All those.... darn distractions!

[Warph]

Oh my.... so many distractions for Obama, aren't there?  Only a week ago, the North Korean missile test was an "annoying distraction" from Barack Obama's call for a world without nuclear weapons and his pledge that America would lead the way in disarming. And only a couple of days earlier the president insisted Iraq was a "distraction" — from what, I forget: The cooing press coverage of Michelle's wardrobe?  No doubt when the Iranians nuke Israel, that, too, will be an unwelcome distraction from the administration's plans for federally subsidized daycare, just as Pearl Harbor was an annoying distraction from the New Deal, and the First World War was an annoying distraction from the Archduke Franz Ferdinand's dinner plans.

Some bright reporter notes that in the last 30 days there have been some 2,500 stories featuring Obama and "distractions," as opposed to about 800 "distractions" for Bush in his entire second term.  The story suggests the unprecedented pace at which the mountain of distractions are piling up: "First North Korea, Iran — now Somali pirates."  Hmmmm.... what's next on the "distraction" list, new White House Dog Bo just dropped a man-size dump in the Lincoln Bedroom?

Er.... okay.  So the North Korean test is a "distraction," the Iranian nuclear program is a "distraction," and the seizure of a U.S.-flagged vessel in international waters is a "distraction."  Maybe it would be easier just to have my ol'  State Department maps reprinted with the 'Rest of the World' relabeled "Distractions."  Oh, to be sure, you could still have occasional takes of presidential photo-opportunities —that square in Prague, Buckingham Palace — but with the land beyond the edge of the Queen's gardens ominously marked "Here be distractions . . . "

[Teresa]

OK....  How many of these are new and could be considered major distractions?
This is all stuff that was being dealt with by the former administration, but with the new administration getting his "on the job training" it is like reinventing the wheel.
Welcome to the "job!"  If you can't handle multi tasking you may want to brush off your resume.

[kshillbillys]

Hey Warph, don't forget about Joe Biden being one of Obama's many distractions...He's always having to go around covering things up that Biden says...

Washington sources say Obama feels Biden was excellent in the Senate, where he chaired the Foreign Relations Committee. But they whisper to the media that the president and some advisers believe Biden has been a dismal failure as vice president, often being "not on message" and unpredictable.

Obama also couldn't have been happy when Biden poked fun at the president's ego at the Gridiron Club's annual dinner on March 23. He said Obama "can't be here tonight, because he's busy getting ready for Easter." Then he added in a hushed voice: "He thinks it's about him."