That was one of the criticisms of candidate Barack Obama -- that he would be learning on the job how to be president. It seemed a bit scary, but worth the risk as he had so much to offer. But now, don't you find yourself wishing he would learn on the job?
Take the "clarification" by the president that followed David Axelrod's interview with The Huffington Post. "We need to deal with the world as we find it," Axelrod bemoaned as a reason for extending tax cuts for the wealthy. After an onslaught of anger and to avoid allowing that comment to stand, President Obama endeavored to clear the air.
"Here's the right interpretation," Obama told a gathering of reporters on Friday. "I want to make sure that taxes don't go up for middle-class families starting on January 1st. That is my number-one priority for those families and for our economy... I also believe that it would be fiscally irresponsible for us to permanently extend the high-income tax cuts."
Is it any wonder that the presumptive House Speaker John Boehner is talking about permanent tax cuts for the wealthy when the president anchors his negotiations with a giveaway?
If, indeed, the plan actually is to decouple middle-class tax breaks from those for the wealthy, then the president's future clarifications should sound more like this:
We are going to the mat for the middle class. That's the right interpretation. If some Republicans want to deny the middle class to make a few more of their wealthy friends wealthier, they can try. But we're not going to give in to political bullying or blackmail.
If this is too direct for him, how about this response to John Boehner:
Of course he wants it all. But I wasn't elected president to make John Boehner happy. And the Democrats in the House and Senate aren't about to do that either. We answer to the American people, not solely the wealthiest among them. The path is clear and we're going to take it obstacles and all.
Some people believe you shouldn't tell the president what to say. I know, it can be annoying. But that's what I do for a living -- teach and advise people at all levels of their careers how to say what they mean more effectively. Besides, how long can anyone keep quiet when he says things that make you wonder what he was doing all those years at Harvard?
I've written in Comebacks at Work and in other articles and books a host of ways to deal with bullies and tough guys. It isn't by letting them think you're a newbie on the block or, as Paul Krugman writes, giving them more "mush from the wimp."
The best evidence of learning on the job would be for the president to demonstrate by words and actions that he hasn't had a personality transplant since the election. Otherwise, if this new guy is really him, he should cease to say much of anything because he just keeps giving away the farm.
Kathleen also blogs at comebacksatwork.com and bardscove and can be found on Twitter.
This is just one of any number of opinions that attempt to explain how all of Obama's failures are not really his fault.
Its the Republicans, Its the Blue Dogs, Its how cereberal he is, Its Rahm's fault, Its the fact that his 'base' didn't turn out, Its the Professional Left, Its apparently still George Bush's fault.....
The real truth is that he has little inclination or experience for leadership and he's not really in touch with the electorate.
This is not the opinion that the left would care to hear but the sheer energy and emotion goes into the excuse industry is more of a sign that I am right.
Great post, Kathleen.
People think this president was elected soundly. In fact, he was not. He was elected by 55% of those who voted, and only 63% of eligible Americans bothered to vote at all - so in fact he was elected by 34% of eligible voters. That's about the proportion of Americans who are willing to think and to adopt a decades-long view, and he needs to realize that.
The president’s problem is he gives Americans too much credit.
I love these critiques that fault the president on leadership, as if we elected a dictator responsible for all decisions in washington.
They never seem to take into account the fierce opposition he has been facing from timid, bribed legislators concerned about their donor base rather than the American people.
This staunch liberal thinks the president is doing a great job and would have done an even better job if we could have replaced the blue dogs and republicans with more liberal legislators instead of re-electing lawmakers that got us into this mess in the first place, the republicans.
Personally, I cannot think of any other politician in the country who I would rather see living in the whiter house beside Barack Obama. I wish him luck on the job for the next 6 years.
The article like this serves no purpose.
Obama may have learned a lot and attained high marks; however, it appears that he doesn't have the ability to apply his education in a meaningful way. In other words: he could tell you how to do brain surgery but he wouldn't have a clue how to do it himself.
