As I read this list, entitled 5 things POTUS should do I was taken aback at the level of superficiality that had everything to do with style vs. substance.IT WAS BASEBALL pioneer Satchel Paige who warned: “Don’t look back. Something may be gaining on you.”
In the wake of the midterm elections, that’s one bit of advice that President Obama would do well to follow. If his presidency is to survive, he must look forward and must begin to make changes now.
But exactly what should Obama do, and how and why? Five simple suggestions:
1. Dump what’s left of the Chicago Gang. Rahm Emanuel’s departure was a good first step.
But too many others in the Chicago clique are still around. All pols like to be surrounded by trusted confidantes. In the rough-and-tumble world of politics, loyalty is an understandably treasured commodity.
But the president is different. He’s the only public official directly elected by all the American people. Those around him must be attentive to the wide variety of views of a large, diverse society. The president’s advisers must present a broad range options in open, vigorous debate.
So, it’s time for David Axelrod and Valerie Jarrett and Robert Gibbs to depart. They’d do the president a favor by making room for some fresh advisers. If they’re unwilling to do that, they should be shown the door.
2. Lose the strut and the condescension. The president has a way of pushing himself up on the balls of his feet as he walks. I call it “the strut,” and I suspect I’m not alone in finding it oft-putting. Along with this strut comes an air of condescension.
Mr. President, those who don’t agree with you aren’t your enemies. And they aren’t misguided or distracted or paralyzed by fear or blinded by anger. (And they aren’t necessarily clinging to guns and religion, either.)
When you dismiss or trivialize “we the people,” you mock the very foundation of our democracy.
3. Get rid of the TelePrompTer.
The members of India’s legislature were astonished to find Obama reading from it as he addressed them.
It was the first time the device had ever been used in India’s Parliament House. As one Indian official put it: “We thought Obama is a trained orator and skilled in the art of mass address with his continuous eye contact.”
We thought so, too. But the president simply can’t seem to function without having his talking points projected in front of him. He’s addicted.
Why? As someone who’s written many speeches and teaches public speaking, I believe it’s a sign of insecurity. When you have to use a TelePrompTer (and speak from a script), you’re afraid of messing up.
If Obama is to be taken seriously, he must master the most common speaking style of the modern age, incorporating extemporaneous or impromptu remarks. If he can be clear and articulate without a manuscript, it will boost his credibility.
4. Bring the Grand Tour to a close. After the India trip, the president should stay home and tend to the problems at hand. That means bringing down the curtain on touring, and maybe even vacationing. It also means ending those frequent TV appearances. The president has been overexposed. It took us nearly eight years to develop Clinton fatigue. But Obama fatigue began to set in after only 18 months.
5. And speaking of Clinton, Obama should have a nice, long sit-down with the former president and elder statesman of the Democrats. Sixteen years ago, Clinton was in the same spot Obama finds himself in today.
Clinton faced a GOP House and Senate after the ’94 Republican sweep that was one of the largest turnovers in history till now.
But with surprising speed, Clinton shook up his staff and moved toward the center. He listened to new people and embraced new ways. And he became a relatively popular two-term president. So call in Clinton. And sit down and listen.
Mr. President, follow these steps and don’t look back.”
- Teleprompter…seriously…that is nothing but professionalism..should he have post it notes, 3×7 flash cards, or inked in list on palms instead? C’mon.
- Strut...puhleeeze….other President’s had a commanding walk. This President is just young with a firm musculature so that he can descend the steps of AF One without holding onto hand rails! When is the last time America has seen that? Those other Presidents were just old.
- Grand Tour? Since when is traveling the world to discuss serious foreign policy issues and strategizing with world leaders on the global economy a friggin grand tour. POTUS is working, representing America just as all other leaders of powerful nations do. This is his JOB. Not some grand tour.
- Chicago Gang… so now he has a gang instead of Presidential Advisors. I say dance with the one that brought you to the dance. Those folks out of Chicago had a game winning plan..toppled national veterans with 15 years of experience. His political ascendency was equivalent to a rookie going to the ProBowl. Don’t mess with success.
- WJC…Clinton did NOT find himself in this same position. He never had to deal with 24/7 cable with a FOX news total engaged in partisianship and an America consumed with the hate from listening to racemongering…NO, it is NOT the same
As for the quote from Satchel… Paige, IIRC despite being a far superior athlete in the Negro Baseball League, was not selected to be the first Negro in the American Baseball League because his temperament was considered far less tolerant than that of Jackie Robinson. Racism was so rampant that they knew Robinson was a better choice, despite him not having a record as superior to that of Paige.
