Slam Dunk

The basketball playing community organizer saw an opening. The lane was clear. A few quick steps, up you go, slam the ball through the hoop and strut off the court with more adulation from the always adulating fans. So, it was late in the game and he got a quick handoff/assist from one of the news regulars from his home state. He took the ball and started to the net; the opening was not going to close in time; it was a sure thing; just get up in the air and guide the ball through the hoop. Two steps, three and then a smooth jump and release and, and…oh no, what happened, down on the floor, caught up in my own two crisscrossed feet. Oh no, now what? Where’s the teleprompter.

When Lynn Sweet asked about the Gates incident at the end of Wednesday’s press conference the community organizer got an even bigger softball than the previous six or eight tossed his way. He was ready for this one. This was a no brainer. An opportunity to look good, throw a bone to the 95 plus percent of blacks who voted for him, toss in the entire Hispanic population and remind everyone of how tough it is to be a minority in the US. To paraphrase his sidekick from the Chicago Machine, "A pandering opportunity is a terrible thing to waste." Show the folk that you know what it's like to be bullied. You can relate. That's why you're on their side. Spreading the wealth. Shipping out the reparations and voter paybacks under the disguise of health care reform, stimulus payments to protected unions and municipal employees, tax and cap, green jobs and free college for everyone but the taxpaying crowd. Plant some real seeds with the bleeding hearts. This is better than being interviewed on NBC or PBS. Take it. Run with it. Dunk it.

Oh no, what happened?

Teaching moment? You bet. The only question is who is the student? A few more of these missteps and you may be in for some unplanned transparency. Better stick to the teleprompter. That'll get you a few more months with the media at least. Doubtful that it will last that long with the taxpaying public. They seem to be catching on.