Führerbunker?

On January 20, 2009, a beaming Barak Hussein Obama strode down Pennsylvania Avenue.  He was President of the United States of America.  Basking in the cheers of the gathered throngs, this was his moment of triumph.  Backed by veto proof majorities in Congress, and supported by high approval ratings, Barak Obama had great plans for the nation he now led.

Weekly parties at the official residence, Air Force One and Marine One at his beck and call, dinners with heads of state, 5-hour days playing golf, whole cities brought to standstills as he enjoyed 'date nights' with his First Lady, Obama clearly relished the trappings of power.  Yet, he was woefully unprepared for the demands on, or criticism facing, the occupant of the Oval Office.

The first indications of how the new president would react to anything other than unbridled adulation came less than a month after his inauguration.  The Democrat controlled Congress rushed through the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009” (aka “Stimulus Bill”), ready for his signature on February 17, 2009.  Hundreds gathered outside Dobson High School in Mesa, Arizona the following day in protest as Obama arrived to champion the new legislation.  The presidential motorcade made a last second change to bring Obama in from a different direction so he would not have to pass the signs mocking this great give away of the peoples' treasure.

More protests came, each larger than the previous, culminating in a massive tax day rally.  The TEA Party Movement captured the Nation's attention as millions gathered on the National Mall.  Yet, White House spokesman, Robert Gibbs, made every effort to downplay the impact of such a demonstration, insisting the administration wasn't even aware of masses marching through D.C.

Obama continued his push to “transform America” as fewer and fewer citizens swooned in awe of his personality.  The populace began to see through this political Professor Harold Hill, and started demanding music right here in River City.  Finally, embarrassed after having been called to account for blasting the Cambridge PD as “acting stupidly”, Obama retreated behind the Rose Garden walls, refusing to hold a formal press conference for months.

Vice President Biden continued making inane statements as the Mad Hatter of the House, in concert with the Senate's Harry the Despised, spindled, folded, and mutilated the Constitution to force passage of the president's signature legislation, ObamaCare.  The people were outraged at this naked power grab, especially following the government take over of the auto and banking industries.  Stung by this rebuke, the administration began lashing out at those dissenting.  His followers denigrated tax and spend protesters with a vulgar sexual reference.  Obama personally attacked the banking and financial industries in hopes of shifting the public ire.

Meanwhile, his administration repeatedly demonstrated incompetence when it came to national security.  The right was outraged at the Ft Hood murders and Janet 'Ineedanap' declaring “the system works” as the actions ordinary people foiled attempts to blow up a plane over Detroit, and car bomb the heart of Times Square.  Even Obama's political base grew more and more disenchanted with his failure to deliver on campaign promises regarding the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, closing Guantanamo, “don't ask, don't tell” and a host of other leftist hot button issues.  Obama's popularity and approval ratings fell faster than the nation's employment figures.

Baghdad Bobby Gibbs did his best to gloss over and ignore questions about the thirty some odd days it took Obama to respond on the Deepwater Horizon disaster.  Obama finally came forward himself to answer questions, making every effort to sound convincing in his assertion that he was really on top of the situation.  The news conference ended with a terse non-response to a question about the growing Sestak bribery scandal.

As each news cycle brings more questions of competence, the Obama administration exhibits an ever growing siege mentality.  No longer admired as “the one we have been waiting for”, Obama's fragile ego is shattering under the pressures of a job well above his pay-grade.  He is becoming almost Nixonian with the constant attacks on those he perceives as wronging him.  It is a disturbing revelation about his personality as he retrenches deeper behind those Rose Garden walls.   The most transparent and open administration in history has closed the shutters, and the White House seems to more closely resemble the Führerbunker.  This cannot bode well for our nation.

Dennis P. O'Neil