Althouse: "White House: No Events to Mark 1st Year in Office."

January 20, 2010

"White House: No Events to Mark 1st Year in Office."

O! The glumness!

83 comments:

Paddy O said...: the link is kooky; 1/20/10, 9:31 AM
Anonymous said...: Hey,

Didn't Barack Obama promise he'd close Gitmo by today?

Wonder whatever happened on that?; 1/20/10, 9:36 AM
Anonymous said...: The event has already been well marked, wouldn't you say?

Wouldn't you just love to be a fly on the wall in the West Wing this morning?; 1/20/10, 9:39 AM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Problem with the link; 1/20/10, 9:42 AM
Peter V. Bella said...: The celebration was last night. It was a funeral.; 1/20/10, 9:43 AM
Angst said...: Over heard in the West Wing ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsx2vdn7gpY; 1/20/10, 9:51 AM
Scott said...: "No Events to Mark 1st Year in Office."

Which is not to say that his first year in office hasn't left a mark.; 1/20/10, 9:52 AM
Scott said...: One requiring plastic surgery.; 1/20/10, 9:55 AM
Fred4Pres said...: Obama needs to change and change fast because he is in trouble.

I would not abandon his goals, but he definitely needs to abandon his methods. They are not working.; 1/20/10, 10:04 AM
traditionalguy said...: The next big celebration on the White House calendar is probably scheduled for April 30th. I expect that is a very important day for them.; 1/20/10, 10:08 AM
Anonymous said...: I think his method will now be regulation. He's going to promote statism the stealthy way, since he lost the will of the people.; 1/20/10, 10:09 AM
Anonymous said...: It wasnt' a funeral last night. It was the the start of a three-year wake.; 1/20/10, 10:09 AM
Anonymous said...: Mort Zuckerman, of all people, is appropriately brutal to Obama here:

He's Done Everything Wrong.

It's an astounding piece of writing from an Obama supporter.; 1/20/10, 10:15 AM
Hoosier Daddy said...: "No Events to Mark 1st Year in Office."

Hey if you don't leave any marks on an exam can you still earn a B?; 1/20/10, 10:17 AM
itzik basman said...: Obama must feel the way a lawyer does in the midst of a hearing that's not going well. He has to change up to reverse the bad flow of things and it's finally on him to do so. That is a separate and heavy pressure, especially if you are introspective and inclined to self doubt as assertive self confident seeming people often are. Clinton changed up by triangulating with the invaluable help then of Dick Morris. Obama seems at a particular precipice now and it may all rest on health care. See http://www.the-american-interest.com/article.cfm?piece=719; 1/20/10, 10:17 AM
KCFleming said...: Well, he won, so he's got that going for him.; 1/20/10, 10:20 AM
David said...: Mort Zuckerman an Obama supporter? Dpn't think so.; 1/20/10, 10:21 AM
traditionalguy said...: Senator Claire McCaskil says this morning that the Democrats have been going too far too fast. She sure changed her tune. That brings to mind the Japanese Navy's new attitude after June 2, 1942 that was so different from their attitude the morning after December 7, 1941. The "moderate Democrats voting with the Marxist wing on cue have suddenly noticed that the Mass. voters "Scratched the first of 4 flat-tops"last night with the next 3 to sink being McCaskil, Nelson,and Bayh.; 1/20/10, 10:21 AM
Ann Althouse said...: Link fixed. Sorry.; 1/20/10, 10:22 AM
AllenS said...: No events to mark 1st year in office.

Time sure does fly when you're having fun.; 1/20/10, 10:25 AM
I'm Full of Soup said...: David:

I am pretty sure USA Today and Zuckerman endorsed Obama. But now Zuckerman threw Obama under the bus!; 1/20/10, 10:26 AM
I'm Full of Soup said...: This morning, NPR devoted maybe 75 words to their report on Brown's win.; 1/20/10, 10:29 AM
Rich B said...: Scanning the dailykos and a few selected lefty blogs, all I can find is denial and delusion. Keep it up, guys and gals - at least until November!; 1/20/10, 10:30 AM
Kevin said...: Let's get this party started!; 1/20/10, 10:30 AM
Peter V. Bella said...: They are going to celebrate on April 15th. The Democrats favorite day. A day all true Americans and Patriots should honor and revere. :); 1/20/10, 10:33 AM
Automatic_Wing said...: Is it typical to have "events" commemorating a President's first year in office? Because the whole idea sounds kind of lame to me, like a kindergarten graduation ceremony or something.

