Obama Out of Touch: Puts Off Decisions For Golf & Parties

We have a budget deficit over $1.5 trillion. The middle east is facing unrest as hasn’t been witnessed since the 70′s. Libya is in a civil war and rebels are looking to the US and Europe for help. So what is President Obama doing this week? He’s filling out a NCAA Tournament bracket for ESPN. As a loyal Sportscenter watcher let the good folks in Bristol know that I and many others will change the channel when Obama is on. People watch ESPN to escape from politics, not to be confronted with it.

President Obama is still thinking about whether to impose a no fly zone over Libya in support of the rebels. France of all countries supports the no fly zone yet the US under President Obama can’t decide what to do. The disturbing trend of not being able to make a decision strikes again for this President. So what is the President doing instead? Besides filling out a NCAA Tournament bracket, he went golfing all day Saturday. Then he rushed back to the White House to attend a elite journalists dinner. Last weekend he delivered a radio address not about Libya, the middle east or the deficit but about woman’s history month. It was odd and out of place to say the least.

I haven’t even mentioned the conference Obama hosted on bullying wherein he whined about being bullied as a child. This strikes me as a local issue, not one that needs a special conference at the White House during a middle east and budget crisis and a prolonged recession.

We could also discuss the lavish parties the Obama’s throw, from hosting famous singers and comedians for private performances to a recent A list gathering to watch a NBA basketball game to his Wednesday night cocktail parties. Who could forget the Super Bowl party held last month with a menu that must have made Mrs. Obama cringe.

All of this suggests a couple of things about President Obama. First, it suggests he’s becoming isolated and distant. He doesn’t seem concerned about the day to day affairs of the average American other than to talk about us in general and lofty platitudes. His refusal to work seriously on any budget with the House Republicans suggests a distant arrogance. He doesn’t truly understand why the Democrats lost last November.

The President also seems to be separating himself from reality. Being President provides a man with the ability and power to command the best party guests, the best tee times and generally the best of everything. Obama seems to be taking full advantage of this. However, it seems to be coming at the expense of actually making decisions. Obama still hasn’t made a decision on a no fly zone in Libya, he’s still thinking it over. Yet last Saturday he spent all day goofing off on the golf course and partying with elite journalists. Doesn’t that suggest a separation from reality? I would think making a decision, any decision, on Libya would come before golf.

The President’s indecision in the middle east ought to disturb everyone. He hesitated in Egypt for nearly a week before doing or saying much of anything. In Libya he can’t make a decision. It was one thing when it took the President a week to respond to ice storms in McCain states, it’s another thing when it takes him a week to respond to important world events. Perhaps the President would be better served cutting off some of the parties, golf outings and meaningless grandstanding conferences so he can focus on what to do about Libya. It shouldn’t take weeks to decide what, if anything, to do. We could say that about Libya or any other issue.