Should Robert Gibbs resign?

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs has been in the hot seat since starting a feud with President Obama's liberal critics. Gibbs told The Hill newspaper that people on the "professional Left" were ignoring Obama's accomplishments, and wouldn't be satisfied until "we have Canadian health care and we've eliminated the Pentagon. That's not reality." Echoing criticism of several congressional Democrats, Rep. Alan Grayson (D-Fla.) said Gibbs is a "Bozo" and should resign, or be fired. Gibbs said he is staying put. But would Obama and the Democrats be better off if he quit? (Watch Grayson's comments about Robert Gibbs)

Gibbs has to go: "Robert Gibbs should resign immediately," says John Amato at Crooks and Liars. He's insulting the people who "helped Barack Obama get elected" at a time when the party needs them again. "This is Politics 101. You never spit on your base."

"Robert Gibbs should resign"

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Let Gibbs stay, but in a less visible role: Gibbs admits his jab was "inartful," says Scott Wilson in The Washington Post, although the administration really is frustrated "over the gap it sees between its achievements and the credit it's receiving." Still, "the truth hurts," and Gibbs doesn't seem capable of sugarcoating anything any more, so maybe it's time for him to slip into a "less visible" White House job.

"Is it time for Gibbs to move on?"

Liberals will thank Gibbs later: Whether he meant to or not, Robert Gibbs has woken up his party's "sleepy, discontented base," says Tommy Christopher at Mediaite. Democrats have been wasting time with infighting as the midterm elections draw near. Gibbs did Democrats a favor by reminding them "that, while not everything they want is getting done now," their agenda is dead if they let the GOP take over.

"Was Robert Gibbs' 'professional Left' rant an act of political genius?"