“He can’t stand ridicule, whatsoever, and it shows.”
Saul Alinsky taught that ridicule is one of the most powerful tools an activist has, and he said it was the most difficult weapon to fight.
So for Barack Obama, ridicule is to be avoided.
Of course, to one who is comfortable with themselves and adult and confident, ridicule can easily be handled, with humor even. It works best against stuffed suits with no sense of humor.
I’m glad your post is buried in the 900s. I would hate for a BO handler to read it. Bulls-eye! Hahaha!
Thinking deeper, if BO had said, “Oh man! What just came out of my mouth! Yikes! Smack me please.” Just something self-effacing, it would have been diffused. But fear rules him.
I have observed that the worse a man's character is, the more he hates being ridiculed.
To men of good character, being laughed at is something to laugh about.
“The Devil, the prowde spirit, cannot endure to be mocked”
St Thomas More