Barack Obama is a mild-mannered college professor playing at being a politician pretending to know what the hell he’s talking about when he reads other people’s ideas written up by the Cardboard Titty Groper from a TelePrompTer, or, Heaven forbid, note cards. As such, he has yet to settle on a comfortable persona, or alter-ego, if you will. Is he an affable, perpetual campaigner, selling “hopey change” to the hard of listening? Is he a Dark Darth Vader of Doom with a “sky is falling” Chicken Little complex? Could he be SuperO!, sent to us from a planet far, far, far away, in another galaxy, by a benevolent father determined to save our people as his meet their end? Or, is he a stern, yet compassionate EveryDad, kindly dispensing “tough love” to his cherished, yet clueless adolescent children? Whatever role he’s playing, he seems to have forgotten that in our system of government, he’s technically, no better than any other citizen.
“My fellow Americans.”
Most presidents use this phrase to address their fellow citizens, but, to the best of my knowledge, Barack Obama usually does not. One suspects that the reason for this is that even he knows enough to realize that “My loyal subjects,” what he wants to call us, is inappropriate. Therefore, he tends to call us the political equivalent of “you guys,” which is, “everybody,” as in, “Good evening, everybody,” or “Everybody be seated.”
Whatever. The Obamessiah has donned just about all of his myriad personalities over the past few weeks since the inauguration; first as the Play President, getting his picture taken sitting behind his big, shiny new desk in his shirtsleeves, pretending to talk on the phone so it would look like he was actually doing Important Stuff. When that proved to be insufficient to inspire the proper degree of deference and awe necessary to force Congress to do his bidding, he and his PuppetMasters decided it was time to dust off the Lovable Candidate suit, pack up the Traveling TelePrompTer and and hit the road giving away houses door to door like Oprah doing Ed McMahon. When it looked like even that might not work, he commandeered the airwaves as Doctor Destructo, scaring the shit out of “his fellow Americans,” and other little children with his “catastrophic” proclamations portending imminent doom and devastation if he didn’t get his way with his stimulus plan, only to be met with the fate he said he was trying to avoid when he did.
Earlier today, Obantos channeled his inner Huxtable and scolded his headstrong older mayoral sons and daughters working in the family business, charged with dispensing their allowance to their younger siblings fairly. Like Cliff to lovable screw-up Theo, Papa Prez laid down the law; “do it right, or answer to me.” Like Theo, the kiddie mayors grabbed the cash, said, “uh-huh, luv ya, Pops,” and hit the door quick before he changed his mind and snatched it back in order to issue more conditions they fully plan to ignore. Again, like Cliff, the Acting President smiled indulgently, knowing they’d be back for more as soon as they ran through what he’d given them, just as well as they knew he had held some back for just that purpose.
He has also, on occasion, been thrust into the role of hapless, bumbling Mr. Peepers does Dagwood, such as when his best laid cabinet plans gang aft aglaed. Having three candidates for one position withdraw from consideration, as he has had with Secretary of Commerce (Pritzker, Richardson, and Gregg) could make anybody look stupid, even if his Secretary of Treasury wasn’t a tax cheat the world had no confidence in. And, if he was the only one.
As he theorizes and strategizes hypothetical responses to focus group directives, marking time giving pep talks in front of crowds and television cameras, tap dancing as fast as he can in an attempt to divert attention from his un-preparedness and ineptitude, his Traveling Light and Magic Show still enjoys good ratings. However, in spite of his uncanny quick-change talent and clever scriptwriters eerily in touch with their target audience through age, internet and Starbucks, he would do well to remember that there is not enough Mocha Choca Latte bars and customers to keep a bad show on the air once the novelty wears off for the fickle “fellow Americans” he serves.
Especially if they think it’s his fault they’re broke.
So, keep dancing, Mr. President, so far, your fancy footwork has been enough to dazzle the gullible with your particular brand of Obandini. Tomorrow, a better show might come along.
Or, your fans’ real parents might make ‘em get a job.
Bert, I’ve said since the time he unveiled his stupid seal that he looks like a little kid playing dress up. There’s a picture of him at 10 Downing St. where it’s really obvious.
Lee, thanks, appreciate the company and the compliments. Personally, I don’t care if Obie was launched from a freaking rocket, I wanna know what his real agenda is and who gave it to him. And why.
Excellent post, Cinie. I come here every morning to get my daily dose of reality, and I’m never disappointed.
I agree with Bert. The pretender to the throne does not fit into the picture. He would look more at home in the back room of a Chicago pool hall directing the daily numbers game.
Bert, I don’t think that it is only that he has no real beliefs, or that he has no persona, and like Cinie, I don’t recall him ever saying “my fellow Americans”. Is it perhaps because he isn’t really an American? Until he proves to me where he was born I do not consider him my president. It is sad that no one in authority had the guts to make him prove his eligibility. That is what frightens me the most about this situation, that some entity (or entities) behind Obama is/are so wealthy and powerful that no one from the SCOTUS on down has seen fit to make him answer the question that many of us have asked. Such a small thing to ask for and be denied, when the proof would change the minds of a lot of people about believing in his right to occupy the White House.
In the meantime he will dance his way across the stage of America, jetting here and there promising and threatening , depending on his frame of mind at the given time, while our economy keeps tanking. Much like Nero fiddling while Rome burned.
IMO the complete tanking of this country is what the powers behind Obama want to see. Then they can step in and takeover the reins and move farther down the road the plans that were laid out years ago. Complete Oligarchy is on the way I’m afraid.
Look at the picture of the pretender to the throne here. He does not fit into the picture. I know my bias make my eyes perceive what I want to. Nevertheless, he is simply not Presidential looking. Over the years I have seen many photos like this. Think JFK, or LBJ, or Bill Clinton. And even though I did not like him, Reagan. They looked Presidential. I think it is because theyall had beliefs. They had persona. They had presence. Obama does not. He looks tiny in that photo. Too small for the chair. Too small for the desk. Too small for the surroundings. To small for the backdrop. You are so right. He is a lost little boy playing President at the exact moment when the nation needs a real leader. Good post.