Hail to the (Cool) Chief

As I continue to mull over my feelings about the assassination of Osama bin Laden, I keep returning to the President's Speech at the White House Correspondent's Dinner just the night before the attack.

You can watch the video here or at the end of this post.

Obama makes some pretty amazing zings, most of which are aimed directly at Donald Trump. This one is a case in point:

“Donald Trump is here tonight,” the comedian in chief said, grinning. “Now, I know that he’s taken some flak lately, but no one is prouder to put this birth certificate to rest than The Donald. Now he can get to focusing on the issues that matter. Like, did we fake the moon landing? What really happened at Roswell? And where are Biggie and Tupac?”

'The Donald 'sat forward in his chair, rocking back and forth like a caged lion, looking mostly serious and uncomfortable, and ready to pounce, but if you look closely, every once in a while even he couldn't suppress an occasional nod and a schmirk.  It clearly conveyed that even The Donald thought The President had delivered a brilliant volley.

It was this one, though, that, looking back on it, is a bit unnerving.

“All kidding aside, we all know about your credentials and experience,” Mr. Obama said, as people in the room either chortled or grimaced nervously, all depending on their proximity to Mr. Trump.

In “Celebrity Apprentice,” Mr. Obama told Mr. Trump, teeth flashing, “the men’s cooking team did not impress the judges from Omaha steaks, but you recognized that this was a lack of leadership, so you fired Gary Busey.”

“These,” Mr. Obama said, “are the kinds of decisions that would keep me up at night. Well-handled, sir. Well-handled.”

It's funny, right?

It becomes a bit unnerving when you consider that the President had just ordered the execution of the most wanted man in the world, sending Navy Seals into Pakistan in a most delicate operation to accomplish what many thought no one could ever accomplish.

One only wonders how many sleepless nights Mr. Obama has had in coming to make that decision.

His staff calls him "Cool Hand Luke". His detractors say he is "too professorial". Too "aloof" and "out of touch" with the general public.

I'll tell you what - at the end of the day, I don't have to like the person who makes decisions like the execution of a terrorist in a politically fragile environment.

I'm sure glad someone with a clear head and steady hand is leading this nation.

Seth Meyers followed The President's remarks and joked that everyone was looking for Osama bin Laden, but the rumor was that he had his own show on C-span from 4-5.

Mr. Obama just grinned and laughed.  One can only imagine the very private joke he was enjoying in the moment. Who knew?

Meyers also commented on Mr. Obama's appearance.

"What happened, to you?" he asked, "When you were sworn in, you looked like the guy on the Old Spice commercial. Now you look like Louis Gossett, Sr.," adding, "I've never said this before to anyone, but maybe you should start smoking again. Is this the change you were talking about? ... Mr. President, look at your hair. If your hair gets any whiter, the Tea Party is going to endorse it."

He may be 'Joe Cool', but occupying the Office of the President does not come without substantial, personal cost. Underneath that calm exterior beats the heart of a human being. A man who is someone's son. Someone's brother. Someone's husband. Someone's father.

Obama Action figure from Gizmodo.com

I think I was in 8th Grade Civics Class when I had to write an essay on whether leaders are born or made - whether the leader creates the time or time calls forth a leader.

I remember getting an A minus on the paper with the comment, "You demonstrated a serious engagement with the question but your answer fell short of expectations."

I was an Anglican, even then.

I still don't have an adequate answer to that question. I only know a leader when I see one.

Say whatever else you want about the man, but Barak Obama is a leader.

He's also got a very cool deadpan delivery. Not exactly 'professorial' but very dry and stirred, but never shaken - like a good James Bond martini.


Well-handled, sir. Well-handled, indeed.