Patterico's Pontifications

3/16/2009

Obama Administration: Incompetent?

Filed under: General,Obama — Patterico @ 7:48 am



Michael Goodwin:

Not long ago, after a string of especially bad days for the Obama administration, a veteran Democratic pol approached me with a pained look on his face and asked, “Do you think they know what they’re doing?”

The question caught me off guard because the man is a well-known Obama supporter. As we talked, I quickly realized his asking suggested his own considerable doubts.

Yes, it’s early, but an eerily familiar feeling is spreading across party lines and seeping into the national conversation. It’s a nagging doubt about the competency of the White House.

Some of us have doubts for quite some time — and they’re far from nagging.

73 Responses to “Obama Administration: Incompetent?”

  1. Lack of experience and a belief everything can be solved with the right words = an incompetent president and administration.

    Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (0ea407)

  2. Democrats should be trembling. Mr. Anonymous Noname told a conservative New York Daily News opinion writer that Obama is incompetent.

    Andrew (5dfb2f)

  3. Some of us have doubts for quite some time — and they’re far from nagging.

    Ya. And we’re not soothsayers, clairvoyants, or Nostradomus.

    Craig (66bbca)

  4. The only thing worse than an incompetent White House is a White House desperate to show it is competent.

    Amphipolis (fdbc48)

  5. an eerily familiar feeling is spreading across party lines and seeping into the national conversation. It’s a nagging doubt about the competency of the White House.

    Not that it will happen, but I’d welcome an epiphany on the part of Democrats that “more government” is not the solution to what ails a free people. “Eerily familiar” is just so, because government competence at running things is limited by nature. Yet the people clamor for (and get) more and more and more government, and more and more and more incompetence.

    cboldt (3d73dd)

  6. It seems to me that fewer than two months in office is too little time to judge the competency of the President. Did anyone really suspect that even the most competent executive would enter office and turn the economy around in 60 days? Granted, that might be proof of competence but it might also be evidence that the economic problems were not as deep as were thought and that recovery was nearer than suspected, too. Economics isn’t a hard science such that predictions can be made as in astronomy, as in, “The current recession will turn around at 9:43 a.m. on July 21, 2009.” Everyone is dealing in calculated guesses and then hoping they turn out to have been close.

    I’m with #2. Obama may turn out to have been incompetent but I’m suspending judgment. It’s just way too soon for such statements, in my opinion.

    Craig R. Harmon (608dee)

  7. Incompetent is a mild word to describe what’s going on. This guy is out to break this country, what ever his motifs, he must be stopped. Every thing this guy does (orchestrated by the people behind the curtain) is designed to bring us to our knees, well not me, never.

    jainphx (8d3ca2)

  8. I’m OK with it as long as he remains a good man.

    Old Coot (a71844)

  9. Did anyone really suspect that even the most competent executive would enter office and turn the economy around in 60 days?

    That’s not a fair characterization of the argument that Obama’s incompetent.

    No one seriously expected him to turn the economy around. However, he’s made a series of missteps: tax-dodging cabinet nominees, foreign affairs gaffes, etc; less than two weeks into the job, he appeared at a local school saying he had to get out of the White house. Maybe he’ll grow into the job, but it’s fair to say he’s shown no signs of being up to the challenge.

    Steverino (69d941)

  10. What a laugh!! Ninety days into the administration and “doubts are being expressed” mostly by the very same people who had no doubts about WMDs being found in Iraq, no doubts about tax cuts for the wealthiest leading to prosperity, no doubts about Wall Street and the banking industry, and just about every other industry, being able to “self regulate” and no doubts mortgaging our future to the Chinese.

    I just love it when folks like Bobby Jindal point to the last eight years of Republican rule as example of why government cant do anything right! Like telling us how Bush kept us safe from terrorist attack even though the worst one ever occurred on his watch after being warned.

    I dont know where these policies will lead and I dont think anyone can predict the outcome but I do know that we make nothing in this country that others want to buy, we are more dependent than ever on foreign oil, our medical system is long overdue for reform and we are stuck in a pointless war that helped Iran while draining our dwindling resources. Where were your doubts about all this?

    I also know that Rush is right. The truth is Conservatives and Republicans want Obama to fail so that they can profit off the misery more unemployment, housing foreclosures and business failures will create…not to mention the cheap labor that will then be available.

    VietnamEraVet (543dfe)

  11. Incompetent is an appropriate word. However, I suggest a more appropriate one, apathetic. Obama has little interest in actually governing. What little interest he has and energy is devoted to his perpetual campaign.

    There seems to to scant evident that Obama ever devoted himself to any job he ever held.

