Obamateurism of the Day
posted at 8:05 am on April 10, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Today’s entry comes from Greyhawk, who caught something I might not have noticed. Earlier this week, when Barack Obama visited the troops in Iraq, he started by rattling off the names of the commands in the theater. Unfortunately, even with only four, Obama still needed a Teleprompter — or at least its low-tech equivalent:
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thank you, guys. Let me say, [reads card] Multinational Force Iraq, Multinational Corps Iraq, Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq First Corps, America’s Corp Band: Thanks to all of you.
Greyhawk wrote: “Seriously, those shouldn’t be that unfamiliar to their commander.” In Obama’s defense, I think he was hoping that they wouldn’t be there at all when he took office. But yeah, one might have expected Obama to have at least worked on memorizing the different units under his command in a war zone, especially since there were only four.
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.
Illustrations by Chris Muir of Day by Day. Be sure to read the adventures of Sam, Zed, Damon, and Jan every day!
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Who honestly expects Obama to know ANYTHING about the military?
Troika37 on April 10, 2009 at 8:09 AM
Obama’s expansive, visionary mind cannot be expected to remember such unimportant details.
BigD on April 10, 2009 at 8:10 AM
Who honestly expects Obama to know ANYTHING about the military?
Troika37 on April 10, 2009 at 8:09 AM
Who honestly expects Obama to know ANYTHING about the military, economics, fiscal responsibility, international diplomacy, etc?
jdflorida on April 10, 2009 at 8:12 AM
Adults are in charge. The President is a great man.
BadgerHawk on April 10, 2009 at 8:13 AM
We really need a re-vote.
boomer on April 10, 2009 at 8:14 AM
In over his head too deep to take the time to memorize anything. There has been few, if any, contemporaneous moments that he has handled without some error or fumbling presentation.
Those who attribute a high intellect to him do not know what a high intellect actually sounds like or looks like.
getalife >>> the adults are in charge >>>> NOT!!!
Yoop on April 10, 2009 at 8:15 AM
STOP THAT!!!
*snicker*
BigWyo on April 10, 2009 at 8:16 AM
Empty suit.
redfoxbluestate on April 10, 2009 at 8:17 AM
He’s read a book about Lincoln…so he is an expert.
tomas on April 10, 2009 at 8:18 AM
There would be no noticable difference is Obama were replaced by Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe. In fact there might be a slight improvement!!
MaiDee on April 10, 2009 at 8:19 AM
Mind like a steel trap…NOT!
becki51758 on April 10, 2009 at 8:20 AM
America’s Corp Band?
coldwarrior on April 10, 2009 at 8:20 AM
Multinational Force Iraq — check.
Multinational Corps Iraq — check.
Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq — check.
First Corps, America’s Corp Band….what the hell is that?
coldwarrior on April 10, 2009 at 8:22 AM
10 unique words. 2 instances of Multinational something Iraq. I’m not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, and certain can’t hold a candle to “the smartest man in the world”, but it took me all of 30 seconds to memorize those well enough to be able to repeat them correctly 10 minutes later. And I wasn’t in a position where getting it wrong would dent my credibility.
Mr. Lightweightworker is a veneer, an actor. He thought his knowledge of the world, as taught by Uncle Frank, was complete, and his hubris won’t allow him to accept evidence to the contrary. It’s not hard to see that his presidency is going to be an train wreck.
mr.blacksheep on April 10, 2009 at 8:22 AM
I think it’s coming across loud and clear that Obama’s “great intellect” has been grossly overrated. Maybe if he focused on content instead of perpetually campaigning at every turn, he could remember four names.
anniekc on April 10, 2009 at 8:22 AM
And the Dems had the gall to call Bush and Palin stupid.
promachus on April 10, 2009 at 8:22 AM
I like the one I saw here the other day (forget who):
The uh-dolts are in charge!
bikermailman on April 10, 2009 at 8:22 AM
How indulting. He’s so grateful that he has to read the names off an index card. Poseur.
petefrt on April 10, 2009 at 8:24 AM
*insulting*
petefrt on April 10, 2009 at 8:24 AM
He said ‘you guys! Sexist!!!
