I assume that's a rhetorical question?! At least insofar as FR is concerned.
Posted on 05/27/2010 7:33:47 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
As Shawn mentioned below, the Obama press conference today was literally unbelievable. The "checkers moment" ("daddy, did you plug the hole"?) he tried to insert in the presser came after an hour of unctuous lecturing and evasion. This may have been the most disastrous presidential press news conference since Nixon's famous "I am not a crook" moment.
It's hard to imagine a Republican president getting away with the weasel words offered today by Barack Obama. The President couldn't determine if MMS head Elizabeth Birnbaum was fired or she resigned. Even the Obama bread carriers at CBS were skeptical:
Elizabeth Birnbaum's departure was first reported as a "firing." Later, a "resignation." When asked for clarity, President Obama told the press corps today he had no idea.
"Did she resign," asked CBS White House Correspondent Chip Reid. "Was she fired? Was she forced out? And if so, why?"
"I found out about her resignation today," the president answered, "so I don't know the circumstances in which this occurred."
An incredulous press corps followed up.
"How is it that you didn't know about Ms. Birnbaum's resignation/firing before?" asked another reporter.
Mr. Obama: "Well, you're assuming it was a firing. If it was a resignation, then she would have submitted a letter to Mr. Salazar this morning at a time when I had a whole bunch of other stuff going on... Come on, I don't know. I'm telling you I found out about it this morning. So I don't yet know the circumstances, and Ken Salazar has been in testimony on the Hill."
After unequivocally stating that he owned and controlled every aspect of the BP oil spill catastrophe, this President doesn't know if his own Minerals and Management Service Director, which had oversight authority of the BP, was fired or resigned? He found out about it just this morning? What we need to know, actually, is who owns Interior Secretary Ken Salazar: the President or Congress?
Then came this whopper from Fox News about the Sestak job kick back/bribe allegation that simply won't go away:
President Obama said Thursday that the White House is preparing to issue a formal explanation regarding the allegation that it offered Rep. Joe Sestak a job to drop out of the Democratic primary race against Sen. Arlen Specter.
The president, addressing the matter in public for the first time since the Pennsylvania congressman leveled the claim in February, said the statement should answer questions about the claim and insisted "nothing improper" happened.
"There will be an official response shortly on the Sestak matter," Obama said, when asked about the issue by Fox News at the president's press conference. "I mean shortly -- I don't mean weeks or months. ... I can assure the public that nothing improper took place."
This form of "I'll get back to you on that" answer is truly outrageous. Even the genuflecting hard core liberals in the White House Press Corps had trouble swallowing that command. Is there anything that this president believes he can't make happen with his ability to turn a phrase and make his listeners disabuse themselves of doubt? As Allah noted, via Breitbart:
"White House cover-up of Sestak job offer not quite finished yet."
What makes me think this inexperienced young President, a recipient of the odd combination of a nation's goodwill and racial guilt, has suddenly found himself wagering greatly on the outcome of one press conference? (That was Charles Krauthammer's point tonight on Fox News) Barak Obama did not have to hold this presser today but he did, perhaps because of a confluence of events that were bearing down on him: the Sestak matter, the BP disaster, his falling poll numbers, the looming 2010 midterms and maybe James Carville's unhinged and unguarded critique of the president this weekend. So why did he do it? And perform so poorly?
This president is not just losing the ideological battle spectacularly. He is being consumed by a tidal wave of events that only an experienced executive can effectively manage. In short, he's in over his head and we will suffer the consequences.
I would gladly buy a hot dog from him if he would only go into the business
‘Did you plug the hole yet, Daddy?’
Did anyone else catch the whole statement from the news conference??...here it is. Look carefully at the last sentence.
OBAMA: When I woke up this morning, and I’m shaving and Malia knocks on my bathroom door and she peeks in her head, and she says, “Did you plug the hole yet, daddy?” Because I think everybody understands that, you know, when — when we are fouling the earth like this, it has concrete implications not just for this generation but for future generations. I grew up in Hawaii where the ocean is sacred.
He says he “grew up” in Hawaii. Normally someone would say they were “born and raised” unless they were born somewhere else, then they say they “grew up.” Is this a slip of the tongue that he was only “raised” by Grampa Dunham but born elsewhere???????
He can’t say he was born in Hawaii. This should be the very first question at his next press conference (if he ever has another one).
Mr. President, can you confirm to the nation that you were born in Hawaii.
You’ll see more evasive manuevers from Dancing Barry than you would in an Ultimate Fighting Championship event.
He did stay at a Holiday Inn once.....
He must be Moooselip hiding behind children.
Pray for America and BP
At least Nixon could bowl.
Dingle Barry is always the most inexperienced person in the room. . . unless the room is in a Chicago bath house.
Frankly, I think Barney is unmanagable.
I am guessing the foul line light was turned off.
LOL -- Even Dan Rather will not vouch for Obama's ability to sell food.
Daddy, Did you plug the whole?
I thought she might be asking if he plugged the toilet again?
“Did she resign,” asked CBS White House Correspondent Chip Reid. “Was she fired? Was she forced out? And if so, why?”
“I found out about her resignation today,” the president answered, “so I don’t know the circumstances in which this occurred.”
An incredulous press corps followed up. “How is it that you didn’t know about Ms. Birnbaum’s resignation/firing before?” asked another reporter.
“I was out golfing earlier and didn’t hear about it until later” Obama said.... /sarc
I hope the unbiased, object MSM sock puppet press is ready to wait another 338 days for the next Obama press conference.
Even the CBS evening news showed the clip of the question by the NYT reporter—and how it caught Obama totally off guard. I think Obama’s incompetence is becoming so obvious that the LSM knows it can’t be covered up much longer without making them look like total fools.
NOW THAT IS AWESOME! How do I get that for my bumper?
“I don’t think he has even managed to zip his fly (at least by him self).”
Not gonna go there, not gonna go there, not gonna go there......
Wise lady.
effect that the well had been plugged,
now looks staged to build up obama’s first press conference in one year.
One each Coast Guard admiral about to be fired....
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.