Did the hated Booosh have a little party to mark his first year in office?; 1/20/10, 10:34 AM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Obama bowed to a bunch of foreign leaders.. now is the people's turn.; 1/20/10, 10:38 AM
Anonymous said...: Uh, Dave, from the article

I’m very disappointed. We endorsed him. I voted for him. I supported him publicly and privately.

This is Mort Zuckerman, publisher of the NY Daily News. Why do you doubt that he supported Obama?; 1/20/10, 10:39 AM
Tibore said...: ""White House: No Events to Mark 1st Year in Office."

Given the administration's failures, isn't anyone else chuckling at the Freudian slip here? That should've read "No Planned Events". Instead, the headline's an accidental critique of the administration's performance.; 1/20/10, 10:39 AM
Phil 314 said...: Reality show hits reality.; 1/20/10, 10:42 AM
Arturius said...: I’m very disappointed. We endorsed him. I voted for him. I supported him publicly and privately.

Adults know that sticking your hand on a hot stove top will result in your hand being burned. That's why we warn our children about not touching hot stoves.

Evidently the same lesson has to be applied to electing Presidential candidates.; 1/20/10, 10:52 AM
Peter V. Bella said...: Is it typical to have "events" commemorating a President's first year in office?

Only this president. A legacy must be created. history must be made. Damn the people!; 1/20/10, 10:56 AM
reader_iam said...: National Mentoring Month. Anyone else find this amusing, in a dark humor sort of way?

(And no, I've got nothing against mentoring.); 1/20/10, 10:57 AM
Roger J. said...: I do not remember any president having a first year in office celebration--this is one narcissisit asshole.; 1/20/10, 11:00 AM
itzik basman said...: As to what I was saying briefly before, this from Jennifer Rubin today:

"...In the next week we’ll find out if Obama is as “practical” as his spinners keep saying. A practical president would assess the situation, listen to his fellow Democrats, adjust course, and try to regain his political viability. An ideologue, an inexperienced and arrogant one, would push forward. We’ll find out which Obama is..."; 1/20/10, 11:03 AM
NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: They said that if I voted for Obama there would be no more "red states" and "blue states." And they were right!; 1/20/10, 11:08 AM
Anonymous said...: One of the best things about Scott Brown is that, as a state senator, he supported men's rights legislation.

This is the way for Republicans to address the craziness they see in the Democrats' Feminist agenda.

The current way of addressing the Feminist agenda is for Republicans to fall back on their Christian conservatism: they are "pro-life" and for "traditional families" and thereby against gay marriage, and it's all rooted in Jesus.

But this is the fruit of an excessively simplistic view of the world. It also seeps with religion and that drives non-believers away.

Instead, Republicans need to turn more to the men's rights camp for solutions, and even to find out what the issues are that men care about. There they will find things that are better thought-out, more effective, and more appealing to voters than Christian conservatism. (And none of it is incompatible with Christian conservatism either!)

The problem is that the current Republican leadership class doesn't know how to look beyond the scope that they have been limiting themselves to. I don't think they can do it-- not only with this but also with other issues-- and therefore they need to be tossed out!

Please: More Palin, more Brown, more men's rights, and less of those crusty old men of the establishment.; 1/20/10, 11:09 AM
nrn312 said...: Evidently the same lesson has to be applied to electing Presidential candidates.

OK.

Please: More Palin...

Hmm.; 1/20/10, 11:18 AM
Hoosier Daddy said...: Is it typical to have "events" commemorating a President's first year in office?

Well they were hawking commerative coins before he was even sworn in.

