Courtesy of MSNBC.com
UPDATE: 3:09 Greatest. Press. Conference. Ever.
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Hah, Fred Armisen's impression is looking more and more accurate.
Dude is just, what's the word? The Shit! We did this one right.
The response about intelligence was a little disturbing.
That was awfully brief. But he did dodge the touchy Iran question well.
"A mutt like me." The sort of thing that he can say and be self-depreciating and charming.
When out of the mouths of the right-wing nut-jobs, not so much.
Would it have killed him to accept the congratulations of a foreign head of state (if you like it or not, representing 70 million people at that level) and hold off with the habitual condescension we've become used to in the past years, just a little?
I know, there's still an empire to run, but showing respect goes a long way out here in the rest of the world too.
I don't see the mutt commment as self-deprecating. I do see it as drily funny, and another sign he is just not interested in pieties about race. Even if it will send all the KKK websites off into slathering fury about the fate of the republic....
That Nancy Reagan one will be on Fox for the next month or two. He better just hope she doesn't up and die this week.
Oops, Nancy Reagan is still alive? He probably shouldn't have said that. But the mutt comment was priceless beyond words. It's hard for me to believe that the dog issue really gets more traffic than anything else at his website - but even in the midst of an economic crisis, this is still America.
On a separate note, I can't really blame Obama for not wanting to give the impression that his first act as President-Elect was to get back to the President of Iran.
The mutt comment is most definitely a racial gaffe.
Although I think only those of us who self-identify as black will see it as such.
The little muscle twitch in his face for the first half was weird. But whenever I thought he was "uh"ing too much, or not being specific enough, I thought "Sweet Jesus-- I haven't listened to one of these since 2003. He's not asking to have been given the question ahead of time, or making up dumb nicknames. What the f&*^ is there to complain about?"
The Ahmadinejad response was great. The Nancy Reagan jibe was better than being mocked for saying "living" Presidents, which Fox would have done.
Also, EVERYONE in the room was obviously tense.
Ok younguns' the Nancy Reagan comment was not about her being dead...it was a reference to the fact that Nancy used to consult with astrologers and the like while she was in the White House.
Thanks for the embedded video; I didn't even realize he was doing a press conference today. The dog discussion was great stuff; I think Chuck Todd got it right when he described Obama as a bit punchy though. Anyone else a little bewildered by the tax question at the end?
But wasn't it Hillary Clinton that was supposed to have had seances to talk with Eleanor Roosevelt?
My point, Alex, was that it was kind of a low blow, and I had forgotten that Nancy Reagan is still alive to take offense.
Great start. He actually answered the questions and seemed interested in doing so in an intelligent fashion. I'm sure it's as much a relief for journalists as for us.
He's a funnier guy that I thought...with the dog thing and Nancy Reagan. He could catch heat for the Nancy thing though, which I think would be fair, but I thought the mutt thing just showed him as funny and able to take a joke.
I likes. I likes a lot...but yeah I did notice the face twitching and chalked it up to stress or nerves.
Yeah, not only is Nancy still alive, she took a nasty fall at her house a few weeks ago and fractured her pelvis. Maybe not the best time to be making fun of her.
@TC
Heavy slathering of Awesome Sauce to be sure. It showed how tight this brother is and how presidential he'll be. His Iran response was par excellence.
Absolutely slamming. He heads of criticism as he answers the questions. Like breathing after holding your breath for 8 years...
I did not like the "mutt comment only because how so many sites are questioning whether he is even "black" and asking why should he consider himself African American when his mother is White? Why can't he say he is Bi-Racial?
They are already saying "see,he said he is a mutt!"Unfortunately for them "mutt" is not a race and they simply cannot get the joke.
AND THE WORLD MADE FUN OF SARAH PALIN? OBAMA IS ALWAYS GIVEN A PASS. HE STUTTERED, TWITCHED,
AVOIDED DIRECT ANSWERS AND GENERALLY LOOKED SCARED TO DEATH! HE WAS ALSO ONE HALF HOUR LATE.
NOT PRESIDENTIAL, NOT IMPRESSIVE AT ALL. GOD HELP THE USA!
The screaming caps and double post sure do make that more persuasive.
Reese, calm down, you do not need to shout. Things will be fine, just breath.
Also, when you are the leader of the free world, you are never late.
Can we vote on the dog? I think they should get a bull terrier. Hypoallergenic, and ugly-cute.
Reese...chill, baby, chill. Go visit some friends in Michigan; joints are legal now.
@AlexG
Ah, I wish I were a "youngun..." I remember Nancy's astrology well. My point, though, was that it was a bit out there, a bit gratuitous, and that IF she were to pass away (not unlikely), he'd look kinda bad. I was really just surprised at how loose he was. I wonder how long that'll last.
