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Just Another Politician
Jason Reed / AP Photo
Once perceived as transformative, Obama now looks more and more like a regular politician, ensnared by petty squabbles, obsessed with politics instead of leadership, and often paralyzed by decision-making.
A year ago, Barack Obama was elected in a wave of hope: for him, the first black president, and for the country, mired in an economic crisis and engaged in two hot wars and broader war against Islamic radicalism.
Since the election, however, a dangerous thing for Obama has been happening: Hope is turning into cynicism and disappointment. The figure once perceived as transformative now looks more and more like a regular politician, ensnared by petty arguments, obsessed with politics instead of leadership, and often paralyzed by decision-making.
Our enemies just aren’t that into us, and our friends think they’re on their own.
He has made two major mistakes. First, just as he accused President George W. Bush of taking his eye off Afghanistan to prosecute the Iraq war, Obama has taken his eye off the economy to focus on health care. And in both instances, he ceded control to the Democrats in Congress, who made a hash of the $787 billion economic “stimulus” and who are in the process of destroying health care. He told us that the stimulus would keep unemployment to 8 percent; it’s now closing in on 10 percent. The 3.5 percent third-quarter GDP growth was due almost entirely to government spending—Cash for Clunkers, the first-time home buyers’ credit, and the extension in unemployment benefits—that was all temporary and that so warped the free market that most observers expect a second recessionary dip.
Health-care reform has even more deeply divided the Democrats, and Obama has essentially been AWOL, except to say he’ll sign whatever destructive mess they put in front of him.
• More Daily Beast contributors on Obama’s election anniversarySecond, he has pursued international “engagement” without considering the consequences for diplomatic failure. This has allowed the Iranians to buy more time as they develop nuclear weapons, the Russians and the Chinese to diss him on Iranian sanctions, the Venezuelans to gain Russian help on nukes, the Pakistanis to grow increasingly furious, the Afghans to resent meddling in their presidential election, the Palestinians to refuse to return to the negotiating table, and our allies—the British, French, Israelis, Japanese, South Koreans, Georgians, and all of Eastern Europe—to feel increasingly abandoned.
Our enemies just aren’t that into us, and our friends think they’re on their own.
Perhaps these are rookie mistakes, and Obama will grow wiser and more realistic in the job. Or perhaps he’s in over his head. Either way, he needs to get some grownups around him, and fast.
Monica Crowley is a radio and television political commentator based in New York. Since 2002, she's had her own nationally syndicated radio show, The Monica Crowley Show and is a regular commentator on The John Batchelor Show. She is a panelist for The McLaughlin Group, and she blogs at MonicaMemo.
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John Talks Joe
Lloyd Grove is editor at large for The Daily Beast. He is also a frequent contributor to New York magazine and was a contributing editor for Condé Nast Portfolio. He wrote a gossip column for the New York Daily News from 2003 to 2006. Prior to that, he wrote the Reliable Source column for the Washington Post, where he spent 23 years covering politics, the media, and other subjects.
And you are just another journalist! The media has to put a spin on everything, good or bad, so that we will continue to read and try to wrap our heads around the sound bites of the time. Stop the grandstanding and give us the real news of importance!
Oh god how much GOP propaganda was in this article.
1st Healthcare reform helps the economy by providing competition and lowering costs for everyone.
2nd Cash for Clunkers was a Freaking Success everyone bought a car at rapid speed.
3th The world view on us by Russia/China/Europe improved by being Diplomatic (Nobel Peace prize)
Other then that yes he's just another politician
Are you stoned or just stupid?Healthcare is a mess,yes,but your pres.and his cronies if they get thier way(and they will not)will have America begging to get Healthcare back to at least where it is now.
Husseins cash for clunkers was a huge success if you do not like your freedom the way it is now because the gov.now has access to all dealers bank statements that sold cars under this program.
The Nobel Peace prize is a JOKE,tell me one tiny thing he did to deserve it.By the way,he does'nt even know why he won,he said himself he didnt deserve to be in such a great company of names.
Hussein dogged THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA saying that we're arrogant and you back him?You have got to be either stoned or just plain stupid!
The Nobel Peace prize is a JOKE,tell me one tiny thing he did to deserve it.
Running for YOUR President.
"they will not)will have America begging to get Healthcare back to at least where it is now".
That is happening now. WHERE WAS THE LAST PRESIDENTS POSITION?
"Husseins cash for clunkers was a huge success if you do not like your freedom the way it is now because the gov.now has access to all dealers bank statements that sold cars under this program".
lIKE SPYING?
"saying that we're arrogant ". wE ARE.
So health care reform is a "destructive mess"? The system we have now is the destructive mess, lady. I don't know how often you actually leave your McMansion or limousine and talk to regular Americans but I'm guessing it isn't very often. America is suffering. "Journalists" like yourself fiddle while American lives and bank accounts burn on the pyres of the health insurance monopolies. You should decide whether or not you want to be a real journalist or just another propagandist because this drivel you've written is nothing but right-wing trash.
Monica Crowley: My sentiments exactly. Before I comment in full, allow me to lay down some context. Prior to the election, I spent an inordinate amount of time and energy proselytizing on Obama's behalf. My function was to attempt to convince those who might have been sceptical of his Presidency, that he was in fact the ideal candidate for America at this juncture. Almost ten months in, my disappointment in his performance is palpable. It is etched in my facial expression; I cannot hide it.
