Barack Obama Should Sail

The other day I noticed a news item about President Obama having basketball court lines painted on the White House tennis courts and backboards installed, and I thought about how refreshing that was, basketball being far more “of the people” than, say, golf. Then I heard something about him playing golf. Oh well. Do we really need more images of a president jogging with Secret Service agents and playing golf?

Then I recalled that famous old Life magazine cover photo of Jack Kennedy and his future bride Jacqueline smiling on a classy sailboat, wind in their hair. Yes, thought I, Barack Obama should sail. President Clinton at least celebrated our America’s Cup sailboat America True (photo), although the Bushes were known only for speedboats. Yes, Obama should sail!

Unless he does already? I googled the idea and, while I didn’t actually examine all 547,000 resulting hits, couldn’t find any evidence that he’s actually gone sailing in his public life. But he’s been described as sailing metaphorically more than half a million times, and that has to mean something.

During the campaign he was constantly sailing to victory or moving full sail ahead. Now as president he sails the ship of state with a steady hand and sails clear of crisis after crisis. His appointments have sailed through Congressional hearings. The opposition never takes the wind out his sails. And he and Michelle have ever since been sailing around the world with a message of peace and a new image for America.

Metaphors may be the truest measure of reality, suggesting the many positive connotations we sailors have always known about sailing. On a beautiful day at sea, the boat gracefully heeling to the power of wind, the song of water along the hull, nature in harmony with human endeavor—who doesn’t at such time solve all the world’s problems?

Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images