A Proper Attitude Toward the Office

Hoft has a bit on the little incident at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia.  A rodeo clown went out in an Obama mask.  The announcer asked if the crowd would like to see a bull run over Obama, or something.  The bull chased the clown who escaped unharmed.  It was played for a laugh.  Period.

So our Republican Lt. Governor, Peter Kinder, condemns the incident by saying, "We're better than that."  I don't understand.  This is America.  This is how we do things.

Our own Ma Hogg, Senator McCaskill, chimes in that we need to get to the bottom of this, investigate and find out who was behind it.  OK.  As soon as Eric Holder testifies under oath about Fast and Furious, and the IRS stops taking the Fifth about their politically motivated investigations, and we find out who refused for seven hours to send aid to Americans fighting for their lives on the ground in Benghazi, just to name a few things, then get back to us, and we'll talk about checking on a clown.

Lots of people are indignant that the office of the President has been demeaned.  Actually, the only person who can demean the office is the one holding it at the time.  Bill Clinton demeaned it.  Obama is doing a mighty fine job of demeaning it.

I respect people who earn respect.  I don't give people respect based on their title.  We don't have nobles, lords and ladies, kings or princes or queens.  If Obama wants my respect he should respect the American people, the office he temporarily holds, the Constitution and the rule of law.  If he refuses to do that -- and he has mostly, I owe him nothing except contempt.  When he stops acting like a clown, I might stop thinking of him as one.

Politicians are public figures, and, as such, they have no expectation of protection from ridicule or mockery.  It doesn't matter if the politician is "on my side" like Rand Paul, Sarah Palin, or Peter Kinder or on the other side like Obama, Biden and Ma Hogg, none of them should expect deference from the American people and certainly not from their political opponents.  Grow up. 

Nobody forces a politician into the public arena.  You worthless jacklegs beg for these jobs.  You want to be famous and important?  Fine.  You get ridicule, mockery, and derision on the same plate.  Eat it or go home.

Now I will say that if Obama is suddenly subjected to attacks from bulls released on the golf course by copycat, uh, bull-releasers (pretty much what politicians are, come to think of it), I might consider revising my stand on this.

Probably not.  But I would need a video to be sure.  I hope the Secret Service have their smart phones fully charged.