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Not a Job for Angry Daddy

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Posted on Jun 3, 2010

By Ruth Marcus

The presidency is not a play in two acts. The disaster in the Gulf is not six characters in search of a leader. So why the coverage of President Obama and the oil spill as theater criticism?

Is he angry? Is he enraged? Has he shown it? Is there a vein bulging in his neck?

At the White House press briefing the other day, the debate deteriorated into linguistic parsing of rage versus frustration—and while reporters started it, the White House was foolish enough to play along.

CBS’ Chip Reid: “Frustration and rage are very different emotions, though. I haven’t—have we really seen rage from the president on this? I think most people would say no.”

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs: “I’ve seen rage from him, Chip. I have…. He has been in a whole bunch of different meetings—clenched jaw—even in the midst of these briefings, saying everything has to be done. I think this was an anecdote shared last week, to ‘plug the damn hole.’ ”

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I’m not sure whether it counts as frustration or rage, but I don’t give a damn about the tightness of the president’s jaw. Strategically leaked anecdotes about presidential eruptions are not reassuring—they are insulting to the intelligence of Americans who understand that they are being clumsily spun. 

What I care about, and what I suspect most Americans care about, is, in ascending order of importance: How did this happen, and did a failure of government regulation contribute to the disaster? How can we make certain it will never happen again? And, most important, how can we plug the damn hole?

Of course qualities of presidential leadership and temperament matter, never more than in a crisis. Technocratic competence is necessary but not sufficient. Bill Clinton’s ability to feel your pain was a crucial skill; his empathetic response to the Oklahoma City bombing was a signal moment of his presidency. Likewise, George W. Bush rose to the tragic occasion in the days after 9/11. It’s a necessary, if somewhat silly, part of the job to have, as quickly as possible, the Official Presidential Visit to the disaster site, with the chief executive looking appropriately grim.

To critics of the president’s attendance at the White House event for Paul McCartney: What was he supposed to do—huddle in the Oval Office with Energy Secretary (did we mention he has a Nobel Prize in physics?) Steven Chu and sketch out a solution on the back of a napkin embossed with the presidential seal? This is real life, not “Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius.”

Bush would not have been hammered for his New Orleans fly-by if Brownie had been doing a better job on the ground—and if the president and other administration officials had not denied the obvious disaster unfolding on national television. Obama would not be taking so much grief now if any of the efforts to stop the spill had worked. He could be as Spock-like as he wanted if “junk shot” or “top kill” or whatever were doing the trick.

Nothing has worked, but it’s not at all clear to me that this reflects any lack of attention or action on the part of the administration. The failure on the president’s part has been one of Method acting, not, as far as I can tell, of substantive performance. Obama has not adequately inhabited the character of Angry Daddy.

Actually, I thought we liked Obama-as-Spock—logical, controlled, unruffled in the face of the economic meltdown. Whatever happened to all that talk about the president’s first-class temperament? Personally, I prefer my presidents without anger management issues, and I’ll take my emoting at the movies.

The White House, I fear, is taking the wrong lesson from the barrage of criticism. They are rushing Obama back to the Gulf for another visit Friday. To what end? Because the president’s presence will help anyone in the Gulf—or because it will help the president? The real test is in the doing, not the showy symbolism.

Ruth Marcus’ e-mail address is marcusr(at symbol)washpost.com.

© 2010, Washington Post Writers Group


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kulu's avatar

By kulu, June 10, 2010 at 9:36 am Link to this comment

Obama, Bush, Clinton what’s the difference? I really feel for the fishing communities and others whose lives will be wrecked by this disaster.

Exxon’s response to the Exxon Valdez disaster, Chevrons tactics re the oil pollution in the Ecuadorian forest and Shell’s crimes in the Niger Delta country in Nigeria all point to the likely responses by BP to its very own self-induced disaster.

Obama will do virtually nothing besides posture to ensure the victims of this particular bit of lawlessness will be properly compensated. (That’s a prediction which I hope is proved wrong.)

