President Obama is not the Jedi you're looking for
The Internet got itself very worked up over the president's inelegant attempt at a 'Star Wars' reference, but maybe, just maybe, Obama is playing Jedi mind tricks on us.
As just about everyone knows by now, President Obama got the entire Internet in a tizzy this morning by seemingly mixing up "Star Wars" and "Star Trek" references and trying to pass them off as a clever "Star Wars" line.
It's been much reported that, speaking about his negotiations with Republicans over budget reform, he complained that he can't perform a "Jedi mind meld." Cue a million anguished Twitter users in outrage, jokingly insisting on impeaching the president over his inability to remember that the line is actually "Jedi mind trick."
But maybe, just maybe, Obama was playing a Jedi mind trick on everyone. After all, this is a president who has managed some pretty impressive sleight of hand over the years, getting health care reform passed over the universal opposition of Republicans, for example, and, hey, even getting re-elected when many people were sure that he was destined to be a failed, one-term leader. Argue if you want over what he's done as president, but you can't quibble with his ability to succeed in the face of heavy headwinds.
Now, he's working hard to beat Republicans at the budget game, and everyone is kicking and screaming about who's to blame for impending sequestration and what everyone is sure is the other side being responsible for the imminent collapse of civilization. And now, what is everyone talking about today? Whether Obama knows his "Star Wars" or not. That's major league changing the subject, in my book.
As it turns out, there is in fact a "Jedi mind meld," as you can see on the Wookieepedia: "Force Meld, otherwise known as Jedi meld or Battle meld, was a technique where a number of Force users joined their minds together through the Force, drawing strength from each other. A refinement of battle meditation, it was known to the ancient Jedi, though dangerous. While battle meditation could influence both the Force-sensitives and the insensitives of both sides, Force Meld concentrates on coordinating and improving the Force-sensitives of the user's side."
Sure, you can argue that there's almost no chance that Obama is such a "Star Wars" geek that he knew about that obscure reference, from later "Star Wars" novels. But can you say with 100 percent dead certainty that he didn't? I didn't think so.
Just remember, President Obama is not the Jedi you're looking for. And yes, I know what I just did there.