Last December, President Obama, while chatting with Oprah,
conferred upon himself a “good, solid B-plus” for his first year.
The self-indulgent auto-grading continued this week. Carefully
seated beneath a painting of a pensive Abraham Lincoln, Obama
told Diane Sawyer of ABC News that he would “rather be a really
good one-term president than a mediocre two-term president.”
Perhaps what’s most striking about his self-grading is that
he appears to consider it modest. He could have given himself an
A-plus in the Oprah interview, after all.
“I don’t want to look back on my time here and say to
myself all I was interested in was nurturing my own popularity,”
he said to Sawyer. That’s very big of him. But why would that
even occur to him as a source of anxiety in his post-presidency?
Americans are supposed to be grateful that he doesn’t spend “all”
of his time “nurturing” his popularity, but just a lot of
it?
The chattering class suggests that he has temporarily lost
the common touch. But when did he ever have it? He didn’t need
the common man to win the presidency; he had the influential
elite. He is largely a product of self-congratulatory upper-class
euphoria, who is no more comfortable with Scott Brown the Pickup
Driver than with Joe the Plumber.
It would be more appropriate for Obama to give interviews
beneath a painting of JFK than Lincoln, though JFK pulled off a
more successful remoteness. Obama manages to be aloof and
tediously familiar at the same time. Contrary to his recent
protestations, he has spoken directly to the American people —
through a teleprompter.
Familiarity has bred contempt. It is telling that he
considers his “mistake” not that he listened too little and
talked too much, but that he delivered an insufficient number of
speeches. He just didn’t break through the “noise,” as he put it
to Sawyer.
“The president is going to explain why he thinks the
American people are angry,” said his spokesman Robert Gibbs,
teeing up the State of the Union address. Is this what the
American people crave? To have their anger explained to them by
the person causing it?
At this point, Obama shouldn’t fear one “good” term but two
bruising and bad ones. He could remain polarizing and still win
re-election, since Republicans are likely to squander the
opportunity of his wobbly popularity. His advisers have made it
clear that he will not retreat from liberalism but simply restate
it, a formula sure to deepen the divisions.
To hear one manipulative Obama speech is to hear them all.
Each one is a mish-mash of falsely defined problems and equally
sham solutions, with a few phony promises peppered into the mix.
Obama promises not to freeze spending but to “propose” it. He
promises not to cut the deficit, but to establish a blue-ribbon
panel to consider cutting it.
South Carolina pol Andre Bauer took a drubbing this week
from the left for his “backwards” comment that government should
treat welfare recipients like “stray animals.” But what he
blurted out was simply a cruder version of Nancy Pelosi’s
proposal last year to include “family planning” in Obama’s
stimulus package. “It will reduce costs,” she explained.
The eugenic left’s idea of deficit-reduction is to treat
humans worse than stray animals. The unstated lynchpin of Obama’s
plan to control government costs is that society succumb to the
rationing, planning, and regulation built into his social
engineering.
The increases in “education” spending proposed in the State
of the Union are largely wasted dollars directed to this
propagandistic end. America’s children haven’t learned enough
about “climate change” yet and the glories of statism. But one
fine day they may wake up and see that expanding government
health care coverage “cuts” costs and squeezing energy out of the
economy fuels it.
Ret. Marine| 1.28.10 @ 6:30AM
Maybe by then the adult of this Nation will have many more examplles of what "not" to do when ordering up a TOTUS.
Having gotton mauled in my usual state of his mind last night, I fear for the future generations with so-called leadership such as this. I tell ya, I have never in my life seen such lies so easily puked from a persons delussional mind. I think the cracker fell off the cheese on this one. Any takers on the subject?
pugsley| 1.28.10 @ 10:22AM
Well now Marine, that assumes the lawn jockey ever had any cheese to put on the cracker. To my way of thinking this affirmative action spawn is a puppet for the true powers that be in DC and will mouth the script and dance to their tune no matter what. He has been promised wealth and a cush living for life to go along with the propaganda he spouts and he is holding up his end of the bargain. Luckily the American people who were gulled into voting for this fraud have awakened and are now stirring. I have said for the last 30 years, the American people are the best, most generous, most forgiving people in the world but once you get them stirred up you have a huge problem on your hands. The lawn jockey now finds himself at that nexis and talking aint gonna cut it. The American people want results not some lecture about their anger. November will be another smackdown for o and at that point he will be neutralized without congressional majorities and left to twist in the wind for his one term presidency. At least Carter now has moved out of the basement as the worst potus of all time. Still though, a close neck and neck race as I lived through that nightmare too. But be of good cheer troop, even though there is still much work to do(keeping the smug Repubs in line) let not your heart be troubled, the American people shall overcome any problem that arises.
Berl Goetz| 1.28.10 @ 10:43AM
Just who are the powers in DC that are directing Obama? (Please don't say it's the Bilderbergers.)
John II| 1.28.10 @ 11:58AM
Actually, it's the hamburgers who advance his type of agenda. Professor Obama is directed primarily by a corrupt and degenerate Lefty culture; he insulates himself from reality partly by surrounding himself with like-minded toadies.
When you ask why Americans are not permitted to know anything of detail about the Professor's unlikely rise to prominence (how he got into this and that school, what classes he took from whom, how he performed: such records are under executive seal, and no one of the corrupt media is even asking why, much less pursuing the information), I say when you start asking THAT kind of question, Mr. Goetz, instead of a drive-by faux-innocent snipe, perhaps you'll eventually get an answer.
