Obama accuses Romney of “extremism”, but who is the real extremist?

The Associated Press recently did an interview with President Obama in which our celebrity President dropped the “extremist” card a few times on Mitt Romney:

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama said Mitt Romney has locked himself into “extreme positions” on economic and social issues and would surely impose them if elected, trying to discredit his Republican rival at the biggest political moment of his life.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Obama said Romney lacks serious ideas, refuses to “own up” to the responsibilities of what it takes to be president, and deals in factually dishonest arguments that could soon haunt him in face-to-face debates.

Obama also offered a glimpse of how he would govern in a second term of divided government, insisting rosily that the forces of the election would help break Washington’s stalemate. He said he would be willing to make a range of compromises with Republicans, confident there are some who would rather make deals than remain part of “one of the least productive Congresses in American history.”

With the remarks, Obama set up a contrast between Romney, whom he cast as an extremist pushing staunchly conservative policies, and himself, by saying he would work across party lines. It was a seeming play for the independent voters who decide close elections and tell pollsters they want to see the often-gridlocked politicians in Washington solve the nation’s problems.

Mainly, Obama was intent on countering Romney even before his challenger got to the Republican National Convention, which starts Monday in Tampa, Fla. In doing so, the president depicted his opponent as having accumulated ideas far outside the mainstream with no room to turn back.

“I can’t speak to Governor Romney’s motivations,” Obama said. “What I can say is that he has signed up for positions, extreme positions, that are very consistent with positions that a number of House Republicans have taken. And whether he actually believes in those or not, I have no doubt that he would carry forward some of the things that he’s talked about.”

Obama spoke to the AP on Thursday before heading off to a long weekend with his family at Camp David, the secluded presidential retreat in the Maryland mountains.

Now, re-read the above excerpt, and replace Romney’s name with Obama’s.  It fits a lot more, doesn’t it?  Because the “extremist” in this race is not Mitt Romney, it is President Obama.  On issues like abortion and  health care reform, etc, Obama doesn’t just take the standard “liberal” position, he takes the far left position that NO restrictions be put on abortion – even if the baby is born ALIVE, and on health care ultimately believes in rationing for the sick and elderly, and “death panels.”  Who is the real “extremist” here?

In explaining his accusation of “extreme” positions, the president cited Romney’s call for across-the-board tax cuts that Obama said would mostly help the rich at the expense of everyone else and cost the nation $5 trillion. Obama singled out Romney’s opposition to tax credits for producers of wind energy, the kind of issue that carries large political resonance in a battleground state such as Iowa.

And Obama alluded to the provocative issue of abortion, suddenly thrust to the fore this week when Republican Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin said the female body has a way to “shut that whole thing down” when a woman is the victim of “legitimate rape.”

The Republican platform in Tampa calls for a ban on abortion with no specific exceptions for rape or other circumstances. Obama predicted that a President Romney would not “stand in the way” if Congress gave him a bill that stripped away women’s control over their reproductive health.

Romney is on record, however, as not opposing abortion in cases of rape and incest or if it will save the mother’s life.

Guess what? Romney’s view is one that a majority of Americans hold. They oppose abortion, but want to keep it available to women in the event of rape, incest, or health of the mother issues.  Is President Obama calling a majority of Americans “extremists”?  And since when is wanting to keep taxes and regulations low for businesses “extremist” policy? This is what most business owners (those below AND above the magic $250,000 mark) want to see before investing, and is part of the reason why this so-called “recovery” has felt more like a continued recession.  Does this mean a majority of American business owners are “extremists” as well?

All of this brings to mind how, in predictable fashion, Democrats are trying to redefine words again.  They’ve done it with abortion (it’s “women’s rights” now instead of the termination of an unborn child), they’ve done it with racism (it now means any white conservative who criticizes or disagrees with a black liberal public figure), and now they’re doing it with the word “extremist.” Basically, if you are a critic of President Obama you are now – by default – an “extremist.”  There aren’t any simple, legitimate differences in opinion anymore to this administration. President Obama has been the most pro-abortion President in our history, but the fact that Mitt Romney wants to preserve life in most instances over having their body parts sucked out piece by piece makes him an “extremist.”  Wanting to cut taxes and eliminate some burdensome red tape regulations that make it difficult but businesses to survive and thrive is “extremist.”  President Reagan was very pro-business in this regard, and President Obama supposedly views Reagan as an inspiration and model for his own presidency. So does that mean President Obama idolizes an “extremist” Republican”?

Sadder still, the mainstream media never asks Obama and his minions what they mean when they say “extremist” – what is it about the positions taken by Mitt Romney that are “extreme” in contrast with the President’s?  Don’t hold your breath waiting for any of them to ask that question, because they very well know it would lead to some inconvenient truths not about Mitt Romney but about our President Obama that  not even they are comfortable with.

I just hope the American people, when they read and hear about interviews like this, ask those questions – especially considering they hold very similar views to Mitt Romney and should put two and two together …. and realize that the President who desperately wants their vote at the same time labels them as “extremists.”  If that’s not a wake up call, I don’t know what is.