Penny, he can't say they plan to get a biracial dog. (I vote for a standard poodle. Lovely family dogs, no shedding.)
I'm not sure starting the press conference late actually dooms the free world.
I didn't notice this at first: "Greatest. Press. Conference. Ever."
Okay, I love the enthusiasm, Ta-Nehisi, but I wouldn't go that far.
On second thought, after watching W for eight years, it definitely feels that way.
@ Deborah
How about a labradoodle? They are hypoallergenic and a cross between a labrador and poodle? Best of both worlds.
I wish there was some room where we could take all the people who insist on posting in all caps and lock them up.
What thread count leaves your face unchafed, Reese?
Wondering what McCain's first presser would have looked like? Here you go:
http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d80b43727
So now all the conservative blogs are saying it wasn't nice of him to make fun of a poor old hospitalized woman.
It's always okay to make fun of people who do seances. I think holding a seance to call Nancy up after she passes, and making fun of her then, would be a bit much.
And when holding a press conference, I don't think it's necessary to to a web search to find the health status of a minor public figure who you make a little joke about. If you appear at all human, anything but purely generic, people who don't like you will criticize. Obama gets a lot of flak for being vague. If he got any vaguer, he might not hurt the feelings of an old, powerful, vindictive woman- and he might not say anything whatsoever.
Yeah, I don't think he needs to do web searches to find out how minor public figures he makes jokes about are doing. A web search wouldn't have been necessary in this case; it was pretty widely reported that she was hospitalized. I bet even Sarah Palin knows that.
we should all pay much more attention to nancy reagans feelings
"So now all the conservative blogs are saying it wasn't nice of him to make fun of a poor old hospitalized woman."
Dude, I didn't know she was in the hospital and the astrology thing is a bit odd. But what about not saying something mean if you don't have to? What was the point? It's just a jab.
I can't believe you wouldn't be upset if former Pres. Carter was in the hospital and Bush got up and made some wisecrack about Carter being looney.
It's just in poor taste. The only excuse Obama has is that maybe he didn't know. And then he's just picking on a little old lady who's on the way out and deserves nothing more than some respect and dignity.
Of course, if that is Obama's excuse, that he didn't know, it fits very nicely with a lot of other Obama excuses... didn't know the aide did that, didn't know this form was filled out in my behalf, didn't know the bill said this or that.
He's a wonderful speaker, a great politician. He really knows how to duck and punch. But I have this sneaking feeling that the kind of "change" we're in for is for people on the right to consistently get the feeling like we're being sucker punched and every time we'll fight back or toss our arms up in the air in exasperation we'll be the ones who are made to look like babies or partisans -- actually that happens now, but Obama is certain to do an even better job of it.
Any conference where the future leader of the free world talks about getting the family pooch as seriously as fixing the economy...and closes by calling himself a mutt...He's not just the prez, he's got "it"
Epic...
Yeah, I agree with you sam. It's not a big deal, but like you say, if Bush made fun of Carter for being a nut (and he was a nut), that wouldn't be proper, whether he was sick or not. It kinda reminds me of the time in the debate when Obama was under fire for his clinging to religion comments, and he comes out with this:
You know, I recall when back in 1992, when she made a statement about how, what do you expect, should I be at home baking cookies?
And people attacked her for being elitist and this and that. And I remember watching that on TV and saying, well, that's not who she is; that's not what she believes; that's not what she meant. And I'm sure that that's how she felt as well.
How nice of him to remind everybody, and then pretend it was just an innocent example of someone getting their remarks misunderstood.
Aaaaaand he's apologized (!):
“President-elect Barack Obama called Nancy Reagan today to apologize for the careless and off handed remark he made during today’s press conference," said transition spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter. "The President-elect expressed his admiration and affection for Mrs. Reagan that so many Americans share and they had a warm conversation."
[For the nteenth time ...]
That "bitter" comment, taken in context and unedited, was the most truth spoken by anyone in the campaign. He was more generous w/ those rural/small town voters than any liberal I've heard ranting about "small-town ignorance" because he didn't blame them for "clinging", as it were, and implied that it was a reasonable reaction to unfulfilled socioeconomic fix-alls.
Obama's a snarky bastard. It's gotten him into a lot of trouble before, and it will again before the year is out. It's unfortunate, but it's been such a feature in the campaign that I wonder whether he'll ever know enough to keep on the safe side of it. Too bad for Nancy Reagan.
Greatest except for the sad fact that the poor guy doesn't get any chance at all to celebrate. Not a single question about, Wow, how great do you feel? Wasn't it great? Nope, right outta the box the guy is hammered with fiscal/monetary/stimulus/redistribution etc., etc. I hope he gets a week at the beach.
Didn't Obama get the memo from Bush that you NEVER admit you're wrong? That the American people only like leaders who never admit mistakes?
