The silver-tongued Barack Obama is tongue-tied without his security blanket, his trusty teleprompter.
From Politico:
Obama’s reliance on the teleprompter is unusual — not only because he is famous for his oratory, but because no other president has used one so consistently and at so many events, large and small.
After the teleprompter malfunctioned a few times last summer and Obama delivered some less-than-soaring speeches, reports surfaced that he was training to wean himself off of the device while on vacation in Hawaii. But no such luck.
His use of the teleprompter makes work tricky for the television crews and photographers trying to capture an image of the president announcing a new Cabinet secretary or housing plan without a pane of glass blocking his face. And it is a startling sight to see such sleek, modern technology set against the mahogany doors and Bohemian crystal chandeliers in the East Room or the marble columns of the Grand Foyer.
“It’s just something presidents haven’t done,” said Martha Joynt Kumar, a presidential historian who has held court in the White House since December 1975. “It’s jarring to the eye. In a way, it stands in the middle between the audience and the president because his eye is on the teleprompter.”
Just how much of a crutch the teleprompter has become for Obama was on sharp display during his latest commerce secretary announcement. The president spoke from a teleprompter in the ornate Indian Treaty Room for a few minutes. Then Gov. Gary Locke stepped to the podium and pulled out a piece of paper for reference.
The president’s teleprompter also elicited some uncomfortable laughter after he announced Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as his choice for Health and Human Services secretary. “Kathy,” Obama said, turning the podium over to Sebelius, who waited at the microphone for an awkward few seconds while the teleprompters were lowered to the floor and the television cameras rolled.
Obama has relied on a teleprompter through even the shortest announcements and when repeating the same lines on his economic stimulus plan that he's been saying for months — whereas past presidents have mostly worked off of notes on the podium except during major speeches, such as the State of the Union.
...“He uses them to death,” a television crewmember who also covered the White House under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush said of the teleprompter. “The problem is, he never looks at you. He’s looking left, right, left, right — not at the camera. It’s almost like he’s not making eye contact with the American people.”
Exactly.
Obama never makes eye contact with the American people. He looks left and right, left and right.
It's really weird. It was so noticeable when he made his opening statement during his first prime time news conference.
I wrote:
He didn't have a deer in the headlights look during his opening remarks. Why?
HE DIDN'T LOOK DIRECTLY INTO THE CAMERA. I NEVER SAW HIM LOOK STRAIGHT AHEAD, NOT ONCE.
It's like he's having his mug shot taken, giving us his profile.
How Obama looks while using the teleprompter is rather superficial. What concerns me is that the guy is lost without it.
Although President George W. Bush was mercilessly criticized for his poor speaking skills, he at least could do without a teleprompter.
It's ridiculous that Obama can't deliver brief remarks without that crutch.
What will Obama do when he meets with world leaders, one on one? Will the teleprompter be trotted out?
Hey! Comedians! SNL! Looking for funny material about Obama? It's right in front of your face. It's the teleprompter, stupid!
Obama is President Ron Burgundy.
4 comments:
Reading a prewritten speech, does not make one a great speaker.
It seems he stumbles every time he goes off prompter. In the press used to make fun of Bush and his off-the-cuff speaking. Just wait until Obama is forced by public pressure to pull down his Teleprompter.
How very silly. Making your attacks based on style rather than substance.
That's right, Grumps. How silly to attack someone on style!
I have this vague recollection of 8 years of foaming at the mouth attacks on an American president's style.
Yes, I remember now. The attacks continue to this day from the perpetually disgrunted Lefties. It was Bush.
The Lefties, with marching orders directly from the White House, are now making personal attacks on Rush Limbaugh. His style and his appearance are the obsession of the libs.
Of course, Obama doesn't want to talk about substance, because the substance of his policies is horrific.
Question: On this blog, do I criticize Obama and other Leftists/Socialists on substance?
Answer: Yes.
Good point about the substance of Obama. If he told the public what he was doing they'd freak out and demand that he stop immediately.
The duped still believe that he's going to make the economy recover. When their job and lifestyle is gone forever, only then will they figure it out.
Most people wouldn't believe that a President would ever do what Obama is doing so they go on merrily living their lives oblivious to what is being done to their country.
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