What is one to make of the Obama presidency? After a brilliant - in political terms - primary in which he defeated the previously-proclaimed shoe-in as the next president, Hillary Clinton, Barrack H. Obama treated the world to a spectacular campaign. He received remarkable passes from Big Media as they turned blind eyes and deaf ears to real concerns raised by real people. This was FDR and JFK rolled into one new monolithic American savior for all. BHO reveled in his success, and admiring groupies reveled in BHO reveling in his success.
There is a line used in the movie "Patton:" "All glory is fleeting." I think I have it right. How quickly BHO's glory is fleeting. Oh, make no doubt about it - between his charisma, his groupies, and his kingmakers in Big Media and Big Government, he has some comeback capacity left in the tank. Of this, I am sure.
But he is not making it easy on himself by losing the left. Such is the case in an article by columnist Margaret Carlson. This is a column well worth the read, as Margaret shares not only disappointment and disillusionment with the anointed one. She reveals also the inherent truth that is recognized by every honest liberal: when they really need something critical done well, they want to call on a conservative.
It's a long time now since Obama was a community organizer. Even then, he might have been more comfortable dealing with communities than with individuals. Democrats are best with groups. If I break down on the side of the road, I hope a Republican stops -- he'll fix my flat and offer me a drink. A Democrat will get busy forming a Committee to Protect Women Who Own Vulnerable Cars.
Margaret, you have gotten that figured out. Nevertheless, you cling to liberalism, which makes your indictment of BHO all the more critical.
I'm not one of these people who think Obama should be getting down with the people, or getting emotional. A Slick Willie he isn't, nor should he try to be. But he's being hammered in polls that ask Americans whether he cares about people like them. Where did Mr. Hope and Change go? Even if that was inauthentic, he should bring it back.
Even the left is beginning to wake up to the reality that BHO is interested most in himself and a few cronies who help him maintain the status he has acquired. That is what institutional liberalism is. That's all it can be. If Americans want leaders who actually care for them and their concerns, they need to seriously consider role models like Rush Limbaugh - but that will be the topic of another entry.
America's politicians are still impacted by elections; BHO does not yet have the final say. He may yet be able to pull out some more political shenanigans, but I think and hope that it will become more difficult to do if he keeps losing the left.
