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🎶 Those boots were made for mockin’ 🎵

Red lights blinking on democracy’s dashboard

Fuck these fucking interesting times.

New McCarthy, same old McCarthyism.

Joe Lieberman disappointingly reemerged to remind us that he’s still alive.

I’m sure you banged some questionable people yourself.

Let’s delete this post and never speak of this again.

But frankly mr. cole, I’ll be happier when you get back to telling us to go fuck ourselves.

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

You come for women, you’re gonna get your ass kicked.

When do we start airlifting the women and children out of Texas?

This year has been the longest three days of putin’s life.

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The GOP couldn’t organize an orgy in a whorehouse with a fist full of 50s.

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Republicans are radicals, not conservatives.

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You are here: Home / Politics / Presidential Press Conference Discussion Thread

Presidential Press Conference Discussion Thread

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This post is in: 

Watch it live here.

PBO isn’t there yet, but a line of yapping heads are recording opening remarks in front of the podium.

Anyone want to guess when the first Duck Dynasty question comes up? I say the issue is raised in one of the first four questions. Probably from a FoxBot.

UPDATE: Conference underway. PBO started off talking up the economy, deficit reduction and healthcare enrollment. Noted that a budget passed. Called for an extension of unemployment benefits, saying GOP should have passed it before they left town.

Running question recap:

1. This year sucked for you. Are you panicked or merely terrified?

2. How will you rein in the monstrous spying exposed by E. Snowden?

3. You said you already fixed the NSA thing. Were you lying then or are you lying black* now? Are you lying like you were on healthcare?

4. What was your biggest mistake? (No, really.)

5. Debt ceiling — will you negotiate with House GOP terrorists?

6. What is your New Year’s resolution?

7. Amnesty for Great American Hero Snowden?

8. Derp! Derpity-herp-derp! ACA derp-derp-DERP!

9. What message were you trying to send by naming a bunch of gay people as delegates to the Sochi Olympics?

10. Was the appointment of Max Baucus to China as ambassador a coded message that you’re giving up on a tax code overhaul?

11. PolitiFact called you a big fat liar. Have you completely ruined the Democratic Party?

12. How will reshaping your team change the dynamic? (A good question!)

UPDATE: And that’s it. The recap above isn’t verbatim, obviously, but the tone is fairly accurate. The Village has clearly settled on the “2013 Was Obama’s Katrinaloo” narrative, and almost all of the questions flowed from that.

*H/T: Valued commenter Corner Stone

Reader Interactions

172Comments

  1. 1.

    Corner Stone

    There’s only one question I care to have answered this Holiday Season – boxers or briefs?

  2. 2.

    Violet

    I agree it’ll be in the first four questions, but I think it’ll be from NBC–is Chuck Toddler there? He’ll ask it. Or Dancin’ Dave.

  4. 4.

    Baud

    On Duck Dynasty, I hope PBO responds that he respectfully disagrees that black people were happier under Jim Crow.

  5. 5.

    jl

    They are lucky a guy like Obama’s the prez. Me, if I got a stupid white Santa or duck dude question, I’d stomp out of the room and get them FEMA camps runnin’, pronto. Would make for festive end to the presser.

    Edit: Unless I remembered to bring a duck call, then I would answer with that, and spare them the FEMA camps.

  6. 6.

    Violet

    @jl: Maybe station some jack-booted thugs by the door to drag off anyone who asked such a question to the FEMA re-education camp/gay marriage abortionplex.

  7. 7.

    Betty Cracker

    @Violet: He’s there — gabbing with his fellow jackals and checking his iPhone. Major Garret is right next to him, looking as pompous and self-important as it is possible for a human being to look.

  9. 9.

    Davis X. Machina

    Anyone want to guess when the first Duck Dynasty question comes up?

    The United States Government has no right to go sticking its nose into the internal affairs of the Duck Dynasty.

    It is up to the Duck people, and only the Duck people, — they alone have the sole legitimate power — to determine succession to the Duck throne, or whether to overthrow their monarchical form of government in the first place. We would of course prefer a Duck Republic, but ultimately it’s not our call.

    If the Ducks didn’t have oil, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation.

  12. 12.

    max

    Why are we having a press conference?

    Dare I hope that Obama will tell Menendez to shove it up his ass?

    max
    [‘Weird.’]

  13. 13.

