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You are here: Home / Obama’s Amish Ways

Obama’s Amish Ways

by @heymistermix.com|  June 26, 20101:47 pm| 37 Comments

This post is in: DC Press Corpse

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Obama gave the press corpse a slip, probably because he was going to the buttcrack of nowhere for the G-8, and this is how the WSJ characterized it:

It is highly unusual for the president to shun his permanent media detail that way, particularly at a high-profile event in a remote location.

Courtesy of Wikipedia, here are a few of the New Testament verses which serve as the basis for shunning:

2Thessalonians 3:6: In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers, to keep away from every brother who is idle and does not live according to the teaching you received from us.

Romans 16:17: I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them.

2John 10–11, NASB: If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.

I’m not a biblical scholar, but some of those sound pretty close to the mark. Thanks to Joseph Nobles for the link.

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37Comments

  1. 1.

    licensed to kill time

    June 26, 2010 at 1:53 pm

    __

    It is highly unusual for the president to shun his permanent media detail that way

    It’s a weird word to use. I would have said ‘shed’ instead. As in, Obama Furminated his permanent media detail. And look at all that useless hair left over!

  2. 2.

    Violet

    June 26, 2010 at 1:57 pm

    Also from that link, referring to the previous soccer game incident:

    This is a far more significant offense than that one, and is likely to draw another complaint.

    “Significant offense”? WTF? I know the press is full of a bunch of deluded, self-important blowhards, but that really takes the cake. OMG! Teh President didn’t let us follow his every move. I’m going to tell!

    Talk about a bunch of whiny, tattletale babies. Ugh.

  3. 3.

    Anya

    June 26, 2010 at 1:59 pm

    The real question is, how do you miss 8 world leaders with all the security around them?

  4. 4.

    danj

    June 26, 2010 at 2:10 pm

    “the buttcrack of nowhere”

    Says the asshole.

  5. 5.

    Rennie

    June 26, 2010 at 2:13 pm

    Press “corpse”? Does that mean they’re all dead?

  6. 6.

    Joseph Nobles

    June 26, 2010 at 2:16 pm

    Mark Knoller was so upset at having to fly to Ohio recently for a ten-minute speech, he gave Obama a piece of his mind for wasting gas in Air Force One. And then Knoller found out Obama was back at a Nationals game while he was still schlepping back – oh, the poutrage. It was way worse than lying a country into an effing war.

    Now he’ll be angry because he didn’t have to follow Obama. Lord, what fools these press hacks be.

  7. 7.

    jj

    June 26, 2010 at 2:16 pm

    Since when is Toronto a “remote location”? It’s not like he is on Borneo, for crying out loud.

  8. 8.

    Comrade Mary

    June 26, 2010 at 2:21 pm

    jj, the G20 is in Toronto. The G8 was in Huntsville, cottage country. It’s a very pretty and expensive buttcrack.

    Off on my bike in the drizzle shortly for the G20. If I get any good pictures of headsmashing or security theatre, I’ll post them.

  9. 9.

    Linda Featheringill

    June 26, 2010 at 2:22 pm

    Is it written in the Constitution that the Chief Executive is not supposed to go anywhere without the press? No? I didn’t think so.

    You know that there is going to be a lot of bitching no matter what he does. He might as well do what he wants to do. Fuggem.

  10. 10.

    befuggled

    June 26, 2010 at 2:24 pm

    The G8 summit was actually held in Huntsville, which is well to the north of Toronto. The G20 summit is being held in Toronto.

  11. 11.

    David

    June 26, 2010 at 2:29 pm

    3 hours on a major highway (and a minor one) is not “well to the north”. Huntsville isn’t remote. Temagami might be, but not cottage country.

  12. 12.

    Martin

    June 26, 2010 at 2:34 pm

    @Linda Featheringill:

    Is it written in the Constitution that the Chief Executive is not supposed to go anywhere without the press? No? I didn’t think so.

