March 23, 2011

"He obviously is capable of maintaining contact with Washington and being constantly updated."

Says the press secretary about our wartime President who is gallivanting in South America. Stop this criticism. Look! He's canceled his Mayan ruins sightseeing plan and will instead hole up in the American Embassay and do "at least one conference call."

Why did Obama cancel his visit to the Mayan ruins?
So he could do phone calls about Libya.
Swanning around ancient ruins is about exactly the opposite of the photo-op it was supposed to be.
  
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66 comments:

rhhardin said...

I hope he at least gets a calendar from the gift shop.

Anonymous said...

Yes, but he's encouraging the Brazilians to increase their oil production so that no America dirties his hands in that evil business!

Give him credit for that!

Scott M said...

You didn't include the third option, which is that he's smarter than everyone else and knows that the Mayans were off by one year.

Almost Ali said...

Why did Obama cancel his visit to the Mayan ruins?

Security.

Phil 314 said...

I don't think gallivanting is the word you want to use.

I do not think it means what you think it means

Fen said...

Dear DHOTUS,

Please stay on vacation. For as long as you want. Hillary can handle the war with Bill, Intern and Intern just a few feet from the Oval.

AllenS said...

Maybe Michelle didn't want him to go. Or maybe it was Hillary!.

galdosiana said...

He's having a secret meeting with Mayan calendar experts to make sure that his potential re-election is not what ends the world in 2012.You know, hope and change and all that stuff.

Drew said...

I suspect he cancelled the visit because such a photo op would essentially be a GOP campaign ad for 2012.

Ignorance is Bliss said...

Why did Obama cancel his visit to the Mayan ruins?

Because if he wants to see the ruins of a once great civilization, all he has to do is continue his current policies.

The Crack Emcee said...

One word:

Oprah.

Automatic_Wing said...

He had to update his NCAA brackets. Or maybe sign up for fantasy baseball.

Christopher in MA said...

Yes, Little Black Jesus is obviously capable of maintaining contact and staying in the loop no matter where in the world (or back nine) he is.

But of course, when Dubya went to Crawford, he was just lazing around doing nothing and in contact with nobody. Because Texas doesn't cotton to fancy-pants Eastern dude notions like EEE-lectric'ty nohow.

Joe said...

(The Crypto Jew)


""He obviously is capable of maintaining contact with Washington and being constantly updated."".


And I agree, but when Boooosh went on vacation he was “neglecting the nation!” Now which is it lefties, it can’t be BOTH, either the POTUS is in charge, no matter wherever s/he is, due to satellite communications or s/he isn’t. As Negativland says, “YOU must choose.”

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

By canceling his visit to the Mayan ruins Obama passed an opportunity to showcase his plans with Libya.

Unfortunately, our president cannot be counted on with the simplest of tasks ;)

Mark O said...

He couldn't go that long without a smoke.

test said...

So liberals publicly acknowledge their shtick criticizing Bush on vacation was cynical bullshit intended for rubes.

Unfortunately, there's a 100% chance the criticism recurs with the next Republican President. It's not like the media will draw attention to their stupidity and hypocrisy.

DADvocate said...

Maguro beat me to it. It's about keeping up to the minute with his NCAA brackets.

bagoh20 said...

"He obviously is capable of maintaining contact with Washington and being constantly updated."

That's the easy part.

ricpic said...

He's little boy lost without that daily face to face with Trumka.

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

He couldn't go that long without a smoke.

They have coca leaves in Peru..

oh shit.. the SS must have their hands full ;)

Lem the artificially intelligent said...

The mystery has been solved.

Obama is in South America on a coca leaves run.

lemondog said...

No Mayan voting bloc

Simon said...

If President Bush could run the government from Texas for the summer, I'm pretty sure that President Obama can run the government from Air Force One for a few days.

AllenS said...

Most excellent comments, commenters.

The Drill SGT said...

The dumbest thing about going on a foreign trip is that you ultimately can't hole up somewhere and avoid the press. You go to these countries and the Leader is gonna want to do some sort of media event alongside the guy who used to be called "The Leader of the Free World".

So you know that even from a press Corps that is in the tank you're gonna get some snarky guy who wasn't invited to the JournaList who is gonna ask those pesky questions that always get asked when American boys are in harms way:

1. Who's in charge?
2. What are our goals?
3. What is our exit strategy?
4. What about Congress?
5. How's that coalition holding together?
6. How long are we gonna be there?
7. What about the Russians?
8. what about your previous position last year?
9. what about your previous position last month?
10. what about your previous position yesterday?

It's truly a disaster when the guy can't answer any of those without resorting to vague handwaving :(

Hoosier Daddy said...

Because if he wants to see the ruins of a once great civilization, all he has to do is continue his current policies.

