The Woes of Obama

Here are some bits from a NY Times op-ed by Maureen Dowd that hits the mark on Obama's strange inability to rise to the occasion and deal with the Gulf oil spill:

Obama wanted to be a transformative president and now the presidency is transforming him.

Instead of buoyant, he seems put upon. Instead of the fairy dust of hopefulness, there’s the bitter draught of helplessness.

His battle against water is taking on Biblical — even Job-like — proportions.

...

How does a man who invented himself as a force by writing one of the most eloquent memoirs in political history lose control of his own narrative?

In “Dreams From My Father,” Obama showed passion, lyricism, empathy and an exquisite understanding of character and psychological context — all the qualities that he has stubbornly resisted showing as president. It was a book that promised a president who could see into the hearts of other people. But there’s so much you don’t learn about candidates in campaigns, even when they seem completely exposed.

This president has made it clear that he’s not comfortable outside whatever domain he’s defined. But unless he wants his story to be marred by a pattern of passivity, detachment, acquiescence and compromise, he’d better seize control of the story line of his White House years. Woe-is-me is not an attractive narrative.

They say Obama is a "quick learner". But he is 1.5 years into a 4 year presidency and he hasn't gotten on top of the Great Recession, he hasn't corraled Wall Street, he hasn't stopped the hemorrhaging of house forclosures, and he hasn't managed to get a fix for the Gulf oil spill.

FDR flailed about, but he eventually got things done. He had the courage to do grand acts like close all the banks. Obama is far too timid.

By the way... according to the Myrmecos blog, the USDA is predicting a plague of locusts for 2010. Shades of Moses calling down plagues upon Egypt! The trials and tribulations for Obama appear far from over!