And when will THAT be? Well, I'm not holding my breath.
pugsley| 1.28.10 @ 1:15PM
BG you can't be that blind can you? Read John II's reply and study very carefully what is going on right under your nose. How can this clown get away with spending over a million dollars in legal fees fighting to keep all his records sealed and no mention of it in the msm? Do you not even ask yourself how can this be? Do you not ask yourself how can someone with no accomplishments in the real world get the top job in the land? Do you not ask yourself how it is that the sec of treas is under questioning for any number of wrong doings and nothing will come of it? Do you not ask yourself how so many people of questionable worth have managed to be there around the potus at all times? No I suppose you don't , probably couldn't handle the truth as Jack Nicholson proclaimed in 'A Few Good Men'. I like John II will not hold my breath for your enlightenment.
Franklin| 1.28.10 @ 2:31PM
I vacillate between thinking little o is a puppet and an equal partner in the progressive agenda.
As a puppet, he may still be complicit in the ideology but does not have the ambition, direction, or knowledge to actually do the leading. Therefore he must be told what to do next (why he is surrounded by commie czars and visited continually at the WH by progressives).
But being a puppet just doesn’t seem to fit his personality. Being in charge is his highest mantra. That’s when I think that he is an equal partner and why he can piss off Soros. Because of his narcissism he thinks he’s running the show with every intention of fulfilling the progressive agenda. His other partners are trying to steer him to keeping to their agenda, but little o has the power now and he is wielding it. Watch out, little o, when your partners get tired of your games.
So, you see, I’m in a quandary. Either way he’s mental. Guess that will have to do.
Ret. Marine| 1.28.10 @ 7:40PM
Personnaly I think he's very demented, arrogant, lazy, just your local hood scum holding to the promises the pregressive agenda holds for him. Without them he'd be nothing but your common getto sheet talking thug.
Christopher Holland| 1.28.10 @ 11:05PM
Hey, give the guy some credit - at least he isn't Joe Biden. Imagine how long it would take things to go from worse to even worse if that stupid clown was doing the driving.
Alan Brooks| 1.28.10 @ 7:06PM
"the American people are the best, most generous, most forgiving people in the world"
Generous and forgiving, aye, but like ancient Rome devoid of virtue. Ancient Rome had the best agricultural 'system' for its day, and people from all over chattering like the Tower of Babel.
Sound familiar?
Tom| 1.28.10 @ 10:32AM
Nothing was his fault. If he was at fault at all, he didn't explain it well enough to us dumb American citizens. He said "I" 104 times at my count. He blamed George 7 times. He'll propose spending cuts NEXT year. Health care will still REDUCE the deficit. Let's built nukes, yeah right. Let's drill, yeah right.
We haven't even seen the heights of this arrogant, elitist. He even got in the face of the Supreme Court. He is totally delusional. And scary.
Semper Fi!
Ret. Marine| 1.28.10 @ 7:43PM
Hey Tom, I want to follow closely the next time his signature is on something, what do you think the SCOTUS will do the next time someone challanges his authority under the qualification heading? Semper Fi.
Stephanie| 1.28.10 @ 6:36AM
I felt as if I was in a parallel universe last night watching Barry work his smoke and mirrors and blow smoke up everyone's backside.
The worst though, was when he slammed the Supreme Court with them sitting directly in from of him. The man has no scruples or manners.
And NOW he wants everyone to work together. Now that the dems don't have the 60 votes.
THIS is what I call transparency!
Did anyone see the guy kiss michelles' hand as she went ot her seat? Is she the queen? WTF!
Roscoe| 1.28.10 @ 7:31AM
Stephanie, my thoughts exactly. Why would every person in the entire chamber of a joint session of congress, including the Justices, and every other leader of this country's govt & military, give a prolonged standing ovation to any president's spouse (let alone this one who had never been proud of her country until 40-whatever years old, when her affirmative action husband gets upped)? Please, you people, leave that nonsense for the royal houses of Europe! The people in that chamber should be embarrassed by their lack of spine.
victor| 1.28.10 @ 9:18AM
You mean, Her Ladyship, The Queen?
Notice how she did not rise or barely acknowledge the King's notice of her during his speech?
drudge ette obama| 1.28.10 @ 1:09PM
Some smarty Obama the former Constitutional law professor is, Pat. He doesn't even know his cites come from:
PatriotPost today:
"We find unity in our incredible diversity, drawing on the promise enshrined in our Constitution, the notion that we're all created equal..."
As the Internet meme goes these days: FAIL! Uh, uh, uh, -- that "notion" was enshrined in our Declaration of Independence, third paragraph, first sentence. One would think that this alleged professor of "Constitutional Law" at the University of Chicago Law School would have noticed such a simple, yet substantial, error.
Ron| 1.28.10 @ 10:41PM
Obama's title was Senior Lecturer. He was not a Professor. I doubt a B.A. and a law degree would qualify anyone to hold the title of Professor at a major university. Semantics perhaps, but a big distinction.
Dr. Right| 1.28.10 @ 6:38AM
George-
I don't see this clown getting more than 1 term under any circumstances.
The far-Left dislikes him because he hasn't yet instituted radical communism, imprisoned Rush Limbaugh, nullified the Constitution, and created gulags in Oklahoma and Kansas.
The Right dislikes him because...Well...Because we have brains.
And the middle has abandoned him, as we saw with the election of Scott Brown in the former People's Republic of Massachusetts.
