Where did he go?
In any case, Obama apparently uttered the following statement in yesterday's debt talks:
"I've reached my limit. This may bring my presidency down, but I won't yield on this."This morning, the Huffington Post ran the photo below in the masthead with the headline "Gloves Come Off":
HERE is the conclusion of the article in the Huffington Post:
Before Obama left the meeting, he gave lawmakers a directive. By Friday, the president said, the people in the room needed to have figured out what path they were going to pursue so that they could start hammering out the details.Obama's version of leadership.
18 comments:
Yup.
Cause he needs his 'fix' in the weekend can't go too long without ...Golf.
Last week: "I'm ready to roll up my sleeves over the next several weeks and next several months," lol
Does he even keep track of what he says?
The first thing I thought of when I read in Politico that Obama had 'abruptly' (DC-eese for, flipping the middle finger and saying EFF U) walked out... saying it might burn down his presidency over PHILOSOPHY AND PRINCIPLE, was the song ...
'Pack up all my care and woe,
Here I go,
Singing low, .......
Bu then I realized in my joy at the thought.... 'holy shit, if I thought of that, why, I AM A RACIST!
Exsqueeze me for laughing.
What Obama said is PRECISELY why Mrs Epa and I have been telling each other there will BE NO COMPROMISE on the budget.
I can't speak for Boehner, but if you listen to what what Cantor has been saying (and he IS locked in with Ryan) the gap IS one of philosophy and principle, and a breaking point has come in America.
We either go one way or the other.
Carter was right about one thing...from now until the next inauguration will be the most consequential time in america since 1856-60.
Will,
As you know, I have a theory as to where Obama disappears to and why he frequents that golf course at Andrews.
Epa,
there will BE NO COMPROMISE on the budget
I agree.
Obama has thrown down the gauntlet and will not compromise.
For a man whose Party took a shellacking in November 2010, Obama is showing a lot hubris.
Hey, Will. Did Obama get a text message before he left the meeting? Just askin'.
BTW, we have beautiful weather this morning in the D.C. area. Will Obama head to the golf course today? For several days, until now, it's been too hot to golf.
AoW .. if the secret service kept such a series of CRIMES to themselves, for ANY JUSTIFICATION, sweep them clean. I literally HAVE TO BELIEVE that somewhere in there. one of them would at least LEAK this.
Frankly, I believe he loves WINNING the job, the perks of the job, the recognition of the job, but he HATES, DESPISES, and holds CONTEMPT for the actual day to day granular job itself. Hates the people. Hates the compromises. Hates the opposition he inspires. (NOW) Hates the press.
He cannot stand any of it. So he hits the smokes and golfs. To an irresponsible level.
He is a TERRIFIC summer sleep away camp junior counselor in the wrong job.
Epa,
I literally HAVE TO BELIEVE that somewhere in there. one of them would at least LEAK this.
Not necessarily. Look at past administrations.
Schtupping Marilyn Monroe is not against the law.
Nixon DID get the axe and no one knows who or what put Achy Cox onto that tape that did the trick.
Who did you have in mind?
Personally, I think it is inaccurate to attack Obama's "leadership" in this situation. He is being a good leader, in my opinion.
Obama has been a good leader, if not a great leader.
That's my opinion.
It is also my opinion that Conservatives have conflated good leadership with a "Good Presidency" and that this is their weakness in attacking him.
A Good Presidency is a Presidency that leaves the country (it's people) better off than they were before, not only economically, but better positioned in the world as well.
Obama's Presidency has been a disaster when measured by those parameters.
And, it is accurate to say that he is a STUPID President, because he keeps doing the same thing expecting different results.
But, to question his ability to lead, when he has accomplished everything he set out to accomplish? That is wrong. Absolutely wrong.
He has, indeed, been Reaganesque in his approach to the Presidency, in his leadership.
He has, deftly, navigated every trap laid out for him by his opponents, and he has defeated Conservatives at every step (except the attempt to do away with the "Bush Tax Cuts" earlier this year) throughout his Presidency. He has also made difficult decisions like attacking within Pakistan repeatedly, even after China warned (just a month or so back) that any attack by the US on Pakistani soil would be considered an Act of War.
This man, Obama, is not a weak leader. He is, perhaps, a brilliant leader.
