The American Spectator

Gina Lollobrigida| 3.7.09 @ 11:47AM

I don't know if you caught the You Tube video of Phil Donahue's interview with Milton Friedman, but it made Phil really likeable. He listened to Milton in earnest.

Several years later, Phil interviewed Mount Olympus, otherwise known as Sophia Loren. The conversation was just awful. He asked her a question that drew a really empty response, and he looked at her, rightfully so, like she had two heads.

“Politics: show business for ugly people?”

I'm pretty sure, based on President Obama's extemporaneous talk, he's not a very good synthesizer of knowledge, and that's the reason he desperately needs his TelePrompTer.

That's probably why instead of Gerry Spence we now have a Senior Lecturer.

He's good with platitudes, hardly any of which are inspired, but he's no good when intellectual heft is necessary.

His voice is nice and he looks good, but that's beginning to cloy. And he's oozing a bit of grease now and again too.

I think, along with The DC Examiner's Mark Tapscott, that Obama is in trouble.

He may never go down like a sack of russet potatoes, but he and his masanella really are in in trouble.

Gina| 3.7.09 @ 12:02PM

Scusi, è massanella, no masanella.

Mary| 3.7.09 @ 12:21PM

Hi Gina,

Cómo va la Guerra?

Things are going great here, and they're only getting better!

Alan Brooks| 3.7.09 @ 9:22PM

but you do know the king is going to be re-elected, don't you? he is a god now, his wife is writing a book, his daughters will in a few years have books written in their name, or about them.

even the Barack's dog will have a book published.

Alan Brooks| 3.7.09 @ 9:26PM

...wait, his surname is Obama, not Barack-- I keep forgetting.

chemman| 3.7.09 @ 10:01PM

Tzar of the Teleprompter is good but I will continue with the "Alchemist in Chief" moniker. After all this is the economic genius who thinks that if you paint a lead bar with gold leaf you actually have solid gold. His economic plans of spreading the wealth is the equivalent of painting gold leaf onto lead bars and trying to sell them as solid gold. The value of the gold leaf paint and the lead is all the bar is worth therefore no new wealth has been produced.

Willey| 3.7.09 @ 10:06PM

Gina, not only are you a real good looker, but you are plenty smart, too. Glad you're on our side. Viva beautiful brown eyed brunettes!

CH| 3.7.09 @ 10:07PM

Obama's all style, no substance. Grows old fast.

Jim Lakely| 3.7.09 @ 11:39PM

Good one, chemman. I'll still take "Czar of the Teleprompter" in tribute of the great Marv Albert's nickname for Mike Fratello.

Makes me smile every time.

Bob| 3.8.09 @ 3:05PM

All of you have rather short memories. Reagan used the teleprompter as much as Obama. The difference is that Obama writes much of the text presented. Furthermore, how many of you remember that Reagan only had one debate with Jimmy Carter and broke the record for having the fewest press conferences.

There was an old saying about people who live in glass houses.....

Willey| 3.8.09 @ 3:10PM

It's an abomination to compare Obama to Reagan. Six weeks in office, this upstart is already a disaster.

ConservativeWanderer| 3.8.09 @ 3:17PM

Bob, I'm sure you can provide non-moonbat, non-Wikipedia links that show Reagan's reliance on teleprompters... so do so, or prove once again that you're either a liar or a numbskull... or both.

Matt| 3.8.09 @ 3:24PM

Bob's lying as usual. Reagan wasn't joined at the hip with a 'prompter'. Also, Reagan took a lot of flack from liberals for being slow because of his age. What's Obama's excuse? He ain't so smart, just pretty.

Bob| 3.8.09 @ 6:27PM

Hey, Conservative, all you have to do is use Google (do you know how?) Here's a link from CBS:

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/03/06/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4848259.shtml?CMP=OTC-RSSFeed&source=RSS&attr=PoliticalHotsheet_4848259

Reagan was an actor. He memorized scripts. His team did not allow him to have many press conferences or debates. I wonder why. I'm a Reagan fan but I live in the real world unlike you Limbaugh lemmings.

Gina's Secretary| 3.8.09 @ 6:27PM

Dear Willey-

Gina asked me to write and thank you for your cheery support.

She would have responded herself, but she's on location working on her latest and last film. It's called The WASP Who Loved Me.

It's a delightful, if bitter-sweet, tale of an extremely erudite, extremely industrious yet humble man, who finds and lifts his vagabond from a life of misery hoping yet that she retains the sturdiness of her progenitors.

