Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Sympathy for the President

Though I have policy problems with him and in general have a different world view; I am neither here nor there with President Obama. As a matter of fact, I get along with people IRL with similar views (and shared some with him as a youth).

In that light, I feel sorry for the guy - I feel the pain in his face; this is just not the meme he needs right now.

Our friend Jim has the details.

59 comments:

  1. DeltaBravo21:38

    Sympathy?  What are you drinking???  Surely not that ol' bottle of Isosceles Paso Robles!  He lost my pity when he nodded at her comment.  If that is truly what she said, his nod probably lost the election for him in 2012. 

    Not an ounce of sympathy from me.  >:o

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  2. UltimaRatioRegis22:28

    Despicable woman.  Hates her own country, belittles the ceremony honoring the NYFD heroes. Expresses disdain for the nation's flag.

    No, no sympathy for the President.  He married her.  And he has yet to give me any indication that he feels any differently from how she feels. 

    He needs to go on another apology tour.  This time, inside our borders, making amends for his loathsome strumpet of a wife.

    Yes, Michelle, all this, just for a flag. 

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  3. Jason Hudson22:37

    <span><span><span>My Name is Old Glory</span></span></span> 
    <span>by Howard Schnauber</span>

    <span>I am the flag of the United States of America.</span> 
    <span>My name is Old Glory.</span> 
    <span>I fly atop the world's tallest buildings.</span> 
    <span>I stand watch in America's halls of justice.</span> 
    <span>I fly majestically over great institutes of learning.</span> 
    <span>I stand guard with the greatest military power in the world.</span> 
    <span>Look up! And see me!</span>
    <span>I stand for peace - honor - truth and justice.</span> 
    <span>I stand for freedom</span> 
    <span>I am confident - I am arrogant</span> 
    <span>I am proud.</span>
    <span>When I am flown with my fellow banners</span> 
    <span>My head is a little higher</span> 
    <span>My colors a little truer.</span>
    <span>I bow to no one.</span> 
    ...


    <span>I am proud.</span>
    <span>My name is Old Glory.</span>
    <span>Dear God - Long may I wave</span>


    Entire poem and story linked.


    http://history.fcgov.com/archive/wwii/schnauber.php

    JHud

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  4. CDR Salamander23:08

    She is his wife.  He is in a public place. He knows the camera is on him. He is still processing what she is saying. He hears her tone. He is her husband.

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  5. butch23:18

    Tapping sympathy meter ... nope, still reading zero for the SCOAMF.

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  6. SCOTTtheBADGER23:25

    Second liking

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  7. The Usual Suspect00:58

    Culturally, neither one of them are Americans.  They were born here, but they are not of here.  Look at the members of the Hate America First crowd and you will see the same thing. If anybody is looking for sympathy, it is found on a special page I inserted into a dictionary I used to keep on my desk when I ran a terminal full of Teamsters.  I kept it right next to the can of powdered Boraxo. 

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  8. Anonymous01:04

    I fear that you are wrong that they repersent some americans. I think the percentage is growning and that more and more americans think it is wrong to be proud of your country. She should go to a funeral of one of our fallen soliders and see what that piece of cloth means to there family. The price of freedom for many of us has been cheap for a long time. Others in our places out there and we forget sometimes that they are there for us. That WE sent them there. 

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  9. Anonymous02:21

    Hear what tone?  How do you get tone from that video? This is just insane.  When you want to look for the worst in people, that's all you find.

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  10. ewok40k02:36

    Remember, he is the guy that set the "go" for the killing OBL - he avoided the siren call of missile strikes and laser guided karma and sent in a few good men withsmall arms. If things have gone badly he would end looking like Carter in  1980 hostage rescue redux, but he trusted his military to do things right this time. Had Clinton done so back in 1990s... Eh, enough of what if...
    I don't like him either, his abandonment of all european policy is fatal, alienating allies right and left, but he has his moments.

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  11. Byron04:45

    Sucks to be him. Got no empathy for him, not one damn bit.

