Obama's "Safety Net".

[Tigger Woods]

Reagan and Clinton were both great off-the-cuff speakers in their prime. Bush was terrible and Obama leaves a lot to be desired. The problem I have with Obama is not that he's using a tele-prompter, it's the words he's reading from it ..

 

[Purseval]

The Contras were TERRORISTS!!! They targetted civilians, nobody diputes that. Nuff said.

At least nobody on the left does A quick google search for articles branding the contras as terrorists brings up such bastions of objectivity as the Daily KOs and the Huffington Post. Wikipedia is a bit more evenhanded, which is surprising considering their usual politics. They mention ideological and political bias in reports from both sides. That's true in any conflict so the contras are terrorists in the same vein as the Israelis and the Americans, at least to the people inclined to believe that in the first place.

 

[Purseval]

The problem I have with Obama is not that he's using a tele-prompter, it's the words he's reading from it ..

Well said.

 

[ols386]

If McCain had been elected President, do you not think he would be using a tele-prompter? I believe he would have. And what about former President Bush (and all other former Presidents for that matter)? Did they not use tele-prompters? On second thought, maybe President Bush did not use one when he should have, because I remember him saying some pretty silly things, that didn't make him look too bright at all. I can't really even believe you posted this thread...seems like you, of all people Dawn, could come up with something a bit more important.

 

[ConcKahuna]

If McCain had been elected President, do you not think he would be using a tele-prompter? I believe he would have. And what about former President Bush (and all other former Presidents for that matter)? Did they not use tele-prompters? On second thought, maybe President Bush did not use one when he should have, because I remember him saying some pretty silly things, that didn't make him look too bright at all. I can't really even believe you posted this thread...seems like you, of all people Dawn, could come up with something a bit more important.

Bush obviously didnt use a teleprompter. If he had, we wouldn't have www.dubyaspeak.com !

 

[sbell111]

Is this thread really abut the fact that the President uses a teleprompter? Really?

Me too. I would take Reagan's humor over Obama's embarassing ummm's anyday.

"Ummm" is a problem. It's something that everyone tries to do away with in their speeches. Basically, people do this unconsciously while they are taking a moment to compose their reply. It's a bit irritating and every speech class advises to work on doing away with the habit. I still do it, however.

At least he is taking a moment to think about his answers, which reminds me, I wonder if you and the OP posted to threads complaining about Bush's horrible public speaking or if you are just clinging to this issue to give you some excuse to bad mouth this President.

 

[ols386]

Me too. I would take Reagan's humor over Obama's embarassing ummm's anyday.

I would hardly call Obama's ummmm's embarassing. So when he's speaking, you are more focussed on the ummm's than the content?

 

[Amii]

I would hardly call Obama's ummmm's embarassing. So when he's speaking, you are more focussed on the ummm's than the content?

It can be distracting when ummm is said multiple times.

 

[Purseval]

It can be distracting when ummm is said multiple times.

It can also be quite entertaining. When Joe Kennedy was in Congress a Boston radio host called Howie Carr used to call him the Wizard of Uhhs, he would play back short speeches and give out prizes to people who could correctly guess the most times Joe said it. He must have been Caroline's speech coach

 

[DawnCt1]

Is this thread really abut the fact that the President uses a teleprompter? Really?"Ummm" is a problem. It's something that everyone tries to do away with in their speeches. Basically, people do this unconsciously while they are taking a moment to compose their reply. It's a bit irritating and every speech class advises to work on doing away with the habit. I still do it, however.

At least he is taking a moment to think about his answers, which reminds me, I wonder if you and the OP posted to threads complaining about Bush's horrible public speaking or if you are just clinging to this issue to give you some excuse to bad mouth this President.

I think he has a problem articulating his ideas, because he doesn't always understand the issue. He knows he wants to implement a radical socialist agenda, and its a balancing act, when he speaks, because he doesn't want to reveal that that to the American people. Hence, his Joe the Plumber comment about redistributing the wealth. He won't get caught saying "redistribute the wealth again, if he can help it, but that is exactly what he wants to do.

