The joke goes: “How do you know when President Obama is speaking?”
The punchline is: “David Axelrod’s fingers are moving.”
For political junkies that brings uproarious laughter. The problem with the joke is that most people are not political junkies. In fact, most people probably could not explain who David Axelrod is, let alone how he fits into that joke.
After the now famed St. Patrick’s Day Fiasco at the White House last night, I thought it might be a good idea to explain what that joke is all about and how it fits into the St. Patrick’s Day Fiasco.
During the campaign last year it was obvious then Senator Obama was giving some great speeches as he stumped around the country. At last we had someone who sounded ‘presidential’ when he spoke. The speeches were big on flair and hope, but weak on substance. No one cared. After eight years of a president who was horrible in front of the cameras the country was desperate for someone who could speak. Obama was the man.
It was early on in the campaigns we found out it was David Axelrod who was writing the speeches for Obama. The problem was Barac Obama lacked the skill to make those speeches when the teleprompters were turned off. He knew the rhetoric well enough, but to summon it at a moment’s notice and make it sound polished like the speeches he was giving was not happening. The solution was to keep him on teleprompters.
Skip ahead a year and the teleprompters have become a fixture everywhere President Obama speaks. Once he was elected it was expected he would bring out the teleprompters for important occasions, but would speak from the cuff like all his predecessors at smaller functions. That turned out not to be the case. Even press conferences that used to be presented from notes on a 3x5 card are presented from teleprompters. And the person writing for the teleprompters?? Still David Axelrod. He is now seen as the man through whom all words coming from the president must pass to be sure the president stays on message and sounds presentable.
Then came the St. Patrick’s Day Fiasco. This one was so bad even the Lapdog American Media (LAMs – also known as a bunch of sheep capable of taking dictation) is refusing to replay the videos. The inevitable happened. Fortunately, the British press is doing the job the Lapdog American Medial should be doing and they told the story for us.
Speeches were being given at the White House Parteeee. Finally the Prime Minister of Ireland got up and started through his speech. About twenty seconds in he realized what he was reading on the teleprompter was not his speech, but instead it was President Obama’s speech. Laughingly, President Obama came to the dais and started reading from the teleprompter as if it was his speech. Unbeknownst to President Obama, the teleprompter operator had switched the speeches so the Prime Minister’s speech was now up. President Obama got as far as thanking himself for the great party before someone jumped in and put a stop to the whole mess. It had to happen sooner or later. The president was embarrassed, the world press had a good story to report, and the Lapdog American Media had another secret to keep to protect the president.
Now you know how you can tell President Obama is speaking. David Axelrod’s fingers are moving!!!
The punchline is: “David Axelrod’s fingers are moving.”
For political junkies that brings uproarious laughter. The problem with the joke is that most people are not political junkies. In fact, most people probably could not explain who David Axelrod is, let alone how he fits into that joke.
After the now famed St. Patrick’s Day Fiasco at the White House last night, I thought it might be a good idea to explain what that joke is all about and how it fits into the St. Patrick’s Day Fiasco.
During the campaign last year it was obvious then Senator Obama was giving some great speeches as he stumped around the country. At last we had someone who sounded ‘presidential’ when he spoke. The speeches were big on flair and hope, but weak on substance. No one cared. After eight years of a president who was horrible in front of the cameras the country was desperate for someone who could speak. Obama was the man.
It was early on in the campaigns we found out it was David Axelrod who was writing the speeches for Obama. The problem was Barac Obama lacked the skill to make those speeches when the teleprompters were turned off. He knew the rhetoric well enough, but to summon it at a moment’s notice and make it sound polished like the speeches he was giving was not happening. The solution was to keep him on teleprompters.
Skip ahead a year and the teleprompters have become a fixture everywhere President Obama speaks. Once he was elected it was expected he would bring out the teleprompters for important occasions, but would speak from the cuff like all his predecessors at smaller functions. That turned out not to be the case. Even press conferences that used to be presented from notes on a 3x5 card are presented from teleprompters. And the person writing for the teleprompters?? Still David Axelrod. He is now seen as the man through whom all words coming from the president must pass to be sure the president stays on message and sounds presentable.
Then came the St. Patrick’s Day Fiasco. This one was so bad even the Lapdog American Media (LAMs – also known as a bunch of sheep capable of taking dictation) is refusing to replay the videos. The inevitable happened. Fortunately, the British press is doing the job the Lapdog American Medial should be doing and they told the story for us.
Speeches were being given at the White House Parteeee. Finally the Prime Minister of Ireland got up and started through his speech. About twenty seconds in he realized what he was reading on the teleprompter was not his speech, but instead it was President Obama’s speech. Laughingly, President Obama came to the dais and started reading from the teleprompter as if it was his speech. Unbeknownst to President Obama, the teleprompter operator had switched the speeches so the Prime Minister’s speech was now up. President Obama got as far as thanking himself for the great party before someone jumped in and put a stop to the whole mess. It had to happen sooner or later. The president was embarrassed, the world press had a good story to report, and the Lapdog American Media had another secret to keep to protect the president.
Now you know how you can tell President Obama is speaking. David Axelrod’s fingers are moving!!!
Woof! Woof! Don't let this become the boy who cried wolf! Keep it alive!
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