Obama is the most critiqued president in American history.

[Drunken Irishman]

It isn't just because he's black, though I think that's part of it (Obama, being the first black president, is expected to comment on every news event involving a black person - whether Henry Louis Gates, Trayvon Martin or Michael Brown). Certainly no one ever asked Bill Clinton to speak about Susan Smith or George W. Bush with Andrea Yates. So, in that regard, Obama has to step up to the plate every time and almost always his response angers someone. He angered the right with his comments on Prof. Gates and Martin and, yes, some on the left with his comments today about Brown.

But Obama's critiques go beyond just race - it goes to the root of the dynamics of being president in today's world. No president had to deal with Social Media quite like the President. Even Bush, for a good chunk of his presidency, wasn't under the social media microscope quite like Obama.

In 2006, Myspace led the social media game - with 100 million users. Today, Facebook has 1.1 billion. Twitter has 645,750,000.

Instagram, Vine and other platforms have gone mainstream. It only takes but a few seconds for Obama to say something and reach nearly the entire globe - and many of those people won't actually hear him say anything because today's generation hardly watches television news.

It allows for criticism and praise - but also unfiltered reaction without the benefit of 'wait and see'. It wasn't that long ago the instant reaction was minimal. When the federal building in Oklahoma City was bombed, the internet was in its infancy, so, people couldn't take to the blogs and twitter to blame the President for it or speak of conspiracies. They were forced to wait things out - nothing was instant.

Obama doesn't have that luxury. Neither will whomever replaces him. Instead, everything he says and does will instantly be discussed by over a billion people in real time - and not just in the confines of their homes. Twenty years ago, you couldn't get your feelings on a situation out to 1,000 people instantly. Now, you can tweet and have it reach millions within hours.

Is this bad? I don't know. But it does offer an interesting contrast and helps explain why so much is different under Obama than even Bush. Twitter and social media has changed the game more than anything since, really, television ... and it makes it infinitely easier to critique the president without even needing the benefit of waiting and seeing.

I think Obama was dinged a bit last night for not speaking. I saw it. But in the end, his words resonated and helped. He did the right thing. 24 hours ago, though, a lot of people were convinced he hadn't and that drove the critique and the attacks and that has been a constant theme under the Obama presidency since he arrived.

It's unfair, I think, and specifically a result of the social media frenzy.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

1. quelle surprise. n/t

[SunSeeker]

2. Lawrence O'Donnell had a great segment tonight about this.

He pointed out that no other president weighed in at this stage of a police shooting, citing the examples of Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, who all withheld comment until about a year after the controversial police shootings that occurred during their administrations.

[Cha]

4. Thanks for that Sunseeker.. For those of us who have paid close attention the last 5 1/2 years..

meta @metaquest
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If you've paid close attention over the last 5 1/2 yrs, Pres Obama doesn't speak unless he has a clear understanding & a working plan to fix

2:38 PM - 14 Aug 2014 71 Retweets 48 favorites

TOD

[underthematrix]

3. I attribute the criticism of President Obama in situations

like this to stupidity. You have to listen very carefully to his PROFOUND statement to get what he and AG Holder have been doing for the past five days. President Obama had directed AG Holder to investigate Michael Brown's Under Color of Blue murder almost from the instant Michael's precious body fell to the ground. STUPID peeps right and left still don't get him. He is a person who likes to get the FACTS before he responds. Oh yeah there is a difference between REACTING and responding. Reacting is what caused Michael's murder. White officers always seem to be the instigators of violence under color of authority. They seem to be extremely fearful of black bodies or bodies of color. I really really think we need to assess whether given the history of whiteness and white bodies in this country that such history should preclude such individuals from law enforcement and military work. I don't think this is true of all white officers but I do think we need to look a little deeper when considering such persons for color of authority positions.

[Cha]

5. The hyperbolic knee jerking last night at President Obama was disgusting..

Republicon talking points and shit coming from their own minds.. nothing to do with reality.

They obviously have not been paying attention or if they have they lost it.. and didn't give a shite..

meta @metaquest
Follow
If you've paid close attention over the last 5 1/2 yrs, Pres Obama doesn't speak unless he has a clear understanding & a working plan to fix

2:38 PM - 14 Aug 2014 71 Retweets 48 favorites

TOD

The President's words..

