“now THAT’S presidential!” sarcasm or praise?
By American Girl in Italy on September 16, 2009 at 12:31 PM in Current Affairs
President Barack Obama called hip-hop musician Kanye West a “jackass” on Monday in an off-the-record comment during an interview with CNBC, an ABC News anchor reported on Twitter.
AUDIO here. (Joe Wilson treatment? Please….)
Obama was apparently weighing in on an interruption that occurred the night before during the MTV Video Music Awards where West grabbed the microphone from teen country singer Taylor Swift during her award acceptance speech to announce his belief that Beyonce had a better music video.
“Pres. Obama just called Kanye West a ‘jackass’ for his outburst at VMAs when Taylor Swift won. Now THAT’S presidential,” “Nightline” co-anchor Terry Moran wrote Monday evening to his more than 1 million followers.
Well, must say I agree with Obama on that one! But, I’m not sure if Terry was being facetious or sincere when he wrote, “Now THAT’S Presidential”…? I looked at Moran’s Twitter page (they have since scrubbed the “offending” tweet) but I found these:
Would Wilson heckle a white POTUS like that? Dunno. But, in general, it’s easier to be rude to those we do not consider our equals.
OK, so Moran thinks Wilson is a racist, I guess?
Terry Moran has also tweeted:
“Calling the president a liar is expressly prohibited by the rules of the House and Senate. It’s disgraceful, whatever your politics.”
And:
“Wilson called the White House to apologize for hollering “YOU LIE” at the president. Good for him. Civility matters, especially for leaders.”
So…does Terry Moran think Obama was showing civility when he called Kanye a jackass? I honestly can’t tell if he was being sarcastic or not. It’s so hard to tell, with the media acting the way they do these days. And does he think Obama was disgraceful when he accused his opponents of lying?
The tweet forced the network to issue an apology after the Internet quickly became abuzz over the stunning remark published on the microblogging site.
An ABC spokesperson said, “In the process of reporting on remarks by President Obama that were made during a CNBC interview, ABC News employees prematurely tweeted a portion of those remarks that turned out to be from an off-the-record portion of the interview,” Politico reported. “This was done before our editorial process had been completed. That was wrong. We apologize to the White House and CNBC and are taking steps to ensure that it will not happen again.”
Moran’s tweet has since been deleted, but can still be accessed.
My opinion - Obama was right, and I see no problem with him calling Kanye a jackass. Sure, some people might think it inappropriate for children to hear the POTUS using the term jackass, but let me tell ya something -
I would MUCH rather children hear the POTUS call Kanye West out for his jack assery, then for them to hear the POTUS accuse an elected official, and mother to Trig, Piper and Willow, of lying.
Obama stood in the halls of Congress and accused his opponents of lying. (Even though they weren’t.)
So, Terry Moran was right, civility matters, especially for leaders. But we lead by example, not *just words*.
As far as Kanye’s comment at the VMA’s, that Beyonce had the best video “of all time”, come on! I mean, I love the song, and it gets stuck in my head for hours, but best video of all time? (It did win Best Video later that evening.) The thing that makes the video great, in my opinion, are all the parodies it has inspired.
I mean, seriously, if THIS guy can do it…?
Some other funny parodies:
And one last one:
OK, ouch!
No matter who won what that night, Beyonce wins for Best in Class.
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Whose next in the line up to apologize and kiss Obama’s butt for no real reason?
I will apologize for him.
If it was a planned leak, it was not presidential.
If it was an off the record remark, it was merely bonding, chit chat with reporters, people he has to deal with every day.
I believe it was the latter.
Does not excuse him from other faults, but this is not one of them.
Why do I have the feeling this was all made up to show/imply that The O has no bias against or pro any race group following the “Police in Cambridge acted stupidly” remark?
Bingo!!!!! Ding Ding Ding Ding!!!!!! First prize.
This was Kabuki Theatre from beginning to end.
Glad you agree, Ani. What did I win? (I hope not the complete collection of Kanye greatest hits)lol
Yup….more kabuki.
I have a hard time believing that ABC would reveal Obama swearing without a wink and a nod that it is ok.
So Obama can comment on the bad behavior of an entertainer at an awards show but will not defend his fellow Americans against constant charges of racism.
Guess we know where his priorities lie.
ABC frickin apologized to Obama for tweeting what he said. That is ridiculous!