    But it is in the fine print of the first amendment:

    Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press*; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
    * Members of the major press outlets consisting of at least, but not limited to, Fox News, CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, the NY Times, Washington Post and The USA Today, shall be given free steerage to any and all Presidential destinations in the largest jetliner the United States Government has ready access to, including, but not limited to, meals, entertainment, an open bar, chotchkies, and hand jobs as warranted. Minorities should be treated as 3/5 of a full journalist who in turn is treated as 3/5 of a Washington insider for the determination of proper access. Furthermore, in addition to the press previously mentioned, the Speaker of the House of the opposition party, if so elected, will ride in the front of the plane lest the government be shut down due to hurt fee-fees.

    People always forget about the footnote.

  13. 13.

    ppcli

    June 26, 2010 at 2:34 pm

    For what it’s worth, Huntsville, and the Muskoka region overall, is extremely expensive and chi-chi cottage country. Tom Hanks has a place there. Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn. Other hollywood types. Toronto’s richest fly in for the weekend.

  14. 14.

    kay

    June 26, 2010 at 2:39 pm

    Last night, the White House sent the press corps — which by agreement stays close to the president in order to report on any incident — back to Toronto, leaving the president 150 miles behind. In the wee hours of this morning, the crew of a dozen or so reporters and photographers in the press corps got back on a bus and returned to Muskoka for the day’s events.

    I’m going to disagree on this, as I did last time. The reason he has a permanent press detail is because they’re supposed to report on any “incident”. It doesn’t take a whole lot of imagination to figure out what “incident” means. Americans actually do have a right to know where he is, when he’s doing his job, as here.
    I recognize it’s not in the US Constitution, but it is an agreement, and he’s supposed to honor it.
    It makes his White House look incompetent, and I suspect his White House press team are incompetent, judging by how they have performed for the last 18 months.
    Obama is losing this fight with the media. I don’t know if it’s his battle, or the people who work for him, but It’s a stupid, pointless battle, and he should replace whoever is running White House interactions with the media. They’re losing.
    As much as we denigrate them, these people actually have a job to do. I don’t see any upside to treating them with disdain and disrespect. What is the point of this? Is it “working”? Is he somehow improving press coverage? Is it even his job to improve press coverage?
    He’s going to lose this fight, if it is a fight, and not just further evidence of the poor quality of his media team. They’re hurting him.

  15. 15.

    eemom

    June 26, 2010 at 2:49 pm

    grumpf. Kay, you’re right, as usual — but aside from the actual merits of the issue……..considering the obscene abomination that passes for a “press” in this country, I just can’t help loving it when Obama disses them.

    Also I wonder whether there IS anything the WH can do to fix the toxic spew that is the emmessemm, any more than they can plug the leak in the Gulf.

    In other news, I really think it’s about time some actuarial tables caught up to this monster.
    http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gIXcXoAEKY2PI3o8ssrReWvsPGcAD9GIL1KO0

  16. 16.

    kay

    June 26, 2010 at 2:50 pm

    @Martin:

    Martin, if you worked for the President, as his media person, would you think this headline is helpful to the President?
    Christ. I’d resign in shame.
    If the goal is to get substantive coverage, why are they playing these stupid games?
    They’re doing him a real disservice, and if it’s him, they should tell him to cut it out.
    I almost hope it’s incompetence. if it’s some childish battle based on hurt feelings, it’s even less acceptable.
    They have to deal with what is. The permanent detail is, and barring some new agreement, it’s not going away.
    What is the point of pissing these people off?

  17. 17.

    Joseph Nobles

    June 26, 2010 at 2:53 pm

    OT, but I just realized that it was like a matter of minutes between Dave Weigal screen grabbing Joe Barton’s “unapology” tweet and Dave Weigal’s emails being all over the place. FWIW, YMMV, tin foil and all of that.

  18. 18.

    Maude

    June 26, 2010 at 2:54 pm

    So, what the WSJ is saying is, I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll blow your house down.