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  12. Redeye8007:00

    I've been looking for the best in this occupier of the WH since he took office, haven't found anything yet.  It seems showing his worst is what he does best.

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  13. Outlaw Mike07:30

    Ewok, yes, he said 'okiedokie'. So what?

    No, sorry. And his wife? Didn't she say the day her hubby made it POTUS was the only time she'd been proud of her country?

    Either she never heard of fellas called, oh, Abraham Lincoln, Leroy Brown, Neil Armstrong.

    Or she did, and considers them not important.

    Dunno what's worse. Sympathy? N-O-P-E.

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  14. cdrsalamander07:34

    Talk to a deaf person how they determine tone.  Did you notice her shaking her head?  That is tone.

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  15. Salty Gator08:45

    Ewok:  BIG.  EFFING.  DEAL.  So what.  Oooh, ooh, what a warrior.  He also "made the call" to shoot the 16 year old pirates in the lifeboat.  No, wait, he didn't have batteries release authority.  That was the CO of the BAINBRIDGE.  Hmmmmmmm. 

    Spare me.  This is NOTHING like EAGLE CLAW.  We have the most professional, highly trained and capable special warfare units on the face of the planet.  EAGLE CLAW was a pickup game of basketball.  This was brain surgery.  Missions like this happen every single day, just not always chasing Tier 1 personalities.

    As for missile strikes, whatever dude.  We used a couple of JDAMs to take out Zarqawi in Iraq.  That worked out fine.  We wanted proof that UBL was dead.  Achieved.  "All praises be" to the SEALs.  I have no time for Barry.  He waffles more than the International House of John Kerry.

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  16. Salty Gator08:45

    She was born here.  Jury is still out on him.

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  17. Salty Gator08:47

    He associates with terrorists.  He goes around the world slamming his own country.  BIG SHOCKER that he married Moochelle?  Really?  This is all about "getting even."  Sucks to be him that his wife can't control herself, but she is just saying what they talk about in private company.

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  18. UltimaRatioRegis08:49

    Sal,

    Right on the money.  As someone who does a great deal of lipreading (deaf in the right ear), that is precisely how we determine tone. 

    And from someone with some experience at lipreading, she said what everyone thought she said.

    Shame on the both of them.  If they knew the meaning of the word.

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  19. Mike M.09:14

    What would have happened if that order hadn't been given - and the public found out?

    It was a choice between ordering Bin Laden's death and being torn apart by enraged Americans when they found out you let Bin Laden go.  A no-brainer.

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  20. Actus Rhesus09:28

    and you can tell a lot about a man by the woman he marries.

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  21. DeltaBravo09:36

    I love ya, Phib.  But put the shoe on the other foot.  If it were you... almost 3 years into your presidency, wouldn't you already have had the talk about "When we're in public, keep your mouth shut, your eyes forward and an appropriate look on your face.  We're being watched."  (On the few occasions you risk dragging her out in public if you were him.)  That would require competence.  And actually taking the same car or plane to the destination.  

    Dunno... I've watched their dynamic with fascination.  He's a narcissist... which is hell to live with.  She has a lot of anger.  It's come out in cutting little remarks that make me go "oooh" as a woman.  And she seems to get her own back with very passive-aggressive ways of acting, dressing and speaking in public that take the attention off him and put it on her.   She's spent 3 years making him look bad and doing very little as "First Lady" except going on vacation.

    I just bet the Secret Service has a lot of eye-rolling experiences they can't even begin to talk about.   This isn't a couple that strikes me as being very much in love.

    Just thoughts from a woman looking from the cheap seats.

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  22. DeltaBravo09:37

    Let's tweak that one, AR.  You can tell a lot about a man by the woman he stays married to.

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  23. Actus Rhesus09:42

    nah, I stand by my first statement...

    marrying a witch still speaks to the man's character and judgment...but divorcing her does show he can learn from his mistakes.  :)

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  24. Andy09:51

    Ok guys, now while I dissent from Dear Leader's socio-political POV most strongly, I think we may be over-reaching a tad here and probably projecting our own animosities. For all we know, she may have expressing an all too often held (albeit totally erroneous) opinion on the similarities between the sounds of the blessed pipes and mating felines. Just sayin' 8-)

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  25. UltimaRatioRegis09:57

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!  I am going to get that carved into my headstone!

