Obama Reincarnated

I heard a clip this morning about President Obama giving a speech to some black group.  He was definitely in his campaign mode, giving them a good dose of fervent black 'gospel preacher' talk.  A few days before that, he was at Raleigh, giving that more youthful university audience a good dose of his 2008 campaign-mode rhetoric.  Then he was in Michigan, raising the roof and talking about the middle-class and class warfare.  He pledged to be a 'warrior' for the middle class.

Please, give me a break.  I can't stand it!  It's too schizophrenic. 

It's no accident that his approval ratings are currently WAY down, among liberals/progressives, labor, youth, independents, even among black folk.   Why?  Because he has governed as President in a very disappointing, ineffective manner, that's why.  He's governed more like a Republican than a Democrat, with some even calling him 'Bush-lite'.  He has made horrendous appointments to key positions in the White House and Executive branch.  He has stood back, aloof, providing little leadership (let alone transformational leadership) seeming to think he could come as a mediator at the last moment.   He has been, in short, a disaster as President.

 And now, when the chance for making progress with legislation has evaporated because of disastrous mid-term elections, Obama knows that the only way to win reelection is to do what he's doing right now: try to 'fire-up' the base with slick, fiery campaign rhetoric.

Ron Suskind's new book, Confidence Men, puts flesh on the bones of much of the criticism that has been directed toward Obama.  His appointment of Larry Summers (which I criticized on this blog the day it was made back in late 2008) is perhaps the showcase example of what Obama has done wrong as President.  I knew better, as did many others.  Why didn't he?

Now Obama wants our renewed trust and confidence for 2012.  I can tell you this, at least for me, it's going to take more than what I'm seeing right now.

Update:

A commenter writes: "What if the alternative is Rick Perry?"  Good question.  Yes, there are plenty of alternatives that would be worse than Barack Obama.  So can I vote for Obama without 'trusting' him or having confidence in him?  Yes, I can.  I would love to feel good about my vote, but I may have to vote without that luxury.