Jeff, you remind me of the bully who finally gets smacked hard by someone tired of being picked on. Republicans from the beginning were out to destroy Obama, as Mitch McConnell goal was to make Obama a one term Presisent. This isn't 2004 where John Kerry was swift boated having his military record distorted without replying back to all the lies, especially from a man whose daddy pulled strings to get into the Texas Air National Guard to avoid being drafted to serve in Vietnam, and then goes AWOL his last year in the Guard.

Wah, wah, wah, wah wah. Time for a diaper change Jeff.

please: black is white, up is down in jacoby world. The Republicans have turned into the most divisive party in modern American history. Obama tried repeatedly to reach out to them and they were determined to oppose him at all costs, even on things they previously supported.

My hypothesis that this Jeff Jacoby is just a bot set up by the Globe to generate page hits is strengthened by idiotic articles like this.

Grow up, Jeff. Your boy Mittens is going down in flames and all you can do is sit and watch the inferno. Maybe Fat Boy Christie will make you happier-in 2016.

Great column Jeff and Happy New Year to you and your family.

Let's just "Hope" that this "Great Divider" is sent packing back to Chicago next January.

Wow, even for you, this weak. As previously mentioned, Senator McConnell articulated the GOP game palan as he clearly as he could: "Our number one goal is to make Obama a one-term president". Not the economy, the wars, not healthcare, dumping the president was their paramount goal. The president tried engagement and was rebuffed at every turn. Your column, like most of them, is delusional. Check out David Brooks' column from yesterday for an example of a reality-based conservative commentator.

I have a nearly 100-year old relative who told me who he voted for president and why...."Give him a chance.." The republican leadership made it a no. 1 priority to get him out office, and to NOT COMPROMISE. Did they give him a chance? I am going to give him my vote again in a few weeks. The rise of the new republican party as we have it today was like a swelling pimple: It recently burst, to expose the pus that it is really made of. Gov. Romney, Paul Ryan, Scott Brown....their fetidness is plain obvious. Jeff Jacoby did his job writing this column....thats what he is supposed to do. but it plain stinks. Z

What a joke, Jeff.  There is nothing in American history to compare to the Republicans' monolithic obstruction of the past four years, their only goal to bring down Obama. Repubicans flushed their own legitimacy down the toilet, abandoning their responsibility to help fashion policy, sacrificing it in the pursuit of power.  Whatever political gain they have garnered has come at the expense of the American economy, the American political system and the American people. Looking at recent polling numbers, it seems a majority of Americans recognize this and understand it, and are ignoring the obfuscation brought forth by the kind of pablum you've laid out here. The main question everyone should be asking -- recenttly brought forth by a more legitimate and insightful columnist who actually takes the time to think instead of spewing automatic talking points, EJ Dionne of the Post -- is what kind of government we will have if Obama is re-elected.  Will Republicans come to the table to actually govern? Or will they continue their destructive morality play just to further their own interests?  As Jonathan Capehart noted in the Post, Karl Rove's PAC is becoming less interested in funneling his dirty money toward helping Romney win, and more interested in supporting Republican Congressional candidates.  Why? Because if they win the majority and set the legislative agenda, they will become great clients for the GOP lobbying machine. It's all about the Benjamins. 

Jacoby has now completely detached from reality, which might elicit sympathy in some quarters, but he's laughing all the way to the bank. It's clear that he's longer writing for the Globe's readership but for the audience that reads him in syndication where he can pretend to have some stature and credibility using the Globe name.

"Obama is the great divider" but this column is one of a long list that does not contribute to that I suppose. Obama must sit up at night thinking how he might yet divide this nation more. Perhaps by coming up with division-creating policies as a Healthcare policy on a national level, budget policy (to mitigate and reverse the effects of near collapse of the economy when he entered office), and so on. It's not the man who is dividing the nation, it's the reactions to what seems to be reasonable policy. Policy I might add that reasonable people may not agree with, but not so far out as some of the real dividers would have us believe (e.g., people saying Obama is a socialist, apologizes for American values, is not a US citizen, and so on -- the usual junk that has nothing to do with anything).

