This has always been the way of presidential politics. The president rises above the fray while his surrogates go on the attack. They throw the spears and fling the mud; he sits upon the throne. John Podhoretz More Quotes by John Podhoretz More Quotes From John Podhoretz Pop culture is a reflection of social change, not a cause of social change. John Podhoretz causes reflection culture The Middle East Media Research Institute has spent decades detailing the diseased messages emanating from Palestinian TV and textbooks, instructing children in the glories of suicide terrorism against innocent Israelis. John Podhoretz media suicide children The real story of the Ground Zero mosque is that the project only became feasible because of the appalling and astonishing fecklessness of the officials who were charged with the reconstruction of the site and the neighborhood all the way back in 2001. John Podhoretz mosques zero real Obama's explanation for the slowdown in economic growth is that the public sector is hurting, and that's where Washington must step in and act. John Podhoretz growth hurt steps Every great political campaign rewrites the rules; devising a new way to win is what gives campaigns a comparative advantage against their foes. John Podhoretz political winning giving Insulting the electorate and accusing it of spiritual weakness and sinfulness are not the ways to get yourself the job of president. John Podhoretz insulting spiritual jobs Obama is talking to voters as though he is their boss, or their principal, or their father. He is not any of those things. He is their employee. And employers don't like it when their employees yell at them - even if their employees have it right. John Podhoretz boss talking father That distinctive presidential conduct is now gone forever, banished to the snows of yesteryear by Barack Obama. From the beginning of his presidency to the present, he has spoken specifically and in unprecedented fashion of Republicans as his rivals, his stumbling blocks, the primary cause of his troubles. John Podhoretz block fashion snow Obama has seen to the passage of the most radical legislation in recent American history and so-called 'progressives' should be thanking him for it - even as many of the rest of us rear in horror from its implications. John Podhoretz thanking-him american-history horror Barack Obama is one of the greatest politicians in American history. John Podhoretz american-history barack politician Obama's victory in November 2008 was a historic political accomplishment. John Podhoretz victory accomplishment political Obama's presidency hasn't been dedicated to achieving economic growth in the short term, or about creating jobs. John Podhoretz creating growth jobs Obama is defining himself in a way that will destroy him. John Podhoretz defining way Robots have a rich and storied history in movies. John Podhoretz rich robots She needs to seem tough, and whatever Hillary's weaknesses, tough is a pretty good word to describe her. John Podhoretz weakness beauty needs The exit polls suggest that after a relatively disappointing first term, Obama managed to reassemble almost all of his 2008 electorate. John Podhoretz disappointing exit firsts This, of course, has no chance of passing. But then Tuesday night's State of the Union address could be the first one in history deliberately designed solely to generate a Pavlovian rage response in members of the opposing party. John Podhoretz party tuesday night Imagine his delight after it 'leaked' that he will propose raising taxes on the wealthy by $320 billion over the next 10 years, including increases to the capital gains and inheritance taxes. John Podhoretz inheritance delight years You know, you just know, that after the president goes out there and announces he wants to make community college free for all Americans - as though anything government does is 'free' - or is unilaterally and unconstitutionally legalizing millions of undocumented immigrants, he comes back to the offices, pulls out the presidential BlackBerry, and gleefully follows along as the Right goes completely ape over these wild policy decisions. John Podhoretz government office college When Obama was inaugurated, he and his team had an insight - though whether the insight was conscious or not I don't know. But it was this: The TARP $700 billion price tag was a new kind of model. John Podhoretz price-tag team kind
