Michelle Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention was one of the best I have ever heard. It was simple, straightforward and from the heart; it gave us insight to President Barack Obama the husband, father and humanitarian.
Yet, as of late, I have developed an uneasy feeling about our President, and a microcosm of this uneasiness boils down to his apathetic approach to open press conferences.
I believe Tom Friedman of The New York Times was alluding to this on "Meet the Press" Sept. 2 when he said the following in an exchange with the moderator, David Gregory:
GREGORY: "... somehow President Obama failed to achieve change because he simply failed and it wasn't Republicans who stood in the way."
FRIEDMAN: "... and that has been one of the absolute mysteries to me of this administration — a man who's incredibly articulate, who is a great campaigner, who I think had big ideas, that he was trying to get through ..." "and the President never goes to the American people..."
No one since John F. Kennedy handles himself better in front of a camera than President Obama. And nothing reaches the people more effectively than to answer questions directly for the whole country to see and hear.
If President Obama wanted to restore public confidence in his administration, the simplest, most direct method would have been to hold more town meetings and press conferences, like he did early in his administration.
Every major shift or change in policy made by the President that is not followed with an opportunity for the press and/or the general public to question gives birth to myriad unanswered questions. When we have to guess about motives for those decisions, the tendency is to assume the worst.
It makes me wonder what is behind that "Wizard of Oz" curtain of secrecy between the President and the American people. A situation that, I believe, is by design, not just happenstance.
Whatever the reason, is our young lion down and out? Let us hope not, when considering the alternative.
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