Well, folks, we listened, we believed, we voted. We didn't get change and we didn't get honesty and we didn't get someone who was on the side of the middle class. We got a neophyte who is easily led by the nose and runs away from confrontation so fast he just about trips over himself to get away from anything remotely unpleasant.
The Washington Post's description of his performance during the attempt to craft an immigration bill.
" In 2007, after the first comprehensive immigration bill had died, the senators were back at it, and again, Obama was notably absent, staffers and senators said. At one meeting, three key negotiators recalled, he entered late and raised a number of questions about the bill's employment verification system. Kennedy and Specter both rebuked him, saying that the issue had already been resolved and that he was coming late to the discussion. Kennedy dressed him down, according to witnesses, and Obama left shortly thereafter. "
After they had come up with a plan:
"As the half-dozen senators -- including John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) -- headed to announce their plan, they met Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), who made a request common when Capitol Hill news conferences are in the offing: "Hey, guys, can I come along?" And when Obama went before the microphones, he was generous with his list of senators to congratulate -- a list that included himself. "
Too cool for school?
Maybe we should make him a friendship bracelet that says WWHD?
What Would Hillary Do?
And
1
2
3
OK, I'm ready-
let the smackdown begin...
;-)
Then you have to adjust those approaches to your comfort zone and the situation at hand. This is one way of learning on the job. The president can learn some of this from reading about his predecessors, but each lived in a different time. He should pick some people who handle difficult situations well -- like Madeline Albright as she is less controversial than Hillary. A WWMD bracelet, figuratively speaking, wouldn't hurt. Then he could have a couple of others as well. Eventually, he'd create his own repertoire. He wouldn't be predictable. Being predictable lets people maneuver us. It's no different for a president than it is for you and me. (more, if you like, at www.comeba cksatwork. com)
Can someone send him Hillary's number?
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Were you involved, in any way, in helping Austin Powers get his mojo back?
Because that's what Obama really needs.
We used to think there was one kind of intelligence and it could be measured in one way....the "IQ score". We know now there are multiple intelligences. Our President is a brilliant man. His intelligence is based in a kind of knowledge and wisdom that is wired to find a place of common ground and build real solutions. This is civil, intelligent, wise and honorable. It is a mark of a good leader. Had he been given that opportunity, he would have shone.
The Republicans, however, created a situation for Obama which demanded a kind of street-wise tough guy intelligence that Obama does clearly lack. The Republicans have conducted themselves, as less moral, less intelligent, less honorable than our President. Obama is clearly light years ahead of them in integrity and intelligence. They are street gang bullies and he is an Einstein. These two are oil and water.
Perhaps Obama's mistake was in expecting that Republicans were honorable--that at the end of the day, they wanted what was best for America and their electorate, and that they would work for that. In actuality, their behavior before and after his election proves the contrary. Obama was attacked with hate, fear and myths. An all-out war. The Republicans crossed their arms over their chests and refused to cooperate--no matter what the cost to the American people.
He is smart he just expects people to be as he is. Instead he has gotten lies and belittling. People have hard times caused by Republicans and they put republicans back in power...and then they holler for Hillary.
OI hope this president does not run again..not because I do not admire, and know he is the best president we have had in generations..but because I do not want him to grow old fighting for us when we do not deserve him. Let us stew in our own juices..let the republicans finish ruining this country. Let the corporations take over, then maybe a man of honor will be apprecisted. But probably not. We are short sighted and can not remember who caused then mess...President Obama is smart..but we are as dumb as a stone.
This guy can read and analyze anything in a book like lightning, loves the debate podiums, makes terrific love to two teleprompters simultaneously, plays a damn warm and jazzy Pied Piper's flute, but then has exhibited mediocre and inarticulate extemporeous thinking ability and extremely sloppy approaches towards executive management. He's actually the hot golden summer government intern who hooked onto the public's angst and immediately escalated himself straight up into the Oval Office. And he fooled us every step of the way.