Obama’s TSA pat-downs joke infuriates ACLU

[RamboLiberal]

Hailing the benefits of high-speed rail, the president jested that it would allow travelers to avoid being subject to the controversial airport pat-downs policy.

"Within 25 years, our goal is to give 80 percent of Americans access to high-speed rail, which could allow you go places in half the time it takes to travel by car," Obama said. "For some trips, it will be faster than flying – without the pat-down."

Awkward laughter and a scattered applause followed as Obama smiled and chuckled.

Moments after the president made the remark, the American Civil Liberties Union fired out a Tweet that read: "President Obama makes funny about TSA pat-downs, but the violations of the Constitution are NO JOKE!"

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/01/obamas-tsa-patdowns-joke-infuriates-aclu/

IMHO ACLU needs to take a chill pill on this one. Fight your battle another way with administration, Homeland Security and TSA another way.

[DrDan]

1. and perhaps that sense of humor should be expressed in another forum - not the SOTU

[slackmaster]

2. I thought that and the salmon joke were pure genius

I agree with RamboLiberal. ACLU should take a 'lude and lighten up.

[nxylas]

3. Yes, it's not like Obama was defending the pat-downs

The ACLU is playing to the Rush Limbaugh stereotypes about liberals being shrill and humorless here.

[woo me with science]

24. He DOES defend them.

http://articles.cnn.com/2010-11-20/travel/obama.tsa_1_pat-downs-airport-screening-procedures-travelers?_s=PM:TRAVEL

Obama stands by controversial air security screening methods

November 20, 2010|By Suzanne Malveaux, CNN


President Barack Obama stood by new controversial screening measures Saturday, calling methods such as pat-downs and body scans necessary to assure airline safety.

Speaking at a NATO press conference in Lisbon, Portugal, the president called the balance between protecting travelers' rights and their security a "tough situation."

Per the new rules, travelers may be subject to full-body scans at 400 such machines in 69 airports nationwide. Those who voluntarily opt out -- as well as those who set off a scanning machine or a metal detector -- are subject to a pat-down. Some travelers have likened the pat-downs to groping.

[nxylas]

29. But he wasn't defending them in his speech

The joke, such as it was, only works on the assumption that the pat-downs are a bad thing that people wouldn't subject themselves to if they had a choice.

[woo me with science]

30. That is precisely why it is an outrageous and insulting joke.

You oversee and defend a policy that is an intrusive, assaultive, outrageous violation of people's Fourth Amendment rights, and then you joke about their not wanting to subject themselves to it.

You would have a point if he were reversing policy. He is NOT. He is laughing.

The ACLU is right to express outrage on the behalf of all Americans. They have been collecting the reams of detailed complaints from people who have undergone this despicable policy that they "wouldn't subject themselves to if they had a choice."

[Coyote_Bandit]

4. Those pat downs

are certainly no joke to lots of people. Those who have been victims of sexual attacks or who have physical deformities and irregularities find them particularly offensive and intrusive. Nevermind the fact that they really are not particularly effective. Mostly theatre designed to reinforce our fears and anxieties....

[daa]

5. Its easy to joke about if your kids

aren't being molested. Did you see the pic of Regis with a TSA guys hand up his crotch? 79 year ols American icon, probably not really a terrorist.

[Brickbat]

6. I thought the joke was bizarre.

[hlthe2b]

7. Well, certainly not on the same level as joking about WMDs

(as in Bush*s infamous White House Press Corps event), but, SOTU addresses are risky terrain for jokes. I thought his "smoked" salmon bit was funny. The "pat down" and also the allusion to a plane crash fell flat. I'm somewhere in between on this, as I do agree there is a serious civil rights issue to be addressed in TSA's procedures and joking about them seems quite wrong, particularly given a few more horrendous accounts that have come to light.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Gravel Democrat]

9. Well at least he didn't joke about a drone blowing up a train

I always try to see the glass as half full of...something

[Angry Dragon]

10. Just wait until they start doing pat-downs for train travel

and buses
Next will be for taxis where the driver will do the pat-down

[woo me with science]

11. HA HA HA HA HA! Travelers drenched in URINE! HA HA HA HA HA!

HA HA HA HA HA!!! Take out your prosthetic BREAST! HA! HA! HA!

