Obama's Fate Perceived as Failure; His Bad Luck as Incompetence
"Sympathy
for Obama couldn't last forever. Suddenly, fate is perceived as failure; and
bad luck as incompetence. … If the drill-happy Republicans benefit from the
biggest oil disaster in U.S. history, tragedy will be added to the drama. Obama can’t allow tar balls on the soles of his shoes to turn him into a lame duck."
The oil disaster is
threatening the American president’s political future.His equation failed to strike a balance and
his hopes were disappointed - and pity doesn’t last for ever.
The man about whom it was
said he could walk on water now has brown clumps stuck to the soles of his shoes.
It’s true that he isn't responsible for the oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico which
grows larger by the day. But this excuse has long since lost its validity. The
president of the most powerful country in the world is expected to be able to
deal with imponderables. If he can’t, then who can? Jimmy Carter wasn't
responsible for the Iran hostage crisis and George Bush wasn't to blame for
Hurricane Katrina. Both men were nonetheless measured by how they managed these
disasters. That’s neither presumptuous nor unfair, but part of the office.
The debacle has been brewing since
April 20th when the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded. Stealthily, steadily
and with persistence, roughly 800,000 gallons of oil a day gush from the
leaking well into the sea. It clogs the gills of fish and coats the feathers of
birds. Many animals die miserably. So far, the American mainland has been only marginally
affected. The sense of foreboding is still worse than the reality. But it's
only a matter of time. The real drama is yet to come. And along with it will come
the images, the horror and the anger. And a few days go, hurricane season began.
This affects rescue efforts and the spread of the oil slick. Since April 20th,
everything that could go wrong - has gone wrong. Henceforth, those who rely on
luck alone will probably find it gone.
Although Obama hasn't relied on
luck alone, he appointed of all people - the arsonist as the chief firefighter.
He commissioned British Petroleum (BP) with the task of solving the problem. Initially
there was a simple explanation for this: The British company appeared to be the
only entity with the knowledge and equipment capable of sealing an uncapped oil
well a mile deep in the sea. But doubts grew with every failed attempt by BP, and
the more they grew, the more desperate the position of the president became. His
calculations failed to live up to expectations and hopes were dashed. But
sympathy for him couldn't last forever. Suddenly, fate is perceived as failure;
and bad luck as incompetence.
Americans love nature. Their
national parks, protected wildlife areas and state forests cover a vast area.
However, it’s true that this love of nature is more often an expression of a
desire for spiritual edification than the ideal sought by Europeans: an environmentalist
desire to improve the world. Furthermore, Gulf region residents are quite experienced
when it comes to disasters - and so are correspondingly calm. But Americans
also believe in the promise of modern technology. The fact that this oil well
at the bottom of the ocean will not allow itself to be plugged is viewed as a
mockery to them.
Jimmy Carter and the hostage
drama in Iran, George W. Bush and the ravages of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans:
Obama knows how dangerous these historic analogies can be to him.And then there are the elections in late fall.
The Democratic majority in Congress hangs in the balance. If the drill-happy
Republicans benefit from the biggest oil disaster in U.S. history, tragedy will
be added to the drama. Obama can't allow tar balls on the soles of his shoes to turn him into a lame duck.
