CNN) ? President Obama used a college commencement address Saturday to promote his view of the role of government, emphasize the need for civility in political discussion and to take some not so veiled shots at his grassroots conservative critics.
After a year in which Obama has seen his approval ratings slide and the conservative grassroots movement rise to prominence, the president used part of the nearly 30-minute speech at the University of Michigan to lay out his vision for how political debate ought to transpire.
Obama told graduating students in Ann Arbor that the current political debates ?are serious arguments.?
?It?s important for everyone to join in the debate, with all the vigor that the maintenance of a free people requires,? he said.
But Obama added that a passionate debate must also be a civil one.
?We can?t expect to solve our problems, if all we do is tear each other down,? the president said. ?You can disagree with a certain policy without demonizing the person who espouses it. You can question someone?s views and their judgment without questioning their motives or their patriotism.?
In a clear reference to criticisms directed at him by Tea Party activists, Obama said ?throwing around phrases like ?socialist, Soviet-style takeover, fascist, and right-wing nut,? that may grab headlines. But it also has the effect of comparing our government - our political opponents ? to authoritarian and even murderous regimes.?:00hour
Such heated rhetoric is problematic, the president said, because instead of remaining at the ideological extremes where it has historically been, ?it?s starting to creep into the center of our discourse.?:00hour
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