President Narcissus

The months before I took the oath of office were a chaotic time.  We knew our economy was in trouble, our fellow Americans were in pain, but we wouldn't know until later just how breathtaking the financial crisis had been, and still over those two and a half months in the midst of that crisis, President Bush, his cabinet, his staff, many of you who are here today, went out of your ways, George, you went out of your way to make sure that the transition to a new administration was as seamless as possible.

President Barack Obama

This constitutes part of the remarks made by President Obama on the occasion of unveiling the portrait of President George W. Bush.  The subtext - in case you missed that hammer blow to the head - is that the current economy is still Bush's fault.  Yes, after three and a half years in office, Obama is still blaming his predecessor.  That's nothing new.  That he would do it in a typically non-partisan ceremony does not reflect well on him.  President Bush has remained silent in Texas while Obama has repeatedly attacked him long after Obama should have taken ownership of the economy.  That is impressive restraint and Obama should thank him for it.  Instead, he once again blames Bush.

If that wasn't enough, Obama segued from President Bush standing on the rubble of the Twin Towers to the killing of Osama bin Laden.  Gee, are we getting in a plug for killing bin Laden again?  The ceremony is supposed to be about President Bush and yet Obama can't stop plugging himself.  It is almost as if the unveiling is about Obama.

A few weeks ago, it was reported that almost every presidential profile on the White House website had been updated to include something about Obama.  It is also of note that reporters count the use of the pronoun 'I' in his speeches; he uses it vastly more than any president since Nixon.  A few weeks ago, he commented that the troops were fighting for him.  Not the country but for him.

Back at the unveiling, Bush gave Obama a bit of advice, perhaps in response to Obama's comments:

I am also pleased, Mr. President, that when you are wandering these halls as you wrestle with tough decisions, you will now be able to gaze at this portrait and ask, "What would George do?"

Regardless of one's feelings about President Bush, he wasn't blaming Clinton 3 and a half years into his presidency.