Distractions

At the helm of the Hindenburg

Donald Trump apparently has made himself enough of a pest that after years of controversy, President Obama finally authorized the release of the Hawaiian record of his birth, calling the issue a "distraction." Obama took time out of his serious presidential work to hold a press conference to make the announcement. AP's circulating photo of the event shows a beaming Obama.

I believe this indicates two things about the White House view of this: first, that they've come to the end of being able to milk this controversy to their advantage, and second, that this has been a triumph for them politically. 

Well, maybe it is, within their own Democratic party echo chamber.  This all reminds me of nothing less than the Clinton/Lewisnky affair.  I remember Bill Clinton making a televised national address where he pointed his finger at us and denied his extra-marital bj, and subsequently let the country be dragged through a year-long constitutional crisis rather than simply admit the truth. Exactly what his motive was in all that only he really knows, but being that he was Bill Clinton, I doubt it included defending Monica Lewinsky's honor, such as a European politician might claim in a scandal. Being that he was also a politician, I assume that political considerations were never far from his mind, if in fact they weren't the primary consideration.

So President Obama & crew were likewise willing to let this controversy fester for years because they saw it being to their political advantage.  After that advantage dissipated when Trump latched on to the issue like a gila monster, it probably took some White House staffer about 20 minutes to arrange for the release of the certificate.  I think we'll see the release of Obama's academic records in a quicker fashion, assuming the administration realizes that it's best to feed the Donald monster quickly and hope he'll go elsewhere for his next meal.

Meanwhile, the rest of the country is dealing with a few distracting problems like, um, rising food and gas prices, the falling dollar, high unemployment, the continuing collapse of the housing market, the approach of hyperinflation, terrorism, the developing Libyan quagmire, depression, suicide...

But rest easy, America, the President is happy today.  He thinks he scored some political points, and for a politician, that's what it's all about.