Bammy discovers an American intelligence agency while grabbin' (another) burger

Politico ^ | 5/29/2009 | Ben Smith

[SeattleBruce]

On his trip to get a burger with Brian Williams at Five Guys this afternoon, the President appears to have learned of the existence of a Defense Department intelligence arm, the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency, from an agency employee also at the burger restaurant.

"So explain to me exactly what this National Geospatial..." Obama said, after the worker mentioned his employer, according to a video of the event.

"We work with, uh, satellite imagery," the worker, Walter replied.

A POLITICO reader caught the exchange, which starts around 5:45 on this C-SPAN video.

The transcript:

Obama: What do you do Walter?
Walter: I work at, uh, NGA, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
Obama: Outstanding, how long you been doing that?
Walter: About six years
Obama: Yea?
Walter: Yes.
Obama: You like it?
Walter: I do, keeps me...
Obama: So explain to me exactly what this National Geospatial...uh...
Walter: Uh, we work with, uh, satellite imagery..
Obama: Right
Walter: [unintelligible] ...support systems, so...
Obama: Sounds like good work.
Walter: Enjoy the weekend.
Obama: Appreciate it.

[SeattleBruce]

Alrighty then - Bammy gets a burger and an education all in one place. Perhaps our politically correct Mad Magazine prez needs some remedial training.

Anyone else nervous that he has the nuclear football codes?

[sauropod]

Oh geez. If Barry actually cared about protecting the country, he’d know what the NGA is. They’ve been around for years.

[gaijin]

Honestly: how many here, if you heard “National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency” would not know what they did..?

The name does not indicate the mission?

And how about that —a government so large that agencies with large budgets completely escape the attention of the PRESIDENT...?

“We are the ones we have been waiting for..”

[jersey117]

The man can’t even decide what to order. Guess he couldn’t find any middle ground.

[gaijin]

DPRK is a hard target, and that means that for ICBM-related stuff, you MUST have satellite imagery. At a time like THIS, how is it that the commander in chief learns of this agency at BURGERK KING from some bro he just RUNS ACROSS...?

Does this unsettle anyone here.

What’s next? He makes a major foreign policy decision based on a mini-scroll in a FORTUNE COOKIE...?

Beam me up..!

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Later, back at the White House:

Michelle: National Geospatial Intelligence Agency?
0: Yeah, Shelly, ya learn something new every day!

[truemiester]

Obama: Walter, could you..ah..use your satellites to follow Michelle? I think she had been shopping with out me knowing.

Walter; No..ah..sir..thats not exactly what we do?

Obama: Well, can you follow O’Rielly or Hanity around?

Walter: I have to go, sir...I..ah..really have to go.

Obama: Well, Go. What good are you?

Walter: Yes, sir. Have a great day.

(How could he not know? Doesnt he get briefings?)

[gaijin]

another one: He says it’s OUTSTANDING before he even knows what it is..! Sorta like committing to shutter Gitmo before finding out there’s NO ALTERNATIVE.

[Sloth]

...from an agency employee also at the burger restaurant.

At least he didn't have to learn it from one of the Five Guys employees...

[EternalVigilance]

Hey, go easy on him. It’s just never come up on the teleprompter.

[wastedyears]

I can’t even ‘lol’ at that exchange.

[bw17]

The NGA tracked truck convoys leaving Iraq for Syria before the war:
http://www.frontpagemag.com/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=15708

That the reason Obama chose not to learn about such an agency. It didn’t jive with his “Bush lied us into war” campaign theme.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

This is on a par with Algore’s asking, “And who are these statues of” at Monticello. The answer was Jefferson, Franklin, etc.

I do believe that he is an expert agitator and communist agent provacateur. I believe he really knows how to align himself with communists who know exactly how to sovietize a country.

But other than that, I do believe he is as stupid as any Algore type that ever snuck their way into office.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

[RandallFlagg]

Very good point. Wish the guy was quoted this fact at lunchtime, though.

[FReepaholic]

I've never heard of this agency. A President gets his sit reps from the daily brief and from his advisers. They'll be giving him the bottom line, not where the intel came from IMO.

As far as I'm concerned he gets a pass on this one.

[BufordP]

Michelle: Geospatial Intelligence? Feng Shui what?

[SeattleBruce]

“The man can’t even decide what to order.”

That’s what happens when Bammy forgets the TOTUS on his little outings...he’s gunna get scolded again ‘bout this...

[stentorian conservative]

Well congratulations, you’re as smart as Obama.

The SOB gets no pass from me.

Ever.

[odin2008]