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January 20, 2009

Impossible for Obama Inaugural address to meet expectations

Rick Moran
The slavering press has done their creation a royal disservice on this inauguration day. And it remains to be seen how they are going to spin what inevitably is going to be an address by Obama that fails to meet the stratospheric expectations they have set for The One.

To read about Obama these past few days is to be transported to a fairy tale land where candy and cake is served all day and we children romp and play in a paradise created by the messiah. It is astonishing and frightening at the same time to see grown-ups (and supposedly objective media people working in a republic) work themselves into a frenzy at the prospect of Obama taking office.

Watching Charlie Rose last night was no different than watching a Democratic party strategy session. Except the superlatives thrown Obama's way were so outrageously plentiful, that one got the impression that a combination FDR, JFK, and the Lord Jesus had ascended to the White House.

Obama's cabinet picks are "superb," "powerful," "heavyweights," "Team of rivals," ...and on and on. Of course, no mention made that some of them are tax dodges, gold diggers, and closet socialists. Obama himself is referred to as "brilliant," "obviously intelligent," "intellectual," and "very, very smart" - two "very's.

Now, I will fully grant the astonishing historical nature of this inauguration. The idea that within my lifetime we have gone from "Whites only" drinking fountains to toasting an African American president in the White House is hard to fathom and is something Americans can be proud of.

But this over the top adoration of someone who had 59 million people vote against him is beyond belief. Americans, fair minded to a fault, are apparently willing to give the new president the benefit of the doubt. And believe me, that patience is going to be tested when Obama's stimulus fails to do anything except pile up mountains of debt that our grandchildren will have to foot the bill for.

Jonathan Cochrane of ABC news maps out some of the pitfalls for Obama today when he gives his address:

His speech can't just be another call for bipartisanship and unity. Sure, he will be expected to talk about the need for cooperation and comity -- not only in Washington but throughout the country. But he has done that before, and so have other incoming presidents on their big days. Both of the Bushes did it, with mixed success.

George W. Bush came to office after a contentious electoral dispute saying he wanted to restore civility to Washington and calling for "goodwill and respect, fair dealing and forgiveness." His critics later claimed he failed to live up to those aspirations. In his final weeks as president, without laying blame on himself or others, he admitted to disappointment about the divisions that still exist.

His father, George H.W. Bush, wanted "to make kinder the face of the nation and gentler the face of the world." Some commentators were impressed by his attempt to reach out to Democrats and by his lack of belligerence; others found his "kinder, gentler" remarks a bit treacly. Late night comics lampooned them.

It is both a blessing and a curse for inaugural speeches that they often get reduced over time to a phrase or two. Bush 41 started talking about "a thousand points of light" during the campaign, emphasized them again in his inaugural address, and continued talking about them while in office. He wanted to encourage community organizations and other volunteers to continue and increase their good works. It resulted in a new foundation committed to volunteerism. But comics, especially impersonators, and especially on "Saturday Night Live," found the phrase "thousand points of light" worthy of satire.

This would be true of anyone except Obama. What do you think the chances of late night comics making fun of anything Obama says today? Or making fun of much of anything the guy does for his entire term in office. Cochrane is oblivious to the fact that both Bushes were mere mortals - and Republicans to boot. For Obama, he doesn't have to worry about falling on his face - the press  has his back. But he still might fail to inspire.

Even there, I wouldn't doubt that some reporters already have their article written about the speech and how grand it was. Such are the evil times we live in where the press isn't a "4th branch of government" but a wholly owned subsidiary of the Obama White House.



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