Obama for Father's Day: Stay Home, US Dads

AP Report ^

[Steelfish]

Obama for Father's Day: Stay Home, US Dads

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS June 19, 2009

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Growing up without a father left a painful hole in his heart, President Barack Obama told a lawnful of boys at the White House Friday in a remarkably personal Father's Day weekend message. He implored fathers everywhere -- and the kids when they're a bit older -- to stay home and stay involved in the lives of their own children.

''This isn't an obligation,'' said the father of two in a message to millions of wayward dads. ''This is a privilege to be a father.''

Obama spent hours on Friday with teenagers, young men, community mentors and everyday dads in hopes of launching what he called a national conversation on responsible fatherhood. Each story was personal. But one of them commanded the most attention: his.

He spoke at length about how his father, Barack Obama Sr., left home early. The future president was just 2 at the time and saw his dad only once more, at age 10, a short visit that still left a lasting imprint.

''I had a heroic mom and wonderful grandparents who helped raise me and my sister, and it's because of them that I'm able to stand here today,'' he told a throng of youngsters. ''But despite all their extraordinary love and attention, that doesn't' mean that I didn't' feel my father's absence. That's something that leaves a hole in a child's heart that a government can't fill.''

''Just because your own father wasn't there for you, that's not an excuse for you to be absent also. It's all the more reason for you to be present,'' Obama said at the White House. He gave the same message earlier at an education center for young, at-risk adults.

[perfect_rovian_storm]

That's something that leaves a hole in a child's heart that a government can't fill.

But, we can try, right Bambi?

[Steelfish]

The problem we have here are single-(unwed) mothers raising children often from more than one man. It is of epidemic proportions in the black community. Why doesn’t 0 address this issue boldly and frankly? Scared of Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton and Rev. Wright?

[2ndDivisionVet]

I DON'T TAKE ORDERS FROM A NON-CERTIFIED, UNVERIFIED WHITE HOUSE RESIDENT!! Don't ever tell me how to be a father, you swell-headed showboat!! Mind your own business and keep your ACORN nuts as far away from me as you can!!

[HiTech RedNeck]

blind pig, acorn, chance.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Yes, it seems like the Zero is afraid to more than obliquely hint at it.

[Rodebrecht]

"Growing up without a father left a painful hole in his heart, President Barack Obama told a lawnful of boys"
Pity party time! If you disagree with him, you're an insensitive jerk!

[dragnet2]

The entire implication here is that, Fathers suck.

What clown this guy is.

[taxtruth]

I wish nobama would stay at home in Kenya with his family and buzz off/get lost.

[W.Lee]

The day I take advice on anything from this bs artist is the day I suck on the front sight.

[trisham]

Thank you.

[No Surrender No Retreat]

OdummyOne gets real confused on Fathers Day.

Words,
NSNR

[Charles Martel]

The problem we have here are single-(unwed) mothers raising children often from more than one man. It is of epidemic proportions in the black community. Why doesn’t 0 address this issue boldly and frankly?

Why should Obama view that as a *problem*? Those civilian security forces aren't going to just materialize out of thin air, you know.

[Jeff Chandler]

You can keep your advice to yourself, punk.

[taxtruth]

We need that birth certificate barry and why are you spending millions on lawyers to hide your identity?

[VeniVidiVici]

That's something that leaves a hole in a child's heart that a government can't fill.''

Did that dumbass really say that?

The typical Hussein hubris.

[what's up]

''I had a heroic mom and wonderful grandparents

But they were just typical white people.

[freekitty]

Yeah, I thought he had father figures like his grandfather and Frank Davis.

[freekitty]

Me either.

[utahagen]

I am critical of President Obama when he talks about world events as if his personal experiences mattered. However, I laud him for talking about himself and his family when discussing Father's Day.

