Hey Obama, You're Still President in August

Egypt is unraveling, and Edward Snowden is keeping the NSA in the news. What's Barack Obama doing? Well, he just got back from a six-day Martha's Vineyard golf trip, and today he's holding an event honoring the 1972 Miami Dolphins. "The president is certainly looking forward to it," gushed deputy press secretary Josh Earnest, valiantly dodging the other issues. Earnest is doing his job, Dana Milbank at the Washington Post writes: "Trying to get the president through the August doldrums without making news."

August is always quiet in Washington, and presidents generally try to keep it that way. George W. Bush famously put off an Iraq speech in 2002 because, in his chief of staff's words, "You don't introduce new products in August." "But it no longer works to push the snooze button throughout the month," Milbank argues. Bush missed warnings about 9/11 during August. The Tea Party rose in August of 2009. Right now, Egypt's military is ignoring Obama's demands. "Maybe they just aren't paying attention. It's August, after all." Click for the full column. (More Barack Obama stories.)