Obama's TelePrompTer addiction

Republicans get all upset about Obama's use of the TeleprompTer because they tend to pick candidates who have a hard time speaking the English language, much less reading it.

But at least the GOP knows how hard it is to, "Put food on your family."

I think the pugs are just plain jealous. We now have a president that thinks before he talks, and it is apparent when you watch him talk. The word umm does not bother me here, as it is obvious he is thinking to find the correct word to use. Any pug that knocks Obama's speach apparently never heard their hero w. talk.

Yes...the evil teleprompter.....I miss the days of this:

"One of the very difficult parts of the decision I made on the financial crisis was to use hardworking people's money to help prevent there to be a crisis." --George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Jan. 12, 2009

'I know how hard it is for you to put food on your family.'

'They misunderestimated me.'

'Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?'

So…“W” couldn’t speak simple English with a teleprompter so what is the big deal? What the heck has happened to the GOP I used to know and love? I’ll tell you…too many idiots listening to Rush’s babble and not using the heads god gave them. At least the Democrats are trying. If the GOP were to stop running out Palin, Jindel .., letting the radical right and Rush think for them.., catering to the bankers, corporations and big oil this country would be better off. Let’s see…make loans people can’t afford. File for bankruptcy and get more loans and then watch the big oil make mega billions in profits for a couple years to break the camel’s back. I saw this mess coming in 2003…and the expert’s couldn’t? Now our new President can’t seem to find someone to work in his cabinet unless they owe taxes. Is that his plan to get us out of debt? This is classic rich getting away with the loopholes while the middle and lower class carry the tax burden. How do you define politician…crook; stupid; liar…take your pick.

Wow. I thought the Swamp hit rock bottom with the gray hair story. But no, you guys have really outdone yourself here. CNN has already invited a body language expert to their shows, on more than one occasion I might add, to interpret Obama's relationship with Biden, I guess I can only cross my fingers until you guys are doing the same "type" of analysis of the way he speaks and walks to get clues about the "message" he is sending to the American people.

Using the TelePrompTer is a distraction and does represent a method to ensure that his remarks toe the carefully crafted WH PR media message. By using it extensively, were are denied any gaffs of truth that might sneak into his answers or statements (such as "spread the wealth"). Nice try on the excuse but let's be honest. I rather enjoy VP Biden and his rambling. Was this a reprint of a WH meno for the masses?

The side to side thing is a normal technique, where you don't, in a public speech, look into the camera much if at all. This is because you have an audience in front of you and it's tacky to be ignoring them for the camera. The school of thought is that the camera is just an observer on the screen, and looking into the camera seems artificial for the live audience and unusual for the tv audience, because it's not normal for the subject to look into the camera.

It's very deliberate.

Note what part of the article Frank James doesn't mention:

"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 Obama media puts in a herculean effort to make sure The One looks like he is speaking extemporaneously by working overtime to make sure those speech prompters are NOT in the picture.

Agree with the swivel-head and lack of eye contact. Though that can be remedied.

And so what about his ears?

A great smile, but that can't hide what a neophyte he is and how worried that he and his camp are to be off just a centimeter in his public utterances.

The guy is worried, he is out of his league and the hugging of that teleprompter is an indication he is scared.

Obama is becoming to stilted and aloof and afraid to make a mistake during these crucial times.

Why is this such a surprise? (this is the harshest the media-in-the-bag will be on hobama). The whole thing is carefully constructed and fed to us in one of the best propaganda campaigns ever engineered. Even this story was probably fed to the bleedia to reinforce some future point.

http://www.upthehudson.com/IMAGES/PROMPTER.gif

He obviously didn't need one at the debates he won. Anyway, if I were prez I would have to use on all the time, too. Being a good memorizer of text shouldn't be a prerequisite for the presidency.

Hollywood is full of people like Obama. They can read a script but are virtually tongue-tied when speaking extemporaneously. Obama comes across as a talking robot. Looks good but he's reading what someone else has written and his proposals are also written and produced by others. And you're right; when speaking, he cannot look directly at the people in the TV audience or those sitting in front of him.

He knows that his detractors are going to disect every word he says, so he's trying to head them off by using the prompter! In these "critical" (dual meaning) times it seems to be necessary to be exact. He's proven himself capable of speaking without, but the situation necessitates it.

