This is the most likable Obama has ever been
The “jackass” moment:
I’m sure all presidents are more interesting offstage than on, and probably likable too. I was strangely pleased the other day to learn that George Bush employs 1950s-era hipster lingo in his off hours, referring to Obama as “this cat.” Nixon, of course, was an Oval Office wild man, and Kennedy banged every woman in the West Wing typing pool.
Maybe someday we’ll have a White House reality show: 1600. Wouldn’t that be fun? It would be more entertaining and productive than the circus we’re running now.
22 Responses to “This is the most likable Obama has ever been”
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Honora says:
I don’t know, he still gives me the creepers.
This cool, friendly, ‘off the record’ Obama is the reason we are screwed. The press is supposed to work for us. They are supposed to be our eyes and ears. I do not want them trying to get brownie points with the cool kid. The giggling in the background is barfable.
Obama may be nice, but the press is not there to make friends. Try reporting the f###### news.
Off the record is anti-American and an affront to a free press.
September 16th, 2009 at 7:58 pm EST -
katiebird says:
I agree — I was totally disarmed by how spontaneous it was. And what an inoffensive thing to say! If THAT wasn’t jackass behaviour – what is?
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myiq2xu says:
Maybe someday we’ll have a White House reality show
The could call it “Big Brother” but that name’s been taken.
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Bella Donna says:
Am I the only really, really cynical person wondering if he wasn’t just trying to capture a bit of the public’s goodwill with that?
Also, what kind of president assumes the press will cut him some slack because he’s the president?
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pocochina says:
Am I the only really, really cynical person wondering if he wasn’t just trying to capture a bit of the public’s goodwill with that?
You know, I’m pretty sure there’s a WW subplot that’s pretty much that. Which, I dunno, if it distracts the press and the country for the anti-health care ravening wolves for a few minutes, that could be a fun change for all of us. Doesn’t say much about the press, though.
Also, what kind of president assumes the press will cut him some slack because he’s the president?
A non-Clinton (with good reason), non-Nixon (paranoid jerk) one. Though Obama seems to expect (rationally, based on his past experience) the deluxe package.
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yttik says:
I really think the media is trying to create racial conflict by constantly bringing up racism. People are going to get resentful and start drawing lines in the sand. That’s how humans are, we get tribal, we circle the wagons,especially when the economy is bad and we’re constantly being accused of oppressing the folks who hold all the wealth and power at the moment. I read blogs talking about how people who are angry at Kanye are racist, people commenting about Serena are racist, people upset about a 3800 dollar fine for not having insurance are racist. President Carter comes out and accuses people of being racist. Enough already!
So…I think CNN running a clip of Obama calling Kanye a jackass is a good thing. I really think Obama needs to address the racism that is brewing, that is being deliberately brewed. His immediate put down of the cops who arrested Prof Gates was a disaster. People view him as choosing sides because of race. Let me tell you, nothing could be farther from the truth, he’ll throw you under the bus no matter what your race, but that’s not the point. The point is we’re on a dangerous path here as a country and I see trouble boiling just under the surface. The media and the Dems need to be called on their race baiting. It’s becoming a self fulfilling prophecy.
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Swannie says:
All the to do about racism makes a convenient smokesceen for not running any stories about importing 13 – 15 year old girls into the country for prostition and making a nice profit on it .. um I mean ACORN stories .
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Adrienne in CA says:
Nope, this guy gets no slack from me. My FIRST thought when Politico reported this was that it wasn’t spontaneous at all. It was dropped in specifically to win polling points.
Now I see the video, and how he says, “He’s a jackass,” without even moving his lips.
Same smiling, sneaky, scripted badmouthing as the shoulder brush, the cheek scratch, “Periodically…” …
One thing I’m convinced of — there’s zero chance this video was aired without Obama’s permission, so any effect it’s having on you is intentional.
*****A
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Adrienne in CA says:
Obama needs to address the racism that is brewing, that is being deliberately brewed.
yttik, I totally agree the racism meme is being pushed, and I’m not sure Obama wants to stop it. Of course the powers that be would rather have us at each other’s throats than working in unison for healthcare, education, economic justice, and on and on.
*****A
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SYD says:
Bella Donna has nailed it.
The White house polled the blogs, found out we all think West is a Jackass. And decided that Obama should “let it slip” that he agrees.
Still, Mr. Obama is dead on right this time. And West needed a calling out…. for her perpetual jerkiness.
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octogalore says:
I agree with Bella Dona, Adrienne and SYD. How can we forget so soon that Obama (and/or Axelrod) is a master campaigner. He gets the information he wants out there, often through surrogates or “slips” while remaining above the frey. Here, he was able to communicate a sympathetic opinion without doing so formally.
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tinfoil hattie says:
I really think the media is trying to create racial conflict by constantly bringing up racism.
I don’t think racial conflict needs to be “created.” Racism exists and is vile and shameful. Replace “sexual” and “sexism” in your statement and see how it would sit with you on some man’s blog.
Both are true. Sexism exists and is an abhorrent evil; racism exists and is an abhorrent evil. White people don’t get to weigh in on how bad racism is. (Don’t know if you are white, yttik; if not, you are in a better position to speak on this than white people are.)
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sherry says:
What a difference seeing this exchange makes. Obama comes off as extremely arrogant. Although I agree that “jackass” is the primo term to describe Kanye.
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anna says:
” Kennedy banged every woman in the West Wing typing pool.”
And this is charming? Him cheating on his wife, and her having to put up with it for the good of his reputation, like a good little wifey? And do you think those women could really have refused the President if they wanted to, and what do you think happened to their reputations afterward?
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Violet says:
Who said it was charming?
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anna says:
Well you were talking about how you were pleased to hear about Bush’s lingo and how Presidents are more interesting and likeable offstage, and then you followed it up with Kennedy. I guess I misunderstood.
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Violet says:
Bad lazy writing on my part, anna. I’d class the Kennedy shenanigans with the Nixon stuff: not likeable, but interesting. Hell of a reality show.
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octogalore says:
Tinfoil — I’m not sure what you said is responsive to what yttik said, regarding whether the racism accusations that have recently been made are about racism or about partisanship and sometimes boorish disagreement.
None of this suggests that yttik feels racism needs to be “created” or isn’t out there in droves. But don’t you agree that the racism accusation comes out more, and is taken more seriously, than the sexism one? (This, please understand, is not “olympics” and doesn’t attempt to compare the two, simply how seriously each one is publicly taken).
Nobody is weighing in here to dispute that racism is an abhorrent evil. I can’t believe anyone here feels it isn’t. And it’s totally fair to call it out when one sees it. It isn’t fair, I think, to use it as a way to block dissent without questioning whether there are alternative explanations.
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monchichipox says:
White people don’t get to comment on racism? Seriously that is the most ridiculous thing I’ve read in a long time. Following that logic we should not expect Obama to say anything about womens rights as he’s a man. A conversation can’t exist when it’s one sided.
That being said I think I’d rest a whole lot easier knowing my president didn’t have a fucking clue about who Kanye West was or that the MTV awards were even actually on.
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RKMK says:
White people don’t get to comment on racism?
Not as an authority, like men (as a general rule) need to take a backseat in discussions about misogyny.
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Kiuku says:
I wonder what he calls you Violet ;)
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simply wondered says:
he can call her ‘doctor’ like the rest of us.
