Get A Life

Amen brother! His response was based on the odd way the question was phrased - "living ex-presidents". The idea that the Reagans are somehow too sacred to be included in a sense of humor is ridiculous anyway. Folks need to lighten up. It's been a l-o-n-g campaign season, everyone needs to take in a little more oxygen.

"Today, there are many Democrats, Republicans, and Independents who are not hardcore partisans looking to leap at any opportunity to express outrage.... To those outraged, who think this remark was the main one worthy of discussion from Obama’s first press conference: Kindly see the headline above."

Yeah, I agree. They do need to get a life. One doesn't need to be a hardcore partisan to be a nut or whack job. I wonder if these people voted for Obama.... (not all Dems voted for Obama).

It was tacky.

I am not outraged. But it was clearly a tacky remark.

Did the hated evil George W. Bush make public jokes about Hillary Clintons' unusual . . . well, pick any of the wacky things from their time in office? No.

Obama was tired here. He has been showing signs of exhaustion as the campaign wound down . . . stumbing on statistics that he had at the tip of his fingers earlier on.
Thus, I think one can give him a pass here. I suspect if Obama was on his game, he would never have made such an unnecessary remark in a public press conference.

But Joe's logic is flawed here. IF the problems facing the nation are so important that we should not be talking about this joke . . . then equally President-elect Obama should be talking about more important things in his press conference.


And really. . .it was tacky . . . making a joke about a former First Lady like this (I believe she is currently hospitalized).

I invite Joe, or JSpencer, or StockBoySF . . . who claim Obama's critics need to get a life . . . to find me another example in history when a President or President-elect made a public joke at the expense of a living former First Lady.

You cannot.

I do not think any President or President-elect has ever done anything like this before. (Really, it is just a matter of respect. Would Obama appreciate Bush or his successor publicly mocking Michelle?)

Bad form. I suspect Obama . . . whom I believe to be a decent guy . . . is slapping himself for saying it already.

No outrage. But it was tacky.

It is completely ridiculous. I have no doubt that if Sarah Palin had said this, the media, bloggers, and Obamites would have just let it slide.

And then he called himself a "Mutt!" Oh the humanity of it all....

It's ironic by just even posting on this, Joe reveals HE needs to get a life by even wasting precious minutes of his life on this topic.

On the other hand, mw is out here doing his usual Republican apologist act. As mw effortlessly points out, a small slight against a deceased former President = the competence, intelligence, and past behavior of a potential Vice-President of the Untied States.

Marlowecan, thank you for being magnimonious in the gaffe gotcha game. Your sanctimonious behavior is noted.

Lit3Bolt said: "Your sanctimonious behavior is noted."

Lit3Bolt, I thought it was tacky, but I suggested a reason why the usually very gracious Obama made that comment.

I have, at many points here at TMV, commented on Obama's remarkable courtesy, his discipline, and his . . . well, his class.

Just because I am conservative does not mean I cannot acknowledge President-elect Obama's fine qualities.


You know . . . just screw it . . . I will leave TMV to you and your Absolute Obama All the Time.

I hope you enjoy the Echo Chamber, Lit3Bolt!

This explosion in comments shows what we need to work on in this country. Is it all possible for people to take a deep breath once in a while and discuss things without screaming at each other? Everything is blown so out of proportion. Can we have discussions instead of screamfests? It is ;possible for people on the right, left and center to discuss without going after each other personally.

“President-elect Barack Obama called Nancy Reagan today to apologize for the careless and off handed remark he made during today’s press conference," said transition spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter. "The President-elect expressed his admiration and affection for Mrs. Reagan that so many Americans share and they had a warm conversation."

Like I said . . . decent guy.

Marlow: It was tacky.

Agreed Marlow, it was a stupid thing to say and that he called Mrs Regan shows he's a decent guy.

"id the hated evil George W. Bush make public jokes about Hillary Clintons' unusual...."

No, but didn't he say something about Chelsea?

That he was quick enough to remember the nonsense of the Reagan administration gives me hope. I can't believe that any realistic person thinks that Nancy Reagan and her antics were a positive for our country, and then enough to get outraged about . . .

I even had the chance to listen to the press briefing today, the last thing I took from it was a slight to Nancy. She and her protectors should live with the debt she and her husband left our country in.

Remember, Reagan didn't end the Soviet Union. At least that's what former soviets told me. Reagan had little to do with it. And what Obama said was a fact.

I agree with Marlowecan. Tacky but he apologized. Didn't detract from a good first press conference. I'm glad he remained consistent in his message to the middle class.

Knee-jerk reactions seem to be par for the course. Especially since Bush took such a beating from the Left. The Right is going to get their jabs in as well.

Actually, it was Mary Todd Lincoln who held seances, not Nancy Reagan. Reagan talked to an astrologer. I think Reagan's new-age weirdness is perfectly acceptable to mock. And it was perfectly appropriate to respond to an idiotic question about "living Presidents" with a seance joke. So, maybe, he should have left Nancy alone. Whatever. If this gets the right riled up, good. Obama can spend his time on substantive matters while the right lathers itself in a tither over seances.

