Friday, February 6, 2015

"Rooting for Failure" Examples: 2009

EXAMPLES AND ANALYSIS: 2009 "Rooting for Failure"
"But what I reject is when some folks decide to sit on the sidelines and root for failure on health care, or they root for failure on reforming our energy system, or they root for failure on getting the Olympics."
-- President Barack Obama, October 20, 2009.

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"It appears that the Republican Party leadership in the Congress has made a decision that they want to deny President Obama success, which means, in my mind, they are rooting against the country, as well".
-- Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), July 7, 2009.

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"I got a request here from a major American print publication. "Dear Rush: For the Obama [Immaculate] Inauguration we are asking a handful of very prominent politicians, statesmen, scholars, businessmen, commentators, and economists to write 400 words on their hope for the Obama presidency. We would love to include you. If you could send us 400 words on your hope for the Obama presidency, we need it by Monday night, that would be ideal." … I disagree fervently with the people on our side of the aisle who have caved and who say, "Well, I hope he succeeds. We've got to give him a chance." Why? They didn't give Bush a chance in 2000. … I've been listening to Barack Obama for a year-and-a-half. I know what his politics are. I know what his plans are, as he has stated them. I don't want them to succeed. … I do not want the government in charge of all of these things. I don't want this to work. So I'm thinking of replying to the guy, "Okay, I'll send you a response, but I don't need 400 words, I need four: I hope he fails." … Why not? Why is it any different, what's new, what is unfair about my saying I hope liberalism fails? Liberalism is our problem. … Were the liberals out there hoping Bush succeeded or were they out there trying to destroy him before he was even inaugurated? Why do we have to play the game by their rules?"
-- Radio pundit Rush Limbaugh, January 16, 2009.

Comment: Limbaugh was strongly criticized for saying "I hope he fails", as if he were hoping that the country would fail. But it is clear from the monologue that he is saying he believes liberal policies are bad for the country and so he hopes Obama fails to implement liberal policies (just like liberals believe that conservative policies are bad for the country and therefore hope that presidents don't succeed in implementing conservative policies). Also, Limbaugh is making a tit-for-tat argument that conservatives should treat Obama with the same contempt as liberals treated President George W. Bush. However, is retaliating in kind really the best response in this situation?

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