Great with smoked salmon, too!! Much better than that weak wasabi goo.
Posted on 05/08/2009 6:56:19 AM PDT by big black dog
My post the other day, MSNBC Hides Obama's Dijon Mustard (aka Dijongate), has hit a nerve unlike anything else I have written.
The post concerned the lunch trip of Obama and Biden to a burger shop to get a "Hell Burger." I accept that this should not have been news, but the White House image makers wanted to portray the two as just regular guys out at the local diner, so the event was hyped. MSNBC just happened to be in the burger place with cameras rolling when Obama and Biden came in and ordered. Again, not sure why MSNBC had to cover it, but they did, on live TV with Andrea Mitchell at the news desk and Kelly O'Donnell on scene. The dialogue between the two harped on how the trip had a "real guy kind of quality."
And that was the story line. Two regular guys out for a guy kind of meal. A script written in the White House and read by MSNBC.
But MSNBC edited out the audio when Obama ordered his Hell Burger just at the moment when Obama asked for Dijon mustard. Now I have nothing against Dijon mustard, but the image didn't fit with the image being spun by the White House and MSNBC. Dijon mustard on a Hell Burger had a very John Kerry-ish quality about it.
So I did the post, made note of the Dijon mustard, the MSNBC editing, and quipped how Obama must have sought Kerry's counsel. Instapundit (which dubbed the scenario "Dijongate") and Hot Air linked to the post, with the commentary that they thought the mustard thing was a non-scandal and non-issue.
Like most of my posts, Dijongate could have and probably should have fallen into the black hole of internet punditry, never to be seen or heard of again. But the reaction from the nutroots was widespread and swift, and they have kept the story alive.
Check out the links to the original post, and you will see that many of the high profile nutroots blogs have linked. If you check out the links and comments, you will see that the full foul-mouthed, abusive intellect of the nutroots has been brought to bear.
So I kept updating the story, with further links to Obama's choice of condiment, in part as a reaction to the reaction. Which has driven some people even crazier. Now the story has gone national, being picked up by the Washington Post blog.
What gives here? Why the out-sized reaction? If this is a non-story, why is the left obsessed with it?
There are several parts of the answer to this question. Certainly part of the answer is that the left is not content with control of the presidency and Congress; anything, no matter how trivial, which questions Obama must be controlled. Also, Dijongate was a metaphor for the larger issue of media bias which helped Obama get elected, particularly MSNBC's unprofessional and widely-criticized cheer leading.
But those two points cannot explain the nutroots reaction. Surely, Dijongate was a minor blip on the progressive radar screen, if it was a blip at all.
I think the answer to why the nutroots cannot let Dijongate rest is the inherent insecurity of the left with their hold on power. While the mainstream media and left-wing blogs constantly tell us that Republicans and conservatives are dead politically, I don't think they actually believe what they are saying.
The nutroots and mainstream media understand that Obama and the corresponding Democratic majorities in Congress were elected through a unique confluence of circumstances which may never be repeated. The historic election of the first black president; an unquestioning mainstream media which embarrassed itself with its biased coverage; an economic credit crunch just weeks before the election; a Bush administration which lost its will to fight for its policies soon after the 2004 election; a Republican candidate who refused to attack Obama's relationships with seedy characters even though Democrats showed no such restraint as to the Republicans; and a generalized discontent with the existing Republican power structure.
There is a lingering question, however, as to just who Barack Obama is, and whether we elected a blank slate who makes it up as he goes. This point is made not just by conservatives (who made this argument prior to the election), but also by Democrats and left-wing activists who openly wonder whether Obama's election promises on terrorist detention, gay rights, and a host of other issues were "just words." The nutroots doesn't know who Barack Obama is anymore than I do, and anything which fills in the void in a negative way is viewed as a threat.
This void in Obama's story leaves the Democratic hold on power vulnerable. One disastrous photo-op, open mike, or tape recorder left running, could puncture the Democratic bubble.
Which is why the mainstream media and nutroots need to protect Obama's image. As others have noted, the late night comics have stayed away from the usual mocking given to all prior presidents, even though Obama has provided plenty of potential material through his teleprompter dependence.
Insecurity breeds anger, and nowhere is that insecurity more evident than on left-wing blogs. Some seek to impose a new commandment, "thou shall not mock Obama." And if that means "thou shall not mock Obama's mustard," then so it is written, so it is done.
But not here. Updates to follow.
UPDATE: Here is how the Huffington Post described the trip:
As you know, President Obama and Vice President Biden made a historic trip to an Arlington, VA hamburger joint, to celebrate the "stress tests" or something, bringing the entire press corps in tow.
And I thought MSNBC was over-the-top with its "guy" thing spin. "Historic" trip to a burger joint? Is there anything about Obama which is not "historic"?
UPDATE No. 2: Some people have questioned why I allow the lunatic comments through, since this is a moderated blog and I could screen them out or remove them (as DailyKOS and some other left-wing blogs do, for example). I do so because the deranged rants of some of these commenters prove my point.
UPDATE No. 3: I wonder how much hate mail Jon Stewart got for mocking the lunch trip and MSNBC coverage. Probably none, because he's funnier than I am and generally loves Obama, so it was among family:
Regular guys ask for Dijon mustard on a Hell Burger?
I don’t think so. Snobomana leaks out.
Real men eat horseradish on their burgers.
Yes, and regular guys wear a coat & tie (but take off the coat) to eat their Hell Burger.
Maybe it comes from living in Arizona, but I don’t see a lot of ties at the local McDonalds. But then, the local McDonalds doesn’t have blackploitation film posters on the wall, so maybe they were at a more upscale burger joint.
Just a couple of regular dudes, grabbing a burger...just ask MSNBC.