/
bikermailman on April 10, 2009 at 8:24 AM
College transcipts, please.
tru2tx on April 10, 2009 at 8:26 AM
Oh come on, people. This isn’t that big a deal. I mean, don’t you remember how Chief Justice Roberts stumbled and bumbled his way through his confirmation hearing? I mean, after all, the man had NO notes or anything, so how could he be expected to do well?
Oh yeah… ;-)
ladyingray on April 10, 2009 at 8:26 AM
Obama’s expansive, visionary mind cannot be expected to remember such unimportant details.
BigD on April 10, 2009 at 8:10 AM
Obviously a thought for me to ponder through the day.
heshtesh on April 10, 2009 at 8:27 AM
Remember, he had to read the name off the “I have a braclet, too”. He isn’t worthy to be in these mens’s presence. Makes one want to… whatever.
Yoop on April 10, 2009 at 8:29 AM
Now had they been special interest or minority grievance groups he would have not only known their names, he could have called out individual members and spoken at length about their backgrounds and then apologized to them for America being such a racist and hateful nation (as he bowed to them ofcourse). Oh wait, you said there wasn’t a teleprompter……never mind then he would have still been clueless.
tempestleo on April 10, 2009 at 8:34 AM
Only got three out of four correct, anyway…
coldwarrior on April 10, 2009 at 8:35 AM
Honestly, who expects Obumble to know anything about ANYTHING? He’s a rank amateur with no understanding of economics, foreign policy or history. Take back the Congress in 2010 and we can limit the damage this tool can do until we can get him back to his Chicago Thug Nest.
Jarhead68 on April 10, 2009 at 8:36 AM
Yes, thanks for the clarification.
Troika37 on April 10, 2009 at 8:36 AM
BTW, didn’t the media hail this as a “brilliant moment” or some such obsequious phrase? I’m starting to see the pattern here: The fairly obvious fact that the assembled throng is a random assortment of “REMFs”; the fact, as was pointed out in another thread that the “cheering” was in reality somewhat muted, and that people at the back of the crowd were wandering away; the fact that a man of Oboingo’s “keen intellect” couldn’t remember 4 names; all these things are evidence that this event was contrived and manufactured, and Oboingo, the CIC, was clueless as to who he was talking to and what his (ostensible) purpose there might be, other than it was going to be a great photo opportunity.
So no doubt Axlegrease got on the phone to the feeble-minded press and said “Pimp this thing up, it’s brilliant”. And in the style of Baghdad Bob, pimp they did.
mr.blacksheep on April 10, 2009 at 8:37 AM
Not only that, but he wrote two books about himself!
Golly!
jgapinoy on April 10, 2009 at 8:37 AM
coldwarrior
The teleprompter has a line runner, like following the bouncing ball in a Sing-along With Mitch. A notecard has no such aid, and either Obama can’t read fluently without the aid, or the card was written with the error. (Remember the Quayle “Potato” prodded by the supervising spelling bee authority to tack on the non-existent “silent e” in the singular.)
“Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq First Corps,”
?
“Command Iraq First Corps” Google search:
hm
maverick muse on April 10, 2009 at 8:39 AM
Sad.
bluelightbrigade on April 10, 2009 at 8:40 AM
Neither of which reference official transcripts.
maverick muse on April 10, 2009 at 8:40 AM
“You sweetie guys”
maverick muse on April 10, 2009 at 8:42 AM
Like Clinton, he’ll never be comfortable with a military audience. Especially when he’s there to praise/honor them and not vice-versa.
Marcus on April 10, 2009 at 8:42 AM
Or somebody else wrote two books about him and he agreed that the words matched his note cards.
It wasn’t a bow, and that wasn’t a note card.
Yoop on April 10, 2009 at 8:44 AM
LOL, I was just thinking – we gave up a President who would love to spend hours with the troops and would squirm at 5 minutes of appearing on “The View” or “Oprah”, for exactly the opposite.
Marcus on April 10, 2009 at 8:45 AM
As he was reading from the paper, he said to himself that he needed to find a way to reduce these names.
