In April, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) felt comfortable using his Twitter account to say he believes President Obama is "stupid." Today, the five-term Republican senator added some related thoughts.
Note that this is Grassley's official, verified account. It's not, in other words, some random 12-year-old tweeter or a Democrat hoping to make the Iowan look ridiculous. Unless his account was hacked -- and given Grassley's legendary propensity for saying dumb things on Twitter, that seems unlikely -- the senator actually published this, on purpose.
Now, I realize it's not worth getting worked up every time some strange politician says something asinine through social media, but there are a few salient angles to keep in mind.
First, teleprompter jokes were stale in 2010, and now they're just lazy and kind of pathetic. Republicans don't have to like President Obama, but to keep insisting he's not smart, because he, like all modern presidents, sometimes uses a teleprompter, is ridiculous. (I've long suspected there's a subtle racism to the right's preoccupation with Obama and teleprompters -- as if our first African-American president only seems intelligent because others are putting words in his mouth, and he couldn't possibly be brilliant on his own.)
Second, Grassley's cheap rhetoric is a reminder that elder statesmen no longer exist in any meaningful sense in Republican politics, and that's a genuine shame. The GOP used to cultivate a reputation as the "grown-up" party; now it's the party filled with clownish antics from confused senators like Chuck Grassley. It's a sad development.
Third, Grassley is probably about as observant as he is classy -- which is to say, he's neither -- but Mitt Romney speaks with a teleprompter all the time.
Associated Press
Associated Press
Getty Images
Getty Images
In fact, it turns out, Romney's picky about his teleprompter.
And here's the kicker : there's nothing wrong with any of this. If Romney has a specific, pre-written message he wants to share with the public, there's no reason he shouldn't be able to read it from a teleprompter. I didn't care that Bush and Cheney used teleprompters; I didn't care that Reagan and Bush used teleprompters. Candidates used to read speeches on paper; now they read them on screens. No one above a junior-high-school level should find this the least bit funny.
Maybe someone of Grassley's staff should take away his social-media access until he grows up?
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Grassley- he puts the azz in grazzley!
This just PROVES that Obama has refused to work across the aisle! Shame on you, Obama!</rush>
Well, yes, RawMoney uses a teleprompter all the time, but don't forget rule #1:
It's Okay If You're A Republican.
Besides, RawMoney is the right color, and the President is not.
Grassley was also one of the asshats pushing the "death panel" myth during the healthcare debate. Ethics aren't a big priority for him.
The teleprompter thing comes from the same place as "Why won't he show us his transcripts?" It's full-on "black peeps is ignrunt and I'll make up any evidence I need to prove that point."
forgive me, IdiotsAndHatersBowDown, if you are being facetious. Because otherwise, i'm a little shocked to hear that obama is shamed for not working across the aisle! He wasted TWO YEARS accomplishing nothing and squandering his advantage because he worked SO HARD to reach across the aisle, while repeatedly getting his hand bitten off.
memories can be terribly faulty i suppose. And perception filters out any inconvenient fact. But wow, it would sure be nice if people could just peek around their biases to glimpse something real before speaking as if they know something they don't -- simply to bolster a position founded only on the hot air of agreements like these...
now tell me please, you were joking, and i simply misplaced my funny-bone this morning! THAT would be a HOOT ... ;-)
I would guess </rush> = </snark>. Easy there.
Hey Grassley and all other hypocrites and democracy haters:
Look at all those t'promters, read that article linked above Romney's picky about his teleprompter.
Your mother wears combat boots, neener neener. So f in' funny… not!
Geez, you guys are so blase' about your jobs that you won;t do anything to help American people with jobs, but you cannot look in the mirror at how bad a joke you all really are.
Are we paying for that Twitter Account, and if so it should be closed for using it for personal tweeting by a TWIT. I wish these "Free Loader" Republican Congressman getting paid to just sit on their a$$ and Obstruct the Economic Recovery should be paid only for the hours they actually work. OMG - they would owe the Government money.
