Sign in to wowOwow

Enter the email address that you used when registering at wowOwow.
The password field is case sensitive. Click here if you have forgotten your password.

Please register for wowOwow

Newsletter subscriptions
Sign up to receive wowOwow's weekly newsletter and get our best picks delivered right to your inbox. Our newsletter content is hand-picked by the wowOwow editorial team and provides the top features, news, and commentary from our site. Subscribing to our newsletter is free and safe. We will never share your email or other information with a third-party without your direct consent.
By registering, you indicate that you have read and agree
with our privacy policy and terms of service.

A Friend Stopped By | 11/10/2008 2:20 pm

Elvis Has Left the Building, by Monica Crowley

By Monica Crowley

Editor’s Note: Monica Crowley, Ph.D., is a panelist on The McLaughlin Group, the host of the nationally syndicated radio program "The Monica Crowley Show" and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

[On Friday] Barack Obama made his first public appearance since being elected president. (Unless you count the people who saw him working out at the gym, automatic weapons-toting Secret Service in tow.)

After meeting with his economic advisers, he had them line up behind a podium before he stepped to its microphone. The room was full of reporters, who fell into a reverential hush when he walked into the room.

The Anointed One finally speaks! What will he say?

Not a whole lot, as it turned out. He made a few prepared remarks about the economic crisis (nothing new there), and took a few short questions about whether he had answered Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s congratulatory note (he’s thinking about it), whether they had picked out a new puppy for his daughters (they’re still looking) and if he’s seeking advice from former presidents (something about not doing seances with the dead former presidents that later required an apology to Nancy Reagan).

Then he said, "Thank you very much," and left the building, Elvis-like.

The press was in full genuflection. And the president-elect was in full control mode. I hope he enjoyed that breathtakingly brief interlude with the press, because he’s not going to be able to get away with it much longer. The press supports him, of course, and they will do their best to protect him. But their job is to "cover" the president, even when that coverage is biased. So they will still need answers from him for their articles and columns and television and radio reports. Taking a question about the family dog and then bolting isn’t going to cut it much longer.

If the media is as protective of him as a security blanket, then why did he jet outta there faster than Michael Moore at a Jenny Craig consultation?

Because he wants to limit his exposure so he doesn’t make any gaffes. The media will allow that now, as part of the honeymoon they want to give him anyway. But in a few weeks, they will expect more. And more. The Anointed One will have to feed the Beast. Or he may be amazed by how quickly the Beast may turn on him. Of all the unwelcome surprises coming his way, that may be the most jarring of all.