Why, you might ask? That's an easy question to answer: because his progenitors and her progenitors however set apart by language or station were made of the same sturdiness.

It's also a marvelous tale of democracy, for good or for ill.

Reminding us that envy is always a poor provider, and that any true democrat can never countenance a regaling of entitlement, greed and ingratitude.

Reminding us too, that the ancients thought ingratitude and the inability to weep at the passing of honor, decency and the gentleman, a very grave defect.

Yes, Willey, having been a head-snapper, Gina realizes the power of beauty. But pretty passes and witty remains.

Oh, and lest I forget, her movie, The WASP Who Loved Me, will debut on February 22, 2010 and be taken to heart on the 12th of Never.

All the best.

CH| 3.8.09 @ 7:51PM

Wow. Cool writer. Interesting, your prose style is incredibly similar to Gina's. I clicked on the link in your post; it pretty much sums up the history of the human race. After all, we ARE in this together, aren't we? La vie c'est sacre

CH| 3.8.09 @ 7:58PM

Yeah, Bob, I know--Reagan triumphed over the USSR because of his congenial demeanor. Who knew a pleasant personality could defeat The Evil Empire? Tell Obama, because he doesn't have much else.

ConservativeWanderer| 3.8.09 @ 7:58PM

Bob, have you noticed the difference between your own two statements?

Let me clue you in: memorizing a speech is not the same as reading one off a teleprompter.

And CBS's statement that Reagan was comfortable with teleprompters does not equate to him needing them at every single speech, no matter how much you'd like it to.

For instance, I've never seen a story that says Reagan demanded that a teleprompter be set up in a rodeo ring; and knowing the media's hostility to The Gipper, if it had happened, I'm certain it would have hit the news.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/09/15/obamas-teleprompter-hits-the-trail/

Dennis| 3.8.09 @ 11:55PM

Just so happens that I've got another nickname for President Obama ... PLUS PICTURES to boot.
The Sultan of State -- see him all decked out here:
http://novus2.com/wordpress/?p=3335

Basil Plumley| 3.9.09 @ 9:55AM

@ ConservativeWanderer
You said-Bob, have you noticed the difference between your own two statements?

Bob would point out that you have the problem in comprehension and that he (Bob) still has never made a mistake.
Do you ever get the feeling that Bob isn't what he claims to be? Then again, he could be a perfect example of the Peter Principle Theory in real time.

Bob| 3.9.09 @ 10:10AM

Conservative, there are lots of references regarding Reagan and teleprompters. Studying acting does help communications skills, right?

Personally, Obama's "ah's" and halts grates on me. The fact that he can't extemporaneously present a fluent speech pattern also bothers me. Over the years, I've given thousands of corporate speeches and presentations. I've used teleprompters and dislike them. I prefer an outline and limited notes and then read the audience for emphasis and pace.

That said, I know dozens of people like Obama who are writers and not speakers. One of them is a good friend. I once asked him years ago why he hesitates when speaking extemporaneously. He said he is constantly reviewing alternative phrases in his mind as he speaks. As a writer, he needs to do that. He could not change gears. Let me say that his is one of the smartest people I know.

That's why I always look at content rather than form. I care more when someone says they don't know any Supreme Court decisions than if they fumble a bit in talking about it.

Bob| 3.9.09 @ 10:13AM

Again, Basil, your lack of content and original thought shows through like a worn out flashlight in a cloud of fog. Do you have anything relevant to say? Do you have an individual point of view or are you just another Limbaugh Lemming?

ConservativeWanderer| 3.9.09 @ 10:17AM

Bob, it's painfully obvious you were never on the debate team.

It is incumbent upon you, as the one making the statement, to provide evidence for it. Don't try to pass the buck to me; that's 3rd grade tactics... if I pull up an article that doesn't show what you want it to, you can say, "that's not the one I meant." Therefore, you must provide the evidence to back up your assertion.

Therefore, I call upon you to prove your claims about Reagan and teleprompters. As explained above, it's your responsibility to provide the proof.

Bob| 3.9.09 @ 11:05AM

Conservative, I see you have never debated. I stated my case the then provided a link. In this world of Google, you could certainly find out if this is true. In fact, you could go to YouTube and actually look at Reagan using teleprompters (notice the swing of the head 45 degrees in either direction and the focus of the eyes). No one refutes that Reagan used teleprompters except for irrational and unobjective Limbaugh Lemmings like you.

Personally, after reviewing a number of Reagan speeches, I think he was better at using a teleprompter than Obama. If you looked at debates where a teleprompter was not there, his comments lacked factual information. Furthermore, it is certainly a fact that he had many fewer debates and press conferences. If he was such a good extemporaneous speaker, why do that?

