Has Obama jumped the shark?

I watched with a gaping mouth on Friday the news conference held by President Obama
and his new BFF, former President Bill Clinton. It wasn’t that long ago when Clinton
was running around the country touting his wife and, in the process, trashing her
opponent. That’s understandable in the realm of politics.
 
It wasn’t the fact that Slick Willie was standing next to Obama, it was where they
were standing: in the White House press room. Here we have the sitting president
of the United States in rapt attention, as one of his predecessors waxes on poetically
about anything and everything. To me, that says Obama is desperate. He didn’t have
a handle on the message behind his supporting the deal he cut with Republicans,
his own party is disgusted with him, so Obama is forced to bring in some outside
help: a “closer,” if you will.
 
Certainly, on the campaign trail Clinton can help and should be used. But when you
need to roll out a former president to affirm what a sitting president is doing,
and essentially give his stamp of approval, that sounds a bit hokey and flailing.

 
One thing is clear: In the wake of massive losses, both men have proceeded in opposite
directions. Clinton became a survivor — declaring the era of big government is over,
and moving to triangulate folks to push an agenda that was clearly for the benefit
of the country, and the voters rewarded him as much in 1996. Obama seems to have
doubled down on his leftist agenda. Sure, he cuts deals, but trashes the other party
in the negotiations all the while — calling them “hostage” takers and
letting still others in his party refer to Republicans as terrorists. C’mon.
 
So what happens next? Will Clinton be a fixture now on every piece of difficult
policy this White House faces? Will Al Gore make a cameo if consensus is somehow
reached on climate change? Will Michael Moore roll to the lectern as Obama stares
admiringly, should his healthcare plan be dismantled? See a pattern of terrible
visuals forming?
 
If I were a Democrat, I would fear my leader is wondering himself just how stable
are his policy positions. It’s one thing to have former experts and leaders come
out in support of your position and help continue a message you yourself established
and choreographed. It’s quite another to hope the “expert” creates his
own message in order to help bail your fat out of the fryer …

Armstrong Williams is on Sirius/XM Power 169, 7-8 p.m. and 4-5 a.m., Monday through Friday. Become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/arightside, and follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/arightside.