Posted on 06/22/2009 3:57:41 AM PDT by Zakeet
The reader might be warned that reading this San Francisco Chronicle Father's Day piece serves as a most perfect emetic. In fact, it's a wonder that writer Jennifer Weiss could type with all those stars in her eyes. Her Father's Day adulation of Obama is so over-the-top that Obama suddenly becomes the "father of our country," and is determined to have "super-dad status."
The most offensive part of this piece is, of course, the aforementioned assigning to Obama of the role of "father of our country." There is only one father of our country and that is George Washington, war hero and first president. No other president is the father of our country, nor can they be so even rhetorically. Yet, in its zeal to be an effusive Obamaton, here is the SFChron reassigning the role from the true father of our country to Obama.
"On this Father's Day, the American public should proudly note that our president takes his personal role as father (and spouse) as seriously as he does his job as father of the country," Weiss writes. To which we can only say, NO, Miss Weiss, Obama does not have the "job" as the "father of our country."
The rest of the piece is so slobberingly, sycophantic that it boggles the mind. Weiss gives us a list of all her examples showing how Obama is the perfect father, some of which are such a stretch that one might suspect that Weiss is a journalistic version of the old kid's toy Stretch Armstrong! Some of Weiss' points, however, are admirable traits in the president as they would be in any father.
First of all Weiss is all excited that Obama "has dinner with his family most nights." This is certainly an admirable habit. Of course, when one works at home, one would have to have an awfully good excuse never to eat with his family. But it is good the president does this. So, the question is, is Barack Obama different from other presidents that had a family in the White House with him? Did JFK ignore the family? Did Nixon, Carter, or W Bush? From what I recall of history, these past presidents also ate with their families in the White House often. If Obama is going to be placed on a higher pedestal as the perfect father than our past presidents we need some historical perspective to know if he is better than they. Unfortunately, the reader is given a disservice by Weiss as she doesn’t bother with such trivial matters as “perspective.”
The second point offered by Weiss is also something to celebrate the president for. According to Weiss, Obama goes to his children's parent teacher conferences. Good for him. I do the same myself, so I applaud the president for this.
The third one is one of those stretches I was talking about. "The president manages to exercise every day before work," Weiss says approvingly. Exercise? That is a chief aspect of being a good father? So, any overweight man can't be a good father? What a load.
Additionally, it might be recalled that George W. Bush was a fitness freak while in office, as well. I seem to recall that the press made fun of him for that. So, I suppose you are only right to exercise "for the kids" if you are a Democrat?
Then there is this: "The president has read all of the Harry Potter books with his daughter Malia."
So, what of Sasha? Does she not get a good read? Because the president read Harry Potter books, "His ability to speak authoritatively on the subjects that interest them -- such as debating the merits of the houses of Slytherin and Gryffindor -- elevates him to super-dad status." Apparently this also is "something to which" we "should aspire?"
I might offer that should the president have read to his children Homer's The Odyssey, The Bible, or any number of western culture's great books, that would make him a far better "super-dad" than reading the empty fantasy of the Harry Potter books. But, that's just me.
It is true that the time spent with his daughter was important, to be sure.
Then we find out that because Obama dances with wife Michele without having to be "begged to hit the dance floor" makes him the perfect husband, too. And because the president invited his mother-in-law to live with them at the White House, well it's just more proof of his wonderfulness, you see. Offering free housing that he doesn't have to pay for himself, either? Hmmm. It's a bit hard to see how that makes him a hero.
And then comes the final word, the Pièce de résistance, if you will.
Come next Father's Day, our banking crisis might not be wholly resolved, the auto industry might not be on its feet again, and health care coverage might not be fully available to the uninsured. But we can only hope that fathers and spouses everywhere will be thinking "What Would Obama Do?" as they navigate through the murky waters of parenthood and family life.
See, in the world I grew up in, a man that was good at his job also made for a good role model as a father. After all, a man's livelihood is a part of the man, part of the whole package. A good father is also a success at his job. This is not to say that only the most successful men are good fathers, but that a man's due diligence at his job, his mastery of his profession is an important part of the example he serves for his children. Yet, here Weiss dismisses Obama's actual job as president by not worrying if he is successful at his job. Oh, he might not fix the banking crisis, save the auto industry, or get healthcare passed, but so what? He's still the best according to Weiss. It's a glaring contradiction.
And then there is this bizarre "what would Obama do" blather. This is a take off on the religious saying “what would Jesus do?” and used here it almost seems blasphemous. I'd suggest that any father that has to ask himself what Obama would do before he is able to father his own children has far more problems than mere parenting skills. I, for instance, will not be asking, “what would Obama do.” I will likely be asking myself what would my own father do? He is my role model. This president is far, far down the list of my role models, for sure.
