As part of their presidential transition coverage, the news networks have been running stories about the physical details of life for the First Family--the presidential-seal buckles on the seat belts in Air Force One, the five-inch-thick armor plating on the sides of the presidential limousine, etc. etc. The TV hosts present these stories with a benign air of "Oh how cool!" In fact however I find them deeply depressing.
One of the reasons Obama's election was so cheering is that it gives us a president who is something like a "real person," meaning someone I could imagine knowing--an urban guy who lived in a crummy rented apartment while attending Columbia University, surfs the Internet, reads books with his daughters, and so on. Now he is entering this bubble which is like something out of the fantasy life of a James Bond villain.
No wonder Obama is so desperate to hang on to his Blackberry--he is quite right to be worried about the danger of losing touch. We can only hope that--unlike Bush--he may be self-aware enough to recognize when it is happening and caring enough to fight against it.
These details are deeply depressing to me because it probably wouldn't be safe for Obama to be our president without certain features of this bubble. There is a certain amount of danger for all political leaders, but it must require unusual amounts of courage in this particular case, which is such a horrible thing to be true.
Posted by: Laura | January 24, 2009 at 09:37 PM
At least they've decided Obama can keep using his Blackberry.
Posted by: Karl Weber | January 25, 2009 at 02:05 PM
We will verify all arrival times directly with the airline, but can not guarantee the accuracy of the information carrier.
Posted by: Limousine Reservation Rates | January 28, 2010 at 02:12 PM