192 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

phyllis Doyle Pepe
I’d like to alert you all to a PBS Frontline at nine tonight (EST) about Lee Atwater, the great grandaddy of sleeze––Bush was buddies with him when Papa Bush was running. It’s called, “The Boogieman”–––––should be interesting.
By phyllis Doyle Pepe on 11/11/2008 5:02 pm
DeBúrca obj
That’s where all the nasty, divisive mudslinging started isn’t it, with Lee Atwater?
By DeBúrca obj on 11/11/2008 8:25 pm
phyllis Doyle Pepe
Yes. He started his rise in manipulation and dirty tricks with Reagan and worked his way up. It’s a fascinating tale of political maneuvers and in the end when he was dying he confessed his beastly ways and said he regretted what he had done in his life, but some thought if he had had to do it over he’d have done it the same. He was a sad southern boy who yearned to be somebody and he was–––for awhile.
By phyllis Doyle Pepe on 11/11/2008 11:07 pm
Marjorie C.
phyllis: …Lee Atwater, the great grandaddy of sleeze––Bush was buddies with him when Papa Bush was running. Sleazy like Rezko, or sleazy like Ayers?
By Marjorie C. on 11/12/2008 12:21 pm
phyllis Doyle Pepe
Oh, no, Marjorie–––––can’t compare. Actually Rove is Atwater’s protegee–––he learned from the best.
By phyllis Doyle Pepe on 11/12/2008 1:02 pm
Marcia L.
Well Ms. Crowley, you are the “Beast” that has already turned, since you are a part of the “media.” As Bonnie Oliver stated in her post above, it is the time for folks to be giving the new administration all the help and support it can-because it is for the American people. President Bush is doing just that, while you Ms. Crowley are being snarky, like Hannity, O’Reilly Limbaugh and others of that ilk. For readers of wOw, especially Obama supporters, here’s a blog you might really enjoy; http://margaretandhelen.wordpress.com. Enjoy!
By Marcia L. on 11/10/2008 8:51 pm
Okpulot Taha
Lady Gator displays her assertive side, “Hang around, I like your style!” Ha! Ha! A story to share which relates how I view Obama has been and is being treated; with kid gloves. Decades back, on our rural Oklahoma farm, we kids are out by our henhouse digging for worms, which are attracted to the moist and fertile dirt supplied by our chickens. A city slicker boy, fancy clothes, even has socks, is digging with us. I know he is rich not only by his useless fancy clothes and shiny shoes, I know he is rich because his parents have a car. We are digging holes, looking for nightcrawlers to entice Blue Gill over in Grassy Lake, which borders the back side of our farm. Suddenly this city slicker boy grabs a very young chick, shoves the poor thing down his hole, then he promptly buries the chick, alive. Grandpa is fetched by me, of course. Grandpa comes running, saves the chick, which is important because each chick is food on our table in some form, eggs if not the chick, later in life when mature. Grandpa begins laying into this boy, really chewing him out, but does not lay a hand on him. Grandpa is right proper and never lays a hand on anothers child, nor a woman. This city slicker’s mother comes waddling out, she is really fat from stuffing her ego with city slicker food. Maybe her ego is as fragile as a man’s and needs constant feeding to have her ego allow her to feel good. She says to Grandpa, “Now Cecil, don’t yell at the boy, you will hurt his feelings and make him cry.” This is the most mad I ever saw Grandpa, so mad, those of us kids with a cow lick of sense, jumped up and took off running. Grandpa conducted himself as a perfect gentleman; he kept his mouth shut to maintain his dignity. Do not know if those city folks were friends or family. I do know they never visited our farm again; grandpa saw to this. Obama reminds me of that spoiled boy who buried a chick. His momma reminds me of Americans and our mainstream media. Oh, oh, be careful not to hurt Barack’s feelings, you might make the boy cry. Mule manure. We elected him president. We hired him to do a job. He works for us. We pay his salary. He is fully accountable to all of us, supporters and critics alike. What is this with people cannot critique Obama without being subjected to insults and anger? Is this those of us who did not and do not support Obama are now second class citizens who must keep our mouths shut so not to make the boy cry? “Now Cecil, don’t yell at the boy, you will hurt his feelings and make him cry.” Ha! Ha! Obama is a sissy boy. Okpulot Taha Choctaw Nation
By Okpulot Taha on 11/10/2008 9:21 pm
Marjorie C.
Okpulot Taha: What is this with people cannot critique Obama without being subjected to insults and anger? Valid point. I sometimes feel his supporters are afraid of the loyal opposition. Like timid dogs they bare their teeth and bark loudly hoping to scare opposing views away, but all they do is astonish. Enjoyed your fable, once again.
By Marjorie C. on 11/11/2008 6:27 am
Star Lawrence
Well, some of us aren’t afraid. I predict this will be such a tightly held WH that it will make Bush look like Richard Simmons. We are on a need to know basis and the press will have to dig to get anything we need to know—but will they?
By Star Lawrence on 11/11/2008 8:57 am
Okpulot Taha
Danger here, Lady Gator, is Obama has been escalated to a status of the Black Messiah. Yes, he is anointed, he is worshipped, he is more popular than John Lennon and Jesus Christ. I am listening to talk radio while painting a kitchen inside one of our rental homes. My husband is working hard, as always, installing a new bath tub which is very hard work. This lady comes on the radio and says, “Obama is going to pay my mortgage and put gas in my tank!” She is elated and she is being sincere. She truly believes Obama will pay off her mortgage and will fill her car gas tank. I think, “Is this what Americans actually believe?” I am doubtful a lot of Americans believe in such a fantasy, but many Americans come really close; many Americans believe Obama is our world’s savior. This type of thinking blinds people to reality. So many think Obama to be the Black Messiah. He is not. Obama is just another lying sleazy politician as are all politicians, Democrats and Republicans. You know, if McCain and Palin had been elected, I would be as critical of those two; I know better than to trust any politician. Reality is our economy will cure itself. Wars will continue, peace will break out, children will continue to starve, families will succeed and fail, life will go on as usual. Obama cannot “save” our world. So much is going on out there in our real world, Obama and all world leaders can only react to what happens, can only effect a minor influence on events. Our world leaders are not in charge, Life is in charge. All of our world leaders could die on the same day and life would go on as always. World leaders are nothing more than spokesholes for peoples. World leaders are symbols, nothing more. Real power rests in our hands, not in the hands of our world leaders. John Lennon says, “Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans.” I suspect this will be the legacy of the Obama presidency and I suspect Obama cultists are setting themselves up for a big letdown. Okpulot Taha Choctaw Nation
By Okpulot Taha on 11/10/2008 9:47 pm
g c
Once I read listening to talk radio I could surmise you would have a negative opinion because negativity is a good descriptive word for the dribble talk radio most commonly opines. Unless they are talking about themselves, most of those guys have a healthy dose of narcissism. As far as quoting John Lennon if he was alive and eligible to vote I am sure we can all IMAGINE who he would be voting for. John Lennon was an advocate for peace because he IMAGINED a different world. I IMAGINE he would not have backed the war in Iraq and I IMAGINE he would not have agreed with the torture that our government was involved in. I also IMAGINE he would not like your post or your disrespectful undertone referring to our future POTUS as the Black Messiah. yes many people are optimistic after the last 8 years it feels good to feel that way. Most reasonable people understand that we are a country and world with many problems and I IMAGINE that most of us are smart enough to know one person does not change the world but I also would like to IMAGINE that sometimes one person is inspiring enough to change the outcome of our destination as we continue to travel down that LONG AND WINDING ROAD to hopefully a better tomorrow then the YESTERDAY that was Nov. 3rd and the past. LET IT BE
By g c on 11/11/2008 9:06 am
~ countrywoman ~
g c……..great post. The only thing I might add is:

GIVE PEACE A CHANCE!
:-}
By ~ countrywoman ~ on 11/11/2008 2:22 pm
g c
thanks countrywoman
By g c on 11/11/2008 2:55 pm
Tee Zee
Perhaps she should pull on her pencil skirt, reapply the eyelashes and wink her way into a Palin press conference…oh wait, Sarah’s not answering any questions about makeup anymore. What’s a blonde to do?????
By Tee Zee on 11/10/2008 10:11 pm
Star Lawrence
More gal on gal sexist action. Sigh.
By Star Lawrence on 11/11/2008 9:04 am