But, he is a bad President. An ineffective President. His ideas do not work. But, he sure is great at putting his ideas into action.
And, we are the worse off for it.
If you really want to get what I mean, contrast Obama with Bush. Bush was a pretty good leader, but not a great leader. And, that is evidenced by the fact that during his second term, he gave up and let James Baker take over. At a certain point, Bush got tired of all the criticism, and gave up.
Obama has faced some terrible criticism. His poll numbers have been pretty terrible, consistently so.
I think bad poll numbers were pretty much what really did Bush in.
But, Obama doesn't let bad poll numbers thwart him in the least. He just keeps pushing and continues defeating the spineless Republican Party.
IMHO - Walking out on the meeting whose stakes HE has described as not meeting our MINIMAL fiscal obligations to the retired and disabled, and as possibly causing a second great depression is no leadership at all.
The job is to EFFECT thing, to AFFECT the USA and the world.
We already have the example in this lifetime of someone SO fixed on 'leadership' based in rigid principle he was almost REMOVED FROM OFFICE .. Cong Dennis Kucinich who LOST his next election.
Check it out and see if that sounds familiar
Pasto,
Your definition of "good leader" and "great leader" could also be the definition of a demagogue. Could not Hitler also have been called a good leader by those parameters?
Epa,
JFK's affair with Marilyn Monroe wasn't technically against the law.
I'm not sure about the legality of the drugs that JFK was injected with.
As for Nixon, the Secret Service didn't squeal on him as far as is known.
I can't help but think of Marion Barry, too. It took a sting operation to nab him -- his handlers (or whoever) must have known the truth.
As far as I know, in the entire history of the United States, the President's guards have never divulged the Presidents' personal foibles.
Actually I would be against them revealing FOIBLES while they served and while the pres was alive.
However, when it comes to the law THEY SERVE THE PEOPLE AND THE LAW.
If such a HORROR as POTUS+COCAINE were ever to be a fact, their responsibility to report that to those who could do something about it would be compulsory. Failure to do so, as OFFICERS?
OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE, and
CONSPIRACY
As for JFK, THERAPEUTIC drugs he was injected with both as a result of genetics, and the injuries he suffered in and around the Solomons/Guadalcanal area while in Naval Service....well, you will have a hard time convincing me such a thing is in ANY WAY dishonorable, let alone actionable.
That is in no way comparable to POTUS committing felonies.
AOW,
You ask: Could not Hitler also have been called a good leader by those parameters?
I respond: Of course. The difference being that Hitler used much more physical intimidation than does Obama. Obama's SEIU thugs are bad, but they are nothing compared to the Brownshirts and the SS.
There are many great leaders from history who most of us would agree were also bad men;
Napoleon
Atilla the Hun
Stalin
James K. Polk (who I happen to love, but most people, including Abraham Lincoln, hated)
Robert E. Lee
Mahatma Gandhi (who I believe was a terrible human being, but most people revere as a veritable deity)
etc
etc
etc
I thought about it, and I have come to the conclusion that I think it is even inaccurate to say Obama is a stupid President.
I really do think he is doing all of this on purpose. In other words, I do not believe he is doing the same thing over and over expecting different results. He really believes he has to break a few eggs, before he can make an omelette.
The veritable destruction of the American economy is part of what he has to do to bring things in line with what he wants to accomplish. He likely believes the only reason there is no investment and growth is because his opponents (the wealthy) have not been sufficiently chastened as yet. Once they are, I think he believes the economy will hum along just fine.
Of course, even this is shortsighted on his part. Because, if he was honest with himself, he would know that enough will never be enough. There will always be rich people, just like the poor will be with us always. And, he will always be angry with those rich people, if they are not his friends.
But, he believes in what he is doing, he is doing exactly what he believes will accomplish success (as defined by him) and he is extremely successful at it.
The thing that is amazing to me is that the very people who keep getting defeated by him are so consistently belittling him.
It reminds me a bit of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXY9TuuwyL8&feature=fvst
Epa,
That is in no way comparable to POTUS committing felonies.
Maybe. But the attitude of the rules don't apply to me can lead from foibles to felonies.
I would also point how revered Obama is. I'm not sure that any crimes he may commit would be reported. Moral relativism, shall we say?
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