THE INDICTMENT – AT 8:44 A.M. ET:  There is no longer much doubt that the Obama administration is in steep decline.  Nile Gardiner, who was one of the first of the British pundits to recognize that our emperor has no clothes, or clothes that don't fit off the rack, examines just what's gone wrong.  This piece is receiving very wide circulation:

The last few weeks have been a nightmare for President Obama, in a summer of discontent in the United States which has deeply unsettled the ruling liberal elites, so much so that even the Left has begun to turn against the White House. While the anti-establishment Tea Party movement has gained significant ground and is now a rising and powerful political force to be reckoned with, many of the president’s own supporters as well as independents are rapidly losing faith in Barack Obama, with open warfare breaking out between the White House and the left-wing of the Democratic Party. While conservatism in America grows stronger by the day, the forces of liberalism are growing increasingly weaker and divided.

And...

Growing disillusionment with the Obama administration’s handling of the economy as well as health care and immigration has gone hand in hand with mounting unhappiness with the President’s aloof and imperial style of leadership, and a growing perception that he is out of touch with ordinary Americans, especially at a time of significant economic pain. Barack Obama’s striking absence of natural leadership ability (and blatant lack of experience) has played a big part in undermining his credibility with the US public, with his lacklustre handling of the Gulf oil spill coming under particularly intense fire.

And...

On the national security and foreign policy front, President Obama has not fared any better. His leadership on the war in Afghanistan has been confused and at times lacking in conviction, and seemingly dictated by domestic political priorities rather than military and strategic goals. His overall foreign policy has been an appalling mess, with his flawed strategy of engagement of hostile regimes spectacularly backfiring. And as for the War on Terror, his administration has not even acknowledged it is fighting one.

Gardiner then goes on to list ten reasons why Obama is failing.  It is a stunning indictment, and well worth reading, a good companion piece to Fouad Ajami's indictment, which we noted yesterday.

The Titanic is sinking.  But, not only does the captain not realize it, he isn't even sending up flares.  So how can anyone come to his aid?

August 13, 2010