God save me from my friends -- I can take care of my enemies.
So President Obama must be muttering today.
Ten days ago, the president played his ace of trumps.
He went before a joint session of Congress to lay out his health care plans, confront the "demagoguery" of critics who had resorted to "distortion," "misinformation" and "tall tales," and rally progressives and Blue Dogs to reunite and drive on to victory.
Obama's speech was savagely partisan, but an undeniable success.
After an awful August of town-hall beatings, he was back on offense. As his congressional troops cheered him on, Republicans sat sullen and glum.
Not only did Obama win the night, his victory was capped by a gauche outburst of "You lie!" from South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson, which stunned a national TV audience and embarrassed his party.
Wilson's wife, Roxanne, asked him after he left the chamber, "Who's the nut that hollered out, 'You lie!'"
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Berated by his leadership, Wilson apologized and called Obama.
Rahm Emanuel took the call. The president graciously sent back word: Joe Wilson's apology is accepted.
Obama was ready to move on, as was Nancy Pelosi. But not a seething Black Caucus. Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, who represents the district next to Wilson's, demanded that Joe be made to apologize on the floor or be formally rebuked by the House.
When Pelosi and Steny Hoyer buckled to the Black Caucus demand, they, in effect, shifted the argument from, "Did Joe behave badly?" to, "Should Joe have his nose rubbed in it?"
Wilson got up on his hind legs: no more apologies. The town hall-Tea Party irregulars cheered Joe's defiance and sent checks. His Republican colleagues, saying enough is enough, rose to Wilson's defense.
But the Black Caucus pushed on.
Hank Johnson of Georgia said Wilson had "instigated" racism and must be rebuked. Or else we will "have folks putting on white hoods and white robes again, riding through the countryside intimidating people. That's the logical conclusion if this kind of conduct is not rebuked."
Came then Jimmy Carter to remind us why he sustained the worst beating of any incumbent president in a two-way race in U.S. history.
Wilson's outburst, said the Great Healer, was an act "based on racism. ... There is an inherent feeling among many in this country that an African-American should not be president."
The next day, Carter, having reaped reams of publicity, was back at it.
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