Barack Obama with the Congressional Black Caucus

Millions of black kids may well aspire to the presidency now that a black man is in the White House. But such a trajectory is less likely for them now than it was under Bush. Herein lies what is at best a paradox and at worst a contradiction within Obama’s core base of support. The very group most likely to support him—black Americans—is the same group that is doing worse under him.

That’s gotta hurt. Black people were better off under the supposedly stupid white president? Holy ghost of Ronald Reagan!

To the CBC’s chagrin, Obama didn’t deliver his typical “feel good” speech—one of those orations that sounds good but commits to nothing. Obama was supposed to blame Bush. Tell America that it was the obstructionist Republicans’ fault. Tell them he needs more time or that the Tea Party is racist. You know…the usual memes.

But Obama told the CBC to man up! “Take off your bedroom slippers, put on your marching shoes…shake it off.”

Obama must have been thinking:

It’s not all my fault, and don’t make me call you Negroes out. Who’s been “leading” black people the longest? Remember, CBC, I inherited your mess!

The CBC has been responsible for black jobs—or the lack thereof—for decades, so why are black people’s problems suddenly all Obama’s fault? And Obama picked this fight on the CBC’s turf. How significant is that? He peed in their Kool-Aid, then made them drink it.

Obama is determined not to be the black community’s fall guy, and he all but dared the CBC to do something. And Maxine Waters, who earlier this year asked her constituents for permission to go after Obama, obviously got the message.

On CBS’ The Early Show, Waters commented:

I don’t know who he was talking to because we’re certainly not complaining. We’re working. We support him, and we’re protecting that base because we want people to be enthusiastic about him when that election rolls around.

We are witnessing firsthand the open fear on the left. They are more scared than a Chihuahua passing a peach pit. If you think it’s bad now, hang in there. By election time, the CBC and Obama will go together like a pierced tongue and dentures.