The EgoBama Strikes Back!

Good politicians are surgical with their criticism; the best ones insult with a smile and deadly precision. For being such a celebrated orator, President Obama is certainly not one of them: his statements during the health care debate have been condescending and rudely blunt, something almost unheard of from the Commander in Chief. His critiques are more Chicago mobster than Ivy League debater. He cannot let a single speech go by without singling out someone and giving them a verbal dressing down like they were a freshman late to one of his college lectures.

It's clear that on a personal level, Barack Obama hates being criticized or contradicted. As President, however, he needs to learn to roll with the punches. His ego continues to bubble to the surface at the worst times, as he openly complains for every petty argument made against him and declaring war on news organizations that don't follow him in lockstep. Nixon's "Enemies List" pales in comparison to Obama's verbal lashings against critics.

Presidents Reagan and Clinton were experts at the political jab without sounding petty or angry. They still made some attempt at civil bipartisanship. Obama gripes like you peed in his cornflakes. During his speech today to the Democratic Caucus, Obama once again burned bridges with opponents of health care, saying they didn't "walk the walk" in cutting the deficit or putting the needs of people first, a bold statement considering his reform plan does neither. His venom isn't limited to the health care debate: remember when he chewed out the Supreme Court in front of the nation during his State of the Union? If someone in the West Wing doesn't sit the President down soon and straighten him out, he'll go down in history as the most vindictive man to ever sit in the Oval Office.