Obamateurism of the Day
posted at 8:05 am on May 9, 2011 by Ed Morrissey
Honestly, how difficult would it have been for President Barack Obama to mention the efforts of his predecessor in finding Osama bin Laden after the successful operation that eliminated the terrorist kingpin responsible for the murders of more than 3,000 Americans? Even if it was just an oversight in the initial statement, Obama could have noted the efforts of George W. Bush and his team that led to the compound in Abbottabad in later statements, especially since the lead was first developed in the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay — a facility that only remained open because of Bush, after Democrats and some Republicans demanded its closure. Defying that political pressure was its own “gutsy call,” especially during the 2004 presidential campaign when Democrats began making it an issue (although not John Kerry, to my recollection; he wanted courts-martial at Gitmo rather than tribunals, but didn’t advocate for civilian trials) and during the 2006 midterms. Had Senator Barack Obama gotten his way, that lead might never have developed at all.
And then a week later, when it became apparent that the White House would have to acknowledge Bush, did Obama do it himself on his national platform in the 60 Minutes interview? No; they had Tom Donilon tell the media that Bush was Obama’s first call after the operation ended, a revelation that would have made Obama look gracious had he himself noted that sometime during the past week.
Obama had the opportunity to actually act in the post-partisan manner that he supposedly demands. Instead, he ended up looking petty and small by refusing repeatedly the opportunity to show a little grace, even while former President Bush rightly congratulated him publicly on a job well done.
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’m not willing to “promote them as the face of the conservative movement.” I was simply commenting on the hypocrisy of pointing fingers at PBHO’s not sharing credit for the OBL killing by denying that he had anything to do with it himself.
You’re the one who brought up how the media looks at us and I simply said that we shouldn’t make their views some kind of self-fulfilling prophecy.
I say a lot of things that are unpopular here. It comes with being an independent thinker rather than a reflexive bot. So be it, it’s my opinion and I won’t shut up as so many here would like. If they want to start flame wars over it, it’s they who pick the fight. It’s not what I prefer but I won’t shut up because of it.
MJBrutus on May 9, 2011 at 11:26 AM
You should have seen how he treated me a week ago.
According to him, I’m a ‘damaged’ human being for disagreeing vehemently with him, as well as his modus operandi.
Badger40 on May 9, 2011 at 11:29 AM
Your methods are inflammatory.
A true conservative who really thought that their way of thinking was the best for their country would promote their ideas & way of thinking in such a way that would encourage thoughtful debate & civility rather than an “Eff you take it or leave you cretin, scrote bag, insert obligatory 14yo epithet of your choosing here” way.
To truly promote a way of thinking, you actually want to make it possible for those that think different to come over to your side.
Badger40 on May 9, 2011 at 11:32 AM
As always, well said.
Badger40 on May 9, 2011 at 11:33 AM
That was only after trying many times in that thread to get you to drop your incivility. Let’s try it again here. If you would like show civility to me, I will return it.
MJBrutus on May 9, 2011 at 11:42 AM
Don’t ever stop commenting, that’s what this is all about. Just as these people don’t know you, you don’t know them. Or is that just a one way street.
Cindy Munford on May 9, 2011 at 11:46 AM
I don’t follow you. I never ask others to not post. And as for civility, generally speaking I leave how civil a discussion is or is not in the hands of the other party. I try to respond civilly to civility and vice-verse.
MJBrutus on May 9, 2011 at 11:52 AM
They’ve promised him that if he gets reelected he can sit at the big-boys table.
slickwillie2001 on May 9, 2011 at 11:59 AM
I just think you make a lot of blanket assumptions based on a single subject. I don’t believe there is a person on this site that I agree with 100%. Occasionally they will change my mind about a subject and other times we just aren’t going to have a meeting of the minds but the conversations are always instructive. There are a lot of really knowledgeable people here and others with wit that can’t be denied. I think they are all valuable.
Cindy Munford on May 9, 2011 at 12:04 PM
I try to respond civilly to civility and vice-verse.
MJBrutus on May 9, 2011 at 11:52 AM
Bull.
kingsjester on May 9, 2011 at 12:05 PM
Let’s put that to the test. Show me one comment posted by this “kingsjester” character that is of any value. One comment that is something other than picking a fight and is more than simply a variant of “me too.”
