Growing tired of the omnitopical presidency
Our bitter, aggravated politics has many fathers, from gerrymandering to genuine, deep and abiding differences of opinion about how to move the country forward. But here’s another problem with our politics I’ve noticed lately: We can’t escape it.
I don’t mean the 24-7 frequency of our news media — in the age of Twitter, it’s really 60-60-24-7 — although that bears part of the blame. Rather, I’m talking about the increasing tendency of our politicians, especially our presidents and those who would be president, to pop up everywhere else, too: on Oprah and The View, on Leno and Letterman, during SportsCenter and the Super Bowl and the Final Four.
A friend’s mother calls this “inmaface.” As in, you can do things with which I disagree, just don’t do them “inmaface.” When it’s harder and harder to enjoy the apolitical without the intrusion of the politicos, they’re inmaface.
I think political handlers think this is a way to soften their man’s (or woman’s) image, to make him seem more human, to lessen the polarization toward him. And maybe there’s something to it: Barack Obama, who has taken the omnitopical, borderline-celebrity presidency to a new level, remains more well-liked than his approval ratings would suggest.
Maybe that’s because he complains about the vagaries of the Bowl Championship Series and fills out March Madness brackets — hey, just like me! I wonder, though, if there won’t be diminishing returns to flooding the airwaves this way.
When I watched Obama talk about his daughters and basketball during halftime of the men’s college title game Monday, I was struck again that, for all my and other conservatives’ complaints about his policies, Obama seems like a genuinely good father and family man.
But when he picked his Final Four? Heck, I barely want to watch Dick Vitale pick the Final Four, much less a president with more important things to do and think about. I’d rather hear Obama talk about what he’d do to stop Washington’s red ink. Or, better yet, what he plans to tell Vladimir Putin once his “last election” is over and he has more “flexibility.”
Before the week was up, he was at it again, opining through his press secretary that the Augusta National Golf Club ought to begin admitting female members. And, lest you think my complaints are only about Obama: His Republican opponent from 2008, John McCain, and his presumptive opponent this fall, Mitt Romney, made sure to air the same belief.
Personally, I couldn’t care less what Augusta National does — and have a hard time believing that it says anything meaningful about equality for a woman or two to join a private club for the 1 percent of the 1 percent of the 1 percent. So why do Obama and McCain and Romney have to chime in?
In their defense, often it’s because they’re asked about these topics by my colleagues in the media. And maybe Romney, for instance, would have declined to answer about a private club’s choices if he felt confident it wouldn’t become the latest skirmish in the GOP’s alleged “war on women.” (Promisingly, he declined to prognosticate about March Madness.)
But then, the possibility a non-answer about women joining a country club would become political fodder speaks to our bitter polarization.
We’re electing a president, not a pundit-of-all-trades. The job is demanding and — just as important — it has limits. Maybe, just maybe, we’d have higher opinions of those who would hold that job if they kept their opinions within those limits.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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285 comments Add your comment
MarkV
April 8th, 2012
5:14 pm
Dusty @5:02 pm
My penetrating analysis shining with brilliance will have to wait for another day. I have had other things on mind, such as plants, birds, books and music.
The baby bluebirds are still being fed by both parents, lazy kids. They are feathered, but not yet flying. Any day, I think.
Enjoy the rest of the holiday.
Republicans Believe Its OK If Obama Built The White House - But How Dare He Live In The White House
April 8th, 2012
6:05 pm
@Tiberius – Your lightning rod of hate!
April 8th, 2012
4:53 pm
“I agree – we have too many important issues facing us like all of the HIDDEN Racists who have NOW taken their HOODS AND ROBES OUT OF THE CLOSET.”
Ahhhh. The race card. Always played by lesser intellects when they have no factual basis to object to the real issue posted.
Typical for many on this blog from the left side of the tracks.
********************************************************************
Republican TALKING POINT NO. 1 – “The race card. Always played by
lesser intellects.”
AHHH, Typical for many on this blog from the RIGHT.
