Thursday, January 29, 2009

Nothin' up my sleeve. . . presto!


So the New York Times notes that President Obama likes to conduct business in his shirtsleeves. But he's also turned up the thermostats in the White House.



WASHINGTON — The capital flew into a bit of a tizzy when, on his first full day in the White House, President Obama was photographed in the Oval Office without his suit jacket. There was, however, a logical explanation: Mr. Obama, who hates the cold, had cranked up the thermostat.

“He’s from Hawaii, O.K.?” said Mr. Obama’s senior adviser, David Axelrod, who occupies the small but strategically located office next door to his boss. “He likes it warm. You could grow orchids in there.”

The orchid comparison seems appropriate, considering how much of a hothouse flower the President has been so far. I wouldn't care about this much, except for this little bon mot that candidate Obama let fly last year:



"We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times . . . and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK."

I suppose it's old news when our betters instruct us on how to behave and then don't follow suit. There's a cottage industry of bloggers and wags trailing in the wake of Al Gore's carbon footprint, to use just one example. I guess all I'd say is this: during the winter we set our furnace at 68 and during the summer we set our air conditioner at 78. We aren't doing it to demonstrate our moral goodness; we're just trying to save a few dollars. What other countries would say about it is of no concern to me.


Enjoy your toasty warm White House, Mr. President. I sincerely hope that the other countries say OK. You may want to check with Ahmedinejad just to be sure, though.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Obama apparently walked in to a window this week as well. Seems to me that when Bush stumbles, or more famously, when Gerald Ford fell down some airplane stairs, that Saturday Night Live had a field day. I wonder how they'll react to the material presented to them by the great one. I could see a skit with a president in hula skirts.

First we see legistlation that is billed to an economic stimulus package for everyone, that is actually a business as usual pork filled political payback piece of legislation, and now we see Obama singing his own unique versions of Glen Fry's "The Heat is on."

Many had high hopes, but it appears what really have is "Do as I say not as I do" and politics as usual. If we ere in usual time, perhaps that would be ok. We are not, however in ususal times.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if the White House uses as much energy as Al Gore's residence in Tennessee.

They are two glowing examples of leftist politicians aren't they.

my name is Amanda said...

That "Gore is a hypocritical energy hog" theory was disproven like, immediately.

I'm sure the White House has been alerted to Obama's gaffe by now, if the story is actually true.

Mr. D said...

Amanda, Gore's got a giant houseboat, flies by private jet and lives in a house that is only slightly smaller than a Target distribution center. Of course he's an energy hog. And you know what – that's fine with me. He's earned all of it. Talented scolds often make a lot of money.

Why would the Obama story not be true? David Axelrod is quoted and he's Obama's right hand.

Trust a conservative on this – it does you no good to defend the indefensible.

Gino said...

Gore also has four houses, and a fleet of SUVs.

but he scolds the working class stiff about consuming too much.

Gino said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Brad Carlson said...

That "Gore is a hypocritical energy hog" theory was disproven like, immediately.

Why, because he's "carbon neutral"? Whatever. That "carbon offsets" program was disproven like, immediately.