    Violet

    @Davis X. Machina: It would be nice if the president reminded everyone that the Duck Dynasty guys work for their employer and their employer has rules they require their employees to follow. If the Duck Dynasty guy violated a rule or contractual agreement by saying what he did, that’s between him and his employer. If people want stronger freedom of speech laws, they need to support unions that support workers’ rights.

    I know, I must be smoking something.

  15. 15.

    Corner Stone

    Yes, Kristen Welker, we do remember in 2011 when the WH negotiated over the debt ceiling limit.

  18. 18.

    ed drone

    If Chuck Todd asks the Duck question, will he be self-christening one ‘Duck Todd?”

    Or will the POTUS duck the whole issue?

    Ed

  21. 21.

    max

    Yay! The centrist correspondents shut up!

    max
    [‘It’s the most wonderful press conference of the year.’]

  22. 22.

    Another Holocene Human

    You know what would be hilar? For POTUS to hold a special presser with only the African-American press invited. And I don’t mean Black employees of “mainstream” organizations like CNN and NYT. Seriously, why does only one segment of the American people get to ask the POTUS questions? Shouldn’t they lose their privileges for a while for acting like infants and asking about stuff that has no relevance to the 99%?

  23. 23.

    Davis X. Machina

    @Zifnab25: I’m not outgoing enough for all the campaigning. I’ll settle for an attaché gig. Surely we have an embassy in the Duck capital? (I would have preferred to have been appointed earlier, before the Ducks’ nice Queen Beatrice retired and abdicated…)

  25. 25.

    max

    @Another Holocene Human: Seriously, why does only one segment of the American people get to ask the POTUS questions? Shouldn’t they lose their privileges for a while for acting like infants and asking about stuff that has no relevance to the 99%?

    Sounds great to me.

    max
    [‘I still want Black Crossfire. Just because.’]

  27. 27.

    max

    “It’s still too early to declare an outbreak of bipartisanship.”

    max
    [‘Which, actually, is fine.’]

  29. 29.

    Another Holocene Human

    @Violet: I’ll have some of what you’re smoking. It’s a European blend, right?

    Last time I was in Europe I was met with rank incredulity when I explained that I could be fired for what I said or did off the job.

  31. 31.

    Corner Stone

    “Worst year? Hell naw. Didn’t you see me slap that lil’ bitch Romney down and get a second term in Jan?”

  32. 32.

    Suffern ACE

    Per the previous thread, has anyone asked him for the official US position on the race of Santa? Have they asked him to call a blue ribbon panel to issue a white paper on Santa?

  34. 34.

    max

    Igor Bobic – December 20, 2013, 1:15 PM EST755

    President Barack Obama’s approval rating stands at 41 percent according to a new CNN poll, nearly identical to his numbers in the same poll last month and several other polls conducted since then.

    “The growth in negative views of the President comes almost equally from the left and the right,” CNN Polling Director Keating Holland said in statement. “Not surprisingly, the number of Americans who disapprove of him because he is too liberal is up six points since the start of the year. But the number of Americans who disapprove of him because he has not been liberal enough is up almost as much since January, indicating that his slide is due as much to disappointment as it is anger.”

    Obama’s disapproval rating was unchanged since last month at 56 percent, accoridng to the poll. While 40 percent said they disapproved of the President because he was too liberal, 12 percent said they disapproved because he was not liberal enough.

    Uh, it didn’t grow. From last month to this month.

    Bush Approval Ratings – entire time in office. Bush dipped to 39% approval in November 2005.

    max
    [‘Wow, he’s talking about economics and stuff like that reporters don’t care about!’]

  35. 35.

    Corner Stone

    @Elizabelle: Julie something with AP, I think.

    ETA, she asked him something about was this the worst year of his presidency, ACA, low ratings, no domestic successes.

  36. 36.

    max

    @Corner Stone: Must…step..a..wayyy…

    What? Hermann Cain versus Al Sharpton would be funny! And at least different from all these whitebread retreads on CNN.

    max
    [‘I mean it’s not like you watch cable TV news to hear actual discussion of important subjects. No. People watch cable TV news for the yelling!’]

