Obamateurism of the Day
posted at 8:05 am on July 10, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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Let me start this thread by saying that I appreciate a wide variety of art, and that I also appreciate the leadership of a President in shining a light on alternative views of art. Barack Obama’s purchase and borrowing of avant-garde pieces for the White House doesn’t bother me a bit, nor does his releasing choices by previous Presidents to galleries so they can be enjoyed by others.
That being said, perhaps this Edward Ruscha piece, I Think I’ll …, may not have been the most inspired choice for a politician — especially one who keeps reneging on promises made on the campaign trail, to the consternation of friend and foe alike:
Actually, this may be a good image to remember throughout the rest of Obama’s term.
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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Pretty much sums up his progress on campaign promises so far. Keep up the good work Barry!
Johnnyreb on July 10, 2009 at 8:07 AM
Obama likes to ponder.. it fits him perfectly.
Phoenician on July 10, 2009 at 8:08 AM
I wonder if Ruscha will do a companion piece for Obama entitled “Let Me be Clear” with the letters all fuzzy.
highhopes on July 10, 2009 at 8:09 AM
I think i’ll buy this
wait
no
should i?
perhaps?
indeed i will
wait nevermind
what should i do?
michelle?
rahm?
joe? what would you do?
yea? maybe. who knows
ok i think so
nah definitely not
okay ill do it
blatantblue on July 10, 2009 at 8:10 AM
Maybe he has a little more insight into himself than I’ve previously given him credit for.
ProfessorMiao on July 10, 2009 at 8:10 AM
Is that the wind blowing?
Socmodfiscon on July 10, 2009 at 8:11 AM
The graphic equivilent of the Magic 8 Ball the filthy liar uses to “strategize” issues.
highhopes on July 10, 2009 at 8:11 AM
It’s like a Rorschach test, you get to project whatever you want onto it, and Dear Leader gets to use those projections to further enhance His power.
rbj on July 10, 2009 at 8:12 AM
I think it’s called: The Obama doctrine.
the_nile on July 10, 2009 at 8:12 AM
This isn’t art, it’s a page of doodles from his Senate years. Just spray paint “Present” across the canvas and that sums it up.
sherry on July 10, 2009 at 8:12 AM
+ 1
jgapinoy on July 10, 2009 at 8:13 AM
Maybe he’ll hang this portrait in the Lincoln Bedroom.
fogw on July 10, 2009 at 8:14 AM
Man, that’s so deep… I must go angstroms……
doriangrey on July 10, 2009 at 8:15 AM
It… damn it…. It must go angstroms deep….
doriangrey on July 10, 2009 at 8:17 AM
You know good and well our preening joke of a leader would only hang pictures of himself in a prestige location like the Lincoln Bedroom.
highhopes on July 10, 2009 at 8:18 AM
will he get a poster of the brazilian girl’s aft?
blatantblue on July 10, 2009 at 8:18 AM
I hope this is a borrowed piece and not a purchased piece, otherwise it’ll be going into WH storage in 3-1/2 years when the new, more decisive, president moves in.
AZCoyote on July 10, 2009 at 8:18 AM
Feckless. That’s the word.
kiltedscotsman5 on July 10, 2009 at 8:20 AM
perfect.
bridgetown on July 10, 2009 at 8:22 AM
There’s no insight into himself or any perceived or non-perceptive meaning in his selection. Barack Obama is the type of person who selects artwork so to fit in with his clique. He probably doesn’t even like the art but wants people to think he’s avant garde. It fits the image he wants to project. I nearly mis-typed “project” as “protect.” The latter may be true, too. Displaying or owning a piece of art like this is the equivalent of owning a snake as a pet. It’s only value and reward is to see how people react to it.
Maybe.
The man is all chafe and no grain.
Ampleforth on July 10, 2009 at 8:22 AM
a picture’s ….err painting is worth a thousand words, this one fits nicely.
SHARPTOOTH on July 10, 2009 at 8:25 AM
do you think the artist had Obama on the brain when he painted it?
cmsinaz on July 10, 2009 at 8:25 AM
if the painter is still alive today
cmsinaz on July 10, 2009 at 8:26 AM
I think we have a new artist for The One’s re-election campaign…
JetBoy on July 10, 2009 at 8:31 AM
Maybe yes, maybe no, wait a minute, um……..323 BC, Perdiccus received Alexander’s ring from him on his deathbed. He hesitated, said maybe no, then maybe yes, then wait a minute, then what do you think. The next day the mightiest empire in the world broke apart.
As General Lee said, “History has a sense of humor”.
