A Set Up Question

A young man in New Orleans asked the President, "Why do people hate you?"

If there ever was a set up, softball, fat pitch question to aim at a public official, this is it. It has all the qualities of that treacly, syrupy, feel good shallowness which so often passes for a valid sound clip these days. And, no, no one is saying that it was a pure set up. It's simply that this reeks so thickly like playing politics, it's bound to appear that way no matter how you frame it.

The President took it well enough, and used it as the appropriate forum to point out all the ills facing the country today while assuring the young man that he could take the pressure. Frank Capra couldn't have done it any better; but do the American people want corniness at this juncture in our history?

One would hope not. One would hope that there might be some serious discussion of the direction we're headed rather than small town hokum attempted at a big league level. Because if this is the best the liberals have in response to the real concerns so many harbor about the looming socialism on our horizon, we are in terrible danger indeed.