Barack Obama never projected a male image to emulate, even when he was still loved by the hypnotized masses. He was cool, smooth and thought to be post-racial, but passion was always missing. He hasn't found it yet. When a reporter asked if he felt rage over the BP oil spill, he replied that he was looking for someone's "ass to kick," sounding more like a little boy playing grown-up than a president. Can anyone imagine Harry Truman, LBJ or even Bill Clinton finding it difficult to express anger? They were men doin' what comes naturally.
No wonder Democrats worry about the independent male voters -- 'indie men," in the formulation of David Axelrod, men who voted for Barack Obama in 2008. Most independent voters are white men, and they're action-oriented rather than ideologues. They want results, which means jobs. They worry about what's in the health care reform, and the early returns tell them that they'll be paying more for less.
Young healthy men of a skeptical bent aren't keen to sign up, either. They, too, smell more taxes coming. Indie men are tired of hearing the president blaming his problems on George W. Indie men aren't affiliated with a party -- they prefer a president, Republican or Democrat, to "show me."
The famous soccer moms who once were thought to determine winners and losers on Election Day have given way now to white men, who the pollsters say will make the difference this year. Ten percent more men than women, according to the Pew Research Center, want to cut swollen government, and feel their rights and freedoms threatened. Most of the lost blue-collar jobs were jobs held by white men, but if we want to be politically correct we're not supposed to say so. "Burly" men are out of fashion and out of jobs. That may mean Democrats will be out of luck in November. Ah, men.