President Obama just makes things so polarizing...

[MrScorpio]

“Many Republicans searching for something to say in defense of the disastrous shutdown strategy will say President Obama just doesn’t try hard enough to communicate with Republicans. But in a ‘negotiation’ meeting with the president, one GOP House Leader told the president: ‘I cannot even stand to look at you.’ What are the chances of an honest conversation with someone who has just said something so disrespectful?”
— Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL)

[treestar]

1. Wonder which one that was

Republican whine-a-thon. They make demands and expect them to be met right away and call that "negotiating?"

[Cha]

52. I'm sure it was an asshole that I can't even stand to look at. nm

[treestar]

56. Maybe the Orangeman

There was something out there to the effect he was upset.

[Cha]

59. brawawawaa.. boner had reason to be pissed..

[treestar]

73. More reasons for him to cry

boo hoo Boner!

[JoePhilly]

101. +1

[spooky3]

2. That would be a stunning admission in normal times, but with these GOPers, nothing surprises me.

I'm very glad Durbin made this public.

[bermudat]

3. If this is true, why is the name of the House Leader being kept a secret?

[rurallib]

83. there have only been a few foks in those meetings

Repub from the house really narrows it down.
I don't think Boehner is that much of an asshole, but Cantor sure is.

[BluegrassStateBlues]

4. WTF? Who talks like that to the President? nt

[Enrique]

10. or to anyone?

[JHB]

12. The same kind who interrupts the State of the Union address with "YOU LIE!"

[RiffRandell]

61. Exactly what I was thinking.

How about this Republicans? I HATE looking at every single one of your faces, which are phony, ugly, stiff and fucked up in some way or another...think turtle MM, Boehner, and Ted Cruz....ICK.

The sight of every one of you DISGUSTS me and then you start talking and I want to bash my tv in. End of rant.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

91. Exactly. After this happened, how can we be surprised?

Disgusted, sure, but surprised, nope.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

96. Did you notice the camera was directed toward Rep. Wilson?

Out of 635+ people in the room, the camera just happened to be pointed toward him at the time he made his yell. Also, he did it twice -- once while everyone was applauding and since he was drowned out that time he waited until everyone had settled down before insulting the President.

Stuff like that doesn't happen by accident.

[tavalon]

125. That was so fucking rude, wasn't it?

[AAO]

21. The person I have least respect for a my job, I'd never say that to.

That is downright evil, and un-American (see dictionary under: racism).

[BluegrassStateBlues]

44. If a Dem rep had talked to Bush like that...

They would have been crucified by the media as some kind of unamerican traitor.

[get the red out]

105. Exactly!

I am so disgusted with these people. There aren't words to describe how humiliated I feel that they are even a part of our government in any way.

[vduhr]

119. Like I've always told my son AND my grandson....

Never allow someone bad to make you feel bad about yourself. They are not worth making you feel humiliated.

[Cha]

54. Look at how many wouldn't go to the White House to

meet with Pres Obama.

[raccoon]

57. Joe wilson, maybe, that paragon of manners? :sarcasm: nt

[Orsino]

109. Someone who is admitting he is unable to do his job. n/t

[Mike Nelson]

5. Durbin should reveal...

...who said this.

[progressoid]

25. I'm not sure that's a good idea.

It would likely make that GOPer more popular with his/her constituency.

[brer cat]

82. I feel sure that he/she has made certain that it was told to everyone

in the circle, with a little chuckle at the end. "See how I put that #&(* in his place."

[chuckstevens]

6. Call them out by name!

Had I been Durbin, I would have done it!

[brush]

7. And that is who the repugs bring to a meeting with the President.

Who are these a holes? Someone thought that person should be included in negotiations with the President?

God! The repugs need to rethink everything if they thought that was a good idea.

[AAO]

24. These people have the societal development of 4 year olds.

[lunasun]

8. i actually heard some nutbag yesterday say Obama is polarizing and too hard on pukes

[oswaldactedalone]

11. Such BS

Standing up to the 'pukes is long overdue on the part of Dems. They've run roughshod over America since the late '80s with their total control of the media narrative. We need to keep kicking their ass, a little harder and stronger, every day.

[lunasun]

14. But it is Obama so the BS is OK cuz you know, she is an old nutbag and well ...it's Obama

[awoke_in_2003]

71. I love these "thanks, Obama" gifs. nt

[stonecutter357]

100. .

[awoke_in_2003]

113. Another good one. nt

[nightscanner59]

111. Let me stop laughing long enough to save that one

Are there more of those? I stole that one to reply to idiots on SodaHead who still blame Obama for the shutdown. That one is so appropriate for certain RWNJ's I "argue" with there.

