Maureen Dowd: Obama Is 'Maddeningly Naïve' - His Presidency Has 'All the Joy of a Root Canal'
The perilously liberal New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd appears fed up with Barack Obama.
In her piece published Sunday, she called the current White House resident "maddeningly naïve" right after saying his presidency has "all the joy of a root canal":
The man who came to Washington on a wave of euphoria has had a presidency with all the joy of a root canal, dragged down by W.’s recklessness and his own inability to read America’s panic and its thirst for a strong leader.
In an interview with Fareed Zakaria for this week’s Time cover story, the president is maddeningly naïve.
After sharing a quote from Zakaria's piece of Obama saying that he's depicted as being cold and aloof because he doesn't attend a lot of Washington parties - "The fact is, I’ve got a 13-year-old and 10-year-old daughter” - Dowd observed, "Reagan didn’t socialize with the press. He spent his evenings with Nancy, watching TV with dinner trays. But he knew that to transcend, you can’t condescend."
She continued her critique:
The portrait of the first couple in Jodi Kantor’s new book, “The Obamas,” bristles with aggrievement and the rational president’s disdain for the irrational nature of politics, the press and Republicans. Despite what his rivals say, the president and the first lady do believe in American exceptionalism — their own, and they feel overassaulted and underappreciated.
We disappointed them...They still believed, as their friend Valerie Jarrett once said, that Obama was “just too talented to do what ordinary people do.”
Dowd also shared with her readers revelations made last week by former President Jimmy Carter to CNN's Piers Morgan that he doesn't have any relationship with Obama. According to Dowd, "The Clintons have not been courted with dinners in the private residence either."
She continued, "The Obamas, especially Michelle, have radiated the sense that Americans do not appreciate what they sacrifice by living in a gilded cage. They’ve forgotten Rule No. 1 of politics: No one sheds tears for anyone lucky enough to live at the White House."
All well and good, but Dowd better be careful with her criticisms lest she too be wrongly accused of calling the first lady an angry black woman or be included in the list of Obama critics Newsweek and Andrew Sullivan think are dumb.
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Comments
Aw Gee, Barack, can't you take a hint?
Submitted by KyWriter on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 12:33pm.
Once you've lost Maureen Dowd...
Yes its over
Submitted by tvhall on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 1:27pm.
The snarky and arrogant Dowd didn't turn on Clinton till his second term.
These people make me literally ill with their high options of themselves. I have an IQ in the same supposed standard deviation that they have, I just haven't had my ego inflated (both in volume - fat heads - and a very large number being worth very little) through the constant cerebral fellatio they are given from left/press/media.
They only know as the Goths and Vandals knew it is easier to build a legendary image by tearing things down rather than building something of value.
Dowd's disappointment
Submitted by Galvanic on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 11:56pm.
Dowd also shared with her readers revelations made last week by former President Jimmy Carter to CNN's Piers Morgan that he doesn't have any relationship with Obama.
That's curious considering their Presidencies parallel each other. One would think Carter is pulling Obamas strings.
According to Dowd, "The Clintons have not been courted with dinners in the private residence either."
I can't blame the Obamas on this one.
She continued, "The Obamas, especially Michelle, have radiated the sense that Americans do not appreciate what they sacrifice by living in a gilded cage. They’ve forgotten Rule No. 1 of politics: No one sheds tears for anyone lucky enough to live at the White House."
Tell us again, Maureen, how Barack Obama is the most intelligent President we've ever had. Why can't he see perceive his negative?
The reason the Obamas think they are sacrificing too much now is because they've never really sacrificed in their lives. They are the beneficiaries off others' sacrifice.
"Help Me"
Submitted by mad53PA on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 12:33pm.
I can't recall ever thinking I would agree with Maureen Dowd.
That being said, she hits the nail on the head when she states: "Despite what his rivals say, the president and the first lady do believe in American exceptionalism — their own, and they feel overassaulted and underappreciated.".
That sentence sums it all up. Who would have thunk it, coming from Dowd.!!!
Who would have thunk it
Submitted by Injest on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 11:02pm.
That sentence sums it all up. Who would have thunk it, coming from Dowd.!!!
I wonder did she “hear in her head” “Let them eat Cake” when she wrote that line?
I feel terrible
Submitted by MidAmerica on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 12:37pm.
We've all let obama down and he's disgusted with us.
Let's all work together now and transform this country!
The obama's have been sent by Providence to lead us from the desert into the Promised land!!!
Don't worry. Our chance for
Submitted by ant on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 1:10pm.
Don't worry. Our chance for redemption comes on Tuesday. Obama has promised his SOTU speech will include Himself telling us what we, as Americans, can do to help him. I Can't Wait.
Got the old sarcasm meter pegged on eleven, eh?
Submitted by Blonde on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 4:06pm.
LOL.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
Don't watch
Submitted by texasborngranny on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 11:10am.
Don't watch SOTUS; read it. You get a whole new understanding by reading 0's speeches, instead of watching. Boycott the broadcast.
Took you three years to dry out from that last meth bender, Mo?
