ROCKLAND, ME?In an attempt to convince an anxious populace that his legislative agenda is working and that everything is going to be all right, President Barack Obama embarked on a 50-state, 30,000-town tour Monday during which he plans to gaze assuredly into the eyes of each American citizen, one at a time.
It was hilarious. And for the first time in a long time, it got people talking not about his beliefs, not about his behavior, but about him.
This the summer of Tom Cruise.
The 47-year-old actor is attempting to reestablish himself as a box office behemoth and remind audiences that hey, he is not just the weirdo who jumped on Oprah Winfrey couch, told Matt Lauer You dont know the history of psychiatry, I do” and claimed Scientology cured his dyslexia. He is dancing with J. Lo at the MTV Movie Awards . He is riding motorcycles and shooting guns with Cameron Diaz. He is a movie star, really!
In their announcement of the “2010 Eye-to-Eye Tour,” White House officials said that Obama will first spend two weeks making eye contact with the 55 million residents of the densely populated Northeastern states, looking into their eyes and, if necessary, offering them an encouraging head nod. Obama will then continue down the East Coast before taking on the tours biggest challenge: gazing with confidence into the eyes of a hostile Southern electorate that largely rejects his policies.
