In the polite political banter between liberal and conservative co-workers this fall, a liberal friend trotted out that tiresome, perennial Democrat litmus test: “They say the first act of a president is picking a vice-president; look how well Obama handled that.”

Okay.

Obama’s First Decision Was Disaster

During the campaign, Joe Biden was a laughing stock, relegated to the safe, blue states where—Obama hoped—the press would ignore him. They did not.

The press dutifully reported the progeny of Obama’s first presidential decision.

* Biden promised us a terrorist-driven disaster within 180 days of Obama’s inauguration** Biden declared that Hillary Clinton would have been a better choice for vice-president** Biden declared that “J-O-B-S” is a three-letter word** Biden introduced Obama as “Barack America” after Obama introduced Biden as “the next President of the United States” IDIOTS!** Biden confused millions of school children and historians by reminiscing about FDR’s television show in 1933** Biden chided a wheelchair-bound man to “Stand up! Let ‘em see ya.

Since the inauguration, Biden revealed that Obama gives Generational Theft Act a 30 percent chance of failure.

Last night, confronted with Biden’s latest idiocy and breach of confidentiality, Obama slammed his VP:

You know, I don’t remember exactly what Joe was referring to, not surprisingly.

It was a slam on himself as well as a slam on Biden. Obama put Biden into this position. Had the president discharged his duties as a Senator instead of parlaying that office into celebrity, he might have gotten to know Joe Biden a little better. That Biden lacks a water bug’s sense is well known in all of Washington. Biden is an idiot despite his amazing IQ.

Talent Management Problems

But Obama’s talent management ineptness goes way further than that first decision upon which every candidate should finally be judged (according to liberals). Timothy Geithner crashed the stock market today simply by speaking before the Senate. He clearly lacks the first clue of what to do about the economy. (Malkin has more.) Other than warning Senators (and tax payers) that he will soon hit us up for yet another trillion dollars, he evaded every question.

Administration officials were greeted with sarcasm and laughter Monday night when they briefed lawmakers and congressional staff on Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner’s new financial-sector bailout project, according to people who were in the room.

And, no, that quote didn’t come from National Review. It came from Huffington Post (h/t Michelle Malkin).

Frighteningly, Geithner’s evasions were not of the guilty sort (as in Clinton’s testimony before the special prosecutor), but of the ignorant sort (as in “I don’t have a friggin’ clue what you’re talking about Senator”). No surprise: Geithner is less skilled than I am at figuring his taxes with TurboTax.

Other examples of Obama’s horrible hiring record include Bill Richardson (indictments pending), the Performance Czarina (tax problems), and, of course, Tom Daschle (tax fraud and shakedowns.) Now Rahm Emmanuel might have tax issues, as well.

The “F” Word

All of these leads some serious-minded people to ask: Has Obama’s presidency already failed?

Expect Rush Limbaugh to re-release “See, I Told You So” shortly.

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