In the last week Western Civilization has certainly had its share of memorable moments.
In what's being dubbed the Wedding of the Century, Prince William married Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey, the same place of his parents wedding over 30 years ago. The Vatican beatified John Paul II pushing him even closer to sainthood, and President Obama announced the death of the world's most dangerous and hunted man Osama bin Laden.
But in between the wedding, the beatification, and the killing of the century, there was a trio of media events involving President Obama that helped to define the world and times in which we live and to help define him as a man who could still easily destroy in 2012.
Last Wednesday, the President spoke to the White House Press Corp to finally announce they were releasing his birth certificate to the public to prove once and for he is an American citizen. After years of mudslinging from the Right, assumptions of his Kenyan roots, and continued threats of challenging his presidency, it seemed it would eventually come out. And instead of trying to make a big to-do about it, our illustrious Commander-in-Chief used wit, charm, and a tongue-in-cheek mentality to express his distaste for the fact that even during the serious budget fights between his White House and Congress the dominant news story was about this birth certificate issue. As he said, he'd rather we as a country pay attention to the vast concerns we still have in front of us as a nation instead of bothering to discuss in vain where the President was born. In a quick five and a half minutes, he cut a deep hole into the favorite punchlines of the far rights, and reminded us why we liked him in the first place.
Over the weekend, the White House Correspondent's Dinner also took place. The grand fete of the major news outlets who cover the White House, politicians, and celebrities always brings a good round of laughter (Remember Stephen Colbert a few years ago?), and there's always some good ribbing at the expense of those in attendance. Obama, always up for a good joke, willingly took a good shellacking from comedians and dished one out just as well to both VP Biden, Donald Trump, and the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. He's a charming affable guy who knows how to take a joke better than anyone since Clinton. Yes he may be a celebrity in the best way since Kennedy, but he has also has a intellect and a wit that most recent presidents can't touch.
Looking back it's amazing, knowing now that he knew of the Bin Laden capture and death, that he was able to put on such a smiling happy persona and face a crowd ready to be entertained.
After all his frivolity and circus antics of the week had commenced, what came Sunday night was something we hadn't seen in a long time, and in many cases ever. What started as a normal Sunday night ended in a triumphant return to form for a man whose taken his share of beatings in the press and from his political opponents of late. In his address to nation detailing the death of Osama bin Laden, he staked a claim that he is a strong leader as well as a mind at work. He can lead a group of men, and he can make a tough decision under pressure. He reminded us of who the enemy is and should have been all that time ago, and defiantly stood in the face of history and said, "My name is Barack Obama and I am the President." It was a sober and stark about face from the silliness of his mock Lion King birth video from Saturday evening, but it showed the facets of a man whose still at the forefront of a national conversation. I can't fathom any of the yahoos who plan on trying to run for president next year for the Republicans will have a chance when a Democrat just proved his impressiveness when it comes to security matters.
Decisions are made by those who show up, and in the last few days, Obama has shown up and proved his worth in gold time and time again.
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