Do they really pay you to just write down the stuff Michael Graham says on the radio?

The responses to this insipid piece of "writing" have brightened my day and given me some hope for this country. Thank you everybody.

Gosh, reading all the anti Jacoby blather is almost as much fun as reading his column.  The dander of the lefties has been inflamed here, because they know that Jeff is right.  Obama had no intentions of working with Republicans and exhibiting serious leadership.  He took his victory in 2008 as a license to force left wing policies sown the throat of the country.  As he famously said to Eric Cantor, "We won".

Contrat this to President Bush.  Immediately upon entering office, President Bush sought to work with both parties He worked with Ted Kennedy on No Child Left Behind.  He won bipartisan support for his tax cuts of 2001, and for all the various military actions that came after 9-11.  President Obama has never done anything approaching the level of calm presdential leadership that was the hallmark of Bush II.

Rather, he scolded the the Supreme Court in a state of the Union address.  He invited Paul Ryan to a speech, and lambasted his effort at entitlement reform.  And now, in the thick of the campaign, his gutter level attacks are the height of desperation:  Romney causing a woman's death, for example.

Clearly, Obama is warrior for himself, and the rest of us be damned.

Qusetion: Whay are Republicans fanatically religious? Answer: It allows them to offer you a prayer if you are in need, rather than a dollar, which also makes it seem virtuous to be a greedy Republican.

Full of it, Jacoby. Just absolutely full of it, and right up the "states' rights" line (coded, that's "let's blame the liberals and noisy minorities"), demonizing Obama for the chasm in American political life. When the Senate majority leader simply announces his #1 priority as a Senator is making sure this is a one-term president, he throws away a few centuries of how the system is supposed to work. Republicans simply refused to debate, discuss, or consider. That was and is their strategy. Make the entire situation go as badly as possible then blame Obama in 2012. Go ahead and play along. Wonder what you'll write in 2016? Oh, never mind... we'll just listen to other conservatives repeat their slogans then expect a slightly watered down version, by you, written for the Globe.

This column is so off base it is absurd. When Obama took office, Obama tried the bi-partisan approach for many months. The Republicans openly stated in Congress (1) that they would block any Obama initiative so that he would not get credit for it and (2) that their sole goal was to prevent his re-election. Only when faced with the mid-term election and the prospect of a Republican house did he -- under pressure from his supporters, most Democrats and even some moderate Republicans -- use the majority to Congress to push through some of his legislation, such as the healthcare act. Of course, that then made the opposition even more intractable and Washington entered paralysis. From the quote above, he is clearly being honest that he still longs for a time when the two parties can reasonably work together to make improvements for the American people.

People like YOU are the dividors.  

You want to see "division", just imagine what things would be like if, heaven forbid, Romney were to actually win. If this were to occur Romney's teaparty politics would bring this country close to civil war. Years of ideological partisan politics by Republicans have torn apart this country's social fabric. If Republicans wanted Ayn Rand, John Wayne-style gun toting--what they euphemistically call "rugged individualism"-- they certainly got it. Republicans are now reaping what they've sown: you can't go on doing "willie horton's", or "swiftboating" without consequences.

If Obama had to cave on all of his principles just to "heal" the rift in politics, then no I don't want him to do that.  Go back and look at all the concessions he has made to crazy Republican demands on his major policies and then look at how few concessions Republicans made for him.  Then get back to us on who's the divider.

Jacoby is the great divider. He has spread more misinformation about Democrats than anybody else on the Globe staff. Obama has made more of an effort to be bi-partisan than the Republicans have in years. Consider Dick Cheney and his attacks through his staff on Joseph Wilson.

