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Obama on TV NOW being great! (Original Post) merrily Nov 2015 OP
"I'm not interesting in posing" (unacceptable to RW macho posturing crazies, sadly) n/t zazen Nov 2015 #1
Won't act just to have America or me seem tough (not exact words) merrily Nov 2015 #4
What a time, when simple good sense, responsibility and balance Hortensis Nov 2015 #32
He just reminded the Republicans that he visits Walter Reed and sees the vets he riversedge Nov 2015 #2
Yep, very sad mentioning 25 year old that are paralyzed thanks RiffRandell Nov 2015 #15
Thank god he is the president gwheezie Nov 2015 #3
Amen, gwheezie! nt brer cat Nov 2015 #23
I was just thinking how naturally war is THE answer to many. Hortensis Nov 2015 #30
Praise be to the Universe for this man! Surya Gayatri Nov 2015 #61
Leadership of sane people versus the leadership of insane people. Obama makes everyone see Fred Sanders Nov 2015 #5
That's for damn sure. nt greytdemocrat Nov 2015 #33
and the frickn press is trying to goad him into invading and occupying every middle eastern country. still_one Nov 2015 #6
Exactly. merrily Nov 2015 #11
Idiot reporters keep asking what he going to do, is he going to change strategy, why we aren't merrily Nov 2015 #7
I think he needs to dumb it down: "totalitarian government could stop it, nuking Syria might stop it zazen Nov 2015 #12
They are not even listening, just waiting to ask their question when he calls on them merrily Nov 2015 #16
ha! too true: "we could kill them like a fox, we could put them in a box" . . . n/t zazen Nov 2015 #18
Really did laugh out loud. Good minute of comic relief for serious subject. Thanks. merrily Nov 2015 #21
I honestly did LOL KittyWampus Nov 2015 #35
Yes. They are doing what their employer... YvonneCa Nov 2015 #48
No one is as strong as someone who doesn't have be a jerk to show how strong he or she is. merrily Nov 2015 #53
... YvonneCa Nov 2015 #58
I had to chuckle when he smacked down that one reporter who asked another question that riversedge Nov 2015 #22
"It's best that we don't shoot first and aim later." Glimmer of Hope Nov 2015 #8
"best we don't shoot first and aim later." Ya think? merrily Nov 2015 #9
Me, too... YvonneCa Nov 2015 #51
That's what he said about Romeny three years ago. herding cats Nov 2015 #52
Yes, he is. I was just thinking of Trump, what a spectacle that would be and disgraceful. n/t RKP5637 Nov 2015 #10
Trump or Carson would've sent nukes nt maryellen99 Nov 2015 #14
Not to minimize, but this is the best ad for a Democratic President in the so called WOT merrily Nov 2015 #13
If "folks wanna pop off," "present a plan," ecstatic Nov 2015 #17
Nailing Republicans for Islamophobia - admit only Christians to US as immigrants. merrily Nov 2015 #19
He's incredible. I will be sad to see him go, there is no one running who can replace him. Pisces Nov 2015 #20
Yep Jarqui Nov 2015 #25
Toad-strange he didn't show anger. Reporters are "channeling" the public. merrily Nov 2015 #24
Yep. Todd is so annoying and WRONG! Uggh! ecstatic Nov 2015 #26
I think his Chairman of Joint Staffs needs to hold press conference--need military answering this zazen Nov 2015 #27
Corporate media never met a war or conflict they didn't love. Fsck 'em. merrily Nov 2015 #31
I respectfully disagree. NYCButterfinger Nov 2015 #28
You are, of course, mistaken. merrily Nov 2015 #29
I am not mistaken. He looks weak. NYCButterfinger Nov 2015 #38
I think he was clear in his goals countingbluecars Nov 2015 #39
AC-130's and A-10's shot up a Daesh oil convoy last night - is that weak? jpak Nov 2015 #40
Weakness Dismissed with 3 Words ProfessorGAC Nov 2015 #43
He's been quite clear and relentless... YvonneCa Nov 2015 #50
Democrats = Weak (especially in foreign affairs) comes straight from the GOP book of slurs. Scurrilous Nov 2015 #55
I'm not saying that, but it looks like the president is weak. NYCButterfinger Nov 2015 #56
Sadly many people tend to confuse what really is weak or strong kydo Nov 2015 #57
Fantastic post! Thank you for saying.. YvonneCa Nov 2015 #59
He look STRONG. Determined and confident... YvonneCa Nov 2015 #49
He is calm and deliberative as always. He will be crucified for it. bklyncowgirl Nov 2015 #34
Damn it, Jim, no. merrily Nov 2015 #36
How exactly did he "screw up" and "underestimate this threat"? KittyWampus Nov 2015 #37
I think we have to look at this realisitically. It's not just framing. bklyncowgirl Nov 2015 #41
I hear two messages from you Oilwellian Nov 2015 #42
What do you think that Obama should do then? bklyncowgirl Nov 2015 #45
Are you on the right site? Most of your Pentagon wish list is the definition of "knee-jerk"!? Fred Sanders Nov 2015 #44
So what's your answer? What should Obama do? bklyncowgirl Nov 2015 #46
I'll consider Obama great again when he comes out against TPP. Dawgs Nov 2015 #47
He gave great answers to the media about ISIL, yet he didn't do dumbass bravado merrily Nov 2015 #54
Fine, he was great in this instance. n/t Dawgs Nov 2015 #60