  37. 37.

    jonas

    @Another Holocene Human: Actually, Obama does do this kind of stuff quite a lot — meeting with local media rather than the White House Press Corps, e.g. — and it absolutely drives them bonkers. I wish there were some grownups in that briefing room, but sadly all we get is preening, self-important navel gazing rather than intelligent — even adversarial — inquiries about the administration’s policies. Instead, the most aggressive questioning comes over stuff like whether or not they’ll get to take all the pictures they want at the White House. Fer feck’s sake. The administration has just had it with them.

  40. 40.

    Another Holocene Human

    @Violet: Invite high school seniors from the Bronx. You’d get questions about the environment, voting rights, stop’n’frisk, education de-form, etc. Relevant!

  42. 42.

    Another Holocene Human

    @max: Cain is putting on a comedy act. More like Michael Steele as the pathetic Alan Colmes of liberal GOPism.

  43. 43.

    jonas

    @max: Bush dipped to 39% approval in November 2005.

    And that was before Iraq really went to shit and Katrina happened and the financial crisis struck. So *on a good day*, Bush was still hated more than Obama is on his worst.

  44. 44.

    Another Holocene Human

    People keep looking for the next Andy Kaufman and don’t realize that he’s with us and his name is Hermann “999” Cain.

  45. 45.

    jl

    @jonas: With Obama’s ratings dropping on both right and left sides, I would think the proper mindless beltway response is that since he is making neither extreme happy, he is a centrist, and must be doing something right. Oh boy! I wait eagerly…

    Except, I forgot, Obama’s a Democrat and such a ni.. niiiice man.

  46. 46.

    Suffern ACE

    @max: Anyone but Dr. Carson. I mean, the guy’s answering machine message is 10 minutes long. I can only imagine what would happen if he got an open ended question on a panel.

  47. 47.

    Gin & Tonic

    Does Glenn Beck still have a radio or TV show? Wondering how his advertisers are doing with gold down over 40% over the last 2 1/2 years or so, and on track for 2013 being the worst year in over 30 years.

  48. 48.

    Violet

    @Another Holocene Human: Imagine if the White House Press Correspondents Association, instead of doing stupid things like hosting the Nerd Prom, flew high school journalism students in from around the country once a month to have a press conference with the president or at least the press secretary. Like a standing thing once a month or maybe every other month, but it was part of the deal that the president or his representatives took questions from high school kids on a regular basis. What a great way to get kids interested in government and also the questions would be much better than the crap we get now.

  50. 50.

    Betty Cracker

    Ed Henry. What a disappointment. No Duck Dynasty, just accusations of lying to the American people.

  52. 52.

    max

    “What is absolutely clear to me, given the debate that has taken place over the last several months, that this program can only work if the American people fully trust the program. […] I take that into account when weighing the value of the 215 program.”

    max
    [‘Pardon shitty transcription.’]

  55. 55.

    max

    OK, the guy doesn’t fucking care if the President was fully read in, he cares that the President *might* have lied, or merely have been wrong. The substance doesn’t fucking matter. Jesus Christ.

    max
    [‘I care if he was fully read in.’]

  58. 58.

    max

    Basically these guys are asking him to hang himself for Christmas.

    max
    [‘Strange centrist fruit.’]

  62. 62.

    Corner Stone

    “We understand you suck, Mr. President. And the job, we’re sure. is hard. Now, tell us what degree of suck do you think you’ve failed to fail at this failure of a failing year?”

  63. 63.

    max

    @Betty Cracker: The Village will have their annus horribilis narrative, and that is that.

    ‘Mr. President, the Senate is trying to start a war with Iran, the NSA seems to be spying on every human being on planet, the House has cut off unemployment and is trying to cut food stamps, the economic news seems to be pretty good, but the important issue is: do you suck really hard now, or have you always sucked really hard?’

    max
    [‘The man sounds annoyed.’]

  64. 64.

    lamh36

    @MikeGrunwald 2m
    Mr. President, what killed your poll numbers: the economy improving, the wars ending, the deficit shrinking, or people getting health care?

  65. 65.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @Violet:

    I agree wholeheartedly.

    The corporate swine that makes up the WH press corpse is beyond useless at asking interesting, intelligent questions.

  67. 67.

    lamh36

    @steveweinstein 2m
    The WH press corps is a far bigger fail than the website. At least the website is fixed. The press corps continues to flaunt its stupidity.

  68. 68.

