Okay, I guess I am going to just say it: Monday’s inauguration festivities featured some pretty nasty moments.
While inaugural addresses are often quickly forgotten, our inaugurations have often given us moments of grace that define our democracy and remind us who we. Calvin Coolidge was sworn in at three in the morning by kerosene light in the sitting room in Vermont by his father. Lincoln offered “malice toward none” as a bloody war was ending in his second inaugural address. JFK said we should ask what we can do for our country.
Monday’s divisiveness started at the top with passive aggressive remarks from President Obama himself:
We cannot mistake absolutism for principle or substitute spectacle for politics, or treat name-calling as reasoned debate.
Clearly aimed at those nasty Republicans. Ever heard about projection?
Here is another gem:
Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms. The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But American cannot resist this transition. We must lead it.
Who, pray tell, denies the "overwhelming judgment of science"? Could these be people who disagree with the president on global warming?
And this:
Our journey is not complete until no citizen is forced to wait for hours to exercise the right to vote.
I can almost see Bull Connor.
Another bit of nastiness came when a Department of Justice lawyer “started the crowd booing when Paul Ryan came out” at the inauguration. Hans von Spakowsky points out in a piece over at “The Corner” that the lawyer, Dan Freeman, a highly partisan lawyer hired by the Obama administration for a career civil service position. Let’s call this trickle down rudeness, as it apparently reflects the attitude at the top.
Finally, there was First Lady Michelle Obama, whose rudeness (including eye-rolling) to Speaker John Boehner was caught on video. (Huffington Post makes a nice try at excusing the first lady’s rudeness.)