Zing!

Hard to top that one.

lemondog said...

re: pesky ?'s,

t-prompter sick.

kent said...

Joe Biden: War Without Congressional Approval Warrants Impeachment (Video)

Cripes... even "Choo-Choo" gets it.

Chris said...

Yeah, Obama probably thought twice about the implications of having his picture taken among the ruins of a once-great civilization that collapsed suddenly.

traditionalguy said...

Random thoughts: President Obama needs to stay here and be safe for the next two years. Gadaffi and friends are capable of getting him first. We don't want Biden/Hilary taking away the pressure to change over to GOP candidates in 2012. The old serpent Soros most likely sent Obama to Brazil. What does Soros want to see happen in 2012?

AllenS said...

obama can't just suddenly cancel his vacation. If he did try that, Michelle would kick his scrawny ass.

DADvocate said...

I'm pretty sure that President Obama can run the government from Air Force One for a few days.

Shit. He can't competently run the government from the White House. Hillary may be the only one in his administration who has a clue.

Moose said...

Are you saying he can do a better job by staying home at the White House? Or is this just about apperances? Cause he isn't going to do anything different, as far as I can see...

AllenS said...

Sounds like the coalition is falling apart.

Link

Issob Morocco said...

Perhaps he didn't want to have to face his lap dog media at a public event?

MayBee said...

If he could competently explain what his thinking is w/r/t Libya, and stop trying so aggressively to not lead there, he could be seen touring the Mayan ruins.

He can communicate with the military and the American people from anywhere in the world. He can also communicate poorly from anywhere in the world.

Unknown said...

My answer on the poll is, "Somebody finally pounded into his thick head that he's got a mess on his hands and, if he wants to have a job waiting when he gets back, he better start taking care of business".

AllenS said...

Sounds like the coalition is falling apart.

Saw that, Allen. My God, Even Willie did better work than that.

PS Christopher makes the real point. All the Lefty talking point cooked up for Dubya are blowing up in their faces now.

And let's not get started on Obama Graib.

PPS Isn't Mr Soros heavily invested in Brazil?

WV "fulato" What The Zero wishes he had right about now.

Bryan C said...

He can "maintain contact" and "be updated". That's an oddly passive tone when discussing the role of Commander in Chief during a controversial military action, isn't it?

I suspect that choice of words tells us more about Obama's priorities than they intended.

Cedarford said...

Hoosier Daddy said...
Because if he wants to see the ruins of a once great civilization, all he has to do is continue his current policies.

Zing!

Hard to top that one.

========================
It has taken the stupidity of BOTH Parties, and failures in the Constitution and the basic democratic process to drag America down so far, so fast.

Republicans -
Free Trade & Globalism and the race to move jobs the lowest cost 3rd World labor pools.
Neocon Wars of Empire.
Dereg of Wall Street.
Unfunded prescription drug plans.
Tax cuts and cap gains taxes that leave a rich person with far more disposable income of each dollar they make, to invest, over each dollar made in the Bottom 99%. (The rich ARE getting richer, middle class, poor - poorer)

The Constitution:

Enshrines the right of anchor babies of invaders to become Insta-Citizens.
Has ossified America into inefficiencies and levels of lawyers per capita only exceeded by Israel.

Democracy:

Remember de Tocqueville was fascinated by Democracy and saw many strengths..But was convinced it would fail in the long haul once the citizens figured out how to seize all the money in the public coffers and all saved wealth of the new American nation through the vote. He didn't think it would take 100 years to start to happen.

No politican or lobbyist ever went broke underestimating the stupidity of the American voter.

Anonymous said...

Obama told of jet crash while at a party.

While eating at an "official dinner" with Chile's president Monday night, President Obama was updated throughout the meal on the downed American plane in Libya, the White House says.
-Politco

vbspurs said...

"My wife went to Rio, and all I got was this lousy war".

Cheers,
Victoria

kent said...

"This Libyan war is transpiring in a political climate where, for the last ten years, Obama and his supporters have lectured us that it is not only amoral and unwise but illegal for America to attack an oil-producing Muslim country that does not threaten our national security, a sin magnified if committed without congressional approval. It also follows similar demagoguery on Guantanamo, renditions, tribunals, preventative detentions, etc. — measures blasted as near-criminality under Bush but embraced or expanded under Obama."

Daaaaaammmmmmmmmn.

vbspurs said...

Drill Sgt wrote:

1. Who's in charge?
2. What are our goals?
3. What is our exit strategy?
4. What about Congress?
5. How's that coalition holding together?
6. How long are we gonna be there?
7. What about the Russians?
8. what about your previous position last year?
9. what about your previous position last month?
10. what about your previous position yesterday?