The truth hurts – “HIDDEN Racists who have NOW taken their
HOODS AND ROBES OUT OF THE CLOSET.”
Republicans Believe Its OK If Obama Built The White House - But How Dare He Live In The White House
April 8th, 2012
6:09 pm
@Tiberius – Your lightning rod of hate!
April 8th, 2012
5:01 pm
well, maybe you shouldn’t be on a political blog.
Just sayin’!
************************************************************
WHO died and made you the POLITICAL GENIUS on this blog?
heeheheeheeheeheehehehheeheehee
Just Sayin
Mack Denny
April 8th, 2012
6:29 pm
Me, I believe the majority of problems we have here in the USA now,are the result of the States not exercising their rights. It is probably far too late to address the power the Federal government has ursurped from the States. If we want to address the problems of a too large Federal government we need to elect Governors who will put their foot down and tell the Federal government “NO”. We need to elect Senators to do THEIR job, stick up for what is best for their STATES, not the folks who live in them (that’s the House of Reps. job). Actually I believe it is already too late, just get used to the Federal government telling you what to do, from cradle to grave.
Michael H. Smith
April 8th, 2012
7:09 pm
Before the 17th amendment the States’ had representation of their rights in Congress.
However, the idea of it’s too late to reverse the centralized power of “Social Democracy” simply defies our human right to self-determination.
Whereas, the Supreme Court has the “last word” on what law is Constitutional in this country, it is we the citizens of this country who have always retained power and right of the “final and last word” on what we shall have for a Government and what we shall have in and as our Constitution to rule over the laws that we shall subject ourselves to live under.
This election could spell the end of an omnipotent federal government and the beginning of the return to federalism. That is, if the Supreme Court doesn’t usher that beginning in sooner than Nov. 6.
Linda
April 8th, 2012
7:18 pm
Perhaps women SHOULD be admitted to the Augusta National. Women could improve the entire tournament. The first thing we would do is get rid of that putrid green jacket & replace it with pastel Easter colors, beginning with pink, & change the color annually as a fashion statement. Who would be caught dead in last year’s colors?
The dress code is pathetic. We need to at least keep up with Kentucky’s derby. Women should wear frilly dresses, bonnets & high heels. Women could have a parasol contest. Men should wear suits, ties & dress shoes. Caps would be banned. Caddies could get by with nice slacks & shirts with collars.
Golfers’ posture is lacking, possibly causing back pain from bending over. Longer clubs would be an improvement.
Bad words & throwing clubs would result in fines.
Pets would be allowed as long as they are on leashes or in cages.
Those horrible sand traps are a nuisance & need to be filled in with dirt & grass.
Speaking of grass, it needs to be consistent. There’s way too many colors of green. It’s also too short. I was thinking that it would be festive if we had grass tall enough to have an Easter egg hunt for the kids, either before & during the tournament.
The name Masters must be changed to include either Misses, Madams, Ladies, Dames, etc. with ladies first. Madams & Misters sounds pretty good.
The ponds are a waste. They need to be stocked with edible fish & fishing should be encouraged.
Seating is atrocious. White wicker with pastel cushions would be much more appropriate. Tables with tablecloths should be considered with, of course, umbrellas. Waterford crystal, fine china & sterling silver flatware are always enjoyed.
Golfers became tired & (OMG) sweaty. Golf carts & scooters should be provided.
Food is way too far from the greens. Georgia is known for its BBQ & smokers should be set up all along the greens.
Hole. Sounds like something the gophers made. Dip sounds a lot better. Alternating among round, square & oblong dips would be fun.
Finally, the balls are too big. They would go a lot faster & further if they were a tad smaller.
Yes, it’s time for women to be invited to join the Augusta National.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
April 8th, 2012
7:39 pm
Republicans believe, that laughing you post is AT you, not from you.
Lesser intellect.
Republicans Believe Its OK If Obama Built The White House - But How Dare He Live In The White House
April 8th, 2012
7:43 pm
@Tiberius – Your lightning rod of hate!