To be clear, her and her husband's shenanigans left our country in debt -- massive debt -- that only a democrat could bring us out of.

The myth about the Soviets will be exposed little by little. The former soviets know what brought them up (not down). They won their own independence.

"Bush took such a beating from the left."

Why, because he claimed the Clinton admin removed the 'w' from all of the keyboards?

Make a claim like that, and then compare this.

I dare ya.

I think it is an impeachable offense. Sentence first - verdict afterwards!

Really though, this brings up the question of why the hell anyone would want to be President (or any other highly visible public figure) these days.

This is less than nothing.

yes...one is never allowed to say anything "tacky" about god's wife

forget the fact that she did indeed consult with astrologists, and was nutty as a fruticake...

the question was inane..."have you spoken to all living presidents?"


so obama, quick on his feet, came back with a quip....it fell flat...and he has already said that he does at times get frustrated by some of the really dumb questions...he will have to work on that

It is not a good sign that the first time that Obama has to say something not prescreened by David Axelrod, Obama screws it up.

Also, has anyone else noticed that Obama's economic advisors are about as diverse a group as the Republican National Convention. Maybe one advantage of having a black president is that he does not feel compelled to have to token quota black around to prove that he is not a racist. When Obama wants results, he obviousyly surrounds himself with crusty old white men.

SD, race has nothing to do with this subject. Take a deep breath and get some O2.

Elrod : "I think Reagan's new-age weirdness is perfectly acceptable to mock."

You beat me to it. If Michelle Obama starts consulting with an astrologer, then I expect jokes will be forthcoming.

JSpencer said: "If Michelle Obama starts consulting with an astrologer, then I expect jokes will be forthcoming."

I doubt the jokes will be from George W. Bush, or from Bill Clinton, or even Carter.
We all make jokes about First Ladies and their varying oddities. Why not? They are not off limits. I never said that.

For a President or President-elect to make such a joke, though, is tacky. Obama's apology clearly indicates he felt as much.
I think he was being sincere in doing so, and that it was not just a ploy to spike a negative story.


I just want to add one thing. Things seem to have become more partisan here at TMV lately.

Before the election, T-Steel wrote a post explaining his vote for Barr.
A commenter immediately wrote, going apeshit at T-Steel . . . telling him to "F-ing grow up" etc. ... for voting for a 3rd party candidate.

I was surprised at the comment, as it just seemed crazy. T-Steel wrote a post, describing reasons for his principled vote . . . and someone goes nuts at him for it . . . using obscenities etc.

I was reminded of this last night.

I commented saying O's comment was tacky . . . explaining why I thought he made the comment . . . why it didn't reflect the Obama we have seen throughout the campaign.
Also that it was no biggie.

So Lit3Bolt responds that my "sanctimonious behaviour was noted".

I was pissed.

I appreciate Joe's comment in response.

There seems a knee-jerk partisan aspect to TMV that didn't exist a year ago, or even two. People on opposite sides are always wrong, must always be flamed.

I am conservative, but have honestly tried to be open-minded. I disagree with Elrod often . . . but I thought his series of posts on the economic crisis were exceptional . . . and said as much.
I have said as much with regard to Shaun Mullen, who is very partisan, but whose writing I have come to enjoy and respect (I suspect SD and AR would probably miss their daily dose of Shaun :).

I don't know exactly where I am going, but I come back to T-Steel . . . who has been a sort of touchstone for me here at TMV.

I recall some of his first posts I read here a long ways back . . . describing his general disillusionment with knee-jerk pointless partisanship. Though T-Steel has moved on, ironically I find myself in that place.

It just seems pointless.

All I have to say.

Marlowe, I agree it was appropriate for Obama to make the apology, I just though it was pretty small potatoes to begin with. I'm guessing he's still operating on a sleep deficit, and doubt he will be making a habit of making such comments. As for there being a "knee-jerk partisan aspect" to TMV? I guess it depends on the point of view and the case in point. If there is partisan behavior here, then I submit this is because it is difficult to be a moderate and it takes work; it's about making a good faith effort to weigh information from all sides, but not trying to strike a balance for it's own sake. At any rate, my comment wasn't pointed at anyone in particular. You strike me as someone who makes the effort to be a reasonable voice here.

Thanks JS. Just to say, I wasn't referring to your comments at all. . . which are invariably thoughtful . . . and I pay attention to whenever I see them.

Perhaps this has been a bad election season. I don't know. I have little tolerance for knee-jerk partisanship . . . right or left . . . anymore.

I was truly shocked at all the disgusting comments I saw on right-wing blogs and sites about Obama's grandmother when she was dying...and Obama said he was taking time out of his campaign to visit here.
For me, those comments were the low point of this election. All that hate directed at a nice old woman . . . just because Obama loved her.
No humanity whatsover.

Probably need to take a breather.

Anyhow, thanks for the response. I appreciate it.

Cheers