PrintSeptember 29, 2010
Obama: Not Moses, Merely Elmer Gantry
The abject failure of the Obama administration is painfully obvious. Herman Cain described the situation:
Millions of voters have come to realize that this presidency lacks leadership, direction, decisiveness, economic urgency and, most of all, solutions. This combination of deficiencies has produced a more than uninspired citizenry, except for the most loyal and misled supporters of the president.
While many recognize the failure, few are aware of the potential dangers ahead.
The Failure
The White House billed this summer as "the summer of recovery." To those who believed, this promise turned out to be a cruel joke. The phrase rapidly took its place amongst other memorable political gaffes like "Read my lips...," "Whip Inflation Now," and "Economic Malaise."*
Despite the obvious, the president travels the land proclaiming economic successes. Mr. Obama is either oblivious or believes he is unaccountable for what he says. The "white lies" of politics provide wide boundaries for the truth, yet he is well outside them.
Mr. Obama's narcissism and self-proclaimed (and self-believed) messiah image drive his behavior. Unfortunately, the magic is gone. Mr. Obama is now perceived as the emperor sans clothes. The public no longer sees Moses, but Elmer Gantry. Elmer Gantry knew what he was about. Obama seems to still believe he is Moses, and therein lies the danger.
The recent CNBC town hall provided evidence that Moses is no more. Attendees were carefully screened. Most voted for Mr. Obama. The president played his role, but the cherry-picked audience did not buy it. The dissatisfaction and disillusionment were palpable. The defining moment was provided by Ms. Velma Hart:
I'm a mother. I'm a wife. I'm an American veteran, and I'm one of your middle-class Americans. And quite frankly I'm exhausted. I'm exhausted of defending you, defending your administration, defending the mantle of change that I voted for, and deeply disappointed with where we are.
Softball-tossing John Harwell was unable to provide enough fat pitches for Mr. Obama to overcome the chagrin-drenched room. Only one person appeared to not understand what was happening. That person was the president. Even TOTUS, his teleprompter, had to know.
This is no recovery summer for the economy. Nor is there respite for the American people from the incessant preaching and onerous legislation coming from Washington. The White House economic team knows what is happening, and they are bailing out.
Non-economic officials will be leaving. The signs of the coming political and economic debacle are too obvious to miss. The population of rats on ships destined to sink always decreases. Rats instinctively know when it is time to leave. They are survivors.
Even the dim bulb, "Baghdad Bob," seems ready to go. His Iraqi namesake shamelessly spun or dissembled almost up until the time U.S. soldiers entered the TV studio. In similar fashion, Mr. Gibbs' loyalty did not crack until recently. As expressed in an article by Kurt Brouwer:
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs made a rather startling statement in a press briefing on September 21st. He acknowledged that the economy is bad and he further stated under questioning that the recovery would take several years.
A few things should be noted:
- Our crackerjack media has mostly ignored the inconvenience of Mr. Gibbs' admission. Their complicity with this incompetent group of Marxists is deplorable.
- The economic mess could take decades to resolve.
- Through the entire charade, the president appears unaffected. He continues to pompously spout obvious untruths and exaggerations. Believing (correctly so far) that he owns the press, he has no fear of being called out.
Enter reality. Political opponents are angry. Supporters are disappointed and rebellious. Democrats are scared. They don't campaign on their or Obama's so-called accomplishments. Their political ads noticeably omit any party affiliation.
The country is energized for the coming election which is likely to be epic. After the election is when danger could occur.
The Danger
The president is toxic. His poll numbers are dismal. Democrats are running from him. In a recent piece, it was joked that if a Democrat running for election had to appear in public with either Michael Vick or President Obama, he would choose Mr. Vick. That is more probable, since Mr. Vick's considerable football skills appear to have returned.
This election will be the political equivalent of shock and awe. Media and Democrats will be confused and disorganized. Reports concerning the survivability of the party will follow. Republicans will not be spared as long-overdue reform is imposed. The unprincipled media, sensing the mood of the country, will no longer be able to shill for the Democratic Party they want to survive.
The potential for danger is inside the Democratic Party. President Obama will be at the center of the storm. He is a newcomer, still viewed as an outsider. Obama was never personally popular with other politicians; he was tolerated. To the extent that he could advance the agendas of those in power, he had value. Now his oratory and popularity no longer sell, and he will be held responsible for galvanizing the public against the criminal enterprise we so politely call Congress.
Obama is a liability. His aggressive agenda jeopardized the establishment. Presidents come and go, but the old bulls of Congress die in office. It is they who own and run Washington, not some figurehead president. Obama's magic is gone. It duped the Party just as it did much of the country. This wunderkind is now a pompous, dangerous fool to both sides of the aisle. He embarrassed the real power in Washington and threatened their version of the Cosa Nostra.
Political power is respected, even when it is disliked. Obama came into office displaying contempt for Congress. He was a political phenomenon who established his own advisory group of czars. Congress was to be tolerated, but little more. Much of what was done was in violation of the Constitution. In a Congress where principles don't matter, advancing the ball is what matters.
Political alienation is never pretty. In this case, it could be tragic. We have a president with a Messiah complex, blinded by extreme narcissism. He has lived in an unreal bubble all his life, supported by shadowy figures who viewed him as a meal ticket for ideological change. Most of his life has been devoid of both discipline and reality.
Mr. Obama has never experienced real failure or unpopularity. How will this pampered man-child react to what may be total rejection? That is the core of the problem. The president is likely a sociopath. The nation and his personal tragedy are inextricably linked. The Democratic Party is in there, too. How this drama plays out could affect the entire world.
Mr. Obama is unlikely to be able to handle what is coming. His two-year record contains too many examples of pettiness and "it's-never-my-fault" behavior. Whether he behaves as a spoiled brat and strikes out at some country (say, Iran) to demonstrate his manhood is unknowable. Perhaps he will surprise and accept the fact that he has replaced Jimmy Carter as our worst president, although that is unlikely.
An intervention is inevitable. An intervention might be from trusted friends, or it could be a Nixonian pre-resignation meeting. The Democratic Party will intervene. They will do so out of self-interest rather than concern for the tragedy we call Mr. President. This meeting is likely to be Nixonian.
The administration's initial reaction is predictable. The president and his Chicago thugs will resist. These are tough guys, but from a small pond. The amateurs from Chicago don't stand a chance against the Washington pros. This is street-crime versus organized crime. The big boys have too much at risk to allow some street punk to ruin it.
Once this match is determined, the next one becomes the important one. It will be the political Super Bowl. We the People will battle the congressional mob. This is the battle to return government to the cage from which it escaped. This one must not be lost!
Monty Pelerin blogs at at www.economicnoise.com.
Monty Pelerin blogs at at www.economicnoise.com.
