Go to any major Republican gathering, and you're sure to hear some "jokes" that deserve more groans than laughs. Someone will probably mention arugula; someone is bound to complain about an imaginary "apology tour"; and a whole lot of folks are guaranteed to joke about teleprompters.
Opinions vary as to how this nonsense got started. Every modern president, from both parties, has used teleprompters, but for whatever reason, Republicans love to characterize President Obama's use as some kind of scandal. If the goal is to push the political discourse to a third-grade level, Republicans are succeeding brilliantly.
Over the weekend, Rick Santorum decided to make matters even worse.
From the start of the 2012 presidential race, the most consistent — and popular — criticism of President Obama by the GOP candidates has not been on the economy, health care or foreign policy. It's been on the incumbent's use of a TelePrompter.
Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum took the TelePrompter criticism to a whole new level over the weekend by declaring that "when you run for president of the United States, it should be illegal to read off a TelePrompter," adding: "Because all you're doing is reading someone else's words to people."
Santorum was probably being hyperbolic when he suggested making teleprompter use "illegal," but I've seen the video and he didn't appear to be joking around.
There are a few angles to this to keep in mind. The first is that the knock on Obama, love him or hate him, is cheap and silly. If the right's point is to somehow suggest the president isn't as brilliant as he seems, I'd note for context that Obama has written many of his own speeches, and heavily edits those that are written for him.
The second is that it's impossible in the modern era to seek the presidency by just "reading someone else's words to people." Candidates develop stump speeches, which they memorize without the benefit of a teleprompter, in addition to doing interviews, hosting town-hall meetings, and meeting countless voters face to face. Whether or not someone uses a teleprompter at a special event is trivia. Obsessing over this is childish.
And third, it took me about 15 seconds on Google to find an example of Rick Santorum using a teleprompter during a speech last month. Would Santorum have us believe this should have been illegal, too?
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Also, too:
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/envoy/rick-santorum-foreign-policy-combative-hawk-according-bono-132121994.html
Gee Willikers Mr Wilson that Rick Santorum sounds like a F**king Idiot .
with the number of times he has inserted his foot in his mouth he could probably use a teleprompter.
It seems pretty transparent, especially if you consider it in combination with accusations of "affirmative action" and that he didn't write his own books. The Republican party is filled with people who are certain that one of those people can't possibly be smart enough to become president, so he must be a puppet who is just good at reciting the words that are fed to him. The reality is such a threat to their worldview that they would rather believe this than accept the evidence of their own eyes and ears.
It's offensive, but from a tactical perspective, I'm fine with it. If they want to convince themselves that Obama is actually not very bright, he'll keep cleaning their clocks every time they go up against him in a battle of wits.
Yeah, a black guy president of Harvard Law Review. Because they give that position to just anyone. And professorships at UChicago, dime-a-dozen. Oh wait - they were grooming him to be president! Already then, smart white folks were doing his work for him! Wow, the conspiracy goes deep. *facepalm*
I was puzzled for a long time to but the Steeple People talk in code. The teleprompter stuff is about his not being smart enough to write his own speeches. It's pure bigotry understood by the RW. There are some escapees from that world who write/blog about the code words they use to describe "the other".
"Illegal"? Unbelievable!
And would this new law also apply to candidates and political figures who read words written on their hands? Because how do we know that someone else didn't write those words? (And, yes, I'm looking at you, Sarah Palin.)
I'm just so happy that this country is in such wonderful shape, and everyone is so content and comfortable that these are the only issues the presidential candidates think are important enough to discuss. And the main issue in selecting a president should be their ability to memorize speeches.
I think I get it. Make the use of a teleprompter illegal, lock President Obama up in jail, and replace him with Rick Santorum! It's so simple that even my hamster can see the logic.
What a mean thing to say! Most self-respecting third graders would take issue with being compared to republicans.
Why denigrate kids in elementary school, the reich is already against "edumacation".....Besides, 3rd graders are still willing to learn....
Crap like this teleprompter nonsense is why I no longer consider most Republicans to be subhuman in their stupidity! Setting aside the racist subtext discussed above, do Republicans really think the President of the United States has nothing better to do than to memorize all his speeches for no purpose except to prove that he can do so? Are we electing a President for the most powerful nation on Earth or for a junior high debate club?
Sarah Palin wrote prompts on her hands.
Rick Santorum is a weird soul, basically HATING everything modern--and expecting everyone to agree.
He's definitely making a ridiculous spectacle of himself.
Senator Santorum has a valid point!
After all...
Saint Ronald of Rayguns never read off of a teleprompter for his entire life and when he gave speeches as president, it was always impromptu expressions of his beliefs. If that was good enough for Saint Ronald, why is it not good enough for Obama?
After all...
Abraham Lincoln read his speeches off of paper. If that was good enough for Abraham Lincoln, why is it not good enough for person who father was freed by Lincoln?
After all...
George Washington read his speeches off of the back of his slaves. If that was good enough for George Washington, why is that not good enough for the man who would enslave all white people?