I’d love to see him go to Philly and order a cheesesteak with Swiss cheese.
Great with smoked salmon, too!! Much better than that weak wasabi goo.
I have to admit, yellow mustard sucks. Tastes like yellow. I go through grey pupoun like its water.
But on a burger?
Oh, you conservatives are so out of touch with the 'Real America'. Of course we 'Regular Guys' always ask for Dijoon mustard, with a side of Beluga Caviar to dip our fries in. < /libtard mode off>
dijon mustard... what a douche bag...
“I have to admit, yellow mustard sucks. Tastes like yellow. I go through grey pupoun like its water. But on a burger?”
Only a commie puts mustard on a burger or ketchup on a hot dog.
Don’t even ask what I think of the low life scum who order Hawaiin pizzas.
Fixed it.
Yellow “kids” mustard goes on Hot Dogs, especially at Fenway Park. BBQ sauce goes on “steak”burgers.
Did he ask for Grey Poop on?
Real men add jalapenos to thier horseradish.
Jalapenos make a decent aftershave, but are otherwise for sissies. Real men add habaneros or scotch bonnets to the their horseradish.
On Tuesday May 5 they engineer a deal where Obama eats a Hell Burger in public, and on May 7 he passes up National Day of Prayer events.
Exactly what is it David Axelrod is attempting to tell us about his acolyte?
Only a commie puts mustard on a burger or ketchup on a hot dog.
There is something similar in a Dirty Harry movie. I can handle all the murder and blood, buy you but ketchup on a hotdog.
Real men know burger ‘joints’ don’t have Dijon. No matter how good the burgers are, if Dijon in available, it is not a burger joint.
Mustard on hotdogs. ketchup, bbq or chili on burgers.
I will eat ANYTHING on pizza. No matter what it is. I just love the shape!
“Pardon me, do you have any grey poupon?”
It was a drive by eating, officer.
Barack and Joe Go To White Castle
I believe the line was, “Nobody but nobody puts ketchup on a hotdog.” I beg to differ. I do but I make sure it ain’t HEINZ KETCHUP.
“I will eat ANYTHING on pizza.”
No wonder western civilization is doomed. Gay marriage is more normal than putting ham and pineapple on a pizza.
Get help!
“I’d love to see him go to Philly and order a cheesesteak with Swiss cheese”
ROTFL! And he’d probably say “with” not “wid” :-)
Classic scene. LOL. fwiw, I like to put both on both. I put ketchup AND mustard on burgers and dogs. But if I had to choose just one each, yes, it would be ketchup on burgs and mustard on dogs. My wife puts hot sauce on everything.
This is about the silliest thing I’ve ever heard of to criticize Obama for. No offense.
try cajun seasoning mixed with Miracle Whip - now that’s a burger spread.
Sounds yummy...I have a coworker whose inlaws grow habaneros and give them away freely. I dry them out and/or smoke them and grind ‘em up into seasoning. And yes, I do like to sprinkle some on my horseradish!
>“I’d love to see him go to Philly and order a cheesesteak with Swiss cheese”
>
>ROTFL! And he’d probably say “with” not “wid” :-)
Provolone is MUCH better than Swiss, in my opinion.
Two things make it notable. 1- that he asked for Dijon (I prefer Dijon myself but don't ask for it at burger places-that seems kind-of something else) and 2- that their Pravda tv team edited it out.
That's the real point. He blew his "common guy" persona because he doesn't have enough experience being a common guy to know what common is.
BTW folks, I either put mustard or mayo on a hamburger (occasionally A1 when I'm being fancy.) Ketchup? Only 5 year olds put Ketchup on a hamburger.
If you have a dehydrator, you can use that, if not, then try spreading it out on a cookie-sheet and sticking it in the oven at 150-250 degrees (as needed, thought I’d assume 175 would be about right).
Someone who puts A1 on a hamburger shouldn’t be giving food lectures...
>BTW folks, I either put mustard or mayo on a hamburger (occasionally A1 when I’m being fancy.)
Mustard & mayo, both, can be good on a burger.
Just fill in the blank.
And the moonbats heads are exploding because anyone dare mention it. It wouldn't have ever been a big deal at all if not for that.
Yes, you are right! So, 3 things make it notable.
What is silly is the WH sets up a regular guy photo image and dumbO blows it. Then the libs blow up at the normal world for noticing.
This void in Obama’s story leaves the Democratic hold on power vulnerable. One disastrous photo-op, open mike, or tape recorder left running, could puncture the Democratic bubble.
The hold is vulnerable beyond believe. He has no mandate and he is a blank slate making it up as he goes. Just look what happens when he has a teleprompter malfunction!.... hamana...hamana...hamana!
I don’t really care for Dijon, but I do prefer a mustard with a little more body and flavor than yellow. The local kroger sells a brand called Inglehoffer, which is a hearty german mustard with whole mustard seeds. It’s so thick you have to spread it with a knife, it’s nothing like a runny yellow mustard.
Someone should mustardboard Keith Obermann.
Actually I like ketchup on hamburgers and I am past sixty but again I MAKE SURE THE KETCHUP IS NOY HEINZ.
I love mustard. All kinds. Yellow, brown, dijon too. The hotter, the better. I think girly men eat mayonnaise and salads, myself. I buy new kinds of mustard all the time. I also drink A1 from the bottle...so maybe I’m not the best example...luckily the wife doesn’t like A1.
I wouldn’t have cared that he asked for dijon, if the media hadn’t tried to cover it up. Now I wonder...is he/are they so insecure that they have to cover up meaningless small talk? I love it...they’re going to micro manage him right into the ground. 50 million pilots, all fighting for the yoke.
“Wid Whiz” is proper, is it not?
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