[JHB]

17. Look up "Bill Clinton was a polarizing figure" sometime...

...or just "Clinton was a polarizing figure" to include Hillary.

They and Obama were "polarizing" because the Republicans actively chose to attack them early and often. They constructed false caricatures: for Clinton they painted him as dope-smokin' draft-dogin' Hippie Bill and pointed RWers Hippie Hate at him; for Hillary, likewise about the Right's caricature of Feminists; For Obama they did part that, part 60s black nationalist, and part that olde tyme racism.

They aren't polarizing because of anything they're actually doing, they're "polarizing" because the Right fires up their base by framing everything as a crusade against evil-on-a-stick.

[Beartracks]

39. This ^^^. Sorry, RWers, you're just polarizing yourself. n/t

[BlancheSplanchnik]

66. yep. and the flying monkeys M$M brings us repuke puke

framed as if it were respectable opinion rather than the psychotic ramblings of people who spray spittle as they rant.

False rebuttal, phony equivalence, ignorance casseroles--but M$$M serves the monkey feces up on silver platters, framed by cialis and constipated ladies ads.

[spooky3]

9. Do you have a link for this? I just did a couple of searches--no luck.

[1KansasDem]

15. No luck for me either

[Igel]

22. Durbin's facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/dickdurbin

That's it. No context.

"You're black. I can't even stand to look at you."

"Given how dismissive you were of my opinion just now, I'm so mad I can't even stand to look at you."

Rather different things.

Made worse by the fact that we seldom remember words said but instead what we understood to have been said, then "pour" that remembered meaning into the appropriate words. Sometimes it works fine. But if you didn't understand or don't remember well, you misquote.

It's especially ridiculous when asking older people whose first language is mostly forgotten about what their parents said during their childhood. They get confused. "I remember, my father always used to tell me" and then they quote their father and emphasize those were the very words he used. A moment later they realize they quoted their father in a language that their parents didn't ever speak, so he couldn't have used those words. That's the nature of human memory and how it interfaces with language. I can quote Pushkin and Dostoevsky, but have a bit of a problem: My spoken Russian's rusty, I read the writers only in Russian, and the quotes naturally come out in English. They're pretty consistent quotes, as well.

[Tx4obama]

27. The full Durbin post says...

"Many Republicans searching for something to say in defense of the disastrous shutdown strategy will say President Obama just doesn't try hard enough to communicate with Republicans. But in a "negotiation" meeting with the president, one GOP House Leader told the president: "I cannot even stand to look at you."

What are the chances of an honest conversation with someone who has just said something so disrespectful?"

https://www.facebook.com/dickdurbin

[JDPriestly]

38. Either statement reflects a lack of statesmanship, a lack of personal control, a lack of judgment,

a lack of willingness to negotiate, a temper that has lost it and probably never found it in the first place and very bad character.

I would not say that to anyone ever.

It isn't so much that it insulted the President although it did. It is that it reflects the immaturity and spoiled-bratness of the Republican leadership.

Has anyone on DU ever said such a thing to another person? I haven't. Not ever. I would be ashamed to say such a thing. Only a very weak person would say that. Only an inarticulate, rather stupid person would say that. It reflects a lack of intelligence, an inability to argue effectively, a lack of creativity, a lack of ideas. It's pitiful.

There is no right way to say what was said.

[Tx4obama]

28. The full Durbin post says...

"Many Republicans searching for something to say in defense of the disastrous shutdown strategy will say President Obama just doesn't try hard enough to communicate with Republicans. But in a "negotiation" meeting with the president, one GOP House Leader told the president: "I cannot even stand to look at you."

What are the chances of an honest conversation with someone who has just said something so disrespectful?"

https://www.facebook.com/dickdurbin

[spooky3]

32. Thank you.

[1KansasDem]

65. Not a lot of negotiation gonna happen there.

[dragonfly301]

20. Me either

It's totally plausible but I'd just like to see a link before i get sucked into a rabbit hole of rage.

[Tx4obama]

29. Here's a link

https://www.facebook.com/dickdurbin

[dragonfly301]

81. thx for the link nt

[JHB]

23. It's from Durbin's Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/dickdurbin/posts/10151913678099303

[spooky3]

33. Thank you.

[Tx4obama]

26. It's on Durbin's facebook page on link below

Here: https://www.facebook.com/dickdurbin

[Cha]

55. thanks Tx.. you're a busy

little helper!

[Kolesar]

123. Thanks. Sharing! ... eom

[libdem4life]

13. We need to start calling out racism again. Face it, for millions, a black president is a role model

and PBO adds to that with his calm and grace under fire.

