Connie Lawn: Obama's summer of discontent

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Presidential podium (Image: White House Photo, Pete Souza)

Summer is now over in the United States – are we having fun yet? It has been a really difficult summer for President Obama. He and his family did have some excellent overseas trips, and they went well. The President, his wife, and two charming daughters had marvelous adventures in the UK, Russia, Italy, and Africa. They also met with world leaders, learned a lot, and may have conducted some important business.

Back in this country, the Obamas visited some magnificent National Parks in the West and went white water rafting. (Maybe they are in training for the real stuff in New Zealand?) They soon go to Asia for the APEC meetings, and are expected to make a special trip to China. But, the rest of the summer was not so great.

The formal vacation at Martha’s Vineyard became a time for sadness and reflection, with the death of Ted Kennedy. Hurricanes affected the weather on the Vineyard, although there were some fine days. At least there were no attacks by the great white sharks that are now fascinating people off the coast of Cape Cod.

When the Obamas returned from Martha’s Vineyard, they tried to salvage a few good days at the official Presidential retreat of Camp David, Maryland. President Obama also managed to play golf and work out each day. But the nagging problems of the Presidency persist.

This week, he has delivered a rousing speech in support of the Labor Movement. He did so at a Labor picnic in Ohio. He whipped up the crowd into a campaign frenzy, recruiting them to help in his effort to reform the inadequate health care system in this country. A formal, prime time speech to the nation on health care came two days later.

The President welcomed children back to school with a nationally broadcast address, challenging them to work hard and stay in school. The text of the speech was released two days early, because some Conservatives waged a campaign, saying he was trying to impose his Liberal views on students. They ignored the fact that Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush Senior had delivered similar speeches to students as the school year began.

President Obama has giant problems to try to resolve. The unemployment rate is still climbing, with one out of 10 residents out of work! It is over 10% in some sections of the nation. Swine flu is now raging here. The horrors in Iraq and Afghanistan continue. The Generals want more troops in Afghanistan; a growing majority of the American public see parallels to Vietnam, and want the US out of the quagmire. Such calls are also intensifying in Europe.

This week brings the 9/11 Anniversary, and we all pray there will be no further attacks. Soon there is the opening of the UN General Assembly, where leaders from most nations make an appearance. Noisy demonstrations are expected against the leaders of Iran and Libya, among others.

In the midst of all this, President Obama lost another advisor. It was not a major event, but took the Administration off – message for a while. The advisor of “green affairs,” Van Jones, had once said Republicans may have allowed the 9/11 attacks to happen. He also called them “a-holes.” And, he had reportedly called President Bush a “crackhead.” He apologized for his previous statements, and said they do not reflect his views. So, he resigned in the middle of the night on Saturday. He will now probably go onto make a lot of money in public speaking – he is entertaining and colorful.

Presidential advisors come and go, and the problems go round and round. But they are crucial and cannot be ignored. Sometimes the lovely days of summer are not enough to make them go away.

Connie Lawn has a passionate love for NZ. She worked for Radio New Zealand for 20 years, and then for Radio Live for a few years. Connie has covered the White House and the world since 1968. Her other passion is skiing, and she calls herself "the skiing White House reporter." Her ski stories are on dcski.com and other outlets. Connie is also heard on thousands of radio stations, but firmly believes the internet is the future. She can be reached at connie@scoop.co.nz

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