Obama sets campaign mode to attack focus 07/13/2010

Obama sets campaign mode to attack

focus 07/13/2010 LAS VEGAS — Barack Obama has decided that fiery self defense and withering mockery of Republicans are the best modes of attack as he tries to save Democrats from a drubbing in November’s mid-term elections. The US President road-tested his pitch to grassroots Democrats and wavering independent voters during a two-day western campaign swing last week, flinging partisan rhetoric at foes of his 17-month presidency. His swipes at Republicans and calls for change were a reminder of stump skills that few US politicians can match, recalling his 2008 campaign. Obama adopted a sarcastic tone, rarely seen back then, likely distilled from months of frustrating political combat in Washington. He branded Republicans as extreme and incompetent, deriding, for instance, an apology to BP by Republican lawmaker Joe Barton who described a compensation fund set up by the company for victims as a “shakedown.” And he lampooned Republican House of Representatives leader John Boehner, who criticized measures Obama used to rescue the crisis-riddled economy as tantamount to using a nuclear weapon to kill an ant. “It should be a movie: The Ant That Ate the Economy,” Obama said in a mocking tone while stumping for Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid at an event in Las Vegas.... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100713com7.html

COMMENTARY EDITORIAL Predicting top Senate win FRONTLINE Easiest solution ignored FEATURE Electronic voting no threat yet to the old style ballot box MR. EXPOSE Why no plunder? NO HOLDS BARRED Spokesman AN OUTSIDERS VIEW The illusions of Ilustrado focus Obama sets campaign mode to attack