“The Republican nominee is unfit to serve as president.”

Such is the gospel according to Barack Obama, who went on to defend his verdict by citing “the repeated denunciations of his statements by leading Republicans.”

He’s right, of course.  But his critique might carry more weight if it were not a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black.

(OMG, did I just write that?)

Before his very public embrace and endorsement of Hillary Clinton at the Democratic convention, Mr. Obama might have taken a look at the recent incendiary assessment of Ms. Clinton by NYT columnist Maureen Dowd, who’s about as far to the left as one can get without falling off the edge of the earth.

Here are a few choice quotes:

[The Clintons’] vast carelessness drags down everyone around them…

In a mere 11 days, arrogant, selfish actions by the Clintons contaminated three of the purest brands in Washington…

Hillary willfully put herself above the rules — again — and a president, campaign and party are all left twisting themselves into pretzels defending her.

The Clintons work hard but don’t play by the rules. Imagine them in the White House with the benefit of low expectations.

If even the most ardent defenders of liberal ideology give Ms. Clinton a failing grade in character, surely that must call into question her credibility as an aspirant for the country’s highest office.

So answer us this, President Obama:  how can you, with a straight face and in all earnest, chide Republicans for not rejecting an unfit candidate when you so brazenly refuse to do so yourself?