Did anyone catch Obama on Letterman tonight?

#1
IBlvNTmWrk

IBlvNTmWrk

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#1
He was discussing the situation in Afghanistan and essentially playing both sides (surprise). To paraphrase... "some are saying it's a good time to pullout and you could make good arguments for that, and others recommend reinforcements as pulling out would create bigger problems and you can make good arguments for that as well." This isn't the first time we've heard politicians speak and yet say absolutely nothing, but what surprised me was his next statement. Obama continued to ramble and then mentioned that the tough part about being president is that issues like this wouldn't come to him if others knew what actions to take regarding these issues, and since they don't that is why he has to answer all of the difficult questions.

This is a paraphrase, and I have searched quite a bit for his actual statement, but it seems all of the videos I'm able to find exclude this part of the conversation which was toward the end of the program. If anyone else can find it please post a link. Isn't his comment a backhanded slap to his staff and our military generals? That they can't solve a problem and that is why it rises to his level? I am sure the military would be glad to make decisions and take action if it didn't necessitate getting approval by the commander-in-chief.
 
#2
#2
IBlvNTmWrk said:
He was discussing the situation in Afghanistan and essentially playing both sides (surprise). To paraphrase... "some are saying it's a good time to pullout and you could make good arguments for that, and others recommend reinforcements as pulling out would create bigger problems and you can make good arguments for that as well." This isn't the first time we've heard politicians speak and yet say absolutely nothing, but what surprised me was his next statement. Obama continued to ramble and then mentioned that the tough part about being president is that issues like this wouldn't come to him if others knew what actions to take regarding these issues, and since they don't that is why he has to answer all of the difficult questions.

This is a paraphrase, and I have searched quite a bit for his actual statement, but it seems all of the videos I'm able to find exclude this part of the conversation which was toward the end of the program. If anyone else can find it please post a link. Isn't his comment a backhanded slap to his staff and our military generals? That they can't solve a problem and that is why it rises to his level? I am sure the military would be glad to make decisions and take action if it didn't necessitate getting approval by the commander-in-chief.
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I don't think it is a backhanded slight at the generals. Clinton said on Larry King that the president only gets to make the hard decisions. There are thousands of decisions that have to be made, and if they are easy it is generally taken care of as a one page write up by someone else and the president signs off on it. I'm sure it was like this for Bush and every other president as well.

I think Obama is hearing from all sides on this - military, political, economic - and he will make an executive decision as to what he thinks is best.

I'm not saying he will make the right or wrong decision...I'm just trying to clarify what I think he meant.
 
#3
#3
rjd970 said:
I don't think it is a backhanded slight at the generals. Clinton said on Larry King that the president only gets to make the hard decisions. There are thousands of decisions that have to be made, and if they are easy it is generally taken care of as a one page write up by someone else and the president signs off on it. I'm sure it was like this for Bush and every other president as well.

I think Obama is hearing from all sides on this - military, political, economic - and he will make an executive decision as to what he thinks is best.

I'm not saying he will make the right or wrong decision...I'm just trying to clarify what I think he meant.
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I agree with you, in terms of what I think Obama "meant" to say. However, the way he phrased it seemed to imply that he was more knowledgeable and/or intelligent than others. Kinda like King Solomon... "come to me with your issues for I am wise and will solve any disputes for you". It just came across as somewhat condescending of others.
 
#4
#4
IBlvNTmWrk said:
I agree with you, in terms of what I think Obama "meant" to say. However, the way he phrased it seemed to imply that he was more knowledgeable and/or intelligent than others. Kinda like King Solomon... "come to me with your issues for I am wise and will solve any disputes for you". It just came across as somewhat condescending of others.
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ah, exactly what we have come to expect from him. not surprised.
 
#5
#5
It took a while, but I finally found a video of Obama's comments. Here are his exact words... "One of the things I discovered about being President is that, if there was an easy answer someone would have solved it and it wouldn't get to my desk. The only things that arrive on my desk are the things, basically, nobody could figure out a perfect solution to..."

Again, this sounds condescending to me. It could be that many people were able to "figure out a solution" but they just weren't able to get agreement, which seems to be a problem Obama himself is having.

Anyway, below is the link. The actual statement starts around the 5:50 mark.

YouTube - President Obama on interview David Letterman ( end of show ) September 21, 2009 Monday 9/21/09
 
#8
#8
kev20 said:
ah, exactly what we have come to expect from him. not surprised.
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Yes, him and the whole democrat party.

The democrats never meant what they said about Afghanistan from the beginning.

The Democrats backed themselves into defending the idea of Afghanistan being The Good War because they felt they needed to prove their macho bonafides they called for withdrawal from Iraq. ...............

But none of us should forget that it was a political strategy, not a serious foreign policy.
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Remember it was Jimmy Carter's foreign policy that went a long way to create the taliban and al-qaeda or at least gave them a huge boost through it's support of the mujhadeen in Afghanistan.

Remeber too Clinton dropped a hell of bombs in the Balkans in support of al-qaeda, the mujhadeen and muslim drug traficers who do business with the taliban who profit by the opium trade directed at the west.
 
#10
#10
just heard a news report that says medical staff are still trying to remove Letterman's nose from Obama's rear end...
 
#12
#12
IBlvNTmWrk said:
Here are his exact words... "One of the things I discovered about being President is that, if there was an easy answer someone would have solved it and it wouldn't get to my desk. The only things that arrive on my desk are the things, basically, nobody could figure out a perfect solution to..."
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Either he's speaking figuratively about his "discovery", or he's a lot less intelligent than he thinks he is. What did he think Presidents of this country dealt with, making change on a Big Mac? Did he give his predecessor the benefit of the doubt when his predecessor was having to make these difficult decisions? Nope... :ermm:
 
#13
#13
volinbham said:
Condescending? The Lecturer-in-Chief? Say it ain't so.
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Judging by the standard of debate coming from most of the right wingers on here, I'd hazard to guess that 'Sesame Street' probably sounds condescending to their ears.
 