OOPS! We exposed your REAL BREAST! HA HA HA HA HA!!!!

Spread your legs while I check here! HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!

We're putting your 12-year-old daughter through the nude scanner now! HA HA HA HA HA!

:grr: :nuke: :grr: :nuke: :grr: :nuke:

No. This is NOT funny. It is a national outrage.

[Freddie Stubbs]

12. People need to calm down and get a sense of humor

[JuniperLea]

20. How dare you joke about a sense of humor!

There are people in this world who are biologically unable to have a sense of humor! How would you like to go through life casting a shadow on every silver lining you see? Harrumph!

I hope I don't need this: :sarcasm:

[nosmokes]

13. There's nothing remotely funny about the TSA and the security theatre we

allow ourselves to be subject to simply to travel by air.As usual, the ACLU hits the bullseye once again.

[Carolina]

15. Thank you, I totally agree

and found nothing funny about that remark. It was a 'wince' moment for me. Jokes about this 4th Amendment violation are no laughing matter. I'm with the ACLU!

[woo me with science]

16. [phone] nt

[Desertrose]

28. Couldn't agree with you more! nt

[Catherina]

14. Accidentaly rec'd. Meant to unrec for last comment.

That joke was as distasteful, classless and insensitive as his joke about predator drones.

[Carolina]

17. Hear, Hear for the ACLU

It was a 'wince' moment for me. Jokes about this dastardly 4th Amendment violation are no laughing matter. I'm with the ACLU! If BHO thinks this shit is funny, let him and, more importantly, his wife and daughters be subjected to it.

[former9thward]

18. If Obama and his family had to go through the TSA before they got on Air Force 1

he wouldn't think Constitutional violations were so funny.

[somone]

19. So funny

He and his family and entourage will never have to set foot in a commercial aircraft...

[Renew Deal]

21. Obama's joke probably did more to highlight the issue than saying nothing at all.

I have a feeling the airline industry should be more upset than the ACLU.

[woo me with science]

22. Obama DEFENDS this outrage. nt

[The Backlash Cometh]

23. I think it was unfortunate.

When Obama isn't being subjected to this humiliation, he's really not in a position to make a joke about it.

[jaxx]

25. People lack a sense of humor.

Everything is something to fight about...you'd think they'd get tired of it.

[liberal N proud]

26. I think his comments were anti pat downs, the ACLU is off the mark

[woo me with science]

27. Are we in the Twilight Zone now?

We seem to have gotten to the point of complete denial about what this President has PUBLICLY stated he supports.

http://articles.cnn.com/2010-11-20/travel/obama.tsa_1_pat-downs-airport-screening-procedures-travelers?_s=PM:TRAVEL

Obama stands by controversial air security screening methods

November 20, 2010|By Suzanne Malveaux, CNN

President Barack Obama stood by new controversial screening measures Saturday, calling methods such as pat-downs and body scans necessary to assure airline safety.

Speaking at a NATO press conference in Lisbon, Portugal, the president called the balance between protecting travelers' rights and their security a "tough situation."

Per the new rules, travelers may be subject to full-body scans at 400 such machines in 69 airports nationwide. Those who voluntarily opt out -- as well as those who set off a scanning machine or a metal detector -- are subject to a pat-down. Some travelers have likened the pat-downs to groping.
Advertisement

The president said such methods are needed after what happened December 25, 2009, when Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab of Nigeria allegedly boarded a flight from Amsterdam to Detroit with a bomb hidden in his underwear. .....

[nadinbrzezinski]

31. Cue the music

[woo me with science]

33. I'm hearing it all over the boards, nadin.

It's freakin' me out, man. It's freakin' me OUT! :scared: :hi:

[truebrit71]

32. Yeah people need to chill out about the 4th amendment and the probing going on...

...you are so right...:eyes:

I was amazed that President Obama thought that was appropriate material for a throw-away line..