    Person of Choler

    Thank goodness that we won’t be criminals if we don’t buy a product that is unavailable because the purchasing system defined in in the law that mandates buying the product doesn’t work because the guys who wrote the law screwed up the implementation of the system.

  69. 69.

    lamh36

    @ReignOfApril 1m
    Question: Brianna Keilar: Will you negotiate with Congress on the debt ceiling?

    “Oh, Brianna, you know the answer to this question. No.”

    @ThePlumLineGS 1m
    Obama, on debt limit: “We’re not going to negotiate for Congress to pay bills it has accrued.”

  70. 70.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @Betty Cracker:

    The worthless pimple on the ass of humanity Tweety has already proclaimed it, and seeing as he’s what passes for a “thought leader” in the Village, they’re all jumping on the bandwagon faster than people in Georgia are rooting for the Seahawks.

  71. 71.

    lamh36

    @HaroldItz 4m
    Mr President, why didn’t your administration know in advance about the release of Beyonce’s album?

  72. 72.

    lamh36

    @HaroldItz 4m
    Mr President, why didn’t your administration know in advance about the release of Beyonce’s album?

  74. 74.

    max

    [many words from Obama translated]: “These assholes need to pay the bills. You morons.”

    max
    [‘”My New Year’s resolution is to be nicer to the White House Press Corps.”‘]

  76. 76.

    WaterGIrl

    @max: Loved the one question, that was basically “Do you understand just how bad you are and how much people don’t trust you?”

  79. 79.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @max:

    [‘”My New Year’s resolution is to be nicer to the White House Press Corps.”‘]

    I loved his smirk when he delivered that line. Priceless.

  80. 80.

    WaterGIrl

    @max: “do you suck really hard now, or have you always sucked really hard?’” that may have been the same question I was referring to in my comment above.

  81. 81.

    WaterGIrl

    @Corner Stone: You are undoubtedly correct

    Edit: aaaand, here’s another one, this one from chuck todd! do you know how bad you suck, not just at everything, but at this particular thing?

  84. 84.

    max

    @WaterGIrl: Loved the one question, that was basically “Do you understand just how bad you are and how much people don’t trust you?”

    What Corner Stone said. The one lady asked about the debt ceiling, and the other questions are all variants of ‘Such and such policy is not going well, should the American people hate and revile you or merely dislike you a lot?’

    max
    [‘It’s impressive how hard the press corps is working to suppress any discussion of actual issues.’]

  85. 85.

    Villago Delenda Est

    What is your New Year’s resolution?

    “To walk out of this room, seal the doors, and flood it with sarin.”

  88. 88.

    WaterGIrl

    @max: These questions are really starting to piss me off. Mr. President, have you considered killing yourself because you suck too much to live?

  89. 89.

    max

    Obama to press corps concerning the ACA, translated: ‘Get the fuck over it.’

    max
    [‘People. Getting health care. This is what we want. Morons.’]

  90. 90.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @max:

    [‘It’s impressive how hard the press corps is working to suppress any discussion of actual issues.’]

    They don’t understand the issues. Very few of them are Sloan Sabbith.

  91. 91.

    lamh36

    @ReignOfApril 1m
    So @chucktodd asks a question about healthcare that is so inaccurate it gives POTUS an opportunity to explain its benefits. Thanks, Chuck!!

  92. 92.

    Corner Stone

    Yeah, we changed it. We adapted and adjusted. Would you like to start licking on my right nut now?

  94. 94.

    Suffern ACE

    I suppose I should stream this myself at work, did one of them really use the word “suck” in their question?

  95. 95.

    max

    @WaterGIrl: These questions are really starting to piss me off. Mr. President, have you considered killing yourself because you suck too much to live?

    I’m trying to image a) Bush having the balls to hold regular press conferences, and b) the press asking questions like these, and then there is a great grinding of gears and the transmission is on the ground behind the vehicle.

    max
    [‘Mr. Bush, things have been terrible, so, are still you massively awesome or is your codpiece merely very large?’]

  96. 96.

    Woodrowfan

    I was in the press room last night as part of a tour of the West Wing. The chairs have name plate son them listing the organization that has that chair. Someone from NBC likes almonds. And I kicked Fox’s seat. ( I didn’t want to create a gross mess for the cleaning staff by spitting on it).

  98. 98.

    Corner Stone

    “Non-Partisan Truth Telling Group Politifact”

    That’s going to take me a while to work through…

  99. 99.