Perhaps by reducing the departments to just one.
amkun on April 10, 2009 at 8:45 AM
Hey, I can read off of note cards. Can I be president next?
pablo5108 on April 10, 2009 at 8:46 AM
Mugabe has far more executive experience.
Birch Barlow on April 10, 2009 at 8:48 AM
…and the actual retail price is… !!!
What a loser…
singlemalt_18 on April 10, 2009 at 8:50 AM
The three I mentioned above:
Multinational Force Iraq
Multinational Corps Iraq
Multinational Security Transition Command Iraq
all exist…with the Multinational Corps Iraq headquartered out of the Al-Faw Palace at Camp Victory.
Now…can someone with extensive knowledge of US military organizations and such, please identify “First Corps, America’s Corp Band.”
General Jacoby recently departed Fort Lewis, Washington, as Commander of I Corps, to replace XVIII Corps (out of Fort Bragg)…both of which while in Iraq became Multi-National Corps Iraq.
Since Obama already mentioned MNCI….why the shout out to “First Corps, America’s Corps Band?”
Some of the GI’s got a garage rock band going on out there?
coldwarrior on April 10, 2009 at 8:52 AM
But..but.. I thought Obama was the best speaker in history,
or else, thats what the Liberal Party wants you to believe!!
Lets see,Obama couldn’t remember the soldiers name in which he wore a bracelet during the election,and now he’s using
cheat cards,crap i mean cue cards!
And remember,this is the best and brightest Liberal of the
Democrat Party!!
canopfor on April 10, 2009 at 8:55 AM
Note cards Ed?
Please lets stick to material stuff
Please
EricPWJohnson on April 10, 2009 at 8:59 AM
Heres a brilliant idea!
How about, Obama gets a speaker for himself,and that way,
Hopey can just sweep his head side to side,and allow his
spokes person to speak for him!!(Snark).
It would be a win/win!
canopfor on April 10, 2009 at 8:59 AM
But . . . he read Niebuhr . . .
patriette on April 10, 2009 at 9:02 AM
Somebody should print cards that say:
“I’d like to thank General Duck, Colonel Dodge, and Major Hide”
and see if Barry would even notice.
Nyuck-nyuck-nyuck.
profitsbeard on April 10, 2009 at 9:03 AM
Yikes. The thought of him charming his way through colleges and law school has always been in my head. But, now, I can only imagine that he cheated his way through.
misslizzi on April 10, 2009 at 9:04 AM
Okay. The Obama administration is both bent and bowed – especially in the face of the threat from Islam.
Basilsbest on April 10, 2009 at 9:05 AM
Fun fact: Lincoln was the most bi-partisan President in American history, right up until the civil war.
BadgerHawk on April 10, 2009 at 9:05 AM
Depends. How low can you go for King Abdullah?
Basilsbest on April 10, 2009 at 9:07 AM
I’m thinking maybe all the liberals were right and Obama will be the next Lincoln.
amkun on April 10, 2009 at 9:08 AM
Our troops deserve much better from the CIC. Clueless rookie. I’m sure nobody ever said a peep about him using cue cards at community organizer events in Chicago.
EconomicNeocon on April 10, 2009 at 9:10 AM
Try though they might the media will not be able to fool all of the people all of the time. He doesn’t know the names of the units he commands but he does know to submit to a despotic muslim ruler.
Looks to me like affirmative action Barry is still the B,C student his HS classmates remember he was. That was before he rode his skin color and rhetoric to national prominence.
DeweyWins on April 10, 2009 at 9:13 AM
it will come right after they pass the amnesty bill….
alexraye on April 10, 2009 at 9:21 AM
when the CIC has to rely on cue cards to get the names of his units correct, THAT IS MATERIAL.
A primary function of the President his to command the armed forces.
When “O” be-one-Kadopie can’t find it in himself to even take the time to learn the names of his troops,he will lose their respect. THAT IS MATERIAL.
oldernwiser on April 10, 2009 at 9:23 AM
URKEL!
dhunter on April 10, 2009 at 9:24 AM
Material? OK.
