Give Him a Second Chance for All Our Sakes

I watched the President on TV last night, talking about Iraq and the Middle East and the economy. Seeing him made me remember that he’s a good father and husband but, as Michelle once remarked, needing a little hit on the head now and then to help him remember. I thought about him on a comedy spot in the Situation Room and playing games with Jay Leno about mopping up with a socialist broom.
Right then and there, I knew why you were elected.
It’s because you’re a really nice guy. You know, the pal we’d all like to have over for the Sunday football game, or invite to the Fourth of July barbeque. It’s actually hard not to like you. You make us smile, even laugh, when times are not exceptionally funny right now. That’s your charm.
But, dear Mr. President, maybe it takes another set of talents to run the country. Maybe what you need to do is give a few slaps around the ears to the Democratic leadership in Congress, or do a little tidying up in your White House staff. Your party cannot be right all the time. Nobody is.
Most of all, a little muscle when it comes to leading the world wouldn’t hurt.
If you lived outside the USA, as I do, you’d probably understand a lot more about why muscle works better than smiles when the chips are down, and sometimes just to be sure the chips will never be down. You made a big step in that direction last night regarding Israel and Palestine. But, don’t think your job is over, that the assignment can now be carried out by your appointees. Stay the watch. Don’t let anyone slack off or find excuses not to make peace, however fragile it turns out to be.
The same goes for the economy. Heaven knows, it needs all the help you and the rest of us can give it. Don’t let yourself fall into the partisan trap of siding with the Democratic Party just because it feels more comfortable to your liberal ideals. Be sure you include people from all points of view to discuss the issues and present ideas. You’re a constitutional lawyer. Don’t forget that social discourse makes the difference between democratic and other forms of government. Ronald Reagan was the last American President who never shouted or got angry, he just found solutions and worked with everyone to get them adopted. Give it a try and you’ll see how much things improve between you and your disenchanted electorate.
Keep up the jokes and charm, but give us all a little more of what we elected you to do – clean up Washington, not with a socialist mop but with a few well-defined and executed programs to get us back on our feet again and moving forward.