradition of compassion should start now.
The President is zeroing in on the Republican Party’s darkest weakness and letting the world know the truth about them. Republicans aren’t tough. Republicans aren’t people of action. The truth is that Republicans are afraid. The Republican Party is a party of fear.
Post-9/11, the Republican Party used fear of terrorists as a political weapon to gain more power, but in the decade-plus since George W. Bush’s reelection, Republicans have changed from a party that used fear to a party that lives in fear. Republicans are governed by fear. Their basic fear is what Donald Trump has been able to exploit with bigoted immigration platform.
The louder Republicans get, and the tougher they talk, the more frightened they are. The GOP is not a party of strong leadership. The Republican Party is driven by reactionary fear. Republican presidential candidates are afraid of difficult debate questions. Their candidates are afraid of refugees who are fleeing terrorists and orphans who have been victimized by the cruelties of war and terror.
Obama was correct. Republicans are cowards. President Obama has routinely defeated Republicans because he understands their fears and he is not afraid. Barack Obama is the kind of leader that Republicans wish they could be.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
