what does it matter what causes anything?

I am tired of commentators, usually on the right, complaining that Obama shouldn't be blaming any of the nation's problems on Bush or the Republicans or even mentioning the fact that he inherited the worst legacy of any president for, well, ever: two appallingly managed wars, an imploding economy, a collapsing infrastructure, a soaring budget deficit, and more.

Obama made one or two pointed comments about this inheritance yesterday, reminding those on the right side of the aisle (as well as those Tea Party twits) that no, actually, he didn't conjure up a deficit from nothing. Bush and the GOP gave him a headstart on that one.

This seems remarkably restrained to me. If I were him I'd want to stand up there and tell them to be ashamed of themselves for such hypocrisy and that, as Clement Attlee said to Harold Laski, a period of silence on their part would be most welcome. But even Obama's polite version meets with disapproval in certain quarters. Clive Crook writes this:

What does it matter who caused the problem? Obama's job is to solve it.

Andrew Sullivan, quite rightly, dumps on his fellow Atlantic blogger from a great height for this piece of near-sublime idiocy.

Actually, it reminds me of a comment somebody made about global warming during the 2008 campaign:

"But it kinda doesn't matter at this point in the debate what caused it. The point is it's real; we need to do something about it."

Comments

[Summer]

"What does it matter who caused the problem? Obama's job is to solve it."

Very good point. It's a bit like Terri from "The Thick of It" always saying "It's not my fault, I didn't do anything!". Well yes, it's not his fault that he inherited a mess from the previous president, but it's his JOB to fix it. He knew what he was signing up for. While I'd love to see him give the GOP a bollocking on a national platform, it won't do anything but give us bleeding heart liberals a reason to smirk and snicker to each other. The ramping up period is over. Time to get some real work done.

[peter]

Yet another reason, although we have plenty already, not to read Clive Crook.

[Marbury]

Ha, yes, I must say I find his eminence (Economist/Atlantic/FT) rather puzzling.