Calculator in Chief

The calculating side of Barack Obama came to the fore this past week.  As noted by the ever-observant Richard Fernandez:

Perhaps the cruelest thing about President Obama’s “evolution” on the gay marriage issue was the element of cold calculation. Trapped between alienating the white, liberal gay establishment and dissing the black churches who were anti-gay marriage, he decided to curry favor with the white, gay and moneyed constituency because deep in his heart he knew that no matter how hard he stepped on them the black community would not abandon him.

Having now sided with the people who call these black pastors and congregations “bigots,” especially in North Carolina where two-thirds of black voters supported Amendment One, Obama is not at risk of having them flip to Mitt Romney — but he does risk losing that enthusiasm, fundraising, and organization.

It would not of course have worked the other way. Had he sold out the gay community there would have been hell to pay. The lesson everyone should learn is this: cheat on the girl who loves you the most. She’ll forgive you. Ask Elizabeth Edwards.

Yep.  Follow the money.  I can see Obama and Axelrod crunching the numbers, both votes and dollars, and deciding what way to go.

Calculation was always part of Obama’s rise to power. His priorities appear to have been him, him, him and himself. Anything else was a distant second. After the contents of Jeremiah Wright’s sermons were revealed to his embarrassment, the candidate denied ever hearing anything while attending his church. Then Obama sent an emissary to pay Wright to clam up and avoid the press.

Read the whole article here at PJ Media.