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SALON: Sorry, conservatives, Obama didn’t gaffe on Leno
SALON ^ | 08/09/2013 | ALEX SEITZ-WALD

Posted on 08/10/2013 11:32:26 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

SNIP SNIP

The narrative here would seem to be that Obama is dumb and doesn’t even know basic geography. But no one really believes that and even Obama’s most ardent critics have never questioned his intelligence. Instead of the hapless dunce in the mold of liberals’ anti-Bush caricatures, conservatives see Obama as a conniving radical. Or an out-of-touch, former law professor, ivory tower elitist. Either way, not dumb. Ted Cruz said today that he modeled his campaign after Obama’s because it was so smart and effective.

Meanwhile, “downplaying the threat of terrorism” is plainly not a gaffe — it’s an assessment of the world that is different from how conservatives would see it. On the Olympics, Obama said, “if Russia wants to uphold the Olympic spirit, then every judgment should be made on the track, or in the swimming pool, or on the balance beam.” As Newsbusters nails him: “The track and field events, swimming competitions and gymnastics all take place during the summer games. Sochi, Russia is the site of the 2014 Winter Olympics.” BOOM! Nailed him.

More troubling is that Obama said Putin “headed up the KGB.” It’s a common misconception, but in fact the Russian president only rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel before retiring from the spy agency to enter politics. That maybe suggests a lack of a specific bit of knowledge vaguely relevant to an important foreign policy issue, but it’s still not really a political gaffe.

As Tommy Christopher writes, “Another reason that gaffes don’t stick to this president is that, fair or not, they don’t fit an established narrative for him. When John McCain refers to ‘Czechoslovakia,’ it’s funny because he’s old, and when Sarah Palin says North Korea is our ally, it’s funny because of her overbearing jingoism and perceived dimness.

(Excerpt) Read more at salon.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: gaffes; jayleno; obama; obamagaffes; obamaleno
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To: SeekAndFind
The narrative here would seem to be that Obama is dumb and doesn’t even know basic geography. But no one really believes that and even Obama’s most ardent critics have never questioned his intelligence.

Baloney. Our president is a living example of the basic truth that an Ivy League education combined with an utter lack of experience in any productive work can produce a naive ideologue who spends his life being surprised that his university classroom stereotypes and cliches don't actually have anything to do with the real world.
81 posted on 08/10/2013 1:59:27 PM PDT by AnotherUnixGeek
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To: IrishBrigade
...why would you remark at all about Obama’s grades in college if you know nothing about them...? How does that help your argument?

That's correct, and why I never do that. But, Gore's grades *were* released, and Bush's were far better than his. The libs just gloss it over.

82 posted on 08/10/2013 2:03:18 PM PDT by Cyber Liberty (Justice for Trayvon: Dig up his body and shoot him again.)
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To: SeekAndFind

I’ve never seen a shred of evidence that Obama has anything more than an average intelligence if that. He’s not well-spoken, shows no sign of being well-read and fell for the idiocy of socialism. He’s a chump.


83 posted on 08/10/2013 2:04:31 PM PDT by muir_redwoods (Don't fire until you see the blue of their helmets)
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To: SeekAndFind

Precisely !


84 posted on 08/10/2013 2:08:21 PM PDT by tomkat
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To: SeekAndFind

Okay, this person admits obama says totally wrong and/or stupid stuff.

Then he uses some kind of pretzel logic to make his point that:

Since obama’s considered intelligent by any and all who matter...his stupidity is okay.

When obama gets his “facts” partially right...his partial stupidity is okay.

And since his stupidity isn’t due to the fact that he’s a doddering old fool — but just has his facts wrong or partially wrong...it’s okay.

And finally, since obama’s not a dimwit like the one who exposes his evil plans for the US on an almost daily basis...it’s all okay!

FAIL

And why bring up the “irrelevant” Sarah anyway?

They’re all finding out how right and relevant she’s been all along. That’s why.


85 posted on 08/10/2013 2:12:11 PM PDT by Heart of Georgia
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To: SeekAndFind
...even Obama’s most ardent critics have never questioned his intelligence. Instead of the hapless dunce in the mold of liberals’ anti-Bush caricatures, conservatives see Obama as a conniving radical. Or an out-of-touch, former law professor, ivory tower elitist. Either way, not dumb.

Oh, he's dumb all right, but he's clever - he knows he can push and push and few will dare try to stop him, and he thinks he already knows everything he needs to know and won't be advised differently.

86 posted on 08/10/2013 2:16:48 PM PDT by Mr. Jeeves (CTRL-GALT-DELETE)
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To: SeekAndFind
even Obama’s most ardent critics have never questioned his intelligence

She got that right, but not the way she meant. Obama is an evil, bigoted, anti-American communist, but at least he is too lazy and stupid to do as much damage to the United States as a free country as he would like to inflict. I don't question his intelligence or his morals, not when he has consistently proven that both are negligible.