I will confess I did buy an Obama t-shirt but I use it to dry the car after I wash it.; 1/20/10, 11:18 AM
Larry J said...: "No Events to Mark 1st Year in Office."

This is surpising. It seemed for weeks after his inauguration, we were treated with yet another "historic" accomplishment. I was actually surprised some reporter didn't breathlessly report on the "historic" first bowel movement by our first (or is it second) black president.

Today, nothing. Well, it took Jimmy Carter far longer to prove he was a terrible president. Obama managed to be even worse in far less time. I guess that's an accomplishment.; 1/20/10, 11:21 AM
NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: The thing with looking back is that it forces people to look at reality. It's silly to talk about what speeches Obama gave rather than what actually happened. We can do that on a day to day basis, but looking back it's much harder to pull off.

What jumps out at me is how ineffective the President was at fulfilling his own promises and goals. Gitmo is open, the war continues, the Olympics are going to Rio, Copenhagen failed, Iran is working on a bomb, health care reform is dead, and so on.

Obama has failed many more times on his own terms than he has succeeded. And this with a large Democratic majority. What is he going to do if that goes away?

I didn't think McCain could govern effectively. Maybe not, but Obama must be worse.

I hear that the country is ungovernable, but maybe it's just ungovernable by Democrats; 1/20/10, 11:31 AM
Unknown said...: Barry's big problem is that the difference between Willie and him is that Willie had Morris and Barry has somebody who wants to be DeNiro playing Capone when he grows up.

WV "supecock" I dassent; 1/20/10, 11:33 AM
Synova said...: No events is a good thing. Not realizing that may be the problem.

Dealing with the economy and jobs should have been the day to day work. Keeping an eye on Afghanistan, making decisions and keeping that running as smoothly toward a resolution as possible should have been the day to day work.

Not *events*... just day to day work.

Instead we've had a year of "this has to happen now!!!" The health bill has to happen now!!! We need to pass these climate related regulations now!!! We need to do everything now!!!

Why?

What is it about any of those that won't be with us next year to take care of next year? Why the rush?

Is it an idea that a President ought to DO something just for the sake of doing it? Is it that these things really are not that important or immediate and everyone fears that the only thing taking them forward is momentum?

George Bush had an "eventful" first year.

What we ought to want is boring.

Boring is good.; 1/20/10, 11:35 AM
Scott M said...: Not making a deal about this being the 1-year mark is probably one of the smarter things this "genius intellectual" has done. Anything looking like a celebration at this point would be an Obamaesque "Mission Accomplished" banner.; 1/20/10, 11:36 AM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: They said that if I voted for Obama there would be no more "red states" and "blue states." And they were right!

Now there is a Brown state.; 1/20/10, 11:36 AM
Arturius said...: I didn't think McCain could govern effectively. Maybe not, but Obama must be worse.

McCain would have been able to count on a significant number of Democrats in Congress to help push his legislative agenda. Whether or not his agenda would have been good or effective is another discussion altogether.

Obama's mistake(s) was thinking that his massive Congressional majorities meant he had a free ride and he's finding out he doesn't. He has hedged his presidency (much like Bush did with Iraq) on a sole issue: health care; and much like Bush with Iraq, is going full speed ahead, popular support be damned.

For Obama, this will define his administration and his chances for re-election. Should HC fail, he's effectively done as he will have blown every ounce of political capital on one piece of his agenda and if the polls are to be believed ranks pretty low below jobs and the economy.; 1/20/10, 11:39 AM
hawkeyedjb said...: @Synova..."Boring is good."

Yes it is. Often, the best advice is "Don't just do something. Stand there."

When I heard Michelle Obama say "Barack Obama will require you to work...Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed" all I could think is, what if I just want to live my life as a free citizen, without any regard to what Mr. Obama thinks?

We need government to solve some problems, but not all problems.; 1/20/10, 11:44 AM
robinintn said...: reader: Anyone else find this amusing, in a dark humor sort of way?