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By mrtmbrnmn, June 5, 2010 at 1:21 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

there is no longer any doubt that barack oilbama totally lacks the neccesities to be president of the u.s. he wishy-washied in the face of the al-qaeda of wall street bank robbery, giving trillions to the criminals who caused the global financial collapse and demanding nothing in return (except, perhaps more campaign contributions). his health care bill was a complete wank, in reality a multi-billion dollar handout to the health business scoundrels, the insurance and drug companies. he couldn’t even publicly defend the bill against criticism, because he was with the insurance and drug companies all along. he was totally trickerated by the incompetant and deranged boobs at the pentagon into sending thousands more troops to afghanistan bananastan in order to keep the cash flowing to the defense department and the crooked contractors. we will be in iraq until the 23rd century and in afghanistan until they kick us out. now (and always) he is with bp and the oil companies. in the beginning hiding in the lincoln bedroom while the villains who caused the drilling explosion and the spill were given the lead in solving the catastrophe they caused and the crimes they committed. and now flopping around on the tv machine like an oil-drenched pelican (or, more accurately, peli-can’t). oilbama is a complete wuss. absolutely the wrong man for the moment. and i fear his pathological and congenital inadequacies (not to mention his excessive rodney king gene) will pave the way for complete corporate facism in the usa and the 2nd coming of pinochet. at the risk of sounding racist, which i am not, i wish we actually had a black man in the white house instead of this bland man. jeeeze louise!!!

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drbhelthi's avatar

By drbhelthi, June 5, 2010 at 6:12 am Link to this comment

Further evidence is his quasi-repeat of the USS Liberty event. 
Offering “political support” to israeli-dictator-types after they
commited an act of piracy on “high seas,” international waters ?

Simply a repetition of the cowardice and treason committed by
Lyndon B. Johnson and his pimp, McNamara,
in the shameful USS Liberty debacle ?

What else can be expected from a kenyan, with twenty years of
destructive service as an operative of the NAZI CIA, participant
in the Osama bin Laden fraud,
steered into the US presidential position
by the same israeli-dictator-types who ordered the
act of piracy a few days ago,
murdering how many people ???
http://www.proliberty.com/observer/20070405.htm
Get real, AMERICANS !  ONLY a FEW MINUTES REMAIN

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drbhelthi's avatar

By drbhelthi, June 5, 2010 at 5:36 am Link to this comment

Oh ?
Increasing the operations already in place by a factor of three,
leads deeper and faster into oblivion.

Bringing oneself up-to-date on who steered Mr. Hussein Obama into
the presidential position, in spite of his kenyan birthplace, which
super-rich israeli-dictator-types continue to pull his strings, clears
up ones vision. 

Democrat vs Republicans ?  A sad fairy tale, long-since outdated.

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Hulk2008's avatar

By Hulk2008, June 4, 2010 at 3:01 pm Link to this comment

Hey drbhelthi:

That “gutter and oblivion” you speak of was already there in 2008 and before.  The Pres can’t help but lead us away from the malefactions of Bush - even if he does it by accident.  When one starts out inside Hell, any path away is an obvious improvement.

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By Flummox, June 4, 2010 at 2:24 pm Link to this comment

I don’t want an angry daddy, just a President who tells BP they can’t keep journalists from filming wherever they want (or anyone for that matter), fires Jane Lubchenko for turning the NOAA into the public relations department of BP, and ensures tax payers aren’t left paying one cent for the cleanup.

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drbhelthi's avatar

By drbhelthi, June 4, 2010 at 10:13 am Link to this comment

The US presidential occupant, Mr. Hussein Obama, is very actively
leading the USofA. 

Into the gutter and oblivion.

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By REDHORSE, June 4, 2010 at 9:53 am Link to this comment

HEY JUDE-GERARD-APRIL AND YELL—TY!!!

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By Jim Yell, June 4, 2010 at 8:04 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

We should be very careful about letting the news media distract us from the real cause of this disaster. It was malicous gambling by a huge Corporation. It was an irresponsible and criminal act of designed risk to promote huge profits without regard to the destruction it could and now has brought to America and to the Global Environment.

