Political Limbo

How low can we go? The topic of Dick Cheyney’s recent comments to CNN came up at lunch today. I can’t defend Cheyney too much when he accuses another administration of expanding the power of executive branch, but I would like to question the response of the Obama Administration. It has been quite some time since I’ve heard the buzz words, hope and change, from the administration. Now, instead of brushing off idle criticism from talking heads and staying positive, we have Press Secretary Robert Gibbs exchanging jabs with Cheyney and Limbaugh and taking up valuable press time. For a campaign that was so practiced at staying “on message” in the face of criticism and promising bi-partisanship, it seems like the old addage is true – the more things “change”, the more they stay the same.

In times of economic turmoil, more AIG bailout money bonuses, escalating war in Afghanistan and cuts in medical funding for Veterans, couldn’t the press secretary address more urgent matters than playing into a failed, old man’s attempt to stay in the media spotlight? Our former president suffered under innumerable, daily attacks from every politician (including Obama) and journalist on the left and rarely allowed his press secretary to stoop to the sarcastic tone shown by Gibbs today. The current President and his staff do have the right to defend themselves, but they should at least do so by citing facts and not invoking Rush Limbaugh and the “Republican cabal.” I expect this kind of language from Chris Matthews but not from someone representing the highest office in the land.

Perhaps the reason Cheyney still produces such a visceral response from Gibbs and the Obama administration is that there is a kernel of truth in the ex-Sith Lord’s criticism. Despite the change in Gitmo’s status, the unnecessary expansion of executive power that occurred under Bush has continued under Obama, specifically in areas of secrecy and eavesdropping. He also appears to be expanding government power again in the arena of health care. Just because the man at the head of the Executive branch has changed, we should not expect a change in the level of media criticism directed towards it. So let’s leave the bodies of the Bush administration sleep where they lie and leave the Limbaugh attacks to MSNBC. And if the Obama Administration really wants to differentiate themselves from Bush and Cheyney, the next time a member of the media actually breaks rank and does their job by asking a tough question they should act professionally and provide a substantive response.