“We don’t call them ‘enemies.’ We call them ‘patriots.’” UPDATED

Scroll down for an update.

John Boehner is going after Obama in a closing argument aimed at making sure this election is a nationalized referendum on the President’s politics.  At a rally tonight in Cincinnati, Ohio the man who will replace Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House will remind the nation that this election is about complete repudiation of Obama’s divisive, arrogant and hyperpartisan rhetoric.  As reported on America’s Newsroom on Fox News and in the online edition of the Wall Street Journal, Boehner released an advance copy of the remarks he’ll give tonight.

---

“We have a president in the White House who referred to Americans who disagree with him as ‘our enemies.’  Think about that. He actually used that word. When Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush used the word ‘enemy,’ they reserved it for global terrorists and foreign dictators – enemies of the United States.”

“Sadly, we have [a] president who used the word ‘enemy’ for fellow Americans…fellow citizens. He uses it for people who disagree with his agenda for bigger government…people speaking out for a smaller, more accountable government.”

“Mr. President, there’s a word for people who have the audacity to speak up in defense of freedom, the Constitution and the values of limited government that made our country great. We don’t call them ‘enemies.’ We call them ‘patriots.’”

---

Preach it!

Fired up rhetoric like this doesn’t make much of an impact this late in the game. But it does fire up the base, demoralize the opposition base and perhaps push a few of the dunderheads who haven’t yet made up their minds.

But it also shows that the GOP leadership is listening to its base.  The “enemies” comments got little criticism in the mainstream, legacy media.  Most of the scorn and outrage came from blogs, talk radio and social media.  The GOP has long been derided for not having its finger on our pulse.  Indeed, that’s one of the reasons they lost their way after the 2004 election and got “fired” in 2006 and 2008.  If they really are listening then it’s a wonderful thing.

We have a lot to say, Mr. Speaker.  And yes, we are Patriots.

UPDATE: Via Politico, Obama is now trying to un-ring the bell.

---

In Monday’s radio interview with Michael Baisden, Obama said: “I had a conversation with a Hispanic radio outlet, Univision, and during the course of that conversation, one of the things that I had to say to the Latino community, which is frustrated that we haven't seen progress on immigration reform, was that they can't sit out of this election. There were arguments being made that because Democrats hadn’t gotten this done, that Latinos should vote against Democrats or just sit out the election.

“And I said, well, you can't punish your friends when — the folks who’ve been supporting it. Now, I did also say if you're going to punish somebody, punish your enemies, and I probably should have used the word ‘opponents’ instead of ‘enemies.’ Now the Republicans are saying that I'm calling them enemies. What I'm saying is you’re an opponent of this particular provision, comprehensive immigration reform, which is something very different.”

---

Umm, no.  Sorry.  No do overs.  He let the truth of his attitude show in the first interview with Univision. Conservatives, in his sick little mind, are his enemies and they must be punished. Now that the mask has slipped and he learns that the soon-to-be Speaker of the House is going to hoist him with his own petard, he’s out there with another media outlet trying to walk it back.

This is the same thing as a racist saying he really didn’t mean to use the “N” word.  Or, the same as Jesse Jackson saying he really didn’t mean to refer to New York as “Hymie Town.” You don’t get to un-ring the bell.