Patterico's Pontifications

5/28/2010

Obama’s Depth

Filed under: Obama — DRJ @ 7:45 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

McCain on Obama:

“On President Obama’s visit to the Senate:

“The president had very strong disagreements with Senator Barrasso and Senator Corker,” McCain says. “Barrasso was chronicling how Obamacare was a failure and the president just ripped into him, saying ‘you know, John, there’s no press here.’ That took me aback. You think Barrasso thought press was in there? Then the president spoke repeatedly about how he’s supposedly taken on the left wing of his party. Please, does he really want our sympathy? It’s laughable.” Is the president as serious as you once thought? “There are legitimate questions as to whether he’s out of his depth or not,” McCain says.”

— DRJ

27 Responses to “Obama’s Depth”

  1. Good Night Jonh Boy…. you’re a couple of years too late on that attack of the blindingly obvious.

    WTF was this when it might have kept the First Failure out of the White House?

    oh, wait, now i remember…. you were busy being “senatorial” and screwing over Sarah.

    GFY, you well past your prime RINO sh1tbird.

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  2. Of course he is out of his depth, however he still kicked youe ass. Juan, go back to doing all you know, to whit, fighting Republicans. Enjoy it while you can. It is all over. Obligatory, we thank you for your service, etc,etc…

    gazzer (8324ed)

  3. McCain is saying that this fellow could drown in a soap dish–that’s how far out of his depth he is.

    And yes McCain ran a crummy campaign –on the other hand sad to say I’m not certain that McCain could have done a significantly better job than Obama. In 2008 we were faced with a choice between the lesser of two weasels. Both choices were wrong.

    Mike Myers (3c9845)

  4. Here’s the thing–I don’t necessarily have a problem with Obama not taking direct responsibility for this. That rather obvious display of CYA-ness he put on today was obligatory, but the real problem is that Obama and his supporters can’t come right out and say what the real problem is.

    It’s not the lack of oversight or delayed response that is the real issue–it’s the fact that today’s government is a bloated, stinking mess of bureaucratic agencies that have no oversight from Congress and are thus accountable to no one. It doesn’t matter if it’s the MMS, FEMA, or the IRS. All of these agencies exist for no other purpose than to provide patronage spots for America’s increasingly mediocre “citizens,” who the government and our popular culture have rendered completely impotent in thought and action. This is the inevitable result of expecting the government to take precedence over everything under the sun, rather than letting the states and communities solve problems at the local level.

    Rather than give up a scintilla of the power that the feds have now acquired over the last 80 years, the people in charge have resorted to buck passing that would make Joe Montana jealous. And of course Obama can’t actually come out and say this, because it would immediately render the Bandung-inspired Third Worldist philosophy he’s nurtured since his childhood completely irrelevant in the eyes of most Americans. So instead we get that farce of a press conference and the glorified campaign stop in the Gulf.

    Of course Obama is over his head here, but here’s the real problem–ANY president would be over his head in this situation, because the existing bureaucracy and national culture is crippling the capacity of Americans to confront and solve problems. He can’t magically wave his hand over the waters and plug the hole himself, and there is NOTHING he or anyone else can do to avert the environmental fallout from this. An oil gusher a mile below the surface of the Gulf will not be stopped up by reassuring words from a staffer to MSNBC or an Axelrod astroturf campaign.

    [note: fished from spam filter. –Stashiu]

    Another Chris (78e749)

  5. thanks for sharing, pot

    happyfeet (c8caab)

  6. My perfect nightmare, and I’m not making this up, is working the 2012 election and realizing we nominated John Mccain again. Had that a month ago or so and put it right in my ‘freaky dream’ notebook.

    Mike Myers, though Obama is diplomatically ridiculous, he is prosecuting the war on terror in many ways. I think Afghanistan is just a very tough conflict. I seriously wonder exactly how Mccain would have been an improvement. Domestically I have no faith at all, and Obama seems to like blowing up terrorists as much as the next guy. The difference may be that Gitmo and waterboarding and war setbacks are no longer trumpeted for max damage. The worst Supreme Court justices were nominated by Mccain-like presidents.

