Obamateurism of the Day
posted at 8:05 am on July 2, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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Hey, what do Helen Thomas and Chip Reid know? Both of them accused the White House of staging a phony town hall on health care yesterday, before the event began. Robert Gibbs couldn’t contain his incredulousness, repeatedly replying that the press should wait to judge the event, and that he was absolutely positive that the questions for Barack Obama would contain dissent from his policies.
The Washington Post report on the “town-hall event” shows how clumsily Obama faked it:
In the stage-managed event, questions for Obama came from a live audience selected by the White House and the college, and from Internet questions chosen by the administration’s new-media team. Of the seven questions the president answered, four were selected by his staff from videos submitted to the White House Web site or from those responding to a request for “tweets.”
The president called randomly on three audience members. All turned out to be members of groups with close ties to his administration: the Service Employees International Union, Health Care for America Now, and Organizing for America, which is a part of the Democratic National Committee. White House officials said that was a coincidence.
A coincidence? They just happened to open the doors and let anyone in, Obama just happened to call on only three people — and all three just happened to be organizers for Democrats and their allies? Even the WaPo couldn’t swallow that ridiculous line.
Sam Goldwyn once said that sincerity was the key to success — once you learned to fake it, you’d succeed. I think Goldwyn would tell Obama and his White House that they failed at it yesterday.
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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Give me Liberty, or give me Death!
Loxodonta on July 2, 2009 at 10:19 AM
.
Give us are liberty back or you shall be exiled!
Americannodash on July 2, 2009 at 10:30 AM
I guess no one asked if the potus would have the same health care as the rest of the victims (us)?
Bambi on July 2, 2009 at 10:32 AM
reaganuat,
The reason so many corp. types(see Walmart & mandated health care) are willing go along with this administration is they are scared to death of it and would rather jump on the band wagon than get run over buy it. They only need look at the bullying of GM’s & Chrysler’s shareholders and the smackdown of Ahnold by Obama & Andy Stern(SEIU)to see the hand writing.
The administration is implementing an Eco/Liberal takeover reminiscent of Mussolini’s Corporate Fascism in 1920/30’s. The parallels are absolutely striking!
Archimedes on July 2, 2009 at 10:32 AM
What else does Obama have but anecdotal stories of hardship that resonates with you misguided public plan supporters. Town halls, especially staged ones, are perfect to trot out people who would presumably benefit from government overreaching its authority and destroying the healthcare system.
The serious part of healthcare reform- like funding mechanisms, extent of reform, costs v. savings discussions are not sexy. They don’t come with a little story about a 68-year-old auto worker eating dog food to afford the meds. Nevertheless, this is the adult part of the debate and one that the filthy liar in the White House and his supporters for socializing the system DO NOT want to have because it drills down into details. Rationing is a big part of Obama’s savings which means that the 68-year-old may not get meds at all because of age and the cancer patient may have to wait years to get treatment.
For that reason we will continue to have story time with the President- complete with milk, cookies, and naptime afterwards.
highhopes on July 2, 2009 at 10:32 AM
It’s way past time for a remake of The Emporer’s New Clothes, staring Barry, Timmy and Co.
EconomicNeocon on July 2, 2009 at 10:35 AM
How dare you question our liberty to send you DHS camp!
Loxodonta on July 2, 2009 at 10:55 AM
How dare you question our liberty to send you DHS camp!
Loxodonta on July 2, 2009 at 10:55 AM
.
If I did not know you Lox, then something like your response would have called for a respectable retribution.
.
Although I must say that you have been quite the intellectually domesticated donkey lately.
Americannodash on July 2, 2009 at 11:18 AM
Gibbs was splitting hairs (or redefining what is is) when he responded to Chip and Helen. Obama may never have seen the presubmitted questions, but he saw and memorized the answers prepared by his sleazy coaches.
onlineanalyst on July 2, 2009 at 11:20 AM
In affirmative action acting school team obambi got another A++++ for their charade yesterday. If you don’t think he did then quite simply you are a racist.
jukin on July 2, 2009 at 11:27 AM
I held on to my stomach while I forced myself to watch most of town hall meeting. I believe that to know your enemy is to be forearmed so I suffered through as much of it as I could.
