Obamateurism of the Day
posted at 8:05 am on June 22, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
This weekend, I didn’t criticize Barack Obama for the ice-cream run with his daughters as Iran erupted into violence and the crisis deepened. After all, it’s hard to begrudge a man a few minutes out with his daughters on a Saturday evening, even if Obama and his staff made sure to publicize it through the White House press corps. However, this is a little more difficult to explain (via William Amos):
President Barack Obama steers the cart with his golfing partner, Vice President Joe Biden, left, as they finish 18 holes at the Fort Belvoir Golf Club together on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 21, 2009.
It’s bad enough that the President took off a few hours during the crisis to go golfing, but he also took his self-described foreign policy expert with him. Shouldn’t Joe Biden have been back at the White House, working one of the biggest foreign-policy crises in this administration, instead of literally puttering around?
Also, check out the handwritten card at the top of the cart. Whose idea was it to write a “POTUS” sign for Obama’s cart? Was he afraid no one would recognize him? Or perhaps steal his cart despite the Secret Service agents surrounding him?
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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Like I said in another post, don’t worry, Michael Moore will be all over this. Not.
ctmom on June 22, 2009 at 8:08 AM
OMG! The One and Plugs out in the open together? One dumb nutcase and instead of Speaker Botox, we have President Botox.
Dingbat63 on June 22, 2009 at 8:08 AM
was he golfing with his children? after giving that big lecture on fathering? was Slow Joe with his children?
meanwhile, the people in Hawaii are really “concerned”. no matter Iran, our own country has been expressly threatened.
kelley in virginia on June 22, 2009 at 8:09 AM
It must be nice to be able to play golf so often while our country sinks. I don’t have time for that and I am not running, pardon me, ruining a country! Can we waste anymore money!
Conservican on June 22, 2009 at 8:09 AM
Hubris.
eforhan on June 22, 2009 at 8:14 AM
I think the sign is a signal to the White House pot dealer. Who’s gonna know the dealer is there? The visitor logs are private, right?
SouthernGent on June 22, 2009 at 8:15 AM
Not often you see a car full of clowns on a golf course.
Seriously though, did Obama do any work this weekend? He seems utterly disconnected from the events going on around him. It is very scary.
highhopes on June 22, 2009 at 8:15 AM
instead of literally puttering around?
thats all greasy joe’s good for,play’in with his putter,the best adminastration evahhhhh.
SHARPTOOTH on June 22, 2009 at 8:15 AM
I begrudge the man taking his kids out for ice cream BECAUSE it was publicized, as if we really are expected to swoon because Ogabe does normal “stuff” like us mortals.
Bishop on June 22, 2009 at 8:16 AM
Oh, c’mon now. Biden told us that the Obama administration would be tested and that it wouldn’t be apparent right away that they were doing the right thing. Biden said they will need our support.
I mean, playing a round of golf while young women are being shot in the streets in Iran may be just the right thing.
BigD on June 22, 2009 at 8:17 AM
“The Villages. America’s friendliest hometown…”
Caper29 on June 22, 2009 at 8:18 AM
Worst badministration ever
blatantblue on June 22, 2009 at 8:19 AM
was the golf cart gas, hydrogen, or electric? inquiring minds want to know. maybe ET will have the full golf coverage.
jbh45 on June 22, 2009 at 8:20 AM
So I guess,everything is tickety-boo in ObamasWorld!!
Accept,maybe for a second shot at Pearl by the North Koreans!(Japanese were the first of course).
Or,
Irans ongoing tinderbox!!
canopfor on June 22, 2009 at 8:20 AM
Shame on you Ed, the more time Obama and Biden spend on the golf course the less time they have to be screwing up anything, let alone a crises. And dont act like you suddenly grew a sense of trust in Obama’s and Bidens ability to do anything right.
doriangrey on June 22, 2009 at 8:20 AM
Give him a break, the MSM never reported negatively on Bush Golfing during his administration.
Oh wait:’
here
Here
Keith
right2bright on June 22, 2009 at 8:20 AM
It’s not surprising, given the level of Orrogance this man possesses…
ladyingray on June 22, 2009 at 8:22 AM
Come on, now! Isn’t America safer when Joey Hairplugs is busy playing golf?
