Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The cruelty is the point; the law be damned.

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

We know you aren’t a Democrat but since you seem confused let me help you.

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

A thin legal pretext to veneer over their personal religious and political desires.

They love authoritarianism, but only when they get to be the authoritarians.

Since when do we limit our critiques to things we could do better ourselves?

the 10% who apparently lack object permanence

We will not go back.

They think we are photo bombing their nice little lives.

We are builders in a constant struggle with destroyers. keep building.

Whoever he was, that guy was nuts.

This isn’t Democrats spending madly. This is government catching up.

We need to vote them all out and restore sane Democratic government.

We will not go quietly into the night; we will not vanish without a fight.

The way to stop violence is to stop manufacturing the hatred that fuels it.

Republicans don’t want a speaker to lead them; they want a hostage.

The desire to stay informed is directly at odds with the need to not be constantly enraged.

Donald Trump found guilty as fuck – May 30, 2024!

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

Republicans don’t lie to be believed, they lie to be repeated.

I like political parties that aren’t owned by foreign adversaries.

The republican speaker is a slippery little devil.

Optimism opens the door to great things.

You are here: Home / Politics / Domestic Politics / President Obama’s Statement

President Obama’s Statement

by | 135 Comments

This post is in: ,

You can watch it live here.

ETA 1:
Yay! He’s calling bullshit on the Republicans for manufacturing crises! Pointed out that shutdown was costly and damaging. Pointed out that deficits were already falling. “The only thing putting us at risk is repeated brinksmanship” — quote from credit analysts.

ETA 2:
“To all my friends in Congress, the way we do business has to change.”

“We need to stop focusing on lobbyists, bloggers [WTF?!?!–ed.], activists on talk radio, and do what we were sent here to do…that’s why we’re here.”

ETA 3:
Three things we should focus on:

1) Balanced approach to a responsible budget — “budget shouldn’t be an ideological exercise…deficit is getting smaller, not bigger now…need to close corporate tax loopholes and invest in education, research, infrastructure…”

2) Finish the job of fixing our broken immigration system — “broad coalition behind reform…Senate has a bill with strong bipartisan support…if the House has ideas on how to improve it, let’s hear them…”

3) Pass a farm bill — “One that farmers and ranchers can depend on…one that helps vulnerable children…Senate has passed bipartisan bill…if House has ideas to improve it, let’s see them…”

ETA 4:
“I hope all of us have learned that smart, effective governance is important…Americans got an idea of what government does…we’ve heard ‘government is the problem,’ but we’ve learned we rely on it in many ways…”

ETA 5:
“Don’t treat government like the enemy or make it work worse. If you don’t like a policy — or a president, win an election. Don’t break it.”

Message to returning government workers: “Thanks for your service. What you do is important. It matters…”

ETA 6:
That’s all, folks. Very strong statement that put the blame squarely where it belongs, thanked those who deserve it and called out the saboteurs.

Reader Interactions

135Comments

  1. 1.

    hildebrand

    I want him to reenact my two favorite movie scenes of this whole shut-down mess – Godfather II’s “here is my offer”, and Willy Wonka’s “You get nothing!”

  2. 2.

    dmsilev

    I suppose it’s too much to ask that just this once, Hail to the Chief be replaced by Queen’s We Are The Champions.

  3. 3.

    John O

    He won’t do a little Irish jig, clap his hands, and say, “Eat it, bitchez.” Like I wish he would just for yuks.

    So I suspect it will be boring and un-newsworthy.

  4. 4.

    mai naem

    I hope this gave Obama and the rest of the Dems some reiinforcement learning that they can indeed win against the Repubs in hegotiations and I really hope,no, pray that the Wingnuts got a little scared so that they’ll actually negotiate in good faith next time around.

  6. 6.

    dmsilev

    Funny

    Vice President Joe Biden showed up at the Environmental Protection Agency’s headquarters bearing muffins Thursday morning, and greeted employees as they returned to work after the 16-day government shutdown.

    “I brought some muffins!” Biden said when he arrived, placing few containers of “Coffee Cake Bites” on the EPA security desk, per a White House pool report.

    The vice president spotted a sign on the desk that read, “All visitors must be escorted at all times.” Biden announced: “I’d like to be escorted!”

  8. 8.

