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The Obama Watch
Cheap Dates
How one night with Obama led to four years of regret.
Team Obama 2012 was no doubt attempting to shore up its constituency of single, young women when it released its ad late last week featuring actress, writer, and director Lena Dunham likening voting for Obama in 2008 to losing her virginity to a great boyfriend.
Yet when one considers the speed with which this ad has been mocked and parodied, one could make the case that the Obama campaign unwittingly summed up the legacy of his presidency, which in a week’s time may well be consigned to the ash heap of history.
Four years ago, much of America felt a tingle up its leg as it was seduced by the soaring yet smooth talk of President Obama. But in the four years since, much of America is asking, “Is that all there is?” For not much had changed, at least not for the better. The tingle soon became a pain that soon became infected. Your health insurance should have been able to cover it, but as it turns out just because you like your health insurance doesn’t mean you can keep it.
As a result of that Tuesday night four Novembers ago, Obama sired the largest increase in the national deficit in this country’s history. Given Obama’s insatiable appetite for spending, no amount of federal coverage of contraception could have prevented the deficit from gestating. And it’s not like America could turn to Planned Parenthood to fix the problem. Where spending our money is concerned, Obama is no-choice, not pro-choice.
What makes the Obama boyfriend ad so peculiar is that he is perceived in some quarters as the boyfriend who talked a good game but couldn’t follow through on his commitment. Back in June, Independent Women’s Voices (IWV), a conservative women’s group, released a video on this very theme. The ad features two women Mary and Melissa, a mother and daughter, talking about the Melissa’s frustration with her boyfriend with Obama’s iconic Hope picture hanging over them like the Sword of Damocles. This 30-second spot sums up the past four years under Obama concisely:
Melissa: I was so excited at first.
Mary: I know.
Melissa: He seemed so perfect.
Mary: They always do.
Melissa: And I could listen to him talk for hours.
Mary: Did he ever do more than talk?
Melissa: I wanted to believe him. I trusted him
Mary: Melissa, we all did.
Melissa: I’m tired of waiting for him to get his act together. It’s been almost four years.
Mary: You can’t change him.
Melissa: He always has an excuse for everything. There’s always somebody else to blame.
Mary: You can’t live on excuses.
Melissa: Why do I always fall for guys like this?
Mary: You know you deserve better.
Given the response to the Obama boyfriend ad, IWF is quite fittingly re-exploring this fertile ground by putting out two new ads reinforcing Obama as the unreliable boyfriend. The two ads are titled “Feeling Guilty” and “Mr. Dependable,” the latter of which contrasts Obama (Mr. Cool) with Mitt Romney (Mr. Dependable).
The question that remains is whether America will fall for Mr. Cool once again or if it is prepared to take a chance with Mr. Dependable. Will America once again be seduced by the same promises Mr. Cool made four years ago knowing they are promises he cannot and/or will not keep? Or will America see through Mr. Cool’s words and conclude that talk is cheap but deficits are expensive? Is America tired of Mr. Cool blaming others when things go wrong? Will America take a chance on Mr. Dependable even if he is a bit boring? America clearly doesn’t believe what Mr. Cool has had to say about Mr. Dependable being a felon and a murderer of women with cancer. But it remains to be seen if Mr. Dependable has sealed the deal with America.
When we vote with our hearts, we Americans can be a rather fickle bunch. As with politics, a week in matters of the heart can be a lifetime. So while it may appear that America is prepared to make a commitment to Mr. Dependable, there is no guarantee we won’t be fooled by Mr. Cool again. If so, America will suffer four more years of another bad one night stand.
About the Author
Aaron Goldstein writes from Boston, Massachusetts.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (15) | Leave a comment
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Ken (Old Texican)| 10.31.12 @ 7:35AM
Whew, Aaron. Carry it one more step.....a one night stand with a lifetime of herpes as a parting gift.
Appleby| 10.31.12 @ 7:36AM
Remember the old Rocky and Bullwinkle routine:
"Hey Rocky, watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat!"
"But that trick never works!"