Submitted by drsamherman on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 12:42pm.
Suddenly you discover that Obama has been a colossal failure as a president and now you expect pity from others for being stupid enough to vote for him in the first place? You are just now discovering that both Obamas are sociopathic, malignant narcissists who don't give a damn about what shape the country in as long as they are enjoying the high life?
Wake up and smell the Latte, Momo. You missed that one by a continent, babycakes.
No, she's not really
Submitted by motherbelt on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 12:56pm.
No, she's not really recovered. Right out of the gate she claims that Obama 's root canal joylessness is because his presidency has been "dragged down by W's recklessness"
Once again, it's Bush's fault.
Objectively,
Submitted by drsamherman on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 1:04pm.
in most cases of euphoria produced by a precipitating event (the election of Barack Obama), the resultant depression from the fact that the party is over (or never started in this case) is usually deflected to what happened before the party started. I see this in treating bipolars all of the time, namely a high manic phase and deep, sinking depressive phase during which everyone and their brother is blamed for causing the euphoria and consequential drop into depression. Bush just happens to be there for the blame, but he is not a causal factor as much as convenient.
So I was right; she's not
Submitted by motherbelt on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 1:23pm.
So I was right; she's not really recovered. ;-)
Terminal case of rectocranial inversion, MB.
Submitted by drsamherman on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 3:15pm.
Terminal case. Her head growing so large makes the only possible removal route through her feet. Unfortunately, MoDoDo keeps both of them firmly planted in her mouth.
IOW
Submitted by Blonde on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 4:08pm.
The usual liberal pretzel-logic configuration.
Handy Reference Guide to Obama's Gaffes and Goofs ~ Currently Numbering 200 (and Counting)
I have yet to figure out what
Submitted by killa37 on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 12:47pm.
I have yet to figure out what Valerie Jarrett has said, or done, right..............and that includes saying that Boy BlahBlah is 'too talented' at ANYTHING!!! But............with about half the country ignorant, clueless, and dependent, have of Congress following suit (as well as a number of eunich Republicans), and about 95% of the MSM basically the same way - this talentless piece of Kenyan Kow Krap HAS managed to shove a good portion of his agenda down our throats, and our county down the tubes at the same time.
And I'm taking being called an 'ordinary person' as an insult by these drips - just like when they call us 'folks'.
The Obamas, especially
Submitted by ThePickle on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 12:53pm.
The Obamas, especially Michelle, have radiated the sense that Americans do not appreciate what they sacrifice by living in a gilded cage.
What THEY sacrifice! What THEY sacrifice!
OK. I have to step back or I will go on a cursing spree that will most assuredly get me banned.
OMG the F-ing AUDACITY of this woman knows no bounds. To claimed that her wheels up and cocktails lifestyle, that being waited on hand and foot and enjoying the sycophantic adulation of the MSM and their slobbering hoards of mind numbed liberals is a SACRIFICE! Something she has to ENDURE!
Talk about out of F-ing touch! People are lined up 100 deep to get a minimum wage job at Burger King and this Be-otch is talking about HER sacrifice. 47 MILLION people on food stamps and this F-ing woman is talking about how SHE is under-appreciated!
It's a F-ing "Marie Antoinette" moment and I for one hope to god that this November she and her f-ing hubby fare no better (metaphorically speaking) than did little 'Marie'.
A "Marie Antoinette moment"?
Submitted by CO2Maker on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 1:21pm.
I used to think that, too, until I read Ann Coulter's latest book, "Demonic." She shows Marie Anoinette in a much different light, in fact, 180 degrees from the popular impression of the person who said, "Let them eat cake." (BTW, many people do not realize that she was reacting to news that the peasants didn't even have bread to eat: "They don't have bread? Let them eat cake." But it doesn't come across all that well, and she didn't have any docteurs de spin to reposition the way the story would be publicized.)
CO2, one thing that most
Submitted by motherbelt on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 1:26pm.
CO2, one thing that most people don't realize is that "cake" actually meant the baked on scraps left in the ovens and baking pans used by the bakers. They would scape it off at the end of the day, pile it all in pans and leave it out for the poor to take.
As historically inaccurate as
Submitted by ThePickle on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 1:31pm.
As historically inaccurate as it may be the "idea" behind the detachment of the likes of Marie Antoinette resonates with most people on a visceral level and is understood to mean a person so out of touch with the "common" people that upon hearing they have no bread she assumes that they will of course have cake. Why? Because she is unable to imagine NOT having cake.
Pickle
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 1:57pm.
the "detachment" of Maria Antoinette is more than an "idea. Sources at the event say she was beside herself.
LOL
Submitted by ThePickle on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 2:17pm.
:)
Maureen Dowd's been on this path for some time. .
Submitted by Gary Hall on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 12:54pm.
From one of her August 2011 columns:
“Yes, we can!” has devolved into “Hey, we might.” [..]
Barack Obama blazed like Luke Skywalker in 2008, but he never learned to channel the Force. And now the Tea Party has run off with his light saber.
The dissonance of his promise and his reality is jarring.
