OBAMA: GOP is shooting blanks

The image projected by many in the Republican Party these days — and a number of office holders, sadly — is that of a little, little man carrying a very large magnifying glass. He’s on his hands and knees, tracking the president, turning over every leaf, rock and clump of dirt that may have been touched by the president’s shoe, keen to find anything vaguely suspicious. And when he finds it, up he jumps, waving it over his head, shouting what sounds like, “Benghazi! Benghazi!” or “IRS! IRS!”

Don’t try to talk to him about anything else. Government or governing? He doesn’t seem interested. Or maybe he’s hard of hearing.

All and all, Republicans are rather good on the attack. They’re organized and loud. But, in my opinion, so many of their attacks appear relatively weightless. They seldom tip any scale that really matters. Consider the issues Republicans are now fixated on in their attacks on President Obama and compare them to our bloody invasion of Iraq and all the horrible consequences that came out of that. Thousands of good men and women, by the way — some of the very best amongst us — are still suffering and coping in the aftermath of Iraq. And they will continue to for the rest of their lives.

I don’t know, but I think it’s a question that must have an answer: How much moral authority can anyone claim to have, attacking Obama, when they have no criticism at all of his predecessor — the white Republican? Remember him? The one who lied and people died.

DEL CAMERON

Coeur d’Alene