'The Chicago Way' Comes to Washington
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Has anyone noticed the amount of beatdowns going on lately?
The Obama administration is on the front page of The Washington Post in an unprecedented beatdown: An "anonymous" administration official (classy) threw Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds directly under the bus, basically blaming him for the poor campaign in Virginia, to shield Obama in case of a loss.
And that's just the latest one today. It's been relentless this week. It is the Chicago way. If you don't know what that is, let me show you with a scene from "The Untouchables":
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}(BEGIN 'THE UNTOUCHABLES' VIDEO CLIP)
SEAN CONNERY AS JIM MALONE: You said you wanted to know how to get Capone. Do you really wanna get him? You see what I'm saying, what are you prepared to do?
KEVIN COSTNER AS ELIOT NESS: Everything within the law.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}MALONE: And then what are you prepared to do? If you open the ball on these people, Mr. Ness, you must be prepared to go all the way. Because they won't give up the fight until one of you is dead.
NESS: I want to get Capone. I don't know how to get him.
MALONE: You wanna get Capone? Here's how you get him: He pulls a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That's the Chicago way! That's how you get Capone!
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}(END VIDEO CLIP)
That's the Chicago way and now we have it in Washington with Rahm Emanuel and Barack Obama.
What was it that Obama promised on the campaign trail? Oh yeah, a "new kind of politics." America didn't think the "new" politics would be even worse than the "old" politics.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Agree with the administration? Fantastic. Dare to stand in the way of "reform"? Uh-oh.
No longer is it a gentlemen's disagreement that can be debated. No, you are going to play ball or get a beatdown.
The Chamber of Commerce found out first hand. The White House didn't seem to have a problem with them when they were on board with the bailouts, the takeover of GM and, of course, the stimulus package. Obama even whispered sweet, "I love small businesses," in their ear:
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Over the past decade and a half, America's small businesses have created 65 percent of all new jobs in this country. And more than half of all Americans working in the private sector are either employed by a small business or own one — more than half. These companies are the engine of job growth in America. They fuel our prosperity. And that's why they must be at the forefront of our recovery.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}He loves them! America couldn't live without them! And he loves the Chamber, that represents three million businesses (95 percent of which are small business). But, when the Chamber came out against the disastrous climate change cap-and-trade bill and had the gall to oppose universal health care, the president got out his bat:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: They are very good at this because that is how business has been done in Washington for a very long time. In fact, over the past 10 years alone, the Chamber has spent nearly half a billion dollars on lobbying — half a billion dollars.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}(END VIDEO CLIP)
What happened? I thought he loved small business? He did until they stop playing for the "team." What once was the president's "open door of ideas" with the Chamber, has turned into a White House battle with the big evil power with millions of dollars to keep your health care expensive.
But who needs the Chamber anyway? What do they know about health care reform? Let's talk to our doctors — they know best what to do on health care; they are on the frontlines. The president loves and respects our doctors — well, I should say "used to" respect. The American Medical Association came out and said it wouldn't support a government-run plan. Now how do you feel about those doctors?
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
OBAMA: You come in and you've got a bad sore throat or your child has a bad sore throat or has repeated sore throats — the doctor may look at the reimbursement system and say to himself, you know what, I make a lot more money if I take this kid's tonsils out.
OBAMA: If that same diabetic ends up getting their foot amputated, that's $30,000, $40,000, $50,000 — immediately the surgeon is reimbursed.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}(END VIDEO CLIPS)
That sounds bad. Ripping out tonsils and amputations just to make an extra buck? Sounds like someone isn't playing "for the team." But everyone who agrees with us, join us for a photo-op:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}OBAMA: I am thrilled to have all of you here today and you look very spiffy in your coats.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
How about the Humana Corporation, who had the gall to send out a mailing for seniors that talked about the $500 billion Medicare and Medicaid cuts in the Baucus version of the health care bill. Were they suggesting that it would lead to service cuts? What a crazy concept. There's no way that government-run health care could lead to service cuts — like it is in Massachusetts under their universal health system.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}But ignore all that! You are in the way of reform! Time for the Health and Human Services secretary to pick up the bat and investigate Humana for trying to scare seniors.
