Over the years, America's leaders have come and gone. Each president has had a specific set of skills that got him into the office and another, sometimes different, set of skills that he used once he was in the White House. If you think about it, you will realize that you remember the presidents for the most part by their very best skills (or lack of skills). Ronald Reagan had the ability to project confidence and good cheer so that his major course correction for the American economy was accomplished without the rancor that otherwise might have been expected. Lyndon Johnson was able to get measures through Congress that otherwise might have been blocked by partisan or ideological wrangling. Bill Clinton had the ability to make people feel that he truly empathized with them; he made an emotional connection that was much more important than any other. The first George Bush came through as really skilled in dealing with foreign countries.
That brings us to president Obama. I was thinking about his skill set and came to the conclusion that Obama is best at fund raising and delivering speeches written by others. These are the two skills at which the man clearly excels. They are also the skills that got him into the White House in the first place. The problem is that these skills are not accompanied by much else other than a giant ego. There is no insight or even understanding into the functioning of the government. How else could we explain the "surprise" failure of the Obamacare exchange, the most expensive website in history which still does not work after three and a half years of effort. There is no understanding or insight into the maneuvers of foreign policy. Remember that after five years in office Obama has managed to alienate many of America's closest allies like Britain, Israel, and Saudi Arabia as well as other countries that have been friends like Poland, the Ukraine and Brazil. Obama has also made approaches to enemies which have failed completely, although we will have to see if the latest agreement with Iran ends with the fiasco that seems most likely. Obama has separated America from its allies. Just think of the "Coalition of Are You Kidding" that rallied around Obama when he said he would retaliate against the Syrians for their use of chemical weapons.
Right now we have a president who can read speeches and raise campaign cash. He cannot run domestic policy. He cannot run international policy. But we are stuck with him for three more years.
That brings us to president Obama. I was thinking about his skill set and came to the conclusion that Obama is best at fund raising and delivering speeches written by others. These are the two skills at which the man clearly excels. They are also the skills that got him into the White House in the first place. The problem is that these skills are not accompanied by much else other than a giant ego. There is no insight or even understanding into the functioning of the government. How else could we explain the "surprise" failure of the Obamacare exchange, the most expensive website in history which still does not work after three and a half years of effort. There is no understanding or insight into the maneuvers of foreign policy. Remember that after five years in office Obama has managed to alienate many of America's closest allies like Britain, Israel, and Saudi Arabia as well as other countries that have been friends like Poland, the Ukraine and Brazil. Obama has also made approaches to enemies which have failed completely, although we will have to see if the latest agreement with Iran ends with the fiasco that seems most likely. Obama has separated America from its allies. Just think of the "Coalition of Are You Kidding" that rallied around Obama when he said he would retaliate against the Syrians for their use of chemical weapons.
Right now we have a president who can read speeches and raise campaign cash. He cannot run domestic policy. He cannot run international policy. But we are stuck with him for three more years.
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