Trouble in Paradise: Are the Obamas Having Marital Problems?

It is a warm day in Fairfax, Virginia. President Obama is answering questions after giving a speech about the economy. Clearly visible to all is a bare ring finger. At first the rumors were that his wedding ring was out to a jeweler to be repaired. But a week later, he still didn't have it on as a growing number of stories about Obama's unhappiness were making their way into the blogs.

And what to make of a comment by First Lady Michelle Obama? According to Chicagoist:

A new book written in collaboration with [France's First Lady Carla] Bruni claims that when she asked Michelle how living in the White House was, she replied "Don’t ask! It’s hell. I can’t stand it!" The Daily Mail in London was the first to report the statement which supposedly took place this March during the Sarkozy visit to Washington.

Both Carla Bruni and Michelle Obama deny the conversation. But it's in Bruni's book. Her name is on it. Something was said, context or no context. It still raises questions.

Are things beginning to go south for the once messianic politician from Chicago who thrilled the world with his rousing campaign speeches about hope and change? And is he having more than just marital problems? According to one insider, Obama's having problems on the job as well.

A NewsFlavor article describes a conversation with a Washington D.C. insider, and former advisor to the Obama election campaign and transition team, who describes "an administration in crisis" and a "president increasingly withdrawn" from his job. The insider mentions both the marital and job problems. "You got a Chief of Staff who despises cabinet members, advisors who despise the Chief of Staff, a President and First Lady having their own issues…"

This comes at a time when rumors are swirling about a possible Hillary Clinton challenge in 2012, the president's poll numbers are plummeting and there is an imminent tidal wave about to hit the Democrats in the upcoming 2010 midterm elections. Rumors have even been swirling that Obama may not run for a second term.

But long before the polls plummeted and the Tea Party made any headway opposing his agenda, the seeds of marital trouble were there.

There was a strain that was evident even as the Obama's first moved into the White House. According to The Sunday Times:

At one point Michelle expressed frustration at her secondary role after the years she spent as a high-earning hospital executive in Chicago: “Clearly Barack’s decisions are leading us. They are not mine, that’s obvious,” she said. “I’m married to the president of the United States, I don’t have another job.”

That the marriage experienced “bumps” came as no surprise: Richard Wolffe, a Newsweek journalist, has already described in his book on Obama’s rise how Michelle at one point became “angry at [Barack’s] selfishness and careerism; he thought she was cold and ungrateful”.

Asked if their marriage had come close to rupture, Obama told The New York Times: “That’s over-reaching it. But I wouldn’t gloss over the fact that that was a tough time for us. There were points in time where I was fearful ... that she would be unhappy.”

According to Extra:

Michelle admits that her marriage "isn't perfect" -- and that even her hubby has insecurities. "You know, yes, I'm sure he does," confessed Michelle. "I'm not going to share them with you, but yes."

Now, are the marital strains affecting his job?

According to NewsFlavor:

Ok, look, just like any other marriage, folks have issues. The Obamas are no different, except of course they are very high profile. I was told they were having issues before the campaign, and they have even more issues now. Maybe that is why Obama seems so detached – not so much the stress of the White House, but the stress of personal issues. I can certainly relate to that kind of situation.

The insider that spoke with NewsFlavor also said Obama "obsesses over Fox News," is "incredibly thin-skinned" and a "slow talker" who uses "Lots of ummms, and lots of time in between answers where you can almost see the little wheel in his head turning very slowly." There was even an allegation of paranoia - that Obama believes the banking system is undermining the economy to harm him intentionally because of anger toward his economic policies.

This is not the first time that this type of "news" has been discussed in the media and blogosphere. You may recall that an embattled governor in Alaska began showing signs of stress after returning to her governorship following her run for vice president, according to "insiders." It makes one wonder, after hearing the rumor that Sarah Palin threw her wedding ring into Lake Lucille, if President Obama has not in fact thrown his ring into the Potomac.

Either way, one can't help but to wonder if all the projecting and all the discussions of ideological, political and marital problems coming forth from the Left onto the right, and in particular Sarah Palin, are not actually the hidden demons within their own souls which they must ascribe to others so as to deflect attention from the reality that these ideas are not only written by them, but written well because of their first hand experience with these deficiencies.

Is it possible I'm just writing this post because it's so sweet to see the president "Palinized" this way? I know the stuff written about the Palins is a well mixed coctail of mistruths, distortions, misinterpretations and in many cases outright lies. One can argue "hit piece!" But isn't that how it works in today's media? Having been on that side of the ball many times, I can sympathize with Obama supporters if they are troubled by a piece like this.

But then again, nah.

We know what the left is capable of. This isn't the first play we can take from their playbook and it isn't the last.

Now think about it. Isn't it possible that an "iceberg" can turn into a part of a tsunami if it melts and comes back at you?