Obamateurism of the Day
posted at 7:53 am on March 22, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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This is a clip from a few days ago, and in this case, it’s not so much what he says as the obvious fact that he got lost on his Teleprompter while saying it. Watch President Obama look nervously left and right trying to find the thread of his remarks, and drop into the Department of Redundancy Department when he does:
There are those who say that the plans in this budget are too ambitious to enact. To say that, uh … they say uh, in the face of challenges, uh, that we face, we should be trying to do less than more.
In the face of challenges that we face? It’s facing those challenging challenges that really challenge us to our face.
Got an Obamateurism of the Day? If you see a foul-up by Barack Obama, e-mail it to me at obamaisms@edmorrissey.com with the quote and the link to the Obamateurism. I’ll post the best Obamateurisms on a daily basis, depending on how many I receive. Include a link to your blog, and I’ll give some link love as well. And unlike Slate, I promise to end the feature when Barack Obama leaves office.
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“Storybook man” . . . good one, and he’s also an absolute nincompoop. And, the old adage “where there’s no sense there’s no feeling” certainly applies in his case.
rplat on March 22, 2009 at 8:06 PM
“This video has been removed by the user.”
…….. any questions?
Seven Percent Solution on March 22, 2009 at 8:09 PM
Yup……….
…………. I remember one speech where the teleprompter controller (McCain aide) did not stop the speech for all the extra unexpected applause.
Improvisation and intelligence….. indeed!
Seven Percent Solution on March 22, 2009 at 8:13 PM
He reminds me a lot of Carter, only Carter was far more competent and made an honest, if misguided, effort to be moral.
carl todd hand on March 22, 2009 at 8:13 PM
TOTUS Rules!
profitsbeard on March 22, 2009 at 8:21 PM
I grew up around a lot of viciously racist Johnson Democrats. In my adult life, most of the noticably racist people I’ve met have been liberals, believing we should treat someone differently solely because of their race. They’ve been equally prejudiced in their view of homosexuals and those not born to wealth or privilige.
Red State State of Mind on March 22, 2009 at 8:24 PM
AP/Washington
This evening the body of John Smith of suburban Virginia was recovered from the Potomac River. Mr. Smith had bullet wounds to the torso and the head, several stab wounds and piano wire wrapped around his throat. The medical examiner has ruled Mr. Smith’s death a suicide. Mr. Smith worked for the White House technology department, specifically, he ran the teleprompter.
peacenprosperity on March 22, 2009 at 8:25 PM
I don’t know if this is Obamateurism or what, but the Steve Kroft thing about “punch drunk” has got to hurt. I’m sure the left will just brush it off.
But Obama often has that inappropriate laugh/giggle or whatever. Like when saying Ok guys, I’ll take the fall for the AIG stuff.
Like he’s rolling his eyes, saying, wow, can you believe these idiots>
Of course he reverses course and make AIG to be evil incarnate.
But, a lack of discipline over how you project yourself is definitely a problem
And Kroft nailed him on it.
He’s the President and he’s got a lot to learn.
r keller on March 22, 2009 at 8:28 PM
Who are ‘THEY’!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
canopfor on March 22, 2009 at 8:30 PM
Our Cipher in Chief is giggling “punch drunk”.
Entelechy on March 22, 2009 at 8:47 PM
Ed,
The first post on this topic was Obamateurism Of The Day “Feature”. I think you should keep the word “Feature” (quotes and all). You could even use the tagline “It’s not a bug. It’s a feature“. After all, Obama doesn’t make mistakes. Therefore everything he does must be done on purpose right?
Onus on March 22, 2009 at 8:49 PM
Et tu TOTUS
darwin-t on March 22, 2009 at 8:57 PM
Anyone notice that even when Bush would come to a problem in speaking, more often than not, he could adapt? Sure, they would make fun of him, but it was because they demand perfect recital. Instead, Bush talked like he was talking to another guy in a bar: honestly, and forthrightly. He was more about getting a point across than he was about making it sound good.
