Obamateurism of the Day
posted at 8:05 am on January 27, 2010 by Ed Morrissey
When Barack Obama dragged a teleprompter to a school, most people assumed that he used them to talk to the kids — when he actually used them for a press conference in another classroom later. The optics of that were, er, poorly considered, which Jon Stewart wound up criticizing, but for the most part it was a bum rap.
But this … this is just embarrassing (via Rich Lowry):
This isn’t a press conference, a speech, or even a White House briefing. It’s a committee meeting. As Rich said, people used to poke fun at Reagan’s notecards. Either he needs this much help to get through opening remarks in a normal business meeting, or he’s become a little to attached to the TOTUS … and neither option makes him look very professional.
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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I can’t wait until there’s a photo of him talking to someone one on one from a teleprompter.
BadgerHawk on January 27, 2010 at 8:07 AM
Too cool to speak extemporaneously.
OmahaConservative on January 27, 2010 at 8:08 AM
Now THIS IS unprecedented.
Crusader Rabbit on January 27, 2010 at 8:09 AM
Narcissistic and insecure…
ladyingray on January 27, 2010 at 8:10 AM
What a puppet.
yoda on January 27, 2010 at 8:11 AM
It’s hard to remember all that crap that William Ayers jammed in my head.
ttime500 on January 27, 2010 at 8:14 AM
So is David Axelrod running the country? What’s the deal?
As time passes, I really, really want to see the school records of President Obama. What are they hiding?
visions on January 27, 2010 at 8:16 AM
Obama:
Ellie Light:
Disturb the Universe on January 27, 2010 at 8:17 AM
I did not realize that George Soros had Dear Liar on such a short leash. Does The Whine use The Teleprompter in bed as well?
rbj on January 27, 2010 at 8:18 AM
I’d pay real money to hear what’s going through those people’s minds.
Tuning Spork on January 27, 2010 at 8:18 AM
He must have made a helluva courtroom lawyer.
No wonder he went into teaching and politics instead.
AZCoyote on January 27, 2010 at 8:18 AM
The man knows ,off prompter he is a joke,so he will not be without it.Total empty suit!
ohiobabe on January 27, 2010 at 8:18 AM
This is just not right… seriously. What IS this OBSESSION with having a podium with a seal too?
Everything with this guy is a pathology.
I disagree completely. Although the “optics” were poorly considered, a small presser in a school classroom cannot justify the TOTUS. It was NOT a major address by any stretch.
We’ve had other Presidents who have tried to hide their handicaps – this guy is starting to show how crippled his leadership really is.
singlemalt_18 on January 27, 2010 at 8:18 AM
I fully expect a complete meltdown within a month. The MSM is finally recognizing the bloom is off the rose and he is losing the independents and moderates. The adulation factor is crumbling, with only sycophants left to prop him up.
Nervous Breakdown alert on the horizon.
OmahaConservative on January 27, 2010 at 8:18 AM
Forget the teleprompters, what’s the deal with the backdrop? Does he have to have his white house in a bag everywhere he goes?
jeridhill on January 27, 2010 at 8:18 AM
Everything. Hasn’t it become apparent by now that he is a complete fabrication?
singer on January 27, 2010 at 8:19 AM
Maybe those jokes about him using a teleprompter in the bedroom with Michelle were closer to the truth than we thought.
Doughboy on January 27, 2010 at 8:20 AM
That he’s really a robot.
txhsmom on January 27, 2010 at 8:21 AM
pretty pathetic…you can’t even talk with you cronies without totus…
cmsinaz on January 27, 2010 at 8:21 AM
Apparently, his oratory skills are comparable to his constitutional scholarship.
(Both skill sets are extremely weak).
cs89 on January 27, 2010 at 8:21 AM
Note that, beyond the teleprompters, he uses the podium with the Seal so that the attendees do not forget “He Won”.
I’m pretty sure he probably also has a miniature teleprompter attached to the telephone on his desk, and one on the headboard of his bed (for those more intimate moments).
(Note to Ed: to, too, two)
Yoop on January 27, 2010 at 8:21 AM
I’m surprised there’s no greek colums.