Unlike Clinton, whose first allegiance was to himself and always himself, Obama is a TRUE believer. He's also a narcissist, and an egomaniac. (Clinton was also a narcissist and an egomaniac, but not a true-believing socialist). Obama CAN'T change course and tack right with his agenda because that would mean, if to no one else but himself, that he was wrong, and if you've ever dealt with narcissistic personalities (I have), they are NEVER wrong...EVER.
And frankly, it's to our advantage that Obama is the way he is. He's already delivered to us Virginia, New Jersey, and Massachusetts...MASSACHUSETTS!!! That's like East Germany! So look for more and more dominos to fall, including more Blue-Dog Dem defections in the months to come.
Rather than the savior, the "Messiah" of the Left, Obama will end-up being their destroyer. He may so damage socialism and the Liberal-Left "cause" in the USA that it might not recover for a generation.
Now that's "Change" we can believe in!
Grzmlyk| 1.28.10 @ 9:00AM
I hope you guys are right.
Like many Amspec regulars, I did my share of yelling at the TV last night (Ken was wise to forego the ulcer). This president has elevated lying to a level even Bill Clinton never imagined.
I agree with Stephanie - like all narcissists, Obama is utterly without scruple. Like Dr. Right, I, too, have had the "pleasure" of working with a narcissist - who, like Obama, was also a sociopath. In fact, I've worked with a few over the years. They truly lack humanity, they aren't nice, they don't give a damn about anybody but themselves, and they lie without compunction.
In the days since Brown's election leading up to the SOTU, I was energized and optimistic - the emperor has been proven naked at last!
But then I watched the Frank Luntz focus group that Hannity had on last night - I saw the level of ignorance and the false "compassion" of the young people in the crowd. Too many bought into his bullshit, and the complaint of many who didn't wasn't that Obama is toxic but that he hasn't done much yet. Oy.
My former best friend - a one-time conservative - is STILL drinking the Obama Kool-Aid. I don't get it. To me, and to most of you folks, it is patently obvious what Obama is. I must confess that the way liberals see the world never, ever ceases to amaze me.
Al Adab| 1.28.10 @ 10:40AM
Grz,
Good morning sir, it's a bright day in America. Now we know that President Al Naqis is but an empty suit.
Eric Hoffer defined this mentality as "The true believer" that is one who's world view permits of no adjustments. Facts must fit the prejudices not ideologies change to meet the facts. While this is dangerous for the short term, in the long run we may yet be delievered from the Left.
I, like Ken, chose not to watch. It is enough to remember P. T. Barnum who understood, "there's one born every minute."
Grzmlyk| 1.28.10 @ 11:00AM
Well Al Adab, I think you are right; I do think that Obama's goose is cooked - enough people out there aren't fools, though plenty are.
I was stunned at that focus group last night.
What will it take for them to interpret the mountain of empirical evidence we've amassed for the last 100 years that government solutions breed only graft, corruption and coercion?
It's as if liberals stand on a shore, get hit with a tsunami-sized wave that carries them out to sea, wade back to shore, towel themselves off and ask why there isn't any water for miles around.
Unbelieveable.
Then again, liberals have declared the constitution unconstitutional, so pretzel logic doesn't even begin to describe them.
Next on the agenda: the repeal of the law of gravity, and a speed limit on the speed of light.
I still think poetic justice is about to descend on our idiot/crook in chief, but the fact that so many young people embrace this absolutely intellectually, morally, fiscally and logically untenable idea of compassion just blows me away.
John II| 1.28.10 @ 1:06PM
It's called Original Sin, Grizzy. I think rigid Protestantism has it wrong in its notion of utter human depravity, but the notion is a hell of a lot closer to the truth than the secular atheism motivating the Lefties. The main consequence of Original Sin is that humans are mysteriously capable of dispute over things that are reasonably indisputable.
We are living in a culture characterized by such dispute. Gruesome as it may be, there's an irony about it all which, when you think about it, can be amusing as well as amazing. The Lefties pretend that all things are disputable, but that very pretense makes them rigid in their enthusiasms and generally immune to conflicting evidence.
I think you're right to be amazed, but don't try to understand such mystery on merely rational grounds. To think such things through, one needs a hands-on method--such as, say, raising a house full of kids or writing a serious novel or running a small business or soaking oneself in great literature for years and years. I reckon.
Anyhow, I was recollecting last night your thoughts about downing a shot of Jack each time Professor Obama used the "I"-word among his gaseous asseverations. Boy, what a bender THAT would have been. We'd have been blind for a week!
Doctor Right| 1.28.10 @ 12:30PM
Grzmlyk-
Don't worry about the MTV crowd. Their ability to sway elections has ALAWYS been over-rated. Most of them (the Lefty ones) are, at heart, lazy, big-mouthed slobs who can't even be bothered to get off the couch and vote on election day. In addition, I don't think most of them are REALLY lefties...I think they talk the talk for their illiterate buddies in the dorm, but then they wise-up and pull the lever (IF they even vote...) for Repubs and Conservatives.
Narcissists ultimately self-destruct. Clinton did with Monica, but he was propped-up by the media and the lack of a pervasive internet and grass-roots opposition. Obama will NOT be as lucky.
'94 was but a little tremor compared to the political earthquake that's heading for the Libs this November.
Count on it.
Grzmlyk| 1.28.10 @ 2:44PM
John II and Dr. Right, I agree with pretty much everything you both say.
