Less-Than-Presidential

The office of the President has always held a certain cache' - a level of reverence, integrity and professionalism - especially when presidents opine on subjects posed by journalists. From the ridiculous to the sublime, the "leader of the free world" must wisely parse his words.

Yet with inexplicable rhetoric, President Barack Obama has not only unwisely chosen his words, he delivers responses that far too often, smack of condescension and downright unprofessionalism.

This ongoing plight concerns me.

Surely, with all his handlers surrounding him and a cadre of speechwriters and other White House advisers in tow, President Obama can make it through one month without making statements that belong more in Chicago's political machine than belong to someone speaking from Pennsylvania Avenue.

Which statements am I referring to?

President Obama's skin seems to be thinner than he let on during his presidential campaign. When asked about the arrest of Henry L. Gates, Jr., Obama pre-judged an unfortunate incident that had only transpired less than twenty-four hours earlier by saying that since HLG is my friend, I believe he could not have done anything wrong. In fact, he even ridiculed the local Cambrigde, MA police force without any objective evidence whatsoever.

More problematic was the length of time it took Obama to apologize for his "rush to judgment." And when the apology finally came, Obama still did not give the arresting police officer the full benefit of the doubt - in fact Obama waited a few days and then proposed his infamous "Beer Summit" on the East Lawn of the White House. The Officer was put on the spot. Thus, Obama spun the incident to deflect further criticism.

Take two: When asked about the apparent fallout from the surreptitious Acorn videos and the subsequent firestorm, Obama opined in an interview during one of the Sunday political talk shows that "[I] haven't really followed the story closely...and I don't know that much about Acorn."

Really?

Didn't Obama work for Acorn as a community activist, providing legal advice as a young lawyer fresh out of Yale law school?

Of course there are other political faux-paus by president Obama (remember how Joe the Plumber was patted on the head when asking about the possibility of taxes being raised on small business and the middle class?) Obama treated the now-renowned plumber like the Grinch did to little Cindy Who from Whoville. Ironically, Joe the Plumber was vetted far more thouroughly than Van Jones or some of the other Obama Aministration's Czar picks were.

The point. Please act presidential at all costs - humor is good, self deprication is good, but please Mr. President, don't get cute; at least don't get cute until you've been in the office for more than one year.