REALITY TV GONE TOO FAR? TAREQ AND MICHAELE SALAHI CRASH WHITE HOUSE DINNER ...
Examiner.com - Dec 5, 2009
That's the question Tareq and Michaele Salahi will have to answer as the couple successfully attended President Obama's first White House state dinner last ...
To document the evening, the Salahis snapped photos with Vice President Joe Biden, President Barak Obama and other distinguished guests. Making matters worse, Michaele Salahi boasted her White House adventure on her Facebook account by posting pictures of the evening.
The Salahis' night at the White House has raised many questions about fame-seeking in American culture as well as a serious breach in White House security.
OBAMA BENDS ALMOST DOUBLE AS HE BOWS TO JAPANESE ROYALTY
Daily Mail By SaraNelson11-15-2009
Standing at over six foot in height, Barack Obama had to bow deeply as he paid his respects to the diminutive Japanese Emperor Akihito.
Obama met the emperor and Empress Michiko at the Imperial Palace today, a stop on his nine-day Asian
AND THE BEAT GOES ON...
Tue Sep 29, 12:47 am ET
Yahoo News
Last week Barack and Michelle Obama hosted a reception for visiting foreign dignitaries at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. Over the course of the evening, the president, whose "amazingly consistent" smile created a viral video, and first lady posed for over 130 photographs with their guests, all of which were later posted to the State Department's Flickr page.
This caused a problem: Included was a shot of the Obamas posing with Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, his wife Sonsoles Espinosa, and two daughters, Laura, 16, and Alba, 13, who've never had photographs of themselves published previously in print or online due to a Spanish law prohibiting the media from doing so. The photo of Zapatero and his family with the Obamas was quickly removed from Flickr at the request of the Spanish government but still lurks online (in the shot seen here their faces are blurred). The flap is adding concerns on the issue of the privacy of world leaders' children in the digital age.
Writing on The Daily Beast today, Republican Senator John McCain's daughter Meghan expressed sympathy for the girls, who've been labeled as "goth" in the photo.
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA BROKE U.S. PROTOCOL AND BOWED TO SAUDI KING DURING G20 SUMMIT
Cleveland Leader April 8, 2009
Upon returning home from his 8-day tour of Europe and the Middle East, President Barack Obama has been greeted with some pretty harsh criticism over photographs and video footage which show him bowing to King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia during the G20 Summit. While the mainstream media has largely ignored this major political gaffe, it has not gone unnoticed.
BARACK TAKES A BOW
THE PRESIDENT SHOWS FEALTY TO A MUSLIM KING
The Washington Times Tuesday, April 7, 2009
In a shocking display of fealty to a foreign potentate, President Obama bowed to Saudi King Abdullah at the Group of 20 summit in London last week.
Mr. Obama later said in Strasbourg, France, "We have to change our behavior in showing the Muslim world greater respect." Symbolism is important in world affairs. By bending over to show greater respect to Islam, the U.S. president belittled the power and independence of the United States.
The bow was an extraordinary protocol violation. Such an act is a traditional obeisance befitting a king's subjects, not his peer.
THE SECRET BEHIND OBAMA'S BOW TO THE KING
Asharq Al Awsat 08/04/2009 By Muhammad Diyab
President Barack Obama's bow in front of King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz during their meeting at the sidelines of the G20 conference in London has aroused suspicion once again over Obama's religious identity. Gary Bauer, a former Republican Presidential primary candidate said that "he [Obama] is courting the Muslims in a way that arouses suspicion" and this makes clear that Obama's opponents are omitting a lot of facts when interpreting this bow.
UNCLE SAM WANTS TO WARRANTY YOUR CAR
CNNMoney By David Goldman March 30, 2009
"Your warranty will be safe. In fact, it will be safer than it's ever been. Because starting today, the United States government will stand behind your warranty," President Obama said on Monday.
WHAT THE TELEPROMPTER TEACHES
Washington Post By Michael Gerson March 27, 2009
It is amazing how swiftly a presidential tendency turns from observation to joke to meme. Barack Obama -- called "the most eloquent political speaker of our time" -- has become known as the teleprompter president
The issue gathered momentum when Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen read 20 seconds of Obama's teleprompter remarks at a White House ceremony before realizing his mistake. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, at her nomination as head of Health and Human Services, was made to wait in awkward silence while Obama's teleprompter was adjusted. Then came Obama's use of the big-screen autocue at Tuesday night's news conference Coverage by Ron Fournier of the Associated Press began: "What kind of politician brings a teleprompter to a news conference?" A recent Politico story asserted, "President Barack Obama doesn't go anywhere without his teleprompter," calling it a "crutch."
'ARE YOU PUNCH-DRUNK?' OBAMA GRILLED FOR LAUGHING OVER THE ECONOMY
By Mail Foreign Service 23rd March 2009
"You're sitting here. And you're laughing. You are laughing about some of these problems," Kroft told the president. "Are people going to look at this and say, 'I mean, he's sitting there just making jokes about money?' How do you deal with -- I mean: explain ... Are you punch-drunk?
60 Minutes March 22, 2009
...The one thing that I've tried to emphasize, though, throughout this week, and will continue to try to emphasize during the course of the next several months as we dig ourselves out of this economic hole that we're in, we can't govern outta anger."
..."You're sitting here. And you're laughing. You are laughing about some of these problems," Kroft told the president. "Are people going to look at this and say, 'I mean, he's sitting there just making jokes about money?' How do you deal with -- I mean: explain ... Are you punch-drunk?"
"No, no. There's gotta be a little gallows humor to get you through the day," Obama replied, with a laugh
OBAMA ON HIS BOWLING SKILLS 'LIKE THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS'
President, Already Under Attack on Issues, Makes Questionable Quip on 'The Tonight Show'
By JakeTapperlosAngeles, March 19, 2009
..the president talked about how he's gotten better at bowling and has been practicing in the White House bowling alley, even bowling a 129. "That's very good, Mr. President," Leno said sarcastically.
