Criminal Profiling Topic of the Day: Obama's Speech is Great and That's the Real Issue

The left and the right are both unable to see the attractive elephant in the room. The right went nuts on the fact Obama was going to speak to the children of America because they thought he was going to slip in socialist ideology and start the little ones on the way to joining an Obama youth core.

The left went bananas in return crying foul that the right is looking for every opportunity to destroy Barack Obama and his presidency. Today, with Obama giving a really lovely inspirational talk about responsibility and goal setting that would make any right wing American thrilled if a right wing politician had said it, those to the left can claim victory that those citizens to the right made fools of themselves and proved they are all a bunch of racist, angry, nutcases out to get Obama.

Both sides are not seeing the picture clearly.

The real problem for all citizens of the United States is that Obama gave a good speech, a nonpartisan speech, and a truly morally sound speech to the young people of America. In other words, he was likable and came across as someone you can respect.

So what? This speech is a moment in time, written by advisers, and promoted on national television; it was intended to make Obama look good in a time when tea parties and town hall meetings have made him look bad.

We can't say that Obama concern for children is the reason he gave the speech but, 0n the other hand, it can't be proven that this wasn't the motivation behind the speech. It might be about helping kids or it might be about restoring one's beleaguered public image. It might be that both motivations are at play. Nothing really wrong in that; most of us work in jobs that help people but we like to collect a paycheck as well.

The true elephant in the room is that Obama has a history of lying and changing course without clarifying why he was on that previous course or why he changed (and throwing folks under that bus while doing it). There is a lot not to not trust about Obama and that is why the right thought he was trying to do something squirrelly with his speech. But, they forgot that he just might be giving a great speech to repair his image and Obama is good at speaking at looking pretty. People like good speakers and people that look pretty. They tend to forget anything questionable they have done (or forget to question what they are about to do) because of a smiling face. Humans are easily suckered.

Police have this problem with suspects. If he seems nice, they will often not check an alibi or do a thorough background. Women take back abusive husbands when they get an apology and flowers. Humans, through simple biological need and training, classify people quickly and move on. Nice people we trust; nasty people we don't. Obama is trying to be nice so we trust him.

I say to the right and the left; look past the moment and examine the behavior. Talk IS cheap but behavior is something that is rock solid. Pay attention to the hands, not the mouth of a politician. Just like a magician, you get swayed by the patter and the showmanship instead of paying attention to what is really happening.

Obama is a showman. He is a good speaker. That's nice. Rewind history and examine his past and pay a lot of attention to what he is actually doing. Then make your conclusions about the man and his mission. Anyone can have a good day or a bad day; one good moment (Obama dancing tenderly with his wife, Michelle) or one bad moment (Obama tossing out inappropriate, but kind of funny, Special Olympics joke on The Tonight Show) do not tell us what our suspect is about or what our leader is working toward. It is the accumulation of behaviors that let us know what he is truly thinking and doing. Do your own thorough analysis and then you will have a clearer understanding of where American is headed and what we want to do about it.

Criminal Profiler Pat Brown