Obama's nothing but a dime store snake oil salesman. The people took the bait. As you can see he doesn't know anymore about the economy that McCain.Every time he opens his mouth, the market drops 300 points. I wish he would just shut up and go away.

Here is another column on the same topic:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090305/pl_politico/19663

What all the Kool-Aid drinkers don't seem to understand is that if he really knows what he is talking about and means what he says, he wouldn't need a TelePrompter -- being the brilliant orator that he is -- or is he? Words have no meaning for him -- except as a means to convince his gullible marks.

He's way out of his depth and he knows it. His first 5 weeks have been disastrous -- ONLY 5 WEEKS and now many of his media sycophants are beginning to realize they've been had.

Soothing words and an expensive suit and you all think he has virtue.

I believe it's "TelePrompter" not "TeleprompTer"

Besides sounding more and more like Jesse Jackson at the pulpit, he just can't get over himself.

SKIP THE MIDDLE MAN IN 2012!

VOTE FOR THE TELEPROMPTER!!!

(would make a great bumper sticker)

Frank, that you for that sterling advice.

I do hope Barack takes it to heart and tries to improve himself as you suggest.

Then, some day in the distant future, he might consider a run for some national office!

And you could claim some credit if he won!

O, wait.......

Listening to all you liberals defend this guy's use of a teleprompter is an absolute JOKE!! You all thought he was such a genius!! ANYBODY can read words from a teleprompter...even the idiots Olberman and Matthews can do it! You knuckleheads were sold a bill of goods...I'll give the guy three more months of popularity and his ratings will be equal to Bush's.
NOBAMA! NO SOCIALISM!!!

Daryl, check with Ed Rollins.

You remember him, don't you, Daryl?

He was the campaign manager for one of those people you say Hollywood produces who are good at reading scripts.

Ya got it, Daryl. Ronald Reagan.

And Ed's opinion of Obama's oratorical skills is a little different from yours.

He said the Mile High speech in Denver was "the greatest political speech I have ever witnessed".

Looks as if some voters agreed with Rollins.

Its no wonder he gets along with his
press secretary, they both use uh...,
more times than a 5th grader.

So how is this O'bama thing working out for everybody? I wouldn't be that worried about the country running out of energy as much as I would be that it is running out of Vasoline. Anythime the "Great One" speaks, once again we need to bend over. Vasoline is our only salvation.

The side to side thing is a normal technique, where you don't, in a public speech, look into the camera much if at all. This is because you have an audience in front of you and it's tacky to be ignoring them for the camera.

Posted by: Joe | March 6, 2009 8:56 AM

Nice try, Joe, but the article makes it very clear that the Teleprompter not only interferes with Obama's ability to project into a camera, it also interferes with his ability to visually relate to his audience. No one has a problem with Obama using a Prompter for large addresses, like the State of the Union or a budget address or other massive gatherings televised live around the world. What has raised eyebrows is Obama's need to use the contraption when he is, say, introducing a new Cabinet appointee or delivering a few brief remarks at a social function or when speaking in areas of the White House like the East Room, where prompters historically have not gone. My guess is this would not be a problem (well, except to a select few) if the country had not been told time and again that Obama is the greatest communicator in the history of oral speech – or at least since MLK. But to insist that we must grant this premise, while simultaneously ignoring his reliance on a device that allows him to, in essence, conduct a dramatic reading of text that may or may not be his, on a day-to-day basis, illustrates a mental disconnect that is disturbing.

This missive is clearly in response to an article by Carol Lee posted on Politico on March 5th which was not as complimentary as this one. Frank James contends that criticism of Obama’s use of the teleprompter is unfair and cites town halls, and his White House summits or TV interviews. However, here’s a quote from the Politico article:

“Resting on top of a tall, narrow pole, they flank his podium during speeches in the White House’s stately parlors. They stood next to him on the floor of a manufacturing plant in Indiana as he pitched his economic stimulus plan. They traveled to the Department of Transportation this week and were in the Capitol Rotunda last month when he paid tribute to Abraham Lincoln in six-minute prepared remarks.

Obama’s reliance on the teleprompter is unusual — not only because he is famous for his oratory, but because no other president has used one so consistently and at so many events, large and small.

After the teleprompter malfunctioned a few times last summer and Obama delivered some less-than-soaring speeches, reports surfaced that he was training to wean himself off of the device while on vacation in Hawaii. But no such luck.”

