Democrats Eat Their Young

So I don’t remember a whole lot about what the New York Times was saying when Bill Clinton took office in 1992. I was cognizant of the fact that many people thought the transition was poorly handled and that FOBs (Friends of Bill) had over run Washington and were pissing off everyone in sight. I was also a junior in high school and fairly certain I hated Bill Clinton as I was a Republican.

When it comes to George W. Bush’s first year in office, all I remember is 9/11. It’s eclipsed what I remember people saying about the transition and whether or not it was smooth. I remember John McCain was in there mucking around but I don’t recall an entire editorial section of the Wall Street Journal devoted to how horribly Bush was handling the Presidency.

Which brings me to my question of the day: Do Democrats always eat their young? At a time of unparalleled crisis in our nation, rivaled only in recent years by the 9/11 attacks, you would think the Democrats would be throwing all their weight and support behind President Obama and trying to make his agenda work. Instead, what we’re seeing is a public therapy session in which all Democrats are revealing their deep seated insecurities that Obama really isn’t good enough. Instead of supporting the most popular President in recent memory they’re devoting entire sections of the New York Times on Sunday to telling him, publicly, that they think he’s terrible. That his handling of the government is too slow, obtuse and he’s too ambitious. It’s like hearing your Dad say, “Do you really want to try and do a double major? I mean, I think you’re smart and all, but do you really think you can handle both Physics and Chemical Engineering?”

Does anyone realize what a mammoth bureaucracy Barack Obama is dealing with and how he’s trying to jump start it faster than anyone else has and yet it’s wheels are still grinding slowly as if it’s stuck in first gear? (Too many car metaphors in one sentence?) The Treasury Department can’t possibly have all its people in place. Kathleen Sebelius hasn’t even had confirmation hearings yet for Health Secretary. He’s doing all this while still managing to pass a stimulus bill through a Congress, controlled by Democrats, that fought him every step of the way.

I don’t know what Republicans would do in this situation and given the current crop of Republican leaders out there I’m glad I don’t have to find out. I do know that it shocks me that Democrats, in the third month of a brand new Presidency, are already tearing down their own saying the nation lacks “inspirational leadership.” Perhaps it lacks inspirational leadership because the only person saying “Yes we can” is the man who coined the phrase.