The problem with the government has been lax regulation and this was a process that traces directly to Bush/Cheney. It is fair to ask why Bush/Cheney appointments continue to serve the nation when they have made it clear that if not just incompetent they are malicous in their disregard to responsible government oversight and hostile to doing the tasks they were appointed to do for the American People.

Obama in most cases reminds me of Calvin Coolidge, famous for thinking as President he could do nothing without being asked to. I thought we had made it clear that we wanted a responsible government, a law abiding government and instead we are getting warmed over Bush era War and poverty.

The Republicans who have stonewalled every move to find solutions have no right to try and shift the blame for 8 years of Republican Crimes on to Obama. But, the American People have the right to tell Obama to stop being timid, stop saying pretty words and start leading.

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drbhelthi's avatar

By drbhelthi, June 4, 2010 at 4:30 am Link to this comment

Quite obviously, too few people have read the CIA-insider background
on one, Barack Hussein Obama.  What can one expect of a kenyan-born,
CIA member who assisted with the Osama bin Laden fraud?

Get real, Americans !!!

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mrfreeze's avatar

By mrfreeze, June 3, 2010 at 10:41 pm Link to this comment

Where is all the “run the country like a business, with ‘business’ principles?????? We heard that baloney when GWB was first elected (?***). Aren’t the leaders of the “private sector and industry” supposed to be cool and calculating, unemotional and shrewd?

If all the enemies of the President buy into the narrative that government should be run like a business, then they should understand better than anyone, leadership doesn’t mean screaming and yelling and carrying-on with “enthusiasm” when times are great (Mission Accomplished???) or breaking down crying when things get tough. Even that !diot Zig Ziglar says that one doesn’t need to outwardly show one’s anger or enthusiasm to be angry or enthusiastic.

When will the Media and the American People realize that government is about bean-counting and public policy and administrating big stuff. It’s not supposed to be “emotional.” Had GWB shown more self control and awareness after 9/11 (a quality he’s incapable of), perhaps we would not be embroiled in the myriad of problems facing us today in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Grow up America. Grow up MSM. Once again, the President is being held to some mythological standard that really doesn’t matter. It is fairly obvious that when his critics have no real issues of substance to throw his way, they must resort to attacks on his “personal style.” If that’s all they’ve got, screw em!

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G.Anderson's avatar

By G.Anderson, June 3, 2010 at 8:56 pm Link to this comment

Mabye it’s not a play in two acts but it’s looking likely to be a play in one act…

And maybe we don’t need an angry Daddy, but neither do we need a Poindexter, who seems lost in his analysis..

I’m sure he gives a mean lecture, the B.P executives can stare at their shoes for an hour or two, and promise never ever to do it again, while they squirm in their seats, like a couple of junior high kids facing after school detention…

Meanwhile, were killing the Gulf and putting a way of life out of business…I just don’t feel a sense of urgency…

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By April Campbell, June 3, 2010 at 7:01 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

What rubbish! Obama’s response to this disaster has been abysmal. He yucked it up at a reporters’ dinner after 11 men had been killed and oil gushed into the ocean faster than you can say “One and Done.” Can he plug the hole ? No, but he could do the following:
1) Cancel all of BP’s NA leases 2) Seize their assets 3)Put out an SOS to scientists all over the world for help with this problem (not appoint a committee of political hacks who know squat about this problem 4) Fire Salazar 5) Admit that overturning the moratorium on deep water drilling was a mistake 5) Order the Navy, NOAA and Coast Guard to conduct INDEPENDENT testing of the waters and make the results public 6)Ban all drilling in the Gulf in WRITING. Is this enough for you so far?