    Villago Delenda Est

    What message were you trying to send by naming a bunch of gay people as delegates to the Sochi Olympics?

    My god, I’m not even watching this, and I could hear his eyes roll out here on the west coast!

  100. 100.

    WaterGIrl

    @max:

    [‘Mr. Bush, things have been terrible, so, are still you massively awesome or is your codpiece merely very large?’]

    You nailed it.

    Edit: new question. Even your own democratic senators don’t respect you!

  101. 101.

    max

    @Suffern ACE: did one of them really use the word “suck” in their question?

    No. They did that thing where they say many words that imply ‘suck’, while deftly avoiding saying clear.

    max
    [‘I’m free translating a bit.’]

  102. 102.

    Violet

    @Betty Cracker:

    The Village will have their annus horribilis narrative, and that is that.

    The good thing about the Village deciding that 2013 is the President’s No Good, Very Bad Year is that 2014 can be the Year of Redemption. The press loves that story arc and it will be just in time for the 2014 mid term elections.

  104. 104.

    Elizabelle

    If you’re not a winger, I think your average viewer got what jerks the press corpse is.

    Alas. Average viewers don’t have time (or inclination?) to watch these things in full, most of the time …

  105. 105.

    Violet

    @max:

    [‘Mr. Bush, things have been terrible, so, are still you massively awesome or is your codpiece merely very large?’]

    Mr. Bush, are you merely a Great President or are you the Greatest President?

  107. 107.

    lamh36

    @ReignOfApril 51s
    And she says “I asked less than @edhenryTV.” HA!! RT @admiralmpj: “Let’s see if we can hone in on a question” — @BarackObama”

  110. 110.

    Corner Stone

    @Violet: Chuck asked about the ACA and the recent changes and essentially said Obama sucks, he lied to people and how would he choose to ritual hari kari while in Hawaii?

  112. 112.

    ladybug

    @Violet:

    True…, but this is Obama, I’m pretty sure the national press has already written their “2014: even worse year ever!” end of the year obituaries.

  113. 113.

    max

    @Violet: What did Chucky Toddler end up asking? Did anyone ask the Duck Dynasty question?

    He’s talking about the Iranians right now.

    max
    [‘He’s quietly (and indirectly) telling the D’s in the Senate to shut up and sit down.’]

  115. 115.

    lamh36

    @politicoroger 53s
    Pres Obama says those who want more sanctions on Iran right now “are trying to look tough” for political gain.

  119. 119.

    Betty Cracker

    Last question was a good one. What do y’all think about Podesta? He’s singing from the wealth inequality hymnal, so that’s a good sign…

  120. 120.

    Violet

    @Corner Stone: Well of course he said the second half. Isn’t that how Chuckles goes through life–saying the President sucks?

    @Betty Cracker: Ha! Hilarious. I thought it was over. Didn’t realize it was still going on. Can’t watch at the moment.

  122. 122.

    max

    Come to think of it, Obama should hold a press conference in which he has a sock on one hand that asks him intelligent questions (in a high, squeaky voice). The effect would be about the same.

    @dylanmatt is unloading a bunch of questions that would not suck.

    max
    [‘NBC is announcing that the President was ‘reflective’.’]

  126. 126.

    Violet

    @ladybug: Well, they may have written them already, but it is a long way away. If things improve, they might have to edit.

    It still think they’ll go for the Redemption Story Arc. It’s a classic and the press loves it. See: McCain and the tongue bath linked above. Tire swing FTW!

  127. 127.

    Villago Delenda Est

    Was the appointment of Max Baucus to China as ambassador a coded message that you’re giving up on a tax code overhaul?

    Given that the speculation so far is that Wyden takes over, this is a really stupid question.

  128. 128.

    lamh36

    @RyanLizza 4m
    Wow, pretty serious accusation that sanctions supporters take position purely for political reasons.

    um, is he wrong? or are they just shocked” he would say it even though it is pretty much what peep think

  129. 129.

    max

    OK, I have listened to a lot of Obama pressers at this point, and I have to say that was the singularly worst performance by the press corps that I have heard.

    max
    [‘Wow. That was genuinely really really bad.’]

  136. 136.