“His family will never hold Michael in their arms again”


"Of course, it’s important to remember how this started. We lost a young man, Michael Brown, in heartbreaking and tragic circumstances. He was 18 years old. His family will never hold Michael in their arms again. And when something like this happens, the local authorities –- including the police -– have a responsibility to be open and transparent about how they are investigating that death, and how they are protecting the people in their communities."

TOD

Mahalo for your OP, DI

[flamingdem]

10. Thanks Cha!

We've been paying attention! So tired of the hypocrites, jealous they are..

[Cha]

12. It was crazy, flamingem..

"Obama's Katrina?! (Republicon talking point)" And, others showing pics of where President Obama was last night and demanding why wasn't he out there talking to them right fucking now!!??" So weak and egocentric..

kiddo!

[MADem]

20. I read that nasty shit HERE. Where I come to get away from the GOP nastiness.

I'll tell ya, some days I just have to smh and sigh.

That "how dare he have dinner" thread took the cake.

By their words, though, we know 'em.

[herding cats]

13. I totally agree.

I've seen some glaringly over the top and ignorant claims made about our president. Sometimes it's obvious it's people looking to be outraged without a clue as to what they're even talking about. They'll say anything that pops into their minds so long as it's derogatory.

I think Obama and Holder did great jobs today in helping to diffuse the disaster in Ferguson. Gov. Nixon stepped up to the plate late, but he appears to have hit a home run in appointing Missouri State Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson as head of the security operations. He was the perfect man for the job. Thankfully we have people like them in times like these.

[Cha]

16. Hey, herding cats.. So thankful for all those who contributed to

today's total 180 in Ferguson, MO.

Charles Johnson @Green_Footballs
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Amazing turnaround in Ferguson tonight! And all it took was treating people like human beings worthy of respect.
4:57 PM - 14 Aug 2014 90 Retweets 71 favorites



Nick Confessore ✔ @nickconfessore
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Retweeted plenty of rough pictures out of Ferguson. Glad to be retweeting this one now.
4:52 PM - 14 Aug 2014 1,113 Retweets 622 favorites

TOD

Michael Brown

[krawhitham]

6. +1

[betsuni]

7. It's always Worst Case Scenario Theater when it comes to Obama

Yesterday everything was going to heck in a hand basket because Where's Obama, then he spoke and even on Gawker there were so many mean vicious comments. Now today everything's all better, all the hysteria forgotten. Until next time. You'd think people would get tired of freaking out so often.

[fadedrose]

8. He's required to have a higher standard

and make all the right decisions, say all the right things, etc., as if to apologize for being black.

I love the man and expect him to make mistakes, like any human of any color. I sense he is a very good man who goes out of his way to achieve peace and will put up with a lot of BS, Seldom does he get totally fed up, but it happens, and when it does, it does..

[littlemissmartypants]

9. You were not drinking when you wrote this.

I love my president.
Thanks for your post, DI.
~Lmsp

[BrotherIvan]

11. I think people were just looking for someone to stop the madness

It was obvious that local and state leaders were mishandling things or AWOL. It looked like people could be seriously hurt or killed at any moment. I don't blame people at all for wanting a leader to step forward and do something.

Things seem very bad right now in this country. People are struggling and scared. Culturally, there is a huge schism that feels like the rumblings of civil war. I don't blame anyone for wanting some comfort that someone might help, that there was a way for things to get better. Presidents and Prime Ministers do address the people during times of war, and this looked like war.

It's ok to ask things of the President. He signed up for the job. It's not bashing to turn to the President and ask for help.

[Tsiyu]

22. A very reasoned post

It wasn't only the shooting that had people riled up. It wasn't only the shooting that people wanted addressed.

People all over this country have been harassed and brutalized by some members of law enforcement, almost as if there is anarchy among a significant subsection of cops. Then we feed these untrained wannabes semi-automatic weapons and armored personnel carriers and rubber bullets and expect them to show restraint.

People who wanted to see just how low the Ferguson/St. Louis County cops would go watched those cops use their toys last night, clinging to each other like kittens while lobbing stun grenades and teargas in people's back yards.