 

[SteveInBrooklyn]

At least nobody on the left does A quick google search for articles branding the contras as terrorists brings up such bastions of objectivity as the Daily KOs and the Huffington Post. Wikipedia is a bit more evenhanded, which is surprising considering their usual politics. They mention ideological and political bias in reports from both sides. That's true in any conflict so the contras are terrorists in the same vein as the Israelis and the Americans, at least to the people inclined to believe that in the first place.

http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/publisher,HRW,,NIC,467bb495c,0.html

the contras were major and systematic violators of the most basic standards of the laws of armed conflict, including by launching indiscriminate attacks on civilians, selectively murdering non-combatants, and mistreating prisoners.

 

[ols386]

It can be distracting when ummm is said multiple times.

I can't say that I don't notice it, but it's not distracting for me.

 

[luv2read]

Hi, just wanted to say those were some good quotes from former Presidents Bush and Reagan. Here's one of my favorites.

"Now, I have to go back to work on my State of the Union speech. And I worked on it until pretty late last night. But I want to say one thing to the American people. I want you to listen to me. I'm going to say this again. I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky. I never told anybody to lie, not a single time – never. These allegations are false. And I need to go back to work for the American people."Bill Clinton (at a White House news conference on education)

January 26, 1998
Source: Washingtonpost.com

 

[Goofyluver]

Hi, just wanted to say those were some good quotes from former Presidents Bush and Reagan. Here's one of my favorites.

"Now, I have to go back to work on my State of the Union speech. And I worked on it until pretty late last night. But I want to say one thing to the American people. I want you to listen to me. I'm going to say this again. I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky. I never told anybody to lie, not a single time – never. These allegations are false. And I need to go back to work for the American people."Bill Clinton (at a White House news conference on education)

January 26, 1998
Source: Washingtonpost.com

Hey. to the DIS!

 

[sbell111]

I think he has a problem articulating his ideas, because he doesn't always understand the issue. He knows he wants to implement a radical socialist agenda, and its a balancing act, when he speaks, because he doesn't want to reveal that that to the American people. Hence, his Joe the Plumber comment about redistributing the wealth. He won't get caught saying "redistribute the wealth again, if he can help it, but that is exactly what he wants to do.

I disagree with you. I think he has an incredible understanding of the issues. His problem is in stating that position in just a few words.

That being said, I know that you disagree with me. Everyone knows that you disagree. There is no reason for you to reply to this post, at all, because we all know your position and could even write your response.

It can be distracting when ummm is said multiple times.

It sure can. Another thing that can be distracting is when a speaker puts additional breaks into their snetences at weird places, so they are basically saying a couple words <pause> saying a couple words <pause> saying a couple words. I end up getting bored waiting for them to finish their point.

I hate that.

Hi, just wanted to say those were some good quotes from former Presidents Bush and Reagan. Here's one of my favorites.

"Now, I have to go back to work on my State of the Union speech. And I worked on it until pretty late last night. But I want to say one thing to the American people. I want you to listen to me. I'm going to say this again. I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky. I never told anybody to lie, not a single time – never. These allegations are false. And I need to go back to work for the American people."Bill Clinton (at a White House news conference on education)

January 26, 1998
Source: Washingtonpost.com

I liked that one, too.

 

[daisax]

I'm an Obama fan, and it goes without saying that pointing to any rhetorical shortcomings of THIS president by fans of the last president is amusing, but the majority of the Reagan quotes provided were obviously jokes, and actually good ones.

Obama speaks perfectly well in interviews. If he finds the teleprompter reassuring until he's used to this level of public speaking scrutiny, that's fine with me.

And for what it's worth, Reagan may not have said "uhhh" much but he had that nervous chuckle and he'd drop his head while he did it. That was HIS "filler" while he came up with his next thought.

 

[islangrl]

OMG...Please find a new hobby!
Did you know that the more you complain about something, the worse it makes you feel. Constant complaining is not just a symptom of depression, it can also cause it.