87 posted on 08/10/2013 2:18:11 PM PDT by Pollster1 ("Shall not be infringed" is unambiguous.)
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To: SeekAndFind

One can be conniving and radical and still not too bright. And one can become a professor and not be book smart if one never attended class and gets installed for political reasons.

But, Alex, you might want to check your own magazine before you start projecting. Yes, projecting. Bush was supposed to be the world’s biggest dunce (next to Palin, maybe) and yet (the story goes) he fooled everyone in the world about WMDs and everything else in the war and he was constantly misunderestimated.


88 posted on 08/10/2013 2:32:22 PM PDT by Tanniker Smith (Rome didn't fall in a day, either.)
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To: SeekAndFind

I’m sure the Gulf must touch several of the 57 States. /S


89 posted on 08/10/2013 2:42:12 PM PDT by Road Warrior ‘04 (Molon Labe! (Oathkeeper))
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To: SeekAndFind
Ted Cruz said today that he modeled his campaign after Obama’s because it was so smart and effective.

Doesn't mean Obama is smart; frankly I haven't seen any real evidence of that contention. I think what Cruz meant was that the Obama campaign was smart, which means it was run by smart people, but that does not necessarily mean Obama.

90 posted on 08/10/2013 2:46:40 PM PDT by SuziQ
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To: SeekAndFind
conservatives see Obama as a conniving radical ... not dumb.

On the contrary. THIS conservative sees obama as a DUMB conniving radical. Among other things ...

when Sarah Palin says North Korea is our ally, it’s funny because of her overbearing jingoism and perceived dimness.

"perceived dimness" that is manufactured and perpetuated by the lying media, just like George Bush's, Dan Quayle's, Gerald Ford's, or even Ronald Reagan's.

Stop pretending you aren't masters at manipulating images and admit that the sainted genius myth of barack obama is largely a media fiction. The guy is an idiot, a bungler, and an inepticon.

91 posted on 08/10/2013 3:17:05 PM PDT by IronJack (=)
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To: SeekAndFind
LOL.
Lame stream media queuing up to lick the crap off The One's boots after Odumbo steps in it yet again.
92 posted on 08/10/2013 3:41:15 PM PDT by Amagi (Buying "Green" means purchasing inferior quality at increased cost.)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

And don’t forget......OBAMA USED A TELEPROMPTER IN A KINDERGARTEN CLASSROOM! THE EPITOMY OF STUPID!


93 posted on 08/10/2013 5:10:55 PM PDT by ImNotLying (The MSM bears a close resemblance to the world's oldest profession!)
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear

...dumb as donuts, without a doubt. But, unfortunately, he’s a Cook County brass knuckles sleaze and corruption master and is implementing enough of his evil agenda.

Author Alex Seitz-Wald sure doesn’t read much beyond Salon and Daily Kos. But, with a surname of “Forest Rabbit,” what else would you expect?


94 posted on 08/10/2013 5:15:32 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom
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To: Shimmer1
Obama was NOT a f'ing "law professor". He was a guest lecturer.

Not much different than some ear nose and throat specialist giving a "guest lecture" on how to treat sinusitis to medical students.

We had these all the time in medical school. Specialists who would come in and tell us what we will see in practice.

Or for instance the chairman of the emergency department coming in and discussing interesting cases he's seen.

And let me assure you, they were fascinating.

But these were one-offs. They were not our regular professors.

Neither was Obama.

How COULD he be? Not like he had extensive extra training in law. Nor was he a member of the Faculty.

To become a professor takes years, sometimes decades to become a full professor.

Gotta earn it.

95 posted on 08/10/2013 5:21:39 PM PDT by boop ("You don't look so bad, here's another")
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To: IronJack
Obama's little more empty suit.

That's why they developed the infamous Journ-O-list; a collection of hundreds of journalists and pundits to serve as his backbenchers.

96 posted on 08/10/2013 9:38:40 PM PDT by Cyropaedia ("Virtue cannot separate itself from reality without becoming a principal of evil...".)
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To: SeekAndFind
The narrative here would seem to be that Obama is dumb and doesn’t even know basic geography. But no one really believes that...I do - trust me - I've done hundreds of intellectual assessments - why else has he spent several million dollars trying to keep his academic records hidden - we elected an affirmative action president - we deserve what we got......
97 posted on 08/10/2013 9:39:36 PM PDT by Intolerant in NJ
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To: SeekAndFind
Yabbut, let Tina Fey makd a comment about being able to see Russia, and the media go hogwild all over Sarah Palin.

Obama gets another mulligan.

98 posted on 08/10/2013 9:45:09 PM PDT by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing)
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