    DavidL (02e14f)

  12. The democrats can afford to ask such questions without fear, because in a healthy and functional and competent organization it is not only allowed, but required in order to measure the efficacy of directives and policy even less than 100 days into these new policies and directives. It is a good sign, one that shows seriousness and application. Any high functioning organization or individual needs to ask him or herself, questions such as “Am I being effective?” or “Am I meeting my goals?” on a regular basis.

    Yet, I know of a party that could not bring itself to ask that question not 100 days, or a thousand days or even 8 years later, and bullied, threatened, maligned, discredited, questioned the patriotism of anyone who dared to ask that question with disastrous and obvious results.

    So doubt and criticize away, it is a good thing. We and those who support President Obama welcome it, from any and all sides.

    Peter (e70d1c)

  13. Actually, I’ve posted several things on this general subject at my blog. First is Obama’s proclivity to nominate people who are 2nd stringers AT BEST and many of his appointments appear to be more loyal to countries other than the US. It is like English as a second language, but with their patriotism.

    PCD (db2059)

  14. How frigging dare anyone out there make fun of Barry after all he has been through.

    He lost his Health and Human Services Secretary, he went through a campaign. He has two frigging kids.

    His Treasury Secretary turned out to be a bumbler, a tax cheater, and now he’s going through a crisis of confidence. All you people care about is…, readers and making money.

    He’s a human! What you don’t realize is that Barry is losing you all this money and all you do is write a bunch of crap about him.

    He hasn’t performed without a teleprompter in years. His campaign theme is called “Hope and Change” for a reason because all you people want is more more more more more.

    Leave him alone!! You are lucky he even got elected for you bastards!

    Leave Barry alone!! Please!

    Perez Hilton talked about professionalism and said if Barry was a professional he would’ve pulled it off no matter what.

    Speaking of professionalism, when is it professional to publicly bash someone who is going through a hard time.

    Leave Barry Alone! Please! Leave Barry Obama alone right now! I mean it.

    Anyone that has a problem with him you deal with me, because he is not well right now.

    Leave him alone!

    Chris Crocker (ce6cb7)

  15. Craig #6;
    It seems to me that fewer than two months in office is too little time to judge the competency of the President. Did anyone really suspect that even the most competent executive would enter office and turn the economy around in 60 days?

    Of course not and you’ve erected one in a continuing series of strawmen in defense of the indefensible. Obama would not be president but for the financial calamity. He campaigned on fixing it, 24/7 for months. Is it wrong to point out that Geithner, in addition to having a strong hand in the Citi meltdown, is pretty much alone at Treasury? Why can’t the administration fill those crucial jobs? I know, it’s Rush Limbaugh’s fault, when it’s not Bush’s. Good luck with that argument in the near future. Not working now and certainly will not this summer.

    Chris (a24890)

  16. VEV – Some questions

    I do know that we make nothing in this country that others want to buy
    – If we nothig others want to buy, rhat ther hell are we exporting. Splain that Lucy!

    no doubts about tax cuts for the wealthiest leading to prosperity
    – The middle class got bigger percentage tax cuts than the wealthy, but you already know that. Tax collections also increased as a result of the cuts and the percentage collected from the wealthy increased more than their percentage of income. You want more, though, of peoples’ pie that is not yours.

    we are more dependent than ever on foreign oil
    – Some of us would love to drill more here or build more nukes, but the Democrats and loony enviros won’t let us. I’m looking at you VEV. How’s that working out for you?

    our medical system is long overdue for reform
    -Be specific about what needs reform. Do you mean you just don’t want to pay for anything?

    Are you a socialist or a communist or do you want the government to run your life VEV?

    daleyrocks (5d22c0)

  17. “It seems to me that fewer than two months in office is too little time to judge the competency of the President.”

    Craig – It normally would, but given Obama exhibited the lack of judgement to shoehorn an entire term’s worth of agenda items into a 60 day window, we have to evaluate what is in front of us.

    daleyrocks (5d22c0)

  18. Steverino,

    Okay, you make a fair point. I am suitably cowed. I clearly am not worthy. 😉

    Craig R. Harmon (608dee)

  19. by the very same people who had no doubts about WMDs being found in Iraq

    They have found WMDs in Iraq. Unless things are only true if Olbermann says them…

    Like telling us how Bush kept us safe from terrorist attack even though the worst one ever occurred on his watch after being warned.

    Ah the old “warned” meme… Listen, bubba, there is a mile of difference between “Yeah, we think they might be planning something” and “on September 11th they are gonna fly a few planes into some important buildings”. The fact that it was during the Clinton era that it was made virtually impossible for agencies to share information is completely lost on you, isn’t it?

    we make nothing in this country that others want to buy

    Because it ends up costing too much to buy, due to high production costs from union labor costs… Unless you want to pay $30 for a garden sprinkler?

    we are more dependent than ever on foreign oil

    And thus we must ban any new drilling for domestic oil!! BRILLIANT!!

    our medical system is long overdue for reform

    Which is why the guy that runs the Canadian system came to the US for cancer treatment. I wish you understood why nothing Obama has suggested will actually improve healthcare… But then, I also wish you weren’t so damned stupid…

    we are stuck in a pointless war that helped Iran while draining our dwindling resources.

