Obamateurism of the Day
posted at 8:05 am on April 1, 2010 by Ed Morrissey
Presidents from George Washington to George Bush have found a place to worship, if they want, while performing the duties of the Commander-in-Chief during war and peacetime. While a presidential security detail does attract some attention, it hasn’t kept modern executives from attending services … at least not until now. Barack Obama explained to Matt Lauer that he seems incapable of resolving the issue as successfully as his predecessors (via Hannah B):
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You know what? What we’ve decided for now is not to join a single church. And the reason is is because Michelle and I have realized we are very disruptive to services. … And in the meantime, what we’ve done, there was a prayer circle of pastors from across the country who during the campaign would, would say a prayer for me or send a devotional. And we’ve kept that habit up and, and it’s a wonderful group because it’s a mix of some very conservative pastors, some very liberal pastors, but all who, you know, pray for me and Michelle and, and the girls and, and I get a daily devotional on my BlackBerry which is a, is a wonderful thing.
Believe it or not, I pray for the President every day. We only have one at a time, and I’d rather have the Lord guiding him than not. I hope that the daily devotional on the Blackberry helps, I really do. But if he can’t be bothered to go to church, Obama should just have the honesty to admit it rather than try passing it off as that he’s such a celebrity that there isn’t a church that could handle him. Maybe I’ll just add that to my prayers for today.
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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Why would The One need to go to church? He IS church.
CambellBrown on April 1, 2010 at 8:09 AM
I do, too.
mwdiver on April 1, 2010 at 8:09 AM
He’s so darned full of himself, isn’t he?
Key West Reader on April 1, 2010 at 8:09 AM
“If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.”
He decided to vote ‘Present’ (not).
rockbend on April 1, 2010 at 8:09 AM
Why go to church now?
He’s already elected…
Who would he impress?
Haiku Guy on April 1, 2010 at 8:10 AM
excuses, excuses….
his ego is so bloody big
—-
well said Ed
cmsinaz on April 1, 2010 at 8:10 AM
excellent
cmsinaz on April 1, 2010 at 8:11 AM
He just can’t find a pastor in DC that’s radical enough for him to listen to.
loudmouth883 on April 1, 2010 at 8:11 AM
Hasn’t stopped you before..
the_nile on April 1, 2010 at 8:12 AM
Yeah, okay. Good on ya.
ExpressoBold on April 1, 2010 at 8:12 AM
That happens when you say “G…damn America!” instead of “amen” or “praise Jesus”.
Disturb the Universe on April 1, 2010 at 8:13 AM
Don’t fool yourself…he’ll drag himself to a church on Sunday just to find a camera.
yoda on April 1, 2010 at 8:13 AM
For a Leftist, politics are their religion.
Sekhmet on April 1, 2010 at 8:14 AM
The chaplain at Camp David is, I’ve heard and read, a Bible preaching man of God who hasn’t demured from spelling it out to Obama whenever he’s been present.
Too bad this conclusion doesn’t seem to stop you from assaulting our Constitution there, sporto.
AubieJon on April 1, 2010 at 8:14 AM
Liar in chief.
Daggett on April 1, 2010 at 8:14 AM
maybe it’s just me but the blackberry bit hit me the wrong way…it seems so impersonal and cold or maybe I’m just old school…
cmsinaz on April 1, 2010 at 8:15 AM
Jeremiah Wright won’t relocate.
katy the mean old lady on April 1, 2010 at 8:15 AM
FIFY
mwdiver on April 1, 2010 at 8:16 AM
He has bowed to everyone else, why is he afraid of being seen bowing before Allah?
Just kidding. He is an atheist. His mother and father were. That’s how he managed to sit in Jeremiah Wright’s church for twenty years and not hear anything.
Kafir on April 1, 2010 at 8:16 AM
He’s got to figure out how to worship from both sides of the altar at the same time without tripping over the Teleprompter.
TimBuk3 on April 1, 2010 at 8:17 AM
…there was a prayer circle of pastors from across the country who during the campaign would, would say a prayer for me or send a devotional. …but all who, you know, pray for me and Michelle and, and the girls and,
Yes because going to church is all about having people there pray for YOU and only YOU. It’s not about anyone else who is there.
This isn’t about his self-sacrifice, recognizing that his presence could be disruptive. It’s about not being able to find a church where he is the center of attention in the way he wants.
It may come as a shock to P.BO – but in the eyes of God he’s just a person like everyone else.
He isn’t God.
