When even the 'ChicTrib' gives him the finger - he's dead man walking!

There's no honour amongst thieves and Chicagoans, er, that's if you can actually tell them apart!  Before some highly respectable citizen of Chicago sends me a letter of outrage/a legal suit/a parcel bomb - or all three, I had better make clear that I am referring only to political Chicagoans.  This stew pot of corruption and cronyism was the nurturing ground for the young Obama and became in the end his launching pad into the White House.  His mini-thuglet and former consigliore, Rahm Emanuel, now runs the joint from behind the mayorial desk.  I would advise the city authorities to count the drawers when he leaves!  Above and beyond all other things this is a Democrat city from the top of its skyscrapers down to its sewers.  So, when a columnist in the Chicago Tribune, Steve Chapman, writes a long-ish piece urging Obama not to run then something is very, very, badly wrong in the White House, or at least, the nearest golf course, or where-ever the hell he is.

Chapman gives the bad news first:

The sputtering economy is about to stall out, unemployment is high, his jobs program may not pass, foreclosures are rampant and the poor guy can't even sneak a cigarette.  His approval rating is at its lowest level ever. His party just lost two House elections — one in a district it had held for 88 consecutive years. He's staked his future on the jobs bill, which most Americans don't think would work.

The vultures are starting to circle. Former White House spokesman Bill Burton said that unless Obama can rally the Democratic base, which is disillusioned with him, "it's going to be impossible for the president to win." Democratic consultant James Carville had one word of advice for Obama: "Panic."

But Chapman is not the sort to kick a good Democrat when he's down, no, sireee, he offers glad tidings:

But there is good news for the president. I checked the Constitution, and he is under no compulsion to run for re-election. He can scrap the campaign, bag the fundraising calls and never watch another Republican debate as long as he's willing to vacate the premises by Jan. 20, 2013.

And anyway, do Michele and the kids really want to hang around whilst their dad is being rubbished even harder by all and sundry?  I don't think so:

Presidential encores are generally a bog of frustration, exhaustion and embarrassment. They are famous for lowest moments rather than finest hours. Richard Nixon was forced to resign in disgrace, Reagan had the Iran-Contra scandal, and Bill Clinton made the unfortunate acquaintance of Monica Lewinsky.

Administration officials get weary after four years and leave in droves. The junior varsity has to be put into service. New ideas are hard to come by.

Chapman reminds Obama and us that there is a very high chance that even if Obama wins he will face a House and Senate controlled by the Republicans which will almost certainly entail the gradual dismantling of everything he stood for and, by general consensus, Obama is not a fighter.  However, Chapman knows, or thinks he knows, of a very doughty fighter indeed and bows in the direction of - Mrs Hilary Clinton, who else?

Her husband presided over a boom, she's been busy deposing dictators instead of destroying jobs, and she's never been accused of being a pushover.

Not only that, Clinton is a savvy political veteran who already knows how to run for president. Oh, and a new Bloomberg poll finds her to be merely "the most popular national political figure in America today."

Sorry, Barack, baby, the exit's over there - and do give my regards to the Windy City and that nice Mr. Emanuel.

 

Comments

[Hank]

David

I had better make clear that I am referring only to political Chicagoans.
Ok I’ll stop looking for the C4.

Well President Obama’s resigning is the lefts best chance for 2012, or more likely to recover in time for 2016 or 2020. But please can he go back to his native Hawaii!

To improve your opinion of our fair city a little bit of local color.

http://eclecticmeanderings.blogspot.com/2011/09/crusin-on-lsd.html

[David Duff]

Thanks, Hank, beautiful city but it reminds me how lucky I am not to have to commute anymore!