Obamateurism of the Day
posted at 8:05 am on January 18, 2011 by Ed Morrissey
After House Republicans began publicly opposing an increase in the debt ceiling, the White House began a public-relations offensive to paint them as radical and irresponsible. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner warned that voting to oppose the increase would be “highly irresponsible,” while White House adviser said it would create the first default “purely by insanity. … The debt ceiling is not something to toy with.” But as Jake Tapper reported about two weeks ago, the President himself liked toying with it when he was in the Senate:
Four year ago, however, then-Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., voted the exact way President Obama is now cautioning senators not to do.
“The fact that we are here today to debate raising America’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure,” he said on March 16, 2006. “Leadership means that ‘the buck stops here.’ Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt problem and a failure of leadership . Americans deserve better. I therefore intend to oppose the effort to increase America’s debt limit.”
Tapper asked the White House to explain this little hypocrisy. Gibbs said that Barack Obama just wanted to “make a point about needing to get serious about fiscal discipline.” Good to know that he takes it a lot less seriously these days as President, as his budgets have already proven.
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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A little Bondo and she’ll be just fine.
Electrongod on January 18, 2011 at 8:10 AM
Present.
csdeven on January 18, 2011 at 8:11 AM
Leadership means that ‘the buck doesn’t stop at the feet of dear leader’….
cmsinaz on January 18, 2011 at 8:11 AM
It became necessary to destroy our credibility in order to save it? Fine….
apostic on January 18, 2011 at 8:11 AM
point taken—he’s unserious about fiscal discipline.
What’s up for tomorrow?
ted c on January 18, 2011 at 8:11 AM
+1
cmsinaz on January 18, 2011 at 8:13 AM
Unprecedented.
Just more of the Same.
TimBuk3 on January 18, 2011 at 8:13 AM
“That was just a speech for the Bitter Clingers. Now that I’m running the show, spend, spend, spend!” – Scooter
kingsjester on January 18, 2011 at 8:14 AM
Fixed that, sorry. That was my fat-fingered typo.
Ed Morrissey on January 18, 2011 at 8:15 AM
What’s up for tomorrow?
ted c on January 18, 2011 at 8:11 AM
Only his teleprompter knows for sure…
lukespapa on January 18, 2011 at 8:17 AM
:)
Electrongod on January 18, 2011 at 8:17 AM
Sorry. His bowing to Hu has to be today’s Obamateurism. Go look at the main picture on Drudge. Another tyrant, so he is forced to bow. He’s doing it in homage, thinking, “I’m not yet so fortunate that I can rule the US with an iron fist, but I’m working on it.”
Wino on January 18, 2011 at 8:28 AM
from what i’m reading on the web, china felt dissed by W because he didn’t give them a big state dinner, the last time someone gave them a party was bubba…
should be fun times wednesday night…
cmsinaz on January 18, 2011 at 8:30 AM
I think that pic is ~1yr old.
ted c on January 18, 2011 at 8:31 AM
wino
ted c on January 18, 2011 at 8:32 AM
Four year ago, however, then-Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., voted the exact way President Obama is now cautioning senators not to do.
I was against it before i was for it_____PBHO
SHARPTOOTH on January 18, 2011 at 8:35 AM
“Well, that was different….there was a Republican in charge! Now I’m in charge and everything is different. Now who’s in my foursome today?”
search4truth on January 18, 2011 at 8:41 AM
I wonder who the Obama WH will make wait outside with the trash this time.
apostic on January 18, 2011 at 8:44 AM
heh
cmsinaz on January 18, 2011 at 8:45 AM
It’s only a lack of leadership when it isn’t Obaka’s leadership…
ladyingray on January 18, 2011 at 8:46 AM
So I guess the 71% of the American people who think spending the country into oblivion, are stupid? — Or is Obama-commie stupid for thinking they don’t know?
tarpon on January 18, 2011 at 8:55 AM
Let’s just see if President Obama has learned anything from the public uproar of his Bowtowing to every head of state he comes in contact with, especially when he wants something from them.
However, hopefully he now understands that this ‘jester’ is a give away to the other party that he is weak and easy pickin’s.
MSGTAS on January 18, 2011 at 8:58 AM
Test Administrator to student Obama:
“Why were you looking at other applicants’ tests during the testing hour?”
Student Barack Obama through Gibbs, his handy sock puppet:
“I was simply looking around to ensure that everyone here was at peace with their answers and was constructively moving ahead during the hour with a good expectation of finishing, just as has been my experience here. And I thank you for your concern for us all.”
Lourdes on January 18, 2011 at 9:00 AM
And that is why China lubbs them Mr. Baracky-Okey in little White Structure.
Lourdes on January 18, 2011 at 9:01 AM
Some tall balding guy from the White House was having the vapors on TV just yesterday about the debt ceiling. I become doubly cynical when they whine so loudly.
Cindy Munford on January 18, 2011 at 9:05 AM
Agree cm, its always a crisis
cmsinaz on January 18, 2011 at 9:16 AM
O/T: ABC poll has Obaka at 53% job approval rating (heard on the radio this morning).
ladyingray on January 18, 2011 at 9:20 AM
http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/01/obamas_solar_nightmare.html
ladyingray on January 18, 2011 at 9:20 AM
Don’t worry about these fabricated polls to much; what’s coming down the pipe will cause harm to most every American the likes of which we have not seen in our life time.
Keemo on January 18, 2011 at 9:24 AM
Golf clap for Tapper asking one hard-hitting question.
conservative pilgrim on January 18, 2011 at 10:44 AM
Barry means what he says, when he says what he means. There is no issue The One can not straddle. That’s why he’s the Obamassiah.
GarandFan on January 18, 2011 at 10:49 AM
When a key executive does nothing but present new “emergencies,” most CEO’s would fire the executive.
Executives are there to SOLVE problems. Little Timmy G. has proven himself totally incompetent…multiple times!!!
landlines on January 18, 2011 at 11:02 AM
Budget? What budget? Don’t we have continuing resolutions now instead of budgets?
mchristian on January 18, 2011 at 11:30 AM
Charlatans are indignant.
Schadenfreude on January 18, 2011 at 2:27 PM