It is fascinating to watch the many different “explanations” of Obama’s various behaviours. What makes them interesting is that their proliferation indicates just how puzzling people are finding this president. Some come to the conclusion that he’s just completely out of his depth, others that he’s a radical, maniacal Marxist. I suspect there is truth in both of these views, they’re not incompatible. But, as I’ve written in a recent post, and it warrants repeating, I think there is a third factor at play: Obama want to be the next Secretary General of the UN! Clinton tried for it after his presidency, but failed. Tony Blain tried for it, and failed. Obama believes that what catapulted him into the presidency can also give him entrance to this holy grail of charlatans: he is half-black! All he has to do is convince the power brokers of the UN that he is black in the right way. This hypothesis is the only one that explains the erratic and careless behavior of this president.
I believe that at this point, that two things are clear: 1) he has given up any idea of running for another term, and 2) whatever his administration does is aimed not at the improvement of the U.S., but rather at establishing his bona fides for the electors of the Secretary Generalship.
His plan involves doing enough locally to convince the Dem party hacks that he’s still interested in getting them elected (which he is, but to a minimal extent) and keeping his cabinet persuaded that he’s actually trying to govern.
People have often commented that he seems to be campaigning most of the time, rather than governing; but they have failed to identify precisely what it is he is campaigning for. It is not another term as president of the U.S.; it is not to give the Democrat party another majority; it is not to improve the lot of the “African-American community”; it is not to redistribute the wealth of the U.S..
Or, rather, it is all of these things, but as instruments of achieving his post-presidential ambitions, not for their own sakes.
I am not saying that his sympathies don’t lie with these objectives, but, when the chips are down, what he’s after is more power, more wealth, and more influence, and on a larger stage.
What people refer to as his political “tone deafness”, his being “aloof”, his being “out of touch” with the American people all evidence, not a lack of ability, but merely that he has utterly ceased caring about re-election or anything political within the American framework. He vacations constantly, he vacations away from the Gulf at exactly the time when support from him would help, he pisses on Israel, he pisses on Arizona. All of this has to be understood as reflecting not political ignorance or ineptitude, but that they are aimed, to the degree that they are aimed at all, at a larger and external audience.
Like all politicians, Obama panders, but he’s no longer pandering to the American electorate: he’s pandering to the electorate that will make him the King of the U.N.!
Obama has stopped governing, if he ever did, he is now campaigning, and not campaigning in and for an office in the U.S.A..
Simplicius,
ReplyDeleteI think this makes sense, especially given that Obama is the first Post-American President, who really sees himself as a "citizen of the world" before an American. Considering that other liberals before him have tried to become international leaders, it is no surprise that BHO would do the same. However, I disagree that he is not interested in winning a second term. I think he very much wants to. His plans at the UN can wait. He has too much ego to leave the presidency prematurely knowing that usually presidents will be elected twice.