  19. 19.

    kay

    June 26, 2010 at 3:05 pm

    @eemom:

    Maybe it’s some grand plan I don’t understand, but the end result is his G 20 meeting coverage today will be focused on his ditching his press detail, because the people who submit all the releases got ditched. In an administration that hammers on transparency and access, no less. Surely that isn’t what all those people who work for him are paid for, bad press.
    That was clever. This plan is working out great.

  20. 20.

    BethanyAnne

    June 26, 2010 at 3:17 pm

    gotta link the video

  21. 21.

    maus

    June 26, 2010 at 3:20 pm

    @kay: I wouldn’t say they work “for” the President.

  22. 22.

    kay

    June 26, 2010 at 3:28 pm

    @maus:

    I’m sorry. I wasn’t clear. I mean the people who work for the President. The people at the WH who contact the permanent press pool and tell them where to be.
    He has a whole WH media team. I know, it’s hard to tell, considering the press he gets, but there it is.
    I think they suck at their job. I think it’s clear they suck at their job. They aren’t supposed to be focusing on some dumb-ass battle with reporters. I honestly think he would be better off just letting the commercial media have constant access, and letting the chips fall where they may. He’d do better with a C-Span approach. It couldn’t get worse than the job his employees are doing, and he could use the money they’re paid somewhere else.

  23. 23.

    Emma

    June 26, 2010 at 3:41 pm

    Kay: Don’t you get it? There’s no way for the president to win a battle where only one side gets to tell their tale DIRECTLY on television EVERY FREAKING NIGHT. They have been disrespectful, they have lied about him, they have created phony storylines… what is the president supposed to do? Accede to each and every one of their whims? Talk about bending over and taking it.

    Yes, I’m angry. I keep hearing about this “battle”. But in case you haven’t noticed, Obama doesn’t get to rebut a hell of a lot. Not so long ago, they were complaining because of how often he wanted to hold a press conference. Now they’re complaining he doesn’t keep them informed of his every move. How often have they ignored the substance of an issue to go after him on crap, even though they have had full access? THEY WILL NOT CHANGE. Period.

    At the rate you want us to go, the Press will become the Japanese Court mandarins, controlling everything the Emperor does and says.

  24. 24.

    Kyle

    June 26, 2010 at 3:54 pm

    Americans actually do have a right to know where he is, when he’s doing his job, as here.

    Somewhere in his ‘undisclosed location’ evil cave, chowing down on another baby, Dick Cheney is laughing his ass off at this statement.

  25. 25.

    Resident Firebagger

    June 26, 2010 at 3:59 pm

    @kay: I understand your point, but ultimately, Obama’s physical location any given time, while newsworthy, isn’t as important as what his administration actually does. The presidential press corps/corpse doesn’t really give us much in the way of “news,” mostly details on their little hissy fits. They truly are little more than a bunch of self-important stenographers…

  26. 26.

    kommrade reproductive vigor

    June 26, 2010 at 4:00 pm

    Never mind popcorn, I’m going to buy stock in Desitin and Preparation H because the Pressed Corpse’s level of butthurt will clearly be off the charts until Obama starts hosting a weekly barbecue for them.

  27. 27.

    Allison W.

    June 26, 2010 at 4:54 pm

    Ditching his permanent detail is not something that the public will frown upon. So I don’t see why anyone is worried.

  28. 28.

    Roger Moore

    June 26, 2010 at 5:55 pm

    @Allison W.:

    The public may not frown on it, but the press certainly will. They now have one more reason to dislike him, and some of them are petty enough to let their personal anger change the way they report the news. I don’t know how important the White House Press Corps really is and how much pissing them off will really hurt him, but it’s unlikely to make his job any easier. Unless there was a good reason to keep them away, he should have let them come along.

  29. 29.

    kay

    June 26, 2010 at 6:16 pm

    @Resident Firebagger:

    Obama’s physical location any given time, while newsworthy, isn’t as important as what his administration actually does.

