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Off Game?

By John Batchelor on July 23, 2009 at 3:01 PM in Current Affairs

Humbuggery Skullduggery.  
Far back in May, the question was why does the White House bloviate on an August 6 deadline for healthcare? Why push the Senate to do what it cannot do, which is to go fast when a minority rules? Why push the House to do what it cannot do, which is to cut costs and avoid raising taxes?

This evening POTUS did not advance a single reason why he has watched his Politburo hustle the two houses of Congress for the last eight weeks to do the nearly impossible, which is to skip humbuggery and skullduggery and deliver a victory for a partisan president.

POTUS is a Democrat ruling a Democratic majority without skills at consensus or even collegiality.

POTUS is not himself a leader of Congress.  His skills are solitary.  He was known for yelling “Give me the ball!” at school basketball.  The performance this news cycle was not about himself.  No ball.  No hoop.   He was not asking for a vote.  

He was asking for the unknown.  He sounded detached and sluggish.  Off his game?  Is it the polls?

Media Mob Turns on White House.
The blows will be disguised, but the blows will come.  The polling now shows a downward swoop that only POTUS at the fall UN opening ceremony utopia circus can steady.  

The joy of the mob is that it only writes one story at a time, and the new headline is “Stumble.”  What explains this sudden loss of momentum?  Healthcare’s banal complexity?  It has always been with us.

Jobs?  Yes.  The loss of jobs is a poison.  No one is much listening to the White House, certainly not to the White House’s boasting and preening and stern confidence.  

Ever since POTUS returned from his Moscow adventure, the Politburo has been sober, contentious, strained.  Off its game, too.  No smiles. The chortling this day comes from Karl Rove in the WSJ, who leaps to this choice irony:

“Mr. Obama is also slipping on the economy. Those who strongly disapprove now outnumber those who strongly approve of his handling of the economy (35% to 29%), of deficits (38% to 19%), and of unemployment (31% to 26%). On Tuesday, Gallup showed Mr. Obama’s personal approval was 55%, down from more than 60% a few weeks ago and lower than the 56% George W. Bush had at this point in his first term.”

Originally published at The John Batchelor Show blog.

  • samb

    Hey, the man knows all he needs to know on the subject and that is, ONE PILL MAKES YOU BIG AND ONE PILL MAKE YOU SMALL . WHAT A GUY ALL YOUR PROBLEMS SOLVED. I guess thats why he gets the big bucks.

    • http://noquarter foxyladi14

      LOL..

  • ahs

    At this point in Bush’s first term, Bush had yet to create all the problems Obama is facing now. Probably more revealing to take his end of term numbers. 55′s still pretty high, considering the shape the country is in. Just sayin’.

    • trixta

      Only Mr Wonderful is not only advancing GWB’s agenda, he’s made everything worse.

      • Seattle Moss

        Trixta….My favorite blogger!

        Funny how a guy like me who was solidly democrat against the war in Iraq, who protested along with Dean precisely for all the consequences we see today including the election of the anti-American anti-White Obama
        can now I look back on Bush and Cheney with a different perspective.
        I live in the present…Those that were my enemies are now my friends as we are united in a common cause of preventing the collapse and take over of our country.
        My liberal friends have either changed or gone away.
        If they can’t see the truth I have no use for them as they obviously want socialism at my expense.
        Obama is a Muslim plant and everyone deep down knows it. A National Security threat!
        It’s time to stand together and fight the second coming of Karl Marx.

        We need everyone in this fight against the Marxist’s including all those I may have disagreed or despised in the past.

        • http://deleted BuzzisbackLatte

          Seattle,

          As a former WA state dyed in the wool democratic liberal thinker myself, I say it takes one to know one. We have a rather unique role in understanding the extreme liberal agenda. It’s almost like being a double agent.

          This crap is extreme and it is the only goal Obama has. His ideology is the very thing all us (former) liberals knew as an unthinkable consequence. Extreme liberalism would destroy the country from within.

          The liberal cover mantra is “It’s good for everybody. We don’t care who it tramples on. We don’t care about the means, we only want our end result.”

          Been there, heard it, and no longer believe it.

          • Seattle Moss

            We have a rather unique role in understanding the extreme liberal agenda. It’s almost like being a double agent.

            That is why our views are gold.
            Republicans didn’t show up at the caucus. We did! Republicans were not Clinton Centrist’s who experienced the process of being deposed by the leftist Marxists.
            Republicans were not near as passionate as we were the ones that sounded the alarm that not all was good with these new rats.
            Hannity and others frequented NQ and got good talking points that we provided first for them.

