Comments for I am sooo out of step.

I am sooo out of step.

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:35:05 -0600

I apparently am stepping off on my left foot, not my right.So, this video is making the rounds - And I'm not outraged by it. Here's some of the stuff overheard in conversations about the statement: "This video makes me want to puke.""I will admit that the words, "rot in Hell you sorry excuse for a CinC" came to mind""Yeah - when he actually referred to his responsibility as CinC, I gagged.""My first thoughts were “what an entirely inappropriate comment for the President of the USA to make concerning what appears to be an act of terrorism.” He is so unbelievably stupid...

Comment from SangerM on 2009-11-07

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 19:38:44 -0600

Casey,

I don't know the cause, but my opinion is that they have just let their ego's get ahead of their professional credentials and they have come to beleive that because they are saying it, it must be true and as good as gospel....

In recent weeks--my wife watches Fox about equally with CNN and MSNBC, I only watch in passing or when I want to see something specific as the III Corps Cdr press conference the other night--I have seen O'Reilly and smith both do the same thing several times: They preface some leading comment with the qualifier that it's not Fox's job to spread rumor, or that they are not supposed to report innuendo, or the like, then they do just that. It's like an old Yenta, starting her gossip session with the phrase, "I'm not usually one to talk, but..."

I'd prefer the Yenta news to what's there now. And I really did enjoy Maddow. It was refreshing.

Comment from Casey on 2009-11-07

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:12:19 -0600

Damn. I stopped paying attention to the mainstream channels (including Fox) a long time ago, but I'm surprised at Sanger's passion here.

Sanger: would you characterize this as (say) a "Fox has become so mainstream they're as clueless as everyone else with power" thing? Or would you see this as "yet another bunch of idiot Country Club Republicans?"

Comment from SangerM on 2009-11-06

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:37:58 -0600

I'll just say this about that (news media): I have stopped watching fox completely. I have come to hate, despise, loath, or whatever you want to call it, the inane, self-promoting, over the top bloviating of everyone of the primetime talking fatheads on that network: Smith, Cavuto, and worst of all O'Reilly. All no better than that a$$ Limbaugh and all the rest of the currently popular right-wing moonbat mirror-images.

Fox is anything BUT Fair and Balanced. What a laugh. Nothing but overheated innuendo and ego-driven opinionating interspersed with some news that may or may not be factual....all supposedly representative of a conservative viewpoint vice liberal. I consider myself a conservative, generally, but I can't stand the tripe that passes for reporting on Fox, and more than anything I can't stand the Rather-esque nature of the knotheads calling themselves reporters. Certainly they are not alone in their knotheadedness, but I ended up watching Rachel Maddow at MSNBC, and thoroughly enjoying her low-key, even handed approach. No ego, no excessive tonal variation, not preening, and none of that O'Reilly and Smith crap about, "well, we;re not here to spread rumors or innuendo, buuuuuuut...."!

Ever since Smith went to New Orleans and made an a$$ of himself in front of the 'dome' it's been downhill. Heck, they might as well hire Renaldo, Imus, and Johnny Knoxville!

Comment from AFSister on 2009-11-06

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:00:22 -0600

John-
I know you're not necessarily disagreeing with my statement, and I understand your point about not having time to get permission to credit- I'm not worried about that at all. I also agree with both you and Sanger about "winning" a medal. I don't know any soldiers who set out to "win" anything, except a war. Sometimes they get medals along the way... but they are awarded; not "won".

I do agree that when you set the performance bar as low as it is for Obama, sometimes you expect him to clear the bar... but my bar isn't set quite that low.

Comment from Cortillaen on 2009-11-06

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:53:29 -0600

Since we're nominally on the subject of MoH winners/holders/recipients/earners/etc., how about this factoid: The one to whom Obama gave the shout-out, apparently wasn't. Oh, the jokes one could make... all of them, sadly, quite stale by now.

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2009-11-06

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:06:34 -0600

For me, it's all about what the holders say.

Comment from Argent on 2009-11-06

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:04:08 -0600

It all seems to stem on what the word 'win' is interpreted as. For some it means to work towards or earn, for other's it's like a carnival prize stuffed toy kind of win.

Comment from SangerM on 2009-11-06

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:56:48 -0600

JohnW. I was an Army guy. You don't win medals. They are not a prize for something you planned to do, like a volksmarch bauble. Military medals are awarded in recognition of something done that was not planned, was not expected, and certainly wasn't anticpated in advance the way a 'winnable' award was. I've never known an Soldier, Sailor, or Marine who would be comfortable with the idea of 'winning' an award or of trying to win one except for the martinets and phoneys who were only in it for the 'glory'--despicable people, all. I understand your point, but having been there, and knowing people who've been awarded everything from the DSC downward, I must agree with the Armorer on this.

Comment from JohnW on 2009-11-06

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:45:06 -0600

John - I understand the argument, I just don't agree with it. If you asked the winners, I think to a man they would say they weren't worthy of the honor in the first place, so them not saying they should be called a 'winner' is, IMHO, unwarranted humility. Even if it is understandable.