It's what people used to call "a difference of opinion." Let me boil it down: In the beginning of our country we used to call it freedom of speech. Now we call it, "time to use the baseball bat."
And how about those insurance companies? When they were working for reform, everything was just peachy:
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: In recent months we've heard every side of every argument from both sides of the aisle. And rightly so. Health insurance reform is a complex and critical issue that deserves a vigorous national debate. And we've had one. The approach that is emerging includes the best ideas from Republicans and Democrats, from people across the political spectrum. In fact, what's remarkable is not that we've had this spirited debate about health insurance reform, but the unprecedented consensus that has come together behind.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Unanimous consent! And then the insurance industry had to go and screw it all up. America's health insurance plans came out and said that the current plans would, in some ways, make things worse. Uh-oh... not a good idea:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: Whenever we have tried to reform the system, the insurance companies have done everything in their considerable power to stop us.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}(END VIDEO CLIP)
Now they are a powerful enemy who are out to do nothing but stop reform. Why would they want to stop reform? According to the president, insurance companies are only one thing:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}OBAMA: What I will not abide are those who would bend the truth or break it to score political points and stop our progress as a country. And what we all must oppose are the same old cynical Washington games that have been played for decades, even as our problems have grown and our challenges have mounted.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Just another greedy bunch of profiteers who aren't being truthful. Time for the bat! This time, Obama threatened to strip the insurance industry of its longstanding exemption from federal anti-trust laws.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}I'm starting to see a pattern here: If you don't agree with this administration, they don't just accept it and continue the debate, no, they just try and shut you down.
We've seen this here at Fox News. We used to be part of the debate:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}OBAMA: I think it's fair to say that I don't always get my most favorable coverage on Fox, but I think that's how democracy is supposed to work. You know, we're not all supposed to be in lockstep here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
That's how democracy is supposed to work! We love democracy — it's the best! Unless, of course, democracy is getting in the way of reform. Then you'll hear from David and Rahm:
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}(BEGIN VIDEO CLIPS)
RAHM EMANUEL, WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF: The way to look at it — the way we — the president looks at it and we look at it, is it's not a news organization so much as it has a perspective.
DAVID AXELROD, SENIOR OBAMA ADVISER: They're not really a news station, if you watch, even it's not just their commentators but a lot of their news programming. It's really not news, it's pushing a point of view.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}(END VIDEO CLIPS)
Forget about that democracy stuff — just kidding. Did I say lockstep? I meant goose-step! Fox is no longer a news organization and all you other news organizations? Listen up: You shouldn't treat them as a news organization either.
As if that wasn't bad enough, the White House took it a step further and tried the heavy-handed tactic of excluding Fox from the press pool on Thursday. That shocking move prompted a reaction from the press that had even me standing up and cheering.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The president sounds open-minded:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: I will be there to listen. My door is always open
(END VIDEO CLIP)
He just wants to listen to everyone, well, except you tea party people. You had to stand in the way of reform and the president rejects that:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
OBAMA: Don't, don't, don't accuse me of having a socialist mop
(END VIDEO CLIP)
And by now, you know what happens when you don't play for the team, right? Let me show you, again, the Chicago way, in another clip from "The Untouchables":
(BEGIN 'THE UNTOUCHABLES' VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT DE NIRO AS AL CAPONE: A man stands alone at the plate. This is the time for what? For individual achievement. There he stands alone. But in the field, what? Part of a team.
HOODS: Teamwork.
CAPONE: I get nowhere unless the team wins.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Think of the people around the table not as mobsters, but as people playing ball with the administration. Chamber of Commerce; insurance industry; Creigh Deeds; Humana; doctors; small businesses — you can all sit around like those losers at the table and wonder which ones are going to be whacked.
Or you can stand up and say enough! But I warn you, that means people will get whacked. Again, another clip from "The Untouchables":
(BEGIN 'THE UNTOUCHABLES' VIDEO CLIP)
SEAN CONNERY AS JIM MALONE: What are you prepared to do?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
That's the question we have to ask ourselves? Who are we? The one that sits around the table or the one who's asked themselves: What are you willing to do?
— Watch "Glenn Beck" weekdays at 5 p.m. ET on Fox News Channel