RSS Feed MenuHuffington Post has a headline: “Obama on Pirates: Declines to Answer Question.” According to the story,
The president was asked about the incident as he met with U.S. homeowners about refinancing mortgages. At the close of a Roosevelt Room event, the president was asked by a reporter if he were concerned about the piracy incident.
Obama responded: “Guys, we’re talking about housing right now.”
Sure, it’s a very sensitive operation at a very sensitive time, but perhaps he could say… “This is a very sensitive operation at a very sensitive time. As has been reported, our Navy is in the area, we are strongly committed to the international fight against piracy, and I am monitoring the situation closely. Beyond that, I do not think it is wise to comment at this time.” (Alternatively, “I and Secretaries Gates and Clinton are monitoring…”)
Really, how hard can this be for the team that campaigned so brilliantly last year?
What troubles me, though, is the nagging fear that this was deliberately planned. Surely he and the White House press operation knew that a question on the piracy incident was bound to arise and therefore had to prepare a response. Was the point, then, to say implicitly, “I’m focusing on the economy and ordinary Americans, not like those Bushes, who always seemed to be worrying about foreign policy rather than people like you.”
Whatever else we can expect from our Presidents, the ability to multitask should be top of the list. The world is a “complex” place, as the press and foreign policy types keep reminding us, and a President has to be able to handle both domestic and foreign policy – or at a minimum know when and what to delegate to staff. Here, either he failed that test or was deliberately downplaying a serious foreign policy concern involving the lives of Americans. Shoving foreign policy issues under the Oval Office rug is noticed, not approvingly, around the world by friends and allies and cheerfully by our foes.
On the other hand, I suppose we can be grateful that he didn’t respond: “Pirates? Wow, they’re off to a great 2-1 start! Maybe they’ll join the Steelers in the champions’ circle.”
marksettle // Apr 9, 2009 at 12:17 pm
Are you serious? This is a story?
ktward // Apr 9, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Wait a sec.If you want to criticize O for not having publicly commented, yet, on the Pirate issue, fine. Have at it.But criticizing him for keeping what was a clearly defined meeting on Homeowner issues on topic, that’s just lame.
krove // Apr 9, 2009 at 12:54 pm
The State Department and The Sec of Defence have given statements this afternoon, Gibbs answered 4 questions at the press briefing. How much more do you want, punch and judy show?
Chrisc23 // Apr 9, 2009 at 1:10 pm
President Obama doesnt know foreign policy or economics. His speeches are a waste of time. There is no substance other than thank yous and vague statements. I want exact details. For people who criticized the Bush Administration for being vague, Obama is worse. President Obama is the David Dinkins of the White House. Indecisive, weak are just two words to describe him as a leader.
ktward // Apr 9, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Chrisc23:It is absolutely the disturbingly vacuous and vague criticisms like your own (pot, kettle?) that erode the legitimacy of other informed Republican voices.Your comment might be better received over at townhall.com or redstate.com. Really.
Chrisc23 // Apr 10, 2009 at 10:08 am
I’m 23 and an average voter. I’ve been watching President Obama and Press Secretary Gibbs over the last few months on a daily basis. So you are saying that President Obama and Robert Gibbs are filled with information?I’ve talked with many, many people of both political parties. Some probably say I’m naive. But some areas I have found President Obama to be vague. Here are some examples:I smoke cigars. The local cigar shop owner continues to tell me how terrible SCHIP is for us smokers. From what he has told me there isn’t enough smokers to cover the cost of this program. The Government continues to make it unaffordable for us who do smoke and they continue to encourage people to quit. So how do they intend to pay for this program fully? The cigar shop owner tell me it doesn’t add up and the rest of us taxpayers will have to pay for it in the long run. I was watching Hardball a few weeks ago and Chris Matthews was questioning Howard Dean about President Obama’s health care plan. Howard Dean continues to say how great President Obama’s health care plan is. Chris Matthews asked Howard Dean “Have you read the plan yet?” Howard Dean answers “no”. What is President Obama’s health care plan? Didn’t they just allocate money for a plan that may not exist? I continue to read about US drones killing civilians in Pakistan. Why are we sending these drones over there? What are our intentions? We haven’t heard any answers to some of these questions. Robert Gibbs consistently is late for his press briefing. Tardiness proves they don’t have their act together. I’m just an average voter, but I have to say it doesn’t look good.
ktward // Apr 10, 2009 at 10:44 am
Chrisc23:That’s better.I don’t agree with you on a few points, which I won’t elaborate on at present as I’m pressed for time.Still, I’m not at all sure what your point is in relation to this specific blog thread. Staying on topic is helpful in this medium, otherwise chaotic digression rules.
krove // Apr 10, 2009 at 11:33 am
Chrisc23 congrats you managed a post without being facile. Now you are obviously a low information voter because you have not bothered to inform yourself. Don’t expect everything to be given to you on a plate.Your Cigar shop owner is obviously an expert on health care costs? why not check onto the White house website where you will get a detailed overview of policy matters.The healthcare plan is a template. The President deliberately has left it to congress to come up with a Bi-Partisan health plan that will incorporate the best ideas. He is not going to impose his own plan in a rigid way. Is that good or not?You will not get a complete answer on the drones in Pakistan as it is a sensitive Military information. You are naive.
