In his first four years it wasn’t so much the large things that defined him, as it was the little things.
Embracing his father’s anti-colonial position, he immediately sent the previously bestowed bust of Winston Churchill back to London.
After all, why would he want to look at a daily reminder of one of the greatest leaders of anti-fascism?
Immediately upon election, he embarked upon an around-the-world apology tour. Bowing to foreign potentates, he assured the Third World countries that we would try to be more like them, while treating our most important ally in the Middle East as though it were some kind of long-forgotten distant relative relegated to the children’s small table at dinnertime.
While most of his adversaries got lost in the increased tax proposals, the Arab Spring response, and even the drone attacks, which were all large and significant actions, I instead focused on the demise of NASA, an event that was just a footnote in the mainstream media.
As Neil Armstrong recently passed into history, our nation was reminded of another Democratic President, JFK; who announced the goal of “landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth” by the end of the 1960s.
Pride, honor, and employment were the focus of that day, thus the space industry was jump-started and off to the races.
He, however, relegated the space administration to a PR firm, focusing on making Muslims feel good about their outer space contributions.
As I recently walked through the President’s Hall of the Biltmore Hotel in Phoenix, AZ, I was reminded of the visits made by every president, from Herbert Hoover to George W. Bush.
He, on the other hand, has decided that given his disdain for the state’s border, laws, and governor, that a presidential visit may not find its way onto his travel schedule in the near distant future.
I was overwhelmingly taken by his reverent and respectful celebration of the highest Muslim holy day, and of course, his proclamation of the Christian celebration of Easter, complete with the White House Easter Egg Roll, games, stories, and even an appearance by the Easter Bunny (Hosanna, Hosanna.)
In addition, I have truly marveled at the way he has focused on his golf game, sharpened his basketball skills, and attended a Las Vegas political fund-raiser as we witnessed an oil well exploding in the Gulf of Mexico, Iranian students demonstrating in the streets, and acts of terrorism occurring in Benghazi.
When it comes to the larger actions of a U.S. President, they’re usually subject to interpretation, but it’s the minor endeavors that are usually the true measure of the man.
And the lesser activities have a way of becoming much more significant every single day.
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