    A) I wasn’t aware that democracy helped Iran… You sure you didn’t mean “Iraq”? B) The Dems had the last two years to cancel payments. If they actually thought it was wrong, they had all the freedom in the world to do something about it.

    The truth is Conservatives and Republicans want Obama to fail so that they can profit off the misery more unemployment, housing foreclosures and business failures will create

    Jesus God boy, talk about projection…

    Scott Jacobs (90ff96)

  20. Why does Obama have such little problem moving right through so many questionable situations? I think we all know the answer, he won’t be touched by the media and (I dare say) his political base either doesn’t understand the depth of the problems (and his remedies)or they don’t care.

    His association with Resco, Wright,Blago and Ayers, his pedigree from the Chicago political machine and his support of tax evaders of the highest ilk indicate a complete confidence that he can do whatever he sees fit with the things that effect our life in America. They also indicate a lack of principles.

    The Democratic House and Senate have been proving their ignorance for the past three years so there is no relief until fall of 2010.

    MikeS (811fa9)

  21. From today’s Wall Street Journal:

    “We’re constantly told that taxes don’t matter to business and investors, but listen to that noted supply-side economist, Alec Baldwin. The actor recently rebuked New York Governor David Paterson for threatening to try to help close the state’s $7 billion budget deficit by canceling a 35% tax credit for films shot in the Big Apple.

    “I’m telling you right now,” Mr. Baldwin declared, “if these tax breaks are not reinstated into the budget, film production in this town is going to collapse, and television is going to collapse and it’s all going to go to California.” Well, well. Apparently taxes do matter, at least when it comes to filming “30 Rock” in Manhattan.

    Believe it or not, Mr. Baldwin’s views are shared across the movie industry, which is pleading in state capitals across the country for most-favored-tax status. Hollywood productions are highly mobile and can film just about anywhere. So they have taken to shopping around the country — and the world — for the most lucrative tax avoidance deal.”

    SHUT. UP.

    Taxes make people change behavior?

    No way!

    daleyrocks (5d22c0)

  22. I just don’t see how having any Republican in office would be any better…

    Shadysider (96f134)

  23. VietnamEraVet
    our medical system is long overdue for reform

    Do you have any information that you didn’t get from a Michael Moore flick?

    ML (14488c)

  24. Why wouldn’t he be incompetent? He’s never really been repsonsible for running an organization before. And, he’s lazy.

    He didn’t run a city, county, or State. He didn’t run a company, or a part of a company. He was not a parner at his law firm. Word has come out that not only didn’t he write anything for the HLR, but he didn’t really run it either, delegating most of the work to his subordinates. He has never run a union, or even a local. He never ran so much as a squad in the military. And he was never a department head when he was a “professor.”

    What has he even arguably run? The Annenburg Challenge? How did that work out? A voter registration drive? He was the figurehead leader (picked by his poliitcal backers so he could fluff up his resume) of a well funded VRD in an African American community known to have many, many unregistered but eligible citizens, and there was an African American on the ballot for US Senate (Mosley-Braun) that year.

    That leaves us with only his political campaigns. Clearly, he is a very succesful campaigner. He has won every race he entered, starting with the election for EIC at the HLR, but one. Still, these were mostly small-scale affairs. And, at that, a good number of them involved very suspicious “lucky breaks” apparently engineered on his behalf by others. His one run in a Statewide general election was against a token candidate. His national campaign for the Presidential nomination was brilliant, but I think its pretty clear that Axelrod, not Obama, ran it.

    In any event, running a campaign is not like running an on-going enterprize such as the government. It’s one thing to convince people to like you more than your opponent on one, particular day. It’s quite another to make an enterprize dedicated to something other than seeking popularity function succesfully. And, most of Obama’s “gifts” are more suited to the former than to the latter. He is a good speaker, he is handsome and fit, he has superficial charm, he has an interesting “life story,” he is well groomed, and he’s tall. But none of that gets the trash picked up or checkbook balanced.

    The woman from his HLR days who has come forward claims that Obama would wander into the office once in a while, chat with a couple of people, pretend to do some editing for a few minutes, and then leave. Apparently, he thought his colleagues should be satisfied with the awesomeness of his mere presence, and not expect or demand more from him. An email exchange has also come to light in which it is made clear that, except when discussing his own wonderfulness, and that of his biography, Obama is bored by just about every other topic, not just policy, but even politics too. Much has been made of Obama’s well leaked alleged “reading list,” but his lack of knowledge about such well known topics as the march on Selma and the liberation of Auschwitz suggest that, to the contrary, Obama has never taken the time or effort to read up on even the basics of contemporary US political history or geopolitics.

