OBAMA AND THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS:

In nine days, this town will commemorate the 150th anniversary of Lincoln’s speech with a ceremony at the same Soldiers’ National Cemetery featuring the U.S. Marine Band, Gov. Tom Corbett and a reading of the Gettysburg Address.

One person who will not be among those honoring Lincoln is President Barack Obama. The White House gave no reason why the president would not attend.

According to the National Park Service, Obama has never visited the battlefield as president.

In 2008, Obama rolled out his presidential campaign in Springfield, Ill., where Lincoln announced his own presidential candidacy. Throughout that year’s campaign, Obama’s staff embraced similarities between the two men as part of his persona; he allowed them to encourage lofty comparisons — and, after he won the election, he re-created Lincoln’s 1861 train trip to Washington as part of his own inaugural spectacle.

He even took the oath of office on Lincoln’s Bible — twice. . . . His dismissal of the request shows a man so detached from the duty of history, from the men who served in the White House before him, that it is unspeakable in its audacity.

Ask almost any person in this historic town; even his most ardent supporters here are stunned.

Obama long ago veered away from any affinity he may have believed he had with Lincoln, which gives credibility to the criticism that his connection to Lincoln was always a political calculation rather than a true bond.

Obama is the perfect embodiment of America’s ruling class, a class that doesn’t really much like the nation it rules.

SAYING GOODBYE, to the WWII generation of veterans, and saying “thank you” to Iraq War veterans.

ABANDON IN PLACE: In Afghanistan, interpreters who helped U.S. in war denied visas; U.S. says they face no threat.

THE COLLAPSING OBAMACONOMY? “At the start of the new year, our economy might just be looking at a collapsing insurance industry, declining consumer spending, rising underemployment, and a shrinking labor force — all at once.”

BACKGROUND CHECKS: The New Racism?

NOAM SCHEIBER: Hillary’s Nightmare? A Democratic Party That Realizes Its Soul Lies With Elizabeth Warren. Also the GOP’s dream, I suspect. But I further suspect that Warren is being held in reserve in case Hillary somehow tanks early. They need someone to keep their “War On Women” schtick going for 2016. But, seriously: Who thinks that a first-term Senator from a blue state is going to beat Hillary in the Democratic Primary? I mean, like that’s going to happen.

GRIM MILESTONE: Obama’s 150th Round Of Golf. “Mr. Obama’s supporters get enraged whenever I tweet or write about my tracking his golf games. They defend him by either saying everyone needs a break or comparing the golf outings to President George W. Bush’s time at his Texas ranch. However, Mr. Bush stopped playing golf in Aug. 2003 out of respect for the families of servicemen in Iraq and Afghanistan. Mr. Obama has shown no such feeling of inappropriateness.”

HIGHER EDUCATION BUBBLE UPDATE, LEGAL EDUCATION EDITION: Legal Practice, Legal Education, and the Culture of Distrust.

LAW & LIBERTY: Angelo Codevilla: Lies Corrupt Democracy.

A PACK, NOT A HERD: Small Georgia Town Forms Posse, Corners Armed Robbery Suspect. More here.

SLATE: A Sorry Apology: President Obama wants to apologize without taking responsibility. That’s not how apologies work. True, but to be fair Obama doesn’t have much experience with that whole taking-responsibility thing.

SALENA ZITO interviews Mitch McConnell.

ASHE SCHOW: Democrats grasping at straws to energize base on 2013 results.

WELL, I GOTTA ADMIT, ROB FORD LOOKS LIKE HE’D BE MORE FUN TO HANG OUT WITH: Obama’s Ratings Are Lower Than Crack-Smoking Toronto Mayor’s.

Related: Barack Obama: Glitch Set Me Up! [Isn’t that a reference to a different crack-smoking mayor? — ed. Don’t step on the funny.]

CHRIS CHRISTIE: Obama Apology Not Enough.

“The fact is that the president didn’t tell the truth,” he added, suggesting that the president needs to “confront [that lie] in a head-on way.”

I’m not holding my breath.

I WONDER IF THIS WAS AFTER ONE OF THOSE CHUMMY OFF-THE-RECORD SESSIONS WITH OBAMA? The New York Times endorsed a secretive trade agreement that the public can’t read. “The Obama administration is secretly negotiating a treaty that could have significant effects on domestic law. Officially, it’s a “free trade” treaty among Pacific rim countries, but a section of the draft agreement leaked in 2011 suggested that it will require signers, including the United States, to make significant changes to copyright law and enforcement measures. Strangely, the administration seems to be encouraging the public to have a debate on the treaty before they know what’s in it.”

You have to ratify it to find out what’s in it. Among other things, however, it could restrict the availability of generic medicines. Another payoff to Big Pharma?

WHO SWINDLED MORE PEOPLE? Barack Obama or Bernie Madoff? It’s not even close.