What I've learned about Obama in the first days of his presidency. Some of it I already knew. Some, I didn't.
Obama the President:
He talks often and says nothing - I already knew that. He can't rely on his memory or speak "off the cuff" - I didn't know that. He relies on teleprompters of all shapes and sizes, either due to a poor memory or out of fear that he may say something that actually means something, which, if not tested by pollsters, could get him in hot water. His lack of experience is showing.
When he takes a stand, it is meaningless. He has done little of what he promised to do. And, if he says he won't do something or is against it and is hounded enough, he will reverse his stance. If he says something is wrong and poll results tell him what an extremely unpopular point of view that is, he will pass the buck or wiggle around it.
He bowed to the prince. He didn't get a shelter dog. He looks awkward when filmed in real life situations. He condemned FISA and now claims
“Sovereign Immunity” Flip, Flop.
Perhaps the torture memos, Meet the Press and
Greenwald put it all in perspective for me. This is from last Sunday, with supposed Democrats and Republicans talking about the release of the memos and how to handle them:
What a vibrant, spirited debate that was. And the way they all harmoniously recite the same White House Orwellian script -- look to the glorious future, citizens, for that is where your salvation lies -- is almost as creepy as the OLC torture memos themselves. Too bad for the 2.1 million Americans in prison -- the largest prison population on the planet -- that the profound sense of forgiveness exuded by Obama and our Beltway elites only seems to apply to themselves, and especially to Bush officials who systematically violated the law. For ordinary citizens caught in America's criminal justice system, mercy and understanding are the rarest commodities one can imagine. Perhaps it's time to begin a FREE BERNIE MADOFF campaign based on Obama's oh-so-moving decree that this is a time for reflection, not retribution, and that we must look forward, not backwards.
Emphasis mine.
Obama is trying too hard to be all things to the people he is beholden to. I don't mean his astroturf supporters - he could care less about them. I mean the money people that put him in power. He appears to have no convictions of his own. I can't imagine him digging deep down in his gut and making the hard decisions for the right reasons. He is simply the Big Giant Head of a government gone wrong. I was really hoping to see some sign of a President who would do what was difficult, but right, and suck it up when he made a mistake - not some fake, all knowing Father Knows Best. The bailouts, the budget, more deployment of troops. So much for the Democratic majority. Obama is America's third term of an inexperienced leader, allowing corporate interests to lead him down the path of destruction of our economy.
One thing I can't figure out, however, is his lack of interest. He seems to be trying too hard to convince us he has everything under control, but I think the only thing he really wants to control is his image. That is his number one priority. Obama - Numero Uno.
The Freedom of the Moon by Robert Frost
