So, basically, TGL has spoken to (not met with but spoken to — like on the telephone) his commander on the ground in Afghanistan once. He is facing a showdown with Iran on the world stage. He has Congress hamstrung trying to find a way out of the health care morass he introduced six months ago, still has an ailing economy, and is about to disappoint his base yet again by failing to close Guantanamo by the first of the year.
That’s a pretty pressing agenda. So what’s the ol’ boy up to these days? Which of these many key issues is he doubling down on? I’m afraid the answer is “None of the above.” Obama, with the Mrs. in tow, is on his way to Copenhagen to try to persuade the Olympic Committee to choose the Prex’s adopted hometown of Chicago as the site of the 2016 Olympics.
Sounds pretty important to me. Here he’s got decisions awaiting him with respect to sending more troops to Afghanitan, unemployment reaching double digits in several states, and he’s got time to fly to Denmark to try to get the Olympics for his hometown? I say why not? Whether he succeeds or not, 2016 will be an occasion for Americans to recall what an astonishingly, mindbogglingly bad choice the country made when it elected this bum in 2008.
As to the likely success of his pitch, Chris Lehane a staffer to former Vice President Al Gore, said the expectations will be high for Obama’s trip: “If they don’t come back with the gold, clearly there will be the same questions that American basketball would get if they don’t come back with the gold — they are expected to win.”
Speaking of Gore, doesn’t he have the least bit of concern over the amount of carbon Obama will be spewing jetting to Copenhagen and back the next day?
Comments 17
I believe it’s the case that Obama’s emissions don’t smell, so perhaps Gore is less worried about them than he would be about yours or mine.
There are no WMD in Iran. But there are people with lots of money, and people who know where bodies are buried, in Chicago. What’s so hard to understand?
Besides, they’ve got cool ice cream and a selection of boutique mustards in Copenhagen.
September 29th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
So I take it neither of you think much of the Kristol prediction I linked on the Wall?
September 29th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
@CK MacLeod —
I honestly didn’t see it, your Czarness. Truth to be told, I sometimes forget to check the Wall. Will do so now.
September 29th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
@CK MacLeod — OK, now I’ve seen it. Kristol may well be right, but what of it? I am sensing that a number of people who were willing to cut TGL the benefit of the doubt (such as MSM journalists, especially members of the WH press corps) are growing weary of his schtick. They will see this for what it is–a cynical move purely to silence critics. It is similar to his visit to Europe during the campaign when he was accused of having no foreign policy cred.
September 29th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
I think Kristol’s prediction fits in very well with Obama’s MO. Going around and making speeches is the thing; reading reports and making decisions that might have consequences, not so much. Going to Afghanistan will give people the feeling that he is doing something “real” about the conflict, or at least “supporting the troops,” and relieve the pressure on him to stop dithering.
JED, I really think that all the corpses around here in Chicago have all been exhumed; it’s just that the buzzards seem to have been preoccupied elsewhere. But the vote machine for 2012 and for next year’s house and senate elections are here for sure.
September 29th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
Ramesh Ponnuru and Rush Limbaugh both are saying that the only reason O-slash is going to Copenhagen is that they already know that Chi-town has it. O-slash wants the credit but wouldn’t risk the rather extreme blow to his aura of schlepping all the way over there only to have it go to Rio. (in fairness, I think Rush is keying off Ramesh on this one.)
September 29th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
I think you have stumbled onto the truth, Mor-ton!
Oops – sorry – was just channeling the old McLaughlin Group. Where were we? As I think about it, you’re right that as a ploy it has limited value. Anyone who cares about the appearance of dithering and misplaced priorities isn’t going to be persuaded by a trick. Enough with the shenanigans and show – where’s the Wagyu?
September 29th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
#7 was a reply to Howard Kondracke.
September 29th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
Gee, don’t suppose that there’s some connection between all this stuff about Iran and European leaders making the belligerent statements against the Iranians and some kind of quick hop to Europe by Obama.
He must just be doing this because of his short attention span or maybe the nice jellybeans on the airplane.
September 29th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
@CK MacLeod —
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Btw, do you think I can sell my design to Chitown if the Olympics end up there?
September 29th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
@fuster — Ah, there’s that old fuster sarcasm. Where ya been?
September 29th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
@fuster – very likely the Greatest Military Genius of All Time will give Sarkozy, Merkel, Brown, and everyone else their marching orders in between helping the Bolshoi with its choreography and authenticating a suspect Vermeer.
September 29th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
… and if Air Force One has engine trouble, he’ll probably fix that, too, in flight.
September 29th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
@Howard Portnoy – More important, Howard, how have you been?
The Tsar was worried about you having had some kind of encounter with contaminated porkers.
September 29th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
@CK MacLeod – I think that Kristol, as usual, almost got something that he overheard correct.
The real story is that Obama is in Copenhagen to announce that the city of Chicago is releasing it’s delegates to vote for awarding the 2016 games to Kabul.
After that, he’ll be announcing that he’s arranged for the Qum facility to be converted to a Playboy Mansion with the possibility of a nearby Pizza Hut.
September 29th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
@fuster — fuster, doing fine, thanks. Sin-free for now.
I’ll see it when I believe it!
September 29th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
Sure, I guess OSlash will go to Afghanistan after his Olympics pitch. Standard fare. Won’t prove or demonstrate much, other than that US troops are worth a bit more to him than Gordon Brown.
September 29th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
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