American political climate = 1995 Israel?

[Valmy]

That may well be true and it may well also be true that the Republican wackjobs are more actively dangerous than the Democratic wackjobs. However, his rhetorical point (whether he's factually correct or not) is that they aren't really different and so the current accusations ratchet up the partisan rancour for no good purpose. 

Well the accusations are true...they just are not perhaps fairly aimed at the supporters of both parties.  Though I think the Democratic wackjobs are rapidly becoming just as much a threat to kill the President as the Republican ones these days.

[Sheilbh]

That is bullshit - the nutjobs on the left where saying that he was going to engineer a coup when his time was up. That is at least as crazy as anything the nutjobs on the right have been barking about.

The nuttiest on the right have been speculating that the military might launch a coup to end the 'Obama problem'.

[jimmy olsen]

General Betrayus will bring the armies of the east back home and deal with the Bushhitler's enemies.

I actually had guy I know in the army said he hoped that would happen.

[Ed Anger]

General Betrayus will bring the armies of the east back home and deal with the Bushhitler's enemies.

I actually had guy I know in the army said he hoped that would happen.

A bit of Sulla-like action would have been hilarious.

[derspiess]

Te be fair, the current RNC chairman is not exactly a fountain of wisdom, or even coherent thought.

That's racist code talk

[Valmy]

The nuttiest on the right have been speculating that the military might launch a coup to end the 'Obama problem'.

Well generally I consider it rather inevitable that eventually the professional army will take control of our government...but I doubt anytime in my lifetime.  It is just what has always happened with huge professional armies.

[jimmy olsen]

Speaking of Isreal, only 4% of Israelis believe Obama is pro-Israeli.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-10-01/a-white-house-of-self-hating-jews/?cid=hp:justposted1

[Caliga]

Blacks hate Jews, duh.

[Malthus]

Blacks hate Jews, duh.

... and the Falashas are just confused. 

[Valmy]

Speaking of Isreal, only 4% of Israelis believe Obama is pro-Israeli.

Meanwhile Al-Jazeera claims Obama is a Netanyahu puppet.

[Malthus]

Speaking of Isreal, only 4% of Israelis believe Obama is pro-Israeli.

Meanwhile Al-Jazeera claims Obama is a Netanyahu puppet.

My own impression, for what it's worth:

Obama seeks to build bridges in the region by making gestures to the Arabs, but does not wish to harm his domestic support by putting actual pressure on Israel (now under the hard-liner Netanyahu). This pisses off the Israelis, who see the "gestures" as symbolic of Obama's basic dislike of them, while it does nothing to appease the Arabs, who see the lack of pressure on Israel as 'same shit as Bush, different package'.

[Jaron]

When will Israel learn we hate "Nazis" - doesn't matter if they wear the swastika or the star of david. Start acting like a civilized nation and we'll start treating you like one!

[Valmy]

My own impression, for what it's worth:

Obama seeks to build bridges in the region by making gestures to the Arabs, but does not wish to harm his domestic support by putting actual pressure on Israel (now under the hard-liner Netanyahu). This pisses off the Israelis, who see the "gestures" as symbolic of Obama's basic dislike of them, while it does nothing to appease the Arabs, who see the lack of pressure on Israel as 'same shit as Bush, different package'.

Yeah I basically agree.  The Middle East is great because no matter what you do there will be somebody who hates you.

[DGuller]

My own impression, for what it's worth:

Obama seeks to build bridges in the region by making gestures to the Arabs, but does not wish to harm his domestic support by putting actual pressure on Israel (now under the hard-liner Netanyahu). This pisses off the Israelis, who see the "gestures" as symbolic of Obama's basic dislike of them, while it does nothing to appease the Arabs, who see the lack of pressure on Israel as 'same shit as Bush, different package'.

I think there is more to it than that.  I remember coming across a Jewish newspaper that had a bunch of experts rating presidential candidates on a "good for Israel" scale.  It was pretty early in the process, so there were more than a dozen candidates to rate from both parties.  Those ratings were updated weekly.  Giuliani obviously scored at the top, while Obama was consistently dead last.  That was long before he was in position to make any kind of overtures to the Arabs.

[DGuller]

Here it is, with a history of updates.  http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/rosnerPage.jhtml