The rest of the article can be found at: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/19663.html

Obama’s not so good at ‘off the cuff’ remarks as Mr. Frank contends and he can’t do a simple introduction, or a brief compliment of Abraham Lincoln without one. We get a glimpse into Mr. Obama’s great oratory skills when the device fails and he is left stammering.

Also, Mr. Frank, the trademarked capitalization is: TelePrompTer

Finally, there is one person who bore the brunt of unfair media criticism and that was Sara Palin. In September of 08 at the RNC Governor Palin’s teleprompter failed in mid speech. She finished her noteworthy delivery without a hitch but was nevertheless demonized in the mainstream media. TelePrompTer skill is important to be sure, but so is the communication of a core belief that president Obama simply can’t do without one.

Another part of the NYT article that Frank James left out:

"After the teleprompter malfunctioned a few times last summer and Obama delivered some less-than-soaring speeches, reports surfaced that he was training to wean himself off of the device while on vacation in Hawaii. But no luck."

We have a tongue-tied "ummmm" president who's less able to deliver a speech than the average high school debater.

I hear he also uses his Blackberry more than any former president. Come to think of it, he's got that laptop out almost as often.

OMG! A president from the 21st Century!

I wonder who is telling him what to say? Begala? Rahm? Whomever it is, it’s someone who doesn’t know much about the economy either.

It is hysterically funny to watch the Obama worshipers attempt to defend the most disastrous first month of any President in history by basically claiming that "he talks good" - and even on that score, did you all forget this wonderful example of his "eloquence" at public speaking?

Look, listen, and enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omHUsRTYFAU

So, Frank James calls critics of Obama, "Obama Haters." Hmmm, I don't ever recall Mr. James ever writing about Bush haters.
Anyway, Frank what about all the times Obama answers questions with "um, uh, um, um, uh, um,uh, um, um?"

How about the jokes that make up the Chicago Obune Washington Bureau write about the insulting treatment given England's leaders by the Obama sadministration? Gee, if this was Bush who treated England's prime minister and wife so shabbily, Mark Silva and Frank James would have had dozens of Swamp items on the rudeness of Bush.
So, since the Chicago Obune has no credibility and no ability to report truths and fairness, I'll do the work for the sadsacks that are the Chicago Obune Washington Bureau. From the Telegraph:
President Obama has been rudeness personified towards Britain this week. His handling of the visit of the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, to Washington was appalling. First Brown wasn't granted a press conference with flags, then one was hastily arranged in the Oval office after the Brits had to beg. Obama looked like he would rather have been anywhere else than welcoming the British leader to his office and topped it all with his choice of present (*) for the PM. A box of 25 DVDS including ET, the Wizard of Oz and Star Wars? Oh, give me strength. We do have television and DVD stores on this side of the Atlantic. Even Gordon Brown will have seen those films too often already.
This was coupled with Michelle Obama's casual choice of gifts for the Brown sons - matching models of the helicopter which ferry her husband around. While Sarah Brown had spent time choosing gifts for the Obama girls, Michelle had clearly sent an aide to the White House gift shop at the last moment.

All in all, he doesn't think much of us, as I explained in my post here earlier this week.

But what's this? Something, suddenly, seems to have made the Obama White House perk up and start to take an interest in the Brits. The Queen has invited the President to tea when he's here for the G20 in April. And he's in through the front door of Buckingham Palace faster than a Harley Davidson roaring along Route 66.

Note how the coolness of Team Obama disappears when a bit of regal glamour is introduced into the equation. He might not like the Brits, but he can recognise a global superstar when he encounters one. He wants to be associated with her. He's shameless.

(*) If Obama, or someone in his inner circle, had spent two minutes thinking about what present to get Brown then they could easily have come up with something appropriate. He likes books. He loves American history. Get him a signed first edition of a good Robert Dallek book such as the brilliant Flawed Giant on LBJ. Come to think of it, Obama should read it too, if he hasn't yet, as it reveals a great deal about how a Presidency can go so wrong.

Posted by: JohnCaile | March 6, 2009 11:50 AM

and I find nothing funny that you and the inept republican party brought us to the cliff then turn this mess by your hands into a cheap political pose of ...oh...that Obama...hasn't done anything. Only a child would think that anyone could unravel the pit that you put us in, in 45 days. It just shows once again how ridiculous the mentality of the right really is. Bang your drum and chant with glee the disaster you have been.

This looks interesting. Its a whole DVD on how you can learn to speak like Obama.

