Is Obama Starting to Welcome Their Hatred?

For twelve years this Nation was afflicted with hear-nothing, see-nothing, do-nothing Government. The Nation looked to Government but the Government looked away. Nine mocking years with the golden calf and three long years of the scourge! Nine crazy years at the ticker and three long years in the breadlines! Nine mad years of mirage and three long years of despair! Powerful influences strive today to restore that kind of government with its doctrine that that Government is best which is most indifferent.

 For nearly four years you have had an Administration which instead of twirling its thumbs has rolled up its sleeves. We will keep our sleeves rolled up.

 We had to struggle with the old enemies of peace--business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, war profiteering.

 They had begun to consider the Government of the United States as a mere appendage to their own affairs. We know now that Government by organized money is just as dangerous as Government by organized mob.

 Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me--and I welcome their hatred.

 I should like to have it said of my first Administration that in it the forces of selfishness and of lust for power met their match. I should like to have it said of my second Administration that in it these forces met their master.

- Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Halloween, October 31st, but except for the decades-old linguistic style couldn't you picture Barack Obama saying that sometime soon, in conjunction with the Occupy Wall Street protests?

I've been liking to draw a parallel between the Barack Obama Presidency and the Presidencies of Harry Truman and Bill Clinton, respectively, in the aftermath of the 2010 midterm elections. My argument, as regular readers (if any exist) may recall, was that Obama should start out sounding like Clinton, wanting to move to the center and compromise, but then anticipate an eventual and necessary shift to a more "Give 'em hell!" Trumanesque strategy once the Republicans refused to compromise. But honestly, for the first time in a few years I'm noticing the parallels between Obama and Franklin Roosevelt. Part of that is because of Obama's new behavior, and part of it is from being reminded about FDR's first time.