Raaaacist!11!!!11; 1/20/10, 11:48 AM
KCFleming said...: ""White House: No Events to Mark 1st Year in Office."

I think a Franklin Commemorative Plate would be in order.

Perhaps BHO in front of GM, carrying the health care bill, arm around Geithner, smiling big as all the world, under the banner Mission Accomplished.

Plus, a grade school choir sing Hmmmm mmmm mmmm would be nice.; 1/20/10, 11:48 AM
Anonymous said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/20/10, 11:51 AM
Anonymous said...: Money quote from Zuckerman:

"He’s improved America’s image in the world. He absolutely did. But you have to translate that into something. Let me tell you what a major leader said to me recently. 'We are convinced,' he said, 'that he is not strong enough to confront his enemy. We are concerned,' he said 'that he is not strong to support his friends.'"

If that doesn't send a chill down every American spine . . . . That was the very reason I loathed Jimmy Carter: he was weak, he made America weak, and he thereby made Americans less safe. O is following in his footsteps. Where is our Reagan who will restore America's strength?; 1/20/10, 11:51 AM
robinintn said...: And right on cue, Olbermann calls Massachusetts voters racists, as Howard Fineman cheers him on:

OLBERMANN: The Republicans and the Tea Partiers will tell you what happens tonight with Scott Brown tonight, whether he wins or comes close, is a repudiation of Obama policies, and surely one of Obama’s policies from the viewpoint of his opponents is that it’s okay to have this sea change in American history, to have an African-American President. Is this vote to any degree just a euphemism the way state’s rights was in the 60s?

FINEMAN: Wow, that is a good question.; 1/20/10, 11:53 AM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: Rush says Obama and the dems should keep doing what they been doing..

More beer summits?; 1/20/10, 11:57 AM
AllenS said...: I'm thinking about having my own beer summit, shortly.

PARTY TIME!!!!!; 1/20/10, 12:10 PM
Joan said...: Nomilk, I pulled that same quote from Zuckerman in one of the other threads this morning. Amazing column.

This image: carrying the health care bill,

He'd need a wheelbarrow.; 1/20/10, 12:12 PM
Chennaul said...: Is the Obama Presidency-

"shovel ready" yet?; 1/20/10, 12:21 PM
AllenS said...: Where in the hell is Biden? This would be a good time for him to step up to the podium and make one of his trademark speeches. I could use a good laugh.; 1/20/10, 12:22 PM
LouisAntoine said...: Is there any objective or goal of conservatives other than for Obama to be as hated as Bush was?

This is the single, solitary objective of the Republican party that I can see.

Scott Brown has no coherent program... lower taxes while not cutting medicare or any services? good luck.; 1/20/10, 12:27 PM
bagoh20 said...: I detect a hope that Obama can turn this around. A struggling hope barely treading water. Many seem afraid that if they admit a mistake in voting for him and then he turns it around, that you look really stupid.

I wouldn't worry about that. I would worry about how weak that clinging to hope and change makes your decision making appear.

I congratulate Zuckerman for growing up. Now don't do that shit again. We don't need journalists expressing their "feelings". We need facts, effort and clear-headed analysis.; 1/20/10, 12:28 PM
Hoosier Daddy said...: Scott Brown has no coherent program... lower taxes while not cutting medicare or any services? good luck.

Yes lets raise taxes and spend even more money. That's a winning Democrat strategy.; 1/20/10, 12:31 PM
Chip Ahoy said...: I realize Sir Archie comes and goes as the occasions strike him and his appearance cannot be evoked, say, by seance. Still, I'm interested to see what he has to say about the election of Brown. He did confidently assert otherwise after all.

I foolishly weighted his opinion inordinately, setting aside for that instance a basic truism I hold, that Brits, even ghosts of Brits, tend to think themselves more prescient about American politics than is possible without living it. It doesn't matter how often they're shown to be wrong, they keep right on entertaining that high opinion of their judgement anyway, then amuse themselves that on the whole we find them arrogant. I've yet to encounter a Brit that having spent a single week holiday in the United States doesn't fancy themselves expert on all things American, and speaks as such.

