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The Spectacle Blog
The electorate wildly prefers politicians who look good. That’s been a truism in United States races since Richard Nixon’s infamous sweaty performance in a televised debate with JFK in 1960. Not that looks weren’t important before, but they played far less of a role. America’s celebrity fetish, which mushroomed during the last century, only adds to the equation.
Along those lines, it’s undeniable that one factor in Barack Obama’s victory last year was his smooth demeanor, particularly when contrasted with the aged and seemingly crotchety John McCain. On the reverse side of the political spectrum, I doubt Sarah Palin would garner the same following among men were she comparable to, say, Dianne Feinstein in appearance.
But Americans don’t like arrogant schmucks, either. Thus the necessity of combining good looks with an approachable demeanor. Bill Clinton, somehow, managed to pull it off. Barack Obama won’t be able to.
Why? Because he’s too much of an egoist and lacks the political savvy to muffle it. Sooner or later, the American people will see that. And they won’t like it.
Obama’s narcissism has enough political implications to catch the POLITICO’s attention — even garnering a spot in the publication’s top seven stories the president doesn’t want told:
It’s a common theme of Washington buzz that Obama is over-exposed. He gives interviews on his sports obsessions to ESPN, cracks wise with Leno and Letterman, discusses his fitness with Men’s Health, discusses his marriage in a joint interview with first lady Michelle Obama for The New York Times. A photo the other day caught him leaving the White House clutching a copy of GQ featuring himself.
White House aides say making Obama widely available is the right strategy for communicating with Americans in an era of highly fragmented media.
But, as the novelty of a new president wears off, the Obama cult of personality risks coming off as mere vanity unless it is harnessed to tangible achievements.
Obama will increasingly be unable to harness the power of his celebrity appeal because the situation on the ground won’t tally with his grandstanding. Afghanistan and the economy are two examples. A nice smile and rhetorical wizardry come off as elitist and smug when causalities are rising and the employment rate is hovering at double digits.
View all comments (22) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by David N. Bass
http://spectator.org/blog/2009/11/30/obamas-narcissism-will-nauseat
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Oldefarte| 11.30.09 @ 3:30PM
Sadly/unfortionately, the American public [voters] are STUPID. They historically vote for these charletans such as Roosevelt, Kennedy, Clinton and now Obama without the slightest regard for their managerial competence; and eventually wake up in bed with their seducer/paramour!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ken (Old Texican)| 11.30.09 @ 4:14PM
Olde Farte,
Reminds me of a "question-joke".
OKOK...everyone here knows what "cayottee ugly" means ...right?
...but does anyone here know the definition of Nancy Pelosi ugly? heh heh...stay tuned.
xiphos| 11.30.09 @ 6:50PM
Nancy Pelosi..............death standing on the corner, sucking on a lemon.
Michel Kirkby| 11.30.09 @ 6:00PM
Yeah, they voted for two Bushes and a Nixon and an Eisenhower to boot. We haven't had a decent president since Andy Jackson. He not only shut down First American, kicking out the the globalist, central bankers of his day; he also balanced the budget and reduced the deficit to nothing. What president since then has come anywhere near his accomplishments? The American people don't elect their president anymore although they might think they do. It's done by international financiers behind the scenes. When you want to do something nationally a Democrat is elected, just as a Republican is elected when your plan calls for international actions. At the top level there is no difference between the two parties except in the mandate that is called for at that time. We need Ron Paul, or someone just like him who can change the system. Until we stop jumping to the international tune of the UN and Banksters and our own political criminals, it won't matter who we elect. Call it conspiracy if you want and disallow what I say because of it. Conspiracy is a word that in intelligence terms is called a slider; a word used in neural linguistic programming to discourage people from giving creedence to things the government doesn't want you to think about let alone give any creedence to. Ole Barky used it quite well: "Change" and "Yes we can" while not presenting any constructive or concrete ideas as to how he would solve our problems. He merely did what was done in 1927. Guess what, toward the summer of 2012 and 04 and 12/2013 these next "recessions" will make this one past pale in comparison thanks to Ole Barky. This is from a guy who was writing King Barry when he was fifteen outside his high school. Any one know whether he still smokes crack and has homosexual affairs? Of course that and kiddy diddling seem to be big amont the world's elite these days. JMHO though.
nick c.| 11.30.09 @ 7:46PM
Andy Jackson hurt this country on many a front. His personal hatred of the US Bank led to economic disaster in America. Oh and that Lincoln guy who came after him wasn't that bad either.
THAT ONE!!!| 11.30.09 @ 3:31PM
McCain might have been the "get off my lawn" guy, but "We are the ones we've been waiting for"??!!! See how stupid that sounds?
ncatty| 11.30.09 @ 4:05PM
Mr. Bass you are being too hard on the man. If you were on the cover of GQ, you would carry it around with you.
Big Java| 11.30.09 @ 4:13PM
I am already nauseated (actually since October of last year). I actually listened to what he was saying, NOT how he was saying it.
ness| 11.30.09 @ 6:02PM
Correction: True unemployment is around 17% - even according to Labor Dept. admission.
Our Marxist-Moooslim in Chief has a 39% approval number among white Americans.
Can you say "one termer"?
Pingback| 11.30.09 @ 6:15PM
Twitter Trackbacks for The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : Obama's Narcissism Will links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Don L| 11.30.09 @ 6:21PM
Obama has an ego problem? Gee, I didn't notice. I thought he was the poster child for humility.
EasTexan| 11.30.09 @ 7:14PM
To those who claim our president is much into himself and a secret Muslim to boot, I think it surely not true...however, I do have it on good account that five times a day he does stand before an east-facing looking glass, and whispers, "Mirror, mirror on the wall...
victor| 11.30.09 @ 9:46PM
Quick, get him an apple.
Liberal Reader| 11.30.09 @ 10:16PM
Don't bother me with this now.
I'm plotting my next War on Christmas!
SoCon| 12.1.09 @ 3:51AM
I thought you said you were a Catholic: Why would a Catholic plot a war on Christmas?
Pingback| 11.30.09 @ 10:58PM
The News Factor, an informative online Conservative News Magazine » QUOTE OF THE DAY: links to this page.
Pingback| 12.1.09 @ 1:33AM
When celebrity falls short… « Time for Thorns links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
ReCon| 12.1.09 @ 9:19AM
Mr. Bass thinks , "America will see Obama's arrogance, and they won't like it". NEWS FLASH for Bass: We saw it BEFORE he was annointed king and we still DON'T LIKE IT. Barack Hussein Obama is the most 'politically incompetent' human being we have had in OUR White House. He is a joke around the world and the butt of bad jokes in this country. George Soros, the gran puppeteer pulling Obammie's strings needs to quit the business of politics as we don't care for Mr. Soro's brand of communism and we damn sure don't care for Mr. Soros.GO back to your home country, George and redestroy it, but leave us alone.
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