Althouse: "President Obama on Sunday displayed the freedom that comes with not having another election ahead of him..."

February 17, 2013

"President Obama on Sunday displayed the freedom that comes with not having another election ahead of him..."

"... golfing with Tiger Woods in an enclave of privilege here along Florida’s blustery Atlantic coast."

77 comments:

Chip S. said...: He's just making sure that Tiger is paying his fair share of the tax burden.

It's the Millionaires & Billionaires National Tour. He'll be visiting every enclave of the privileged class in a relentless quest for tax justice.; 2/17/13, 5:15 PM
rhhardin said...: It's a demonstration of the Obama tin ear, which has nothing to do with elections.

A tin ear is a tin ear and has always been a tin ear.; 2/17/13, 5:24 PM
Automatic_Wing said...: Pretty sure he played a lot of golf before being reelected, too.; 2/17/13, 5:25 PM
Diogenes of Sinope said...: Obama can do no wrong, never makes a bad decision, is always right and is as pure of heart as Jesus Christ..... to in any way question these truths is pure racist hatred.; 2/17/13, 5:29 PM
Fritz said...: Just another way of voting "present". We should be grateful he's not pushing harder.; 2/17/13, 5:33 PM
kentuckyliz said...: I hope he golfs his second term away. Golf on, dude. Golf on.

You and Michelle and the girls party and travel on our dime and live large...make Queen Elizabeth II jealous of your opulent lifestyle.

Stay thirsty, my friends.

Here We Go!; 2/17/13, 5:36 PM
Anonymous said...: Many of us would prefer that you address him as Candidate Obama as he hasn't done anything presidential other than the meaningless ceremonial stuff in years.; 2/17/13, 5:44 PM
AllenS said...: "President Obama on Sunday displayed the freedom that comes with not having another election ahead of him..."

Nonsense. He could care less. When he wants to golf, he goes golfing.; 2/17/13, 5:47 PM
David said...: Perhaps Tiger could explain to the President why Tiger lives in Florida.

Or would that be rude?; 2/17/13, 5:48 PM
campy said...: He can run again if he wants to. All that's needed is for some Wise Minorities With Ladyparts to interpret the XXII amendment creatively.; 2/17/13, 5:48 PM
garage mahal said...: I'm outraged.; 2/17/13, 5:57 PM
chuck said...: The guy should spend more time golfing. I'm looking forward to the time when it is all he does.; 2/17/13, 5:57 PM
garage mahal said...: Oh, and 16 TRILLIONS DOLLARS!!!111ONE.; 2/17/13, 5:59 PM
Palladian said...: It's like garage isn't even trying any longer.; 2/17/13, 6:01 PM
Palladian said...: It's like Obama isn't even trying any longer either.

Actually, it's always been like Obama isn't even trying.; 2/17/13, 6:02 PM
Chip S. said...: Even garage must be demoralized by now.

What defense of his guy is possible anymore?; 2/17/13, 6:05 PM
garage mahal said...: What defense of his guy is possible anymore?

Obama is fortunate the right is so nutty.; 2/17/13, 6:13 PM
Chip S. said...: So...none.; 2/17/13, 6:15 PM
n.n said...: It's the freedom derived from dissociation of risk.; 2/17/13, 6:16 PM
Unknown said...: like Jack said I am taken by surprise that anybody able to earn $8393 in 4 weeks on the internet. did you see this web link(===== BIT40.com =====); 2/17/13, 6:18 PM
Michael said...: Obama is lucky a huge piece of America is very low information.; 2/17/13, 6:19 PM
ampersand said...: If course if it was another party the headline would read "President X on Sunday displayed the disdain that comes with not having another election ahead of him..."; 2/17/13, 6:20 PM
Charlie Eklund said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 2/17/13, 6:22 PM
Charlie Eklund said...: So, President Obama is hanging out with Tiger Woods.

Tiger Woods, world famous golfer, a man who is almost as famous for...well...other things, shall we say.

Is this the trip that Michelle is not coming along on?; 2/17/13, 6:23 PM
edutcher said...: This is part of the Choom is AWESOME in his power mind game.

Too bad even some "Conservatives" are buying it.

Actually, this is what he did as Candidate Obama (Tom's right there) and Preezy of the Steezy.; 2/17/13, 6:23 PM
edutcher said...: Charlie Eklund said...

So, President Obama is hanging out with Tiger Woods.

Tiger Woods, world famous golfer, a man who is almost as famous for...well...other things, shall we say.

Is this the trip that Michelle is not coming along on?

