Today soldified the return of my trust in my president and government. Obama signed an executive order freezing White House salaries. OK, I'll take that. Lead by example, however shocking it may seem. He also signed orders closing Guantanamo. Fulfilling a campaign promise, at least acknowledging that the voters who got him there do matter. Hold the phone. I cant take this much honesty.
What really impressed me, though, was something small. As Joe Biden swore in senior members of White house staff in front of the press corps, Biden quipped "My memory is not as good as Justice Roberts." This of course, was mere hours before Obama and Roberts got together for Presidential Oath 2.0. in the depths of the White House, creating the most intimate and least dramatic swearing-in ever of a US President ever photographed.
Biden's remark was delivered in a more biting and disrespectful manner than it appears in print. it was complete with mugging for the audience, and all it lacked was ba-dum-pah on the drums. The look on Obama's face was classic. He looked pained and irritated at Biden for stepping on the moment with jokes, but more importantly usurping Obama's example of a harmonious non-critical environment. There was a serious touch of 'what are you thinking?' in his eyes, and for me, the first real demonstration of Biden's famed foot-in-mouth reputation.
Not only did Obama not smile, he shook his head very slightly in a negative manner. For a man renowned for looking good and positive, he looked truly bugged. He was not impressed, but to be fair, it was not an impressive moment. It was Biden running wild with attention and doing a soft shoe. Later, having realized what a moron he had been, Biden looked very chastened. Better not be too many of those.
I've seen Biden speak for Obama before, and Obama exhibits almost a Putin-like steely distaste not for others getting on his stage, but going off-program. Obama wanted to control his environment, and dumb, critical jokes are not part of that scenery. This for me told me that not only is Obama very serious, but he can also be withering, and part of power isn't just being nice, but being strong and a bit scary. In that moment, Obama really scared Biden, and others who might think he's only soft and cuddly.
Obama has said that the flub was not just Roberts doing. Roberts fwas mostly responsible, though, both because he paused, and then stepped on Obama's start, and then cued him incorrectly. Obama was definitely thrown at that point, however, I've yet to see Obama have any problem memorizing anything. Interestingly, though, I really did think it was Obama's fault the first time I saw it, and the newsmedia really could have run with it had it not been both of their faults.
Obama's warm and light-hearted response really made the moment all right,
and Biden joking at someone's expense clearly will not go over well inside the Obama administration. This example of Obama being real, and yet not joining in on the quip as Bush likely would have done, merged with the burning fire of power I saw behind his eyes. This
engendered my trust and admiration as the glorious campaign fades, and the nitty-gritty reality of governing begins.
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