April 8th, 2012
7:39 pm
Republicans believe, that laughing you post is AT you, not from you.
Lesser intellect.
*****************************************************************
THAT COMMENT DOES NOT COMPUTE.
Are you INCOHERENT or just intellectually stupid?
HAVE you heard of GRAMMAR CHECK GENIUS?
Lil' Barry Bailout (Unexpectedly Revised Downward)
April 8th, 2012
7:52 pm
I thought I heard a gnat buzzing about…anybody else hear it?
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
April 8th, 2012
7:54 pm
Actually, LBB it’s funny but I can smell the pile of dog squeeze known as Republicans Believe through my Ethernet cable.
Republicans Believe Its OK If Obama Built The White House - But How Dare He Live In The White House
April 8th, 2012
8:08 pm
@Lil’ Barry Bailout (Unexpectedly Revised Downward)
April 8th, 2012
7:52 pm
I thought I heard a gnat buzzing about…anybody else hear it?
*****************************************************************************************
I KNEW I SMELLED a ROTTEN rat.
Anybody else smell it?
WHEW…………
Republicans Believe Its OK If Obama Built The White House - But How Dare He Live In The White House
April 8th, 2012
8:10 pm
@Tiberius – Your lightning rod of hate!
April 8th, 2012
7:54 pm
Actually, LBB it’s funny but I can smell the pile of dog squeeze known as Republicans Believe through my Ethernet cable.
*******************************************************
WOW….I smell another rotten rat.
Whew…………………………………..
Gimme Gimme Gimme
April 8th, 2012
8:16 pm
“Republicans Believe Its OK If Obama Built The White House – But How Dare He Live In The White House”
Known as “Fred” on the Bookman blog.
Linda
April 8th, 2012
8:27 pm
Republicans Believe believes that he can intimidate conservative bloggers & drown them out by his offensive, non-stop comments. He has an apparent inner problem with using all capital letters, double spacing, offensive language & redundancy to have himself heard. His poor grammar & grammar school tactics prove that he is illiterate. He does not understand that his govt. checks are about to bounce or not arrive because the fed. govt. IS BROKE.
Rafe Hollister
April 8th, 2012
8:29 pm
Republicans Believe, after reading a few of your nonsensical posts I have decided that you are the TRASHMAN SUPERSTAR born again with a new name for about the fifth time. Why can’t you stick with one name? Are you ashamed of your past posts and how many times you have had your hat handed to you by more intelligent bloggers. Changing your name is not helping you.
Rafe Hollister
April 8th, 2012
8:31 pm
Linda, we need to ignore the TRASHMAN and his capital letters. Anyone who uses a different name while posting the same jibberish every weekend is not worth responding to.
Gimme Gimme Gimme
April 8th, 2012
8:34 pm
I still say it’s Fred from the Bookman blog. The way he stacks his time and date like this is:
April 8th, 2012
7:54 pm
Is the exact way Fred does it in his replies. It is a dead giveaway.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
April 8th, 2012
8:35 pm
People who post using different blog names are the blog version of pedophiles.
Creepy beyond imagination.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
April 8th, 2012
8:40 pm
Gimme Gimme Gimme, that stacking is just a result of the highlighting and copy function when someone is too lazy to type the person’s name. Trashman likes to copy the full name and post of people, rather than come up with any type of intelligent response at all to the given subject.
Not saying it isn’t Fred from the Bookman children’s table, but Fred doesn’t seem to use the caps lock as much as Trashman does.
@@
April 8th, 2012
8:43 pm
Mike Wallace died?
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
April 8th, 2012
8:48 pm
Yeah, @@.
92 or 93 years old.
Brit Hume filled in for Chris Wallace on Fox News Sunday this morning.
Linda
April 8th, 2012
8:48 pm
Mr. Republicans Believe’s comments & his methods say more about his desperation & perhaps that of the Dem. Party than his attempts to chastise the Rep. party. Are there any Democrats impressed with Mr. Republicans Believe? Come forward, please, & tell him how you adore his contributions to your party.