The healthcare bill, when it finally comes to pass, will likely be a watered down version of what he (PBO) promised us during his campaign. He has taken far too long to affect the passing of this bill and has abdicated too much responsibility to congress, when he should have been much more proactive and dare I say, aggressive. (As Bill Maher said, he should be a little more like George W. Bush!)
His choice of Geithner, a mistake even to the uninitiated, is proving to be the ultimate disaster. Ten months down the road, Geithner has not even hinted at one regulatory change for his buddies on Wall Street to adhere to, let alone table a comprehensive list of new regulations which would prevent the debacle which nearly ruined this country for ever! Day by day, it becomes increasingly obvious that Geithner is way, and I repeat, way over his head. He is, simply stated, a lightweight who needs some serious assistance, and soon! Meanwhile Goldman is still trading in derivatives and still involved in credit default swaps.
Is PBO over his head? I cannot answer that at this time, but it would appear that the team that got him elected are not capable of driving his agenda with the focus and aggressiveness that is needed to crack the pointy heads on Capitol Hill. Is his time up? Again, it may be too early to come to this judgement, but one thing I'm certain of is that PBO is running out of time to impress!
Whomever you are...please know that you are not in the least alone in your present state of "palpable disappointment". I too spent what I deem at this juncture to be an inordinate amount of time and energy passionately proselytizing on Obama's behalf. Ten months in, Obama's "mantra" to be the self appointed champion of the middle class thus far has proven to be nothing sort of drab rhetoric. Quite dishearteningly and as you point out, his efforts have merely maintained the status quo on Wall Street and programs such as his mortgage "Loan Modification" exist as a hollow tease rather then offering any real help to the people in dire need.
Unfortunately and quite regrettably might I ad, if I were asked at this point I would exclaim that last November I had the audacity to buy into false hope.
yOU MEAN LIKE THE LAST 60 YEARS?
leftistmenace, your name says it all. Leave Monica alone, she speaks the truth. More journalist need to speak out so that the weak minded mass media is not telling us how we should think. Are you another 'sheep" that is willing to be lead into a socialist state.? Do you want the truth, or the other side of propaganda. Enough with the right-wing trash. I feel sorry for people that has closed minds. What a waste.
What? You're not going to go on YouTube and scream "Leave Monica ALONE!?"
I want the truth which is why I read the news. Crowley isn't a real journalist. She's just a pundit. She is also a plagiarist so God only knows who really wrote this crappy article. You should just go back to your tea party and let the grown-ups keep fixing this country.
Confuse a menace,speak facts and truth,it makes thier hackles raise because they know they're losing this battle that never should have been!
Please finish your Kool-aid,no really please do!
Crowley is not a journalist, she's a far right political hack who predictably spouts tired wingnut talking points; the woman idolized her criminal disgraced lying corrupt thug of a boss, Richard Nixon.
Obama is doing just fine - it's so refreshing to see an intelligent individual who isn't threatened by differing perspectives and opinions, unlike his predecessors who just deep sixed, got rid of and threw under the bus anyone who wasn't part of the Amen Choir. What a concept.....giving due deliberation to monumental decisions that affect our best and brightest. Too bad the previous administration rushed into a fiasco that Obama has to clean up.
Koolaid anyone?
kinda makes me wonder if sweden has ever heard of jim jones
Obama is doing just fine...if you want: uncontrolled spending, a huge deficit (that somebody has to pay for), an economy based strictly on service (because manufacturing is gone), a world that no longer views us as defenders of democracy and human rights (or even ourselves), bills longer than the bible rushed into law before anyone even reads them, a president that gets involved in local law enforcement and screams "racists!" before reports are even filed...then has to back pedal and make two adults kiss and make up. A president that has staked his entire presidency on Healthcare Reform, in a nation with the best health care in the world. He's doing everything that the leftists criticized President Bush for: Having a single focus that takes away from your ability to be President.
I didn't vote for him, but I certainly wished him well. Unfortunately, he's demonstrating everything that is wrong with leftist policy and chicago politics.
Oh, and the Nobel Prize? Nominated because he's black and presumed to be proggressive. He hadn't done anything except get elected at the time he was nominated. Oh wait, I'm not allowed to notice that he's black. I must be a racist.
Colin Powell would have been a better choice is all you wanted was a minority President. Heck, he even flipped to the Democratic party for you.
us(gov.) interest in insurance cos. 80%
as for healthcare--
number of employers fined who cant/dont insure their 24 minus employees 100%
number of employees forced to purchase or apply for state if employer doesnt: 100%
email to report someone talking about healtcare reform: flag@whitehouse.gov
number of days obama was pres. upon receiving nobel: 11
obviously you're one of the young republicans suffering from entitlement - or causing others to suffer your sense of entitlement. you're a sucker that says whatever she needs to say to impress and give the less than intelligent morons a place to get their fix. you really don't believe what you say...and you are a whore. a whore that says what you do so you can keep your meaningless radio show, keep the morons listening, and get your nice little paycheck. and you say, "hey, it's not a little paycheck at all, it's a big paycheck." So you're a Big whore. OK, I'll be nice, you're a typical country club whore.
Thank you.
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