FDR was a "divisive" and "polarizing" figure

[DemGa]

Re: social security, FDR:

"Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me—and I welcome their hatred."

And for any newbie Obama supporters -- the right-wing attacks are nothing new: the Clinton's did not invent the kind of political attacks they suffered (though I'm sure it was especially virulent by any standard). Embracing the negatives created by the right-wing hate machine is a dangerous road to travel -- because soon enough, they will come after you.

Ed: changed ObamaHeads to "Obama supporters."

[Unsane]

1. lame

[ErnestoG]

2. "ObamaHeads"....how utterly original.

Looks like money and support aren't the only things slipping from Hillary's grasp...they have no more cash in their creative account either.

[Maddy McCall]

3. Indeed. I researched a woman newspaper editor...

who fully supported FDR because of the National Recovery Act, which benefited her husband's business.

A few years later, all she had was bile for FDR and Eleanor, because of Social Security AND because of his attempt to pack the Supreme Court.

[MADem]

7. All politics is local...until you reach into my wallet!!!

That court-packing biz was pretty brazen of the guy, though--imagine if Bush tried to do that!

[ruggerson]

4. I've been saying this for months, it's exactly why Hillary would be a far better President

[Johnny__Motown]

5. Pointing out the things the Clintons have done wrong (like saying Putin has no soul) isn't an attack

[MADem]

6. The right hated him. The "up by yer own bootstraps" crowd especially.

They thought his social programs were namby-pamby--they didn't understand that his programs kept people from starving AND reduced the crime rate.

Of course, revenge is winning election after election--and he certainly did that!

[jwirr]

12. Lest we forget it also kept the Communist Party in the USA from

growing even bigger. There was a real threat at that time due to the depression. When we lived in an old log cabin we were pulling junk out from between the logs and found it had been stuffed with communist newspapers - not Russian ones - ones from the USA. They were very interesting.

[annabanana]

15. I remember being taught in grade school that the main reason

there wasn't a "communist revolution" in America is because the Labor Unions stepped up and improved the lot of the working classes. I'll bet they don't teach that anymore.

[jwirr]

23. I am sure they do not. Even my children only know it vaguely. However

I am not sure they would think it was a good thing as *ss and his corporate allies have shown us that there can be things worse than communism.

[Kitty Herder]

8. Hillary is not only hated by the right.

The true left hates her, too. Have you read the comments on the Commondreams site recently? I guess that makes her a uniter, uniting left and right in hatred.

[AX10]

10. I've seen them all, including those hacks Kos, Huffpost, and TPM.

The far left is just as bad as the far right.

[jackson_dem]

11. It is hilarious. Those suckers are supporting a guy who is what they say Hillary is

[jackson_dem]

9. Jefferson also had high negatives and was extremely polarizing

Obamites either don't know history or ignore it because it causes cognitive dissonance. Well, some of them do know and remember history but they think The Messiah St. Obama will be immune from it and "transform" everything that has always happened in our history. This is not blind faith. After all, you have to have high expectations for someone who can walk on water.

[ruggerson]

13. So was TR

[Omaha Steve]

14. In all four terms

Ok, the Rep's screwed up. Had they not passed the 22nd amendment, Ike would still be President.

[andym]

16. But he pulled in enough Independents and Republicans to be elected 4 times

But he pulled in enough Independents and Republicans to be elected 4 times, and converted some to Democrats. We will extremely fortunate if an Obama is anything like FDR. FDR won 4 times with 57%,61%,55%, and 53% of the vote after the Republican part in the 20's dominated national politics. For example, Democrat Al Smith in 1928 got 41% of the vote. FDR dominated the 14 years of his presidency and brought the Democratic Party to power with majorities in congress.


FDR unified enough of the country to have the opportunity to experiment to find solutions to the Depression. At the same time, his experiments horrified many Americans, to create a very vocal, but minority, opposition who disliked him. He was both a strong unifier and a polarizing figure.

However, it's a little early yet, Obama is not even our nominee at this time. It would be presumptuous to conclude that he will be another FDR, though I would quite pleased should this be the case.

The same with Clinton as another LBJ (without Vietnam). I would be quite pleased should Hillary Clinton enact the 21st century version of the Great Society.

We'll have to see. Ironic that our third major candidate, Edwards had the potential to become the first populist President ever. His achievements may have overshadowed the other two's.

The Democratic candidate field this year has been great.

[Captain Hilts]

17. So many blame-the-victim folks around here. nt

[Armstead]

18. Um, FDR was hated for a reason -- He actually proposed significant initiatives

That is a lot different tha being personally divisive and polarizing for no particular ideological reason.


Since the original post did not name names, I will refrain from doing it also.

[doc03]

19. My mother told about the day FDR

died. She told this old Republican bitch that the President had died and she said "Did the old SOB blow his brains out?" I remember when Kennedy was shot one of the kids from a Republican family said "That n----- loving SOB deserved it." Any person that tries to do something for the people in this country will always be polarizing and if Obama thinks he can go to Washington and work with the Republicans he will find just how far "hope" will get him..

[totodeinhere]

20. Senator Clinton is no FDR.

FDR was not perfect. His support for the Japanese detention camps was unconscionable. But to compare Clinton to FDR is completely disingenuous. FDR changed this country forever. What has Clinton really accomplished?

[ErnestoG]

21. Not even CLOSE

Anyone remember the gentleman on the left? He said it well.

[doc03]

22. I would say just as much if not more than Obama

If Hillary was the first women elected President that in itself would change this country forever. To be fair the same is true of Obama.

[ruggerson]

24. Uh, she isn't president yet