Now one can say that the press corps travelling with the president, ensures he isn't getting a pass from being asked these tough questions, even if he isn't on US soil.

But the reality is that being away from the US, after just having involved our country in a war, lessens the rice-cooker pressure he would receive from press and his citizens, otherwise.

It's a damn shame he had to cancel his sight-seeing tour of the Mayan pyramids.

Especially since his personal political doomsday will come in 2012, and he needs all the tips he can get.

Cheers,
Victoria

vbspurs said...

Prediction: If Obama loses in 2012, he will be only 51 years-old. WAAAAAY younger than Jimmy Carter was, when he became a punchline.

So I hereby predict that Barack Obama, should he lose his re-election bid, especially if it's very close or controversial, will run again and be nominated at some later date.

Yes, he'll be our very own Grover Cleveland.

Who also was a Democrat.

Because Democrats are that dense.

Cheers,
Victoria

Sigivald said...

I have to support Obama against that particular charge.

He's just as capable of doing that work over the phone as President Bush was capable of working from Crawford.

I told the Left they were full of shit for pretending his vacations at Crawford were abdication of responsibility, and I'm gonna tell the Right the same thing in this case.

(There is a signal difference, of course, which is that Bush was palpably competent at the daily business of being President, and I lack that confidence in Obama.

But still, it's not like he somehow Has To Be In Washington because there's American military activity in Libya.

That's what the Joint Chiefs are for, for one thing; Presidents should be setting goals and limits of action for the Military, not handling strategy, let alone tactics.)

kent said...

"If the past decade has taught us anything [...] it's that wars to spread democracy tend to be expensive, open-ended investments. Yet in Libya we're now invested without there being any perceivable threat to the United States and without our having had a debate or congressional deliberation on the topic—by a president who sprang to national prominence voicing exactly those grievances."

Daaaaaammmmmmmmmn. Times two.

Chennaul said...

I love Victor Davis Hanson who writes and talks in run-ons. He's brilliant.

Just because the Democrats are hypocrites does not mean all Republicans should follow them down the road to Hypocriteville.

Do we really want to assume the position of we are doing everything to erode support for the mission but-

We support the troops!

The troops aren't stupid, if and when we see Petraeus or others bailing then people can get squeamish. We aren't seeing that yet.

test said...

"Just because the Democrats are hypocrites does not mean all Republicans should follow them down the road to Hypocriteville."

2 possibilities.

(1) The earlier criticism is now the standard, however much they wish it were not. What's wrong with holding Obama to the standard he established?

(2) Maybe they are applying the criticism to Obama to draw this exact response from the left. That would make their hypocrisy more difficult to deny, and holding their nose in it that much sweeter.

kent said...

What's wrong with holding Obama to the standard he established?

Bingo! Precisely Hanson's point. ;)

Joe said...

(The Crypto Jew)


(1) The earlier criticism is now the standard, however much they wish it were not. What's wrong with holding Obama to the standard he established?


Isn’t that one of Uncle Saul’s Rules? Look I support the troops…I MIGHT support this mission, but I sure as H3LL am not about to give Obama and his ilk a “pass” on all their maunderings from 2002-on…..

Chennaul said...

Marshal

You can't drag 'em to where they messed on the carpet and have them learn anything.

1) The Liberal media never holds them accountable.

2) The Liberals re-write the history books.

Case in point. Doe v. Bush this is where Liberals like Sheila Jackson Lee, Jesse Jackson, and Dennis Kucinich took Bush to court claiming that Iraq was unconstitutional.

Now interestingly hardly anyone remembers Doe v. Bush and you can find the plaintiffs documents everywhere on the nets but not the defense.

Most people don't know about the Courts opinion because the Liberal media decided the result didn't fit their agenda.

Here's a bit from that opinion- the judges bringing the hammer down on Jesse Jackson, Kucinich et al particularly in the area of "consultation":

To the contrary, Congress has been deeply involved in significant debate, activity, and authorization connected to our relations with Iraq for over a decade, under three different presidents of both major political parties, and during periods when each party has controlled Congress.

That was written by Judge Sandra Lynch (-who was appointed by President Clinton.)

Do most Americans know about it?

Doubtful, the proof is for years afterward till just a couple of days ago they were screaming about how it was illegal.

About the only thing that has stopped them is what Obama has done now-but they'll soon forget and they won't be held accountable for the reasons stated above.

Chennaul said...

Plus there's a reason one of the biggest Liberal constituencies is college students-lack of experience.

Chennaul said...

Hell forget the books now they've got the googles and the google bomb.

You should try finding the defense in Doe v. Bush without going to lexis-nexus or Westlaw.

