The Obama Paradox

huffingtonpost.com ^ | August 11, 2014 | Robert Kuttner

[ilgipper]

well-considered responses

For anyone with basic understanding of facts, history and common sense - and at the same time, not blinded by partisan wishful thinking - there is nothing well considered out of the guy's mouth. Most of it is nonsensical and illogical. One sentence is inconsistent with the next.

For many, they think he sounds good saying it, and that's enough.

[Sans-Culotte]

Biden: "Obama Will Be Tested".

[jocon307]

“It is Obama’s bad luck to be chief executive at a moment when the consequences of several bad policies of the past century are blowing up, on his watch.”

Why do bad things always happen to him? He’s not lucky like other presidents, they never had to deal with such bad problems!

[Raycpa]

Its only a paradox to those who bought his rhetoric.

[dfwgator]

Obama is Bush’s stepchild. Without Bush, Obama wouldn’t have been possible.

[AZLiberty]

He gives the kind of well-considered responses that suggest a president who carefully engages with truly difficult policy conundrums.

The won is the Potemkin President, as pointed out by Allen West, Victor Davis Hanson, and others -- a pretty face with nothing behind it.

The questions is, who's behind HIM?

[Linda Frances]

It is Obama’s bad luck to be chief executive at a moment when the consequences of several bad policies of the past century are blowing up, on his watch.

---

Anyone remember Bill Clinton saying he wished 9-11 had happened under his watch? When Bush gave the speech right after 9-11, remember Hillary looking so angry and the talk of some saying it would have helped Bills poll numbers?

Democrats want chaos, but don’t have the common sense to know what to do. They see a threat and allow it to get so far out of control, hoping it would go away. Or maybe he’s ok with what’s going on, but have to give in because of democrats facing election. I pray he’s more innocent than many fear and that God forbid we are attacked again it’s under Ted Cruz.

Everyone is watching Obama making mistakes after mistake and blaming others. It must scare democrats who have kids.

[Organic Panic]

Delusional. Absolutely delusional. Poor little Barak. He’s so talented. So brilliant. So special. It’s just bad luck from all the previous presidents combined. But I thought he was a “sort of God” “the chosen one” “a lightworker” “our messiah.”

[x]

Thus the Obama paradox. He is one of the best-informed and most thoughtful foreign policy presidents we have had in a long time, but his very appreciation of complexity often comes across as indecision.

I don't see the first part (best-informed and most thoughtful).

Not saying that he's the least informed or least thoughtful, but he's not a stand out in either category.

And I don't see the "paradox," either. When it comes to talking about foreign policy, Obama is fuzzy and vague. Some people think that's thoughtful, but it does come across as indecision.

Adlai Stevenson also got a reputation for thoughtfulness from his fans when he was mostly just woolly-headed and indecisive.

[mikrofon]

HuffPo, better than

[Second Amendment First]

“The regime became stricter and harsher.Hinzpeter described fourteen year old Willie’s “Ill-omeded self adulation: and “the unpleasant trait of arrogance...{which] bolsters the indolence which nature has so generously conferred on him.”

He called him lazy and conceited. “Evidence of positive goodwill towards anyone at all is nevertheless as rare as instances of heartless egoism are frequent...his almost crystal hard egoism...forms the innermost core of his being.”

-——page 17
George, Nicholas and Wilhelm
Three Royal Cousins and the Road to World War I
Miranda Carter

[Pollster1]

It is Obama's bad luck to be chief executive at a moment when the consequences of several bad policies of the past century are blowing up, on his watch.

I've played poker with people like this writer. They play exceptionally well, better than anyone else, but they lose big night after night because of bad luck. I'm glad I don't have "Obama Luck" - the kind of bad timing that makes everything you touch turn to manure despite your own brilliance.

[Slyfox]

Thus the Obama paradox. He is one of the best-informed and most thoughtful foreign policy presidents we have had in a long time, but his very appreciation of complexity often comes across as indecision.

He was the very one they were searching for, and yet they don't seem to have a handle on the real man.

So, what is it you Huffington Postingers want?

You believe that he is the man who will take care of all those conservative bullies for ya and he will make your every dream come true. But you are having a problem with his "complexity" and "indecision."

Could it be that he is really just a first class swindler?

You been had, just admit it.

[bert]

ditherer...... his primary mode is the dither mode. If you do nothing, that is if you dither, the problem will go away.

The process can be aided by a god old fashioned lie.

Obama is the dithering liar

[MaggiesPitchfork]

He often comes across as vacillating and indecisive BECAUSE HE IS VACILLATING AND INDECISIVE!! DUH!! And let’s just add “incompetent” to make it a complete picture.