For those of us who did not fall for the hype, the 2008 election was particularly disturbing. Watching President Obama be described as “almost godlike,” “a lightworker” and shown repeatedly by mainstream media photos with a halo around his head was more than we could stomach. The adoration and fawning worship of Obama fans in 2008 got to such a disturbing level that even fellow Democrats started to ask people to dial it back.
By now, people have worked out that President Obama is not some kind of superior being that glows with divine radiance. He will not ride a unicorn out of the sea in a shower of rainbows and people do, in fact, have to worry about paying for their gas and mortgage, as both have gone up.
There are many who believe that this ridiculously overstated image of Barack Obama has hurt him, as people expected unrealistic things and got an ordinary man. President Obama’s polling numbers have continued an overall steady decline with a few upticks once in a while as people become more and more disappointed in the man.
Recently, with the announcement of Osama Bin Laden’s demise, President Obama’s polling has moved up a bit, although less than many on the left expected. Some even went so far as to declare the 2012 election over – no reason for Republicans to even try. However, the public’s reaction hasn’t been what many on the left expected.
Sure, people are glad to see Bin Laden dead, and they credit the president with making the right decision, but there’s not a massive wave of euphoria or a return to the 2008 adoration of the president – for most of us, at least.
Despite that, or perhaps because of it, we’re seeing a big push by the left to push the Bin Laden announcement as the greatest action anyone has ever taken in the history of the world.
Consider the way this piece from the LA Times is written:
You can almost hear the “Mission Impossible” theme playing. The narrative being presented over and over again is that this was an incredibly risky proposition, that it took immense bravery to attempt anything so bold. Some have taken this narrative to absurd levels, such as former Ambassador to Pakistan Wendy Chamberlain on CNN:
The problem with this narrative is the same problem President Obama faced in 2008: it’s overselling. They are pushing this so hard that it strains credibility even with the president’s biggest supporters. If you push something that is unlikely too hard, people will start to question it – and worse, when that narrative fails, then disgruntled backlash is even more likely.
And now, several weeks later, people are getting a bit tired of President Obama’s “spike the football” tour.
The Democrats – many in the media – and leftists in general (but I repeat myself) are wondering why the “Osama bump” wasn’t bigger and more enduring. Sure, there are some outlying polls – such as the latest AP poll that sampled Democrats almost 2:1 over Republicans and 10:1 over independents – but the general consensus is that Obama enjoyed around a three point bump, nothing particularly significant. So why not a greater bump?
The answer is not difficult to find. In fact, it’s staring them in the face every day. People vote with their wallets, and when the economy struggles, even an event as welcome and appreciated as the death of America’s greatest enemy isn’t going to make much of a difference.
Here are a few headlines from last week, to give some perspective:
- Treasury suggests $2 trillion debt cap raise
- World Food Prices Rise to Near-Record High as Inflation Speeds Up, UN Says
- Jobless claims hit 8-month high
- Obama administration floats draft plan to tax cars by the mile
The truth is, getting Osama Bin Laden is a great thing, but not great enough to counter every day misery caused by inflation and a sluggish, slowing economy. If you’re out of work, Bin Laden’s death isn’t going to make that much difference in your life, particularly a decade after 9/11.
Democrats are selling this hard, and want to make it the centerpiece of President Obama’s re-election campaign, but if that’s all he’s got then its going to be a tough sell.
