Obama the 'meanie?'

In his speech this week, President Obama didn't pull any punches when he sharply contrasted his budget proposals with those of Republicans. Reacting, some in the GOP complained that the speech "was extremely political, very partisan." In other words, the president was being mean. Never mind that politics is a full-body contact sport. The Washington Monthly had a particularly apt rejoinder to the GOP whining: "For two years, Obama pleaded with Republicans to play a constructive role, work in good faith, and compromise. They refused. Lucy doesn't get to complain when Charlie Brown doesn't want to run at a football that's going to be pulled away anyway." Quite right.