    Elizabeth Drew, in the most recent NYRB, tries her best to put a good face on Obama’s “management style.” But, reading between the lines, and counter-weighting for her obvious bias, the real picture emerges. Obama comes to work late. He doesn’t attend too many meetings. He still loses his papers (although less so, we are assured, because he now “lives above the store”), his staff says that he turns around paperwork “fairly quickly,” (!) that he’s not “by any stretch a micromanager,” and that “the boys”(ie Axelrod, Emanuel and deputy chief of staff Jim Messina) “are running the White House.” Obama has large gaps in his schedule, taking solitary walks, and mostly spending his days wandering around the West Wing, dropping into people’s offices and asking “How are you coming on that thing we were talking about?” Drew tries to make this sound like he’s on top of things (if the aide does not have an answer, Obama gets a “disappointed parent look”). Supposedly, Obama takes some papers “home,” and looks at them after he tucks his daughters in bed. But I think we all know what it means when someone who is basically lazy says that he is “working at home.” Obama has already taken mulitple vacations, and more are in the works for the near future. He has also spent a fair amount of time revisiting his campaign triumphs, attending “town hall” type events and giving whistle stop speeches across the country. Even Drew has to admit, that given the magnitude of the problems he faces, a “little more management may be in order.” His aides are saying that Obama, to maintain his popularity, has to be seen interacting with “the people,” not inside the Beltway, “participating in the give-and-take of Washington.” They say that’s not what Obama “was elected to do.” A statement so outrageous that even Drew flatly denies it.

    Putting it all together, and what do we have? A President, who, while intelligent, while good at passing tests and giving oral presentations, has never done the hard work of producing written academic articles. I think many of us here can recognize which type of student who prefers taking tests to writing papers. Smart, but lazy. We have a man who has never had to be accountable for the performance of an organization. He is very good at selling himself. But he has never shown he can make an institution function well. A man who likes to stay up late puttering around, and then sleep late in the morning (wasting the time of day in which, as any “boss” will tell you, most of the work gets done). A man who sets a soft schedule for himself, delegates as much as possible, and then wanders around the office, asking a question here and there, but never following up, never taking an issue by the horns and resolving it. I think that many of us here are also familiar with this kind of boss. One who doesn’t do much work, and has delegated so much of what might be his work that he really doesn’t have much left to do but wander around, asking kinda dumb questions. Often, an executive with one foot out the door, facing retirement in a couple of months, will have this kind of “management style.” But a young man, at the height of his powers? Facing enormous challenges? It doesn’t bode well.

    Obama, perhaps, when he made the final decision to run, in late 2006, probably thought that, if he won, he could just skate by as he had done in all of his past endeavors. He would wind down Bush’s already unpopular war, and the economy would be humming along. Now that’s he won, and the shit has hit the fan, he’s in way over his head.

    ruddyturnstone (afd530)

  25. I just don’t see how having any Republican in office would be any better…

    Comment by Shadysider — 3/16/2009 @ 9:39 am

    That’s not the argument or topic of the post. The question is the competence of this administration.

    As an argumentative exercise though, I’d be interested in hearing how a center-right administration (Dem or Rep) wouldn’t be better. Would they be pushing the jobs-destroying cap and trade? Trillion dollar pork patronage to constituency groups? Tax hikes on anyone who makes a charitable contribution or pays a mortgage? Elaborate at your leisure.

    Chris (a24890)

  26. Chris #14,

    First, I’ve admitted above that I’m wrong and I have mischaracterized the competence/incompetence argument and made my mea culpa. However, I do have some points about your comment.

    Of course not and you’ve erected one in a continuing series of strawmen in defense of the indefensible. Obama would not be president but for the financial calamity. He campaigned on fixing it, 24/7 for months. Is it wrong to point out that Geithner, in addition to having a strong hand in the Citi meltdown, is pretty much alone at Treasury? Why can’t the administration fill those crucial jobs? I know, it’s Rush Limbaugh’s fault, when it’s not Bush’s. Good luck with that argument in the near future. Not working now and certainly will not this summer.

    First of all, you say that Obama would not be President without the financial calamity. I think it a bit more complicated than that. Republicans had been successfully portrayed in the minds of the electorate as corrupt based upon a string of corrupt Republican politicians. The electorate had long ago become weary with the Iraq war, a war that McCain ran on the platform of continuing as long as necessary to win whereas the public was simply looking for a way out. Obama was providing them a way out. Then there was McCain’s age. Rightly or wrongly, this was a serious concern for many people. Also, Obama provided what no other candidate provided: the opportunity to elect a black President and symbolically break with the racism of America’s past. Republicans never had a chance, in my opinion, no matter whom they put forward and no matter what happened to the economy.