            Those that are passionate for their party but had an
            epiphany and could change 180 degrees and even embrace former political enemies on the right must have been terrified at what they saw in Obama.

            Now the rest of the country is talking as we did a year ago…

        • eriezindian

          Seattle Moss,
          I’m in the same situation.40 yrs a strong Dem. Now listening to Fox, voted for McCain/Palin and am very worried about this country. We must fight to get it back. bambi is destroying the US.

          • Scout

            Ditto for me. I am a long-term liberal dem also, and now find myself terrified of where my country is heading. Also I have completely lost faith in the Dem party, which I now regard as being complicit as the Repubs were in throwing a presidential election.

        • bill

          Pakistani and Iraqi Christian friends of ours have been telling us this all along. They wonder how people can be so blind to Obama’s Muslim associations and preference. Believing, as I do, that the KGB was the primary benefactor of the Fatah and other terrorists groups, Obama sides w/ Chavez and Castro, is generally silent on Iran, infers middle class policeman doing their jobs and following rules “stupid”, soft pedals Black Panther voter intimidation and uses the corrupt Acorn to control voting. Its worse than most of us thought.

    • WMCB

      56 is lower than the last 12 presidents at this point in their terms, except I think Carter and one other.

    • Peggy Sue

      Oh please, ahs. I’m no Bush & Co apologist. In fact, I hated the last 8 years.

      But if that’s the best you can do? The Dems are truly lost, beyond redemption.

      • mary

        SOLUTION = THIRD INDEPENDENT PARTY

    • Dan

      Not for long

  • Docelder

    The republicans have it right now with the “wheres the jobs” line. They are all on cue. Nothing like having their ass handed them to wake them up. It is reminiscent of Reagan’s and Wendy’s “where’s the beef” lines. People are fairly simple minded when you think of it. They really can only think of so many thing at once.

    • mark connette

      people are “simple-minded” Im guessing thats exactly how obama looks at people too. docelder, thats pretty damn arrogant of you to say that. I believe that the american people as a whole are quite smart and have a hell of a lot more common sense than you apparently have.

      • Rob G in Chicago

        Mark:
        You are right! That is how Obama looks at his loyal subjects (even though he consistently praises the American people for their saavy and intellect), and that is precisely how he got elected.

      • Docelder

        People are simple minded. “Yes we can” won the past election. If “the glove doesn’t fit… you must acquit” got a man set free. A lie told often enough becomes the truth… it does when the truth is relative. So I stand by that. People across the board are simple minded. I wish above anything that they had common sense. Common sense enough to think for themselves. In the interim “wheres the jobs” is a lot simpler to understand than anything Obama has said lately. In this age, the simple sound bite wins.

        • Docelder

          Let me simplify this more… Which is the winning sound bite. (a) Where’s the Jobs? (b) Bend the Curve. It’s not even close. We can say it’s condescending to acknowledge that it has come down to this… but clearly it has.

        • Seattle Moss

          Doc,
          It’s all about education and the habits and discipline that is gained when one pursues as much knowledge as possible about life and all that it encompasses.
          Those that voted for Obama never read Alinsky!

          Those that voted for Obama never knew that much about the Rev Wright and his Racist teachings from the book of Cone.

          Those that voted for Obama never investigated or cared about the gamed Caucuses nor the intimidation tactics used by Acorn.

          Those that voted for Obama never investigated or cared about how Obama could raise so much cash especially from international sources.

          You need to read to know…We did..They didn’t and now they are suffering

          Feel free to add to this list

          Those that voted for Obama never investigated or cared about…..

          • politicalidentitycrisis

            Tony Rezko

            • http://deleted BuzzisbackLatte

              - the lack of verified personal records and vetting
              – ties to Tony Rezko (has he been sentenced, yet?)
              – the associations to Ayers, Wright, James Cone, Frank Marshall Davis
              – the real estate problem with Rezko
              – the relationship with Blagojevich
              – the fact that he was coming out of Chicago – period.
              – the muslim factor
              – the lack of experience
              – the dirty politics he had already engaged in

              and simply – those that voted for him were not interested in the

              TRUTH

        • mark connette

          docelder. Its still damned arrogant and elitist to claim a majority of americans are simple-minded. you need to get off your high horse and realize that you arent as enlightened as you think you are

        • donjo

          If the glove doesn’t fit, it must have gotten wet and shrunk considerably. Did anyone bother to point that out? My leather gloves shrink 3 sizes just picking up a snowball.

          • Docelder

            Yep, and try putting one that has shrunk on over the top of a rubber glove. But it rhymed and it was repeated over and over. A lie told often enough…

  • Seattle Moss

    I find it rather interesting that after Obama’s deception last night that the word Treason is now being used by certain talking heads.

