Barack Obama is a novice - and it shows

During last year's epic election campaign, Hillary Clinton said that in the White House "there is no time for on-the-job training". Joe Biden, too, remarked that the presidency was "not something that lends itself to on-the-job training". Both were aiming barbs at their then primary opponent. Mrs Clinton has since brought what she would refer to as her "lifetime of experience" to the role of Secretary of State, while Mr Biden has traded 36 years in the Senate for the vice-presidency. And the rookie they derided is President.

Now, the words of his former rivals are returning to haunt President Obama. After a distinctly rocky start to his presidency, he has admitted he "screwed up" and is returning to one thing in his political career that he has perfected – campaigning. In Elkhart, Indiana, today and Fort Myers, Florida, tomorrow, Mr Obama will try to seize back control of the political agenda with question-and-answer sessions with voters in two of the swing states that gave him victory.

www.telegraph.co.uk...

Mod Edit:IMPORTANT: Using Content From Other Websites on ATS.Please review this link

[edit on 10-2-2009 by GAOTU789]

reply to post by wolf241e


Excellent, lucid post, star for you!

Really, thats all you had to do was ask anyone from IL what barry was about, they would tell you PRESENT.

Wolf, that was really a great post! I'm going to have to cough up a star and flag for you. Good job.

Originally posted by wolf241e
And the rookie they derided is President.

You're right. He didn't have a lot of experience and his opponents used that fact in their campaigns. That's how it works. The fact that those 2 previous opponents now work for him and very closely with him speaks volumes.

Already, however, he is struggling, and the product he is now selling is not himself but a near-trillion-dollar economic "stimulus" package loaded with pet Democratic spending projects that has awakened slumbering Republicans in Congress and is now supported by barely a third of Americans.

Where did you get this number? Because:

While the president puts on a full-court press, the debate over the $800 billion-plus bill -- which includes increased government spending and tax cuts -- appears to have split the public. A slight majority, 54 percent, favors the bill; 45 percent are opposed.

cnn

Governing, as Mr Obama is finding out, is not like an election campaign. Mr Bush's failures will give him some leeway and his trans formative appeal remains potent. But making decisions and operating the levers of power is something completely new to him. And it shows.

I don't have any indication that he thought it would be the same as a campaign. In fact, I'm sure he knew it wouldn't be like a campaign. He's campaigned before and been elected to office before and knows what it's like to start a new job. I'm sure he knew it would be extremely challenging. I'm sure he knew he would make mistakes, that he'd need experienced people by his side to help him get in the groove. In fact, he has said all of these things.

And I think the people knew he was inexperienced and would likely make some mistakes. Yet, they voted for him. And a wide majority of people think he's doing a good job. And as one of those people, at not yet 3 weeks into it, I have every confidence that he will continue to do well and once he gets familiar with it... he's going to be great.

Seventy-six percent of those questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Monday gave Obama a thumbs-up on how he's performing his duties, while 23 percent disapproved.

[edit on 9-2-2009 by Benevolent Heretic]

Throw in the rocket strike on Afghanistan and you have a very good recap of the past three weeks.

But as a long time student of magic and performing illusions, I have this to say about the stimulus package:

If the right hand is making itself obvious, keep a close watch on the left hand to see how the trick is about to be done.

reply to post by wolf241e


Campaign rivals will say alot of things to get themselves ahead. Romney stated that senators are not fit to be presidents and that him and Huckabee are better suited to the job as opposed to McCain. Numerous presidents such as Nixon, Carter and the Bushes were elected over their "experience" and military histories yet they are among the most unpopular presidents in US history. Kennedy and Clinton were both heckled as "too young" and "inexperienced" and yet they managed the nations very well and inspired the american people for years to come.

Being a great president goes beyond who has the best looking resume', or how old a person or howmany states they won in the primaries. Its actually about how they perform in their terms as president. Thats what really counts. I think there are too many folks making speculations that have risen from election bitterness. I didnt like Bush at all in 2000 and 2004, yet I gave him his term as president before I judged.