    Like it or not, Republicans were radioactive in this and the last election, as illustrated by the loss of congressional seats in the last two congressional elections.

    While I am not a dittohead, indeed I never listen to Rush Limbaugh, I have expended a great many words defending Limbaugh’s “I want Obama to fail” line and surrounding context and later expansions elsewhere on the web. Suggesting that I think it is Limbaugh’s fault is an unwarranted assumption on your part. When I advance an argument, you are free to rebut it if you can but rebutting an argument I have not made is manufacturing a strawman of your own.

    Craig R. Harmon (608dee)

  27. Um, please disregard the two “First”s above. I rewrote the comment to eliminate several other points and forgot to edit out the enumeration of my first point and to remove the block quote.

    Craig R. Harmon (608dee)

  28. Craig,
    Good. I thought you were an Obamabot. I am certainly not a defender of Republicans for any reason, unless they’re right.

    The Limbaugh line was just me pointing out where the liberal defense of the administration ends up. Distracting from the obvious incompetence by pointing to someone or something with no connection to the underlying problem(s).

    See today’s distraction-AIG bonuses.

    Chris (a24890)

  29. “Obama Administration: Incompetent?”

    YES!

    AD - RtR/OS (e2c6d2)

  30. Comment by Scott Jacobs — 3/16/2009 @ 9:30 am

    great post.

    Vermont Neighbor (229b93)

  31. All Axelrod products have the same problem. They win the elections but cannot govern. John Street, Harold Washington, David Dinkins, Deval Patrick, Wilson Goode, etc., etc. Campaigning and giving speeches with a teleprompter is what Obama is good at. Also, he has always been a leftie. His past associations and choices are all there to see. He is a true believer in government-forced wealth redistribution. What else did anyone expect? Senators should not be allowed to run for president. They are not executives.

    bio mom (a1e126)

  32. On further reflection…
    Incompetent, or Venal: Not exactly reassuring, is it?

    AD - RtR/OS (e2c6d2)

  33. #4. See “Waco Raid” and “Clinton Administration”.

    But frankly, I’m offended that our bloghost would equate Pres. Obama’s race with a presumed lack of competence. That’s RACIST, and you are racist if you dispute me.

    Man, that was easy. And speaking of easy, VEV:

    by the very same people who had no doubts about WMDs being found in Iraq

    You mean, the Clinton Admin., Sen. John Kerry, and Sen. Hillary Clinton? Not to mention the German and French Intel services? Not to mention the mustard gas shells found in Iraq?

    we make nothing in this country that others want to buy

    Talk to your UAW brethren at Chrysler and GM, vs. those non-union brethren at Toyota and Honda.

    we are more dependent than ever on foreign oil

    No, we’re not.

    So much nonsense, so many non-sequiturs, and so little time….furious

    furious (dc6e4c)

  34. The truth is Conservatives and Republicans want Obama to fail so that they can profit off the misery more unemployment, housing foreclosures and business failures will create…not to mention the cheap labor that will then be available.

    Comment by VietnamEraVet

    We don’t need a dictionary to say what you are.

    Obama does not seem to be in control. He turned over his first and most important initiative to the kids at Pelosi’s office to write the bill. We are still finding “easter eggs” stashed away in there.

    Then there are a few items he doesn’t need Congress for. What do they show ?

    An ideologue.

    Remember why people were buying guns and ammo and some said they were foolish to be scared of Obama. What could he do ?

    Effective immediately DOD Surplus, LLC, will be implementing new requirements for mutilation of fired shell casings. The new DRMS requirement calls for DOD Surplus personnel to witness the mutilation of the property and sign the Certificate of Destruction. Mutilation of the property can be done at the DRMO, if permitted by the Government, or it may be mutilated at a site chosen by the buyer. Mutilation means that the property will be destroyed to the extent prevents its reuse or reconstruction. DOD Surplus personnel will determine when property has been sufficiently mutilated to meet the requirements of the Government.

    There is an industry making ammunition for police and private citizens from discarded US military brass. That is now over. Thousands will be laid off and ammunition will become scarce and expensive. Those paranoid types were right. The military discarded brass will be sold to Chinese brass scavengers at the price of scrap brass instead of the price that has been paid. Why ?

    Mike K (90939b)

  35. there was never any doubt in my mind: i KNEW they were incompetent.

    but a profit is always without honor in Obanalland.

    Ear Leader is the second largest scam ever run, right behind Gorebull warming.

    redc1c4 (9c4f4a)

  36. Mike K, “Why”?

    To keep us safer from all those crimes committed with reloaded ammo. All…almost…well, it COULD happen!

    Machinist (c5fc28)

  37. VEV gives us the same long discredited list of silly myths each time he drives by.

    SPQR (72771e)

  38. red – that was a truly fantastic homonym as pun! Profit as pariah, indeed!

