Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Don't celebrate Obama's "I screwed up" remark; it's no more than "the dog ate my homework"

Consider Abraham Lincoln, at the Gettysburg Address, with a Civil War so thoroughly mismanaged by his generals in the West and only briefly rescued in the East because of Lee's insistence that Pickett's men charge across an open range of land in southern Pennsylvania.

As famed video historian Ken Burns said at writers conference in 1996 in Wilmington, DE, where I was one of the instructors, "ABC's Britt Hume could have reported, 'Here, President Lincoln, trying to turn the nation's sight from a disastrous Western campaign ... .' "

But then Lincoln delivered one of the greatest oratories in the nation's history, even though the Press of that day panned it for its brevity.

Compare that address amid adversity and so much sacrifice to President Obama's less-than-immortal words last night, "I screwed up."

Obama has tried in the early days of his presidency to try and walk in Lincoln big shoes. He cannot. It is like a toddler in dad's loafers. Yet too many of his apologists consider Obama wonderful to have uttered those three words.

They were nothing more than "the dog ate my homework".

Obama's words last night defied the brilliance of the real leader from Illinois. Obama is simply an impostor. "I screwed up" proved as much.

Not only did he screw up, but Obama doomed universal health care that many of us have publicly fought for the past 20 years. And now with Americans in massive numbers losing their jobs and health care with no hope of universal care for the next four years, Obama's silly admission to try and conceal his incompetency was insulting.

I made a big mistake in endorsing him and even being part of a local inaugural ball to support his presidency.

Hillary Rodham Clinton was the obvious, better choice in the primary, and Sen. John McCain in the general election. McCain now is trying to steer federal aid to where it will do the most long-term good: in rescuing the housing industry. That is where the economic mess began in the first place. His efforts should be supported.

Ultimately, I don't know which is more offensive to those of us who have fought so long for universal care: Obama's three words, or his apologists who champion them.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Tim,
Buyers remorse, this quick? I think he will find his sea legs and most of his supporters are still in the clouds.
You my friend are true to your word, you do not carry any ones flag.
Joe