Lack Of Attention?
I don’t think this piece in The Politico proves exactly what it thinks it does. Oh, it proves some things, just not what they are fawning over.
A couple of surprising words were missing from President Barack Obama’s 55-minute news conference on Wednesday: “Iraq” – and “Afghanistan.”
Also MIA: “Korea,” “Pakistan,” “soldiers,” “surge” and “war” – as well as the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines.
The omissions were partly a result of the short attention span of the press, which did not ask about those topics after the president did not mention them in his opening statement.
But the silence on those subjects also provides a striking illustration of one of the singular differences between Obama and his predecessor.
Whereas President George W. Bush invoked his status as wartime commander in chief so often that it seemed like a crutch, Obama has much more of a domestic focus, and resists rhetorical calls to arms like “war on terror.”
It’s the Mars and Venus of the 43rd and 44th presidencies.
David Axelrod, Obama’s senior adviser, said the president’s aides have never had a conversation about balancing the role of commander in chief with domestic-policy priorities.
“He feels equally comfortable on each role,” Axelrod said. “His focus isn’t just solving the problems as we find them, but hopefully forestalling some for the future.”
What is painfully evident in Mike Allen’s report is that the media – including Allen – is not much interested in any of those crises. Nor is Barack Obama. What has been focused on by the White House and the media is the seizure of automobile companies, the passage of massive spending projects and a few hastily thrown-together fire-and-forget words on other events which are then ignored.
There has been a focus on traveling to Muslim nations, much fawning by the press over the speeches made in those places, then pretty much nothing else. A few days at best of attention on anything going on in the world – or really on anything in the rest of the nation – outside the few focus areas.
By either the press or Obama.
John Kerry was branded with the nickname “Waffles”. I rather suspect Obama and his team – and the media, now – have earned another title. Not waffles but crêpes. Light, thin and airy. Nothing much to them at all.
By J, June 24, 2009 @ 6:11 am
The dems believe they own domestic issues. President Bush attempted to solve some of our domestic issues, no child left behind, presciption bill, fixing social security, and, where the dems could claim it they did (kennedy-nclb)and where they could block it, social security, they did. Our media used almost blackout actions to prevent the President of the USA getting his concerns out into the public (remember the dems in congress cheering Pres. Bush when he commented on the social security problem?). Obama is in over his head and I expect him to do what small, weak men do…..hurt my country.
By martian, June 24, 2009 @ 12:20 pm
How could BO be very interested in subjects about which he knows nothing – military operations, intelligence, national security, etc. Instead he is ‘focusing’ on sybject about which he thinks he knows a lot. Unfortunately, from what we’ve seen so far, he doesn’t know much about those issues, either. The one thing he IS good at ‘focusing’ on and his fawning press worshipers with him, is himself. Have you ever seen a president spend so much time actively seeking TV cameras at every possible opportunity and creating opportunities when they don’t present themselves? Since Inauguration Day, I think the Chosen One has had more airtime than any previous POTUS in history had in their entire first term. If this guy put as much energy into running the country as he does into making sure he looks good, we might not have any problems.