This issue first came to my attention through a Politico article titled “Few options for Barack Obama on 9/11.” Nice title huh? I’ll bet you can’t imagine what this will be about. Check out this intro:
A “challenge”? Really? You have got to be kidding me, Pyle! Americans have been commemorating tragedies and outrages in pretty much the same way for 200 years now. Basically, the President goes to a relevant location, looks sad, and reads a speech honoring those who died. Every President from Washington to Bush has done this. Obama himself did this to commemorate Hurricane Katrina recently. So what’s the problem now? Is 9/11 somehow uniquely difficult? Bush managed to do it for seven years without a hint of a problem. So why should this be a challenge for Obama?“Every year it’s a challenge for the White House: how to commemorate the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.”
Well, according to Politico, this year it would be “awkward” for Obama to travel to New York to look sad and read a speech because “right-wing” groups are staging a rally against some obscure mosque. And if Obama shows up, that might be mistaken as support for their rally. Or else, he would need to state his support for the mosque, and that would violate Obama's policy of not commenting on local issues (unless you arrest a black college professor. . . or you're Arizona. . . or you're trying to put a triumphal mosque at ground zero).
So why not go somewhere else? Maybe the Pentagon? Well, Obama already did that and doing the same thing twice just wouldn't be right. He could go to Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where Flight 93 crashed, but his wife Marie Antoinette Obama will be doing that with Laura Bush, and it wouldn't be right to be seen with the old ball and chain at yet another five-star resort on an occasion like this. He could stay at the White House, except he did that last year when he “held a moment of silence on the south driveway of the White House.” Talk about low class! At least he did change out of his bathrobe before giving that non-speech. Lazy bastard.
So if he can’t go to Pennsylvania or New York or the Pentagon or his driveway, what can he possibly do? Don’t you see the dilemma? Doesn’t it almost bring a tear to your eye to think of how agonizingly difficult this will be for poor, helpless Barack?
What’s worse, the article continues, no matter what he does, one thing is certain: “No matter where he goes, the president’s critics will likely speak out.” Ok, now I’m crying. Poor Barack boo hoo hoo.
What this really is, is an attempt to inoculate him from yet another bad decision in the making. Obama has shown an utter lack of sensitivity to the things Americans (and our allies) care deeply about. No doubt, he’s not interested in talking about 9/11 any more than he was interested in D-Day or our British, German or Polish friends. And the left is terrified that he is about to demonstrate once again that he doesn’t have a patriotic bone in his body. . . right before an election.
Indeed, a quick perusal of leftist websites shows the calculation that is really going on here. Many are worried that if Obama doesn’t do something, then the hicks in Hicksville will accuse him of a lack of patriotism and will punish his equally unpatriotic party. At a time when the polls could not get any worse (until they do each week) and when leftists are quietly worried that a couple of Democratic Senators might change parties in the event of a landslide, an Obama 9/11-flub would pretty much be a finishing blow to their (already finished) electoral chances.
Yet, on the other hand, they are worried that any recognition at all by Obama of the events of 9/11 might cause the racist hicks to act on their prejudices and start hunting Muslims. Moreover, Obama runs the risk of offending Muslims if he recognizes what happened on 9/11. So they really do see him standing between a rock and hard place.
What’s disgusting about this is how these jerks view the rest of us. They see middle America as ignorant racists, and they view patriotism as a thing to be used to project an image. They always accused Bush and the Republicans of trying to politicize 9/11, but they are the people who really view this as a political event rather than a national tragedy.
In any event, I honestly hope that Obama does spend the day golfing or hiding out in his bedroom. I don’t think this insincere jackass can do any honor to the people who died, no matter where he is, how sad he tries to look, or what words he reads. So let’s remember 9/11 without him.
It's almost not fair letting you comment on anything Obama does. It's guaranteed to be a home-run.
ReplyDeleteThis is ridiculous. Will the media ever get out of defensive mode? He hasn't even done anything yet and they are already rushing to put up the smoke screen!
I hate the media.
Not so strangely, I feel absolutely no sympathy for him.
ReplyDeleteGTFO, coming in 2012 . . .
and the sickening tour continues...
ReplyDeleteHe could go to Saudi Arabia where the hijacker/terrorists came from and visit the relatives of the dead, comforting them, assuring them that their sons were martyrs and that they're someplace enjoying the charms of seventy virgins.
ReplyDeleteIt would fit with his vibe a lot more neatly than when you see him squint into the teleprompter and read something honoring people killed by fundamentalist Muslims.
Thanks JG! He is such an easy target! And the media makes this that much easier.
ReplyDeleteI think they have realized that Obama is horrible at public relations and they've decided they need to step in and help him out. This is just the latest instance.
(P.S. Happy anniversary!)
Jed, You heartless conservative! LOL! I don't feel any sympathy for him either. This is not difficult for anyone who genuinely cares about this country. Only someone who sees political gains out of tragedy would see this all as some big game of political calculations. How pathetic.
ReplyDeletePatti, Fortunately, I have it on good authority that the tour ends in November 2012. Apparently, records sales haven't been as good as predicted.
ReplyDeleteLL, I almost spit out my drink when I read your comment! LMAO! Wow! I'm sure that thought has crossed the minds of some of his followers, though I suspect even that idea is a little too radical even for them.
ReplyDeleteP.S. LL, we should run that by Huffpo and see what they make of it. ;-)
ReplyDeleteAndrew: Can you imagine Obama at Valley Forge: "I know you're cold, but those poor British soldiers are cold, too. And after all, we brought this on ourselves by saying bad things about the king. So quit complaining, while I go back into my tent and write a nice note to the king about his plans to build a large British Cultural Center and Royal Prerogative Library on the site of the Boston Massacre."