Obama bent over to the point of spineless trying to find compromises with Republicans. Where exactly did that get him? Absolutely nowhere.

Jeff, you and the republican narrative on this topic are way off base.  Obama hasn't divided the nation.  The Republican Party led by Fox News has led the charge on creating division since before Obama was officially sworn in.

And who can forget the infamous "You Lie" by Republican Joe Wilson.  Absolutely Pathetic!

Then all one has to do is take a look at democrat gatherings: plenty of diversity.  GOP: homogeniously white.

Thank you for highlighting an ad I had not seen.  The poignant messages from steel mill workers who lost pensions, health insurance and ultimately their jobs due to the practices of Bain Capital were sobering.  This was important to share with your readers so that we understand what is at stake if Romney is elected.  I would rather have a president who is trying to change how Washington works and cares about the consequences than someone who has been a money-making change agent without regard to those affected by the change.

I read this article in disbelief!! After reading it, my only conclusion of the author was that he must be a REPUBLICAN!!! What a lot of bull. Republicans have done nothing to help the American people but themselves. They have even stated they wanted to make Obama a one-term president, and they have stonewalled successfully to hinder any progress for the American people. Republicans need to determine just who they represent -- themselves or their constituents and many Republican Middle Class need support that is not coming from their Republican representatives in Congress.

Yikes, I was going to post something but it looks that other commenters have pointed out Mr. Jacoby's revisionist history.  I wonder though if the reaction is a product of the article appearing before an educated and liberal leaning audience.  It would be interesting to see how an opinion piece like this would play in the Washington Post or WSJ.  Although Mr. Jacoby would likely have to brush up is resume a bit to be published in those locations.

I read Jocoby's column because of the attention grabbing headline.  I understand freedom of speach, but lies?  Doesn't Jeff need to be concerned about libel accusations?

The lack of memory and history here is appalling. Truly a Republican syndrome. I saw Obama myself, on TV, appear alone before the entire GOP congressional delegation shortly after he took office, to try to iron out differances. I have never seen a president do that. None of the vaunted "truth tellers" could make any of their accusations stick, talking to just one man!

amen

you can always tell how good Jacoby's column (and correct) by the how apoplectic the libs get. This is a 10

So your positing is that there should be a limit to the criticism -- even if it's deserved?  The fact is that the policies from the GOP have become so selfish, so lacking in empathy that condemnation is warranted.  Asserting they should be assuaged because of sheer volume is laughable.  The only question is, are the critiques justified and overwhelmingly they are.  Regardless, the most divisive aspect of this whole election and the tangential virulence directed at the President from the Right, especially Tea Partiers is predicated on the single fact that he is black.  

war on woman,

Attacks Catholics

OWS support

Calls out Supremes

Harry Reid attacks (taxes and Momrmonism)

Geez Jeff, it's hard to change the tone when the other side has decided that humiliating Obama is job 1, not legislating like they were elected to do. Our number one political priority is to make Barack Obama a 1-term president. Did we misshear him? It's hard to change the tone when you have a decent number of Americans who are birthers and question his citizenship, despite no evidence otherwise. And it's also hard to change the tone when none of the GOP in Washington will stand up to these crazies. "I take the president at his word", nice dogwhistle code for "I know you think he's not American, but I'm not allowed to agree with you." Nope, sorry, I think the GOP knows that this is all just racist nonsense, but, when it gets them votes, they won't argue. I have no respect for any GOP legislator who doesn't answer any birther question the way it should be answered. And, the way it should be answered? "Get out of here what the dumb-blank question", just like Bill Parcells. Sorry Jeff, I call BS on this. There are people on the hill now that decided on Jan 20 2009 that they will not work with President Obama on one single thing, they will oppose, obstruct and destroy. And, believe me, they want to destroy, they don't just want to win, they want to beat him, humiliate him and pretry much send a message to anybody like him that "we won't accept YOUR kind here"

