In response to requests to explain why the USA has intervened in a civil war in Libya, the President asserted that the reason was to protect American interests. He followed that up with a smorgasbord of campaign style patriotic platitudes. He did not present any evidence to prove his contention that American interests "were at stake."
His speech brought to mind Lord Byron's snarky assessment of a Wordsworth poem: "I wish he would explain his explanation."
The progressive radio station in the San Francisco Bay area cut away from the speech before the "God Bless America" ending.
In California, the speech was heard live at the end of the work day right before the start of the evening commute hour.
It seems to this columnist that the President's "whole lotta nada" speech will not assuage his Republican critics nor will it satisfy the skeptics in his own party.
In the morning preceding the speech, this columnist wrote up some additional material in anticipation of the speech. Here are our expectations for the speech:
There is a very vulgar colloquialism which accurately describes the challenge facing the President in his speech delivered on the night of Monday, March 28, 2011, but we won't quote it verbatim. Bush's successor has "soiled the nest" and will attempt to use his (alleged) eloquence and charm to convince the Democrats who voted for him to forgive and forget his war crimes record, just as he has done with and for George W. Bush.
The best indicator of the most likely result of President Jackass' attempt at a Myth of Sisyphus task was contained in an article for Esquire magazine written by Norman Mailer in response to an appearance by Madonna on a late night TV show. In it, Mailer made the assertion that Americans will forgive a celebrity any transgression so long as it doesn't involve a "going against type" aspect regarding the celebrity's public image.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