AGREE 100%! Wish we could fire every obstructionist in Congress/Senate!
Grassley is a perfect representative of Old Senile White People (if you notice, all the old white people who are Democrats are still burning 200-watt bulbs above the eyebrows and all the lights are on - not so in the darkness of GOD"S Own Party - soon to find out they got it backwards when they meet their maker)
One of these things are not like the others! Eastwood, Grassley, Obama. (Hint: the year of their birth might be important!)
-For any Republicans playing, you may substitute Grandpa Simpson for either Republican.
now will he apologize? I doubt it. As you said, there no more elder statesmen in the GOP. And I honestly wonder if there ever were with this nonsense going on.
First, teleprompter jokes were stale in 2010, and now they're just lazy and kind of pathetic. Republicans don't have to like President Obama, but to keep insisting he's not smart, because he, like all modern presidents, sometimes uses a teleprompter, is ridiculous. (I've long suspected there's a subtle racism to the right's preoccupation with Obama and teleprompters -- as if our first African-American president only seems intelligent because others are putting words in his mouth, and he couldn't possibly be brilliant on his own.)
Seriously? You sir are the lazy and pathetic. What a pathetic reach. Trying to play the race card ......... typical msnbc race baiting. You are absolutely pathetic.
Hey, BTW, no stories on "What democracy looks like" when without doubt MORE dems wanted God left OUT of the platform than wanted him in. There was NO 2/3rds majority vote in favor of re-installing God and Jeruselem. Not even close and YOU know it. It was NAY The vote was nay. The false majority, that's the progressive democrat way today. Phony's and liars. Don't like the results of a particular vote? Too bad the democrats way is that it's OUR way or NO way. You can take your nay's and shove 'em. The aye's have it by a two thirds majority. Yaaa, right. Three times and they still got it wrong.
And you sir, you are pathetic. Your democratic party, pathetic hacks and phony's.
The only thing which makes you look good at all is how gawd awful that weirdo Grandholm appeaered delivering her weirdo cheering squad goof ball speech. What a wack job. AND she was using a telepromter. Just so you don't pull the false race tag on me, loser.
There's just something about Pattie? (Paddie? Patty? Paddy?), our Senile Diaper Man, that just cracks me up. I picture this over-caffeinated, barcalounger-ridden, diaper-wearing Jabba the Hut watching MSNBC and screaming at the tube while his arms flail as he tries to keep his pope hat from falling off his head.
Above you sir is a picture of a white man using teleprompters on a regular basis. Has Mr. Grassley made similar comments about that white man? How about other white men of the Democratic persuasion like say President Bill Clinton? No he hasn't. Whether Mr. Grassley is being racist or not is not all that clear but it certainly looks enough like he is that stating it should not engender your panicked response.
Disgusted, right?! This diatribe seems to be particularly heated ... hmmm ... clearly the estimable Mr. Benen got right up Paddy's shorts and tugged. LOL ... what's the old saying, if you've pissed them off, you must have done something right!
RE: the "god in plateform" vote, the voice vote was taken at a time when the all was nearly empty of delegates. There no way of know WHO they people were who were "voting." And certainly no way to know how the majority of delegates - OR Democrats in general - feel about this NON-issue. Also, NO ONE bothered to ask ANY of the delegates who OPPOSED a "god plank" the REASON for their opposition. Could it be they want the Democratic party plateform to be CONSISTENT with the most important American document of all? The US CONSTITUTION - the word "god" appears NO WHERE in the TEXT of our CONSTITUTION.
Hey Irish, Know who else wanted God left out of the "platform"? Thomas Jefferson. James Madison. Alexander Hamilton. George..whatshisname?...oh yeah. Washington. Bunch of others you probably won't recognize.
You really, really lose. Like 240 years ago, the Founding Fathers were ahead of you.
That's embarrassing.
