The Obama Enigma

D.G. Martin was interviewing Carter and me for “Who’s Talking” on WCHL radio when we began discussing the topic that soon will dominate political debate: WOWW – Where Obama Went Wrong.
 
Was it the policy or the politics (see “Blaming the Messenger” below)? Was it the economy? Was in getting in bed with Congress? Was it a failure to communicate?
 
It occurred to me that this is where Obama’s relative inexperience in politics hurt him.
 
He went from community organizer to back-bench state legislator. He sailed into the U.S. Senate without a negative ad being run against him. While he became a media superstar, he never was a real player in the Senate.
 
And he got crushed in his first race for Congress.
 
In truth, Obama has been a great politician when he has a foil a Hillary Clinton or a John McCain.
 
He hasn’t had a foil as President. Instead, he is compared to Candidate Obama. And he comes up short.
 
But soon he may have a foil: a John Boehner. Other Republicans in Congress. And then he’ll have all the Republicans running for President.
 
Maybe then he’ll get his mojo back.
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Gary Pearce

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The Obama Enigma

D.G. Martin was interviewing Carter and me for “Who’s Talking” on WCHL radio when we began discussing the topic that soon will dominate political debate: WOWW – Where Obama Went Wrong.
 
Was it the policy or the politics (see “Blaming the Messenger” below)? Was it the economy? Was in getting in bed with Congress? Was it a failure to communicate?
 
It occurred to me that this is where Obama’s relative inexperience in politics hurt him.
 
He went from community organizer to back-bench state legislator. He sailed into the U.S. Senate without a negative ad being run against him. While he became a media superstar, he never was a real player in the Senate.
 
And he got crushed in his first race for Congress.
 
In truth, Obama has been a great politician when he has a foil a Hillary Clinton or a John McCain.
 
He hasn’t had a foil as President. Instead, he is compared to Candidate Obama. And he comes up short.
 
But soon he may have a foil: a John Boehner. Other Republicans in Congress. And then he’ll have all the Republicans running for President.
 
Maybe then he’ll get his mojo back.
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Gary Pearce

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