The Presidency Goes Tabloid

Some people complain about the President taking vacation when America faces so many unsolved issues. But if a President is spending 14 hours a day, seven days a week, tending to the fate of America, then I think periodic retreats are essential to remaining effective. If, on the other hand, he’s using the office as his personal fantasy-land to impose personal ideology, wield enormous power, increase his own celebrity status, exploit the perks of the position, and gain individual capital that can be converted to financial wealth after leaving office, well, then extravagant Air Force One vacations are just another abuse. You can be the judge of how any individual President is using his office.

But why should any President of the United States spend his time making an appearance on a gossipy daytime talk show like The View?

Is it to communicate important information to the public? At any time of his choosing, when important information needs to be communicated directly, the President of the United States can make a broadcast address to the entire world that will be carried on all major news outlets. No other person in the world has access to such communication power. Presidents have used this mode of communication for as long as we’ve had instantaneous media. The President also delivers a weekly address to comment on current issues. In addition, he has a full-time press secretary who makes daily briefings to the press corps to share any relevant information.

Is it because there’s nothing more important on his plate at the moment? Let’s see… The economy is in the tank. Our national debt is rising millions of dollars every hour. Soldiers are dying in Afghanistan trying to stabilize a nation where most of the population would like to see America destroyed. Our borders are wide open to human and drug traffickers crossing by the thousands, and completely accessible to terrorist infiltration. Iran and North Korea are posing such a nuclear threat that sales of personal bomb shelters are skyrocketing. Our national transportation infrastructure is crumbling. Hmmm, maybe spending a half-day making an appearance chatting with the girls on The View is not the highest and best use of his time.

Unless, of course, the purpose of the visit is self-promotion and propaganda. Polls show the President losing favor among one of his strong political bases – women. So, get on The View, turn on the charm, and tell the audience how everything is going in the right direction. Yes, forget about all the real issues. Let’s make sure we prop up those sagging poll numbers.

If citizens of the United States tolerate this from their President, then they are to blame for the sad state of current affairs.