Can 'The One' Have Fun? (Maureen Dowd Living Vicariously Through Obama Barf Alert)

The NY Times ^ | 6/10/09

[lewisglad]

The fun police are patrolling Pennsylvania Avenue.

Given the serious times, the chatter goes, should Barack Obama be allowed to enjoy date night with Michelle in New York, sightseeing in Paris, golf outings in D.C., not to mention doing a promotion for Conan O’Brien and a video cameo for Stephen Colbert’s first comedy show from Iraq?

Some White House officials fretted that the Obamas’ Marine One and Gulfstream magic-carpet ride to dinner in Greenwich Village and a play on Broadway was too showy.

I loved the “Pretty Woman” romance of the New York tableau, the president, who had not lived an entitled life where he could afford such lavish gestures, throwing off his tie and whisking his wife, in a flirty black cocktail dress, to sip martinis in Manhattan, as Sasha hung over a White House balcony and called out goodbye.

When the president and first lady walked to their seats in the Belasco for “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone,” the theater-goers went nuts. And why not?

What a relief to have an urbane, cultivated, curious president who’s out and about, engaged in the world. Not dangerously detached, as W. was, or darkly stewing like Cheney. Not hanging with the Rat Pack like J.F.K. or up to mischief like Bill Clinton.

Mixing play with intense work is not only a good mental health strategy; it’s a good way to show the world that American confidence and cool — and Cary Grant romantic flair — still thrive.

Date on and tee it up, Mr. President. It’s O.K. if they’re teed off.

[GeronL]

Dowd is one sad woman. Very very sad.

[exist]

She looks very promiscuous.

[pikachu]

Teed off indeed!

[sticker]

Thank you, the CZJ pictures are the only reason to open modo threads

[freedompursuit]

The old whore of the gray whore...dowd and nyt are perfectly matched.

[Deb]

Obama as Cary Grant? That does it...

[trisham]

Poor Dowdy:

[Pan_Yan]

...the president, who had not lived an entitled life where he could afford such lavish gestures...

Actually, Maureen, he has. He has been given everything and never had to work for anything. Tuition, scholarships, doors opened by friends and family, affirmative action, it's all been low hanging fruit to pluck at his leisure. He's never even had to work the late shift at a McDonald's.

[b4its2late]

Is that her? My, she is fugly.

[pikachu]

You are welcome. And I agree Modo equals CZJ pics.

[trisham]

Yes, but so talented. Heh.

[reagan_fanatic]

Sometimes I think Dowd is borderline mentally ill.

[MHGinTN]

Bitterness and jealousy will transform someone into something just like poor Maureen ...

[ladyvet]

...As a taxpayer, I am most happy to contribute to domestic and international date nights...

I would love to see the look on her face when she sobers up and realizes she really wrote that.

[trisham]

I would love to see the look on her face when she sobers up

****************

No hope of that.

[lewisglad]

[Southside_Chicago_Republican]

He’s making things less fun for everyone else pretty much with every breath he takes. Can “the One” have fun? I say, screw him.

[lewisglad]

"Buy the old grey whore a drink, sailor?"

[sticker]

You had to show douglas didn’t you? May you dream of modo and helen thomas