I know yellow journalism and bad etiquet in politics have always been around. However,the Republicans have been the meanest , nastiest, and lyingist people ever for the past decade. Stopping at nothing to get elected. I don't buy what you are saying about President Obama. He will be re-elected. Despite the complete lack of co-operation and mean spirited assaults dished out daily by the Republican Party. Just my point of view. Have a nice day, Jim

Geez Jeff guess what this is politics.  Mitt doesn't divide the nation between his folks and the other folks.  Mitt doesn't speak in defense of the values of his folks.  So doesn't Obama. Divider in Chief all politiicians are divider in Chiefs, that is what politics is about.  What has recently been lost and whether you like it or not is the losers used to say we lost and we will work together while trying to get some of what we like.  Today's Republcan says no I lost but I refuse to play.  I'll end the game.  So if you ask me no one person is a divider in chief it is a group that refuses to lose graciously.  Kind like you Jeff, folks don't like the totality of the conservaitve agenda but Jeff Jacoby knows better than anyone else so we have to do what he likes or we are the dividers.  It is really such a self satisfying way to see the world.  My way or the highway.  I hope it makes you feel good.

Scarborough shot back. “If you’re going to jump in to try to defend a defenseless president, please get it right. What I’m talking about right here is what this New York Times is writing, he doesn’t build personal relationships. That’s hurt us in Washington. It’s why we have gridlock in Washington and it’s why we have a mess in the Middle East. Whether you’re talking about Bill Clinton, the guy who was the master — he was the master, Bill Clinton. George H.W. Bush. They weren’t afraid to talk to other politicians and leaders in the way that built relationships. So, when there was time of crisis, you know what?”

Please Jeffy, if he had kissed Israel's posterior as you wish he had, then you'd be kissing his right now.

Here's hoping the Republican Party wanders in the desert for the next 100 years...reaping what they have sowed. Talk about karma.

How do you measure which president was "most polarizing?" Do you have a scientific method for doing so? I can remember a lot of polarized politics in the past. Abraham Lincoln was a great president, but he was polarizing enough that we fought a civil war.

Okay, maybe you don't consider the Civil War as modern times. What about Lyndon Johnson and the Vietnam war? There were marches, demostrations and even riots. It was a very bitter time and I don't think we've seen anything like that since.

And, lest we forget, there's no more division today than there was under G.W. Bush. In fact, that's when the current polarizing trend began. The proclaimed goal of the Republicans in Congress was to make Obama's term into a failed presidency. But that wouldn't be polarizing would it? You've been cheering them every step of the way, but we know that you're an open minded, agreeable chap, don't we?

I wonder, Mr. Jacoby whether you read anything that doesn't reinforce your views. Even among conservatives, you seem to be an extremist who listens only to his own choir.

The first great divider was Lee Atwater, then Newt Gingrich and the beginning of the far right politics of Fox News.  The current excuse for the Republican Party has done nothing except try to divide.  And you think Romney's thinly-veiled references to race and the GOP legislatures' attempts at voter surpression aren't divisive?

I have never read a column of Jacoby's that was more delusional...and that's saying a lot.

I think Abraham Lincoln would win hands down.

Wow.  What percentage of Republicans think Obama is a Muslim? Think he wasn't born in the US?  What other president had the minority leader of the oppositon party say, practically the day he took office, that his number one job is to make sure that Obama is a one term president?  What president ever had a member of congress, during a state of the union speech shout "liar"?

As a progressive Democrat, my perspective is that he actually over compromised to get Republicans to support legislation that Republicans had traditionally supported - like the individual mandate in the healthcare law instead of a single payer system.

Anyway, there is no way to avoid the fact that the Republican party consciously made a decision not to work with him.  Further, I think there has been an incredibly racist undercurrent to the birther and muslim charges that the Republican leadership has neither forcefully nor vigorously fought.

Jeff, did you find the birth certificate yet?

