Sunday, July 17, 2016

The Extraordinary Skill Set Demonstrated by Barack Obama in Times of National Crisis

As an eyewitness to every U.S. president in the television era, I suspect we will not see anyone with Barack Obama's particular skill set any time soon.

 I can close my eyes and still visualize President Eisenhower warn of the dangers of the "military-industrial complex."  

 My  personal  impressions of the 1960 Kennedy-Nixon debate remain.  I don't need to revisit them on some CNN documentary.
Vaughn Meader on TV in 1962 as JFK
A friend, Steven, who lived just down the street from me in the Highland Park subdivision of Renton, Washington, bought the "First Family" album featuring Vaughn Meador doing his near-perfect impression of John F. Kennedy.  We listened to both sides of the album together at his house.
President Reagan:  "Tear Down That Wall" Speech
Along with many of you, I've watched Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, the two Bushes, Bill Clinton and now, Barack Obama, deal with national crises, military efforts, speak at inaugurations, state of the union speeches or during addresses to the nation, all on national TV.

 All of the above were educated men, articulate, choosing or reading their words before the nation carefully.  None, in my opinion, possessed the total skill set of Barack Obama.
Obama's words at the Dallas memorial for five slain police officers, spoken from the heart, were nothing short of magnificent, carefully walking the emotional tightrope between police officers murdered while defending the community and the recent proliferation of videos showing black men unnecessarily gunned down by police.

 Hillary Clinton does not possess Obama's dexterity in approaching sensitive, possibly explosive issues.  

 Donald Trump?  If I need to answer that, you may not be thinking independently, free from partisanship.

 Sometime, during the first national tragedy of 2017, many of us will quickly realize the void left by Barack Obama as so-called Comforter-in-Chief.
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12 comments:

  1. I'm not a robot!July 17, 2016 at 11:28 PM

    TRUMP the DONALD!

    (move the trumpet around with your cursor and hit ENTER to TRUMPDONALD)

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownJuly 18, 2016 at 12:01 AM

    Ponle casa

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJuly 18, 2016 at 7:47 AM

    Naive

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousJuly 18, 2016 at 1:46 PM

      likely indoctrinated by right-wing talk radio

      Delete
  4. AnonymousJuly 18, 2016 at 8:50 AM

    This time I cannot agree with you at all, Mr Barton. Obama used this sad event to push his own dubious agenda. Comforter in Chief? - not on your life; politician extraodinaire? - yes, I'll give him that. Hardly a worthy title.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousJuly 18, 2016 at 1:25 PM

      We'll see how much of a "comforter" Donald Trump will be. The rich are different and they don't ever give a shit about you. You will miss President Obama more than you think.

      Delete
    2. Jim BartonJuly 18, 2016 at 1:47 PM

      Kindly elaborate on the nature of his agenda.

      Delete
    3. AnonymousJuly 20, 2016 at 9:59 AM

      Anonymous 11:25am: Please note I made no mention of Trump in my post. I referred solely to Mr Obama.
      Mr Barton: Disarming the population and ensuring every citizen becomes completely dependent on the government = Obama's agenda.

      Delete
  5. AnonymousJuly 18, 2016 at 1:16 PM

    Appreciate your appreciation.

    ReplyDelete
  6. AnonymousJuly 18, 2016 at 1:41 PM

    "Jim Barton is right." - Pat Ahoomada

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousJuly 19, 2016 at 2:19 PM

    Obama is a Muslim, a racist, with an ideology that America should have to pay for some debt I am not aware of. He has a hatred for this country like no politician I have ever seen. We forget quickly a quote in one of his books that he "wishes he could let ever drop of white blood from his body." He was referring to his mother. The New Black Panthers are regulars at the White House. His view on abortion..."if it's still alive just put it on a table until it dies." Oh, let's not forget a hatred for Israel and a love for the Iranians. Obama is as evil a son of a bitch that has ever been in the White House. Did we forget to mention the violent felons and Mexican gang members that have recently been released from prison. Whoever wrote this article is a certified moron, USDA grade A moron.

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousJuly 19, 2016 at 11:26 PM

    Is that you Donald??

    ReplyDelete

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