Telling It Like It Is

So I'm at work today, and when it finally slowed down, I was able to hop on Think Progress, where I read this bit of Obama's speech to the Dems:

"When you start hearing arguments on the cable chatter, just understand a couple of things. Number one, when they say, well, why are we spending $800 billion -- we've got this huge deficit? First of all, I found this deficit when I showed up."

Burst out laughing, didn't I just? Priceless. That's the Obama I've been wanting to see. So I read it out loud to my coworkers, who don't spend their lunch hours pounding out blog posts but spend the time watching teevee in the breakroom. One of them tells me, "It gets better. He said he found it wrapped up with a bow."

At first, I couldn't believe them. I mean, all we've been getting lately is post-partisan Obama, who wouldn't dream of saying something so snarky. But then again, he tried to be inclusive and accomodating and attempted to make Cons happy, and they ran over him with the spiked boots. That could tend to make someone stop playing nice and reach for the can of whoop-ass with a double-shot of snark.

And wouldn't you know it? He did:

Good on him:

Obama, speaking to about 200 House Democrats at their annual retreat at the Kingsmill Resort and Spa, dismissed Republican attacks against the massive spending in the stimulus.

"What do you think a stimulus is?" Obama asked incredulously. "It’s spending — that's the whole point! Seriously.”

Stabbing hard at Republicans who once aligned themselves with his predecessor, Obama made it clear that the problems he seeks to address with his recovery plan weren’t ones of his making.

“When you start hearing arguments, on the cable chatter, just understand a couple of things,” he said. “No. 1, when they say, ‘Well, why are we spending $800 billion [when] we’ve got this huge deficit?’ – first of all, I found this deficit when I showed up, No. 1.

“I found this national debt, doubled, wrapped in a big bow waiting for me as I stepped into the Oval Office.”

He's not just telling it like it is. He's doing what he always did best - using razor-sharp wit to cut his opponents into manageable pieces. It's what we've desperately needed ever since the Cons started demanding the winners make all the concessions to the losers. They don't understand the concept of playing nice - they see it as weakness. Give them a millimeter and they'll take megaparsecs, then whine it's not enough. I do believe Obama has realized that. The post-partisan gloves have come off. It's a beautiful thing.

Note to Cons: you had a chance to get something. You're about to end up taking your teeth home in a hat. Enjoy.