    Elizabelle

    Live feed: in background, portrait of Abraham Lincoln, seated, head on hand, looking pensive.

    Thinking: “I thought we beat these weasels once already. How many times does it take?”

  10. 10.

    Napoleon

    I am not watching it, but has Ari Shapiro interupted him yet to tell him to change his language to something more acceptable to NPR?

  12. 12.

    Botsplainer

    “‘S’cuse me while I whip this out” as he reaches down to take a scroll out of his waistband is all I want to hear.

  15. 15.

    dmsilev

    @gogol’s wife: The reporter in question threw a hissy fit at a White House press briefing because the press secretary used the word ‘ransom’ to describe what the Republicans were asking for.

    Never mind that it was an accurate word.

    Crowd noise just quieted down, so Obama should be showing up soon.

  16. 16.

    NotMax

    @gogol’s wife

    Jay Carney used a word (“hostage,” IIRC) and the reporter said something akin to “Could you use another term? That one doesn’t fit our narrative.”

  18. 18.

    JPL

    @Elizabelle: The President will act in his usual bipartisan nature but maybe, he’ll unleash Biden to say what needs to be said about the shutdown. The repubs cost the economy 24 billion and will blame the slowdown on the President. They need to squished like the ants that they are.

  19. 19.

    Elizabelle

    I like seeing the press corpse just sitting there, like kids in a time out.

    ETA: Good on Obama for making them wait.

    PBO arrives.

  23. 23.

    Elizabelle

    “Increased our borrowing costs, which adds to our deficit.”

    Good. He’s back in paint by number mode. As his audience deserves.

    “There was no economic rationale for this ….. and our deficits were cut in half.”

  25. 25.

    dmsilev

    @Elizabelle: It’s from the film _Conan the Barbarian_:

    Khitan General: My fear is that my sons will never understand me… Hao! Dai ye! We won again! [Cheers] This is good. But what is best in life?
    Khitan Warrior: The open steppe, a fleet horse, falcons at your wrist, and the wind in your hair.
    Khitan General: Wrong! Conan, what is best in life?
    Conan: To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentations of their women!
    Khitan General: [Cheers]…That is good.

  26. 26.

    The Dangerman

    Seems a little PO’d this morning; did they give him decaf (evil personified) or something?

  28. 28.

    Elizabelle

    “Repeated brinksmanship. That’s what the credit ratings agency said…..

    that also happens to be the opinion of our diplomats [who are talking to people internationally]

    now talking about “spectacle” on display these past several weeks.

    Bring it!

  29. 29.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @Xantar:
    We only got a couple of ‘Obama Caves’ idiots this time. While I’m impressed at the power of narratives built out of dozens of debunked accusations, I think this one is dead and we can ignore the odd troglodyte who’s been locked in his cave the last five years.

  30. 30.

    Elizabelle

    @dmsilev:

    Thank you. Had seen quip a few times.

    PBO looks like a badly disappointed dad, who wonders if his kids are up to understanding his point.

  32. 32.

    Elizabelle

    “professional activists who profit from conflict”

    yea! they wuz called out. Maybe bloggers too.

  34. 34.

    Elizabelle

    First up: negotiate over a budget. And not approach as an ideological exercise.

    Reminds us again the deficit is down, half of what it was, and down fastest in 50 years.

    Challenge is not short-term deficits but longterm — like social security and medicare ….

    talks about closing corporate loopholes. Yess!

  39. 39.

    Elizabelle

    number three: we should pass a farm bill

    ETA: “what are we waiting for? Let’s get this done”

    By the end of the year. If our focus is on what’s good for the American people

  40. 40.

    dmsilev

    Priority the third, a farm bill that doesn’t gut food stamps. Again, passed the Senate and is sitting in the House.

  41. 41.

    Comrade Mary

    @dmsilev:

    Never mind that it was an accurate word.

    Also, too, never mind that Republicans like Mitch McConnell had already described what they learned from their 2011 attempt in these exact words:

    “I think some of our members may have thought the default issue was a hostage you might take a chance at shooting,” he said. “Most of us didn’t think that. What we did learn is this — it’s a hostage that’s worth ransoming. And it focuses the Congress on something that must be done.”

  44. 44.

    Elizabelle

    We shouldn’t hold back on areas where we could or should agree just because of politics.