merrily

(45,251 posts)
4. Won't act just to have America or me seem tough (not exact words)
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 11:26 AM
Nov 2015

One of the reasons being I visit Walter Reed every few months--I could be wrong, but I think his voice broke there.

Hortensis

(58,785 posts)
32. What a time, when simple good sense, responsibility and balance
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 12:02 PM
Nov 2015

seem "great" -- in comparison to the others. I agree, Obama is "great." Thanks, Merrily, for the post -- TV and internet radio are down.

riversedge

(69,727 posts)
2. He just reminded the Republicans that he visits Walter Reed and sees the vets he
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 11:23 AM
Nov 2015

has ordered into action.

RiffRandell

(5,909 posts)
15. Yep, very sad mentioning 25 year old that are paralyzed thanks
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 11:36 AM
Nov 2015

to Bushco. The latter of this post was mine, not Obama's.

gwheezie

(3,580 posts)
3. Thank god he is the president
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 11:24 AM
Nov 2015

I can't imagine how ridiculous a GOP president would sound now and how dangerous our response would be.

Fred Sanders

(23,946 posts)
5. Leadership of sane people versus the leadership of insane people. Obama makes everyone see
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 11:27 AM
Nov 2015

the difference.

France is not cowering in fear, why should America?....is essentially the question needing answering.

still_one

(91,965 posts)
6. and the frickn press is trying to goad him into invading and occupying every middle eastern country.
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 11:29 AM
Nov 2015

In fact, they are not even listening to his answers.

This would be a disaster if Romney or another bush was president

merrily

(45,251 posts)
7. Idiot reporters keep asking what he going to do, is he going to change strategy, why we aren't
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 11:29 AM
Nov 2015

effective against ISIL. Starting the dumbass media drumbeat for war all over again--and this time they cannot blame it on the administration or the President. Clearly, this is all their own idea.

zazen

(2,978 posts)
12. I think he needs to dumb it down: "totalitarian government could stop it, nuking Syria might stop it
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 11:33 AM
Nov 2015

Sending your sons and daughters to be burned alive on live TV might help reduce ISIL."

I mean, are we willing to take these measures and kill 2 million people, deprive everyone of rights through constant surveillance and suspension of all rights, and sacrifice our soldiers to the worst kinds of slow torture. Sure. Then we can "defeat" or "reduce" ISIS for the time being.

Dumbing it down to high school level might be necessary, since we're living in media world with Trump and other elementary schoolyard bullies dominating the airwaves.

Sadly, his calmness and rationality gets translated into weakness by dumb people.

merrily

(45,251 posts)
16. They are not even listening, just waiting to ask their question when he calls on them
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 11:37 AM
Nov 2015

He could be speaking like a Dr. Seuss book and the same questions would still be asked over and over.

YvonneCa

(10,117 posts)
48. Yes. They are doing what their employer...
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 02:28 PM
Nov 2015

...requires: Ask a question that will get them noticed/viewers. And they did. As President Obama said, they each asked the same question in a different way...more than four times.
He answered that question more than four times, but since they didn't like his answer, they labeled his response as 'weak.'
I think he was exceedingly STRONG. 🇺🇸

riversedge

(69,727 posts)
22. I had to chuckle when he smacked down that one reporter who asked another question that
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 11:41 AM
Nov 2015

Obama said he just spent several minutes responding to!!

merrily

(45,251 posts)
13. Not to minimize, but this is the best ad for a Democratic President in the so called WOT
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 11:33 AM
Nov 2015

I can imagine.

ecstatic

(32,567 posts)
17. If "folks wanna pop off," "present a plan,"
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 11:38 AM
Nov 2015

Because I'm not interested in "posing." LOVE it! Really gonna miss this prez.