In that sense, I prefer two of Robinsons’ quotes:
“I’m not concerned with your liking or disliking me… All I ask is that you respect me as a human being.”
Wow!!!! This is some serious ish!! It’s laughable. Basically she’s saying to the black man to stop being an intelligent confident person cause he makes the white folks feel bad.
Why don’t we just return to Jim crow?
Basically she’s saying to the black man to stop being an intelligent confident person cause he makes the white folks feel bad.
Precisely. Ain’t that some ish?
Hi Dannie. That piece of nonsense was written by a man. Daniel Cirruci, whomever the fuck he is. And yes, he and the rest of the haters are seething because PBO’s got both SWAGGA & SMARTS.
BWA HA HA HA HA
Hi Ametie and SG2!
I ALMOST feel sorry for white folks… NOT!!!!
Sorry to say, we never left Jim Crow, Dannie.
http://www.newjimcrow.com/
Tell the truth, Lisa. The fact that these folks are trying to control President Obama’s every breath and were not able to stop him from becoming president is crushing them. How on earth did that negro slip by them? How did this man not get into the system of crime and incarcertation?
That’s the plan right there. Remember Bob McDonnell was trying to bring back the literacy test for ex-felons and had a black man willing to help him do it. Mofo!!!
The only thing that keeps coming up for me over and over again is, “You don’t know your place, boy.”
Seriously? His walk? Because he ain’t shuckin’ & jivin’, bowin’ & scrapin’ with “Yessir” on hip lips, his walk is actually condescending?
I’ll give you condescension. Thinking I’m stupid enough to think that how the man walks matters 2 bits in how he governs.
And the teleprompter? Oh, who the f*** thought that any polished professional speaker didn’t use one? (Oh yeah, Ronnie was an actor and could memorize his lines). Afraid to mess up? Yey, how ’bout not filling daily calendars with proof of how effin ignorant you can be (ala W).
A hundred years ago my cheerleading advisor of my all-white (but me) squad asked me to “mess up a little because I made the others uncomfortable.” Great to know that they apparently are still threatened by excellence.
Enough said on the “gang” comment.
And overexposed? Why we certainly can’t give people enough exposure to a thoughtful, powerful, articulate, family-oriented black man, now can we?
Does he need a new set of advisors? Yes. Some folks have over stayed their welcome. If he wants to talk to ole’ BJ, that’s fine. But at the end of the day, whether he’s gone in 2 years or we have another 6, he has to stay true to himself and his vision for making this country a place that works for ALL.
Morning, Lisa!
A hundred years ago my cheerleading advisor of my all-white (but me) squad asked me to “mess up a little because I made the others uncomfortable.” Great to know that they apparently are still threatened by excellence.
What? Girl, stop! Don’t make me say bad words because something like this just brings it out in me. These cac better get over themselves. I’m damn tired of their insecurities. I suggest they get therapy and lots of kleenex for the sniffling.
Like you stated…WTF does how he walk have anything to do with how he governs? It doesn’t. That’s code for “arrogant ni**a” is out of his place. In their warped mind…the office of the presidency belongs to white people. Phuck them one and all.
Gurl, I ain’t tryin’ to make you lose your soul. :)
Seriously, she did say that to me. We were preparing for competition and going over & over the routine. She pulled me off to the side and said, “Why don’t you mess up sometimes on purpose? Your perfection makes the other girls uncomfortable. You never get it wrong and that’s hard to live up to.”
I learned in corporate that the more sure I was of myself, the more I was “counseled” about “appearing” inflexible or closed off to other ideas.
Uh-huh.
Whether its media or their own insecurities or ???, white folks have a certain image of how black people “should” be (whether they know it or not) and when we fall outside of that, they may resort to useless criticism, shame and far too often, violence, to make sure we remember our “place.”
THIS: “Whether its media or their own insecurities or ???, white folks have a certain image of how black people “should” be (whether they know it or not) and when we fall outside of that, they may resort to useless criticism, shame and far too often, violence, to make sure we remember our “place.”
Yepper, betta know your place, boy…
LOL PBO’s top dog, and it’s EATING THEM ALIVE!
“Why don’t you mess up sometimes on purpose? Your perfection makes the other girls uncomfortable. You never get it wrong and that’s hard to live up to.”
Now ain’t that a mofo? Oh, they can’t live with a black being better? The nerve of the bish!! WTF? It’s racism 101 and folks like her will never change. Her mentality is deep rooted.
Lisa, Say ALL of that again, while I LISTEN!
Soooo…can WJC add anything to this mix?! Or is he the entitlement guy/grl ..that we are encouragd to engage in corp. YOU know what I mean ..the one that is on the fast track..that has all the positive buzz, that they send you2..that dont have shyt to say ..cuz he/she sees you as their top competitor of color…y’all know what I am saying.