America is more split up than its ever been since 64' and there are high emotions interms of values and religion when it comes to the new government, and Im talking about both sides. I think its great Obama chose to put Hillary and Biden, his two rivals, on his cabinet... he didnt have to, but he did. That alone shows that this man is prepared to compromise and be upfront to the american people about what his weaknesses and strengths are, unlike past presidents. I think its important we work with those we have equal opposing views with, because that ultimatly is what makes a strong team.

while i do agree with you, i don't share your "pessimism", if that is indeed what it is - realism perhaps? realism that i needed, having blown him up into the "solution" c",)

i must say i'm VERY happy with what he's done so far though, on Guantanamo, and torture especially... being from "the rest of the world" (anything that is not the US), i'm actually welcoming the US back in "the fold"... that is not at all meant in a pretentious and "looking down upon" way, i love the US and what it stands for, but in the last 8 years it lost the right to call itself a "superpower", it undoubtedly is, but the actions were not exactly something i supported... "secret jails in foreign countries", is _not_ on my list of things to do if you want to claim the moral high ground...

i too share the view he can do the job, and make the american people stand up for what they know is right. for what we all know is right.

thank you for the realism though, i needed it!

c",)

A Rasmussen poll published a few days ago said the following:

Support for Stimulus Package Falls to 37%

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 37% favor the legislation, 43% are opposed, and 20% are not sure.

Two weeks ago, 45% supported the plan. Last week, 42% supported it.

Opposition has grown from 34% two weeks ago to 39% last week and 43% today.

[edit on 9-2-2009 by loam]

I agree with you all the way Wolfe. S&F


BUT

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic


BH ... get a better source.

Im sorry but you are making a fool of yourself proping up Obama with a CNN source for the favorablility of the bill.

And of course CNN is gonna give him a Thumbs up .. they work for Obama ..




[edit on 10-2-2009 by Cio88]

Great post CIO88! Starred and flagged. Isn't wonderful to see how On The Job Training even works for such important positions like the Presidency of The United States! Who needs extensive skills, experience, or training to do a job when you can learn as you go and get paid for it too. Maybe it could also be applied to the field of medicine.. With the doctor shortages nationwide, it could be a big help!

[edit on 10-2-2009 by LLoyd45]

I read this yesterday and I thought the writer was sour grapes.

Just an angry guy trying to get some shots in at a Young, powerful, President.

Star and Flag my friend.

Very well written post here that shares my sentiment. I wish I could have written this as eloquenlty as you did.

And to the Anonymous poster, he may have shut down Gitmo, but your a fool if you think they won't torture our prisoners when we send them to Saudi Arabia and other countries that will now take our prisoners.

This is a circus and he is the newest clown.

Originally posted by sputniksteve
And to the Anonymous poster, he may have shut down Gitmo, but your a fool if you think they won't torture our prisoners when we send them to Saudi Arabia and other countries that will now take our prisoners.

This is a circus and he is the newest clown.

Now they're even outsourcing torture! What will those rascals think of next?

Sorry for the almost one liner.

[edit on 10-2-2009 by LLoyd45]

He truly did look like a rookie during last nights press conference.

If you thought Bush stumbled and sputtered and talked in circles, you are gonna love this novice we have now.That was pathetic.

Years ago I worked in an industry that required me to do business with the kinds of elites who are in fact referred to as the powers that be. In fact the first times I ever heard the phrase ‘powers that be’ was from United States Congressmen and other notable national political figures in government as an explanation of why having never met me, they were calling to use my services. The powers that be told me I should call you!

I knew exactly who they were talking about. After all these people had promised to refer me influential clients so it came as no real surprise when they delivered.

It had previously already been displayed to me by the elites how they could control election by selecting the candidates of both parties and funding and feeding them issues to campaign upon replete with appropriate levels of press coverage for those they wanted to win and those they wanted to loose.

