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White House Dismisses Furor Over Obama Speech to Students as 'Silly Season'[Press Secretary Gibbs]
FOXNEWS.com ^ | September 04, 2009 | FOXNEWS.com

Posted on 09/05/2009 6:31:04 AM PDT by Son House

"I think we've reached a little bit of the silly season when the president of the United States can't tell kids in school to study hard and stay in school," Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said. "I think both political parties agree that the dropout rate is something that threatens our long-term economic success."

But critics objected to the language of one of the lesson plans, for students in pre-kindergarten through grade 6, that suggested that students "write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president." Another assignment for students after hearing the speech was to discuss what "the president wants us to do."

The suggestion about writing letters has since been changed to: "Write letters to themselves about how they can achieve their short-term and long-term education goals. These would be collected and redistributed at an appropriate later date by the teacher to make students accountable to their goals."

White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said the changes to the language are intended to make the lesson plans clearer. He added that the president's speech will not be a policy speech, but is intended to encourage kids to work hard and commit to school.

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, on Friday defended Obama's plan to address students.

"The bottom line is we need the president of the United States of America to use his bully pulpit to talk to kids about the importance of education and to help inspire kids," she said on radio station WOR in New York.

The White House plans to release the text of the speech online Monday so parents can read it. Obama will deliver the speech at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Va.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 9809; bho44; bhoeducation; dismisses; education; furor; mullahobama; obama; schools; silly; speech; students; third100days
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To: Feline_AIDS

Yes, that and his willingness to defend the indefensible. He reminds me of mean, nasty loser guys in high school who irritated the daylights out of the good, normal kids. He’s the guy you wanted someone to just knock the fool out of out behind the gym.


41 posted on 09/05/2009 8:12:48 AM PDT by 1951Boomer
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To: Son House
Could someone please have Gibbs explain to his boss that this parent isn't being "silly." Obama works for me and he answers to me. Children have to answer to their parents and their teachers, not Obama.

Maybe Gibbs should ask Obama if he would have objected if Sasha and Malia were told to answer to President Bush?

42 posted on 09/05/2009 8:13:59 AM PDT by Neverforget01 (Talk is cheap...except when Congress does it.)
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To: Son House
Gibbs would know. He has a crown that says "King of silly."

What a crumb bum--worst WH newsie EVER.

Tony Snow, wherever you are, we still miss you--YOU were the best!

vaudine

43 posted on 09/05/2009 8:24:20 AM PDT by vaudine
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To: Son House
Gibbs said former Republican presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush delivered similar speeches to students.

Just for starters, neigher Ronald Reagan nor George H. W. Bush was a raving commmunist. The same cannot be said for this president.

44 posted on 09/05/2009 8:35:46 AM PDT by meyer (Do not go gentle into that good night - Rage, rage against the dying of the light.)
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To: PghBaldy

:’D


45 posted on 09/05/2009 8:40:31 AM PDT by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/__Since Jan 3, 2004__Profile updated Monday, January 12, 2009)
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To: devolve

LOL!!!!!


46 posted on 09/05/2009 9:32:41 AM PDT by fwdude (It is not the liberals who will destroy this country, but the "moderates.")
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To: Redleg Duke
Yes they do. I wonder how all those “Principled Conservatives” are enjoying the response to the “message they sent”?

Yea, I noticed the silence also....


47 posted on 09/05/2009 9:35:11 AM PDT by darkwing104 (Lets get dangerous)
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To: darkwing104; Redleg Duke

“Yes they do. I wonder how all those “Principled Conservatives” are enjoying the response to the “message they sent”?

Yea, I noticed the silence also....”

Somehow, I don’t think we would be having the debate as to whether or not John McCain “supported and defended the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic.

And I seriously doubt hundreds of millions of dollars would have wound up in the hands of ACORN or SEIU.

And I also seriously doubt that he would have allowed the upcoming census to be manipulated so the right may never win another election in this country again, or that John McCain would be attacking the CIA and systematically blinding our intelligence gather capabilities from within our nation and accusing the last administration with essentially what amounts to war crimes.

Eight months into this administration and I really, really miss “W,” and I really wish McCain would have won. I actually fear for my country and my children because of the consequences of this last election. But, that is just my opinion.


48 posted on 09/05/2009 9:52:48 AM PDT by areukiddingme1 (areukiddingme1 is a synonym for a Retired U.S. Navy Chief Petty Officer and tired of liberal BS.))
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To: Son House

What happens when having a Marxist as President is not funny anymore?...


49 posted on 09/05/2009 10:23:18 AM PDT by hosepipe (This propaganda has been edited to include some fully orbed hyperbole....)
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To: areukiddingme1

If McCain would have won we would have eventually arrived at the same place only on a slower horse.

From what I am seeing it could end up that having Obama elected may have been a blessing in disguise. As painful as it is the American people are waking up quickly and becoming engaged. With the slow train to socialism it would have been so gradual people would have accepted it without much ado and kept plogging along. We were already on that course before Obama came into office.

McCain thinks that Obama is a good man and that he loves his country. McCain told us that there was nothing to fear from Obama as President. That leaves me two choices about McCain. Either he is a liar or he is delusional. Neither would make him a good President. Apparently he must agree with Obama enough to get out there and defend him against town hallers.


50 posted on 09/05/2009 10:29:22 AM PDT by conservativegranny
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To: Scotswife

There are many links to copies of those lessons plans, do a search through all the threads on the subject on FR. The plans literally stated that kids should ask themselves how they could help out the president, asking their parents what they were doing to help out, things like that. It seemed creepily similar to the types of things they would do in communist countries, brainwashing the kids, getting the kids indoctrinated to the point of eventually turning in their parents if they weren’t “loyal” enough.


51 posted on 09/05/2009 10:44:19 AM PDT by boxlunch
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To: conservativegranny

I’m starting to think like you, that there may be a silver lining to this awful dark day our country is going through. It has certainly caused people to wake up who were never interested in politics before. Maybe it won’t be too late. I just hope our country survives.


52 posted on 09/05/2009 10:46:35 AM PDT by boxlunch
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To: Gritty

Obama wants to be foremost in the minds of The People and control the direction of their thinking - especially when they are young and impressionable.

Point on! Now that adults are starting to see Obama’s illogical thoughts and dismissing them as failed Socialism, he’s using gullible children to inflate his super ego


53 posted on 09/05/2009 10:49:20 AM PDT by Son House (President Øbama Turns His Back On The Oppressed During Their Darkest Hours)
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To: Vendome

Yep, arguing wrong is right is much more convincing when Hussein uses the ‘Bully Pulpit’


54 posted on 09/05/2009 10:52:10 AM PDT by Son House (President Øbama Turns His Back On The Oppressed During Their Darkest Hours)
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To: Son House

Give it another 6 months...they will WTFBBQ’ing Gibbs on a daily basis.


55 posted on 09/05/2009 12:36:16 PM PDT by cranked
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To: Son House

Wow. If Gibby the Hamster says it, it must be so!


56 posted on 09/05/2009 1:20:13 PM PDT by pabianice
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To: Son House

Doesn’t everyone know that silly season follows wee-weed time on the Obozo calendar?


57 posted on 09/05/2009 8:28:26 PM PDT by Canedawg (FUBO)
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To: Son House

Silly Season: apt description for Obama presidency so far.


58 posted on 09/05/2009 9:01:04 PM PDT by dr_who
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To: Son House

Aren’t they cute for calling everything silly? Little spoiled kids these people are.


59 posted on 09/06/2009 3:23:51 PM PDT by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote; then find me a real conservative to vote for)
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