Thursday, September 3, 2009

Speak Up, Mr. President, Speak Up!

By Alan Caruba

I, for one, am looking forward to President Obama’s address to both houses of Congress. I thought I would have to wait for a State of the Union speech before that happened or, God forbid, that the nation would be attacked as was the case of 9/11.

I am looking forward to his televised talk to all of the nation’s school children, too. What gems of wisdom will he share with them? How many potential community organizers will be sitting at their desks, paying attention, and maybe even taking notes?

I like it, too, when he sits down for a completely unscripted, informal chat with some network anchor. It would be really neat if he could do things like when, with Zen-like serenity, he swatted a fly.

Now, I know there are many who are crying out, “No! No! No!”

It has been my observation that the more President Obama speaks, the more his popularity and approval scores drop. By golly, I believe there is a connection!

It began when everyone noticed that he never spoke anywhere about anything without his TelePrompters. People began to snicker.

By the time he had finished his fifth prime time press conference, the ratings had nose-dived.

Most famously, an impromptu response to a final question regarding the arrest of his friend, Dr. Louis Gates, by a white Cambridge police officer created a firestorm. Obama called the arrest “stupid” and a lot of people thought it was Dr. Gates who was stupid for his behavior and the President for commenting on it.

So, by all means, let the President explain for the 537th time just what is in the healthcare reform bill.

Then start putting out those police barriers and Port-a-Potty’s in Washington because a lot of Americans are going to show up on September 12 to give the President the opportunity to hear them. They are tired of being "spun" by some former campaign stooge or an embarrassed member of Congress who hasn’t yet read a bill.

Mostly, though, they are tired of hearing from you, Mr. President.

No doubt they will be described as a mob, a disgrace, a conspiracy, and all those other names applied to anyone who does not stand around in hushed silence while the President explains how he is going to transform America.

After seven months of watching that transformation and listening to the President’s soaring, but empty rhetoric, the best thing he can do for the nation is just get out there and speak, speak, and speak some more.

You can almost hear the votes for Cap-and-Trade and Healthcare Reform flying away like frightened pigeons.

All of Obama’s speeches will continue to narrow his base of support to that inevitable 29% of people who will blindly follow the Pied Piper of Pennsylvania Avenue anywhere.

Come on, Obama! Surely you can give more speeches and more interviews to demonstrate again how you can fool some of the people, some of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of time.

8 comments:

Sailingbum said...

Excellent observation!!

Carolyn said...

Amen and Amen Mr. Caruba!

Louise W said...

This is a splendid commentary with some satyr that helps to lighten the load of concern for our nation we all are carrying these days.

Thank you, Alan, for the respite.

Anonymous said...

You have to say one thing about Obama, he has no qualms about self-promotion. I've never seen a president's mug more often than I've seen Obama's.

Alan Caruba said...

He's a narcissist, Frank.

The rest of us, however, have long ago grown tired of looking at him or listening to him.

Unknown said...

"All of Obama’s speeches will continue to narrow his base of support to that inevitable 29% of people who will blindly follow the Pied Piper of Pennsylvania Avenue anywhere."

I hope your prediction is correct. However, I seem to have lost my faith in the sanity of the American Electorate.

Dispite my hopes, I fear the American Electorate will re-elect this false icon.

Alan Caruba said...

I doubt Obama could or will be elected again. His approval ratings continue to head south and those who run the Democrat Party have reason to fear that he is singlehandedly destroying it by spending billions and introducing programs Americans don't want...and doing so in the midst of a major recession.

Buzzg said...

I'm with Robert, but I hope you're right Alan. I've gotten to the point I can't stand the sound of his voice, no matter how charismatic he may seem to others. I believe I once read that Hitler was equally charismatic and a good orator. I won't be listening to either of his speeches. I don't want to have to purchase a new wide screen TV.