It's Far from Quiet on the Western Front

President Obama got a warm welcome when he returned home from promoting his health care agenda in Ohio and Pennsylvania last Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009It's nice that when your world is more than a bit choppy around you, there's no place like home. Last week's arrival back at the White House produced some of the best photos yet of POTUS and his daughters.

President's daughters waiting for his arrival on Sept. 15, 2009As we all know, POTUS is in the hot seat these days. He acknowledged as much on last night's David Letterman show, saying:

"One of the things you sign up for in politics is that folks yell at you," Obama said on the Late Show of vitriolic rallies around the US attacking his plans for healthcare reform. via Guardian UK

Responding to questions about Sasha and Malia last night, the president said that the girls "goofed off" all summer. To us normal types, theirs may have been the most exciting "goof off" summer on presidential record.

Obama assured Letterman that his children were able to lead normal social lives, joking: "They actually go over to other children's houses. The parents get frisked."

He went on to worry aloud, tongue in cheek, about his daughters' teenage years: "I suppose they'll want to go out on dates and I'll have all these men with guns around."

To life is tough for the president and he faces a particularly challenging week here in New York at the UN and then onto Pittsburg for the G20 meetings.

President Obama on Davod Letterman show, Sept. 21, 2009. Photo via APThe Daily Beast gives President Obama high marks for his performance on Letterman last night, speaking candidly about America's summer of discontent.

Hopefully, this video stands on YouTube, because it has the opening -- which has Obama talking about his smoking and Michelle's fierce stance against it. Referring to FLOTUS and her challenge to America to "turn him in to her, if we catch POTUS smoking", President Obama admits: "I'm terrified of her."

President Obama on Letterman, Sept. 22, 2009

Copenhagen or Not?

Word is that POTUS may go to Copenhagen. I call that micromanaging Michelle, who last week was in charge of that event. I know she can handle it, sir.

Alas, the life of a president is more complicated that my limited viewpoint.

I agree with Bloomberg's Scott Soshnick: 

If landing the 2016 Summer Olympics requires Obama, a busy fellow these days, to make an appearance in Copenhagen in order to secure a vote or two then the process is a sham.

No, I can’t.

Not even if a presidential no-show means disappointment for his adopted hometown of Chicago. Not even for the biggest sporting event in the world, which just might cost Chicago’s taxpayers at a time when too many households don’t have loose change to spare.

If that’s what it takes, then send the Olympics to one of the other competing cities -- Rio de Janeiro, Madrid or Tokyo.

It used to be that IOC members sold their votes for things like cushy jobs, opulent gifts or wads of cash in paper bags. Now it seems that voters require world leaders to bow in their presence.

And you thought athletes had egos.

Note from Anne -- I just looked and believe that the International Olympic Committee looks to be 80-85% men. It is ridiculous that in the midst of a global economic meltdown and global environmental catastrophe that the IOC would penalize POTUS for not coming before them.

Our world has just gone plum Modern patriarchal values crazy.

Back to the White House lawn and our original reflection that when your workday is just plain exhausting, it's mighty nice to have such an enthusiastic reception committee counting the minutes until you get off Marine One. Anne

President Obama returns to Sasha, Malia and Bo on Sept. 15, 2009

Comments

[Leo]

Aww!!! The girls are so cute. They remind me of me and my sister when we where little.