    You know how the GOP leadership has been reticent to go after BHO personally? This is the precise sspect of BHO for which they absolutely need to lay low. I wish they would go after BHO harder for his policies, but they simply MUST leave the “incompetence” argument to BHO supporters and Democrats. After eight years of having a bumbling fool of a president, which became the misguided common wisdom, there will be overwhelming resistance on the part of the crucial “middle” voter to believe s/he elected another one. This voter will resent the GOP even more if it engages in this type of “partisanship.”

    If the truth is arrived at, independent of “partisan” sniping, BHO is done. If BHO and his minions can claim mean old Rush Limbaugh and his Dittoheads and the tired old GOP politicos were attacking a BHO who was trying to effect change, the truth will never be accepted by the electorate as a whole.

    Ed (7da696)

  39. Comment by Machinist — 3/16/2009 @ 2:16 pm

    I would venture to say that the great majority of those .223 reloads were destined for PD’s (and their SWAT units) across the country for training purposes (they go through a tremendous amount of ammo, on our dime), and that those PD’s are going to have to re-write their budgets to reflect the increased costs they will incur due to having to purchase new-made ammo which is already in short supply, and which will have additional restrictions on availability.
    Another tax-increase for the vast middle-class courtesy of the Hope & Change Administration.

    AD - RtR/OS (e2c6d2)

  40. This voter will resent the GOP even more if it engages in this type of “partisanship.”

    ED, I don’t think that’s possible. You are an Obamabot from word one. Years from now, when you are paying $10 million for a little house and trying to get by on your $100,000 a month salary, you’ll wonder why prices got so high.

    Mike K (90939b)

  41. They display the incompetence frequently associated with very smart, highly educated people who have ZERO real world experience creating positive results.

    The bigger problem is since “they won” they tend to prance around arrogantly dismissing disent while Rome burns.

    Jimminy'cricket (637168)

  42. ruddyturnstone,

    That was as fine a performance review as any that could be offered up right now. Day 54 or where ever we’re at… yet still… he’s making time to go on Jay Leno this week. It defies logic. And that’s taking into consideration that Obama’s just constantly in campaign mode. Talk about priorities.

    Vermont Neighbor (229b93)

  43. #39,

    I believe you are correct in that. I have also bought thousands of once fired GI cases. There is no practical or good reason for this.

    Machinist (c5fc28)

  44. 43: sure there is. he wants to restrict the amount of ammunition available to the public, at least until he can figure out a legal way to prevent you from having it at all.

    sorry Pat, but “Ear Leader” is NOT a good man. he’s a power mad demagogue.

    redc1c4 (9c4f4a)

  45. Incompetent?

    Turn to the American 21st Century Political Dictionary and you will find a portrait of George W. Bush directly beneath that word.

    Perhaps Obama will find a way to keep pace with the former president. But if we’re going to rely on fact, we’ll have to wait and see, won’t we?

    Meanwhile, as a liberal, I love the way the wingnutosphere flutters from anti-Obama meme, to anti-Obama meme, with none ever gaining enough purchase to hold them from moving on again when the breeze shifts.

    One day, the president is a scarily hypnotic orator who befuddles the massive with “pretty” words. The next, he’s a mumbler who can’t say “Hello” without a teleprompter. One day, he’s doing nothing to end the economic crisis, the next he’s doing too much too fast amid an economic crisis, the next he’s incompetent.

    And I just love that all this plays right into Obama’s hands. You guys keep lowering the bar to the ground, and Obama keeps effortlessly hurdling over it.

    Hax Vobiscum (23258e)

  46. Mike K @ 2:56

    “This voter” did not refer to me, but to the voter I was describing – the very same willfully ignorant who gave BHO his victory.

    It’s gonna take a LOT to burst their denial balloons when it comes to BHO and the promise of the government teats. I am arguing that it won’t be done if the perception is the mean old GOP and Rush types. It must come from those known to have supported BHO, like the anonymous source in the article linked in the post.

    Ed (7da696)

  47. Odd that George Bush is considered incompetent, but was none the less able to actually nominate cabinet members who could accomplish things like pay their taxes.

    Equally amusing is how many of the “incompetent” George Bush’s policies are now being endorsed by the Obama administration unchanged.

    SPQR (72771e)

  48. Peter: “Yet, I know of a party that could not bring itself to ask that question not 100 days, or a thousand days or even 8 years later, and bullied, threatened, maligned, discredited, questioned the patriotism of anyone who dared to ask that question with disastrous and obvious results.”

    hmm, I wouldn’t have thought ANY Democrat was willing to bring up the Clinton Administration?

    GM Roper (85dcd7)

  49. Comment by Hax Vobiscum — 3/16/2009 @ 4:12 pm

    And Obama’s right next to it.

