Obama's secret teleprompter coach revealed

American Thinker Blog ^ | May 4, 2011 | Thomas Lifson

[jazusamo]

Barack Obama, the purported master orator, is spending a hundred thousand dollars of our tax money on an outside consultant to help him with his teleprompter skills. Perhaps last minute coaching is the reason why Sunday night's OBL speech was delayed so long. The hundred grand comes on top of the $624,000 payroll of the White House speechwriting team, so Obama's masterful oratory is costing us close to three quarter of million bucks a year. With that kind of money, Gilbert Gottfried could sound good.

Jim McElhatton of the Washington Times has the scoop:

The White House is spending tens of thousands of dollars on a public relations firm headed by Democratic image maker Michael Sheehan - once dubbed by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton as an "extraordinary media coach" who helped her master the teleprompter.

Mr. Sheehan's firm, Sheehan Associates, could receive more than $100,000 under a current contract and has been providing occasional speech and consulting services to the White House since 2009, federal purchasing records show.

Although Mr. Sheehan has a reputation of helping politicians look good speaking in public, neither his firm nor its White House client has anything to say about the contracting arrangement. Sheehan Associates failed to respond to telephone and email inquiries about the hiring arrangement this week and last, as did the White House press office.

As Dirty Harry said, "A man's gotta know his limitations." I do give credit to Obama for getting help. But can we please stop witht he praise of his oratorical skills? The man knows how to read a teleprompter (with help), but as many have pointed out, when one his own, he often gets tangled up and ungrammatical.

Hat tip: Ed Lasky

[jazusamo]

Obama even needs help with the TP.

[ozark hilljilly]

I was wondering why lately he doesn’t look like he’s watching a ping pong match when speaking.

[BenLurkin]

[RC2]

People are paying less and less attention to his speeches. A good orator is fine but when the actions don’t match the words or contradict the words, people wise up pretty fast and turn their backs.

[Fantasywriter]

When I saw the title, I assumed this had to be a joke, comedy, and/or parody.

[Reddy]

Why doesn’t zero have to pay for this out-of-pocket. If he decided to take some college courses while in office, we would have to pay for that, too? Or for him to get a toupee? Or a face lift?

Any self-help type enhancements should be paid for by HIM, not us!!

[1066AD]

Must’ve watched “The King’s Speech” LOL

[Sir Napsalot]

I was going to say Clooney.

But the more scary thing is that Obama uses Clooney for his advice on his ‘policies’.

[LibLieSlayer]

He is not qualified to manage any business... he is not smart enough to teach or practice law... he is an enigma that poses as someone else... he is an idiot... America has awakened to his fraud.

LLS

[jazusamo]

Exactly. I noticed on his Osama speech he was looking at the camera and not side to side. He started out pretty well but towards the end his eyes started tracking, this explains it.

[jazusamo]

Please bump the Freepathon or click above and donate or become a monthly donor!

[newheart]

When I saw the title, I assumed this had to be a joke, comedy, and/or parody.

And you would be correct, since even the true stuff about this administration is a joke, comedy and a parody of real government.

[Dan(9698)]

They put the teleprompter closer to the camera.

[alancarp]

"With that kind of money, Gilbert Gottfried could sound good. "

Well.... maybe not him.

[Dunstan McShane]

who helped her master the teleprompter.

How does one "master" a teleprompter? It would seem (to one who has never had to use one) that all one has to do is to (a) read the words, (b) pretend to understand them, and (c) pretend to care.

Public school should generally have taken care of the first requirement; a life of public service should certainly have provided mastery of the last two skills.

[Fantasywriter]

Lol!

[jazusamo]

I hear you. If he thinks $100K is pocket change he should get it out of his own pocket.

[MPJackal]

Soon to be a new movie.....The Queens Speech.

[Right Wing Assault]

to help him with his teleprompter skills

He reads pretty well as long the the TP is working correctly.

I think they need to get him coaches for his NON-teleprompter "skills."

[FourPeas]

Wha’dya know, yet another thing with The Won that is fake: his masterful speechification. Skippy is truly an empty suit.