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Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: mph who wrote (293639)	2/23/2009 8:02:00 PM
From: Nadine Carroll	2 Recommendations Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 794024

I'm just astounded that Chris Matthews called President Obama "Barney Fife" on the air. The thrill has become a chill, indeed. Here's Wikipedia's description of the character Barney Fife on the Andy Griffith Show: ...Sometimes considered a blowhard with delusions of grandeur, Barney fancies himself an expert on firearms, women, singing and just about any other topic of conversation brought up while he is around. Conversely, Andy knows that Barney's false bravado is a smokescreen for his insecurities, and low self confidence. Barney is often overly analytical and alarmist about benign situations, such as the modest Mayberry crime scene. Barney fails to notice that he lives in a community which is virtually crime free. He takes a minor infraction, blows it out of proportion, and then concocts an elaborate plan (sometimes involving inept civilians, like Otis Campbell or Gomer Pyle) to resolve it. This only inflicts mass chaos for Andy to quell. Despite his failings, Barney is passionate about law enforcement, regularly spouting off penal codes and ordinances to thugs and jaywalkers alike. An emotional powderkeg, Barney easily projects panic, despair, fear or other extreme reactions. He has what he describes as a "low sugar blood level". He is smug and self-confident until a real-life situation surfaces, wherein he becomes flustered. Outwardly "a man of the world", Barney is truly naïve and easily duped. Though constantly warned by Andy, he falls for countless scams. This gullibility is evident in an episode ("Barney's First Car") where he is conned into buying a lemon from a crafty old widow. A gossip and gadfly, Barney is known for blabbing both personal and police secrets (such as Andy's examination's of women's rings at the jewelry store, or the locale and time of a stakeout, or an armored car full of gold coming through the town). This often makes him appear as a petty halfwit, though at heart he is a caring, amiable soul. Despite a knack for exasperating the townsfolk, Barney is fondly embraced by most of them. Hoo boy, doesn't that sound Presidential? Lord help us, I hope Obama finds his feet, for all our sakes.