What dope is in charge of Obama's PR?

[adigal]

Last edited Fri Aug 22, 2014, 06:29 AM - Edit history (1)

I get that President Obama is on a very well-deserved vacation. I know he works very hard, and has taken like 1/8 of the vacation time of GWBush. But Obama is being criticized here and abroad for leaving the school where he did the press conference on James Foley's beheading and heading right to the golf course, where he was photographed laughing and fist bumping the other players.

What terrible optics. It was just stupid and will be used to paint him, and Democrats running this November, as not serious about terror. Who was in charge of this? Wouldn't anyone with half a brain say, "President, sir, perhaps you shouldn't be going golfing right after this press conference? Maybe tomorrow, Mr. President?" I am as liberal as they come, and i really like Obama, although I wish he had been more liberal, and I squirmed when I saw the pictures.

Sheesh.

Edited:

For all those of you calling me an idiot - it is all about appearances!!! I had been thinking of running for Congress this y ear, and if I had, I would be furious that the head of my party did this. Compare to Cameron of Britain:

It was all the more striking given that Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain canceled his vacation after the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria released the video showing Mr. Foley’s death because the accent of the masked killer suggested he came from Britain.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/22/us/politics/a-terrorist-horror-then-golf-incongruity-fuels-obama-critics.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=LedeSum&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

I know Obama is not a particularly emotional person, and is entitled to his time, but really...this is just stupid.

[Cha]

1. OH shit.. don't buy in to their Trash Talking.. the President is very capable of having

a press conference on James Wright Foley and leaving to play golf. What was he suppose to do.. go into hiding?

James Foley's parents were appreciative when Obama called them.. I'm not sure they're going to be whining about this.

[uppityperson]

2. Unrec.

[adigal]

3. It looked terrible

You can criticize my observation, unrec me all you want, be bullies, as many here are, which is why I no longer come here often after being here for ten years - but Obama's team was stupid. And no, he certainly didnt need to go into hiding, there weren't just two choices available to him. I would love to see some acknowledgment of shades of grey here. He could have gone to light some candles, or a quick prayer service, or spent some time with his family. But the optics of what he did was terrible.

Fire away. Because it was a stupid move, no matter how much it is denied here.

[Cha]

4. I wasn't being a bully but you didn't address my post. You're buying into rw propaganda, adigal.

[adigal]

10. I'm merely observing, and noting my own gut

And when I saw that he gave the press conference, then saw him all smiling, my gut clenched. I can use my brain and understand that his golfing means nothing, but many can't, which is why they have PR people.

[Cha]

18. I'm giving the President a break.. the corporatemedia whores can

show whatever the hell they want to make him look bad.. I don't agree.

I just found my own picture of the President.. and his family visiting the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial in Washington, D.C on October 14, 2011


"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that"~

http://theobamadiary.com/2014/08/21/early-bird-chat-331/

With his daughter yesterday..


President Obama and Malia arriving at Cape Cod Coast Guard Air Station yesterday

http://theobamadiary.com/2014/08/20/rise-and-shine-887/

[Control-Z]

5. Did you measure the time

between his statement and his game? Did you count the time he took away from his family summer vacation? Did you consider what every rebuke who has been in office would have done given the same shit sandwiches he's been getting?

Good. Sheesh. Now I know the appropriate concern has been addressed and I can sleep comfortably tonight.

[adigal]

11. I don't care what GWBush did - he was an asshat

I care about this President. And zI read that he left the school and went golfing. Now, does that change my view of him? No, but I'm fair. Most people react emotionally and the juxtaposition of both pictures, the deceased and then the golf pics, are causing problems. He has PR people - where were they?

[Cha]

24. No need for all that.. when the coporatemediawhores show pics side by side

.. it's time to freak out and start spreading the word.

[underpants]

6. It doesn't matter

Just before I saw this post ( nothing against you) I saw this newest "controversy" and just rolled my eyes.

It doesn't matter there will be some newly minted outrage no matter what happens.