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  26. UltimaRatioRegis10:04

    I don't think so.  I think she said just what people think she said, "or words to that effect", as they say in court, with a tone that was very obviously disdainful.

    I don't think we misunderstood her "for once I am proud of my country" crap, either. 

    When the conduct, words, and attitude all form such a consistent pattern, the room for benefit of the doubt shrinks exponentially.

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  27. cdrsalamander10:04

    1. I don't think the President would get the desired response from his wife if he said that to her.  The Secret Service might have to intervene.
    2. In my marriage, it is usually Mrs. Salamander who is reminding me how to behave in public - not the other way around.  

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  28. DeltaBravo10:10

    I personally think she could take him in a fight.  She's got those toned arms and all...

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  29. Actus Rhesus10:43

    and please allow me to get up on my conservative feminist soapbox for a secod.

    *Ahem*

    I doubt anyone who regularly reads this blog would mistake me for a shrinking violet.  But I get very annoyed when "strong and independent" is equated with "loud and obnoxious".  Laura Bush was dumped on by the media as a weak housewife...but it's pretty common knowledge that *she* was the driving force behind W. going sober...that undoubtedly took strength and character.  And she never did anything to undermine the president in public.  this isn't a case of "stand by your man" or "subservience", it's having the class and dignity to be aware of where you are, who you are, who is standing next to you, and who is watching you.  It is entirely possible to be tough as nails and still have class.  (e.g. Queen Elizabeth, Margaret Thatcher, Condi Rice)

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  30. DeltaBravo10:58

    Ewok... in case your amazing English skills aren't up to this one:  "Okiedokie" is a very flippant cheery way of saying okay or yes.

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  31. LT B11:16

    Remember in your communications/management classes how much we get from body language.  That is why posts here, or emails, are often misinterpreted.  I believe her disgust was apparent in her non-verbals.  It is truly sad we (America) elected these haters into the White House.  America gets what she deserves. 

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  32. cdrsalamander11:18

    AR,
    You are a dream - you know that don't you?  Make sure you remind Mr. AR of that fact all the time.  If he forgets, let me know and I'll tell him what for - though I think you will communicate that fact to him just fine without my help.   ;)

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  33. LT B11:23

    Every wife does Sal.  Every wife does.  :)

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  34. Although I can't tell exactly what she's saying, it's pretty clear the word "flag" is spoken, and it doesn't appear to be anything nice.  His reaction is a nod and a "I know, but shut the F#$K up" look on his face.  What a pair we Americans put into the White House.

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  35. Grandpa Bluewater12:01

    "tough as nails and still have class"  

    Been there - married to that.  Also, describes the standard Navy wife, pretty much.

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  36. Bubba12:04

    You people!

    Do you really think they told Carter, "this is a half-assed cobbled together plan that won't really work."  B.S.

    They told him, “We have the most professional, highly trained and capable special warfare units on the face of the planet.  We will get our men back.”

    After Carter, Obama knew the high price of failure.  This mission could have gone wrong in so many ways; imagine the Fox news spin if Osama had gotten away and the Chicoms got their hands on the stealthy chopper.

     You have to give credit where credit is due or you just look like a brainless partisan.

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  37. Actus Rhesus12:50

    well, I'd like to think Mr. AR is pretty special too ;)

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  38. DeltaBravo14:19

    Okay... so he had what to lose?  An election?

    The troops had their very lives at risk.

    Still no contest.

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  39. steeljawscribe14:57

    Steel magnolias, AR, ... steel magnolias.  I'm married to one and am the better man for it.
    w/r, SJS

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  40. UltimaRatioRegis14:59

    Hey Bubba, BHO's choices were what, exactly? 

    You have the world's biggest terrorist handed you on a silver platter. 