KrisinNE on April 1, 2010 at 8:17 AM
Then he will quit golf also?
Wanna bet he’ll find a church as 2012 approaches?
Dingbat63 on April 1, 2010 at 8:17 AM
The Messiah needs no church! Haven’t you seen the pictures, the halo and cross follow him around. What a piece of work. Apparently there aren’t any Mullah’s around D.C.?
flytier on April 1, 2010 at 8:17 AM
Obama’s place of worship: Air Force One.
He prays the engines don’t wear out.
Yoop on April 1, 2010 at 8:18 AM
And the trees are all kept equal
By hatchet, axe, and saw.
bikermailman on April 1, 2010 at 8:21 AM
That comment is heresy.
mmmmm mmmmm mmmmm
You are in need an intervention. ;-)
Yoop on April 1, 2010 at 8:21 AM
Wow… the important thing is who prays for him and his family?????
Not only that, if they haven’t attended a single service since moving to Washington, how do they know their presence is a disruption? Obama should be praying for himself, given his apparently uncontrollable propensity to lie…
ProfessorMiao on April 1, 2010 at 8:23 AM
I know a church led by a Messianic Jew in the D.C. Area. I suggest he try that one out….
I never thought he’d vote “Present” on a place of worship.
mjk on April 1, 2010 at 8:23 AM
As Ed says, all his predecessors managed to find a way, including Clinton and JFK, who were the rock star presidents of their day. Obama, thy name is Narcissus!
bikermailman on April 1, 2010 at 8:24 AM
Perfectly content that Odamna won’t be coming to my church. I’d hate to see the pastor’s head spin around 360 degrees and I detest the smell of sulphur.
Crusader Rabbit on April 1, 2010 at 8:25 AM
When I pray for the Precedent, I either let the Lord fill in the blanks (He knows what we need…) or I pray Psalm 109:8.
As for Maobama going to church, why should he keep pretending he’s a Christian now that he’s in power?
That’s all I’m going to say about that.
Jenfidel on April 1, 2010 at 8:25 AM
Or a mosque.
highhopes on April 1, 2010 at 8:25 AM
So the reason he would go to church is to have people pray for him?
I think he really meant that he would only go to church to have people pray to him.
mr.blacksheep on April 1, 2010 at 8:25 AM
Or the National Day of Prayer. Or anything else.
but he has time to put on a Seder even though he’s not Jewish?
Look, I don’t care if he ever goes to church, but he has to stop kidding himself that people don’t notice that he claimed to be a Christian yet hasn’t bothered to find a church?
mjk on April 1, 2010 at 8:26 AM
Not til after 2014.
bikermailman on April 1, 2010 at 8:27 AM
Didn’t he tell people to get over it when he shut down a good part of Manhattan for a date night? I guess I will just chalk that up to lesson learned.
Cindy Munford on April 1, 2010 at 8:28 AM
Honestly, I think Obama is one of those people who doesn’t really believe in anything. Or he believes that all religions lead to heaven. Either way, I believe he gave a false impression to Christians who thought he was a true believer.
So does he forward all those prayers from his blackberry to his daughters? Or do they have their own set of Sunday School teachers who send them lessons/prayers on their iphones?
texasconserv on April 1, 2010 at 8:30 AM
Get over yourself Obama.
becki51758 on April 1, 2010 at 8:31 AM
Fact of the matter is that Christian worship is supposed to be in public among the community of faith. There are ways the jug-eared traitor could attend services without it becoming all about him and is fat-arsed racist wife if he wanted to but he likes being the center of attention and would never allow Christ to overshadow him.
highhopes on April 1, 2010 at 8:32 AM
Marxists don’t believe in God. The only reason he went to Rev. Wright’s church was for the political gain. Now that he doesn’t need the networking, he doesn’t need a church. But then I guess it isn’t much worse than Clinton making a big scene about carrying his bible to church when everyone knew the teachings in the bible meant little to him.
jnelchef on April 1, 2010 at 8:32 AM
Ed, Satan’s guiding him, but all power comes from God.
What we all need to pray for–and Glenn Beck is stressing this the best–is for America to be returned to the Lord through our submission and obedience to Him once again.
Jenfidel on April 1, 2010 at 8:33 AM
Who thought that after finding out that he spent 20 years in a “church” that openly expresses hatred of white people?
highhopes on April 1, 2010 at 8:34 AM
Dear Liar’s thinking: “Why does God need to go to church?”
rbj on April 1, 2010 at 8:35 AM
Oh I am sure that Obama is worried about being disruptive and a nuisance to other people…..
