CNN iReport

President Obama: Taken to Task

Ronald Regan was hailed as the Great Communicator because he focused on a couple of issues almost exclusively: the economy and an end to the Cold War.

Our newest occupant in the Oval Office has a few more balls in the air. The economy, healthcare, energy, two wars, global warming, the Middle East, etc. The list goes on. Rather than being lauded for handling a myriad of issues with focus and drive, Barack Obama’s being castigated by the opposition for just that ability to multitask, supposedly jeopardizing success in a few arenas by diluting attention over many.

The criticism can get ridiculous, as we saw with Obama’s Olympic bid. He traveled to Copenhagen to cheerlead for Chicago’s chances (that’s a city in the greater United States by the way) at hosting the games.

Minority Leader John Boehner, the George Hamilton of the House, was particularly harsh in his criticism of the trip, lambasting the president for jetting off to Denmark when “we've got serious issues here at home that need to be debated.”, referencing the healthcare debacle and the war in Afghanistan. We’re talking a single DAY here, most of it travel time on Air Force 1, which I recall having all manner of new-fangled electronic communication devices to keep the exec in touch with pending developments at home. I don’t recall Boehner having similar nasty words for 43 while he was away at the ranch for five hundred days (double that number if you want to add down time at Camp David), while major issues unfolded.

The President lobbied for the country. He tried, he lost. The failed bid is not the death knell of his administration as some salivating pundits painted it. Obama felt the effort, despite the outcome was worthwhile. A simple nod in his direction is warranted. Not conservative gloating that we lost. And most certainly not giving any credence to the idea that the President is fatally distracted from major issues because others rotate in and out of his purview.

As the multitasker-in-chief, I’m certain he can walk and chew gum at the same time.