'Sire, the peasants are revolting!' Obama's amazing problem with political optics

"Sire," the nobleman urgently reports to the throne, "the peasants are revolting!"

"Phewee!" the king responds in the vaudeville sketch, "You're telling me."

For security reasons mainly, every modern U.S. president lives apart from average Americans.

Yes, George Washington refused to shake hands with fellow citizens. But Thomas Jefferson quickly took up that democratic habit. Two presidents have been assassinated shaking hands and Andrew Jakcson would have been had the pistols not misfired. Shaking hands has now become such an expected political staple that campaigning pols must often soak their hands of an evening to relieve the pain from so many citizen grips.

Most presidents do try to play down their apartness and not appear, well, royal. Remember all the mocking of Richard Nixon's proposed martinette White House guard uniforms? Royals are, after all, the folks we threw out in a revolution more than two centuries ago.

But, wow, what has gone wrong with the Optics Czar in the Obama White House?

The current president is a Real Good Talker. But the current White House crowd, which counts on its public connections to....

...sell its policies, seems to be going out of its way these days to look totally disconnected from the reality the rest of us see and live with. And today was a corker:

President Obama was scheduled to receive an award this afternoon in the middle of Sunshine Week from a coalition of good government groups for his much-promised policy of government transparency. Strangely, this award for government openness was to include only photographers. So, no meddlesome media questions.

Worse, the transparency award was scheduled for a day when every other presidential activity was closed to the media and public. Not the best context and an obvious invitation to "wait-one-minute-stories" like this.

In terms of information opennesss earlier this week the Associated Press reported:

People requested information 544,360 times last year under the U.S. Freedom of Information Act from the 35 largest agencies, up nearly 41,000 more than the previous year, according to an analysis by The Associated Press of new federal data. But the government responded to nearly 12,400 fewer requests.

Weirdly the administration even censored e-mails about its openness:

The Obama administration censored 194 pages of internal e-mails about its Open Government Directive that the AP requested more than one year ago.

The December 2009 directive requires every agency to take immediate, specific steps to open their operations up to the public. But the White House Office of Management and Budget blacked-out entire pages of some e-mails between federal employees discussing how to apply the new openness rules, and it blacked-out one e-mail discussing how to respond to AP's request for information about the transparency directive.

OK, maybe that's inside baseball for some. Other Obama optics have been skewed recently. He appoints Joe Biden to head negotiations over a continuing federal spending extension and cuts because they are of paramount importance; Joe meets once, then flies off to Finland, Russia and Moldova for a working week. He phones back twice from Russia but can't reach Harry Reid.

Last Friday Americans woke to the horrific sight of that ocean wave wiping out thousands of lives and homes in Japan. Fresh from still studying what if anything to do about Libya and his White House conference on bullying, the president, of course, expressed sympathy and offered help to our most important Asian alliy.

But his opening news conference message involved gas prices.

Amid all the international turmoil came Saturday morning's weekly messages from each political party. Republicans called for fewer Obama drilling moratoriums and more domestic oil development. Obama celebrated Women's History Month.

Saturday with all the international turmoil and no firm Libya policy decisions yet from the White House, Obama hit the golf course for the 61st time. (No photos allowed.)

This isn't an unusual Obama phenomenon. Throughout 2009 when polls showed jobs and the economy the top national concern, Obama drove his healthcare initiative relentlessly. And those who supported him in Congress paid a steep price in last November's midterm voting.

Biden has twice met with the administration's chief of transparency--and closed the session.

As he did for last week's White House gathering with top union leaders, something that used to drive Sen. Biden crazy when the previous vice president did it with energy officials.

Obama aides boast of opening visitor logs as never before. But recent news media reports told of White House officials scheduling meetings elsewhere to avoid the log.

Michelle Obama has chosen healthier eating and more physical activity as her admirable first lady cause. But the public White House menus for Thanksgiving and the Super Bowl party could easily cause comas.

The frequent White House parties allegedly celebrating American music also produce well-dressed photos of the Obamas and celebrities hobnobbing in elegance while national unemployment hovers by 9% or worse and Obama notoriously suggested Americans who needed to cut back might postpone their vacation.

Last summer as her husband urged Americans to vacation on the troubled Gulf coast despite the massive oil spill, Mrs. Obama flew off to Spain with a large entourage to take over much of a luxury resort. The Obamas did spend a night later on the Gulf (see swimming photo) before themselves vacationing in New England and then North Carolina and then Hawaii for the holidays. Sunday Obama and family leave for Rio de Janeiro.

