Obama's Enemies List ~ By Peter Wehner

From CommentaryMagazine.com

By Peter Wehner (No date provided) I have argued before that the tone and manner in which one practices politics are undervalued commodities, especially at a presidential level. The public looks for leaders who are large-minded rather than petty and peevish, who engage in public arguments rather than in personal attacks, who want to solve problems rather than settle scores. Tone and approach are important not simply for the aesthetics of politics but also because of what they reveal about a person's predisposition and attitude, temperament and spirit. That is but one reason why President Obama's war on Fox News -- being carried out by him and his top aides -- is so unwise. One of the attractions of Obama during the election -- one of his attractions to me, who wrote favorably about him several times -- was his tone and countenance, his apparent interest in a serious engagement with issues, and his professed allergy to politics practiced by those who are bitter and brittle. We should, he said, "resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long." He went on to say, "I will listen to you, especially when we disagree." All impressive and high-minded sentiments. And all, apparently, a ruse. We have seen from this White House Nixonian tendencies and, it would appear, a burning anger and resentment toward its critics. Whether it's Fox News, the Chamber of Commerce, or companies that sponsor reports that take issue with the administration's assessments, there seems to be a cast of mind that views critics as enemies, as individuals and institutions that need to be ridiculed, delegitimized, or ruined. Given the administration's brazen public statements, one can only imagine what is being said privately, behind closed doors, as strategies are plotted and put into effect. READ FULL STORY >