What are you, nine years old?
Hmn, Grassley - that must be why we're treated to gems like, "The trees are just the right height!"
"...some random 12-year-old tweeter or a Democrat hoping to make the Iowan look ridiculous."
First off, NO one could make the GOTP look more clownish or ignorant and bigoted than they already are.
Second, I have to wonder where did these people send away to receive their fake college diploma's cause you just can't fake the stupid things they say, which means that these people could not and did not complete college!
I have never understood the teleprompter fetish. I don't know any national politician who doesn't use one. Every politician uses prepared statements, speeches etc. They do so for a good reason that has nothing to do with how smart they are and everything to do with their desire to be correctly quoted in the daily fish wrapper. The teleprompter helps a politician connect with his audience instead of looking down at the prepared text. It is a good tool and a politician who didn't use one would be stupid.
More than that, the President (regardless of party) SHOULD USE A TELEPROMPTER! Do these dolts really think that the POTUS has so much free time that he can commit a 20-minute speech to memory out of some vapid need to impress people?!?
That is only a small reason for using the teleprompter. When the President makes a public statement, he needs to select his words carefully so that they are not misconstrued. This is especially true when talking about foreign affairs. The teleprompter insures that he will use the words as drafted. For example, Obama saying that all options are on the table for Iran is a very diplomatic way of telling Iran that military is an option. It is less threatening but conveys the appropriate information to Iran and Israel as well as the rest of the world.
Why is Steve Benen's Twitter feed not listed in the Follow Us on Twitter sidebar?
With or without a teleprompter, it makes no difference for Romney because he says a lot words while saying nothing. Typical politician.
Romney uses a teleprompter.
Let Grassley keep his Twitter account. If this is the best commentary that a so-called elder statesman can offer then we should all be able to enjoy the fact that he willing to reaffirm he is still a complete ass.
Hee hee! The ridicule/humor goes farther than what he stands on the floor and goes on and on about. We are wasting our money with 288 Republican Congressional seats doing nothing for jobs.
Last I heard Twitter is a free app anyway.
Can someone explain to me why a teleprompter is a big or even little deal? I ask because I am truly confused about this utter non-issue and because I just had a "discussion" with a friend who is voting for Romney (sigh) and she made a big deal about this. I don't get it!
Rhetorical question perhaps? Just in case it isn't, this is about sucking the chrome off the trailer hitch of the Presidents strengths.
That's easy. Because it's all they have. Their ideas suck, and they don't want to tell you what they actually want to do , so "Hey, look, shiny thing!"
It works with magic. Misdirection is effective when all that matters is "Hey, you picked my card!".
Maybe not so much when it's "Hey, what the @!$%# did you do with my Medicare?"
Because a true Republican doesn't use a teleprompter. A true Republican speaks through the mouth of God. E.g. Michelle Bachmann who speaks to and for God all the effing time. She is so damn holy that she doesn't even need to move her lips. She opens her mouth and God's voice comes out, like she were a Heavenly Boss Speaker.
The gop just keep desperately voting this dinosaur back into office here in iowa , he lost his mental capacity at least 7 years ago , he is that old guy who drives a car and scares the @!$%# out of you , and your going to elect him to office?
He does represent the elder statesmen leaders of the gop establishment , they are disgusting
Jon Stuart and the right wing had fun with the "Obama uses teleprompter to speak to 6th grade class" lie. Of course it was a lie, but it was funny.
Now president Obama's teleprompter use is featured prominently in the lastest "masterpiece" by the official artist of the Republican party, Jon McNaughton. In the painting titled "Obamanation", McNaughton describes Obama's teleprompter use: "If there is anything Obama does well it is use the teleprompter with utmost skill. When compared to the stammering and gaffes that accompany an impromptu speech, it is easy to see why he uses it so often."
The only reason Romney speaks (and only once in a while) without a prompter is that he has so little to say.
Grassley is one of the most decent, honorable, honest politicians in the Republican party.
