Why Obama was forced to give today's deficit speech

If President Obama is in political trouble, just wait a minute. He'll give a speech. He thinks speech-making is his best skill and clearly prefers campaigning over presidenting at a desk.

Oh, look! Obama's giving another speech this afternoon.

It's at George Washington University, the administration's new favorite homefield speech-giving place where Obama had Hillary Clinton talk about foreign policy a few weeks ago.

Obama has looked distracted in recent weeks. He launched a war in Libya while taking his family around South America. For more than a week Obama had Clinton do the public explaining and take the "Say What, a Third War?" heat for the guy who beat her in the 2008 Democratic primaries by arguing against such irrelevant foreign conflicts.

Nine days after the first Tomahawks blew something up in Tripoli, a besieged....

...Obama finally talked about how it was suddenly in America's interest to end the 42-year reign of a notorious bad guy. Obama said he was worried that Kadafi would kill innocent civilians, although worse threats to civilians go on every day in countless lands without U.S. military intervention.

This includes Syria, where scores have died to government bullets in recent weeks and Obama only sent out his press secretary Jay Carney to strike fear into the heart of President Bashar al-Assad by issuing two stern warnings.

Last week when the United States government faced an historic shutdown, Capt. Quixote was off in Philadelphia taking on windmills before speaking at an Al Sharpton gala in New York.

When Democratic Sen. Harry Reid and Republican House Speaker John Boehner worked out a last-minute budget deal, Obama himself made the late-night announcement to try to take ownership.

The next day he made a brief but weird visit to the Lincoln Memorial to explain to some startled tourists who hadn't asked that the place would have been closed down but for his budget brokering.

Here's Obama 's problem: Once again, he's lost control of the capitol's political narrative.

The bully pulpit is a powerful presidential tool -- if the chief executive is talking of relevant things. But Obama keeps sidetracking himself into all these areas of society that he so wants to fix, even though there are worse problems elsewhere.

For a long time Obama talked of little but healthcare and financial reforms, while polls showed Americans wanted jobs. He got his healthcare bill, but dozens of Democrats got unemployed from Congress.

When Americans wanted an explanation for a war over Libya's sand, Obama was urging Brazil to drill off its shores and toasting every presidente within sight.

As Americans realized the Democrat majorities had not written a budget for the current fiscal year when in control throughout 2010, Obama was calling for more college educations and denouncing schoolyard bullies. Now, bullies used to be handled by detention or, if necessary, big brothers. But Obama sees a federal government role there at home and in Benghazi.

Whenever the president acknowledges the budget deficit and the $14+ trillion national debt, he says yes, yes, of course, we have to cut waste. He then proceeds to provide a long list of things we need to "invest" more in like education, bridges, green energy and protecting "the most vulnerable" in our society.

Obama doesn't realize how many millions of Americans consider themselves vulnerable today, even with jobs and a home for now. In Philadelphia when one man dared to ask about the rising price of gas for his commute, the president suggested he trade-in for a new car. This from the green president who took a 17-vehicle motorcade of limos and SUVs to admire clean cars last month. Not even one symbolic electric job.

The result of such disconnection is that last week there was no-nada-zip talk about his investing. The parade had moved on without its presidential drum major.

Every word of Washington's political discussion was about cuts in the budget, exactly and only what Republicans wanted to debate. In a town where all-powerful presidents have set the political agenda, the speaker from Ohio, who gets mocked for his emotions and tan, was driving the discussions with well-mannered aplomb.

Hence, again the perceived need for another Obama speech today. He'll try to recapture control by adjusting the subject: Yes, yes the deficit is bad, though not as bad as you-know-which party makes it out to be. We do need to trim it with some cuts over time. But what we really need is more money to get stuff done.

You know, those rich people with the money to create new jobs? Let's take some more from them in taxes and Social Security assessments. Not from you! From them. Who's gonna oppose somebody else paying more taxes?

Obama's recent speeches have been lo-cal on substance, heavy on swell-sounding calls for someone to do something -- such as increase domestic oil production. The media reports. The people listen. They nod. And very few point out that, wait a minute, the guy talking is the one who can make that happen. So, why isn't he doing instead of talking all the time?