Mr. Jacoby does not get around much.  The last polls show President Obama's approval rating over 50%.  Further on every issue of substance he is head and shoulders above Mitt Romney.  Better look within your own soul and the soul of the Republican Party to see who are the dividers.  Sen Brown just got called out by the Cherokee Nation for his campaign's racist attacks on his opposition.  The Tea Party and its full or partial adherents also have taken a my way or the highway attitude.  Jeff if some email or snail mail crosses your desk from the Heritage Foundation you would be best to ignore it.  It makes you write crap like today's article that has no bearing to reality.

It's been obvious from the start that the Republican Party's idea of bi-partisanship is for a liberal Democratic president to govern as a right wing Republican -- or not at all. All this "divisive" talk is just a transparent attempt by Jeff Jacoby to reinvent President Obama -- as a Republican -- in hopes that some of the GOP's "stench" will rub off on him.

"He never tried"???? 

Jacoby's political Alzheimers is stunning. In early 2009 - just after Obama began cleaning up the economic mess of the Great Recession - Senate President McConnell and other Republicans declared that their highest priority was making sure that Obama didn't last more than 1 term. Help heal the country? Get people back to work? Repair our broken financial regulations? They pledged to stop eveything that Obama wanted to do. Relentless obstruction for 3+ years now, and it's Obama who is divisive?

I enjoy Jacoby's journalism, but his fiction leaves much to be desired.

There have been two Democrats to serve as president in the post-Gingrich era, after right wing Southern reactionaries first came to national power in 1994. The first was impeached by the Gingrich/DeLay led House and the second has been denied the dignity of fellow citizenship by a substantial portion of the Tea Party Republican Party. My prediction is that the next Democrat elected president in this era of reactionary, nativist conservatism will be the "most divisive," "most polarizing" yet -- until the next is elected, and the next, and the next -- as the GOP moves further and further to the right.

No, Jeffy- YOU are the great divider. You and all the rest of the nattering nabobs of negativity in the radical-right ultra conservative camp. If you can't tell the truth, just make stuff up. If you can't be right, be wrong at the top of your voice. Talk about cognitive dissonance. Did you ever hear of the victim striking back at the school-yard bullies? That's the worst you can say about the President. Considering the full-scale attacks on him since began to even run for office, it's to his credit that he hasn't been nearly as vicious and vitriolic as his enemies. ANd that includes you and your slanderous attacks.

wow these responses are funny

Haha, I half expected it but it's still hilarious that someone reported my one word comment, considering people of the opposing opinion constantly harp on every article by any other non-right-wing writer on these sites for their writing. Jeff is a right-wing hack. Simple fact. He didn't even try to come up with a genuine anti-Obama argument to write about, he jumped on the "he's a dividerer!" whine wagon because apparently real thought is too difficult. And real thought might actually come up with an answer that doesn't fit his predetermined conclusions that the GOP is tearing Washington and themselves apart for all the reasons the many many commenters here have already stated. Hack, plain and simple. You may report me again now. But just remember if you want to be able to state your opinions of other Globe/boston.com writers and not have yours be constantly purged, you may want to think twice about it. There's no conceivable way I could have been offensive to anyone but Jeff and I didn't go half as far as many of you right-wingers go daily in your comments about writers. Good day.

So Jeff...the Republicans play no role in this?  The Tea Party plays no role?  Mitch "Obama must be a one term President so we'll do nothing" McConnel plays no role?  And OMG, The Birthers played no role?  I could write your claptrap if I had rightwing sugar daddies in my back pocket as well.  

Jeff, 35% of registered GOPers in Ohio do not believe Obama was born in America.  35%.  Gee, and Obama didnt bridge the gap in DC?  Shocking.

