Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

The White House's Unprecedented Use Of 'Unprecedented
Politico ^ | November 25th 2009

Posted on 11/25/2009 7:43:06 PM PST by Steelfish

The White House's Unprecedented Use Of 'Unprecedented'

The Obama White House is addicted to the “unprecedented.”

Perhaps it was a sign when President Barack Obama sat down in January to record his first weekly address and announced: “We begin this year and this administration in the midst of an unprecedented crisis that calls for unprecedented action." What has followed is declaration after declaration of “unprecedented” milestones. Some of them are legitimate firsts, like the president’s online town hall at the White House in May.

But others the president wins merely on a technicality, and several clearly already have precedents. The White House’s announcement of its unprecedented — “a first by an American president visiting China” — town hall meeting with students in Beijing, for instance, drew a collective eye roll in certain circles back home, namely among former aides to President George W. Bush, who had already been grumbling about Obama’s carefree application of “unprecedented.”

“I think I attended a town hall with President Bush in China,” former Bush adviser Karen Hughes quipped with a laugh, recalling a 2002 Bush speech in Beijing at which he took questions from the audience. “I thought: Were they asleep? Or were they dreaming? I remember standing and watching President Bush engage in a town hall that I believe was televised.” President Bill Clinton also took questions from Chinese students at an event during a trip to the country in 1998, then did a radio call-in show in Shanghai the next day.

The White House’s characterization of Obama’s Beijing town hall mirrored the description staff gave Obama’s address to students on the first day of school, which the Education Department called “historic.” Yet President George H.W. Bush delivered an address to students, as did President Ronald Reagan.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bho44; chickenshtt; chikenshtt
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-28 next last

1 posted on 11/25/2009 7:43:07 PM PST by Steelfish
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Steelfish

unpresident


2 posted on 11/25/2009 7:48:38 PM PST by citizencon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Steelfish

The rapid fall from Messiah to just plain mess has been ....


3 posted on 11/25/2009 7:49:13 PM PST by festusbanjo (Barry makes Jimmy look qualified and makes Slick Willie look honest.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Steelfish

Unprecedented attempt to end capitalism...


4 posted on 11/25/2009 7:49:40 PM PST by Notasoccermom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: citizencon
unpresident

It can't come too soon.

5 posted on 11/25/2009 7:51:35 PM PST by FatherofFive (Islam is an EVIL like no other, and must be ERADICATED. Barack OBORTION is a close second.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Steelfish

This has been one of Obama’s few appropriate choices of words. Destroying freedom from the White House itself is unprecedented. Allowing a socialist to work against our country from the Oval Office is unprecedented.


6 posted on 11/25/2009 7:52:59 PM PST by TurtleUp ([...Insert today's quote from Community-Organizer-in-Chief...] - Obama, YOU LIE!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Steelfish

This is unexpected (even by the experts).


7 posted on 11/25/2009 7:53:48 PM PST by Paladin2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TurtleUp

What’s “unprecedented” is the sheer idiocy of those ages 18-29 who voted 67% for 0 and WHITE women who were single, separated, unmarried, or widowed, who according to Gallup voted “overwhelmingly” for 0. What a country? So badly messed up.


8 posted on 11/25/2009 7:56:11 PM PST by Steelfish
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Steelfish
like the president’s online town hall at the White House in May.

FDR's radio "Fireside Chats" were also unprecedented, mainly because radio was a new technology at the time

The 1960 election television POTUS debates between JFK and Nixon were unprecedented, mainly because Television was a new technology at the time

Fast Forward to online computing, and you'll find that online 'town halls' had been experimented with thruout the 90's, albeit with mixed results .. actually (dare I say this?), AOL was the first major online media to experiment with 'town hall' meetings and Q&A sessions with notable people

There is nothing 'unprecedented' about what Obama is doing, other than in wrecking the USA as quickly as possible

9 posted on 11/25/2009 7:56:16 PM PST by Mr_Moonlight
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Steelfish

He needs to rotate speech writers more. Right now all he seems to have it “unprecedented” guy and “Let me be clear” guy.


10 posted on 11/25/2009 7:56:31 PM PST by Vince Ferrer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Steelfish
The lack of proper legal vetting to determine if this guy was even eligible to be elected is what's unprecedented.
11 posted on 11/25/2009 7:57:04 PM PST by SpaceBar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Steelfish

I’ll be damned if this isn’t unprecedentedly unprecedented! Quite unpresidential also!


12 posted on 11/25/2009 7:57:29 PM PST by Road Warrior ‘04 ( I'll miss President Bush greatly! Palin in 2012! The "other" Jim Thompson)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SpaceBar

You may be onto something. What’s unprecedented is the media cover-up of his birth qualifications for US President while they went after McCain’s birth in Panama


13 posted on 11/25/2009 8:00:08 PM PST by Steelfish
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: SpaceBar

You may be onto something. What’s unprecedented is the media cover-up of his birth qualifications for US President while they went after McCain’s birth in Panama


14 posted on 11/25/2009 8:00:09 PM PST by Steelfish
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Steelfish

Obama himself is “unprecedented.”

After all, he is Americas First Failed Black Pres-dent.....


15 posted on 11/25/2009 8:01:24 PM PST by Gator113 (Obama is Americas First Failed Black Pres-dent.....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Vince Ferrer

Maybe he needs a dictionary guy...to look up what the word means.


16 posted on 11/25/2009 8:02:52 PM PST by New Yawk Minute
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Steelfish

“those ages 18-29 who voted 67% for 0 and WHITE women who were single, separated, unmarried, or widowed, who according to Gallup voted “overwhelmingly” for 0.”

They may not think it’s so “cute” when their gorgeous hunk signs a healthcare bill that may wind up restricting access to routine mammograms and Pap smears...../s


17 posted on 11/25/2009 8:08:19 PM PST by Frank_2001
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Gator113
After all, he is Americas First Failed Black Pres-dent.....

One of the interesting things is that AP seems to have an affinity to referring to Sarah Palin as "failed Vice President candidate" in every mention of her. I noticed the same in Reuters report today that Rudy might challenge Gillibrand for the NY Senate seat --- "failed Presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani" ---

I kinda like this approach by the MSM, but of course they'll have to apply it evenly and fairly if they seek to go down this road in their style-book:

Failed Presidential candidate John Kerry
Former Vice President but failed Presidential candidate Algore (twice - 1988 & 2000)
Failed Presidential and Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards
Completely Failed former Vice President and Presidential candidate Walter Mondale
... the list can go on and on and on ....

BUT! Soon in the future ---

FAILED President Barack Obama

18 posted on 11/25/2009 8:16:19 PM PST by Mr_Moonlight
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Steelfish

This narcissist is becoming a caricature of himself.


19 posted on 11/25/2009 8:17:26 PM PST by Artcore
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Mr_Moonlight

“BUT! Soon in the future -—

FAILED President Barack Obama “

From your lips to Gods ears.


20 posted on 11/25/2009 8:20:58 PM PST by Gator113 (Obama is Americas First Failed Black Pres-dent.....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-28 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson