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Obama: When in doubt, blame Bush
By: Mark Hemingway
Commentary Staff Writer
11/05/09 12:50 PM EST
With an unresolved strategy for the war in Afghanistan, the worst economy since the Great Depression, the White House facing intense criticism for an increasingly unpopular domestic agenda and Democrats reeling from resounding Republican electoral victories on Tuesday -- what does the president have to say about the state of affairs? How about "it's not my fault":
A year after his historic election, President Barack Obama sought to remind Americans on Wednesday the biggest problems he is grappling with -- from the economy to the war in Afghanistan -- are the legacy of his predecessor, George W. Bush.
[SNIP]
He used the preamble of his speech to insist his administration had indeed had important successes and also to remind Americans of the litany of daunting challenges he inherited when he took office in January.
"One year ago, Americans all across this country went to the polls and cast ballots for the future they wanted to see," Obama said.
But he said his administration was also confronted with a "financial crisis that threatened to plunge our economy into a Great Depression, the worst that we've seen in generations."
"We had record deficits, two wars, frayed alliances around the world," Obama added.
It may not all be Obama's fault, but it is his responsibility. The Blame-Bush well ran dry the moment he was inaugurated. And of course this was the same President who said of the his critics back in August:
I don't mind being held responsible for these issues but I don't want the folks who created the mess to do a lot of talking. I don't mind cleaning up the mess, but don't do a lot of talking.
If he doesn't mind cleaning up the mess, the president should heed his own advice and quit whining about having to do exactly that.
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