In Search of the Redeeming Qualities of President Obama

I have been told by a group of people who I see often, all of whom are democrats, that I never say anything nice about President Obama. While I don't agree with his policies I acknowledge that is he is my president too. Therefore I should try to find the things that we can agree upon.


I personally believe that Obama, in his heart of hearts, knows that vouchers is part of the solution to the sad state of affairs that makes up our public school systems. When he first took office one of the first things on the agenda for Nanny Pelosi and Co. was to end the DC scholarship program. The president put his weight behind allowing the children already in the program to finish their education through graduation. I am sure that Nanny had to sallow hard, but she did it. Several thousand needy students were not cut off and could finish at the schools of their parent(s) choice. I also like the vegetable garden that students from around DC have come to work on. When you live in a major urban area gardens are not always possible, so this opens them up to a new experience. I know when I was young and my dad planted his garden, I loved to help and really enjoyed the fresh veggies. Something that did follow me into adulthood. I also give him credit for trying to give his daughters as much as normal a childhood that one can have living in a fishbowl. They both are involved in athletics and both the President and First Lady go and watch them play and seem to be involved in their activities. That is important to kids. They want mom and dad to watch them, it gives them a sense of pride and accomplishment. While these are scant and barely compliments, I have tried.


My issue becomes does President Obama acknowledge that he is my president too? I don't think so. We can point to his comments about the tea party and the right. Even he has invoked the race card. While I am willing to admit that some people don't like him due only to race, it doesn't seem to me that he is willing to acknowledge that the vast majority in the tea party don't care about his skin color. They don't like his policies. They don't believe that he has America's best interests at heart. They do believe he really did mean that he wanted to fundamentally transform America, and they don't like what he is trying to transform it to. While some go as far as to say he is a communist, I personally feel that he would like to see America become a quasi-socialist state like much of the European nations. The tea party people are standing up and saying hell no we won't go. With all the faults that America has had over the generations, it still gives the population opportunities that don't really exist in Europe. We acknowledge the faults, but hold dear the promise that is America. He doesn't see the promise the same way we do.


But after last night's little performance there can be no doubt in my mind that Obama doesn't acknowledge that he is my president as well. I am the "enemy" that must be belittled in order to be destroyed and discredited. While attending the annual White House Correspondence dinner the president made that crystal clear with his outright disgraceful attack on Donald Trump. I am no fan of The Donald. I have never been. I am not overly impressed by someone by the virtue of their wealth alone. All money really does is give one options. It seems to me that the option that Donald Trump chose is to be egomaniac who no real moral compass. His main goal in life is to promote himself to gain even more money that just increases his over-sized ego even more.


This dinner has always been a few moments where the press that cover the president to relax and have some laughs at each others expense. The President gives a short speech that normally pokes fun at himself and then a comedian comes out and tells a few more zingers at the expense of both the president and the media. People have a dinner, some good wine, and a few laughs and then go on their merry way. The vast majority of Obama's speech was allocated to going after Donald Trump. Trump was invited by, I believe, The Washington Post, and of course he never turns down an invitation to promote himself. So there stood the president tearing down a private citizen in full view of the media. While Trump has caused a headache or two for the president over the past few months, as an American citizen criticizing the president is not just a privilege, but a responsibility. It is a part of the checks and balances of the system. But this president just can't seem to take the criticisms and gets very personal at those who dare.

So the next time these people say to me I don't say anything nice about the president I will have to remind them I have taken my cue from the top. I also will ask them to point out when President Bush (whom they all HATE) ever went after someone who criticized him on a personal level. I don't think they will find one. President Bush put up with a great deal of hate from the left during his eight years in office and he while many of us complained he didn't fight back hard enough, I can honestly say that I will take his approach over the thin-skinned ego maniacal approach that Obama has chosen to employ.