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Opinion: Obama’s midterm election strategy: Mock ‘Tea Party’ members?

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Even diehard Obama supporters had to cringe this past week. Had to.

At least when Joe Effing Biden puts his foot in his mouth, everyone gets a laugh out of it, and it’s chalked up to Joe Biden being the crazy uncle of the White House. Uncle Fester with hair (kinda).

But when President Obama inserted both feet in his mouth last week, Republican campaign consultants started salivating. And you could chalk it up to Christmas in April.

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It’s one thing to be confident. It’s another to be cocky.

When Michael Jordan toyed with Bryon Russell, that was confidence. When President Obama toyed with the ‘tea party,’ that was cocky. The ‘tea party’ is no Bryon Russell. In fact, recent polls paint a portrait of tea party supporters as your neighbors. And other polls indicate most Americans now preferring Hillary Clinton over the ex-state senator.

NBA references aside (well, one more), the midterm elections are the big game. None bigger for now. And being well aware of....

...what happened in Virginia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts -- of all places -- why on Earth the president would mock this movement is beyond springtime comprehension.

‘So I’ve been a little amused over the last couple of days where people have been having these rallies about taxes,’ Obama told his supporters. ‘You would think they would be saying thank you. That’s what you’d think.’

Such sound bites are a gift that keeps on giving come campaign time. Sure, he was talking at a fundraiser. And sure, he was rallying the troops. But you can have fun without mocking the opposition. But then again, this is the same president that kept sticking it to the city of Las Vegas despite the well-publicized outcry.

Maybe he needs new speechwriters.

Not convinced?

How do you think this line is going to help his fellow Democrats -- the ones actually on a ballot, unlike the president -- come election day Nov. 2?

‘Whether we like it or not, we remain a dominant military superpower.’

Whoa, you say! That’s out of context!

In campaign commercials, the only context is the context the producer creates. Besides, no doctoring needed for that clip. Obama said the whole thing.

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Wanna see a preview of what you’re going to see this fall?

Oh, they’ll be tighter than this. Not as goofy. More professional. But one quick trip to YouTube and you can see the writing on the wall.

Related items:

Myth-busting polls: 41% of Tea Party members are Democrats, independents

Red flag for a sinking Obama: Americans now prefer Hillary Clinton

63% of Americans see tax hikes looming under Obama

-- Jimmy Orr

You can get Twitter alerts of each new Ticket item. And if you act now, we promise to never to mock you at any of our presidential fundraisers. So follow us @latimestot. You can also join our new Facebook fan page here.

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