    It actually is, important, in case something happens to him. That’s what “incident” means.
    I just think this is nonsensical. It’s important what he does, but not where he is, or what happens to him?
    I think we’re letting our (sometimes earned) disdain for the press get in the way of what should be common sense.
    If the Obama White House want to reach a different agreement with the press detail, they should do that.

  30. 30.

    kay

    June 26, 2010 at 6:19 pm

    @Emma:

    Don’t you get it? There’s no way for the president to win a battle where only one side gets to tell their tale DIRECTLY on television EVERY FREAKING NIGHT

    Oh I agree. Then stop fighting. Just answer the questions asked in a straight-forward manner as possible and honor the agreement.

    They’re governing now. This isn’t a campaign, and this approach isn’t working. If something isn’t working, stop doing it.

  31. 31.

    kay

    June 26, 2010 at 7:03 pm

    @Emma:

    At the rate you want us to go, the Press will become the Japanese Court mandarins, controlling everything the Emperor does and says.

    Emma, nothing happened, so it doesn’t matter. Would it matter if something had happened? An “incident”? Yeah, it would.
    He has to let them do their jobs. If we think they’re doing a bad job, or he thinks they’re doing a bad job, that doesn’t matter. They don’t work for him. I don’t think treating people poorly and leaving them driving around back and forth like idiots is an expression of “toughness”, whoever they are.

  32. 32.

    Emma

    June 26, 2010 at 7:48 pm

    Kay: He has to let them do their jobs.

    See, that’s where we disagree. Their jobs seem to be to follow the president in relative luxury while snipping at him and lying about him. And getting their nose out of joint if the president doesn’t toe their social line.

    If I understand it correctly, the agreement, as you call it is for the president to grant them access while they report accurately on the matters of substance that are happening in the administration. Instead, they try to undermine him with the same vigor they protected Bush.

    S.C.R.E.W. them.

  33. 33.

    kay

    June 26, 2010 at 8:00 pm

    @Emma:

    Instead, they try to undermine him with the same vigor they protected Bush.

    Emma, I support Obama. I want him to succeed at this. I don’t think this is a smart approach. He can go around the press (as he did in the campaign). What he can’t do is dodge them.
    It’s not going to work.
    I get sort of a short term kick out of it, because I basically agree with you in the quality of the coverage, but I don’t think it’s working for Obama.
    Handling them is part of his job. There’s no reason he can’t get better at it, and that doesn’t have to mean some humiliating capitulation, or letting them set the whole agenda. I just think he’s shooting himself in the foot with this defensive posture. It shouldn’t be so personal.

  34. 34.

    sherifffruitfly

    June 26, 2010 at 9:07 pm

    Dude. Get with the times.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5im0Ssyyus

  35. 35.

    Emma

    June 26, 2010 at 9:24 pm

    Kay: We must agree to disagree on this: There’s no reason he can’t get better at it, and that doesn’t have to mean some humiliating capitulation, or letting them set the whole agenda. No matter what Obama does, they have been setting the whole agenda to suit themselves. Therefore, the only sane thing to do is to side-step them.

    My dream is a president who bypasses the Washington Press completely, until they learn the lesson.

  36. 36.

    jjj

    June 26, 2010 at 9:48 pm

    @kay:

    Just how much access did the press get when W was passed out drunk on the floor of his Hollywood stage set in TX for over 40% of the time he was appointed to be drunk in chief?

    Obama works with the other leaders, who now respect the United States, and that is supposed to be a bad thing because the millionaire gossip columnists who lavished praise on W’s cod-piece and manly man antics while he destroyed the country NOW FEEL IRRELEVANT? Really? Obama should take them all out fishing and use them for bait. (I guess my WaPo gig is out of the question now.)

  37. 37.

    AxelFoley

    June 27, 2010 at 4:33 pm

    I co-sign on everything Emma, Linda and jjj said.

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