Too smart to be President. Is that really Barack Obama's problem? Mika Brzezinski thinks so.
On today's Morning Joe, as Mike Barnicle and John Heilemann kicked around the notion, as others have before, that President Obama doesn't much like politics and the people in it, Brzezinski piped up with a different explanation for his aloofness: he's "too smart for the job," she suggested. View the video after the jump.
Heilemann had a quick comeback: "I'm not saying that, although I'm sure that's your gloss on it." Joe Scarborough suggested that such was Obama's gloss on it as well.
So what do you think? Is that President Obama's problem? Too smart for the job?
MIKE BARNICLE: Is the President of the United States a man who likes politics and likes the people in politics?
JOE SCARBOROUGH: That is a softball.
JOHN HEILEMANN: That's a softball. Look, he disdains and has always hated the theatrics, that aspect of politics. We've said many times around this table, he doesn't like to court people. Whether that's his enemies or his rivals in the Republican party, he does not like to spent time with them. He doesn't like to spend time with Democrats, schmoozing. He doesn't like any of the kind of human, kind of back-slapping side of politics Bill clinton is so good at. He doesn't like that, and even it's kind of amazing, the thing about this debate performance, he's an incredible political performer. That's what made him in 2008. The ability to give these rousing speeches that were so inspirational to so many people. He kind of even distrusts that and finds that emotionally manipulative. And so when he gets to this point, in the second debate preparation, it's that -- his kind of allergy to play-acting.
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: So what you're saying is he's too smart for the job.
HEILEMANN: Well I'm not exactly saying that although I'm sure that's your gloss on it.
SCARBOROUGH: That's his gloss on it. He's kidding himself. The guy who goes around and says if you want your insurance you can keep your insurance --
BRZEZINSKI: Stop it, Joe --
SCARBOROUGH: -- 27, 28 times.
