Is Obama Being Punked?

[03_SHOOTER]

No, he HAS been "punked".

Is Obama Being Punked?

By Richard Miller
Author, “In Words and Deeds: Battle Speeches in History”

The issues raised in a campaign usually have little to do with the flying fur of real governance, but I’m beginning to wonder about President Obama. During the campaign, John McCain made much of his own experience — and Obama’s lack of any — until McCain chose Sarah Palin as his running mate and thus took the experience issue off the table.

But after only two weeks, Obama has revived the experience issue in some very troubling ways.

First, he mishandled his biggest challenge: the creation and passage of a stimulus bill. This should have been the rock of his first year in office, a honeymoon blessed by the media, academia and bipartisan goodwill. It should have been a bill that put shovels, picks and paychecks in the hands of working Americans.

Is it possible that the Obama presidency peaked on Inauguration Day?

Instead, he naively delegated its creation to Nancy Pelosi, who promptly discharged her duty as usual–she sent up a bill stuffed with politically divisive expenditures (condoms, “neighborhood stabilization,” i.e., ACORN, STD prevention, etc.), and included far too few bucks dedicated for a genuine economic stimulus. Besides forfeiting a real opportunity to “de-shabby” American public infrastructure, Obama also stumbled: House Republicans unanimously voted against it, despite the president’s well-publicized efforts to reach cross the aisle.

Worse is the president’s continuing “bad luck” with comments.

This time, it hasn’t been anything about bitter “clingers” or joy-through-spreading-the-wealth; rather, he retracted anything he might have gained through his bipartisan public relations efforts when he declined the Republicans’ attempt at compromise with the tart answer, “I won.” And he certainly did win the election — and also the growing ownership of the economic crisis.

By appearing to side unthinkingly with Congress, Obama’s current Real Clear Politics’ average approval rating of almost 62% might begin to approach Congress’ approval rating of 27.3%. I’d say that Pelosi & Co. rolled our president, and good.

Next, Obama has foolishly allowed himself to be drawn into a hissing contest with conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh. While this can only help shore up Rush’s base and maybe add some listeners, it’s unseemly for a president and can only diminish him. Most of Obama’s predecessors understood the old saw that “you don’t argue with people who buy their ink by the barrel,” or its high-tech equivalent. President Bush’s mistakes never included fecklessness (or gracelessness) in naming opponents. I think Rush successfully baited and then rolled the president.

Do you see a pattern here? It’s been suggested that one of Obama’s less desirable traits is arrogance. Will it be his undoing? In the broad sweep of history, such hubris has certainly undone lesser men.

And worse for the country, is it possible that the Obama presidency peaked on Inauguration Day? Far too early to say, but of this much I am sure: good looks, intelligence and perhaps even innate charm may accrue by birth–but experience is not hereditary.

It also doesn't help that, aside from the fact that the actual nationality of the Kenyan illegal immigrant is still in question, his cabinet selections have more than their fair share of issues. Nobody seemed to care that Hillary was a sitting US Senator who had voted for a pay-raise for Sec. State immideately prior to being selected for that position, in direct contradiction of Article 2 Section 4 of the Constitution, so they just threw threw the "Saxbe Fix" on it, although it's completely unconstitutional to do so. His choice for Attorney General has a nasty habit of being heavily involved in pardoning Marc Rich, as well as advising Clinton to grant clemency to known terrorists. At least three of his other Cabinet nominees have proved to be somewhat "liberal" in complying with US tax law. The one bright spot, thus far, is his appointment of Sen. Gregg (R) to Commerce Secretary, thus proving that to the Kenyan illegal immigrant, a "bipartisan" Cabinet means those who actually do pay their taxes and abide by the Constitution, and those who don't.

[CAPSmith]

Originally Posted by 03_SHOOTER

The one bright spot, thus far, is his appointment of Sen. Gregg (R) to Commerce Secretary, thus proving that to the Kenyan illegal immigrant, a "bipartisan" Cabinet means those who actually do pay their taxes and abide by the Constitution, and those who don't.

Sen. Gregg has been a good senator for our state. I do strongly believe though that this appointment was not intended with "good faith." By nominating a Republican for a cabinet spot, it opened up the possibility of our democratic governor to appoint a fellow democrat in his spot - thus increasing the majority in the senate.

However, I don't think Obama was expecting the stipulation that Sen. Gregg would refuse the position if it meant that the GOP would lose a seat.

John Lynch appointed Bonnie Newman, Gregg's Chief of Staff when he was governor of NH. I'm still on the fence about how I feel about that. She's a moderate Republican but relatively unknown to the people of NH as a public figure.

I'm just saddened that we got Jeanne Shaheen (the worst governor NH has ever had) as a replacement for John Sunnunu, possibly the best senators in the entire senate.