Oh, No! ODS

BDS—Bush Derangement Syndrome—began shortly after George W. Bush won a very close and hotly contested election against Al Gore in 2000. Within days, Left-leaning websites began relentless and harsh criticism of the new President, using derisive terms that rapidly morphed (on Websites like the DailyKos and Huffington Post) into the Bush/Chimp/Hitler mime.

Those of us in the Center watched this display of irrational hatred and just shook our heads. It’s okay to disagree with a man’s politics and it’s necessary to criticize bad decisions, but to attribute evil intent to his every decision (think: the Iraq war or hurricane Katrina) is, well, unhinged.

Sadly, what goes around in politics, comes around.

It appears that Barack Obama will win the Presidency. The current economic meltdown has given new meaning to the phrase “people vote their pocketbooks” and the incumbent party will be made to pay for the economic collapse that has engulfed us all.

What troubles me is that as the reality of an Obama presidency begins to sink in, we're beginning to see ODS—Obama Derangement Syndrome—rear it’s ugly head at Right-leaning blogs and Websites. Like those on the Left who adopted BDS as a driving political philosophy, some on the Right appear to be rapidly descending into an irrational hatred of Obama.

All of us must (to borrow a phrase) put our country first. Although he is woefully inexperienced and untested in the mosh-pit that is Washington politics, it’s only fair that every one of us give an Obama administration a chance to guide our country out of the mess we’re in. We may not agree with his politics, and over time, we may criticize his decisions, but I do not think his intent will be evil.

BDS was and continues to be despicable. ODS will be nothing less than the same thing.