SHARPTOOTH on January 27, 2010 at 8:21 AM
Wait until it gets out that he’s lipsync’ing.
Dusty on January 27, 2010 at 8:22 AM
Ed, this OOTD has got to be considered for OOTY…
cmsinaz on January 27, 2010 at 8:24 AM
I don’t care if the TelePrompTer was in front of students or press. It’s ridiculous that the President can’t answer questions without one.
In a committee meeting, it is pompous and insulting that he stand at a podium in front of, what, 20 bureaucrats seated 20 feet from him. And he needs the tele-crutch.
I can only imagine the hoots if George Bush used a TelePrompTer for such occasions. Obama must be extremely insecure or else he’s getting constantly updated info from someone.
Sloan Morganstern on January 27, 2010 at 8:24 AM
Yes he does. Because fake Greek columns are just too darned hard to fit into Air Force One.
highhopes on January 27, 2010 at 8:25 AM
There are plenty of reasons to believe this. Narcissim doesn’t handle opposition well. I have a standing wager with my wife and others that he will have a nervous breakdown and will not finish his term. We’ve already seen hints of the temper tantrums he’s thrown.
BTW, thanks for helping us here in MA to defeat Coakley. Your efforts to raise money for Brown were nothing short of heroic.
singer on January 27, 2010 at 8:25 AM
The only thing that makes sense is that this is part of Obama’s new communication strategy.
First attempt is a bit of a flop.
I watched the first 10 minutes of the meeting over at flopping aces and then skipped ahead (to 37:00) to hear a couple of minutes of the great man himself. The first minute was introducing joe biden … just hilarious.
gh on January 27, 2010 at 8:25 AM
“too attached” would be better
docjeff on January 27, 2010 at 8:26 AM
I forgot to add the one legitimate use for TelePrompTers – long formal speeches such as the SOTU address.
Sloan Morganstern on January 27, 2010 at 8:26 AM
Such a scared little child. He must have had a hard time weaning himself from training wheels.
sherry on January 27, 2010 at 8:26 AM
The wheels have come off this presidency. Unfortunately, they were training wheels. THEY ARE WHAT WE THOUGHT THEY WERE…AND WE LET ‘EM OFF THE HOOK!
Jorge Bonilla on January 27, 2010 at 8:27 AM
Linky
gh on January 27, 2010 at 8:27 AM
Barack Obama has a first rate
temperamentteleprompter.gwelf on January 27, 2010 at 8:27 AM
has SNL poked fun at this yet?
cmsinaz on January 27, 2010 at 8:27 AM
How much is he paying that ‘prompter?
JusDreamin on January 27, 2010 at 8:27 AM
Great minds and all that, Sherry
Jorge Bonilla on January 27, 2010 at 8:27 AM
A President should be able to answer questions from the press without somebody feeding him answers on a teleprompter. Perhaps they should do away with middle management and simply have the press ask TOTUS directly. Sorta like a media version of the Magic 8 Ball.
highhopes on January 27, 2010 at 8:28 AM
“White House in a bag”: funny, I love it.
Makes one ponder: somebody is getting paid a lot to haul that ‘WH in a bag’ around and set it up and take it down, at union scale.
Maybe you had better trademark that “White House in a Bag” thingy. I can see the White House gift shop selling such a thing to kids so they can play at ‘Barack Obama, POTUS’.
Yoop on January 27, 2010 at 8:29 AM
If TOTUS caught a virus in the middle of the SOTU tonight, you would probably see The First President Temper Tantrum (TM). It’s coming soon. It will be glorious.
kingsjester on January 27, 2010 at 8:31 AM
0′s Billboard torn down in Times Square—Indonesian statue to follow…
OmahaConservative on January 27, 2010 at 8:32 AM
What amazes me is that the White House releases these photos and doesn’t realize how bad it looks. Just like the photo of Obama leaning against the wall sneering at Biden.
Wethal on January 27, 2010 at 8:32 AM
A challenge to computer geeks everywhere. Hack TOTUS during SOTU.