A question? Is snark allows here?
Actually, Obama's father is African (Kenyan), not African-American, so his ancestors were not enslaved nor freed by Lincoln. But yes, that's a good point.
From Nader in 1988-Ronald Reagan The Cue Card President
http://www.nader.org/index.php?/archives/1545-Reagan-the-Cue-Card-President.html
Actually I think you're off the mark here. I don't think racism is the context...or perhaps it's not the only context would be a better way to put it. I think this is backlash from the right about how George Bush used to speak and how often he would flub his lines. Now yes, before anyone asks, George Bush used a TelePrompter quite frequently during his speeches. Most notably he did so during his SOTU speeches which is probably why they did not usually have as many flubs-per-speech as when he was giving press conferences or other things in which he relied heavily on note cards instead. I think the right is resentful of all the name-calling that went on regarding Bush's ability to speak and so they are attempting to undermine the fact that Obama comes across as a good communicator by essentially saying that he too would be flubbing his lines all the time...if it weren't for that blasted TelePrompter!
Everybody--let's limbo!! How low can you go?
The following is from Mark a commentor at WashingtonMonthly.
A quick Googling found a pile of stuff, including this: "Loredana Vuoto is a speechwriter, editor and columnist. ... Ms. Vuoto has worked extensively on Capitol Hill.... She was assistant national editor and an editorial writer at The Washington Times (2003-2004).... and a speechwriter for Senator Rick Santorum (2001-2003).
Maybe Rachel can introduce Rick to Ms Vuoto.
I am one of those folks that finds it a bit odd for people to react predictably using the same buzz phrases like "drill baby drill" and just saying the cities Hollywood and San Francisco elicit a predictable boo or groan.
There are people out there that are reading the teleprompter in their head. They hear erroneous information designed to get them to think they are victimized or if we just drill more gas prices will go down. They hear something, process then they roll eyes up and left, remember the proper response, as trained to which words.
We have the words union, liberal, any mention of racism, racial or racist is being programmed into people as something to turn up noses at the very minimum.
Listening, watching, reading right wing slanted media is the same as reading a teleprompter. Someone else tells you what to say and think/feel/react predictably.
Personally, I wish the President would stop dealing with things like dealing with the Iranian nuclear issue, our relationship with Israel, the recovery of our economy, and other trivialities and instead spend his time writing all his own speeches and then memorizing them before delivery. After all, in the big scheme of things, that's what's really important, right?
Well said. We need to straighten out our priorities.
Just another cheap shot.
Teleprompter would be reading from a specific document that would contain specifics details that were prepared ahead of time, and benefits from passing from the written word to the listener. On the other hand, how stupid can you be, not have noticed that speaking from and empty head and repeating echoes you’ve heard hundred times before, only results in nothing being said.
Of course if you are willing to blather nonsense, that does not connect one thought to the next and for which you admit contains nothing, then what is that which to convince us to accept. The poll do show one important thing, that if were expecting to convince others to believe what you say, if they hear nothing, surely they will make up their own mind informed only by their own opinion’s. Go down to the hog pen, and good talk, the audience looks attentive and captivated, as they are while you follow up with the feed.
President Johnson, 1965 uses a teleprompter, as would any serious office holder where there is much at stake with every word. It has the curious effect of putting every word on paper and holding the speaker accountable. Imagine otherwise where we would be going back and forth with every misstatement, as we’ve seen in the various campaigns. The public has not missed the fact that politics has become too time consuming, being effective is a bonus not a tax.
If you wish to give the speaker in chief the advantage, then do so, it will reveal your generosity, without giving up the millions of malodorous talking points intent on destroying the office from which seek to have power.
Should by the perennial ignorance of the voters you gain that important seat, you can expect less and less power?
I'm sure the teleprompters placed in front of Santorum were just there as leftovers, and he kept staring at one, then the other, then back to the first because he was the whole while pondering, "Why are those there? Who thinks I am stupid enough to need those?" And the speechwriters he hired didn't actually write the speeches, they wrote them down, Mad-Men-secretary-style.
See? All is perfectly internally-consistent in Santorum-land!
All of this flap about teleprompters is just another side show for the GOP, who doesn't have a single plan to improve the economy (other than badmouthing Obama) or to improve foreign policy (other than badmouthing Obama) or to fix the tax code (other than badmouthing Obama)....hmm, I see a trend here...
The GOP very clearly does not have anything positive to offer to the mix, which is why they're taking potshots in order to divert the public's attention. The candidates are all selfishly engaging in this silly game of oneupmanship, trying to out-CEO each other while voters languish in poverty. Not one of them has offered anything but gimmicks and potshots. Pathetic.
They are just jealous that he can read.
I just hope the Democrats and media hold the Republicans accountable the next time they're in the White House when the president steps up for the State of the Union address. There damn well better not be a teleprompter in front of that Republican president. You're on your own know Mr. President. (You betcha!)