Here We Go Again

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"I've been told ... that we should look at Obama's interest in the tournament as evidence that he is a 'regular guy.' ...

"I believe a president is not a regular guy. He is responsible for the well being of a country of more than 300 million people. That puts him in a special category.

"I am reminded of a scene from The West Wing, in which Toby, the speechwriter, and Charlie, the president's personal aide, are talking about the president's marital problems. Toby observes that he has been married and can sympathize. 'It's a typical marriage,' Toby says. 'I've been there.'

"Charlie replies, 'Well, I haven't, but he's the president of the United States, so my guess is no, it's probably not a typical marriage.' "

Freedom Writing
March 19, 2009

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Almost exactly two years ago, I wrote that Barack Obama had more important things to be doing than filling out his NCAA brackets.

But his approval rating was in the 60s, even though he hadn't been in office for two months, and unemployment, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, was at 9%. His supporters were in no mood to hear any criticism.

It's a sign that he's a regular guy, his supporters protested. He has a stressful job.

So I backed off.

Last March, unemployment was around 10.2%, and Obama's approval rating had been at or below 50% for months. Yet he still filled out his brackets, and much was made of that fact.

But I didn't mention it. I wrote about job creation and domestic hiring incentives, but I never mentioned the president's bracket picks — even though, personally, I doubted the wisdom of it and thought his party was certain to be hammered in the fall.

He had more important — and more urgent — things to be doing.

Well, here we go again.

Tim Gardner writes in USA Today that Obama has picked all four No. 1 seeds to advance to the Final Four — the equivalent of betting on all the favorites at the race track — and ESPN has posted each of Obama's picks.

Sure, unemployment is down — but not so much that Obama can relax.

Unless he wants to join the ranks of the unemployed. Then he'll have plenty of time to go over the brackets.

Coach K: Economy Requires Obama's Attention

If you follow college basketball, there are few active coaches who are as highly regarded as Duke's Mike Krzyzewski.

As usual, "Coach K," as he is known, has his team in the NCAA Tournament. Frequently, during Krzyzewski's tenure as coach, the Blue Devils have advanced to the Final Four. Sometimes, they have played in the national championship game, winning it three times.

That is Krzyzewski's job, one at which he has excelled in nearly three decades as the head coach at Duke.

But he observed Wednesday that his team didn't advance to the Final Four in Barack Obama's widely reported picks.

I took exception yesterday to Obama making his picks when the economy is in such terrible shape, losing more than half a million jobs a month. Some of my readers have criticized me for that, but, apparently, Coach K agrees with me.

"As much as I respect what [Obama's] doing," he said while his team was preparing for its first–round game tonight, "really the economy is something he should focus on more than the brackets."

Coach K is a Republican. I am a centrist Democrat. We don't agree on every issue. But, on this one, we happen to agree.

Because I am a Democrat, does that mean I must be loyal to the president at all times and in all circumstances simply because of party affiliation? I don't think so.

I've been told, for example, by self-acknowledged Democrats that we should look at Obama's interest in the tournament as evidence that he is a "regular guy." Well, it seems to me that was one of the problems with the Bush administration. Bush was "elected" in 2000, we were told, because more Americans would rather have a beer with him than with Al Gore.

I believe a president is not a regular guy. He is responsible for the well being of a country of more than 300 million people. That puts him in a special category.

I am reminded of a scene from "The West Wing," in which Toby, the speechwriter, and Charlie, the president's personal aide, are talking about the president's marital problems. Toby observes that he has been married and can sympathize. "It's a typical marriage," Toby says. "I've been there."

Charlie replies, "Well, I haven't, but he's the president of the United States, so my guess is no, it's probably not a typical marriage."

I hope Obama's economic strategy pays off. So far, there is no evidence of that.

Until we can see that the strategy is working, he should focus on the issue at hand.

At the very least, he should keep his NCAA picks to himself.

Obama's Final Four Picks

CNN is reporting — and assessing — Barack Obama's picks for the Final Four in the NCAA Tournament.

CNN also says his complete NCAA bracket will be revealed later today.

Now, I know the president is a big sports fan. There was a lot of talk in January about his thoughts on the Pittsburgh-Arizona Super Bowl game — during which he tried to mix some business with pleasure by inviting several members of Congress to a Super Bowl party at the White House.

And it is widely known that Obama has been a participant in numerous pickup basketball games with his buddies.

But, honestly, doesn't he have more important things to be doing right now than going through a 65-team field and trying to predict who will win each game?

In case the president needs to be reminded (and, frankly, I would be surprised if he needed such a reminder), unemployment is the highest it's been in a quarter of a century — and appears likely to get worse in the months ahead. The unemployed don't have the luxury of an abundance of time to spend watching the tournament. They're counting on Obama to implement policies that will make it possible for them to go back to work.

That should be his priority right now — not which teams will advance to the Final Four.

I understand that Obama needs to have some relaxation. Certainly, his predecessor never missed the chance to take some time off and clear some brush at his "ranch."

But does Obama want to be regarded with the same contempt as George W. Bush is now?