The Obama campaign, and the Democrat party itself, is awfully sensitive these days:
Democratic House leaders are calling out President Bush for a speech in Israel in which he seemed to suggest that Sen. Barack Obama wants the United States to "negotiate with terrorists."
In his speech, Bush said: “Some seem to believe we should negotiate with terrorists and radicals, as if some ingenious argument will persuade them they have been wrong all along."
The White House insists that Bush was "referring to a wide range of people, not any single person." But Obama's campaign says it appeared to be a swipe at him, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that Bush's remarks were "beneath the dignity of the office of the president and unworthy of our representation" at the celebration of Israel's 60th anniversary.
Referring to Sen. John McCain, Pelosi said: "I would hope that any serious person that aspires to lead the country, would disassociate themselves from those comments.”
As Pelosi was speaking, House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rahm Emanuel issued a statement in which he said: "The tradition has always been that when a U.S. president is overseas, partisan politics stops at the water's edge. President Bush has now taken that principle and turned it on its head: for this White House, partisan politics now begins at the water’s edge, no matter the seriousness and gravity of the occasion. Does the president have no shame?”
If the shoe fits then wear it, and it seems that the shoe that Bush designed for the Democrats fits very well. The Democrats are not going to win over the electorate needed for a White House victory in the fall by crying like little babies whenever someone takes a political swipe at them. If they are going to cry foul, rather than address the substance of the attack, they are not likely to convince voters that they are deserving of having the White House back.
Oh, and note to Rahm Emmanuel: Many in your party have taken countless swipes at George W. Bush when he he has been overseas during his presidency.
