Friday, July 29, 2011

Noonan: Nobody Loves Obama

Peggy Noonan has a great observation in the Wall Street Journal on why Obama seems so disconnected and irrelevant just now. Here's part of what she says:

"Nobody loves Obama. This is amazing because every president has people who love him, who feel deep personal affection or connection, who have a stubborn, even beautiful refusal to let what they know are just criticisms affect their feelings of regard. At the height of Bill Clinton's troubles there were always people who'd say, "Look, I love the guy." They'd often be smiling—a wry smile, a shrugging smile. Nobody smiles when they talk about Mr. Obama. There were people who loved George W. Bush when he was at his most unpopular, and they meant it and would say it. But people aren't that way about Mr. Obama. He has supporters and bundlers and contributors, he has voters, he may win. But his support is grim support. And surely this has implications."

Once again, Peggy has hit the mark.
Obama is a cold fish. "No drama" Obama doesn't seem to make real-life, personal connections with people. He doesn't really endear himself to people. He's strangely disconnected. Often he seems aloof and above it all -- almost as if taking the time to care about and get involved with people, one on one, is just too much trouble for him or too mundane, too pedestrian, too boring.
Let's face it: If a politician isn't a "people person" what the hell good is he or she. In the end, such a person is bound to fail.
So now Obama is failing. No one should be surprised. What's incredible is that he's gotten this far almost solely on image and faux branding.

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