Steve
April 8th, 2012
8:55 pm
Hmmm…Obama for President or the flip flopping uber rich tool who strapped his dog to the top of his car on a family vacation (and wears holy underwear).
Hmmm…who do I choose?
Linda
April 8th, 2012
8:56 pm
Rafe@8:31, You are correct. We need to take this up with Kyle tomorrow or whenever he posts another article. I appoint you. I & others should back you up. This should not go on all weekend. I’ve been reading another blog today. This guy makes Atlanta look like #$%^, not a good impression. Kyle should ban him for life. This guy has deep-seated problems & should have therapy.
Hillbilly D
April 8th, 2012
9:00 pm
I’m just an old country boy but I just don’t understand the big deal about putting a dog in a cage, on top of a car.
Tiberius - Your lightning rod of hate!
April 8th, 2012
9:03 pm
“Obama for President or the flip flopping uber rich tool who strapped his dog to the top of his car on a family vacation (and wears holy underwear).”
Well, as usual, Steve not only didn’t stay on anything close to the topic, but actually LOWERED the level of conversation on this thread. I guess liberals only want tolerance from others, so long as they can be intolerant themselves.
@@
April 8th, 2012
9:05 pm
Funny line.
Not having a pro-growth economic policy coming out of a deep recession is tantamount to a captain putting a hole in the bottom of his ship in order to make himself popular distributing life jackets
@@
April 8th, 2012
9:08 pm
If women wanna infiltrate The Masters, they better start naming their daughters, Bubba.
schnirt
Lil' Barry Bailout (Revised Downward)
April 8th, 2012
9:09 pm
Obozo doesn’t care how much he damages the economy as long as he gets to dole out what’s left of it.
Vote American.
Rafe Hollister
April 8th, 2012
9:11 pm
@@
that line describes the Oblamer economy to a tee.
Hillbilly D
April 8th, 2012
9:14 pm
@@
You can’t name your daughter Bubba. It goes against the origin of the word. (IW&SH)
Republicans Believe Its OK If Obama Built The White House - But How Dare He Live In The White House
April 8th, 2012
9:15 pm
@Linda
April 8th, 2012
8:56 pm
Rafe@8:31, You are correct. We need to take this up with Kyle tomorrow or whenever he posts another article. I appoint you. I & others should back you up. This should not go on all weekend. I’ve been reading another blog today. This guy makes Atlanta look like #$%^, not a good impression. Kyle should ban him for life. This guy has deep-seated problems & should have therapy.
******************************************************************************
YOU can take this up with whomever you please.
You have a habit of trying to SILENCE people who do not agree with YOU.
The fact remains that most of you are guilty of the same.
I have the proof.
Linda
January 13th, 2012
10:05 pm
Vampire@9:41, 9:54 & 9:56, You need to lay off your booze or drugs. What is wrong with you? Do you think conservatives on this blog will be impressed by a sot or a drug user? Best of luck to you.
Linda
January 13th, 2012
10:26 pm
Vampire@9:59 & 10:17, Get off this blog NOW or I’ll hit “Report This Comment” to Kyle. He knows who you are & where you are blogging from. You are not in any shape to continue.
*********************
People who live in glass houses should NOT THROW stones.
Rafe Hollister
April 8th, 2012
9:17 pm
Hillbilly, you are correct, no different from hauling rabbit and coon dogs in a cage in the back of the pickup. Guess these cityfied folks think you let a dog that has been running through the swamp all night ride in the shotgun seat. Where are your two hunting buddies supposed to sit?
Hillbilly D
April 8th, 2012
9:21 pm
Rafe
I’ve rode in the back of a pickup many times, as have a lot of people. When I was a kid, that was considered a treat. And in my world, animals still live outdoors, not in the house.
@@
April 8th, 2012
9:23 pm
Hillbilly:
You can’t name your daughter Bubba.