Pablo on June 22, 2009 at 8:22 AM
Bishop
Be at peace, brother. He is far above us, but he feels us.
Doesn’t that make it all better?
When sung properly, “yes, we can” makes an excellent mantra. Lotus position optional.
SKYFOX on June 22, 2009 at 8:23 AM
I wonder if Rev.Wright and Ayers are way back in another
golf cart out of the range of the State Runned Ministry
of videos and photography!!(Sarc).
canopfor on June 22, 2009 at 8:23 AM
The POTUS sign is to remind Obama what office he holds now — really, considering the actual “work” he does, how is he expected to distinguish one from the other?
Dark Star on June 22, 2009 at 8:23 AM
maybe being president really is that easy. you just tell “robert” gates to get the NoK missile threat eliminated & you make one little comment about iran & you put timmy geithner in charge of our money assisted by pelosi & barney frank. then you golf.
well, hell, i could do that.
kelley in virginia on June 22, 2009 at 8:24 AM
Was the Waffle cart in tow!!!!!!!!!!!
canopfor on June 22, 2009 at 8:24 AM
Double bogey!!
ICBM on June 22, 2009 at 8:25 AM
Where else could they have a top secret meeting on Iran?
Phoenician on June 22, 2009 at 8:26 AM
If he only played 9 I wouldn’t be as bothered.
V15J on June 22, 2009 at 8:26 AM
Biden had his own cart, but was annoyed at the handwritten sign on it. Instead of VPOTUS it said DOOFUS ;)
evilned on June 22, 2009 at 8:27 AM
POTUS SIGN!
Umm,how did the joke card,get past the secret service!
Maybe its another HilRod Revenge Maneuver!!
canopfor on June 22, 2009 at 8:28 AM
Imagine the “WorldCom” accounting techniques used by these two keeping score.
Ogabe: 59 for 18
Joe: 60 for 18
Caper29 on June 22, 2009 at 8:28 AM
The “Potus” sign is a mistake, it was supposed to say “God”..
Plus, the pad on the steering wheel has “You’re Awesome!” stitched across the front in gold thread.
Bishop on June 22, 2009 at 8:30 AM
It’s been rumored that Schwarzenegger also attempted to get in a round of golf this past weekend, but the clubhouse refused to take an IOU.
Rovin on June 22, 2009 at 8:30 AM
The One has no secret agenda anymore. It’s all out in the open now. It’s all about changing Amerika into his vision. He did the foreign affairs stuff in the beginning to get it out of the way and could care less about Iran. He’s got a car company to run. btw, is he pretending to be Tiger Woods?
Kissmygrits on June 22, 2009 at 8:31 AM
Well, I suppose it’s better than skateboarding in the White House. Still, this on-the-job-training isn’t working out so well for us.
chalons on June 22, 2009 at 8:31 AM
Love the POTUS sign. I guess they forgot their portable Presidential seal. Obama cares more about the title than the job, that’s for sure.
rockmom on June 22, 2009 at 8:32 AM
When sung properly, “yes, we can” makes an excellent mantra. Lotus position optional.
SKYFOX on June 22, 2009 at 8:23 AM
No wonder I’m ornery, I’ve been doing the bend-over position rather than the lotus.
Bishop on June 22, 2009 at 8:32 AM
Since Obama is the CEO of America,
shouldn’t the President,be doing
the work,on behalf of the America
people!!
And why isn’t he in the office,instead
of joy riding in a golf cart!!
Or is it good to be the king!!(Sarc).
canopfor on June 22, 2009 at 8:34 AM
canopfor
OT, but you caused me to ponder something. Maybe the NorK threat is, in fact, an attempt to get us to pony up a preemptive Marshal Plan to rebuild North Korea the way we helped rebuild Japan after WWII, only without the physical devastation and residual radiation. Risky? Yes, but only for the citizens of the country and we know what value mini-Mao places on them. I’m sure he has a lead-lined chest freezer “safe room” that his “nuclear experts” tell him will withstand any attack.
SKYFOX on June 22, 2009 at 8:34 AM
He walked to get ice-cream (mint?).
Golf carts are low-emissions.
He’s Green, in solidarity with the students.
Learn to read the signs people.
