Give Us A King

From Spartacus:

During the first Presidential candidate debate, moderator Jim Lehrer asked a series of questions about how the financial bailout bill would affect each candidate’s priorities if they were President.

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Unsatisfied with the responses from Senators McCain and Obama, Lehrer asked the question several different ways:

LEHRER: Are you -- what priorities would you adjust, as president, Senator McCain, because of the -- because of the financial bailout cost?....

LEHRER: But if I hear the two of you correctly, neither one of you is suggesting any major changes in what you want to do as President as a result of the financial bailout? Is that what you're saying?....

LEHRER: What I'm trying to get at this is this. Excuse me if I may, senator. Trying to get at that you all -- one of you is going to be the president of the United States come January. At the -- in the middle of a huge financial crisis that is yet to be resolved. And what I'm trying to get at is how this is going to affect you not in very specific -- small ways but in major ways and the approach to take as to the presidency....

Finally, Lehrer asked the question again, this time using a disturbing turn of phrase:

LEHRER: Before we go to another lead question. Let me figure out a way to ask the same question in a slightly different way here. Are you -- are you willing to acknowledge both of you that this financial crisis is going to affect the way you rule the country as president of the United States beyond the kinds of things that you have already -- I mean, is it a major move? Is it going to have a major effect?

So here, in a Presidential candidate debate, the moderator - who is no stranger to the Washington scene - quite blatantly and explicitly says the President is expected to rule the United States of America.

No longer is the Chief Executive merely the steward and leader of the Executive branch of government, charged with executing the laws passed by Congress.

He is now the ruler of the country, anointed as such by no less a major media presence than Jim Lehrer.

This would stagger the founders of America, who put Congress in Article I of the Constitution and the President in Article II for a reason.

I guess the Emperor’s new clothes are imperial purple.