Obama's weird wit

People are taking offense - as they should - at Barack Obama's insensitive remark that Mitt Romney suffers from third-stage Romnesia (his campaign term for Romney's supposed shifts in positions). Anyone who has experienced or cared for anyone who has experienced third-stage cancer would not find this funny at all. But such gross insensitivity is characteristic of Barack Obama's sense of humor. This is especially odd since Obama's own mother died from cancer. And it is especially disgraceful because Ann Romney is a cancer survivor.

Early in his presidency he was asked on the Jay Leno show about his embarrassing bowling episode. He compared his bowling skills to those of someone who would be in the Special Olympics. Not only was it not funny and not empathetic it was also showing a typical lack of gratitude on his part. The endorsement of the Kennedy family (Caroline and Ted, primarily) was very important to his early presidential campaign and helped give him a boost over Hillary Clinton in the Democratic primary. For decades, the Special Olympics have been very important to the Kennedy family. Eunice Kennedy Shriver founded the organization in 1968. Her sister, Rosemary, suffered from disabilities and Eunice felt an emotional need to do something for others who were handicapped.  

When Texans were suffering from fires throughout the state, Obama saw fit to chalk them up to drought brought about by climate change. He mocked then GOP presidential hopeful Rick Perry, Governor of Texas.

Some of you here may be folks who actually used to be Republicans but are puzzled by what's happened to that party, are puzzled by what's happening to that party. I mean, has anybody been watching the debates lately? You've got a governor whose state is on fire denying climate change," Obama said in San Jose.

This is a man who said in 2004 that there was no red America, no blue America-blah, blah, blah. But he sees fit to make light of Texans suffering from fires raging across the state.

Last year he made fun of people who wanted to enforce our immigration laws and protect our borders. Before a Hispanic group he trolled for votes by spewing more of that divisiveness that has marked the last four years. He "joked" that Republicans want a "moat" filled with "alligators" on the border with Mexico.

Recall the man at the Obama town hall event who was expressing concern about his ability to afford gas for his SUV (he had a lot of children). Obama "cracked":

I notice some folks clapped, but I know some of these big guys, they're all still driving their big SUVs. You know, they got their big monster trucks and everything. You're one of them? Well, now, here's my point. If you're complaining about the price of gas and you're only getting eight miles a gallon - (laughter) - you may have a big family, but it's probably not that big. How many you have? Ten kids, you say? Ten kids? (Laughter.) Well, you definitely need a hybrid van then.

How funny...

Not only are there no Hybrid SUVs on the market his joke - meant to make the man an object of fun - also presumed the man could afford such a vehicle-assuming one had existed.

He ridiculed Republicans as being stupid, members of the "Flat Earth Society" for their skepticism regarding his green energy boondoggles ; he also "joked" that opponents to his Job Bill legislation did not understand it so he might have to break it into little pieces so Republicans will be able to comprehend it better.

He mocked Republicans for "slipping on slurpees" while driving the economy into the ditch and said that if they wanted to help him and his cohorts they were welcome to come along for the ride but "gotta sit in the back " (of course, oddly insensitive to African-Americans who have suffered from racism and did have to sit in the back of the bus).

His "humor" always has a biting , sarcastic and insensitive side  (other examples can be found here and here ). He has, as I wrote  in 2010, an "Empathy Deficit."

Former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty avoided questions about Obama's birthplace with the joke that we should wonder "what planet Obama is from." Now that was witty.

He sees no problem engaging in ridicule and has repeatedly shown a lack of sensitivity. He saves all his sensitivity for himself (when people criticized his performance he whined that they "talk about me like a dog.")

Can anyone imagine Mitt Romney being this mocking and cruel to people?