Americans need to know that Mr. Obama, whose coolness can seem like detachment, is engaged. This is not a mere question of presentation or stagecraft, although the White House could do better at both.

A NY Times editorial gives voice to progressives’ frustration at Pres. Obama, yet it’s so much more. On the surface it’s an essay complaining that the president has been too detached from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Although it still tries to carry a little water (Bush gets blamed for the world’s economic collapse. Between controlling Earth’s economy and sending Hurricane Katrina directly into New Orleans, is there anything he can’t do? He’s like Bizarro Superman!), I assume, to reassure Times readers the author hasn’t gone completely off the reservation.

What we’re reading here is the birth of a progressive myth. Obama’s presidency is failing and it looks unlikely to turn around. Progressives aren’t going to allow their idology to be tainted by Obama’s personal failure. The cover is going to be that Obama was personally unlikeable. He was too cerebral. Just look at how this criticism is framed:

• “His inclination to hold back, then ride to the rescue…”
• “It certainly should not have taken days…”
• “…he should have moved a lot faster…”
• “It took too long for Mr. Obama to say…”

It’s all about the president’s speed. He’s taking too long to get things done. It’s just that “the contemplative nature that was so appealing in a candidate can seem indecisive in a president.” It’s not that Obama is too slow because he’s lazy, incompetent or just doesn’t care.

Barack Obama was unable to meet the leadership image of the common American because he was far too meditative and because of that, he was unable to make the case for a new progressive America. The problem is never that progressive ideas are unwanted. No, no, no! It’s just the messenger’s fault.

And so the progressives can move on to find another they will anoint as their standard bearer; A new messiah who can show the glories of progressive governance to those damn troglodytic idiots who keep rejecting socialism regular, everyday Americans. What’s the alternative? Recognizing you have some bad ideas? Not likely to happen.