I know this is a dead horse, but honestly is the irony not dripping from this statement at the Yahoo Newsroom blog, after President Obama made an impromptu and inappropriate joke about the Special Olympics on Jay Leno:
But in a way, it's heartening to hear our politicians stumble over words, mangle syntax and make inappropriate jokes. It shows politicians are human, too. Sometimes.
Really? I'm sorry, did the last eight years not happen?
Along those same lines, anyone care to guess how large the howls from the left and the media (but I repeat myself) would be if Bush had been given a historic thoughtful gift by the leader of our nation's longest and most reliable ally and he responded by giving the leader a set of DVD's … that are the wrong format.
Someone please tell me that Bush would not be the laughing stock of the world for that one. The moment would be one of those real-life urban legends that would constantly pop up to confirm the stupidity of the President. Someone would be making a comment about a policy of the President, only to be greeted with, "DVD's – wrong format," as if nothing else needed to be said.
The meme and stereotype of Bush was "stupid, cowboy," so it would have stuck and been used from that point on. Obama does not carry a similar stereotype so the instance was mainly ignored except by the British press (who love a good controversy) and the conservative blogs (who love a good story about a Democrat screw-up).
This was a mistake by the current administration, but I do not believe it indicates that the President or his staff are unintelligent. But it's a bit odd that the same courtesy was never extended to the previous occupant of the White House.
"The meme and stereotype of Bush was "stupid, cowboy,"…
Is accurate and deserved.
"Obama does not carry a similar stereotype…"
Of course not. That's silly.
Cineaste: [Makes clutching at straws motions]
Cineaste: [Yawns]
Cin, please try to make me believe that you would not have laughed and joked relentlessly if Bush had made the same mistake with the DVDs and been outraged had he made the Special Olympics joke.
That's my point about their being media templates and memes. You find them acceptable, so their okay, but I don't think you would appreciate them if they were reversed.
Like say if there was a stereotype of Obama being, oh, I don't know like a thug who robbed some white people in an alley. That stereotype would be wrong and worthy of condemnation.
Do you not see any double standard in the way you view politicians?
[Sigh] Why bother? All you will do is assert that the stereotypes of Republicans, conservatives, Christians, etc. [read all the groups that you don't belong to] are "accurate and deserved," while the stereotypes of Democrats, liberals, atheists, etc. [read the groups with which you identify] are "silly."
"Like say if there was a stereotype of Obama being, oh, I don't know like a thug who robbed some white people in an alley. That stereotype would be wrong and worthy of condemnation.
The difference is, "a thug who robbed some white people in an alley" is a sterotype for black people in general and it's attributed to Obama only because he is black. Obama didn't earn it. That's why it's wrong. Applied to OJ Simpson though, it is accurate and deserved. Do you understand?
So, I can present much more evidence for Bush having earned his reputation as stupid than you can of Obama earning his, regardless of his not knowing about the region settings of DVDs. Can you admit that much?
I think the important part of your post is Obama's first major gaffe. I don;t know if this puts an end to it, but it should…
Head of Special Olympics accepts Obama apology
Everyone makes verbal gaffes, particularly when they speak extemporaneously. What interests me about this flap is the political hay conservatives and Republicans are trying to make out of it. They completely ignore everything else Obama had to say over the two days he was here and on the Tonight Show and hone in on the joke he made in passing. Why? Because they aren't interested in discussing the real issues he addressed, nor do they have anything substantial to say about the problems he is trying to solve (other than their usual bromides: smaller government, less taxes, bigger defense, social ultra-conservatism, no action at all to solve the current economic crisis – that is, do nothing, allow the markets to achieve equilibrium on their own, causing catastrophic suffering – Hooverian "fixes — all of which they ignore when they take power). No, what Republicans and other conservatives want is to score political points and cripple Obama. Their impotence has to be galling after two cycles of electoral defeat and the failure of their laissez faire economics. It shows. Just look at seeker's attempts to vindicate his own racism and impotence by defending the vile attacks on Obama. This is pathetic.
This is pathetic.
And this is exactly what Aaron is referring to as the last years not happening.
LOL
Your response makes it even funnier really. And sadder too.
:-p
Are dems and the mainstream media the only ones allowed to hone in on something ridiculous and beat it like a dead horse?
I think it is silly (and pathetic) on both sides. You (and Cin) only think so if it its your side making the jabs.
Or maybe that should have been: You (and Cin) only think it is pathetic if it's your side receiving the jabs.
Sorry, exhaustion's my only excuse.
No, I think it's pathetic that people hone in on these superficialities and irrelevancies when so much else is at stake. They ignored virtually everything he said on his trip here in order to score cheap political points. And then they whine that he's not being serious enough, or ignoring the real problems (!). The stop-Obama-at-any-price Republican attack machine is really shameless (as are those people who defend them). I shudder to contemplate what will happen to us if he fails.