But I grade on the curve, of course. He is still a horse's ass.
Can a sitting US senator be kicked out of office for bad manners on social media? I hope so, because Chuck Grassley is a national disgrace and a man who no longer feels it is necessary to hide bitter racial hatred towards our commander in chief. Mitt Romney has given the green light to such base and vulgar attacks with his own sick brand of "humor" joining in the birther crowd and alleging that President Obama is some sort of foreign agent. This is borderline treason if you ask me. The fact that Mitt Romney has never given a speech in his life without using a "TelePropmpTer"is not enough for old Chuck, is it? He ought to resign. - PP
GrASSley is an idiot! Case closed.
What is GRASSley smoking?
Hush!
The Right is so attached to the idea that Obama can't order drinks without a prompter that they're setting themselves up to actually watch the debates to see Romney slaughter him. I only wish that the camera crews would include the prompters in the field of view so people can see Romney doing his usual "I have a talking point and no matter what question you asked, that's what I'm going to answer" schtick.
BTW, did y'all catch the "science debate" at http://www.sciencedebate.org/debate12/ ?? The answers are always the same, only the questions change.
I concur 100%. Obama is trained as an attorney to think on his feet. It is a skill that is honed over time. Romney has no such skills.
I agree with both of you.The Oval Office is not a Bain boardroom with a bunch of flunkie's showing graph's and data.It ai'nt about the next company can he bleed for profit.It ai'nt about the $$ in his eye's It's about national security,it's all about judgement,and Romney just ai'nt got it.As I heard someone say,how can he stand up to our enemies when he ca'nt even stand up to Rush Limpball's.
So bizarre...he schooled the Republican Congressmen at their little get together--literally and figuratively. Response--they can't invite him back because apparently answering their questions was rude and now joke that he "needs" a teleprompter.
This is Senator Grassley who worked to get Iowa wind energy tax breaks, which Obama supports and Romney wants to end?
What really matters more? That someone is smart enough to willingly use a teleprompter or that Grassley's state gets the energy incentives they, in particular he, worked for?
I've been thinking a lot about the Romney campaign's propensity for using known lies and these kinds of petty attacks. If you have to go to that level, then it means you don't have much to stand on.
They're just provoking to distract. It's like with the right's attack on the platform not mentioning God and Israel explicitly. Personally, I thought the platform was fine without it, but I was kind of glad that the Democrats decided that wasn't the right time to battle over the wording and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict over Jerusalem is definitely something that can't be resolved during the convention. What's annoying is that this PR stuff about God, etc. is being used to keep people from seeing that the Republicans have a vague platform that lacks substance on jobs, etc.
And then you hear so many comments in the media saying the Democrats know how to throw a better convention, which is heartening considering the Democrats are on a tighter budget.
I don't think Republicans are stupid. I didn't have the grades to go to Harvard law and I know I don't have the political skills to be a senator, but come on. As a party, they don't care that much for the candidate, but they don't challenge him to work to a higher standard on accuracy, on substance, on (I want to say humanity, but that's probably too mean.) Republicans like to talk about the merits of competition. Fine, but the competition of a campaign should make you dig deeper, build strength, and do better. If you believe in competition then be a good sportsman.
(vent, vent, vent)
The Republicans are all sucking on the (figurative) teat, they just don't want to pay for the (real) mastectomy.
The word "god" does NOT appear ANYWHERE in the TEXT of the US Constitution - so WHY put it in a party plateform other than to PANDER to the religious right? The Democratic party respects people of different faiths - NOT just Christians - as well as people of NO faith. If you put the word "god" in, why not BUDDAH? Why not MUHAMMAD? Why not JOSEPH SMITH? I prefer the wording referring just to "faith"
I also notice the lack of respect by failing to capitalize Obama's name.
The most annoying thing is that whenever I email him to complain about this sort of @!$%#, I get re-subscribed to his awful newsletter.