THE OBAMAS’ BRIEF LOVE AFFAIR WITH AMERICA CONCLUDES:

Shot: “For the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country, because it feels like hope is finally making a comeback.”

—Michelle Obama, February, 2008.

Chaser:

“So I think it signals to the world that the United States is not serious about protecting our planet. Now, I don’t know what other way to interpret a decision that I think could be as dramatically negatively impactful as that decision. And what it means is the rest of the world will move forward without us and the United States has always been that beacon of hope, the leader, the world leader, that’s why we’re called the world leader and we’re basically abdicating that role, so that’s disappointing to me,” she added.

— Valerie Jarrett, as quoted by PJM’s Nicholas Ballasy today.

Hangover:

In the speech that made his name in 2004, Illinois state senator Barack Obama jubilantly told the Democratic National Convention in Boston, “There is not a liberal America and a conservative America, there’s the United States of America.” On April 24, 2017, reflecting on the earlier speech, Obama said, “That was aspirational,” to widespread laughs. He added, “Honestly it’s not true when it comes to our politics.”

—Kyle Smith, “Obama’s Book of Balderdash,” his review of We Are the Change We Seek: The Speeches of Barack Obama, edited by Obama sycophants E. J. Dionne Jr. and Joy-Ann Reid, National Review, June 12th issue. (Subscription required.)