And 'recipient' just sounds too passive to me. A dog receives a pat on the head. A good little girl receives an ice cream cone. You don't receive a victory in a battle - you go out and win it! Just like those guys won the MOH.

Yes, it is a minor and unimportant point...

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2009-11-06

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:55:16 -0600

Yeah, but I didn't have time to ask everybody for permission, so I just used 'em unattributed.

I didn't disagree with all of 'em - I just came to the realization that I don't have quite the visceral reaction many of you guys do... because, well, just the way I am but mostly because, I really do have such low expectations that there are times when he looks downright good.

Comment from AFSister on 2009-11-06

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:19:08 -0600

I'm proud to say that one of the email quotes is mine... and I stand by it.

He has no clue about the order of importance of the day. You don't appear on camera, all happy and giddy, and giving a "shout out" before FINALLY getting to the condolence part. Reminds me of Clinton and his incredible ability to cry on cue- but at least Clinton COULD cry. Obama just cries like a freakin' baby. The man is in way over his head.

The Chicago Press story is straight on point. At least someone in the media "gets it"- outside of Fox, of course.

Comment from Casey on 2009-11-06

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:06:36 -0600

(shrug) No biggie. The poor bastiche just isn't used to talking to mil'try folks, and he's uncomfortable in the role of military leader, even as a civilian CinC.

Agreed the presentation was botched; was that due to White House goofs, network goofs, or both? (I vote both)

As for Obama being retarded, he knows what his briefers tell him. One can't expect him to quickly memorize every detail of our military culture, especially considering his background. It's an alien world to him. On the other hand, he (or his team) hired the briefers, so they are his responsibility.

The man has a bad habit of hiring incompetents. I expect that's part of his Chicago upbringing, where paying political debts takes priority over those qualified for the job.

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2009-11-06

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:50:24 -0600

Oh, my. When even the Chicago press is harder on the Prez than I am, it's time to mail back my VRWC credentials.

Comment from Barb on 2009-11-06

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:56:17 -0600

It appears even the Chicago press is less squishy than you, John. Of course, he was only saying what the teleprompter told him to say. Which is partly the point.

Comment from Cortillaen on 2009-11-06

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:04:12 -0600

I think what most people are outraged over is how Obama comes across as simply not caring. Everyone expects the President to give a statement of condolences and reassurance after an event like this because, well, that's what presidents do. That expectation explains the framing of the statement, and, at least to me, the disconnect between setup and delivery falls on Obama.

There's a massacre/attack; President announces an upcoming statement; network lays a backdrop for a statement on the massacre; President thanks all and sundry for setting up a wonderful conference, gives a half-joking "shout-out", discusses the conference for a couple minutes, then finally gets around to giving a cookie-cutter statement about the massacre. The statement wasn't so much the issue, although it could have been better, as was the way he stuck it behind everything else. That's his screw-up, and the "there's no greater honor but also no greater responsibility for ME, to make sure...", making sure this is at least in part about him, didn't help.

Watching and listening to him, this just seemed like any other less-scripted speech or statement he's given. There just doesn't seem to be anything unique about discussing the massacre, any real concern or caring. About the only things he got right were a) making a statement, and b) not including "Ft. Hood police acted stupidly".

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2009-11-06

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:02:51 -0600

JohnW - the issue (minor and unimportant, truly) is that the holders of the Medal are the ones who don't like it being expressed as "winning."

The Medal is earned, not won. It's a attitude shared by the soldiery in general, in my experience, because no one wants to be under the command of someone out to "win" a Medal. That usually ends badly.

Comment from NevadaDailySteve on 2009-11-06

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:33:50 -0600

I think his biggest problem is a lack of empathy for those who don't agree with him. In this case it led to him coming across as insensitive. It's like he's trying to speak a foreign language. It's not that the words are wrong, it's just that there is a noticable aura of something wrong with the delivery.

Comment from JohnW on 2009-11-06

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:32:54 -0600

I'm not outraged by it, and I have never thought the phrase Medal of Honor "winner" is objectionable.

Problem is, although Joe Medicine Crow seems like a great guy, he never won the Medal of Honor! He did receive the Congressional Gold Metal according to Jawa.

So, yes, Obama is a moron.

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2009-11-06

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:20:38 -0600

Snerk. Welcome back, Kat.

Comment from Paul Reilmann on 2009-11-06

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:18:44 -0600

As usual Oprah's boy doesn't have a clue! He never served so of course he would miss the point.

Comment from Katherine Optima Maximae on 2009-11-06

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:03:08 -0600

Well, I'd be nervous too if I was him. Give the guy a break. I mean, he's got to be wondering how he's going to win that second term when half of his followers are wondering when Jesus Christ Super Star they elected as president is actually going to get around to performing those miracles he promised. Like instantaneous world peace brought on by the sonorous tones of his charismatic speeches, turning water into wine at every gay wedding and feeding the entire planet from a basket of bread and a bushel of fish.

Instead, he keeps telling them he's borrowed 30 trillion silver shekels in their name, interest compounded daily, from some guy named Judas 'hong kong' Iscariot to bail out the wine press manufacturers and extend benefits to the out of work fishermen.

You know by now he's probably having to assure Michelle Magelene that they aren't really going to nail him to the cross.