A warning from a friend or a threat from an enemy?
I am morally certain that President Obama's remarks were intended as a warning from a friend.
I can see that they could be interpreted as a threat. Indeed, had the supporters of leave not gone over the top in attacking him from even before he made his speech, we might have had all the press reporting it that way, which would have made the President's intervention more of boost for "leave."
However, I will be very surprised if the overall impact of this whole affair is not a boost for Remain, because the attacks on Obama from a number of "Leave" sources - I'm not talking about those who politely disagreed or those who used gentle and effective humour like the "Lord North" tweet, I'm talking about the completely unacceptable jibes about the President's ancestry or those who accused him of being anti-British - will reduce the respect in which the people who made them are held, and the extent to which people listen to their arguments.
This sort of nonsense will damage both the people who indulge in it, and the Leave campaign.
Inside or outside the EU we need to be on good terms with America. If anything we will need that friendship more if we leave.
Since it looks like the Republicans are about to hand the forthcoming election to Hilary Clinton on a silver platter by nominating someone completely unelectable - only the FBI can stop her now - and she's echoed Obama's comments, any senior Leave supporters who want to have a cat in hell's chance of being taken seriously, or getting the votes of intelligent people, need to start rebuilding some fences with our friends across the Atlantic.
I can see that they could be interpreted as a threat. Indeed, had the supporters of leave not gone over the top in attacking him from even before he made his speech, we might have had all the press reporting it that way, which would have made the President's intervention more of boost for "leave."
However, I will be very surprised if the overall impact of this whole affair is not a boost for Remain, because the attacks on Obama from a number of "Leave" sources - I'm not talking about those who politely disagreed or those who used gentle and effective humour like the "Lord North" tweet, I'm talking about the completely unacceptable jibes about the President's ancestry or those who accused him of being anti-British - will reduce the respect in which the people who made them are held, and the extent to which people listen to their arguments.
This sort of nonsense will damage both the people who indulge in it, and the Leave campaign.
Inside or outside the EU we need to be on good terms with America. If anything we will need that friendship more if we leave.
Since it looks like the Republicans are about to hand the forthcoming election to Hilary Clinton on a silver platter by nominating someone completely unelectable - only the FBI can stop her now - and she's echoed Obama's comments, any senior Leave supporters who want to have a cat in hell's chance of being taken seriously, or getting the votes of intelligent people, need to start rebuilding some fences with our friends across the Atlantic.
Comments
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.
That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.
But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.
US Declaration of Independence - 4th July 1776.
At the end of the day, the purpose of the referendum is for the people of Britain decide whether the EU is helping to achieve those ends or not.