At this potentially pivotal moment in world history, one cannot claim President Obama is MIA – missing in action. ... No, Obama is more accurately AWOL – absent without leave.

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“Why are we doing all this when the most powerful person in these negotiations – our president – has failed to lead this debate or offer a serious proposal for spending and cuts that he would be willing to fight for?” 

That wasn’t some antagonistic Republican attacking Barack Obama.  That was Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, a Democrat. 

But don’t worry.  Obama did find the time to fill out every one of his men’s and women’s NCAA tournament brackets and appear on ESPN to show them off. 

At this potentially pivotal moment in world history, one cannot claim President Obama is MIA – missing in action.  That would require that he actually enter the proverbial field in the first place. 

No, Obama is more accurately AWOL – absent without leave.  Somebody contact Dan Rather, because this time he needn’t rely upon preposterously forged documents, nor can it result in an inglorious forced retirement. 

To be sure, nobody claims that Obama should attempt to micromanage the world’s every crisis.  But we’re talking about a man who inserts himself into every imaginable issue that strikes him as easy.  From mindlessly labeling Cambridge, Massachusetts police “stupid” during the Professor Gates controversy to the state budget controversy in Wisconsin, he isn’t a man who somehow shrinks from the spotlight.  Unless it requires any critical thought or heavy lifting, that is. 

In the Middle East, which directly or indirectly affects every single economy on the planet, ten separate nations are enduring transformative upheaval.  But while the White House issued contradictory statements, meaningless bromides about the oxymoronic “international community” and incorrectly claimed a “slowly tightening” noose around Libyan tyrant Moammar Gadhaffi, loyalist forces slaughtered rebels and promised to erase entire cities from the map. And Saudi Arabia, which depends on America for its very safety against domestic resentment and neighboring bullies, openly defied White House wishes by sending troops to quash the uprising in independent Bahrain. 

In Japan, meanwhile, a desperate effort is underway to provide food, shelter and nuclear assistance.  In a best-case scenario, tens of thousands lie dead and the world’s third-largest economy teeters.  In a worst-case scenario, we’re facing a horrendous nuclear accident. 

Here at home, even Obama’s own party pleads for an element of leadership as Congress hops from one stopgap budget resolution to another and attempts to address his record $1.65 trillion deficit.  Making matters worse, the federal government maintains its inflationary open monetary spigot while prices continue their troubling ascent.  This week, the Labor Department announced that wholesale food prices jumped 3.9%, the largest increase since 1974, and that housing starts plummeted 22.5%, the steepest drop in 27 years. 

Gasoline prices continue to climb, causing the number of Americans expressing worry about them to reach an all-time record according to the Consumer Federation of America.  Meanwhile, Obama’s runaway Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) introduced new regulations this week that analysts say could shut down 18% of America’s coal-fueled generation capacity. 

Although AWOL on these pressing matters, Obama did manage to make an appearance during the Oscar ceremonies, to let us know that “As Time Goes By” is his favorite show tune of all time.  According to entertainment reporter Sarah Crow, “The commander-in-chief unexpectedly appeared on tonight’s Academy Awards broadcast to give his vote for the best song in film.” 

Actually, one thing we do know about Barack Obama by now is that his appearance at a frivolous Hollywood soiree is anything but “unexpected.” 

When it came time for last Saturday’s weekly radio address, Obama chose to ponder the legacy of former First Lady Elanor Roosevelt.  Then, as reported by ABC news last weekend, “for the second week in a row, the most powerful man in the world stepped away from the White House to hit the golf course.”  Obama even reportedly joked that he wasn’t “spending” time on the golf course, he was “investing” time there.  Quite the common touch, Mr. President. 

Obama subsequently reached an even higher pinnacle in triviality, unveiling his much-anticipated NCAA tournament picks for ESPN.  He may not have time to discuss the federal budget, or provide leadership as the world descends into chaos.  But he can explain in detail why he picks the Kansas Jayhawks over the Louisville Cardinals. 

This is the Obama presidency.