Limerick on July 10, 2009 at 8:34 AM
I’m going to think positively and assume that after four years of bad stewardship and mismanagement, the filthy liar will pull and LBJ and go back to Chicago without seeking reelection. I wouldn’t even be too upset if he looted the White House like the Clintons and took the crappy artwork with him- just as long as the bastard is out of power sooner rather than later.
highhopes on July 10, 2009 at 8:35 AM
Did he buy this before or after he ran into the hot Brazilian teenager?
BigD on July 10, 2009 at 8:35 AM
It’s not quite perfect; it needs a couple of dozen uh’s.
But thanks for the laugh this morning.
kenro85 on July 10, 2009 at 8:38 AM
1. Doe’s this bit of Freudian art hang over the Resolute Desk?
2. Would it have been more apt if he had picked up the Piss Christ?
bluelightbrigade on July 10, 2009 at 8:39 AM
They simply must caption this “As I have always said… and let me be clear….”
Dude doesn’t seem to have any self-awareness at all, does he?
cs89 on July 10, 2009 at 8:39 AM
This is the the one that describes the administrations best: greenshoots
the_nile on July 10, 2009 at 8:41 AM
That piece of art work + a dart = Obama’s decision-making process.
LastRick on July 10, 2009 at 8:43 AM
This is the the one that describes the administrations best: greenshoots
the_nile on July 10, 2009 at 8:41 AM
yes it does… lol
SHARPTOOTH on July 10, 2009 at 8:43 AM
What is this “Lincoln” Bedroom of which you speak? Don’t you mean the Obama Bedroom?
rbj on July 10, 2009 at 8:45 AM
I wouldn’t put it pass him to rename the bedroom in his honor…
cmsinaz on July 10, 2009 at 8:48 AM
Oh geez. Every pic in the gallery linked to that article could be analyzed in a separate post for each one. Not sure why this one is in there though.
Brat on July 10, 2009 at 8:50 AM
Shouldn’t that piece of art be renamed “Waffles” in honor of TOTUS?
Dr.Cwac.Cwac on July 10, 2009 at 8:54 AM
Fire jumps out at me. When I first saw it I thought it was some sort anti-nuke thing. Then I read Ed’s commentary about it being a piece of art. I think it fits the nation destroying, empire building, marxist thug leader we have to a tee.
jmarcure on July 10, 2009 at 8:54 AM
About the painting? I’m ambivalent.
mchristian on July 10, 2009 at 8:57 AM
This should have been his campaign poster.
mr.blacksheep on July 10, 2009 at 9:03 AM
Was it borrowed from the John Kerry collection? I love abstract art and random interpretation but the message here has wishy washy written all over it.
Cindy Munford on July 10, 2009 at 9:06 AM
Good point! LOL
After all, Lincoln was just another white male. Obama made real history. The litmus test is that Lincoln was dead before anybody named an elementary school after him while Obama’s got three before he’s even been in office a year! That alone at least merits renaming it the Obama bedroom overlooking the Obama rose garden and the entrance to the Obama Office in the Obama wing of Obama House.
;-0
highhopes on July 10, 2009 at 9:07 AM
Is that what’s known as “teleprompter art”?
Shy Guy on July 10, 2009 at 9:07 AM
But is the campaign over? Has the political capital Obama once had now on the list of endangered species? As the national debt rises far beyond anyone’s expectations, how will these next two programs, (cap n trade and health care) be embraced when the cost may very well drive this nation into further debt? Obama just said at the G-8 news conference that he has an important job, (when returning home), to convince the American people that health care reforms are in the best interest for everyone and eliminate the “scare” that government participation will make services and care worse than the existing system. How’s the financial shape of Medicare, Medicaid, and SS Mr. Obama? How does he justify adding another government program when these three are on the brink of bankruptcy?
Rovin on July 10, 2009 at 9:08 AM
Would have also worked for McCain.
highhopes on July 10, 2009 at 9:08 AM
present.
csdeven on July 10, 2009 at 9:13 AM
Well said!
Jeff from WI on July 10, 2009 at 9:16 AM
Obewon throws darts at it every morning to decide his positions of the day. Or maybe not.
Kissmygrits on July 10, 2009 at 9:30 AM
PRESENT!!!!!
BigWyo on July 10, 2009 at 9:36 AM
Seriously,that thing above isn’t art,is it?
Jeff from WI on July 10, 2009 at 9:45 AM
I think this one works, too.
artlover on July 10, 2009 at 9:48 AM
Look on the bright side. At least the filthy liar hasn’t installed urine soaked crosses in the White House. Yet.
highhopes on July 10, 2009 at 9:51 AM
I’m stil trying to get over the pictures of Hussein checking out 16-year-old international tail.
