i’ve stopped listening to obama’s press conferences. Sounds crazy I know – especially given that he’s only on his second one. I find the prepared text less interesting than his answers to pointed questions. Not just press conferences…I only marginally pay attention to any prepared text. It’s too much like an infomercial and nothing I can’t get from the new york times the next morning (or from a million and one pundits immediately after). But him fielding questions (even if he gets to decide who he calls on) is less scripted. There is no real way to know what someone is going to ask him or exactly how I’ll answer.
The other night I laughed out loud when he finally responded to the incessant questioning of one reporter asking what took him and his administration so long to respond to aig. Obama: “I like to know what I’m talking about before I speak.”
The thing is…its intent may have been to be smarmy, but I believe him when he says it. Even his speech patterns indicate an unwillingness to speak without thinking things through. Not to say he isn’t fallible…he is merely human with all the frailties and shortcomings that come as a package set…but he is also a thoughtful man. A smart one. A funny one. One that seems to grasp the enormity of the job he has to undertake because it is too late and everyone else yelled “no tag backs” as they departed the elector scene.
So I don’t listen too much to what the speech writers’ spin for him…nor his media folks cloaking truth in a heavy coat f omission and vagaries. The press will regurgitate that within moments and I will dutifully read their words and then interpret between the lines. I prefer listening to him banter…or pause, shake his head and begin a three prong explanation about why prevention is imperative or how green jobs make a difference or who he thinks will win the ncaa championship.
I’ll take my president uncensored, I may not always like what he has to say but I can respect him for saying it.
Tags: politics, socialcommentary
pressing
i’ve stopped listening to obama’s press conferences. Sounds crazy I know – especially given that he’s only on his second one. I find the prepared text less interesting than his answers to pointed questions. Not just press conferences…I only marginally pay attention to any prepared text. It’s too much like an infomercial and nothing I can’t get from the new york times the next morning (or from a million and one pundits immediately after). But him fielding questions (even if he gets to decide who he calls on) is less scripted. There is no real way to know what someone is going to ask him or exactly how I’ll answer.
The other night I laughed out loud when he finally responded to the incessant questioning of one reporter asking what took him and his administration so long to respond to aig. Obama: “I like to know what I’m talking about before I speak.”
The thing is…its intent may have been to be smarmy, but I believe him when he says it. Even his speech patterns indicate an unwillingness to speak without thinking things through. Not to say he isn’t fallible…he is merely human with all the frailties and shortcomings that come as a package set…but he is also a thoughtful man. A smart one. A funny one. One that seems to grasp the enormity of the job he has to undertake because it is too late and everyone else yelled “no tag backs” as they departed the elector scene.
So I don’t listen too much to what the speech writers’ spin for him…nor his media folks cloaking truth in a heavy coat f omission and vagaries. The press will regurgitate that within moments and I will dutifully read their words and then interpret between the lines. I prefer listening to him banter…or pause, shake his head and begin a three prong explanation about why prevention is imperative or how green jobs make a difference or who he thinks will win the ncaa championship.
I’ll take my president uncensored, I may not always like what he has to say but I can respect him for saying it.
Tags: politics, socialcommentary