We witnessed a camera damaged, rubber bullet wounds, journalists told to turn off their cameras. Grieving people treated like terrorists by terrorists. Unconstitutional, lawless. Blatant.

We have federal laws that are being violated nationwide, and this has been brought up for years, only to be shushed and dismissed by those who are removed from the brunt of it or who are cowards.

What we saw last night must be stopped. We must be a nation of law and order, not of chaos rained down upon a city of grieving people. There are churches and children there, the faithful and the thief, the grandma and the family dog. Like every place, even if they don't dress or talk or look just like someone you know. People. American citizens. Not a lot of opportunity or hope. Constant harassment by law enforcement. When you do protest to try to make things better, they shoot at you and gas you and blast piercing noise bombs where your infants sleep.

President Obama is not any better, not any worse than any of the people of Ferguson. Speaking up for them, to ask for support for those who loved Brown, whose uncovered body was left sprawled on the road for hours in a final act of indignity, does not diminish anyone.

[HooptieWagon]

14. Hyperbole much?

FDR and Lincoln took much more criticism, just to name two.

[Drunken Irishman]

15. I doubt FDR and Lincoln, who didn't have to deal with a 24 hour media, were nearly as critiqued.

Hell, either could do something and it wouldn't be reported for weeks - if it all. Obama goes on vacation and it's top story.

[madokie]

17. Obama is not treated the same as other Presidents and

anyone who can't see that are not paying attention. I started paying attention way back about 2 weeks into a 15 months deployment in VN when I realized that what I had volunteered for and what we as a country was doing was NOT right. The people there had done us no wrong before we arrived in country. I know VN has nothing to do with this case, I only mention it to let anyone know when I started paying attention to what the hell is going on around me. President Obama is not being treated like the rest of our Presidents have been. Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton wasn't either but not to the degree that Obama is

Oh yes, I love my President, President Obama and appreciate how he handles himself and the office of our President

[SkyDaddy7]

18. WTF?!?!

Yeah, ole FDR got hammered on Twitter all the time by the Right with disgusting Tweets #CantWalkCantLead...And the 24hr news cable news cycle ran coverage of how Social Security was going to bankrupt the nation over & over & over for a couple of years turning the country against the program they had supported! Lets not even talk about the hell FDR faced dealing with the Conspiracies floated around about him on Facebook & all the photoshopped pics of him making fun of his disability!

The RACISM Obama has had to deal with on Twitter...The 24hr news cycle that helped create fear & distrust for every little thing Obama was doing or even proposing...Not to mention the regular news ALONE Obama (and others POTUS) has had to deal with would swamp anything Lincoln & FDR would have had to deal with in their worst nightmares!!


Seriously, would really like to hear the mental gymnastics needed to write the comment you did?

[Paka]

21. I hope I won't get banned and blocked for saying this...

but thank you for calling that "hooptie" idiot out!

[MADem]

19. I think the Santorum BLAAAAAAAAAAAH is a big piece of the hate.

I don't like saying that, but it is what I believe. I think women get the same kind of "Twice as good to get half the credit" scrutiny.

Social media does play into it, but stupid ass jerks who don't do their research before shooting off their big fat media mouths are a problem, too. E.g., WRT to the Ferguson issues, POTUS had already involved the DOJ; the smart thing to do is to let them do their work, they've got the network on the ground to do that, and then take a brief from them before doing (or more importantly, saying) anything. And it's never a good idea to bigfoot the leadership on the ground. It causes both resentment and abdication. The thing to do is HELP--not take over. Nixon seems to have gotten a handle on how to play it--the state police (and his choice of point man) are just the ticket. Ferguson is unlike many areas in that they are unincorporated, and there's not a lot of "chain of command" there like there would be in an incorporated city or town. That fact probably helped the police morph into nasty and poorly trained bullies--they didn't have sufficient oversight.

Hell, the glacial pace of Ike vis a vis Little Rock would have resulted in his impeachment were he held to the same standard.

But there's another factor at play, and we need to face it. Some people, no matter WHAT Obama does, it will never be enough. There are fault finders out there, and there are fault finders here, too. Even when they're forced to give him credit, it's grudging. And it's obvious as hell, too. What can ya do?