The present POTUS is inept. Inept at everything he attempts. Now THAT is material!
Yoop on April 10, 2009 at 9:31 AM
Anyone watching FOX? There is a car chase going on complete with pit maneuvers. Its awesome.
Bishop on April 10, 2009 at 9:45 AM
Can’t forget the people who played Hail to the Chief for the Great Barry O.
I don’t have speakers here–Did he pronounce the “p” in Corp or not?
Of course, he already told us he doesn’t know any more French than “merci beaucoup”. Or Mercy Buttercups. Whatevah.
Steve Z on April 10, 2009 at 9:47 AM
Yeah, I’m loving the donuts!
hollygolightly on April 10, 2009 at 9:52 AM
Well I;m sure if George W. Bush had done this the Donks would be having a fit. But fortunately the “smartest man” known to mankind does this and we hear….crickets!
Dire Straits on April 10, 2009 at 9:56 AM
Badger…. Getalife has hacked your nic
/
CWforFreedom on April 10, 2009 at 9:56 AM
The Nanny was on Hannity the other night and called BO an “intellectual giant.” I laughed out loud, I can’t get over these people, I know he went to Harvard and all, but why do they act like he’s the smartest man evah? I’m very unclear on what makes so many say that, seriously, how did they come to this conclusion?
hollygolightly on April 10, 2009 at 9:57 AM
How petty.
When Bush would just call people “you folks” when he couldn’t remember their names, he got a pass.
Dave Rywall on April 10, 2009 at 9:58 AM
Eh, they got the goofball, but it was a fun chase to watch.
Back to President Ogrovel.
Bishop on April 10, 2009 at 9:58 AM
Pres. Bush always got a ton of criticism when he spoke extemporaneously but at least he did it. He also gave beautiful speeches when he used a teleprompter, equal to any our current president has ever given. I find this a little insulting.
Cindy Munford on April 10, 2009 at 10:03 AM
A man has to know his limitations. Either the president needs to take a short term memory course of find a more confidence inspiring way to convey his thoughts. Seriously this reliance on either the teleprompter or not cards is becoming a handicap.
Cindy Munford on April 10, 2009 at 10:06 AM
A puppet President. The string pullers should be fully exposed for who they are and what their goals are. We are pretty sure Soros is one of the leaders, and his goals are quite clearly evil and vile.
MSGTAS on April 10, 2009 at 10:08 AM
To nobody’s surprise, I am sure, you seem to miss the point. Oboingo commands those units. There were four of them. An employee whose boss can’t be arsed to remember his name no doubt questions the boss’ sincerity. It’s not a good thing for the troops to question the CIC’s sincerity.
Can I paraphrase what you are saying thus: “I perceive Bush got a ‘pass’ when forgetting people’s names [no evidence or reference provided]. Thus, it’s OK for Oboingo not to be capable of remembering, for 10 minutes, the fairly simple names of the units he commands, when he’s been touted as such a keen intellect?”
That seems to me to be saying that you admire Bush so much that what he did sets the standard. Is that really what you mean?
mr.blacksheep on April 10, 2009 at 10:13 AM
He really should stop using that term ‘guys’.
.
Guy \Guy\, n.
1. A grotesque effigy, like that of Guy Fawkes, dressed up in England on the fifth of November, the day of the Gunpowder Plot.
The lady . . . who dresses like a guy. –W. S. Gilbert.
2. A person of queer looks or dress. –Dickens.
Source: Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
News2Use on April 10, 2009 at 10:17 AM
Cindy Munford on April 10, 2009 at 10:18 AM
This is really over-reaching. To criticize our President in such an immature way shows how desperate you are. That wasn’t a cue card he was reading. He was just showing respect. Bush was worse. This happened days ago. Time to move on. Bush did it. When did conservatives start showing such disrespect to the Commander-in-Chief in wartime? You call this dissent? Why am I not surprised at the hypocrisy you idiots post here? Get a life cons.
BadgerHawk, you post here. Maybe you know what a zombie is.
Loxodonta on April 10, 2009 at 10:22 AM
“You folks”. Never spent much time in the southern states or the southwest, have you. Eh.
