Stan Geiger

Obama's Lost Mojo

I heard it said, on a TV show not long ago, which one I don’t recall, that Obama’s approval rating had dropped more in the first year than any president before him. That comment was made before the latest poll numbers surfaced, which say the great one’s approval rating is now at 46 percent.

He did his Mighty Mouse move relative to the Olympics. It was “Here I come to save the day!” Chicago was taken out on the first ballot.

Then came the governor’s races in Virginia and New Jersey. Obama campaigned heartily for the Democrats. The Republicans won. Why? Well, it seems two key groups that helped vote Obama into office---young people and Independents---have changed their minds.

Obama has come through on exactly none of his grandiose campaign pledges. He said he would fix health care. He hasn’t. He said he would close Guantanamo. He hasn’t. He said he would immediately withdraw from Iraq. He hasn’t. He said he would end the so-called “Bush tax cuts for the wealthy.” He hasn’t. He said he would deal with deficit spending. He hasn’t. In fact, he has tripled the deficit.

Obama’s “stimulus package” has stimulated nothing. From the sound of things, most of the money has gone to education---the most overfunded item government funds.

Meanwhile, he stumbles around like a drunk in a nudie bar when it comes to Afghanistan. After weeks of meetings with his so-called “war council,” he’s got nothing. He’s hit the restart button.

We should withdraw from Afghanistan. I know the argument is we can’t; we have to stay engaged with al-Qaeda. My question is, even if we are able to control Afghanistan, what stops al-Qaeda from setting up shop somewhere else? I mean it’s a big world. Al-Qaeda is, reportedly, already operating in Pakistan. What about Somalia, Yemen, Iran, Indonesia, the Philippines or Sri Lanka? Securing Afghanistan---even if that’s possible---is not the end game.

Rumor has it Hillary Clinton is considering a rematch in 2012. If Obama’s numbers keep sliding, it could happen.

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