“He was supposed to be competent,” declared no lesser a luminary than Peggy Noonan last week. Welcome to the party, sister.

More appropriately, a brief overview of the current Oval Office occupant’s record reveals a staggering inability to rise to the level of presidential performance.

No sooner had the man occupied the White House than he found himself the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Forget for a moment that this chap had yet to so much as scratch the soles on his presidential shoes when the Nobel Committee bestowed this honor on him. Instead, look at his reaction. He accepts it. A wiser person would have politely declined, noting that he would work hard toward the goal of world peace and hope to one day be deserving of such an honor. Not this fellow. He stepped up to the podium to remind everyone that, “throughout history the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement. It’s also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes.” In other words, his causes and leadership will carry the day because the Nobel gang says so.

At this point, warning lights should have been bright enough to attract attention from aliens in the Andromeda Galaxy. Still, life went on. There was the “beer summit” with its teachable moment where the boss gave a lecture about how to get along. There was also the uprising in Iran, but that was a matter for the Iranians said the White House, so don’t get too excited.

Okay, he was new to the job and needed some time to grow into shoes worn by greater — and far more experienced — men.

Moving along, you’ll have to forget little things like the health care and stimulus bills which were ramrodded down the throats of the majority of Americans opposed to them. Rather, hearken back to presidential policy in Afghanistan. Months drifted by like puffy clouds as the Commander-in-Chief supposedly contemplated what to do. He claimed he was taking advice from worthy quarters in an effort to get it right. What happened? Not much. He cut the baby down the middle, sending reinforcements late when the heat from the military and the public brought the pot to boil, a clear sign the man at the top is a follower, not a leader.

By now, the sirens should’ve been loud enough to wake the dead. It wasn’t to be. Mainstream media, sycophants, and toadies lapped up imperial dignity dripping from the Oval Office.

And then there was a terrorist attack at Fort Hood, TX, and another attempt Christmas Day on a plane over Detroit. Ignore the White House staff that peddled pablum about isolated incompetents. The man himself took days to figure out that people are still trying to blow up Americans in the sky and on the ground and that he needed to deal directly with such issues. (Please note, he was on VACATION in Hawaii and no one likes to deal with reality when taking time off from work.)

Wow, could it have been any more obvious that the White House was populated by a cheap imitation of the Keystone Cops? Apparently not because the party was on, especially for Mexico’s Presidente. What a blast that was, complete with Monarch butterflies and a Mariachi band. Illegals surging across our southern border is no reason to fret. Mexico’s supreme leader chastised the American Congress for Arizona’s passing a law to enforce the federal law. One more time, the White House takes a powder, lets Mexico have the day, and sends the Attorney General in to attack Arizona instead of the National Guard to protect the state.

But the straw that finally (maybe) stuck in Ms. Noonan’s craw was that blowout in the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. Sure, it was a private company that screwed up, most likely a combination of errors involving man and machine. Nonetheless, the White House is the crew chief of such disasters. And from headquarters comes a bungling form of direction not seen since Buster Keaton made movies. About the only thing coming from the presidential podium is vitriol about boots on necks, checks that are going to be cashed, and asses that will get kicked. Sand berms to keep the oil from the marsh? What’s that? Aid from other countries with reliable equipment? Who? Coordination to stage material and personnel? Where?

At last, perhaps the Nation (and Ms. Noonan) will finally come to grips with the fact that voting present was this person’s greatest achievement, that and his ability to be too cool for school. From the wreckage this presidency has created will no doubt rise a less sophisticated character, someone who got their hands dirty actually solving problems. And then the nation will see truth in action.

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