Chrisc23 // Apr 10, 2009 at 1:53 pm
Sorry for being off topic. This story really doesn’t bother me. President Obama probably wants to get his facts straight before he publicly comments. To my earlier comments, impatience is driving my thoughts. I want to see results and unfortunately it is too soon. Republicans have been too quick to jump all over this president. I may be one of them. We just have to wait and see what happens.
GJTryon // Apr 10, 2009 at 5:18 pm
“Guys, we’re talking about housing right now.” Yeah right, as in your own housing, Mr. President, because if you stumble in this crisis – which is far more extensive than a single sea-captain being held for ransom off East Africa – you can join Jimmy Carter looking for a new abode in less than four years’ time. Seriously, this guy is Mr. Reactive, a virtual Hamlet of dithering insouciance. Where’s the leadership?
krove // Apr 10, 2009 at 6:53 pm
GJTryon 5:18 PMYou and I have no clue what the real situation is on the ground. What we do know from reports is that there is a Destroyer hovered over a small lifeboat, in the lifeboat are 4 armed and dangerous pirates, also a captain of a vessel being held hostage against freedom for the pirates.Also there are about a dozen other ships of differing nationalities with pirates on board holding hostages.The FBI is negotiating the situation. The Navy would have specialised teams (seals) on board ready to move when told.I am guessing that there is a command on the ground that have several options to work out. They at the moment have decided to use the normal hostage situation techniques. Wait, form a relationship and negotiate.If there is a dramatic change they would have to take a risk with the captains life and send the seals in.The pirate situation has been problem for years, not the last 3 months. What did Bush do bout it? We have several ships patrolling this region and do escort ships through. This particular ship was unescorted. There have been regular updates from Clinton Gates and Gibbs. So your criticism is partisan and unwarranted. If it was Bush on 9/11 we were told criticism in a crisis was un American. And you are either for us or for the terrorists.I say the same to you. You are Un American and you are for the Pirates, shame on you.
nealjking // Apr 11, 2009 at 1:23 am
- On action: My reading indicates that General Petraeus is on the case. Why should Obama be second-guessing him? Why would that be helpful?- On multi-tasking: Obama is dealing with: the economy, health-care, energy policy, cleaning-up from GWB’s Justice department, staffing-up in Treasury, etc., etc. And you think he’s not multi-tasking enough? Folks, this hostage issue is a one-man consequence, affecting 1/(400 million) of the US population. Exactly how much time SHOULD he be spending on it? It would make sense for him to address the broader issue, like “What should we be doing about those pirates in Somalia generally?” It does not make sense for him to be spending a lot of attention on one hostage: This is how Carter allowed himself to get trapped on the Iranian embassy issue. What, you want he should call you about the traffic accident your grandmother had?
ottovbvs // Apr 11, 2009 at 4:48 am
Get a life John. No doubt we’re worried about bank robberies in MD too. This obsession with trivia like bows and ipods is all symptomatic of a lack of seriousness. It’s essentially at one with stories about the first dog. At the end of the day it’s damaging to Republicans because it makes the party look like a load of small minded whiners. Is this really that hard to understand. Have you never worked in an environment where there’s the odd whiner. Every military unit, factory floor, office and boardroom I’ve ever encountered has them. And the reaction is always the same whenever they open their mouths. Groans and eyerolling.
sinz54 // Apr 11, 2009 at 9:36 am
ottovbvs: The resurgence of piracy on the high seas is much more worrisome than a bank robbery in the States. Let me remind you that America went to war–twice–to put an end to the pirates of the Barbary coast (that’s where the phrase “shores of Tripoli” comes from in the Marine Corps hymn).Piracy and terrorism are equal threats to national security. They both require retaliation. Otherwise, we’re getting back into a mode where if Americans are attacked, threatened, taken hostage, the U.S. government will not protect them. It will have abdicated its first responsibility–protect its citizens from foreign attackers. And that’s not “trivia.”If Obama flubs this, it could sink his Administration, much as the Iranian hostage crisis sank the Carter Administration.
Bulldoglover100 // Apr 11, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Not usually one to defend Obama but this article is childish. Sorry but I watched Bush shoot his mouth off from the hip too many times to slam a President who refuses to do so.
tex805 // Apr 12, 2009 at 11:55 am
Hmmm… seen the news? Ready to retract?
greg_barton // Apr 12, 2009 at 8:02 pm
Retract? Heck no! They’re just going to make fun of the New York Times. Typical conservative tactics.
InTheMiddle12 // Apr 13, 2009 at 5:57 pm
John – ummm, any remorse at all here?