But for too many others, he became their "better". They wanted to pull him down from the first and cause him to fail. We are still back on the plantation in many ways and the meme that we've moved on and don't face that tacky issue of racism... may be true for some, but not the putrid core. It's just morphed into a more socially polite form, but still there nonetheless.

[get the red out]

106. It's all racism

I'm at the point where I think that racism is pushing the whole damned Republican/'Bagger apple cart. It's the engine that fuels the entire thing right down to the RW Religious branches (disguised as Churches) of the GOP.

[libdem4life]

115. What's even more disturbing is that it is coded or like a dog whistle. It's just gone underground

into wink-wink, nudge-nudge kinds of reference. Harder to call out. No separate facilities, back of the bus kind, KKK kinds of things. Thankfully progress, but still nowhere near equal.

[get the red out]

117. Yes, but so incidious

I doubt the Tea Party would even exist if the President were a white, male Democrat with exactly the same policies as President Obama.

[stage left]

16. Someone needs to learn some respect

for the man who is currently the President of the United States and for the office itself. It deserves respect and so does President Obama. I don't know how he keeps himself from smacking a few of them silly, other than that he has more class in his little finger than any of them has in their whole body.

[grammiepammie]

72. stage left

Thank you. I so agree.

[IrishAyes]

18. Yes, it's horrible indeed, and Sen. Durbin was correct.

But I still don't imagine President Obama lost any sleep over it either. Which GOP clown was it that stood up at a State of the Union address and screamed, "YOU LIE!" ?? That was pretty awful too. They're rotten excuses for human beings.

[Curmudgeoness]

31. That would have been Rep. Joe Wilson, R-SC.

And yes, this comment is just as despicable. The only difference it that it was done behind closed doors, so we don't know who the shithead is that said it....yet.

[IrishAyes]

42. We could start a lottery, sell tickets cheap, and

the person or persons who guess the right suspect could hand over the dough to the DSCC.

[fadedrose]

79. He gets my vote

except that he's not smart enough to say it behind closed doors, so it must have been somebody brighter than him - that would mean it could be any one of 233 Republicans.

[AAO]

19. This man is happy BO isn't the dictator they all call him

or this fool would be minus a head.

[IrishAyes]

45. Well, technically the guy IS missing a head in a way.

The noggin's stuffed with nothing but hot air, cotton, and leftover digestive rejects.

[ProfessorGAC]

104. Well Then, He Does Have A Head

It's the parts that are missing.
GAC

[bobGandolf]

30. Unfreaking believable!

I can't believe the lack of respect.

[Bigmack]

34. Imagine somebody saying that to Lyndon Johnson....

That asshole sent me to Vietnam, but he certainly knew how to handle that kind of disrespect.

The poor fucker who said that would have ample opportunity to regret it.

Or Nixon... Jesus! I shudder thinking about it.

[gopiscrap]

35. how about republicans: you are a bunch of ignorant,

racist fucks and couldn't pull your head out of your ass to do what's right for the American people?

[JDPriestly]

36. OK. Senator Durbin. You're right about the disrespect.

Now why not show your respect for seniors and stand strong against defaulting on Social Security. Cutting benefits for seniors through chained CPI is just a default by another name. Be honest now. The bravado is dramatic and sounds great. But it is time to stand for baby boomers and seniors. Taxing all imports would solve the problem. Jobs would return. Pay would rise and the Social Security Trust Fund would have plenty of money.

I am skeptical that the chained CPI or any strategy that cuts benefits for today's seniors will help any shortfall, real or imaginary, in the Social Security Trust Fund.

It will just lower our GDP. Why? Because Social Security beneficiaries, the seniors of America, spend their Social Security checks for things they NEED like housing, medical care and pharmaceuticals, things that are produced and used and paid for in the US. The percentage of the Social Security checks that goes for items like computers that create jobs offshore is small compared to the percentage of other paychecks that go for computers, children's clothing, etc. that are imported.

It's our imports that are causing the problem in our economy. Too many Americans still can't find jobs and too many who have jobs are underemployed and earning low wages. Social Security recipients spend their money on goods and services made in the USA. Money handed to Social Security recipients makes America strong.

That same money left in the trust fund of someone in the 1% is "invested" overseas, spent on cruises or on gambling in Macao or a vacation in Italy or electronic gadgets made in China or some other country.

It doesn't make economic sense to cut Social Security.

[DallasNE]

37. Sounds Like Someone Just Found Out That Obama Is Still Black

So he still can't stand to look at him. Funny how Bush could start two wars, one under false pretenses, and he was just fine with Bush. Interesting how nobody every quantifies the source for this extreme hatred of Obama. It can't be because he passed a long overdue health care bill. So just what is it. That's right, Obama is still black.