Charles, you may just have something there...; 2/17/13, 6:25 PM
AllenS said...: Maybe Tiger will set up Barry with some of his white porn women.; 2/17/13, 6:25 PM
Chip S. said...: Or his PEDs.; 2/17/13, 6:26 PM
Unknown said...: Out own version of Louis XVI....we peasents can just eat cake.; 2/17/13, 6:32 PM
Unknown said...: OUR own version of Louis XVI....we peasents can just eat cake.; 2/17/13, 6:33 PM
AllenS said...: What's a PED, Chip?; 2/17/13, 6:35 PM
edutcher said...: I b'lieve it's performance-enhancing drug.; 2/17/13, 6:37 PM
Chip S. said...: Performance Enhancing Drug: Steroids, Human Growth Hormone, etc.

I wouldn't be opposed to Obama trying some.; 2/17/13, 6:38 PM
AllenS said...: Maybe he's got some drugs that will make your putter stiffer.; 2/17/13, 6:38 PM
garage mahal said...: Obama uses a teleprompter to choose what club to hit. Haha. Kind of like voting present. Boom.; 2/17/13, 6:41 PM
Michael K said...: Every hour that Obama is on the golf course, is an hour he is not doing us harm.; 2/17/13, 6:42 PM
Chip S. said...: Except that he doesn't bring Valerie Jarrett with him to the golf course.

[That one was just for you, garage.]; 2/17/13, 6:43 PM
Mary Beth said...: Because the president’s motorcade has not left the compound, White House officials have explained, there is no reason for the pool to track the president’s activities or to know who he is spending time with on a personal vacation.

It seems they could have just left it at, "no reason for the pool to track...." Do they usually include a statement saying it's not the media's business who he's with?; 2/17/13, 6:45 PM
Icepick said...: I guess Obama is just trying to see what it's like for us unemployed people. For us, every day is like a vacation. Thank God he is working so hard to understand our plight....; 2/17/13, 6:50 PM
Chip S. said...: Don't worry.

Butch Harmon's going to help him with his pivot to the economy.; 2/17/13, 6:55 PM
Kchiker said...: What a dumb article. And yes, the articles criticizing GWB for playing golf were dumb too.; 2/17/13, 7:00 PM
edutcher said...: Mary Beth said...

Because the president’s motorcade has not left the compound, White House officials have explained, there is no reason for the pool to track the president’s activities or to know who he is spending time with on a personal vacation.

It seems they could have just left it at, "no reason for the pool to track...." Do they usually include a statement saying it's not the media's business who he's with?

The name Gary Hart ring any bells?; 2/17/13, 7:02 PM
JohnJ said...: "Actually, it's always been like Obama isn't even trying."

He doesn't need to.

He likely never needed to.; 2/17/13, 7:13 PM
Anonymous said...: obama's got a thing for playing golf with guys who frequent hookers.; 2/17/13, 7:16 PM
edutcher said...: JohnJ said...

Actually, it's always been like Obama isn't even trying.

He doesn't need to.

He likely never needed to.

You not only broke the code, you shattered it.; 2/17/13, 7:18 PM
Ambrose said...: I wish I was a fly on the golf cart. President: "I had a 5 on that hole." Tiger: "But you had 2 in the rough, and 3 in the sand?" President: "But I won the election and that has consequences, this course just won't compromise with me."; 2/17/13, 7:20 PM
Kchiker said...: If only the American people had known he played golf, he would have won the election by 4%.; 2/17/13, 7:20 PM
Sam L. said...: Well, I thought he'd be playing with O.J., helping him search for the murderer.

garage mahal, what are your outraged by?; 2/17/13, 7:25 PM
tim maguire said...: garage mahal said...Obama is fortunate the right is so nutty.

You're in the ballpark. Obama is fortunate the right has crappy leadership. Unfortunately for the right, there is not much to be done about it.

When your message is that government should be small and the life well lived is lived in the private sector, your political leadership is doomed to consist of lessor lights and poseurs.; 2/17/13, 8:29 PM
Unknown said...: It's President's weekend & guess who is back in Aspen? Michelle and woowoos. With a total photo blackout. Even the Aspen Daily News is strangely silent. Maybe the ski instructors were warned. Google Ski Instructor James Cohen Aspen.

As the President golfs in Florida, his wife skis in Aspen... all at a time when millions are unemployed:

Queen M "Let them eat cake" Obama and VP Joe "Big Jim" Biden are skiing in Aspen this weekend while millions suffer under their reign. Is it #tyranny yet? One letter to the Aspen Times suggested the situation here in "Glitter Gulch" is Rome in the 4th quarter. Aspen is Versailles----it's Crony Capitalism on steroids. Aspen's former mayor was at breakfast today at the Hickory House, she said she was not invited to the Crowns. ROFL: My invite must have gotten lost in the mail.

Last year, the FLOTUS and her family crashed at the winter palace of my billionaire neighbors----> the powerful Crown family, the owners of the company that owns the company town, Aspen Skiing. Google Lester Crown bribery Chicago Tribune.

