Let me take you back in time……
Imagine clouds, swirling optics. You know, the kind that TV uses to indicate a dream sequence…..
It’s September, 2008. The Barack Obama and John McCain are going toe to toe attempting to be the next President of the United States. The US stock market has just seen a drop to approximately DOW 11,100 and the markets are nervous. Report after report is out from banks and investment institutions that are writing down assets due to the loss in the value of highly leveraged debt instruments. Bear Stearns was the first institution that got coined “too big to fail,” and other followed suit. However, Lehman Brothers had somehow fallen below the threshold and was the first highly visible investment firm allowed to fail as a result of its poor choices. What no one knew is that the markets were more than just a little nervous and within the next few weeks the DOW would drop from the 11.100 level to approximately 7,000.
In the middle of the above scenario, Hank Paulson, with President Bush’s blessing, went to Congress with the detail of a whole three page outline and demanded that Congress provide him $700 billion without which, the banking system would collapse. In spite of the dire predictions of the collapse of the banking system, the Paulson bail out plan received mixed reviews in Congress.
In the House, the debate went back and forth on whether the plan should be passed. It looked like the plan would pass the House up until the last minute. Immediately before the vote, Nancy Pelosi decided to deride Republicans over their lack of bipartisanship. It’s hard to say whether Pelosi had the votes to pass the bill initially. However, after her insults, any Republican who was on the fence had been given fair license to vote against her, and they did. The bill failed in the House.
Over the next few days, there were a number of accusations back and forth on why the House vote failed. Amongst Conservatives there was a desire to at the very least to strip the pork that Pelosi had put into the bill. They complained that Pelosi had shut them out of the process entirely. In any event, the bill was going no where in the House, the Senate didn’t appear to be fairing any better.
Because he was “The Maverick” and had the reputation of “reaching across the aisle,” John McCain determined this was an opportunity that he could use to his advantage. He announced that he would suspend his campaign and immediately head back to Washington. His stated purpose was to focus on the bail out bill and provide leadership on the issue. He added that he was considering not participating in a debate with Obama that was scheduled to occur within a few days.
When Barack Obama heard that McCain had suspended his campaign and considering opting out of the debate, he took the opportunity to ridicule McCain. He made a note of how he, Obama, was able to multi-task, not stopping one thing to focus on another:
"Part of the president’s job is to deal with more than one thing at once. In my mind it’s more important than ever."
Of course, the MSM and the left blog picked up on the multi-task meme.
This event stuck in many voters minds and while the polls had McCain within strking distance up until now, Obama regained momentum that would carry him through the election.
Mist and swirling optics again, we’re coming out of the dream, back to the present.
Yet today, the left blogs continue to extol the legend of Obama’s ability to multi-task.
Sunday it was announced that for at least the second time, the Treasury department would delay the promised release of plan to handle the toxic debt still in the banking system:
“We’re focused on working with Congress to pass an economic recovery bill so we can create the jobs and make the investments necessary to get our economy moving again,” Treasury Department spokesman Isaac Baker said.
What?
During the campaign, it was cool, young and even “Presidential” to be able to multi-task especially on issues that were of extreme importance to the US’ future and economy. Now, we need to “focus!”
Since the inauguration, Obama’s administration seems unable to vet cabinet members, has emboldened potential enemies and failed to effect leadership in the largest single piece of non budget legislation ever.
Multi-tasking generally means the ability to do accomplish more than one thing at a time. The only multi-tasking ability I’ve seen from the President Obama, is his ability to talk out of both sides of his mouth.