    Our primaries are set up to fail. Michael Steele doesn’t really seem to be doing anything important, but he ought to fix our primaries.

    Dustin (b54cdc)

  7. DRJ, actually, McCain goofed. There is NO QUESTION of whether or not Obama is out of his depth. He is!

    GM Roper (6afe02)

  8. Comments..no worky

    gazzer (8324ed)

  9. I still believe there is a long, very long, list of actions that McCain would have taken that would be improvements on zero. The principal benefit of what happened in the election is to destroy finally the left wing reputation for competence. All we have to do is survive the demonstration.

    Mike K (67e8ce)

  10. Nice to know that they’re finally getting it.

    Dr. K (1c5e6a)

  11. Barack Obama’s resume, such as we allowed to see, show no indication of executive leadership. We got what we elected an uneducated, ideologically driven moron. The MSM could airdrop sixty reporters into Wasilla but they can’t find Obama college transcripts.

    DavidL (2a854d)

  12. gazzer, We want two faced politicians like Obama, Clinton and even Bush. Nice guys and attempts at nice campaigns are met with attitudes like yours.

    Your snarky comment about thanking McCain for his service is an insult. He is a genuine war hero that didn’t just commit a single act of bravery in a split second, he voluntary suffered for years out of devotion to his country and his fellow Americans. You make me sick.

    JHE (9284aa)

  13. Nice [sarc.] to see some of the regulars doing EXACTLY what we slam the trolls for doing: Using a post about Barack Obama as an excuse for slamming someone on the other side of the aisle.

    If we could get back to the subject of the thread, this incident re-affirms what we already know: Obama’s view on “bipartisanship” is all ‘take’ and no ‘give’. Anyone unwilling to give becomes witness to, and recipient of, a tantrum.

    Maybe the POTUS should start wearing a wool cap, eat Cheesy Poofs, and practice saying “Respect my authoritah!”

    Icy Texan (f6dd9c)

  14. You’re commenting thing is all bollixed up, Pat

    ian cormac (ee040c)

  15. McCain forgot he told everyonr ‘they had nothing to fear from Obama’

    ian cormac (ee040c)

  16. I’m not certain that McCain could have done a significantly better job than Obama

    Right off the top of my head, I can give you a list fairly objectively:

    – would have strongly encouraged the reform movement in Iran via direct and public contact. Who knows where that country would be right now if we had a POTUS that would have told the Iranians to keep their goddammed hands off their own citizens who only want a say in their lives? Do not discount the effect that the POTUS has on the rest of the world – Reagan proved that words (and actions) still matter.

    – would have told Chavez and Castro to FO and if they made one move to disrupt the elections in Honduras then expect to see the sixth fleet on their doorsteps.

    – would not have made Petraeus take a ridiculous one – year timetable in order to clean up the mess that is Afghanistan.

    – the healthcare bill never happens, period.

    – the stimulus bill never happens, period.

    – Bush tax cuts extended another year.

    That’s just a start – if you want some more, just ask.

    Dmac (3d61d9)

  17. Before assuming office, the only executive experience Obama had was running his small Senate staff. Of course he’s in way over his head! Nearly (exception being Bush WOT carry-over) every decision he’s made since January 21, 2009 has resulted in alienating long-time allies, amusing/emboldening adversaries, and near calamity for our nation.

    The lack of leadership in mitigating the Gulf oil-spill alone has clearly shown us that if one wants this nation to be reduced in stature, in its ability to promote democracy, peace and the general welfare, Obama is the man to do it.

    Competence is not his strong suit.

    GeneralMalaise (4e741b)

  18. Yes, he is out of his depth.

    Watching him govern also calls the question of whether he is out of his mind.

    But what this fool really needs to be out of is….office. 2012 can’t come soon enough.

