Posted on 09/22/2010 11:40:10 AM PDT by neverdem
This heartfelt comment and question the first one President Obama received at a CNBC town hall gathering yesterday, may well become emblematic of the first half (at least) of the Obama presidency.
Ms. Velma Hart — middle class, a wife and the mother of two, a veteran, and an African-American Obama supporter — said this:
Quite frankly, I'm exhausted – I'm exhausted of defending you, defending your administration, defending the mantle of change that I voted for, and deeply disappointed with where we are right now. I have been told that I voted for a man who said was going to change things in a meaningful way for the middle class. I'm one of those people and I'm waiting, sir. I'm waiting. I don't feel it yet. And I thought while it wouldn't be in great measure, I'd feel it in some small measure. I have two children in private school and the financial recession has taken an enormous toll on my family. My husband and I have joked for years that we thought we were well beyond the hot dogs and beans era of our lives, but, quite frankly, it's starting to knock on our door and ring true that that might be where we're headed again, and, quite frankly, Mr. President, I need you to answer this honestly. Is this my new reality?
This was a very bad moment for the Obama presidency because it was such an honest and representative one.
Velma Hart is obviously no Tea Party activist. The town hall audience was undoubtedly vetted by the White House in advance of the event. So for Ms. Hart to frame the question she did, in the manner she did, was fairly extraordinary. And she was not the only person who asked searching questions of Mr. Obama. A recent law school graduate, Ted Brassfield, told Mr. Obama that he had hoped to pursue a career in public service, like Obama himself, but said he could barely pay the interest on his student loans, let alone think of getting married or starting a family. "I was really inspired by you and your campaign and the message you brought," Brassfield said, "and that inspiration is dying away. And I really want to know, is the American dream dead for me?"
Having worked in the White House, I can assure you this is not what Obama and his team of advisers wanted to hear — certainly not from a hand-picked audience at an economic town hall forum that is being broadcast on television six weeks before a crucial midterm election.
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, a contributor to CONTENTIONS wrote this cautionary note regarding the new president-elect:
Sooner than he might imagine, and certainly sooner than he might wish, the responsibility for how America is performing will fall to him and his Democratic colleagues in the House and the Senate. A year from now, it won't be enough to blame the problems on others. He and other Democrats ran and won on the promise that they would turn things around, and do so quickly. Those promises can't be reeled back. Obama in particular has set a very high bar. Indeed, the expectations for "change"-in policies, in performance, even in the way we conduct our politics-is as high as I can recall … For understandable reasons, many people are being swept up in this remarkable American moment. But reality will intrude soon enough, and Barack Obama will face the same standards that every other President has faced. Incantations of "hope" and "change" can work in a campaign. They are virtually useless when it comes to governing. Barack Obama is about to enter the crucible. We'll see how he performs.
President Obama has, so far at least, performed rather dismally. He set super-human expectations for himself — including his pledge to slow the rise of the oceans and begin to heal the planet, his commitment to resist the temptation to "fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long," and to "transform" America at what he called a "defining moment."
In some respects, of course, President Obama has transformed America — but in ways many American find alarming. What we are seeing all across our land is an extraordinary, organic movement rising up against Obamaism. If you go to the heart of this effort, beyond even the policy differences themselves, what you will find is an effort to restore America. It is a direct, energetic, and sometimes rambunctious response to the president's transformational project, to his effort to remake America in his own liberal image and conforming to his own liberal views and values.
As we saw yesterday, at the economic town hall meeting, the hope and promise of Obama has collided with, and is being shattered by, reality.
Barack Obama is, right now, the architect of a failing presidency and, soon, a broken party.
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What struck me of that moment, even more so than what she said, was that the the camera went directly to Obama, and he was laughing it off.
It was very insensitive of him; to her and all Americans. It was laughing in the face of another’s privation. It told more about him than it did of her and her disenchantment.
Well the Republicans will be just as done as a party if they don’t deliver on smaller government - if they get control of congress.
Thanks! This is a heartwarming article. Imagine if they let normal people into Obama’s townhall meetings.
We wanted him to fail!
Still do, as a matter of fact.
And you see what happened. That footage, played over and over again, of a black middle-aged career woman castigating Obama and questioning his competence, in the politest way possible, was just devastating.
The WH must be ripping their hair out over that one.
Been falling since 2007. Frankly I am getting tired of it.
This is what stunned me. We all know that Obama was given the questions ahead of time and that there wasn't anyone there who didn't vote for Obama. But given the sincerity of the question by that lady, Obama is, indeed, in deep trouble in his own constituency. It is heartening to see that the American people are starting to see through the fluff that they put into office. The man has an understanding of economics that's about as deep as the thickness of a blood vessel in a gnat's knee. Even Jimmy Carter, with his 21% prime rate, may have had a better understanding. Still, we need to keep working so the American people don't become complacent between now and Nov.
I saw that and thought the same thing as well.
That makes me laugh every time I hear it.
This has always been true of him, he cannot emotionally connect with another human being on a personal level. He can read a teleprompter to a crowd, but one on one he’s a cold fish.
I didn’t see it live. He did that? What a poor statesman..and that’s the nicest thing I can say.How insulting.
And looking at the crowd I didn't see anyone else smiling. They looked to be in a very serious mood and wanting an answer to her comments.
And I don’t recall him ever answering her question as to “...is this my new reality?” At least nothing beyond the typical doublespeak.
The man is pathological, and this shows that as much as anything I’ve seen. He doesn’t have the makeup to relate to another’s needs or concerns. It’s not in his nature. It’s all about him, and he’s pathologically incapable of empathizing with another human.
****but the participants and questions were not first vetted by the WH****
Remember America - Vetting is our friend;)
The stupidity of these people is evident as Ted Brassfield remarked in an interview that he would vote for Obama for a second term.
See my post #16...
This brought his character (or lack thereof...) into stark reality.
What a poor example of a human being...
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