As a nod to today's goof, the White House announced the transparency award ceremony had been canceled due to "changes" in the president's plans, adding it would be re-scheduled. Don't hold your breath.

Taken individually -- like Mrs. Obama notoriously wearing $600 tennis shoes to a food bank event -- these acts can seem minor gaffes. Everyone expects a president to relax or exercise or stage elegant parties. But in the broader context of events nowadays such a blatant pattern of persistent insensitivity comes across as, at best, just plain stupid, or possibly brazenly indifferent. We're here and you're not.

Not the best theme heading into a reelection season.

With the impending nuclear meltdown, two wars and everything else going on, however, you'll be relieved to know that President Obama did complete his NCAA basketball brackets on time -- and on-camera, of course. And he made tonight's Democratic Party fundraiser too.

Obama thinks Kansas will win the championship.

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Photos: Pete Souza / White House

Comments

[skucoun]

Andrew Malcolm...YOU are the ray of sunshine today.

[Jon]

Not only did he complete his brackets on time, but all his chosen winners (besides UConn vs. Syracuse, both solid blue states) are swing states. He thinks THAT'S what the people want to hear.

[seriousfun]

Malcolm: Barack Obama is smarter than you and does more stuff before 7:30AM than you do all day. Silly awards that YOU show he downplayed by not accepting Qs, gas price questions...why don't you go ahead and ask for his birth certificate.

DO BETTER JOURNALISM!

[PulSamsara]

Yawn....

Neat story.

But story aside - Barack Obama will be your President until 2017.

[TX Saint]

@seriousfun - no, what we want to hear is "former President Obama".

[Mark]

I think seriousfun is actually trying to make a serious comment. Though tempting, it would be pointless to make fun of someone who can't grasp the point of a column like this one.

[Matt in Chicago]

seriousfun, you are correct. Sort of. He did downplay the frivolous honors and awards by not taking questions. But, he still didn't do anything regarding the real and pressing world events that these frivolous actions were cited to contrast.

In other words, you missed the point. The point is that the President is appearing to ignore substantive action on any number of world events and problems and instead focus and participate (or at least appear to participate) in frivolous events. But bravo for pointing at that he hasn't crowed over his award for transparency in light of this administrations lack of transparency.

[timothy william]

this is how a community organizer
who never really held a real job in his life governs.

[obamysanidiot]

seriousfun you are an idiot. Enjoy your kool-aid.

[Nicholas Kronos]

Asserting that the President of the United States is smarter and works harder than a random journalist is damning with faint praise, don't you think, seriousfun? Neither is it responsive, as the gist of Mr. Malcolm's piece is neither that President Obama is lazy or stupid.

[RM Edaps]

Japan, our strongest ally in Asia, is in a catastrophe, the Middle east is ablaze, our economy is a mess with 10 percent unemployment and the dollar being devalued, gas is at $4 a gallon.......and Barrack Hussein Obama is golfing, playing basketball, going to media celebrity roasts, traveling to Brazil, and concentrating on the NCAA brackets? Whether you voted for our community organizer-in-chief or not, doesn't this behavior seem at the very least incredibly bizarre?

[malclave]

I don't think he's worried. He's black, and a Democrat, so the majority of media outlets (including the LA Times) will be in the tank for him next year and support the accusations that any criticism of him is racist.

[Elmo]

In this age of "transparency," I would be curious to see the list of his golf partners, given that a good golf game allows a lot of "business" to be taken care of, all off the record, of course.

Nah, just a silly idea.....

[higgins1990]

OK people, never again elect an incompetent rock star to the nation's highest office, OK?

[Baby M]

The man's an ego junkie. He's addicted to his own perceived awesomeness. Therefore, he seeks situations--celebrity galas, fundraising speeches before friendly crowds, puff-piece TV appearances--where he can bask in the warm fuzzies.

[gina]

Most. Incompetent. Elitist. Clueless. President. Ever.