It has some good stuff in it. WWW.SPEAKLIKEBARACK.COM

Oh John D....Thanks for that hard hitting journalism shedding light on one of the most pressing problems of the day. That the gift for the Browns was inadequate according to some paper who's story just above this was St. Johns topping the sexual assault list. Maybe you could follow this up with indepth coverage on the western beavers migrating habits.

Imagine if McCain used a teleprompter more than usual. The liberals would be berserk.

There would be unfriendly Saturday Night Live skits and the the libs would build it up info a huge joke - all with the intention of undermining.

I still want to know who is telling Obama what to say?

THIS IS JUST MORE CRAP FROM THE REPUBLICAN LOVING POLITCO HACKS WHO TAKE THEIR ORDERS FROM THAT IN THE CLOSET CLOWN DRUDGE AND THE RIGHT-WING LUNATIC FRINGERS AT FAUX.

ALL PRESIDENTS ALMOST ALWAYS USE TELEPROMPTERS. BUSH DIDN'T USE ONE AS MUCH BECAUSE HE WAS TO STUPID TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE ONE, IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME THEN WATCH THIS:
.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExFctZ__4Jk
.

Take away Obama teleprompters and see what happens.

Maybe he uses a telepromter so he doesn't make dumb statements likes this. It will take some of the more economically challenged in here a while to figure out what is wrong
.
"What you’re now seeing is a profit and earnings ratios get to the point that buying stocks is a good thing if you have a long-term perspective on it. "
– Barack Obama
SOURCE: ABC News

He's an empty suit with absolutely no clue of how to secure a nation

I don't quite understand all the "take away his teleprompter and he can't talk" remarks.

He has done probably thousands of hours of interviews, town hall meetings, debates, etc. Anyone watching them objectively can see is a thoughtful, deliberate speaker. Of course he stumbles sometimes--so did Palin, Hillary, McCain, Biden, etc. It is really disingenuous to pretend otherwise.

I remember during the primaries watching Hillary give numerous speeches of victory or defeat, and she often read from prepared remarks. All the looking down got distracting fairly quickly, but if she prefers hand-held notes and Obama prefers the teleprompter, what's the fuss?

And True Believer:

Palin is a good public speaker, and the fact that she could give a good speech with so little preparation was impressive, but the story of her teleprompter malfunctioning is not true. There were plenty of reporters in full view of the teleprompter and it ran normally throughout her speech.

Thank you Col. Jessup.

CODE RED!

Why doesn't Ron Paul need a teleprompter?

Why not have a public debate between Ron Paul and Barry Soetoro - sorry - 'Barack Hussein Obama', that 'American' president...

I don't care about Pres. Obama always using a TP.
But it does remind me of Actors, who have their scripts written for them, and when their free to freely speak without their script, most of the time I say, "man, I'm glad these people can act because they sure sound stupid without a script".

This is just another reminder of just how LITTLE the GOP has right now... they are completely intellectually bankrupt.

While they had no problem with Rush Limbaugh being a drug addict, there now something sinister to them about being the President being a "teleprompter 'addict.' "

Sheesh!

After messing up our country for the last eight years, don't Republicans have anything better to do than whine about another modern convenience with which the President of the United States is beautifully proficient???

The obvious answer is no.
Why? Because the GOP has no new ideas.

All they are left with, after eight years in power, are just the same old politics of personal attack.

Gag.

Do you people who attack the right, read the articles.

I re-read Franks' article and the GOP, Republican, Limbaugh were never mentioned. But the post's were full of them.

Personally, instead of writing about TP's, M. Obama's arms, it would be informing to let the people know about the border drug war that is happening in Mexico. Doesn't anyone want to know what is happening? Or are we witnessing the change in World power, with the collapse of our economy.

You know minor little things like that.

Are you losers (as in lost the election, remember that?) really that petty? Is this what's important to you? We are in truly big trouble if that's the case.

Do any of you folks recall seeing Bush, Cheney, Carter, Reagan, Rumsfeld, Johnson, Nixon, hell George Carlin... every public speaker ever-- look down at their notes? How does this differ?

Despite your ideology or chosen heroes, if, when you see Obama speak, you see something other than an intelligent, articulate gentleman, then you should consider turning off Picture-in-Picture or at least muting the Nascar, Hannity, American Idol in your personal teleprompter for just a sec. You won't miss anything, trust me.

Barry Obama is Ted Baxter you liberal idiots.