teleprompter where art thou?
December 9, 2009
Notable & Quotable
Tina Brown on President Obama and his confusing words.
Tina Brown at The Daily Beast, Dec. 3:
It's a strange paradox for a great wordsmith, but whenever Obama makes an important policy speech these days he leaves everyone totally confused. His first health-care press conference back in July triggered a season of raucous political Rorschach and left his hopeful followers utterly baffled about what they were being asked to support.
Now White House envoys are being dispatched all over the globe to explain what the president really meant about the date when troops will or won't be pulled out of Afghanistan. . . .
Does Obama create confusion on purpose? Is this his "process" based on his confession that he's a screen onto which people project things? Is it a strategy so that whatever bill trickles out of Congress or however many soldiers linger in Afghanistan, he can claim that the outcome is what he meant it all along? . . .
Or is it that there is so much subtext to every part of this message that the simple heads of the electorate are just not pointy enough to comprehend it?
I have come to the conclusion that the real reason this gifted communicator has become so bad at communicating is that he doesn't really believe a word that he is saying. He couldn't convey that health-care reform would be somehow cost-free because he knows it won't be. And he can't adequately convey either the imperatives or the military strategy of the war in Afghanistan because he doesn't really believe in it either.
Printed in The Wall Street Journal, page A27
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6 Comment(s)
I am amazed and pleased at the quotes that came out of Obama's acceptance speech at the Nobel Prizes. He made some strong statements about evil being real and existing in the world, and that sometimes an armed response is necessary. Such statements were badly needed at that time, and he came through. As I say, this is surprising and welcome.
--by on 12/12/09 Lives: Dearborn
Whoops! I must scale back my enthusiasm for Obama's comments. The ones I praised are still good, but I wasn't aware that he also stated that no country should go to war alone, etc. A recent poll cited in the Free Press noted that 44% of Americans - the highest percentage ever - feel that America has to STOP asking for permission from the rest of the world to do what is right for America. Obama needs to realize what evil we are facing, and do what is right to stop it. Regardless of what Europe thinks...
--by on 12/13/09 Lives: Dearborn
How it is possible for Tina Brown, UK born and educated, journalist, magazine editor, columnist, talk-show host and author be confused after a Barak Obama speech? We all know President Obama is a rhetorical virtuoso, but Ms Brown concluded she is skeptical Obama really believes his own speeches. During the presidential campaign, Mr. Obama became the Pied Piper of hope, opportunity, and change. With “Rock Star” enthusiasm, he was embraced by his Democratic base and independent voters who fell in love with his style and became mesmerized with the prose of his delivery. His supporters would sing his hit mantras of “Yes We Can” and the very popular “Change we can believe in”. But now after almost a year of his presidency, his approval rating has dropped back to his base due to loosing many independents that supported him. The independents want more than just a catchy melody. They want action. Just as in pop music, lyrics may or may not make sense. Obama’s lyrics are filled with boring academic rhetoric that sounds as if Obama doesn’t mean what he says and says what he means. (Ms Brown may be on to something.) Why? Could Obama have a hidden agenda to mask his real intention of transforming America? It’s no secret Obama’s adult moral influence for 20 years was his pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Rev. Wright is a proponent of ‘Black Liberation Theology’. This theology maintains that African Americans must be liberated from multiple forms of bondage — social, political, economic and religious. Rev. Wright believes the cause of the black man’s plight in America is the ruling class of “rich white people”. Here’s what he said about Obama, “Barack KNOWS what it means to be a black man living in a country and culture that is controlled by rich white people….[they] want us to sing, ‘God Bless America’. No. No. No. Not God Bless America ‘God damn America’.
Another influencer is Chicago educational reformer Bill Ayers. Bill Ayers is mostly remembered as a former domestic terrorist and officer in the Weathermen/SDS organization. Those who regularly attended the Grande Ballroom in the late 60’s will remember the revolutionary ranting of the SDS and similar groups. Bill Ayers hasn’t changed much in his core beliefs since his Ann Arbor days. He still considers himself a radical, leftist and small “c” communist. Publically, Obama won’t admit to aligning with Rev. Wright’s and Bill Ayers philosophy, but his actions prove that he is. Obama’s vision of a united America won’t come voluntarily, it will be legislated. This fresh fellow from the Chicago Democratic Machine has brought less hope and more radical change to a nation divided over his hard left agenda. Not to mention, he is the most polarizing president in recent history. Obama’s campaign promise to transform America will come to pass unless common sense voters ‘SEE THE LIGHT’ when looking through Obama’s legislative template to redistribute personal and business wealth. Obama is a ‘snake oil salesman’ (scroll down and view Time Warp) to fulfill Rev. Wright’s and Bill Ayers vision of a reformed government to set proletariat free.
--by on 12/14/09 Lives: USA
If Obama was "embraced by his Democratic base and independent voters who fell in love with his style and became mesmerized with the prose of his delivery" then I hate to see who PJANNY thinks Bush was embraced by. Look at the election result maps and then look at the demographics (it was a bunch of hillbilly, religious, gun-toting illiterates. That or the very rich. How did that "trickle-down" work out for ya??
--by on 12/15/09 Lives: Detroit area
More Demorcatic Party BS. First Family OBAMA intended to find a local church to attend when they moved to Washington, concerns about crowds and displacing regular worshippers has prevented them from finding a new religious home during their first year here.
--by on 12/29/09 Lives: Detroit area