I know youth doesn't generally vote much - but of course their turnout was much bigger than usual for Obama. I'll tell you what bugs me so much - it's the false consciousness that our culture foists on us - they create this need for us all to develop a public persona of CARING, of beneficence, of utter tolerance, of lionizing victim groups, etc. Meanwhile these human beings are just as squalid, just as selfish, just as judgmental as their forebears. But we've all agreed, apparently, to adopt this phony mask publicly. That's what political correctness is all about. And whenever I see it on display, as I did with that Frank Luntz group last night, I feel like the doctor in Invasion of the Body Snatchers, who sees his fellow townsfolk fall prey one by one to an alien force that robs them of their humanity so that they become automatons in service of some vast unseen and malevolent force.
I HATE PHONIES, and phoniness is the currency of pop culture, and that makes me sad.
Yes, John, I agree that moral relativism is at the root of political correctness, and there is indeed a rigidity and closedminded coercive element that is supremely ironic in our little army of shiny happy people.
So I did a shot last night each time I heard Obama say "I" or "me." I came this close to dying of alcohol poisoning 20 minutes in.
Campy| 1.28.10 @ 3:08PM
Grz!
Friends don't let friends watch O alone. Call me next time! Hey, did you ever get your blog going? I've been out of touch on the board, but you always hit the nail on the head.
C.
sandyinohio| 1.28.10 @ 6:16PM
I finally found a site that had a chart listing at least 5 prez and how many times they used various words in the SOTU : BHO was the highest with 134 or so; the nearest competitor as I recall it was LBJ with maybe 118! How's that for telling info?
sandyinohio| 1.28.10 @ 6:17PM
Sorry, I meant to specify the use of "I".
Bettijo| 1.29.10 @ 8:30AM
From: http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/33/3/342
"The proposal that pathological lying is a "wish psychosis" was based on the observation that pathological liars saw their lies as reality and believed them." This is a characteristic of a sociopath.
I wonder if he believes his lies? He must or how could he stand up before millions of viewers and outright lie if he knew we knew he was lying? It makes no sense.
I have responded to other posts listing his narcissist characteristics.
We could probably find more personality disorders to fit him in the DSM.
pugsley| 1.28.10 @ 10:33AM
Doc, don't forget Hillary! The harridan stirs and make no mistake about it, she could turn that Dem mess around and refocus their priorities in a blink of an eye. She will point out what a mess things are in and IF EVERYONE HAD JUST LISTENED TO HER the party wouldn't be in this mess. Count on Billy to add his (this is a fairytale) meme to things and the clintoons are off and running again! Be advised, this is a long way from over, the lawn jockey yes he is done but the Arkansas nightmare is about to rear its ugly head again, count on it.
John II| 1.28.10 @ 2:00PM
What a chilling thought. For months, I've been soothing myself with the idea that Obama's one indisputable achievement is to have thrown a monkey wrench into the Clinton machine.
Perhaps the machine isn't broken. Maybe all it needs is time to grind the wrench into tiny iron filings as it moves inexorably forward.
Am I to be allowed no soothing illusions in the Obamanation?
pugsley| 1.28.10 @ 2:38PM
Why sure you can John II, light skin with a measured speech pattern equals intelligence. Theres one, how about this, since I play basketball and go to the hoop with some authority I am a good executive. Theres two, how about this, since my wife can give you and everyone else dirty looks you better not mess with me. Theres three, how about this, since I have perfected the ability to look down my nose at anyone and everyone who I don't include in my inner circle I must be the smartest person in the room or on the planet for that matter. Now there you go, I have a million of them but it is starting to sleet outside so I better cut it short and make a dash for home before the roads get too bad. Be advised the Harradin lives and is on the creep!
Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 1.28.10 @ 7:07AM
The article indicates that many do not understand what they are up against. For instance, the other great O Oprah simply asked about the results and Obama simply gave himself a grade because that's what the little people believe in, so he participated and tried to show himself a good sport by giving himself a B. If a erudite interviewer had been there, they could have easily pointed out that many believe the B would stand for Baloney.
No, Obama can not be graded, because Gods are not graded, they desire worship and genuflecting. That was evident in last night's speech which was simply a rehashed and poorly written blame game. Gods do not accept blame, they are beyond blame, for after all mistakes are also for the little people, not the Gods.
Dave in Houston| 1.28.10 @ 7:16AM
To summarize his speech as I understood it, Obama wants to do everything that riled the voters last year and that failed, expensively failed last year, only this time make it more so. Double down as we like to call it now. And it was Bush's fault, who is, by the way, graciously helping to raise money at Obama's request for Haiti.
Is there anything in that speech that would not make me want to call him a classless, dumb jerk with a tin ear who just doesn't get it or understand what the American people want?
Margie| 1.28.10 @ 12:22PM
Well said, David. Like Ken has mentioned recently, we again we see the contrast between GW and the Arrogant one. I loved seeing GW sitting there ever so humbly with Clinton in that ad for Haiti relief. Another man might have said "what? Me work with that !@#$?" But not GW. He actually HAS a heart! God bless him.
Amy | 1.28.10 @ 7:25AM
In all of history has any man received so much attention for doing so little (good)? He just keeps talking and talking. I wish he would shut up, stop wasting our time, and leave us alone.