Please!!!!!!
conservnut on April 1, 2010 at 8:36 AM
Gee, did not know Rev Wright sent text messages to his congregation. Where do I sign up?
faol on April 1, 2010 at 8:38 AM
Perfect for a man who hates jews and christians.
jbh45 on April 1, 2010 at 8:39 AM
He really shows his narcissim – all he’s interested in is having people pray from him and his wife…. he doesn’t really need to bother with that pesky church community nonsense and see no value in listening to or learning from a pastor.
Chitownmom on April 1, 2010 at 8:42 AM
The idea of going to a house of worship is not only to pray for oneself and one’s family, but for other people and circumstances in the world.
What a disgusting narcissist that all he can say is that others are praying for him, so he sees no need or purpose to attend a regular church.
redfoxbluestate on April 1, 2010 at 8:43 AM
Fixed
BierManVA on April 1, 2010 at 8:44 AM
Personally, I think he’s afraid he might be struck by lightning or something equally catastrophic. God will not be mocked……..
Jasech59 on April 1, 2010 at 8:45 AM
He might be shown the error of his ways, can’t take that chance.
Cindy Munford on April 1, 2010 at 8:47 AM
Being incapable of resolving issues as successfully as his predecessors seems to be a pretty persistent problem for Barry — in all sorts of different areas.
AZCoyote on April 1, 2010 at 8:48 AM
Can we now officially label this promise as expired, a la Geraghty?
jwolf on April 1, 2010 at 8:59 AM
Anyone make a reference to a Mosque yet?
mechkiller_k on April 1, 2010 at 8:59 AM
THE MESSIAH go to church?
He walks among his worshipers every day; He is praised by his worshipers every day; He speaks to his worshipers every day!
When you are the IDOL, what church would you go to?
Matt Lauer doesn’t know WHO he is talking to!
Cybergeezer on April 1, 2010 at 9:00 AM
I wouldn’t be surprised if he does show up for an Easter service, or attend Camp David (haven’t looked at the WH schedule for the weekend myself yet).
Of course, I also wouldn’t be surprised if he sits in the WH or goes to Hawaii.
Our POTUS doesn’t know the first thing about humility, and this shines through repetitively.
cs89 on April 1, 2010 at 9:04 AM
Aww. The Son of Man has no place to lay his enormous head.
jeff_from_mpls on April 1, 2010 at 9:07 AM
Who are these pastors? What are their names? That’s what I would like to know. I mean who would not like to state their pastor’s name. As my Pastor is Msgr. W. Foley and Parochial Vicars are Fr. J. Hauver & Fr. R. Punnolil.
I mean he could not disown his last pastor Jeremiah Wright as he could disown is own grandmother. Boy can this man spin a yarn of BULLSH*T…
Remember: Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
President BO is a very smooth talker, but remember where he comes from… Chicago! Enough said.
Happy Passover And Happy Easter to everyone :)
USMCDevilDog on April 1, 2010 at 9:07 AM
The loathing I have for this man knows no bounds…
ladyingray on April 1, 2010 at 9:10 AM
Obama & family did attend St. John’s near the White House last Easter. The POTUS has attended services, but rarely, and as Ed noted didn’t do what he said- pick a church for his family to join.
“You Lie!”
(Many other Presidents have also noted the disruption, and Reagan didn’t attend frequently. It’s the “We’re going to pick a church by…. never?” BS that gets old)
cs89 on April 1, 2010 at 9:11 AM
O can’t stand the competition.
publiuspen on April 1, 2010 at 9:11 AM
So I guess praying is all about him as well. I guess he doesn’t need to pray and thank God for all he has been given and for this great nation…someone else is doing it for him. WOW!
DJ from MA on April 1, 2010 at 9:12 AM
What?
He gets people to pray for him and that is somehow the same?
Man child.
reaganaut on April 1, 2010 at 9:17 AM
And what’s with Lauer, is he so afraid of losing future interviews by actually pressing him on these BS excuses? ok nevermind, don’t answer that…
Seriously, Barry, just man up and stop making excuses. Most people don’t care whether you pick a church or not, but stop lying. This guy is complete coward.
reaganaut on April 1, 2010 at 9:22 AM
that’s a great lesson right there, Ed. I should follow your lead. thanks–
ted c on April 1, 2010 at 9:24 AM
This man is nothing if not consistent. It’s all about him.
