Obama Hatred Boils Over

For some, the economic crisis has catalyzed cultural suspicion of the president
By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 16, 2009 2:20 PM CDT
Obama Hatred Boils Over
President Barack Obama waves as he walks on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Thursday, April 16, 2009, prior to departing for Mexico.   (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

President Obama has enjoyed a pretty good week—the rescue of the kidnapped cargo-ship captain went swimmingly, and the first family enjoyed some softball coverage of its new dog. But this week also saw the boiling-over of the segment of Americans who loathe the president, observes the Economist. Besides the tax day “tea party” protests, the American Spectator compared Obama to Mussolini, and the conservative blogosphere has reclaimed the word “fascist” from the left with gusto.

Why? Despite his best PR efforts, Obama remains an Ivy League, big-city liberal, and therefore distrusted by some conservative elements. But the economic crisis, stimulus, and bailouts have “transformed this cultural suspicion into a much more potent political force.” Bush hatred eventually spread from a liberal core to most of the country—but irrational Obama hatred could pigeonhole right-wingers as ineffectual naysayers.
(More Barack Obama stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X