MJBrutus on May 9, 2011 at 12:14 PM
Obviously the ungracious and petty Hotair.com posters just don’t know civility when they see it.
rogerb on May 9, 2011 at 12:14 PM
kingsjester writes his own very thoughtful blog, available by clicking on his name. Hardly the example of a sheep.
Cindy Munford on May 9, 2011 at 12:22 PM
As Tom Petty says, Don’t Do Me Like That, and Don’t Come Around Here No More.
Christien on May 9, 2011 at 12:24 PM
I see. So he puts all the really good stuff on his own blog and use this one as a toilet. I go but what I see here and he has never contributed a single thought that I have read that wasn’t calculated to start a fight or some “me too” remark. Bully for him and pardon me if I don’t give him the traffic.
MJBrutus on May 9, 2011 at 12:30 PM
I trust our hosts to decide who they believe takes HotAir into a “toilet” area. I’m absolutely fine with you not giving him traffic. Why ask me to research a history of a commenter that you disagree with and why just one commenter when there seem to be so many? A majority, I believe you mentioned above. You like to argue, plenty of folks here to gratify that desire.
Cindy Munford on May 9, 2011 at 12:38 PM
You said that you were impressed with everyone. I chose one who posted right after you. In fact, just about all this dude does is follow me around from thread to thread to start fights so I figured he could be a test case for you. All you had to say was that he wrote some stuff you like ELSEWHERE.
I say that most posters here are sub-moronic. And there is no shortage of people around here to prove me right. This thread, in which not one person can cede a mote of credit to PBHO while criticizing him for hogging all the glory, is a perfect example of the ignorant hypocrisy that is the rule and not the exception.
MJBrutus on May 9, 2011 at 12:46 PM
Give me a break.
I pointed out your behavior, like anyone would do to a bad child & instead of conceding the fact that your behavior is, indeed, oftentimes bad towards others here & unacceptable,which it IS, you doubled-down on nasty & ratcheted things up a notch.
If you think I’m being ‘uncivil’ by saying that your behavior is terrible, then live in your fantasy world of alternate meanings.
But a lot of people here agree with my summation of your antics.
Badger40 on May 9, 2011 at 1:31 PM
Like my Mom always said, your are judged by the company you keep, I have no problem with my name being associated with HotAir.
Cindy Munford on May 9, 2011 at 1:32 PM
Go back to kindergarten, at best.
Schadenfreude on May 9, 2011 at 1:34 PM
Even the ‘trolls’ are valuable.
What isn’t of value is when someone comes barging in here acting like a know it all & demand that we cave into their viewpoints or ‘eff you all’ if you don’t like it.
That’s no way to make friends.
And even though MJB has already stated he is not here to ‘make friends’, it shouldn’t be his purpose to ‘make enemies’, either.
You catch more flies with honey.
Badger40 on May 9, 2011 at 1:34 PM
Perfect summation, by an objective leftie (yes, it’s an oxymoron).
Schadenfreude on May 9, 2011 at 1:35 PM
MJBrutus on May 9, 2011 at 12:46 PM
If you don’t like it here, leave.
kingsjester on May 9, 2011 at 1:35 PM
I’ve made some wonderful friends here. Even met some.
I think being able to meet like-minded folks from all over the world is a wonderful opportunity.
Badger40 on May 9, 2011 at 1:36 PM
The irony of all is that troll are good for HA capitalism.
Schadenfreude on May 9, 2011 at 1:36 PM
I read that column.
Then I perused through a bunch of the comments.
The left does not get it.
They do not understand their double standard.
It is stupefying.
Badger40 on May 9, 2011 at 1:37 PM
Trolls are good for capitalism.
Next to liars and hypocrites, in every dictionary, s/b the description of a leftie. Last week was hilarious for the loss of every single Utopian ‘conviction’ they ever held.
Michael Moore held on to a few of them. He’s to be respected for that.
Schadenfreude on May 9, 2011 at 1:38 PM
Who said they’re smart. They are emotional and illogical. Sell them something.
Schadenfreude on May 9, 2011 at 1:38 PM
I wholeheartedly agree.
I say do not ban them, aside from really vicious stuff.
Bcs they incite thoughtful debate & it is wonderful to be able to see how truly deranged the left it.
It also is helpful in outing RINOs & closet-lefties.
Badger40 on May 9, 2011 at 1:39 PM
I’ve only actually met one person and that is Hawkdriver and Mrs. Hawk. But I’ve talked to upinak on the phone a couple of times. The list of those that I would love to meet is very very long.