It's "like the Special Olympics or something," the president said.
CHICAGO WAY EXTENSION RUNS RIGHT THROUGH D.C.
John Kass March 21, 2009 Chicago Tribune
Obama told Jay Leno he was surprised that those greedy AIG executives who helped lead the country into financial ruin were in line to receive $165 million in bonuses paid for by bailout cash authorized by his administration.
"Stunned, stunned is the word," said Obama.
Stunned?
It turns out that his Treasury Secretary TimothyGeithner—who didn't pay all of his federal taxes but was still deemed worthy by Obama of collecting yours—knew all about the AIG bonuses weeks ago.
TONGUE-TIED BARACK OBAMA IS TURNING INTO JIMMY CARTER
Tim Shipman at Mar 21, 2009 London Telegraph
Barack Obama's gaffe mocking the disabled by comparing his (inept but improving) 10 pin bowling skills to the "special Olympics" illustrates the problem he now has in communicating with the American people.
Obama seems incapable of balancing the need to be a national leader and his childish desire to retain his image as the uber cool dude he so clearly believes that he is.
The fact that he felt the need to go on Jay Leno at all to sell his stimulus plan, budget and banking bailouts shows that he has communications issues. The public are not buying his spending splurge, or his administration's confused attempt to kill off executive bonuses.
FIRST GAFFE OF OBAMA-BIDEN ‘08
“Let me introduce to you the next president…”
By MichelleMalkin • August 23, 2008
Obama gets to the climax of his introduction of Biden and says…
“Let me introduce to you, the next president — vice president — of the United States…”
ROBERTS, OBAMA RE-DO SWEARING IN
Christina Bellantoni Washington Times Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. administers the oath of office a second time in the Map Room of the White House on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2009. White House.
President Obama took the oath of office a second time Wednesday night during a private ceremony at the White House, one day after the flubbing of the oath on Inauguration Day.
LET'S HOPE HE LIKES THE WIZARD OF OZ
By Ian Drury 06th March 2009 DAILYMAIL
Obama gives Brown a set of classic movies. Let's hope he likes the Wizard of Oz
Barack Obama, the leader of the world's richest country, gave the Prime Minister a box set of 25 classic American films - a gift about as exciting as a pair of socks.
Mr Brown is not thought to be a film buff, and his reaction to the box set is unknown. But it didn't really compare to the thoughtful presents he had brought along with him.
Marking the special relationship: The Browns put a lot of thought into their gifts for the Obamas - but the gesture did not seem to be reciprocated.
The Prime Minister gave MrObama an ornamental pen holder made from the timbers of the Victorian anti-slave ship HMS Gannet.
… Mrs Brown has been praised for her well-chosen gifts for the Obama children - but MrsObama's gift to the Brown children appeared less thoughtful
GIFT TURNS INTO GAFFE ARTICLE
The mock "reset" button had a different meaning than intended.
By Jay Solomon Associated Press March 6, 2009
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had an embarrassing moment when she presented a gift to Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov that was intended to display the Russian word for "reset" -- a reference to Vice President Joe Biden's statement that the U.S. wants to reset relations with Russia.
The gift read "peregruzka."
Mrs.Clinton said, "We worked hard to get the right Russian word. Do you think we got it?"
The Russian diplomat answered nyet. Peregruzka means "overcharged," he explained.
"Reset" is "perezagruzka." U.S. officials said they would fix the gift.
OBAMA CHIC
CristinaCorbin, FOX News, February 12, 2009
When President Obama boarded Marine One for his first flight as commander-in-chief, he decided to break from tradition. Departing from the South Lawn of the White House for a trip to Williamsburg, Va., the new president extended his hand to a U.S. Marine standing in salute at the base of the helicopter's steps. The unscripted gesture forced the Marine to break his stance and shake the president's hand before he returned to his posed position of hand at brow.
BARACKOBAMA SENDS BUST OF WINSTONCHURCHILL ON ITS WAY BACK TO BRITAIN
Barack Obama has sent Sir Winston Churchill packing and pulse rates soaring among anxious British diplomats.
By Tim Shipman in Washington Telegraph 14 Feb 2009
Bust of the former prime minister once voted the greatest Briton in history, which was loaned to George W Bush from the Government's art collection after the September 11 attacks, has now been formally handed back.
The bronze by Sir Jacob Epstein, worth hundreds of thousands of pounds if it were ever sold on the open market, enjoyed pride of place in the Oval Office during President Bush's tenure.
But when British officials offered to let MrObama to hang onto the bust for a further four years, the White House said: "Thanks, but no thanks."
OBAMA RELAXES WHITE HOUSE DRESS CODE
By MarkKnoller, CBS News (Jan. 30)
BarackObama promised change and on his first morning as president he delivered. He appeared at the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office in his shirt sleeves.
OBAMA JOKES THAT IF HE VISITS BRAZIL, REPUBLICANS WOULD LIKE TO SEEM HIM GET LOST IN AMAZON
Associated Press March 14, 2009
Obama made the crack Saturday in the Oval Office after a meeting with Brazil's president. Obama said he would like to visit Brazil and thinks he should visit Rio de Janeiro, where he understands the beaches are nice. Then he said he would love a trip to the Amazon. He joked that he suspects the Republican Party would like to see him travel through the Amazon and maybe get lost for while.
Reel 'Em In
Voters gambled, pulled that one-armed bandit, and got three Acorns!
OBAMA, REID, PELOSI
The acorn, a nut containing a single seed (rarely two seeds) take between about 6 or 24 months to mature