Obama’s Authoritarian Style

From James Taranto, "Obama’s Authoritarian Style":

Last Thursday, as the Roanoke Times reports, Obama appeared at a rally for Creigh Deeds, Virginia’s Democratic nominee for governor:

Obama also did some campaigning for himself, defending his administration’s efforts to fix the economy and blistering Republican critics, who he blamed for creating the crisis he inherited.

“I expect to be held responsible,” Obama said. “But I don’t want the folks who created the mess to do a lot of talking. I want them to get out of the way so we can clean up the mess. I don’t mind cleaning up after them, but don’t do a lot of talking.”

Video is here, though the passage is strangely omitted from the official White House transcript.

Now, it is perfectly acceptable, if not presidential, for Obama to keep disparaging the Republicans and the previous administration. But “don’t do a lot of talking” crosses a line. This is America, and they have a constitutional right to talk all they want. “Get out of the way” is problematic as well. The Republicans whose terms ended after the last election are out of the way, having left office to make way for Obama, his men and his allies in Congress. What can the president possibly mean here other than that he demands that they stop participating in politics--again, something that, in America, they have a perfect right to do?

Also on Thursday, according to Politico, “top White House aides gave Senate Democrats a recess battle plan”:

[The aides] showed video clips of the confrontational town halls that have dominated the media coverage, and told senators to do more prep work than usual for their public meetings by making sure their own supporters turn out, senators and aides said.

And they screened TV ads and reviewed the various campaigns by critics of the Democratic plan.

“If you get hit, we will punch back twice as hard,” [Deputy Chief of Staff Jim] Messina said, according to an official who attended the meeting.

Normally one would not take Messina’s statement seriously. Politicians are always “fighting” for their constituents, running “attack” ads, getting “into the ring,” waging “war” on this or that social problem and otherwise playing at combat.

But Messina knew that the Democrats were busy portraying citizens who oppose ObamaCare as a violent “mob,” and in that context this becomes more than a clichéd pretense. In fact, some administration allies seem to have taken Messina literally ...

Taranto then discusses the SEIU beating of Kenneth Gladney, which is being covered extensively by Gateway Pundit.

Now TBogg and Daily Kos are making ugly racist attacks on Gladney, and Gateway Pundit responds: "Fact Versus Fiction: Kenneth Gladney Corrects the Leftist Lies About the SEIU Attack That Put Him In the Hospital (Video)."

See also, Andrew Breitbart, "I am Kenneth Gladney." (Via Memeorandum.)