Posted on 08/30/2010 9:41:18 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
You’ve got to wonder when White House political guru David Axelrod will look at the churning pools of poll data and, like Chief Brody in “Jaws,” say: “We’re gonna need a bigger boat.”
The analogy isn’t quite right, because in the movie, the shark ultimately loses. It’s hard to imagine a scenario where Barack Obama and Axelrod victoriously paddle away on the flotsam of their own political wreckage. But in one sense, the analogy works just fine: This White House is rudderlessly lost at sea and inadequate to the challenges it faces.
At the beginning of the year, retiring seven-term Rep. Marion Berry (D-Ark.) recounted a conversation he had with the president. Obama’s push for health-care reform in the face of public opposition reminded Berry of the Clinton-era missteps that led to the Republican rout of 1994. “I began to preach last January that we had already seen this movie and we didn’t want to see it again because we know how it comes out,” Berry told a newspaper.
Or, to quote Brody in “Jaws 2”: “But I’m telling you, and I’m telling everybody at this table that that’s a shark! And I know what a shark looks like, because I’ve seen one up close. And you’d better do something about this one, because I don’t intend to go through that hell again!”
Convinced that his popularity was eternal, Obama responded by saying, yes, but there’s a “big difference” between 1994 and 2010 - “you’ve got me.”
The funny thing is, Obama might have been right. Because things might be much worse for Democrats in 2010 than they were in 1994 - and the big difference might well be Barack Obama.
In fairness, the biggest difference may be the economy, which in political terms should be fitted for a pine box. Of course, Mr. Credibility, Joe Biden, says it’s doing great, sounding like the shopkeeper in the Monty Python “Dead Parrot sketch” who insists the bird’s “just resting.”
In 1994, when the Contract with America Congress took control, the jobless rate was 5.6 percent. Today it’s 9.5 and may well climb higher.
While some people - such as yours truly - think Obama and the Democrats deserve much of the blame, one can be agnostic on all that and recognize that voters have lost faith in the Democratic Party. Already, Democrats in tight races are distancing themselves from the White House, and pretty much everyone has stopped trying to make lemonade out of the ObamaCare lemon.
Moreover, Obama has lost his connection with the American people. On issue after issue he seems determined to craft his responses in a way that will annoy the most people possible.
Some liberals claim that Obama’s mistakes stem from not being progressive enough, while others insist that he’s played his cards right, but we need to wait a bit longer for the payoff.
I’m dubious on both counts. But what’s clear now is that the president who claimed to be the personification of a world-historical moment is lost at sea, and not even a bigger boat will save him.
“Joe Biden, says it’s doing great, sounding like the shopkeeper in the Monty Python “Dead Parrot sketch” who insists the bird’s “just resting.”
EXCELLENT analogy! LOL!
I’m sure Axelgreasy is saying, “we’re gonna need a bigger lie.” Look for claims of the bastard boy being the illegitimate son of some American citizen to surface, with accompanying fraudulent ancillary documents. You see, the fraudulent CoLB and microfiche newspaper announcements have failed to force the koolaid down, so a bigger lie needs to surface. Look at what the democrats did when John Edwards was accused: they got a fiathful uncle tom to claim it was his baby! Grab your drawers, they have so many tricks they will use and the demonically inspired media will tout to retain power for their commie democrap klowns. ... And still no one is building the needed guillotines.
“Jumping the Shark” refers to a Happy Days episode in which Fonzie jumps his motorcycle over a shark tank. This meant the writers were out of ideas.
This White House is rudderlessly lost at sea and inadequate to the challenges it faces.
But nothing. It's hubris to think that Obama's present failures will remain unadressed, much less to think that the Republicans will do anything other than return to historical form and hand him a victory in 2012.
Even if there's a huge electoral rout in November -- or maybe because of it -- it would be suicidal just to assume Obama is out of the game.
Never forget that Clinton was out of the game in 1994. He was seriously damaged goods. And yet he still managed to kick the crap out of the Republicans only a year later.
The Republicans' mistake then, was to confuse electoral victory with the power to govern. Clinton knew the difference, and used it to resurrect his political career.
Do you think he’ll take on the role of the vanquished black man who could just not overcome the long buried bigotry and racism of the country that finally bubbled to the surface with his election? For the good of the country, he’ll step aside and try to heal our broken country as the Race Czar to pave the way for the next black man to be elected so he won’t have to fight against what he had to fight agaist.
I know she knows her way around the block - but personally - she might be worse for the country than Obama...
I love the “Dead Parrot Sketch”. As to the article - it didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know.
The scary part of that thought is that Obummer has made Hillary! appear downright moderate by comparison. The danger is that the Republicans go for their own jugular again and nominate someone not entirely palatable to the independent's thinking. Hillary! runs a moderate campaign and voila'; the Clintons are back in the White House.
I disagree on all three counts.
He isn't good at vacations. Most of the time is spent negotiating deals with personal contacts, and foreign agents, or posing in stupid photo ops.
Golfing. Anyone who golfs and has seen Obama golf knows he isn't very good, or even just good, at it. Again, it's when many of the deals (where he doesn't want the kids or the media around) are made. Golf is just the charade.
Flying all over the world. Good, as in a mannequin could take his place, and fly all over the world good. Keeping America Great by representing us to other world leaders, not good.
Actually, Fonzie jumped the shark while on water skis.
He might not run again in 2012 - BUT HE COULD RUN AGAIN FOR A SECOND TERM ANY TIME THEREAFTER......now that is scary!!!!!
Those are the funniest pictures ever.
Nice job.
Mr. Skittles, managed to go from Gangland Politician to President, without providing the required credentials to even run for the office, and almost ZERO experience, and is now installing Sharia Law over the U.S. Government, and positioning as many 'socialist/communist' minded liberals as he can in various offices of government, making up offices (czar positions) to get by approval requirements.
Not just any dummy can do that.
My nineteen year old son believes 0bama will refuse to step down and it will cause a civil war. My son WANTS this to happen. I said,”why?” “Because,” he said, “it will open people’s eyes to who the guy really is.” Is that scary? My own son really believes it will take a civil war to force Zero to stand down. Brrr.
D'oh!! You are correct. I was thinking the Globe when I read the article in the Herald.
Yeah... and we all 'knew' that Marion Barry , after he got caught smoking crack, would never even be able to run for dogcatcher, little lone a political office, ever again.
From your lips to Bill Ayres’ ears - another book!
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