Obama a No-Show in Berlin
posted at 9:53 am on November 10, 2009 by Howard Portnoy
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“This isn’t about me.” — Barack Obama
“The hell it isn’t.” — Howard Portnoy
Yesterday of course marked the twentieth anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. One world leader was conspicuously absent from the commemorative event in Berlin. Curiously, this same individual found time last year to give a campaign speech at this very site. His name is Barack Obama.
But that was then, and this is now. The difference? The question of what was in it for Obama this time around. The White House’s official excuse was a packed schedule, which does not appear to have been the case yesterday, in addition to which, when hasn’t Obama taken time off for non-official events that he (a) felt like participating in and/or (b) saw political advantage in participating in?
Despite Obama’s frequent protestations, everything is about him, always. And his staunchest supporters are beginning to wise up to this fact. Der Spiegel, formerly in awe of Obama, titled its story on Obama’s misguided decision “Barack is Too Busy.” (I think “Barack is a Devious, Calculating SOB” would be a little more to the point.) Marty Peretz, writing in the New Republic, sees larger implications in Obama’s decision not to go to Berlin, titling his article “Budapest, The Berlin Wall, and Iran: What Obama Does Not Grasp.”
As if to add insult to injury, Obama had one of his peons dash off a “proclamation” reading essentially “Twenty years ago today, the Wall . . . yadda, yadda, yadda.” (Signed BO)
At some point, Obama is going to need to understand that he won the election last year. He is going to have to start acting like the Leader of the Free World. Despite his continued dumping on his predecessor a year in (a trend that is also beginning to wear thin with his supporters) this is a job he wanted. It is a job he ran for. It is high time he started doing it.
Cross-posted at Zombie Contentions
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“Ich bin ein Berliner!” – Pres. John F. Kennedy
“Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” – Pres. Ronald Reagan
“This isn’t about me” – Pres. Barack Obama
thebrokenrattle on November 10, 2009 at 10:18 AM
He *was* able to work in a reference to himself during his taped speech, saying that 20 years ago no one could have imagined that the leader of America would be a “man of African descent”. (’Cause, you know, America is racist and stuff.)
I’d say the more astonishing thing is that 20 years later, the leader(?) of America is a self-absorbed, narcissistic, Marxist jackass.
jana on November 10, 2009 at 10:21 AM
Hasn’t he put that (or something like it) in almost every speech?
I’m historic! Look at me! I’m historic!
Daggett on November 10, 2009 at 12:27 PM
Historic failure.
publiuspen on November 10, 2009 at 12:31 PM
Yes, electing a black president is the same as a worldwide changing event marking the end of communism err…right?
I think about the statesmanship of previous presidents who spoke sweepingly and grandly. The best that BO can do is talk about himself with his annoying noise-pointed-up look. How disgraceful that so many world leaders showed up and the best we could was Hillary. At least she’s not a moron like Biden. Maybe we should have also sent the other Clinton and HW Bush. At least they actually do some good. Sheesh.
norcalgal on November 10, 2009 at 5:35 PM