There was?nothing surprising in Obama's pitch for the Skills for America's Future initiative in today's weekly speech (formerly ?radio address?) from the White House. ?(The transcript is here.)
But the president looked tired. And he continues to reveal his discomfiting relationship with the camera?and the common man.
?The other day,? he?began, ?I was talking about education with some folks in the backyard of an Albuquerque home, and someone asked a question that's stayed with me.?
?Some folks?? ?In the backyard???I'm curious what kind of folks and what kind of backyard, but Obama's?speechwriters must be frustrated?as those who had to put words into Jimmy Carter's un-homespun mouth must have been.?Obama speaks as if he's reading from a ledger sheet.?Let's face it: Not all rock stars do well in living rooms?or backyards.?And sometimes a law professor is just a law professor. (On the other hand, Obama might do better standing up, in front of a white board?where he's comfortable!)
But I digress. The backyard question that stuck with the president was this:??If we don't have homes to go to, what good is an education??
Dear Mr. President:?That question may have stuck with you, but I wish you would have kept it to yourself.?Please watch?Carter's 1979 Crisis of Confidence speech.?In fact, now that you're installing solar panels on the White House roof, as Carter did, you might brush up on the?39th president's career?(or read Garry Wills in the new issue of the New York Review of Books?Wills calls Carter his own worst enemy). Two years before the malaise speech, not long after his election,?Carter?held a?fireside chat, in front of a crackling fire, wearing a cardigan sweater?with a tie, no less!?to announce his energy plan.?(Cue up?the swimming rabbit.)??No, we don't need to be reminded of how tough times are, especially by the guy who's supposed to solve the problems. Besides, this is not a legal brief. ?Please, Mr. President, we need some cheerleading here!
In any case, I did like the part in today's speech where Obama says,?Nothing is more important than the quality of your education? and ?giving our kids the best education possible is an economic imperative.?
I get that. Even guys in the backyard get that?even folks who don't have backyards get that.?But would somebody please give the president a little lesson in economics?improving our education system is not going to get somebody?his house back?and a pom-pom!?Go, America!
Or, as our common touch president put it, ?Thanks, everybody, and have a nice weekend.?
?Peter Meyer, Bernard Lee Schwartz Policy Fellow
