Screening Obama: White House looks to install new teleprompter, Prez to get fed info at press events

American Spectator ^ | 2.16.09 @ 6:09AM | the Prowler

[Behind Liberal Lines]

the White House is looking to install a small video or computer screen into the podium used by the president for press conferences and events in the White House. "It would make it easier for the comms guys to pass along information without being obvious about it," says the adviser.

The screen would indicate whom to call on, seat placement for journalists, pass along notes or points to hit, and so forth, says the adviser.

Using a screen is nothing new for Obama; almost nothing he said in supposedly unscripted townhall events during the presidential campaign was unscripted, down to many of the questions and the answers to those questions. Teleprompter screens at the events scrolled not only his opening remarks, but also statistics and information he could use to answer questions.

Obama had a teleprompter set up for his remarks last week, before taking questions, but the White House couldn't use the teleprompter for anything but the remarks, because the journalists were so close to the screens. Further complicating matters, teleprompter copy can't be easily updated in real time, in a setting like a White House press conference.

[budwiesest]

Would a shoe bounce off a teleprompter? Could have a defensive application.

[Polybius]

The War on Terror may very well have been lost by Bush's inability to keep the American Home Front from becoming demoralized.

Sounds like you heard Harry Reid and found him more persuasive.

Strawman argument.

Nothing to do with the media naaahhhhh...It always gave Bush his due.

No, the media treated Bush badly just like the media treated Reagan badly and just like the offensive line of the opposing football team treats your quarterback badly.

War is Hell, cupcake, and you are whining about how reporters that get tingles up their legs after listening to Obama "treated Bush badly".

I don't give a rat's @ss if Bush was "treated badly" by the press. A successful war leader triumphs over the limp-wristed press and does not allow the American Home Front to become so demoralized that it votes the Surrender Party into total control of Congress and the White House in the middle of a war.

[NonValueAdded]

Perhaps the right question is “who is the Earl of Bute?”

[Neverforget01]

War is Hell, cupcake, and you are whining about how reporters that get tingles up their legs after listening to Obama "treated Bush badly".

So sweetums. who told you the War on Terror was almost lost?

[slowhandluke]

I don't think it's reasonable in a general sense to say that the use of notes is an indication of "not having a clue."

Right, like the press would have let Sarah Palin get away with using notes.

No previous president, including Bush or the amiable dunce Reagan, needed this level of support. Even Clinton had the skill to evade questions or BS the answer. This just shows that Obama isn't up to the job.

This is getting close to a Milli-Vanilli situation.

[festus]

Look all we gotta do is figure out how to hack into the signal to the teleprompter and we can having Barry spouting anything we want.

[r9etb]

No previous president, including Bush or the amiable dunce Reagan, needed this level of support.

Not true -- Reagan could have used it to good effect. Bush 41, too. For all that he was maligned as a speaker, Bush 43 was actually very good at off-the-cuff responses.

[BluH2o]

Haven't read thru all the responses, someone may have beat me to it ... the most ridiculous situation where a teleprompter was in use by O ... a western corral setting. The city slicker candidate is having a (sort of) town meeting and they have teleprompters set up in front of the small podium he was standing on. Ridiculous in the extreme ... then again we're talking about the anointed one ... no surprise.

[patriotspride]

” Thank you for your first hand account of President Bush. That means a lot.”

He’s a real person, who has been demonized for the last several years.

Just wanted to give another perspective , and glad to know you appreciated it.

I certainly enjoyed seeing him, and shaking his hand

[patriotspride]

” This is getting close to a Milli-Vanilli situation. “

Good analogy...................

[dennisw]

0bama= Axelrod stooge

[paulycy]

The teleprompter help him conceal things that he wants to conceal.

This includes the visuals of him actually referring to his notes. He wants the video to show that he is "thinking on his feet" and "being sincere and in control" and all sorts of narcissistic-ally and politically motivated deception.

He could bring out a simple notebook like any other president or spokesman, but that is not super human enough for The One now, is it?

[Nateman]

There is a whole thread devoted to poking fun at this teleprompting commie asshat. Click on the picture to join in on the fun!

[mikrofon]

Interesting that the puppet has a dummy for a sidekick...