Mr. Obamas phony baloney town hall meeting was revoltingly one sided with all the people nodding their heads and clapping gleefully with every thing he said as if he was some divine prophet. Anyone with half a mind could see the fix was in and this was all carefully scripted. His answers to questions sounded like he had rehearsed them over and over with talking points and little substance. He got serious about how everyone’s health insurance would be in jeopardy should his plan not go through. He gave long drawn out answers and no one called him on anything, they just let him drone on and on clapping, taking pictures, and laughing with him.
It doesn’t surprise me now to hear the make up of the audience. It was as plain as day and Helen Thomas (I can’t believe I am saying this) is right as rain on this one.
Miss Molly on July 2, 2009 at 11:30 AM
This isn’t the town hall I thought I knew.
hillbillyjim on July 2, 2009 at 12:02 PM
Love that post!
:)
petefrt on July 2, 2009 at 12:56 PM
This is just training-wheels practice for the Show Trials. Everybody knows the answers in advance…
guntotinglibertarian on July 2, 2009 at 1:16 PM
Historically a town hall meeting would be conducted in a town hall. People from the town could come and aire their grievances and concerns, and ask their officials questions.
The more Dear Leader perverts this forum, the less effective it becomes. He can’t seem to understand what works in a campaign doesn’t fit the office.
These things are elaborately staged to look like they are not staged. The only transparency we get from the White House is their transparently staged engagement with “real people”‘
swede7 on July 2, 2009 at 1:16 PM
Town Hall meeting?
How about calling it for what it is…a DNC/White House Dog and Pony Show…complete with well-versed shills.
coldwarrior on July 2, 2009 at 1:39 PM
An astute observation, to say the least.
Look for at some point later this summer, perhaps in Fall, for the Administration to try to take over Wal-Mart. The Left has spent years demonizing Wal-Mart, at the behest of the SEIU. They’ll trump up some sort of “Wal-Mart” is an exploitative corporation that is taking advantage of its employees and America in general” to validate their move.
The guys in Bentonville sense this, hence their most recent move to stay ahead of the health-care movement. They don’t want to be seen as obstructionist. But, just look at the Leftists memes and you’ll see they have already been marked for take down.
coldwarrior on July 2, 2009 at 1:47 PM
So in order to participate in our governments policy decisions one MUST have “tweeter” or an “internet connection that is video capable” i.e.: you must have a camera microphone or be a selective member of a Union/ Democratic National Committee/ Political activist in support of the current admin?
When did these rules get passed?
DSchoen on July 2, 2009 at 5:11 PM
Buried in that “stimulus/cap and tax/every other recent Dem” Bill nobody
botheredwas allowed to read?coldwarrior on July 2, 2009 at 5:43 PM
Helen Thomas has been pain in ass many years. I saw her also be tough on Clinton, which gave me some respect for her. Now she has went to top of my list of favorite liberal reporters.
Even though she is unabashed liberal, she is honest and mostly fair. I respect her now more and glad she has been in it for long term, giving service to our country with hard questions.
The cracking of the Obama’s great lie machine is starting to get momentum. History will not be kind on Obama at all. Obama’s administration is a point in History when the American seen as turning from its great traditions of independence, and free market economics to communism. I hope just for short while. Maybe the good in it is that it will be a lesson to be learned. I travel for Business and the world is laughing at USA. They always ask “why your country who won the ideas of Democracy, and Free markets over Communism, now has a president who is communist and support of oppressive regimes?” Even oppressive regimens have to pretend to have elections. The argument has been won and communism has failed. Many of our long term supporters of freedom such as Australia are worried that America is now very weak leaving them exposed to China. Taiwan is scared shit less, because we have sold our soul to China and cannot stand up to an invasion and take over by China. Philippines at first was excited about Obama but now realizes that Obama probably would support the New Peoples Army (communist) or Islamic Resistance over the Philippine Government. Obama has twice now snubbed their president for a meeting. Another question is why Obama is Apologizing. Unlike the main stream media would like you to believe the majority of people in world love America standing for freedom and democracy. Before America should apologize Castro and Iran should apologize for insurgencies around the world.
Ed Laskie on July 2, 2009 at 11:08 PM
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