Wethal on January 27, 2010 at 8:33 AM
LOL. When he finally rids himself of this crutch, the media will congratulate him for “Look Ma, no teleprompter”
sherry on January 27, 2010 at 8:33 AM
He does not answer questions any more, and has not for some time; he only makes statements from the TOTUS.
singlemalt_18 on January 27, 2010 at 8:34 AM
No. They released a video. See the “Linky” above.
gh on January 27, 2010 at 8:34 AM
Fixed.
jana on January 27, 2010 at 8:34 AM
Awesome!
Late 80s, Milli Vanilli, lip synching revealed by the skipping “Girl you know it’s, girl you know it’s, girl you know it’s…”
2010, The One, lip synching revealed by “Let me be cl-, let me be cl-, let me be cl-…”
DOOF on January 27, 2010 at 8:35 AM
Not funny. A domestic terrorist with a directional electronic scrambler could bring this country to it’s knees. ;-)
Yoop on January 27, 2010 at 8:36 AM
Maybe Congessman Sestak should get one of those thingies for his next round table discussion.
forest on January 27, 2010 at 8:37 AM
Insecurity is one of the causes of narcissism so that’s probably what drives this. So is OCD….. this seems to be a case of obsessive compulsive disorder too.
Bottom line, it’s funny as hell.
tru2tx on January 27, 2010 at 8:37 AM
I disagree. Obama clearly has NPD (narcassistic personality disorder) so it is all about him 24/7. These people do not have nervous breakdowns they have temper tantrums. If his poll numbers remain low and he doesn’t get the kind of love he had at the beginning of his term, look for more violent (often unprovoked) hissy fits and a great deal of paranoia. I suspect that if the GOP wins back Congress in November, Obama will become a recluse and we might finally have a day where the rat bastard traitor’s face isn’t on the television. Oh happy day when that happens!
highhopes on January 27, 2010 at 8:37 AM
I see two possible explanations for Obama’s ridiculous and pathological dependence on the teleprompter:
1. He has no deeply felt opinions and beliefs and cannot personally articulate a coherent political vision — hence the need to have pat answers on standby.
2. He actually has deeply felt opinions and beliefs, but they are far too radical for the public (or even a committee!). So he relies on the prompter for safe, pat answers and lives in constant terror of letting the truth slip out accidentally.
Either is possible IMHO but I believe #2 is far more likely.
jwolf on January 27, 2010 at 8:38 AM
Last press conference in July 2009?
singer on January 27, 2010 at 8:38 AM
Sheesh, Biden’s able to handle the meeting without a crutch…
Also, whoever packed the diaper bag remembered the binky-prompters, the podium with the seal and the flags, but they forgot that big round nap-rug that he usually stands in…
jana on January 27, 2010 at 8:39 AM
Don’t give Ayers any ideas.
txhsmom on January 27, 2010 at 8:40 AM
You have got to be kidding me…..is this photoshopped or is this the real deal?
In an Army staff meeting at BN/regt/BDE, the conference room is set up in similar fashion to this, a U-shaped table configuration with the commander sitting in position where the two guys closest to the camera are sitting. But this is patently absurd, if you can’t submit yourself to sit down with your staff and give the simple talking points, then you are utterly hosed.
ted c on January 27, 2010 at 8:40 AM
I’m working on a theory that Obama’s eyes are going bad, he can’t or won’t wear contacts for some reason, and he is too vain to get glasses. He must be using the prompter so he can see the words easily. Even at a small meeting a President would be speaking from notes or talking points, but maybe he just can’t see them.
This would explain why he hasn’t had any formal press conferences for a while either. He can’t use a prompter for those.
He has given plenty of extemporaneous speeches in the past, so he isn’t incapable of that. He did fine in all the debates. But if his vision has seriously deteriorated since the campaign he might need to use the prompter for all prepared remarks, no matter how small the audience.
But I’m feeling genrous today. Maybe he is just a moron who can’t remember what he is supposed to say and Axelrod is afraid of some major gaffes.
rockmom on January 27, 2010 at 8:40 AM
On, I meant to say… ON.
jana on January 27, 2010 at 8:41 AM
so eloquent. a natural born speaker. snicker-snicker…hee-hee….snort-snort.
jbh45 on January 27, 2010 at 8:41 AM
Who’s the idiot here? The guy giving the brief, or the jackass that doesn’t get up and walk out on this dog and pony show.
ted c on January 27, 2010 at 8:41 AM
0 learning the teleprompter suffered a fatal crash.
