So much for the reality based community
by digby
See, This is the problem: the overarching --- and very obvious --- belief in their own unique abilities. Even the Reagan hagiographers (mostly) waitited until he was out of office to say this sort of thing:
Biden, who has said he’s the last man in the room with Obama before a tough call, often attests that his boss has a “backbone like a ramrod.”
And today he said that mettle — and the “serious problems” Obama faced upon taking office — put the president in a class of his own.
“I think I can say … no president, and I would argue in the 20th century and including now the 21st century, has had as many serious problems which are cases of first-instance laid on his table,” Biden said. “Franklin Roosevelt faced more dire consequences, but in a bizarre way it was more straightforward.”
The vice president claimed that the complexity of the 2008 financial crisis presented challenges in a way the Great Depression of 80 years ago did not
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The only way this makes sense is if he believes that the "challenges" are that Obama's domestic opposition is far stronger than that faced by Roosevelt. And that might even have some basis. I think it could be a good argument. But to imply that the problems Obama faced on a policy level were more complicated --- not to mention the scope of the problems --- is just cracked. I think we can all agree that the Great Depression and Hitler were just a little bit more difficult than dealing with this recession and Mitch McConnell. Nobody's saying those aren't tough problems, but let's keep this in perspective.
I know it's Biden and he's given to hyperbolic blather so it's not a good idea to attach too much significance to it. But as I wrote yesterday, I think they really believe this --- have believed it since the 2008 campaign and it's their Achilles heel. This overconfidence in the face of am extremely close primary campaign and now a very mixed record is a characteristic of the team and I don't think it's served them well. It's one thing to believe in your own abilities and be willing to shut out criticism. I'm sure that's necessary to reach these exalted positions of power. But it's also clear from all the evidence that's come out about the inner working of the administration (and the results, I'm afraid) that it's weakened them strategically against the Republicans.
Yes, today's GOP is pretty much stark raving mad. But a good part of the problem is the White House and the Democratic Party's consistent surprise when they act crazy --- and their ongoing confidence that it can't happen again.
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