Again, your comments lack coherence and logic.

Basil Plumley| 3.9.09 @ 11:42AM

Bob
All anyone on this board is asking you is to prove your case. You make a premise, throw in a YouTube and/or a Google, and voila, Bob has proved his premise.
Like the OJ juror that you are, there are more facts, perceptions, and logic than your meager premise allows. It is an unbearable shallowness that grates on all. Any challenge to you which involves adding these facts, perceptions, and logic is met with insults and calumny. Thus, it is you who fails to debate.

I understand the desire not to be challenged. It means you have to constantly use that little mind of yours to keep up as your premise constantly fails and you flail about hoping no one else calls you on your inanity.

Your premise on Reagan is wrong but that is what you phonies do; obfuscate the current reality by making up nonsense about someone in the past. There are some great books on Reagan written by some very thoughtful people (Paul Kengor comes to mind). I recommend you read them before you write any more nonsense about Reagan. Comparing Reagan to Obama is comparing Apples and Oranges. Yet, you insist; how logical indeed.
The evidence that you are a fraud is mounting.

Yet somehow, you deem yourself as still the brightest and most loved (if only by your family).
You are certainly a legend ......... in your own mind.

Psst, I think I hear Frum calling you. SWAT!!

ConservativeWanderer| 3.9.09 @ 12:32PM

Bob, you provided one link, which I then debunked. You then insinuated that there were more:

"Conservative, there are lots of references regarding Reagan and teleprompters."

And I challenged you to show me these "lots of references.

Therefore, as you made the "lots of references" statement, it's up to you to provide the "lots of references" evidence.

As I said before, I'm not going to open myself up to letting you claim I didn't pick the link(s) you had in mind: either provide them yourself or the clear conclusion will be that you cannot, probably because they don't exist; i.e. you're a liar.

The ball is in your court, Bob.

Bob| 3.9.09 @ 3:29PM

Conservative, I do understand why you take the three monkeys route and don't want to learn the truth. Just Google "reagan teleprompter" and you'll see hundreds of results and articles. I challenge you to find ANY there that indicates Reagan did not use one. And please review some of Reagan's speeches -- he had some very good ones -- and tell me you don't see him moving his head side to side reading teleprompters. I see you are not interested in the truth. You are an example of why social conservatives are ruining the Republican party -- all belief and no reason.

ConservativeWanderer| 3.9.09 @ 3:33PM

There ya go. Bob can't produce evidence so he decides to attack the person requesting the evidence.

Thanks for playing, loser.

Jim Lakely| 3.9.09 @ 3:39PM

Happy to see my original post over at The American Culture has brought out the best (or worst) in Bob.

Even if you could cite dozens of examples to prove that Reagan used teleprompters — something you seem unwilling or unable to do at the moment, Bob — it would not change the fact that no president has relied on them more than Barack Obama. His rate of use of the teleprompters now stands at 100 percent, and is not likely to diminish in the near future, as the Politico story suggests.

The Czar of the Teleprompter can't even pull off something as simple as a 30-second introduction of the new Deputy Undersecretary of Statism in Charge of Finding New Assistant Deputy Undersecretaries of the Secretary of Statism without reading the teleprompter.

I covered the Bush 43 White House for The Washington Times. When Bush gave an official press conference in the Rose Garden, the briefing room or in the auditorium of the Eisenhower building on the White House campus , he usually emerged with some note cards, perhaps a piece of paper — but usually nothing at all.

I also find it funny that Bob is positing the unique argument that Obama is actually SO SMART that NOT using a teleprompter trips him up. That's a new one. Many writers I know are excellent off-the-cuff public speakers — proving the adage that if you can't write clearly, it means you can't think clearly. And if you can think clearly, and have mastery of your subject, speaking off the cuff is a breeze.

Which brings us, again, to the reasons why Obama fumbles about without a script scrolling before him. It could be because when he goes off script, we end up with "Joe the Plumber" socialist moments, or radio interviews in which he says a cap-and-trade scheme will "obviously" mean dramatic increases in the cost of energy to all Americans.

Best not to take many chances to let the truth come out in such a sensitive political moment. Thus, the teleprompter goes with him everywhere.

Bob| 3.9.09 @ 3:56PM

Jim, I have no personal knowledge about Obama's intellect. I also went to Harvard and know an abundance of Harvard Law graduates. I cannot believe that he was the head of the Law Review if he weren't exceptionally bright. There is also no evidence he was a legacy admit like W. By the way, no one has ever questioned that he wrote his own books. They are exceptionally written.