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By jude moriarty, June 3, 2010 at 6:13 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

I live on a back road in NH and I am fully aware of the sordid history LIES of BP over the years. As President, I would hardly allow such incompetence at the helm, of MY ship of state with their incompetent goons!! Has everyone forgotten that while (past 6 wks) the President has been welcoming various sports teams to the White House ($150.00 per lb KOBE steak cookouts) - taken off to a 3 day elegant spa - held a black tie dinner/concert on lawn,  with lots of celebrities, for the Mexican President whom BERATED our country, numerous golf games/ basketball games, Memorial Day vacation etc. In this period of time 32 of our young people are DEAD in war - some sent back 4-5-6 times. Sorry, but leadership demands that one not party (they entertain weekly) in the midst of war - men dying, terribly maimed for life - NO VACATIONS FOR THEM - and my God in the midst of our worst environmental disaster he gets back from vacation, and has a gala (comedians - Jonas Brothers for the kids) party with Paul McCartny (Beatles fame) see news reports/photos. UNBELIEVABLE .

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By FRTothus, June 3, 2010 at 5:41 pm Link to this comment

If he’s not angry, then he’s not paying attention,
and is the wrong man for the job.

As a brand-name, Obama is all that, but he has, from
the very first day in office, failed to execute the
laws of the land. That is his primary task, and he
has failed at every turn.  Today’s disaster, only the
latest, brought to you by our corporate-coddling lap-
dog government on behalf of their paymasters,
provides yet another opportunity for our elected
whores to fall all over themselves in a race to
shovel public money into corporate hands, show how
ineffective government can be, and extoll the non-
existent “virtues” of the profit motive. With flowery
words and phrases, the elected whores attempt to
mollify the public, shamelessly using lies and fear
as weapons to further the agenda of exploitation by
the wealthy, all other principles be damned.  Were
our elected whores not putting out, they would would
be easily replaced by others eager to fill the ranks
of lackeys, and breathlessly fawned over by the lap-
dog press.

“Democracy is not about trust; it is about distrust.
It is about accountability, exposure, open debate,
critical challenge, and popular input and feedback
from the citizenry. It is about responsible
government. We have to get our fellow Americans to
trust their leaders less and themselves more, trust
their own questions and suspicions, and their own
desire to know what is going on.”
(Michael Parenti)

“To become informed and hold government accountable,
the general public needs to obtain news that is
comprehensive yet interesting and understandable,
that conveys facts and outcomes, not cosmetic images
and airy promises.”
(Eric Alterman)

“[American leaders] are perhaps not so much immoral
as they are amoral. It’s not that they take pleasure
in causing so much death and suffering. It’s that
they just don’t care ... the same that could be said
about a sociopath. As long as the death and suffering
advance the agenda of the empire, as long as the
right people and the right corporations gain wealth
and power and privilege and prestige, as long as the
death and suffering aren’t happening to them or
people close to them ... then they just don’t care
about it happening to other people, including the
American soldiers whom they throw into wars and who
come home - the ones who make it back alive - with
Agent Orange or Gulf War Syndrome eating away at
their bodies. American leaders would not be in the
positions they hold if they were bothered by such
things.”
(William Blum)

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By gerard, June 3, 2010 at 1:55 pm Link to this comment

Sooner or later we will have to get these creeps off our back.  What creeps?  The financial and corporate barons behind the scenes who are telling Obama what he must do and what he must not do if he (the Democrats) want to get re-elected.  No wonder if veins in his neck stand out from time to time.  He is owned.  He does not belong to the American people.  He does not belong to the Democratic Party.  He does not belong to himself.  The lack of justified and spontaneous rage and appropriate public action, the ignoring of public opinion, the infighting in Congress—not only over BP but over health care, unemployment, bailouts, war—the whole outrageous waste of time and the ordinary people’s money—is enough to make the Devil laugh himself to death.

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By felicity, June 3, 2010 at 1:12 pm Link to this comment

Probably since FDR - due to continual wars, hot or cold - the Oval Office has accrued more and greater power, which also entails more responsibility.  Obama has everything dumped in his lap, is responsible for fixing it all, not to mention writing legislation for the approval of, or disapproval of the Congress.  (Role reversal?)

For those unconditionally in love with that horse-and-buggy document - odd, since I don’t know anybody who has one of those these days - called the Constitution one would think that they’d be up in arms about this revolting development.

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