That’s what they say of a comedian when the audience has lost interest in, and even sympathy for, his act. Here’s Jay Leno:
After saying the jobs bill is paid for, President Obama now says that it will be paid for by raising taxes over 10 years. I can’t figure out if he’s the kind of guy who makes infomercials, or the kind of guy who falls for infomercials.
Jay Leno is not at the cutting edge of American humor. His approach is to reflect general American sentiment, not try to change it. That Leno can characterize Obama as either an infomercial charlatan or a dupe — no third option — shows that Leno doesn’t expect much in the way of pushback on this from Middle America. Remember the old joke about George H. W. Bush being born on third base, and thinking he hit a triple? In 2008, the American people plucked Barack Obama from the on-deck circle and — because he seemed a decent enough fellow — deposited him on third base. What he has accomplished since then is not even being caught stealing home; he’s been picked off third.
Consider the magnitude of the opportunity Barack Obama has squandered. Despite lacking anything in the way of experience or specific policies, he became president on a tide of national good will, poll numbers so high as to make Republicans in January 2009 afraid even to criticize him. His conduct in office has managed to throw away that public support, to the extent that he is now a punching bag for Republicans, and even Democrats. When all you have going for you is popularity, and you lose that, you’re finished.
As I have mentioned on countless occasions, I didn’t vote for Obama in 2008, but I did not dislike him personally. For all I knew, there could have been something to the imposing façade of leadership he put forward, and even an empty suit has a possibility of getting filled with something worthwhile; that was my hope; and, in any case, we would find out soon enough.
Well, we’ve found out. It’s a vindication both for those of us who voted for John McCain in the general and those of us who voted for Hillary in the primary. (I qualify on both counts. You’re welcome.) Hillary should not run in 2012, because while Obama may not have shown much competence as president, his team has shown great competence in the politics of personal attack; any attempt by her to save the Democratic party at this point would run into the buzzsaw of the Obama attack machine and be completely quixotic. In any case, after the way the Democrats treated her in 2008, they don’t deserve her. Maybe they’ll learn their lesson by 2016.
I can guess what you must be thinking: another anti-Obama rant at NRO, basically a case of a minnow joining the dolphins at Sea World; leave it to the professionals, Mike. But I just want to be on record as a non-Obama-hater who deeply resents how this president has wasted America’s time and good will.