    Corner Stone

    @ladybug: Just asked him about a change in staff and what that meant for his priorities and agenda moving forward.
    It was probably the only one or one out of two legitimate questions asked that wasn’t explicitly framed in the “Year of Failing Failure” theme they all went with.
    An actual question he could answer without wanting to drop a toaster into his bathtub.

  139. 139.

    max

    @Villago Delenda Est: AIPAC must be appeased. Always.

    Actually, Jim White over at emptywheel thinks Menendez is sucking up to the MEK:

    Although Gharib ascribes the war mongering aspects of this bill to positions advocated by AIPAC, the work (and funding money) of MEK, which advocates for (in my opinion, violent) regime change in Iran, seems to be just as likely, if not more likely, to be behind this hideous piece of legislation. The chief architect of the bill is Robert Menendez (D-NJ). He lists his cosponsors (Menendez’s original release claimed 26 cosponsors and the news stories linked below also cite 26, but Corey Booker was added to the list this morning while this post was being written. The press release was changed to add Booker to the list without changing the 26 to 27. The press release at the old URL was wiped out so that an empty page is returned. The date of December 19 for the release was also retained.):

    I personally have no idea what’s driving this on the D side. Something is, but it isn’t clear whose doing the puppeting here.

    max
    [‘This may be an act of pure native stupidity.’]

  140. 140.

    max

    @Betty Cracker: Agreed. It was awful. Duck Dynasty would have improved it!

    Yeah. And that’s really said. They seem to think the opinion polls have dropped out of the sky so the only thing that matters is how much hate is involved.

    max
    [‘And I would not have called the man ‘reflective’ so much as ‘sidestepping the courtier press BS to actually discuss actual issues’.’]

  142. 142.

    Cervantes

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    @max:

    [‘”My New Year’s resolution is to be nicer to the White House Press Corps.”‘]

    I loved his smirk when he delivered that line. Priceless.

    He was breaking the resolution even as he announced it.

  144. 144.

    Roger Moore

    @Cervantes:

    The one thing we know best about George W. Bush is that he was a coward.

    Which is a key reason he has been mostly invisible since leaving office. He doesn’t want to be seen because he’s afraid of the consequences.

  148. 148.

    FlipYrWhig

    @Corner Stone: What are the Big Failing Failures supposed to have been, from a Big Media perspective? The gun regulation effort falling apart, Snowden/NSA, and one month of a lousy website? Are they still counting the stupid shit like Benghazi and the IRS? What am I missing?

  149. 149.

    Suffern ACE

    @FlipYrWhig: It’s the press corps. I’m pretty sure they add “Syria Crossed the Red Line and We Didn’t start a War with Russia over It” to their list of sins.

  151. 151.

    ladybug

    @FlipYrWhig:

    Considering that the press (IIRC) compared the website to “Katrina” “Iraq” and “IranContra” (the last one was Sully, IIRC, but I’m sure he wasn’t alone in using that analogy), I’m sure that’s enough to make Obama the new Nixon in the eyes of the media.

  152. 152.

    Suffern ACE

    @IowaOldLady: Well, poll after poll after poll says the number one issue is “Jobs”. Now no one knows what the public exactly wants Congress to do to create jobs, but they answer that every time. Everyone in that room has a well paying job, so you can see the disconnect.

  153. 153.

    Betty Cracker

    @FlipYrWhig: Mostly it was healthcare, plus a splash of NSA. They repeatedly cited job approval polls and pointed out the PolitiFact “Lie of the Year” thing. They also implied the Dems in Congress are going rogue WRT Iran.

  154. 154.

    Suffern ACE

    @ladybug: Yes, but Nixon’s really bad year was year seven. It’s not enough for the year to be bad, but he has to have the bad year in the right order. If year six goes badly for Obama, the Madison comparisons will start bubbling up.

  155. 155.

    max

    Betty: 1. This year sucked for you. Are you panicked or merely terrified?

    Actual transcript**:

    PRESIDENT OBAMA: Julie Pace of AP.

    Q: Thank you, Mr. President. Despite all of the data points that you cited in your opening statement, when you look back at this year, very little of the domestic agenda that you outlined in your inaugural address, in your State of the Union has been achieved. Health care rollout obviously had huge problems, and your ratings from the public are near historic lows for you. When you take this all together, has this been the worst year of your presidency?

    I’d say that was an accurate summation by Betty.

    max
    [‘Most of those weren’t questions – they were midget editorials.’]