JiangxiDad on June 22, 2009 at 8:34 AM
“hey, chuck, it’s me Joe. Just wanted to see if you wanted to play a few rounds of golf with me and the president this weekend — OH! God love ya chuck
we’ll be playin’ for ya”
blatantblue on June 22, 2009 at 8:35 AM
Still laughing over this comment… :)
Keemo on June 22, 2009 at 8:37 AM
Don’t knock the POTUS sign. All those carts look alike and you wouldn’t want Obama to get into a cart with an actual windscreen instead of the teleprompter, would you?
highhopes on June 22, 2009 at 8:37 AM
I would have taped a Pepsi can up there, or to Barry’s forehead.
JiangxiDad on June 22, 2009 at 8:37 AM
Hey – don’t H8 tha playa!
B-O the G-Man is just livin’ large, yo!
/gag
rockbend on June 22, 2009 at 8:38 AM
Well,I just want to remind everyone that today The One is doing something incredibly important- signing the much needed, world-altering tobacco bill.
/sarc
cibolo on June 22, 2009 at 8:39 AM
Could be GM’s new family SUV Barry designed.
JiangxiDad on June 22, 2009 at 8:39 AM
Two holes in one (golf cart).
LibTired on June 22, 2009 at 8:41 AM
safe room
SKYFOX on June 22,2009 at 8:34AM
SKYFOX:
Thats a good question,Kim Ill nutjob is going to need his
bunker,because if North Korea gets stupid,the only way to
wipe out the artillery that is ringed around South Korea
would be to tactical nuke it,and remove that death threat
against innocent South Koreans!!
canopfor on June 22, 2009 at 8:42 AM
I swear this clown acts more like he just won the lottery than leader of the free world.
Hey, look at me! I’m the most popular MoFo in the world!
cntrlfrk on June 22, 2009 at 8:42 AM
What’s worse than putting the horse before the cart? Putting two donkeys in the cart. [Looks like a scene from an old buddy comedy: Abbot and Costello Meet Nine Holes To Nowhere: This clueless twosome don't know their a$$ from a hole in the ground.]
RandyChandler on June 22, 2009 at 8:42 AM
Let them touch those things for once.” —Celine Dion
JiangxiDad on June 22, 2009 at 8:44 AM
re: the POTUS sign
I guess the kids’ bike section at the Toys ‘R Us was out of “BARACK” license plates.
I wonder if he had someone on his staff clothespin some baseball cards to the wheels to make that cool motorcycle noise.
Bruce in NH on June 22, 2009 at 8:45 AM
:::rimshot:::
tru2tx on June 22, 2009 at 8:45 AM
MSM has been touting Obambi’s reaction to the world crisis as THOUGHTFUL. There you have it.
poxoma on June 22, 2009 at 8:46 AM
I’m not quite sure where it was but on a story on the Iran crisis (linked from HA), possibly VDH, it said that Obama was out golfing last Monday too.
Anyone remember it?
Jay Mac on June 22, 2009 at 8:49 AM
It still makes me shake my head to think that a terrorist-symp affirmative action case with not one ounce of real work in his resume is President of the United States.
amkun on June 22, 2009 at 8:51 AM
How appropriate. This is the perfect illustration of sub par performance. The divot and the shank.
Proud Texan on June 22, 2009 at 8:53 AM
What’s the fuss? No foreign power would dream of bombing Hawaii…oh wait…..
katy the mean old lady on June 22, 2009 at 8:55 AM
In all honesty, I feel safer when those two are out on the golf course.
bitsy on June 22, 2009 at 8:57 AM
He walked to Arlington? That’s quite a hike.
And he ate vanilla (as all the SRM outlets breathlessly reported), which is white, and clearly a sign of his disdain for white people.
But seriously, if the man really wanted to spend some quality time with his daughters eating ice cream, all he had to do was place a call to the White House kitchen. He and the girls could have sat out on one of the WH balconies and eaten whatever flavor and toppings of ice cream they desired, and shared some private time together, away from the public and the cameras. But then we wouldn’t have had all the photos of Obama at the ice cream shop being a “great dad” — which was what this whole PR stunt was really about.