The Senate minority leader says his top goal from day 1 of Obama's term is to make him a one-term president.  The Republican nominee jokes about whether Obama was born in America, and says he sympathizes with terrorists who attacked an American embassy.  Virtually every Republican member of Congress will kill jobs bills, let the defecit grow larger, and weaken our national defense rather than raise taxes on millionaires and billionares by even a penny.  Jacoby has chosen to ignore these facts in writing this column. 

He chose not to write a column at the end of George W. Bush's first or second term about his promise to be a uniter, not a divider. Jacoby lied, by the way.  W's #1 selling point was that concept.  He wasn't running on his brains or his sterling repuation as a human being.  It was more about how he brought together Dems and Repubs as Governor of Texas. 

So why is he holding Obama to a higher standard than W?  Is it because he though W was a better president?  Is it because W is a Republican?  Is it because Obama is black?  I'm not sure.  But Obama has lowered taxes, inherited a mess of an economy as compared to Bush walking into a surplus.  So I think that only leaves the bigot option.

A new poll for The Hill found 56 percent of likely voters believe Obama’s first term has transformed the nation in a negative way, compared to 35 percent who believe the country has changed for the better under his leadership

The column was long on opinion, lacking on support.

Politics are now dominated by the extremists in both parties, so bipartisan support is harder to attain.  Until they clean up the politicians on Capitol Hill, it's going to be an uphill battle for anyone working at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

This is typical Jacoby folks. He is the Globe's right wing/neo con apologist and defender. He is there so the Globe can get it's image a liberal mouthpiece balanced out a bit. If not at the Globe, Jeff would be over at the Tea Party/neo Con's mouthpiece: The Herald. right along with the renowned Howie Carr. A well known expounder of civility and grace. Jeff, really? I think you could have reached a bit further into your neo/con bag of idealogical detritus and come up with something a bit more relevant that a subject such as this. We all know modern day politics is now pretty much a bar room brawl where all vestiges of civility and compromise have long since been lost in the mists of time. Yes, during the Clinton administration's first term; The GOP (in the days just prior to falling into bed with the Tea Party) and the Dems were pretty much un-cooperative and Clinton was unable to get much done. At the time the economy was great because the dot.com bubble was beginning it's ascent. Not because of what the government did. Mostly because of what private entrepeneurs accomplished becaause the lived in a time and country that sort of enterprise could flourish. It wasn't until Clinton's second term that the GOP realized it had to go along to survive and possibly re-take the White House. Suddenly, the log jam of legislation and initiatives got rolling along. Devisiveness is the favored tool of the day in both parties bag of tricks. Get used to it.

 “Ed Rendell, who has criticized the president (objecting, for example, to the Obama campaign's attack on private equity), also argues that Obama has been constrained by an unprecedented obduracy in his Republican opposition. ‘I can't ever recall a newly elected president being faced with the leader of the other party's caucus saying “Our No. 1 priority is to make this president a one-term president,”’ says Rendell, citing the remark made by Mitch McConnell, the Senate minority leader, that exemplified the fierce partisanship that has attended Obama's tenure. ‘That McConnell would say that in the first nine months of Barack Obama's tenure is absolutely stunning, disgraceful, disgusting — you name the term.’”

Wonder where this came from????

"begolfing said"  "Of course the agenda scares people here, in nyc and CA. We are not the center of the universe" 

No we are not but the East coast and the West coast in conjunction with the old rust belt is a majority of the country.  The fact is a majority of the country doesn't wish to end Medicare, SS. reduce Vet benefits, throw kids off of Medicaid.  It is what I have always told my conservative friends and I have many of them.  Yes, like Marxism your ideas are in their own way idealistic but people are not going to like them.  One of these days you will get to run on them and you will get killed.  Now the fact that you are running this agenda against what should be a vulnerable incumbent and are slowly losing ground should show you something.  People don't like it. 