Appleby| 1.28.10 @ 7:36AM
The 90% of the Baby Boomers who were in college when this blather was spewed the first time were constantly saying exactly the same thing. Stop with the Vietnam Awareness Day Strikes, stop with the blockading of buildings, throwing of rocks, doffing your pants and screaming Poo Poo Head to the world, stop wasting our time and leave us alone. We were there to get educated -- the first of our families in many cases to ever attain high school graduation, much less university, and in many cases our education was the hope of our younger siblings to whom we were expected to extend a helping hand once we got higher up the ladder.
And the shouting, blathering, attacking and blockading 5% were doing nothing but getting in our way.
Melvin| 1.28.10 @ 7:41AM
Maybe President Obama graded himself on a sliding scale.
sandyinohio| 1.28.10 @ 6:23PM
yeh, that's it, he used that "bend the curve" thingy that he's always talking about!
bull-gator| 1.28.10 @ 7:47AM
Well, he did it again. After undefeated Kentucky was named #1 in the basketball polls on Tuesday morning, he called to congratulate them. So what do they do? They go out and play South Carolina Tuesday night and get beat.
Lets’ see now:
1) He went to campaign for Chicago to get the 2016 Olympic Games and they came in last place. They didn’t even make the final cut.
2) He campaigned for the incumbent democratic governor for re-election of New Jersey and he lost.
3) He campaigned for the democratic governor hopeful (current democratic governor cannot succeed himself) in Virginia and he lost.
4) He attempted to get a commitment from world leaders on a climate change agreement, and he was ignored.
5) He campaigned for the democratic candidate to fill the senate seat vacated by T. Kennedy after he kicked the bucket, and she lost.
6) Kentucky loses for the first time this season after the congratulatory phone call.
What a guy…he's the proverbial kiss of death.
Keep it up, the only good thing he’s done so far is rally the independents and moderates to vote for republicans.
Jim Hlavac | 1.28.10 @ 10:17PM
Well, uh oh, let's hope he does NOT call the New Orleans Saints, we here in Louisiana could use the win. Yah, super bowl !
Christopher Holland| 1.28.10 @ 11:11PM
Obama has magical properties - everything he touches turns to crap. He is King Midas as played by Bozo the Clown.
jack| 1.28.10 @ 8:01AM
The guy just isnt very smart. Still not a single banker (robert rubin) or person involved with the freddie and fannie fraud in prison yet
sandyinohio| 1.28.10 @ 6:28PM
True; and why do we need more regulation? SEC people were warned about Bernie Madoff for couple years, yet no one DID anything to stop it! Govt worjer was probably on his "peraonal day" and didn't catch up with his "work" when he returned. Anybody THERE held responsible?
Shamus| 1.28.10 @ 8:29AM
It would take a dramatic improvement in the economy to save Obama. People are acutely aware of their own financial situation and are not shy about blaming Washington when they're hurting.
Ken (Old Texican)| 1.28.10 @ 8:41AM
I'm a happy camper this morning.
I did not abuse myself last night listening to the guy.
My prayers were answered, yet again though. (Thank you, Lord.)
Evidently his teleprompter did glitch, and he shot himself in the.....foot, when he shamed the Supremes. WHOAH!
...or did he once again just go off script? Does his prompter have a start/stop button?
What ever the case, in one fell swoop he exposed himself as a wannabe dictator in the eyes of the world.
As the implications sink in, the entire fed court system is going to boil, albiet quietly, heh heh.
Second, even the dumbest congress critter will soon realize that any legislation signed by Obama is going to be fast-tracked to the Supremes, and slammed down for any misplaced comma.
Obama's arrogance was demonstrated to all last night. My phone is ringing off the wall.
Amen!
Margie| 1.28.10 @ 4:12PM
Dear Tex,
You are a better man (woman) than I am.. I watched. :^( Well, thankfully it didn't hurt me one bit. I know that I have millions and millions of like minded friends here and elsewhere (like you). Your post summed it up nicely. You're the BEST!
God bless.
Margie| 1.28.10 @ 4:21PM
Oh my. My dyslexia kicked in there. Uh, booboo. Mixing metaphors or something. s/h said You are a better man than I am woman... or something like that. At least it isn't fatal.
Tim| 1.28.10 @ 8:41AM
USA Today ran as a headline ; "We face a deficit a trust"
No, we face a deficit of trillions of dollars. Obama's statement only makes sense when you allow that, once again, he is using the royal we.
bluecollarbytes| 1.28.10 @ 9:14AM
I imagine Obama having been right his entire life. Has anyone ever scolded the young lad?
Spectator: "I don't want to look back on my time here and say to myself all I was interested in was nurturing my own popularity," he said to Sawyer.---> this could never be truthfully said about Pres Bush, who seemed to go out of his way to avoid popularity contests (with the 'help' of silence from fellow Republicans).
Becky| 1.28.10 @ 9:38AM
I never thought he was much of a speaker. Evidently, Alito didn't either.
Rush Limbaugh used to play Obama with an altered audio to show that his words were pretty empty. Most people must be entranced by the timber of his voice that the actual words he mouths.
He really hasn't had enough experience in life to be authentic about much but mooching off others work.
Radegunda| 1.29.10 @ 4:39AM
Becky, I think you're right that the timbre of his smooth baritone has made people think it represents qualities that are simply not there. But his cadence is rather stilted--unlike a truly great orator. And he's got that annoying lisp that makes me wonder what else he's hiding ...
Rmm| 1.28.10 @ 10:00AM
Many years ago when I worked as a mental health assistant there was a saying, schizophrenics build castles in the sky, psychotics live in them.
Obama makes one wonder what path he is on because he surely believes in fairy-tales. Progressives live in a different orbit than do most rational folks, and refuse to accept the general consensus opinion against their agendas.
