The latest case in point: The Gulf oil spill.
Seems like it was just the other day when the world was about to end, and president Obama faced his newest Presidency-Destroying-Katrina. Forget the actual disaster in the Gulf. That was not the most important thing. What it means for Barack Obama - Now, that was something worth getting crazy over.
So what if during the Exxon Valdez disaster, the media didn't even bother George H.W Bush. This is Barack Obama, and Barack Obama is being judged by a completely different criteria than any of his predecessors. Like the mere existence of A problem, any problem, is his fault. And even if he takes care of it, it doesn't matter. He can't "redeem" himself.
So the BP spill turned quickly into Obama's spill. And not only that he didn't snap his finger to stop this unprecedented disaster - he didn't even look angry! The Maureen Dowds of the world were, well, angry: WHY DON'T YO CARE?????????????? PLEASE BE MY DADDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyone who is someone, used to be someone or (mainly) told themselves that they are someone, jumped on the chance to poop all over the president. When James Carville called him all kinds of insulting names - like which he would never dare to call Bill Clinton - he suddenly became very "important" again. He was on every morning show, he occupied Huffington Post front page headline and Daily Kos rec list for days.
Fast forward just a few weeks, and now it looks like the hole is plugged, throughout the Gulf people hope for a late summer tourism boom, including the Obamas next weekend - and Tony Hayward still have nightmares from this meeting:
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You'd think that since his whole presidency was about to be drown in oil, and it was his (15th) Katrina - the media will dedicate some time to talk about how things turned around. Let's say, 10% of the time they spent on ripping him apart. After all, finally, Malia's daddy plugged the hole, right? Yea, right.
Benen:
It wasn't too long ago that developments in the Gulf of Mexico were the single most important news story in the country. The hypnotic live feed of gushing oil was oddly popular; every update was considered breaking national news; and the anticipation for the day that the immediate crisis would finally be brought under control was palpable.
It comes as something of a surprise, then, that this week's developments weren't a bigger deal. In recent days, the well has effectively been shut down entirely -- ahead of schedule. Work on the final relief well will take about a week, and offer a permanent solution, but it's been about three weeks since oil stopped flowing into the Gulf, and all of the news of late has been encouraging.
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This was a busy news week, but shouldn't these developments, long sought by a desperate nation, be cause for slightly more relief? Or did the political world that speculated about the oil spill bringing down the Obama presidency decide that the crisis is so last month that good news doesn't matter as much as bad news?
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When James Carville basically ate his hat this week - And i give him credit for having the dignity to do so - all i could hear was the sound of crickets. No HuffPost sensational headline in 5 different colors, no concert tour on every Morning Joe, no massive blogs attack, not even a diary here.
It's like every time that president Obama's calmness and thoughtfulness and ability to quietly and seriously solve problems, beats another obstacle - it makes people hate him even more. I don't know what's going on, but this just boggle the mind.
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West Wing week - Special Gulf edition:
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NORTH BAY VILLAGE, FL - AUGUST 04: Executive director Wendy Fox watches a Brown Pelican fly as the Pelican Harbor Seabird Station prepares to transfer the birds after they were rehabilitated from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico on August 4, 2010 in North Bay Village, Florida. The 45 birds that were brought to the center at the beginning of July are scheduled to be transferred back to the coast of Louisiana tomorrow to be released into the wild. (AP)
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Iraq forces take over from last U.S. combat brigade
Iraq (Reuters) - The United States handed over control of all combat duties to Iraqi security forces on Saturday in a further sign its withdrawal is on track despite a political impasse in Iraq and a recent rise in violence.
President Barack Obama said last Monday he would stick to his promise to end U.S. combat operations in Iraq by August 31, with security being left in the hands of Iraq's own U.S.-trained army and police.
"Today is an extremely important day as we continue to progress toward turning over full responsibility to the Iraqi security forces," General Raymond Odierno, top commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, told reporters after a departure ceremony for the last U.S. combat brigade.
Seven years after the U.S.-led invasion to topple Saddam Hussein, Washington is reducing the number of troops in Iraq to 50,000 by September 1 from just under 65,000 currently and close to 150,000 during the height of the conflict.
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One other huge thing - a momentous progress - that happened this week, was the confirmation of a second woman in one year as a Supreme Court Justice. Obviously not as important as the new manufactured scandal around Michelle Obama's private vacation in Spain - but hey, you take what you can get.
For president Obama, it was just the latest link in a long string of actions by the first feminist president. Just a few examples:
Rescinding the Mexico City Policy
The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act
Creating the White House Council on Women and Girls.
Opening the Door for Women in Transportation
The Tribal Law and Order Act
2011 budget provides $730 million to combat violence against women
Strengthening of Title IX
USAID Bolsters Gender Equality Policies
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Joe Conason:
Someday, when Americans have learned to live the true meaning of our creed, a Supreme Court nomination of a woman, a Latino, an African-American or any other variety of human being—including a gay man or woman—will provoke no comment or concern. Until then, we should applaud every step toward that future. The latest is President Barack Obama’s choice of Elena Kagan to become the third female justice among the nine justices on the nation’s highest court. But what this nomination reminds us is that he is not only the first African-American in the Oval Office, but the first president raised on feminist principles as well.
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Remember that his mother, Ann, though unlucky in marriage, was deeply persistent, adventurous and professional in her career as an anthropologist. This "girl from Kansas" brought her children with her to distant lands, and even left teenage Barry with his grandparents for a time while she worked abroad. Recall also that his beloved grandmother Madelyn Dunham, whom he knew as "Toot," was a working woman who rose daily before dawn to arrive at the bank where she toiled for more than 20 years until, at long last, she won promotion to vice president.
Today there is nothing unusual about a bank vice president—or a peripatetic academic—who happens to be female. Back when Mr. Obama was growing up, however, those two brave women shaped his outlook profoundly. We cannot yet know how three female justices will change the culture of the court and the jurisprudence of the nation. But the dream that Ms. Kagan cherished and pursued just became a little easier for other girls to imagine.
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All by AP:
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President Obama signs Elena Kagan’s commission in the Oval Office, before a reception in the East Room, Aug. 6. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
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President Obama at the Democratic fundraiser for Alexi Giannoulias, August 5, at the Chicago Cultural Center.
(Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton)
(Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
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President Obama steps outside the Chicago Cultural Center to wave to a big crowd gathering across the street.
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And my fave photo of the week:
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