MadisonConservative on March 22, 2009 at 9:03 PM
MadisonConservative on March 22, 2009 at 9:03 PM
Yeah, Bush was a great speaker. He never mangled the English language or train of thought.
I don’t know why Letterman showed him every night.
Seriously?
Geez.
getalife on March 22, 2009 at 9:23 PM
Which is worse? Making a syntax error or grammatical error, or not being able to give a coherent speech without a teleprompter?
Bush wasn’t the smoothest speaker, but he could get his point across without needing to read from a teleprompter constantly. As soon as Obama is without one, every other word is “uh” and he seems like a terrified 5th grader giving a report in front of the class.
MadisonConservative on March 22, 2009 at 9:25 PM
The Leftists went after Bush’s vocalisms because it was the easiest point to attack him on. After all, they couldn’t attack him on his “educational background”, as his opponent on 2000 had flunked out of one college, dropped out of another, and spent most of his time at Harvard playing pool and smoking spliffs.
Likewise, Bush’s 2004 “opponent” had lower SAT scores than Chimpy did.
Since Chimpy actually earned two degrees from two separate Ivy League universities (including a Masters in Business from Harvard Business School), he couldn’t be attacked by his opponents for a lack of education.
What to do?
Saul Alinsky, who was a mentor of Hillary Clinton and a God to Barry O’bama, made it a central part of his subversive techniques to personally ridicule his political opponent whenever he couldn’t defeat them in informed debate.
As a result, the Leftist Bush opponents went after him the only way they knew how-schoolyard bully insults.
That’s all they have. And they know it.
BTW, on their parallel universe called BDS-13, it’s totally unimportant that the evil Bush pronounces the word “nuclear” exactly the same way Jimmy Carter does. After all, Jimmy won a Nobel Peace Prize.
Del Dolemonte on March 22, 2009 at 9:30 PM
Michelle: Oh God! Oh God!
Barry: Yes, my child?
darwin-t on March 22, 2009 at 9:32 PM
MadisonConservative on March 22, 2009 at 9:25 PM
He was an embarrassment and a failure.
Compare the two in town hall questions without a teleprompter and the President put him to shame.
Not even close.
getalife on March 22, 2009 at 9:35 PM
He did fine during the presidential debates and the countless tv interviews during the campaign without a teleprompter. The rhetorical stumbles you guys are using are laughably mild, that’s why this whole idea is unintentionally hilarious. He says “uh” a couple times and it’s an “Obamateurism”.
crr6 on March 22, 2009 at 9:36 PM
Who’s “Letterman”?
Geez.
Del Dolemonte on March 22, 2009 at 9:36 PM
You do know that the interviews he did during the campaign were on tape, not live, and used pre-secreened questions, don’t you?
Del Dolemonte on March 22, 2009 at 9:39 PM
The Dem/Obama recession goes on and on.
Johan Klaus on March 22, 2009 at 9:43 PM
We are hoping the Bush/Obama plan works .
The dreaded toxic assets that gave us the bush depression.
getalife on March 22, 2009 at 9:45 PM
He is the worst speaker I’ve ever heard without his Teleprompter. Bar none.
hawkdriver on March 22, 2009 at 9:46 PM
The Bush/Obama/Dem recession. There you go.
True_King on March 22, 2009 at 9:46 PM
And he’s ruining the economy.
hawkdriver on March 22, 2009 at 9:46 PM
Worse than Bush?
True_King on March 22, 2009 at 9:46 PM
He’s insensitive to the handicapped and is always sticking his foot in his mouth.
hawkdriver on March 22, 2009 at 9:48 PM
I think his performances in the debates with Clinton were outstanding.
The ones with McCain were too easy for him.
McCain performed worse than bush.
getalife on March 22, 2009 at 9:49 PM
So that 8-minute combination of “uh”s taken from an hour long interview was a “couple times”?
What’s it like living in denial?
MadisonConservative on March 22, 2009 at 9:51 PM
We are hoping the Bush/Obama plan works.
The dreaded toxic assets that gave us the bush depression.
getalife on March 22, 2009 at 9:45 PM
You said the Bush depression was over. Remember when you were screeching “buy buy buy!”?
