It's Been A Long Road Since January
On January 20th of this year, Barack Obama probably had perhaps the strongest personal position to work from of any President in recent memory. Everybody wanted to hear what he had to say and many were prepared to do what he asked.
Today, he seems to have frittered away much of this authority and devalued his own brand. How else to explain that he is relying on a former president (Bill Clinton) to sell his health care agenda in Congress and it took another former president (George W Bush) to visit the Ft. Hood tragedy.
FeFe:
Outsourcing POTUS.
November 13, 2009, 4:09 pmo Thu, 11/5/09, Ft. Hood treasonous massacre. Obama in the White House giving shout outs.
o Fri, 11/6/09, Former President George W. Bush and his wife Laura secretly visited Fort Hood for hours after driving there and requesting no press coverage. Gets reported on Sat, 11/7.
o Sat, 11/7/09, Obama on Capital Hill for health care reform then off to Camp David.
o Tue, 11/10/09, Ft. Hood memorial at base. Gibbs says President Obama will meet with soldiers after ceremony.
-- 11:15 am, Obama touches down in Ft. Hood, and after a 15 min. taxi for the plane, "The president said nothing on arrival and quickly got into a limo in the motorcade, which was made up of 16 other vehicles."
-- 1:39 pm, Ceremony was due to start at 1:00 pm. No mention for the delay.
-- 2:27 pm, Obama departs memorial. C-SPAN video ends with Barack and Michelle Obama looking at their own reflection in the building's glass as they mount the stairs.
-- 3:15 pm, Obamas board Air Force One.
This schedule shows approximately 30 minutes the Obamas spent with grieving family members of 13 dead and 30 wounded soldiers. Not much time for more than a handshake if that with about 300 designated family the Army arranged travel or accommodation for. No mention on what occupied Obama's hour before the ceremony but I hope it involved more than eating lunch.
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/blotter/entries/fort_hood/
http://www.c-span.org/Watch/Media/2009/11/10/HP/A/25729/Fort+Hood+Shooting+Victims+Memorial+Service.aspx