George Will has some fun:
Posted by Mark at October 6, 2009 10:17 AMAn Olympic Ego Trip
In the Niagara of words spoken and written about the Obamas' trip to Copenhagen, too few have been devoted to the words they spoke there. Their separate speeches to the International Olympic Committee were so dreadful, and in such a characteristic way, that they might be symptomatic of something that has serious implications for American governance.
Both Obamas gave heartfelt speeches about . . . themselves...
In the 41 sentences of her remarks, Michelle Obama used some form of the personal pronouns "I" or "me" 44 times. Her husband was, comparatively, a shrinking violet, using those pronouns only 26 times in 48 sentences. Still, 70 times in 89 sentences conveyed the message that somehow their fascinating selves were what made, or should have made, Chicago's case compelling...
...meaningful sense is often absent from the gaseous rhetoric that makes it past White House editors -- are there any? -- and onto the president's teleprompter. Consider one recent example:
Nine days before speaking in Copenhagen, the president, addressing the United Nations General Assembly, intoned: "No one nation can or should try to dominate another nation." What was the speechwriter thinking when he or she assembled that sentence? The "should" was empty moralizing; the "can" was nonsense redundantly refuted by history. Does our Cicero even glance at his speeches before reading them in public?
Becoming solemn in Copenhagen, Obama said: "No one expects the Games to solve all our collective problems." That's right, no one does. So why say that...
Presidents often come to be characterized by particular adjectives: "honest" Abe Lincoln, "Grover the Good" Cleveland, "energetic" Theodore Roosevelt, "idealistic" Woodrow Wilson, "Silent Cal" Coolidge, "confident" FDR, "likable" Ike Eisenhower. Less happily, there were "Tricky Dick" Nixon and "Slick Willie" Clinton. Unhappy will be a president whose defining adjective is "vain."
Feel the presence of the aura of the man none to compare.
Loveless dying for a just to touch a hand or a moment to share.
Can't deny the urge that makes them want to lose themselves to the debonair one.
Hold me back the simple fact is that I'm all that and I'm always near.
One sexy can't perplex me now you know who's raw.
As if you didn't didn't know before I know what I want and I want it now, I want all you own then I want a little more.
the narcissism must be waining, only 26 "I"'s from the man, on important day before the world
Posted by: GYM at October 6, 2009 11:05 AMJust as long as they don't refer to Obama in the distant future as "Nero" who "fiddled" while the USA burned.
Posted by: Doug at October 6, 2009 11:41 AMSpot on. Vain Hussain.
George Will together with Charles Krauthammer are my two favorite American thinkers.
Posted by: Agent Smith at October 6, 2009 11:43 AMThe genuine mystery is this has to be so obvious even to the fawning fools in the White-House. Many have likely told this fool this TO HIS FACE.
In view of this likelyhood---why does this faux pas continue........and even seem to increase?
Olympic size ego = olympic size fail. Both he and the Mrs bash the USA and then try to convince the IOC that the US is the best place in the world to hold the games. Clueless and narcissistic,a dangerous combination.
And Michelle's heart felt story about sitting on her daddy's knee watching Carl Lewis at the Olympics? She would have been 20 years old when Lewis competed.
To paraphrase the ancient Greek philosopher, "Those whom the Gods wish to destroy, they first make Narcissistic."
Posted by: Dave in Pa at October 6, 2009 1:00 PMagent smith:
Kraut is great, will not so much. He seems to have lost the plot on Afstan amoung other things. victor Davis Hansen isn't as good a writer as will but his depth of knowledge and ability to see the historical aspect is unparalelled. And he was a Scoop jackson democrat to boot.
Posted by: Gord Tulk at October 6, 2009 1:01 PMWhen you listen to most pols of Barrys generation you need two things. A B.S. filter and a self reference filter. If both are working there ain't much left.
Posted by: glenn at October 6, 2009 1:01 PMWell, the thing is, finally the "remarkable Obama story(ies)" is/are getting stale (BO and MO). We've heard it.
It is a pleasant but not inspiring story of success, although some of the success may be attributable to affirmative action and political influence and chicanery. I say that cautiously; because it's hard to separate the true success story from the relentless promotion of a fairly tale.
In any case, he's in a critical position in world affairs. "Telling his story" just doesn't work anymore.
He has to have big ideas, make tough decisions, and use political muscle appropriately and wisely. I'm not sure if he has the experience and depth of knowledge to do so.
If he doesn't pick up the game, it will be time to foam the runway for the 2010 congressional elections.
Posted by: Regular poster boy at October 6, 2009 1:15 PM'Vain' is a good description. I prefer 'Virtual Obama'.
Obama doesn't live in the real world. He long, long ago rejected it and moved into a self-organized cocoon...a virtual world..where HE and HE alone controls all interactions in this world.
In this Virtual Obama world, all interactions with Obama are adulatory, fawning, drooling with admiration. Obama achieves this result by his tactics of control: misinformation, emotional manipulation using fear and hope..and if you dissent, accusations of bias.
Then..if you are uncontrollable in this manner, for Obama..you cease to exist. Literally, actually, you no longer exist. Woosh, you are wiped off the face of the earth.
And that's why Obama delegates all policies. He himself doesn't 'do' policies and programs. They require analysis, thought, reading. Obama doesn't interact with thoughts. He interacts only with people and only to control them and receive their adulation. So, Obama will delegate the construction of all policies because his interest is not in America or the American people..but in Himself.
That's why he's a puppet, a Salesman, for the hard left radicals who have taken over the Democrat Party and the White House, many of them unelected and unaccountable..and who are intent on putting in an anti-American, anti-capitalist, anti-middle class socialist infrastructure.