When he had power, he didn’t use it. He wanted to be a “transformational” president like Ronald Reagan, but failed to understand that Reagan’s strategic shows of strength allowed him to keep the whip hand without raising his voice.
And now, just when the high school principal in the Oval has been browbeating Congress to help create jobs, he is once more distracted from that task as he tries to save his own.
He goes to fund-raisers to tell people to stick with him, but he seems to be trying to reassure himself.
Sure sounds like what Chris Matthews said a month, or so back (Noel covered it, here):
If I could say one thing to Barack Obama, “Stop showing us how smart you are and lead us. Ask us to do something. Pull us behind you. Enlist us in the service of our country. Ask us to do something." There is no Peace Corps. There is no Special Forces. There is no 50 mile hikes. There’s no moon program. There’s nothing to root for.
What are we trying to do in this administration? Why does he want a second term? Would he tell us? What's he going to do in the second term? More of this? Is this it? Is this as good as it gets? Where are we going? Are we going to do something the second term? He has yet to tell us. He has not said one thing about what he would do in the second term. He never tells us what he is going to do with reforming our healthcare systems, Medicare, Medicaid, how is going to reform Social Security. Is he going to deal with long-term debt? How? Is he going to reform the tax system? How? Just tell us. Why are we in this fight with him? Just tell us, Commander, give us our orders and tell us where we’re going, give us the mission. And he hasn't done it.
And I think it's the people around him, too many people around, they’re little kids with propellers on their heads. They're all virtual.
Seriously -- how can anyone support his campaign for re-election?
(;~/ gary
⇒ It rhymes with "joy"
Submitted by Cool Arrow on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 1:00pm.
Did you hear that? I could swear I heard Maureen say "Your Presidency has all the joy of a root canal b _ _"
That's just what I heard.
Maddeningly naive?
Submitted by ricklail on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 1:14pm.
More like galatically stooooopid.
"Root canal"? That's a
Submitted by ant on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 1:18pm.
"Root canal"? That's a code-word for racism. I think the liberal audience hears this dog-whistle of hatred. Maureen is down on The Wons because they're black. "Maddeningly naive" another code for racist-hatred...think about it...just add a 't' to naive and you have 'native'...that means black..I knew it.
YO: ANT
Submitted by Jerry Mack on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 4:02pm.
Absolutely correct! Tingles the Racer will undoubtally? take her to task. Reverend Al may have to be placed on medication.
drug abused is code for blacks
Submitted by Injest on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 11:18pm.
Very good you got some things I missed, and I think I got one you missed.
"Root canal"? That's a code-word for racism. No but a "Root canal" will get you 20 Vicodin's.
Vicodin is a prescription drug that gets abused, and we all know drug abused is code for blacks!
It's all good.
Submitted by ant on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 1:39am.
But don't forget liberal strategery. You must say drug usage is code for blacks but that more whites use drugs than blacks..so it's not racist because of the white percentage..but it is..because..or something like that. Noone ever accused the libs of being smart..except themselves.
yes dear....
Submitted by MidAmerica on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 1:29pm.
Poor obama...
A lot of men can sympathize with the situation obama is in. He doesn't really like his job but the 'ol Lady likes the lifestyle it provides so he has to trundle on, hating his life but doin' it for the wife.
Maureen
Submitted by mmilesll on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 1:45pm.
Don't worry, this "journalist" will come back and join the other idiots come election time. She just says this crap so people won't forget her.
sure she will
Submitted by ohio granny on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 3:27pm.
Sure she will because she is nothing but an Obama slut.
YEP
Submitted by Jerry Mack on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 4:07pm.
MD: I was taken out of context. Great Right Wing Conspiracy. I was drunk. It is Bush's fault.
Wait, what?
Submitted by CobraMan on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 2:02pm.
"dragged down by W.’s recklessness "
How could Obama be "dragged down" by someone who is no longer involved in politics, let alone the Presidency?
If that "W" stands for anything even remotely associated with the Obama administration, it must stand for "Wife."
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus. The US Supreme Court
Or Anwar al-Awlaki.
Yet another liberal assertion waiting to be exposed as false:
Submitted by dscott on Sun, 01/22/2012 - 5:21pm.
Valerie Jarrett once said, that Obama was “just too talented to do what ordinary people do.”
Show the public Obama's grades in Harvard and Columbia. I believe he has no talent academically... why else would he seal the grades?
Maureen confuses naivete with incompetence. She is needlessly frustrated because of the expectations based on her assumptions. You know what they say? "Expectations are premeditated resentments."
rats
Submitted by angelann1 on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 1:06pm.
The rats are leaving the ship !!
he's all that and more.. or so we're told
Submitted by rowdygirl on Mon, 01/23/2012 - 4:55pm.
The problem with him being so "exceptional" is that it's hard to balance on that pedestal. Especially when you put yourself up there. Normally, narcissists love to brag about themselves, and showing his grades would be a perfect opportunity to do that. Obviously, they weren't very good or we would have seen them.
It must be us.. being so ignorant, we just can't appreciate him for being the omnipotent, wonderboy that his people tell us he is.
Tam