Yoop on April 10, 2009 at 10:24 AM
You are right. But this was:
1 – a SURPRISE visit
2 – there was a lot of NOISE (distraction)
3 – difficult to read card when used to TELEPROMPTERS
4 – more a SHOW AND TELL for the libs
OneConservative on April 10, 2009 at 10:27 AM
More importantly… and indicative…
When this happened I was looking at the makeup of the crowd… sure did not look like Heartbreakers and Lifetakers to me….
This is a list of those who attended… IE, STAFF and a F’n BAND!
My guess? in order to get a freindly crowd? Yep, paper pushers and the F’n Marching Band…
Romeo13 on April 10, 2009 at 10:27 AM
I have enjoyed this Obamateurism.
myrenovations on April 10, 2009 at 10:27 AM
Maybe Obam…uhhh… was just really excited about his upcoming meal of pizza.
Master Shake on April 10, 2009 at 10:28 AM
To nobody’s surprise, I am sure, you seem to miss the point. Oboingo commands those units. There were four of them. An employee whose boss can’t be arsed to remember his name no doubt questions the boss’ sincerity. It’s not a good thing for the troops to question the CIC’s sincerity.
Can I paraphrase what you are saying thus: “I perceive Bush got a ‘pass’ when forgetting people’s names [no evidence or reference provided]. Thus, it’s OK for Oboingo not to be capable of remembering, for 10 minutes, the fairly simple names of the units he commands, when he’s been touted as such a keen intellect?”
That seems to me to be saying that you admire Bush so much that what he did sets the standard. Is that really what you mean?
mr.blacksheep on April 10, 2009 at 10:13 AM
——
What I mean is you’re all hypocrites when it comes to scrutinizing how a president speaks words in public.
Dave Rywall on April 10, 2009 at 10:28 AM
Hell, I was just impressed that he pronounced Corps as ‘core’ and not ‘corpse.’ (See: Orion incident.) My, how our expectations have been calibrated.
vitocorleone99 on April 10, 2009 at 10:28 AM
He really should stop using that term ‘guys’.
.
Guy \Guy\, n.
1. A grotesque effigy, like that of Guy Fawkes, dressed up in England on the fifth of November, the day of the Gunpowder Plot.
The lady . . . who dresses like a guy. –W. S. Gilbert.
2. A person of queer looks or dress. –Dickens.
Source: Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
News2Use on April 10, 2009 at 10:17 AM
——
It’s enormously petty and stupid sh*t like this that makes the right look like a bunch of bozos.
Dave Rywall on April 10, 2009 at 10:29 AM
So then, we can reasonably conclude that, although you agree with our assessment of Oboingo, that he’s a lame, amateurish, lighweight hack who doesn’t come anywhere near living up to his billing as an intellectual, you are critical of us for pointing it out.
Thanks for clearing that up.
mr.blacksheep on April 10, 2009 at 10:31 AM
HUH? What was it then? Please explain.
I would wager a good bet that a significant number of the “idiots”, as you call them, who post here have a higher IQ than Obama.
Please continue to tell us how intelligent he is. He succeeds in disproving you on a nearly daily basis.
Yoop on April 10, 2009 at 10:31 AM
And don’t forget Ben Dover, and Mike Hunt!
Sweet_Thang on April 10, 2009 at 10:33 AM
Wonder if Chicago Jesus has thought of trying “lip syncing” his next speech.
Dire Straits on April 10, 2009 at 10:43 AM
I really don’t think we need to hear about what is or is not petty from a Left who was far, far more petty, vicious and mean in eight years of President Bush than we on the Right ever thought about being towards 0bama in the short but disastrous time this fool has been in office.
After the way you Lefties carried on about every flaw of Bush’s, 0bama better poop freakin’ gold nuggets, his farts better smell like roses, and he will need to walk on water.
Or maybe you should just shut your trap
Sekhmet on April 10, 2009 at 10:44 AM
So then, we can reasonably conclude that, although you agree with our assessment of Oboingo, that he’s a lame, amateurish, lighweight hack who doesn’t come anywhere near living up to his billing as an intellectual, you are critical of us for pointing it out.
