Swiping.

Trouble with habitually borrowing other people's thoughts,
you tend not to form your own original work. Eventually, it catches up with you...

I bet the president's people, like the new media journolists, are up and online early, scanning blogs, reading papers, picking up on what is being said out there.

Here's my post, from early morning Oct. 9, 2009:
Friday, October 9

Hail to the Chief Peacemaker + Prize Winner
I'm going to speculate that the international community is trying to bulk up the President's credentials prior to his engaging -- hopefully with bit of backbone -- in the Israel/Palestine negotiations that have dragged on much too long.

It's not our enemies, but our allies, that we most need to call to action now.

So George Mitchell's on that job, the Prez has the prize pocketed, and maybe it's time we realize he who the writes the checks has plenty of power to call some shots. (What's in your wallet?) You don't like our suggestions? Fine, no support of you. Feel free to go it alone, and face the consequences.

Here's a good editorial on that subject, and why it's essential to support our Palestinian peace partner now. If you can't score a victory or two with the Nobel in your pocket...

Later that morning,
the President stood in the Rose Garden and said this:

Obama said he was "surprised" and "deeply humbled" by the award. He stated that he does not feel he deserved the award, and that he did not feel worthy of the company the award would place him in. In remarks given at the White House Rose Garden on the day of the announcement, Obama stated, "I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments but rather an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations."

"Throughout history, the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes," Obama said. " And that is why I will accept this award as a call to action — a call for all nations to confront the common challenges of the 21st century." He said those common challenges included the goal of eliminating nuclear weapons (which he said might not occur in his lifetime), nuclear proliferation, climate change, tolerance "among people of different faiths and races and religions", peace between and security for Israelis and Palestinians, better social conditions for the world's poor, including "the ability to get an education and make a decent living; the security that you won't have to live in fear of disease or violence without hope for the future." The United States, he said, is "a country that's responsible for ending a war and working in another theater to confront a ruthless adversary that directly threatens the American people and our allies."

Purely coincidental, I'm sure.
"Call to action" is a phrase formal speechwriters, as well as Northwestern-trained print writers like myself, might think of, originally...

Just like "Romnesia", the latest desperate meme his people are pushing, behind Big Bird, binders and bayonets. Here's Roger Cohen of the NYTimes:

I coin "Romnesia" in Oct 11 col http://t.co/EM8d1NvF -- "Is this acute #Romnesia or what?" #Obama runs with it. No credit. Of course not.

#Obama on my #Romnesia http://t.co/Vni7TYi7 Why is it I'm not surprised this president likes to look clever with ideas of others?

Trouble is, his people swipe and snatch words, seemingly without understanding the thought process behind the catchy phrases. There's no "there" there...

The mask is slipping.
The emperor has been naked these past years.
No one is afraid to point out: the first black president isn't a solid leader, nor a consistent or original leader. Heck, any superb wordsmith can write a good speech, or coin a phrase or two...

It's the action behind the words that we pay the political people for.

My call above fell on deaf ears. Too bad.
The president signed his own ticket this fall.

-------------------------------


The "Tonight Show" appearance was Obama's third as president and fifth overall. He has recently done a slew of entertainment media appearances, including a sit down with Jon Stewart of the "Daily Show." On Friday, he will appear on MTV for a live 30-minute special.

"Well, the president only does these shows once or twice a week now, so it's good" to have him here, Leno joked.

The last time Obama held a news conference to take open questions from the press was August 20th, when he called on four reporters in the White House briefing room.