    Kevin Stafford (abdb87)

  19. A little too late, in my view

    ian cormac (ee040c)

  20. DRJ, Pat, just adding to the alert from several others that comments aren’t working right again. For example, the Bill Clinton thread shows there are 28 comments but I can only see 4 of them. (I believe that was the number already posted when I attempted to add a comment early evening yesterday.)

    Now, as for this thread: It is hard to imagine any other US President in history being as rude and snarky to key members of the opposition party (and the Supreme Court) (and certain state governors) as this president is. Sure, all presidents had pitbull staffs and spokesmen to do the partisan dirty work. But presidents are themselves supposed to remain, well, presidential–and recognize that they serve all the citizens of the US not just the ones who voted for them.

    This example once again points out that, whether by education or upbringing, BO really does not “get” how the US republic works. One can easily speculate that he really does see his time in office in the now famous “I won” mold, just like an athlete or team that wins the championship, gets a medal or trophy, and has undisputed bragging rights until the next tournament or match. Like in sports, there is absolutely no reason whatsoever to share the glory and spoils, or share the championship ring with whoever lost, because in Obama’s mind they just weren’t as “good” as he was, didn’t deserve to win, and don’t deserve his respect.

    McCain was not my first candidate choice by a long shot, but I proudly voted for him and he would have been a thousand times better for this country than the immature one who now crows, “I won.”

    elissa (7fa716)

  21. Rather than give up a scintilla of the power that the feds have now acquired over the last 80 years, the people in charge have resorted to buck passing that would make Joe Montana jealous.

    Buck passing, and the never ending argument that government- like the stimulus- just isn’t big enough.

    There was a salesman at my house while Obama was speaking, and he expressed distress that people expected the President of the United States to be some sort of oil well hole fixer now. And I just thought– well, *I* don’t, but it seems a natural extension for people who thought Obama was going to pay their mortgages, get them jobs, provide cheap endless medical care, and make the world love us.
    The more the President takes on, the more people are going to expect him to do a good job of it.
    I don’t think George Washington’s citizens would have expected him to just plug the dang hole.

    MayBee (71664d)

  22. It’s a saying John. Of course there was no press there, and thus no need for speeches. This actually makes me like Obama more than I did before.

    Oh a d let me clarify something for the copy and paste pundits in the comments, Chomsky is left wing, Obama isn’t. If we ever have a left wing party in this country, much less a president, I’ll be shocked.

    Metabee (48e8ff)

  23. No, Metabee, it is not a “saying”. It is more evidence that Obama discounts the sincerity of his opponents. It is evidence that Obama thinks no one would oppose him except for “bad” motives.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  24. Rather than give up a scintilla of the power that the feds have now acquired over the last 80 years, the people in charge have resorted to buck passing that would make Joe Montana jealous.

    Harry Truman-like, he ain’t… more like Jimmuh Carterexxtralite™.

    GeneralMalaise (67df13)

  25. This was a smart move by the GOP. Last time Obama visited their caucus, we got live shots of him dunking on their idiocy. By blocking TV this time, we get the 40 or so GOP senators being able to go on TV and badmouth the president’s performance without video or anyone to retort it.

    Senate GOP learned from the house GOP.

    pizzathehut (7de3b7)

  26. I believe the technical term is “aground”.

    htom (412a17)

  27. Obama is out of his depth?! No, he isn’t. He’s pretty much a 100%-pure liberal, and so all the crud that is a by-product of his plans and policies are in keeping with the preferences of a leftist.

    He could be described as being in over his head only if the outcome weren’t to his liking (Example: “OMG, My healthcare reform plan is imperfect and will result in the law of unintended consquences!! I goofed!!!”)

    An analogy can be stretched to the situation with Hugo Chavez and Venezuela. Yea, that country has become a junkpile. But does anyone truly believe that wasn’t intentional? That it’s not part of Chavez’s playbook? That the dysfunction of Venezuela is because Chavez is out of his depth? That he’s actually full of common sense but unfortunately got stuck in a bind due to outside circumstances?

    Mark (411533)


Powered by WordPress.

Page loaded in: 0.0788 secs.