Michelle's host is most famous for being on the President's arts council, as well as for firing singer Dan Sheridan, banning his song "Big $" from ski areas in national forest under lease, and censoring our local paper, the Aspen Daily News [all online.]

Last night, it was black SUV city at the Crowns at what locally is referred to as the "Petit Trianon, their palatial residence. There ain't nothin' "petite" about it.

The gossip around is where did all the fleet of black SUV's arrive from? Straight from the horse's mouth, the SS [Secret Service]: 25 SUV's had to be driven up from Peterson Air Force Base near Denver [only 8 are stored in Denver]. The SS are real friendly with the locals and I ain't talkin' Cartagena friendly.

Wait, it get's better, only 3 SUV's can be loaded per cargo plane.

In addition, how come the Pitkin County airport opened the airport [closed normally until 7am] at 5am on Friday? What was the REAL total cost to taxpayers? Sometimes I'm lucky enough to get upgraded on United Airlines, trust me, it's REAL nice. The Queen of Denmark flys commercial but VP Joe and Michelle need to take separate government airplanes? Pigs at the trough?

FOIA requests from the last sojourn revealed that the govt. said Michelle "$540.00 tennis shoes at a Food Bank" Obama's trip cost $90K. Really? Don't call us little people stupid. LOL. These Do AS I SAY liberals keep us chuckling 24/7 in A-town.....

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2012/12/dick-armey-leads-arme... -lee mulcahy phd, peon.; 2/17/13, 8:39 PM
Unknown said...: Can we eschew euphemism and replace "low information voters" with "ignorant voters"?; 2/17/13, 8:43 PM
Paul said...: What you are seeing is the difference of having to be re-elected and not.

He did his best to hide Benghazi during the election. Hid the contraction of the economy. Hid Obmaacare's $20,000 per person per year tax.

But now he just does not care. He can snort coke, hobnob with the super rich, ignore the press, bump pelvises with any chick he can find.

The rest of the country can just go to hell (as it will when Obamacare bankrupts itself, the Middle East goes Jihad, and joblessness hits 1930s depression rates.

That's hope and change for ya!; 2/17/13, 8:51 PM
Cinderellastory said...: The President has played 113 rounds of golf during his 1st term. Good for him! My question is where are all of the critics from the main stream media who whaled on GWB when he played a fraction of the rounds that BHO has played.; 2/17/13, 9:04 PM
Anonymous said...: Drudge is calling it a secret Spring Break.

I'm sorry, but since when is mid-February "Spring Break" by ANY stretch of the imagination?

That comes in March and April.

I've suspected the guy doesn't do jack shit since he threw health care back to congress to fuck up. To be fair, I had the same feeling about Bush, but Bush at least got engaged on occasion.; 2/17/13, 9:08 PM
madAsHell said...: Interesting.

I'm 56 years old, and I ski several times a year at Whistler, and in the Cascade range.

Yeah....it's SWPL.

When will skiing become soul food?; 2/17/13, 9:09 PM
Astro said...: C'mon give Obama a break. He was probably consulting with Tiger on foreign affairs, and how to deal with the Swedes and stuff like that. Stuff where Tiger has a lot of expertise.
That, and ways to improve car safety during head-on collisions with fire hydrants, trees and shrubs.; 2/17/13, 9:17 PM
Emil Blatz said...: Definitely a stock photo of the man in shorts. It was colder than a well digger's ass here in Palm Beach County today. I think the high was only 52.; 2/17/13, 9:23 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: Talking about Tiger Woods, the skiing world is a bit atwitter with him sending his jet to pick up Lindsay Vonn in Austria after she crashed the other day, tore her (ACL/MCL), and broke her leg (which, with that type of knee injury is apparently not that rare, according to a friend of mine who missed competing in an Olympic downhill in the 1970s by breaking her leg), and flew her back here to Colorado for surgery.

The big question is whether they are dating, or just good friends. She is blond, but otherwise is quite different from his ex-wife, having her own athletic career (5 time world downhill champion, 4 time combined, and gold medal in 2010 Olympics), and even more so for his girlfriends. And, while her ex husband is a great skier (they were both in the 2002 Olympics), she was much more successful.

So, my guess is that they are just very good friends, sharing the same sort of devotion to their respective sports, but my brother and others are betting on relationship. We shall see.; 2/17/13, 10:00 PM
Anonymous said...: I'm sensing a guy that is going to phone it in for the next 4 years.; 2/17/13, 10:21 PM
Craig said...: Golf course? Ski resort? What better way to get in touch with the people who own Congress?; 2/17/13, 10:33 PM
Mark said...: He phoned it in the first four years. (Except when he was in the mood to watch a drone strike; beats the XBox hands down.); 2/17/13, 10:34 PM
Mark said...: Latin American brothels....; 2/17/13, 10:45 PM
tiger said...: He is a lousy human being a crappy politician and a disgrace to his office.; 2/17/13, 11:27 PM
Clyde said...: I hope the President enjoyed our 50-ish degree Florida "global warming" yesterday. I think the high in Fort Myers (usually among the warmest places in the state outside of Key West) was about 61, so it had to have been chillier in Orlando. That's about 20 degrees below normal.; 2/18/13, 3:35 AM
Bob Loblaw said...: When your message is that government should be small and the life well lived is lived in the private sector, your political leadership is doomed to consist of lessor lights and poseurs.

