For a petty narcissist like Obama, this has to be a bitter pill to swallow.
Hard on the heels of having his globalist ideals hammered in the Brexit vote, the face of the winning side, Nigel Farage, has dealt Obama a deeply personal insult.
Obama is used to having the spotlight. He is used to the fawning American press gallery, with armies of politicos at his beck and call to smooth over his many gaffes, or (by holding to a consensus narrative) relegating to “fringe” status any dissenting opinion.
Not even eight years ago, he was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize, essentially for being “not Dubya”. (I wonder if they have since come to regret that decision.) Not even eight years ago, Obama was hailed as the new and rising star. In Germany, some yahoo even produced a musical based on Obama’s life. And now? Now, he is the butt of jokes. Oh how the mighty have fallen.
His ass-kissing, and apologizing for America act got old pretty quickly. When the novelty wore off, people saw him for the petulant child that he is.
“Leading from behind.” Drawing red lines that he wouldn’t enforce. Deferring to a hivemind non-entity called the “international community” whenever he ought to have been decisive. Giving the store away to Iran. Cheering the Arab Spring, then watching the Middle East spiral out of control. He was a long, long way from the “speak softly and carry a big stick” of a previous office holder. He never did exactly demonstrate “Statesmanship”.
In fact, Obama typically reserves his stern words and iciest glares, not for rogue leaders of nations, but for ideological rivals in friendly countries. His sharpest rebukes fall upon Republicans, or law abiding citizens in his own country that refuse to fall into line with his vision for Fundamentally Transforming America.
He took time out to snipe at the UK for Brexit, telling them, if they should leave, they would be at the back of the line for negotiating a trade deal. Because he only wants to deal with big blocks of countries, not one nation at a time. (I guess he hasn’t figured out that Great Britain is the world’s fifth largest economy.)
Once again, there goes Barack “take my toys and go home” Obama trying to bend the plebes to his will. And that is exactly the kind of grousing that Nigel Farage pointed to when he knocked the POTUS down a peg. He compared him against Putin. Compared him unfavorably.
It’s bad enough that Obama in his little bike helmet, and his basketball “skills” is already mocked as being a colossal wuss, especially when contrasted against Putin’s shameless self-promotion.
But how bad does it have to be when Putin — former KGB leader, shameless thug whose political rivals have an unfortunate habit of dying in nasty ways, the guy who recently swallowed up Crimea, and who had marched his military into Georgia — is described as more Statesmanlike than Obama?
Yes. Nigel went there. Obama was busy trying to meddle in their domestic affairs, while Putin stepped back and let them sort it out themselves.
Here’s the problem, Obama: nobody in Europe elected you. So maybe you could pour yourself a big, steaming cup of STFU and go back to the kids’ table until you’re ready to join the adults.
