RHOADES LESS TRAVELED:

By not showing up to his town hall meeting in their own back yard last week, did four of the five Costa Mesa City Council members snub the leader of the free world?

That’s the question on many folks’ minds following President Obama’s much-publicized visit to the OC Fair & Event Center.

This is hardly scientific, but the majority of comments submitted to our website answer the question with a resounding and frustrated “yes.”

Some samples:

 “I think Gary [Monahan], Allan [Mansoor], Wendy [Leece] and Eric [Bever] would have been better off saying nothing. They end up sounding petty and petulant.”

— Nbbrunner

 “That four-fifths of the council stuck their tongues out at the president ... is shameful. What about duty, respect, courtesy?”

— Upton

 “Wow, this is truly unbelievable. With the exception of Katrina Foley — what a bunch of whiners! … Skipping this event was a childish snub. Don’t dress it up with lame excuses.”

— Truthseeker

Councilwoman Katrina Foley, a Democrat, was the sole member of the council to show up.

Mayor Allan Mansoor cited the fact that he’s extremely frustrated with the president’s “reckless borrow-and-spend policies.” Councilman Gary Monahan said he was busy working 17-hour days at his pub, Skosh Monahan’s. Councilwoman Wendy Leece said the meeting offered scant opportunity for meaningful discussion.

Councilman Eric Bever gave perhaps the most thoughtful reason:

“I sent interested Costa Mesa residents as my envoys, as I assumed that the mayor and member Foley would be attending. We are constantly admonished not to have more than two council members in any non-noticed meeting to avoid Brown-Act violations.

“If it was the president’s intent to meet with the council, that point was not communicated to me. Regarding Pilot criticisms, it would be presumptuous to think we would have priority over the hundreds of other local elected officials to have had any meaningful discussion with Obama.

”I did not go to see the ‘Terminator’ when he visited Costa Mesa, and missed the Obamanator. Neither ‘celebrity moment’ gave any real opportunity to further our city’s position. If I am informed of a real opportunity to move Costa Mesa forward, I’ll consider exercising it. This event did not meet that requirement.”

I think it’s safe to say that, at least on this score, none of the Costa Mesa four will be mistaken for visionaries.

When the president of the United States visits your city, you show up. You network. You try for a little face time. You never know what will happen at one of these events.

Remember how one little woman in South Carolina coined Obama’s battle cry in the early days of the primary race? Obama told of how, drowsy and care worn, he visited this back-roads town in the early morning hours and was greeted by a crowd of about 20.

Then the grandmotherly woman wearing a wide-brimmed hat started a chant, and I paraphrase the call-and-respond scenario that unfolded in that room:

“Fired up?”

“Fired up!”

“Ready to go?”

“We’re ready to go!”

I’m guessing Obama hasn’t forgotten that woman or that town.

Let’s hope — despite early, lagging indicators, thanks to a majority council that was anything but “ready to go” — we can say the same for Costa Mesa.

Editor BRADY RHOADES may be reached at (714) 966-4607 or at [email protected].