Obama Derangement Syndrome Not Just for PUMAS Anymore

PhotoShopped hilarity from source, FreeRepublic

From time to time, I like to keep tabs on the obsessive/crazy folks over at the right-winger site, FreeRepublic. If there's something that makes liberals happy going on, you can count on FReepers to have a spaz about how horrible and anti-American it is! If something big happens in the world, you can count on FReepers to find a way to blame it on "the Democrat Party," liberals/commies/Marxists/socialists or the cherry on the top himself, President Barack Obama.

When FReepers aren't alleging that we liberals consider the President to be "The One," or "The Messiah,"--something I've never heard a liberal say--they are going absolutely off the deep end about their distaste for Obama. They say he's an empty suit. They say he can't speak extemporaneously without a teleprompter (hilarious, after 8 years of their guy). They've got all sorts of wacky nicknames already, in addition to the ones just mentioned, and they're working hard to solidify a negative image of him, even though they don't have a lot to work with yet.

Keep in mind that President Obama has been in office just two months. Also keep in mind that during that time, he's been working daily to untangle a huge giant mess. There are bound to be missteps along the way, and it would be impossible to make everybody on either or both sides happy. This brief time-span hasn't stopped FReepers from launching into full-blown "Obama Derangement Syndrome."

Think back to previous Presidencies. I'll just stick to ones I remember. Richard Nixon was dealing with an unpopular war (Viet Nam) as well as his part in the Watergate scandal, and was thus deeply unpopular. You could characterize his detractors as "haters," but they did have their reasons. Gerald Ford pardoned Nixon, and a lot of people hated that. But I don't remember remember people hating on him much.

Jimmy Carter was a generally genial guy, but not a very good President by most people's measure (great ex-President though). Still, he had some deep hatred running against him from before the time he got elected. It's a hatred that is still held against him to this day. Liberals feared Ronald Reagan. I remember people saying he'd start a nuclear war. And while there may have been a simmering hatred for him, I don't remember it really rising to that level.

George H.W. Bush also had his detractors, but again, I don't remembering a groundswell of hate. Mostly, we had Dana Carvey making fun of the guy, turning him into an out-of-touch wimp. But hate? I'm not so sure. Then, there was Bill Clinton. Like Carter, he had a red-faced mob hating him from (before) the start. Clinton was hounded by a group of conservatives determined to bring him down, and they were eventually successful, sort of. Hillary Clinton was right, there was a "right wing conspiracy," vast or not. And they despised her too. "Clinton Derangement Syndrome" may not have been so-named, but it was more fervent, and seemingly unwarranted--by a select group of the populace--than any other President in this list has had to deal with.

George W. Bush started his Presidency with the strangest election in over a century, with more than half of the country not having voted for him. With essentially an appointment to the Presidency by the Supreme Court, many people were understandably verklempt. But it wasn't full-on hate yet. Mostly, he was an embarrassing but affable goober. Until September 11, 2001, and its aftermath. Most of us were grudgingly behind him for a while after that. Even in the run up to war, Bush had most of us--still grudgingly--in his corner. But things began to unspool after that. The reality-stretching, the story changing, the embarrassing gaffes, the shifting reasoning for the disastrous war, Karl Rove and a cast of rogues gallery characters. . .there was a lot to hate. And a the Internet let a lot more of us find out what was going on.

So, I will freely acknowledge being a full-blown Bush Derangement Syndrome sufferer. But I come by it honestly, and did not become infected until repeated exposure to the virus from the actions of the man himself. And from my memory, it seems to me that while Republican Presidents are often given some room and time before their loyal opposition begins "the hate," Democratic Presidents face the hate (excuse the rhyme) right out of the gate.

You want a little proof? Here are a few quotes from FreeRepublic about a rather innocuous topic: President Obama's appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. . .

"Thanks but no thanks. My stomach isn’t that strong."

"I can’t watch Obama without being in the bag. I better get started and straight to the Scotch."

"Sorry I will miss it because I plan to be throwing up and hoping for change."

"I like that new name "Pres_ent Obama"....because he is pres-ent wherever there is a TV camera and an teleprompter."

"thanks for watching for me, I cannot look at his face. His voice gags me too. I’ll read about it."

"This guy is a lying idiot"

"DISGRACE TO THE OFFICE ....he looks like a Hollywood whore plugging another movie ..."

"He is the most narcissistic self deluded idiot I have EVER seen in mylife"

"He is gruesome."

"Nope. Thats the upshot of what President douchebag said"

"He's not only gruesome, he's evil."

And keep in mind, this is after the moderator apparently cleaned up the posts. Last night there were posts with racist overtones, talking about minstrel shows, and "shuck and jive." I kid you not. And it takes a lot to get your post pulled over there, unless you're sympathizing with a liberal.

Source: FreeRepublic