At a recent breakfast event, Carville, a longtime Democratic powerhouse and leading political consultant, remarked jokingly, “If Hillary [Clinton] gave up one of her balls and gave it to Obama, he’d have two.”
Carville was unapologetic for the crude jest, only saying that his comment was a joke and that there was no need for further analysis. Carville brushed aside an explanation as to why he would disrespect the president’s manhood, but it is clear that he and others within the DNC have angst over the president’s policies.
Longtime political observers remember what Carville said when women were accusing President Clinton of serial sexual harassment and rampant infidelities, Carville famously barked in Clinton’s defense, “You never know what you’re going to get when you drag a dollar bill through a trailer park.” That, of course, was to mean that low-level trailer trash were trying to come up in life at Clinton’s expense.
Why the blatant displays of disrespect? There are those on the left who’ve long felt that President Obama failed to exploit the Democratic advantage in Congress to get things done that would appease the voting blocks that got him elected. Many of his campaign promises about the war, education, the criminal justice system and other areas were not kept, and quite a few on the left were aghast with Obama’s response to the BP oil crisis this summer. The slogan “Change You Can Believe In” is rarely spoken anymore. If anything it has become the object of scorn by the radical right wing.
Sports reporters often state that what gets you to the top is different than what keeps you there. Obama’s famously even-keeled and laid-back disposition scored major points back during the historic campaign of 2008. But as president, this character trait comes off as aloof, weak and indecisive, particularly in light of today’s economic and political atmosphere.
Some say this lack of exemplifying real strength publicly contributed to the Democrats being mauled at the recent election. In the wake of that bloodbath, the political right have become emboldened to take wild swings at the president’s head.
But it is quite another thing altogether to have a so-called ally pointing the weapon at his own leader and firing away. Granted, Carville backed Hillary Clinton for president and never really accepted Obama’s come-from-behind victory in the elections.
The president may have to begin to show spells of anger and strength in order to quell the rising tide of discontent within his own party. –terry shropshire