* holds hands, forms circle *

"Give us a siiiiign."; 1/20/10, 12:34 PM
John Stodder said...: "...and surely one of Obama’s policies from the viewpoint of his opponents is that it’s okay to have this sea change in American history, to have an African-American President. Is this vote to any degree just a euphemism the way state’s rights was in the 60s?"

According to Gallup, the Democratic registration advantage in Massachusetts is some 34 percent, only exceeded by Rhode Island and the District of Columbia. There is no state with a Republican advantage within 10 point of Massachusetts'. Brown got a lot of Democratic votes, or else he couldn't have won.

So, using Olbermann's own logic of fanciful extrapolation, last night he called Democrats racists. Any Democrat who continues watching his show, you must be masochists. Not even Glenn Beck has alleged that the Democratic party is honeycombed with racists.; 1/20/10, 12:34 PM
ricpic said...: Time for Michelle to come out and tell us how much we've disappointed her. Again. Work on that white guilt. A sure fired winner for Dems everywhere.; 1/20/10, 12:34 PM
bagoh20 said...: "Scott Brown has no coherent program... lower taxes while not cutting medicare or any services? good luck."

This will be the hard part, and the part we missed with Reagan. He cut taxes and the congress expanded spending in direct violation of their promises and responsibility. We need to cut spending. Tax cuts will spur the economy, but never enough to keep up with the spending already in law, let alone the stuff proposed.

Spending cuts will be the true test of the American public's character. Do we have what it takes to say no thanks to many handouts and safety nets? I'm not optimistic, but we must try. It's an existential challenge.; 1/20/10, 12:39 PM
John Stodder said...: Scott Brown has no coherent program... lower taxes while not cutting medicare or any services? good luck.

I don't think we're heading into a tax-cutting phase. The only tax cut I could foresee would be to lower the payroll tax as a last-ditch stimulus measure. (It should have been the first choice, but there were so many people promised so many earmarks...) But at least now it will be harder for Democrat to find 50 ways to raise them.

The tax issue worked against Democrats because Obama had promised no increase on anyone earning less than $250k. Without even the courage of Bill Clinton, who went on TV to beg forgiveness for violating his own tax pledge, Obama and the congressional leadership just refused to acknowledge that Obama's promise was a dead letter.; 1/20/10, 12:42 PM
Peano said...: David said... "Mort Zuckerman an Obama supporter? Dpn't think so."

Zuckerman said ... "I’m very disappointed. We endorsed him. I voted for him. I supported him publicly and privately."; 1/20/10, 12:44 PM
David said...: David was wrong again--no news here.; 1/20/10, 12:56 PM
bagoh20 said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/20/10, 1:06 PM
bagoh20 said...: B+; 1/20/10, 1:07 PM
Joan said...: Not sure but I believe that Brown also campaigned on making the Bush tax cuts, set to expire, permanent. Letting a tax cut expire isn't technically raising taxes, it's just reinstating old tax rates, but it will sure feel like a tax increase to the public.

I'd like to see those tax cuts become permanent.; 1/20/10, 1:13 PM
Anonymous said...: How about a milk and brownies party to celebrate?; 1/20/10, 1:29 PM
vbspurs said...: There was more hullabaloo back in November to commemorate his election's anniversary. And if you think about it, that's exactly as it should be.

For his supporters, getting him elected was the main thing, the most marvellous, wonderous, history-defying miracle in the world. A black Democrat in office, wow! Grant Park spilleth over, Jesse Jackson crying, Michelle and the kids looking radiant, a handsome, elegant man in black on the podium, the world watching us with admiration.

That was their high watermark.

But that governing thing? The biting and clawing, the cajoling of the press, the sweetheart deals, and serpentine international failures? Not so much.

Who wants to celebrate one year of nothing?

Cheers,
Victoria; 1/20/10, 1:30 PM
robinintn said...: Heck, I'd love to celebrate a year of nothing. Unfortunately, it's been a year of something: Shoveling trillions out of our pockets and into government and union coffers.; 1/20/10, 1:54 PM
Anonymous said...: Let them eat cake!