We do not need more talk!
What we could use is a president who is not tone deaf.
Citizen Jerry| 1.28.10 @ 10:09AM
I fear that if Republicans squander this opportunity and give our Teleprompter of the United States a second term, there may not be much left of our once strong Republic. Ora pro nobis.
Al Adab| 1.28.10 @ 11:02AM
"Let us so conduct ourselves that if, [America and her liberties] shall last a thousand years, men will still say, 'this was their finest hour.'
With due apologies, Conservatives have now the opportunity to preserve for mankind the Liberty which so many valiently sought. We must be vigilant lest a new dark age of tyranny fall and future generations curse our name for failure.
davelnaf| 1.28.10 @ 10:32AM
Excellent snapshot of Obama in his State-of-the-Union whine. All our worse fears of how damaging his presidency could be are coming true. The only question now is how much damage he will cause his party and how much damage he will do to the country.
But, as the author says, Obama could get a second term. This assumes that his second year is worse than his first, giving the Republicans firm control of Congress after the mid-terms. The electorate then gives O a second term in order to give ‘balance’ to the power structure in Washington.
More of the same from Obama could easily spoil this scenario and this would be more than enough to turn the electorate off for good. As early as next year he could be relegated to the status of a largely ceremonial president with a Republican Congress routinely overriding his vetoes and it is unlikely that voters would want to have that in the WH for a second term.
russel| 1.28.10 @ 10:33AM
All of what the author said is true except the "two bruising and bad ones " terms . Ah come on George ! . This is putting cart so far ahead of the horse , it ain't there . We still have three years left suffering this fool and it's patently obvious he's not going to change course and learn from not only his mistakes , but from history . Mass. was a shot across the bow and he blithly sails on , damn the torpedoes . He'll be lucky to scrape through this year .
Thomas Evans| 1.28.10 @ 11:00AM
The lies told last night were truly breathtaking as well as the hubris in calling out a co-equal branch of government(SCOTUS). When will the American people begin to see that this man believes he is an emperor. Untold, was his decision to issue an executive order creating a Budget Task Force which the Congress just turned down. The Congress is still Democrat controlled and yet he goes against his own party. What balls! He is nothing but a man-child dictator who must be hauled kicking and screaming from office, if this Nation is to survive.
Pingback| 1.28.10 @ 11:41AM
The American Spectator : The President Who Knew He Was Right American Me links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
somnolence| 1.28.10 @ 11:55AM
I guess the poor sap thought he would just "wee wee up" everyone's spirits.
Margie| 1.28.10 @ 12:03PM
Well I chose to fire up the computer last night and put on the Arrogant one's speech. I wanted to see if they'd show the audience because I wanted to take delight in seeing the Republicans who refused to stand or clap. I would take pride in them. Well C-Span mostly focused on the Democrats clapping and cheering. So I went to FoxNews live stream and yes I saw that some weren't clapping or standing or smiling and that was good. As for Obama and his words, from the start he lost me. It seemed to me all the time he took to say what he was saying (which my brain continually tuned out to) was only to get to the point where he wanted to look over to the Republicans and "talk to them".. and try and look good. All in all what I saw was the same arrogant Socialist who reminded me of Stalin with the cold stare, and Mussolini with the jutting jaw, who promised to continue his dictatorship over the people and there was no sign of his wanting to be our President and leader of the country, a free people, but rather a monarch addressing his subjects.
Especially what he said about the McCain Feingold decision. Imagine if GW told the Supreme Court they need to overturn Roe v. Wade! Somebody needs to remind Mr. President that Mr. Congress "Shall make NO law abridging the freedom of speech." And we need to remind him that half of his contributions came from unknown and untraceable sources. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.
What a creep.
Grzmlyk| 1.28.10 @ 12:23PM
Excellent post, Margie. I couldn't agree more. He and his "let them eat cake" wife can go to hell.
He IS a creep.
Margie| 1.28.10 @ 12:31PM
Grz,
While I'm not supposed to tell anyone to go there because that's the good Lord's job, I do understand the "sentiment."
Well, hey! On the hopeful side, We the People are going to be working to help elect conservatives in the Republican party as we have been right? So there is plenty of hope. I thought the Republican response by McDonnell was excellent. He was indeed a breath of fresh air and he proves that there are still great Americans who have a clue. A clue that we have the greatest country on the face of the Earth. Thank God the Founding Fathers gave us a representative form of government so that the Arrogant one can NOT continue on if we vote him out!
Grzmlyk| 1.28.10 @ 2:56PM
Well, Margie, Overall, I'm more optimistic than I've been since Mitt Romney dropped out of the race and left the McCain to grab the nomination (I knew we were doomed).
The question is, when Republicans are back in the ascendency, will we have learned the lessons of the past? It's awfully easy for a Republican in Washington to have the soul sucked out of him; it is the natural habitat of big government liberals.
We have some tough times ahead of us and promising ever bigger goodies to ever more fractured constituencies is not sustainable.
Margie| 1.28.10 @ 3:13PM
GoodHeart Grz,
I know exactly what you're talking about. I look at the present state of affairs, the condition if you will, of our government today as a Leviathan. A HUGE monster. Grown by Liberals, mostly on the Left. It is like a beast it is so huge. There is a verse in the Bible that says "Who is like the Beast and who can fight against it?" While that is talking about the Anti-Christ, I apply the thought to our present government. Looking at it is overwhelming.