    There’s no reason we can’t govern responsibly … without lurching from manufactured crisis to manufactured crisis

    now a shoutout to govt: it matters.

    It turns out we rely on it in a lot of ways.

  46. 46.

    Frankensteinbeck

    I don’t see any real chance that any of this stuff will pass the House. I doubt Boehner will bring them to a vote. The only thing that has changed is that next time the Teabaggers demand a shutdown and default, Boehner and the coward caucus may – may – have learned to ignore them.

    Still, it’s the president’s job to constantly remind us of what the country needs under these bizarre circumstances.

  47. 47.

    Mike E

    @mai naem: I hope these TEAfuckers go Full Mental Jackass all the way up to Feb, only to be thwarted by, wait for it, The Super Bowl. Idjits.

  50. 50.

    dmsilev

    ‘Don’t like a particular President? Go out there and win an election’

    Somewhere, Mitt Romney is crying leaking lubrication fluid.

  51. 51.

    aimai

    @dmsilev: That guy has so much fun it ought to be illegal. If they listened to me at all they would absolutely tape Biden’s emories of these standoffs and sell them to us at Christmas time. I bet he is hysterical and can do incredible imitations of all the major players. Every time the Republicans assured themselves that Obama was biting his knuckles and crying over the tension in the Oval office I bet he and Biden were kicking back and joking about it.

  52. 52.

    Elizabelle

    Don’t break what we’ve spent two centuries building.

    That’s not what this country is about.

  54. 54.

    Sloegin

    Sequester is still in place, budget is still at Ryan levels; there’s a hell of a ways to go before calling this a win. Calling it a win cements the Rs gains.

    @Napoleon – Screw NPR. Waaaah, we can’t use such a controversial word, even if it’s the only accurate one. I’m still mad at when they decided they couldn’t use the word ‘torture’.

  55. 55.

    different-church-lady

    Apparently the GOP learned one lesson since 1995: this time they waited until after he was reelected to shut down the government.

    Maybe this time they’ll wait until after the mid-terms to impeach him.

  56. 56.

    Anya

    @Xantar: My cousin informs me that he’s worse than Bush on drones, immigration (deporter in-chief), civil liberty and she believes he personally ordered the Brits to detain GG’s partner. I give her a break because she’s 22 years old. Though, I was never that clueless when I was 22.

  57. 57.

    Elizabelle

    and now a hug to government workers, especially the young, who come to this city to serve.

    Excellent, excellent speech.

  58. 58.

    Elizabelle

    and now a hug to government workers, especially the young, who come to this city to serve.

    Excellent, excellent speech.

  60. 60.

    dmsilev

    Closes by quoting the Pledge (‘One Nation, under God, with Liberty and Justice for All’) and walks off.

  61. 61.

    Mike in NC

    I’d hoped the president would end with a Reagan-esque comment, such as: “I’ve just signed legislation outlawing the Republican Party forever. We begin bombing in five minutes.”

  62. 62.

    Elizabelle

    That is one great president.

    It’s appalling he needs to turn out to say this. Teenage wasteland in the House of Representatives.

    (Apologies to actual teens, who aspire to grow up one of these days.)

  66. 66.

    Elizabelle

    Fleeing C-Span. It’s got the Fix the Debt zombies up.

    C-Span 3 has Democratic Governor Steve Beshear, who did a great job with Kentucky’s health exchanges.

    Nice Kentucky has a realist or two in office.

  69. 69.

    Joey Maloney

    @Elizabelle:

    woodshed, when some of them deserve a cell

    will leave it to you whether’s it’s padded or just barred

    Sealed. Airtight. WIth a chair. And under the chair is a bowl and a small capsule that will drop into it…

    As long as those fucks are around, they’ll be causing trouble. For all of Obama’s strong and uplifting language, tomorrow it’ll be back to business as usual, with the House as attractive and productive as a severely impacted colon.

  70. 70.

    Roger Moore

    @dmsilev:

    Never mind that it was an accurate word.

    That’s what’s so terrible about it. If we start describing what the Republicans are doing accurately, it will be obvious that there’s a right side and a wrong side, and the whole both sides do it, report the horserace narrative will go kaplooey.

