About a month ago I read in the news about a situation where Barack Obama failed to make an appearance, during their annual meeting, at the Federation of State and Provincial Firefighters Association.

If your on the campaign trail for President you are going to be busy and it really can’t be expected for you to make every appearance that is requested or that you feel is prudent. It is however severely unbecoming of a man seeking the highest office of our country to turn around and blame is his staff for a “scheduling error”…

“I have to tell you, I wish I was there,” Obama said over a speakerphone.

“My staff had already scheduled some things and they couldn’t wiggle out if it. They heard from me a little bit because I wasn’t happy I couldn’t be there personally.”

Wow… after I read this I thought, gees, blaming his staff for failure to make an appearance? How grown up Mr Obama!

Take responsibility for your own campaign is what crossed my mind. Further, I’m rather confident Obama had a hand in creating his schedule, if he WANTED to be there he COULD HAVE. So to blame your staff is a bit lacking in the character and intgrity department. At that point though I continued on without much thought, it was after all just a single remark that I was willing to move on from. Little did I know those thoughts would resurface quite soon!

Today I read another article where Obama blames his staff for a “mistake” they made without his knowledge! I find it nearly impossible to believe Obamas was unaware of his staffs actions. This latest misstep regarded the release of a research-memo to the press regarding the relationship between Hillary Clinton, India & Indian-Americans which criticized financial ties between the two parties…

“It was a dumb mistake on our campaign’s part and I made it clear to my staff in no uncertain terms that it was a mistake,”

he goes on to specifically label which part of this staff is responsible…

“It was a screw-up on the part of our research team,”

“It wasn’t anything I had seen or my senior staff had seen.”

and more…

“I thought it was stupid and caustic and not only didn’t reflect my view of the complicated issue of outsourcing … it also didn’t reflect the fact that I have longstanding support and friendships within the Indian-American community.”

WOW!!!

Not only did he shamelessly try to avoid responsibility TWICE within almost a months time, but he blamed the misstep on the people he himself gathered to support his campaign. This raises two possibilities.

The First) Obama is unable to assemble a team that truelly reflects his values. This then raieses the question… If Obama is trully unable to select and train his people to run his campaign in a manner he approves of why should anyone trust he could appoint the proper people to help guide his presidency and our country?

The Second) Obama made the decision not to attend, did not think about or otherwise missed the opportunity to speak at IAFFs meeting and then went on to Ok the research-memo and attempt an “anonymous” “un-attributable” leak to the press. Both of these decisions then created a reaction Obama was not happy with and reacted by placing the blame upon his staff.

Neither possibility inspires confidence in Mr. Obama’s ability to lead our country. On one hand we have a guy who is unable to manage his own campaign, and in the other a man who attempts to skirt liability for his own actions and instead pawns it off on those around him. Hmmmm, does that remind you of anyone else you know? the bottom line is we can’t handle another president that will not take responsibility for his own mistakes!! Which is worse, making a mistake and never admitting it (IRAQ) or making one and then blaming it on someone else? In my book they are both CRAPPY leadership methods!

UPDATE: Barack has now issued an apology in which he at least admits SOME personal fault

“I consider the entire campaign — and in particular myself — responsible for the mistake.”

but AGAIN he puts the blame on his campaign staff as well! GIVE ME A BREAK HERE BUDDY! How hard is it to own up fully? I mean really, isn’t that something you learn as a teenage ager, a young adult? And for everyone who will say all politicians play the blame gain, please don’t fall into that trap… don’t try and take the easy way out by making sweeping statements or comparing a group against the average, compare them against the BEST, the IDEAL that how you find a true leader.

Links for quotes:
Originial Blame Game
2nd round
Admits SOME fault