Even though I want to believe this, and in fact to a degree do believe it or some of it, I’m too angry at the guy these days to let myself believe it. Also, I’m sick and when I’m sick I have less than a sunny outlook on life. My bad mood may explain why I think that if the chess metaphor applies, it applies in different ways than Fallows’ reader intends.
If the President is playing a game of chess, it isn’t against the political equivalents of Boris Spassky and Garry Kasparov. It’s against a squabbling gang of spoiled, angry, and not particularly bright children who will do anything to avoid losing including upending the board and smashing all the pieces, and the President doesn’t seem to realize that or that it should affect his own style of play.
Also, he seems to have accepted that the other' side’s king and queen are off-limits. The bishops should be left alone too, if possible. Knights and rooks can be taken but only if 3/5ths of the judges vote to give him permission.
He can only win on points and what really worries me is that the President sees the rest of us as the pawns and I’m not sure how many of us he thinks he needs around for his endgame.
Thanks to regular reader and commenter GregN for sending me the link.
Photo of Bobby Fischer via the New York Daily News.
Nope. I don't believe it. I think he's so hungry for bipartisanship he's let himself get rolled time and time again.
Posted by: Linkmeister | Tuesday, August 09, 2011 at 02:04 AM
Brilliant use of the "chess" metaphor, Lance, from the kings and queens to the pawns. Really clever and well done. And sadly TRUE.
Posted by: scribbler50 | Tuesday, August 09, 2011 at 10:56 AM
Today, We Are All Wisconsinites, Go Badgers!
Need some motivation, Watch this video, "Tea Party! America Thanks You!" Video (by DC Douglas)
"Never doubt that a small group of reactionary, xenophobic, corporately-manipulated citizens can change the world." However, I am afraid that its gonna take the TPers themselves becoming homeless and dealing with famine to finally wake them up.
Posted by: Earl Bockenfeld | Tuesday, August 09, 2011 at 11:16 AM
Even if every word in this piece is true, there are still 2 problems:
1. Obama (and the Dems) have show NO ability to garner credit for their accomplishments. Yeah, the lazy, sometimes oppositional media is partly to blame.
2. Americans have the attention spans of gnats. Pretty sure that parents of 24 year old graduates with no jobs will remember that Obama let the kid stay on the family insurance, but that's about it. Iraq? Didn't that end before Obama? Osama who? So many more...
The only hope is that the Repub candidate in '12 is so crazy that 'moderates'either sit out or vote Obama again.
Posted by: GregN | Tuesday, August 09, 2011 at 11:45 AM
Chess isn't always as cerebral as is often thought:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7C3tvRv7hQ
"Well played, Mrs. Slotnick"
Posted by: Ken Muldrew | Tuesday, August 09, 2011 at 04:56 PM
I don't have much hope for his chess game, but he appears to be a lot worse at poker.
Posted by: KC45s | Tuesday, August 09, 2011 at 06:16 PM
Lance, just a thought, but the pawn is the most powerful piece on the board--if you use it to chase away the knights, rooks, bishops and queen. On any such confrontation, a backed-up pawn stares down the piece it is attacking.
Posted by: Redbeard | Wednesday, August 10, 2011 at 08:48 PM