  72. 72.

    cckids

    @aimai:

    That guy has so much fun it ought to be illegal. If they listened to me at all they would absolutely tape Biden’s emories of these standoffs and sell them to us at Christmas time

    For anyone who does Facebook, try “Motivational Biden”. It is hysterical. I enjoy sending them to my wingnut relatives.

  75. 75.

    Cermet

    Did we, the believers that facts are what reality is all about, do good voting this smart guy into office? Yes, we did good!

    Congratulations for all of us that voted this man into office! In President Obama we trust … uh, at least for now … later, maybe not so much … .

  77. 77.

    dogwood

    Thought it was interesting to read today that it was the “caver in chief”, Obama, who nixed the Susan Collins deal in the Senate. Several Dems had signed o to it and Reid was serious about it. The White House basically said – ” no fucking way.”

  79. 79.

    Elizabelle

    “So for those more concerned about political power than Kentucky’s families I have some words to say: Get Over it!”

    — Gov. Steve Beshear, after reminding that Obamacare is the law of the land.

    I like, like, like this guy.

    Talking now about how Obamacare is NOT a trainwreck.

    Makes such a difference to have a state with a well-planned website.

    “You don’t have to like the President. You don’t have to like me. … it does not cost you a dime to [check out the state’s website, and they will come away happy.]”

    C-Span 3; maybe they’ll rebroadcast. From October 3 at National Journal.

  83. 83.

    EconWatcher

    Even Karl Rove is admitting they royally screwed up (although claiming that somehow Obama goaded them into it).

    With apologies to Godwin, I’m reminded of the fact that the Nazis did not generally report battlefield setbacks in their media. But the defeat at Stalingrad was so profound that they felt they had to. It was announced over the radio, with funereal music in the background.

    The Republicans’ Stalingrad? I report, you decide.

  84. 84.

    rea

    @dmsilev: That Conan the Barbarian quote was lifted from a 1927 book by Harold Lamb, in which (apparently with some basis in medieval chronicles) he attributes it to Genghis Khan.

  86. 86.

    Waspuppet

    “We need to stop focusing on lobbyists, bloggers [WTF?!?!–ed.], …

    He means Erickson.

    P.s. Can we just make Biden VP for life? He’s exactly what you want in a veep and he loves it so.

  90. 90.

    TAPX486

    @Elizabelle: On point 4 – Yesterday I saw an article from a S. Dakota paper in which the local ranchers were complaining that the feds weren’t there to help them out of the mess that last week’s blizzard created. They did not seem able to make the connection between no federal help and the TP congress critter that they had elected. To many people want the government to be like a fire extinguisher – out of sight collecting dust until needed and then it should be fully charged and ready to go.

  92. 92.

    some guy

    nice bitchslap, and the “deficit is getting smaller, not bigger now” line needs to be put on an endless loop.

  94. 94.

    Belafon

    @Sloegin: No, it counts as a win, and a pretty major one. I’ll give Republicans credit: This was Gettysburg. The North didn’t win the war at Gettysburg, but the South received a pretty major defeat. The same here. We still have to deal with Cruz (I’ll fill in the oval twice next time to get him out) and the rest of the tea party, but this was a win.

  96. 96.

    Elizabelle

    @raven:

    Yeah, the Reagan worship is tiresome.

    Tweety seems not to be informing that the issue is the Congress has changed so much. More reaching across the aisle earlier.

    Reagan and Tip O’Neill were around just before PAC financing took off, weren’t they?

    Matthews is enthusing about the “good old days”, when congresscritters represented their constituents, and not just their funding sources.

    It’s a different world, and one of those two great parties is not like the other.

  97. 97.

    different-church-lady

    @catclub: Huh… there I go misremembering my history again.

    Since Ken Starr had already completed an extensive investigation, the House Judiciary Committee conducted no investigations of its own into Clinton’s alleged wrongdoing, and it held no serious impeachment-related hearings before the 1998 mid-term elections. Nevertheless, impeachment was one of the major issues in the election. In November 1998, the Democrats picked up seats in the Congress.

    It was, GOP: “Let’s impeach him for Lewinski!” COUNTRY: “Uh, we’re sick of Lewinski, don’t do this.” GOP: “Well if we’ve already paid the price, we might as well go ahead with it!”

  98. 98.