ReplyDeleteVery well stated. Anything he does will have me question whether he is memorializing the innocent deaths, or celebrating a victory for Islamic fundamentalism.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I love how the left forgets that Bush couldn't win no matter what with them. Hypocrites!
ReplyDeleteLawhawk, That's hilarious! A British Cultural Center at the site of the Boston Massacre! It's also a very appropriate analogy.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of an American leader being afraid to honor Americans who were killed. This is unbelievable.
LoneWolfArcher, That's the thing -- they have been saying that any attempt by Republicans to remember 9/11 are an attempt to politicize 9/11. And now they're whining that the rest of us are going to see his motivates as political? It's total hypocrisy.
ReplyDeleteIt's also unfounded. Average Americans expect their Presidents to commemorate significant events in our history, we don't get bent out of shape when they do it.
Maybe instead he could spend the week grousing about how people are calling him names, or treating him like a dog (say, what?!). Wait--he's already doing that. This has got to be one of the thinnest skinned presidents ever.
ReplyDeleteAnd you're right. He should spend the day golfing. At least it'd be a more honest representation on what he'd prefer to do on 9/11.
Writer X, He is easily the thinnest skinned President we've ever had. Even Clinton who needed to be loved by everyone had a skin that was 10 times thicker than this guy.
ReplyDeleteAnd as I've told several people now, when I heard him say "they talk about me like a dog," my first thought was "no Mr. President, I have respect for dogs. . . you, I don't."
As you imply, Andrew, this is such a no-brainer for a president. How to commemorate an event that is so deeply important to Americans? Duh!! Even Clinton could have effectively faked such a commemoration. But Clinton wouldn't have needed to fake it, because even he has some patriotic bones in his body. I think that's why Obama is universally loathed by so many Americans--because he is so obviously un-American.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, who are these supposed Democrat senators who might switch parties? Sweet!
Maybe he should host a "9/11 Widows and Orphans Pro-Am Golf Tournament"?
ReplyDeleteI doubt very many people really care where he observes 9/11 as long as he does in sincerely. And THAT is the problem. He just doesn't do "sincerity" very sincerely.
BTW, Bush used to go to all 3 places in one day to commemorate 9/11. So why is Obama being shy about using AF1 now?
Andrew,
ReplyDeleteNice picture of M & B holding their left hands over their hearts. Are they standing for the national anthem? Or is it photoshopped?
Good article. As JG said, a home-run!!
Pitts, I agree this is a no-brainer. In fact, if I hadn't seen the articles, I never would have even considered this an issue. That just goes to show you the difference between our side and theirs -- we don't see events like this as political, we see them as American.
ReplyDeleteI agree about Clinton too. For all of his faults, I never once thought that he wasn't patriotic or that he didn't care about America. By comparison, I find it hard to believe that Obama is patriotic or cares at all about America.
I don't put any credence into the Senators switching parties. This is just more leftist paranoia. Basically, they've picked some of the more conservative senators. The three I've seen mentioned were: Ben Nelson (Nebraska), Mark Pryor (Arkansas) and Kent Conrad (North Dakota). But as I said, I see NO evidence there is even grounds for a rumor on this one.
Bev, AF1 is an expensive peace of hardware and should be used sparingly. . . like for date night in New York, or a quick trip to a resort. **rolls eyes**
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about the sincerity problem. The problem is that it's just too hard to believe that he really cares about these things. And it doesn't help that his side gets obsessive about trying to plot out how he should be acting so as to minimize the political harm.
I like the golf tournament idea. Or he should do a five-star hotel and pub crawl.
Joel, Thanks! This one kind of wrote itself.
ReplyDeleteI flipped the picture. I figured it was appropriate.
Ugh! Every time I think this guy can't sink any lower, he does.
ReplyDeleteCrispy, He has that effect on a lot of people. Just look at the polls, which seem to bottom out each week and then find a new historic low.
ReplyDeleteI guess he is an historic president after all!
LOL! A classic case of "be careful what you wish for"!
ReplyDeleteIsn't that the truth. I guess he should have hired more experts to help him define "historic" before he made the wish!
ReplyDeleteThis just in:
ReplyDeleteThe Whitehouse has announced that Our Dearest Most Maligned will be attending the memorial at the Pentagon and VP Biden will attend in New York City. I can't wait to hear what gaffe Biden makes about the mosque situation ('cause you know he will! but then he'll cover with a motorcase "accident").
Bev, Stay off the street! This one could require a whole series of accidents to cover up!
ReplyDeleteSo Obama chickened out huh? I'm not surprised.
Thank God I will be many miles away from the Bidenator since I will actually be in DC. Maybe I will go bask in the glory that is Obama and attend the Pentagon memorial.
ReplyDeleteIt will be easier and cheaper for him to get to his golf game afterward. And don't forget, he's gonna hafta' hide from all the teabaggers coming into DC this weekend for the 9/12 rally.
Oh, that's true. He's got a horrible week ahead of him. He needs to lay low 2 days in a row. Maybe he should do the 9/11 thing in California? Or Saudi Arabia as LL suggests.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the Tea Party Rally. I hope you get enough people to shut down the city!
Great stuff Andrew! Barry is the quintessential asshole. He’s only sincere when it involves anti-Americanism. You can be certain that he sees the Muslim goons as the victims of the oppressive imperialistic USA, and we had it coming on 9-11. For my money I would just as soon see this jerk again on say…9-14, and then only briefly.
ReplyDeleteWow, just wow.
ReplyDeleteStan, I agree. There is no sincerity within Obama and I think he and his team are incapable of seeing things like 9/11 as anything other than a political event.
ReplyDeleteEd, I take it you're surprised?
ReplyDelete(I just now made it back to read through the comments. Thanks, Andrew! :))
ReplyDelete