As a fiscal conservative, I do question some of his judgments and as a retired executive, I question his current focus and management ability. And I do know a number of very smart writers like Obama. I also know a number of rather mediocre people who speak exceptionally well. We all have our talents.

Here's a CBS article on teleprompters:

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/03/06/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry4848259.shtml

If you are an objective journalist, you would admit that Reagan used teleprompters. But given you are from the right wing Washington Times, I understand your bias.

Basil Plumley| 3.9.09 @ 4:03PM

Don't worry Jim. Reading a lot of Bob's diatribes makes me believe that if he does indeed work at a Fortune 100 company, it may be in the mail room.

No one in Corporate America advances up the proverbial ladder with such a strident misogynist attitude; unless they own the company. I doubt those owners are that successful.

BTW, when Obama goes off script, he also bowls a 37. I think when Bob posts at AmSpec, his nose grows.

Jim Lakely| 3.9.09 @ 4:16PM

Who said Ronald Reagan NEVER used a teleprompter? Anyone here? Certainly not me. I think you should stop using that as a dodge.

So, you have no "personal" knowledge of Obama's intellect. I wouldn't expect you to, unless you have known him for years. Then, you go on to cite some credentials for his intellect. So which is it? Can we not at least admit that he's been sold to us as one of the smartest men to be elected president? Use the evidence you cite to support that argument? Or dismiss it because you have no "personal" knowledge?

Yes, we all have our talents. One of the ones Obama is said to have is near peerless rhetorical ability. Apparently, it disappears when not reading a scrolling screen.

(Reagan, for the record, made his bones touring the country for GE giving speeches and taking questions from the audience. They hadn't invented the teleprompter yet.)

Jim Lakely| 3.9.09 @ 4:18PM

Good one about the bowling, Basil.

It should also be noted that when the administration in general goes off script, they give defective and childish "reset buttons" to world leaders.

ConservativeWanderer| 3.9.09 @ 4:20PM

Jim, don't worry about Bob... he likes to pontificate but can't back up his bloviations with anything more than other bloviations. That's why I always challenge him for proof... it illustrates to everyone with more than two functioning brain cells that Bob is just a blowhard.

Basil, mail room? I wouldn't trust Bob to properly sort the mail. In my company he'd be mopping the bathroom floors... and he'd have explicit orders not to mess with the coffee pot, lest he mess it up.

ConservativeWanderer| 3.9.09 @ 4:23PM

It should also be noted that when the administration in general goes off script, they give defective and childish "reset buttons" to world leaders.

Jim,

At least that isn't as bad as telling our closest ally for lo these many decades that they're not special.

The real views of many in Obama administration were laid bare by a State Department official involved in planning the Brown visit, who reacted with fury when questioned by The Sunday Telegraph about why the event was so low-key.

The official dismissed any notion of the special relationship, saying: "There's nothing special about Britain. You're just the same as the other 190 countries in the world. You shouldn't expect special treatment."

Courtesy the Sunday Telegraph:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/barackobama/4953523/Barack-Obama-too-tired-to-give-proper-welcome-to-Gordon-Brown.html

Jim Lakely| 3.9.09 @ 4:30PM

Ok, Bob. I took the bait and read that article that contained a single sentence revealing that Reagan (gasp!) used a teleprompter. Devastating! Again, no one here said he didn't.

I did find this bit interesting, though ...

Mr. Obama doesn’t always give a flawless teleprompter performance. He’ll occasionally stumble on a word or lose his place – but not often.

Wow. Obama not often loses his place. What a talent!

And when the White House provides an advance text and reporters can follow along, Mr. Obama can be seen plowing his way through complicated run-on sentences without hesitation.

Another skill that I gather requires a Harvard education: Writing "complicated run-on sentences" and plowing through them.

Looks like The Czar of the Telestrator nickname just keeps looking more apt the more "evidence" you provide, Bob.

Basil Plumley| 3.9.09 @ 4:31PM

Good Lord Bob!!

That response is exceptionally weak for the charges you make. I believe that David Freddoso in his book about Obama details how Obama became President of HLR. He was a compromise candidate.

Oddly, Obama does not have any Law Review articles with his name on them. It is quite amazing for someone to become President of HLR with no work product.
Obama has never released his academic records nor any of his papers including his thesis written at Columbia concerning the Cold War.

There is also some debate whether Obama actually wrote his books.

Nice shot at W. Legacy admit? His family went to Yale.