Thanks for clearing that up.
mr.blacksheep on April 10, 2009 at 10:31 AM
——-
Obama is an intellectual galactic leap forward from Bush.
If Bush was a D- president, Obama will be a C+. He inherited a mess (for which his party is partially responsible for, but not mostly responsible for) and he will not solve the mess.
Your country wanted a change based on the performance of YOUR president from YOUR party, your country voted and it got that change, so suck it up, stop crybabying about everything Obama says or does, and get on with your life.
Dave Rywall on April 10, 2009 at 10:46 AM
Mr. Lightweightworker is a veneer, an actor.
mr.blacksheep
Good analogy. Mahogany veneer. Pricey but not very deep.
SKYFOX on April 10, 2009 at 10:48 AM
If you read BadgerHawk’s post that I referenced:
And watch the link I posted, that might explain it better.
Or, it’s just a failure of my humor.
Loxodonta on April 10, 2009 at 10:50 AM
What evidence is there of that?
What, does Bambi get 20 extra affirmative action points?
I haven’t heard an intellectual word out of Bammy’s mouth, at least not one he hasn’t read off of a teleprompter screen.
We have no-account, no-load, two-bit, unqualified, corrupt and incompetent empty suit figurehead for President and for a large portion of this country, he’s nothing to us.
We expect nothing out of him, because we know that he has nothing to give us. The less he does, the better it will for this country.
Our goal is to throw Obama’s agenda in the crapper and get his worthless butt out of the White House by Jan 20, 2013, if not sooner.
In the meantime, we enjoy making fun of him. We won’t be denied that.
NoDonkey on April 10, 2009 at 10:52 AM
After the way the Dems bagged on Bush nonstop for eight years, we aren’t just going to “get on with our lives” for any old C-student. If 0bama is not an A++ student right fraking NOW, it becomes obvious that all angles the Left used against Bush were merely hypocritical double-standards. If your own standards for the office are so flapping high, LIVE UP TO THEM or shut up.
Sekhmet on April 10, 2009 at 10:53 AM
You never offer any substantiation of these wild claims. I think you’re probably just bitter that the empty suit in whom you have so much invested is turning out to be such a disappointment. You lash out at us, but never produce any logical argument against what we say.
If you want to try to start making sense, you should spend some time on the Nizkor project* so at least you have some idea how to frame a sensible argument.
*I have no affiliation with that site, but it does a good job of explaining some of the logical fallacies so often employed by the left.
mr.blacksheep on April 10, 2009 at 10:59 AM
Clarification
Ed, In my opinion, is diluting his other very strong arguments by posting things like note cards.
Note cards means, to me, that someone is not ignorant, just prepared.
But whatever
Note cards Ed?
Stick to the real issues
The ones you are very good at
Leave this stuff to the GoldsteinsHannities
EricPWJohnson on April 10, 2009 at 11:11 AM
“First Corps, America’s Corps Band” stumped Google:
Your search – “First Corps, America’s Corps Band” – did not match any documents.
Suggestions:
Make sure all words are spelled correctly.
Try different keywords.
Try more general keywords.
I think that if it existed it would be somewhere out there, showing up in a Google search, like everything else that exists, pretty much.
Akzed on April 10, 2009 at 11:16 AM
Even with note cards…for just four unit identifications, Obama only got three out of four correct.
Prepared?
Wasn’t back in the primaries. Wasn’t on Election Day. wasn’t during the Transition. And, still isn’t, today.
coldwarrior on April 10, 2009 at 11:16 AM
You can hardly contain your glee that Obooba bowed to a Muslim slave owner, eh? And Obooba has done a much better job mocking the Special Olympics than Bush ever dreamed of doing.
Yeah, I gotta give it to ya. Spot on.
Akzed on April 10, 2009 at 11:19 AM
Why is he thanking the same folks whose mission he tried to make fail?
Christien on April 10, 2009 at 11:21 AM
“You guys sure did an outstanding job for us while we were sidetracked here in Iraq.”
Akzed on April 10, 2009 at 11:23 AM
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