\u00a0<\/span>Leonard Pitts Jr., the eloquent and empathetic columnist for the Miami Herald whose work appears in more than 100 newspapers across the country (including the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Sundays), believes that Barack Obama is a smart, gifted, visionary man.\u00a0 But he\u2019s got a problem with the President\u2019s notion of compromise, and a theory as to why Obama so frequently seems blind-sided.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not a psychologist and I don\u2019t pretend to be,\u201d said Pitts, who, like the President, is black.\u00a0 Obama often seems surprised by the level of vitriolic rancor that characterizes our political discourse today.\u00a0 According to Pitts, this may be because he was raised in uncommon circumstances: by a white mother and white grandparents.<\/p>\n

This upbringing, while undoubtedly advantageous, was unusual by both black and white standards.\u00a0 But because it was normal for Obama, he may not realize that his family was an exception to the rule, Pitts theorizes.<\/p>\n

\u201cI believe that there is rancor in Republican hearts that Obama little dreams of,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Speaking to an almost-sold-out luncheon of the Women\u2019s Democratic Forum in St. Louis on Sept. 1, Pitts reflected on some of the insults that have been directed toward Obama during the past three years.<\/p>\n

\u201cGOP insiders have called him \u2018boy,\u2019 \u2018tar baby,\u2019 and \u2018a dick,\u2019\u201d Pitts said.\u00a0 \u201cA member of the House of Representatives shouted \u2018you lie!\u2019 during the state of the union speech.\u00a0 The \u2018birthers\u2019 don\u2019t even believe he is a citizen of this country.\u00a0 We have not seen this before.\u00a0 These people would rather have the country be ungovernable than let the President do his job.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pitts believes that the level of animosity directed toward Barack Obama is different from criticism other presidents have had to endure.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is different is the coarseness and crudity that emanates from within the political establishment,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Pitts contends that Obama does not understand how personal animosity to him drives his opposition.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s in Obama\u2019s nature to seek compromise; that\u2019s how things get done,\u201d he explained.\u00a0 \u201cBut serious-minded people are in short supply in Washington today.\u00a0 Compromise involves both give and take; it requires a partner.\u00a0 Mitch McConnell, the Senate minority leader, is on record as saying that his number one goal is to make sure that Obama is a one-term president.\u00a0 Now, how do you compromise with that?\u201d<\/p>\n

In some ways, Barack Obama is trapped, Pitts believes.\u00a0 He can\u2019t confront the reality he faces and get angry, because the image of an angry black man in the oval office needs to be avoided.\u00a0 During the campaign he pledged to avoid references to racism, so he can\u2019t call this treatment what it really is.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not racist to disagree with Obama, but it is racist to try to sabotage every effort he makes to govern the country just because \u201che\u2019s a liberal black guy with a funny name,\u201d Pitts said.\u00a0 He believes it is time for Obama to start acting like the president, and to indicate that there are some things he will not compromise.\u00a0 And then he will have to stick to his guns.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not politics as usual,\u201d Pitts said.\u00a0 \u201cThis is not liberals versus conservatives.\u00a0 This is reason versus unreason.\u00a0 We have moments like this in American history, where some of us watch in horror as others lose their minds.\u00a0 These are bizarre times.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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