No-fly zone

7/5/2009

ACCORDING to Barack Obama's most ardent supporters, the 44th President has always been "fly" - stylish, in street lingo. When Mr. Obama successfully swatted a fly that was buzzing him during an interview on CNBC recently, his quick-handed skill was no doubt the envy of Democrats and Republicans alike who have been bothered by pesky insects.

But not every interest group was happy about Mr. Obama's expert squashing of a common pest. In response to such a blatant provocation, PETA - People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals - accused the commander in chief of "slaughtering" the defenseless insect on national television for the amusement of his audience.

PETA admonished Mr. Obama and, by extension, the rest of the country to use nonlethal fly-removal technology when dealing with pests. The group sent the White House a "Katcha Bug Humane Bug Catcher," which it says will make it possible for the President to catch a fly without harming it. Mr. Obama can then release it unharmed outside.

Sounds like a lot of extra work for a guy who's trying to save the economy, not to mention fight a couple of wars.

Still, the deadly dispatch of the fly on TV and the President's elegant method of disposal (he picked up the tiny carcass with a napkin) tells us a lot about Mr. Obama.

Just as his recent speech from Cairo demonstrated that he is no Muslim, his swatting of the fly proves he's not a Buddhist either.