The Highest Paygrade and Low-brow

The debate - well, really it was more an interview - with Rick Warren will not soon be forgotten. It will be remembered, I think, for one thing in particular: Barack Obama's claim that he is not qualified to express an opinion as to when life begins because it is "above his pay grade." To me, as much as any other thing he has ever said, that statement reflects the quality of Obama's character and that he will always seek the path of least resistance. Now that he holds the highest "pay-grade" on all of the earth, I very much want to hear his answer to that very same question. The issue, though, runs tangent to abortion and valuing life; it is the matter of presidential etiquette regarding his new pay-grade. Perhaps Emily Post should have written a book just for presidents.

Recently, Obama & Co. lined up their jumbo jets and zipped over to Copenhagen. While there, the CINC found a whopping twenty-five minutes to spend with his top commander in Afghanistan – it was a side mission, really. The true purpose of his trip, made with his wife and Oprah Winfrey, was a mission of the gravest importance: to bring the 2016 Olympic Games to Chicago. (Cue the timpani drums and dramatic organ.)

At hearing this, my first reaction was to wonder how many favors does this guy owe to Chicago thugs and politicians that he has to whore himself to their ends? My very next thought was to wonder how many thugs and politicians he would owe around the world if he actually succeeded in winning the Games? My third reaction, though, was to wonder just what in the hell is the President of the United States doing in prostrating himself before the IOC?

Okay, you say, the heads of state of the other proposed cities was there in Copenhagen to do the very same thing. Alright, fine. Name just one of those leaders who had one one-thousandth of influence or power of the U.S. president. Any reasonable person and even many liberals will agree that there must be a certain level of dignity maintained by the Chief Executive, that Barack Obama owes it to American citizens past, present, and future to not act like an idiot. Sure, every president will make the occasional idiotic decision or statement; but, behavior is altogether different. And, forgive me if you disagree, but lobbying before the IOC for the Olympic Games is far, far too far below the dignity of his office.

I fear that, even after all his apology tours, caving to Russia, discussing nuclear weapons with Iran so they can buy more time to build them, his moronic butting-in on the Harvard professor ordeal, and shameful cheap shots in his United Nations speech he has lessened the weight of the image of the U.S.A. But, it’s not like he starred in a poorly written television commercial to promote a new late-night talk show.

Oh . . . that’s right, he did star in a poorly written television commercial to promote a new late-night talk show.

The man has surrounded himself with advisors, whom even Joseph Stalin would be flat-out shocked, and usurped constitutional powers of the executive branch such that, again, ole Joe Stalin would roundly approve. Can’t he draw the line at stumping for George Lopez’ new television program? On TBS?