What really is amazing Bob, is your persistence to change the template. The author's premise was to illustrate the DEPENDENCE of Obama on the teleprompter. In turn, you argue that Reagan used the teleprompter. Do you now understand the frustration folks have with your stubborness?

When you are called out, you respond with utter nonsense without any clue with what you wrote or point you were trying to make.
Did you drop acid with Tim Leary at Harvard or are you in the early stages of dementia?

You really need to read more and post less. Every time you post you weaken the nation.

Jim Lakely| 3.9.09 @ 4:36PM

Saw that article earlier today, CW. Which reminds me ...

What was all that stuff about Obama repairing America's relations with the world that Bush spent 8 years destroying? I suppose that only applies to declared enemies of the United States, who we must be coddle and grovel before.

Our best and most important ally? They can just piss off. What a foreign policy start this Obama guy is off to.

ConservativeWanderer| 3.9.09 @ 4:41PM

I once thought, Jim, that Obama's first term would be Carter's second.

I was wrong.

He's worse.

One wonders if The One True Obama would even bother launching a screwed-up rescue attempt if Ahmadinnerjacket took Americans hostage in Iran.

Bob| 3.9.09 @ 4:55PM

Jim, your lack of objectivity is obvious. Do you have any evidence that Obama is not smart? Grades in school? Lack of achievements? etc.????

If you read my response, I agreed with you about the teleprompter but made the point that to extend that behavior to his intellect is wrong psychologically. That is really what you and your Limbaugh Lemmings are trying to do. It is an intellectually weak argument at best.

The fact is that these types of arguments may rally the right whacko base, but they turn off independents and Dems -- the people you need to win a national election.

Jim Lakely| 3.9.09 @ 5:05PM

Spare me the advice on how Republicans can win elections, Bob. I seriously doubt you have the GOP's best interest in mind.

Do I have evidence that Obama is not smart? Why do you keep changing the goal posts, Bob? Oh, yeah. Because you're an intellectually dishonest debater.

My point, again, is that we're told that Obama is soooooo darn smart. I argue that a truly smart man wouldn't need to rely on a teleprompter for his every public statement, no matter how small. It reveals, to my mind, a man who is either not as smart as advertised, or one who needs to "stay on script" so he doesn't screw up and reveal too much of his real agenda — as I pointed out, he'd done on a few off-script incidents.

Besides, is lampooning Obama now off limits? After 8 years of "Chimpy McTorture" and Hitler posters from you lefties, I think dubbing Obama the "Czar of the Teleprompter" should be allowed.

ConservativeWanderer| 3.9.09 @ 5:30PM

What's interesting, Jim, is how fast and furiously Bob and his lefty friends are flip-flopping on the idea that flubbing a few words indicates a sub-par intelligence.

Despite evidence (link below) that Bush's scores were right around John Kerry's--whom we were also told was oh-so-smart, shades of Obama--every single slip of the tongue by Dubya was prima facie evidence that Bush was an idiot.

Now, of course, the same slips of the tongue are nothing of the sort, despite the fact that we have little hard evidence of Obama's intelligence or lack of same.

In short, the lefties are finding that Obama has stumbled into the trap they were trying to catch Bush in, and it flusters them to the point of incoherence.

Bush/Kerry grades: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/06/07/yale_grades_portray_kerry_as_a_lackluster_student/

ruth| 3.9.09 @ 6:37PM

I don't know why Bob never gets tired of the Conservative spanking he receives at AmSpec. Guess he likes it. Ewwwww.

Basil Plumley| 3.9.09 @ 7:00PM

@ ruth

Ewwwwwww ............. LOL!!!

Bob| 3.10.09 @ 9:50AM

Jim, I've been a Republican my entire life, and until Bush came along and went into Iraq and then expanded government while cutting taxes, I have voted ONLY for Republican presidents. You and other so-called conservatives supported these things. Democrats will only continue to raise spending. I consider it worse to raise spending and cut taxes as that puts a burden on our children.

Face it, you can't win unless people like me are part of the coalition. And you can't get us in when you eschew intellect and put religious right whackos in charge of the party. For the record, and I've said this a number of times, I was a Romney supporter and disliked McCain immensely because he has shown absolutely no signs of intelligent life.

And by the way, you clearly have not studied the psychology of brain activity. I suggest you actually talk to a neurology expert, perhaps at a teaching hospital, to validate your beliefs with actual information. Perhaps they will explain how the brain works and why specific abilities may, or may not be associated with intelligence.

I know you won't do this because you are not a real journalist.

ruth| 3.11.09 @ 12:32AM

Basil, LOL!!