Jarqui

(10,110 posts)
25. Yep
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 11:46 AM
Nov 2015

Obama: Large U.S. Ground War Against ISIS Would Be 'A Mistake'
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/obama-large-us-ground-war-against-isis-would-be-a-mistake_5649f541e4b045bf3defe6eb


http://ktar.com/story/763363/obama-says-us-is-not-underestimating-islamic-state-group/

ANTALYA, Turkey (AP) — President Barack Obama is rejecting the notion that the United States has underestimated the ability of the Islamic State group in the wake of the deadly terror attacks in Paris.

Obama says the danger of the group is the reason the U.S. is operating in Iraq and Syria, and why it has mobilized 65 countries to go after IS.

Obama says one of the challenges of terrorism is to understand that a handful of people who don’t mind dying can kill a lot of people.

The president says reducing the territory controlled by the group in Iraq and Syria will reduce the flow of fighters and lessen the threat it poses. He says disrupting the threat requires constant vigilance and communication. Obama spoke at a news conference Monday in Antalya, Turkey.

merrily

(45,251 posts)
24. Toad-strange he didn't show anger. Reporters are "channeling" the public.
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 11:45 AM
Nov 2015

Chuck, you incredible a$$. He explained why like 17 times. An imflammatory tone -why?

zazen

(2,978 posts)
27. I think his Chairman of Joint Staffs needs to hold press conference--need military answering this
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 11:55 AM
Nov 2015

I think his PR people are failing him here.

The media are obviously (including Christiane Amanpour, which is disappointing me) mis-reading him and acting like the Paris bombings are such a huge _new_ activity by ISIL. They weren't screaming about this when the Russian airliner went down.

They're underreported the successes we've had against them.

But American public perception is that "nothing" has been happening and this is an attack on the US to which Obama is under-responding.


 

NYCButterfinger

(755 posts)
38. I am not mistaken. He looks weak.
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 12:29 PM
Nov 2015

This is why some people are laughing at progressives, saying that progressives don't understand military and national security. Obama should have been more clear in his goals.

YvonneCa

(10,117 posts)
50. He's been quite clear and relentless...
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 02:35 PM
Nov 2015

...in pursuit of his foreign policy goals. Some just don't like his policy. 🇺🇸

And welcome to DU...

Scurrilous

(38,687 posts)
55. Democrats = Weak (especially in foreign affairs) comes straight from the GOP book of slurs.
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 03:28 PM
Nov 2015

Page three I believe. Right after Baby Killers and Bible Burners. And preceding Feminazis and Tree Huggers.

Good luck peddling that @#$% here.

 

NYCButterfinger

(755 posts)
56. I'm not saying that, but it looks like the president is weak.
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 04:17 PM
Nov 2015

What do you want, more hell all over the world?

kydo

(2,679 posts)
57. Sadly many people tend to confuse what really is weak or strong
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 04:40 PM
Nov 2015

Strong is standing up for the right causes.

Weak is caving in and doing what others want.


Obama is a smart guy and we are very lucky he is President.

He is also a very strong President.

It's really easy to say "we will hunt you down and kill you" or "bomb them" or "war war war". But it takes a strong person in a strong position to show restraint and forward thinking. Meaning yeah, it will make us feel better to bomb the crap out of isis right now but in the long run bombing will prove to be the worst thing we could have possibly done. And it takes a strong person to not be tempted into giving in to impulse.

Damn I am glad he is our President!

It's kind of like this, you can either be right or be happy, have peace or take vengeance, serve justice or take revenge. Rarely do you get both, to be right and happy, have peace and still take vengeance, or have justice and get revenge.

YvonneCa

(10,117 posts)
59. Fantastic post! Thank you for saying..
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 05:08 PM
Nov 2015

...what so many of us have thought for a long time. 🇺🇸

bklyncowgirl

(7,960 posts)
34. He is calm and deliberative as always. He will be crucified for it.
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 12:08 PM
Nov 2015

Here's what I'd like to see him say and do:

Stop being so defensive. Man up. Yes, I screwed up. I underestimated this threat this insane religious cult presents, sorry, I'm a rational human being. I am not underestimating them any more. Here's what we're doing going forward.

Explain the complexities. People aren't stupid--well at least most of them. If your political opponents are blabbering morons show it.

If our strategy is working--show proof--don't just tell us that it is working. No one believes it.

