President Barack Obama criticized GOP candidates including Marco Rubio with what might be called his usual lack of rhetorical cojones. Without naming the GOP candidate and Florida Senator directly, President Obama took an indirect shot a Rubio for shifting his support away from comprehensive immigration reform during the course of his own presidential campaign. In a conversation with reporters on Tuesday, Obama tried to tie GOP frontrunner Donald Trump closer to his rivals, such as Rubio, and the Republican brand, according to the AP.
He criticised “a candidate” (Marco Rubio) “who sponsored a bill” (the 2013 comprehensive immigration reform Gang Of Eight bill). Instead of solving the immigration problem, Obama said, Rubio is “running” from the solution. (Full disclosure: I was a Democratic field organizer for a few months in 2012, my last foray into politics). This is in an election year when the leading GOP candidate, Donald Trump, has been about a subtle as Mussolini. (Full disclosure: my grandfather worked under Mussolini).
"You've got a candidate who sponsored a bill that I supported to finally solve the immigration problem, and he's running away from it as fast as he can," Obama told reporters in California, according to the Hill.
Obama’s euphemistic and muted attacks need translation. Reporters must translate the euphemisms -- as I did above. But what about the muted emotions? It’s almost as if Obama needs an anger translator. Luckily he has one: Luther, the angry character in Key & Peel’s “Obama’s Anger Translator” sketch, a parody of the president’s perceived pacifism.
The gag, repeated at the White House Correspondent's Dinner last year with a real, live Obama, “translates” the president’s cool rhetoric. How would Luther “translate” Obama’s anger over immigration? Key & Peel haven’t taken a crack at this particular topic, so let us know how you think Luther would express what’s “really” on Obama’s mind.
Leave your “translations” in the comments below and we will bring the best ones into the end of the article.
Rubio, meanwhile, faces pressure over the immigration issue on two fronts. Ted Cruz and PACs supporting him are cranking out attack ads faster than Donald Trump’s fingers fling tweets. Obama’s euphemistic diss is probably the least of Rubio’s worries as he heads into South Carolina and Nevada as part of the Republican primary contest.
Luther and Obama address the press at a correspondence dinner.
Obama’s real press conference.
Notice how he gets 2 percent more angry on immigration and then increases about 10 percent when he speaks about climate change.
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