So, Obama can ignore the Tea Parties; they don't exist; he'll ignore Iran and Afghanistan as well.
He'll side with the anti-constitutional Zelaya in Honduras because he feels that HE can interact with Zelaya..while HE cannot interact with the Honduran people who have chosen a route (adhering to the constitution) that has nothing to do with any interaction with Obama.
He'll side with Ahmadinejad in Iran rather than the Iranian people's desire for democracy..because He feels that He might interact with Ahmadinejad and 'get him to do things', while He can't interact with the Iranian people because their focus is on Democracy rather than Obama.
And if you are someone who is outside of the adulatory reach of Obama..then, for him, you don't exist.
Posted by: ET at October 6, 2009 1:18 PMLincoln said "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time."
Obama is the world's biggest bullshit artist, and eventually the world will come to understand that.
Posted by: Norman at October 6, 2009 1:26 PMAgree ET, but missing in that analysis is how to perceive Obama's interactions with China.
Not meeting with the Dalai Lama says quite a bit IMHO. The DL seems like a pretty harmless and inoffensive guy; but I'm sure there was Chinese pressure to call off the mtg.
(I should probably remove my tin foil hat, but I wonder if China "asked" to have the Empire State Building illuminated for their 60th Anniversary.)
China has increasing control over the US, given the amount of debt that it/she holds. The Chinese do not seem to swoon in the presence of Obama, so I don't think Obama can "control" or "wow" them through his soaring but empty rhetoric.
It will be an interesting relationship to watch.
Posted by: Erik Larsen at October 6, 2009 1:28 PMI've heard "mmmmm mmmm mmmmmm, Barack Insane Obama"
And I think "Barack the Imperious" fits nicely
Poor guy, I honestly believe he thought he was going to be "transformative" - but he has had the bad fortune to come into power during troubled financial times (which developed over 20 years) - but no matter - he'll end up wearing it.
Posted by: Regular poster boy at October 6, 2009 1:49 PMOne of biggest mistake Obama did to listen and get advice from his wife, but His wife not elected he is elected,
Then what he does not necessary his wife must like it. Most problems even in big company executive they think they must negotiation the secret with their girl friend or with their wife. Even Haper sing song is not proper is not in right moment advice from his wifeHis wife of PM and president can not be advisor for them they have right to talk but not necessary are the one to run the country, Because whoever has power has responsibility what Obama's wife like was ok she like Chicago, But that is not city this is all nation of USA prestitige are talking this is not personal love story that you love your wife you followed her order not every women be wife are smart to run country
===
Other issues:How to deal with Muslim country is also lack of experience west has with them:Bulling American saying we have trade and use our abuse of power for any tick we can ban our trade to suffer their critical cost so many problems in west and Muslim country not trust to work any deal with west is too many abuse of power of sanction
Posted by: new at October 6, 2009 2:24 PM
Erik Larsen - I'll speculate, but the way I surmise that Obama is 'thinking' about China is via the tactic of manipulation. And misinformation.
So, since his goal is to have them think that He, Obama, is the Greatest thing since Ben & Jerry's ice cream, then, he must make them 'His'. This does NOT mean that he wants them to do 'such and such' for the USA. Absolutely not. Obama isn't thinking about China and America's trade or military or economic relations. Obama doesn't think about America. Obama is only acting for one result: that they will think that He's 'the Greatest'.
So, he'll ignore the Dalai Lama because he 'thinks' that will please them. This ISN'T Obama 'kowtowing' to China. This is Obama manipulating China. Obama is the one in charge. Obama, on his own, doesn't give a hoot about the Dalai Lama. But, he wants China to think He's great.
The Chinese may not yet swoon before Obama, but Obama's strategy is to manipulate them until they do so. IF, IF, he realizes, eventually, that they won't succumb, then, China will simply cease to exist for Obama. At the moment, Obama is in his Dating Game phase with China. Lots of smiles and winks and flowers.
Posted by: ET at October 6, 2009 3:01 PM[quote]I've heard "mmmmm mmmm mmmmmm, Barack Insane Obama"[/quote] Regular poster boy
How are the Dem's going to get rid of Obama? ,and the chant takes on a life of it's own.
Jammimg the Teleprompter 101
Posted by: Slap Shot at October 6, 2009 3:14 PMThanks for that link, Mark. In an ongoing way, George Will is, along with Mark Steyn, the best at being able to write humorously about serious issues without in any way reducing the seriousness of the topic he writes about.
Re Obama, there IS something resembling a pathology there. I mean, consider the following line in the context of him trying to convince the voting members of the IOC to choose Chicago as the site for the 2016 Olympics:
"Nearly one year ago, on a clear November night, people from every corner of the world gathered in the city of Chicago or in front of their televisions to watch the results of the U.S. presidential election. Their interest wasn't about me as an individual. Rather . . ."
He's beyond parody.
If he doesn't get by now what a bad joke that is, he'll never get it. The guy truly is a full-blown narcissist. What an embarrassment.
Posted by: EBD at October 6, 2009 4:36 PMBarack He's Vain Obama, the half-rican American G*d.
Posted by: clair voyant at October 6, 2009 6:49 PMThe real problem is that overseas leaders who have usually come up the hard way - have had to work and be seen to be competent - have already assessed Obama. I suspect it is that Obama will fold in a crisis. The US is in for a hard time.
As an after thought, how DID a very junior senator with nothing to his credit make it to the top ?.
Would Obama have made it in a parlimentary system ? - on the other hand, Iggy did in the Canadian Liberal party.
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