The other night during the interview with Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, I did something that is totally out of character for me. “I watched the entire episode, from start to finish.”
Now I have to admit, when it comes to political types, I have a very low tolerance for stupidity. And I have been known in the past to throw things at my television set, grab the remote out of the hands of other people, and change channels.
The mere sight of George Bush was enough to set me off on most days, and I thank my lucky stars for the feature on my remote that says … “Mute.”
Thankfully Bush is headed back to Texas where his most important question of the day asked of him will be “what is your zip code” at Lowe’s or Home Depot (don’t worry he will have his entourage of Secret Service to assist him).
Fully expecting to see but one more episode of Tom Cruise jumping on a couch or something like that, I was pleasantly pleased to see Mr. Obama and his wife. So it was rather different around here the other night observing this man with the engaging smile and the propensity to “actually finish his sentences” on Barbara Walters.
Carefully I listened to what he had to say, and low and behold, a closet intellectual emerged before my very eyes. Here is someone who actually thinks before he opens his mouth, who can skillfully address a point or an idea, and make sense.
What is this?
After eight years of down-home country wit, cutesy little folklore sayings, the occasional wink and smirk, it is refreshing to have something now that resembles a thinker in the White House. Living in a country with a long attitude of hostility towards politicians it might not be all that smart however to illustrate early on how smart we are. Bill Clinton deliberately played down his superior intelligence on occasion. Bush however didn’t have that luxury, and for the most part, spurned any kind of intellectual thought that differed from his own.
Not even pretending to know the answers, I will venture this.
I find it somewhat curious that Barack is taking the “Lincoln approach” to his cabinet positions, filling them with enemies and known underachievers. Leftovers from the Clinton administration. Lincoln did this during his tenure and it worked for awhile, but at the end, it all came unraveled and ended up in a sorry mess.
A lot of talk about Ronald Reagan and his leadership style these days, but in most respects, he was hated and often criticized to the nineteenth degree behind his back. Most democrats hated him with a teeth grinding fury and a lot of republicans were the same.
But it is so nice to hear genuine thought coming from a man, instead of some lame sound bite, written by some 19 year old college kid working on staff.
I don’t know if Mr. Obama has “the right stuff” or not. If he will be able to transcend the ideology that seems to be gripping the country right now. He may have the stamina because of his apparent youth and vigor, to beat them down, those who do not see it his way, which to me is the only way he is going to be able to pull this off.
Barbara Walters much like Andy Rooney has become an American institution. But it is refreshing to see someone that is open minded and inquisitive in this new political role answering her questions. Something that has been missing around here for a long, long time.
It has been an interesting week for sure.
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