Obamateurism

"It was also interesting to see that political interaction in Europe is not that different from the United States Senate. There's a lot of -- I don't know what the term is in Austrian -- wheeling and dealing -- and, you know, people are pursuing their interests, and everybody has their own particular issues and their own particular politics."

(from his press conference in Strasbourg). (hat-tip Lubos Motl)

I couldn't be Baracked

Barack was in Prague today, home of this blog but rarely mentioned in it. I had too much to do to go and see the One make his speech in the castle, but watching the speech I see the hazy sunshine somewhat spoilt the vista of the Golden City behind Obama's shoulder (though it did look very golden as a result). The speech was an odd one really, mostly about nuclear disarmament. He talked a lot about the power of peaceful protest- didn't mention Ronald Reagan once, or the US military build up, or the star wars project which all combined to help crush Russian morale and free the dissident movement in then Czechoslovakia.

The first three or four minutes were nice, tailored, script-written homilies to local colour and US ties. The next twenty were triagulating politics trying to garb itself in dopey peacenik idealism. The mulitlateral schtick went down wellish. He refrained from too much global warming schtickiness, possibly out of respect to sceptical Klaus the Czech President. Not too much about the "road to hell" (aka trillion $ stimuli) either.

All in all he didn't destroy the brand, but he isn't developing it either. I have grave fears about where his leadership, such as it is, will leave the US and the world three or four years down the road. Road to hell? Road to nowhere? Or just plain old schtick creek without a paddle?