President Barack Obama is planning to give a motivational speech to students across the nation next week. His speech is aimed at encouraging students to set goals for themselves, to take their education seriously, to aim high and strive to achieve great things.
But many students will never hear his words.
Many schools will never air his speech.
Many eyes will never see his message.
Based partly on a strong Republican backlash, and partly on parents who realize that pumping political messages into their children’s schools may be stepping just a mile or two over the line, many schools have pulled the plug.
Obama, once America’s rhetorical golden boy, seems to have lost his loquacious touch of late, and deaf ears are all too often greeting his teleprompted teachings.
To say Obama is no longer the media darling he was a mere 6 months ago is harsh, but in the life of a president, it is also all too true. Hailed as a savior upon his election, Obama is now wallowing through the scrutiny and ravages of constant coverage much like every president before him.
Navigating a financially fueled, bi-partisan congress is akin to wrestling yaks blindfolded and fighting giant mutated tiger monkeys with naught but a shrimp net and some catnip. And Obama is finding himself more crusader for his own cause rather than champion of a nation’s far too often these days.
Quixotic he is not, but the message America seems to be sending is one of apathy rather than adoration. If the economy continues to stagnate, the deficit climbs, and health care teeters on the brink, no amount of finely crafted words will be able to endear the commander in chief to his citizens much longer.
Only action can achieve that aim.