    1) Give the order to kill/capture

    2) Refuse to give the order to kill/capture

    That little leadership problem would not present much of a challenge at the Corporal's Course.

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  41. SCOTTtheBADGER15:06

    I thought it was the South Georgia swamp where Pogo Possum, Howland Owl, Beauregard Hound, Porkypine, Churchy LaFemme, and Albert Alligator lived? 

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  42. DW Foster18:13

    Sorry, Cdr Sal, you're off on this one.  The prez is simply a no good rat bastard.  His wife selection is just one of the many foolish decisions he's made in his substanceless life.  She's similarly useless and adds a monstrous chip on her shoulder based on her imagination and not actual priviledge.  It will be quite nice when they fade away.

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  43. DW Foster18:13

    Sorry, Cdr Sal, you're off on this one.  The prez is simply a no good rat bastard.  His wife selection is just one of the many foolish decisions he's made in his substanceless life.  She's similarly useless and adds a monstrous chip on her shoulder based on her imagination and not actual priviledge.  It will be quite nice when they fade away.

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  44. butch19:54

    Whaddya mean "we"???

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  45. Casey Tompkins20:14

    Thanks, URR. I wasn't sure, from watching the video, that she had actually said that. Helps to have input from someone experienced at reading lips.

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  46. Casey Tompkins20:18

    Does that mean we give Leon Panetta credit, while the President dithered?

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  47. Casey Tompkins20:21

    Me? I voted for the scary old man and the psycho animal-killer.

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  48. Salty Gator21:53

    You people?  Carter was a fucking Naval Officer in a previous life.  If he couldn't see that the plan was two week old potato salad then he's a bigger tart than I thought he was in the first place.  And the ChiComs did get their hands on the helicopter.

    Brainless partisan.  Ha.  What, right-wing extremist / hostage taking terrorist republican is no longer in vogue from Media Matters talking points?

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  49. UltimaRatioRegis22:04

    Wasn't it Carter's CJCS (Jones, I think), when asked what the other options were, uttered the immortal words, "Mr. President, you have no options."?

    Wonder who's gutting of the military for the sake of social spending in the worst economy since the Depression (familiar ring?) brought that situation about.

    I know, he must have inherited it from Ford.

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  50. DeltaBravo01:26

    What's that saying about history repeating... the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce....  but this isn't really a funny kind of farce.

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  51. SCOTTtheBADGER04:27

    What a coincidence, so did I!

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  52. Anonymous16:59

    Maybe she said "is that guy a fag?"

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  53. Anonymous17:04

    Just how hard is it to read lips when you're wanting to hear something?

    The McGurk Effect:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-lN8vWm3m0

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  54. LT B18:12

    Hey, maybe Sal's Porch can make the Protect Obama at all costs website!  Awesome! 

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  55. You are all smaller for your disparaging comments here. Campaign season, Sal? Well, since you are retired now, you get to slide down the Partisan Slide, shouting "whhhheeeeeeee!". Blah.

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  56. UltimaRatioRegis22:38

    Nope.  If she'd have said that, the Mainstream Media would have covered it front page for three days.  And she would have been the one on the apology tour this time.

    It was nowhere near as serious as offending a politically-connected special interest group.  It was only maligning and disparaging the symbol of the country she lives in.

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  57. UltimaRatioRegis22:42

    SOMEONE is smaller for her disparaging comments.  But I am pretty sure it isn't anyone on the front porch. 

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  58. Salty Gator23:11

    Not with those deltoids, she isn't. She's only getting bigger.  I wonder if she's juicin like Roger Clemens and Jose Canseco?

    Jhey, heterosexual men, active, reserve, former and retired of the United States Navy do not shout "wheeee" nor do they go down sliding boards unless carrying their young children.  Not that I'm knocking it.  I'm sure that you have a great time going down over and over and over again.....

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  59. cdrsalamander23:43

    Huh?

    OK, this is always fun.  Please tell me what comments I made here are "<span>disparaging" to the President? Read the post the come back. Chapter and verse please Jay.</span>

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