Perv.
madmonkphotog on July 10, 2009 at 9:55 AM
If the liberal loony base starts to grumble, you’re right, it’s just a matter of time before he throws the secular hippies a bone.
sherry on July 10, 2009 at 9:57 AM
At first I thought this had to be a joke.
But he is a joke, so it is appropriate.
tru2tx on July 10, 2009 at 9:59 AM
This gets funnier every time I think about it.
“I think Maybe I’ll…
Close Guantanamo, er…
Pull all the troops out of Iraq, er…
Adopt a (1990s) European tax on energy consumption, er…
Kill Osama bin Laden, er…
Socialize the U.S. healthcare industry! Yeah, that’s the ticket!
Jaibones on July 10, 2009 at 10:00 AM
It’s early.
Jaibones on July 10, 2009 at 10:01 AM
The truth is that I couldn’t care less if he took a liking to this young lady’s fanny, but I doubt that’s what he was doing – just as I don’t believe that President Bush did anything untoward with Chancellor Merkel or that Merkel was offended or bothered by it.
This is just a little reminder to the douchenozzle left that they are idiots. But let’s not overplay the hand.
Jaibones on July 10, 2009 at 10:05 AM
I think his official portrait should show him straddling both sides of a fence while talking out of both sides of his mouth. In order to be true to reality, his teleprompter should also be included.
GarandFan on July 10, 2009 at 10:11 AM
Maybe it’s what Barry stands for.
Maybe yes.
Maybe no.
Loxodonta on July 10, 2009 at 10:13 AM
+1
cmsinaz on July 10, 2009 at 10:23 AM
I’m still wondering who decided who gets to decide what is art. Was there an election I missed out on? Here in South Bend, several years back, the city spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on a “sculpture” that stands on a big concrete pier in the river. It’s called “Keeper of the Flame”. It is a welded steel, orange-painted POS that has no relation to it’s title and evokes nothing but head-shaking ridicule. I didn’t vote to spend the money on it but then again I didn’t vote to bring that white elephant of a College Football Hall of Fame here either. But this is what Democrat administrations do. They drive out business while spending limited tax dollars on “quality of life” artsy-fartsy crap and feel-good nonsense. Meanwhile the city is bleeding jobs and population. Still, every four years, the Democraps get reelected by the morons who only vote (D) no matter what. Effing brilliant!
SKYFOX on July 10, 2009 at 10:23 AM
If you stare at it long enough eventually you will see; “Side with those that hate America the most.”
jukin on July 10, 2009 at 10:27 AM
Did the darts come with the painting or did we have to buy them separately?
scorpio9 on July 10, 2009 at 10:27 AM
Seriously? That’s what he selected? That invites all sorts of comparisons and parallels. They didn’t think through that one.
conservative pilgrim on July 10, 2009 at 10:37 AM
If the shoe fits……..
Johan Klaus on July 10, 2009 at 10:43 AM
They didn’t think through that one.
conservative pilgrim
Can’t you say that about every single thing he’s done or said from day one? When he said “I won” he meant it as an absolute description of his style of governance. Thinking things through is not part of the concept.
SKYFOX on July 10, 2009 at 10:47 AM
We need to get Obama a framed poster of Yoda… There is no try, only do or do not.
myrenovations on July 10, 2009 at 11:38 AM
Perfectly appropriate piece of art for president milquetoast.
UltimateBob on July 10, 2009 at 12:08 PM
It’s above art, you hayseed.
betsyz on July 10, 2009 at 1:58 PM
From ‘Yes We Can’ to ‘Maybe I Can and Maybe I Can’t'–ha ha—-Now thats what I call change you can believe in.
Dollayo on July 10, 2009 at 2:15 PM
You wierdos. The thing is a dart board. Can’t you see the small holes left by the darts? The Won makes all his decisions now using this device. It keeps everybody off balance.
TimothyJ on July 10, 2009 at 8:01 PM
Hasn’t our Master, Savior, Messiah, Lord, giver of Peace, Joy, Compassion, The One, Mister Hope and Change, etc., Barrack Hussein Obama (Peace be unto Him, Praise His Holy Name, All Worship and Glory be to Him) placed images of himself throughout the White House yet?
William2006 on July 10, 2009 at 10:54 PM
It could also be applied to ” Honest Mo.. I was not looking at that 16 year old’s arse!”
Eagles Dominion on July 11, 2009 at 12:06 AM
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