President Obama once remarked about "silly season". Well in his speech to the African Union, he made a remark about being able to win another election if the law allowed it.
Of course, that is what the media picked up on. But that misses the point:
(Short video on youtube)
More below the fold:
The point, of course, was about political leaders stepping down when their time was up. Via the New York Times:
As he wrapped up what may be his final trip to Africa while in office, Mr. Obama took aim at some of the continent’s gerontocracy and called on long-entrenched leaders to step down, declaring that “nobody should be president for life.” But it led to an off-the-cuff riff about his own improved political standing and his future.
“I actually think I’m a pretty good president,” Mr. Obama said, departing from his prepared text in a speech at the African Union. “I think if I ran, I could win.”
“There’s a lot that I’d like to do to keep America moving,” he added. “But the law is the law,” he said, “and no person is above the law, not even the president.”
The comments reflect a bitter issue in Africa: the attempts by some leaders to hold onto power well beyond their terms expire. Just this month, the president of Burundi pushed through with elections that gave him a third term in office, throwing his nation into upheaval in a move widely regarded as violating the country’s constitution and a peace agreement that ended a devastating civil war.
But of course, people picked up on the "third term" comment and his thinking that he is doing a good job as President (disclaimer: I agree with him here).
But that was not the main point of this part of his speech.