Today, aboard Air Force One, traveling press secretary for the Obama campaign Jen Psaki doubled down on the Obama team strategy of playing down expectations for next week’s debate with Mitt Romney. She explained to the press:
The President will have some time to prepare, and he’s been doing some studying. But it is certainly less than we anticipated because of the events in the Middle East, because of his busy travel schedule, because of just the constraints of governing. So it is less than we originally planned.
I will just take this opportunity to say that Mitt Romney on the other hand has been preparing earlier and with more focus than any presidential candidate in modern history — not John F. Kennedy, not President Bill Clinton, not President George Bush, not Ronald Reagan has prepared as much as he has. So there’s no question that he will have a lead on how prepared he is.
Wait just a second. President Obama is saying he’s been doing less debate prep than he normally would have because of events in the Middle East? Because of the constraints of governing?
Really?
Which events would those be? Events like the murder of our Libyan ambassador, which prompted busy busy Obama to deliver a slapdash address, then blow off all strategizing for a fundraiser in Vegas? Events like the takeover of our embassy in Tunisia by al Qaeda, which precipitated an appearance on David Letterman?
What kind of governing has precluded Obama from debate prep? Governing, like the wonderful job he’s done on that Libyan investigation, which he’s largely blown off to hang with Jay-Z and Beyonce? Governing, like shunning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, but finding time to be self-proclaimed “eye candy” on The View? Governing, like presiding over a massive economic inflation just before an election, but finding time to comment on the crucial issue of football referees?
No wonder Obama couldn’t find time for debate prep. It’s not as though he’s had a chance to breathe, with Joy Behar cracking the whip!
Here are just some of the things on Obama’s schedule that he couldn’t miss for some debate prep. This is just since September 11, 2012, the date of the Cairo embassy invasion and the Libyan consulate terrorist attack:
- September 12: Campaign event in Nevada
- September 13: Campaign event in Golden, Colorado
- September 14: Obama welcomes the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic teams to the White House
- September 14: Obama attends a campaign event
- September 17: Campaign event in Cincinnati, Ohio
- September 17: Campaign event in Columbus, Ohio
- September 17: Campaign event in Columbus, Ohio
- September 18: Obama welcomes the WNBA Champion Lynx to the White House
- September 18: Obama does Letterman
- September 18: Campaign event in New York City with Jay-Z and Beyonce
- September 18: Campaign event in New York City
- September 20: Interview with Univision
- September 20: Campaign event in Tampa, Florida
- September 21: Campaign event at AARP
- September 24: Interview with The View
- September 25: Remarks at the Clinton Global Initiative
- September 26: Campaign event in Bowling Green, OH
- September 26: Campaign event in Kent, OH
- September 27: Campaign event in Virginia Beach, VA
There were also several long afternoons with nothing on the White House schedule in here. And this doesn’t even include weekends.
Obama has had plenty of time to prepare for the debates. No doubt he has prepared for the debates. His team is likely lying about his preparation to lower expectations. It’s a smart tactic. Unfortunately, the notion that their man has just been too busy to prep doesn’t wash – not when he’s been avoiding his job in order to hang with Pimp with the Limp.
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