[peace with honor]

well said FRiend

[freebird5850]

Barrys’ father was not there for him because his mother was a white trash whore who fell into bed with the village drunk in kenya. His father went on to crash his car and have part of one of his legs amputated. “Dreams of my father”? Fine father figure there! now Barry is trying to convince the world that we can just get along? He has no substance and slowly the world is seeing through his pretend new world order.

[Polynikes]

I like that phrase. Mind if I use it for a tagline?

[peace with honor]

I cannot, as a father, even think of words to use to this this poor excuse of a man, to tell me how and what to do as a dad, screw you obozo

[BerryDingle]

I laud him for talking about himself and his family when discussing Father's Day.

And I have no idea who he is/isn't.

[Typical_Whitey]

What about the huge hole your budget defecits are going to leave in these youngsters pockets? Did you want to say a few choice words on that, you idiot.

[Typical_Whitey]

Well them I am sure you will Chastise him for stealing the future from these same kids he was talking to today, Right?

[Typical_Whitey]

Did he remind them that Babies are a punishment too, you know, Be a sport and please abort....

[HungarianGypsy]

I remember my dad talking about Father’s Day. Mother’s Day there are the dinners and flowers and “what does Mom want to do”. Father’s Day, “let’s drag dad around here and here” when he would prefer spending a relaxing Sunday sorting his tools. (I was too young to treat Father’s Day like that, so he wasn’t talking about me. hee hee). It has been fourteen and a half years since I last got to see my daddy, so in his honor, my husband gets to go play with his friends Sunday morning and gets a nice meal.

[Jet Jaguar]

Well done.

[2111USMC]

Each story was personal. But one of them commanded the most attention: his.

It's all about you, isn't Barry?

[Balding_Eagle]

Right on.

[raybbr]

''This isn't an obligation,'' said the father of two in a message to millions of wayward dads. ''This is a privilege to be a father.''

Maybe not in the community where you come from but in most others being a father IS an obligation.

You can take the man out of the ghetto...

[W.Lee]

Of course, feel free to use it. I have lived a rather...well lets say I have been exposed to a lot of differant folks in my life. And I recognised this guy as a bs artist from the get go.

[Palladin]

This is a slap in the face to the stepfather who raised him for many years, and the grandfather who also raised him for many years.

The selfish bastard who sired Obama was just a sperm donor...not a father.

[Sequoyah101]

I just managed to stagger to my feet from the floor where I fell when I read this. I am still in disbelief. I can’t believe that ZERO thinks there is anything that government can’t do.

As for the absence of his “father”, that could have been a good thing but it is hard to imagine him being any more warped, insecure or bitter than he is already.

If I had a son like him either he would change his name or I would after I disowned him.

[Costumed Vigilante]

Fathers: Punished with late-term babies. And we love it.

[utahagen]

I assume the kids Obama was talking to are so outside the realm of middle class America that their financial futures will be not be affected (negatively) by anything he does politically. (I'm not being sarcastic.)

[utahagen]

What do you mean?

[utahagen]

I think you're not giving Obama enough credit for at least saying that his father abandoned him and his mother. I don't think Obama is doing a disservice to his grandfather when he talks about having been hurt by his father.

[jurroppi1]

Personally I think I’d rather let my daughter and wife drag me around wherever they want to. If that makes them feel good, then I’m happy. Sure, there are lots of things I’d like to get done, but they’re not as important as my family’s happiness - not by a long shot.

My tools may rust and wither and perhaps be unsorted, but there are more available and I can always sort tools sometime...

BTW, no offense to anyone, just my 2 pennies here.

[Typical_Whitey]

WOW you have seriously low expectations regarding today’s youth.... LOL....

You really do understand the Failure of the Public School system.

[CSM]

Everything this man says is always accompanied with veiled bitterness.

[Just another Joe]

The problem we have here are single-(unwed) mothers raising children often from more than one man.

You mean like Oboma's Mama?

Even if she did get married, then divorced, then married, then divorced, etc.

[Ann Archy]

He’s the BEST father...EVER....he even went GOLFING with his son, Joe Biden!