[BumRushDaShow]

40. So to DU - Is it racism yet? nt

[barnabas63]

48. Always has been...nt

[Chief D]

41. This to OUR Commander-in-Chief

Talk about having a negative impact on The Office of the President of the United States. No matter who the man or woman, this will have a negative impact on future Presidents and also our standing in the world. Shouldn't this call for some type of investigation in the House for conduct unbecoming of a Congressperson. This has to be some type of violation of House Ethics Rules. It has to cause one to think and wonder, has this ever happened to another President of these United States by someone on the other side of the isle, publicly displaying open contempt toward the person or the office. I'm Just Saying,

[IrishAyes]

43. Well, I do remember the GOP laughing uproariously (or drunkenly) when President Clinton

entered the chambers to give a State of the Union. But even Bill got off easy compared to how they treat this President, whose shoes I don't think they're fit to tie. Although THEY are fit to BE tied now!

[surrealAmerican]

51. Traditionally, it would be the Speaker who enforces ...

... behavioral standards for House members. Action from that source would be exceedingly unlikely given the circumstances.

[ailsagirl]

97. That is an outrage.

Those crackpots are sick, pathetic freaks that our country could do very nicely without. Can't they move someplace else?? We voted Mr. Obama in-- LEGALLY-- not once but twice. GET OVER IT, morons!!!

[calimary]

46. Just vile. How dare they?

I STILL think we should play hard-ass and remind them of the lack-of-fun-and-smirking and potential trouble there is in obstructing or attacking or attempting to destroy the Commander-in-Chief during WARTIME.

[Fla Dem]

47. Well, other than Boehner, there are only 2 other GOP House leaders.

Using a strict definition of "GOP House Leader"

GOP Majority Leader of the United States House of Representatives...Eric Cantor

GOP Majority Whip of the United States House of Representatives...Kevin McCarthy

[MrScorpio]

49. My bet is McCarthy

Cantor is actually too much of a wimp.

[Fla Dem]

58. That would be my take too. nt

[2naSalit]

68. I think it may have been

Cantor or Ryan. I don't think Boehner has the cajones to do something like that, besides even if he was that much of a racist he's more "old school" and would likely have a little more tact than that.

[alp227]

50. ‘I cannot even stand to look at you.’

Translation: "You're a (redacted racial slur)."

[samsingh]

53. only because Obama is standing up to the traitors and idiots in the repug hordes

[hue]

60. Whoever this was it looks like a common sentiment among Tea/Repukes. Disgusting!! n/t

[CrispyQ]

62. Holy fuck. They are like spoiled little children.

[yuiyoshida]

108. spoiled children can be

disciplined.. but how do you discipline a Republican Senator? Its not like Major League baseball, where they can be fined by the Commissioner, or like the Military where they can be given a court martial. How do you discipline a Republican Senator or Congressman, ...you just don't. They are above the law.

[indepat]

63. Surely neither Speaker Boehner, nor Majority Leader Cantor, nor Paul Ryan would be so lacking in

common courtesy, manners, civility, couth, judgment, and decorum as to speak so derisively to the President of the United States of America. Surely not, so I wonder who did and hope the person who spoke those words isn't invited to set foot in the White House before January 21, 2017?

[Pretzel_Warrior]

64. Obama should have told him to leave the meeting right then.

"Just get the fuck out if that's what you've got to contribute."

[Spitfire of ATJ]

67. I guess that's better than my "ninja star" idea.

[Rex]

69. If only there was no history of them saying they would 'never work with THIS President'.

The GOP pretends history doesn't exist and the parts that do are available for them to change at a moments notice.

[Scurrilous]

70. K & R

[Flying Squirrel]

74. I couldn't stand to look at George W. Bush

It's not necessarily racism, but I agree it would be pretty difficult to negotiate with someone who hates you. Not impossible though.

[spanone]

75. wow. that's frightening. that someone in congress would say that. house leader?????

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

76. Something about that black skin just makes them sick to their stomach, don't it?

[kelliekat44]

77. I hope the President laid that big grin on the jerk and said "proceed." I love it when they

can't stand to look at him. It means they are growing ulcers........

[Bernardo de La Paz]

78. Wow. "one GOP House Leader"! -- a LEADER ? ! ? Really sad what the Republicans have devolved to. nt

[jlayson]

80. so polarizing...

