The Wizard of Obama

Wall Street Journal ^ | 10/15/12 | WILLIAM MCGURN

[BCrago66]

Subtitle: The president didn't just lose a debate. He lost an entire image of genius and control.

After President Reagan's listless performance in the first presidential debate of 1984 raised speculation that he was too old for the job, the Gipper took command in the second debate. Of his opponent Walter Mondale, Reagan famously said that he wouldn't try to score political points by exploiting his opponent's youth and inexperience.

Perhaps Barack Obama can likewise reassert himself in Tuesday evening's town hall in Long Island. But his problem is this: In Denver he didn't just lose a debate—he lost the carefully cultivated illusion of a larger-than-life figure who was Lincoln and FDR and Moses all wrapped in one.

[BCrago66]

Nothing here that hasn't been said many times before, by Freepers more than (and before) anyone else, but Bill McGurn is an elegant writer, publishing in the most popular newspaper in America, so this one's gonna hurt. This article, I predict, will be remembered.

With Obama, there's no there there. He's empty; just a narcissistic phoney.

[Travis McGee]

[Paladin2]

That’s why the big circle icon he uses is best described as a Zer0.

[stylin19a]

Of his opponent Walter Mondale, Reagan famously said that he wouldn't try to score political points by exploiting his opponent's youth and inexperience.

what a lot of people forget is, Reagan's team released that quip before the debate...we all knew it was coming, just didn't know when.

[paddles]

“Benghazi Hil” made a shrewd move today. The shiv gets administered by Willie. Is this the first thrust?

[One Name]

When the 3AM call came there were no adults up to answer the phone.

Had adults been available earlier during the week the 3 AM call would likely not have come.

But, the Vienna Embassy got some Chevy Volts...so the important business was apparently being taken care of.

[Bullish]

Wizard of the teleprompter maybe.... That’s about it.

[garjog]

Media: Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain! YOU MUST re-elect the Great and Powerful O!

[Texas Fossil]

1. That which has been seen cannot be unseen.

2. Wizard? He certainly has a totally conjured past, but he is not the one who did that.

[garjog]

[hinckley buzzard]

Yep, been saying for a week now. The Great and Terrible Oz is revealed to be merely "the little man behind the curtain."

[GodfearingTexan]

I still can’t believe that so many people believed, ever, that obama was a leader worthy of the presidency. He is nothing. I’m not sure he’s an informed commentator on any subject (aside from basketball, I’ll cede him that one simply because I don’t watch it myself).

[garjog]

Wicked Witch of the West Wing.

[luv2ski]

Some 67 million Americans were watching on TV. What they saw was the scene from the Wizard of Oz, when Dorothy's dog pulls back the curtain to reveal there is no wizard at all, just a man from the Midwest who pumped himself up into something far beyond his mortal self—and got the whole of Oz to believe it.

Wow. That's going to leave a mark!

[luv2ski]

Hahahahaha!

[Terry Mross]

How can someone be elected state senator, then U.S. senator, then president? Then have all his records sealed so no one can see just how few things he’s accomplished? By having a big power behind him. And that power controls him.

I now understand why the GOP selected Romney. He’s as clean as a whistle so he can’t be blackmailed. And he’s too rich to be bought.

[Verginius Rufus]

Reagan had a wonderful sense of humor. Obama is pretty much humorless—his idea is of humor to taunt and demean people who get in his way, to humiliate them if he can. Occasionally he does a bit of self-deprecation but of a very gentle sort.

[Talisker]

I now understand why the GOP selected Romney. He’s as clean as a whistle so he can’t be blackmailed. And he’s too rich to be bought.

You're a maroon.

[Always A Marine]

"a wizard of his own Oz" - William McGurn

Wow!

[Always A Marine]

I now understand why the GOP selected Romney. He’s as clean as a whistle so he can’t be blackmailed. And he’s too rich to be bought.

Agreed. Add to that the fact that, among all the GOP candidates who entered the primaries, Mitt Romney is the most eminently qualified. (And he was only my fourth choice after Perry, Cain and Gingrich.)