Obama now hopes to redirect the debate off budget cutting onto what he thinks is safer political ground for him, end tax breaks for the wealthy few. Even though, starting tomorrow, he'll be hitting up that same crowd of Richie Riches for the $1 billion he wants to buy a second term for four more years of this.

UPDATED: Obama's ultimate budget deficit speech: 5,187 words and not one of them is 'entitlements'

-- Andrew Malcolm

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Photos: Bradley C. Bower / Bloomberg (Obama campaigns in Philadelphia, April 6); Andrew Harrer / Bloomberg (Boehner and Reid, April 6); Manuel Balce Ceneta / Associated Press (Obama at Lincoln Memorial, April 9).

Comments

[RGRobins]

A snide, vindictive hit job. Shallow misrepresentations, willful lack of comprehension. Act of a desperate man who senses the tide may be turning?

[Jeff Lessard]

Nice post.

Re: "the capitol's political narrative". Buildings don't have narratives (or at least they don't in the way you meant it). I think you meant to write "capital."

[Chad]

Criticism of Barack Obama? Cue the nonsensical, hateful rhetoric in ...3...2...1...

Andrew, it doesn't matter if you're right about your criticisms, even demonstrably so, an attack on President Obama is an attack on the "Progressive" tribe. They're obligated to counter attack with their best weapons -- ad hominem, tu quoque, and petulant squeals of "Bush's fault!" "rethugliKKKan stooge!" and "why do you hate children and puppies and apple pie you monster!!!!"

[postTENEBRASlux]

Amen and Amen. Applause to you Mr. Malcom. You saw past the skin color to tell the truth. Please continue to do so.

[Lynn]

Wow! Why have we not had more articles like this? This guy has been nothing but a blow-hard since he took office. This is nothing new, but the lame-stream media has had a love affair with "The One" since he took office. There has been no accountability from the media on this guy! And you wonder why the lame-stream media has lost all respect from the American people!

[Drained Brain]

"Obama to give speech"

Ah yes. Funny how that headline is less and less compelling.

[TheSherfIsaNer]

Andrew Malcom: The one singular reason to even consider glancing at the LA Times.

[joinamerica]

Obama does nothing to even appear to help America until his hand is forced. (At which point he gives another "historic" speech.)

Notice he does find the time to issue executive orders which together with his leftist minions (who he has put in charge of every single federal agency), handily pour glue via increased regulations and onerous requirements into American business and industry (forget about actually helping our economy).

And he always has time to attempt to further "transform" us into a failed European style economy.

And Obama is always interested in having pleasant rides on Air Force One (at a cost to us of $182,000 per hour) to destinations where he is entertained, and playing golf, watching basketball and having fancy concerts with his celebrity friends in the White House. Oh, and winning re-election so the good times can continue.

Let's see, record deficits, record foreclosures, record spending, record food stamp recipients, record unemployment, record corn, record cotton, 100% increase in gas prices, oil up $80 a barrel. States being sued, Federal government being sued, blacks against whites, rich against poor, the WORLD LAUGHING AT US. Oh yeah, let's give him four more years.

[Happy Prankster]

See how lucky America is? Bush's third term includes all these great Obama speeches!

[chic]

I fervently wish for him to give a resignation speech. That's one I would tune into to hear.

The media that 'reports', isn't actually reporting - they've done no investigative work into this person. Or, if they have, they have studiously prevented the American public from knowing the truth. He arrived, made up out of whole cloth, thanks to the media. When the poop hits the fan, we are coming for the media, too.

Shameful and un-American is, too, kind a description for these maggots.

[Nan Emou]

I wonder how long Andrew Malcolm will survive on this op-ed page making snarky comments about the Present-dent. While Malcolm is totally right on, the truth has never been a barrier to Obama or his minions.

Obama is not a leader - this has never been more clear in this budget mess. While the prices of gas and food go through the roof, Obama takes another.....vacation.

[Steve D]

I will wager that you will hear the word "fair" and all its variations at least a dozen times tonight. And remember, fair=taxes.

[Diogenes]

Zero really is one vacuous cipher.

[BunnySlippers]

Excellent column. Seems perfect for a skit from SNL, where a pompous Obama pontificates and the press asks the real questions (if only).