Now you’re saying it isn’t over? So what stock advice do you have now?
Bishop on March 22, 2009 at 9:52 PM
In a way, you’re right. Bush talked to the people, Obama talked at them.
MadisonConservative on March 22, 2009 at 9:52 PM
Worst than anyone! My God, he can’t put two words together without stopping to think about what he’s trying to say. Ers are always the filler. I had to grade other officers giving briefings in the Warrant Officer Senior course so I’m always naturally counting the ers and ums out of habit. oabama without his TOTUS drives me batcrap. Please David always make sure he has it.
hawkdriver on March 22, 2009 at 9:52 PM
That is rich.
getalife on March 22, 2009 at 9:52 PM
Unfortunately McCain was terrible. I preferred Palin’s performance against Biden though. I thought under the tremendous amount of pressure she performed very well.
I’ve never liked Barry’s debates though, he is always watching his words. The smoothest I’ve ever heard him sound was that phone interview with a radio program where he spoke about redistributionist and the courts, or something along those lines. But he was very smooth and natural, no stuttering, no ah, eh, ooh, just smooth natural flow, this was due to him speaking about things he is comfortable with, which in this case was law and socialism. It was odd because I’ve never heard him speak that smoothly.
True_King on March 22, 2009 at 9:54 PM
redistribution
–
Fixed.
True_King on March 22, 2009 at 9:54 PM
I thought both obama and Biden did really well in the debates because there was no media who wanted to call them on their lies and mistakes. It was so easy for them. Senator McCain and Governor Palin both knew the media would check what info they presented. But on shear entertainment value, obama and Biden rocked the debates. They were so funny trying to look serious about what they were “layin on thick.”
hawkdriver on March 22, 2009 at 9:56 PM
Yep, Bush really connected with the people. His approval ratings were always just great.
crr6 on March 22, 2009 at 9:57 PM
Biden was funny. He didn’t know which article of the Constitution governed the responsibilities of the Vice-President.
hawkdriver on March 22, 2009 at 9:57 PM
And obama, hey look, I know a dead soldier too, his name is, er, right here on my arm, lets see here, I can just make it out, yeah my name, er same name,
hawkdriver on March 22, 2009 at 9:59 PM
Here is one for tomorrow. Obama writes a letter to Jacques Chirac, insulting Sarkozy. From Gateway Pundit:
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/2009/03/obama-upsets-sarkozy-with-letter-to.html
Obama is a complete idiot and people are starting to catch on.
Gabe on March 22, 2009 at 10:07 PM
What were his ratings two months into his presidency?
And what are Obama’s?
Awaiting your response.
MadisonConservative on March 22, 2009 at 10:07 PM
Oh, Great! A teleprompter challenged president!
TN Mom on March 22, 2009 at 10:11 PM
Great link Gabe. My goodness, does the idiocy ever stop? I guess he doesn’t like the present French President because he’s considered a Conservative. I wonder how the press would handle a Conservative foreign leader snubbing him and writing to President Bush because obama is a Socialist?
hawkdriver on March 22, 2009 at 10:12 PM
That argument might work for a few weeks, but Uhhhhbama’s only been working at destroying America for two months.Many people haven’t caught on yet.
darwin-t on March 22, 2009 at 10:20 PM
Remember that when Joe the Plumber got Obmama talking off of teleprompter Zero had to have his media lackeys and several State of Ohio employees do a smear of Joe. That was merely a glimpse into the screw-ups followed by whitewashing one can now expect from Zero even during scripted fluff interview such as on Leno and 60 minutes.
Ironically it’s Steve Kroft to whom Obambi goes for latest damage control. Kroft is the lackey to whom Bubba and Hill went to peddle Bubba as “a changed man” in 1992 as part of Slick’s repackaging as henceforth to be faithful to Hill with all his trysts behind him.
viking01 on March 22, 2009 at 10:24 PM
So, after more than 8 years (counting from, and including the 2000 campaign) of relentless attacks from a provably unkind media, constant carping by unhinged left-wing bloggers, bumper stickers calling him names, his approval ratings dropped? Who would have thought that would happen?