Call out the Isis enablers: Turkey, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Nations at first in private then if they stop helping them call them out in public.

Bomb their freaking oil fields into a fiery hell. Take out their ability to fund their war.

Call on Americans to make some sacrifices. If we go after Saudi funding of Isis, they may cut off oil production to punish us. If we bomb Isis's oil fields, there will be less oil on the market. Prices will go up. Get this out in front so that when prices rise people will be prepared.

Isis wants to be a country--an "Islamic State" if you will. Well treat them like a country. Call on Congress to actually declare war on Isis. Make those whiners and losers take a stand or shut up.

Finally, people in this country and around the world are frightened and he needs to address that. We need a little less Spock and a little more Kirk.

 

KittyWampus

(55,894 posts)
37. How exactly did he "screw up" and "underestimate this threat"?
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 12:13 PM
Nov 2015

It makes me sick to see a DU'er swallow the media/republican framing.

bklyncowgirl

(7,960 posts)
41. I think we have to look at this realisitically. It's not just framing.
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 12:52 PM
Nov 2015

I don't think that Obama or anyone else ever thought that Al-Queda in Iraq, which was formed in the wake of Bush's disastrous war in Iraq would morph into this sort of multi-headed monster. I also don't think that he or any of his advisors foresaw the abject collapse of the Iraqi army, the degree of secular and tribal division in the area and the lack of willingness and sometimes active collusion with Isis on the part of countries like Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

That in my opinion is screwing up and he should own it and go forward aggressively but intelligently. If we go into a protective crouch, it will end very badly.

I say this because I fear that if he does not do something and do it soon, then the Republicans will win the White House. If you don't believe it look at the 2004 Presidential Campaign where Bush, the man who unleashed hell in the middle east was able to convince enough Americans that he, the draft dodger, the most inept commander in chief in our history was better able to protect this country than Kerry, the genuine war hero.

I wish that logic and rationality prevailed. I really do, but we live in a world where far to many people are easily frightened into doing something that is not in their best interest or the interests of the world.

Oilwellian

(12,647 posts)
42. I hear two messages from you
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 01:15 PM
Nov 2015

You attack Obama for not responding in a knee-jerk fashion, like republicans would do. Then you say this:

I wish that logic and rationality prevailed. I really do, but we live in a world where far to many people are easily frightened into doing something that is not in their best interest or the interests of the world.




bklyncowgirl

(7,960 posts)
45. What do you think that Obama should do then?
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 01:46 PM
Nov 2015

Maybe Obama's strategy is working, maybe this Paris attack and the downing of the Russian plane is the lashing out of a wounded animal. Or maybe it isn't and if it isn't then it is time to rethink what we are doing.

There is a big difference between going after a ruthless enemy with strength and determination, i.e. the allies vs the Axis powers during World War II and blundering blindly into a war the way that Bush did. I voted for Obama twice. I believe that he has the capacity to what needs to be done but I reserve the right to criticize him when I think he's making mistakes.

We should never have been involved in this mess to begin with. Republican presidents created Al-Queda, trained and armed Bin-Laden and destroyed Iraq. If Obama does not deal with the reality on the ground and the perception of that reality among American people then we will have yet another Republican president. I do not consider that "attacking" the president.



bklyncowgirl

(7,960 posts)
46. So what's your answer? What should Obama do?
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 02:00 PM
Nov 2015

Should we not disrupt Isis's oil convoys and production facilities?

Should we not push the Saudis and the Turks to stop their tacit support of Isis?

Should we not make those Republican cowards in Congress put their reputations behind their bluster?

Just what did I write that you would define as "knee jerk" anyway? I voted for Obama twice but I reserve the right to criticize him when I believe that he is wrong and I do believe that his tone, at least does not match the level of fear. Perception is reality.

By the way, I've been a member here since the early days of the Bush administration. I believe that Bush and Cheney should be prosecuted for war crimes for their invasion of Iraq and lighting the match that started this whole mess. That being said a Democratic president has play the hand that was dealt him or her. If he doesn't the next president will be a Republican who will vow to "keep us safe". So yeah, I am on the right site.

merrily

(45,251 posts)
54. He gave great answers to the media about ISIL, yet he didn't do dumbass bravado
Mon Nov 16, 2015, 03:15 PM
Nov 2015

or faux macho. He could have given bumper sticker responses, like "Bring it on." He could have gone for applause lines like "we shall fight on the beaches" (Churchill). Obama did none of those easy things and he explained why.

I am sufficiently ideologically ambidextrous to praise him for that while simultaneously saying TPP is bad.

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