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The Drip, Drip, Drip of Leaking Confidence
Townhall ^ | March 15, 2009 | Carol Platt Liebau

Posted on 03/15/2009 4:42:25 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

In what should be an extremely worrisome sign for the Obama administration, even those who most fervently supported Barack Obama are now beginning to express substantial doubts about his ability to govern.

Columns by the Washington Post's David Broder (who proclaims the end of the Obama honeymoon), the NY Daily News' Michael Goodwin, and the always-reliable Michael Barone highlight the point.

Mind you, it's not Broder, Goodwin or Barone expressing their own opinions. Rather, they're quoting Obama loyalists.

Broder: "[S]ome thoughtful congressional Democrats with whom I have spoken . . .worry that [Obama] has bitten off more than he can chew. "

Goodwin: "[A] veteran Democratic pol approached me with a pained look on his face and asked, 'Do you think they know what they're doing?'"

Barone: "We've been hearing a lot of criticism of Barack Obama in recent days from pro-Obama corners -- from celebrity investor Warren Buffett, from moderate conservative columnist David Brooks, from one of the Democratic Party's deepest thinkers, William Galston . . ."

Obviously, it's premature and foolish to say that the administration is in trouble; that's no more true than it was to believe that the Second Coming was at hand on Inauguration Day.

Nevertheless, a meme is developing among the elites and pundit class -- and such memes often spread, relatively quickly, to the public at large. And this meme is one that should be very disturbing to the Administration -- because it's based on competence.

In a robust economy, people are willing to give a new, untried President time to get his bearings. But in difficult times, people expect a President to get the job done -- especially one who has been touted as a virtual Messiah, who is surrounding himself with the Best and Brightest. And so far, there isn't much about the administration's record of accomplishment that offers a lot of encouragement for all the people who so vociferously pinned their hopes on an Obama presidency.

And the new Obama strategy -- stepping up the blame-shifting game for the troubled economy -- carries more than a whiff of desperation. What's more, it isn't likely to do him any favors at all. Obama's personal popularity depends on retaining his image as someone who is seeking to bring an end to the divisive politics of the past. So how, exactly, does he plan to do that as he whines and points fingers at President Bush?

After all, weren't these the problems he promised us he could solve if he was given the top job?


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 111th; amateurhour; bho2009; bho44; bush; congress; democrats; economy; obama
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I'd be laughing if I weren't crying.
1 posted on 03/15/2009 4:42:25 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The Emperor has no clothes. Most of us knew this last year. The libtards are a little slow.


2 posted on 03/15/2009 4:44:16 PM PDT by TheConservativeParty (Democrats are bastard coated bastards with bastard filling.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

BTTT


3 posted on 03/15/2009 4:46:40 PM PDT by Fiddlstix (Warning! This Is A Subliminal Tagline! Read it at your own risk!(Presented by TagLines R US))
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I didn’t think it was possible for someone to sink faster than Jimmah. I stand corrected.

Cindie


4 posted on 03/15/2009 4:51:32 PM PDT by gardencatz (I love my Marine!)
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To: TheConservativeParty

Regardless of what liberal pundits say, I’m still deathly afraid of the guy.
I really believe he has a shot at building a Chavez type coalition and ruling for life.
The fact that he controls the Justice Dept gives him a 10 point advantage in voting even before we throw in the 98% minority vote, illegals, ACORN, and welfare vote buying.


5 posted on 03/15/2009 4:51:47 PM PDT by nascarnation
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Me too.


6 posted on 03/15/2009 4:52:33 PM PDT by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

And he’s going to be the first President since Grover Cleveland to miss the first Gridiron dinner in his first year in office. Why? So he can take his kids to Chicago for spring break. The real reason? He can’t speak without a telepromter and is notoriously humorless and thin-skinned.

Americans are going to get very tired very quickly of a guy who simply tosses traditions aside and takes more vacations than the French.


7 posted on 03/15/2009 4:52:54 PM PDT by PhilosopherStones
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To: TheConservativeParty
“The libtards are a little slow”.
Liberals are more than slow, they will cling to ideas proven to fail over and over, wherever they've been tried, and point to them and say, “they just didn't give it enough time, money, or a fair trial”. Simultaneously denigrating free market capitalism that has built and sustained the greatest nation on earth. Liberals are schmucks.
8 posted on 03/15/2009 4:54:21 PM PDT by bitterohiogunclinger (America held hostage - day 147)
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To: nascarnation

Yes the usurper is truly frightening. I find it difficult to look at him. I am not kidding. I think he has very cold cold dead eyes. He is a back stabber. Smiles at you and then knifes you. He knows exactly what he is doing. His mistake is implementing his plans too quickly. He has shown his hand and even politically unaware people are taking notice. I really can’t stand the sight or sound of him. I avoid him as if he were Satan himself. I need not hear a word he says. It is all lies.


