The Screwing Up Buck Stops Here

"I think I messed up. I screwed up"... "This was something that was my fault"... "It's something that I take responsibility for"... "I'm going to screw up sometimes"... "Making sure that when I screw up that I'm taking responsibility for it"...

...

I think we got the message, Barack.

On CBS News ("Obama On Daschle : I messed Up" - 20090203), President Obama offered a mea culpa* diametrically opposite to Sarah Palin's utterly screwed up bravado facing the same Katie Couric last autumn (in memoriam, watch the far less embarrassing Poehler-Fey version : "Couric-Palin @ SNL").

John McCain did use the same words in front of David Letterman... but in order to apologize for a no (TV) show. Not to take the blame for a series of unfortunate vettings as a President-Elect as well as as a POTUS.

Change has come to America : mistakes are being done, but they are spotted early, recognized as such, and dealt with swiftly and in full transparency.

Not to mention the fact, of course, that they have far milder consequences.

A few weeks after Israel**, America is using executive power a very disproportionate way.

But this apparently weaker message resonates much stronger.

And the World is listening.


* mea minima culpa - thou art forgiven, my son
** see "Come Feb. 10th, Will Israel Embrace History Or Vote Bush-Cheney 2004 ?"

Couric-Palin @ SNL

A well deserved break from Saturday Night Live : Katie Couric (Amy Poehler + Junior) blinking at Tina Fey / Sarah Palin :



Back ta ya gals and boys.