Simon said...

vbspurs said...
"I hereby predict that Barack Obama, should he lose his re-election bid, especially if it's very close or controversial, will run again and be nominated at some later date."

As a matter of pure politics (if that isn't a contradiction in terms), that would argue in favor of impeachment, no? Bar him from running again.

I don't usually do the WV sharing thing, but since commenters have been talking about catnip a lot over the last few days, I thought getting the wv "catimp" was fun.

vbspurs said...

As a matter of pure politics (if that isn't a contradiction in terms), that would argue in favor of impeachment, no? Bar him from running again.

Oh, my, yes. Hadn't thought of that, Simon. My wishful thinking guess is that if it happens, it'll be near the end of 2012. It'll throw the election into chaos, and Hillary will step into the breach like a godsend (for Democrats).

I don't usually do the WV sharing thing, but since commenters have been talking about catnip a lot over the last few days, I thought getting the wv "catimp" was fun.

I don't get the catnip references, I confess, but that Carol person is one of the many incarnations of a commenter we've seen before on Althouse. Which, who knows, and who cares, but my guess is Maxine Weiss.

test said...

"madawaskan said...

You can't drag 'em to where they messed on the carpet and have them learn anything."

The goal isn't to convert lefties. The goal is to show the moderates, the independents, and the politically unaware how ridiculous and incompetent the left is.

Chip S. said...

He's just as capable of doing that work over the phone as President Bush was capable of working from Crawford.

In Crawford, Bush just went about his daily routine, with fewer interruptions than he'd have at the WH, I imagine. Obama is on the road, getting critical information on events in Libya in the middle of a state dinner. It is fair to wonder exactly how focused he is on his job with all the receptions, photo ops, and sheer disruption of traveling from one place to another.

Chennaul said...

Marshal

Well if they haven't picked a side by now...

Add to that different Republican factions have a long history of punishing politicians that play to the middle.

Maybe not in this particular case, because I see what you are getting at but if Obama gets out of this Libyan thing fast enough it will all be forgotten come election cycle.

In the earlier comment if the actors were different- Bush was a Democrat and the Judge had been appointed by a Republican they'd have that quote engraved somewhere by now.

But the media, most book writers and the education system is locked in for Liberals.

test said...

madawaskan

"Add to that different Republican factions have a long history of punishing politicians that play to the middle."

I'm referring to voters, not politicians. Move the honest lefties to moderates (a short list, true). Move moderates to centrists. Move centrists to right leaners, etc. Politicians will follow.

The Tea Party is a great step. We get rid of a social conservative spendthrift like Bob Bennett, and bring in someone serious on government spending. Upgrade.

Chennaul said...

Marshal

I think we agree after your last comment-you can convince the middle with something and then at the last minute they'll remember that evil Republicans want to take away their abortions and social security.

So they'll run home to the very issue that puts them in the middle in the first place.

And to be more specific if we become hypocrites by overplaying the Libya card we're going to lose the "they're hypocrites" argument.

The constitutionality question especially because while we can't even get ten pundits on our side of the issue to agree, we are supposed to imagine that a Court would find it ripe enough to decide or that they would find the case justiciable.

Meaning we'd have to find a Court arrogant enough to enjoin the Executive and/or the Legislature during an active military engagement.

I doubt it could happen.

All the pundits can scream about an Imperial Presidency but in reality every President has managed to acquiesce power within the Constitutionally prescribed time frame.

So that's the argument that I feel is particularly specious.

Almost Ali said...

Now it's open season on Israel. The so-called Muslim radicals throughout the world are chomping at the bit - as Obama hands out lifetime achievement awards to every Mideast dictator vis-à-vis Libya.

Impeach.

Revenant said...

Somehow I don't think the military is thinking "gosh, I sure to wish Obama was around to help run this operation".

I do wish, though, that Obama would take some time off from his busy vacation schedule to explain to the nation why he just sent us to war. It would be polite, don't you think? I can think of good reasons for it, and bad reasons for it, and questionable reasons for it... but it might be nice to hear the ACTUAL reasons, instead of guessing.

Simon said...

madawaskan said...
"All the pundits can scream about an Imperial Presidency but in reality every President has managed to acquiesce power within the Constitutionally prescribed time frame."

I think you mean "relinquish." One acquiesces in the exercise of power by someone else.

kent said...

O'Reilly, Code Pink Founder Agree: [Ed] Schultz and [Rachel] Maddow Are Hypocrites [in supporting Libyan War] [VIDEO]

Intellectual Consistency:

CODE PINK: 1
MSNBC: 0
LEFTARD TROLLS: 0

kent said...

White House: This isn’t a war, it’s a “kinetic military action”

"George Orwell to the red courtesy phone, please... George Orwell, red courtesy phone..."