President Obama is talking more and more about less and less. Appearing on “The View” this week, he described himself as “eye candy” and brought viewers up to speed on daughter Mahlia’s new-found enthusiasm for tennis.  Perhaps Mr. Obama could have spent his time more profitably meeting with other world leaders gathered for the UN General Assembly, as every single one of his predecessors has. 

According to a Pew survey conducted last June, our standing in every foreign country but Russia and Japan has dropped since President Obama took office. Moreover, confidence in Obama has tanked in the past three years in all countries surveyed, including Russia and Japan. Meanwhile, the Middle East is in flames and Iran creeps ever closer to possessing nuclear weapons. China is emboldened, Syria descends into horror and Afghanistan teeters on catastrophe. Imagine deciding that “The View” was more important than diplomacy.

On the other hand, the choice is not shocking. Trivial tops meaningful in the White House, and certainly in the Obama campaign. The nomination of Paul Ryan was supposed to force the contest to a new level, by focusing the candidates on how to reform Medicare and Social Security. Good luck with that.

While Republicans have braved liberal wrath by proposing concrete fixes for our doomed entitlements programs, President Obama has shirked the conversation. Just this week, advisor David Axelrod confirmed that “this is not the time” to discuss Social Security reform. Some might ask, if not now, when? Instead, Harry Reid, Mr. Obama’s most loyal avatar, is again attempting to distract voters by whining about Mitt Romney’s tax rate. Question for Mr. Reid: Romney paid $1.9 million in taxes last year; President Obama paid $162,000. Which is better for the U.S.?