Litmus voters are paying attention — and so are Democrats. It is hard to fathom what Republicans want from Obama. Tears? A public declaration of love? Several years back, some insisted that Obama wasn’t a patriot because he didn’t want to wear a flag lapel pin. This was absurd on its face. Wear a little flag pin and we’re all good? Refuse to wear one and you might be a Muslim operative?
Giuliani’s comments followed closely on the heels of Obama’s much-criticized speech at the National Prayer Breakfast, which did fall short of inspiring, one has to admit. In his attempt to appear humble, the president tried to give equal time to our nation’s flaws.
It isn’t really so shocking that Obama’s too-careful wording might cause someone like Giuliani to react strongly in the moment. The fact that Republicans aren’t eager to distance themselves from the comments suggests that there are enough on the right who agree with him that a denunciation might be risky.
An idiotic question
The first summoned to the interrogatory was Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, for whom the dinner was intended when Giuliani stole the show. Walker has been asked repeatedly whether he thinks Obama loves America, an idiotic question that only a fool would answer except to say, “Absolutely!”
Instead, Walker grabbed a shovel and starting digging a hole right next to Giuliani’s. Though he first replied that he didn’t feel he needed to comment on Giuliani’s comments, he later said he doesn’t know if Obama is a Christian.
Well, of course he doesn’t “know,” but everyone knows what Obama has said. He’s a Christian. I’m no less inclined to believe the president when he says he’s a Christian than I am to believe Walker when he says he’s one. If either man is a fake Christian, he has plenty of company, the fact of which makes very little difference to most Americans.
This is all politics, in other words, and Republican candidates need to get smarter. Litmus tests will keep coming their way, and anyone seriously considering running for president needs to know what he thinks before he’s asked. When the camera is running is no time to share one’s deliberations.
It seems that Walker could use better advisers and advance people — and the president might want to shake up his speech-writing department. In the meantime, only Giuliani owns his opinions. Too bad they’re so repugnant.