In the maritime industry we had a term for a crisis that eclipsed all other concerns. It was called OBE, short for Overcome by Events.
You're dragging anchor and frantically deploying a second rode when you allide with another anchored vessel. That vessel happens to be a tanker loaded with volatile organic compounds, (that'd be oil, CD!) and the oil spill on the water becomes inflamed. You're now officially OBE and your anchor dragging has been subsumed to events greater in import.
The Obama administration may well find itself in just such a situation and sooner rather than later. World events have not gone quietly into that good, dark night. Would it not be the height of irony that the US and world economies found their salvation in yet another war of world-wide scope and significance? Iran certainly holds that potential.
The reason the presidency grays it's holders is that they are not permitted the luxury of merely tending the anchor. President Obama may occupy himself with the herding of the Democrat cats of the Congress but soon find himself without the time to do so as he becomes OBE. We'll then see what leadership skills he does possess.
I'm not so sure I'd have gone so far as to say Joe Biden was correct, more from a lack of desire to credit any wisdom to Biden than actual facts, but the below article does make the point quite well that there are no "time-outs" in world affairs. The fact that we live in a dangerous world did not end on 20 January 2009 at noon.
No one remembers the Bush presidential agenda of 2001. On 11 September 2001 it became OBE. Welcome to the presidency Mr. Obama. I wish you well and good luck for you and us alike. I'd only hope that you can keep your priorities in order. There's really very little you can do about the economy except to screw it up further, which I know is a dirty little secret no one blessed with the importance of Washington dare admit, but there's a great deal you will be called upon to do in foreign affairs. There was never any honeymoon there.
Testing 1-2-3