[adigal]

12. I agree - but a smart PR team would give them less

That's all I'm saying. Maybe he should hire me, But I have a job.

[CJCRANE]

7. The MSM will do what it wants to do.

[IronLionZion]

8. Democrats generally fail miserably at PR

Yes, it is frustrating.

But team GOP has spent tons of money and influence building their propaganda machine. It looks bad because they made it look bad. Presidents have a busy schedule and deal with lots of stuff that the public isn't made aware of, such as foreign policy and military decisions since US forces are engaged in combat roles overseas right now for example. GOP has taken pics of Obama looking sad at funerals and used them in attack ads against obamacare as well. Its what they do.

No matter how much golf our president plays, GOP cut the number of police officers on the streets and gave them military weapons and also put more assault weapons in the hands of civilians and has been encouraging anti-government violence.

[adigal]

13. Yes, you are right, we are weaker

Which is silly, because we have all of the creative thinkers, who should see around the corners and obstacles to these issues.

[RKP5637]

31. I've always thought by nature, republicans are sleazes and cheats, we see it all the time ... hence,

IMO, being perceptive to the sleaziness game, playing it and working with deception comes very naturally to republicans. The democrats have to work at this ... because I think in the big scheme of life, democrats are more worthy individuals with respect to integrity and character ... hence, playing the mudslinging sleaze game does not come as easy and as natural ...

[Cha]

19. I disagree.. When have they "failed miserably"?

Thank you for this, ILZ..

"No matter how much golf our president plays, GOP cut the number of police officers on the streets and gave them military weapons and also put more assault weapons in the hands of civilians and has been encouraging anti-government violence."

[underpants]

32. Republicans = discipline | Democrats = hippies

As far as the White House press is concerned Repub administrations are - disciplined, on message, basically tight lipped business suit types while Dem admins are - frayed edges, policy wonks, turn in the term paper at the last minute types. This is the standard excuse the press corps give when someone dares to ask.

Example - Van Jones and Shirley Sherrod make one thing (real or otherwise) and the attack dogs are echoed by the WH press and the person resigns...... A male prostitute is signed in daily and sits among the press and nothing is really ever made of it.

[whistler162]

9. Thought it was your week....

was it mine and I forgot? DANG!!!!

[trumad]

14. Dumb Op

Unrec

[adigal]

34. Lovely - call someone with whom you disagree "dumb."

Liberals aren't rude, like you.

[emulatorloo]

39. Original Post was called dumb. Not you. Smart people sometimes say dumb things

[conservaphobe]

15. I'm glad he doesn't care about optics or what people think.

Neither should be important in anyone's life.

[TBF]

16. Do some research on who owns the press in this country

and you will have your answer.

[Enrique]

17. don't take this the wrong way

i don't want to be one of those people that responds to someone's post by saying "who cares", but...

but people that worry about optics in politics reminds me of movie fans that worry about how much money a movie makes. I say, worry about whether the movie is good, leave money stuff to the investors.

[oberliner]

20. You raise a reasonable point

I don't know why you've gotten such a negative reaction. If Bush had done this, he'd be savaged here. I think he could've postponed the golf outing. Not a huge deal - but a fair point.

[CJCRANE]

21. But the MSM can do this to any politician at any time.

For example, Michael Moore used outtakes and extra footage to emabarass Bush but the rest of the MSM didn't use them.

[Cha]

22. I know why she's gotten such a "negative reaction".. because all these

people aren't buying into to the rw bullshit and carrying their water for them.

As for whatever bush did or didn't do.. we do know he lied through out his damn residency so there's no comparison between what President Obama is doing to clean up the bush mess and going back to getting some R&R from it.

[elfin]

23. I agree

Terrible optics. He NEEDS to have a break, but photos a bad idea.

He looked so tired and even gaunt yesterday, I worry for his health. If golf relaxes him, so be it - just don't showcase it to a quick-to-hate electorate.

