Carol E. Lee of Politico had a short March 5 piece about President Obama’s singular inability to give a speech, even short ones, without the crutch of a TelePrompter in front of him to prod him about what to say next. This isn’t the only time the media has raised its eyebrow about the president’s TelePrompters (I even covered it myself not long ago), so the story isn’t a new one, but one little thing that Lee wrote reveals how the media goes out of its way to help Obama’s image by keeping the devices out of Obama’s photography.
His use of the teleprompter makes work tricky for the television crews and photographers trying to capture an image of the president announcing a new Cabinet secretary or housing plan without a pane of glass blocking his face.
In other words, the Old Media puts in a herculean effort to make sure The One still looks like he is speaking extemporaneously by working overtime to make sure those speech prompters are NOT in the picture.
Lee also explains how unusual the reliance on TelePrompters is, especially for a president that has a reputation as a great orator. Lee reveals that “no other president has used one so consistently and at so many events, large and small.”
Now, here is a question for you. If, say, President George W. Bush had tried to roll out the TelePrompter at every tiny little gathering at which he spoke, and if the Old Media had realized how “unusual” this crutch was, would they have taken such great pains to be sure that the TelePrompters did not appear in the video footage or the still frame camera shots of the president? Or would one expect, rather, the Old Media to try and make Bush look bad by including those crutch speech helpers in every shot they’d take?
Yet, for The One, they try their hardest to keep the TelePrompters out of Obama’s shots.
Double standard?
What do you think?
(Photo credit: Charlie Archambault/USN&WR)
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Another change in the Oval Office
6eorge Jetson Friday, March 6th at 6:37AM EST (link)The Oval Office
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Teleprompter Man-child no great orator
ColdWarrior Friday, March 6th at 10:51AM EST (link)I have always been amazed how the mainstream media, and even some conservative Republicans, continue the mantra that the Man-child now occupying the Presidency is some sort of “great orator.” I always thought his mechanical reading from the teleprompter looked contrived and insincere, and of course the content was always thin and full of empty weasel words. I think just about anyone could do just as good a job as he does — how hard is it to read scrolling words — if the empty heads at the networks can do it, anyone can. And now his continued use of the teleprompter, even when speaking to small groups while uttering short remarks introducing proposed staff members, brings to mind the end of the movie “The Candidate” after Robert Redford gets the news he’s won the election and his response is basically “now what do we do.” Well, Obama and his handlers know they can’t take him off the teleprompter because he can’t speak intelligently off the cuff. The reason he refused to appear at townhall-style “debates” with McCain is obvious — he’s an empty suit without a teleprompter. Recall at the non-State of the Union address — he even screwed that up. The teleprompter displayed the words “Madame Speaker” so Teleprompter Man-child dutifully — and “with authority” — uttered “Madame Secretary,” before Pelosi was able to get his attention to cut him off. Of course, no mention of this by the mainstream media.
I am waiting for a SNLive skit in which, perhaps, he appears for his daughter’s birthday party for a few minutes to make a few remarks to the assembled friends and their parents, but not before the Secret Service sweeps the room and then, most importantly, the teleprompters are set up. I have even read (maybe here at Redstate) that his handlers are looking into developing a system whereby, at his public appearances, they’ll have teleprompters set up and canned answers ready to roll at the touch of a button on hundreds of subjects. Question is asked. Handler decides which response might be appropriate. The corresponding buttons are pushed and, presto, Teleprompter Man-child begins reading the canned response. I don’t know a thing about the technology of teleprompters, but I imagine this type of system is feasible.
Maybe they’ll use this when he meets Medvedev/Putin.
I hope so.
Jeesh!
American first, conservative second, Republican precinct committeeman by necessity.
http://www.theprecinctproject.wordpress.com, so you can say, “I became a precinct committeeman before it was cool.”
“[Primary e]lections have consequences, my friends.” — John McCain
Just watch him speak...
kdoc Friday, March 6th at 7:19AM EST (link)I noticed this weeks ago. Every time he’s shown speaking anywhere, his head turns repeatedly from 45 degrees right to 45 degrees left. He NEVER looks straight ahead when he’s talking. You almost get seasick watching his head pivot back and forth.
Methinks there's an Obama Speech drinking game waiting to be played
6eorge Jetson Friday, March 6th at 7:49AM EST (link)Players follow the president’s head motion in two (or more) modes. In one mode, players would shift their own heads back and forth. In the other, players would whisper “left, right, left, right”. A transition between modes would be triggered by some key word, such as “absolutely.”
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When Obama says "Crisis," drink!
fmaidment Friday, March 6th at 8:01AM EST (link)Also include:
“Working families.”
“Green.”
“Shovel-ready.”
Good Gawd, we’ll be schnockered in minutes…
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Don't forget
Warner Todd Huston Friday, March 6th at 8:45AM EST (link)Don’t forget “now I’ve always said this…”
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Don't forget "profound" nt
ColdWarrior Friday, March 6th at 10:26AM EST (link)American first, conservative second, Republican precinct committeeman by necessity.
http://www.theprecinctproject.wordpress.com, so you can say, “I became a precinct committeeman before it was cool.”
“[Primary e]lections have consequences, my friends.” — John McCain
What's New?
papalee Friday, March 6th at 9:24AM EST (link)They kept FDR’s paralysis hidden from folks. There was never a picture of him on crutches or in a wheel chair so that the overwhelming majority of people didn’t know that he was crippled. They kept John Kennedy’s Addison’s Disease hidden so that we were lead to believe that he was essentially young and athletic when he was quite ill.
This is the same old Democratic game. Our hope should be that Fox will do just the opposite and show his dependence on the teleprompters.
And yet, we miss the point
jimmuy8 Friday, March 6th at 11:15AM EST (link)It is working. The vast majority of Americans think he is a good speaker. And too many are too dumb to know that he doesn’t write ANY of his speeches.
So, we end up sounding like we’re trying to tell everyone he can’t walk because he wears the wrong brand of shoes.
We just had and 8 year object lesson in how to make someone look stupid, unsure and confused–and it looks like no one took notes.
With the way he's handling the economy
ehosterman Friday, March 6th at 12:07PM EST (link)it won’t matter whether he can read (not give) a good speech. He’ll make Jimmy Carter look like a winner.
Isn't there
Wayne Friday, March 6th at 1:53PM EST (link)and entrepeneur out there who can invent/market a teleprompter interrupter? Something about the size of a remote keyless entry that will turn a teleprompter off, or scramble the words, to create chaos in the Obamunist’s speeches. Make sure that several show up at each speech, and presser, and let the world see what an empty suit he really is.
“Hell, these are Marines. Men like them held Guadalcanal, and took Iwo Jima, Baghdad ain’t s–t”. Maj. Gen. John F. Kelly, USMC, Deputy CG, First MEF