Friday, August 20, 2010

The Exotic, Post-American Presidency

"Aloof non-Americanism."
Over at the Power Line blog, that's the phrase that John Hinderaker uses to define Barack Obama's public image.
Hinderaker argues that Americans just can't figure out exactly who Obama is.
Agreed. Americans really don't know this guy. They don't understand him. They don't feel close to him. They can't relate to him. And they have not bonded with him.
At times, it seems as if Obama feels he's doing us a great favor (or carrying out some Higher Plan) by serving as President.
Hinderaker says: "Obama postures as a citizen of the world who has graced America by condescending to be our President and to instruct us."
It's troubling.
This is not like any President we've ever known. Nor is it like any Presidency we've ever witnessed.
But here's a bigger (and maybe, more important) question: Does Obama himself really know who he is?
Does he really know what he believes and what he's really all about? Has he ever actually -- genuinely -- figured that out? I wonder.
We're overwhelmed with so much uncertainty right now (the economy, the future of health care, nukes in Iran, etc. etc.) that the last thing we need is uncertainty about our leader; about the man who will make life and death decisions impacting the entire world.
So much hangs in the balance. So much.
We don't need that kind of uncertainty.
But now, it seems that's exactly what we've got.
Read John Hinderaker's column at Power Line.

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