Spectator-in-Chief

President Obama held a news conference today and assured Americans that he's "monitoring" gas prices, Qaddafi and budget negotiations...leaving many people wondering what exactly he was actually DOING about these issues...which have been boiling for weeks.

Obama said US authorities would "monitor any possible manipulation in the oil markets," and said he's asked Holder to "monitor for price gouging." He offered a vague promise that his administration was "encouraging off shore exploration and production," but quickly quoted wealthy wind energy investor T. Boone Pickens ... "This is one emergency we can't drill our way out of."

Obama claimed, "Last year, American oil production reached its highest level since 2003." But, Republicans counter that U.S. oil production is below where it was projected to be just a few years ago and that, where there was growth, the administration is taking credit for production stemming from leases that pre-dated this White House.

When asked whether he was concerned Qaddafi may have the firepower to defeat the rebels, Obama responded, "I am concerned, absolutely...the world is watching." Obama added that NATO is having a "series of conversations" that includes "24 hour surveillance so that we can monitor the situation on the ground." He insisted that "we are slowly tightening the noose on Qaddafi," but offered little evidence how.

As the national debt continues the climb further past $14 trillion, the President seemed most detached when talking about budget negotiations, merely calling it "an appropriations task." Just after a member of his own party, WV Senator Joe Manchin (D), blasted him for "failing to lead" on spending cuts, the President had only this to say... "We have been in very close contact with all members of congress both parties... what I've done is every day I talk to my team I give them instructions in terms of how they can participate in the negotiations... both sides are going to have to sit down and compromise on prudent cuts somewhere between what the republicans were seeking that's now been rejected and what the democrats had agreed to that has also been rejected. It shouldn't be that complicated." It's not that complicated if you're watching from the sidelines.