Yes, the mainstream media are still head over heels in their crush with Barack Obama. But signs of disappointment, displeasure and even disgust are showing up. And not just in the headquarters of the EIB.* This report (from MSNBC, no less) contrasts Obama's warm reception at Notre Dame with the frustrations over Obama's policies expressed by several diners at an Elkart, Indiana restaurant.
* This John Feehery column, which made it onto the CNN web page, casts a skeptical eye on Obama's universal health care scheme and suggests the President is in danger of a serious misstep here.
* Supporters of Israel are beginning to see just how divergent is Obama's campaign rhetoric from his performance -- and they're anything but pleased. Israel Harel writes in Haaretz of Obama's upcoming speech and other items,
The speech on a vision of peace for the Middle East, slated for June 4, will not be given at the White House, not even at a joint session of Congress. Only by delivering the speech in Cairo, intentionally skipping a visit to Jerusalem (and even to Tel Aviv!), will the spirit of peace alight on the lips of the American messiah.
Obama has little knowledge of the history, ideology and psychology of the Arab opposition to the Jewish state's existence. But he has a strategy: to thaw relations with Islam. It is clear what will be demanded in return...
Obama has tossed a lot of balls into the air, maybe too many. Even a magician like him cannot catch them all. The last ball, the especially heavy one of the Obama plan, might land on his foot, but also on the feet of everyone in the region, who will pay the price imposed on them by the person who wants (by force) to change the order of things. That will also be the case if he does not set aside his disconnected initiatives and quickly connect to reality in other places in the world, as well as at home...
* Obama's dramatically slashed defense budget has been very frightening to many -- and rightfully so.Though willing to soar into the ether on other spending goals, the President's irresponsible cuts in defense show a remarkably naive view of the will (and, increasingly, the means) of Iran and North Korea, let alone other enemies of the U.S. to endanger her. Here's Rowan Scarborough with a few details.
* Why did President Obama go out of his way to make a speech which would counteract one given by former Vice-President Dick Cheney? It was a dumb move, one which neccessarily gave added weight to what Cheney had to say. Obama's speech turned out (via his teleprompter, of course) to be flat and unproductive. Cheney's has everybody stirring. Toby Harnden at the Telegraph has a lot more in his article, "The 10 Punches Dick Cheney Landed on Barack Obama's Jaw."
