There are plenty of thoughtful pieces—Drew Westen’s in the New York Times over the weekend being the most recent one—that try to figure out what’s going on with Barack Obama.
Then there’s Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen today (8/9/11), who begins by retelling a story about FDR:
In her autobiography, Helen Gahagan Douglas recalled telling President Franklin D. Roosevelt about her visits to the camps of migrant workers. She was especially poignant about the children and their lack of Christmas toys when the president tried to stop her. “Don’t tell me any more, Helen,” FDR told the woman who is probably best known for losing a dirty Senate race to Richard Nixon. She was stunned. Roosevelt was crying.
Cohen asks: “Can anyone imagine Barack Obama doing anything similar?” I haven’t a clue, but Cohen does—he’s seen the evidence:
The answer—at least my answer—is no. And this is quite amazing when you think about it. FDR was a Hudson River squire—down to his cigarette holder and cape. Nonetheless, he could connect to the less fortunate. Obama, in contrast, was raised in the great American muddle, not rich and not poor. Yet when the stock market fell more than 500 points last week and the image that night was of the president whooping it up at his birthday party, the juxtaposition—just bad timing, of course—seemed appropriate. He does not seem to care.
FDR cried when he heard the stories of children living in poverty. Obama didn’t even cry when the Dow lost 500 points. What an uncaring monster.
the teabaggers caused the dow to go down. i suspect they’re not weeping either.
Um, I’m confused. What possible effect could the Dow have on poor people in the U.S.? The stock market is a gambling game, and, other than on bonuses for the already-wealthy, has little effect on anyone else.
Obama: Something is Wrong with US Politics – Obama Versus OBUMMER, 2012!?
I am searching for evidence, any evidence, that Obama has a conscience. I have not found any.
I invite others to search also. My hypothesis is that Obama is a sociopath, a cunning orator, who is gifted at misleading people for his own benefit.
Because he is so gifted at misleading us, he may be the most dangerous President we have ever had. Can you imagine how everyone from Independent to Center and left of center would rally into meaningful protests if someone else was President….Sarah Palen or McCain, anybody doing the things that Obama is doing?
Richard Cohen wound up being accidentally right. Ask Obama’s administration what they think about Pakistani civilians incinerated by drone fire and wait for the doubletalk about collateral damage.
I’d personally be thankful never to see Richard Cohen’s name in print again. He’s been a fly in the print press ointment for 40 years. Whether he’s displaying his unerring gift for flawed analysis, or working very hard to be relevant and missing the mark, he never gets anything really right.
why wd the dow jones avg make u cry if millions of dead, injured, starving, freezing, and displaced people dont make u cry? even i’m not crying abt the stock market, and i’m probably not worth a bag of dirt anymore
President Obama is doing a great job of being optimistic with the terrible and ignorant Congress he has to deal with. He should not have to cry for the damage that republicans with the tea party did to the country. No one likes what happened and many have different reasons. My reason is because republicans are greedy and worthless to help the country. They will coddle the wealthy, corporations and wars, but not care about the middle class or poor. They won’t give a darn for the returning troops. They are not longer of concern. That is why President Obama has been perplexed by the indifference shown by the GOP. He needs to see them for the enemy to him that they are.
This is supposed to be FAIR and comparing a Dow drop on a given day (when one is familiar with the market’s volitility) to abject poverty day after day does not warrant a column to prove the President is not affected about the plight of the poor. I would be more inclined to think the Speaker and his party are not affected about any of us who are unable to make ends meet – if you agree, please write a column about that???
Its John Boehner that weeps whenever he thinks about himself and how much he loves himself.