AZCoyote on June 22, 2009 at 8:58 AM
I think Oboingo was showing real leadership here, keeping Joe “Lou Scannon” Biden out of the loop to minimize the potential damage Joe’s idiotic remarks might make, should he choose to unleash them on the world.
Way to take one for the team, Oboingo!
I mean, really, would you want to endure Biden for an entire 18 holes?
mr.blacksheep on June 22, 2009 at 8:59 AM
ROTFLMAO!
You summed up the situation perfectly.
highhopes on June 22, 2009 at 8:59 AM
Look how far Biden is away from him. It’s not exactly Ebony and Ivory, is it.
LibTired on June 22, 2009 at 9:01 AM
let’s see, 2 crisies, 2 rounds of golf.
At least he’s consistent.
todler on June 22, 2009 at 9:02 AM
Is Barry practicing for NASCAR? Poor Joe is hanging on for dear life, with a look of frozen terror on his face, as the One steers into a curve.
Barb Dwyer on June 22, 2009 at 9:02 AM
Well..both golfers are
high handicapershandicapped.HoustonRight on June 22, 2009 at 9:07 AM
Kinda like I feel with him driving the nation.
Dingbat63 on June 22, 2009 at 9:07 AM
“Club Car” – how appropriate.
diogenes on June 22, 2009 at 9:07 AM
TIhere are ,I’m sure, more arrogant people out there but you would have to look awhile to find them.
ohiobabe on June 22, 2009 at 9:08 AM
Did he play basketball before or after the round? I mean, driving that cart isn’t a whole lot of exercise.
EconomicNeocon on June 22, 2009 at 9:09 AM
I guess you could find all the arrogance you want in Washington.
ohiobabe on June 22, 2009 at 9:11 AM
Once again showing America and the world “Being President Can Be Fun!”. History will refer to his presidential term as the Nickelodeon Years.
sherry on June 22, 2009 at 9:13 AM
Exactly.
Keep a firm grip on that J.C. handle!
cntrlfrk on June 22, 2009 at 9:16 AM
Come on folks. We know these two fools are nothing but props. Rahm and Axelrod are running the show on orders from Soros. Haven’t you ever sent the kids out to play when you have work to do?
red131 on June 22, 2009 at 9:16 AM
Just when I think I’ve seen it all… Soetoro does it again!
SDPlissken on June 22, 2009 at 9:16 AM
Arrogance in DC is not a rare commidity and never has been. Were the Capitol to explode during a State of the Union speech, taking out the entire Congress, SCOTUS, POTUS, and Joint Chiefs of Staff; Within the year, their replacements would be just as full of themselves as the current crop.
highhopes on June 22, 2009 at 9:16 AM
Me too. Sometimes, I catch myself in complete disbelief that we have such an adolescent in the WH
keebs on June 22, 2009 at 9:16 AM
The golf course is the only place he has any balls.
tommuck on June 22, 2009 at 9:18 AM
BO08!
mr.blacksheep on June 22, 2009 at 9:19 AM
Being POTUS is much more than a 24/7 job, but for the life of me, I think Obama just enjoys the title and the power and the prestige, and let his people around him do the actual work!
mz.josephine on June 22, 2009 at 9:20 AM
You know, we may not be able to develop a coherent foreign policy to reaction to sudden new provocations and/or situations, like with Iran and North Korea. But at this rate, I’ll bet Obama has a good chance to run for re-election as the president who’s worked harder than any other chief executive in American history to improve his golf game enough to have a shot at qualifying for the 2012 U.S. Open. Or at least to try and go golfing with Tiger Woods in ’12 without embarrassing himself.
jon1979 on June 22, 2009 at 9:21 AM
OT: Is this another swing at Bush?
“What we’re not going to do is to reward belligerence and provocation in the way that’s been done in the past,” he said.
If so, for what?
Phoenician on June 22, 2009 at 9:22 AM
My very first thought was:
Ok, so a round of golf on Father’s Day.. (rolling eyes) not such a biggie deal, I guess, BUT …
shouldn’t they be in seperate locations, given the looming crisis in the case nukes aimed toward Hawaii, at the very least ??
Then I came to my senses and realized that the secret
‘safe room(s)’ are no longer secret anyway, so they might as well be in the same location.
