Wednesday, December 2, 2009

He said it again, so I'll say it again...

Of course I watched the President's speech on Afghanistan last night...admittedly, I was late getting home because my daughter's softball team's workout went "over" by about an hour, but hey, we've gotta have priorities, right?

Anyway, I caught just enough toward the end...as well, I caught commentary on (both) Fox AND MSNBC...so I got the right wing and left wing viewpoints. There was one bit of commonality; that there was really no new information. In other words, we already knew the speech; it had all been leaked by the Pentagon or other sources (MSNBC) or it was information that we already knew several months prior (Fox). Thus, we have all sides, right? NO WE DON'T!

We don't have the MediaCopp side which I believe fits more with mainstream America than anything Keith, Rachel, Bill, Bret, or any tired, former, military "contributor," would have to say. Last night, I heard the president use the same tired mantra...that "we were united," on September 12...or we had the "world's support," etc.; however, it was all "frittered" away by partisan politics or the standard, well-worn, "last eight years" crap...

I'm not going to be trite and suggest (maybe) the President introduce himself to Kubler-Ross (uh, I'm sorry, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross is the noted Swiss-born psychiatrist who wrote the groundbreaking book, "Of Death and Dying," outlining the five stages of grief); however, what I WILL say, is that the country was not necessarily "united," but rather in a stage of "grieving."

Similarly, the WORLD was not "in our corner," or "behind us," or "lending us their full support," It was PITY, pure and simple. We didn't have their "respect," as many of the pundits on one side would claim. They were expressing pity...not so much in the "too bad, so sad," mode; but rather in more of a "chickens coming home to roost," slant ala Reverend Wright...but I digress...

Admittedly, respect is a double-edged sword. Respect can be earned, depending on how one is perceived and our president will have an extremely difficult job, no doubt, as he attempts to "earn" or "re-earn" respect...placating his left with another "apology" tour...or catering to the moderates, even the right, with his "finish the job," speech last night.

The common thread however, in garnering, earning, maintaining respect is consistency. Can Obama be consistent? Or can anyone be consistent in a country so bi-polar that we can't even agree on health care...or on how to pronounce the name, "Pakistan." And yes, I know the President uses the correct pronunciation...what I find hilarious is that Hilary Clinton NOW uses the same pronunciation...hmmmm...

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