What I do is ask myself how does God want me to look at it? I came to the conclusion that He would want me to do what I can, whatever is in my power to do, choosing the best candidates in the best party. The best party we have is the Republican party. Since we have a 2 party system now, in reality. I think we are doing a fine job so far in backing the conservative individuals, etc.
Who was it that said you have to "Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst?" And trust God with the rest.
Grzmlyk| 1.28.10 @ 3:22PM
Well, I certainly agree that the Republican party is the only way to go - but it could use an infusion of Tea Party sensibilities!
I'm not a third-party guy.
I just think the entire culture of this country has to come back to reality - that's what made us great. Self reliance, looking toward your own faith, your own family, your own fellow human beings for your sustenance. Not constantly looking toward government with a list of grievances that have magically become "civil rights" or else hands outstretched for the bribes that will keep you in your place for another election cycle.
If we did return to the principles our founding fathers laid out, I think we'd see this country leap ahead, and the poor people and the minorities would be released by the Democrat party from their plantations to fulfill the American dream as they see fit - not remain victim-pawns in a power game where the players don't care about them at all.
Margie| 1.28.10 @ 3:40PM
I feel the same way as you, exactly. The tea party individuals are all of us who feel the same way.. Actually, conservatives have been there all along, but somehow we've allowed the Left to slowly take over bit by bit and now it's caught up with us like a huge cancer.
It would be SO great if we could take our country back by taking back our runaway government and make IT subject to us as the Founders intended, instead of us being subject to it as the Left wants.
You put it so well in your post! When will you decide to run for office? I will campaign for you, I promise!
Dixie Pixie| 1.28.10 @ 12:55PM
Obama having two terms????
At the current rate of progression Obama will lucky not to be the first president impeached for being both ideologically delusional and personally annoying.
My personally favorite annoyance in the SOTU speech was “We face a deficit of trust”. No Obama, there is a “deficit of trust” in you. You have worked hard and long to lose any trust in both your words and actions. The Obama-Care debacle is just one of many reasons to distrust you.
On a brighter note, Obama is rapidly earning the beloved rank of 'Harvard Yard Lawn Jockey'.
Margie| 1.28.10 @ 12:58PM
..or Harvard Yawn Jockey. I actually was lulled to sleep listening to him.
Did you hear Rush? He just said in his "Speech to Obama" a little bit ago: "Obama, are you the One you've been waiting for?" Ha!
Dixie Pixie| 1.28.10 @ 4:03PM
Greetings Margie, Oh Graceful Writer of TAS Posts.
Why yes I did hear Rush Limbaugh broadcast today. Right after Obama's HealthCare address to Congress, I suggested Obama was delusional. I am glad the great Maha Rushie has confirmed my longstanding diagnosis.
I suggest that during Obama's next speech to Congress when a applause line falls so flat that one can hear crickets chirping, someone should yell “ Oh My God, We Are In The Grip Of A Madman”!!!!
Not only would it be true but it would also keep Margie awake with laughter.
Keep up the good works Margie. It is delightful seeing your posts on the TAS threads.
Margie| 1.28.10 @ 4:09PM
LOL! It would indeed keep me awake with laughter! Thank you for that. Hilarious!
~But most of all thanks for the very, VERY kind words! (though I will try to actually BE gracious in my writings).
Oh, and about the great MAhaRushie~ ain't he the BEST!
Sangredulce| 1.28.10 @ 2:41PM
The kenyan should really stop saying he "inherited" all these problems: First of all, it's grown trite and is unbecomeing from a President. Secondly, if he does open his piehole, then he should be honest in his own, Carter's CRA, Freddie/Fannie, Queen Barney and Dodd's complicity in strarting, maintaining then expanding the housing bubble crisis. And Thirdly, he did NOT inherit anything as President. he campaign and won what he got. If he cant take the pressure, then leave already, but stop blaming.
Franklin| 1.28.10 @ 2:58PM
Do you think that the next mental health textbooks will have a special section on Obama? He has so many disorders they can’t decide where to put him. He’s a new classification: Narcissistic, Schizophrenia, Delusional, Antisocial.
Citizen Jerry| 1.28.10 @ 3:14PM
Sam Vaknin, Ph.D. wrote an extensive paper on that back in 2008. It's called Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Just one telling quote:
"The narcissist's personality is so precariously balanced that he cannot tolerate even a hint of criticism and disagreement. Most narcissists are paranoid and suffer from ideas of reference (the delusion that they are being mocked or discussed when they are not). Thus, narcissists often regard themselves as "victims of persecution."
Bettijo| 1.29.10 @ 8:52AM
My thoughts exactly, Franklin. If I recall correctly, there was the case of a judge in California, I think, years ago who was disbarred because he was a habitual liar. He had to step down from the bench. Impeachment for O?
I posted the following earlier today.
From: http://www.jaapl.org/cgi/content/full/33/3/342
"The proposal that pathological lying is a "wish psychosis" was based on the observation that pathological liars saw their lies as reality and believed them." This is a characteristic of a sociopath.
I wonder if he believes his lies? He must or how could he stand up before millions of viewers and outright lie if he knew we knew he was lying? It makes no sense.
I have responded to other posts listing his narcissist characteristics.
We could probably find more personality disorders to fit him in the DSM.
David| 1.28.10 @ 3:15PM
I think Bam Bam has a good chance to be re-elected unless he make some really big foreign policy blunder or we are attacked again.
The economy will probably be improving on its own and unemployment will likely be dropping.