"This time for sure!" Bullwinkle pulls a lion out of his hat, then hastily stuffs it back in, adding, "No doubt about it, I gotta get another hat."
Kind of sums up this election, doesn't it?
Minuteman78| 10.31.12 @ 2:43PM
*LOL* Good one! Only thing is, both Obama and Biden are acting like Bullwinkle, and there's no sane Rocky to tell them how silly they are...
Russel| 11.1.12 @ 8:52AM
lol too , and yes , it sorta does sum up the election . I can't quite figure out where Biteme would fit tho . Fractured Fairy Tales ? .
Mike G| 10.31.12 @ 7:45AM
If America falls for Mr. Cool again, we better all start begging for some birth control/morning after pills.
John786| 10.31.12 @ 10:26AM
Don't throw the towel in! the good news is that Br Obama will not be running next time. It'll be Hilary: no escape for the wicked. The truth be told is that whoever wins it ain't going to effect the 99%. No more wars in the ME or anywhere.
Al Adab| 10.31.12 @ 3:44PM
Hello John:
The end of ME conflicts would be a beautiful thing, we agree. As to the 99% it does seem Obamacare and the automatic tax increases set for Jan 1 do effect them. They certainly do my finances.
How was Eid? I recommend to you the book advertised on the Amspec site: The Price to Pay.
Salaam
markenoff| 10.31.12 @ 4:59PM
Al Adab| 10.31.12 @ 3:44PM
"The end of ME conflicts would be a beautiful thing."
Because the followers of Mo, the pedophile bandit (MHRIH) have given up trying to destroy Isreal or because they have succeeded?
John786| 10.31.12 @ 6:25PM
Haji Al Adab,
My dear brother I hope you are Well. And were not affected by the hurricane. I pray that those impacted make a speedy recovery. Eid was fantastic. I sacrificed two sheep ( - thats right two!) and gave the meat to the needy. Another Eid, and I have been blessed to fulfill the covenant of Abraham (pbuh). The imam related the story of Abraham as he does every year. And every year we listen with Awe. Abraham cuts hard but the knife refuses to act on God's order. And so the greatest test in History is passed. I pray that all the nations of the earth are blessed in the way of Abraham ( millate Ibrahim). He is the greatest monotheist. I will check the book out.
markenoff| 10.31.12 @ 4:57PM
John786| 10.31.12 @ 10:26AM
"No more wars in the ME or anywhere."
Wait didn't we outlaw war with the Kellogg-Briand Treaty back in the '20s? Worked out well didn't it.
Bob Grant| 10.31.12 @ 10:54AM
Obama reminds me of Freddie (Boom Boom) Washington from Welcome Back Kotter minus the charm, wit, basketball skills, and street cred.
Come to think of it, he's nothing like him.
Yet, one gets the sense this is obama's ultimate goal:
To Be Just Like Him!
Only he has to suffer through this stupid presidential job he has to get there.
Frank Drackman| 10.31.12 @ 11:23AM
He'd have to be a great BF to have sex with that Camel-Toed-Ho(CTH, as in, Damn, Bro, there's alot of CTH action in this bar)
And I might be one of the few here who'll admit to watching Dame Dunhams "Girls" (thats what I get for subscribing to HBO in 2001 only for that year's "Sopranos")
I just ff through all of Dunham's scenes to the ones with the 2 hot chicks(of course they make out, duh, its HBO)
Frank "is that a beached whale or Governor Christy?" Drackman
Minuteman78| 10.31.12 @ 2:46PM
I think referring to Lena Dunham as a CTH you're being generous. When I finally saw the ad (online - I have blocked MTV off my satellite) I tagged her an Amoral Gutter Slut.
Al Adab| 10.31.12 @ 1:55PM
Is it too late to abort the 2008 election? Maybe we could use contraception now before Tuesday?
Albert Constantine Jr.| 10.31.12 @ 5:45PM
First they wanted to control your healthcare choices and decisions. Then they asked for your wedding gifts. Next, they wanted your virginity.
Why don’t they just cut to the chase and ask for the title to your soul?