Is WJC even worth speaking to..or should we assume that POTUS been there done that?
After all his wife is SOS…so why should we assume he has not spoken to WJC.
Oh that’s right, WJC po’d…cuz POTUS won and he don’t wanna help…but the narrative is PBO didn’t reach out?
HmmmmmHuh
we ain’t stooooooooooooooooooopid!
HELL NAW! Bubba aint got shit to add to the mix, Opulent. These ignorant MOFOs would rather fall back on WJC, then support the Black POTUS. Sooooo phucking transparent.
They can’t handle the smart, intelligent, married for 17 years to the same woman with 2 adoring daughters black man in the White House as POTUS.
They can’t control is walk, his talk, his look, his race, his saviore’ faire, and it is EATING.THEM.ALIVE. BWA HA HA
I thought this comment was on point:
“my issue with these suggestions is that they are, except for the last one, meaningless. It won’t matter what BO does, how he walks or talks, he will not be favored by those who have already made up their minds to despise him. He still has two years of a presidency to complete whether he gets reelected or not. We should all be rooting for him to succeed in helping the country through the greatest mess I have ever in my lifetime seen. The real patriots I think are trying to find ways to bring back prosperity for the most people, make fewer “enemies” in the world while closing the chapter on American wars of choice.”
LOL SWAGGA! They would know would SWAGGA was if it bit them on the ass.
LMBAO…They can’t even say it. Ask Kyra Phillips? Major eyeroll….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPX_m5LaltA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Y_uMTY-Ff8
BWA HA HA HA! Yes, black men have SWAGGA, STYLE, & SUBSTANCE, MOFOs. DEAL.WITH.IT.
the SWAGGER THING – they don’t have it; they wish they had it. fuck them.
the teleprompter. this is utter bs. the President bitchslapped the entire Republican Congressional Caucus – on their turf..
GANG..why the Black man has a GANG.
Tell it, while I listen!
OMG…rikyrah..wasn’t that Baltimore massacre awesome…he didn’t have a teleprompter then!! He just batted away their stupid ideas like they were flys and he was a fly swatter..no teleprompter!! Discussion one on one is one thing. A speech is another.
The problem is that all these old ass leaders CAN’t use a teleprompter..so they wanna act like that is a handicapp!
NOT!!
Yes, I too resent that ‘gang’ shyt. Every other President has men of stature who are considered statesmen that have gravitas…but oooooH no!! NOT Obama..his men that devise a winning strategy are a gang?!! BS!
LOL
LOL These dudes can’t handle PBO’s SWAGGA! HA HA HA HA HA!!!!
That just BLEW my mind…can we all say in unison…mandingo? or what?!
http://www.surreybeekeeper.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Envy.jpg
Ah Sooky Sooky now! Bow Chicka Bow Wow!
Whatcha do that fer, Opulent? My President’s swagger is off the hook!!
HELL YEAH!! they mad cuz all them other old wizen tired flabby men COULDN”t walk like that!!
They’re haters and seething with jealousy! I see them.
Boo mofos!
And the MISS ANN’S & BECKIES are drooling all over him too. **looking@you Maureen Dowd** Just seeting with envy and wanton desire for the hot, smart, black POTUS.
Lose the strut? LMBAO……Please!
They can’t take the swagger. Boo Hoo mofos!
Can you believe that?! I was like you focusing on how POTUS walk? GMAFB..your ass is just envious.
He got the power, he got the influence, he got the intellect, he got the world captivated…and all you wanna do is HATE!
POTUS ALL THAT!!
LMBAO. The insecurity & inferiority complex is on display; they can’t hide it, duplicate, replicate the walk, talk, the skin color, none of it. And it is KILLING them! Die MOFOs!
MANDINGO! BWA HA HA
Well said, Opulent. I’m sure this David C. guy is auditioning for a spot as PBO’s advisor.
And that “gang” slang is total bullshit. No one ever called any other president’s advisors/aides a fucking “gang.”
All these idiots so want to control the black guys ever move, thought, and action.
And for fucks sake, why would PBO want to take Clinton’s advise for? I’m sure he doesn’t want to be found in the same position as him… sitting in the Oval office with a twenty year old intern under his desk on her knees…
I am like PLEASE!!
I just wanna know what is the fixation with teleprompters? This is the new millenium..teleprompters are part of that…should POTUS have note cards instead!!
And this mess about strut…blew my mind…are folks actually that concerned with the WAY he walks POWERFULLY!! omg!!
U so right this is about trying to have control…EFF that!!