Gnome and Change has come to America

Brian Edward of Ricochet on the aggressively-passive “Look at Me, But Leave Me Alone” nature of the Obama presidency:

A lot of fuss and fun has been made over the weekend about President Obama’s whoa-is-me interview lamenting his lack of privacy. But not only is this a ridiculous complaint for someone who has run for and won the Presidency of the United States, it is doubly ridiculous when that person has run in an explicitly personality driven, messianic campaign with popstars pledging their personal allegiance on YouTube.  And it is triply ridiculous for someone who has spent most of the last decade running for public office. And it is quadruply ridiculous for someone who has written TWO autobiographies before the age of 50. Another suggestion that Mr. Obama wants to be President for the perks, but not for the work.

In a way, it’s a bit like the career arc of South Park’s mystical Underpants Gnomes, isn’t it?

1. Spend Entire Life Preparing for Presidential Run.
2. ?
3. Bask in to-be-expected glory amongst fellow transnational progressives upon end of term(s), no matter how badly administration performed in real-life.

See also: Carter, Jimmy.