I’m just one voice, but I’d like to see the same standards applied to this president as to the last – where is the constant mocking by late night and sketch comics? Where (other than here) is the count of the gaffes and mispeaks? Where are the entire bookshelf-wide sections in major bookstores that mock or deride the president.
massrighty on March 22, 2009 at 10:26 PM
Dwar gawd, our president is a moron.
Norwegian on March 22, 2009 at 10:32 PM
Those who claim otherwise, please link to the townhall speeches he gave.
Entelechy on March 22, 2009 at 10:32 PM
Belatedly, wow, thanks for the link – it never even occured to me that these guys would still be around -
“The pyramid is opening up!”
“Which one?”
“The one with the ever-widening hole in it!”
massrighty on March 22, 2009 at 10:39 PM
Someone needs to remake the heavy metal band Iron Maiden album 666 and put TOTUS with strings on Obama. And Soros with strings on TOTUS.
shick on March 22, 2009 at 10:58 PM
The hilarious scene in Bruce Almighty when Bruce makes Steve Carrell’s character spew gibberish comes to mind, not that Obuma! could ever be that funny…
Christine on March 22, 2009 at 11:00 PM
Got
milkTOTUS?luvstotango on March 22, 2009 at 11:00 PM
Obama meets Spinal Tap where Zero keeps trying to tell his fans that his amp goes to eleven instead of ten. It’s one louder.
viking01 on March 22, 2009 at 11:05 PM
Obama meets Spinal Tap where Zero keeps trying to tell his fans that his amp goes to eleven instead of ten. It’s one louder.
viking01 on March 22, 2009 at 11:05 PM
“There’s a fine line between clever and stupid.”
Bishop on March 22, 2009 at 11:08 PM
Oh, the other observation I had was that I found it strange that his taped message to Iran was delivered to one camera with one teleprompter just below it, not the usual right, then left weirdness. What is it with Barry that he can’t seem to deliver a speech to the American People that’s given to one camera, not the side to side weirdness…I’m sure that it has happened, but not that often, or lately. Anybody?
Christine on March 22, 2009 at 11:08 PM
“There’s a fine line between clever and stupid.”
Bishop on March 22, 2009 at 11:08 PM
LOL. As spoken by David St. Hubbins. Named after the patron saint of quality footwear.
viking01 on March 22, 2009 at 11:16 PM
Soros is small fry, it needs to show string being pulled by the Bilderberg group.
True_King on March 22, 2009 at 11:16 PM
I can’t even stand to look at him, much less listen. I have to change the channel or turn the television off!
Susanboo on March 22, 2009 at 11:17 PM
He had a problem controlling himself while making speeches on the campaign trail as well…well, BEFORE he was officially elected that is, he’s actually STILL on the campaign trail..
But I digress..remember when he would flip the bird as he was speaking of Hillary and others?
He has no control of expressions or reactions, they leak through consistently and it’s happening more and more. The stress that’s building from his and his administration’s incompetence is making it worse.
SassyDarlin on March 22, 2009 at 11:18 PM
Couldn’t Zero just go back to using his seal for the Office of Prez-uh-DENT Elect and return the real presidential seal to his adult predecessor?
viking01 on March 22, 2009 at 11:24 PM
Why should we be embarrassed by ourselves when we have Obama to do it for us? I am embarrassed every time he opens his mouth, especially in front of foreign leaders. It’s really embarrassing when I read the articles from the press in Britain written about the dumb things he says and does. Unlike Pres. Bush, who they hated just because the Libs all hated him (for no reason, other then his politics, I might add), Obama really acts like an idiot and they recognize him as one.
