Is a stressed out Obama turning to drink?
When the news broke Saturday from the White House press pool report accompanying President Obama on his golf outing in the midst of world crisis, I filed it away for possible future developments:
On a sunny and beautiful, if chilly morning, the president left the White House residence at 9:30am, wearing a light blue button-up shirt with no tie, a navy blazer and khaki slacks. He waved to the pool but didn’t respond to your pooler’s shouted question about the new Indiana religious freedom law. The president got into Marine One . . . The helicopter was wheels-up to Joint Base Andrews at 9:34am. Handing over now to the travel pool . . .
Marine One touched down at Joint Base Andrews at 9:41 a.m. POTUS bounded down the steps at 9:45. We’re headed for warmer climes. Up the AF1 steps moments later. You can tell this is a non-work trip (because) someone forward of the press cabin ordered 3 beers at 9:26 am.
Hmm, that’s pretty early to be hitting the sauce. Of course, we don’t know who ordered the beers. I suppose it is faintly possible that some underling didn’t mind drinking in front of the president as the day began.
But then yesterday:
The Commander-in-Chief, returning from a Florida trip where he played golf with wealthy donors, nearly took a tumble when exiting Air Force One on Sunday.
He gave a wave to media before stumbling for a second and resuming his trot down to the tarmac at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington.
Still no conclusive proof of anything. Gerald Ford stumbled getting off Air Force One (and was endlessly mocked for it). Still, as the world careens out of control, it is not comforting.