Obama and Clinton

http://www.futureofcapitalism.com/2009/09/obama-and-clinton

Charles Krauthammer looks at the way the high expectations for President Obama may constrain his rhetoric, or shape the popular response to it, in ways different than President Clinton: "Slickness wasn't fatal to 'Slick Willie' Clinton because he possessed a winning, near irresistible charm. Obama's persona is more cool, distant, imperial. The charming scoundrel can get away with endless deception; the righteous redeemer cannot." It may look that way in retrospect, but a lot of the same people who are now complaining about Mr. Obama now didn't find Mr. Clinton particularly charming, either, back at the time. It's also interesting to see a column written about presidential deception without any reference to George W. Bush, who managed in a way to meld the righteous redeemer and the charming scoundrel personality types, and who was accused of lying over and over again by Paul Krugman and by various anti-war protesters. Yet another example of how quickly things can change.

by Editor  |  Sep 20, 2009 at 11:43 pm Related Topics:  Health Care receive the latest by email: subscribe to the free futureofcapitalism.com mailing list