Susanboo on March 22, 2009 at 11:26 PM
Gatewaypundit has Obama telling Jaques Chirac that he looks forward to working with him!
jgapinoy on March 22, 2009 at 11:35 PM
…Sarkozy is France’s big cheese now, BHO.
jgapinoy on March 22, 2009 at 11:36 PM
http://gatewaypundit.blogspot.com/
jgapinoy on March 22, 2009 at 11:39 PM
Yeah, good thing he doesn’t ever lecture on the Constitution or anything.
malclave on March 22, 2009 at 11:42 PM
That is SO stupid I have to wonder if the story is authentic. He can’t be that much of an idiot, can he?
Daggett on March 22, 2009 at 11:48 PM
Anyone want to bet that this doesn’t make Letterman’s “Great Moments in Presidential History”?
BTW, remember how often the late night comedians said they don’t make fun of him because there’s nothing to make fun of… he’s just so smooth and eloquent. Give me 10 minutes and I could find a couple dozen gaffes and blunders, worthy of late night mocking.
I wouldn’t care so much if it weren’t for the fact that we’ve got a country full of idiots who get a lot of their “news” from these programs.
RightWinged on March 22, 2009 at 11:53 PM
“What if Bush did it?” moment number 13,538.
jgapinoy on March 22, 2009 at 11:56 PM
Huh.
crr6 hasn’t given us a comparison of Bush’s and Obama’s approval ratings two months into their first terms.
Wonder why?
MadisonConservative on March 23, 2009 at 12:00 AM
At first he was lost without his teleprompter. Now he’s lost with it. He might want to go back to writing things on the inside of his jacket, like he did to get through college.
zefal on March 23, 2009 at 12:00 AM
If Harvard felt compelled to hide Zero’s grades for him he probably is indeed that much of an idiot.
viking01 on March 23, 2009 at 12:00 AM
VP Joetox slammed his boss pretty good at the Gridiron Dinner tonight:
jgapinoy on March 23, 2009 at 12:01 AM
Maybe because I went grocery shopping?
Most presidents have pretty good approval ratings once they enter office and Obama is no exception (although if he were performing as horribly everyone here thinks one would assume they would be lower…) but I guarantee you that he won’t be the most unpopular president since polling began like Bush. We’ll just have to wait and see who’s right.
crr6 on March 23, 2009 at 12:10 AM
So in other words, they’re about the same?
But I thought Obama is so much better. Shouldn’t he be 30 points ahead?
O-ba-ma…O-ba-ma…keep chanting, don’t lose your faith.
MadisonConservative on March 23, 2009 at 12:15 AM
His bamstapo won’t allow it. You must approve of him.
hawkdriver on March 23, 2009 at 12:17 AM
But I thought Obama was so much worse! Shouldn’t he be 30 points behind? Obama’s still doing better than Bush was even with a massive economic crisis and two wars going on.
Weird I never thought of you as so mindlessly partisan that you’d robotically defend Bush, a president nearly universally thought of as a pathetic failure. Disappointing.
crr6 on March 23, 2009 at 12:22 AM
Stocking up on crow for the next week of obama hilarity?
hawkdriver on March 23, 2009 at 12:23 AM
President Bush will go down as one of this countries finest presidents.
hawkdriver on March 23, 2009 at 12:24 AM
The media is making a difference. I watched some CNN tonight and they’re playing right into the whole AIG bonus outrage distraction. They aren’t even dealing with the issues that would make most people recognize Obama is an incompetent (and possibly malicious) phony.
The media is coming around a little bit, but they’re still slobbering all over Obama for the most part.
Daggett on March 23, 2009 at 12:25 AM
Wrong. Obama doesn’t talk TO or AT anyone.
He simply LOOKS like he’s talking TO or AT people, on the left and on the right.
That’s why he has TWO teleprompters.
Daggett on March 23, 2009 at 12:31 AM
I’m wondering the same thing. Are we being punked???
conservative pilgrim on March 23, 2009 at 12:42 AM
“Yeah, Bush was a great speaker. He never mangled the English language or train of thought.
I don’t know why Letterman showed him every night.
Seriously?
Geez.”
Hey, wasteofalife, you do know we are talking about Barry and not Bush, right?
I realize it’s really, really difficult to come to Barry’s defense the many times he shows how utterly over his head and incompetent he is. So in order to try to distract and avoid being able to defend the guy you suffer another attack of BDS. But seriously, TRY to stay focused on the actual topic.
