Originally posted at American Thinker. blog
Barack Obama has mastered the fine art of leaving work at the office and is committed to not falling into the proverbial: “All work and no play … dull boy” trap.
President Obama is the type of leader who doesn’t let anything get in the way of a well-deserved day off. Let’s face it; Barack is first and foremost a government employee. The President’s breaks are on schedule, work hours tightly defined, vacations well spaced, and if it’s the weekend, listen closely as you may hear the titular leader of the free world whispering: “TGIF.”
Over the weekend, “Islamic radicals escaped from prison, the Muslim Brotherhood joined Elbaradei on the street, and socialists continued to mobilize protests in Cairo.” And where was Obama? Now, careful don’t judge the guy – he was sitting in the bleachers watching his daughter play basketball.
That’s right – Barack Obama’s leisurely winter weekend included cheering Sasha on at the Jane E. Lawton Community Recreation Center in Chevy Chase, MD. Not to worry. While Obama was courtside, “Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other top administration officials took part in a two-hour meeting about the situation in Egypt.”
Although absent in the flesh, America’s otherwise occupied President attended the Egypt summit in spirit. Obama received a scheduled “update from his national security team later in the day,” but hopefully not while trying to squeeze in a cat nap.
If a long night of partying lies ahead, despite Mideast unrest, even a president deserves a siesta now and then. After a morning recreating at the community center while Egypt teetered on the brink Islamic rule and looters destroyed ancient artifacts, Obama, with his priorities in order, slipped into party duds and spent two hours at an evening soiree for outgoing top political advisor David Axelrod.
All the DC big shots were there. Instead of questioning Obama on how the administration can support both Egyptian protestors and a dictator at the same time, press pool reporters chose to clink glasses with Barry at former campaign/health care spokesperson and current VP of Atlantic Media Linda Douglas’s house. The impartial group included: “ABC’s Jake Tapper, NBC’s Chuck Todd, National Journal’s Major Garrett, and John Harwood of CNBC and the New York Times.”
Also bidding adieu to Spin Doctor Axelrod were three notable secretaries. Tim Geithner represented the Treasury Department, Arne Duncan the Department of Education, and Steven Chu the Department of Energy. Mrs. Obama was missing from the festivities, but if history is any predictor of future behavior, in solidarity with the oppressed Egyptian people the First Lady could have been canvassing a potential designer to whip up a Nefertiti-style ensemble similar to the red-themed creation she wore to the recent Chinese State Dinner.
Either way, Barack Obama was careful to slowly ease himself back into the workweek. As he did, a reporter in Beirut observed: “Mubarak seems to be surrounding himself with hard-line security officials, possibly to protect himself from a military coup but more likely to lay the groundwork to use force to crush the protests, which appear to be gathering momentum.” In addition, the possibility remains that Egypt could fall into the hands of the Muslim Brotherhood, which means Israel would be one country shy of being surrounded on all sides by enemies.
Hate to ruin the party, but either one of those two scenarios could happen, and if they do, despite the President’s pre-planned schedule it looks like he may have to ditch basketball games, catnaps, and tony cocktail parties and spend a few weekends at the office.