    I think that says everything about how terrible Obama was last night.

    The country is now in fear of Obama!

  • WMCB

    That was an utterly substanceless appearance, that did nothing but parrot the problems that EVERYONE knows exist, and gave almost zero detail on what, precisely he wants to do about it other than vague slogans about insuring more people and cutting costs and “reform”. Well duh, we all KNOW that already. What will Reform!! ™ LOOK like? Will it look like Change! ™, that last empty slogan you sold the public, and which we are fast finding out means….. um…..more of the same Bush policies and Wall-Street leg-humping? Stop with the damn buzzwords and TELL us something!

    The House bill is now available online. WHY did some reporter not have a copy of it in his/her hand, and begin asking things like, “Mr. President, it says on page 462 (or whatever page) that this medical governing body will be an appointed part of the executive branch, and can make changes to requirements, fee schedules, eligibility, etc. without going through Congress, as even Medicare currently has to do.

    If healthcare is 20% of our GDP, and this plan will apply to every citizen, how does is this not a bypassing of representative govt, and a usurpation of Congress’ powers?”

    Oh, I forgot. We don’t HAVE a White House press corps anymore. Real journalists are not allowed.

  • http://noquarter foxyladi14

    great speech last night..sorry i missed it.

  • candymarl

    Obama may be off game but many of the issues we face are life and death. The media and the politicians of both parties need to stop the sports comparisons and do their jobs.

    I agree with those who asked – if Congress/WH thinks the health care bill is so great will they and their family members participate?

    All of them, Obama included, have avoided answering.

    As far as blaming Bush yes he screwed up big time. However, Obama supported Bush’s original bail out plan and has continued it.

    Where did the money go? According to the Fed it’s none of our business. So much for transparency.

  • tango

    Does anyone know what the ratings were for his press conference last night??

  • Peggy Sue

    Off their game? They’re throwing the game.

    The financials are in the toilet after all the promises and rosy predictions, the “this will get the job done” hype on the Stim Bill and all the rest, on Geithner’s and Bernake’s failure to even pretend they’re transparent, while the average person’s sense of economic security is flying out the window. Top that off with the Moscow tour turning into an absolute flop and it’s pretty hard to put on a smile and say “let’s get happy.”

    And Obama’s performance last night? Not even close to what the public is demanding: details, specifics, and what will this mean to average Americans–dollars and cents. And quality. Exactly what is the Prez asking us to sacrifice as we watch the Fat Cats smiling on, getting fatter and fatter.

    Obama did not dispute the CBO’s findings nor counter with numbers of his own. Why? Because he doesn’t have anything to counter with. Caving into the interests of insurance and pharmaceutical companies, ignoring ambulance chasing/malpractice costing lawyers and then adding insult to injury–including illegal immigrants on the rolls at the expense of senior citizens or others who present too much risk/cost is beyond the pale.

    Are they kidding???

    A rotten bill is worse than no bill at all. The Dems are blowing it. And this was their best, possibly last, chance.

    Am I irate? That doesn’t even come close to covering it.

    • Docelder

      Off their game? They’re throwing the game.

      They are already conceding health care, but want to blame it on the republicans and not their own overreaching or their own conservative blue dogs. Last night was a “yes we can… but they won’t us” moment.

      • Peggy Sue

        I think you’re right, Docelder. It’s a shameful, finger-pointing moment. And says alot about what true leadership is really about.

        Which is more than words, just words. And the tonsil analogy?

        Truly embarrassing and inaccurate.

        Btw, I happen to be tonsilless :0).

    • jbjd

      Irate? I have been watching and analyzing CSPAN’s coverage of the House hearings with former Treasury Secretary (GS) Paulson concerning Bank of America’s purchase of Merrill Lynch. In short, it would appear that, BoA discovered ML had more financial problems than it knew when their shareholders agreed to the purchase. BoA’s President, Ken Lewis, did not want to go through with the purchase of ML, wanting to exercise the MAC clause – Material Adverse Change – to call off the deal. Paulson threatened Lewis, if you invoke the MAC clause, thus seeking to cancel the deal to purchase ML, you and your Board will be removed from BoA. Lewis gives in; BoA ends up with approximately $45b in TARP funds (none of which money was used for purchasing troubled assets, anyway). The purchase price for ML? $50b. Rep. Speier from CA sums up the deal nicely. http://www.c-spanarchives.org/library/index.php?main_page=product_video_info&products_id=287770-1&showVid=true&clipStart=6361.89&clipStop=6559.16

  • I’m a Linda too

    Obama is falling faster than even Carter did.

