Obama: New Talent, Old Politics

AP: Obama has it both ways on pork. True.

Update: Michelle's blogging here. Memeorandum should have a round up.

Obama's a talented speaker, Lord knows he spoke enough. And he was better on his feet than I thought he might be. But he controlled the pace of his presser so as to make it hard to know how he might be if he were truly tested.

The format was Q and S for speech, not Q and A for answer. And the answers Obama did offer were laced with political mis-truths that won't endear him to Republicans. Few if any Republicans are arguing an all or nothing position on the stimulus package, as Obama would have people believe.

He's also incredibly disingenuous as to the causes for our current problems. The Bush tax cuts did not cause them and even Obama fans have enough sense to know that. His style points out the need for two critical things, which I am not sure we'll see.

The Republicans are going to need smart, sharp and intelligent rhetoric to counter what Obama is selling. And we are going to need a truly objective media to point out Obama's straw men and couching of issues to his political advantage, more so than to the truth.

Without those two things Obama could succeed in steamrolling an agenda which, in large part, America might not really want. This is going to be a very political presidency, as opposed to Bush who did actually try to stay above politics much of the time.

It's too early to tell how that is going to play out with the American people.

Comments

[mark l.]

still trying to reconcile how a question about nukes in the middle east winds up in pakistan.
obama know that they are different places, right?

[cindi]

How can a POTUS have a 27 year old guy as his main contributor for his speeches? Having a 25 year old son, that sounds insane to me, just saying. At 27 most have just learned how to wipe their own ass to the fullest potential. Being a 51 year old female, never to experience, sexual, gender or race bias, I have the ability to see through all the bullshit the promised one handed out on the way to the big house. After all, he fooled blacks into believing he was black. heh. Honestly though, they can keep him cause he ain't all he promised. Not even black.

[happyfeet]

This president person isn't very confidence-inspiring the way he panics like a little girl. This sucks. Our little country used to have such promise.

[Jane]

He is all about himself. I actually feel sorry for Joe Biden - the way he just intimated Joe was a bufoon, OPENLY. LEAVING NO DOUBT... ha ha ha ... how cruel... how can we expect this man to defend this country - when he has absolutely NO loyalty to his VP? Chills up my spine, not to be confused with Chrs Matthew chills up his leg...

[Lala]

I read that he said this -

“Most economists almost unanimously agree...

and this -

Iran, Iran is.... is a country in the middle east

and this -

...we can reduce our reliance on foreign oil by retrofitting federal buildings...

and this -

“I didn’t come in here ginned up to spend 800 Billion dollars.”

[Lala]

They say the reporters gave Obama the questions ahead of time.

[Lala]

Ann Althouse has some funny comments on her blog -

I like this one a lot because he drives me crazy with his head going back and forth (I think it's so we can't get a good look at his ears).

"The Absolute Advantage said...

Why doesn't someone put a teleprompter in front of the podium so he can look at the American people and talk to them instead of to the people hiding in the corners of my living room?
7:10 PM"

[mark l.]

"They say the reporters gave Obama the questions ahead of time."
even his handlers don't know what he is going to say when he gets off script.

[Lala]

Here's another from Althouse -

Blogger Michael H said...

Are the Tollybon in Paahkastan?
7:50 PM

[cindi]

Remember the song from younger days? I'm not afraid,got my gun, bullets at my side.?

Hey Lala, is that ebonics?