?One thing is clear in the aftermath of the debt-limit debate: U.S. President Barack Obama has lost his glamour. The alluring icon of hope and change has become just another pol, derided by his supporters as well as his opponents. . . . Most striking was how irrelevant the president seemed to the entire debate. Obama didn?t present his own alternative to the various congressional plans or make a case for a particular policy. When he tried to address the public, he came off as condescending, self-interested and detached. His pulpit proved anything but bully. . . .
A well-established sales tool, glamour is a tremendous asset if you?re running for office. But once you have to govern, it?s a problem. Although charisma can continue to inspire, glamour is guaranteed to disillusion.
The only thing surprising about Obama?s predicament is how few people expected it.?
