Is Obama 'Too Nice' to Make Tough Decisions?
With problems for the president in Afghanistan, health care and unemployment, some critics on both the left and right are asking: Is the president essentially "too nice" to make the important decisions?
The National Journal magazine asks in a just-out edition, "Is He Tough Enough?"
"Be decisive," says Tom Tradewell, the commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Even liberal New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd says the president will have to "break some eggs" to cook up a more perfect union.
[...]
"I think he has been plenty tough. I think people want toughness, but they also want to have thoughtful leadership. And that -- and that requires reviewing these issues, thinking them through clearly, and bringing people along, and that's what he's doing," senior adviser David Axelrod said.
But the White House is angering its own party by declaring today a public option is not a necessity in a health care bill.
"He's not demanding that it's in there," said senior adviser Valerie Jarrett. "He thinks it's the best possible choice."
White House officials say all this talk about "is he tough enough" is only a matter of style -- the president is trying to build consensus. But that effort is also leading to the criticism, they say.
[...]
"The president has reached a tipping point whether deliberation is starting to look like hesitation," said Republican strategist Kevin Madden. "One of the biggest risks there, the American public begins to question whether or not you have the leadership skills."
I'm not one to shelter Obama, but this is typical mainstream media bullshit. He doesn't express joy in sending troops into a sinkhole war, so all of the sudden he's a pussy. I agree with them that showing little resolve in demanding a robust public option in health care is pretty spineless, but I question whether it means he's not tough or whether he ever really wanted to spend that rotten, vanity-laced thing we call political capital on a public option. I hope he can end up in the right place. Nevertheless, this storyline from Washington media is typical and sad journalism.
(And I loved how this ABC World News broadcast ended with this teaser for tomorrow: "And coming up tomorrow: What if the U.S. doesn't have enough swine flu vaccine? Tune in tomorrow for that." Your modern media.)
- Speaking of unfair assessments of President Obama, here's another one, via HBO documentary, though this one is more outdated than unfair. It has a Nobel Prize eight months later feel to it. It's called "By the People." I just saw a preview, but it looks to be about an array of campaign workers and volunteers throughout the country busting their ass to get him elected. Why they stood behind I'm sure is a fascinating study from person to person. It was a great moment that I'm glad is being documented, now frozen in time for history to revisit.
But seeing anything like that right now is pretty bitter to me. Again, it feels highly outdated and completely at odds with what many on the Left feel about him right now. I get it, it's a year later. But still....
I'm sure I'll watch if given the chance, but I probably should wait for a few years. I think it will sting right now. (I'll give my usual disclaimer: I never believed he would live up to the lofty hype surrounding him at times during the campaign. But I never expected him to be the George W. Bush Jr. Varsity squad.) It might lessen the real impact and sense of relief-turned-joy of November 4, 2008.
- Apparently the DC rap scene is up and coming. I had no idea. But it's a fascinating read for anyone interested in how a scene -- for any kind of music I imagine -- originates and lasts somewhere. DC's rap banner-carrier? A guy named Wale. I wish them luck.
- I'm morbidly excited for Washington Redskins hand-wringing the next few days. I caught some of the postgame from today's loss to the awful KC Chiefs. One commentator named Doc Walker, supposedly a Redskin great, looked directly into the camera and said, "Either you get it done or you surrender!" about head coach Jim Zorn. I then pissed myself. And I think former player Brian Mitchell was near tears rambling about how the current Redskins roster is tarnishing the storied history of the team, including Mitchell's many ... kick returns. They're serious around here.
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