.
That’s wonderful for you, sir, but what about your two young daughters? What are you teaching them?
labwriter on April 1, 2010 at 9:25 AM
I must be suffering from False Memory Syndrome because when I read Obama’s explanation for why they don’t go to church the first thing that popped into my head was “He stole Ronald Reagan’s excuse”.
I seem to remember that Reagan used the very same reason for he didn’t go to church either.
Of course, Reagan wasn’t lying.
Jaynie59 on April 1, 2010 at 9:26 AM
I know, it’s troubling when the congregation is torn between worshipping the Lord and worshipping the One… and the One doesn’t want God to feel bad.
n0doz on April 1, 2010 at 9:27 AM
I pray that God lead Obama in the right direction for our great nation and if Obama chooses not to follow I pray that the Good Lord place stumbling blocks in his way so that the damage he does is minimal.
thomasaur on April 1, 2010 at 9:28 AM
Obama worships nobody but himself.
JetBoy on April 1, 2010 at 9:29 AM
You’re a much better person than most. I don’t pray for ugly.
RepubChica on April 1, 2010 at 9:29 AM
Actually there is a BLT (Black Liberation Theology) in the D.C. area. My guess is his handlers won’t let him attend because of the obvious fallout.
chemman on April 1, 2010 at 9:30 AM
I guess it is safe to assume then, that he won’t be going to church on Easter?
He has to get a devotional on his Blackberry? There aren’t any Bibles in the White House?
Beaglemom on April 1, 2010 at 9:31 AM
I’ve been watching this particular issue closely and found this excuse very irritating. If it was just weekly services the man was missing, I might be inclined to cut him some slack. But he’s also refused to participate in national prayer events and, if I remember right, had a little visit with atheists on the day of one of them. I suspect he’s devout when it’s convenient and/or more inclined to attend Muslim services which he knows would be VERY bad for his numbers.
It’s a shame that so many people buy the BS this guy peddles, but not a surprise in the least. After all, the church he claims to have attended the entirety of his adult life is run by a man that espouses some very unChristian beliefs.
This is just another instance where he played a role to help get him elected and now that he’s got the highest job in the land, he figures he doesn’t need to pretend anymore. Pathetic, but very in line with his normal behavior.
Mad Mad Monica on April 1, 2010 at 9:34 AM
One could call that “preemptive throwing under the bus.”
year_of_the_dingo on April 1, 2010 at 9:37 AM
Problem is, I tried to pray for him when Belzebama first was inaugurated and I couldn’t do it, in all honesty, and I don’t lie to the Lord.
I confessed my sin then and do so just about every night.
I pray for the Lord to take the man away in His own way and as He sees fit.
If God is still blessing America, he will, too.
I pray for the protection and guidance of Sarah Palin instead.
Much better!
Jenfidel on April 1, 2010 at 9:38 AM
I pray for him daily too. It goes something like this
“Dear Lord, please let idiot be gone from us in 2012 AMEN”
ZeeMI on April 1, 2010 at 9:41 AM
I pray for Obowmao every day, I just can’t say what for :)
Mini-14 on April 1, 2010 at 9:43 AM
Why would he need a church?
This is all he needs:
Prayer rug
Compass
Watch
Ampleforth on April 1, 2010 at 9:43 AM
That’s close enough for me!
Mini-14 on April 1, 2010 at 9:43 AM
,please let THIS idiot be gone…
preview is my friend, preview is my friend……
ZeeMI on April 1, 2010 at 9:45 AM
Two jokes that have been around a while:
1. What’s the difference between Jesus and Obama?
A) Jesus could build a cabinet.
2. What’s the difference between God and Obama?
A) God doesn’t think he’s Obama.
Logic on April 1, 2010 at 9:45 AM
He’s afraid he’ll get hit by lightning for lying about where he was born.
/s
SurferDoc on April 1, 2010 at 9:51 AM
A lot of people think he’s the Antichurch…
garry on April 1, 2010 at 10:03 AM
I wonder if his kids get prayers on their blackberries.
scalleywag on April 1, 2010 at 10:03 AM
I’ll bet he is pretty disruptive on the golf course when he goes golfing too, but that doesn’t stop him does it?
I’ll bet he is pretty disruptive when takes his family to the beach, but he has done that as well, hasn’t he?
I’ll bet he is pretty disruptive when he takes Michelle out to watch a play in NYC, but that hasn’t stopped him has it?
