Soccer Dad: There's an "i" in united states

July 9, 2010

There's an "i" in united states

Charles Krauthammer writes about The selective modesty of Barack Obama:

Notice, too, how Obama habitually refers to Cabinet members and other high government officials as "my" -- "my secretary of homeland security," "my national security team," "my ambassador." The more normal -- and respectful -- usage is to say "the," as in "the secretary of state." These are, after all, public officials sworn to serve the nation and the Constitution -- not just the man who appointed them.
It's a stylistic detail, but quite revealing of Obama's exalted view of himself. Not surprising, perhaps, in a man whose major achievement before acceding to the presidency was writing two biographies -- both about himself.

Obama is not the first president with a large streak of narcissism. But the others had equally expansive feelings about their country. Obama's modesty about America would be more understandable if he treated himself with the same reserve. What is odd is to have a president so convinced of his own magnificence -- yet not of his own country's.

Posted by SoccerDad at July 9, 2010 3:10 AM

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Comments

I don't find his use offensive.

"http://www.nato.int/docu/speech/2004/s041110b.htm" Bush saying "I am proud of my Secretary of State."

From his Dad: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=85219.

Posted by: Bruce at July 9, 2010 7:44 PM

Krauthammer wrote "habitually." I assume that his meaning is that there are few if any exceptions to President Obama's usage of "my," whereas with other President's that's an exception rather than the rule.

I haven't done the research on the topic, so maybe I'm giving Krauthammer a free ride on that point. Even he's wrong on this point, I do think that he's on target with the rest of the analysis.

Posted by: soccer dad at July 11, 2010 10:34 AM