    Higgs Boson's Mate (Crystal Set)

    @Belafon:

    I’d count it as a win because Republicans now seem determined to make the FAIL Parade, led by Cruz and Ryan, a quarterly event.

  99. 99.

    mister anderson

    so my email has been innundated by crap this morning but there seems to be a quote from Mark Levin (yes, I know) that seems to be getting traction in the fever swamp.

    The president must first pay interest on the debt under the 14th Amendment. The federal government collects 10 times as much revenue each month as it needs to cover those payments. As long as the president complies with the Constitution there can be no default. ”

    Being the lazy ass that I am, what’s the pushback on this?

  101. 101.

    Elizabelle

    @Belafon:

    Speaking of Ted Cruz: we were laughing at the Houston Chronicle’s regret in endorsing him in their “Why We Miss Kay Bailey Hutchison” editorial yesterday.

    The Ted Cruz endorsement, made 369 days earlier, had its own gift:

    Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison’s warning about Cruz. After saying he was smart and wanted to be effective:

    Direct quote:

    She added a warning, noting that the people who supported Cruz in the Republican primary and runoff are from small states with different interests than a large state such as Texas. “He’s going to have to choose early between being loyal to [Sen.] Jim DeMint [R-S.C.] and [Sen.] Mike Lee [R-Utah] and the needs of the people of Texas.”

    The Chron deserves raspberries. In their very own Cruz endorsement, they seemed to like the Democratic candidate — Paul Sandler — better, but didn’t think he was electable. They blamed Democrats for lack of interest and support in the Sandler campaign.

    Um, Chron? Newspaper endorsements can make a big difference.

  105. 105.

    Bruce K

    @ira-NY: Complete with reality-challenged death-or-glory commanders and people who knew damn well before the trumpets sounded that they wouldn’t make it to the wall.

  106. 106.

    Cassidy

    @Elizabelle: I deserve no credit. It dawned in me listening to him go full metal liberal on Maher this past weekend that he has a very deep nostalgia for the Tip-Reagan era. His idolization of Tip has to have Reagan as the reasonable Republican to fit his memories. One of the things he said was that Reagan didn’t go starting wars, that it’s a new conservative thing. I had to rewind and listen to make sure he said that.

  109. 109.

    Kay

    @aimai:

    He really is entertaining. Here he is welcoming the EPA workers back:

    “I brought some muffins!” Biden said when he arrived, placing few containers of “Coffee Cake Bites” on the EPA security desk, per a White House pool report.
    The vice president spotted a sign on the desk that read, “All visitors must be escorted at all times.” Biden announced: “I’d like to be escorted!”

  111. 111.

    boatboy_srq

    I hope all of us have learned that smart, effective governance is important

    Nice, but vain. “Smart, effective governance” and “Grand Auld Pahty” don’t belong in the same sentence. I’m looking forward to the day when the GOTea gives up all pretense and rebrands itself as the Anarchist Party.

  112. 112.

    Sloane Ranger

    Thanks to all those who welcomed me on to this blog by responding to my comment in one of the threads below. I haven’t seen the speech but there will certainly be extracts (at least) shown on the news over here in Blighty.

    From the highlights above it seems the President delivered a well crafted speech, avoiding overt triumphalism while still managing to make clear who was to blame for the shutdown and the economic and personal damage they caused. Good that he called them out on their lies about the deficit. The Head of the OECD was interviewed recently and he described the US as the one bright spot in the world, fiscally speaking.

    Also, as a former British public sector worker I was pleased to see that President Obama took time out to praise government workers and note the important work they do. I know how low our morale over here is with all the redundancies and re-organisations that have taken place as a result of Osbourne austerity and I can feel for my colleagues over there who must feel liked they’ve been kicked in the teeth, not only by the financial pressures they’ve been under due to not being paid but by the absolute contempt the Republicans have shown towards them and what they do for your country.

    Has anyone responded from the Repubs yet or are they keeping their heads down? I’m tempted to dive into the swamp that is Red State to see if they’ve reported it and, if so, what the commentators are saying.

  113. 113.

    aimai

    @rea: Oh my god, I read that book. Also, was into Conan before Conan was cool. Wish I still had my original paperbacks with the Frazetta covers.

  114. 114.

