Michael Jackson death overshadows hard week for Obama

The sudden death of Michael Jackson has overwhelmed the media universe and has sucked the air out of the furnace of politics. 

And for the Obama administration, that may not be such a bad thing.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is visiting the White House today and her trip will certainly be overshadowed by the furious frenzy over how Jackson died. Still, a visit from a foreign dignitary wouldn’t have riveted the world’s attention for long even when the topic is troops for the war in Afghanistan.

But also lost in the Jackson coverage is that the Obama administration took significant steps on issues on two marquee issues: Healthcare and immigration reform.

The White House this week made it clear that it lacks the congressional votes to win comprehensive immigration reform. Obama said he remains strongly committed to pushing for an immigration package, but that the timing was somewhere down the road.

On healthcare, Obama and his top officials opened the door to negotiations on a public insurance option and to some form of cap or tax on employer-supplied healthcare benefits for the rich. Obama had pushed the public option and derided any tax during the presidential campaign. It may be too soon to say that the president has changed his mind, but he will try to ease congressional worries. And a door that is ajar tends to swing wider.

If the media tsunami caused by Jackson’s death drowned out the complaints over any policy shifts, it was a bad time for GOP opponents as well. Republicans had hoped to capitalize on opposition to the energy bill working its way through the House. Their complaints about new energy taxes were drowned out by Jackson’s death.

None of these issues is going away, however. And at some point, the lighthouse will turn and shine again on the political sea.

– Michael Muskal

Fans of pop star Michael Jackson sit vigil at talk radio host Michael Jackson's Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on June 25, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Charley Gallay/Getty Images)

Comments

[Brittanicus]

Every American, green card and working visa holder has a decision to make in the coming months? You can turn away and leave the rest of us to fight over the illegal immigration battle, or you can do your share? Simply put if you don't mind the continuous AMNESTIES, that as a taxpayers the Status Quo in Washington keep taking your money for, thus supporting the Illegal alien occupancy of our nation. Or you can draw that line in the sand and say enough is enough! This simply means you as a voter can instruct your representative to do your bidding? Not the opposite way? If millions of us contact these politicians they would not be to keen, pushing for this AMNESTY. Specifically knowing that Robert Rector of the Heritage Foundation, an astute and well known analyst has conceived that this AMNESTY, would cost taxpayers 2.6 trillion dollars to implement on enactment.

The person in the street who investigates the government statistics, think tank facts and a whole serious of data not corrupted by the open border, free traders and other delusional organizations. We all must come to realize that we have been programmed by our government to believe everything they print or say? Just like the 11 million number, which has probably doubled in the last seven years. They really have no conception of the number remaining here? Rational individual, should make his own mind-up of what to do? We can do absolutely nothing and let the unscrupulous leaders in Congress, tread us into the mud and leave us to scrap over this illegal alien crisis. Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., the chairman of the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on immigration, has already using his influence to deny American workers jobs, by trying to slay E-Verify as Sen. Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi--ALL PRO ILLEGAL ALIEN REPRESENTATIVES.

No! its not perfect, but it is being continuously modified? NO! its not without mistakes, because that why you go to the Social Security office to straighten things out. Every immigration law that comes the publics way is annulled, because the majority of lawmakers are in this together. Paying just lip service to their own constituents and offering only unimportant distractions that don't effect the voters wallet. Of all issues that resonate illegal immigration must be considered to be the master, because it effects our very future. Perhaps even more than the money forcibly extracted to pay for the illegal alien welfare is OVERPOPULATION. Your voice is needed in Washington, to seal the border, cut off all support and jobs to every illegal immigrant who violated the rule of law, by crossing into a sovereign AMERICA

E-Verify should be the demand to every politician, that as a permanent addition to all enforcement. Not one employee should be exempt from a full examination of their legal status who exists on a payroll. It's no doubt in my mind hundreds of thousands, perhaps many millions have remained hidden within the employer rolls of any business, taking existing jobs of many Americans? Perhaps Washington is so apprehensive that for years they have remained intentionally ignorant of how many illegal foreign workers have taken US worker jobs from janitor, warehouse manager, engineer to computer programmer?

[Tony]

Tell you what, Sanford is probably Jackson's newest fan. And it's good to get the bonehead network media off the healthcare story for a while—it's clear they have no idea what they're talking about. They just throw numbers around, trillion this trillion that (video: http://www.newsy.com/videos/numbers_and_figures_and_polls_oh_my) and speculate for hours about things they don't understand.

[Reality Check]

Obama should thank Michael Jackson's estate for distracting people from the following:
1. A proposed healthcare plan that needs to be funded by once again raising taxes on people who are thought of as being rich. Rich defined as anyone who makes over $100,000 a year.
2. Rising unemployment expected to soar past 10%.
3. American troops still being killed and dying in Iraq and Afghanistan.
4. Out of control increased government spending/bailouts leading to a soaring national debt.
5. The fact that as time goes by its harder to blame everything on the Bush administration.
6. Billions of taxpayer dollars being spent every day in Iraq.
7. Iranian oppression and nuclear proliferation.
8. Chinese censorship and American indifference.
9. Falling home prices and rising gas prices.

[arOn]

R.I.P. Michael!!
we don't forget you!!

[William Tate]

For the first time in memory, MSM outlets didn't bother to send the White House press corps to a major policy address in Chicago, citing budget constraints. It will be interesting to see if they are equally parsimonious in their coverage of Michael Jackson's passing.

[Jacob Jameson]

I just wanted to say I am so sad about MJ. It is almost unreal. I just visited his tribute site at http://www.michaeljacksonicon.com and watched his videos. What a true Talent. Miss You and God Bless the Jackson Family.

[THE KING OF POP WILL BE MISSED BE US ALL]

THE ONLY KING OF POP WILL BE MISSED BY ALL.

We were all deeply saddened by the Loss of such an Iconic Figure yesterday and it is almost a state of shock we are in. We spent time on http://www.michaeljacksonicon.com and were amazed by the amount of work and things he had accomplished in such a short time. A true genius and we will miss you deeply. God Bless to the Jackson Family.

MUCH LOVE MICHEAL RIP

[Gabrielle]

The world is always going to be a mess and we will always continue to have hurdles and challenges to deal with. However, we can only lose Michael Jackson once! I'm sorry but yes he is the biggest news as he should be... The man was a paradigm shifter who redefined the entertainment industry and broke racial as well as global boundaries. If Michael hadn't through culture made people of color acceptable then we would never have lived to see a colored president!