Good point, Vicki (Boner certainly loves himself, deeply and truly), but you’re missing the point about our President. Mr. Obama wants, more that anything else, to appear to be above the fray, a trans-partisan healer and conciliator. If the deal is bad, so what? He comes along and says, “we comprimised, and won the day.” It doesn’t matter if his base got screwed, or the Democratic party lost a huge bargaining point or argument. The President is strangely naive, or more likely he really believes that “bi-partisanship,” no matter how revoltingly lop-sided, is best. As long as he can convince the “independents” (the dumbest people in the room) that he’s bi-partisan and corralling “Washington,” all is good. Democracy is about making an argument, using force of will, persuasion, and good sense about what you really want to get, eventually. The Arguments never end. The President doesn’t seem to stand for anything–he absolutely refuses to blame the Republicons for their criminal malfeasance and imbecile truculence about the phony debt crisis, and instead blames all of “Washington”–code for the congress in general, when the Tea-Baggers in particular are to blame for the lock-down. You know what? The President is going to put Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid on the chopping block in a few months. He’s then going to have the supreme gall to call it an improvement, and he’s not even going to bother to blame the Republicons–his own “people” will, “in sadness,” insist that their hands are tied, and something must be done. And you know what else? The President will cut those programs because he wants to, because he thinks that’s what must be done. His War Secretary, Leon Panetta, insisted that those programs be cut before one more nickel of War spending be cut, and so that’s what will happen. Believe it. I’ll be the first person to apologize if I’m wrong about this, but I’m afraid I’m right . . . .
I can imagine President Obama crying because Speaker Boehner left him at the altar. I can’t imagine President Obama giving a damn about how his base feels about him.
Woodward…surprised at you.Your insight is usually more on the intellectual end. Tea baggers?Really?God when even the smartest among you libs use crude asides- it just shows how far you have slipped.
This article is stupid.Can you imagine the president weeping ,or showing outward panic at the markets fluctuations as a positive thing that shows his solidarity with the average joe?Stupid is the only word that jumps to mind.
This is a perfect example of how we, as ‘progressives’ or ‘liberals’ (I haven’t capitulated on the use of the latter as so many have), lead ourselves astray chasing worthless topics of discussion. Some people cry at the drop of hankies, others couldn’t cry while being tortured. With so many serious issues to address, this is distracting and inherently useless.
@Greg Nichols wrote: “Um, I’m confused. What possible effect could the Dow have on poor people in the U.S.? The stock market is a gambling game, and, other than on bonuses for the already-wealthy, has little effect on anyone else.”
Greg, we had a stock market crash in 2008 that is still affecting tens of millions of Americans, if not more. Working people’s pension fund money, IRA’s, mutual funds, etc. fell drastically when the stock market crashed.
State and Federal tax revenues fell when the stock market crashed, affecting programs for the poor and middle class alike. Schools and colleges were starved for funds. Millions of people lost their homes, and the market for homes still has not recovered, three years after the crash. 17% of Americans are unemployed, and millions have not been able to find work since they were laid off.
I could go on, but by now it should be clear to you that a stock market crash affects a far greater amount of people than those who speculated in the market, and many of the worst speculators were bailed out by the government.
Stock Markets go up and down sometimes for stupid reasons, but that misses the point about the president’s overwhelming tendency to COMPROMISE-almost any COMPROMISE will due, but get it and sell it to the “opinion makers”.
President Obama had a unique upbringing that foreshadows his every move.
He was a child of mixed-race backgound growing up in a mostly white world.
Despite his middle class origins he was courted as the up and coming black leadership that white privileged america needed for the future. He learned early to make your point as eloquently as you can. THEN wait politely for an answer.
Pause thoughtfully, and propose and accept a COMPROMISE. You will be rewarded.
Just one warning. NEVER act like an ANGRY BLACK MAN.
This means don’t argue too passionately to raise the hopes of the population-leave that to others and you will be rewarded.
ooh Arnold careful …..I don’t know if you want to tread there.Sounds a bit close to the black man who learns to speak quietly so as to not anger his overseers.It also speaks of passive aggressive manipulation.Being composed is a good characteristic for any president.Hot headed Newt would be scary in the top slot.
Obama always position himself just far enough back to escape blame but to reap the rewards if things go well.
The president is only a figure on the chess table. Other people move it, and they should care about financial markets. ;)