[A. Reasoner]

Questions: Can our Dear Reader Obama do anything more than speechify? Does anybody listen anymore except his acolytes and the fawning water-carrying media? Does he actually have any idea how badly his ideas are continuing to harm America, and thus our many global stakeholders?

No, no, and no.

[JKR]

Congratulations. That is possibly the cheapest-in-actual-substance-about-Ron-Paul name drop I have seen since......oh, the 2008 elections.

Entertaining article though, and I posted it. You owe us :p

[Michael Kennedy]

Wasn't there a saying about Money talks while something walks ?

[Granny Jan]

This was beautifully written and right on target. As Jennifer Rubin wrote today this White House seems only capable of spin.

[Ralph]

Obama's problem is he is just an average person. He's like the polls that reflect most Americans say we need to cut spending, reduce government, but not when it affects them personally, and that they want to see more spending on education, health care, etc.. He is made up of paradox views and actions that are becoming tiresome to keep up with. It feels like we are in a leadership void or vacuum, where he is becoming yesterday's news. Like Robert Samuelson quoted of James Wilson, politics is in everything today. I don't remember a time in my half century where I worried about what the federal government would do to me, and I'm getting very, very tired of it all, as I suspect a lot of people are. We need a grown up; not a businessman, clown, comedian, or especially opportunist.

[Larry]

Too bad the LA Times was burying thier head in the sand and promoting this guy during the elections. Empty suit.....Welcome to the party.

[Eddie Lowenstein]

Excellent article Mr. Malcom. If the Times had more like you I might reconsider reading it on occasion. Keep up the good work.

[Michael Casp]

Obama has lost all credibility. He ran his campaign on Change, but there has been none. He's just another mouthpiece for Government Industrial Complex. There will be no meaningful deficit reduction, because the people holding Obama's leash depend on the government gravy train.

[Greg]

BO is definitely skilled at inferring that he will give a lot to the citizenry then maintains the status quo among the elite (see Geithner, Immelt, et al).
But I think there is a bigger picture problem : populist discourse reposes on a lot of black and white thinking, whereas more centrist discourse --tries at least-- to discuss context and invites us into bigger picture thinking.
The first time I saw Obama the Candidate refuse to speak in sound bytes and really force a TV journalist to take the time to dissect a national issue - I felt compelled to vote for him even though he is further to the right than my convictions.
Alas he compromised himself almost immediately after election by inviting wealthy wolves into the White House and not doing anything to promote democratic principles over lobbying.
As long as no one has the courage to stop the revolving doors we will forever be stuck in the right-left, expansion-recession, science-religion dichotomies the whole world has come to love us for.

[Haley]

I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you. Top of the Ticket is, by far, my favorite part about the LA Times.

[The Joker]

It's all about lack of leadership. Speechifying is not leading. Trying to act like a celebrity is not leading. Avoiding the tough issues and decisions of the day is not leading. Letting others go first is not leading. Dusting off all the old, false class-warfare cliches is not leading. Having no plan and failing to recognize the major problems threatening the country is not leading. We've learning a lot about how not to lead in the past two years.

[Jack Lundberg]

"Obama's recent speeches have been lo-cal on substance, heavy on swell-sounding calls for someone to do something..."? I would include all of Obama's speeches from his campaign onward through his presidency.

The media reported. The people once listened. They once nodded. Today, more and more are wondering: Why isn't he doing instead of talking all the time? Folks are increasingly realizing Obama is far less a leader than simply a talking head.

[Robert L. Mayo]

The tone of this article is a bit insulting, but the underlying charge of an unwillingness or inability to lead, is accurate.

[Al Redwod]

How long did it take for one honest writer to admit that the "One" is a failure? The L.A Times has been covering for him since 2006, hiding information from is paying readers (I am one of those fools),, coloring the agenda, plastering miles of ink depicting a small time "community organizer" as a presidential material. The entire editorial board of the paper is made of tired, washed out Leftists shaped by dubious romantic notions of the 70's. The truth, ethics, honest reporting was never an issue because for the Left, these issues never existed. The L.A Times, had a potential of becoming an entity in American journalism, instead, its reporters, editors took it on the same road of the NY Times, Washington Post and the Chicago Tribune, becoming official cheer leaders of this pathetic presidency and its failed policies.