#14
#14
Speaking of condescending nitwits... :lolabove:

He condemns the standard of debate, then proceeds to lower it... :crazy:
 
#15
#15
pejp said:
Judging by the standard of debate coming from most of the right wingers on here, I'd hazard to guess that 'Sesame Street' probably sounds condescending to their ears.
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Would you care to offer your interpretation of his statement? "The only things that arrive on my desk are the things, basically, nobody could figure out a perfect solution to..."

If your boss made this statement would you be in agreement with it, that you weren't able to solve an issue and therefore your boss had to get involved?
 
#16
#16
IBlvNTmWrk said:
Would you care to offer your interpretation of his statement? "The only things that arrive on my desk are the things, basically, nobody could figure out a perfect solution to..."

If your boss made this statement would you be in agreement with it, that you weren't able to solve an issue and therefore your boss had to get involved?
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Well, no. I interpret it as saying that no matter what he does he is going to get criticized. A consensus will never be formed. Dems will tend to agree with him, Reps will disagree with him no matter what he does...and that I guess is the job of the president. I dont think he is claiming that he will find a 'perfect' solution, but that it is his job...to take the flak and deal with the tough decisions.
 
#17
#17
pejp said:
Well, no. I interpret it as saying that no matter what he does he is going to get criticized. A consensus will never be formed. Dems will tend to agree with him, Reps will disagree with him no matter what he does...and that I guess is the job of the president. I dont think he is claiming that he will find a 'perfect' solution, but that it is his job...to take the flak and deal with the tough decisions.
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Interestingly enough that's not the case WRT Afghanistan. If he follows McKhrystal's advice and proceeds with a strategy to win then I would support him but many on the D side will be against him.

It's about policy decisions pure and simple.
 
#18
#18
volinbham said:
Interestingly enough that's not the case WRT Afghanistan. If he follows McKhrystal's advice and proceeds with a strategy to win then I would support him but many on the D side will be against him.

It's about policy decisions pure and simple.
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Exactly correct, and this is the direction he seems to be leaning.

My point in making this post was not to debate the beliefs of the left and right. I would feel the same way if any POTUS had made this comment. And PEJP, you answered from the perspective of the boss, not the employee... which was my question. If Obama didn't realize there would be disagreements and/or criticism when he took the office, he's not going to get any sympathy from me. My disappointment with his statement is that he essentially said that those underneath him are not able to make the tough decisions, not that the system makes it difficult to put a decision into action. I think he used a very poor choice of words which is why it is hard to find in any of the video clips or write-ups from his appearance.
 
#20
#20
volinbham said:
Interestingly enough that's not the case WRT Afghanistan. If he follows McKhrystal's advice and proceeds with a strategy to win then I would support him but many on the D side will be against him.
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What do you mean by WRT?

I fail to see how building a nation that incorporates islamic sharia law into it's constitution benefits America in the long run in any way.

Perhaps someone would explain that to me.

volinbham said:
It's about policy decisions pure and simple.
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Worst foreign policy in American history??

Who hasn't said 'no' to Obama? Barry's only praises come from the likes of Castro, Chavez, Ortega and Letterman.

Flashback to 2008.

To say that he would oppose a military plan that one day may well rank as among the best in our history is stunning. Whatever would motivate Obama to say what he did — political cowardice, willful denial, astonishing blindness to the facts, or the mindset of an ideologue — it ought to cause Americans to rethink, in the most fundamental way, whether Obama is responsible enough to be President.

I suppose it’s also now reasonable to ask Obama if he would, in hindsight, oppose the Normandy invasion. His judgment is that open to question.
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Again, the parrallels between Mussolini and Obama are so eerily similar it's uncanny.

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#21
#21
rjd970 said:
Clinton said on Larry King that the president only gets to make the hard decisions.
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Clinton also lamented that all the important decisions are made before it gets to the president.

utvols20 said:
did he talk about his bowling skills again?
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He blamed all the gutter balls on Bush.

MG1968 said:
just heard a news report that says medical staff are still trying to remove Letterman's nose from Obama's rear end...
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Barry replied that would be covered under Obamacare.

J-P said:
Speaking of condescending nitwits... :lolabove:

He condemns the standard of debate, then proceeds to lower it... :crazy:
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:lolabove:

Big bird is a yellow-bellied sap-sucker!!

Weenie in chief explainng something, I'm not sure what.

Obama%20on%20Letterman%20small-thumb-425x325.jpg


Could be describing the lever nurse Cratchet would be using on Davy boy's nose.

What they do
They smile in your face, all the time they wanna take your place, the back stabbers

They smile in your face,

Then it's all of you fellows who better beware, yeah, yeah

A few of your buddies they sure look shady
Blades are long, clenched tight in their fist
Aimin' straight at your back
And I don't think they'll miss

(What they do!)

They smile in your face
All the time they want to take your place
The back stabbers

Low down... dirty...

Smiling faces... smiling faces sometimes

I don't need... low down, dirty bastards

back stabbers.
 
#22
#22
I heard Obama is going to do MTV Cribs next. Then host Saturday Night Live. And next spring he's hosting MTV Spring Break.

He's also working on a movie with The Rock and a new album with Jay-Z.
 
#24
#24
pejp said:
Judging by the standard of debate coming from most of the right wingers on here, I'd hazard to guess that 'Sesame Street' probably sounds condescending to their ears.
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Oh, the condescending Eurosocialist who chooses to live in America poking fun at a set of values that relies upon absolutes. Astounding.
 
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