I Don't Like You, Either

 

 

 

 

By C.J. Box 

Since I started paying attention to politics, I can't recall this happening before, this feeling I have.

Say you're walking into a party  that includes a mix of friends and people you've yet to meet.  And there in the corner is a man surrounded by strangers who seem to be hanging onto his every word.   He looks interesting and maybe worth knowing and someone you'll get around to -- but you realize he's sizing you up with arrogant and undisguised hostility.  His chin is in the air and his eyes are hooded.  The people with him turn toward you as well, and mimic his contempt.  You wonder if perhaps he mistakes you for someone else.  Maybe you cut him off in traffic once, or insulted him without realizing it.  Maybe you wrote something about him he didn't like.  Maybe it's your hat, or your glasses, or your clothing.  It's disconcerting.

You want to approach him and ask what his problem is with you, but it's uncomfortable to do that.  After all, it's a party.  You didn't come there for a fight.  You were just minding your own business.

That's how I felt when I heard President Obama say, "I’m always struck by people who think, well, it must be because I was just so smart. There are a lot of smart people out there.  It must be because I worked harder than everybody else... If you were successful, somebody along the line gave you some help...  If you’ve got a business, you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.”

I realized, for the first time I can recall, that the President doesn't like me, or people who share my values.  Not that he has simple differences, or thinks I'm misguided.  He doesn't like me, and if you're reading this post on Ricochet he probably doesn't like you, either.  And it isn't mild dislike: it's utter contempt.

When has a president -- any president -- so thoroughly shown that he despises at least half the population of the country?  Not Bush, not Reagan, not even Clinton.

It's not just about policy or party.  It's personal.