Obama, sweetie!

“Obama, sweetie”! Get real!

Am I the only one actually feeling sorry for America these days? Really I DO feel sorry for the self-dubbed “Greatest Nation on Earth”!

In a primary season that is dragging on longer than any ugly campaign should, I see a huge disconnect between the Americans and their politicians. This primary season is almost a spectator sport, except for the few in the inner circles of the various candidates.

Obama posing on a plane for the female members of the ‘press corps,” who swoon and giggle like hormonal teenagers. (Yes, that IS on YouTube, and no, I will NOT share it here. I refuse to add to the absurd proof of the media NOT doing their job in this most important time in America’s history.)

Obama supporters running rabid all over the internet, feigning outrage at “Obama in 08” t shirts being sold – maybe at a bar near you. The shirt – with an image of Curious George on it – is now under threat of a lawsuit from the publisher of the Curious George books. Lawsuit? America? Naaaaaah, couldn’t be. Me? I feel sorry for Curious George, to be dragged into more of the silly season which is America’s politics. Suggestion: Maybe have the Curious George books given to the all camps, so they can maybe learn something.

Then we have “sweetie.” Oh, puleeeeeeeeze! Quite apart from the fact that to me, anyone who calls anyone other than a close personal friend “sweetie” has got to be suspect, (it must be a cultural thing. lol) this episode was actually a gift for the Obama campaign. Yes, yet another gift from an evidently ever more shallow news media who have allowed Obama to get away without answering questions on any REAL issues. I don’t care how contrite Obama portrays himself, as he left an apologetic voicemail for “sweetie”; I see that as playing into the Obama campaign. You can’t pay for that kind of help – really!

Oh, and just today, Obama is now feigning offence about President Bush’s comments in Israel about those who would negotiate with terrorists. For Obama of course, it was all about him – NOT! IF Obama was truly listening to what the president said, GWB was referring to the “appeasement” by a previous American senator during the WW2 horrors.

One of Dana Perino’s comments particularly made me smile. She is the White House Press Secretary:

“I understand when you’re running for office you sometimes think the world revolves around you,” she added.

“That is not always true. And it is not true in this case.”

[link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7403386.stm]

Really, Obama sweetie, get a grip. Today – at least – the world does NOT revolve around you. This is the truth no matter how much the gaggle of “girl reporters” on the plane may swoon as you casually ‘pose’.

Obama’s wife – and Obama himself – MAY indeed think America owes them the highest office in the land. I think Obama owes the American people. He owes the would-be voters detailed analysis of what “change” exactly he would effect if he made it to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. He owes not just vague platitudes, but specific details, WHAT his administration would do, IF he was elected President. I for one do NOT think that is unreasonable. And no, I do not think his moving into the White House is a foregone conclusion. Obama, sweetie, we need your policy ideas, we need your economic platform, we need your military platform. And no, berating small town Americans who grip their guns and their religion with equal fervour does not cut it. And no, saying “I will bring the troops home” in however many days also doesn’t cut it.

Newsflash, sweetie: IF you decide the day you arrive in the White House, is the time to sign all our troops home, tell us HOW you would do that. No vague wishy washy touchy feely stuff. Facts, policies; HOW you plan to implement such policies. No military strategist here, but ummmmmmmmmmm, have you really thought through the logistics of immediately removing thousands of our troops from the Middle East? I didn’t think so! If I was American I would also really, REALLY like to know that the incoming President knows a thing or two about world affairs. I would really like to HEAR clear, cogent details of a viable foreign policy.

Oh, and puleeeeeeeeeze would someone teach the Obama camp about US geography? Even I know there are not 57 states in the US of America. States? What states are those? From where I sit, the current batch of wannabes seem more than happy to slide right on into the White House, without telling the American people WHAT they will do to maintain America’s greatness. (Notice I do not say “change” here. I do believe that America is already among the greatest nations on earth. I also know – firsthand – that Americans are among the best people on the planet.)

However, I also believe that the “change” we desperately need in America is within the current political soap opera. The “change” I want to see in America is the politicians (yes, all politicians) respecting the electorate. Respecting their fellow Americans enough to categorically state their real, definitive policy plans. The office of the President of the United States is far too important for Americans, and the world, for the current silly stuff about “sweetie.” No more ducking and weaving. Just the FACTS!

And then we come to the media. Am I the only one anywhere who believes the media’s role in this has been debased by the very players supposed to be maintaining the currency of integrity? These days, the ‘reporters’ are willing accomplises, sycophants in the devaluing of what should be a position of integrity. All well and good to swoon at Obama, or keep after Billary’s cupcake rallies and financial woes ad nauseum, but what about the COUNTRY? In bygone times, reporters took their profession very seriously. (And yes, despite proof to the contrary, I DO believe that ‘journalist’ IS an honourable profession…an almost sacred trust if you will. Naive? Maybe, but unapologetic here.)

Reporters SHOULD be asking the so-called tough questions about policy, strategies, of ALL the wannabes. I don’t see that happening these days. Yes, I know that things like Obama posing, and Hillary’s shenanigans are symptoms of their characters, and make good ‘copy’, but sheeeesh. Am I the only one who “gets” that these “silly” things being focused on by the media are a major distraction? The media’s apparent inability to push aside all these idiot episodes and get to the “meat and potato” issues of what really matters, are doing a great disservice to the American people.

I live in hope, real hope that this primary season will aspire to greater heights of debate about the real issues facing the country. My hope for the American people – the ones who will vote – is that they have concrete policy reasons to vote FOR a candidate, rather than what I keep hearing of the push to vote AGAINST a candidate, with no facts to base their choices on.

Hey, I can hope, can’t I? This, I know of course, is predicated on the mainstream media actually doing their JOBS objectively, professionally. As I know it does for many Americans, hope springs eternal here for one of the greatest nations on earth.

Ros Prynn is a NewsBlaze investigative reporter and editor, who writes on a range of topics. Contact her by writing to NewsBlaze, or at her milblog assolutatranquillita.blogspot.com