That's only about half the party, which is why we get people like George Bush who thought Medicare part D and NCLB were good idea. And maybe they were good ideas for his career - he was reelected.

Small, decentralized governments just don't last long as democracies. They inevitably trend to overbearing socialist states, then collapse in insolvency, to be replaced by some form of autocracy.

We could have easily headed off the collapse a decade ago. We could still do it with a lot of pain provided the political will was there. But it isn't.; 2/18/13, 4:28 AM
edutcher said...: Clyde said...

I hope the President enjoyed our 50-ish degree Florida "global warming" yesterday. I think the high in Fort Myers (usually among the warmest places in the state outside of Key West) was about 61, so it had to have been chillier in Orlando. That's about 20 degrees below normal.

The evil eye from Moochelle.; 2/18/13, 6:45 AM
edutcher said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 2/18/13, 6:45 AM
Rusty said...: On an up note. It looks like Jesse Jackson Jr.s wife will be jointing him in the federal pen.
I wonder if Jesse Sr. is nervous. Is "skippy" Daley somehow involved?
Chicago politics is so much like a soap opera.; 2/18/13, 7:37 AM
George M. Spencer said...: Obama's stump speech as quoted in a 2008 Real Clear Politics article:

"There's not a liberal America and a conservative America, there is the United States of America." These unremarkable words, spoken at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, set off wild applause.

...."We've got a series of very important decisions to make, and we have the opportunity to make them, not as Democrats, not as Republicans, but as Americans. And it's that promise that I'm most excited about."

...."We can do better,"...."America is ready for a new set of challenges." He is all for "a spiritual recovery."

The senator dislikes the "either-or" type of debate and warns against "false choices." He's not too left, not too right. Sort of black, and sort of white.

....Before a thousand swooning fans in New Hampshire, he says, Evita-like: "This isn't about me. This is about you."

What Obama really thinks should be done about health care and the terrorist threat remain secrets that his book does not unlock. His two years in the Senate certainly haven't revealed any bold policy ideas.

This leave-them-guessing strategy slips out in the book's prologue. "I serve as a blank screen," Obama writes, "on which people of vastly different political stripes project their own views."

By saying he is a "blank screen," he is acknowledging that he is a charismatic leader.

Here is what business thinker Peter Drucker had to say about charismatic leadership: "You know, I was the first one to talk about leadership 50 years ago, but there is too much talk, too much emphasis on it today and not enough on effectiveness. The only thing you can say about a leader is that a leader is somebody who has followers. The most charismatic leaders of the last century were called Hitler, Stalin, Mao and Mussolini. They were mis-leaders! Charismatic leadership by itself certainly is greatly overstated. Look, one of the most effective American presidents of the last 100 years was Harry Truman. He didn't have an ounce of charisma. Truman was as bland as a dead mackerel. Everybody who worked for him worshiped him because he was absolutely trustworthy. If Truman said no, it was no, and if he said yes, it was yes. And he didn't say no to one person and yes to the next one on the same issue. The other effective president of the last 100 years was Ronald Reagan. His great strength was not charisma, as is commonly thought, but that he knew exactly what he could do and what he could not do."; 2/18/13, 8:04 AM
Patrick said...: Safer for everyone when he is in the golf course.; 2/18/13, 8:39 AM
Scott M said...: How many mulligans by executive fiat do you think will take place?; 2/18/13, 8:39 AM
Mark said...: Let's face it, Obama is a putz.; 2/18/13, 9:04 AM
khesanh0802 said...: I agree with those who think Obama should spend the next three years on the golf course incommunicado.; 2/18/13, 9:30 AM
lgv said...: BTW, GWB quit playing golf during his presidency after August, 2003.

Maybe Jerry Brown asked O to play with Tiger and ask him to move back to CA.

The after round party may be the best the prez has ever experienced, what with Michelle being in Aspen. If they had Samsung Galaxy's they could just tap phones and Barry would get the special phone number folder.; 2/18/13, 10:47 AM
Known Unknown said...: Thanks for trying your hand at journalism, WP.; 2/18/13, 11:04 AM
Amartel said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 2/18/13, 2:21 PM
Amartel said...: Let freedom ring! At last, Obama can be himself.

(I'm picturing the scene in Caddyshack where Judge Smails tips Danny the Caddy a quarter, "for his trouble."); 2/18/13, 2:22 PM