Valin Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 Postmodern Conservative : James Ceaser 11/28/13 It is a good idea in judging a political leader to place yourself in their position. Imagine that you had run for president with throngs of enthusiastic followers worshipping your every word and gesture, with millions worldwide wearing t-shirts with your picture emblazoned on them, with nearly every journalist singing your praises, with the most renowned intellectuals testifying to your subtlety and brilliance, with rock stars declaring you cool. Imagine that virtually everyone you encountered was a sycophant, a flatterer, an adulator. You were head of a world-wide cult that deemed you a god. Almost the minute you were elevated as the leader of the worlds foremost nation, the most august of international juries awarded you the premier prize for international diplomacy. You had only to utter an ordinary phrase for the pundits to proclaim your genius, drop a self-deprecating comment for the intelligentsia to marvel at your sophistication, speak in the most empty slogans for the millions to draw inspiration. Just flash your smile and the females would swoon, or make a quip about a movie and the youth would count you hip. You were celebrated above all in the most enlightened places, on the campuses of the best universities, in the board rooms of the most advanced high tech firms, in the homes of the greatest of movie stars. Are you quite sure, if you had been in that position, that you could have remained well-grounded, have an accurate sense of yourself and your merits, and been ready to make real decisions in the real world? (Snip) A famous writer from Florence once distinguished among three different kinds of brains: one that understands by itself, another that discerns what others understand, the third that understands neither by itself or through others. The first would be best, the second would be sufficient, while the third would be useless. Worst of all is one who is deluded about the kind of brain he has. There is no doubt that our leader is convinced he belongs to the first category. He is reported to have said, I think Im a better speechwriter than my speechwriters. I know more about policies on any particular issue than my policy directors. And Ill tell you right now that Im gonna think Im a better political director than my political director. One who so misjudges his own merits will likely forfeit the possibility of taking advantage of the counsel of others. And just look at the quality of the counselors with whom the president has surrounded himself today. Is any of them counted a wise counselor, a serious thinker? Would that be Jay Carney? Dan Pfeiffer? And even if there were such persons, is the leader someone prepared to listen to advice? There is nothing in the course of events of the past few months to indicate that any effective system has been established, and little hope that one will be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pollyannaish Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 The only way you could withstand this is if you had a very sincere and humble connection to God. And even then, it would be difficult. It is my sense that Obama is our first completely Athiest humanistarxisr president. And he has no Reason to not believe his own press. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pollyannaish Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 One other thing: he is not that smart, not that capable and honestly not that interesting. He is, indeed, a empty space in a chair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valin Posted November 30, 2013 Author Share Posted November 30, 2013 One other thing: he is not that smart, not that capable and honestly not that interesting. He is, indeed, a empty space in a chair. He is however a legend in his own mind. His problem is (IMO) he's never really had to face failure. George HW Bush...shot down in battle, defeated in a number of elections Bill 'Willard' Clinton...thrown out of office in Ark. ridiculed/booed for a speech. George W Bush failed in business, overcame a drinking problem. Point being these and other Presidents have had to face and over come major failures in their personal political life...Barack Obama never has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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