100 Days of Competence Versus Crazy

Bob Cesca
One of the most striking aspects of President Obama's first 100 days has been his ability to not necessarily "feel our pain" but instead to become a role model for how we should deal with our pain. In other words, we're all in the shit -- even the president -- but here's how best to deal with it: remain calm, think clearly, set an agenda, and make sure to spend time with your family. (Because, as the famous line goes, "a man who doesn't spend time with his family can never be a real man.")
There's a classic astronaut quality to President Obama in that, so far, he's been able to confront enormous strain with a cool but competent grasp of the mission -- there appears to be a natural respect for his duty as well as for the 300 million people he's serving. President Obama's first 100 days haven't been flawless, but considering the Apollo 13 nature of the situation he inherited, his errors could've been far more serious.
Meanwhile, his opposition has behaved like a googly-eyed, flop-sweat soaked mess -- crapping their cages and shouting gibberish about the end of the world.
The striking contrast between President Obama's grace under pressure and the apoplectic insanity of Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck or Michele Bachmann is the Republican Party's greatest weakness. They're missing the narrative for the sake of blind rage. Rather than grasping, as the president has, the very simple concept that, in general, people under tremendous stress don't respond well to screeching maniacs -- especially screeching maniacs who are clearly making things up as they go -- the Republicans have, by design or by instinct, embraced this screeching maniac base. LinkHere