Cindy Munford on May 9, 2011 at 1:41 PM
Banning s/b very sparce, and not encouraged. It’s a free country, still. Fight for everyone’s right to be stupid. The Soldiers die for that freedom.
Schadenfreude on May 9, 2011 at 1:42 PM
LOL!
I think if we all remember back when we were young, we could recall how ‘stupid’ we were.
One you hit your 30s, you have gained a little wisdom & you then realize it’s better to shut your mouth & listen before shooting off on something.
So when you’re young, you’d be liberal, & when you start growing up, you become more conservative & when you get really old, you tend to be a little moderat, with core conservative values.
Unless you remain stuck on stupid & don’t gain any wisdom-then you die a liberal.
Badger40 on May 9, 2011 at 1:43 PM
I’ve met TXmomof3 & am in contact with many others through FB & though I’ve not met the rest of them, consider some of them very good friends, upinak included.
Which reminds me. I gotta give her a call myself.
I hope she’s doing well.
Badger40 on May 9, 2011 at 1:44 PM
Reread the “rules of the house”. This thread has a topic. Figure it out, before you make a fool of yourself. There are morons, and people who are moronic on certain topics, but all is relative to something else.
When you figure out what the topic is you’ll recognize the moron when you look in the mirror.
Schadenfreude on May 9, 2011 at 1:45 PM
I actually think it is very sad, MJB, that you cannot consider making online people friends.
It is that sort of elitist condescension that I was referring to when I called out your bad behavior.
It is no different than making a pen pal friend.
I have had many lifelong friends through pen pal avenues, the old way as well as through modern means, like FB.
You should really reconsider your derision of such a means in making friends.
Badger40 on May 9, 2011 at 1:49 PM
Obama deserves no grace because he never gave or showed any. He hammered GWB on all items and now, for once, when he could have been, he was a graceless hack, again.
GWB has outfoxed him manyfold. History will show this to have been the exact policy, the GWB/Obama war on terror doctrine, or whatever you wish to call it.
This hurts the left as much as smearing a Muslim with pork rinds. Last week was one of the funniest in history for the exposition of the left, the world over. Too bad the right has no one to coherently argue these points.
Schadenfreude on May 9, 2011 at 1:55 PM
Thanks for the advice. I’ll speak my mind and those who appreciate (and vice verse) what I have to say may become my friend if we ever meet IRL. I have never met anyone after first knowing them on line and I can’t say the idea interests me.
As for my extended hand, it still goes. We won’t be friends but I would like to be civil if you will agree to be civil as well.
MJBrutus on May 9, 2011 at 2:00 PM
I have never had a problem being civil with you.
But you are not nice to a lot of people here.
I’m not going to bite your hand.
But I really don’t want to hold it.
Bcs IMHO I don’t think you’ve learned anything about your attitude in dealing with people on this exchange with us here.
I have never had a problem agreeing with you publicly on things you say that I agree with.
I do that with ccr6,too.
But I think you have gone too far with a lot of people here & it’d sure be nice if you quit being so nasty.
Bcs it is NOT necessary.
Badger40 on May 9, 2011 at 2:05 PM
I met many MJBrutus’s in my long journey through life. They are contrarians. That is their entertainment.
If all the HA’s were swiming upstream MJBRUTUS would be swimming downstream. If everyone turned and swam downstream MJBRUTUS would immediately change direction.
One thing to remember: within any group that includes an MJBRUTUS the consensus will automatically be deemed incorrect by said brute.
Yoop on May 9, 2011 at 2:50 PM
Unfortunately, you are right.
But such is life.
Badger40 on May 9, 2011 at 3:49 PM
Obviously yes, if not longer than 9 months. Think about it, the SEALS had to have a building/compound built to practice on.
That also means “how” to take down OBL had already been run through the decision mill.
Depends, did he even know the operation was a go?
Seriously your asking if President “Present” actually made the call? That would be a first for President “Present”. Did the Obama admin make the call? yes Who? I don’t know, my first guess would be Clinton followed by Panetta followed by Gen Petraeus.
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As opposed to what?
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DSchoen on May 9, 2011 at 6:01 PM
And I figure it’s a safe bet that the staff and owners (past and present) would say that the feeling is mutual.
rmel80 on May 10, 2011 at 12:38 AM
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