Supreme Court Nomination Drama Just Latest Slight Aimed at Obama - Higher Education

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Supreme Court Nomination Drama Just Latest Slight Aimed at Obama


Just when you thought that the level of mean-spirited arrogance directed toward President Obama could not get any more disgraceful, a new example comes along to add to a long list of blatant slights and disrespectful behavior. Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia’s body was barely cold before a civil war of words began to make the rounds throughout Washington and the nation at large.


Imagine that, telling the leader of the free world to basically “forget it” we are not going to consider, let alone confirm any Supreme Court nominee you put forth. Ridiculous and disgraceful! There are conservative operatives such as GOP presidential candidates Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz and others who have made largely unconvincing arguments by either inadvertently or purposely misinterpreting the Constitution in an effort to give credence to the position they have staked out in an effort to curry favor with their right wing constituencies. It is a sad commentary for sure.

Needless to say, there is a more fundamental reason for the level of blatant disrespect and obstruction that has confronted President Obama during his tenure as the nation’s first Black president—race, period. It’s that simple. From the minute he was sworn in as the nation’s 44th president, this president (and, in some cases, his wife) have been the victim(s) of unrelenting vitriol from a segment of the population that has become emotionally unhinged at the reality of a Black man and his family residing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.




·         The fraudulent birther issue led by Orly Taitz and championed by Donald Trump—now the GOP front-runner for the presidential nomination—that raised questions about the president’s citizenship.


·         Congressman Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) yelling “you lie” at the president during his state of the union speech in 2010.



·         The House GOP—before notifying the White House—invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address a joint session to denounce negotiations with Iran on limiting its nuclear program.

·         Former Arizona governor Jan Brewer directly shaking her finger in the president’s face.

·         Newt Gingrich referring to the president’s “anti-colonial behavior.”

The list goes on and on.



There certainly seems to be considerable evidence of such an argument. Even former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, a Reagan nominee, has expressed her dismay with the actions of some Senate Republicans and makes a strong case for the process of choosing and confirming a justice to proceed quickly.


That being said, it can be frustrating to see President Obama (too often as far as I am concerned) hold back from calling out such behavior for what it is. Rather, he often decides to engage in a form of an “it’s partly my fault” position. It is as if he has become afflicted with a mild degree of Stockholm syndrome. This is disappointing.


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