I didn’t half blame them for the strategy they way they explained their justification.
“Why on earth would we leave it up to a house mom in Iowa who is going to hold office when we are the ones with the most to gain or loose from the laws being made and the ones who really make the world and economy go round?” It made sense on a basic logic level and was hard to fault. I often wondered about letting those Iowan housewives into the mix too! It turned out I was worried for nothing.

Yet I absolutely was beside myself with worry when it became clear Obama was their man this time around. It broke every tenant they basically followed in selecting candidates and his 2 billion dollar campaign and media coverage had Powers That Be written all over it. I wasn’t sure if they had something so sinister planned that they were using someone who lacked all the normal characteristics or if the job had become so controlled and so negated they now felt they could literally put anyone into it and wanted to see if they could literally put anyone in it.

President Barrack Obama is in fact 4 more years of George W. Bush…they are all (politicians courted for president) 4 more years of George W. Bush.

I wonder if America will ever wake up and do something about it. I doubt it, the life of an Iowan soccer mom is a pretty hectic and demanding one to begin with. When on earth would she find the time to write a revolution in to her day planner?

Who really is more to blame? The Powers That Be that take advantage of the average citizen’s determined ignorance, or the average citizen determined to be ignorant?

The chicken or the egg?

While I completely agree with your statements, I have to wonder what you think is a possibility for his administration in the future.

I voted for Obama and while I am quick to admit his short comings as of late, I do feel he has enormous potential for the future. I do wish he had done some things differently the last few weeks. But, I also think the potential upside to Obama is much higher than the potential upside would have been for McCain.

That being said, do you think that all of this is a sign of bigger failings to come? Or, do you think this will be a learning experience for our president that will force him to re-evaluate his actions and help him to become a stronger leader?

Even the strongest anti-obama people must admit that it takes a lot more character to admit mistakes than to handle them in the way "dubya" did.

Great post!

Originally posted by sputniksteve
Star and Flag my friend.

Very well written post here that shares my sentiment. I wish I could have written this as eloquenlty as you did.

And to the Anonymous poster, he may have shut down Gitmo, but your a fool if you think they won't torture our prisoners when we send them to Saudi Arabia and other countries that will now take our prisoners.

This is a circus and he is the newest clown.

Ummm, he copied and pasted an article from realclearpolitics...

www.telegraph.co.uk...

you think he wrote it him self?

the way he presented it, i dont blame you, weird...................................

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic

Already, however, he is struggling, and the product he is now selling is not himself but a near-trillion-dollar economic "stimulus" package loaded with pet Democratic spending projects that has awakened slumbering Republicans in Congress and is now supported by barely a third of Americans.

Where did you get this number? Because:

While the president puts on a full-court press, the debate over the $800 billion-plus bill -- which includes increased government spending and tax cuts -- appears to have split the public. A slight majority, 54 percent, favors the bill; 45 percent are opposed.

cnn

If you add in the interest on all that new debt, just in the first year, that $800 Billion (which is close to a trillion, at least it is these days) is well over a trillion.

Bloomberg has a well written article explaining how this "stimulus" package and other "bailout" programs they are working through - like the plan to have a plan Geithner just announced, will cost the US Taxpayer about $9.7 TRILLION before it is over.

And yet we still have no perp walks, no one before congress, having charges laid on them for getting us in the mess in the first place.

The market is right now telling the world how it feels about the policies being presented by our inexperienced and IMHO, in over his head President. Almost 300 points down on the Dow

reply to post by ConservativeJack




Thanks for finding it Jack.

[edit on 10-2-2009 by Benevolent Heretic]

Originally posted by southern_Guardian
reply to post by wolf241e
I think its great Obama chose to put Hillary and Biden, his two rivals, on his cabinet... he didnt have to, but he did. That alone shows that this man is prepared to compromise and be upfront to the american people about what his weaknesses and strengths are, unlike past presidents. I think its important we work with those we have equal opposing views with, because that ultimatly is what makes a strong team.

This was not done so he could benefit from their differing views. He did it to "Hold your friends close, your enemies closer". Offering upward advancement in the political machine to secure their allegiance to him.