[Kathy Jung]

Amazing that this is the first comment, hours after the article's been posted. Are comments being blocked?

[REV Wright]

How can the Dems buy votes if they can't use YOUR money?

[Dems NEVER use their own. That's not as much fun as taking yours!]

[Curtis Price]

What if the President gave a speech and no one showed up?

[Eddie Soloman]

What a load of rubbish! I'm getting fed up of the whole lets hate Obama thing. If he did nothing in Libya its quite possible over a million people would have died. it was clear the call to go to war was very urgent and delaying the response would mean the very freedom you enjoy to write up this crap would be called into question.

[DonM]

We have met the stuckee, and He is US, with apologies to Pogo.

[Swen Swenson]

From the article: "Obama now hopes to redirect the debate off budget cutting onto what he thinks is safer political ground for him, end tax breaks for the wealthy few."

Oh yeah, that's safer political ground. Surely by now everyone has forgotten about GE not paying any taxes on their $14.2 billion in profits in 2010, and about GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt being Obama's head economic advisor. I mean seriously, Obama has just tons of credibility left on that topic.

[Dan Gatti]

Wow, this is one of the most spectacular regurgitations of brain-dead talking points that I have ever read. Can I ask you something honestly - are you proud of the work that you do? When you go home at night, do you feel like you've done anyone a service whatsoever? Because I can guarantee you that every one of your readers is dumber for having their eyes glaze over this utter partisan drivel.

[Theverge]

Awesome !!!

[Sam H]

Mr. Obama is a complete liberal/socialist/Marxist tool.

[Vashti]

The worst possible job that any one man can take on; He needs to get out of the White House and let someone else louse things up even worse than they are now. There is not one single man alive that can revive the economy and fix everything; politics are very nefarious dealings- and who better to take on the job than a White man that is a bonified Capitalist with Citizenship from the good old USofA.

[Lynn]

Capt. Quixote? Really? Will the responsible adult please raise his or her hand?

[DazzRat]

The remaining Obama apologists have adopted an eerie kind of ideological schizophrenia -- they have to be able to flip-flop on their own so-called "convictions" at the drop of a hat, in order to "stay on board" with Dear Leader.

It's like they're Stepford Wives or something. They instantly run hither and thither at every shift of Obama's wishy-washy "policy." All in the name of supporting their hopey-changey false idol. They have no intellectual, logical, or moral leg to stand on.

Meanwhile, Obama is indeed an abject hack, a national embarrassment, and a baldfaced liar.

[HostileLogic]

Because it's in his Marxist genes...

[Barry Hussein]

Well stated, Mr Malcolm and your words are utterly depressing to contemplate. The ship of state is rudderless and we are being led around by the likes of George Soros, Jeff Immelt and Sarkozy. The only thing Obozo has his laser sharp attention pointed to is his effort to get reelected for four more years so he can complete his failure in a truly spectacular manner.

[Servillex]

I wouldn't say he was forced..

[screddy]

The writer is a douche-bag.

[Gordito Mojito]

The media is starting to crack. Can I please get a side of Malaise for my sandwich? I want it to last another 4 years.

[Andi Prama]

Protesters reinforced with air strike bombings? Is this what you called democratization or CHANGE? Barack Obama, you are much worse than George Bush, Jr.
Barbaric President!

I tweeted this one to @AndiPrama :

Barack Obama gets mad dog RT@rosemaryCNN U.S. jets flying bomb & strike missions #Libya air defenses. Control of op was handed 2 NATO #CNN

[Mark Wrendell]

BO is not looking well....job is getting to him.

[Andi Prama]

Protesters reinforced with air strike bombings? Is this what you called democratization or CHANGE? Barack Obama, you are much worse than George Bush, Jr.
Barbaric President!

The above statement intended to answer this news headline.

[Andi Prama]

Protesters reinforced with air strike bombings? Is this what you called democratization or CHANGE? Barack Obama, you are much worse than George Bush, Jr.
Barbaric President!

The above statement intended to answer this news headline.