Look, it is a good thing that Barack Obama loves his children, a good thing that he spends time with them and loves his wife. It also makes him a good role model in that respect. But, taken with the whole of the media's slavish love for The One, this piece seems a mockery of journalism.
Can’t we even have Father’s Day without Obama taking it over?
I am a super dad and the father of this country.
Leonard Benardo and Jennifer Weiss, husband and wife, are the authors of Brooklyn by Name: How the Neighborhoods, Streets, Parks, Bridges and More Got Their Names. They have been published in the New York Review of Books, New York Times, Washington Post, International Herald Tribune, and elsewhere. They live together in Brooklyn, New York, with their son and daughter.
I wonder how her husband feels about all this worship for another man?
Wow! WWOD?!?!? Learning from somebody who is truly great is one thing, but I have just never heard that ‘What would X do?’ being said of anybody but Jesus except in jest e.g What would chuch norris do?
Jesus liberals are weird.
LLS
Hysterically funny. Jennifer Weiss = one of the great American writers of unintentional parody.
That stunning article says everything.
Some OBAMAO’s fans are completly on a lunacy mode.
And OBAMOHAmed really tries to make people believe he is the dad who will care about everyone...A kind of fake god father! The typical path to Socialist tyrany!
Don’t worry daddy will care and tell you what’s good for you and give you everythin’ ya need baby!
Does this mean our country now has two dads? How very special.
Oh f___ me senseless!
These people belong in a padded cell.
She keeps his nuts in a lockbox.
He looks like a typical liberal eunuch.
The media’s attempts at creating a Stalinesque cult of personality around Obama have gone so far over the top that they’re becoming comical.
Which is actually a good thing, because Obama is being unintentionally set up by his media mouthpieces as an object of ridicule.
Obama can survive anything except ridicule.
Makes you want to vomit yellow stuff.
There is no end, apparently, to the LibTard Lunacy that surrounds this pretender. It’s nice that he’s a good father. My father was a great father, too. I’ve tried to be a good father to our three wonderful (now adult) children.
But...this ‘what would 0bama do’ garbage is way over the top. To this point, nothing he has shoved down our throats has been successful. Not Porkulus, not the auto bailout, not the financial bailout, and not health care reform.
And, since his daughters are US citizens, the grand political fraud he’s perpetrating on America affects them, too.
It’s time to take back the country.
I wouldn't say that what she worships is a "man" in the usual sense of the word. Besides, her "husband" probably feels exactly the same.
Some OBAMAO’s fans are completely on a lunacy mode.
They serve no other purpose but as cannon fodder for the lefts war on capitalism and Christianity.
Useful Idiots....
If so then I'm not sure it's much of an honor.
If she is writing this kind of crap about ozero being such a man, methinks she has never met a real one. Hey toots, come on out to fly over country and get away from the coastal metrosexuals. The real father(s) of this country are the men who risked their lives, property and their sacred honor to found this place where you can run your mouth about such idiocy that it makes the had spin. Your freedom of speech was PAID FOR by these dead white guys. And that goes for any other of you panty waists that gripe and complain about how unfair life is and all that crap. Recently, your freedoms have been paid for by that kid down the street that grew up and joined up. Difference is that kid grew up and you didn’t. Worthless people make me sick.
Obama’s father abandoned him to go back to Kenya and try to change that country into a Marxist economy. Grandpa introduced him to the neighborhood communist. Obama stuck his daughters in Wright’s “church” for political reasons.
where was the barf alert?
Down with the whole rotten Leftist establishment.
If Obama takes his job as father with the same seriousness he takes his job as president, his kids are in for a world of hurt.
It’s one thing to brown nose, but...
I give up, any comment I could make about this might get me banned.
So if zero is the “father of our country” does what he is doing to the country make him... Nevermind.
This country has a “father” that would like to abort it.
Same sick “be our Daddy” mentality as ‘Ponytail Guy’ Denton Walthal from the ‘92 debate.
Father of our country, huh. Maybe Zero has been planting his seed around and has some “love” children out there. Wasn’t there some guy with 29 kids and a dozen mothers recently? Still, it wouldn’t qualify as a country, just maybe one of those 57 states.
There is only ONE father of our country, his name was George Washington. What a frickin’ perversion this is.
“”If Obama takes his job as father with the same seriousness he takes his job as president, his kids are in for a world of hurt.””
Didn’t this All American Father play golf on Father’s Day? But he more than made up for THAT by using 12 vehicles the day before to take his daughter out for ice cream. What a guy!
Sounds like an EXCELLENT idea to me. I'll think "What would Obama do?"......then do the opposite.
Is that what this ditz meant?
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