Wanda Sykes: "Mr. President, remember 'yes we can, yes we can.' Well I wish you would."

[Bluebear]

I got a tip that Wanda Sykes really went off on President Obama on her show this past weekend. And she did. Never underestimate the power of comedians on TV. I remember when I was volunteering in Sen. Kennedy's office in the early 90s. I don't remember the data now, but there was some kind of survey showing that a ridiculously large number of people got their "news" from the late night shows like Letterman and Leno. Now only can they sway the public against you, but they're also a good barometer of what the public is thinking, and feeling. Comedians don't get laughs by telling the audience something they don't believe. Add in the fact that Sykes is a liberal, and black, and things start to get even more interesting. It would be one thing if she were a conservative preaching to a conservative audience. But she's a lesbian and a Democrat, and African-American to boot. Her message could resonate with a lot of Democrats, across various constituencies. And it's one more piece of evidence to suggest that discontent is spreading beyond just beltway Democrats. - John Aravosis

http://www.americablog.com/

[laughingliberal]

1. She's wonderful

and I agree, the late night comedians are both a powerful influence and a barometer of public opinion.

[Cirque du So-What]

2. I wouldn't want to be on Wanda's bad side

and it would behoove the President not to reside on her bad side for very long either.

[PVnRT]

3. Oh, Wanda just wants her pony and/or Palin as President

[Vincardog]

5. That pony line is getting REALLLLY old

[YOY]

8. Hey...look at the bright side. Everyone who's main want was an escalation in Afghanistan.

Well they got their pony!

YEAH!!! Congrats to them!!! Keep dreamin' lil Dreamers! The sky is the limit!

[sabrina 1]

18. They got to save the private insurance industry also!

Congrats on that too! Not much for the little people, but hey, we bailed out Wall St. didn't we and made sure not one of those corrupt greedy criminals will ever be prosecuted for collapsing the economy! And all those war criminals are safe from prosecution too. 'Change' no war criminal or corrupt Wall St financier could complain about!

[YOY]

20. Now thems some happy folks!

Great for them! I am so glad all their dreams came true!!!

[Cirque du So-What]

9. +1

Is there ANY catchphrase that doesn't grate on the nerves with repetition? I'm ready for people to move on to the next cutesy phrase that they can use incessantly.

[PVnRT]

10. I know - that's why I pre-empted it

[rudy23]

13. Well played. n/t

[rudy23]

12. Message Discipline. n/t

[GreenArrow]

42. That pony line

was old the first time.

[sabrina 1]

16. Maybe she's right. Palin for President

will unite the base of this party. Right now we have 'democrats' offering so many excuses for war and a bailout for private insurance, it's pretty sickening.

It appears now that there really was no real anti-war sentiment in so many who have now revealed themselves. Nor did they really care about real healthcare reform. It was all about party politics for them so it looks like for those who did actually care about those issues, regardless of the 'D' or 'R' label, we have to think of a strategy that will keep them fighting for what is right, not for what is 'good for the party'. Best way may just be to let the Dems lose.

[Javaman]

38. That's the best you got? time to get some new material.

damn, that's just old and really worn out now.

[jobycom]

4. I saw a couple minutes of Jimmy Falin the other night.

He was awful, but the joke that got the best response was about Obama. Something like "Obama is sending more troops to Afghanistan. He says he's fulfilling campaign promises. John McCain's campaign promises."

[Statistical]

6. Ouch.

[Starry Messenger]

7. She probably really never liked him.

:sarcasm:

[AspenRose]

11. "Yes we can" is not the same as "Yes I can"

He never said "Yes I can." He said "Yes WE can." Therefore it is up to US to bring about change.

And yes, this includes "holding the president's feet to the fire."

[Stand and Fight]

15. So much for "the buck stops here."

The presidency is about leadership and influence. If the president's feet have to be held to the fire for him to do the right thing, president s/he should not be.

[AspenRose]

17. The right thing according to who?

You're assuming he hasn't been leading.

He has.

Just not in the direction some people would prefer.

Thus is the eternal problem with Democrats....too many people want to go in different directions.

(And let me preemptively state, because I have a feeling it would come up otherwise, that I did not say "different" is better or worse.)

If enough people yell and scream and demand action, perhaps he would change course. If people say nothing yet expect him to go in one direction when the majority thinks otherwise, we deserve what we get.

WE.

As Thom Hartmann would say, activism begins with you...tag, you're it.


Edited to add that the president can't do a whole hell of a lot without Congress. Frustrating, but true.

[bobbolink]

28. you got it!

And, when we pick up his feet to hold them to the fire, WE get the heat for pestering the poor man.

[ecstatic]

14. Wish he would what?

[Occam Bandage]

19. Would what?

[saracat]

21. Great post! Now watch while some play dumb, or don't 'understand'

or screech that it isn't the president's fault!

[jm9487]

22. Wanda doesn't know

She is right that he is doing things a little differently than he said he would during his campaign, and I too am not at first thought particularly a fan of this either. But people have to understand there is so much more he knows about these situations than we do, other factors into the equation in which his decision is derived that we either do not know or do not know completely. While there is a chance all his campaign promises were false rhetoric, it seemed he was speaking truthfully and of his own thoughts and based on that he appears to be a highly moralistic man, with the proper concern for all Americans and all other Earth inhabitants, and capable of making the correct judgment calls when necessary. So after second thoughts, I do not disagree with his decisions yet because I do not have the knowledge to do so, and my trust stays steady in him until he has given me real reason to change it.

[Bluebear]

23. Only deities are supposed to be all-knowing behind the scenes.

[Marr]

32. Haha, yeah right. Last time I heard that defense, it was Bush fans

saying he "knows things we don't" about Iraq's WMDs, and so we should just stop pointing out the obvious problems with his story.

[jm9487]

43. It's a bit different

Yes but that's what I mean by saying the person he portrayed himself to be, as a just man, a man of morals who would choose the people is why I still trust him, because its true that he knows many things about certain situations that the public do not, is it not? Bush and his administration chose to take advantage of that and therefore took advantage of the people of our republic by lying to us about the WMD, but because he did does not mean Mr.Obama will do the same. Unless like I stated before his campaign was false rhetoric and used that falsehood to get to the oval office for his own reasons which is possible, but not very likely.

[mdmc]

41. welcome to Du brotherman

peace and low stress..

[David Zephyr]

24. Great guote, Bluebear.

How do I find Wanda's television show? Help an old guy.

[progressoid]

25. The Wanda Sykes Show: Saturday 11/10c on Fox

http://www.fox.com/wanda/

[David Zephyr]

30. Thank you progressoid.

Very much. :)

[bobbolink]

26. Ruh-roh....now you've went and did it.

That cacophony was the sound of a massive hemorrhage of the cheerleaders.

[QC]

27. Uh oh....

[ruggerson]

29. watch out, there's a faction here that thinks that Aravosis is "toxic"

You will now be in their shorthairs. :)

[Le Taz Hot]

40. Shouldn't that be crosshairs?

:hide: (Shorthairs refers to something entirely different.) Just ignore me. I haven't had my Bloody Mary yet. ;-)

[ruggerson]

44. That's why the smileyface is there

I'd rather be in shorthairs than crosshairs ;)

(sorry my late night humor seems kind of dense the following day)

[UrbScotty]

31. The ignorance here on DU is disturbing. What's with the high number of rec's?

Obama is not a god. He can't do everything.

So to all of you who have so sense of patience and who choose ignorance over reason, I say:

QUIT WHINING.

[Skittles]

33. you're the one whining

[Bluebear]

34. "Obama is not a god." - there's plenty you could deliver that message to

[Starry Messenger]

35. Your poutrage is noted. n/t

[quiet.american]

37. You said it. Thumbs up. nt

[SemiCharmedQuark]

39. Nobody's asking for everything. They're asking for SOMETHING.

[defendandprotect]

36. LOVE Wanda Sykes . . .

and love the point she makes!