There was a message from the White House in my inbox one morning last week: “The president wants to meet you.” Wow. I’d written to the White House only the day before, expressing my opinion on some issues beleaguering our troubled world. It hardly seemed possible my email had already been read, let alone selected out of hundreds of thousands of messages for a personal response.
I shouldn’t have worried. It turned out to be a cute piece of spin, a little bit of political puffery trying to position our chief of state, one of the most important people in the world, as just a regular guy.
The “message” read: “ ‘Would you be willing to have dinner with the president Tuesday night?’ That’s what four lucky people in the Kansas City area heard last night from White House Press Secretary (and Kansas City native) Josh Earnest. This summer, the president’s been traveling across the country to meet with people who have written him about how they’re doing. And he’ll be doing the same when he travels to Kansas City this evening. Watch the press secretary give these letter writers a call, and hear their reactions — we’re sure you’ll enjoy it.”
Well, no, Mr. President, I didn’t watch the video. I don’t think I’d enjoy it, especially because the main point of my email was to ask you to stop pretending to be both a regular guy and a perpetual fundraiser, and act like the head of state, not just the head of a political party.
I like you, Mr. President. I’m a registered Democrat, and I was so pleased when you were elected. You’re our first real 21st century leader. Today’s world isn’t the one I grew up in. Things are different now, whether I’m comfortable with it or not. And part of your job is to help guide Americans through these anxiety-producing changes. And with due respect, that’s where you’re falling down. I agree that the United States can’t solve every problem in the world; we don’t need to be the world’s big bully. But we still have access to a bully pulpit, and you’re the one in it. We need a president, not a pol and not a pal.
I’m sure the folks you had dinner with in Kansas City had a great time. You seem to be a good guy who’s fun at a party. You’re more than welcome to drop by my house for dinner some evening. Bring the wife and the kids, and I’ll order in pizza. But if you and your staff are going to respond to my letter — if you truly want the “most open and participatory administration in history,” as the White House website claims — then please don’t condescend to my concerns with fluff.
And when you’re representing me and our country, could you please stop turning everything into an endless campaign, fundraiser or photo op. I read somewhere that you’ll be in Martha’s Vineyard this weekend and that will include yet another fundraiser tomorrow.
But maybe while you’re around, you might drop by the city of Revere, where they recently had a once-in-a-lifetime tornado. Tornados in Massachusetts! What is the world coming to? Our world is changing all around us, even as I write. We need a different kind of leadership now, the kind you talked about in your campaign speeches, because even in Kansas City, we’re not in Kansas any more.
Kathryn Ruth Bloom is a freelance writer from Boston. “As You Were Saying” is a regular Herald feature. We invite readers to submit guest columns of no more than 600 words. Email tooped@bostonherald.com. Columns are subject to editing and become Herald property.
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