Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Obama's Oval Office Address: Look to Jimmy Carter (No Kidding)
Politics Daily ^ | June 15, 2010 | Walter Shapiro

Posted on 06/15/2010 10:40:19 AM PDT by lbryce

More than 30 years ago in an era of gas lines and OPEC boycotts, Jimmy Carter addressed the American people from the Oval Office and confronted this political conundrum: "Why have we not been able to get together as a nation to resolve our serious energy problem?"

Tuesday night, in the first Oval Office address of his presidency, Barack Obama is going to confront the environmental consequences of America's three-decade failure to resolve its serious energy problem. Far more than the president's pedestrian East Room press conference in late May, this speech probably will be what voters remember when they assess how Obama handled the tragedy of oil poured onto the troubled waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

An Oval Office address is the most formal and, in many ways, the most formidable persuasive device in a president's arsenal. A prime-time press conference uses reporters as presidential foils and an address to Congress inspires restless TV cameras to highlight partisan reactions from choreographed standing ovations to spontaneous shouts of "You lie." But when a president speaks from the Oval Office, there are no sideshows competing with the man sitting at the "Buck Stops Here" desk.

The American people do not need an Oval Office address to be convinced of the gravity of the BP oil spill. But clearly Obama and his image-makers believe that they need this speech to reinforce the belated message of presidential leadership.

The problem facing the president is that what Americans crave more than anything in the face of this eco-catastrophe is reassurance. But Barack Obama cannot play King Canute and order the oily waters to recede. In fact, the administration's initial mistake in reacting to this crisis was to pass along without appropriate skepticism the oily optimism of BP executives that the company could

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


TOPICS: Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: carter; malaise; obama; obamacarter; oilspill
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-67 next last
The Obama-Carter analogy is profoundly appropriate, prophetic.
1 posted on 06/15/2010 10:40:19 AM PDT by lbryce
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: lbryce

Is he gonna be wearing a sweater and seated in from of a roaring fireplace?

Good Lord, that speech stunk the place out. What a jerk.


2 posted on 06/15/2010 10:41:55 AM PDT by RexBeach
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lbryce

YAYAYAYAYAY

Nearly SIXTY - yes 60 days later - the prez is giving a speech!!!!!!

lol - can’t make this stuff up.


3 posted on 06/15/2010 10:42:15 AM PDT by silentknight
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lbryce

You will have gas lines again. Maybe soon.


4 posted on 06/15/2010 10:45:22 AM PDT by Former Proud Canadian (How do I change my screen name now that we have the most conservative government in the world?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lbryce
We have failed because from Carter to Obama the mindset of the Establishment is to hold their breath, stamp their feed and wish hard for some magic genie to be discovered who will create a wonderful pure new energy source for them.

Rather then cling to the failed dogmas of the 1970s, the solution is simply, mine here, drill here, build here NOW.

Just get OUT of our way 0.

5 posted on 06/15/2010 10:45:46 AM PDT by MNJohnnie (The problem with Socialism is eventually you run our of other peoples money. Lady Thatcher)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lbryce
This speech is a set up for disappointment.

He's best in front of an adoring crowd. Alone, staring into a camera is not the best venue for his oratorical skills.

6 posted on 06/15/2010 10:46:22 AM PDT by billorites (freepo ergo sum)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

BFL


7 posted on 06/15/2010 10:47:48 AM PDT by Born Conservative ("I'm a fan of disruptors" - Nancy Pelosi)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lbryce
Jimmy Carter said in that speech, "The erosion of our confidence in the future is threatening to destroy the social and the political fabric of America."
The American people agreed, and put Ronald Reagan in the White House to fix it.

8 posted on 06/15/2010 10:48:22 AM PDT by Genoa (Luke 12:2)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lbryce

BFD. It’s still pouring out... the locals are still demanding equipment, and Obama’s Administration is still sitting on it’s thumbs and not allowing equipment on site, demanding BP present their ideas to some Yes-Man, flooding the region with lawyers, adding more red tape. And Obama’s gonna preen for the cameras. FYBO!!


9 posted on 06/15/2010 10:49:19 AM PDT by theDentist (fybo; qwerty ergo typo : i type, therefore i misspelll)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lbryce

I hope he puts the Billy Beer away before the cameras start rolling.


10 posted on 06/15/2010 10:49:23 AM PDT by reagan_fanatic (Never trust anyone who points their rear end at God while praying.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lbryce
I'll watch the first minutes, just to see if the whiney bitch has the flags displayed...

noflags


11 posted on 06/15/2010 10:49:40 AM PDT by FrankR (Standing against tyranny must start somewhere, or the future belongs to the tyrants.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lbryce
It would be impossible for the Regime to "believe the oily assurances of BP Executives" when they never even bothered to speak to them.

More utter BS from the Regime propaganda machine

12 posted on 06/15/2010 10:50:22 AM PDT by MNJohnnie (The problem with Socialism is eventually you run our of other peoples money. Lady Thatcher)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lbryce
I guess we can look forward to some of this BS again:


13 posted on 06/15/2010 10:51:00 AM PDT by Constitution Day
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lbryce

Malaise II ?


14 posted on 06/15/2010 10:51:19 AM PDT by <1/1,000,000th%
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lbryce
more than the president's pedestrian East Room press conference in late May, this speech probably will be what voters remember when they assess how Obama

So, that means no more press conferences for a long while. But why does Hussein think anybody gives a rat's patootie about what he reads off the TelePrompter?

15 posted on 06/15/2010 10:52:57 AM PDT by BenLurkin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: <1/1,000,000th%
More like ObaMalaise.
16 posted on 06/15/2010 10:53:49 AM PDT by lbryce (Obama Notwithstanding, America's Best Days Are Yet To Be .)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: lbryce
It's about time we had another "malaise" moment.

We haven't had one of those since the '70s.

17 posted on 06/15/2010 10:54:04 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum ("The only stable state is the one in which all men are equal before the law." -- Aristotle)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lbryce

Wonder if he will sit at the desk? If he does, I assume TOTUS will become a screen behind the camera..

Any bets on whether hear “the previous administration” in the first sentence? Paragraph? I hope we do.

In response, we need to all say “Whiny Little Bitch!”


18 posted on 06/15/2010 10:55:26 AM PDT by IamConservative (Liberty is all a good man needs to succeed.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lbryce

Is Boy Zer0 going to lecture us about a “Crah-sus uhv cown-fuh-dunce?” I remember watching part of that speech and thinking what the hell is he saying other than “It’s yer fault, America!”


19 posted on 06/15/2010 10:56:10 AM PDT by ScottinVA (The West needs to act NOW to aggressively treat its metastasizing islaminoma!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: lbryce

Carter was incompetant.
Ozero is inexperienced, ignorant and angry at this country.

But both hate Isreal.

so there is a connection.


20 posted on 06/15/2010 11:03:01 AM PDT by Texas resident (Outlaw fisherman)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-67 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson