How Smart Is President Obama? Very Smart.

[kpete]

Say whatever you’d like, cable newsers, President Obama is not watching. In an interview with CNN’s Brian Stelter on “Reliable Sources” Sunday, former Obama press secretary and current CNN political analyst Jay Carney described the president as “a voracious consumer of the printed word, even the electronic printed word, and but he doesn’t — he doesn’t watch cable news”:

STELTER: Is it true the president doesn’t watch any cable news?

CARNEY: It is true, which doesn’t mean that he doesn’t get news, in a real time basis. He does. He’s a voracious consumer of the printed word, even the electronic printed word, and but he doesn’t — he doesn’t watch cable news. I have spent, you know, countless hours with him on Air Force One, especially, in the conference room where we always had the TV on, and it was never in any of the trips I ever took with him, tuned in to cable news.


http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/jay-carney-president-obama-is-various-reader-of-print-does-not-watch-cable-news_b243577

[frazzled]

1. I'm with the prez

I no longer watch any cable news, and haven't for three or four years now. I used to be a junkie, but it started to seem like a complete waste of time to me at a certain point. So unless something live is happening that is important, I don't watch the jibber-jabber.

I don't feel any less up to date on the news. I subscribe to two major newspapers that I read every day, and read news on the Internet as well. Who needs the endless blather?

[riqster]

2. On this one, I agree with the Prexy.

Visited family over the weekend, and they have CNN on all day long. The sensationalizing, speculation, punditing, and fear-mongering occupy 90+% of the time, and actual news only appears from time to time.

Glad I don't watch TeeVee. Uck.

[MyOwnPeace]

9. Yeah, but............

"I subscribe to two major newspapers...."

why don't you read "all of them" like Palin?

[Mojorabbit]

19. I quit watching last year

and it changed my life for the better. I read my news, then I form my own opinions on what is happening around the world. I do not need any pundit to explain it to me.

[Baitball Blogger]

3. One thing you learn about media when you live overseas,

is that the media is used for propaganda.

I didn't realize it until the nineties, but our media is bought and paid for. It's a good thing that the Prez is relying on objective sources.

[Stellar]

4. Gawd...I'd be a basket case if I were the President...

watching cable news all day long. As I sometimes did it, when Obama was first elected President. I just can't do that anymore, as my feelings were always hurt, starting out with 'morning Joke'. I stopped watching him shortly after Mikas dad called Joe... "Stunningly Superficial". I stopped a lot of bad habit then, even smoking. I'm smoke free and got some of my peace of mind back.

[Gothmog]

5. President Obama was the EIC of Harvard Law Review

You have to be bright to be elected to this position

[YoungDemCA]

6. Certainly a brighter bulb than his predecessor...

[JDPriestly]

7. He isn't just smart, he is discerning.

He knows how little cable news is worth. Lots of drama. Very little information. Worthless. Unless you want entertainment. Newsertainment, I suppose.

Shut off your TV. Drop your cable subscription. You'll save lots of money. The internet is all you need. You can watch those news stories that are important to you on the internet.

I do like Pacifica radio and some other interview shows. Real News is informative.

But when you get a 3-5 minute maximum news report on some event or story, you have nothing. Nothing. It's just a vague impression mixed with lots of emotion. Give me an in depth interview with someone who knows what they are talking about or better yet a book or an article. But cable news? No, thanks.

[sinkingfeeling]

8. Neither do I watch cable news. If I did, all my TVs would be broken.

[FairWinds]

10. He certainly is VERY smart . .

being the Prez of the Harvard Law Review is basically
the same as being first in the class.
But that makes his performance all the more disappointing -
especially on national security issues such as the treatment of
whistle blowers. He never had room in his administration for
progressives. And he should have done medicare for all under
reconciliation. I could go on . .

[Fred Sanders]

11. The very reason we love him, his smarts and his compassion and his calm, is why they hate him.

[SalviaBlue]

12. That's good to hear.

We should stop calling it "news."

[seabeyond]

13. cable news is almost all opinion today. there were specific shows that were in the past.

and one could get the news. now.... we get these peoples opinion. i do not want their opinion. i want the info, i will come to my own opinion.

[Warpy]

15. Al Jazeera America

It's the only place to get news without editorial bias, although you will never find anything positive about Israel.

The lack of loaded language there is refreshing. It reminds me of what the Big Three were like years ago before wingnuts bought them up.

[Warpy]

14. Smarter than I am

While I've wanted to throttle him from time to time for telling Republicans that things like Social Security were on the bargaining table, I realize that most of the time he was just playing with them, offering them things they've lusted after for years because he knew they'd vote against oxygen if he said anything good about it.

He does most of his best work behind the scenes. About the only thing I fault him for (other than his Goldman-Sachs financial advisers) is not using the bully pulpit more often. I suppose he realizes that would remind people he's still black, but he still needs to tell people what's going on.

[lindysalsagal]

16. This morning, Joe Scarborough accused lots of libruls of being stupid, repeatedly. Like 12 times.

Wonder why people don't watch him? I put it on for a few minutes while I get ready for work, mostly to wake up and find out the biggest stories. Not that fond of Mika, either, but it wakes me up.

[rosesaylavee]

17. Good. Because it isn't news. It's entertainment. eom

[bigwillq]

18. I'm smart too!

I don't watch cable news either.

Good for you, Obama!

[grahamhgreen]

20. Smart enough to know you can't compromise with insane people???

[Journeyman]

21. I haven't watched broadcast news since Linda Ellerbee's "Overnight" was cancelled in '86 . . .

and I only watched her because I worked a lot of strange hours (she was on at 1 am) and because she utilized a lot of foreign film in her coverage.

I stopped watching regular network news when they turned the Iran hostage situation into a nightly soap opera, complete with its own soundtrack (Duh, duh, duh duh).

Gave cable a try when Rachel Madow began her show, largely because of the effusive support she received here on DU, but she kept bringing on that idiot Pat Buchanan. I figured the network forced her to give him time, but I've no interest in such bilge and less patience for those who host it.

So like the President, I read, talk and interact with people who's opinion I value, and stay as far away from network news as I can. Cable news isn't even a consideration. And my life is richer -- infinitely richer -- for it.

[TheKentuckian]

22. What is so brilliant about not watching distraction and propaganda?

Why would anyone think the President would watch that trash when he gets intelligence reports, reads, and has teams of advisors?

This isn't a sign of brilliance but of not being a dumbass and a waster of time. Everybody knows one could watch cable news for years and come out less informed than when you started as a viewer.

Even the cream of the crop is mostly just punditry, there is precious little news.