    I don’t recall Bush insulting two forgein leaders in a row when they came to visit…

    but you must have different standards for Obama… After all, he has no idea what he’s doing, so you gotta give him some slack, eh?

    Scott Jacobs (90ff96)

  50. Peter and Hacks in the same thread is quite the treat. Moonbat bon mots are so droll.

    JD (00684b)

  51. Hmm. Before we determine if this administration actually is incompetent, I think we should all look over the official definition of the word.

    http://www.polydiculous.com/Polydiculous/Polydiculous_words/Entries/2007/8/10_Republican’t_files/shapeimage_2.jpg

    Ed from PA (c313be)

  52. Obama, a fraud you can believe in!

    MikeD (e67238)

  53. “One day, the president is a scarily hypnotic orator who befuddles the massive with “pretty” words.

    The next, he’s a mumbler who can’t say “Hello” without a teleprompter.”

    Our troll actually writes the point for us not realizing the above two points are completely consistent and descriptive when it comes to Obama.

    “One day, he’s doing nothing to end the economic crisis” – Absolutely correct
    “the next he’s doing too much too fast amid an economic crisis” – Absolutely correct because it is design to make the crisis worse or entirely unrelated to the crisis.

    This is entirely too easy. Please, please, keep coming back.

    daleyrocks (5d22c0)

  54. How many of the Wingnut Whiners even recall that last week’s talking point was that Obama was causing stock prices to tank?

    Since one week ago, March 10, the day “Karl” posted here his ludicrous assertion that Obama is causing stock prices to fall, the Dow has risen 4 percent, gaining in four of the five trading since that day.

    Like I said, every time wingnuts furiously lower the bar to the ground, Obama effortlessly steps over it.

    Hilarious…

    Hax Vobiscum (23258e)

  55. To answer the Question presented in the tittle of the thread with one word, YES.

    Edward (104094)

  56. The Market closed on a down slope today (-7) probably reflecting the late-afternoon comments by The One on regulating the financial markets.
    Tomorrow, Karnut the Magnifier, predicts the market closes under 7000!

    KtM (e2c6d2)

  57. Take and eat, this is my body…

    And so crunchy, juicy, and delicious too!

    So what is the intent here? Obamessiah? Cheap commericial exploitation? Why chicken?

    Joe (dcebbd)

  58. A better question:

    “Is the Obama administration incompetent or just plain stupid? Because there is no third choice.”

    But the answer is, sadly yes. JFK had to actually go looking for evidence of Russian nuclear missiles in Cuba. With Obama, Russia is proudly announcing they will be basing bombers in Cuba and Venezuela.

    Can you imagine the hew and cry if GWB treated the PM of the UK the same shabby way Obama did?

    If this is what is meant by a “smarter” foreign policy, I’ll take the GWB variety any day of the week. Or McCain.

    And then, yes, 60 days is too short a time to turn the economy around. But sometimes doing absolutely nothing is better than doing the wrong thing.

    We are doomed

    Dr. K (c73ad4)

  59. To the “we are doomed” theme I offer a thin ray of sunshine which was read in a newsletter today. This quote was attributed to a Frenchman who would be the equivalent to a handyman or jack of all trades:

    “…You know, they say that this financial crisis is going to be the end of capitalism. I don’t think so. I think it’s going to be the end of socialism…this kind of socialism we’ve had in France for the past 20 years. We can’t afford it. There are too many people not working. Too many rules. Too much interference. A third of the country works. Another third tries to stop them from working. And the final third does nothing at all…”

    Kind of strange to think one way to kill socialism one must embrace it wholly. I’d prefer to just nip it in the bud before it bites us in the ass. Some say too late for that…Chomp d’ le USA is already here.

    allan (bfe9ad)

  60. How many of the Wingnut Whiners even recall that last week’s talking point was that Obama was causing stock prices to tank?

    Since one week ago, March 10, the day “Karl” posted here his ludicrous assertion that Obama is causing stock prices to fall, the Dow has risen 4 percent, gaining in four of the five trading since that day.

    Like I said, every time wingnuts furiously lower the bar to the ground, Obama effortlessly steps over it.

    Hilarious…

    Comment by Hax Vobiscum — 3/16/2009 @ 5:37 pm

    Whatever you say, HV.

    nk (0a1ba0)

  61. It seems to me that fewer than two months in office is too little time to judge the competency of the President.

    Speaking of judging someone, I knew something was greatly amiss — or greatly deficient — about the guy now in the White House when it took him years and years to finally judge (or at least judge in a manner that both made sense and was non-flattering) a joker and kook like Jeremiah Wright.

    The actor recently rebuked New York Governor David Paterson for threatening to try to help close the state’s $7 billion budget deficit by canceling a 35% tax credit for films shot in the Big Apple.