HEY BUB! Don’t be tellin’ me what I can or cannot do.
(ISH)
Hillbilly D
April 8th, 2012
9:27 pm
@@
Nah, they have to be Sis or Sissy. No little kid is going to try to call their sister, Brother.
@@
April 8th, 2012
9:35 pm
My husband has a cousin named Sissy. She’s an oddball…liberal thru and thru. Sweet in her own special way. An artist.
Republicans Believe Its OK If Obama Built The White House - But How Dare He Live In The White House
April 8th, 2012
9:36 pm
@@Linda
April 8th, 2012
8:56 pm
Rafe@8:31, You are correct. We need to take this up with Kyle tomorrow or whenever he posts another article. I appoint you. I & others should back you up. This should not go on all weekend. I’ve been reading another blog today. This guy makes Atlanta look like #$%^, not a good impression. Kyle should ban him for life. This guy has deep-seated problems & should have therapy.
*************************************************************************************
Should Kyle Ban This? Where is your OUTRAGE for comments like this?
March 2, 2012 Kyle Wingfield – Poll Position: Which Candidate Would You Vote Tuesday
Lil’ Barry Bailout (Unexpectedly Revised Downward)
March 3rd, 2012
7:42 am
Road Scholar: stop the whining!
———————
And just bend over and take it like a good Obozo receptacle? I think not.
*************************************************
Linda, you and others are hypocrites.
@@
April 8th, 2012
9:38 pm
@@Linda?
Two different people, Fred.
Linda
April 8th, 2012
9:39 pm
Steve@8:55, If that’s all you’ve got on Romney, he’s a saint. Our dog will not remove his head from outside the car door when it’s raining, but won’t go outside the house when it’s raining. Our dog sort of reminds me of Democrats, our fair weather friends, & our dog is much smarter.
Who will you chose? From your comment, you will choose the vote-for-me-I-will-give you-free-stuff party over the TANSTASFL party who is telling you that There Ain’t No Such Thing As a Free Lunch.
“Free” healthcare? Yeah, right.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
April 8th, 2012
9:40 pm
I wouldn’t be alright if “obozo built the White House” because it would probably collapse when he got done, just sayin…
Serious Robuck
April 8th, 2012
9:42 pm
All of you rightwingers need to hunker down and get ready for 4 more years of Barack. Mittens ain’t happening. Just sayin….
Hillbilly D
April 8th, 2012
9:42 pm
@@
Everybody has oddball cousins. It’s only if you don’t that you should worry. (IW&SH)
@@
April 8th, 2012
9:46 pm
Lawd ah mercy!
Metropolitan area governments are adopting plans that would require most new housing to be built at 20 or more to the acre, which is at least five times the traditional quarter acre per house. State and regional planners also seek to radically restructure urban areas, forcing much of the new hyperdensity development into narrowly confined corridors.
20+ HOUSES AN ACRE!!??!!
I’m lookin’ to put one house on 15 acres.
Michael H. Smith
April 8th, 2012
9:47 pm
From The Daily Beast
After 25 straight months of private sector job growth, DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz wants the GOP to lighten up on the Obama administration. “We’re making slow but steady progress,” Wasserman Schultz said. “It almost seems like my Republican colleagues in Congress and Mitt Romney are rooting for economic failure.” The Florida congresswoman also told State of the Union that she believes the recently passed ‘Paul Ryan’ budget will only benefit the wealthy adding, “They’re focused on making sure that millionaires and billionaires can continue to do even better.
~
Should we drag out some of those 2008 campaign “inmaface” speeches from mr. hope and change talking down the economic day after day after day just for lil’ miz lighten up wussie woman Schultz?
Now tell me again about those hypocritical Republicans and those glass houses.
