Bashing Obama, that is the subject of this evening's "Talking Points Memo." The Conservative Political Action Conference opened its annual convention in Washington with some of the biggest names on the right in attendance. And what has bound them together so far is President Obama.
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DICK CHENEY, FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think 2010 is going to be a phenomenal year for the conservative cause. And I think Barack Obama is a one-term president.
(CHEERING)
SEN. JIM DEMINT, R - S.C.: Just because you get on TV doesn't mean you can sell Socialism to freedom-loving Americans.
(CHEERING)
LIZ CHENEY, CO-FOUNDER KEEP AMERICA SAFE: And while we're sending messages to President Obama today, here is one more. Stop apologizing for this great nation and start defending her.
(CHEERING)
DICK ARMEY, R - FORMER HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER: You're intellectually shallow. You're romantic. You're self-indulgent. You have no ability, perhaps the most proven yourself already to be the most incompetent president perhaps in our lifetime.
MITT ROMNEY, FORMER REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The gold medal that was won last night by American Lindsey Vonn has been stripped. Yeah, it was determined that President Obama has been going downhill faster than she has.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Now, here's the question. Does Obama bashing accomplish anything? "Talking Points" became disgusted when President Bush was attacked every two minutes by the left. I mean, it got to the point where good people simply had to walk away from that. Even if you think Mr. Bush was doing a bad job, the personal attacks on him were vicious and accomplished nothing.
So what's the difference with President Obama? Well, there are two kinds of political attacks. The personal, meant to diminish the human being and criticism of policy, meant to persuade people, the person in power is doing a bad job. Of course, there's nothing wrong with policy criticism or satire. That's a hallmark of America. But the personal stuff is cheap. And we're seeing more and more of it. There are times when people have to be called out. You may remember my interview with Congressman Barney Frank. But that's unusual. Most of the time, we and you can get your points across without being cruel.
"Talking Points" does not mean to lecture. We've made mistakes here as well. And there is no question that President Obama is having some big problems. All the polls show that. So is he a legitimate political target. But if CPAC makes a weekend out of bashing Obama, it will be making a big mistake. In order to regain power in America, conservatives must come up with solutions to complicated problems. And that's what they should be doing at the Washington convention. And that's "The Memo."
Pinheads & Patriots
Time now for "Pinheads & Patriots." One of the most extraordinary Olympic performances so far was the one by American snowboarder Shaun White.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh! That is a move that encompasses 3 1/2 rotations, two flips. The Double McTwist, the Big Mac, whatever you want to call it, The White Snake, The Double-Double, Extra Tomato. I don't care what you're going to call it. That was unbelievable!
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I did that yesterday out in Santa Monica. For his skill Mr. White won the gold and is a patriot.
On the pinhead front, yesterday was Ash Wednesday, beginning of Lent, and Vice President Biden, a Roman Catholic, received ashes on his forehead. Apparently, that confused some British commentators.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What happened to his head? I'm sure that's what everybody's asking at home.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, I don't know. Simple answer, maybe we'll get a chance to find out a little later. He's been up in Vancouver for the winter Olympics and was the face of the administration there. So whether there was some accident on what little ice there's been up in Vancouver, we don't know.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Certainly looks like quite a bruise, doesn't it? Anyway, never mind.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Unbelievable. For not figuring out it was Ash Wednesday, those people are pinheads.
— You can catch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" and "Pinheads & Patriots" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the FOX News Channel and any time on foxnews.com/oreilly. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com
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