OmahaConservative on January 27, 2010 at 8:41 AM
You mean, like, spread the wealth around ??
Jerome Horwitz on January 27, 2010 at 8:42 AM
Does he take those things into meetings with foreign leaders? And this is supposed to raise our standing in the world.
Kissmygrits on January 27, 2010 at 8:42 AM
I don’t think he’s dared have a press conference since the “police behaved stupidly” debacle.
Wethal on January 27, 2010 at 8:43 AM
Maybe TOTUS needs to wear a disguise. During the next presser the podium should be flanked with giant plants, or fake Greek columns, or something that gets the spotlight off TOTUS- the most powerful appliance in the free world.
highhopes on January 27, 2010 at 8:43 AM
I think we should be placing odds on words and phrases coming from TOTUS tonight. There is one phrase I will start with that if I hear it, I will vomit on my rug.
‘Donut Hole’
Another…
‘back from the brink’
Now, I need to go buy some scotch and stock up.
tatersalad on January 27, 2010 at 8:44 AM
ted c on January 27, 2010 at 8:40 AM
Here is the big hairy secret that everybody knows already. Obama can not mask his thoughts and make a acceptable speech without a script. As others have said, without a script his true narcissistic Marxist nature shines through. Like his discussion with Joe The Plumbler.
The Temper Tantrum is coming.
kingsjester on January 27, 2010 at 8:44 AM
“Let me be – uh – clear – take off your – uh – clothes.”
fossten on January 27, 2010 at 8:45 AM
Won’t work. Everytime he comes on, TOTUS is where I affix my eyes automatically.
OmahaConservative on January 27, 2010 at 8:46 AM
Imagine how those seated at the table feel, the eyerolls seeing the TOTUS set up. It’s embarrassing.
The guy is so incompetent he can’t speak extemporaneously for five minutes without a script?
Oh, yeah, Bush was he stupid one. Keep reminding us of that.
JammieWearingFool on January 27, 2010 at 8:46 AM
“Dear Reader, open up your eyes
Dear Reader, see the sunny skies
The wind is low, the birds will sing
That you are part of everything!
Dear Prudence won’t you open up your eyes?”
John Lenin
forest on January 27, 2010 at 8:46 AM
And it should be noted that TOTUS was there! It was when he went off script that things went badly and some of us still seethe at the idea that he called the White House “his house.”
highhopes on January 27, 2010 at 8:47 AM
“I’ve consistently said that I like to be on top.”
fossten on January 27, 2010 at 8:47 AM
+11
singlemalt_18 on January 27, 2010 at 8:47 AM
He got by in the IL senate and US senate and presidential campaign by giving canned speeches with the usual liberal talking points. He has those memorized. He never had to field questions on any subject.
That is why he did so poorly at Saddleback Church and McCain did fairly well. McCain had developed a skill for answering questions and speaking without notes over the years. Obama has no such practice, and therefore no such skills.
I recall that Obama’s staff was so upset about how badly Obama did in comparison to McCain at Saddleback that they accused the church of leaking questions to McCain in advance. They couldn’t come to the obvious conclusion that their candidate had no extemporaneous speaking skills.
Wethal on January 27, 2010 at 8:48 AM
any body would tell Teh Won that glasses would make him look smarter (like it could even be possible, right?)
so if it is glasses he needs, i think he would get them already.
kelley in virginia on January 27, 2010 at 8:48 AM
I’ll bet $20 that when he speaks of those evil Republicans, a instruction will pop up on TOTUS that says “pretend you have a itch on your nose, and scratch it with your middle finger”.
Jerome Horwitz on January 27, 2010 at 8:48 AM
Stop it! We do not look like Mrs. Obama.
txhsmom on January 27, 2010 at 8:49 AM
I believe he was so shell shocked by his ‘acted stupidly’ incident last summer when he was caught in a ‘moment of his true beliefs’. The ‘teachable moment’ as he mentioned at the time was directed at himself and he swore that he will risk looking stupid carrying around TOTUS to school class rooms over saying something stupid.
