Monday night President Obama told the crowd in Nevada, "It's hard for me to express how much I love Harry Reid."
Then he said, "We were doing a little reminiscing and then figuring out how we're going to deal with the crazies in terms of managing some problems."
Who are the crazies?
Our president has defined who he thinks they are, however some in Republican leadership have also defined "the crazies."
"Crazies" would be different for Obama than for some of the Republican leaders--right?
It was at a fundraiser for Reid's replacement---he is retiring, that the president spoke of "dealing with the crazies."
In his 13-minute speech he identified at least 2 crazy groups.
Those who oppose his Iran Nuclear Deal would be "crazy."
He said, "The world is counting on us for leadership around the world."
Indeed they are, there has been none for several years.
Later in the speech, the president urged congress not to block his "Deal" with Iran.
The mullahs of Iran are also urging Congress not to block his Deal with Iran.
Those who work to block the deal are "crazy," while those who chant "death to America" and "death to Israel" and are being assured of having the nuclear weapons they desperately want, are not crazy.
In fact, the president has said in a speech at American University two weeks ago, "Hardliners chanting 'death to America' are actually opposed to the deal. They are making common cause with the Republican caucus."
Reid, who is not crazy, has said, "I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure the deal stands."
This is getting complicated. Are we all crazy?
The other obvious group of "crazies" are those who oppose the president's commitment to advance the global warming agenda.
He has recently announced he will be taking executive action to provide new incentives, including $1 billion in new loans for those investing in "climate change" green energy projects.
Those who oppose it are----you guessed it, "crazies."
But some influential Republicans also have identified a group of "crazies."
John McCain told Ryan Lizza with The New Yorker, a favorite publication of the left to far left, that Trump is creating a losing environment for the GOP---"Because what he did was he fired up the crazies."
Are those the same "crazies" Obama is referring to? Or are they different "crazies?"
A couple of things to keep in perspective: McCain didn't win the presidency, personally doesn't like Trump, but neither does he like Marco Rubio or Ted Cruz, he is a huge supporter of Lindsay Graham for president and he has been working against, not with the Republican Party in Arizona.
He told The New Yorker, "We have an extreme element in the Republican Party," noting that he was personally censored by Arizona Republicans in January of 2014 and has been fighting to push out extremists in the state GOP ever since, saying, "We did to some degree regain control of the Party."
Are the extremists the same as the "crazies" who are conservatives, who are Obama's "crazies?"
Now he fears Trump has "re-galvanized" those "crazies" and "will reverse those gains" that he and other non-crazies have made.
Forget Trump.
Catherine Evans read the New Yorker article and noted she wasn't surprised that McCain, after being called out on calling conservatives "crazies," had told the press he actually meant it as a "term of endearment."
Now that's crazy---isn't it?
She wrote, "McCain's disdain toward conservative Tea Party people is no secret. Far from being a term of endearment, calling conservatives 'crazies' represents John McCain's true feelings."
We are reminded that this belief represents a thread of continuity within the GOP---it's referred to as being "moderate." Or more acceptable to the real world and the electorate.
We are reminded that in 2014, highly respected GOP pollster Ed Goeas said this about the field of newly elected candidates coming into the US Senate:
"In state after state we nominated the right person. We did not nominate any crazies...The more the country sees the quality of that class, the more people like Ted Cruz are going to fade into the background."
This pretty much defines the "moderate" wing of the GOP. It certainly defines the "moderate" Republican leadership in Washington State.
The issue of "crazies" is not really about Trump. It's about anyone who opposes the "moderate" political philosophy.
Trump is simply the most bombastic, hyper-funded voice at the moment. If he fades, the focus will turn to Cruz or Carson or Huckabee or Fiorina, because they--the moderates, want Jeb Bush. Or at least Lindsay Graham.
A friend of mine, who is very well connected, told me yesterday Mitt Romney is being urged by GOP leaders to enter the presidential race---again. They believe he can stop Trump. Romney is said to be seriously considering it.
It's sad to see some in the Republican Party caught in this current of trying to lead without passion or conviction.
But the practice of labeling those who disagree as "crazies" or "less than acceptable" is not new, nor is it unique to today.
In 2008, while speaking to a group of San Francisco donors, then Senator and presidential candidate Obama referred to those who live in middle America as "folks who are clinging to their guns and Bibles."
Soon after his election, President Obama was quoted often as calling conservatives "nutjobs" and "crazies."
In 2010, the Internal Revenue Service began scrutinizing Tea Party groups. The ongoing investigation of the IRS has turned up a number of interesting email messages from then IRS Director Lois Lerner, including this one related to conservatives--specifically Tea Party members:
[exact copy of her email message]: "We don't need to worry about alien teRrorists. It's our own crazies that take us down."
In the absence of absolutes, how can anyone accurately identify the "crazies?"
We live in a crazy world, but one thing is certain. God and His Word never changes.
While "The fool has said in his heart there is no God", the crazies who cling to their Bibles know for certain that "the peace of God which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7).
Be Certain. Be Blessed.