9 posted on 03/15/2009 4:58:21 PM PDT by TheConservativeParty (Democrats are bastard coated bastards with bastard filling.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
"...especially one who has been touted as a virtual Messiah, who is surrounding himself with the Best and Brightest.

The "Best and Brightest"???

(From this morning) WATCH THIS

10 posted on 03/15/2009 5:00:43 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
"a virtual Messiah, who is surrounding himself with the Best and Brightest"

Rahm? Pelosi? Reid? H? Daschle? Frank? Dodd? Geithner?

LOL.

11 posted on 03/15/2009 5:01:45 PM PDT by Paladin2 (No, pundits strongly believe that the proper solution is more dilution.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

No surprise, really. After we dispense with all the political analysis and all the shortcomings of the McCain campaign, I think Obama won because he is black. White guilt put him in the White House. Many whites felt great voting for a black guy, and thought it said something great about them as individuals and about the country.

But it’s just amazing how so many could overlook Obama’s cotton candy, teleprompter speeches, and the fact that he couldn’t then, and can’t now, speak with any in depth knowledge on any important issue. And now his statements just sound like an actor repeating his lines.

None of this flouncing around by Obama and his administration should be a surprise to anyone.


12 posted on 03/15/2009 5:04:29 PM PDT by Will88
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To: Lancey Howard

I watched a small bit of it until that porker Roehmer opened her jowls.


13 posted on 03/15/2009 5:05:34 PM PDT by dforest
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To: bitterohiogunclinger

Evidenced by the longest “war” in history. The war on poverty. Trillions and trillions in wealth stolen from the productive, given to the slovenly, and absolutely nothing good has come of it. Yet they keep on doing the same useless things over and over, spending and spending. As usual they want us to look at their “intentions” and not the results. I am sure they do not even intend to help anyone, they intend to do just what they have, which is to create a welfare class that will keep voting for them. Free Pie for Everyone!!! I am disgusted by the number of people I know who vote for demorats. Neighbors, in-laws. And they call themselves Christians while they vote in favor of abortion every time they pull the lever for a dem. Does no one think about their immortal souls, or do people just live for the here and now and not think through their decisions....I know....of course they don’t. Poor Schmucks. They won’t know the error of their ways until they meet their Maker.


14 posted on 03/15/2009 5:05:48 PM PDT by TheConservativeParty (Democrats are bastard coated bastards with bastard filling.)
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To: TheConservativeParty

EXACTLY!!!

LLS


15 posted on 03/15/2009 5:07:46 PM PDT by LibLieSlayer (hussein will NEVER be my President... NEVER!!!)
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To: TheConservativeParty
His mistake is implementing his plans too quickly.

There was no mistake. He had to move quickly, while everybody was still in a fog from the "economic meltdown" panic that was in the air. The rats saw the opportunity to push through a zillion dollars worth of wealth redistribution and welfare for their base constituencies (the bums, losers, and parasites) and they needed to do it quickly, before any serious analysis could be done. And they got it through.

Heck, they're already hungry for more.

16 posted on 03/15/2009 5:08:22 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: Lancey Howard

She is blathering a steaming pile of BS.


17 posted on 03/15/2009 5:14:27 PM PDT by Senormechanico
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To: TheConservativeParty

As Instapundit often asks: “Who are the rubes?”


18 posted on 03/15/2009 5:20:30 PM PDT by Jabba the Nutt (Obama is the American Allende.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
I'd be laughing if I weren't crying.

And how. So much for the stupid argument (I heard from otherwise well-educated, intelligent people) that a Rookie with no executive experience had shown he could run the ship by running an effective campaign.

19 posted on 03/15/2009 5:28:39 PM PDT by colorado tanker (Oh my God, am I hoping for change.)
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To: PhilosopherStones
And he’s going to be the first President since Grover Cleveland to miss the first Gridiron dinner in his first year in office.

That goes along with his shabby treatment of Gordon Brown and snub of the Medal of Honer recipients. Zero is a frighteningly arrogant man. Why frightening? Because people like that can do incredibly stupid or destructive things when the only advice they take is their own.

20 posted on 03/15/2009 5:32:36 PM PDT by colorado tanker (Oh my God, am I hoping for change.)
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