As I watched Obama's first presidential press conference unfold on Monday, the first thing I noticed--other than the fact that it was a thoroughly scripted, prescreened, predetermined, precalculated affair, as most media events involving a U.S. president are--was that when he called on reporters, he appeared to be reading their names from a preselected list.
Now, this, in and of itself, to me is not a grievous offense, in the larger scheme of things. But it does underscore the fact that the Obama presidency is all about pretention, posturing and prevaricating (and, of course, ruling by imperial dictat, wielding power and reigning through subterfuge and machiavellian means).
It underscores the fact that, with this administration, micro-management is the watchword. No variable, however small and seemingly insignificant, is to be left uncontrolled, unchoreographed. Everything must have prior authorization and approval from the throne. Every question from the floor must give the president ample opportunity to display his decisiveness, his eloquence, reflect his profound powers of analytical observation, intelligence and insightful utterance. He must appear to be far superior to the journalistic drones in the room, and he must bedazzle the adoring millions/minions watching by television.
At the very least, what matters in this Obama Nation we've just created, as Rush Limbaugh so presciently observed about the Clinton administration, is "symbolism over substance."
Which is precisely what this "transparency" press conference was all about. The proverbial dog and pony show. It is the same show of "transparency" that every despot (and in American politics, every draconian Democrat and reprobate Republican) has used since time immemorial to bamboozle the masses and enlarge and expand the power of the federal government.
Transparency? Yes. We can see right through it.
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