For him, it’s a trade off. Stay on script and look stupid, or speak off script and sound stupid.
Either way, we got stuck with stupid.
tatersalad on January 27, 2010 at 8:49 AM
The Hockey Hall of Fame has a guy whose job it is to look after the Stanley Cup as it travels the world to insure it comes to no harm and is maintained properly.
I am firmly convinced that Barry has someone (maybe a team of someones) to look after TOTUS in the same manner.
Jim708 on January 27, 2010 at 8:50 AM
+1
cmsinaz on January 27, 2010 at 8:50 AM
remember when Bush went to the ruins at the Twin Towers & grabbed that microphone? He said something patriotic–which came from his gut. What would Bambi do in the same situation? does he even know of anything patriotic to say?
kelley in virginia on January 27, 2010 at 8:51 AM
I have been looking for a picture of that conference. I recall there was one from the angle that showed the screens. I wondered if his staff was going to feed him answers through TOTUS.
Next time we should check for one of those tiny hearing aids. of course, if someone had a scanner they could pick up the prompts like happened with fake faith healer Peter Popoff, whose wife fed him info off cards the faithful had filled out before the revival.
Wethal on January 27, 2010 at 8:51 AM
Absolutely pathetic! You know why he needs a teleprompter? Because it’s all spin, and he doesn’t actually believe in what he’s saying (or selling). He can only perform extemporaneously if he’s peddling Alinsky or Karl Marx.
Buy Danish on January 27, 2010 at 8:52 AM
There is one guy who is looking away from Obama. The others already must have been trained/subjected to this enough that they can watch Obama read from the teleprompters at a meeting without laughing at him.
journeyintothewhirlwind on January 27, 2010 at 8:52 AM
I thought he used tv monitors?
txhsmom on January 27, 2010 at 8:53 AM
“Let me be clear, I have always
saidread…”Osis on January 27, 2010 at 8:54 AM
I’m less generous than you! That being said, a President too vain to wear glasses if he can’t see is no better than a blathering gaffe machine.
I do have to disagree that he’s delivered good extemporaneous speeches in the past. He’s delivered essentially the same campaign speech enough times that he has it memorized with enough tricks to make it appear he is speaking extemporaneously.
highhopes on January 27, 2010 at 8:54 AM
If it were Obama the advance team would arrive to set up TOTUS, plant the right mix of race/gender/species first responders as a photo-op background. Then Obama would fly in with an entire entourage, and declare that the alleged perpetrators of this alleged crime would face the American Justice system.
Thank God we had GWB in charge on 9/11/01 and pity the fact that the current regime is treating the KSM trial as if those thousands of Americans incinerated on that awful day don’t deserve justice.
highhopes on January 27, 2010 at 8:59 AM
That brings to mind four of the scariest words in the English language: “President Joe Biden”.
venividivici on January 27, 2010 at 9:00 AM
This photo (“The cabinet reporting to you”) from the WhiteHouse website is pretty funny too. Note the boxes the back row is standing on. I only noticed because Peter Orzag seemed to be as tall as Wilt Chamberlin.
Buy Danish on January 27, 2010 at 9:02 AM
Max Headroom V2.0
franksalterego on January 27, 2010 at 9:04 AM
i don’t care what else happens this week…
TOTUS is getting my vote for OOTW.
toenail on January 27, 2010 at 9:06 AM
From huff po:
OmahaConservative on January 27, 2010 at 9:07 AM
Manchurian candidate.
j_galt on January 27, 2010 at 9:07 AM
Weak A$$ Loser.
Captain Ed, perhaps this would be a good place for the SNL “Reagan Mastermind” clip.
Maquis on January 27, 2010 at 9:08 AM
jeridhill on January 27, 2010 at 8:18 AM
BetseyRoss on January 27, 2010 at 9:12 AM
Remember when the lib media accused Bush of being wired up during one of the Presidential debates so people could whisper in his ear and tell him what to say?
PatMac on January 27, 2010 at 9:12 AM
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