[Belle]

The LA Times and its ilk bear much of the blame for this fool being elected. If the media had done its job instead of gushing over someone with no work experience - or work ethic- who spent his minuscule time in elected office voting "present," we wouldn't have to wake up every day cringing in embarrassment and alarm at Obama's incompetence. Worse yet, those surrounding him can't cover for it because they too are incompetent and/or disturbed. Student voters are still learning, but any adult who voted for this guy should be ashamed of themselves. And don't do it again to prove you aren't racist. Voting for him only proves that you ARE a racist, because you are patronizing black people by holding them to a lower standard.

[bandit]

When I hear the idiot blabbing about which college team is better than the other I think - I don't have time to watch college hoop - how can he possibly?

[Beth Donovan]

Jon,

Kansas is NOT a swing state.

[h]

"Barack Obama is smarter than you and does more stuff before 7:30AM than you do all day. "

Hahaha. That's the best liberals have got now. The president is busier than a columnist.

Though even that's a bit of a suspect claim, unless you consider getting shuffled from meeting to meeting by one's handlers a mark of hard work or intellect. I bet Obama's and Justin Bieber's lives aren't that different.

[Jim]

Mr. Malcolm, for someone who writes for such an awful rag, you are putting together a pretty good personal record with these columns. I enjoy them. Thanks.

(AM responds. Thank you. We've been here almost 4 years now. Glad you are finding us regularly. Read all you want' we'll write more. Maybe you'll even credit the LAT for asking me to invent and implement this column and support it daily.)

[Barry Hussein]

This is exactly the behavior I expect from this clueless, inept, out of touch administration. Obozo is going to be in for a big surprise in 2012 after he is kicked out of office by the peasants.

[Ricky Lenin]

Of course Obama is following in the footsteps of the President who took more time off than any other president in your history.

George W. Bush response any time the going threatened to get tough, was to take a vacation. He took a long break during Hurricane Katrina, for instance. He also famously took AN ENTIRE MONTH OFF WORK after he received the August 6th 2001, briefing with the quaint but catchy title "Bin Laden determined to strike in US".

Bush spent 1,020 days of his presidency on vacation, 487 days of which was at Camp David. He also made no less than 77 visits to his ranch in Crawford during his presidency, spending 490 days there.

Yet you people would have us believe that Obama is falling down on the job because he filled out his NCAA bracket?

You guys are truly pathetic.

[Mason]

In response to this column Mr. Obama commented, "Fore!"

[WBC]

The story here is simply that there is a story at all. The LA Times is a liberal dishrag. Andrew Malcolm is on the LAT editorial board. The LA Times allows him to say things about His Hopefulness that differ from the myth that the Lamestream Media has created about The One. Something has changed in the two years Obama has been president.

It is entirely possible that Obama can win reelection. But if he does, it will be with a degree of media scrutiny that was entirely lacking in 2008. Not, of course, the degree of scrutiny the media will focus on the GOP candidate (whoever that might be), but the constant disgusting slobbering and fawning adulation will not be there. Who knows, maybe even Chris Matthews' leg might stop tingling by then.

(AM responds: Oh, my where to start? First off, not on the newspaper editorial board. This is an online column. Second, how bad can the outfit be if it asked me to design and write this material and pays for it despite predictable misinformed attacks like this?)

[willie]

he promised 'transparency’ on issues and I can't see him addressing any issues - promise kept.

[Captain Steve]

What should we have expected from a Marxist Community Organizer narcissist with a fraudulent Social Security number, hidden records and, and no long-form birth certificate?

Impeach the bum.

[Borchy]

bar rack is the BIGGEST embarassment to this country yet....

[Ricky Lenin]

Other disgusting things that Obama has done this week.

1. Showered, shaved, dressed and had breakfast
2. Encouraged his daughter to clean her teeth properly
3. Eaten real food
4. Had several conversations with his wife
5. Encouraged his security detail not to forget to phone home for Mother's day.

...and all this while the nation is in debt, and millions of japanese are suffering. It's shocking I tell you, shocking.

[/irony]

[Uncle SAM]

"bar rack is the BIGGEST embarassment to this country yet...."

Posted by: Borchy

No, Borchy, that was Reagan. You don't recognize, even today, the damage he did to America.

[Tj]

Dear Andrew Malcolm,

When did it become a crime to watch college sports or take a vacation if you can afford it? If you live in an area that has no jobs and 9% unemployment, then that is your fault and maybe you should consider moving to a better area!! You talk about Obama golfing but fail to mention that "W" was golfing and vacationing just weeks after 9/11. Where was your outrage and stupid opiniated column then????