I think he is once again spot on. Sure, there is a policy issue on which we can agree or disagree, but what was the point to attack the "left" with so much vigor while the attacks of the GOP were made with barely any passion in his voice. (now, I understand that some of the left wing criticism are too extreme in their rethoric, but how does attacking a whole block of people as "purist" help? Or is it just a tit for tat game? In this case, I would prefer to see him play it with the GOP?
I generally agree with Obama, but I really dislike this deal, and contrarily to others here, I am not ready to hide I find it very distateful. I can understand and even agree with the "best we can get" argument, but at least, I would like to feel the president is mad at the right, not just going through an intellectual exercise. I did not feel that.
http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/08/the-sorrow-and-the-self-pity-2/?src=twt&twt=NytimesKrugman
The Sorrow And The Self-Pity
There is a case for the tax cut deal, as the best of a very bad situation. But Obama did not help that case yesterday by lashing out at “purists”.
Leave aside the merits for a moment: what possible purpose does this kind of lashing out serve? Will activists be shamed into recovering their previous enthusiasm? Will Republicans stop their vicious attacks because Obama is lashing out to his left? It was pure self-indulgence; even if he feels aggrieved, he has to judge his words by their usefulness, not by his desire to vent. This isn’t about him.
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What’s particularly striking is that Obama seems passionate about denouncing his progressive critics, even as he has nice words for the people who have spent two years trying to destroy him.
So look: there’s a policy issue here, and it’s a tough one; you trade off the stimulus Obama extracted now for the increased likelihood that low taxes for the rich will be made permanent, crippling policy for decades to come. But there’s also a character issue: what we really don’t need right now is a president who blames everyone but himself, and seems more concerned with self-justification than with sustaining the alliances he needs.