    ** The questions look smarter on paper than they actually sounded.

  156. 156.

    Corner Stone

    @FlipYrWhig: Pretty much what Betty said at 153.
    They framed every question as the President was a) a liar, b) a failure, or c) a lying failure. And that’s not being very over the top as a description, actually.
    They used polls to show he had failed. The used the ACA website to show he had failed. They used the NSA to show he was lying. They used Politifact and ACA changes to show he was a liar. They asked about Iran to show he was a weak failure.
    I think, and without skimming the transcript, that possibly two questions were asked as straight questions. The one about a change in staff, the one about Sochi (which was kind of “meh” but not deceitfully asked), and as a stretch the throw away question about New Year Resolutions.
    Every other word out of their mouths started from the premise of “failure” (due to polls) or “liar” (ACA promises/NSA).

  157. 157.

    FlipYrWhig

    @Corner Stone: Hmm. I don’t get how Iran (or for that matter Syria) show weakness or failure, but I guess that’s why I didn’t sustain a journalistic career past interviewing the art teacher about how much he liked the new workbenches for the high school newspaper in 1987.

  158. 158.

    negative 1

    @FlipYrWhig: The big failure is the threat that despite every overblown narrative no one really seems to give a sh!t about what the press has to say. Fox preaches to the choir, the rest preach to empty rooms. It turns out that people are getting health care despite what the press has to say about it, it turns out no one with an IQ over 8 cares about Benghazi!!111!! and it turns out that most people think the (republican dominated) Congress is the biggest problem with getting stuff done despite the press’ ‘leadership failure’ narrative. It pisses them off that despite the non-stop wall-to-wall effort to turn him into the new Jimmy Carter people actually like Obama more than the village.

  159. 159.

    Corner Stone

    @FlipYrWhig: He’s a failure on Iran because he hasn’t given them a hot war to cover yet, but also mainly because his very own Democratic Senators ™ all went fucking to the walls up in this bitch, but Obama didn’t have the sack to set Tehran to PermaGlo (r) status!

    Man, who knows where they set this shit up? I personally think they play a game of dominoes or something and each one has a meme on it. Whoever makes the winning bid gets to call the trump meme for the press conference.

  160. 160.

    FlipYrWhig

    @negative 1: I think it’s fine for him to take his lumps on healthcare.gov and the NSA stuff (although I think the latter has been sensationalized). Of course it’d be nice to have the press remember stuff like how the Republicans crumbled on the shutdown, the Dems reined in the filibuster, and, in something that would probably have been front page news if the parties had been reversed, the Dems secured a clean sweep statewide in the battleground state of Virginia in an off year election. (OK, some of that is Democrats, not Obama, but these categories do merge pretty often.)

    Saying that the year’s record was checkered, with low points: fair. Acting like it’s all been lows: bull to the power of shit, factorial.

  161. 161.

    FlipYrWhig

    @Corner Stone: I think they plan it all out after talking to themselves over bourbons at some very sad, lonely, and ugly bar around the corner from the White House. It has to be coordinated, right? Because the alternative is that they all independently and spontaneously arrive at the same point, like a particularly pathetic version of how women who live together eventually get synchronized periods.

  165. 165.

    max

    @FlipYrWhig: I think it’s fine for him to take his lumps on healthcare.gov and the NSA stuff (although I think the latter has been sensationalized).

    I’d take the opposite position: the healthcare.gov breakdowns have been overblown (any web site of that size is going to be messed up, especially since everything federal is contractors out the eyeballs at this point), and the NSA stuff is more murky than anything. (I don’t think most people, much less the WH press corps, have the technical chops to understand what’s happening.)

    The thing is, is that the Village pretty clearly is all in on anything military, but the American people are not down with the spying shit, so the press brain farts and starts going meta on the question. (‘Why can’t you make Americans love the NSA like Important People do?’)

    Saying that the year’s record was checkered, with low points: fair. Acting like it’s all been lows: bull to the power of shit, factorial.

    That was the problem with the questions: they were asked as if the President were out of office and unveiling his Presidential Library. He’s SO over, dude. But of course, these guys apparently have the memory of fruit flies (except for the one guy who asked that really long editorial about the NSA, and he sounded pretty much like an escaped Alzheimer’s patient), so it’s all about the last two weeks.

    max
    [‘Mr. President, why are you still in office?’]

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