Obama & Teleprompter
 

Lately I've heard several people criticize President Obama for using a teleprompter when giving a speech? Regardless if you support him, hate him, like his policies, hate his policies, what is the big deal about him using a teleprompter?

Having worked directly for two politicians I understand how many speaking engagements they have and staff always prepares talking points so I don't see what the big deal is.

Do people think it's easy to memorize three to five 15-30 minuntes speeches on different topics per day? And is it so bad to have your comments thought out before hand?

THIS IS NOT A REPUBLICAN VS DEMOCRAT DEBATE OR A I HATE BUSH OR OBAMA THREAD. I WANT TO KNOW SPECIFICALLY WHY YOU THINK IT'S GOOD/BAD FOR THE PRESIDENT TO USE A TELEPROMPTER WHILE GIVING SPEECHES.

Who cares? Don't they all use teleprompters, or some sort of "cheat sheets?"

of course they all use teleprompters.. lol...

Hell Bush couldnt even read off a telepromter and make any sence.

I couldn't even give a damn 3 minute speech in school without having some key points on note cards. haha . I don't know why anyone is criticizing him, they all use them.

Indeed. Everyone uses them. I don't see a problem with it, unless everything written on the aforementioned teleprompter was written by someone other than the President.

hate to break news to you, but the President has a team of staff speech writers. He looks over them and makes changes. He might write a speech now and again, but there is no way he could sit down and write that many speeches.

^^+1

Once in any government office higher than governer they ususally have somone else write thier speeches, they normally just outline what they want to discuss with the speech writers then let them handle it, then a day or so before the speech they read through it to make sure it is what they want to say and add in any chances and such.

it makes their jobs a bit easier. if i had to deal with all kinds of speeches per day, i would do the same thing.

Here's the big deal:
Everyone goes gaga for the way he speaks but those that comment on this like to point out that's only when he uses a teleprompter. It's not the fact that he uses them, it's the fact that he's more incoherent than Bush w/o them.

lol....

Bush couldnt get anything right even WITH a teleprompter. Ive seen obama in interviews before and he sounded just the same as he does in his speeches.

Because the ones making a big deal out of it are just reading whats on their teleprompter :)

when you represent a whole country, you might want to try to get all the words in your speech correct. 1 misspoken word can in fact lead to a war.

I don't have a problem with the teleprompter messing up, it will happen.

The whole issue behind is that some argue that peple voted for him because he was excellent speaker, and that the American public was impressed with how he delivered his speaches rather than the content in them.

He is amazing at giving speaches, but it's not like a agree with anything more than 5% of what he says.

And I've seen interviews where he stuttered so bad that it sounded like he was motor boating someone. From most of the Bush speeches I've seen, his problem wasn't the stuttering, but a poor choice of words (like the OBGYN practicing their love on women speech).

LOL....that was one of my favorite Bush moments....not cause I dislike him, just cause it was funny.

Like Obama or not I think r3dn3ck hit the nail on the head.....one wrong word can lead to political fall out within this country or around the world. Obama isn't a stuttering idiot, he just thinks about every single word he uses. You can clearly see that whenever he gives interviews.

Can you imagine if EVERY word you said during the day had so much at stake that it could change the political landscape or cause public outcry. No thanks, I'd get impeached in 2 minutes. ha ha ha

There once was a man named Obama
He had the tounge of a llama
he studdered again
"lets be-be-begin
my name is O-ba-ba-ba-bama"

Bush actually went off teleprompter at press briefings. Obama even has the teleprompter set up there and spends most of the time giving a speech instead of answering the questions.

the point is that the media and all of Obama's worshipers go gaga over his speaches but when he's off of the teleprompter he sounds like just as much of a bumbling doofus as GW did.

The problem is NOT that Obama uses a tele-prompter, it's that he can't function w/o it. It is embarrassing. Plenty of presidents use them, but plenty could speak w/o one. Remember Regan? How about Clinton? These were guys that were not addicted to the thing.

Is Obama speaking to us with his own words, or giving a performance? Seriously, does this guy come with strings. I would that that if you voted for him, you would be a little pissed.

Obama can't seem to get off the thing, and that idiot Biden, can't seem to stick to one. I can't recall ever having a more stupid pick for a VP.

You are right, they give out Harvard law degrees to morons and idiots that can't function. I know, I know he graduated from Columbia and Harvard law because of affirmative action. :eek:

Oh, I can think of a worse pick....Dick Cheney!

And your reason why?

You know what?

Obama could run up to the podium, pull down his pants, fart into the microphone and then give a 5 minute speech on the virtues of macaroni and cheese while picking his nose and he still would look like a fucking genius compared to Bush.

All this bitching about him using a teleprompter and calling him stupid makes about as much sence as letting King Jong Il give a speech promoting human rights.

A little walk down memory lane.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AioJbNL1JS8

+1000!

It's because the news has (wants) nothing better to talk about. They critisize such petty crap continuously. I don't give a crap about if he reads off a teleprompter or carries a bunch of crumpled papers up to the podium with him, the real issue is the issues and getting stuff done. If he can't deliver a good speech without a prompter, I'm sure they have staff to make sure to always carry one around with them.

The problem is, it makes him seem a lot less intelligent, less genuine, and it makes you wonder who i pulling his strings. From a leadership standpoint, you won't find a single book or expert on leadership who thinks you should have to read all your speeches.

