By Robin of Berkeley
There's a psychologist who can predict with 91% accuracy whether a relationship will live or die. His name is Dr. John Gottman, and he runs something called The Marriage Clinic.
Gottman uses several factors to determine which marriages will succeed or fail. But the main one is this: contempt. If a spouse mocks the other, talks down to him, rolls eyes, or sneers, that marriage is a goner.
Gottman's seminal research reminds me of my friend, Laura, and her relationship with boyfriend, Justin. On the surface, the couple seemed perfectly matched: they were both teachers, runners, and avid skiers. But they had that fatal flaw: contempt.
It was a knot-in-the-stomach experience spending any time with them. While Laura was generally sweet and supportive, Justin would continually put her down.
Sometimes, it was subtle, for instance, an eye roll or a sarcastic remark. At times, he'd correct her as though she were a child.
But Laura didn't want to see it; she made excuses for Justin's behavior and maintained that he was the love of her life. She wouldn't see what the rest of us saw: he was an arrogant man who just wasn't that into her.
Justin's pomposity is small potatoes compared to someone as contemptuous as our current President. Obama adopts a superior attitude toward the citizenry, who are treated as if they were his royal subjects. The US is in the unenviable position of having a President who disdains his own people.
Obama's arrogance has been crystal clear from the start. He sneered at Hillary Clinton during a debate: "You're likable enough." Obama then demonstrated the class of a l3-year-old by using his middle finger to gesture about Hillary, menacingly.
President Obama has alienated our traditional allies through his cockiness and disrespect. He ditched the visiting Israeli Prime Minister to have dinner with his family.
Obama presented former UK Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, with DVDs of American films that couldn't be played on British machines. Our classy Prez gave the Queen an iPod loaded with his speeches.
But the quintessential dissing of our Mother Country had to be Obama's return of a bust of Winston Churchill, bestowed on the US by former Prime Minister Tony Blair after 9/11. Apparently, the UK has taken note of Obama's bad manners; Barack and Michelle were excluded from the guest list of the party of the decade -- the Royal Wedding.
But it's not just our traditional allies that Obama treats reprehensibly. He dislikes most of the American people and our culture, a fact that was apparent early on.
Candidate Obama derided middle America for its bitter clinging to guns or religion. President Obama publicly humiliates the Supreme Court Justices and Rep. Paul Ryan; kicks BP's a__; chastises automotive company executives; nastily tells Rush Limbaugh that he can go "play with himself"; and snubs the 9/11 families.
Obama's contempt is so far reaching that it transcends beyond the human realm. Even God is not exempt from Obama's hubris. Obama mocks the Bible, leaves God out of the Constitution, and covers up crucifixes at the College of Notre Dame.
Even more disturbing about Obama is not what he does, but what he fails to do -- most especially, protect this country. Obama allows Radical Islam to grow unfettered from within and without. He embraces countries in the Middle East that are falling into the hands of Islam, leaving Israel to fend for itself. The DOJ refuses to prosecute terrorist organizations, like CAIR. A recent attempted jihad against American Airlines flight 1561 generated no comment from the usually outspoken Obama.
And talk about playing favorites...Obama practices reverse racism by preferring his brothers above all others. Obama's DOJ refuses to prosecute the New Black Panthers, through they threaten to kill "cracker babies." According to a DOJ whistleblower, the department will investigate no injustices against whites. And though quick to allege racism against a Cambridge cop, Obama has been conspicuously silent about some horrific black on white attacks of late.
But the pièce de résistance, the quintessential example of Obama-style contempt, has got to be just last week. Obama invited a Chicago rapper, Common, to perform at the White House, even though the rapper's lyrics praise cop killers. And, of course, Obama does so during National Police Week, which honors fallen cops.
Now Obama loyalists might point out that Obama is not alone in having a big ego. Most leaders, they'd insist, are arrogant. And there's truth to what they say.
But we're not just talking egotism here. Even those presidents who were full of themselves still loved this country. There's something deeper and darker at work here: and it is contempt, if not outright hatred.
Has there ever been an American President more contemptuous of his own people than Obama? Has any other President been as ungrateful for the honors bestowed on him?
The question here is: Why? Why does Obama turn his nose up on everyone else? Why does he see himself as a gift to mankind?
Perhaps it all started with his radical family who disliked this nation and viewed little Barry as the Great Black Hope. While all parents see their little tykes as special, young Barry may have gotten a Messiah Complex. No wonder the boy envisioned that one day he'd be Prime Minister of Indonesia.
As an adult, Obama hooked up with revolutionaries who fed the delusion that he was the Second Coming. For instance, Black Muslim leader Louis Farrakhan preached to his flock that Obama was the Black Messiah. Obama himself told Harry Reid that he has a "gift."
But why wouldn't Obama see himself as special? He's like most leftists who view themselves as saviors with grandiose schemes to save the world. Why wouldn't Obama and the left regard themselves as superior -- aren't they going to outshine God by configuring a heaven on earth?
Let me return here to the story of my friend, Laura. Fortunately for Laura, her tale has a happy ending. After Justin humiliated her during her 40th birthday party, she decided that enough was enough. Laura chucked him and, soon thereafter, met Michael. And her new man, now husband, treats her with love and respect.
Will this country be as fortunate as Laura; will the multitudes wise up by November 2012? Will they choose a President who cares about them and this country?
Let's all hope so. Because it's bad enough to embrace a partner who treats you with disregard and contempt. It's a whole lot more dangerous when a nation elects a President who is just not that into them.
