It was the teleprompter.
It had to have been the teleprompter:
After news broke out of the shooting at the Fort Hood Army post in Texas, the nation watched in horror as the toll of dead and injured climbed. The White House was notified immediately and by late afternoon, word went out that the president would speak about the incident prior to a previously scheduled appearance. At about 5 p.m., cable stations went to the president. The situation called for not only his trademark eloquence, but also grace and perspective.
But instead of a somber chief executive offering reassuring words and expressions of sympathy and compassion, viewers saw a wildly disconnected and inappropriately light president making introductory remarks. At the event, a Tribal Nations Conference hosted by the Department of Interior’s Bureau of Indian affairs, the president thanked various staffers and offered a “shout-out” to “Dr. Joe Medicine Crow — that Congressional Medal of Honor winner.” Three minutes in, the president spoke about the shooting, in measured and appropriate terms. Who is advising him?
Anyone at home aware of the major news story of the previous hours had to have been stunned. An incident like this requires a scrapping of the early light banter. The president should apologize for the tone of his remarks, explain what has happened, express sympathy for those slain and appeal for calm and patience until all the facts are in. That’s the least that should occur.
(Ed. Note: No, I do not think this is a huge deal. I think that we can often be too nitpicky about tone and flubs, etc. On the other hand, it clearly demonstrates that, rather than the Second Coming, we are dealing with a mere mortal here.)
Were the President’s remarks broadcast to all 57 states?
Who knew? I place my hands on his wounds, saw the scars on his hands and feet. Blessed are they who do not see, and yet believe.
It’s theater! Politicians are actors, and have to convey emotions they don’t really hold. Some are good at it. I always thought Bush sucked II at it, but people bought it. Clinton was OK. Nixon was the best – he turned polls around overnight, created huge swings in public opinion with speeches on Vietnam and Checkers. And of course Reagan was a natural.
I think sometimes Gregg that you simply fail to grasp the nature of politics. It’s about actors who represent unstated interests on behalf of anonymous principals. Whether D or R, it’s the same game. Direct your piercing gaze at all politicians of all parties, and you and I will harmonize. You’re much too focused on good guy bad guy for my taste. All the world’s a stage …
I think either the post went over Mark’s head or he is in such a hurry to write his “holier than thou” slap down response that he can’t be bothered to actually read the post.
Maybe he should have said “now watch this drive” at the end. That would have made it all better.
Without TOTUS it seems POTUS is rather vacuous.
Mihalis, are you a university professor?
No.
Perhaps I should have asked, professor or assistant professor?
Still no.
Mihalis, assuming that was a dig at former Pres. Bush, didn’t I read somewhere recently that Pres. Obama has actually golfed more than Bush at this point in his presidency?
If that wasn’t a dig at Pres. Bush, but was merely a wisecrack, it was a pretty good one. Actually it was a pretty good wisecrack even if it was about Pres. Bush.
Oh never mind…!
Ten months into Obama’s term, Republicans are finally figuring out that he is a “mere mortal.” Give them a couple of more years and maybe they will figure out that he isn’t Adolph Hitler.
” … the president thanked various staffers and offered a “shout-out” to “Dr. Joe Medicine Crow — that Congressional Medal of Honor winner.”
Dr. Joe Medicine Crow — that Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient.
Ten months into Obama’s term, Republicans are finally figuring out that he is a “mere mortal.” Give them a couple of more years and maybe they will figure out that he isn’t Adolph Hitler.
And at that rate, they’ll still have figured it out before Democrats stop comparing Bush to Hitler.
Walter – at least Obama gave a shout out to a living guy this time, as opposed to 2008 when he said, “On this Memorial Day, as our nation honors its unbroken line of fallen heroes — and I see many of them in the audience here today — our sense of patriotism is particularly strong.”
(or maybe those were just Chicago voters)
Gregg Smith:
I don’t know Gregg. I know that I read somewhere that Obama has golfed more than Bush. Not sure what you’ve been reading. (I’m just full of wisecracks today!) In fact, I seem to recall reading somewhere that for some reason, even though Obama aims for center, his ball always flies left.
David Crisp: I saw a pretty funny video overlaying some satire about Obama and his cabinet onto a piece about Hitler in his bunker. I didn’t post it, though, because I don’t want to be accused of calling our President a Nazi, even though it was funny in an allegorical, not literal, way. I disagree with Pres. Obama on most issues, but call me naive: I don’t think he’s probably going to gas me in a death camp, any more than all the radical left-wingers got gassed during the prior
HitlerBush regime.I’ll leave the Nazi comparisons to the far left.
Pretty sure Michelle keeps his balls in her purse, that would be the Teleprompter’s balls.
Well Anonymous, he is married.
Nazi comparisons with Bush were probably inappropriate, except: Poland was what is known as “preventative” war. That type of war, where you attack someone based on the pretense that they ‘might’ attck you someday, is outlawed and is part of the basis for Bush-Nazi comparisons. Hitler did everything Bush did to justify his invasion of Poland. Comparisons are apprropriate.
Bush played the fear card and used it as a basis for attacking civil liberties, to the extent that he wanted our library records. This is not unlike Hotler and his own crackdown on German liberties after he took power
Hence the comparisonsobama to the extent he carries forwar Bush policies, ought to be grilled in the same manner.
But to compare Obama’s fake health care reforms with Hitler is batshit crazy and loony stupid.
Just sayin’.
They both liked dogs too.
MT almost made it through an entire post without an ad hominem attack…
They both liked dogs too.
Now what am I to do when faced with an utterly stupid comment like that? Pretend you’re a Rhodes scholar?
“Pretty sure Michelle keeps his balls in her purse, that would be the Teleprompter’s balls.”
I thought she had them made into a fashionable pair of earings. My mistake.
“Ten months into Obama’s term, Republicans are finally figuring out that he is a “mere mortal.” Give them a couple of more years and maybe they will figure out that he isn’t Adolph Hitler.”
I dunno. According to Hollywood, Obama might be an alien lizard.
(I tuned in to watch Obama talk after the shootings at Fort Hood, and it was very weird. It was like being at a funeral and listening to someone who is supposed to be delivering a memorial on the deceased first talk for a few minutes about how much he enjoyed going to a football game the day before. Obama’s remarks made sense to the people in the room, but not to those watching on TV. As someone else said, maybe not a huge deal, but another chink in the armour, and it all adds up over time.)
Thanks for taking the time to write that, I found it very educational. If you get a chance you should visit my blog as well. I hope you have a good day!