In the 1990s? People are calling Obama a Fascist, a Communist, saying he's not a Natural Born Citizen, calling him Obango, Mao-bama, and 'Barry', and the Tea Parties are basically a reaction to Obama's Presidency. In general, people are being idiotic silly heads. Were people this stupid in the 90s when Clinton was in office and I just didn't notice, or is this new?

Toned the language down a bit since we don't want any flames - SD

I've heard people argue that the reaction to Clinton's liasons was pretty extreme. Aside from the moral indignation about what Clinton did in his private life (paradoxically, nobody seemed to like Hilary but can't accept that Bill probably doesn't either ) there was the tendency by the media to linger on every sordid detail, the whole Ken Starr thing etc. The whole militia movement thing came to a head under Clinton too IIRC.

I've also noticed a surprising level of hatred for Jimmy Carter. Like Obama it seems Carter came across as a 'peacenik', even when he was taking a hardline. Both were seen as unable to face serious challenges at home and abroad. Both also have had their presidency considered in light of a surprisingly popular, 'tough', Republican president, Reagan and George W. Bush respectively. Both also have had to deal with an emerging economic crisis, malaise and the 'GFC'.

McCarthyism as a broader political-social phenomena was also pretty lame. Numerous public officials and even members of the military suddenly found themselves being accused of being Communists, enemies etc.

I like the silly heads comment.

So, can I guess that any DNC President is going to get the same treatment to varying degrees?

I can't think of a Republican hate figure immediately off the top of my... although come to think of it, some of the invective directed at Abraham Lincoln both by contempories and by historians/political pundits today can border on the insane at times.