Oy.
pambi on June 22, 2009 at 9:26 AM
To the contrary, it is clear that Obama has no interest in the affairs of government which is interesting given his job description. He likes the photo-ops, the trappings of office, the fun stuff. He doesn’t want to be bothered with a crisis that falls on a weekend.
I personally think that Obama and his entire family should vactation in Hawaii for the 4th of July. What better way to demonstrate that we don’t take North Korea’s threats seriously? After all, it isn’t like Obama is doing anything in DC anyway.
highhopes on June 22, 2009 at 9:37 AM
Hussein playing with all the toys like: Airforce One, jet setting date nights, secret service circus to grab a burger et al, reminds me of the troops from the Congo we brought on board ship during a training exercise. They spent the entire night in the head flushing the toilets over and over watching the technology in amazement.
Of course they shit and pissed on the floor ‘cuz they had no idea how to use them but that was the squid’s problem, we were boot on the ground at 0400.
Alden Pyle on June 22, 2009 at 9:37 AM
He’s not a hardware salesman. He’s the President of the United States.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: It’d be one thing if he was taking a break from his responsibilities. He took a break from shirking them.
Jim Treacher on June 22, 2009 at 9:42 AM
FTW!
JiangxiDad on June 22, 2009 at 9:46 AM
Exactly.
Actually, given his utter incompetence and tendency to fu(k things up, I think, on balance, the more he and Biden hone their cones on the golf course, the better for the rest of us.
mr.blacksheep on June 22, 2009 at 9:49 AM
Instead of “POTUS”, the golf cart ought to be sporting the moniker “DOOFUS”…
Wyznowski on June 22, 2009 at 9:54 AM
Ed, do you really want slow Joe running foreign policy right now? Wouldn’t his first solution to the problem involve writing a check to pay off the Mullahs?
DaveC on June 22, 2009 at 9:57 AM
Seems to me someone once got slaughtered in the media for this gem:
Obama avoided this apparently by not answering any questions (my guess: the sycophants following him, stars in their eyes, a little bit of drool running down their chins…anyway, they purposely didn’t mention Iran to avoid any “can I just finish my waffle” quotes).
Apropos of nothing: someone ought to grab a Harlequin novel and replace the two main characters with Obama and Chris Matthews…
Snowed In on June 22, 2009 at 10:04 AM
World’s greatest father spends Fathers’ Day… playing golf?
How does this help Michele’s children?
RegularJoe on June 22, 2009 at 10:07 AM
That doesn’t say POTUS. It says PUTZ.
Attila (Pillage Idiot) on June 22, 2009 at 10:07 AM
He’s doing all sorts of things that fall outside his job description, and not doing the things that are actually in it.
Jim Treacher on June 22, 2009 at 10:08 AM
Ding! Ding! Ding!
Exactly right – this guy is a Life magazine president. He wants to have all the iconic, Kenndy-esque, moments captured so that future generations can fawn over his carefully manufactured image. Hardly anyone remembers what JFK did in office, but they sure remember those photos of him and the family.
I’ll bet Obama mentally composes the captions for each photo-op.
landshark on June 22, 2009 at 10:13 AM
The part that bugs me the most is not the trip to Alexandria for ice cream and a photo-op, an outing that cost the taxpayers thousands of dollars. Nor is it the golf outing on the day he gives a big speech talking about fathers needing to be spend more time with their kids.
The part that bugs me the most is that during the weekend that was apparently nothing but fun-seeking leisure for the first family, Obama didn’t even bother to take five minutes to comment directly on the events in Iran. All his office did was send out a hastily prepared press release that essentially said killing rioters was bad but that wouldn’t preclude open negotiations with whichever thugs are running Iran after all this is over. The President should have been less cowardly and he should have addressed the situation personally.
highhopes on June 22, 2009 at 10:14 AM
Marilyn Monroe, I think.
Snowed In on June 22, 2009 at 10:15 AM
Let’s also remember that the famous “candid” shot of JFK facing out the window, shoulders slumped, during the Cuban Missile Crisis was completely posed.
highhopes on June 22, 2009 at 10:17 AM
Dream on. He’s a gutless wonder, nothing more than a paper-thin veneer over nothing at all.
mr.blacksheep on June 22, 2009 at 10:20 AM
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