Republicans will probably have both houses of Congress by then and maybe even by 2010. As with Clinton, most Americans will feel that as long as the repubs can keep Bam Bam in check, every thing will be fine.
It was only a few short years ago that repubs controlled the Congress and Presidency, and look what a debacle that was. People aren't likely to forget about this soon.
Add all of that to the fact that there are so many touchy feely people out there who will find it difficult to turn out our first black president after one term.
Marc Jeric| 1.28.10 @ 3:27PM
Abu Hussein from Kenya, our Community Organizer-in-Chief and the American Caesar, said He would rather be a good one-term president that a 2-term average one. Let us assure Him: He won't be either.
Christopher Holland| 1.28.10 @ 11:18PM
Any takers that Obama will leave office in 2012 blaming George W Bush?
Joan Wayne| 1.28.10 @ 4:00PM
The "noise" the POTUS heard that he couldn't break through was the masses gathering in VA and NJ and MA. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW!!
Pingback| 1.28.10 @ 5:46PM
Obama State of the Union: No Apologies for Dissing, Demeaning and Demonizing Middle C links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Mattmon1| 1.28.10 @ 6:00PM
I found it very telling when way back during the bailouts a very small media leak about Obama meeting with the CEOs of the car companies and at least one of the CEOs later said of the meeting "this President has a very disturbing view of what the job of the President of the United States is>..." I think this sums it up. This President is a radical. And, he is trying to seize the moment in a surprisingly blatantly arrogant way that is symptomatic of the far left detachment and his sudden rise to prominence.
Pingback| 1.28.10 @ 7:00PM
Obama State of the Union: Conservative Reactions | DBKP - Death By 1000 Papercuts - D links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 1.28.10 @ 7:36PM
The American Spectator : The President Who Knew He Was Right capital university links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 1.28.10 @ 9:21PM
Discover Best Men’s Perfume at Right Price | Perfume Beauty Wisdom links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Jim Hlavac | 1.28.10 @ 10:20PM
In light of some comments here about the kingly Obama and his dreams of dictatorship, true, yet still, so odd to contemplate. But as I recall, last night he said that since Congress would not do such and such a measure "Then I will just issue an executive order" bypassing Congress. What a guy! Just like George III! Well, we took care of that putz too. Say good night, Obama, your reign is going to go pouffle like a souffle thrown into a raging storm of anger.
Brian| 1.29.10 @ 12:12AM
Prez Obama is a complete failure and a disgrace, yet at 50% approval he's well on his way to a 2nd term.
Blacque Jacques Shellacque| 1.29.10 @ 2:50AM
He could remain polarizing and still win re-election, since Republicans are likely to squander the opportunity of his wobbly popularity.
Yeah, it would be no surprise at all if they pick another RINO to be Obie's opponent in 2012.
Pingback| 1.29.10 @ 4:00PM
robert pattinson – i knew i loved you | Robert Pattinson Celebrity Monitor links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Sue| 1.29.10 @ 5:41PM
I'm late to the party, commenting about the SOTU address. The Republicans and the conservatives are missing the points. The insult hurled at the Supreme Court was Obama setting the stage for HIS appointments. What the public was left with was the very fact that 5 (FIVE) of the justices were incompetent and HIS appointments will be just what America needs. Think Sotomayor, people. The battle lines are being drawn by this marxist/progressive/socialist, etc. and the outcome will be ugly.
At risk are our free speech rights (which he ignores with his hurled, incorrect insult to the Supreme's decision); right to bear arms (which he challenged with the appointment of Sotomayor); property rights, right to assembly and associate, privacy, and on and on.
Do not be so blind as to think HE is incompetent. All most powerful wannabes are very devious, smart, intelligent, resilent, ambitious to a fault, and will persevere over all obstacles in their way.
For the last three years, we have seen the window dressing of this man; next, he and the progressives in the democrat party will do the stage setting for the final blow to the unyielding Constitution (in their eyes). It's what they have dreamed of for over 100 years and what every no- count liberal professor in academia has preached to a multitude of citizens.
Ron| 1.31.10 @ 9:31PM
Your observations are spot on but you've omitted one very important fact. Say what you will of Americans, but one thing is certain; we have backbone. So when the presumed final blow is delivered, it will be met with a roar, not a whimper.
Van Guard| 1.29.10 @ 10:12PM
Revised title: The President Who Knew He Was Right, but Actually Was Too Stupid To Admit That Actually He Was Wrong!
Marcia C| 1.31.10 @ 11:20PM
YOu righties lost big time because you made such a mess.
If Obama is having troubles is that you left him with trillions of debt, two expensive wars and a collapsed economy.
It's amazing to me that you even open your mouths in congress. And worse, just say "no" to everything.
Now you are fighting with the Tea Party that doesn't trust you.
How about a little humility, eh?
How about your favorite demand for "personal responsiblity"? You have proved over and over again that you take zero personal responsibility for what you have done to harm America.
Marcia C| 1.31.10 @ 11:21PM
Van Guard| 1.29.10 @ 10:12PM
Revised title: The President Who Knew He Was Right, but Actually Was Too Stupid To Admit That Actually He Was Wrong!
THAT'S BABY BUSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pingback| 2.8.10 @ 8:08PM
The Iron Mask - The Common Sources of Personality Disorders links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Pingback| 2.22.10 @ 4:27AM
Hey Bozo, Forget Logic and Kiss This! links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Converse | 8.12.11 @ 2:49AM
is good