[Skittles]

84. saying something like that is not acceptable in ANY job

I mean, WTF

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

85. Still haven't gotten over the fact there's a black man in the White House.

[ReRe]

86. I can't remember who said that...

... that PO won't communicate with the Repubs, he won't work with them. But when the SOB said it, I yelled at the TV "Well, he communicated and bent over backwards for 4 fucking years to get along with you!" They can NOT use that excuse.

[CakeGrrl]

89. They get away with that "won't work with us" excuse because the MSM lets them.

When they make those claims, they're never countered with "What about the time the President did 'abc' or the other time he did 'xyz'" to push back on their baseless accusations.

The worthless media talking heads just record what the GOP says and move on.

[ReRe]

90. Well, even if they let them....

.... off the hook, the public knows what happened. PO bent over backwards for 4 years and everyone kows that. And as for this thing we call "media", there are amny alternative medias to turn to these days, and more are in the hopper.

[Hutzpa]

87. This is fucking disgusting

the hate is unadulterated.

[ljm2002]

88. Horrible...

...I wish these guys would just come out and name names, though. If we knew who the f***er was, we could concentrate on getting him (or her) out of office ASAP.

But no, they always protect one another, even when they engage in such disgusting behavior.

[phleshdef]

92. I bet it was Cantor.

[mountain grammy]

93. No surprise here. We've been listening to the insults for 5 years. Republicans are bullies.

[Jamaal510]

94. When Obama was first elected in '08, I thought

the wingnuts would at least be less hostile towards him since he's not even fully Black, but nope--they'll only tolerate a president who looks like the previous 43, with an "R" next to his name...

[ffr]

95. The R is key to all Reichpublicans. You could put one next to a

wet towel and they'd vote for it. That is, so long as it was a white gym towel.

[tblue]

98. I can't stand looking at them either.

What a hideous thing to say to our POTUS!

[MannyGoldstein]

99. These people are unmitigated swine.

I'm curious: what did the President say back?

[RVN VET]

102. Without a name to go with that quote, it's no better than fiction

Seriously. Senator Durbin should either give us a name or retract the statement. If it was actually said, I want to know the context and the son of a b*tch who said it. If I have neither, it doesn't help me understand what transpired or rebut what the RW has to say about it.

Do I believe it's possible someone said that to the President? Yes. Joe Wilson proved that there is no tub of slime into which some of these swine will not dive. But Joe Wilson is a minor chancre on the shriveled member of the GOP. If a "House Leader" has sunk publicly to the same level, it is important that I, that we all, know exactly who it was.

[Gothmog]

103. I am not surprised by this quote

I saw it on Facebook. The GOP is out of control

[tavernier]

107. I probably wouldn't have said it to GWB in the Whitehouse

But I would have thought it. Yes indeedy.

[Myrina]

110. My guess is Ryan or Cruz ...

They're just about arrogant enough to say some shit like that to the sitting POTUS.

[warrior1]

112. what the fuck!

[ellennelle]

114. source, please??

this is the sort of thing one would expect to see prominently displayed across the intertubes, but can't find it anywhere but here.

so, s'il vous plait; a link?

[Proud Liberal Dem]

116. Crushes the whole "leadership" meme too

With the level of disrespect shown to President Obama by Republicans and RWNJs, it's hard to imagine how he could do a more effective job of "leading"- short of adopting all of their positions (and even THAT might not be enough for them). We have it ON RECORD that Republicans intended to oppose and obstruct President Obama at every turn once he was elected (and re-elected). Republicans also seem to think that their leverage should far exceed their control of 1/2 of 1/3 of the branches of the Federal Government. And in terms of total votes cast in 2012, they have even less leverage given that Democrats won more votes total even if it wasn't ultimately reflected in the composition of the House (though Dems did pick up some more seats).

[Ganja Ninja]

118. Was this before, during or after they were stinking drunk?

What a disgrace. Whoever it is his name ought to be made public so he can be shamed into resigning if that's possible. Imagine the gaul. Obama is going to have some interesting memoirs.

[libodem]

120. Yep

You have that right!

[img][/img]

[Brickbat]

121. Name and shame, Senator. Otherwise it'll never stop.

[Uncle Joe]

122. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, MrScorpio.

[tavalon]

124. Got me! LOL

I was like, Wha?

[BeyondGeography]

126. Good

Whatever helps to remind him that he's dealing with unworthy assholes who are never going to meet him halfway is ok by me. I'm sure he'll remember this when he turns his attention to the midterms.

[Major Hogwash]

127. We need to find out who said this to our President, our twice-elected President.

And then we need to get them tossed out of Congress next year.
If Durbin knows who said this to the President, surely other Congressmen also know who said this . . they all heard him say it to our President.
We need to know who said this to our President, our President, the President who was re-elected by over 5 million+ votes.