As to getting stuff done....do you really think he is? Exactly what has he gotten done? Can you tell me three things that have actually happened? Even some of the liberals are now calling him Barrack "W" Obama. I tell you what....you can keep the change, I would prefer to have my country back.

BUT, I don't blame Obama....the stooges in congress (Pelosi, Franks, Dodd, etc...) are an absolute waste of air. Obama is really nothing but a pretty smart guy, who is trying hard, but is WAY over his head. He got elected because of race and a belief that somehow there would be vindiction in Washington and a free lunch for many voters.

The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary. But, rather then people believing in the American Dream, too many people think that they can't do anything w/o government. We don't need government to solve our problems, government IS the problem.

I dont know, i dont see why all the sudden everyone attacks obama for using a teleprompter when presidents have been doing it since ever i can remember. Bush used index cards. its not a big deal. I dont think it make him look any less intelligent or genuine

apparently every president since Eisenhower has used them or notes, or cards, or whatever
http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2...-teleprompter/

as to getting stuff done, he is what, 6 months in? i dont think ANYONE expected him to fix an issue that has been growing for 10 years in 6 months.

and 3 things..

1) Wallstreet Journal and New York Times reports signs that the recession is starting to level out, job losses are still to be expected but consumer spending is rising again and things are starting to look like they will hit a turnaround within the next year or so. Basically things are getting worse at a slower rate rather than barrelling out of control at a exponential rate.


2) Relations with Cuba are starting again, and other foriegn relations are improving.

3) The US sanctioned torture of american citizens and forigners without any hope of a fair trial has ended. This i consider a pretty big one.

4) The administration is working to help protect consumers who dont happen to have a team of lawyers with them when they sign up for a credit card and get thier rates boasted up enormous amounts. I do feel it is a good part of the credit card holders responsibility to understand what they are getting themselves into, however the credit companys have basically bent over and raped hundreds of thousands of americans by skyriocketing interest rates due to legal clauses unintelligable to a person who does not have a law degree.


You ARE right on a few points, he is in over his head. ANYBODY would be in over thier head with the job he has. He was basically handed a countrry that was teetering on the verge of financial ruin, a war that wont end, and a world that hates us.

all these comments about puppet and strings and such, well, that just comes across as uncredible conspiracy rantings. Its like the NRA telling you americans rights are being stolen by the evil government because somebody wants to put a perfectly good stamping system into a gun. Typical scare tactic hyperbole.


I dont mean to offend you in any way and i apologize if any of that was offencive, but honestly give me a break, he cant fix in 6 months what it took 10 years to screw up.

#1 - Obama has had little to do with tha. In fact, most economists believe that Obama's policies have worsened the recession and will likely take longer to get out. Even some of the most liberal economists think that the stimulus will only have a short-term temporary benefit which will be off-set as the jobs created are not permanent. Majority of experts claimed that it would take 18 months for the stimulus to result in anything....so any improvements now would have likely happened anyway. He did get the stimulus through....that alone is an accomplishment....just the wrong one.

#2 - Way too soon to tell on this one. By which which measure can you say that relationships have gotten better? Show me something concrete...not just a feeling. How about a foreign policy change or law change that has improved relationships....there are none. In fact, I could point to quite the opposite. The situation in Pakastan has gotten worse because the Taliban knows we will not intervene and Afganastan has also in the past few montsh degraded significantly.

#3 - I think you are wrong on this one. Obama promissed to end this practise, but the trials and interrigations continue. In fact, there was one last week. He also closed Gitmo....but it is still open and congress (even the democrats) have refused to give Obama the $80m he asked for to shut it down. He beat his chest and said "water boarding is torture", so I will give you that.....but now the terrorists laugh at us and our lack of resolve.

So far, me 3 points and you zero.....maybe I will give you a half point for #3.

As to #4....I actually thought this was a good idea. However, there are already reports of CC companies finding ways around this one. The government does have a role to regulate this industry under the constitution as it part of interstate commerce.

So, congratualations! I give you a win on #4. So, after 4 months, we have a consumer law...that just got passed....and which could have been avoided had people been more responsible and not charged their lives away.

As to the entire financial situation in this country.....you know who I blame? Every other asshole that bought a house, lied on a mortage application, borrowed money to build a pool etc... We have been running on borrowed time long enough.

Ever studied the Glass Steagull Act? This act was pass in 1938 (I believe) and created the FDIC and laws preventing banks form investing a deposit in the stock market.

President Clinton reversed Glass Steagull in 1999. This allowed the creation of mortage backed securities and gave banks the ability to lend money to shitheads with bad credit who should never have a loan.

In 1997, less then 1% of all mortages were given to those with "subprime" credit. By 2006, 30% of all mortages were held by this group. The group did not get bigger, they just got houses

Clinton and Bush both praised home ownership and used public policy to encourage people to buy houses. The entire process was looked over by CONGRESS....specifically Barney Franks who as recently as 2006 stated that Freddie and Fannie had proper oversight and were healthy. Fuck you Franks! This dumbass is still running around DC...he needs to go.

Want to fix the economy? We need to fix the housing situation.

Have you read the credit bill? It's a load of crap. Besides requiring a cosigner under the age of 21, the whole premise is nonsense. It is just another way for government to say that even if you're a retard and spend past your means, it's not your fault, it's the greedy people you are borrowing from. You want to know the major thing Obama has done? He killed responsibility, along w/ the clowns in congress.

...something tells me that we've escalated from teleprompter talk. Shall we move onto the religion debate now?

Wow i guess some people did nto read this part lol!