Fed45 on March 23, 2009 at 12:44 AM
I hope we’re being punked. Otherwise I might have to revisit my view of post-natal abortion.
Daggett on March 23, 2009 at 12:45 AM
“Walter Mitty lives and he resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC.”
Walter Mitty???? Dude, that’s high praise for Barry.
No, Chauncy Gardner lives and resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
Fed45 on March 23, 2009 at 12:48 AM
At the checkout line, I saw on the Time cover (maybe Newsweek?): Populist outrage over the AIG bonuses and Wall Street. No mention of the populist outrage over TARP, the so-called Stimulus Package, the incompetent Congress & Executive branch who are a bunch of thieves and liars, taxation w/o representation, etc.. Their silence on the Tea Party movement is deafening.
The MSM continues to carry Obama’s water for him by pushing this class warfare crap.
conservative pilgrim on March 23, 2009 at 12:48 AM
If we aren’t being punked, this is much worse than I thought. Goodness.
conservative pilgrim on March 23, 2009 at 12:49 AM
If the press started treating Obama like they did Bush, Barry would be in negative numbers, (as in -10 etc…), not just in the 20’s and 30’s. He is such a baby faced wimp, he would never make it through four years of treatment like Bush got. Say what you will about Pres. Bush, but the guy has character, and certainly has guts, unlike Obama, who whines about everything, even when someone makes fun of his stupid, giant ears!
Susanboo on March 23, 2009 at 12:52 AM
Obama talks “down to” people. Seriously, look at him even when he’s being interviewed. He holds his head up and talks down without really looking at the person interviewing him. It’s part of his mannerisms and persona, he is an elitist, snob.
Susanboo on March 23, 2009 at 12:56 AM
I agree.
I was just making the point that he doesn’t really talk TO or AT anyone when he gives a speech. He simply talks in their general direction as a side-effect of having to look alternately at two teleprompters. It’s a clever way to make it seem like he’s “connecting” with his audience without actually having to do so.
Daggett on March 23, 2009 at 1:03 AM
conservative pilgrim on March 23, 2009 at 12:48 AM:
My teenage daughter and I have some great fun while we are in the checkout line! We turn all the magazines with Obama’s face on it around so you can’t see them. It’s really fun at the bookstore where you can go turn all the Obama books around, since there are so many of them and they are always so prominently displayed in the front. We have a great time with this bit of mischievous play, plus we don’t have to look at his “ever present” face looking down on us and it annoys the Libs who put them there in the first place!
Susanboo on March 23, 2009 at 1:06 AM
You know, it’s really a pain for him to have to talk to us at all, as we are all beneath him. He wishes he could just get on with his socialist, leaning- towards-marxism-agenda without having to consult with all the “little people”. We are just getting in the way.
Susanboo on March 23, 2009 at 1:10 AM
I grew up around a lot of viciously racist Johnson Democrats. In my adult life, most of the noticably racist people I’ve met have been liberals, believing we should treat someone differently solely because of their race. They’ve been equally prejudiced in their view of homosexuals and those not born to wealth or privilige.
Red State State of Mind on March 22, 2009 at 8:24 PM
You mean like the ones clinging to their guns and their bibles? TOTUS Rules!!!
RealDemocrat on March 23, 2009 at 2:03 AM
Obama talks “down to” people. Seriously, look at him even when he’s being interviewed. He holds his head up and talks down without really looking at the person interviewing him. It’s part of his mannerisms and persona, he is an elitist, snob.
Susanboo on March 23, 2009 at 12:56 AM
Yeah, Michelle and the oldest girl have that same little arrogant sneer about them…
RealDemocrat on March 23, 2009 at 2:05 AM
This Obama character is a real dufus huh?
RealDemocrat on March 23, 2009 at 2:08 AM
crr6 on March 22, 2009 at 9:36 PM
Never occured to you that it could have been TOTUS on the ear-wig?
opusrex on March 23, 2009 at 2:24 AM
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