    Chickamin Slam

    Seeing all the comments posted on my right wing nut jobs (I mean congressperson’s) facebook the consenus is: The Republicans sold the country into slavery. They are no different than Democrats and yes … it’s true they want Ted Cruz and Sarah Palin for Pres/VP in 2016. Right after they primary the RINOs in 2014. “Where are the true patriots?” they bemoan …

    Hard to believe these people even exist until you are accosted by one in a coffee shop …

  116. 116.

    Svensker

    @mister anderson:

    The president must first pay interest on the debt under the 14th Amendment. The federal government collects 10 times as much revenue each month as it needs to cover those payments. As long as the president complies with the Constitution there can be no default.

    Because they don’t just have to pay the interest. They have to pay principal. There’s a large tranch of bonds rolling over in the next few days. In order to pay them, Treasury has to issue new bonds…which they can’t do without the debt ceiling being raised. Large investors (and small, too) who are expecting to get all their principal would not be happy to be given an interest payment instead.

    Levin and Co. have no idea what they’re talking about. But it “sounds good” and it goes against what liebruls are saying, so AOK.

  118. 118.

    mai naem

    @Cassidy: I am sick and tired fo Chris Matthews and his stupid book. I’m sure part of it is because he’s been on pretty much every show I watch. What he ignores about Reagan, is that Reagan was where the “gubmint is ” very very very bad’ and less gubmint is “very very very good”, along with the solution to any problem is cut taxes. The Reagan tax cuts were what really started to accelerate income inequality in this country. Furthermore, Matthews doesn’t being up PATCO and nobody asks Matthews about it either.

  121. 121.

    Cervantes

    @rea: That Conan the Barbarian quote was lifted from a 1927 book by Harold Lamb, in which (apparently with some basis in medieval chronicles) he attributes it to Genghis Khan.

    With some basis, maybe, but it’s a disputed attribution. Some of those chronicles were propaganda commissioned by the Persian Ilkhanate.

  122. 122.

    Jockey Full of Malbec

    @Cassidy:
    I grew up in Tip’s district. IMO it’s quite possible to “love” Tip and “hate” the Reagan.

    Matthews is an Irish Catholic of a Certain Age. His Reagan-crush may have more to do with that than anything.

    (Fun Fact: I once saw Tip O’Neill, flanked on either side by Secret Service, staggering out of Frank’s Steak House on Mass Ave in Cambridge one afternoon. I was carrying the Strat I had just bought myself for my 20th birthday. To this day, I call that guitar “Tip”).

  123. 123.

    stinger

    @Villago Delenda Est: I always replace it with “under the Constitution”. More syllables, but then they fill up that long pause before “indivisible” that annoys me almost as much as the religion reference.

  125. 125.

    Paul in KY

    @dmsilev: That is actually a paraphrase of what Genghis Khan is supposed to have said about that same topic (what is good in life, not government shutdown).

  126. 126.

    Paul in KY

    @aimai: Would like to see VP Biden become President.

    Whoa! The edit function has made it’s every 100 year return!

  127. 127.

    Jamey

    @Dr. Loveless: Gotta love “CtB!” A year ago, I was using the term, “The lamination of the women**” as a stand-in for “binders full of women.”

    (**I know it was lamentation.)

  128. 128.

    Elizabelle

    @Paul in KY:

    I would love to see President Joe Biden too, but qualify that with “in January 2017” please. Not a second before the scheduled inauguration.

    Please, please, please.

  131. 131.

    jl

    I hope the House GOP feels respected, now that a bigshot, gave a speech, with a special emphasis just for them.

    If I were Obama, I would have sent Biden out to do it, and would have asked him to put in some gaffes.

  132. 132.

    nastybrutishntall

    @NotMax: From TPM:

    “I think some of our members may have thought the default issue was a hostage you might take a chance at shooting. Most of us didn’t think that,” said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) after the 2011 standoff. “What we did learn is this — it’s a hostage that’s worth ransoming. And it focuses the Congress on something that must be done.”

    Yeah, but what does Mitch know?

  134. 134.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Villago Delenda Est:

    Yeah, personally I agree with you. When I am in a situation (rare to never, these days) when I am expected to recite the Pledge, I always close my mouth during the “under God” part.

    But why would Obama want to invite a(nother) shitstorm of freakout by deliberately omitting those two words? Sometime, discretion really is the better part of valor.

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