    Alec Baldwin is the epitome of “limousine liberal.”

    Mark (411533)

  62. Capitalism’s greatest strength is that it has the flexibility to thrive in conjunction with industrial planning, progressive taxation, public schools, socialized medicine and a welfare state.

    It’s called a mixed economy and it has worked very well everywhere it has been tried, East, West, North and South including, of course, the U.S.

    The idea that raising the maximum tax rate from 35 percent to 39 percent is “socialism” ignores history and reality.

    Real socialism is government ownership of the means of production. One of the many problems with this model is that it cannot thrive in conjunction with privately owned means of production. Rather, the state is compelled to increase efficiency by eliminating private competitors. Luckily, no one anywhere near political power is advocating that for the U.S.

    Hax Vobiscum (23258e)

  63. And these people claimed that George Bush was incompetent?

    OMG. Even though I’ve never cared for Obama’s politics, I at least believed he was somewhat quick on his feet, or at least a very smooth talker, similar to a talented used-car salesman.

    If I didn’t know better I’d be mulling over the possibility that video had been doctored and turned into a parody of “The One.”

    Mark (411533)

  64. NK: your link says “stocks fell for the first time in five days.”

    Exactly what I said.

    That’s the longest rally since November and the biggest 4-day gain in almost four months.

    I don’t happen to think stock prices are hanging on Obama’s every word. They’re a bet on the future and far more sensitive to broader, longer-term trends.

    I just think it’s funny that the RNC talking point that Obama was tanking the market arrived to Karl on the same day the market started its longest rally this year.

    Hilarious…

    Hax Vobiscum (23258e)

  65. Dead cats bouncing are now rallies? I find it humorous that a 4 percent increase in income taxes is insignificant (ignoring all the other taxes to be increased, including but not limited to allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire), while simultaneously extolling a 4 percent increase in the stock market when it had already tanked by over 25 percent.

    JD (40d677)

  66. Hax said:

    “One day, the president is a scarily hypnotic orator who befuddles the massive with “pretty” words. The next, he’s a mumbler who can’t say “Hello” without a teleprompter. One day, he’s doing nothing to end the economic crisis, the next he’s doing too much too fast amid an economic crisis, the next he’s incompetent.”

    Man, that sounds familiar.

    That’s how you’re going to defend the current president? Sounds good to me. I hope it works out for you.

    Ag80 (d205da)

  67. “extolling a 4 percent increase in the stock market when it had already tanked by over 25 percent.”

    Read it again, JD. I wasn’t extolling anything. In fact, I made clear that the rally’s no big deal as regards Obama, except that it started the day the RNC rolled out its “Obama’s killing stocks” talking point.

    You may also want to check share prices. The Dow is down 9 percent since Obama was inaugurated.

    Hax Vobiscum (23258e)

  68. That’s the longest rally since November and the biggest 4-day gain in almost four months.

    This is like bragging that you’ve scored 25 points in the fourth quarter when you were down 150-25. It’s hilarious all right, but not in the way you’re intending.

    The fact that the market is 1750 points lower in the span of a month and half renders your argument meaningless, especially since the rally tends to be reflecting Obama’s new “STFU about how awful the economy is” strategy that he recently discovered. Don’t worry though, I’m sure as soon as he needs to cram another massive spending bill down our throats to steal from us on your behalf, he’ll be banging the “this is an emergency!” drum again.

    Not to mention that Russia is making Captain JugEars their bitch on multiple fronts, in addition to the administration looking like complete asses in the protocol department.

    Your right that the bar has been lowered, you’re just to dishonest to admit that Obama’s been doing it all on his own. The problem with having a reputation is that sometimes you’re obliged to live up to it, especially when you’re the leader of one of the most powerful nations on earth.

    Another Chris (a3bb8f)

  69. And down almost 25 percent since the election. But arguing facts with you is useless. As you stated so eloquently previously, you are likely wrong about everything.

    JD (40d677)

  70. Read it again, JD. I wasn’t extolling anything.

    No, like a lot of other dishonest leftists, you’re trying to have it both ways. Bragging about a one-week rally when the market has been tanking for a month, then saying “It’s not really Obama” is disingenuous on its face, particularly when one can trace the massive drops to nearly every unveiling or blubbered explanation of the “stimulus” bills or the budget by Obama and Geithner.

    Another Chris (a3bb8f)

  71. You may also want to check share prices. The Dow is down 9 percent since Obama was inaugurated.

    But the market is working hard at making that number bigger…

    So I’m afraid I will have to remain less than enthusiastic about the way the market is performing. You are, of course, free to think differently…

    Scott Jacobs (90ff96)

  72. He doesn’t know what to do with himself now that the campaign is over. That’s why he is perpetually campaigning and endlessly saying words that have no substance behind them.

    Rachel (031751)


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