Hillbilly D
April 8th, 2012
9:48 pm
@@
You might be interested in watching this.
http://booktv.org/Program/13284/The+Man+Without+a+Face+The+Unlikely+Rise+of+Vladimir+Putin.aspx
Republicans Believe Its OK If Obama Built The White House - But How Dare He Live In The White House
April 8th, 2012
9:49 pm
@@Linda
April 8th, 2012
8:56 pm
Rafe@8:31, You are correct. We need to take this up with Kyle tomorrow or whenever he posts another article. I appoint you. I & others should back you up. This should not go on all weekend. I’ve been reading another blog today. This guy makes Atlanta look like #$%^, not a good impression. Kyle should ban him for life. This guy has deep-seated problems & should have therapy.
***************************************************************
Linda, REMEMBER THIS?
MarkV
January 17th, 2012
10:31 pm
Linda @7:55 pm:” MarkV@5:23, The difference is that I use @#t & you accuse those who disagree with you with explicit vile words. “
Linda, if I could be still amazed by your hypocrisy and lack of intelligencer, I would be now, but I nom longer can. So in your thinking replacing some letters in a crude word means that is has lost its crudeness? You expect anybody to believe it?
In your post the day before yesterday you listed the meticulously collected word I have used in that blog. Here I have copied them:
“…has some sense…” 1:“…ignorance…ignorant…” “Again, ignorant display…” “,,,If you are able to learn…” “…exist only to the ignorant fantasies of people like you…” “…people who know how to present falsehoods & stupidities. With your miniscule brainpower you failed to notice…keep your idiocies…” “…unable to understand even simple things…people like you who distort…stupid attacks…liars like you…” “…distortions & lies…” “…your inability to understand…”
Let’s compare my expressions with those over the same weekend blog coming from people you have praised and never scolded:
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin…: “all the dimwit socialists that infest this blog”weirdos out there” “uses this blog to spread his filth, disease and natural inbred liberal perversions” “obozo wants to be a Jesus Freak“ ”Betcha when the libs call him on it, he’ll tell the sodomites that he didn’t listen,” “Freakin weirdos.”
Michael H. Smith: “obumer” “obozo” “obumer’s down sizing” “obumer’s demagogue version” “New and Improved Wall Street obumer” “ primitive sounds made by a common Vladimir Lenin species of useful idiot maggot as it is beginning to morph into another drab mundane Marxist garbage pile gnat.”
Tiberius – Your lightning rod of hate!: “creepy reliance” “try some psychological help,” “No wonder you’re so screwed up in the head” ”saying that MarkV is intellectually dishonest is a redundant statement” “he’s borderline psychotic as well” “particularly creepy responses” “your particular psychotic behavior.”
Lil’ Barry Bailout (revised Downward): “Idiot Obozo” “Your liberal fascist klown Obozo” “Your klown prince Obozo” “Klown Prince Obozo” “Obozo” “Evict the America-hating vermin from our Senate and White House” “Obozo” “ Obozo: Phony. Liar” “Obozo receptacles: Idiots.
Now tell us, Linda, who is rude&crude? Who uses “vile words?”And who is the worst hypocrite on this blog? You are.
***********************************************************
Linda,
This was January 17, 2012 Kyle Wingfield Tuesday 2012: Newt on work, and the
scourge of super PACs
Linda
April 8th, 2012
9:51 pm
This guy @9;15, is now threatening me. If I knew where he lived, I would call 911 & have him seen about. He is about as delusional as they come. Will we see him this week on Criminal Minds or Dateline?
Hillbilly D
April 8th, 2012
9:52 pm
Twenty houses to the acre, is 2178 square feet of land per house.
Some folks want to live in cities, some want to live in the suburbs and some want to live in the country. Why can’t everybody just mind their own business?
Republicans Believe Its OK If Obama Built The White House - But How Dare He Live In The White House
April 8th, 2012
9:53 pm
@I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin…
April 8th, 2012
9:40 pm
I wouldn’t be alright if “obozo built the White House” because it would probably collapse when he got done, just sayin…
************************************************************************************
What IS going to collapse are the Republicans in NOVEMBER 2012.
C-r-a-s-h……………………..
just sayin…