When will he give up the lying and excuse-making and just admit that he sold America a empty suit, and now he is becoming the man he always has been and can stop pretending.
DuctTapeMyBrain on April 1, 2010 at 10:04 AM
Did Reagan go to church regularly?
itsnotaboutme on April 1, 2010 at 10:05 AM
Don’t like the competition, Mr. President, or can’t you get that big ol’ swollen head through the doors?
rogerb on April 1, 2010 at 10:17 AM
This guy. Ten pounds of horsesh!t in a five pound bag.
tru2tx on April 1, 2010 at 10:20 AM
I would ask what people would say when the first atheist president is elected…
…but I suspect that P.BO is that first atheist president (though we may quibble over weather socialism/communism counts as a religion).
Count to 10 on April 1, 2010 at 10:21 AM
Great catch Ed. I have been trying to rationalize the observation that President Obama says “God Bless the USA” when he is finished reading the TOUS (teleprompter of the U.S.).
I was concerned that the TOUS programmer had just left it in at the end of the Presidents prepared statements/speeches, because it was the acceptable PC thing to say. I was also, interested in knowing if the TOUS capitalized God, grammatically correct, or was it in lower case PC.
I suspect the TOUS puts God in lower case as a means of allowing the President to tell the audience what they expect to hear but is not what he really believes in, because the beloved media has not found President Obama and family exiting a Church (reality) or place of worship (PC).
The Presidents’ recent actions indicate that he has lost his way and needs to get in touch with reality real quick – God Save U.S..
MSGTAS on April 1, 2010 at 10:24 AM
I find it hard to get worked up about Obama not finding a church. Religion is a personal matter. Reagan didn’t attend church regularly and that wasn’t a big deal.
But, two things bother me about this:
1) That he doesn’t want to disrupt whatever church he attends. That’s nonsense and everyone knows it. I know it’s difficult for him but he should be honest and say he doesn’t have time or maybe the inclination to attend regularly.
2) He makes this all about him. This, I suppose, shouldn’t be a surprise since everything is about him. But the arrogance of him discussing how wonderful it is that pastors are praying for him and that he gets a “daily devotional” from the pastors. Isn’t religion about something other than yourself? Maybe I missed that in Sunday school.
crusader1145 on April 1, 2010 at 10:27 AM
I also pray for him. Harming him would be terrible but making him a martyr would be worse.
Presidential line of sucession
# Office Current Officer
1 Vice President Joe Biden
2 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi
3 President pro tempore of the Senate Robert Byrd
4 Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
5 Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner
6 Secretary of Defense Robert Gates
7 Attorney General Eric Holder
8 Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar
9 Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack
10 Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke
11 Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis
12 Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius
13 Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan
14 Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood
15 Secretary of Energy Steven Chu
16 Secretary of Education Arne Duncan
17 Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki
18 Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano
barnone on April 1, 2010 at 10:30 AM
I pray for him every day, too. If Saul, a murderer of Christians, could have the scales fall from his eyes on the road to Damascus and turn into Saint Paul, surely we can pray for the scales to fall from Obama’s eyes.
Yes, I believe he is truly evil. He was probably sexually molested as a boy by the communists that his mother surrounded herself with, he was abandoned by his father, his stepfather, and then his mother, and he lost himself in the evil that surrounded him.
But there is always hope for him, as a lost soul, to find his way. I hope and pray every day that he finds a way to God. I ask you to pray for him, too.
bonnie_ on April 1, 2010 at 10:32 AM
Jesus just left Chicago
And he’s bound for New Orleans
(‘Cause Takin’ Care of Business is his name!)
Christien on April 1, 2010 at 10:44 AM
Seeing as how other celebrities use their Blackberries, like Tiger Woods for instance, I sure am curious to know what goes on with with Obama’s. Especially after it turned out that Tiger Woods used his best friend to hook him up with all his hoes……what’s Reggie Love’s official job title?
OxyCon on April 1, 2010 at 10:45 AM
Hollywood could not come up with a character who is this full of himself.
PappaMac on April 1, 2010 at 10:50 AM
TRANSLATION: Only reason I went to Wright’s church was to get some ‘street cred’. You know, get elected to public office.
GarandFan on April 1, 2010 at 10:53 AM
I pray for him every day too,…probably not for the same things ED does though.
Alden Pyle on April 1, 2010 at 11:05 AM
When Obama sneezes, what do you say?
SagebrushPuppet on April 1, 2010 at 11:09 AM
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