Wow.  I never thought I would read something anti-Obama in the Globe.  Kudos to you, Jeff Jacoby

What are you talking about?  Obama bent over backwards to negotiate with the Republicans!  We all know the story of how the Repubs got together after Obama's election in 2008 and swore that their only goal for the next four years would be to obstruct any efforts that Obama would make to get us out of the Bush-triggered recession.  The only person willing to compromise during the debt crisis debate was Obama.  By expressing his willingness to compromise with the Repubs, Obama alienated his progressive base, he allowed the Repubs to push him further and further to the right, he didn't fight back.

And here you are, you right-wing jerk, telling us that Obama is the most divisive figure in modern American politics!  What a hypocrite!

Obama has been a disappointing wuss for his base.  The Republicans have been avid pitbulls.

And there you are, asserting that it is Obama who is "the great divider."

Take a look at the record of the Repubs during O's first four years.  They did absolutely nothing to help our economy.  Why?  Because they cared far more about destroying him than in pullling our destroyed economy out of this wall street induced recession.

Shame on you for perpetuating these lies, and shame on the republican party for being so indifferent to this wall street destruction of our entire economy!

You are a republican shill working for the globe to create the illusion of a fair and balanced journal.  This is how you serve your masters.  You should be ashamed of yourself.

Jeff, the quote is accurate, refined, gentlemanly and diplomatic.  In fact, the then brand-new President Obama leapt across the aisle, treating Republicans and Democrats equally, trying to put together the very best cabinet at a time when the nation was faced with two wars and two tax cuts so that revenue was severely lessened.  At the same time, the economic perils of an absentee stewardship were starting to become evident.  In the face of daunting crises, which dwarf what any other president has had to face during his first days,  President Obama also had the opposition leadership resolve that they would give him no help with anything, even if it hurt the country, in order to make him a one-term President.  Obama pressed forward, naming the best he could get to serve our country.  Some Republicans accepted, some accepted then changed their minds, some demurred.  Some who accepted, left shortly after under pressure from the GOP.  Some stayed, knowing that their country needed them (Gates.)  Make no mistake.  Harbor no illusions.  The GOP created the divide and nurtured it with obstinance.  The Party of No was on a mission and if the economy depressed further, the wars were lost, the dollar became inflated and health care was not available, they might have won the battles. None of that happened and we may be able to look at 2013 as a time of recovery, with the ability to sleep in one's bed with whomever one choses, enjoy a deserved retirement and not worry that sickness or accident will rob one of not only their health, but their savings, their home, their job and eventually, their self-respect.  Vote Democratic, President Obama and Elizabeth Warren and stop this Republican Theatre of the Absurd.

Romney good, Obama bad. How utterly predictable, yet false. Shall we list Romney's sins? Not worth the effort, everyone knows, especially here in Massachusetts. We lived with him for too many years.

In addition to what Jeff Jacoby said, let's also talk about Barack Obama's foreign policy "Experience". You know, the "experience" that he and his surrogates BOASTED about at the DNC.--Well, now we know how that "Experience" is tuning out. --Obama deliberately puts the Muslim Brotherhood in power in Egypt and Libya, via the "Arab Spring". He is conceding defeat and handing Afganistan back to the Taliban. He is trying to hand Iraq back to Iranian influence. His sanctions are not stopping Iran from progressing toward a bomb. He allows Ahmidinjad to mock and threaten israel at the UN.--And, of course, he allows out Libyan ambassador and 2 Navy Seals (one from this area) to be slaughtered in a terrorist attack on 9/11. ON OBAMA's WATCH.---And Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama deliberately LIE to the American people and to the UN yesterday by saying that the attack was caused by a video.--Libyan president insisted that it was a well planned terror attack.--Today Hillary Clinton does an about face and says that it was a terror attack.--And Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano does NOT rule out the possibility that Barack Obama may release the Blind Sheik.--All in all, Barack Obama's foreign policy "Experience" shows that he is the WEAKEST and the most APPEASER of US presidents ever on foreign policy.--Just ask israel and Iran what they think of his foreign policy.