[underpants]

29. ".... now watch my drive"

W

Savaged here yes but not in the MSM they cowered at his feet.

[oberliner]

30. That's the moment I was thinking of as well

I guess I am more attuned to DU than the MSM so it may be warping my perception a bit.

[adigal]

35. Thank you. We are our own worst enemy when we refuse to acknowledge mistakes

But of course, since I posted this here, I knew I'd get this reaction. Seems DU has become incapable of seeing shades of grey. Such a shame.

[adigal]

41. Could you imagine if Bush gave that press conference and then cleared brush

With his buddies, laughing and back slapping? The machine here would be in overdrive, calling him distant, unconcerned, out of touch, etc.

I don't get how people who would crucify Bush over this refuse to criticize Obama at all.

[JoePhilly]

25. The endless whining continues.

If Obama decided every action based on how the media would spin it, he'd never be able to do anything.

And here we are, falling right into that nonsense.

[Baitball Blogger]

26. I don't think people realize how golfing mixed with politics portrays an image of a lifestyle

which is all too corrupt. I hear that it's a sport which is not connecting with the next generation and I'm not surprised. I think it's unfortunate, but I'm not surprised.

I agree that his PR man should be fired because the impression is that whoever he was golfing with was more important.

[HipChick]

27. RW bS

[Blecht]

28. Thanks for your concern

[Boom Sound 416]

33. Good post.

[deaniac21]

36. I think this type of criticism of the President

is racist at it's core.

[adigal]

40. I think your comment is idiotic at its core

How do you get from my concern that he had bad PR to me being a racist? Have some decency, would you? Throwing around the term racist for obviously non-racist comments is like the boy who cried wolf, and weakens when there is real racism.

Shame on you.

[DefenseLawyer]

37. If he never took vacations

They would call him an obsessed, paranoid control freak whose own staff hates him so much and can't let them out of his sight for fear of them breaking ranks with his tyrannical regime

[okieinpain]

38. I agree.

[adigal]

42. Even many Democrats "flinched" at this

But the criticism went beyond the usual political opponents. Privately, many Democrats shook their heads at what they considered a judgment error. Ezra Klein, editor in chief of the online news site Vox, who is normally sympathetic to Mr. Obama, wrote on Twitter on Wednesday that “golfing today is in bad taste.” The Daily News published a front-page photograph of a grinning president in a golf cart next to a picture of Mr. Foley’s distraught mother and father under the headline, “Prez tees off as Foley’s parents grieve.”

“As a general rule, I think that he’s right that you can’t be held hostage to the news cycle — the man deserves a bit of downtime,” said Jim Manley, a longtime Democratic strategist. “But in this particular instance, I think a lot of Democrats flinched a little bit.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/22/us/politics/a-terrorist-horror-then-golf-incongruity-fuels-obama-critics.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=LedeSum&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

[WinkyDink]

43. Apparently many here do not remember the once-pervasive criticism of Ike, to wit:

During Ike’s presidency in the 1950s, Democrats routinely criticized him for playing too much golf, some referring to him as the “Duffer-in Chief.” They argued he was neglecting his duties, squandering away valuable time while the nation’s problems mounted.

http://thepoliticalexpress.com/2011/06/07/obama-boehner-and-presidential-golf/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Times have changed, wot?

[treestar]

44. Probably has the best PR team in the country

or the world, for that matter. So probably they aren't worried. You don't have that job for a reason.

[adigal]

45. Hubris has harmed many politicians and their teams, as has tunnel vision

And perhaps they should be worried?? Because lots of Democrats are worried, according to the NY Times.

And what would you say if Bush had done the identical thing? Be honest. Please.

[treestar]

46. I wouldn't have cared

Bush added something by saying "now watch this drive." He was trying to minimize or show he was in control and no one need worry.

The PR team is there to deal with any possible hubris. Yet Obama is not a person showing any signs of it.

This is nothing to worry about compared to ISIS, the Ebola virus, cops out of control, etc.