Uh, yeah. Well said, Ginger.
Thanks for the great post, AGII, and for all of the “Do-overs” of Beyonce’s song.
I might add, Beyonce was the epitomr of grace and class that night.
One other thing abt Swift - I heard her say last night that she actually had to perform abt 5 minutes after West stole her moment from her, and attempted to humiliate her. So, she couldn’t really deal with it at the time since she had a job to do - some poise from this 19 yr old…
If the tables had been turned (as difficult to imagine as that is) West would have stormed out of the theater, never to return (even if he had a performance coming up), and gotten drunk. Wait, that’s what he did.
ROFL on the first video. He’s so genuine about it and doesn’t seem to care about how disturbing…
isn’t it hilarious? i love them all! i was rolling.
Hysterical!
I want to know what the hell he has stuffed in that leotard! oh lordie! what they HELL is that?
Do you really? Some questions are better left unanswered–and THAT is one of them!!
yea…you’re right. better left unanswered! hahaha
Kanye is a racist, has a long track record of racism.
AGI-ROFLMAO, thanks for the good laugh this afternoon. Now I need to go back and re-read!
Beyonce’s video:
Shake Shake Shake
Shake Shake Shake
Shake your booty!
Shake your booty!
Now that’s entertainment–worthy of a major award.
Oowawa! You made it past spaminatrix!
I know, Katmoon. It’s because I repented for having been blasphemous about Almighty Spam Filter in the past, and did not forget to say my prayers to Him last night.
To tweet or not to tweet?
That is the question.
Whether ’tis nobler to kiss the a$$
of the President of the US while not mentioning the white part of his heritage.
Obama is but a shadow, a poor player that
struts and frets his hour upon the stage.
It is a tale told by an idiot.
Full of sound and fury signifying…nothing.
Oh good, candymarl. Glad you did a Shakespeare edit. It indeed seems to me that we’re in the early part of Act III of a Shakespearean tragedy, the climax is nigh, and hubris is about to fall mightily. And all the king’s horses and all the king’s men . . . O wait–that’s not Shakespeare, is it . . . maybe it’s the last stanza of a Mother Goose rhyme that we’re living through . . . When a character like Kanye is allowed on stage, everything becomes too surreal to analyze . . .
feel like I am living in Closet Land.
Only fitting that he comes from the donkey party.
To tweet or not to tweet
that is the question.
Whether ’tis nobler to kiss the a$$ of the POTUS
while not mentioning his white heritage at all. Yet beating us about the head and shoulders with his Kenyan heritage.
Obama is a mere shadow.
A poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage.
It is a tale told by an idiot.
Full of sound and fury signifying…nothing.
Kind of off topic, but kind of not, since we are talking a bit about the MSM. Saw this today and it is hilarious!
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/noel-sheppard/2009/09/16/jon-stewart-mocks-media-acorn-story-where-hell-were-you
Beautiful. Compliments to Jon Stewart.
I like that! “Where the hell are you?” It is truly a divided country. Those who are in the know (proud member) and those who are clueless!
Funny thing is there’s not a lot of difference between the size of Kanye’s ego and BO’s.
Well, the egos are both gigantic, you’re right; but there is one big difference: if Kanye had to use a teleprompter for his raps, he’d be laughed off the stage.
HaHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
This is our time, we must not let up!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ACORN, calling the actions of some of its employees “indefensible,” has suspended advising new clients as part of its service programs and is setting up an independent review to see what happened.
ACORN chief executive Bertha Lewis said in a written statement that she was “ordering a halt to any new intakes into ACORN’s service programs until completion of an independent review.”
does this mean they won’t help me start a w house now??
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LOL, “jackass” is not a presidential word. We want to hear something more sophisticated and diplomatic from our president. Actually, we want him working on policy and not commenting on pop culture at all. Kayne’s a jackass, everybody already knows that. It doesn’t require a presidential act to state the obvious.
As to it being racist to call Obama a liar, what was it when Cheney told someone to go Cheney himself? How about when Reid called Bush a loser? Or when people called him a liar, a chimp, a war criminal? This isn’t racism, this is how we express our disappointment and outrage towards our public officials in America.
Gee, that means Obama doesn’t think media and promiment Republicans his equal when he opened up his speach with calling them liars.
It’s ok Barry, we never expected much from you.