With any ensuing revolution and its attendant head rolling being electoral only.; 1/20/10, 2:16 PM
LL said...: Maybe he is going to hold a party at Guantanamo Bay. You know he is going to close it in 2 days.; 1/20/10, 2:25 PM
traditionalguy said...: Monty...Mr Obama could have easily done a centrist domestic policy and a pro-American foreign policy very well. The big problem with him has been that he wont do either one. Instead he has used a sneaky pretense that he is ignorant of what he is doing while he stubbornly pressuring into submission or banktruptcy any privately owned American industry left standing, and then heroically takes it over to be run by the Czars he appoints or merged in with his accomplices businesses. That has been coupled with a steady positioning of the USA to surrender to any foreign enemies that will risk accepting Obama's new "No Mas" attitude as our real intentions. How are Poland and Czechoslovakia's missle defenses doing these days? And how are Jews doing who dare to build in their Capital of Jerusalem these days? But who cares if he will just keep beaming us that always loving and non-threating smile of his? Well, a lot of intelligent people in Massachusetts are finished waiting on a centrist, Pro-American Obama to show up behind that enchanting smile.; 1/20/10, 2:25 PM
JorgXMcKie said...: Is there any objective or goal of conservatives other than for Obama to be as hated as Bush was?

This is the single, solitary objective of the Republican party that I can see.

No, most of us who don't like [or despise] Obama's policies don't hate him or want others to hate him. We want him to get his policies off the backs of Americans and out of their bank accounts.

The Democrat haters of Bush were more about the man than the policies [else why has Obama changed pretty much none of them?]

Anyway, I for one am betting that you could see a lot better if you'd remove your cranial cavity from your anal aperture. Either that or get plastic surgery and have a plexiglass belly button installed.; 1/20/10, 2:26 PM
Freeman Hunt said...: PatCA said...
How about a milk and brownies party to celebrate?

Great idea. I am planning a Brown victory celebration right now, so I think I'll use that.; 1/20/10, 2:33 PM
NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...: I want Obama to be an effective leader who does what's best for the country.

Apparently, that will require a Republican Congress to assist him.; 1/20/10, 2:36 PM
JAL said...: [Obama] much like Bush with Iraq, is going full speed ahead, popular support be damned.

For Obama, this will define his administration and his chances for re-election. Should HC fail, he's effectively done....

Might I point out here that Iraq is not a failure?

The Iraqi Army guys my son is working with continue to give him confidence for Iraq's stable, peaceful and prosperous future.

The story's not done yet, and there may be twists and turns, but it isn't the failure all the Democrats said it was. By a long shot.

But then the US Military wouldn't be in charge of health care. The bureaucrats and death panels would, and based on the records....; 1/20/10, 2:48 PM
JAL said...: As a therapist I often have to educate my clients that "boring is good."; 1/20/10, 2:49 PM
JAL said...: Smaller government, less regulation, private property rights, privacy issues, self determination, lower taxes, 10th Amendment respect, protection against those who would take away our American Consitutional right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

As adults American citizens do not need a "Mother" to tell us what to eat, what to drink, what to wear, what to drive, where to live, how to educate our children, when to go to the doctor, how to heat our homes, what kind of windows we must have. We don't need permission to sell our possessions, or be told to take the blue pill instead of chemo. We don't need the government giving away American sovereignty to foreign entities.

We don't want the UN telling us all the above either.

We want to be able to make money and spend it. We want to have a representative government that REPRESENTS us, and protects us. We do not want one which redistributes our work and wealth and punishes us.

We want a Congress and Federal leadership and employess who do not make or enforce laws which do not apply equally to them.

We want to do away with the ruling class.

That's a start.; 1/20/10, 3:02 PM
Lem Vibe Bandit said...: .. a milk and brownies party ..

I realise we have lost some people to the dark side.. but I also know there is good in them.

I'm not giving them up!

Use the force Freeman ;); 1/20/10, 3:51 PM