I mean, what is he trying to say? That he can apologize and move on to the important issue of the economy rather than saving face about a snarky comment?
What an asshole.
If only Prez-elect Obama could get a hold of Nancy and push her down a flight of stairs...Oh sorry, just joking. Poor Nancy, I had no idea she was even alive. Oops.
The incoming Prez will realize soon enough that the nutwings will jump on anything he says. This will be their revenge for the treatment of Saint Bush, Saint McCain and Darth Cheney.
Glad to see he apologized. It was a dump careless remark that made fun of another person to gain some cheap laughs with the audience he was in front of. Of course we've all made jokes like this -- slightly mocked someone else to build a repore with those who we are talking to. But it doesn't make it right and I'm glad he owned up to it.
Wasn't just that he was building rapport, it was that he invoked Nancy to cover himself having just said that he'd spoke to all the "living" presidents. And since she now has a certain dead president in particular to seance with...it was clumsy on a number of levels. But it's minor, and a simple apology should make amends.
BTW, I seriously doubt that Obama will ever give a press conference as good as Bubba used to do. O just doesn't have the ability to talk off the top of his head, and in easily accessible language, like B. However, O evens the score in formal oratory, where he outshines B.
One thing that I have noticed about Obama in this press conference and others he has given is that he makes a serious effort to answer the question that was asked (or say he is not going to answer it.)
That really ought to count for something. He is not even slightly evasive.
He clearly enjoyed the question about the dog, probably because it is a distraction that has become a source of national enjoyment. It is also indicative of the fondness that the nation is beginning to feel for the little girls and I am sure he is aware of that.
Overall, I thought it was a good press conference. The joke about Nancy Reagan was somewhat inappropriate, but I doubt she was hurt by it. Obama has spoken favorably about Ronald Reagan in the past, and I suspect she appreciated that.
A little late to comment. Can't stop feeling like Obama is channelling Mobb Deep holding a louisville slugger.
"You can put your whole army against my team and
I guarantee you itll be your very last time breathin
Your simple words just dont move me
Youre minor, were major
You all up in the game and dont deserve to be a player
Dont make me have to call your name out
Your crew is featherweight"
I think what most of MSM is still missing and is the same simple thing the Clinton Machine and the RNC and the McCain camp also missed is that Obama was never interested in simply "becoming" President of the United States. Obama wants to become one of the greatest Presidents in the history of the United States of America. Jefferson, Lincoln, FDR, Obama. Gives me chills to think about it. I think we are in for a treat.
Don't be mad at the "Mutt' comment. With that one comment he did more to dilute racial inequality and mixed blood perception than anyone has in decades. The world is instantly a different place. Don't get me wrong, racism does not go poof cause the man got elected but stop and think of the nature of the true impact of the way the room stood as he walked in, addressed him as Mr. President Elect Sir while the world hung on his every word.
Just speaking for myself, I had kind of a major transformation in two days.
On Wedsnesday, I was still mesmerized by the historic moment when Obama was elected, and that was all I could think of.
However, when I listened to his press conference, all I really cared about was what he had to say about this economic meltdown that is rapidly escalating.
If I could switch gears that fast, I suspect many others are doing the same thing. Perhaps because the times are so dire and leadership is so desperately needed, it isn't going to be very long before having an African American president is a non-issue. And that will be a really good thing to happen.
I liked the tone of the Press Conference, but what got me was the interviews with members of the economics team that had met with him. There were these consistent comments: listened well, asked provacative questions; kept everyone on task; inspired different points of view and confidence. It's only day 4 now, but tell me if you don't just want to pinch yourself and ask how did we get so lucky.
Ten words for all of you who think the press conference wasn't that good: "We need to deliver hot bottled water to dehydrated babies."
Quotient, no one's misspeaking-free (57 states), and besides, misspeaking doesn't matter, not really. Though gaffes that betray ignorance do. I guess you could argue the hot bottled water shows just how little McCain knows about these issues, but I'm sure he's not that stupid.
that was....legen...wait for it, wait for it, wait for it...DARY!
Excellent, he bobbed and weaved the questions like Ali. About the iran-comments...he did the right thing. The iran-conversation will be adressed soon enough, but i think he was really smart in adressing the internal affairs first. Besides, i thought the letter from the "president" of iran showed a hint of weakness from the iranian "prez". He was the guy who mocked the US for not being able to electing a black man or a white woman. And now he's crawling back to basically apologize. This guy is unbelievable...
He knew that the living vs. dead prez thing was dumb, and he knew the Nancy Reagan line was dumb the moment he said it.
He's a Gen Xer. He has ironic MST3K commentary running in his head, and you can tell that he's trying to push it back because the generational shift doesn't mean you can have Snarky Prez.