    And, for good reasons.

    today, Gallup has Obama job approval, his best number, down to 55, when it comes to policy, it’s down hill from the … down hill.

  • Texas Playwright

    Notice the 2008 campaign slogans:

    Change we can believe in.

    Solutions for America.

    Gee, which slogan is empty rah rah and has been proving to be so all along?

    Which slogan is based on experience, substance, research, detail, results all along and over at State proving to be so now?

    Hmmmm…I see a HUGE difference

    • Scout

      My mother lives in Oregon. When Clinton went there, she had a complete analysis of the major issues the state is facing, and called it ‘The Oregon Plan.’ It was available online for anyone to read. When B0 went to Oregon, he didn’t even know about a major superfund site there. He was just rah-rah-rah, while Clinton had taken the time to really understand the state and think about real solutions for the problems it faces.

      The difference was stunning. B0 took the state, but not without complaints of cheating by his staffers and volunteers there. His campaign cheated across the country, so I don’t think we can blame the result on voters alone. If the DNC hadn’t given him the election, we would have a competent president who could actually unite and improve the country today.

  • Diana

    There’s no need to fear. Obama is here to save the day. Obama announced he’s going to be using an army of volunteers to help us change our minds. Wonder who’s going to be paying the ACORN employee’s salaries? Who’s now the new and improved Organizing for America. Pfft Couldn’t be we the taxpayers…

    Obama is calling them his grassroots political operation.

    If the next few weeks are crunch time for health care legislation, an equally big test looms for the army of volunteers that Barack Obama assembled during last year’s presidential campaign. While Obama continues his push for a health care overhaul in Washington, his grassroots political operation, Organizing for America, is trying to build support around the country.

    Acorn/Organizing for America…I don’t care what they call themselves is anything but a grassroots organization.

    For audio
    http://tinyurl.com/ldmyko

    • tzada

      They are to be paid. Who is paying for them? Or need I ask? Is that even legal if it is “we the people”?

  • arran

    I’ll turn 65 in Obama’s first term. Woe is me, and millions of Americans, if he and Congress don’t get this health insurance reform right. Last night only assured me that the politician-in-chief was at the podium. He wants this reform passed to crow about it in the 2010 election and for his re-election, if there’s anybody that stupid left by 2012.

    Maybe I like shooting myself in the foot, but I enjoy watching 0bama sweat.

  • arran

    “Potus is a Democrat ruling a Democratic majority without skills at consensus and even collegiality.”

    Yes, to his younger supporters, he showed “cool solidarity”; to us older individuals, we screamed “inexperience”.

  • donjo

    To those who equate government run health programs with single payer: they’re not the same.

    The VA and Military hospitals (and Indian) are govt. run. (And they’re generally underfunded and under manned) Other hospitals are not; single payer systems being proposed still allow for people to choose their doctors & hospitals. Same for everyone.

    Expanding the existing Medicare system to eventually cover everyone is the quickest and, so far, the best way to achieve single payer. It’s not perfect (yet), but it works. Do it in phases; adding the youngest first, since they’re the most vulnerable, then each year add those born within a 10 year span, (either working your way from the eldest to youngest or vice versa) until everyone is covered. Make it an option; do this or buy your own private insurance. But you MUST have one of the other.

    This would give the private companies time to adjust and Medicare time to expand – by using the facilities and staff of private companies that wish to be a part of the system.

    Also the system must be refined, made more electronic friendly, the donut hole taken out of the prescription system, and bargaining for good prices on drugs must be allowed.

    Unfortuately though, we’ll get the usual mish-mash of various bone-headed propositions, too complicated for many to understand and probably, in the long run, not much different from what’s already in place. But it will be heralded as a big triumph for the Ofraud and the “most excellent” politicians intent on pleasing their biggest contributors and corporate masters.

    What a shame.

  • WhatNow

    donjo states “The VA and Military hospitals (and Indian) are govt. run.”
    CORRECTION: the VA and Indian Medical is govt. run. The military(Tricare) is run by private insurance companies. Military Care on posts/bases are run by the military for the military. Yes it’s govt run but not really. Washington doesn’t get involved, except for Funding.

  • elise

    Thanks for the clip of George Carlin. I am just so pissed off right now, I can’t appreciate his humor. I saw an ad today promoting Obama’s health care plan and they dared to use a take off on the “Harry and Louise” thing the Republicans put out years ago to attack Hillary’s plan and which Obama used against her in the Iowa primaries.

    Obama and his friends are the sleaziest, most dishonest politicians I have ever seen in my life. I am all for universal health care, but anyone who believes he will deliver anything for the American people but more lies is living in a state of denial.

    This ad is the most disgusting and arrogant piece of shit I’ve ever seen on television.