Thanks for the chuckles Sara.
Those videos are priceless. Beyonce is a class act. But you can’t help enjoying those entertaining renditions.
This must go main stream now before any voting is done.
The senate has ALREADY voted against using reconcilliation, now they want to ignore their own votes.
Major Update: ObamaCare coup de grace is nigh. It is time to strike the death blow.
The battle now turns to preventing the Senate from jamming ObamaCare down the throats of the American People under Reconciliation. The end game is underway and the momentum is swinging toward the opponents of ObamaCare. Or to mix metaphors, ObamaCare opponents are on the green, and all they have to do is sink the putt. Can anybody here play this game? After Saturday’s impressive demonstration on the National Mall there is no doubt the grass-roots movement for freedom, privacy and limited government can hit a very long drive and knows how to chip onto the green. The question remains: Can they putt? Let’s hope so.
Can we stop reconciliation? You bet we can. Read Senate Ignores Jim Demint Amendments That Kill Reconciliation And How We Can Use It. The Senate passed these two amendments – one unanimously and the other by a margin of 79-14 – both which kill reconciliation. The Dems choosing to ignore their own amendments is shameful. We must follow the rules, but if you are a Senator, well rules be damned. It is exactly this privileged mentality of “rules for thee, but not for me” that fuels much of the anger directed at the Congress these days.
The grassroots Tea Parties carried a great deal of energy during the Congressional August recess over the break. That energy, which appeared non-coherent and at the local level, showed its national teeth September the 12th, 2009 during the march on DC. It is long past the time when this energy needs to be concentrated like a laser beam in one place – the Senate, or we WILL see bill pass that is contrary to fiscal responsibility and an outright danger to healthcare in this country. Like any form of energy, there is always a portion which is lost to other factors. In a automobile, the engine’s energy is used to power the vehicle, but much of it is lost to friction and heat. There is never a free lunch in nature. The same is true of informational energy. Undirected informational energy is wasted energy. Now, more than ever, we need to direct that energy or it will all be for naught. We will get the healthcare we deserve.
From the Social Security Institute:
The Hill reports that Senate Democratic Leadership remains optimistic they can produce a RHINOCare “bipartisan compromise” on healthcare reform that will get 60 votes. If not, Democratic Leader Harry Reid said they are prepared to jam ObamaCare down the American People’s throats under the special parliamentary maneuver called Reconciliation, which severely restricts the number of amendments that can be offered, stringently limits the time for debate and allows the Senate to pass a measure by a mere simple majority, contrary to the normal rules and long tradition of the U.S. Senate.
Now is the time for the grass-roots movement that put a million people on the National Mall last Saturday to rise up as one and (1) insist that Republicans not cave in to a RHINOCare “compromise” that would impose a mandate on individuals forcing them to purchase health insurance (a so-called “individual mandate”); and (2) demand that the Senate consider healthcare legislation under the REGULAR ORDER — NO RECONCILIATION.
Read more about the Individual Mandate here. . .
Read why RINOCare and the Individual Mandate is contrary to all GOP principles here. . .
Democratic Senator Robert C. Byrd explains why passing healthcare reform under Reconciliation would be an abuse of the budget process and contrary to the time-honored traditions of the U.S. Senate here. . .
And let’s not forget, The Story The Media And Major Blogs Are Not Reporting: Senate Ignores Jim Demint Amendments That Kill Reconciliation And How We Can Use It.
If we don’t win this, the Tea Parties will lose momentum. Once Congress realizes we speak in generalities and our energy is not focused on specifics, that’s it – everyone came to the party, had a good time, and went home. If we lose this, how successful do you think we will be with Cap-and-trade or Card Check or whatever other nightmare Obama has in store for us?
This adds a sense of urgency to our mission: Snowe falls away, leaving Senate Dems without GOP support on healthcare. Marcus comments and drives the point home:
With the Jim Demint amendments going national that increases the probability that enough Dems will not support reconciliation, which these two amendments address.
BLAST this link out to all your friends and have them blast it out. Blast it to the tea parties. Here is a shortened version of the link to this post that you can copy and paste into an email: http://tinyurl.com/ndork4. Use twitter and the social networks, the ShareThis button at the bottom of this post – whatever method works for you. It’s time to drop the hammer on ObamaCare, hit the reset switch and start over.
I’d nominate Mr. West for UN Ambassador.